The 30 Best Bourbons for 2025

In many prior iterations of this list, we’ve highlighted the recent bourbon boom and pointed to the fact that the trend shows no sign of slowing. But those winds do now appear to be changing, with sales of the entire American whiskey category shrinking slightly in terms of volume and value from 2023 to 2024, according to the Distilled Spirits Council.

It’s worth noting that this phenomenon isn’t isolated to bourbon, American whiskey, or even distilled spirits. And when viewing the category from a consumer perspective, we can comfortably repeat another line that’s worked its way into this roundup multiple years in a row: There’s never been a better time to be a bourbon drinker.

In fact, this year saw the greatest number of bourbon submissions VinePair has ever received for consideration (more on that below), and the vast majority of newcomers arrived not as limited expressions from major distilleries, but from craft producers and independent bottlers. Just as exciting, those producers, and the distilleries they’re sourcing from, are no longer fully concentrated in the strongholds of Kentucky and Indiana.

Whether you’re looking for multi-state blends, an antidote to “hazmat-” level whiskeys, or a vintage-looking and -tasting release from a legacy distiller, here are 30 of the best bourbons at every price point for 2025.

Why You Should Trust VinePair

Every year, VinePair conducts dozens of tastings for our “Buy This Booze” product roundups, highlighting the best bottles across the world’s most popular wine and spirits categories.

Within this scope, VinePair’s tasting and editorial staff samples thousands of bottles every year. This ensures we have a close eye on what’s new and exciting. Crucially, it also provides us with the context needed to distinguish the simply good from the truly great, whether from a quality or value-for-money perspective — or both.

Ultimately, our mission is to offer a clear, reliable source of information for drinkers, providing an overview applicable to day-to-day buying and drinking. Learn more about VinePair’s tastings and reviews department here.

How We Taste

We believe in tasting all products as our readers typically would: with full knowledge of the producer and — importantly — price. Our tastings are therefore not conducted blind.

For this bourbon roundup, all expressions were sampled in Glencairn glasses and allowed to rest for five minutes prior to tasting. We then evaluated the aromas, flavors, texture, and finish of each whiskey. Unless there was something notably off or worrying about a whiskey’s appearance — and on this occasion we encountered no such examples — we did not evaluate the products from a visual perspective.

How We Compiled This List

In order to provide our readers with the most comprehensive and thoroughly tested list of the best bourbons to buy, VinePair invited producers, distributors, and PR firms working on their behalf to send samples for consideration. These bottles were submitted free of charge — producers didn’t pay to submit nor did VinePair pay for the products. All were requested with the clear understanding that submission does not guarantee inclusion in the final list.

Not only would such an agreement contradict our editorial ethics and samples policy, it simply wouldn’t be possible to include everything we received. For this roundup, we tasted 186 new submissions and also re-tasted more than a dozen bottles that were sent to VinePair throughout the course of the prior 12 months and that we were able to confirm are still (at least somewhat) available in retail channels.

During tasting, we assigned a score to each product on a 100-point scale based on the quality and intensity of its aromas, flavors, texture, and finish. Then we reviewed all scores and compiled an editorially driven list that meets our criteria of 30 best bourbons to buy right now. It’s important to note that these are not the 30 highest-scoring bourbons we tasted this year. Instead, this list showcases the best bottles across every price and for every scenario — because while price is completely objective, “affordability” is not.

The 30 Best Bourbons to Drink in 2025

The Best All-Rounder Bourbon

Russell’s Reserve 10-Year-Old Bourbon

Based on the extensive list of bourbons we sampled, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year made the strongest case for best all-rounder in the category. Crafted under the watchful eyes of Wild Turkey’s legendary father-son duo, Jimmy and Eddie Russell, this small-batch, 90-proof bourbon is an exercise in balance and precision.

From the get-go, it delivers a layered experience — more so than most similarly priced releases, and certainly those available at such scale. The nose is warm and inviting, with notes of vanilla bean, toasted oak, and a touch of cinnamon spice. On the palate, it opens with classic caramel and butterscotch, then evolves into rich dark fruit and baking spice, all wrapped in a silky, well-aged oak.

But what makes this a true all-rounder is its versatility. It’s complex enough to satisfy seasoned bourbon enthusiasts yet accessibly-proofed for those newer to the category (while not compromising on depth of flavor and texture). It sips effortlessly neat and more than holds its own in an Old Fashioned — all without breaking the bank.

Average price: $40
Rating: 92

The Best Bourbon to Seek Out and Splurge On

Widow Jane Black Opal

Let’s address a few things up front: This is the most expensive inclusion on this list by a long shot, and it’s also understandable to balk at the idea of paying $500 for a bottle of bourbon — especially when the liquid is sourced. But as mentioned in the introduction, budgets and the very notion of affordability are completely subjective. Should you, therefore, be looking to shell out this kind of cash, Widow Jane’s 20-year-old Black Opal is a compelling candidate.

About that sourced whiskey: The Brooklyn-based distillery lists Kentucky and Tennessee as the origins. While we can’t be sure, the latter component has long been theorized in online circles to come from Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., the home of George Dickel. As for the Kentucky component, Widow Jane’s parent company, Samson & Surrey, was acquired by Heaven Hill in 2022, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to deduce that as being the likely origin.

Sleuthing and hypothesizing aside, what’s really important lies within the bottle, and it arrives at 49.5 percent ABV, with a minimum age of two decades, and following an extended finishing period in mizunara oak casks. Also important to highlight — and a large reason for its inclusion as our splurge pick — is the fact that oak in no way dominates its profile. The finishing vessels instead add pleasant wisps of signature sandalwood and spice to the nose. The palate is lithe yet flavorsome, and delivers fruity, savory, sweet, and spicy sips, all with great depth and concentration.

Average price: $500
Rating: 94

The Best Cask-Strength Bourbon

Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Reserves’

Last year, the Booker’s lineup received an exciting new highly limited release to accompany its quarterly cask-strength expressions. Called “The Reserves,” the bourbon features a blend of older whiskeys than standard Booker’s, ranging in age from 8 to 14 years old. Bottled at 125.9 proof, it also retails for around $40 more than regular Booker’s releases.

In terms of the drinking experience, that extra 40 bucks is money very well spent. The Reserves delivers a more nuanced profile than its siblings, even at its heady proof. And while the signature cinnamon spice and burnt brown sugar are present, there’s a newfound balance (again, relatively speaking at this proof), with layers of toasted notes running throughout. The palate leans more into vanilla, caramel, oak, and nuts than specific fruits, though baked apples and baking spices do emerge on the finish. Put more simply: This is still classic Booker’s — big, bold, and burly — but with a level of refinement that makes it the most enjoyable cask-strength release we tasted for this roundup.

Average price: $130
Rating: 94

The Best Bourbon for Cocktails

Larceny Small Batch

The entry-level wheated bourbon in Heaven Hill’s lineup, Larceny Small Batch does satisfy sipping occasions in a pinch, but it’s in cocktails that it truly shines. While it delivers much of the sweetness often associated with bourbons that employ wheat as the flavoring grain, it backs it up with peppery spice and toasted oak — two vital factors that ensure it maintains a presence when stirred or shaken. The softer aspects of its profile make it amenable to a broad range of mixers and modifiers, and at $28, it’ll only run you a little more for a bottle than a single cocktail in major metropolitan markets these days. We’ve enjoyed great success when taking it for a spin in the classics, and found it to serve among the best versions of more modern creations, including the Paper Plane and Gold Rush.

Average price: $28
Rating: 88

The Best of the Rest

The Best Bourbons Under $50

Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bourbon’s most famous wax-dipped brand has been busy on the innovation front over the past few years, introducing its Wood Finishing Series (one iteration of which claimed VinePair’s best spirit of the year in 2021) and the more recent Cellar Aged line. But those stellar expressions shouldn’t distract from Maker’s Mark’s flagship, entry-level offering. With an attractive wheated profile, it’s widely available and affordable, and is a shining example of dependability.

Average price: $27
Rating: 87

Knob Creek 9-Year-Old Bourbon

Speaking of dependability and affordability, Knob Creek’s 9-Year-Old release is another bottle that’s ubiquitous on store shelves and should be considered a no-brainer for casual occasions. One of the major strings to its bow is that, during those occasions, it will please both newcomers and seasoned veterans: For the former, it serves precise notes of peanuts, caramel, and chocolate, which are an immediately obvious route into the world of blind tasting and flavor descriptors; for the latter, this bourbon offers way more complexity and nuance than the typically one-dimensional profiles of bottles on offer at this price.

Average price: $37
Rating: 89

Old Elk Slow Cut Straight Bourbon

For this release from Old Elk, the proofing process (diluting to bottling strength) takes up to 10 times longer than is standard in the category, which serves to maintain certain aromas and flavor notes, according to the brand. Additional factors to consider and appreciate with this barrel-notes-forward release are its 4- to 7-year average age range, and the fact it delivers considerably more punch (but not heat) than similarly priced competitors.

Average price: $40
Rating: 90

Pinhook Kentucky Straight Bourbon (2024 Vintage)

Distilled at the historic Castle & Key distillery, this 3-year Kentucky bourbon is more of an everyday sipper and cocktail component than Pinhook’s impressive “Vertical Series,” which is equally worth checking out. The mash bill features rye as the secondary, flavor-giving grain, and leans into notes of burnt brown sugar, dark berries, and cacao. Let it shine in a Manhattan and Old Fashioned before sipping neat, perhaps over a big rock of ice should the season permit.

Average price: $43
Rating: 91

Dry Fly Straight Bourbon 101

In the numerical arms race, age statements are an easier way to impress casual drinkers than other figures, such as ABV. But this release challenges that perception. Arriving at the relatively non-remarkable age of 3 or 4 years (depending on which batch you encounter), it packs a notable punch thanks in most part to its 50.5 percent ABV (101 proof) bottling strength. Those credentials translate to a weighty, flavorful palate that finishes with enjoyable barrel spice.

Average price: $45
Rating: 91

The Best Bourbons Under $100

Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon

At its suggested retail price, this a fine and indeed highly recommendable bourbon — lightly fruity and attractively cherried in character. Should you encounter it with a 50- or 100-percent markup, we’d advise caution depending on your budget. To be clear, this is one of the most complex, enjoyable American whiskeys in the $50 bracket, but heading beyond that the competition stiffens and relative value soon diminishes.

Average price: $50 (MSRP)
Rating: 92

Four Roses Single Barrel

While you’re much more likely to encounter this expression at its MSRP than the prior bottle, another caveat is in order here in the form of this being a single barrel bourbon, which equates to noticeable fluctuation from bottle to bottle and batch to batch. That said, every time we encounter this single barrel release, it never ceases to impress with its attractive rye-spice core and generous fruit character, which arrives in the form of apricot and pear, and is bolstered by sweet, toasty oak.

Average price: $52
Rating: 92

Wilderness Trail Straight High-Rye Bourbon

As recently as five years ago, Wilderness Trail was still a relatively obscure craft offering, on the radars only of bourbon geeks who quickly appreciated its quality, nuance, and relative affordability. Since then has come major investment from an international conglomerate but — crucially — it hasn’t impacted quality as scale and availability have increased. A unicorn on that front, this high-rye expression is bright and light on the nose with an undercurrent of sweetness, while the palate and finish lean spicy, peppery, and return to sweetness. This is another worthy candidate for best “all-rounder” bourbon.

Average price: $55
Rating: 93

Stonestreet Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ‘Founder’s Edition’

This bourbon arrives with a minimum age of 5-plus years, bottled at 47 percent ABV, and carrying a price tag of $60. Those are fairly lofty figures for what is ostensibly a sourced whiskey, but that’s also a reductive, clinical way to analyze whiskey when the liquid is this enjoyable. The nose is soft and approachable; the palate, likewise. There’s depth and complexity, too, with prominent notes of vanilla, berry compote, and Graham crackers. Barrel tannins bolster the finish and cement its credentials as a bona fide sipper — age and prominence be damned!

Average price: $60
Rating: 92

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Launched in 2020, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel quickly won over bourbon aficionados, and bottles now fetch much more than its MSRP at retail. Made by finishing standard Elijah Craig in new, custom-toasted oak barrels, the bourbon has multiple layers of aromas and flavors that go well beyond wood. Expect sweet caramel tones on the nose, and enticing coffee and dark chocolate on the palate. If you come across this bottle, don’t leave it sitting on the shelf.

Average price: $63
Rating: 92

Noah’s Mill Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Inside this quirky wine-shaped bottle, with its cartoonish font label and paradoxically serious illustration, is a reminder that bourbon — and drinking bourbon — should be fun. Should the packaging not fully impress that upon you, the cask-strength elixir inside definitely will. While it’s bottled at over 57 percent ABV, ethanol and its corresponding heat never overpowers. Instead, it serves to promote enjoyable notes of tart plum jelly, Graham crackers, and brown sugar. This is the highest-proof bottling in Willett’s Small Batch Boutique Bourbon Collection, and the quality lives up to the lofty reputation of its producer.

Average price: $64
Rating: 92

Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7-Year-Old Bourbon

Smooth Ambler first started “scouting” for whiskey (read: sourcing) over a decade ago, and has always been transparent about that practice, whether its releases were blended with proprietary juice or — as is the case with this expression — entirely… scouted. The 36 percent rye that makes up this mash bill and Indiana provenance point to a seemingly obvious source (MGP), while the recipe itself delivers a bourbon that curiously recalls leftover cereal milk. Think: notes of vanilla and vibrant baking spices, with sweet malt, subtle grain character, and medium-weighted texture. Price and proof suggest sipping over cocktails, but don’t count out a rewarding Old Fashioned as an option (fruit loop garnish optional).

Average price: $65
Rating: 91

Buzzard’s Roost Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Kentucky-based Buzzard’s Roost specializes in finishing sourced whiskey in proprietary-commissioned char #1 barrels, the lightest level on the char scale. This degree of charring, according to the brand, results in a delicate evolution of the base distillate, and this bottled-in-bond release offers confirmation. Vanilla and caramel notes immediately invite, with a hint of poached peaches and toasty oak providing further layers. While oak is central to its production, the specific aromas and flavors of oak itself (rather than maturation) remain firmly in the back seat.

Average price: $68
Rating: 93

New Riff Distilling 8-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

New Riff sits among a small class of craft distillers that employ left-field and innovative production techniques and ingredients, but will still appeal to “traditional” bourbon drinkers. And this as-of-2024 core expression can be considered a graduation of sorts for the brand, arriving a full four years older than the bottled-in-bond releases that first enamored enthusiasts. It delivers definitive, distinctive, and noticeable character from base ingredients, fermentation, and distillation, along with easy-to-love sweet notes from new American oak. Put another way, think of it as bottled Mexican Coke versus traditional American (macro bourbon) or Olipop Cola (regular craft whiskey).

Average price: $68
Rating: 92

High Wire Distilling Co. Jimmy Red Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

For more than a decade, Charleston, S.C.’s High Wire Distilling has worked with local researchers and growers to help revive Jimmy Red, a local, magenta-hued variety of corn that lends its name to (and forms the base of) this single barrel release. Fittingly, unique grain character shines from nose to finish, with unexpected savory spices playfully interacting with fruit notes and barrel sweetness. A perfect trifecta of fruit, concentration, and proof, this is a thought-provoking sipper that will delight the whiskey geek in your life.

Average price: $80
Rating: 92

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 4 Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The fourth release in Wyoming Whiskey’s limited-edition National Parks Series, this bourbon arrives at 5 years old featuring a mash bill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. The entirety of its non-GMO grain and limestone water are locally sourced, a tribute to the distillery’s surrounding habitat that lays the foundation for a striking and memorable bourbon. Notes of pecan and maple lead the charge, while hints of stone fruit follow. The combination serves as an approachable invitation to sip, leading to lively proof and pleasant spice.

Average price: $80
Rating: 94

Basil Hayden 10 Year Old

Spend some time in online bourbon and whiskey forums and you’ll eventually encounter a cohort of users who write off the Basil Hayden line because of its signature 40 percent ABV bottling strength. While it’s true that this characteristic can make it seem shy in a lineup — especially when tasted alongside cask-strength releases — in isolation, this brand delivers quality liquid that offers an approachable intro to bourbon. At the 10-year mark, though, this bourbon has far exceeded that beginner billing and instead brims with complex tropical, oaky, textural character, all serving a refreshing antidote to hazmat releases and the ABV arms race.

Average price: $85
Rating: 92

Rabbit Hole Dareringer Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The most-premium offering in Rabbit Hole’s permanent whiskey lineup, Dareringer finishes the distillery’s non-age-stated wheated bourbon in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks; again, for an undisclosed period. That sherry influence, while not as common on this side of the Atlantic as in Scotch and Irish whiskey, is easy to identify (and enjoy), building on a classic bourbon profile with notes of caramelized nuts, booze-soaked raisins, and savory barrel notes. Don’t be fooled by its 46.5 percent ABV content: This whiskey pulls no punches on the flavor or texture front.

Average price: $87
Rating: 92

Barrell Bourbon New Year 2025

For more than a decade, Barrell Craft Spirits has built a reputation as an ambitious and innovative blender of sourced distillates. But even by those standards its New Year line is noteworthy. Consider that this, the most recent release, contains 18 different whiskeys sourced from eight states of origin. Bottled at 56.05 percent ABV, it’s an undeniably, and understandably, complex bourbon. It delivers all of the category’s quintessential tasting notes along with subtle moments of nuance. That all have come together so seamlessly is a shining example of the blending team’s prowess and the impressive levers at the brand’s disposal.

Average price: $90
Rating: 94

Hidden Barn Organic Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Distilled by Michigan’s Journeyman Distillery and bottled by Kentucky-based independent bottler Hidden Barn, this 6-year-old bourbon is a nine-barrel small-scale release that was selected, batched, and proofed by Jackie Zykan, VinePair’s 2022 Next Wave Awards Master Blender of the Year. Tart green apples blend with salted caramel on the nose, with prominent white pepper providing a fiery juxtaposition on the palate. Cedar wood and pipe tobacco define the finish, completing what is a pleasurable roller coaster that evolves with each visit to the glass.

Average price: $95
Rating: 93

The Best Bourbons Over $100

2XO The Sneakerhead Blend

2XO “The Sneakerhead Blend” is yet another knockout from Dixon Dedman, the man who built Kentucky Owl before selling it to Stoli in 2017. Dedman’s current brand sticks to his signature double-barreling process, in this case blending two proprietary bourbons: a high-rye (35 percent) bourbon that sees extra time in heavily charred oak (#3 and #4 char levels), and a moderate-rye (18 percent) bourbon. Right away, the nose is inviting: fruity with a buttery caramel richness. The palate follows suit, opening with bold tropical fruit notes and a creamy, almost dessert-like sweetness. That sweetness slowly gives way to warm baking spices, pepper, and just the right amount of oak. The finish lingers with spiced caramel and a satisfying balance of fruit and oak.

Average price: $100
Rating: 94

Lost Lantern Far-Flung Bourbon III

Vermont-based Lost Lantern is another independent bottler that takes big swings when it comes to ambitious blends. This iteration combines bourbon from six different distilleries in six states — none of which are Kentucky or Indiana. With a minimum age of 4 years, the small-batch release was bottled at a cask-strength 62.4 percent ABV. That alcohol content does more heavy lifting than its age, amplifying its sweet and attractive flavors and aromas. Standouts for us included poached and baked stone fruits, freshly scraped vanilla beans, and coffee-dusted chocolate. While alcohol doesn’t overpower, it certainly makes its presence known, making this a pick for seasoned drinkers or those who like to sip their drams on the rocks.

Average price: $100
Rating: 93

Uncle Nearest Master Blend Edition (Batch 032)

For the highest-end offering in Uncle Nearest’s bourbon lineup, master blender Victoria Eady Butler pulls specific barrels from each batch that she deems to be spectacular, then combines them for this distillery-exclusive release. Batch 32 was bottled at 59 percent ABV, but drinks distinctly below that from a heat perspective. Both nose and palate evolve in an enjoyable journey from buttery caramel sweetness to bold stone fruit, and it culminates with a peppery, charred finish. Time to book a trip to Tennessee.

Average price: $149
Rating: 92

Baker’s 13-Year-Old Bourbon (2024 Release)

First released in 2019, Baker’s 13 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon returned in 2023, following a four-year hiatus. The results thoroughly impressed us, and we were therefore pleased we didn’t have to wait a similar period for the third act, which arrived late last year (with a $20 price hike). With the caveat of this being a single-barrel release, and therefore subject to barrel and bottle variation, it does exhibit the classic Beam notes of toasted peanut, chocolate spread, and vanilla — all dialed up to 11.

Average price: $150
Rating: 93

Evan Williams 12-Year-Old Red Label

Another distillery-only release that should have you packing a suitcase — this time with Kentucky as the destination — everything about this 12-year-old, 101-proof release screams quintessential, classic bourbon. Its nose fuses barrel aromas, vanilla sweetness, and dried and fresh fruit, all of which arrive in perfect unison. The palate leans more into maturation, though this is by no means a serving of oak soup, which can too often be the case when age statements creep into double digits. The packaging, too, has a slightly retro feel, as if you just happened to score a forgotten dusty in an unassuming liquor store.

Average price: $150
Rating: 93

Angel’s Envy 2024 Cask Strength Bourbon

The words “Angel’s Envy,” “cask strength,” and “port casks” will be a familiar combination to whiskey enthusiasts, yet last fall’s release threw a slight wrench in the works, with some of the base bourbon finished in tawny port casks in addition to the typical ruby port the brand has become known for. Just as tawny port skews darker and more savory than typical ruby releases, this expression arrives with additional layers of complexity, all the while maintaining the line’s potent, vibrant calling cards. From nose to finish, this is a punchy, fruity bourbon that rewards measured sips and time in glass.

Average price: $230
Rating: 94

FAQ

What’s the top-rated bourbon?

The top-rated bourbon is Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 18-Year-Old, a 2024 limited release that remains surprisingly fresh despite its age and never feels overly oaky or tannic.

What are the smoothest bourbons?

Wheated bourbons are typically considered to be the smoothest, most easy-drinking bourbons on the market. Some popular examples include Maker’s Mark and the ultimate unicorn, Pappy Van Winkle.

What is the holy grail of bourbon?

Many whiskey drinkers consider the Pappy Van Winkle line to be the holy grail of bourbon. In recent years, encountering a bottle for sale in retail stores has become all but impossible, and those that are available are generally offered with huge markups. Pappy gained notoriety and acclaim thanks in part to its wheated mash bill.

*Image retrieved from razoomanetu via stock.adobe.com

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