Bourbon is more than a spirit. It’s American history in a bottle. Its origins can be traced to early Scotch-Irish immigrants in colonial days who attempted to distill whiskey, but soon discovered barley didn’t quite flourish in their new homeland’s soils. So they turned to corn instead, and the first bourbon was born. 

Today, bourbon is considered the only uniquely American spirit. And it’s enjoyed a renaissance in recent years, as sales have spiked both domestically and throughout the globe.

Drinking bourbon should be an experience, whether you’re making a celebratory toast or sipping some sweet nectar on a crisp night by a fire. We’ll walk you through the best bourbons of 2025 to kick off your tasting adventure.

What is bourbon?

Bourbon is a type of whiskey and the only uniquely American spirit. While all bourbons are whiskeys, not all whiskeys are bourbons. Sometimes, bourbon is called American whiskey.

To qualify as bourbon, a whiskey must meet the following criteria spelled out in U.S. trade law:

• Corn makes up between 51% to 80% of the mashbill, or mix of grains used. Other grains – primarily rye, barley and wheat – can be used to enhance the flavor. Some distilleries are even experimenting with nontraditional grains, like rice, quinoa and oatmeal.
  
  
• Aged for at least two years. However, many of the finest bourbons are aged for well over a decade.
  
  
• Made in the United States. Though about 95% of bourbon is produced in Kentucky, bourbon can be made in any state.
  
  
• Aged in new white oak barrels that are charred on the inside. Distilleries use char levels between 1 and 4 to show how long the barrel was exposed to the flame and heat, with higher char levels (sometimes called char depths) indicating longer exposure.
  
  
• Distilled at no more than 160 proof (80% ABV, or alcohol by volume). Producers can dilute the whiskey before or after distillation with water – but nothing else.
  
  
• Barreled at a maximum of 125 proof (62.5% ABV).
  
  
• Bottled at a proof between 80 to 150 (40% to 75% ABV). 

There are countless ways to enjoy bourbon. You can sip it neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of water or ginger beer. It’s also an ingredient in many popular cocktails, like Old-Fashioneds, Mint Julep and Manhattans.

 

The 15 Best Bourbons of 2025, Ranked

Our picks for the best bourbons of 2025 will delight your nose and your palette, whether you’re a barrel beginner or a serious bourbonator (or bourbonista). Add these 15 bottles to your bourbon bucket list.

1. Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year

Best for: High rollers and dreamers

Pappy Van Winkle is an icon, a legend, the Holy Grail of Bourbons. Anthony Bourdain once took a sip circa 2012 and declared, “If God made bourbon, this is what he’d make.”

Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year is regarded as the torch-bearer of the Van Winkle family bourbons, which are distilled at the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfurt, Kentucky. 

You’ll notice deep layers of vanilla, caramel and oak on the nose, followed by the bold flavors of leathery oak, dark chocolate and a hint of spice if you ever get your hands on a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year.

But let’s face it: You’ll probably never get your hands on a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year.

It’s one of the toughest bourbons to find on the entire planet. Technically, the MSRP is around $120. But realistically, you can expect a bottle to set you back by as much as $5,000 due to its cult-like status, long aging process and the fact that only a couple thousand bottles are made each year.

If you find Pappy advertised at a reasonable price, be skeptical: Counterfeits are everywhere.

Did you know? A 23-year-old bottle of Pappy Van Winkle shattered records when it sold for $52,500 at a Sotheby’s auction in 2022.

2. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon

Best for: Bourbonators on a budget

Not willing to cash out your kid’s college fund for a bottle of bourbon? Then head to your local liquor store, where you’ll probably find a bottle of 1792 Small Batch Bourbon for $40 or less. 

Like Pappy, it’s a wheated bourbon. The nose features rich aromas of vanilla and caramel with a kick of spice courtesy of its high-rye recipe.

The palate contains sweet notes of caramel and toffee, followed by a spicy blend of rye bread and pepper, along with hints of oak and vanilla.

Here’s proof that quality bourbon doesn’t have to be pricy: 1792 tied with Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Bourbon in the 2012 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, with each earning a score of 95.

Did you know? A warehouse collapse at the Barton 1792 Distillery in Kentucky led to the destruction of 9,000 bottles of liquor. Fortunately, no humans were injured in the collapse.

3. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

Best for: Pure and simple bourbon

If you’re looking for bourbon in its rawest form, you can’t go wrong with Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Bottled straight from the barrel at Kentucky’s Heaven Hill Distillery with no dilution or chill filtering, you get bold flavors of caramel, brown sugar and toasted oak.

A fifth will only cost you around $80. 

With many recent batches clocking in at 130 proof or higher, this pick certainly packs a punch.

So be warned: Send that very important work email BEFORE you start sipping.

Did you know? Elijah Craig, aka The Father of Bourbon, was a Baptist preacher who became the first distiller to age whiskey in charred oak barrels in 1789.

Some say it was an accidental fire that first charred the barrels, altering the whiskey inside, but it’s unknown whether the claim is myth or fact.

4. Blanton’s Original Single Barrel

Best for: Single-barrel bourbon

Distillers typically use several different barrels to achieve their desired flavor. But Blanton’s Original Single Barrel’s claims to be the world’s first commercially sold single-barrel bourbon.

The single-barrel process gives it a distinct flavor of caramel, honey and brown sugar with a blast of spice from its rye mashbill that’s balanced by vanilla and toffee.

Though the MSRP is around $150, Blanton’s is notoriously hard to find. Because it’s likely aged for up to eight years and every batch is bottled and labeled by hand, distiller Buffalo Trace can’t exactly crank out the signature Southern spirit faster to fill shelves.

Did you know? Each bottle of Blanton’s Original Single Barrel has a collectible stopper featuring a horse and jockey representing different stage of horse racing that’s engraved with a single letter. The eight letters together spell out “BLANTONS.”

5. Horse Soldier Premium Straight Bourbon

Best for: Toasting heroes

Horse Soldier Premium Straight Bourbon is distilled with a traditional wheated mashbill that gives it a smooth profile with a creamy texture and flavors of honey, vanilla, oak and toasted corn.

With an MSRP of just $49.99, the Horse Soldier Premium Straight Bourbon took home double gold medals at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

But the story behind the bourbon is just as interesting as what’s in the bottle. Horse Soldier Bourbon was founded in 2015 by a group of Green Berets deployed to Afghanistan by horseback shortly after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Today, each bottle of its bourbon is pressed with steel recovered from the World Trade Centers.

Did you know? Horse Soldier co-founder Scott Neil is featured in former President George W. Bush’s book, “Portraits of Courage.” Bush painted Neil’s portrait for the 2017 best-seller.

6. Old Grand-Dad Bottled in Bond

Best for: Bottled in Bond

The Bottled in Bond Act was the first consumer protection law in the U.S., aimed at taking down unscrupulous whiskey peddlers. A bourbon with the Bottled in Bond designation has met a number of standards, including being aged at least 4 years, bottled at exactly 100 proof, and made at a single distiller in a single season.

Old Grand-Dad Bottled in Bond is a no-frills Bourbon that meets these stringent criteria – and it retails for about $25.

Rye is the dominant flavor, but it’s followed by sweet notes of caramel, honey and brown sugar with a kick of spice.

Did you know? President Harry S. Truman was a bourbon enthusiast, and Old Grand-Dad was among his favorites. Truman often downed a shot with breakfast in the morning, noting that it “got the engine running.”

7. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon

Best for: Sipping at a speakeasy 

The Volstead Act of 1920 ushered in Prohibition, but it didn’t put a damper on Old Forester. The distillery obtained one of six permits to make bourbon for “medicinal” purposes.

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style is the only bourbon that was continuously made before, during and after the Prohibition era.

It has sweet notes of dark caramel, malt and graham cracker balanced with spices of black pepper, clove and cinnamon.

With a reasonable price of about $60, it could be just what the doctor ordered.

Did you know? Next time you’re enjoying a bottle of bourbon, raise your glass to Old Forester founder George Garvin Brown.

In 1870, he became the first distiller to seal whiskey in glass bottles and sell them directly to customers instead of selling it straight from the barrel.

8. Four Roses Bourbon Single Barrel

Best for: Bourbon cocktails

When you’re choosing a bourbon for cocktails, look for a selection with bold vanilla, caramel and oak flavors, plus a high rye mashbill to add some spice. Oh, and a high proof doesn’t hurt.

Four Roses Bourbon Single Barrel checks all the boxes, with a 100 proof and hints of dark cherry and dried currants that enhance the flavor. Plus, its price of about $50 ensures that you’ll be able to keep those cocktails flowing.

Did you know? Legend has it that Four Roses founder Paul Jones Jr. proposed to a Southern beauty – who said that if her answer was “yes,” she’d be wearing a corsage of four roses at the upcoming grand ball. Indeed, she wore a corsage of four red roses to the ball.

We don’t know if they went on to marry, but the corsage is said to have inspired the name Four Roses.

9. Wild Turkey Rare Breed

Best for: Sipping neat or on the rocks

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is made from a blend of bourbons aged for six, eight and 12 years. 

You’ll find aromas of spring flowers on the nose with strong notes of sweet caramel and toffee, plus some spice to take things up a notch on the palate.

With no water added during the distilling process, it’s about as close as you can get to drinking bourbon from a cask. That makes it ideal for sipping neat or on the rocks. It’s moderately priced at around $60.

Did you know? “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” author Hunter S. Thompson’s drink of choice was Wild Turkey for 15 years. But after a six-month break, he switched to Chivas Regal.

10. Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

Best for: Bourbon beginners

Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky’s original recipe is 90 proof, which is a bit lower than most selections on this list.

That, along with its typical price tag of less than $25, makes it a good choice for novice bourbon drinkers. It’s sweet and mildly spicy with flavors of oak, vanilla and fruity essences.

Maker’s Mark is probably best known for its hand-dipped red wax seal. It’s so distinctive that Maker’s Mark trademarked it in 1985.

Did you know? If you tour the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, you can try your hand at dipping your own bottle.

11. Rising Tide Spirits Old Stubborn Straight Bourbon Batch 2 

Best for: Limited release edition

The second batch of Rising Tide Spirits Old Stubborn Straight Bourbon uses a blend of pot-still bourbons aged for 10, 11 and 12 years and is bottled at 123.8 proof.

Unlike more commonly used (and more efficient) column stills, a pot still allows for more contact between alcohol vapors and copper, which is said to result in a richer, more complex flavor. 

Unlike the first edition, which was rye-based, this release uses a wheated recipe that gives it a sweetness with flavors of chocolate-covered fruit, vanilla extract and earthy oak. If you can locate a bottle of this hard-to-find limited release, expect to pay around $380.

Did you know? Rising Tide Spirits is a rectifier, not a distiller, which means it buys spirits from other producers, alter them, and then sell them under a new label.

Due to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), Rising Tide can’t reveal where Old Stubborn is distilled, but rumor has it that it’s distilled at Smooth Ambler in West Virginia’s rural Greenbrier Valley.

12. New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Bottled in Bond 

Best for: Bourbon purists

Not only does New Riff Distillery follow the standards of the Bottled in Bond Act in producing its Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, but it also avoids chill filtration – a practice that some say can result in loss of flavor and texture – making it perfect for bourbon purists.

Made using a sour mash, you’ll find bold vanilla flavors followed by a mix of rye spices that finishes with hints of cocoa and dark fruit.

It’s a fairly affordable pick, retailing for around $40.

Did you know? The water New Riff uses comes from an underground aquifer located directly underneath the distillery.

13. Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Best for: Locally sourced ingredients 

Heaven Hill recently released the first edition of its Grain to Glass Wheated Bourbon Whiskey, which is aged for six years and bottled without chill filtration at 121 proof.

The palate features flavors of wheat bread and molasses with subtle notes of spice.

The selection is part of Heaven Hill’s Grain to Glass series, which uses high-starch corn varietals grown in Central Kentucky.

Its MSRP of $99 makes it a solid mid-range choice.

Did you know? Heaven Hill Distillery is the world’s largest bourbon warehouse facility, with 1.9 million barrels of bourbon aging at any given moment.

14. Shelter Distilling Small Batch Blue Corn Bourbon

Best for: Adventurous drinkers

Shelter Distilling’s Small Batch Blue Corn Bourbon uses California blue corn instead of the far more traditional yellow corn in its mashbill, which produces a nuttier, sweeter flavor.

On the palate, you may notice rich buttery toffee and butterscotch flavors with hints of ripe fruits, along with its signature blue corn.

You can snag a bottle for around $50.

Did you know? Shelter Distillery got its start when founders Matt Hammer, Jason Senior, and Karl Anderson teamed up to create a collection of coffee beers.

15. George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Best for: Collectors

We’ll finish this list of the Best Bourbons of 2025 with another impossible-to-find bottle. A drinker’s gotta have goals, right? George T. Stagg is a premium bourbon that’s part of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection.

Released annually, often at proofs of 130 and higher, it’s typically aged for at least 15 years.

George T. Stagg is known for its bold sweet toffee and dark chocolate flavors with notes of dark fruit, caramel, tobacco and a hint of coffee.

It continues to win accolades year after year, recently named top Bourbon whiskey in the 2024 International Whiskey Competition.

Though the MSRP is $125, expect to pay $1,000 or more to add this pick to your collection.

Did you know? The George T. Stagg Distillery was one of a handful of distilleries that legally bottled and even produced new whiskey during Prohibition – for “medicinal” purposes, of course.

How we chose the best bourbons of 2025

As we scoured liquor shelves to curate this list of the best bourbons in 2025, here’s what we looked at:

Flavor profile: We considered each selection’s aroma, taste and finish, along with the proof, since alcohol content affects flavor intensity.

Craftsmanship: We weighed factors like aging practices, the distillation process and any unique ingredients to evaluate craftsmanship.

Price: We believe in finding bourbons that are accessible for any budget. So you’ll find bourbons priced at $30 or less on this list, as well as those that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Accessibility: We looked mostly for bourbons that you can buy in brick-and-mortar liquor stores or online. But we also included a few elusive selections for your bourbon bucket list.

Awards and online consensus: Finally, we considered any recent awards and online reviews in our choices to ensure we included the buzziest bourbons of the year.

Life is too short to drink bad bourbon. So raise a glass to these best bourbons of 2025.