We Asked 16 Bartenders: What’s the Best Bourbon for Beginners? (2026)
Like any new hobby, getting into bourbon can be fun and exciting. The category presents a wide swath of delicious expressions for novices to try, and discovering a bottle that particularly grooves with your palate’s sensibilities can often inspire further exploration.
Of course, it costs money to begin your bourbon journey. Fortunately, there are plenty of terrific bourbons on the market that can excite your palate without requiring a full-on splurge. These are the purchases that can turn you from a shiny new hobbyist to a full-throttled enthusiast. To help you discover some of these bottles, we talked to 16 bartenders to find out the best bourbons for beginners to check out. Hopefully, one of these bottles will start your bourbon journey down a smooth and thrilling path.
The best bourbons for beginners, according to bartenders:
Four Roses Bourbon
Woodford Reserve
Old Grand-Dad Bonded Reserve
Russell’s Reserve 10
Buffalo Trace
Maker’s Mark
Michter’s US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Basil Hayden
Elijah Craig Small Batch
Angel’s Envy
Eagle Rare 10
Bullseye Bourbon
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Old Forester
Rebel 100
Four Roses Single Barrel
“For someone just getting into bourbon, I would recommend Four Roses because they have a bourbon for nearly every occasion. I like to introduce people to Four Roses because you can start with one bottle and work your way through the lineup. It is a fun way to see how different bourbon can be depending on proof, the recipe, and how you choose to drink it. Their classic bottle, Four Roses Bourbon comes in at 80 proof, which is a great place to start. It also makes a really nice Old Fashioned. Its ‘Small Batch’ bottle is a step up in complexity and is great for neat pours or over the rocks. The ‘Single Barrel’ expressions, though, are my favorite; in my opinion, it’s where you really start to appreciate bourbon as a sipping spirit.” —Hailey Knight, beverage director, Félix Cocktails et Cuisine and La Cave, Charleston, S.C.
“I still stand by Woodford Reserve as the introductory bourbon of choice. It was just coming into fashion as I came of drinking age, and it remains a balance of quality-to-price. Its ability to showcase rickhouse, mashbill, and gentle flavor notes is unparalleled, and it’s as smooth as can be, even by wheated bourbon standards.” —Patrick Marran, general manager, Tracks Raw Bar & Grill, New York City
“If you’re a beginner with some adventure in your heart, I recommend Old Grand-Dad Bonded. I almost always have a bottle nearby because not only is it incredibly reasonably priced, it is my favorite bourbon for an Old Fashioned. The mash bill is high-rye at 27 percent rye, and at 50 percent ABV, she really sings in an Old Fashioned and holds her character longer than others once the ice starts melting. She can also stand up to being over-bittered, or over- or under-sweetened. She basically carries the torch slow and steady for one of the best bourbons out there.” —Nora Furst, co-owner, Buddy, San Francisco
“Choosing a whiskey can be incredibly personal. For a beginner, though, I’d start with a classic bourbon that embodies what bourbon is all about: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year. At 90 proof, it showcases the depth and complexity of well-aged bourbon without overwhelming a new drinker with alcohol heat, making it approachable while still offering plenty to explore.” —Sebastián Moreno, beverage director, Yokai, Greensboro, N.C.
“Buffalo Trace is a great beginner bourbon. It’s super affordable, tastes delicious, and its low rye mash bill promotes drinkability. Perfect for an Old Fashioned or Gold Rush.” —Matty Brodeur, bar lead, Pedalers Fork, Calabasas, Calif.
“Maker’s Mark is an ideal introduction to bourbon because its wheated mash bill creates a softer, sweet profile with less aggressive spice. Notes of caramel, vanilla, cocoa, and gentle baking spice make it approachable neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.” —Daniel Navarro, beverage director, CHICA, Las Vegas
“For someone beginning to explore bourbon, I would recommend Michter’s US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon. It has enough character to show you what great bourbon can be without being overly aggressive or difficult to understand. You get beautiful notes of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak, with soft spice and a very smooth finish. Woodford Reserve and Maker’s Mark are also excellent introductions to the category, but for a first bottle, Michter’s has that balance of quality, approachability, and personality that makes you want to keep exploring bourbon.” —Dimitrios Michalopoulos, general manager, Bemelmans Bar, NYC
“When approaching bourbon for the first time you have to decide on what you are looking for. Woodford Reserve is a classic Kentucky Bourbon with the mash consisting of 72 percent corn, a touch of rye, and barley. The sweetness from the corn balances well with the spiced bite of the rye. On the other side of the spectrum is Basil Hayden. It’s a lighter expression of Kentucky bourbon, but it’s also one with a higher amount of rye in the mash bill. For a first-time bourbon drinker to really understand the stylistic differences of bourbon, trying these two choices will allow you to know which direction to go for a bourbon exploration journey!” —Elizabeth Walters, general manager, Hearth and Hill Sugar House, Salt Lake City
“I’d recommend Elijah Craig Small Batch as a great bourbon for beginners. At 94 proof, it’s higher than your typical 80 proof entry-level bourbon, and strong enough to stand up in classic bourbon cocktails. It’s also great on its own neat or with a splash of water for beginners who want to start to appreciate bourbon on its own. It has a corn-heavy mash bill of 78 percent, so it’s on the smooth and sweet side, but not as sweet as a wheated bourbon. It also has some nice spice notes, which are the mark of some of the most sought-after bourbons.” —Bryan Schneider, beverage director, Limusina, NYC
“Angel’s Envy, without hesitation. It’s our house bourbon because it hits that sweet spot between approachable and sophisticated. That port-wine-barrel finish gives you vanilla, caramel, ripe fruit, and spice, with this beautiful roundness that invites you in instead of beating up your palate. For someone discovering bourbon, that matters. I can pour you Angel’s Envy neat, over a big rock, or build you a beautiful Old Fashioned, and the whiskey still shows up. Your first bourbon should make you want a second one — and then make you curious about the whole category. That’s Angel’s Envy.” —German Cruz, beverage director, Red Rooster Harlem, NYC
“For bourbon beginners, I’d start with Eagle Rare 10 Year. It’s approachable, with sweetness coming from a decade in the barrel. You’ll get butterscotch, brown sugar, cherry, leather, and a touch of honey, making it rich without being overwhelming. Eagle Rare can be tough to find these days, but it’s worth trying when you spot it at a whiskey bar or a restaurant.” —Jenny Buchhagen, bartender, Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach, Dana Point, Calif.
“Bullseye Bourbon is a great entry-level offering. It has all the expected vanilla and oak notes, but it also has a high-rye mash bill which makes it a little peppery. It comes in a liter format, and usually retails for around $40.” —Orlando Franklin McCray, beverage director, Cynthia, NYC
“There are very few bourbons out there that I find more approachable than Woodford Reserve Double Oaked. It’s simply delicious, with a rich vanilla and caramel sweetness and very little of the ethanol heat that can make whiskey intimidating to a beginner. At the same time, there’s enough depth and character to make it just as enjoyable for a seasoned whiskey drinker. It’s accessible, reasonably priced, and versatile enough to earn a permanent spot in just about any liquor cabinet.” —Julian Flores Torres, beverage director, Mode Bar, Santa Ana, Calif.
“A longtime favorite beginner’s bourbon is Old Forester 100 proof. It’s bold enough to stand out in cocktails but also delicious enough on its own to drink neat or with a splash of water to bring down the proof. It isn’t hard to acquire but it also isn’t so ubiquitous that it feels pedestrian. Plus, it’s a good intro to the rest of the fantastic Old Forester catalogue.” —Sam Nellis, head bartender, Silver Lyan, Washington, D.C.
“My top recommendation for anyone wanting to ease into the world of bourbon is Rebel 100 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. It covers several bases for beginners. First and foremost, it’s delicious! Its wheated mash bill, similar to that of Maker’s Mark, gives it a softer, smoother character and a velvety mouthfeel that makes it especially approachable for newcomers. At 100 proof, it delivers plenty of flavor, but it comes without an overwhelming alcohol burn. Instead, you’ll find inviting notes of caramel, honey, and biscuit. And perhaps best of all, it’s an affordable introduction to quality bourbon, with a bottle typically priced under $30. For beginners who want something flavorful, smooth, and easy to enjoy without spending a lot, Rebel 100 is an excellent place to start.” —Jeffrey Ambler, bartender, Flight West, Miami
“Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon is the best introductory bourbon on the market. With a mash bill of 60 percent corn, 35 percent rye, and 5 percent malted barley, this bourbon packs plenty of spicy punch and brings a mellow sweetness to round it out. The lovely brown sugar and vanilla nose is a great invitation to pursue the drink. The palate treats you with flavors of peaches and honey, with a little spicy rye note and some oaky astringency to balance it out. And then the finish — cherry, mint, vanilla — is a very long finish indeed! Sounds too good for a beginner’s bourbon, no? That’s the point. Four Roses Single Barrel hits the affordable price point for someone exploring bourbon, while being complex enough to perk one’s curiosity into coming back for more.” —Mark Bystrom, general manager, Salon Salon, New Orleans
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