Here's a quick recap of the 10 most expensive bourbons in the world: Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old - $33,438. Sneaky. It is a 10-year-old Bottled-in-Bond named after the Irish immigrant who worked with the grains found in Kentucky and adapted his family recipe to them. Its then cut down to a very accessible 86 proof with that local limestone water. It has a light mouthfeel and is less sweet than its aroma would suggest. In short, if Old Grand-Dad had a life philosophy, it was probably "go big or go home.". Baby Bourbon (version 1.0) was groundbreaking in that it was the first legal whiskey made in New York since prohibition (via DrinkUpNY). George Dickel Bourbon. . Taking a shot of Knob Creek's Smoked Maple sounds like one of those questionable challenges that dare you to record yourself doing something ill-advised like eating a spoonful of cinnamon or, you know, drinking a jug of maple syrup. Rather, Brooklyn, New-York-based Widow Jane is a relative newcomer to the bourbon scene. Named for an 18th-century Kentucky settler who was allegedly Kentucky's first distiller (an impossible claim to prove, according toThe Whiskey Jug), Evan Williams in reality has no relationship to its namesake. And why be disappointed (or even disgusted) when you can be satisfied for just a few bucks more? It's a classic tasting bourbon with notes of oak, caramel and brown sugar. That's how Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea was born. That being said, looks and price tags can be deceiving, and making choices based on these elements can easily get you into trouble. Another chimed in that it was like drinking straight maple syrup. No, Widow Jane is not Basil Hayden's elderly aunt. And that something is offering up decent bottles at affordable prices. Its flagship product, Wild Turkey 101, is a classic bourbon expression, with a typical mash bill of corn, rye, and malted barley. The Bourbon Bard lauds it as "the bourbon that made me love the actual taste of bourbon," and Breaking Bourbon called it "instantly likeable and pleasant with notes of caramel, honey, orange, and vanilla" with a nose revealing "an underlying layer of oak and mint." The Worst Bourbon Whiskeys From All The Major Kentucky Distilleries, The Best Coachella 2023 Performances Were Reflections Of Pure Joy, My (Non-Anonymous) Ballot For The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, HBOs White House Plumbers Delivers An Absurd Historical Snapshot And A Knockout Performance From Justin Theroux, The Rundown: Ted Lasso Has Created A Delightful Little I Think You Should Leave Conundrum, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Woodford Reserve is a modern bourbon brand with deep roots per Breaking Bourbon, it's produced and bottled in a distillery dating back to 1780. Like many distilleries, Barton 1792 has a convoluted history. But remember, taste is subjective, and at the end of the day, your rankings are the only ones that count. Its also an essential cocktail mixing bourbon for any bar cart. The distillery's website states that this bourbon is aged a minimum of three years and has a mash bill consisting of 95% corn (100% from New York) and 5% malted barley. Sounds like this bourbon is stuck up a creek without a paddle. AsThirty One Whiskey writes, "Aging happens for a reason namely to give the spirit some depth and complexity that otherwise is missing. Joseph Magnus Murray Hill Club Bourbon Blend. How else can you justify Redditors when they say that "It's bad enough to make you want to curl up into the fetal position and sob like an infant.". Buffalo Trace. It's not memorable. Read More. In short, Barton 1792 is nothing to write home about, but it offers solidly made bourbon that hits the right notes for those with traditional tastes. But just because something has won medals doesn't mean it's universally adored and beloved. According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, larceny is defined as "the unlawful taking of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it permanently." Bourbon, by definition, has to be at least 51% corn and most distillers we've seen hug that fairly closely. The Whiskey Reviewer described its 12-year-old bourbon as having a nose of "brown sugar, cinnamon graham crackers and vanilla, accented by toasty oak." But if all you care about is the results, scroll down to see which of the 21 bourbon brands we tried worked the best in an Old-Fashioned cocktail -- and which . On YouTube, the folks fromIt's Bourbon Nightdescribe it as having a sweet, fruit nose but a stale, nutty, incredibly watered down taste, while Modern Thirst says it's bottom shelf, young tasting, and best used for mixing. Like Evan Williams, Elijah Craig is a Heaven Hill distillery brand named for a legendary figure in bourbon history. The steeliness of this is hard to get past sometimes. So if you've ever enjoyed bourbon from Maker's Mark or Jim Beam, know that you've experienced a taste of early American history. Clearly, such heritage brands have stood the test of time here's how they fare in comparison with newer players in the bourbon game. Are these the worst bourbons ever? Bulleit 2. However, taste is subjective andRedditreviewscomparethe flavor to "bitter rubber," while a consumer on Distiller reports "hints of Redman chew spit and unsweet tea fermented in a styrofoam cup in mid July.". Here's the thing. This has a big nose of vanilla-cherry tobacco with a hint of fresh mint lurking in the background next to a whisper of floral honey cut short by a slightly tinny nature. Whiskey Thief Uncut Unfiltered may sound like it's coming to a theater near you, but it's actually a bourbon brought to you by Three Boys Farm Distillery. The juice is a bourbon blend thats a minimum of four years old. The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked Barton 1792 Distillery Kentucky Tavern Sazerac Company ABV:40% Average Price:$8 The Whiskey: Barton 1792 Distillery part of. While 95% of all bourbon is made in Kentucky, the spirit can be and is crafted elsewhere. The taste delivers on that and expands into peach cobbler territory with mild hints of vanilla and brown sugar syrup with baking spices. According to reviews on Distiller, this bourbon tastes cheap and burns going down. Union Horse White Bourbon Whiskey 3. The palate has a hint of alcohol burn from the jump with plenty of dark spices and dry peanut shells popping in before the burn takes over on the mid-palate. The Bonded version basically takes everything thats just a whisper in the above version and lets it shine while layering in deeper flavor notes. The end is subtle, short, watery, and steely with a minor touch of green oak, spice, fruit, and one more dash of honey. The bottle is spectacular, with an intricately etched label that compliments the amber hue of the bourbon itself. On the other hand, Malt gave low marks to their pricey ($85) Single Barrel 73-IV, noting its "awkward and unbalanced sensations." It's easily one of the first whiskeys to be thrown into the pit of most regrettable bourbon purchases. The Whiskey Reviewer further noted that it doesn't offer those drinking it "any surprises," as "there are no twists or particularly subtle nuances." To get here, it is a gorgeous drive through horse farms and rolling, bluegrass Kentucky hills. It's aged for more than six years in American oak barrels, giving it what Ohanneson says are "notes of caramel, peanut brittle, and a thread of delicate, early summer fruit." Until then, it was famed for being the drink of choice of President Grant, back in the 1870s which gave it a lot to hang its hat on as a brand. Malt likewise found pleasantly fruity notes in its Old Forester 1910. Its Black Label Bourbon is a bit more nuanced, with "flavors of caramel, oak, and very light charcoal," according to a separate review onThe Whiskey Reviewer. Old Fitzgerald Prime (80 proof, $14) Old Fitzgerald is a wheated bourbon, with a soft, smooth, mildly sweet flavor. And the family resemblance is clear, although Basil Hayden's is smoother, with flavors of oak and nutmeg balancing out the peppery notes from the rye. So unless you're interested in dropping $35 to $40 for a pretty bottle that happens to be filled with unpleasant whiskey, don't do it. The first Booker's Bourbon batch of 2023, Charlie's Batch, is an intense and extra-caramelized delight, one of the best Booker's batches. Kentucky Gentlemen is brought to you by the Sazerac Company (known for Fireball,Myer's Rum, and Southern Comfort, to name a few), and distilled by the seventh-largest distillery in the world,Barton/1792 Distillery(via Whiskey University). Youve earned good whiskey, so lets get into which bottles to skip from the big Kentucky distilleries! Meanwhile, SLB Drinks says that the flavor profile "tastes like someone mixed bourbon and maple syrup and then added some artificial sweetener for the hell of it." Now, hold onto that concept for one second. That doesn't sound like it can go bad, does it? Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition. Per the distiller's tasting notes, Larceny has aromas of toasted bread, maple, and cinnamon, and a reported taste of molasses, fig, and hazelnut. "There's some vanilla and brown sugar in the beginning, but it's immediately replaced by an overwhelming flavor of oak. It's sad but true. The taste doesnt veer too far from the nose as the apple turns more honey, with mild vanilla and more honeyed sweetness. Our Top Bourbon Picks Best Overall: Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon Best for Sipping: Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon Best for Whiskey Sour: Wild Turkey 101 Best for Manhattan: Breckenridge. Well, that's not good. Willet Pot Still is considered a Kentucky straight bourbon, meaning it has been aged a minimum of two years in brand new charred oak barrels, per New Riff Distilling. When it comes to bourbon, it's no different. More typically, it goes for $22 to $25 which makes you wonder about the aphorism "You get what you pay for." 4.2 out of 5 stars (742) $29.99. Flavor is sweet at first, with a hint of old leather although it has some oak char bitterness, but nothing too severe. Purchase: $65 Style: Cask-strength high-rye ABV: 61.7% Tasting Notes: Vanilla, orange peel, maple, nutmeg, rye spice Barrell Bourbon Vantage The barrels are a minimum of five years old when theyre plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to 80 proof, and bottled. The low percentage of rye in the mix lowers the spice and focuses on the honey and leather notes. It's like a story without any real plotline it may be entertaining, but you're bound to get confused and left wondering what just happened. When you think of Wild Turkey, do you picture an unshaven guy sitting by himself in a bar, muttering at the TV and nursing a tumbler of the stuff before shuffling off to a depressing studio apartment somewhere? This doesn't mean it's necessarily terrible; it's just not to most drinkers' tastes. As a wheater, it tastes similar to Maker's or W. L. Weller: mellow, with hints of citrus and tree fruit. Whether or not Craig actually did invent this process is up for debate, but what's not up for debate are the numerous awards given to the bourbon brand that shares his name. Price: ~$50. They claimed that the bourbon is poor quality for the price you pay and that it "doesn't even come close to holding its own against cheaper competition." Cabin Still 1. This introductory juice from Four Roses is a blend of all ten of their whiskeys. His friends loved it and kept begging him for more "wild turkey bourbon" and the rest is history. While some craft bourbon can read a bit young and woody on the palate, this whiskey tastes fully mature and carefully produced. It's also flavorful, for the most part. So what makes Old Grand-Dad distinctive? 13. Perhaps this overwhelming scent would be permissible if it was marketed as such, but other reviews state that it's sadly just an average bottle of booze that's also extremely harsh and bitter. This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill thats comprised of 68 percent corn, 28 percent rye, and four percent malted barley which Bulleit has been distilling themselves since 2017. Its stellar whiskey, albeit from Tennessee and not Kentucky. Do you know what happens to mediocre, boring bourbons? Reviews on Flaviar say it's "Too rough and not very enjoyable," andDistiller comments won't give you much more confidence: "Flat, thin and weak. Whiskey and Nero d'Avola . This is because of its popularity; the brand simply can't make enough of the stuff to satisfy its thirsty fans. If you have access to bourbon and a water-born research vessel, then why not? This is light but also simple. For more than 50 years, bourbon has been recognized as a reward for hard work and a celebration of individuality.