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Bourbon is one of our most beloved (and historic) spirits, excellent as a sipper, mixed into classic cocktails like the Bee’s Knees and prized as collector’s items. And no matter what style you like—single barrel, double barrel, cask strength—this year has been especially notable for the bourbon bottlings, says Kara Newman, Wine Enthusiast’s spirits reviewer. “This is a golden age of bourbon, as whiskey stocks remain high and producers continue to roll out memorable new bottlings,” she says.
On Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirits list for 2024, bourbon tied with rum from Barbados for the highest-rated spirit of the year. Newman described the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 13 Years Aged bourbon as “plush,” with notes of caramel, toffee and red fruit. Created as a special 25th-anniversary bottle, it also represents a trend among the best spirits of the year.
“Limited editions remain a strong feature of the bourbon category right now,” Newman says. “That 13-year-old Old Fitz, Milam & Green Very Small Batch and Rare Character Single Barrel are all examples of bottlings you need to catch when you see them, because they won’t be around long.”
Many of these top-rated bourbons also diverge from prior years in that they’re blends from smaller brands. “‘Sourced’ bourbons seem to be losing their stigma, and that’s reflected on our list,” Newman says. “Just a few years ago, it was expected that every whiskey producer distilled their own juice. But blending whiskey produced by others is an art, and it’s not a coincidence that offerings from blenders like Milam & Greene appear on this year’s Top 100—and make frequent appearances on our best-of lists.”
So ready your rocks glasses, put your best ice molds in the freezer and read on for the best bourbons you should be trying this year.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 13 Years Aged
Created as a special 25th anniversary edition, this plush bourbon offers rich caramel and toffee accented with red fruit on the nose and palate. A splash of water brings out hints of milk chocolate, roasted nuts and cinnamon, winding into a warming and delicious finish. Enjoy over a large ice cube. 98 points. — Kara Newman
$1,290 Cana Wine Co.
Rare Character Single Barrel Series Bourbon Selected by Vintage Corks
This is big, bold and complex. Confectionary tones (vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel) lead into a mellow, nutty midpalate, then fade into a gentle ginger and clove glow. This is a one-off single barrel bottling selected by restaurateur and bar owner Pablo Moix. It’s a real sweet spot of a whiskey, aged about seven years and bottled at cask strength. Pour over ice and sip a while. Barrel #HR7-3164. 97 points. — K.N.
$105 Total Wine
No. 6 “The Judge” Bourbon
Warm vanilla aromas welcome this limited release bourbon. The velvety palate echoes that vanilla note, layering it with hazelnut, cocoa powder and oak, polished with cinnamon sparkle and a hint of orange peel. This would make a great old-fashioned. Distilled in Tennessee, aged almost 14 years, then finished for six months in ex-Hungarian Tokaji barrels and bottled at cask strength. 96 points. — K.N.
$93 Altamar
Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Amburana
Look for a spice cake aroma and a super drying palate with a sandalwood and cinnamon flicker . Adding water brings out more intriguing spice and florality: grains of paradise , pink peppercorn, lychee, rose water, incense, a hint of peach nectar—the finish goes on and on. What’s in the bottle? A blend of whiskeys distilled in Kentucky and Indiana, aged five years and finished in casks made of amburana oak. Limited edition of 14,400 bottles. 95 points. — K.N.
$85 Total Wine
Buzzard's Roost Bottled in Bond Bourbon
A bright topaz shimmer introduces this wheated bourbon, along with rich, concentrated caramel and allspice aromas. The velvety palate echoes caramel, plus toffee and a hint of red fruit, finishing long and lip-smacking with a dusting of cocoa powder and plenty of baking spices. Distilled by MGP and bottled by Buzzard’s Roost. 95 points. — K.N.
$65 Total Wine
Milam & Greene Very Small Batch
This is a blend of Kentucky straight bourbon and Tennessee bourbon, finished with French oak staves. The result is a powerful sip, opening with luscious caramel on the nose and palate. Adding water teases out hints of red fruit and cocoa powder, finishing long and spicy with flickers of cayenne and spearmint. One to savor slowly. Batch 2.2. 95 points. — K.N.
$63 Total Wine
Bribery Bourbon 100 Proof
This bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky, then brought to Napa Valley to finish in port barrels. The result is a deep amber hue and palate-coating caramel corn and toffee notes studded with roasted peanuts that might leave you craving a candy bar. The long and warming finish includes a curl of orange peel. 94 points. — K.N.
$43 Internet Wines
2X0 American Oak
Mild almond aroma. Drying palate opens with concentrated creamy vanilla flavor. Adding water coaxes some baking spice and allspice forward. Finishes with hints of hazelnut and oak, nutmeg hint. 94 points. — K.N.
$50 Total Wine
Ranch Regulator Bourbon
Flavorful but clearly high proof, this eight-year-old cask-strength whiskey opens with bold oak, toffee and hints of espresso bitterness and tobacco leaf. Allspice, sarsaparilla and cinnamon bark create a warming finish. 93 points. — K.N.
$98 Total WineMore Spirits Coverage
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- 10 whiskey brands we’re excited about right now.
- The Glencairn is your bartender’s favorite whiskey glass. Here’s why.
- Beyoncé launched a whiskey brand.
In the shop
Hyde Unbreakable Old Fashioned Glass
In Stock | $36
Published: December 5, 2024
