You can’t go wrong with a classic bourbon whiskey. After all, they’re “classics” for a reason. So to help y’all celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month this year, I’m going to call out 50 of my absolute favorite classic bourbons that I think you should finally try (if you haven’t already, that is).
Before we dive in, let me put some guard rails up around what I deem “classic.” First, I’m not talking about vintage bourbon at all. This is about classic expressions from heritage brands that you can still get in stores. Every bourbon I’ve listed is from a brand that’s been around for over 10 years in their current iteration. That means re-birthed heritage brands like Peerless are not on this list since the current iteration started in 2014 with the first barrel filled in 2015 (though the brand originally started in 1881). My cut-off for classic bourbon brands is 2012, which gives a solid 10-year cushion for excluding anything made after that year.
I’m also eschewing new brands from classic whiskey companies. So while Jim Beam has been around forever, new brands like Hardin’s Creek from Beam (launched in 2022) are not included. That said, brands like Booker’s (also from Beam), which started in 1988 and specifically releases expressions on a rolling seasonal basis are still in — because Booker’s is a classic and their expressions are specifically seasonal.
A little more clarity — Eagle Rare was first released in 1975 with the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC) version of Eagle Rare first released in 2000. Every year since 2000, there’s been a new Eagle Rare BTAC. So, I’m calling out the latest Eagle Rare BTAC for the list because that’s going to be the easiest to actually find. It’s still an expression that’s been around since 2000 from a brand that’s been around since 1975. That’s pretty classic. But if I called out that 2000 Eagle Rare BTAC bottle on this list, we’d be talking about vintage bourbon. And the prices would get astronomical.
If you’re on a budget, good news — the first 25 picks are all under $50! Now let’s dive in!
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- The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons On The Market, Blind Tasted And Ranked
- The 100 Best Bourbons That *Aren’t* From Kentucky, Ranked
- The 100 Best Bourbons Under $100 Right Now, Ranked
50. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $31
The Whiskey:
This is the entry point to Weller, which is made at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. It’s a standard large-batched bourbon. The age of the barrels on this blend is also unknown. Overall, we know this is a classic wheated bourbon, and … that’s about it.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of old oak next to sweet cherries, vanilla cookies, and that Buffalo Trace leathery vibe with a hint of spiced tobacco lurking underneath.
Palate: The palate has a sharp texture before malted vanilla ice cream over a hot apple pie cut with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and walnuts next to Frosted Raisin Bran takes over.
Finish: The end adds sweet cherry to the tart apple and layers it into a light tobacco leaf with a mild sense of old musty barrel warehouses with a hint of fall leaves outside but fades super fast.
Bottom Line:
This version of Weller was first released in 1991 and has remained a beloved mixing bourbon since. Use it in your favorite cocktails.
49. Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Whisky
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $24
The Whisky:
Old Forester’s 86 Proof is a very straightforward whisky. The mash bill is mid-range rye with 18% of the grain next to 72% corn and a final 10% malted barley (the same bill for all their bourbon). The hot juice is aged in heavily charred oak barrels for an undisclosed amount of time (the youngest barrel is likely older than four years). The whisky is then blended and proofed down to a very manageable 86 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a big nose of vanilla-cherry tobacco with a hint of fresh mint lurking in the background next to a touch of floral honey.
Palate: The taste has a grilled corn-on-the-cob vibe with a hint of pepper and butter next to small doses of citrus and soft oak.
Finish: The end is surprisingly long and leaves you with a spicy warmth and a touch more of that sweet corn and butter.
Bottom Line:
OF 86-Proof started all the way back in 1959, making it a Mad Men-era classic. The best part is that this throwback bourbon still makes a solid old fashioned.
48. Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $16
The Whiskey:
Look, Heaven Hill makes great whiskey, especially inexpensive bottled in bonds. This “b-i-b” is tailored for the Evan Williams flavor profile. Still, this is Heaven Hill, so we’re talking about the same mash bill, same warehouses, and same blending team as beloved bourbons like Elijah Craig and Heaven Hill releases. This is simply built to match a higher-end Evan Williams vibe.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a lovely nose at play with soft taco mix spice next to creamy vanilla, caramel-dipped cherries, a hint of pear skins, and plenty of nutmeg.
Palate: The palate has a minor note of cornbread muffins next to cherry-vanilla tobacco with a dash of leather and toffee.
Finish: The end leans into some fresh gingerbread with a vanilla frosting next to hints of pear candy cut with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
Colloquially known as Evan Williams White Label, this expression just sneaks in as it was launched in 2012 (you’d think it’d been around longer, but no). Over the last 11 years, this whiskey has become one of the most beloved budget bourbons on the shelf. It’s also a workhorse and functions well as a shot, on-the-rocks pour, highball, or cocktail base.
47. Old Grand-Dad 114 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $27
The Whiskey:
Hailing from the Jim Beam stills and warehouses, this “Old” whiskey is a fan favorite. The whiskey is from Jim Beam’s high rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured until it’s just right. The barrels are blended, the whiskey is just touched with water to bring the proof down, and it’s bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Vanilla tobacco meets hints of rye spiciness with a dose of caramel and old oak on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds onto that rye spice as notes of cherry and oak dominate the vanilla and toffee sweetness.
Finish: The end returns to the spice with a chewy tobacco edge that lingers for a short time but leaves you wanting more.
Bottom Line:
This higher-proof version of Old Grand-Dad was first introduced in the mid-1970s as a punchier version of the original. While the recipe has changed over the years (specifically when Beam took over in the mid-1980s), this whiskey still has a fiercely devout fan base. Overall, you’ll want. toise it for shooting with beer or making basic cocktails or highballs.
46. Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $19
The Whiskey:
A lot of Wild Turkey’s character comes from the hard and deep char they use on their oak barrels. 101 starts with a high-rye mash bill that leans into the wood and aging, having spent six years in the cask. A little of that soft Kentucky limestone water is added to cool it down a bit before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet and buttery toffee is countered by burnt orange, old oak, and a hint of cumin and red chili pepper flakes.
Palate: The palate leans into soft vanilla pudding cups with a touch of butterscotch swirled in next to orange oils, nougat, and a hint of menthol tobacco.
Finish: The midpalate tobacco warmth gives way to a finish that’s full of woody winter spices and a whisper of Cherry Coke next to orange/clove by way of a dark chocolate bar flaked with salt.
Bottom Line:
The world was first introduced to Wild Turkey 101 back in the 1940s. Over the years, the age statement attached to the expression has varied (mostly in the U.S. market) but that quality has always been tops. This is a true workhorse whiskey that you can use for everything from shots to subtle whiskey-forward cocktails or on the rocks sipping.
45. Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $24
The Whisky:
This is Maker’s signature expression made with Red winter wheat and aged seasoned Ozark oak for six to seven years. This expression’s whiskey is sourced from only 150 barrels (making this a “small batch”). Those barrels are then blended and proofed with Kentucky limestone water before bottling and dipping in their iconic red wax.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has classic hints of caramel and vanilla with a grassy underbelly next to soft cherry, hints of oak, and a touch of apple orchard.
Palate: That grassiness becomes vaguely floral as slightly spiced caramel apples arrive, along with a chewy mouthfeel that leads towards a soft mineral vibe — kind of like wet granite.
Finish: The end holds onto the fruit and sweetness as the oak and dried grass stay in your senses.
Bottom Line:
The first Maker’s Mark hit shelves back in 1958. Since then, Maker’s has been a cocktail favorite, especially if you’re looking for a quality Manhattan.
44. J.T.S. Brown 100 Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $16
The Whiskey:
This is a quality whiskey from Heaven Hill’s expansive bourbon mash bill (78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye). That means this is the same base juice as Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, several Parker’s Heritages, and Henry McKenna.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cream soda with a dash of cherry opens the nose next to dry leather tobacco pouches, salted caramel sauce, and a light touch of floral honey that’s just kissed with winter spice barks.
Palate: The palate brings forward dry and woody spices with a hint of eggnog creaminess leading toward honeyed Graham Crackers and a sweet tobacco chew.
Finish: The end turns the woody spice into Christmas nut cakes and gingerbread with more creamy vanilla, honey, and leather lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
J.T.S. Brown goes all the way back to 1855, though it transitioned to a Heaven Hill product in the 20th century. Today, J.T.S. Brown remains the best budget bourbon option there is. It’s perfectly good over ice and makes a mean simple cocktail.
43. Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Very Small Batch
ABV: 45.1%
Average Price: $42
The Whiskey:
Jefferson’s really hits it out of the park with their sourced juice. The “very old” element of this small-batched blend means that eight to 12 barrels of four unique bourbons were selected to be married, with the oldest clocking in at 20 years old. That juice is then proofed with soft Kentucky limestone water to bring it down to a very approachable 90.2 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of vanilla meet spicy tobacco, leather, oak, and very buttery toffee with a hint of popped corn and apple pie mingle on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds true to those notes while adding a mellow cherry with an almost cedar-infused cream soda.
Finish: The finish is short but full of all those woody, spicy, and apple pie notes again, with plenty of buttery mouthfeel and a cedar box full of rich tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
Jefferson’s falls into the modern classic territory since it was first released in 1997. That aside, this is probably the easiest and most approachable bourbon on the list with an extremely mellow nature and easy-going sippability.
42. Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $16
The Whiskey:
The expression is a marriage of 200 barrels of Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon (78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye). That whiskey is batched and then proofed down to 90 proof and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a very distinct nose that ventures from vanilla-soaked leather to a very clear sense of allspice berries and ground clove with a hint of cornbread batter and soft oak.
Palate: There’s a light sense of caramel apples on the palate leading toward Johnnycakes covered in butter and honey with a light nutmeg lurking in the background.
Finish: The finish arrives with a hint of dry reeds that end up on a vanilla cream with brown spices.
Bottom Line:
Before the early 2000s, this whiskey was a 10-year age statement small batch. Today, the barrels are closer to six to eight years old. Age aside, this is still an excellent bourbon for its price point. It works well in a cocktail and as a table pour for everyday sipping.
41. Johnny Drum Private Stock 101 Kentucky Bourbon
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $44
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is hewn from Kentucky Bourbon Distillery barrels (also known as Willett). The barrels are batched and proofed down with local Bardstown water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This starts out with apple pie filling overstuffed with a lot of cinnamon, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla that all leads toward salted caramel.
Palate: The taste has this mild orange feel with a note of dark chocolate, cinnamon cream soda, and apple fritters with a hint of sourdough funk to them.
Finish: The end has a lightness that feels like Dr. Pepper with a hint of cherry syrup next to woody winter spices and a touch of alcohol warmth (or a “Kentucky Hug” if you will).
Bottom Line:
Willett first introduced Johnny Drum back in 1960 with this brand launching in earnest in 1984. The whiskey. in the bottle serves as a solid classic cocktail base or easy-going on-the-rocks sipper when you don’t want to have to think about what’s in your glass.
40. Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $25
The Whiskey:
This is Elijah Craig’s entry-point bottle. The mash is corn-focused, with more malted barley than rye. The whiskey is then rendered from “small batches” of barrels to create this proofed-down version of the iconic brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of rickhouse wood beams next to that mild taco seasoning on the nose with caramel apples, vanilla ice cream scoops, and a hint of fresh mint with a sweet/spicy edge.
Palate: The palate opens with a seriously smooth vanilla base with some winter spice (especially cinnamon and allspice) next to a hint of grain and apple pie filling.
Finish: The end leans towards the woodiness with a hint of broom bristle and minty tobacco lead undercut by that smooth vanilla.
Bottom Line:
Elijah Craig Small Batch was first launched back in 1986. Since then, the whiskey has been a mainstay of bars for whiskey-forward cocktails and quality on the rocks pours.
39. Jack Daniel’s Gentleman Jack Double Mellowed Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $34
The Whiskey:
This bottle was introduced (in its current iteration) in 1990. The key to this expression is that it’s good ol’ Old No. 7 Jack Daniel’s that is passed through sugar maple charcoal twice before it’s barreled and left to rest for an undisclosed amount of years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Jack is known for banana and it’s here in spades. There’s a clear sense of banana cream pie with a buttery crust and plenty of creamy vanilla pudding in the base.
Palate: The taste then leans towards a very mild spicy cherry tobacco with a hint of cedar box, nutmeg, and worn leather. There’s a twinge more of spice and cedar on the backend but not a lot.
Finish: The finish has a caramel sweetness that plays second fiddle to the banana and vanilla pie.
Bottom Line:
Jack Daniel’s launched this extra smooth brand back in 1988, creating a whole new path for the heritage brand. The twice-filtered whiskey remains one of the easiest-drinking fruit-forward bourbons on the market. Try it neat and go from there.
38. Rowan’s Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.05%
Average Price: $44
The Whiskey:
This whiskey used to be a 12-year small batch offering named after the creek that runs through the distillery. It’s still named after the creek, but the 12-year age statement is gone. The whiskey is cut down to a very specific 100.1 proof with Kentucky limestone water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with notes of salted caramel, woody cherry tobacco, a touch of leather, and vanilla wafers countered by savory herbs (think rosemary and maybe sage) next to light but fresh roses.
Palate: The taste goes hard with the cherry tobacco to the point that it’s nearly sticky on the palate as the roses dry out and the vanilla and caramel almost feel dried out and attached to a dry cedar bark.
Finish: A hint of winter spice comes in late as the finish leans back into the dry roses and singed cherry tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
The team at Willett launched Rowan’s Creek back in the mid-1990s. While the brand has a bigger footprint abroad, the carefully crafted bourbon has grown in popularity as a great cocktail base here in the U.S. over the last decade. It’s also just a really nice pour of bourbon.
37. Evan Williams Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 43.3%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
This is Heaven Hill’s hand-selected single barrel Evan Williams expression. The whiskey is from a single barrel, labeled with its distillation year, proofed just above 86, and bottled as is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a really nice nose full of woody cherry and salted caramel with a tart apple edge and a soft leatheriness.
Palate: The palate feels and tastes “classic” with notes of wintry spices (eggnog especially) with a lush creaminess supported by soft vanilla, a hint of orange zest, and plenty of spicy cherry tobacco.
Finish: The end is supple with a hint of tart apple tobacco with a light caramel candy finish.
Bottom Line:
Back in 1995, Evan Williams Single Barrel was released by Heaven Hill. Since then, this whiskey has become beloved by fans of good inexpensive bourbon with real depth. Try this one over a big rock and then go from there.
36. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
This is where everything comes together that makes Woodford unique. The mash bill on this bourbon is mid-range rye heavy with 18 percent of the grain in the bill for support. The triple distilling in pot stills and blending with column-distilled whiskey is utilized. The bourbon rests for six to seven years before barrels are pulled for blending, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s that classic note of bourbon vanilla up top but it doesn’t overwhelm the notes of dark chocolate oranges, dried fruits, spicy tobacco, and a distant wisp of fresh mint.
Palate: A lovely toffee richness creates a well-rounded mouthfeel as notes of spicy and chewy tobacco mingle with dark chocolate dust, more orange oils, and a touch of cinnamon sticks.
Finish: The end is pure velvet, lingers for just the right amount of time, and brings the whole sip together.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve shook the bourbon world up when it dropped in 1996. The idea of a premium pot-distilled bourbon in a fancy bottle was a big swing for the era. Given that this bottle is on every shelf across the country today, you can guess that it worked out. In the end, this is a great cocktail base bourbon that also works on the rocks.
35. 1792 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 49.3%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Sazerac’s other Kentucky distillery of note (they own both Buffalo Trace and Barton’s 1792 distilleries) is a bit of a hidden gem. As with all Sazerac products, there’s a lot of secrecy around what the actual mash bill is, aging times, and so forth. It is likely a high-rye mash that’s aged over five years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Salted caramel and apple pies lead the nose with a nice dose of nuttiness, winter spices, and eggnog creaminess with a butter vanilla underbelly.
Palate: Bruised peaches with clove and nutmeg drive the palate toward woody orchard barks, rich toffee, and a sense of vanilla cake with cardamom icing.
Finish: The end is softly full of woody cedar bark, cream soda, and apple-cinnamon tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Dating back to 2002, 1792 remains a premium brand that always delivers. Use this one for easy-going by deep pours or your favorite whiskey-forward cocktails.
34. Bulleit Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $32
The Whiskey:
This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill that’s comprised of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley. The juice is then rested for six years before blending, cutting down to proof, and barreling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is just classic bourbon — cherry tobacco, apple cider doughnuts, plenty of cinnamon, eggnog, and a little grassy.
Palate: The spice on the palate is squarely in the cinnamon category with creamy vanilla, more warm fruity tobacco, and a hint of orchard bark lurking in the background.
Finish: The end is warm but fades pretty quickly, leaving you with soft oak, dark spice, brown sugar, and a whisper of sweet and creamy grits.
Bottom Line:
This is the epitome of a modern classic. Moreover, a huge part of the current bourbon started when this bottle dropped in 1999. It’s a true turning point in the industry. 24 years later, this remains the gold standard of classic bourbon pours for cocktails and highballs (and shots).
33. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years
ABV: 50%
Buy Here: $45 (one-liter)
The Whiskey:
This is Jim Beam’s small batch entry point into the wider world of Knob Creek. The juice is the low-rye mash aged for nine years in new oak in Beam’s vast warehouses. The right barrels are then mingled and cut down to 100 proof before being bottled in new, wavy bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this feels classic with a bold sense of rich vanilla pods, cinnamon sharpness, buttered and salted popcorn, and a good dose of cherry syrup with a hint of cotton candy.
Palate: The palate mixes almond, orange, and vanilla into cinnamon sticky buns with a hint of sour cherry soda that leads to a nice Kentucky hug on the mid-palate.
Finish: That warm hug fades toward black cherry root beer, old leather boots, porch wicker, and a sense of dried cherry/cinnamon tobacco packed into an old pine box.
Bottom Line:
Beam launched Knob Creek back in 1992, helping usher in the modern “small batch” movement. Today, Knob Creek remains one of the better cocktail base bourbons on the shelf with a huge fan base and an expanded family of deeply good expressions (the 12-year is stellar).
32. Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $27
The Whiskey:
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a blend of four whiskeys. The blend is split evenly between the high and mid-ryes with a focus on “slight spice” and “rich fruit” yeasts. The whiskey is then blended, cut with soft Kentucky water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft and sweet apple and cherry woods greet with a good dose of sour red berries dusted with brown winter spices, especially clove and nutmeg.
Palate: The palate leans into soft and salted caramel with a hint of those berries underneath while the spices get woodier and a thin line of green sweetgrass sneaks in.
Finish: The finish is silky and boils down to blackberry jam with a good dose of winter spice, old wood, and a hint of vanilla tobacco.
Bottom Line:
While Four Roses has been around since 1888, their Small Batch expression only came to market back in 2006. Since then, this whiskey has become a true modern classic and one of the better cocktail base bourbons money can buy.
31. Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $37
The Whiskey:
Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell go barrel hunting in their Wild Turkey rickhouses to find this expression. The whiskey is a marrying of bourbons Jimmy and Eddie Russell handpicked with a minimum age of ten years old. They then cut it down to a very accessible 90-proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is just a straight-up classic with depth on the nose leading to rich vanilla, salted caramel, sour cherry, wintry spices, and a touch of old oak.
Palate: The palate opens with orange-oil-infused marzipan covered in dark chocolate next to bolder holiday spices, moist spiced cake, and a very distant whisper of barrel smoke.
Finish: The end is a lush mix of orange, vanilla, chocolate, and spice leading to an old leather pouch full of sticky maple syrup tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This version of Russell’s Reserve has been on shelves since 2005. To this day, it remains one of the best deals in all of bourbon whiskey thanks to very high-quality bourbon at an affordable price. Plus, it’s still findable at that price.
30. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
This expression takes standard Woodford Bourbon and gives it a finishing touch. The six to eight-year-old bourbon is blended and moved into new barrels that have been double-toasted but only lightly charred. The whiskey spends a final nine months resting in those barrels before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a welcoming aroma of marzipan, blackberry, toffee, and fresh honey next to a real sense of pitchy, dry firewood.
Palate: The taste drills down on those notes as the sweet marzipan becomes more choco-hazelnut, the berries become increasingly dried and apple-y, the toffee becomes almost burnt, and the wood softens to a cedar bark.
Finish: A rich spicy and chewy tobacco arrives late as the vanilla gets super creamy and the fruit and honey combine on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
This one just sneaks in as it was released in 2012. This whiskey also helped “double oak” aging go mainstream. Drink this one however you like to drink your whiskey.
29. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history — especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark maple syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and a leatheriness that’s just punctuated by dark burnt orange.
Palate: The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon — next to a hint of tart berries, a whisper of dark chocolate, and a dash of sweetly spiced oak.
Finish: The end is long and lush and slowly fades back through the dark citrus and berries with a lively spiced finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another hallmark whiskey that launched in 1999. This affordable and (mostly) findable version of Buffalo Trace bourbon is a mainstay of cocktail menus and home bars.
28. E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
Buffalo Trace’s Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch is an entry point to the other 12 expressions released under the E.H. Taylor, Jr. label. The whiskey is made from Buffalo Trace’s iconic Mash Bill No. 1 (which is a low rye recipe). The final whiskey in the bottle is a blend of barrels that meet the exact right flavor profiles Buffalo Trace’s blenders are looking for in a classic bottled-in-bond bourbon for Taylor.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of soft leather with a hint of fresh green chili, Saigon cinnamon (a little sweet), orchard tree bark, and the black mildew that grows on all the whiskey warehouses in Kentucky.
Palate: The palate leans into buttery toffee with a twinge of black licorice next to cinnamon-spiced dark chocolate tobacco and a hint of huckleberry pie with vanilla ice cream.
Finish: The end has a salted caramel sweetness that leads back to a hint of sweet cinnamon and dark tobacco with a light sense of the fermentation room with a hint of sweet gruel.
Bottom Line:
Buffalo Trace released the first E.H. Taylor collection in 2011, helping usher in the modern high-end whiskey boom of highly allocated releases from a premiere distillery. The Small Batch version came along in 2012 as a slightly more gettable expression from the collection. Today, the brand is fully mainstream and this expression remains a stellar sipping bourbon. It also makes one hell of a cocktail.
27. Michter’s US *1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45.7%
Average Price: $46
The Whiskey:
Michter’s really means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this is very fruity with a mix of bruised peach, red berries (almost like in a cream soda), and apple wood next to a plate of waffles with brown butter and a good pour of maple syrup that leads to a hint of cotton candy.
Palate: The sweetness ebbs on the palate as vanilla frosting leads to grilled peaches with a crack of black pepper next to singed marshmallows.
Finish: The end is plummy and full of rich toffee next to a dash of cedar bark and vanilla tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey goes back to Michter’s early days in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the brand was getting reinvigorated. Since 2004, this true small-batch bourbon remains one of the easiest-to-find high-end bourbons on shelves all over the world. Moreover, this is a killer cocktail base that also works perfectly well as a sipper.
26. Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee round out the nose.
Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce.
Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar.
Bottom Line:
Eagle Rare first dropped back in 1975. To this day, it is one of the best bourbons $50 can buy. Drink it in a Manhattan, on a big rock, or neat. It’s going to shine no matter which version you choose.
25. Blanton’s The Original Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 46.5%
Average Price: $169
The Whiskey:
Buffalo Trace’s “original” Blanton’s Single Barrel is made up of hand-selected single barrels that meet the sky-high standards of former Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee, who created the expression back in 1984. Those whiskey barrels are kissed with local limestone water and then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of Christmas spices right away, leaning towards honeycomb spiked with vanilla and an old cedar cigar humidor before leathery Buffalo Trace notes (think freshly soaped saddle leather) kicks in with a hint of pipe tobacco.
Palate: The taste holds onto the spice, especially nutmeg (think eggnog), as caramel kettle corn, more fresh honey, fresh red berries with a hint of tartness, and vanilla pods that lead back to the dry spice barks and cedar.
Finish: Those woody barks and cedar have a nice dose of tobacco and leather on the end that feels like a vanilla oil-heavy eggnog with tons of allspice and nutmeg just kissed with fall leaves on a rainy day.
Bottom Line:
This single-barrel bourbon launched back in 1984 and helped the Kentucky bourbon industry stay afloat during very dark times. Today, this whiskey is still beloved and pours like a soft and supple dream. It’s so easy-going that you don’t even need ice.
24. Heaven Hill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled-In-Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $56
The Whiskey:
This expression has been a touchstone “bottled-in-bond” since 1939 and remains a go-to for many bourbon lovers. The whiskey is the classic Heaven Hill bourbon mash bill that’s left to age for an extra three years compared to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond (also from Heaven Hill and the same base spirit).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with this rich and creamy vanilla ice cream (you know the kind that’s likely labeled “Tahitian”) that’s drizzled with a buttery and salty caramel sauce next to soft leather and dried apple blossoms with a hint of old cedar bark braids.
Palate: A floral honey vibe melds with Graham Crackers on the palate as creamy toffee covered in crushed almonds mingles with vanilla-laced pipe tobacco and old leather-bound books.
Finish: There’s a bit of freshly ground nutmeg near the end that leads to a light cherry tobacco note with whispers of old cellar beams and winter spices on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey goes back to Heaven Hill’s earliest days. Launched in 1939, there’s always been a version of this kicking around bourbon bars and collections. Today, this is a killer cocktail base or everyday pour of truly classic bourbon vibes.
23. Old Forester President’s Choice Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
ABV: 52% (varies)
Average Price: $179, sweepstakes only
The Whisky:
No, this isn’t a bottle made for the U.S. president. The whiskey in this expression is a single barrel, hand-picked by Brown-Forman President Campbell Brown (a direct descendant of George Brown who started the company) with the help of Master Taster Melissa Rift.
Tasting Note:
Nose: The whisky opens with a salted caramel apple nose that edges towards apple saltwater taffy with a creamy layer of spicy dark chocolate and a touch of orange blossoms.
Palate: The palate takes the wintry spices and attaches them to the creaminess, creating an egg nog feel to the taste that leans into dark fruits and a hint of toasted coconut cream pie.
Finish: The end holds onto the spice but focuses more on anise (and maybe fennel) while the caramel and spice attach to sticky tobacco with a warming end.
Bottom Line:
This expression launched back in 1962 as the industry’s first single-barrel bourbon sold by the barrel (and bottled for delivery). Yes, people were doing barrel picks back in the 1960s too. Today, this is one of Old Forester’s best limited edition releases that’s still based on single-barrel bottling.
22. Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $84
The Whiskey:
Jimmy and Eddie Russell — Wild Turkey’s Master Distillers — hand-select these barrels from their vast warehouses for just the right bourbon flavor. The bourbon is bottled with a touch of water added.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re met with creamy depths of vanilla next to pound cake, spicy tobacco, sweet oak, and a clear hit of orange oil.
Palate: That vanilla really amps up as hints of rose water-forward marzipan lead towards cedar, more vanilla, and a dash of Christmas spices.
Finish: On the finish, a really deep dark chocolate smoothness arrives with a more nutty almond that’s reminiscent of an Almond Joy straight from a special candy shop.
Bottom Line:
Russell’s Reserve launched back in 2001 as Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve. Since then, the brand has been a place for the Russells (the multi-generational distilling and blending family behind the brands) to release stellar sippers year after year.
21. Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Aged 8 Years 1 Month
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
Baker’s is pulled from single barrels in specific warehouses and ricks across the Beam facility in Clermont, Kentucky. The bourbon is always at least seven years old. In this case, it was aged eight years and one month before bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sourdough rye crusts and star anise with a fleeting hint of caraway counter cellar funk and cherry/vanilla tobacco on the nose.
Palate: The palate lets that vanilla get super lush with a sense of cinnamon bark and allspice berries next to hints of dill and fennel.
Finish: The end has an eggnog softness with a bit of Red Hot and chili-laced tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Baker’s first hit shelves back in 1992 and was named after Booker Noe’s first cousin and partner in crime, Baker Beam. This version is a high watermark for the brand. It’s a funky and fresh sipper, unlike anything from the Beam portfolio.
20. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This was first introduced in 1997. The whiskey is hand-selected from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the single-barrel whiskey to shine.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The banana notes are drawn way back here and replaced by a clear sense of toasted oak, dark cherry, apple tobacco, and a hint of molasses.
Palate: That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild winter spice barks, and plenty of oily vanilla beans that are all countered by a soft cherry soda with a whisper of clove.
Finish: The sweet banana fruit is there on the end and marries well to a peppery spice, cherry gum, and mulled wine that amps up as the end draws near with plenty of that toasted wood lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
While it feels like Jack Daniel’s is in a renaissance right now with a long list of amazing new releases, they’ve been changing the game for white and this bottle is proof. Released back in 1997, this whiskey took Jack Daniel’s into the single-barrel sphere and helped the world take the brand more seriously. The actual whiskey serves as a great post-meal pour over ice or stellar cocktail base.
19. Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch No. B523
ABV: 62.2%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
The spring edition of Larceny is here. The whiskey is a barrel-strength version of Larceny wheated bourbon (68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley) created for a small batch of six to eight-year-old barrels. Those barrels come together and go into the bottle 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose runs deep with dark chili pepper spice next to salted caramel, cherry cake, and rich vanilla with a hint of nuttiness.
Palate: The taste is lush with a deep sense of creamy winter spices mixed into mincemeat pies and eggnog next to malted buckwheat pancakes drizzled in toffee syrup and sprinkled with roasted walnuts, pecans, and almonds with a whisper of wild sage.
Finish: Sharp cinnamon bark and cherry vanilla tobacco round out the finish with a nice balance of creaminess and sharp woody spice leading to a warm and long Kentucky hug (ABV warmth).
Bottom Line:
Larceny launched back in 2012 as an offshoot of the Old Fitzgerald wheated bourbon family by Heaven Hill. Today, the barrel-proof version remains beloved by fans of wheated bourbon and thrill-seeking high-proof whiskey heads alike.
18. Henry Mckenna 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This classic offering from Heaven Hill is actually getting easier to find again (after years of being nearly impossible to find thanks to hype). The juice utilizes a touch of rye in the mash bill and is then aged for ten long years in a bonded rickhouse. The best barrels are chosen by hand and the whiskey is bottled with just a touch of water to bring it down to bottled-in-bond proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens slightly tannic with rich orange zest and vanilla cream next to woody winter spice, fresh mint, and wet cedar with a hint of gingerbread and burnt cherry.
Palate: The palate hits on soft vanilla white cake with a salted caramel drizzle and burnt orange zest vibe next to apple/pear tobacco leaves dipped in toffee and almond.
Finish: The end has a sour cherry sensation that leads to wintery woody spices, cedar bark, and old cellar beams with a lush vanilla pod and cherry stem finish.
Bottom Line:
Heaven Hill first introduced the world to a single-barrel Henry McKenna back in 1995. It took about 20 years for it to catch on. Today, this is considered a quintessential bourbon sipper and cocktail base.
17. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch No. B523
ABV: 62.1%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
The latest Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is here (number two of three for 2023). This edition is a batch of bourbons that are a minimum of 11.5 years old (down from the usual 12-year age statements). The batch is bottled completely as is without cutting with water or chill filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice sense of funk and fruit on the nose — think standing by a barn in an apple orchard — that leads to salted caramel, cherry tobacco, and rich dark chocolate cut with red chili pepper flakes with a lush vanilla foundation of almond cakes and powdered sugar icing.
Palate: Rich winter spice cakes with a hint of rum raisin drive the taste toward dark cherry spiced tobacco with a rush of ABVs that cause a deep buzz before old cellar dirt floors and oak arrive with a dark sense of chocolate and espresso all kissed with salt.
Finish: Cherry Coke and gingerbread drive the finish with a lush and vibrant sense of red chili pepper spice, black pepper woodiness, and cinnamon bark softness before stewed apple and buttery pie crust lead back toward a vanilla almond cake vibe with a lingering warming sensation.
Bottom Line:
This version of Elijah Craig started showing up in the Heaven Hill gift shop in 2011. Just over 10 years later, it’s one of the most sought-after barrel-proof bourbons out there. While it’s often delicious, there can be massive differences between the three versions released every year. Consider yourself warned.
16. Noah’s Mill Small Batch Genuine Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 57.15%
Average Price: $67
The Whiskey:
This is the bigger and bolder sibling of Willett’s Rowan’s Creek Bourbon. It’s the same whiskey — a no-age-statement bourbon that’s made from four to 15-year-old barrels — that’s barely proofed down with local Kentucky water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Maple syrup-covered walnuts greet you with a sense of dark dried cherries and a hint of rose water next to old leather books and holiday spices.
Palate: The taste holds onto those notes while adding in a stewed plum depth with a whisper of caramel apple and orange oils.
Finish: The vanilla and sweet oak kick in late with a rich depth and well-rounded lightness to the sip fade towards lush cherry tobacco, soft leather, and winter spice matrix tied to prunes and dates.
Bottom Line:
Willett started dropping this high-proof version of their whiskey back in the mid-1990s. The whiskey remains amazingly sippable and is a defining Kentucky bourbon. Take it slow and the profile will reward you.
15. Willett Estate Bottled Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 9-Year
ABV: 64.9%
Average Price: $2,450
The Whiskey:
I forgot to write down the barrel number on this one but it was in the low 3100s. That means this is a high rye bourbon mash bill (52% corn, 38% rye, and 10% malted barley) that’s aged for just north of nine years. The barrel pick (from The Ballard Cut) has a slightly lower proof than the bottle above.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Singed vanilla pods and candied cherry stems lead to a hint of burnt sugars on the nose next to chewed cigar stubs and a dash of sticky toffee pudding spices (a lot of sharp cinnamon and soft nutmeg next to black tea bitterness).
Palate: The palate leans into the tart cherries with a good dusting of smoked sea salt with a hint of stewed plums with a whisper of dill underneath and plenty of wintry spices adding to the heat of the mid-palate.
Finish: The heat falls off dramatically as a sense of old porch wicker with a hint of black mold melds with worn saddle leather with a hint of wax next to dry bunches of cedar and pine kindling with an echo of maple syrup and pecan waffle underneath it all.
Bottom Line:
Willett introduced the world to their Willett Estate Bottled bourbon back in 2008. Since then, these bottles have become some of the most sought-after bourbons in the world. I’ll just leave it at that.
14. Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 58.4%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
This is the mountaintop of what the main line of Wild Turkey can achieve (this is easily found on liquor store shelves for the most part). This is a blend of the prime barrels that are married and bottled untouched. That means no filtering and no cutting with water. This is a classic Turkey bourbon with nowhere to hide.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens like a dessert table during the holidays with crème brûlée next to a big sticky toffee pudding with orange zest sprinkled over the top next to a bushel of fresh mint.
Palate: The palate hits an early note of pine resin as the orange kicks up towards a bold wintry spice, soft vanilla cream, and a hint of honeyed cherry tobacco.
Finish: The end keeps the winter spices front and center as a lush pound cake feeling leads to soft notes of cherry-spiced tobacco leaves folded into an old cedar box with a whisper of old vanilla pods lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
While I’ve been talking a lot about Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve and its dominance since the 2000s, Wild Turkey really turned up the heat on their whiskey back in 1991 with the release of Rare Breed. To this day, Rare Breed is one of the absolute best bang-for-buck bourbons on the shelf. It’s delicious and works however you want to drink it.
13. Booker’s “Charlie’s Batch” 2023-01 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 63.3%
Average Price: $97
The Whiskey:
This first Booker’s Small Batch of 2023 has arrived! This release is an hommage to Charlie Hutchens — the woodworker who makes Booker’s boxes the whiskey comes in and a long-time family friend to the Noe family who makes Beam whiskeys. The whiskey is a blend of mid to high-floor barrels from five warehouses. Those whiskeys were batched and bottled 100% as-is at cask strength after just north of seven years of aging.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Toasted almonds and walnuts lead the way on the nose with a deep and rich vanilla cake lightly dusted with cacao, dry cherry, and cinnamon with a touch of old oak cellars and black-mold-encrusted old deck furniture.
Palate: The soft caramel and vanilla open the palate before a rush of woody and sharp spices — clove, anise, allspice, red chili pepper — arrive with a sense of old wood chips on a workshop floor leads to salted toffee dipped in roasted almonds and dark salted chocolate with a whisper of cherry cordial backing it all up.
Finish: That soft sweetness counters the hot spices for a while on the slow finish as the spices take on an orange/cherry/vanilla Christmas cake vibe with plenty of nuts and ABV heat.
Bottom Line:
The team at Jim Beam launched Booker’s Small Batch Bourbon all the way back in 1988. It was another game-changer. Today, the whiskey is released in new batches a few times a year and highlights the beauty of the barrel-proof whiskey made by the Noe family. You might need a rock to cool it down, but it’s worth diving deep with this one.
12. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $52
The Whiskey:
This is a non-age-statement bourbon that’s called “Old Weller Antique” (OWA) by those who love the old-school vibes of the expression’s previous iteration. The ripple with this expression is the higher proof. The barrels are vatted and barely proofed down to 107 proof before bottling (the entry proof is 114).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a lovely sense of vanilla pods and orange blossom with a hint of old saddle leather and cedar bark next to wild sage, cinnamon and caramel apple fritters, and salted black licorice with a bundle of holiday spices and barks tied up with burnt orange and pine.
Palate: The palate is lush with a cream soda float with malted vanilla ice cream cut with cherries, dark chocolate chips, and espresso flakes next to cinnamon cherry bark tobacco on the mid-palate.
Finish: The end dives toward a thick braid of cedar bark, sage, and blackberry tobacco with a thin line of sweetgrass and vanilla pods woven in there.
Bottom Line:
This is another brand expression that’s been around forever — you can still find old 1970s bottles of Old Weller Antique out there. The current iteration is based on the 1999 Buffalo Trace acquisition. Today, this is an excellent cocktail whiskey (maybe the best one on this list).
11. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled one at a time with their barrel number and warehouse location right on the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with classic vibes from top to bottom thanks to rich vanilla smoothness, wintry spices, a hint of cedar, and a mix of sour cherry and tart apple with a slight lawn furniture earthiness.
Palate: The palate stays very classic with old boot leather next to dry cedar bark, a layer of rich marzipan cut with orange oils and covered in dark chocolate, and a distant hint of nasturtiums suspended in fresh honey.
Finish: The end finishes with a good hint of spiced cherry tobacco and old leather next to mild nuttiness, bitter chocolate, and soft vanilla cake frosted with cinnamon and cherry.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey launched their single barrel expression back in 1994. Nearly 30 years later, it’s still one of the best of the best.
10. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Aged 12 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $395
The Whiskey:
This is the expression that’s theoretically the closest to Pappy. The whiskey rests in the warehouse for 12 long years, in the same barrels and warehouses as Pappy. The difference between this and Pappy 12 — good ol’ “Lot B” — is pretty simple actually. If the barrel doesn’t hit the exact flavor profile needed for a Pappy, it’s sent to the blending house to become a Weller (as long as it hits Weller’s flavor profile, of course). So, yes, this could have been a Pappy 12 had the flavor profile been slightly different in the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose hits softly with bruised peaches and old pears next to fresh wool sweaters, vanilla pancake batter, and moist marzipan next to orange oils, worn-out wicker deck furniture, and old Buffalo Trace leather with a faint hint of dried roses.
Palate: The palate kicks around cherry bark and apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks with spiced cranberry sauce over buttermilk biscuits and gingerbread.
Finish: The end leans into the sharp brown spices with a mild sense of vanilla cake with apple cider and cinnamon frosting, a touch of burnt orange, and more of that moist marzipan covered in salted dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This version of Weller hit shelves back in 2001. Back then, it only cost $20. Well, that’s a mood killer. Luckily, this remains one of the best high-age-statement bourbons out of Kentucky so bring the mood back up. Try river over a big rock, it won’t disappoint.
9. Parker’s Heritage 16th Edition Double Barreled Blend 13 & 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 66.1%
Average Price: $1,899
The Whiskey:
This year’s Parker’s Heritage starts off with Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. From there, it’s all about where and how that whiskey aged. The lion’s share, 67% of the blend, comes from a 13-year-old double-barreled bourbon from the 5th-7th floors of Rickhouse Q. 33% of the blend comes from a 15-year-old bourbon that was aged on the 2nd and 5th floors of Rickhouse II. Those barrels were batched and then bottled 100% as-is without any filtering or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Salted toffee rolled in almonds and dark chocolate is packed into an old oak stave chocolate box and wrapped with old leather and caramel tobacco with a fleeting sense of dried ancho chilis and sour cherry juice next to singed hickory.
Palate: The palate has a deep woody winter spiciness — cinnamon bark, whole nutmeg, star anise, allspice berries — next to sweet oak and dry sweetgrass with a mild sense of cherry cream soda and salted black licorice over woody tobacco.
Finish: The end leans towards sweet and salted dark chocolate with a rummy plum pudding full of dark spice and dried fruits with a fleeting sense of that dried chili on the very back end with some very old oak and leather.
Bottom Line:
Heaven Hill launched Parker’s Heritage back in 2006 as a super-elite shingle for their best barrels. 17 editions later, and Parker’s Heritage releases remain some of the most desired worldwide. This expression (released in 2022) is phenomenal double-oaked bourbon that’ll be a centerpiece of your whiskey collection.
8. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $4,099
The Whiskey:
This is the Pappy that made “Pappy” what it is today. The wheated bourbon rests for 20 long years without any meddling. The barrels that actually make it to the 20-year mark are batched and that juice is then proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Moist and spicy Christmas cake brims with walnuts and pecans, dried fruit and candied fruits, and dark molasses sweetness next to woody cinnamon bark, clove berries, star anise, and a hint of salted black licorice as soft woody maple syrup hint at a sourdough pancake griddled with brown butter on the nose.
Palate: The palate adds a sweet sense of vanilla creaminess with soft apple pie filling before heavily roasted chocolate-covered espresso beans pop in with a touch of bitter orange.
Finish: The end combines all of that toward an old tobacco pipe that’s burnt a century’s worth of rich tobacco flavored with all of the above.
Bottom Line:
While the Van Winkle whiskeys have been around since the early 1900s, this expression first arrived in 1994. Nothing was ever really the same. Today, it’s the bourbon that people want for their collections.
7. Old Forester 2023 Birthday Bourbon
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $169 (Sweepstakes Only)
The Whiskey:
This year’s Birthday Bourbon is a subtle masterpiece expression from Lousiville’s oldest distillery. The whiskey in the bottle is hewn from 103 barrels that were filled on May 5th, 2011. Those barrels were housed on the 5th floor of Warehouse I in Louisville for 12 years for batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied orange peels draw you in on the nose as molasses and rum raisin lead to salted dark chocolate-covered coffee beans, old cedar bark, and dry orchard barks layered with soft winter spice barks and dark cherry.
Palate: That candied orange drives the palate with a sense of Luxardo cherries, old rickhouse dirt floors, and oak staves before rummy molasses and dark fruits — think dates, figs, and prunes — lead to a cedar tobacco vibe.
Finish: The end sweetens at first with a honeyed orange caramel before swinging back toward the coffee beans and cedar tobacco with a soft sense of old orchards in late fall.
Bottom Line:
Old Forester launched their special yearly Birthday Bourbon back in 2002. Since then, the limited edition bourbon has become iconic. If you can get your hands on some, it will live up to the hype.
6. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Proof Batch #22A
ABV: 66.1%
Average Price: $399
The Whiskey:
Stagg is Buffalo Trace’s Mash Bill no. 1 (a low-rye mash) turned all the way up to MAX volume. The whiskey spends about a decade resting in the old Buffalo Trace warehouses before it’s batched and bottled (in this case in Spring 2023) 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is rich on the nose with deep senses of dark chocolate brownies just kissed with stewed black cherry and old vanilla pods before a soft sense of red chili tobacco and wet brown sugar tobacco lead to a whisper of smoldering fall leaves.
Palate: That dark chocolate and chili-laced tobacco drives the taste toward a Christmas cake brimming with candied cherry, orange rind, rum raisin, clove, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and creamy vanilla icing with a dash of salt, marzipan, and brandy-soaked apple and pear orchards.
Finish: The rich and boozy holiday cake fades on the finish as deep earthiness — think firewood bark and smudging sage — drives the end toward a big Kentucky hug of warmth that’s just right.
Bottom Line:
Buffalo Trace launched Stagg back in 2002 as an over-proofed high-end bourbon for a whopping $40 (which was considered very expensive back then). Fast-forward to 2023 and Stagg is one of the most hunted bourbon releases in the land. If you do snag a bottle, pour it over a rock — it’ll really open up.
5. William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022
ABV: 62.35%
Average Price: $2,409
The Whiskey:
Distilled back in the spring of 2010, this whiskey was made with a mix of Kentucky corn, wheat, and barley from North Dakota with that Kentucky limestone water. The distillate was filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and stored in warehouses C, K, and N on floors 2, 3, and 4 for 12 long years. During that time, 64% of the whiskey was lost to hungry angels. Those barrels were then batched and this whiskey was bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one is surprisingly sweet with a big slice of coconut cream pie (with a lard crust) next to your grandma’s butterscotch candies straight from an old leather handbag that’s held menthol cigarettes for decades and maybe some old Mon Cheri bonbons.
Palate: The palate opens with a lush eggnog full of nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla that leads to a white pound cake with a hint of poppy seed next to old leather tobacco pouches with a hot cinnamon spiciness on the mid-palate with a light cedar woodiness.
Finish: The end layers that white cake into the tobacco while packing it all into an old leather handbag with whispers of mint chocolate chip, Halloween-sized Mounds bars, and old lawn furniture that’s been left out too many seasons.
Bottom Line:
Weller dominates this list, and this is the pinnacle. Back in 2000, Buffalo Trace released the first Antique Collection with a 19-year-old W.L. Weller in the mix. Last year’s release is the one that’ll be most easy to find. It’s also f*cking tasty whiskey.
4. Michter’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old
ABV: 47.2%
Average Price: $185
The Whiskey:
The whiskey barrels sourced for these single-barrel expressions tend to be at least 10 years old with some rumored to be closer to 15 years old (depending on the barrel’s quality, naturally). Either way, the whiskey goes through Michter’s bespoke filtration process before a touch of Kentucky’s iconic soft limestone water is added, bringing the bourbon down to a very crushable 94.4 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a peppery sense of cedar bark and burnt orange next to salted caramel and tart red berries with a moist and spicy sticky toffee pudding with some brandy butter dancing on the nose.
Palate: The palate blends vanilla tobacco with salted dark chocolate-covered marzipan while espresso cream leads to new porch wicker and black peppercorns.
Finish: The end has a pecan waffle vibe with chocolate chips, maple syrup, blackberry jam, and minced meat pies next to old tobacco and cedar with a sweet yet toasted marshmallow on the very end.
Bottom Line:
The first Michter’s Single Barrel 10-Year Bourbon hit shelves back in 2010. Within five short years, it became iconic. Today, it’s one of the best pours of whiskey out of Kentucky. If you want the best old fashioned of your life, this is the whiskey to make it with.
3. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $299
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is aged in the famed Warehouse C at Buffalo Trace Distillery from their Mash Bill No. 1 (which is their low-rye bourbon mash). In this case, single barrels are picked for their perfect Taylor flavor profile and bottled one at a time with a slight touch of water to bring them down to bottled-in-bond proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried dark fruits and a hint of vanilla wafers mingle with fig fruit leather, a touch of orchard wood, and a deep caramel on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds onto those notes while layering in dark berry tobacco with sharp winter spices, new leather, and a singed cotton candy next to a cedar box filled with that tobacco.
Finish: The finish lingers on your senses for a while and leaves the spice behind for that dark, almost savory fruit note with an echo of blackberry Hostess pies next to soft leather pouches that have held chewy tobacco for decades and a final hint of old porch wicker in the middle of summer.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey was part of the original E.H. Taylor collection from Buffalo Trace back in 2011. Since then, it has become a yearly release that’s highly desired by whiskey fans all over the world. Why? It’s delicious.
2. Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $1,649
The Whiskey:
Back in the spring of 2005, a humble bourbon was made with Kentucky distiller’s corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota barley. That hot juice was then filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and stacked in Buffalo Trace’s warehouses H, K, and L on floors one and four. It was left alone for 17 years, which allowed 70% of the whiskey to be lost to the angels. In 2022, the barrels were batched and the bourbon was proofed down to 101 proof and was bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose subtly draws you in with soft pipe tobacco that feels fresh and vibrant next to dried sour cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate and rolled in vanilla seeds and vanilla-laced streusel with a good dose of woody maple syrup with this fleeting hint of red brick, moldy cellar beams, and soft and sandy cellar dirt floor.
Palate: Old maple trees dripping with sap lead to a rich salted caramel candy vibe next to rich vanilla pound cake topped with a creamy dark chocolate frosting and bespeckled with orange zest, dried cranberries bits, and crushed espresso beans.
Finish: The mid-palate takes on a woody spiciness with a whisper of apple bark that informs a spiced Christmas cake full of soft cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, mace, and maybe some anise and dried dark fruits with creamy eggnog baseline next to old Whether’s Originals wrapped up in dry tobacco leaves and stacked in a musty pine box for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
The first Eagle Rare BTAC was released in 2000 with the original collection of Antique Collection bottles. It was a 17-year-old bourbon and set the standard for all the Eagle Rare BTACs to come. Last year’s remains one of the best whiskeys of the decade so far. We’ll see how 2023’s version stacks up soon — October is BTAC season.
1. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 53.5%
MSRP: $119.99
Average Price: $2,999
The Whiskey:
This is where the “Pappy Van Winkle” line starts in earnest. The juice in this expression is pulled from barrels that are at least 15 years old. Once batched, the whiskey is just touched with water to bring it down to a sturdy 107-proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with freshly fried sourdough fritters dusted with ground almonds, sharp cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, burnt sugars, and maple frosting with a hint of old vanilla pods next to soft figs.
Palate: The palate leans into rich toffee with a sense of minced meat pies covered in powdered sugar frosting right next to sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel, orange zest, and tons of brown wintry spice countered by a moment of sour mulled red wine cut with dark maple syrup.
Finish: The end has a soft cedar vibe that leads to vanilla and dark cherry tobacco leaves and a hint of pine next to old white moss.
Bottom Line:
This is the best version of Pappy on shelves right now (and it’s not even close). Launched back in 2004, this 15-year expression of Pappy has become the insider-approved sweet spot for the whole line.