Ranking The 100 Best Bourbons Of 2025

The end of the year is here, and the results are in!

These are the top 100 bourbons of 2025.

This year, the whiskey industry faced existential challenges, with uncertainty in international trade and evolving consumer trends standing out as obstacles. Whiskey has been on an unprecedented ascent for the better part of a decade, and so it’s not surprising to see a course correction as we enter the second half of the 2020s.

That said, savvy producers know that obstacles are only opportunities by another name, and those challenges have led brands to become increasingly creative in meeting consumers where they are and delivering products they genuinely desire.

The result? Better bourbon for us all.

So, while so many people are talking about the cracks in the fault line, the truth is that brands are producing better baseline products, putting out a wider base of mid-shelf standards, and creating high-end expressions that are actually worth your top dollar.

What this list will show is a deeper catalog of great bourbons than we’ve seen in recent years at every section of the price spectrum, but particularly among premium bourbons. By my quick count, roughly 15 of the top bourbons on this list could have beat out our number two bourbon of the year in 2024.

That’s a major upgrade.

As brands adjust to the new reality that consumers may be drinking less, but they’re drinking better products, we’re seeing an underreported rise in quality.

Today, the report is in.

It’s time to taste and rank the 100 best bourbons of 2025!

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100. Willett Family Estate 4-Year Small Batch Bourbon

ABV: 63.7%
Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

For the first time, Willett made the bold move to add a standard nationwide release of small-batch bourbon to its Family Estate bourbon lineup, with this one in early fall 2025. Similar to their small-batch Family Estate rye, this one is aged for at least four years and comes in various proofs, with the inaugural release bottled at 125 proof. I believe this is either the second or third batch, as I’ve seen subsequent ones at 126.4 and 127.4, in case you’re keeping track at home.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: So much of the standard Family Estate bourbon profile makes it through on the nose of this whiskey. Dried strawberries, faint grassiness, dilute honey, and a sprig of spearmint all find their way through alongside butterscotch, youthful oak, and cloves.

Palate: On the first sip, you pick up a lot of those berry-forward notes in the form of blackberries, dried strawberries, and raspberries, and then the heat kicks in with a wave of cloves, dark chocolate, cinnamon bark, and black tea. It’s a medium-bodied, but brash pour that displays some rough edges that are enjoyable nonetheless.

Finish: The finish is medium-length and the clearest sign that this is whiskey on the younger side as it texturally tapers off with a lot of baking spice singing the edges of the tongue while cloves, brown sugar, and plum notes leave the final impression.

Bottom Line:

I’m of two minds about this release. On one hand, it’s a savvy move to increase awareness for the Willett Family Estate’s bourbon lineup by having an accessible small batch offering. On the other, I’m inclined to believe that adding this to Willett’s lineup of “shelfers” will increase the bottom line and create room for even more of their critically acclaimed premium offerings.

If you were waiting for a negative, keep waiting. This one is a win-win.

99. Colonel E.H. Taylor Distiller’s Council Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $1,500

The Whiskey:

Whether it’s the use of copper fermentation tanks, steam-heated barrel warehouses, or his advocacy leading to the passage of the landmark Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr.’s legacy is cemented in bourbon history. To honor the techniques that he helped revolutionize, Buffalo Trace created this bottled in bond bourbon using the same grain varietals as its famed mash bill #1, albeit with a revival of his grain recipe and his fermentation process, setting it apart from the rest of the E.H. Taylor bourbon lineup. Once it reached its peak maturity, this non-age-stated bourbon was bottled in a decanter modeled after Old Taylor’s original 1950s decanter, which itself was styled after ancient Grecian vases.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma profile begins with an outpouring of cedar and tobacco leaves. Once that earthy top note blows off, a robust base of honeycomb and underripe apples begins billowing out of the glass to greet the senses. Finally, notes of peppercorn, green tree bark, black tea, and herbal tea accent the air along with closing notes of sponge cake and maple candy.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey follows the lead of its nosing notes as cedar, freshly baked biscuits, and tobacco leaves grace the tongue before swiftly receding to reveal green grapes and maple candy with some of those herbaceous and eucalyptus qualities cropping up at mid palate. It’s a grain-forward melange of flavors that weaves corn husk, nutmeg, and sponge cake notes with black tea and a rich butterscotch note, reminiscent of vintage bourbons.

Finish: The short-to-medium finish on this bourbon prominently features nutmeg, hazelnuts, and maple candy before tapering off with a touch of nougat, barrel char, and honey.

Bottom Line:

It may seem odd to say, but this whiskey very much tastes like a precursor to dusty bourbon. If you’ve ever tasted bourbon from the 70s and 80s, it tends to have a “dusty” quality and a rich butterscotch note that makes it almost immediately distinct from contemporary bourbon. Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Distiller’s Council offers a similar experience, and though it’s more muted than standout expressions from that era, one can easily imagine it continuing to evolve to rival them.

98. Ass Pocket Whiskey 15-Year Bourbon

ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $125 (in a 200ml two-pack with the 9-year version)

The Whiskey:

The colorfully named Ass Pocket Whiskey is currently on its third release: A set of 200ml whiskeys. The first is a 9-year bourbon, and this one is a 15-year bourbon, matured in char #4 oak barrels and bottled at 107 proof. Although the source isn’t stated outright, given the mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, this is likely another bottling of “Buff Turkey” bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with lots of walnuts, date syrup, and leather. After a few waves of the hand, you’ll also begin to pick up a touch of allspice, corn husk, and vanilla.

Palate: On the palate, this one starts distinctly sweet with Manuka honey hitting the tip of the tongue before Tahitian vanilla, date syrup, oak, and dilute apple juice unfold at midpalate. There’s also some faint Aleppo pepper notes and nutmeg, which temper the sweetness as it transitions to the finish.

Finish: For the finish, this whiskey reaches its conclusion fairly quickly, but it’s full of apple cider, vanilla, and oak.

Bottom Line:

With a name you either love or hate, it’s helpful that Ass Pocket Whiskey’s 15-Year Bourbon delivers a sipping experience that’s downright easy to like. It avoids the pitfalls of many bourbons in its age bracket by delivering a lighter flavor profile, but with the complexity enthusiasts expect from liquid this mature.

Pulling this one out of your pants is sure to elicit some laughs, but after one sip you’ll see it ain’t no joke.

97. Booker’s Bourbon 2025-01 “Barry’s Batch”

ABV: 62.85%
Average Price: $120

The Whiskey:

Booker’s new Barry’s Batch honors Barry Berish, former Beam Chairman and CEO and a dear friend to Fred Noe. The base of this bourbon (41%) comes from the 5th floor of the 7-story warehouse 3, with additional components coming from center cuts in warehouses 1, H, X, and G.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: These days, I go into pretty much every Booker’s expression expecting an onslaught of floral notes combined with peanuts, peanut shells, or hazelnuts. For 2025’s first batch, there are indeed some floral notes of lavender found right off the bat, but some salted dark chocolate, nutmeg, and corn pudding obfuscate the nutty notes.

Palate: The whiskey is impressively oily and explodes with the flavor of cayenne, brown sugar, salted dark chocolate, and robust nutmeg. I’m immediately struck by how dynamic this whiskey is. Viscous on the palate and full of cinnamon, baked apples, and honeyed graham cracker notes that all brush up against a vigorous shake of black pepper and rapidly building ethanol punch.

Finish: The finish is rather lengthy, aided by this whiskey’s high heat. The closing notes include brown sugar, black pepper, baked apples, graham cracker pie crust, and ground ginger.

Bottom Line:

While the swiftly building heat does, in fact, detract from the overall experience here a bit, singing the roof of the mouth in a level 3 char, I’m pleased to report that this is my favorite standard Booker’s release of the last two years. Not one to throw that claim around lightly, I was delighted to have my expectations subverted in such a dynamic way thanks to each surprisingly layered and flavorful sip.

96. Still Austin Blue Corn Bottled in Bond Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

Still Austin’s Blue Corn Bottled in Bond Bourbon isn’t a new entry on this list, having last made our top 100 in 2023, but with a new batch hitting shelves we had to give it a fresh look. This one was aged for 6 years and made up of a mash bill that’s 26% blue corn, 25% white corn, 44% rye, and 5% barley.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Musty rickhouse, grapefruit tartness, plums, and cherries come tumbling out of the glass for a nose that’s fruit-forward, jammy, and inviting. Touches of vanilla frosting, clove, and white pepper round things out.

Palate: It opens with butterscotch and tart cherries before rich plum sweetness, youthful oak, and vanilla custard notes clean things up. The texture is impressively viscous for its proof, and a slight salted caramel note takes hold as it transitions to the finish.

Finish: The finish is surprisingly medium-length and impresses more mature oak, dark chocolate, and plum flesh on the palate before closing with that tasty salted caramel flavor.

Bottom Line:

A throughline with Still Austin’s critically acclaimed bourbon is that it always has a silky mouthfeel and a surprisingly rich flavor profile. Check and check. This one punches above its weight in both categories.

95. Hardin’s Creek 11-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon From Warehouse G “Owl Batch”

ABV: 55%
Average Price: $225

The Whiskey:

Hardin’s Creek is back with a rebrand for 2025, and…it’s a weird one. Past releases have featured some wildly vacillating age statements, but this year’s trio is all 11-year bourbon from three different warehouses and designated areas in each rickhouse to showcase the effects that place and space can have on a bourbon. They’ve included enigmatic clues on the label that we’re told will make more sense in due time, but while we wait for the bigger picture, let’s see how it tastes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma profile will be very familiar to Jim Beam fans, as it opens with hints of hazelnuts, some floral notes, honey, oak, and vanilla pods. It’s a lovely blend of aromas that comes across as very balanced and well-developed, almost akin to a Booker’s nose but with more balance.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey leads with peppercorns, Aleppo red pepper flakes, honey, rosewater, and vanilla. The mouthfeel is quotidian, but as it rolls over your tongue, the flavors become slightly richer for an experience that rewards chewing and repeat sips.

Finish: The floral, medium-length finish is where the taste of hazelnut spread, nougat, and vanilla pods syncs with some black pepper and gentle rye spice, giving it a slightly prickly conclusion that confirms this is indeed a well-proofed Jim Beam bourbon.

Bottom Line:

Hardin’s Creek is in a weird place, recovering from a one-year hiatus with a rebrand that, frankly, isn’t even intended to make sense…yet. Brand reps insist this is just one piece of a multi-part vision that will increasingly become clear to consumers. Casting… whatever that means, aside, this is a solid reemergence for the brand, which has certainly seen higher highs, but could potentially develop into a fan favorite if consumers are able to both get it and “get it” in due time.

94. Pursuit United Kodama Mizunara Bourbon

ABV: 58.5%
Average Price: $90

The Whiskey:

This surprising tasting room exclusive from Pursuit United is described as dialogue between two different oak types: Japanese Mizunara oak and infrared-toasted American oak. The resulting liquid is bottled at cask strength at 117 Proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose prickles with stone fruits like stewed peaches, green olives, apricots, and faint coconut aromas before the scent of youthful oak, ginger, and sandalwood grounds the experience. Hints of brown sugar and cinnamon bark complete the bouquet.

Palate: On the palate, the oily mouthfeel leads the way for some waxy apricot notes, coupled with more stewed peaches, brown sugar, and mature oak, which take over. It effectively coats the palate and keeps getting better with repeat sips before a bit of sandalwood and spiced orange marks the transition to the finish by slightly drying out the palate.

Finish: On the medium-length finish, that mouth-drying sensation makes you salivate and pushes the Mizunara notes to the fore with a touch of Chelan cherry and white pepper, drawing every sip to a close.

Bottom Line:

Pursuit United’s blending prowess has grown steadily more impressive over recent years, and while 2025’s Pursuit United Rye is on a lot of lips as one of the better whiskeys of the year, this Kodama Mizunara Bourbon is quietly competing just as hard under the banner of America’s Native Spirit. At the rate that Pursuit United is making strides, they’re definitely on the verge of being one of the bigger success stories in the American whiskey world.

93. 2XO Icon Series: The Vinyl Blend Bourbon

ABV: 52%
Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

The Vinyl Blend, sixth in 2XO’s Icon Series, was created to honor their founder’s love of music. This is a non-age-stated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey that is brought down to 104 proof from its original cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma of cinnamon bark and smoked cherries, as though they were plucked out of a smoked Old Fashioned, strikes the nose at first. From there, notes of flan, rich oak, and leather flesh out the aroma profile.

Palate: There’s a ton of caramel on the tip of the tongue with this one, and that heavy wave of sweetness brings Madagascan vanilla, earthy raw cinnamon, and barrel char along for the ride. While the volume on the caramel is dialed way up, throwing it out of tune with the other notes, the supporting cast is up to the task of enhancing those top notes as black pepper and smoked cherry notes rise up along the jawline with some tobacco leaf accents opening the door for the finish.

Finish: The medium-length finish isn’t as put-together as I’d like, with the cacophony at midpalate continuing. That said, once your palate gets acclimated to all those notes playing at once, it does begin to smooth out, making each successive sip better than the last.

Bottom Line:

2XO’s Vinyl Blend is big on flavor and arguably quite bold texturally, yet somehow it all comes together and smooths out as you continue to enjoy your glass. With the natural parallel to music being drawn, this one is reminiscent of some of Ornette Coleman’s more experimental work, seemingly complex and aggressive at first, before the underlying beauty of the selection begins to make perfect sense.

92. Buffalo Trace Prohibition Collection “Anderson’s Belle” Bottled in Bond Wheated Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $999 (Sold as a 5-bottle set)

The Whiskey:

Buffalo Trace’s Prohibition Collection is now on its second iteration, and this time the distillery is reviving a completely new set of 5 different whiskeys. The star of the show, however, is this wheated bottled in bond bourbon called Anderson’s Belle. Per usual, Buffalo Trace doesn’t disclose the mashbill of this one, but this likely uses the same grain recipe as other wheated bourbons in the brand’s portfolio.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one is gently brushed with brown sugar with a base of wheat funk, Honey Nut Cheerios, vanilla, and dried strawberries. Each note is fairly pronounced and distinct, despite the overall aroma profile being a bit restrained.

Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey follows the lead of the nose with a subtle richness that improves the longer you sit with it. The dried strawberry note, in particular, is a standout, and from that base, it allows the flavor of caramel, sweet lemon zest, and vanilla custard to branch off.

Finish: The finish here is succinct, but welcomes all of the sweet notes from dried fruit to honey with just a touch of white pepper and fresh almonds to draw each sip to a close.

Bottom Line:

While the entire 2025 Prohibition Collection lineup is strong, it’s this bourbon and the stellar cask strength rye that stand the tallest. Whether or not this one shares a direct DNA with the Pappy Van Winkle lineup remains a mystery, but it’s certainly reminiscent of that brand’s lower-proof offerings, with a creamy texture and a more distinct sweetness that sets it apart.

91. Heaven Hill Grain To Glass Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2nd Edition

ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $120

The Whiskey:

This second edition of Heaven Hill’s Grain To Glass Bourbon follows in the path of the first with a mash bill of 52% corn, 35% rye, and 13% malt, but this one uses a new corn seed varietal: Beck’s 6225. Also separating this year’s release from 2024’s is the proof point, which is now down two notches to 52.5% ABV.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A big hit of candied walnuts leads things off with baked green apples and black pepper picking up the slack. It turns slightly sweeter as you return to the glass for further investigation, as the aroma of caramel corn begins to develop.

Palate: The mouthfeel is dense and pleasant, and the flavors present include black cherries, caramel, pie crust, and oak. It’s a tightly wound core that travels over the tongue with ease, depositing a splash of each layer evenly over the palate.

Finish: The finish is surprisingly short, but the black cherry syrup, walnuts, and faint black pepper notes it ends with are rich enough to ignore that minor critique.

Bottom Line:

Heaven Hill’s 2nd edition of its Grain To Glass bourbon is a bit more restrained yet even more impressive than its first foray. Offering restraint and richness in contrast to the first iteration’s blunt force, this year’s offering represents a welcome evolution and is proof positive that this is a series that bourbon enthusiasts should continue to seek out, both in the present and in the future.

90. Old Fitzgerald 7-Year Bottled In Bond Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $120

The Whiskey:

New for 2025, this more accessible version of Old Fitzgerald’s successful decanter series comes in a new bottle with a younger age statement, but a much more wallet-friendly price. Still a bottled in bond wheated bourbon, this brand-new expression is matured for seven years before bottling. It’s worth noting that while the average price online is currently above $100, it’s expected to decrease soon. The MSRP on this one is an impressive $60.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this new Old Fitzgerald (oxymoron, much?) is delightfully sweet, with caramel notes blending easily into a lighter, honeyed sweetness with Chelan cherries, pie crust, creme brulee, and salted butter all wafting out of the glass as well.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is silky smooth, but with a silky sweetness and gentle density on the tongue that keeps you well aware of the fact that it’s 100-proof bourbon. The caramel tones lead the charge as a subtler mature oak backbone provides the foundation for cherries, gingersnap cookies, faint sage, and even a hint of milk chocolate to blossom. Repeat sips lead to the sweetness receding, and notes of nougat begin to take the lead.

Finish: The finish is as buttery as the rest of this pour, and it lingers with medium length before softly receding from your tongue. This is marvelous, well-rounded stuff.

Bottom Line:

While the Old Fitzgerald line has seen just as many middling expressions as exceptional ones since it was first launched, I’m happy to report that this new, widely available version of the brand is among its tastiest. It’s just a crushable “does everything” kind of bottle. The carefully curated wheated bourbon barrels that Heaven Hill dumped into this first release are absolutely delicious.

89. Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: P.X. Sherry

ABV: 57.76%
Average Price: $85

The Whiskey:

Barrell Craft Spirits is well known for having one of the best blending teams in the business, but it also has a burgeoning reputation for secondary maturation. Enter this P.X. Sherry cask-finished blend of straight bourbon whiskeys. Edition 001 of this expression features a mingling of straight bourbons that were sourced from Kentucky (9 & 10 years old), Indiana (6, 7, 8, & 12 years old), and Tennessee (7 & 15 years old) before being finished in Pedro Ximenez barrels from Spain.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The sherry notes are a hit right off the bat with this whiskey. It immediately gives off the aroma of a Black Forest cake with cocoa powder and whipped cream gently folded into brandied cherry notes, almond extract, nutmeg, and torched blood orange peels. This is a potent, engaging aroma profile.

Palate: On the palate, it takes on the flavor of a spiced orange cake olive oil cake with pecan nuttiness, robust black pepper, and salted honey notes washing over the tongue at first. You feel the heat on the palate more than you sense it on the nose as it sinks its hooks into your tongue and holds on for dear life.

Finish: The finish is lengthy and full of orange blossom and black pepper, with some nutty oiliness and dried raspberry notes lingering on the palate before it sizzles out of existence.

Bottom Line:

I’ve long felt that Barrell Craft Spirits is underrated, albeit a tad bit overpriced. However, with its mid-shelf offerings, it’s been shedding accusations of the latter while reinforcing notions of the former. Put plainly, this is exquisitely blended whiskey, artfully finished and delivered at an incredibly fair price. This is a new whiskey that you need to own.

88. Rising Tide Old Swagger 12-Year Bottled In Bond Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $180

The Whiskey:

Old Swagger is the latest release from Rising Tide Spirits, founded by the legendary single-barrel picker and budding blender Ed Bley. After making his name as one of the most prolific single-barrel country, Bley has since turned his sights to creating incredible blends under the Rising Tide Spirits banner. This release is a 12-year-old Indiana-born straight bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Candied walnuts, orange zest, clove, and nutmeg aromas come tumbling out of the glass on the first pass with this whiskey. After some time passes, the orange intensifies, and it comes with a bit of vanilla custard and maple syrup as well.

Palate: The flavors are remarkably well integrated with candied walnuts, juicy oranges, vanilla, and faint hints of raw sassafras hitting the tongue. Touches of cinnamon bark, red grapes, and oak complement those flavors, as the buttery texture washes over the palate.

Finish: The finish is fairly brief but marked by that interplay of candied walnuts, oranges, and cinnamon bark with a touch of candied ginger closing it all out.

Bottom Line:

This impressive release shows its age, but foregrounds harmony over heightened maturity. With a steadfast core of aromas and flavors, this is a self-assured bourbon that rewards repeat sips. This one is a true credit to the Rising Tide blending team.

87. Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series 13

ABV: 55.4%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

Bardstown Bourbon Company’s new release of their Discovery Series takes things in a wild new direction, marking the first time the expression is double barreled and uses both Hungarian and American Oak for aging. Utilizing a blend of four different bourbons: one that’s 8-years-old, two different 9-year-old whiskeys, and finally a 20% infusion of 15-year-old bourbon, this is a surprisingly mature mix.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: On the nose you begin with hints of Chelan cherries, cardamom, creme brulee, and dried apricots, before evolving to include freshly cracked black pepper spice, oak, cloves, and a whisper of citrus and even cream cheese.

Palate: Once on the palate, many of those notes hold true, with the cream cheese and creme brulee notes fusing to form a sort of vanilla custard flavor in the mouth, while cloves and toffee flavors perk up at midpalate. The cherries are more tempered here but the baking spice kicks in as it transitions to the back of the palate.

Finish: The finish here is medium-length and texturally exciting as it roars with ashen clove cigarettes, more Chelan cherries, and a stretch of toffee before peppercorns prickle the tongue and end it off.

Bottom Line:

If the bourbon world were the NBA it’d be hard not to compare Bardstown Bourbon Company to Victor Wembanyama. They’re already one of the biggest producers of bourbon in the world and their quality has been shooting through the roof thanks to the smart decision to blend sourced whiskey while simultaneously working with key partners to refine the art of finishing in world-class casks (not to mention distilling and acclimating consumers to their own juice.)

Those moves have made them more powerful than ever when approaching their marquee Discovery Series, and it’s all on full display here.

86. Old Fitzgerald 9-Year Decanter Series Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

The latest entry in the Old Fitzgerald lineup, the fifteenth in the series, is this spring’s 9-year bourbon. As always, this one is from Heaven Hill’s wheated mashbill, and it’s a bottled in bond product housed in the brand’s now-iconic decanter. The SRP is $130, though digital retailers, per usual, tend to mark this one up a bit.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this new Old Fitzgerald release is standard for the series, leading with stewed apples, pie crust, faint honey tones, and a bit of nutmeg. Given a few swirls, the glass begins to take on a bit more brown sugar and nougat, welcome additions to the base of aromas.

Palate: On the palate, those aromas from the nose translate on the tongue with the stewed apple and pie crust notes coming across most prominently. Additional notes of vanilla, toasted cereal, and cinnamon bark can also be found. It’s quotidian fare for the high-quality lineup, but that’s not a knock, as it takes expectations up a notch thanks to its impressive richness.

Finish: The finish on this whiskey is short-to-medium and concludes with more nutmeg, vanilla, and cooked apple notes before tapering off at the end.

Bottom Line:

The latest version of Old Fitzgerald Bottled In Bond might not blow you away if you have properly calibrated expectations based on previous expressions, but with a track record of high-quality bourbon to its name, that isn’t exactly a bad thing. This is proof positive that even an Old Fitzgerald bourbon that’s only slightly above-average can indeed compete with the best bourbons of the year.

85. Jack Daniel’s 12-Year Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $280

The Whiskey:

Jack Daniel’s new age-stated 12-year Tennessee whiskey marks the brand’s third batch, so you’re probably familiar with it by now. The mash bill is 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a touch of maple candy, sweet raisins, dilute honey, and pipe tobacco. It’s a bit muted at first, but swirls of the glass adds intensity to each of those aroma notes.

Palate: On the palate, the maple candy note is back with a touch of raisin, though it trends more closely toward red berries here. The tobacco note from the nose is here but less intense, and even a bit distracting. Finally, the mouthfeel is quotidian but it works well to coat the palate and prop up the flavors.

Finish: The finish is fairly succinct, as maple candy, oak, tobacco leaves, and peppercorn flavors leave the final impression.

Bottom Line:

I absolutely loved last year’s batch of Jack Daniel’s 12, but inserted between this year’s 10- and 14-year-old expressions, 2025’s offering just feels…middling. Jack Daniel’s is on fire with their premium expressions, though, and so they were due for a less-than-stellar expression and this was it for me, in 2025.

84. Old Stubborn Single Barrel Potstill Straight Bourbon Whiskey Founder’s Barrel

ABV: 71.33%
Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

Rising Tide’s new Old Stubborn expression comes in as ornate a glass bottle as you’ll find. With a sort of genie-like charm that includes a figure phoenix rising from the ashes encased inside, it’s all a beautiful presentation for some stunningly dark liquid. Rising Tide released 12 single barrel bourbons with varying mash bills earlier this year, but opted to personally claim their 3 favorite barrels as “Founder’s Barrels” and bottle them with minimal filtration at full proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Lots of coffee cake notes come wafting out of the glass at first, with cinnamon, faint French vanilla, chocolate, mocha, and torched woodchips making up the base of the aromas. Hints of citrus and mulled wine, plus a faintly grassy note, provide plenty of background noise to keep you sifting through the bouquet.

Palate: On the palate, this is a full-bodied, expressive bourbon. Orange marmalade, honey, butterscotch, and torched woodchips sit on the palate before you inhale, which fans the flames and sends bits of chocolate, Aleppo red pepper flakes, blackberries, and caramelized sugars scattering across your mouth.

Finish: The finish slightly singes the palate for a lengthy conclusion that carries smoked honey, ripe apples, barrel char, and molasses.

Bottom Line:

Despite its scorching ABV, this bourbon brings plenty of flavor to the party to help temper the heat on each sip. Rising Tide’s bourbons seemingly keep getting better, and for my money, this is the best I’ve ever tried.


Count yourself lucky if this hazmat bottle is sitting on your shelf. It’s perfectly on trend and delicious as well.

83. 2025 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon

ABV: 46%
Average Price: $700

The Whiskey:

Has Birthday Bourbon become overrated? The answer is a resounding yes, if you look at the secondary market for this bottle, which is an annual release created to honor the birth of George Garvin Brown, who lends his name to Old Forester’s parent company Brown-Forman. This year’s expression marks the first time the offering utilizes a sweet mash process. The resulting whiskey was aged in Brown-Forman Warehouse K, on floors 1 and 5.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is going to sound odd, but at first, I get carrots stewed in butter and brown sugar. Odd, but welcome. From there, I get notes of buttercream frosting, oak, toffee, and cinnamon. Black tea and allspice notes also sit atop that sweeter base.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is loaded with cloves, honeyed black tea, mature oak, brown butter, and buttercream frosting. It has a nice, oily texture, and though its low ABV prevents it from soaring as high as the flavors can go, this is a lovely, moderately proofed pour.

Finish: On the succinct finish, it’s that honeyed black tea note combined with sweet oak and buttercream frosting that leaves the most lasting impression.

Bottom Line:

Has Birthday Bourbon become underrated?

When you keep this expression in context, it’s an impressively balanced bourbon with zero offending notes, and several sweet layers of flavor that will keep you coming back.

Every bourbon doesn’t have to be a high-proof bruiser, and it’s the light touch that makes this one such an enduring fan favorite.

82. Woodford Reserve Double Double Oak Bourbon

ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

Woodford Reserve’s Double Double Oaked isn’t named by mistake. Launched initially as a member of the Distillery Series in 2015, the longtime distillery-exclusive fan-favorite features Woodford bourbon that rested for 5-7 years before being finished in a second, heavily toasted, lightly charred, new oak barrel.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this bourbon opens with cedar, rich brown sugar, cinnamon, and nougat. It’s an alluring medley that draws you deeper into the glass and reveals subtler hints of dark chocolate chunks, black pepper, and sticky toffee.

Palate: Once on the palate, this bourbon detonates with a richness the nose only hinted at. The flavors of milk chocolate, cedar, sage, cinnamon, vanilla pods, and brown sugar cascade over the tongue and cling to the palate convincingly. This is a bourbon that spites its proof by being relentless from start to finish, and that’s worthy of extended appreciation.

Finish: The finish ties a tight bow on those many layers of flavor with a sage smudge ribbon accented by cinnamon flecks, sunflower butter, and semi-sweet dark chocolate.

Bottom Line:

While the price point is a head scratcher, make no mistake — this is delicious whiskey and one of my underrated favorites of the year. Woodford Reserve is famed for its 90.4 proof point, and this might be the best bourbon they’ve ever released at their classic ABV.

If, however, you want a tasty, affordably priced alternative, I’d recommend Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. That one has 90% of the flavor at a fraction of the cost.

81. Bourbon De Luxe 8-Year Bourbon

ABV: 59.5%
Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

This is the second release from Bourbon De Luxe, and it’s an 8-year-old offering bottled at a bold 119 proof, which is its full cask strength. Derived from just three barrels of Bardstown, Kentucky, liquid gold.
Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is full of summer fruits like apricots and canned peaches with clover honey and white flower aspects working well at the periphery. Touches of peanut shell and nutmeg help to balance out those sweet, fruit-forward notes.

Palate: The palate is given lift thanks to a nice citrus peel flavor, which hits the tip of the tongue and opens the door for those summer fruit notes found on the nose. Here on the palate, however, they take a slightly darker sweet turn. The mouthfeel is fairly buttery and does a good job of allowing those layers of flavor to roll over your tongue.

Finish: The medium-length finish is marked by a touch of truffle chocolate and peanut shell before those earthier elements wash away and leave you with a lovely hint of Tahitian vanilla, honey, and white pepper.

Bottom Line:

Bourbon De Luxe’s 8-year bourbon is a true credit to the team’s blending prowess. At just eight years old, the flavors in this bottle come across as mature and self-assured, blending harmoniously and evoking a smile with every sip.

80. Pursuit Spirits Derby Town 7-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 61.4%
Average Price: $50 (375ml)

The Whiskey:

Here’s a whiskey that caught me by surprise. When I saw this one in my mailbox, I didn’t realize at first it was from the fine folks at Pursuit Spirits. Derby Town is a revived label that dates back to 1933 and the end of Prohibition. For the contemporary release, the Pursuit Spirits crew is bottling bourbon sourced from Kentucky, aged for seven years, and bottled at full barrel proof. This expression falls under their Mellwood Collection, which also features a bottled in bond bourbon in tandem with this release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Wow. A bouquet of sweet plums, brown sugar, cherry cordials, torched shishito peppers, clove, and raw honey comes wafting out of the glass at the outset. It’s a decidedly dark and sweet profile aided by undertones of mature oak and sweet leather.

Palate: The palate of this whiskey follows a familiar flavor journey as the nosing notes, led by sweet Mirabelle plums, brown sugar, and clove, before cherry cordials and torched shishito peppers round things out. A bit of milk chocolate pools at midpalate with black pepper, red apples, and mature oak, adding breadth to the full-bodied experience.

Finish: Once this whiskey reaches the lingering finish, it welcomes an uptick of black pepper, barrel char, and brown sugar, all undergirded by mature oak tones that gently dry out the palate, leaving a sweet, earthy impression as it fades away.

Bottom Line:

While the arrival of this whiskey at my doorstep came as a surprise, I was even more taken aback once I had a chance to try it. Kentucky bourbon aged for 7 years, even at barrel strength, doesn’t typically exhibit this velvety flavor, but this one is packed with rich layers. From the packaging to the 375ml format, this release is intriguing, but the best part by far is the whiskey.

The same can’t be said for all revived brands, but this one passes the test.

79. River City Whiskey Barrel Collective Bourbon Batch 1

ABV: 51.5%
Average Price: $125 as part of quarterly subscription

The Whiskey:

For the first quarterly release in its Barrel Collective subscription service, River City Whiskey is starting off with a bang. This expression is a cask-strength, 9-year-old bourbon that they indicate is sourced from none other than Wild Turkey.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose leads with cherries, blackberries, oak, and cinnamon bark, with a touch of vanilla pod aromas blending with clove. Return visits to the glass only recalibrate those aromas, with the strength of the cherries and blackberries switching places as the aroma of mineral water rises to supply each whiff with a backbone.

Palate: On the palate, this one retains the cherries and blackberries from the nose but adds the meat of red apples, white pepper, and the mineral water note found on the nose. Its silky texture allows it to capably coat your tongue as the flavors of vanilla and honey also blossom at midpalate.

Finish: The finish is medium-length and proves that the cherry note is the most dominant one, while vanilla, Cheerios, and white pepper notes round it out before it ends.

Bottom Line:

This is a bourbon that immediately feels familiar and friendly, with a few surprising peaks to punctuate the sipping experience, while more classic flavors like cherry and grain do most of the heavy lifting. On the heels of an inaugural release that hit astounding highs, and a follow-up that flew closer to the ground, this third expression from River City Whiskey finds itself not-quite in the middle, but instead much closer to the sun.

78. Binder’s Stash Bourbon “Swing Juice”

ABV: 58.75%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

Binder’s Stash releases used to be black and white: either you loved them, or you hadn’t tried them yet. The same could be said for the brand’s color scheme, which previously only came in black and white, but for 2025, Binder’s Stash is shaking things up and debuting new colorways, including this one, reminiscent of Tiffany blue, to house some premium 9-year bourbon from Indiana.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey opens with candied almonds, dark chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon before it takes an intriguing turn toward Tajin-like aromas of lime, chili pepper, and salt. This is a light but multilayered nose that’s really enjoyable.

Palate: The palate leads with notes of tobacco leaves, vanilla frosting, chili peppers, faint black pepper, and lime. The texture is lean and spry, with the whiskey easily traveling over your tongue and depositing sweet butterscotch notes along the edges of the tongue.

Finish: “Swing Juice” has a short and sweet finish with almond shells, barrel char, and butterscotch, leaving the final impression.

Bottom Line:

Binder’s Stash has been putting out an eclectic bunch of high-quality whiskey blends over the last few years, and this “Swing Juice” single barrel is right up there with the best of them. While supplies are generally limited on Binder’s Stash bottles, and the demand is always feverish, you definitely should seek them out to add to your personal collection as soon as possible.

77. Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C925

ABV: 62.5%
Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

Larceny’s latest batch of Barrel Proof Bourbon follows a well worn track so I won’t get granular. This is some of Heaven Hill’s finest wheated bourbon, bottled without dilution for a full cask-strength experience.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Initial nosing notes of cinnamon raisin cake, baked apples, and vanilla pods leap out of the glass and display real staying power as they persist through several swirls and many minutes resting the whiskey. Let’s dive into the taste.

Palate: The flavor of baked apples and some plum notes hit the palate at first with butterscotch and peppercorns soon to follow. Each sip is balanced and darkly sweet with a hint of orange blossom giving it another layer of depth to appreciate.

Finish: The finish is warming and lengthy, as it hangs on the palate with more brown sugar, a touch of “wheat funk”, straw, and sticky toffee before it draws to a close.

Bottom Line:

Larceny Barrel Proof has been a quietly great brand from the start, and the fact that you simply can’t have an annual “best of the year” list in bourbon without it proves my point. This year’s C925 is an amalgamation of everything you love about Larceny Barrel Proof, and I’ll gladly take more of the same.

76. 2025 Booker’s The Reserves Bourbon Finished in Tequila Casks

ABV: 61.65%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

While last year’s offering was classic bourbon all the way, this new expression takes the same liquid concept and flips it on its head, finishing the bourbon in casks that previously held tequila. To be specific, those barrels began their life aging the whiskey that became Booker’s 30th, before being sent to Mexico to mature a special edition of El Tesoro tequila. Those barrels were then sent back stateside to mature Booker’s The Reserves batch two for 11 weeks. It’s a bold choice, and one that immediately polarized the whiskey community, but all that matters is the taste.

Shall we?

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Funny, this smells like bourbon. On the nose, it has all of the hallmarks of mature Jim Beam juice, as the aroma of hazelnut spread, honey roasted peanuts, and faint floral notes all come together. It also has interesting touches of allspice, Eucalyptus, and potting soil.

Palate: On the palate, we get much of the same. The texture is pretty oily, and it leads with grapefruit peel before bringing you back to those classic Beam flavors of brown sugar, roasted hazelnuts, honey, salted peanuts, and white flowers.

Finish: The medium-length finish is where you enjoy the “strongest” influence of the tequila casks, but I put that in quotation marks because honestly it’s only a thin veil of Eucalyptus, grapefruit peel, and allspice while the mature oak, Nutella, and faintly floral notes do most of the heavy lifting.

Bottom Line:

Tequila cask finished might be three of the scariest words to your prototypical bourbon bro, but be advised: this is flat-out damn good bourbon. The finishing cask’s influence is evident in understated and unexpected ways resulting in a bourbon that you can thoroughly enjoy without liking tequila, but you’ll appreciate even more if you do.

75. Garrison Bros. Laguna Madre Bourbon

ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $390

The Whiskey:

Full disclosure: This is typically my favorite bourbon from Garrison Brothers. The exotic expression is matured the traditional way for four years, before being finished for an additional four years in rare, pricey Limousin oak casks. The brand states that that oak comes from the central forests in France and made from trees that have to reach at least 120 years of maturity before being harvested for barrel production.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey kicks off with white chocolate, printer ink, black pepper, oak, and honey, for an interesting medley that draws you in for a second whiff. On the second pass, it all becomes a bit more integrated as further notes of orange peel, vanilla, leather, and cinnamon join the fray.

Palate: The palate begins with a burst of Mexican hot chocolate and torched, slightly tart orange wheels, before oak and black pepper begin to take hold at midpalate. It’s a very well-integrated range of flavors, with the cinnamon and milk chocolate base providing a solid foundation for leather and spice notes to sprout. The mouthfeel isn’t exceptional, but it is also very satisfying and works well to further the flavor development in the mouth.

Finish: On the finish, this whiskey picks up a touch of Rainier cherry notes in lockstep with austere oak and dark chocolate for a medium-length conclusion.

Bottom Line:

I’m sorry, but this is where I make the case for an expensive bottle at a low proof. You’re getting a ton of flavor, something rather unique, and even if nobody wants to pay for “old wood”, the fact this expression technically takes over 128 years to create, courtesy of the Limousin oak casks it ages in, the price feels somewhat justified.

Stop using plastic straws and buying avocado toast, then give this one a try.

74. New Louisville 8-Year Bourbon “El Chapo”

ABV: 66.3%
Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Nicknamed “El Chapo,” this new single-barrel offering from New Louisville Whiskey Co., which is itself an offshoot of Prohibition Craft Spirits Distilling Company, is an 8-year, Indiana-sourced bourbon. You probably know PCS as the parent company of NULU Whiskey Co.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose of this whiskey is resplendent with wild cherry bark, mature oak, chocolate truffle dust, and vanilla beans. A few swirls of the glass unveil Ladyfingers, almond extract, and mascarpone with a hint of peanut brittle.

Palate: The palate leads with mocha, almond extract, and black cherry notes before evolving to include chocolate truffle dust, allspice, and sugar-sweetened mascarpone. The texture begins buttery before the ethanol sinks its hooks into your tongue, introducing barrel char, black pepper, and cloves.

Finish: The finish is medium to long and marked by ground ginger, almond extract, mature oak, and black cherry flavors as it slowly sizzles away.

Bottom Line:

This impressively robust bourbon matches its formidable flavor depth with just enough finesse around the edges to maintain a “crushability” more often found in whiskey at a lower proof. If you’re a bourbon fan, you’re familiar with the classic notes found in this rock-solid single barrel. What you’re probably not familiar with is experiencing them in such an approachable, well-rounded manner.

73. Starlight 10-Year Bourbon

ABV: 60.15%
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

For the brand’s first bourbon expression that was a decade in the making, Starlight took some of their oldest liquid, housed it in hand-selected Seguin Moreau Icône casks, and bottled it at full cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey starts with the aroma of cinnamon sablés as that medley of butter, baking spice, and cookie dough wafts out of the glass before being tempered by a faint nuttiness, oak, and tobacco. After resting a bit in the glass, a few wisps of ripe cherries join the fray.

Palate: Once this liquid hits your lips, it springs to life with honeyed black tea, cardamom, nutmeg, and graham cracker notes. The texture is noticeably thicker and more viscous than your standard Starlight bourbon, and it hugs your tongue while depositing a hint of caramel, tobacco leaf, and white pepper along your jawline.

Finish: For its final act, Starlight’s 10-Year Bourbon has a moderate finish, where the baking spices overtake the sweet notes, although hints of maple syrup and pie crust manage to linger through to the end.

Bottom Line:

Starlight Distillery has been releasing stellar bourbon for a while now, but with the release of their first 10-year age-stated bourbon, it’s clear that they’re entering a new chapter – and not just because of their premium bottle redesign. The liquid itself is among the best they’ve ever bottled, and with the underrated craft distillery finally cranking out 10-year liquid, there’s no time like the present to pay full attention to their high-quality output.

72. Green River Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon

ABV: 61.25%
Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This year, Green River launched a new cask-strength, single-barrel version of their wheated bourbon. Aged for at least 5 years, the proofs on these barrels range between 110-130 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Smoked honey and dates emerge from the glass with black pepper caramel and black olives joining the bunch as some sugar cookie notes swirl in to flesh out its graham cracker backbone.

Palate: The mouthfeel is dense and expansive, and the whiskey is decidedly sweeter than the nose let on with sugar grapes, nougat, honeycomb, dates, sage, and clove.

Finish: The finish is lingering and spiky with some vanilla and youthful oak accenting black pepper as it dries your mouth and leaves that sugar grape flavor in the end.

Bottom Line:

Green River has been slowly cornering the market on excellent, affordable bourbon, and they’ve become perhaps the best at pairing high-quality and low-cost over the past few years. That said, while affordability holds huge appeal, it’s the quality alone that lands them on this list. This new cask-strength, single-barrel wheated bourbon is fantastic stuff.

71. Eagle Rare 12-Year Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $350

The Whiskey:

Sporting a brand-new age statement, 2025 marks the launch of Buffalo Trace’s second addition to the Eagle Rare lineup in the past three years. Eagle Rare 12-Year Bourbon, aged for at least twelve years and receiving a bump in proof over its ten-year sibling, is the real deal. Disregard the price you’re likely to see this one for online –it ain’t even close to being worth $300+ dollars– but with Buffalo Trace’s ever-increasing production capacity driving the innovation of new products like this one, it’s possible that enthusiasts with eagle eyes will see this one in the wild for a much more reasonable price.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: On the nose, this whiskey sure passes the Eagle Rare smell test. It’s got a lot of those hallmark oak and black cherry notes that fans of the brand tend to love, but those flavors are discernibly dialed up a notch. The same can be said for the caramel and black pepper spice on the nose of this one. Everything is just a shade darker.

Palate: After taking a sip, the difference between this expression and Eagle Rare 10 becomes much more discernible. Not only is it a bit richer and busier on the tongue, but the texture is also noticeably more robust. In fact, the difference in mouthfeel between this and Eagle Rare 10 is pretty impressive, given that they’re only separated by five proof points.

Finish: Eagle Rare 12 has a medium-length finish that puts a fine point on its range of well-developed flavors. That means the black cherry, peppercorn, and oak notes all crescendo at the end of each sip.

Bottom Line:

Folks will surely grumble that what they really want from Buffalo Trace is more of the same, but this expression is proof that there are significant benefits to even minor tweaks. Are there bottles of Eagle Rare 10 that will be better than Eagle Rare 12? That seems inevitable, given the variance of single-barrel bourbon. However, it’s the bump in proof, which affords Eagle Rare 12 some impressive lift texture-wise, that makes the real difference here.

70. O.K.I. 16-Year Bourbon

ABV: 63.9%
Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

After releasing a stellar 15-year bourbon last year, said to be sourced from the ill-named stock of “Buff Turkey” floating around the industry, O.K.I. is back again with a 16-year version. Let’s see what one extra year does to this well-rounded, hyper-aged stock.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Candied pecans stand out on the nose in addition to fresh figs, pie crust, and a slightly vegetal note. Black pepper and hazelnut spread soon enter the fray and add a bit of depth, but the top notes definitely dominate the aroma profile.

Palate: Peanut brittle, creamy vanilla, and hazelnut spread immediately detonate on the palate. I’m not one to call whiskey an *insert tasting note* bomb, but this one definitely lands with explosive assertiveness. The thick, oily mouthfeel helps to contain the heat as blackberry jam, allspice, and mature oak grow in prominence at midpalate.

Finish: The lengthy finish welcomes butterscotch and nougat to the mix, while the blackberry note from midpalate carries over and ends with a bit of peanut brittle.

Bottom Line:

While we’re proponents of the popular wisdom that bourbon hits its sweet spot between 8-12 years of age, there’s no denying the brilliance that well-managed barrels can reach at a more mature age. OKI’s new bourbon is proof positive that under careful stewardship, bourbon old enough to celebrate its sweet 16 can maintain a vibrancy typically reserved for younger stock. This is an absolutely killer release.

69. D.H. Cromwell 15-Year Bourbon 2025

ABV: 53%
Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

D.H. Cromwell 15-Year Bourbon is the latest revived brand under the Old Commonwealth umbrella, following in the footsteps of Old Commonwealth Bourbon and Colonel Randolph Bourbon, all iconic brands that Julian Van Winkle previously helmed. This brand-new version of D.H. Cromwell features Kentucky bourbon matured for 15 years, with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, and brought to proof at 53% ABV.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is full of butterscotch, caramel corn, and white pepper. It’s an intriguing bouquet of aromas that, at first, seems to defy its 15 long years of maturation, and tends to favor a marshmallow-laden, toasted-oak bourbon profile. It’s only on a second pass that you pick up some star anise, leather, and a slightly dusty aspect reminiscent of bourbon from yesteryear, indicative of its lengthy aging.

Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey capably coats your tongue with more of those lightly sweet notes. Think butterscotch and vanilla buttercream, foremost, before it opens up to reveal the darker notes of sweet leather and ginger snap cookies. There’s also a pulsating presence of orange zest that zigs and zags over the tongue with every sip.

Finish: The finish on this bourbon is moderate and mellow, perfectly apropos for its proof point, with a touch of black pepper, bright red cherries, and dark chocolate perking up before it’s all over.

Bottom Line:

The modern revival of D.H. Cromwell would surely make Dirty Helen proud. This mature, double-barreled bourbon goes big on the butterscotch notes, and it only gets better from the first sip onward. Plain and simple, this is mature bourbon that lives up to all of the expectations of its name.

68. Wild Turkey 8-Year 101-Proof Bourbon

ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

Talk about making a splash! After banishing one of its most beloved offerings as an export-exclusive and teasing domestic drinkers with last year’s 70th Anniversary bottling, Wild Turkey is finally ready to make 8-year, 101-proof bourbon a part of its everyday American whiskey lineup. It utilizes Wild Turkey’s sole bourbon mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, made in the same way as classic Wild Turkey 101 but aged for eight years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: It starts surprisingly floral, but this quickly gives way to brown sugar, plums, Honeycrisp apples, clove, and vanilla notes. Aside from the notes’ richness, the balance they present makes them impressive. If you’re patient, you will also find a touch of sherryed mushrooms with sage and black pepper spice alongside burgeoning caramel aromas.

Palate: The dense mouthfeel makes the mouth’s periphery start watering as soon as the whiskey hits your palate, with brown sugar, stewed apples, vanilla pods, and sweet tobacco leaves setting the table. Saigon cinnamon, clove, and mature oak notes help flesh things out.

Finish: The lengthy finish has Manuka honey, cinnamon bark, black pepper, and cinnamon bark in spades with walnut shells, French vanilla, and brown butter that kick in as it starts warming the mouth.

Bottom Line:

Wild Turkey’s latest run of 8-year 101 is as magical as it ever was. Last year’s 70th Anniversary release was created as an homage to Jimmy Russell and thus reflected the flavor profile Jimmy prefers. This year’s 8-year 101, however, is its own thing. With a flavor profile that emphasizes more of the dark, sweet notes, rich red berries, and baking spice boldness found in, say, Russell’s Reserve as opposed to Rare Breed, Wild Turkey has created a “new” expression that will wow its core fans.

67. Little Book The Infinite Edition 2 Bourbon

ABV: 60.4%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

Little Book’s 2nd edition of The Infinite is a fun one. Inspired by the concept of an “infinity blend”, Master Distiller Freddie Noe took some of the whiskey leftover from the first edition to use as 30% of this year’s base before adding 22-year-old bourbon distilled by his grandfather, Booker Noe, a 10-year-old from his father Fred Noe, and his own 7-year-old bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Immediately on the nose I’m picking up bits of white pepper, star anise, green peppers, dark chocolate, and cinnamon apples. It’s at once mature and vivacious, which is something you don’t need to read the liner notes to appreciate.

Palate: Once on the palate, the liquid is oily and medium-bodied with some black cherry, heavily peppered country ham, oak, and cinnamon bark. Rich vanilla, brown sugar, and a touch of blackberry pie starts to creep in as well.

Finish: The finish here features rising heat that carries some of the black cherry and meaty notes from the palate with an interesting ethanol pressure that faintly dries the palate with cayenne, brown sugar, and oak.

Bottom Line:

Little Book’s sequel to The Infinite is every bit as delicious as the first. While Freddie Noe seemingly has an affinity for oddball blends, he’s continued exceeding expectations with releases of a narrower scope like this one that effectively tell the story of three generations of Noe men in liquid form.

66. Yellowstone 10-Year Bourbon

ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $135

The Whiskey:

Yellowstone had a major milestone to celebrate in 2025, marking its tenth year of annual releases. For their part, they didn’t make much fuss about it, opting instead to bottle up three batches of 10-year old bourbon from two different sources (their own and MGP) in their recently redesigned bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Juicy oranges and smoked honey make the biggest impression on the nose. That’s soon followed by vanilla frosting, faint fudge, plus some barrel char notes. It closes with a whisp of citrus and brown sugar.

Palate: Once in the mouth, this one has a silky mouthfeel, which coats the tongue in flavors like a touch of black cherry, orange marmalade, and white pepper. It’s a really round and lithe liquid that’s a real pleasure to sip despite being pretty straightforward in the flavor department.

Finish: The brief finish has some light oak and white pepper with maraschino cherries rising in prominence before it crescendos and dissipates.

Bottom Line:

Maybe you’re like me, and have vaguely fond memories and impressions of Yellowstone’s premium bourbon, but none strong enough to goad you into securing a bottle. If so, I’d encourage you to be like me in many other ways, but not that one.

This is some underrated whiskey, and despite playing it safe, it’s undeniably tasty. I’ll be happily updating my memory bank with repeat sips of this one until next year’s release.

65. Rare Character Limited Release Bourbon (Batch 11)

ABV: 61.74%
Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

This alluring blend from Rare Character uses barrels between the ages of 7 and 15 to create a rich profile at a relatively affordable price. Batches are released at a roughly one-per-month rate, with this 11th batch standing out among the 14 to be released in 2025.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is resplendent with salted caramel, Brioche, bready notes, and even a faint bit of dried mango. Over time, it takes on the aroma of blackberries, vanilla pods, and cloves as well.

Palate: On the palate, those salted caramel and Brioche notes lead the charge, with a mouthfeel that’s exceptionally oily. As it hits midpalate, a touch of chocolate, juicy citrus, and spiced apple flavors emerge.

Finish: The finish is lengthy on this one, and marked by peppercorn, tobacco leaves, black pepper, and ripe McIntosh apples. The baking spices really begin to kick up down the center of the palate, and that heat gently hugs your chest as the finish slowly dissipates.

Bottom Line:

Each batch of Rare Character’s Limited Release Bourbon is pretty different, which is no knock, I love that they’re offering consumers a wide range of blend profiles to appreciate. That said, this one knocked my socks off because it feels like a great distillation of their blending acumen as a whole.

Sweet, savory, spicy? Yeah, it has all that, but above all else, it tastes expensive.

64. Colonel Randolph 16-Year Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 53%
Average Price: $350

The Whiskey:

If you think this bottle has some serious vintage vibes, you’re on the right track. Old Commonwealth is on a hot streak of reviving brands, but for this Colonel Randolph 106-Proof bourbon, not only have they resurrected one of the early 90s most iconic labels, but they even enlisted the assistance of the man responsible for the OG to select the inaugural single-barrel offering for the brand: Gordon Hue.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dried strawberries and cherry syrup notes perfume the air once you pour this whiskey, with a touch of dustiness, dense star anise aromas, black pepper, smoked honey, and faint milk chocolate-covered orange peels. After nosing this glass for 15 minutes, I’m pleased to report that this is one of my favorite noses ever on a bourbon.

Palate: The dustiness I picked up on the nose comes through on the palate, with a ton of caramel and faint leather notes, but the fruitiness is surprisingly restrained. However, those sweet, fruit-forward notes do still come through, and the flavor of strawberry saltwater taffy, vanilla ice cream, rosehip, clove cigarettes, and black pepper permeates each sip.

Finish: The finish is medium-length but leaves a resounding impression on the palate as smoked honey and crisp apple notes cling to your tongue and cause you to salivate, which leads to chewing the whiskey and mining every sip for those final flavors.

Bottom Line:

Colonel Randolph’s brand-new 16-year single-barrel bourbon was launched with a ton of hype, and yet the nose on this whiskey manages to exceed that excitement in every way. It’s at that point before the initial sip that you should temper expectations, as the delicately nuanced palate performs well but definitely loses steam after its stellar nosing notes.

That said, this is one of the few costly bourbons that punches right at its price point, delivering a memorable experience that you’ll undoubtedly decide to savor at length.

63. Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 47.2%
Average Price: $288

The Whiskey:

Back again for 2025, Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon is a whiskey that bourbon enthusiasts always eagerly anticipate, and that’s because it’s one of the most consistently delicious offerings on the market today. For those unfamiliar, this one is matured for north of a decade before it undergoes a proprietary filtration process and is brought to proof before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this year’s Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon is refreshingly alluring, with the predictable black cherry, sweet leather, and faintly tannic black tea notes of previous releases melding well here with a few brighter stone fruits, salted caramel, and vanilla ice cream aromas.

Palate: Once this liquid reaches your lips, it reveals all of the aromas in flavor form on your tongue. Chunks of dark chocolate and a splash of honey are new to the mix, but black cherry, black tea, stone fruits, and salted caramel tones translate on the palate. There’s also a touch of orange marmalade, black pepper kick, vanilla bean, and apricot jam to be found at midpalate, which helps to brighten the overall tone of every rich sip.

Finish: The finish introduces some cinnamon bark, peppercorn, golden raisins, and creme brulee, for a silky, lengthy finish that defies its moderate proof and gives every sip a soft landing.

Bottom Line:

Michter’s 10-Year Bourbon is always a must-buy bourbon, and this year’s latest edition is just further proof of why it’s a perennial “whiskey of the year” candidate. Blending decadent flavors into a harmonious work of art that both captures and defies the hallmarks of 10+ year bourbon is something to marvel at, and Michter’s seems to do so with aplomb with every release of this coveted age-stated expression.

More spice-laden than sweet, 2025’s Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon is a tribute to the idea that change is good.

62. 2025 Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged Bourbon

ABV: 56.45%
Average Price: $360

The Whiskey:

70% Corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. That’s the only mash bill we’ve ever had from Maker’s Mark, and as far as we know they’ve never even thought to mess around with it. However, for the third year in a row Maker’s Mark is hitting us with their groundbreaking (literally) Cellar Aged release. The 2025 version is a blend of 11-, 13-, and 14-year-old bourbon that spent the first 8 years of its life maturing in the brand’s traditional rickhouses before being sent to their natural limestone cellar for prolonged maturation. Finally, 245 barrels that went through that process were blended for this release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Honey, pears, nougat, and Tootsie Roll aromas come dancing out of the glass to greet the nose when you whiff this whiskey. Hints of toasted oak, apples, and lemon peel also manage to make it through.

Palate: On the palate, this slick whiskey follows a similar path with some white pepper and persistent spice joining a base of toasted almonds, fudge, lemon zest, and rich butterscotch.

Finish: The mellow, medium-length finish closes with milk chocolate, cola nut, and white grapes.

Bottom Line:

Now in its third year, Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged has effectively proven its concept has real wheels. Though this isn’t my favorite release in the series’ limited run, I’m more impressed by the fact that if this is the baseline we can expect, then the future of the brand is in great shape.

61. Bluegrass Distillers Elkwood Reserve Kentucky Straight Single Barrel Bourbon Barrel 137

ABV: 73%
Average Price: $550

The Whiskey:

Elkwood Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a single-barrel series of 15-year whiskey, sourced from Kentucky (yes, it’s a confirmed “Buff-Turkey” release), and bottled at full cask strength. This particular bottle comes from barrel #137, which clocks in at 146 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is faintly indicative of its heat, with a ton of brown sugar pairing with cayenne spice, dark chocolate, fresh blueberries, and black pepper notes. The aroma profile becomes slightly more spice-laden as tajin and nutmeg notes become more assertive, in lockstep with a rise in the dark chocolate notes.

Palate: Once on the palate, this one has a reserved, austere mouthfeel that slowly unfurls to reveal flavors of dark chocolate, brown sugar, cooked blueberries, and semi-bitter cinnamon bark. It’s an instantly familiar, classic, bourbon flavor profile that adds a kick of caramel and vanilla to boot.

Finish: The finish is reasonably long, and produces a flourish of peppercorn and brown sugar notes before some stewed apple sugar flavors draw each sip to a close.

Bottom Line:

As one of the numerous “Buff-Turkey” offerings to hit the market, this one stands out from a sea of rather similar competitors thanks to its picante proof, sure, but also its outstanding quality. I’ve had a bunch, not all, of these Frankenbourbons, and I can confidently say that this is among the best of them.

60. Remus Gatsby Reserve 15-Year Bourbon

ABV: 51.4%
Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

This is one beautiful bottle. I always feel inclined to say that about this release because something about it just feels so right despite the fact that whiskey dorks tend to overlook both its design and the whiskey inside. This one is a blend of Ross & Squibb’s (otherwise known as MGP) “finest 15-year-old reserves”, and though there isn’t anything extra-special about this release, it coincides with the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby”, which the label is an homage to.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: I’m immediately struck by the red berry and caramel notes leaping off the nose of this bourbon. The aroma of oak, Chelan cherries, creamy vanilla, and leather soon states its claim and forms an enchanting melange. This is a great nose.

Palate: The bright Chelan cherry note from the nose detonates on the palate with vanilla and caramel buoying that profile as oak, sage, and black pepper notes curb the sweetness but give it some welcome complexity, gently prickling the back of the palate and extending up the roof of the mouth.

Finish: The finish is nice and lengthy with the baking spice flavors doing the heavy lifting as some lingering vanilla pudding and bright cherry sweetness lingers until its enjoyable conclusion.

Bottom Line:

Is MGP/Ross & Squibb pricing this whiskey too aggressively? Yes and no. It’s fantastic, no doubt, and several of their sourcing clients get away with selling similarly aged whiskey at an even higher price.

For whatever reason, this brand has had trouble attracting the very same customers despite this expression’s consistently outstanding quality. No matter your thoughts on the pricing, this has been a reliably tasty (and beautifully packaged) bourbon in every year of its existence, and the 2025 version is more proof of that.

59. Jack Daniel’s 10-Year Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $110

The Whiskey:

You know the drill. This is the newest batch of 10-Year Jack Daniel’s, now in its edition.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is light and sweet, with inviting notes like peaches stewed in brown butter, dilute butterscotch, maple candy, and black tea cut with milk. It picks up some youthful oak tones, allspice, and nutmeg over time.

Palate: On the palate, there’s creme brulee, caramelized banana notes, and more brown butter flavor that washes over your tongue. Allspice and vanilla are also present, and the mouthfeel is fairly quotidian, though it works here with the limited base of flavors.

Finish: The finish is brief and carries a bit of spice to go with the flavor of vanilla pods, black pepper, nutmeg, and maple candy.

Bottom Line:

While this year’s polarizing Jack Daniel’s 14 was getting all the hype, I have to admit…this might’ve been my favorite of this year’s age-stated releases. I certainly enjoyed it more than this year’s 12-year, and though it lost out to the 14-year in subsequent blind tastings, I’m still a huge fan of the more even-keeled, straightforward sweetness of this release.

Age is just a number after all!

58. Provenance 14-Year Bourbon

ABV: 61%
Average Price: $260

The Whiskey:

Provenance is the brainchild of acclaimed whiskey reviewer and single barrel selector, Jay West. Shifting from evaluation to creation, West is kicking off this lineup with two expertly selected bourbons, one at 7-years of age, and the more impressive 14-year expression we’ll be considering today.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is resplendent with stone fruits, from stewed peaches and fresh apricots to faint apple pie notes, with brown sugar and cinnamon playing a role along with phyllo dough and vanilla pods.

Palate: Provenance 14 delivers on palate with some decadent vanilla custard complementing gooey caramel, black pepper, and stewed stone fruits, making for an overall vibe that’s sticky sweet, and delightfully viscous.

Finish: The moderate finish is where the vanilla and peach notes really show up in full force as it gently tapers off after a lengthy time spent simmering on the palate, leaving some burnt pie crust and black pepper spice in its wake as well.

Bottom Line:

Provenance’s 14-Year Bourbon is one I went into with zero expectations, and I left simply amazed. I’m slightly astounded that it didn’t crack the top 50 this year, because it’s a phenomenal, well-rounded expression that I’ll be savoring and sharing with all of my friends until Provenance releases their next blend.

You’ve been put on notice; this is dangerously delicious, and I can’t wait for more.

57. Orphan Barrel Fanged Pursuit 17-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

ABV: 46%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

The latest Orphan Barrel offering, dubbed Fanged Pursuit, features 17-year non-chill-filtered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. KSBW at that age is hard to come by. Notably, it’s brought to Orphan Barrel’s preferred proof — a relatively low 46% ABV.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose bursts forth with the aroma of Luden’s cherry cough drops, clove cigarettes, Red Vines candy, leather, and torched orange wheel covered in dark chocolate. With patience, the sweet red notes continue to vacillate between red licorice and black cherry while peanut shells and caramel come into focus.

Palate: This whiskey begins with tobacco leaf, Rainier cherries, and red apple skin on the tip of the tongue before it introduces sage smudge, black pepper, barrel char, and touches of lime rind.

Finish: Allspice, dark chocolate, thyme, and orange zest hang on the palate with a medium-length finish to close things out.

Bottom Line:

I’ve been pretty consistently impressed with Orphan Barrel’s offerings, enjoying the flavorful, low-ABV expressions in a vacuum. Their price, however, has more often been the sticking point. At 17 years old, this is one of the few expressions in the lineup that warrants the cost, offering an atypical and enjoyable tasting experience.

56. Preservation Distillery Christmas Dream Bourbon

ABV: 56.1%
Average Price: $190

The Whiskey:

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Tootsie roll chocolate, oak, and a torched orange peel with some vanilla extract and non-sweet cinnamon bark leap out of the glass at first. Over time, the oak becomes a bit more prominent but the nose also becomes sweeter. This gives it an interesting mature note, with faint leather and dark chocolate settling in as well.

Palate: It has that faint vanilla note, a touch of chalkiness, and oak notes but the overarching flavor is that distinct tootsie roll chocolate note from the nose. Sandalwood and brown sugar follow that prominent chocolate note with some torched citrus notes finding the back of the palate as it transitions to the finish.

Finish: On the medium-length finish, it picks up some more spice notes with cinnamon cookies and black pepper peeking through the veil of chocolate. It’s a soft landing for an intoxicatingly chocolatey pour.

Bottom Line:

This is a bottle I didn’t try until Christmas Eve this year and, yes, this counts as a hell of a present. What I initially wrote off as a cutesy holiday gimmick proved to be one of the more surprising bourbons I’ve tried this year. This decadent chocolate bomb might even be my favorite self-distilled bourbon from Preservation Distillery.

Don’t mind me while I enjoy several more glasses from this bottle to test that theory…

55. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch B525

ABV: 63.1%
Average Price: $95

The Whiskey:

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon is an absolute classic of the bourbon world, so I’m going to assume this one needs no introduction, dear reader. What can be said about the latest release, batch B525, is that this one is aged for 11 years and 6 months.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof bourbon is humming with roasted almonds, brown sugar, nougat, and very faint orange pith notes. After a few waves of the hand, the sweetness blows off a bit, and the nose begins to favor the nuttier, earthier aromas.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey follows a similar track with the sweetness gracing the tip of the tongue with brown sugar before almonds, nougat, and caramel come careening in. At midpalate, it veers into the earthier tones with nougat and more dilute caramel joining forces with peppercorns, nutmeg, and cornbread.

Finish: At the conclusion, there’s a fresh hit of oak and nutmeg to spruce up the lingering sweet notes of brown sugar on the medium-length finish.

Bottom Line:

Enough ink has been spilled over Elijah Craig’s Barrel Proof Bourbon to fill the Ohio River, so suffice it to say that this latest batch is an above-average expression for a brand whose baseline is excellence. It’s not quite a must-buy for folks who might have a bottle or two of this one at home already, but if you need to replenish your supplies or haven’t bought a bottle in a while, this is a great one to grab.

54. K. Luke Cask Strength Small Batch Bourbon (Batch 14)

ABV: 58.6%
Average Price: $110

The Whiskey:

You should be familiar with K. Luke by now, so here are the particulars on this batch: It’s made up of different whiskeys from Kentucky and Indiana ranging between 8- and 12-years-old

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of cherry pie, black pepper, and caramel. A faint whisp of smoke with mango, oak, and clove.

Palate: The palate is less dense texturally than the nose initially indicated, but the depth of flavors matches the aroma’s billing. The apples are lightly baked with cinnamon bark and caramel still showing well, and the buttery liquid coats your palate despite being light-bodied.

Finish: The finish balances oak and apple chips with touches of some dark chocolate and apricots cropping up at the back end.

Bottom Line:

K. Luke is one of the brands that I hope everyone is keeping a close eye on. They’ve branched out with daring finishes, but the core of what they do incredibly well is blend routinely magnificent barrel-proof batches. Even after winning several awards in 2025, they’re still flying under the radar, but Uproxx readers know better.

53. River City Whiskey Kentucky Straight Small Batch Bourbon (Batch One)

ABV: 62.7%
Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

Aged for a minimum of six years and using a mash bill that’s 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, this phenomenal new batch of cask strength bourbon from River City Whiskey shows that the team’s blending prowess is already posing a threat to the best in the industry.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Strawberries and glacé blueberries with vanilla custard, sweet oak, and a welcome touch of heat that keeps the nose cautious despite the joy in seeking more aromas.

Palate: On the palate, it immediately leans into dark notes with coffee cake, raisins, and oak seizing ground on the palate while the accenting notes of red berries, cinnamon, and white pepper flicker at the edges of the tongue.

Finish: The coffee cake that lit up the palate on the front end hangs on through the medium-length finish.

Bottom Line:

River City Whiskey just burst onto the scene in 2024, and now that they’re hitting their stride, they’ve matched consistent high-quality offerings with an increased pace in the quantity of their releases as well. This is one of the brands I’m most excited to see grow in 2026 and beyond.

52. Woodinville Whiskey 9-Year Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

Woodinville Whiskey has been quietly carving out a venerable space for itself in the no-longer-nascent American craft whiskey scene, and whiskeys with ever-higher age statements are now a delightful feature of its portfolio. This new 9-year age-stated bourbon is now the oldest of their self-distilled bourbon releases to hit the market.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Oak, marzipan, apple juice, hazelnut spread, and peanut brittle stand out on the palate. Coconut and leather as well. It’s a nose that comes across as mature, and nicely sits at the top end of Woodinville’s emerging “house style.”

Palate: Rich and viscous on the palate, with the nosing notes finding their way down to the tongue and joining brown sugar, coconut flakes, and a Luden’s cherry note that sits at the base of all the other flavors. This is seriously impressive stuff.

Finish: The finish has plenty of oak and white pepper, but the persistent cherry note pairs well with clove to bring each sip to a medium-length, satisfying close.

Bottom Line:

This is one of many examples that 2025 was an excellent year for bourbon, because in any other year, this would have been a threat to be a top-20 bourbon of the year. Frankly, this is Woodinville’s best bourbon, and that alone should tell you it’s absolutely incredible.

51. Angel’s Envy Distiller’s 10 Cask Strength Bourbon

ABV: 61.3%
Average Price: $245

The Whiskey:

Angel’s Envy Distiller’s 10 Cask Strength Bourbon is indeed aged for ” a cumulative 10-years in new American white oak and port wine barrels”, despite the omission in the name, and it was created to honor the brand’s intended 10-year anniversary. It’s made from a mash bill that’s 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley with whiskey sourced from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: It opens with strong notes of port wine, meaning there’s an alluring nuttiness to go with jammy red berries, before the base liquid peeks through with brown sugar, mature oak, and wheat toast.

Palate: On the palate, this bourbo is as juicy as the nose would have you believe, with red berries tumbling over your tongue and joining vanilla custard, piquant black pepper spice, and a bit of faint cranberry sauce before the oak regains control at midpalate.

Finish: The finish here is silky and lengthy, marked by more red berries, black pepper spice, butterscotch, and candied walnuts.

Bottom Line:

If you’re a snob (don’t worry, your secret’s safe), then maybe you’re at a point in your whiskey journey where you’ve lost sight of the way Angel’s Envy warmly welcomed you into the fold with treacly entry-level offerings. Time to grow up; Angel’s Envy has, and their premium offerings now consistently count as must-try whiskeys for newcomers and discerning enthusiasts alike.

I present Exhibit A(ngel’s Envy Distiller’s 10 Cask Strength Bourbon).

50. Abraham Bowman Oak Series: Hungarian Oak Bourbon

ABV: 57.5%
Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

This expression from A. Smith Bowman is another entry in the brand’s Oak Series, with preceding entries that were finished in American and French oak. This one crafted from a blend of whiskeys aged for 12 years in charred Hungarian Oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Deep dark cherry notes waft out of the glass with sandalwood, cola nut, and cinnamon bark following closely behind, while touches of almond meat and chocolate linger just after. This nose is phenomenal and feels like a GTS sort of nose, albeit with some brisket rub and underlying smoked honey aromas.

Palate: It explodes on the palate with black cherry and vanilla, while smoked honey, cumin, and oak notes curb the sweetness as it rolls over the palate. The texture, broad at first, thins dramatically as it spreads across the tongue, as though it were elastic stretched beyond its breaking point. Overall, the flavors are deeply impressive despite the distractingly lean mouthfeel.

Finish: The finish is exceptionally long and picks up the momentum abandoned at midpalate with notes of vanilla, chocolate-covered peanuts, and black cherry hanging on the longest. A touch of freshly depotted spearmint closes it out.

Bottom Line:

This is a whiskey I regrettably didn’t crack open for much of the year due to my own absent-minded oversight. This one has my full attention now. This exploration in oak series from Abraham Bowman has produced wildly varying results, but it’s the delicious successes like this one that will keep me dialed-in for the foreseeable future of the lineup.

49. Frank August Case Study: 06 Legacy Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 54.62%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

This Case Study release is all about honoring Kentucky. Frank August assembled nine different six-barrel batches of bourbon drawn from three historic, legacy distilleries at 8-, 9-, and 10-years of age to create this release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nosing notes open with honeyed green apples, brown sugar, vanilla bean ice cream, black pepper, and freshly shelled almonds. After two waves of the hand, those notes deepen in tone, with red apples, sticky toffee, and mature oak beginning to emanate from the glass.

Palate: On the palate, there are prominent notes of Rainier cherries, black pepper, and toffee to go with some slightly green and earthy undertones. Think baking spices, hazelnuts, and honeyed Granny Smith apples.

Finish: The moderate finish has a tickle of peppercorn spice and cinnamon bark to go with a bit of peanut brittle and that tasty honeyed green apple note.

Bottom Line:

This is a bottle that has just kept getting better as I revisited it throughout the fall. The amalgamation of barrels from three different distilleries takes its disparate parts and elevates them into a singular, impressive culmination.

The Case Study Series is one I’ll continue to watch each year closely, and it should certainly be on your radar as well.

48. Jack Daniel’s 14-Year Tennessee Whiskey

ABV: 63.15%
Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

Jack Daniel’s age-stated series kicked off back in 2022 with a 10-year whiskey, and ever since then, we’ve welcomed ever-better entries into the lineup. This year, we’re welcoming the inaugural batch of Jack Daniel’s brand-new 14-year Tennessee Whiskey, marking the first time since the mid-1900s that the brand has released an expression at this age. Most intriguing of all? This is the first barrel-proof expression in the lineup, and it clocks in at a respectable 126.3 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Bananas foster comes tumbling over the edge of the glass with a strong rum-like overtone, followed by the aroma of hazelnut spread, pineapple chunks, clove, black pepper, and duck fat to round things out.

Palate: Once on the palate, the flavor of bananas foster, molasses, brown sugar, and tobacco leaf coats the tongue with a slightly chalky mouthfeel. Further notes of Brazil nuts, vanilla pods, faint leather, marzipan, and restrained oak soon bring more life to the party. This is a multilayered and delicious sipper.

Finish: The lingering finish is drying at midpalate but juicier at the edges of the tongue, where the banana and marzipan linger with closing notes of sage smudge and nutmeg.

Bottom Line:

Expectations for this release were sky-high ever since preliminary mock-up labels first hit the TTB and social media soon after. Was the wait worth it? Sure.

Almost every new limited edition in Jack Daniel’s lineup has immediately entered the debate for “best modern Jack Daniel’s expression.” While the influence of oak is more prominently featured on this release than any of the previous age-stated series bottles, which may not be to everyone’s taste, this is a solid, if somewhat polarizing, effort.

47. A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon Batch 4

ABV: 69.85%
Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

A. Smith Bowman’s Cask Strength Bourbon is essentially the crown jewel in their lineup. The annual release, now on its fourth batch, features their premium bourbon unfettered by chill filtration and undiluted by water; it’s the purest whiskey you’re ever going to taste from the Fredericksburg, Virginia, distillery.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma of cherries drizzled in salted caramel comes wafting out of the glass almost immediately, and given some time to settle, there’s also plenty of nougat and lemon zest to balance things out. Vanilla beans, nutmeg, and golden raisins can also be found.

Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, it unfolds a delicate matrix of sweet notes from honey, vanilla ice cream, and coffee cake to Chelan cherries and apple cider. The texture is pretty heavy on the palate, which makes rolling the whiskey over your tongue and seeking out each layer of flavor a lot of fun. At midpalate, it takes a slight turn, with citrus notes joining oak and pie crust flavors before it barrels towards the finish.

Finish: The finish features juicy oranges, vanilla extract, cloves, and cedar before it gently fades away, which is impressive because at no point does this whiskey drink as fiery as its proof.

Bottom Line:

A. Smith Bowman’s Cask Strength releases are always cause for fanfare, as the underrated expressions regularly offer a drinking experience that delivers on the hype. This year’s release isn’t the best, or even the second-best expression in the series. But with a bold flavor profile and an unctuous texture that hugs the palate and begs to be chewed and enjoyed at length, A. Smith Bowman has another strong limited offering on its hands.

46. Dream Spirits Single Barrel Bourbon “It Was All A…”

ABV: 55.61%
Average Price: $150

The Whiskey:

Dream Spirits is based in Leesburg, Virginia, but they’re sourcing barrels from all over to deliver outstanding bourbons and rye whiskeys to market. One of their best expressions to date is this single-barrel selected by a group of industry veterans that includes Denaya Jones, General Manager of Seelbach’s, Da’Mon Brown, co-founder of River City Whiskey, and UPROXX Head Whiskey Critic, yours truly.

This is an 11-year bourbon sourced from Indiana that was bottled without chill filtration at full cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this bourbon is resplendent with bright cherry pie notes, complete with the flaking crust and a bit of sugar sprinkled on top. That sweet opening salvo is soon joined by robust oak tones, with black pepper, orange rinds, vanilla pods, and clove.

Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, you’re immediately struck with that cherry hand pie note from the nose, and it’s deepened by the presence of candied orange peels, vanilla bean, faint tobacco leaf, and just a touch of clove to curtail the sweetness. The mouthfeel is restrained yet supple, allowing the liquid to easily travel over your tongue and burrow into your taste buds with staying power.

Finish: The concise finish gently coats your tongue with a thin blanket of red cherries and butterscotch before red pepper flakes, barrel char, and nutmeg notes round things off as the liquid recedes from detection.

Bottom Line:

This “It Was All A…” Dream Spirits single-barrel selection has been called “one of the best MGP whiskies…in years” by other prominent sources in the whiskey space, but I’m content just to call this damn fine bourbon. Bottles are dwindling by the day, but for those who manage to buy one, you’re in for a sweet, unique treat.

45. Old Forester President’s Choice Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 60.25%
Average Price: $225

The Whiskey:

You may, by now, know the story of Old Forester’s President’s Choice expression. While the expression has always been exclusively sold at the distillery’s Louisville location, this year’s June 2025 release welcomed online buyers for the first time ever. The change made this one the most accessible President’s Choice Bourbon ever and coincided with the brand’s inaugural release of President’s Choice Rye.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The sweet, medicinal cherry note that so much of Old Forester’s distillate is known for is front and center with this expression. Accents of pecans, herbal tea, toffee, and peppercorns round out the impressive aroma profile.

Palate: On the palate is where this whiskey really shines as the medicinal cherry note transforms into more of a cherry candy note and coats your palate while honey, peanut brittle, leather, and maple candy notes begin to creep in. It’s a slightly punchy pour on first sip, but once acclimated to the proof, it proves to be a balanced bourbon bursting with flavor.

Finish: The finish is lengthy and most significantly showcases the cherry candy and leather notes, while some sage and peppercorn aspects also survive through the last gasp.

Bottom Line:

The newest expression of Old Forester’s President’s Choice Bourbon captures everything that makes the storied distillery’s whiskey so great. It stays true to the brand’s base flavor profile but elevates all of its notes to an 11 while maintaining harmony and impressive force, which rewards those looking to spend time with the glass, appreciating each layer.

44. Knob Creek Cask Strength Single Barrel Select Bourbon

ABV: Varies
Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

We’ve covered the full Knob Creek lineup here on UPROXX before, and to sum it up for the TL;DR crowd: it’s loaded with bangers. Now, new for 2025, we’ve got single barrels of Knob Creek bourbon coming in at full cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is immediately familiar as it nails the typical Knob Creek profile, with some faintly floral accents bolstering a base of hazelnut spread, milk chocolate, and nougat. Milky Way candy bars wish they smelled this delicious.

Palate: On the palate, frankly, this one has even more in common with a Milky Way bar. The lush, sweet notes gently coat the palate, but then the boozy backbone deposits a prickling of barrel char, black pepper, and cayenne into the middle of the tongue. The results favor the sweet notes, but the alcohol’s punch rounds it out and makes it all the more satisfying.

Finish: The finish is lengthy, and finds the caramel joined by a few shakes of peppercorns and red pepper flakes. That balance of sweet and heat is fantastic.

Bottom Line:

One has to wonder, will this expression replace both Booker’s and standard Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon for fans of the Jim Beam brand? It’s worth considering, as this offering nails the classic flavors found in both, giving you a high-octane alternative to the latter, while granting a more wallet-friendly price point than the former.

More power to you if you find a place on your shelf for all three, but if I had to opt for one, it would most likely be this tasty new expression.

43. Calumet Farm 17-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 58.5%
Average Price: $400

The Whiskey:

This new release from Calumet Farms is a hyper-aged bourbon crafted from a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley. Non-chill filtered, the final result is minimally proofed with soft Kentucky limestone water before it touches the bottle at 58.5% ABV.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey leads with a nice juxtaposition of hazelnuts, honey, and cedar. In time, Rainier cherries and a faintly herbal note crop up along with a more robust clove influence.

Palate: In the mouth, this is an instantly impressive bourbon that sends an electric jolt of piquant red cherries and cayenne spice to the tip of the tongue before it demurs to allow caramel, white pepper, tobacco leaves, brown sugar, and nougat flavors to pass and hit the mid palate.

Finish: The finish on this bourbon is lengthy and spice-laden as the cayenne and cherry notes crop up again alongside some salted toffee, oak, and red apple skins.

Bottom Line:

Calumet 17-Year Bourbon is an intense ride of tightly-wound flavors that seem to explode in every direction once they detonate on your tongue. Those explosive flavors hit their mark more often than not, making for a stellar sipping experience that might benefit from a few drops of water, but capably excels at full strength.

42. Old Fitzgerald 11-Year Bottled In Bond Decanter Series Bourbon (Fall 2025)

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $550

The Whiskey:

Comprised of barrels produced in the fall of 2014, and bottled in the fall of 2025, this release marks the 16th nationally-available expression under the Old Fitzgerald banner. Using the bottled in bond rules, this one is the product of a single distilling season, aged for 11 years, and bottled at an even 100 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of juicy, sweet oranges, brown sugar, caramel, clove, and enticing pie crust aromas. It’s all remarkably balanced with a few hints of chocolate, pineapple, nougat, and hazelnuts undergirding it all.

Palate: This is a remarkably easy-going whiskey on the palate, with welcoming flavors of sugar cookies, caramel, vanilla bean ice cream, and Rainier cherries delighting the tongue. At midpalate, it becomes a bit more stern, with some oak and milk chocolate encroaching, while black pepper and hazelnut spread begin to flesh out each sip. Finally, this is incredibly balanced, with each flavor note given ample room to shine.

Finish: The finish here is impressively lengthy, with a touch of heat kicking up on the back end while cherries, hazelnut spread, caramel, and black pepper settle across the back palate.

Bottom Line:

I’ve been outspoken about how uneven the Old Fitzgerald Decanter Series has been over the years, practically alternating between stellar, straightforward, and subpar. This 11-year expression easily falls into the stellar category, with an incredible balance of flavors that is consistent from nosing to first taste, through the surprisingly prolonged finish. Age ain’t nothing but a number with regards to Old Fitzgerald releases, and this 11-year offering proves it.

41. Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $149.99

The Whiskey:

Bottled at 101-proof as a nod to the original bottling of Eagle Rare back in 1975, this year’s Eagle Rare 17 actually features bourbon that was matured for 18 years and 4 months, making it one of the oldest expressions in the brand’s history. It’s also the second-oldest whiskey in the 2025 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, trailing only behind Sazerac 18.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: On the first whiff, this whiskey is loaded with apple leather and dried black cherry notes with manuka honey, very faint oak, and some caramel. It’s a wonderful bouquet of aromas, albeit a bit restrained.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is more demure, but still full of flavor. It doesn’t have any punch or brashness at the tip of the tongue, instead leading you to the midpalate before the flavors blossom with dried black cherries, peppercorns, sweet leather, and honeyed black tea notes. The mouthfeel is lovely, but overall it’s just a bit tame, texturally.

Finish: The finish is a bit drying, but the sweet notes of black cherries and vanilla pod keep it interesting, with some freshly cracked black pepper notes closing things out.

Bottom Line:

This is an undeniably delicious whiskey, one that represents its age well and presents all of the flavors one expects from Eagle Rare 17. That said, it’s surprisingly sparse on the front end, and a bit disappointing on the finish, leaving only the stellar midpalate experience as its standout quality.

I’d gladly drink this all day long, but in a newly crowded lineup, Eagle Rare 17 is slightly left behind in this year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

40. Baker’s 13-Year Bourbon

ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $165

The Whiskey:

Named after Baker Beam, a truck-driving, motorcycle-loving, grandnephew of the legendary man Jim Beam himself, this expression is the pinnacle of the Baker’s lineup. Aged for 13 years, this extra-aged single-barrel expression is a fitting tribute to the Beam family’s beloved rebel.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one is front-loaded with brown sugar, mature oak, and Mexican chocolate notes, while accents of toffee, restrained oak, and vanilla extract offer additional layers to enjoy.

Palate: On the palate, this one remains impressively consistent, with each of the nosing notes translating on the tongue. The flavors of oak, brown sugar, and Mexican hot chocolate stand out most prominently, while a touch of butterscotch and vanilla custard enter the picture with some black pepper spice.

Finish: The finish is mellow and short-to-medium, with black pepper, brown sugar, gentle oak tones, and toffee lingering the longest.

Bottom Line:

Baker’s 13 seems to be a bourbon that most enthusiasts are at least familiar with, even if they don’t go crazy over it. It’s only once you quietly put in a blind tasting against other similarly-aged or similarly-proofed offerings that you can see the realization dawning on them that they’ve been overlooking a diamond in the rough.

If you’re one of the non-believers, this is your sign to give Baker’s premium expression a try with new eyes. I’m sure you’ll see what I mean.

39. Frank August Case Study:05 Wheated Bourbon

ABV: 52.25%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

Frank August’s brand-new Case Study expression tackles one of the most celebrated categories in American whiskey: wheated bourbon. Each batch is presented at cask-strength from 5 hand-selected barrels without chill filtration. In truth, this one was launched at the tail end of 2024, but having eluded our attention then, I felt it fair to include it here.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose prominently features classic wheated bourbon notes of vanilla, rich cherries, and caramel. There’s a touch of cinnamon, white flower, and orange rind in the mix along with an elusive bit of truffle chocolate that seems to fade just as soon as you try to lock your mind’s eye on it.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey springs to life with a nice balance of red apples and cherries while the elusive truffle chocolate note comes out in full force alongside black pepper, caramel, and vanilla. It’s not altogether surprising in its base flavors, but what comes as a pleasant surprise is their intensity, which seems to undulate depending on which corner of the tongue you focus on. The spice sits on the back of the palate alongside golden raisins while the fresh fruit occupies the front, and the chocolate and caramels sit at midpalate.

Finish: The finish is medium length and marked by red apples, oak, and vanilla before it gently dries out your palate and introduces some nutmeg notes as you begin to salivate. What a pleasant closing act.

Bottom Line:

This is a whiskey that warrants extended appreciation, as its pleasant but fairly predictable flavor profile undulates in intensity for an experience that rises well above expectations. In short, Frank August’s latest Case Study edition is a deceptively delicious spin on your classic wheated bourbon.

38. George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 71.4%
Average Price: $149.99

The Whiskey:

Named in honor of the man who acquired the historic O.F.C. Distillery from Colonel E.H. Taylor in 1878, George T. Stagg Bourbon is often regarded as the boldest bourbon on the market. First introduced in 2002, the opening salvo in the bourbon boom’s insatiable thirst for uncut, unfiltered bourbon, this year’s George T. Stagg was aged for at least 15 years and 4 months. Bottled at 142.8 proof, this year’s release is tied for the 4th strongest ever at 142.8 proof. For those curious, the highest ever George T. Stagg Bourbon was released in 2007 and clocked in at a whopping 144.8 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this year’s George T. Stagg Bourbon begins with some strong caramel apple notes, which open the door for hints of plum and clove, while the aroma of torched green peppers and eucalyptus flits in the background. This is fun stuff!

Palate: Very bold at first, with torched red peppers leading the charge before caramel and tobacco leaf notes kick in with some dark chocolate tamping down the heat. At midpalate, those bold flavors really blossom before the heat creeps up the roof of your mouth and causes you to salivate in search of relief. Thankfully, some nutmeg, brown sugar, and barrel notes offer that respite.

Finish: The finish is incredibly lengthy, and it has notes of hazelnut spread, Aleppo red pepper flakes, and sweet caramel. The heat continues to pulse throughout the finish, reminding you that this is a bourbon for the bold.

Bottom Line:

This was the point for me in the Antique Collection, where things took a turn from “really good” to great. This year’s George T. Stagg sent proof hounds in a frenzy, and even though it lacks the balance and approachability to send it to the top 25 of this year’s list, it’s still an excellent bourbon worthy of being among 2025’s best.

37. Michter’s Bomberger’s Declaration PFG (Precision Fine Grain)

ABV: 50.1%
Average Price: $380

The Whiskey:

Michter’s brand-new expression of Bomberger’s Declaration, which they call PFG, or Precision Fine Grain, is a fun one. For this release, they take their aged bourbon and dump it in a second new French fine grain oak barrel with proprietary toasting and a uniquely specified char level. That secondary barrel is also made using a blend of oak from various places, including the Tronçais, Allier, Nevers, and Vosges forests, and staves that naturally air-dried outdoors for a minimum of 40 months.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nosing notes are full of allure, with cedar, Brazil nuts, French vanilla, black cherry, red peppers, star anise, blood orange, and black pepper making up its tightly wound core. It’s a multi-layered experience that will have you discovering new nuggets each time you bring your nose to the glass.

Palate: The palate comprises gooey caramel and black cherry notes, which coat the tongue with accents of cedar, clove, and sage, which fan out from that base of flavors. It’s remarkably smooth and viscous. Dark chocolate, toasted coconut, and allspice emerge at the back end.

Finish: The influence of caramel, star anise, dark chocolate, and candied walnuts marks the medium-length finish, along with some cinnamon bark and cedar.

Bottom Line:

I don’t know what’s more remarkable, this bourbon or the hot streak that Michter’s has been on for the last two years. Despite the heights they’ve soared to in recent years, this new Bomberger’s release (and 2024’s bourbon of the year) proves they still have plenty in the tank.

I’m impressed with the standard Bomberger’s Declaration annually, but this version is the best yet.

36. Rathskeller Revival 18-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 58.5%
Average Price: $800

The Whiskey:

Rathskeller Revival is a “new” re-worked brand from the team at Seelbach’s, which honors the legendary Rathskeller Rye produced by The Seelbach Hotel back in the day. This expression eschews rye and opts instead for an elegantly matured bourbon selected privately by Seelbach’s. The updated label pays homage to these similarities, swapping the hotel’s logo for the retailer’s and retaining some of the design choices that made the vintage version so attractive. Originally selected at 14.5 years old by Blake Riber, the liquid in this expression first made it to market under the Seelbach’s 15-Year label in 2022 before finding a new home at this more mature age.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey opens beautifully with sugared plums, brown sugar, cinnamon bark, dusty pink eraser, vanilla, and dates making up its base. It’s an aroma profile that immediately indicates its age and draws you in for a sip.

Palate: Once this whiskey hits your lips, the alluring medley from the nose finds physical form on the palate. Leading with the aspect of purple fruits (dates and sugarplums), the whiskey slowly unfolds to reveal layers of butterscotch, juicy oranges, vanilla, and a slightly dusty note which serves as a nod to its advanced age. The presence of oak is surprisingly light, and though there is a faint bit of a tannic grip in the mouth, this is a largely decadent pour that gently coats your palate.

Finish: As the lengthy finish comes around, it’s the flavors of butterscotch, lush vanilla, and honeyed black tea that close things out. There’s also a touch of creme de cassis and oak as it slowly tapers off.

Bottom Line:

This revival has wings. With an intoxicating nose that leads to a decadent sipping experience, this whiskey evades the pitfalls of hyperaging while beautifully showcasing some of the more coveted effects of old age in bourbon. The end result is a bottle that comfortably lands in the top ten of bourbons of the year (so far).

35. Bourbon De Luxe 16-Year Bourbon

ABV: 63.05%
Average Price: $600

The Whiskey:

Bourbon De Luxe is a revived brand under the Rolling Fork banner, a brand primarily known for producing excellent sourced rums, but with a budding name in the bourbon space. I’ve previously reviewed their outstanding 8-year expression under this lineup, and now we turn our sights to their 16-year expression, matured for twice the time and proofed at 126.1.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Brown sugar comes wafting out of the glass at first with some seared meatiness, leather, pronounced black pepper, nutmeg, and faint black cherry notes. It has great, subtle layers.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey has all the above, but also some orange peel and barrel char notes, which add a slightly bitter complexity that folds nicely into the sweetness. It’s not an off note, but it does disrupt the balance a bit while adding a bit of intrigue to consider when chewing the whiskey.

Finish: The medium-length finish pulls moisture from the palate before making you salivate and leaving more brown sugar and oak in its wake. It’s a distinctly delicious send-off.

Bottom Line:

Bourbon De Luxe’s 16-Year Bourbon is a slightly chimeric sipper, which vacillates between overtly dark and sweet notes, and some more stern, earthy notes that bring it back to, well, Earth. At times dazzling and overall very delicious, this is a pour that shows its age in impressive fashion.

34. Knob Creek 21-Year Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

Fairly straightforward, Knob Creek 21-Year Bourbon is exactly what it sounds like. The brand new for 2025 release from Jim Beam is now the oldest age-stated bourbon under the Knob Creek banner, and comes in a bottle housed in a wooden encasement along with a sort of neck tag reminiscent of an awards medal. Cute touches. Let’s see how it tastes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cinnamon cookies, brown sugar, and clove cigarettes strike at first with milk chocolate and clementines standing out before being brushed aside by an intoxicating black cherry base.

Palate: Its age comes across in the maturity of the flavors. The cherry note from the nose is more mellow and refined here, with a touch of smoked honey joining the notes of cinnamon, citrus, and clove. Candied walnuts and a touch of nutmeg lead the charge toward the finish as this one becomes a bit more oak-driven and austere.

Finish: The lengthy finish on this one is faintly peppery with mature oak and black cherry syrup persisting until the last drop, curbing the encroaching dullness of the flavors with a sweet send-off.

Bottom Line:

Knob Creek 21 isn’t a broad-shouldered bourbon, but it does everything right and draws within the lines. For a Jim Beam bourbon at this age, it has far less astringency and oak notes than one might expect, which is a welcome improvement over its 18-year-old sibling, which comes off woodsy and thin. The vibrancy is back with this release, which clearly saw the barrels turn a corner, improving with rich vanilla tones cast against a medley of mature flavors that make this one a winner.

33. Penelope Founders Reserve 13 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 60.7%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

Made from a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley, this 13-year bourbon notably claims to be sourced from “Bardstown’s best,” a likely nod to Heaven Hill. It’s then bottled without chill filtration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Creme de cassis, mature oak, candied dates, and black pepper spice introduce this whiskey to the nose with a dark, sweet greeting that hangs in the air and invites you deep into the glass.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey delivers more of the same, with some black cherries joining the rest of the dark red fruits and fusing with some oak, vanilla bean, and buoyant allspice, creating a tasty medley that you’ll immediately want to revisit with a second sip. The texture is faintly oily, just enough to keep your mouth watering with every taste.

Finish: The lengthy finish introduces a bit of hazelnut spread to go with the red fruit notes and a sprinkling of brown sugar and nutmeg. This is fantastic.

Bottom Line:

Penelope’s new premium lineup has several impressive turns, but this 13-Year Bourbon is hands-down its greatest hit. With an alluring aroma that sets the stage for a harmonious arrangement of flavors, and a closing act that will leave you shaking your head in amazement, I’m already anticipating an encore next year.

If you’re only as good as your last hit, that’s no worry for Penelope, which has clearly carved out a place to stay on the charts.

32. Old Cassidy Small Batch Bourbon

ABV: 61.5%
Average Price: $300

The Whiskey:

Rare Character’s first small batch offering of Old Cassidy follows the inaugural single barrel release, selected by yours truly. I, however, had nothing to do with this brand-new blend, which has a primary base of 18-year-old Kentucky bourbon accented by sourced Kentucky bourbon in an undisclosed lower age range.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey bursts with butterscotch, mature oak, and brown sugar on the first pass for a convincingly potent bourbon base. It follows up with cardamom, black pepper, and spiced honey.

Palate: The palate on this one is consistent, but the texture is remarkably robust as it detonates on the tongue and pushes the bold spice notes of nutmeg and black pepper along the jawline and up the roof of the mouth while cherries pool at midpalate.

Finish: Each sip finishes with lengthy finesse as honey, Chelan cherries, nutmeg, and black pepper notes persist well after the final sip.

Bottom Line:

This is round two of Old Cassidy versus the world, and we’ve got yet another winner. It’s bursting at the seams with spice notes, a significant ethanol punch, and a steadying sweetness that’ll get you off the canvas for more. Indeed, this is an entirely different animal from Old Cassidy’s inaugural single-barrel release, and it’s yet another indication that Rare Character has evolved from merely curating some of the best single barrels in the game.

As bona fide whiskey blenders, they’re clearly looking to unify all the belts.

31. 2025 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon

ABV: 54.55%
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

This year’s limited edition from Four Roses is built around two 13-year-old batches of the brand’s V recipe, with some 19-year-old OESV and OBSK blended in as well. The final result is a relatively low-proof, but still cask strength allocated bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Things begin with a lightly sweet, fruit-forward nose that’s resplendent with honey, the faint piquancy of raspberries, and sticky caramel. Things progress with an undertone of buttered biscuits, brown sugar, and mature oak.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey takes on a ton of complexity as the prominent spice notes of peppercorns, nutmeg, and clove crash against a wave of fruit-forward red berry notes and a persistent interplay of smoked honey and caramel puff pastries. That’s damn good.

Finish: For the lengthy finish, caramel sauce and raspberry tarts stand tall against a wall of spice cabinet tones that linger long after the final sip.

Bottom Line:

Even in a down year, your average Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon still surpasses most whiskeys out there. Let’s clarify what a “down year” means — a year when this bourbon is still delicious, albeit more “mellow” than a “moment.” It plays all of the hits, and I appreciate every one of them, but sometimes that experimental B-side wins fans over. This year, I believe Four Roses has released the liquid equivalent. Keep reading to discover it…

30. Dark Arts 16-Year “K.B.F. Buff-Turkey Cuvée Blend” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 59.4%
Average Price: $299

The Whiskey:

This 16-Year “KBF Buff-Turkey Cuvée Blend” from Dark Arts wasn’t just the best whiskey at the booth, but it was easily the talk of the craft village, and the bottle most responsible for the brand’s long lines. Crafted from 7 barrels of “Buff-Turkey” juice, this expression was explicitly created for the thirsty attendees of Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a lovely dose of crème brûlée, brown butter, and stewed plums before deferring to the more classic bourbon notes of vanilla pods, oak, and the standard caramel aroma. As it sits in the glass, this one becomes a bit fuller, with notes of figgy pudding, cinnamon bark, and faint black peppercorn accents.

Palate: The palate on this whiskey is somehow richer than its decadent nose, with an oily and mouth-coating texture that slips over your tongue like a velour suit. The nosing notes spring to life, with brown butter, rich vanilla, and decadent caramel flavors forming the base as faint wisps of mocha and mature oak undulate gently in the background, giving each sip a ton of depth.

Finish: The finish on this whiskey is sweet and lengthy, with the creme brulee notes making the most extensive impression, while a bit of sandalwood, black pepper, caramel, and even some stewed red apple notes can be found after lip-smacking a bit.

Bottom Line:

Anyone familiar with KBF will note that there are typically extensive lines at legacy booths as attendees are often rewarded with the opportunity to buy some of their most limited offerings. Well, this year’s Dark Arts booth rivaled them all with equally extensive lines and a bottle that outperformed some of the most notable allocated releases of the year. This one was definitely a can’t-miss.

29. Heaven Hill 90th Anniversary Bourbon

ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $125

The Whiskey:

Heaven Hill’s 90th Anniversary Bourbon sticks to the hits. This is a blend of 9-year bourbons, both utilizing the “HH Reg” mash bill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye, with 70% of the blend coming from its standard KSBW and 30% coming from the same that was then aged in heavy char barrels similar to some of their recent Parker’s Heritage releases. Heaven Hill states that, “Each of the 204 barrels selected for this release was produced on December 13, 2015, marking Heaven Hill’s 80th Anniversary, and matured for nine years and eight months in Rickhouses G and H on the 4th and 6th floors.”

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of toffee, candied apricots, light honey, nutmeg, oak, and cloves. Given a few moments to settle, and it turns slightly darker with the toffee rising in prominence and bits of brown butter, pipe tobacco, and earthiness joining the party.

Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey is surprisingly vibrant, with ripe stone fruits awash in sticky caramel, sweet oak, and gentler baking spices like cloves, nutmeg, and a touch of vanilla. The mouthfeel matches the vibrancy of the flavor, for a buttery viscousness that easily coats the entire palate after one sip.

Finish: For the closing act, this medium-length finish slinks away with caramel candy, sweet oak, and faint orange notes leaving the final impression.

Bottom Line:

I’ve heard detractors say that this is “merely Elijah Craig Bourbon under another name.” I’m paraphrasing, but their concerns are valid. At least until you take a sip of the f*cking whiskey.

Blending is an underappreciated art, and the way the components in this particular blend come together makes it taste silky, refined, and rich beyond any of Heaven Hill’s standard offerings. This isn’t “fancy sauce” in the way fancy sauce is just ketchup and mayonnaise. This is a legit premium expression that mingles well-selected “sugar barrels” to sweeten the sipping experience.

28. Mugen Spirit Yokai Series: The Tengu Single Barrel Bourbon (Barrel 2)

ABV: 70.9%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

This second release from Mugen Spirit continues their already well-received Yokai series with another cask strength single-barrel bourbon expression. Slightly lower than the first release, this one still comes in at a hazmat-proof point, which should delight those who missed the brand’s inaugural hazmat offering.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is loaded with cherry cobbler, pie crust, and torched white sugar. A second wave of aromas adds depth, as black pepper, molasses, cloves, and Manuka honey rise out of the glass to greet the nose.

Palate: On the palate, the nosing notes ring true. The rich, stewed cherry note lands first on the tip of the tongue before blossoming further at midpalate and joining up with a hit of freshly cracked black pepper, fresh clove, cinnamon bark, and Madagascan vanilla. The mouthfeel is full, and as the whiskey rolls over your tongue, it coats every corner of the mouth with its decidedly sweet flavor profile.

Finish: The finish on the Yokai is long and meandering, as it crests and crashes in waves, with cinnamon bark, black cherries, and caramel leaving the final impression.

Bottom Line:

While I was thoroughly impressed with Mugen Spirit’s initial offering, this one handily one-ups it, thanks to a more concentrated sweetness and a more balanced array of flavors, clearly delineated and well-developed.

This bottle is definitely one that I drank the most from in 2025.

27. Four Roses Father’s Day 16-Year Single Barrel Bourbon

ABV: 58.2%
Average Price: $99 Father’s Day Distillery Exclusive

The Whiskey:

Every year, Four Roses releases a special single-barrel bourbon in honor of Father’s Day. This year’s release was an exquisite 15-year-old bourbon plucked from warehouse UN and utilizing the brand’s OBSF recipe.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this Father’s Day OBSF release from Four Roses holds so many of those classic notes from the recipe. That means dark chocolate, allspice, and honeyed black tea all come through, but it’s a boost from fruit-forward notes of red berries and a distinct, custard-like creaminess that really elevates the aroma profile.

Palate: On the palate, the notes from the nose certainly travel to the tongue, but they become much more distinct. The nondescript aroma of “red berries” takes focus in the form of raspberry flavors, while the creamy custard aroma becomes sweeter and transforms into a more pronounced crème brûlée flavor. It’s definitely a tasty array of flavors.

Finish: The medium-length finish introduces an uptick in baking spices as allspice comes crashing in to cut through the sweetness, which starts to take on a more honeyed flavor before dissipating.

Bottom Line:

Because even this tireless whiskey reviewer was unable to purchase a bottle, it initially felt foolish to consider it as one of the best of the year. There’s much debate, at least on bourbon social media, about the merits of ranking single barrels in an end-of-the-year list. Allow me this aside to say, I did my best to only include single-barrel expressions from brands that exclusively offer single-barrels.

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon fits under that banner. After comparing this one to this year’s Small Batch Limited Edition, I felt even more confident it belonged, as I actually prefer this one.

26. E.H. Taylor Bottled In Bond Bourbon

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $149.99

The Whiskey:

In some ways, the star of the show, E.H. Taylor Bottled In Bond Bourbon, is the first new addition to the BTAC lineup since Thomas H. Handy first joined the portfolio in 2006. This inaugural release of the expression was matured for 15 years and 4 months and adheres to all the standards of the Bottled in Bond Act, which its namesake helped establish in 1897.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose initially smells like an Arnold Palmer with peach tea, accented by a touch of sage and menthol. It’s a fruity and effusive bouquet with an impressive touch of citrus and oak to round things out.

Palate: In the mouth, it’s all peach tea up front with some honey and black pepper accents as it eases into the mid-palate. This whiskey has a nice, robust mouthfeel that’s medium-bodied but states its case well, holding place on your palate for the flavors of butterscotch and white flowers as it gently coats your tongue.

Finish: The finish is medium-length with some good cling and plenty of that peach tea note with vanilla and some white pepper along for the ride. It does get a touch tannic at the end, but only faintly. This is honestly a revelation.

Bottom Line:

This is an eye-opening whiskey. While many bourbon fans were initially disappointed to discover that this bourbon would only be 100-proof, those concerns have proven to be unwarranted. At 50% ABV, E.H. Taylor Bottled In Bond Bourbon is perfectly proofed, flavorful, and balanced in a way that’s evocative of vintage whiskey from the golden age.

Buffalo Trace came out swinging with the first edition of this one, and it fits right in with the rest of the premium collection.

25. Still Austin Tanager Cigar Blend Bourbon Whiskey (Batch 2)

ABV: 53.75%
Average Price: $500

The Whiskey:

Still Austin’s second go at its Tanager Cigar Blend Bourbon features an oddity: three unique mashbills of different colored corn. The final blend is made up of 53% blue corn bourbon, 25% red corn bourbon, and 22% white corn bourbon, each of which uses traditional small grains of rye and malted barley. Also of note, the creation of this blend uses an ancient blending technique, known as Petites Eaux, in which water is blended in-barrel with the spirit during maturation to create a more harmonious end result.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: I’m immediately surprised by the richness of the honey and citrus notes on this nose. Given some time, that sweetness settles down, and I pick up touches of oak and even ketchup chips, which is a surprise but works well with the rest of the aroma profile. The remaining notes are apple core, tobacco leaf, buttercream frosting, and a touch of leather.

Palate: Right off the bat, it’s the note of buttercream frosting that coats the palate, while hints of brown sugar, cinnamon, smoked honey, and leather bolster the profile. It’s a surprisingly supple bourbon, coming across as very well-developed but soft on the tongue. Over time, it picks up more tobacco leaf and peppercorn notes before transitioning to the finish.

Finish: The finish has a bit of that ketchup-chip note I picked up on the nose, but it’s decidedly sweet, with a touch of red pepper alongside brown sugar and smoked honey, as it draws to a medium-length conclusion.

Bottom Line:

This is a bottle that’s been receiving a ton of hype since it initially dropped in 2024, and now, on its second batch, I can finally see why.

This is unlike any other Still Austin whiskey I’ve had before, but it retains the supple texture and through line of consistency from nose to finish that I’ve come to expect from the brand. If you’re a fan of balanced, complex bourbons with a light pop of spice and well-developed flavors, this is an easy choice for one of the best bourbons of 2025.

24. Bardstown Bourbon Company Distilled Reserve Cathedral French Oak Barrel Finish Bourbon

ABV: 55.05%
Average Price: $100 (375ml)

The Whiskey:

Bardstown Bourbon Company’s latest release is more than 300 years in the making. Utilizing a blend of Kentucky bourbons between the ages of 9 and 18 years old, with the lion’s share coming from 14-year and 18-year stock, comprising 45% and 37.5% of the blend, respectively.

As for the three-centuries-in-the-making, that’s due to the oak staves that made up the barrels this blend was finished in. The 300-year-old French oak staves hail from the Bercé Forest and were originally harvested to restore the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following the fire of 2019, thus the name.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cinnamon bark, chocolate-covered raisins, spiced cedar, black cherry, and vanilla ice cream notes stand the tallest on the first pass over this glass. Some orange rind, star anise, and maple syrup notes soon emerge as well for an indulgent, well-developed nose that will keep you coming back to the glass for enjoyment.

Palate: Maple syrup, French vanilla, roasted coffee beans, and brown sugar flood the senses on this remarkably robust bourbon from the first sip. The flavors border on decadent as the richness finds every corner of your mouth. There is a slight astringency, akin to gently over-steeped honeyed black tea, but it doesn’t detract from the boldness of the flavors as the liquid glides to its conclusion.

Finish: That astringency melts away on the lengthy finish as notes of maple syrup, vanilla bean, faint black cherry notes, orange rind, and mature oak overrun it.

Bottom Line:

This is exceptionally delicious bourbon, and after reading the back label and seeing the ages and percentages of the whiskeys in the blend, the flavor notes make a lot of sense. It’s also hard to discount the impact of the 300+ year French oak used for the barrels that this blend was finished in, as decadent, mature, woodsy notes are well-integrated from the nose to the palate.

To put it plainly, this might be the most “must-try” bourbon that Bardstown Bourbon Co. has ever released and is an early contender for bourbon of the year.

23. Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Bourbon

ABV: 61.9%
Average Price: $200

The Whiskey:

It’s back! After a one-year hiatus that made way for Russell’s 15, Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Bourbon has returned, and this time it features the highest proof point of any native Wild Turkey expression. Also new for this year is the fact that the expression will feature batch numbers and unique proof points, whereas previous iterations all featured the same proof and were only identifiable by dutifully monitoring the bottle’s laser codes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Russell’s 13 begins with a lovely, rich layer of candied walnuts and smoky oak, before slowly revealing notes of vanilla pods, clove, and peanut brittle. Gone is the significant cherry note of previous iterations, though it finds an enchanting equal in the earthy tones of this one as pie crust and brown sugar notes unfold before it’s all said and done.

Palate: On the palate, what’s impressive before the flavors even have their say is the density of the liquid. It feels heavy in the mouth and carries with it flavors of pecans, brown sugar by the boatload, vanilla pods, and honeyed black tea. You almost don’t notice the proof at first, until it begins to creep down the middle of the palate and up the roof of your mouth, leaving torched poblanos, creme brulee, and black pepper in its wake.

Finish: The lengthy finish on this whiskey benefits from the spice-forward aspects found on the back end of the palate, as torched green peppers play nicely with oak, dark chocolate, and brown sugar.

Bottom Line:

The new Russell’s is a decidedly earthier and darker affair than previous iterations, having more in common with excellent Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases than its inaugural namesake. That said, it has a ton of finesse to go with its heft as it barrels over your palate with grace and a gradual sweetness that confounds at first, but captures your heart in the end.

22. Calumet Farm Bourbon 18-Year-Old Centennial Release

ABV: 59%
Average Price: $400

The Whiskey:

This impressively aged bourbon from Calumet Farm comes in a gorgeous bottle without chill-filtration. Crafted from a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dried raspberries and vanilla pods with a touch of white pepper and heavy cream hit the nose at first. It’s a lovely melange of aromas that only gets stronger over time, as a few swirls of the glass buff and reinforce their richness.

Palate: In the mouth, the raspberries spring to life in ripened form with caramel drizzling over them, cloves, milk chocolate, and green apple notes also follow. It’s a nice, medium-bodied bourbon that welcomes an uptick in baking spices and the ethanol’s burn as it travels to the back of the palate and reaches the finish.

Finish: On the finish, this whiskey is full of black pepper, oak, and apple leather, as much of the sweetness is replaced with earthier elements. It’s a nice, lingering finish that provides the punch required of a whiskey this robust.

Bottom Line:

Calumet 18 received a lot of hype as a bourbon of the year contender when it was first released, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a flavorful, full-bodied bourbon that captures the essence of its age with well-developed flavors folded into a considerable ethanol punch. While it isn’t as balanced or elegant as some of the whiskeys that have been released since then, it still stands as a strong representation of hyper-aged whiskey in a 2025 field that’s loaded with them.

21. Heaven Hill Master Distillers Unity Bourbon

ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $600

The Whiskey:

This limited-edition bourbon, created to commemorate the grand opening of the new Heaven Hill Springs Distillery, features a single 34-year-old that was distilled at the historic Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in 1991 by legendary Master Distiller Parker Beam. That barrel was then combined with 14-year-old, 8-year-old, and 6-year-old Bourbon crafted at Bernheim Distillery by former Master Distiller Denny Potter, as well as current Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll out of 27 barrels in total to unite several generations of Heaven Hill’s leaders in a single bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is inescapably “sticky” with a refined sweetness that finds you no matter which way you turn your nose. Butterscotch Krimpets and sticky caramel notes stand out, but the mature oak backbone, seasoned with nutmeg and cloves, holds it all together. This smells downright decadent.

Palate: On the palate, all that can be said about the nose remains true. The liquid itself is oily and quickly coats your tongue in the decadent notes of caramel, brown butter, candied pecans, mature oak, and nutmeg.

Finish: Nuanced oak caps things off on this medium-length finish that introduces a touch of molasses and more austere baking spices like black pepper before it bows out with the refined sweetness of homemade butterscotch.

Bottom Line:

Heaven Hill’s one-off Unity Bourbon probably only has a few drops of that fabled 34-year barrel in the blend, but who cares? It catches your attention, but the quality of the blend is what steals the show. It’s hard to sip this one without words like “harmonious”, “balanced”, and…oh, yeah, “unity” sticking out in your mind.

Give everyone involved (even the ones who are no longer with the brand) a raise for this one, Mr. Shapira.

20. Jim Beam Lineage Bourbon (Batch 2)

ABV: 55.5%
Average Price: $300 (700ml)

The Whiskey:

This new batch of Lineage from Jim Beam is a cool collaboration between two generations of Master Distillers, Fred Noe and Freddie Noe. For the second go-round the father-son duo created a new batch of this travel-exclusive Jim Beam bourbon, bottled it without chill filtration and present it at 111 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose has tons of classic bourbon calling cards from vanilla to brown sugar over cereal grain, and mature oak. All of this is mixed in with cinnamon bark, luscious caramel, toasted hazelnuts, and peanut brittle.

Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey stays true with a bevy of classic bourbon notes with dialed-up refinement. Brown sugar folded into vanilla beans blends well with the nuanced, mature oak notes, as a touch of peanut brittle picks up the pace at midpalate. The mouthfeel is particularly round and buttery, making this one a treat to swirl over the palate and chew at length.

Finish: In closing, this bourbon has a nice, lengthy finish that begins with brown sugar and ends with black pepper spice and more mellow, sweet peanut brittle.

Bottom Line:

I liked the original batch of Jim Beam’s Lineage well enough, but for whatever reason it just never springs to mind as a truly great bourbon.

That’s Jim Beam’s fault.

Their voluminous output is so routinely impressive that you can lose sight of a brilliant spot or two. This second batch of Lineage, however, is a bourbon not to be overlooked. Lineage’s Batch 2 is a towering example of Jim Beam’s high-quality capabilities.

19. Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E

ABV: 64%
Average Price: $340

The Whiskey:

By now, you know the score. This is Wild Turkey whiskey drawn from the well of a single rickhouse, or aging warehouse, in an attempt to highlight the nuances between them and create a blend that exemplifies the location’s finest attributes. This particular release is composed of barrels housed at Wild Turkey’s Camp Nelson location.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Nosing this whiskey provides an instant whiff of classic Wild Turkey notes, with baked apples evolving into black cherry syrup and freshly cracked black pepper becoming a bit more piquant, transforming into allspice under closer inspection. Pie crust and mature oak tones aren’t far off, either.

Palate: On the palate, this one has an oily viscousness that introduces big flavors like candied dates, cola nuts, cinnamon sticks, walnut syrup, bold baking spices, and well-seasoned oak. It alternates between spicy and sweet flavors for a fun sipping experience that continues to ascend in richness as it transitions to the finish.

Finish: The finish is where things really take a delightful turn. It’s long-lasting and complex, with cloves, date syrup, molasses, and tobacco leaves punctuated with black pepper spice. The enduring sweetness leaves the final impression.

Bottom Line:

When I submitted this bottle to in-house blind tastings, facing it off against this year’s Russell’s Reserve 13-Year Bourbon and Master’s Keep Beacon, it did damn well, resulting in a photo finish which it lost to the latter by a hair. Suffice it to say, that means this is one delicious Turkey.

18. Dream Spirits 18-Year Single Barrel Bourbon (Barrel #910)

ABV: 58.5%
Average Price: $400

The Whiskey:

Folks, we live in a time of innumerable non-distilling producers (NDPs, as they’re colloquially called) and though they all enjoy pockets of niche appreciation, very few have broken through to become universal darlings in the enthusiast community. I’m only setting the table to feed you a delicious dose of truth: Dream Spirits is next up.

Based in Leesburg, Virginia, and helmed by veteran whiskey aficionado Prav Saraff, Dream Spirits is turning out a semi-regular stream of incredible sourced single-barrels, with this 18-year expression from Barton representing some of their best output.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich honey and toffee come off the nose at first, with oak, leather, and dark chocolate following closely behind. This bottle leans into that dark, earthy sweetness with some truffle oil and allspice notes as well.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is oily and bursts with red cherries before caramel and nougat notes pick up the sweetness. At midpalate, it becomes far more robust, coating the tongue and expanding across the mouth with milk chocolate and black pepper spice.

Finish: On the lengthy, buttery finish, you pick up some more oak, caramel, and faint citrus notes akin to a torched orange wheel as it leaves a viscous trail all the way down before finally turning slightly tannic with the flavor of black tea.

Bottom Line:

This bourbon is truly a triumph. One of several late additions to consideration for the year’s best, I was at first disinclined to include it because of how well “It Was All A…” performed in blind tastings. However, when I tried one final blind with all of this year’s 18-year bourbons, this one handily outperformed several competitors and forced my hand.

If you see any of Dream Spirits’ 18-Year single-barrel bourbons, you’d be wise to snap them up before discerning enthusiasts hunt them into extinction.

17. Oakley Collector’s Edition 15-Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Barrel 3)

ABV: 66.5%
Average Price: $640

The Whiskey:

Oakley’s Collector’s Edition series burst onto the scene with a tranche of mind-blowing 20-year barrels that had somehow escaped the trappings of most hyper-aged bourbons and delivered bold flavors while maintaining the vivaciousness of whiskey half its age. This time around, the brand is back with a similarly stellar set of 15-year-old single-barrels from an undisclosed source in Kentucky.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this glass of whiskey simply sings with candied pecans, vanilla pods, oak, and maple syrup, all while sterner notes of peppercorns, mature oak, and honeyed black tea give the aroma profile a well-defined structure.

Palate: Once in the mouth, this whiskey takes a lighter turn, with the austerity from the nose melting away as the sweet flavors guide your palate from honeyed black tea, to plum skin, through a field of white flowers and clementines, before finally settling into the maple candy, sweet oak, and vanilla bean ice cream flavors that the nose initially hinted at.

Finish: The finish here is exceptionally lengthy, and carries an extra bit of baking spice as those lovely, well-integrated sweet notes are slowly dialed down until it’s all over.

Bottom Line:

Each of Oakley’s 15-Year barrels is essentially interchangeable from a quality standpoint, with only variances in flavor separating them. Despite their being more affordable offerings in this age range, essentially none of them deliver such a luxurious all-around sipping experience, which is what puts a great deal of distance between Oakley’s premium bourbon lineup and the majority of its competitors.

This is a brand well-worth investing in now.

16. Nashville Barrel Company x Travel Bar Barrel Strength Rare Cask Collaborative Bottling Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 74.05%
Average Price: TBD

The Whiskey:

This bottle, technically part of the brand’s Collaborative Bottling series, is one of the highest-proof bourbons ever released by Nashville’s premier non-distilling producer, Nashville Barrel Company. Producing fewer than 25 bottles in total, this expression was a distillery-exclusive release, with proceeds benefiting charity and a limited number of bottles going to Travel Bar in Brooklyn, whose owner, Mike Vacheresse, helped with the pick.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma of blueberry parfait with graham crackers, vanilla custard, and a drizzle of honey hit the nose on first pass. The heat is almost imperceptible as accents of black pepper spice, leather, and black cherry syrup bolster the initial wave of aromas and give this whiskey the indication of being well-aged (seemingly 8+ years).

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey absolutely detonates with black cherry, clove, candied walnuts, and brown sugar, swiftly coating the entire inside of the mouth — and staying there. As those flavors slowly recede, they leave hints of barrel char, toasted coconut, and a silky milk chocolate note throughout. Allspice and menthol can also be found at midpalate, but it’s the lush, sweet notes that dominate.

Finish: The finish is long, but not overly so, as the milk chocolate leaves a strong impression along with a rise in the allspice and oak notes. Finally, there’s a semi-sweet hazelnut spread flavor that sings the last note on the palate.

Bottom Line:

This is flat-out mindblowing bourbon. As soon as I tried this one at the distillery in Nashville, I felt like it could be a whiskey-of-the-year contender, and I begged NBC co-founder Mike Hinds to let me take a sample home for editorial consideration. He looked at me, perplexed, and insisted I didn’t need to ask twice. After explaining the limited nature of this one and emphasizing that its release would be to benefit charity, he shot me a toothy grin and said, “We love it too.”

15. Redemption 18-Year-Old Bourbon

ABV: 51.7%
Average Price: $400

The Whiskey:

Redemption 18-Year-Old Bourbon is made up of 69 barrels of Indiana-distilled liquid (at MGP) that was then blended in Kentucky. Those barrels come from two different recipes, one a “high rye” bourbon mash bill with 36% rye in the blend, and the other a “low rye” bourbon mash bill with 21% rye.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: White flowers, stewed peaches, brown sugar, and mature oak notes come tumbling out of the glass when first nosing this whiskey. On the second pass, there’s an additional bit of ginger cookies and nutmeg to complement those initial aroma notes.

Palate: The palate is full of sugared ginger cookies, Rainier cherries, and vanilla as it rolls over the tongue and toward the back of the palate. The mouthfeel here is staid and even-keeled as it gently expands to the far corners of the palate, coating it with a touch of citrus zest and white pepper.

Finish: The finish here is a tad muted and short-to-medium in length, but it carries with it echoes of honey and mature oak plus a bit of candied ginger for a sweet and satisfactory finish.

Bottom Line:

Redemption 18 is a lovely, balanced bourbon that shows none of the flaws associated with bourbon at its age, instead retaining a decidedly light and sweet flavor profile that recalls the tater honorific “crushable.” Though it doesn’t rock the boat and thus misses out on the reward associated with risk, this is an impressively put-together whiskey that I enjoyed from start to finish, and I’m anxious to enjoy it again.

14. Binder’s Stash 11-Year Single Barrel Bourbon “Big Hurt”

ABV: 67.3%
Average Price: $275

The Whiskey:

Nicknamed “Big Hurt” in part because it was initially released in Chicago, where Frank Thomas spent the bulk of his career, this coveted single-barrel expression from Binder’s Stash was the first to feature Willett distillate since the two brands announced a strategic partnership earlier this year. Going one step further, this one was aged in Hoffmeister barrels, a tiny cooperage that has reached near-mythical status due to its limited output and outsized impact on the flavor of aged spirits.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one is instantly dark and effusive, with blackberry jam, caramel puff pastries, and freshly ground cloves coming out of the glass. It continues on that track with mature oak, singed red Fresno peppers, allspice, and a brown sugar/cinnamon bark blend.

Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey sticks the trick by bringing those jammy, sweet, and speciously spicy notes to your tongue. Mature oak is the grounding force with all of the darkly sweet notes pooling at midpalate while gentle spices tickle the edges of the tongue. Lastly, the mouthfeel is full and round, allowing the whiskey to coat your tongue effectively while accents of dark chocolate, toffee, and apple leather unfurl.

Finish: The lengthy finish on this one begins with a burst of sweetness before demurring as the rich oak and baking spice notes have the final say. It ends with an alluring medley of dark chocolate syrup, peppercorns, and brown sugar before finally closing the show.

Bottom Line:

I’ve heard it said that Binder’s Stash fans who couldn’t get their hands on this bottle were “Big Hurt” for missing out on an instantly iconic release. It’s a fair assessment. This bottle is on par with the initial tranche of 14-year-old barrels that launched the Binder’s Stash brand, and stands alone as perhaps the finest expression from the non-distilling producer this year.

13. William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon

ABV: 64.5%
Average Price: $149.99

The Whiskey:

The Buffalo Trace team filled barrels for this year’s release at 114 proof, and after 14 years of aging, the end whiskey was bottled uncut and unfiltered at a stout 129 proof. William Larue Weller is the only wheated-bourbon in the collection and has previously been awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition, regarded as one of the best bourbons in the world.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nosing notes open with Mexican hot chocolate, peanut brittle, and a touch of cola nut. It has a delicious, slightly nutty and caramel-laden base with apple pie spice and hazelnut spread also present.

Palate: Wow! This is really delicious right off the bat, with a gooey caramel note leading the way that then morphs into salted toffee, accompanied by notes of Chelan cherries, pie crust, and cloves. This tastes exactly like what you want in a sweet, well-rounded, faintly funky hyper-aged wheated bourbon. This really delivers.

Finish: The finish is lengthy on this one and welcomes some faint oak notes and nutmeg before the sweet cherry and salted toffee notes come rumbling back.

Bottom Line:

William Larue Weller is back on top of the BTAC collection! This is easily the most balanced whiskey in the entire lineup, and it adds to that with a bevy of well-developed flavors that wheated-bourbon fans will immediately fall in love with. This year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection lineup is once again loaded with heavy hitters, but William Larue Weller has the most substantial claim to the top spot of them all.

12. Last Drop Buffalo Trace 27-Year-Old Bourbon

ABV: 60.9%
Average Price: $10,500

The Whiskey:

Last Drop is well-known for bottling some of the world’s rarest whiskey, painstakingly rescued from shuttered distilleries, plumbed from the depths of existing ones, and presented as part of its award-winning series. This release is drawn from the Buffalo Trace archives, comprising some of their most mature bourbon stock, which is 27 years old, and mingled by their Master Blender, Drew Mayville.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Mature oak notes emerge first from the glass with the aroma of barrel spice blending well with leather, stewed blackberries, and tobacco leaves. The aroma of medjool dates, peppercorns, and singed sage further enhances this impressive nosing experience.

Palate: On the palate, steeped black tea notes kick things off as the tannins in this hyper-aged bourbon grasp your attention first. From there, it builds steam with black cherries, brandied raisins, and caramel, providing sweetness while touches of tobacco, sandalwood, and well-aged oak ultimately tip the scales in favor of an earthier, more mature flavor profile.

Finish: For its conclusion, The Last Drop sticks the lengthy landing with a melange of baking spices like cardamom and peppercorn, which soon diffuse to allow the flavor of cooked dates, black tea, and mature oak to have the final say.

Bottom Line:

This hyper-aged expression defies expectations, with a vibrancy typically found in bourbons half its age and a depth of flavors commensurate with its maturity. Seeing bourbon this old on the market is rare enough, but the fact that this is some of the oldest liquid to escape the Buffalo Trace Distillery gives this expression an added air of rarity to go with its unimpeachable flavor profile.

11. Blade and Bow 30-Year Bourbon

ABV: 54.5%
Average Price: $1,400

The Whiskey:

You’re reading that right, this is THIRTY-year-old bourbon. Composed of 42 barrels that were distilled in 1993 and spent some time maturing at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery, these barrels were discovered, blended, and released under the watchful eye of Nichole Austin, Diageo’s director of American whiskey liquid development.

As a final note, this non-chill-filtered bourbon was “consolidated” at an undisclosed point in the maturation process, meaning that low-fill barrels in the lot were dumped together in an effort to preserve their taste.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a ton of polished leather, almost veering on the addictive aroma of black Sharpies. Oak, date syrup, black cherries, caramel, and peppercorn notes fan out from there. Finally, there’s a touch of smoked honey, freshly cured tobacco leaves, and barrel char rounding it all out. I wasn’t expecting it to be this awesome, but this aroma profile, unique to hyper-aged bourbon, really leans into earthy, dark, sweet notes for a medley I love.

Palate: On the palate, this whiskey delivers on much of its promise, with stewed blueberries and plum skin joining notes of date syrup, mature oak, polished leather, and smoked honey at first. At midpalate, you pick up notes of clove, white pepper, and barrel char. The liquid itself is surprisingly spry and capably coats your palate, though it’s medium-bodied at best.

Finish: The finish is where the impact of this whiskey’s age is most assertive, as the oak tones gently dry out your palate, leaving behind date-syrup, black-cherry, leather, and polished-leather flavors. It’s got some moderate length and concludes with cloves and smoked caramel.

Bottom Line:

The age on this bottle is incredibly indicative of what’s on the inside, as this decidedly mature bourbon might teeter over the edge for some who are sensitive to oak. Thankfully, I’m no such person and found myself enamored with the decadence of those hyper-aged aromas and flavors that are so seldom seen in bourbon these days.

If you’re familiar with the profile in certain editions of Michter’s 10, you’ll see some similarities in this bottle —albeit dialed up several notches, thanks to that additional time spent elegantly evolving in oak.

10. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Chocolate Whisper Redux

ABV: 69.7%
Average Price: $120 (375ml)

The Whiskey:

Woodford’s original release of Chocolate Whisper in 2021 was met with a ton of fanfare. So much so that the brand held back some of those barrels and decided to re-release them, now at 12 years of age. To rehash how these releases got their name: this whiskey was distilled immediately after a run of bourbon that utilized chocolate malted rye, which left a “whisper” of chocolate flavor in the succeeding batch that the distillery found too intriguing to pass up.

One final note that makes this re-release special is that while 139.4 proof is the highest-proofed Woodford Reserve release of all time, this whiskey was actually slightly proofed down. It isn’t even at cask strength! That’s impressive.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A bounty of chocolate truffle notes fuses with gooey caramel, Macadamia nuts, flan, cinnamon bark, and polished leather on the nose of this bold whiskey. Subtler accents of brandied cherries, Earl Grey tea, melon rind, and vanilla pods really help elevate all of the top notes as well.

Palate: Once on the palate, notes of caramel, French vanilla frosting, cinnamon bark, and brandied cherries seize the lead while the robust chocolate notes from the nose emerge at mid-palate with a creamy, full-bodied chocolate fudge flavor that becomes an anchor for the entire pour.

Finish: The medium-length finish feels perfectly proofed as the fudge notes roll over with accents of almonds, mild barrel char, and vanilla pods.

Bottom Line:

Woodford Reserve fans don’t frequently gripe about the label delivering their favorite whiskey at a modest 90.4 proof, but on the sparing occasions when the Versailles, Kentucky, distillery opts to push the boundaries and produce cask-strength bourbon, it certainly always generates excitement. Now that we’ve had a chance to try the highest-proofed Woodford Reserve release ever, we can’t help but hope that singing its praises will result in a third Chocolate Whisper in the future.

This is one of the best Woodford Reserve releases I’ve ever tasted.

9. Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Beacon

ABV: 59%
Average Price: $670

The Whiskey:

The new Master’s Keep Beacon is most significant for being the last entry in the Master’s Keep series that we’ll be seeing for a while. Think of this as the bourbon equivalent of Jay-Z’s “Black Album.” Did he “retire” after that album? Yeah…for three years.

What’s in this expression is a blend of 10- and 16-year-old Wild Turkey bourbon bottled at 118 proof. We’re told that the 10-year bourbon was actually distilled by Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell, while the 16-year whiskey was hand-selected by his father, the man who inaugurated the Master’s Keep series, Eddie Russell.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this bourbon begins with almond butter, peppercorn, and rose water, before becoming a bit sweeter with notes like honey, butterscotch, cinnamon, and flan. There are further hints of candied dates and a hint of molasses to be found before the aroma of pecans and a whisp of allspice greet the senses.

Palate: In the mouth, this whiskey is immediately discernible as a premium offering courtesy of its robust, full-bodied mouthfeel. The nosing notes become animate here, with rose water greeting the tip of the tongue before the flavor of chocolate-covered pretzels, bruised plums, molasses, black cherry syrup, and allspice enter the picture. Rolling this whiskey around and letting it tumble over the tongue helps slowly reveal its bounty of complex layers.

Finish: The finish on this whiskey is yet another aspect that cements it as being a cut above. It has a lengthy finish that allows black pepper spice, candied dates, cloves, and brown sugared grain notes to hang around well after the final sip.

Bottom Line:

Master’s Keep Beacon has been one of my favorite bourbons of the year, so much so that it’s become a bit of a regular in my personal blind-tastings, and it’s laid waste to a score of competitors over the past few months. In trying it against Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson E and this year’s Russell’s 13, it’s incredibly clear what gives this whiskey a cut above the competition is complexity, balance, and a classic Turkey kick.

8. Preservation Distillery Very Olde St. Nick “Believe” 21-Year-Old Bourbon

ABV: 59.3%
Average Price: $1,200

The Whiskey:

Preservation Distillery’s new Very Olde St. Nick “Believe” 21-Year Bourbon is, in all likelihood, a further-matured version of previous 20- and 19-year-old versions of the same expression. We don’t have much information to go on, but the back label shares that “the contents of this bottle represent some of the last of our stocks of this minuscule vintage barrel lot.”

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is marked by wonderful ripe apples, giving it an autumnal profile from the start, with cinnamon bark, sugar cookie, spiced oranges, well-worn oak, and a whisper of star anise to round things out. In time, it takes on a touch of spearmint, ginger, and pink peppercorn for a multi-layered experience that rewards extended consideration.

Palate: Wow, most remarkably, this pour has a dusty quality that strips it of its punch and replaces it with some gentle, affirming pressure. A beautiful butterscotch and dried apple note rolls over your palate, while accents of nougat, honey, phyllo dough, and freshly shelled almonds provide delicious rest stops along the way to its ultimate destination.

Finish: On the medium-to-long finish, this bourbon quietly unfurls the last of its mellow sugar cookie and nougat notes, which are buoyed by juicy apricots and peaches, plus some oak and apple chips.

Bottom Line:

Very Olde St. Nick 21-Year-Old “Believe” bourbon is as light on its feet as a ballerina, which makes its gentle assertiveness over the palate even more impressive as it floats like a butterfly and supplants its sting with supple richness. That restraint only rewards repeat sips, securing this whiskey a comfortable spot among the Uproxx top bourbons of 2025.

7. Brook Hill Bourbon “Black Bourbon Run”

ABV: 65.54%
Average Price: $600

The Whiskey:

If you stay on top of the whiskey world’s current events here on UPROXX, then you’re no stranger to Brook Hill Bourbon. After emerging as one of the country’s most formidable whiskey brands in the last year, they’ve been delivering hit after hit under the Brook Hill banner. This particular single-barrel release was selected by the “Black Bourbon Run” group, co-founded and organized by Paul Holmes. This is a 10-year, unfiltered, cask-strength bourbon expression.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this release is indicative of its superlative quality right off the bat, with brown sugar and overripe mango notes mingling with stewed peaches, black cherries, cloves, and cinnamon bark. There’s also an undercurrent of nougat, salted toffee, and lush vanilla cream.

Palate: On the palate, that vanilla buttercream note truly blossoms in lockstep with the flavors of black cherry syrup, clove, Cassia cinnamon, and mature oak. The mouthfeel is pleasantly full-bodied, which makes chewing this whiskey a treat and unlocks additional notes of rum raisin, candied orange rind, freshly cracked black pepper, and gooey caramel.

Finish: The finish of this whiskey just goes on and on, with the initial flourish dialing up the flavors of cinnamon, caramel, and brown butter, before it speciously recedes and then returns with brown sugar, oak, and candied orange rind notes in tow.

Bottom Line:

We’ve featured several private selections of Brook Hill atop our “best of” whiskey lists over the last 12 months, and while each of those groups deserves a bit of credit for selecting some bangers, the throughline is clear: Brook Hill is not to be f*cked with.

Rare Character’s ascendence in the American whiskey world will be studied closely someday. In the meantime, discerning enthusiasts would be wise to consider the price of these bottles as their tuition and pay the cost ASAP for a higher education in excellent bourbon.

6. Oakley Collector’s Edition 20-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 61%
Average Price: $1,000

The Whiskey:

Oakley Spirits is a brand-new producer with some absolutely jaw-dropping whiskey in its portfolio. Case in point: its inaugural release, a 20-year Kentucky Bourbon forged from single barrels and aged to its optimal peak.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with stunning force as fresh Brazil nuts, gooey caramel, and mature oak aromas set the tone. From there, crisp red apples, marzipan, and palo santo notes emerge alongside honeycomb, cinnamon, peanut butter, and white pepper. It’s the sort of nose that makes the hair on the back of your arm stand up as you anticipate the first sip.

Palate: Caramel sweetness seizes the palate, allowing the flavors of Rainier cherries, vanilla bean ice cream, stunning oak, milk chocolate, and faint whisps of polished leather to take turns delighting the center of the tongue. At the tongue’s edges, you’ll pick up more forceful oak and baking spice tones like cinnamon and clove, which help to balance the sweetness and elevate its richness.

Finish: The long and lingering finish welcomes the reincorporation of Rainier cherries and an uptick in the vanilla bean flavors, while dark chocolate chunks and well-developed oak notes offer earthier layers of nuance that enhance each sip.

Bottom Line:

From a quality standpoint, there’s no good reason why Oakley Spirits’ inaugural bourbon offering should be flying under the radar. The combination of an unknown name in the space and a prohibitive price point is surely to blame, but tasting is believing, and we’ve been head-over-heels in love with this bourbon from the first sip, so much so that we have it earmarked as an early bourbon of the year contender.

While the first two barrels from this lineup took a few hours before being hunted into extinction, the brand’s third release of these 20-year-old bourbon barrels met its fate in mere seconds. These incredible Collector’s Edition offerings are highly difficult to hunt, but they’re the real deal.

5. Preservation Distillery Very Olde St. Nick 20-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 59.1%
Average Price: $1,400

The Whiskey:

This curious “new” release from Preservation Distillery is a 20-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. I’m placing “new” in quotation marks here because there’s a good chance that this is actually whiskey that was distilled more than 20 years ago that has been resting in tanks, patiently waiting to make its mark on the world. Without delving into speculation over the source of this whiskey, I’ll just say that Preservation Distillery is well-known for having previously bottled a good deal of bourbon from the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery, among others.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this bourbon is resplendent with whisps of date syrup, mature oak, faint Szechuan spice, brown sugar, candied walnuts, slightly dusty leather, and cooked pears. It’s a rich and incredibly alluring bouquet of aromas that finds your olfactory senses without you having to seek them out, seeming to leap out of the glass as soon as the liquid is poured.

Palate: Wow. This expression is surprisingly vibrant on the palate, with a robust richness that instantly awakens the taste buds. There’s salted toffee and date syrup folded into praline brittle, cinnamon bark, and chunks of chocolate fudge. Allspice and the earthy essence of leather and tobacco leaves complete the dazzling display on the tongue.

Finish: For its buttery, lingering finish, I’m picking up indications of its time spent in the barrel with rancio notes that are soon interrupted by staccato accents of black peppercorns and clove before it all gently fades away with the flavors of toffee and dates to close things out.

Bottom Line:

The decadent drinking experience one finds when sipping Very Olde St. Nick 20-Year Bourbon will leave you both lavishing the moment it hits your lips and pondering the past as you savor each sip, allowing yourself to consider the journey the liquid underwent before reaching your glass. Speculation about this whiskey’s provenance is far and away its least interesting aspect. Instead, its allure lies in the experience.

Bourbon that makes time stand still is rare, and when you happen upon one like this, it will knock you off your feet.

4. Preservation Distillery Very Olde St. Nick 17-Year True Religion Bourbon

ABV: 63.6%
Average Price: $2,000 (375ml)

The Whiskey:

Very Olde St. Nick 17-Year “True Religion” Bourbon came as a bit of a surprise (Preservation Distillery typically eschews typical marketing for a more direct-to-consumer, grassroots feel) when it was initially announced on the brand’s social media channels. Still, given its packaging, folks quickly realized this was the spiritual successor to its previous triplet of 17-year releases: Unicorn Cask, The OG, and Lost Barrel.

Those releases are purported, but not confirmed, to be from the shuttered Stitzel-Weller distillery and had been resting in steel tanks until their release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Ripe red apples and butter-brushed, unbaked pie dough stand out as the welcoming notes on this inviting nose. Juicy oranges, stout oak, walnuts, and fresh apricots also make an impression, while white pepper and tobacco leaf notes stir beneath the surface.

Palate: Wow, this whiskey opens with an alluring array of vanilla custard, juicy oranges, and dark chocolate on a bed of mature oak. It doesn’t enter the mouth demanding attention, but instead seems to arrive like butter melting, as each flavor slowly reveals its richness as the liquid rolls over your tongue. The texture captures a vintage bourbon quality of “dustiness” with a demure yet deft mouthfeel that makes this one an absolute joy to chew.

Finish: On the lengthy finish, this whiskey picks up notes of caramel-drizzled blackberries, buttered croissants, and an enjoyable reinforcement of the rich oak that made this all possible. Oily walnuts, vanilla pods, and hints of clove close things out with one last triumphant gasp.

Bottom Line:

When I first tried Preservation Distillery’s 20-Year Very Olde St. Nick Bourbon, I immediately felt that it would be in the running for bourbon of the year. My suspicions were confirmed when it topped our “Best of 2025 (So Far)” list back in August. However, Preservation soon released this 17-Year expression, and my excitement grew, knowing they’d duel it out among the very best at year’s end. Little did I know that the VOSN 21-Year “Believe” would join them as the third offering from the distillery in our top eight.

After rigorously tasting them blindly against the field, it soon became clear that “True Religion” deserves the most rapturous applause.

Preservation Distillery’s 17-Year True Religion isn’t just one of the best bourbons of the year; it springs to mind as one of the best bourbons I’ve had in the last several years.

3. William Heavenhill 19-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 69.1%
Average Price: $2,500

The Whiskey:

William Heavenhill is an annual distillery-exclusive expression released by Heaven Hill each autumn. This year’s expression showcases a cask strength 30-barrel batch of 19-year-old bourbon that matured on the 4th and 5th floors of Rickhouse A in Glencoe, as well as the 5th and 7th floors of Rickhouse O at the main Heaven Hill rickhouse site. This bourbon is non-chill filtered, and at 19-years it’s the highest aged release in the series.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Black cherries and date syrup make for a mouth-watering amalgamation on the nose of this bourbon, which also counts pie crust and luscious caramel among its redeeming qualities. A faint bit of tobacco leaf, peanut brittle, orange marmalade, and bubblegum can also be found with a bit of searching.

Palate: This whiskey came ready to rumble. It detonates on the palate thanks to its full-bodied viscousness, hints of coffee beans, ripe apples, brown sugar, oak, and tobacco leaf. This is the “biggest” whiskey near the top of our list, as its robust mouthfeel reflects the richness of its flavor profile, and forces you to tune out the rest of the world. William Heavenhill has something of substance to say.

Finish: In the end, this whiskey simmers long after the final drop has left your palate, and bold coffee beans join the taste of vanilla pods, mature oak, apple leather, and date syrup to draw each sip to a close.

Bottom Line:

William Heavenhill’s 19-Year Bourbon was one of the last entries on my list of consideration for bourbon of the year, and wow, am I glad that it made the cut. This is a bold, broad-shouldered bourbon that takes up space with a bevy of sublime flavors, a dense mouthfeel, and a pronounced finish that punctuates the entire experience.

You can’t easily find a bourbon that speaks to you more than this one, but even if you do, William Heavenhill demands to be heard.

2. 2025 King Of Kentucky 17-Year Single Barrel Bourbon Review (8th Edition)

ABV: 63.5%
Average Price: $400 SRP

The Whiskey:

This single-barrel bourbon was initially distilled in 2007 and then aged for 17 years before being bottled at a proof range of 124.4 to 135. The 5,000-bottle release comes from just 63 barrels that were aged in either Warehouse J or Warehouse G at the Brown-Forman Distillery.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this whiskey is full of chocolate fudge, cloves, butterscotch, vanilla extract, and freshly cracked black pepper. It’s an intriguing and inviting melange that asserts its stern proof-point while drawing you deeper into the glass courtesy of its decadent layers of flavor. Fresh black cherries, hazelnut spread, honeysuckle, and torched orange peel notes can also be found as you allow the liquid to rest in the glass and evolve over time. Simply put, the nose is magnificent.

Palate: On first blush, this whiskey is chock-full of a surprisingly bright cherry note with sugar cookies, fresh cinnamon bark, and Tahitian vanilla all flowing over the palate. Accents of fresh almonds, honeyed baklava, a rum-like funk, and hazelnut spread can be found if you go searching, but again, I’m deeply impressed by the buoyancy of the cherry note, which is more Chelan-like than the more standard black cherries or cocktail cherries you tend to find in mature bourbon.

The texture is buttery and full-bodied, making it a reward to roll the liquid over your tongue and slowly savor it with some chewing, where the vanilla and nutty notes are dialed up a bit.

Finish: the finish is incredibly lengthy, and it’s the only part of each sip where the oak influence can be prominently detected. That, of course, isn’t a bad thing, as that slight bit of astringency is balanced by sweet vanilla, almond extract, stewed plum, and faint leather notes. There’s even some honeyed black tea and vermouth-like flavors that emerge at the end, where the bright cherry note remains present but takes a back seat to the supporting players.

Bottom Line:

King Of Kentucky isn’t just a threat to the throne of best bourbon; it annually proves that the conversation is incomplete if it isn’t in it. This year’s 8th Edition is the brand’s finest expression in the past 4 years, winning a separate blind flight I set up when it was first released against its predecessors. Now, cast against the entire field, the King has proved to be nearly insurmountable, as this sterling example of single-barrel bourbon thoroughly trounced so many would-be rulers.

The 2025 King of Kentucky isn’t just another crowning achievement; it’s one of the brand’s best expressions yet.

1. Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon

ABV: 57.1%
Average Price: $3,900

The Whiskey:

Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon is one of the brand’s most premier releases. Rather than an annual offering, Michter’s holds this expression back for years when it’s truly ready, with 2025 marking the second year in a row that it’s hit the market following a hiatus in 2023.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This bourbon has a brilliantly decadent dark chocolate nose, balanced by polished leather, tobacco leaves, and kouign-amann aromas. After a few swirls in the glass, the intensity of the aromas adjusts, with the dark chocolate turning into a mellower fudge note, the caramel puff pastry notes pushed forward, and the leather taking on a more mature, stately aroma. This is my favorite nose of any modern bourbon in the world.

Palate: The palate is loaded with black cherry syrup, leather, and mature oak, with a texture that’s silky and reminiscent of the hot chocolate note it also carries on the front end. At midpalate, there’s a touch of toasted almond and coffee beans, with a dose of caramel and coconut shavings, before it slowly and self-confidently saunters toward the finish.

Finish: The finish here is lusciously lengthy, coating your palate with an oily blanket of smoked honey, fudge, leather, and black cherry syrup before settling down in the chest and giving you one last gentle sizzle as it fades away.

Bottom Line:

It’s deja vu all over again.

I can’t stress enough that 2025 has been a significantly stronger year for bourbon overall, compared to 2024, especially among the bottles at the top of the heap. Case in point, as many as sixteen(!) bourbons on our 2025 list could have placed higher than our number two bourbon of 2024, which is insane to think about.

Our number one bourbon of 2024? Michter’s 20-Year.

Sure, the stakes have been raised, but it shouldn’t raise a single eyebrow to see Michter’s 20 again crowned as the Uproxx Bourbon of the Year. Michter’s ascent to the peak of the American whiskey hierarchy fittingly starts at the top, with visionary leadership from its President, Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Famer Joe Magliocco. In outlining a multi-phase track for success in 1997 and assembling a team of fellow and future hall of famers along the way, Magliocco’s family-owned enterprise is slowly morphing into something more akin to an empire.

Michter’s stated mission is to make the best bourbon possible. That they’ve succeeded in doing so for two years in a row is a testament to shooting for the moon, carefully stewarding decades-old bourbon casks, and blending them into shining stars.

Michter’s 20-Year Bourbon is America’s best bourbon for the second year in a row.