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!

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• 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, t