These Are The Best Bourbons You Can Buy In 2025
The top bourbon brands on the market, according to expert bartenders.
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The world of whiskey is vast and complex, with different traditions spanning from Scotland to Japan. But few whiskeys have the same cultural cachet as bourbon. This American whiskey is the most popular variety in the nation and is made under some of the strictest regulations in the world. With a recipe made of at least 51% corn, bourbon has a distinctly sweet flavor balanced with the spice of rye and the depth of a charred oak barrel. It's the go-to choice for bartenders everywhere, whether you're enjoying it neat or in an old fashioned.
A good bottle of bourbon is definitely worth the investment. But there are brands that span every price point that bartenders love and recommend. If you need some help building your bar cart or buying a gift for the whiskey lovers in your life, we're here to help. With the help of seasoned experts in the industry, we rounded up some of the best bourbons on the market.
Our Top Picks
How We Chose These Products
Our roster of bourbon experts includes some of the best bartenders, bar managers, and restaurant partners from around the country.
“When shopping for bourbon, people should consider the length of age of the bottle," says Bar Manager Brittany Lack of gaming bar Electric Shuffle in Dallas, Texas. "The longer the bourbon was aged, the more smoke from the wood it picks up, the bolder the flavor is."
"Bourbon is the way to go to ease your way into whiskeys, as it's enjoyable and not as spicy as rye, which is also the reason some people [incorrectly] think all whiskeys are spicy," adds Head Bartender Bobby Leonardo of stylish New York City Thai spot Wayla. Made from corn, bourbon has a sweeter profile than rye and barley-forward whiskies.
In addition to considering a bourbon's aging period, we also looked for bottles with a variety of flavor profiles that can be enjoyed neat or mixed in a cocktail, and are suitable for both bourbon aficionados and novices alike.
Matthew Charles, restaurant partner at Rockefeller Center's Pebble Bar in NYC, is a big fan of Woodford Reserve. "Woodford Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is rich and silky smooth, with citrus, cinnamon, cacao, toffee, caramel, and spice notes, and has a warm satisfying finish for year-round libations," says Charles, who features it in Pebble Bar's Hurley's old fashioned along with demerara bitters, lemon, and orange oil.
Bobby Leonardo, head bartender at NYC Thai hotspot Wayla, recommends Redwood Empire Pipe Dream. "On the nose it has nice orange, toffee, vanilla," he says. "When sipping, it starts off with a nice orange, caramel, spices, stone fruits and black pepper finish."
"Willett Pot Still Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey is an incredibly spicy, traditional style whiskey," according to Christian Taibi, the "Bar Czar” at Honolulu's Mahina & Suns restaurant, which serves elevated Hawaiian home cooking. "With every sip your palate is whisked back to the days of old, where American whiskey was cultivated. A real treat for any fan of bourbon."
“Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a higher proof and blend of six to 12-year whiskeys," said Alec Gonzales, bar manager at Phoenix's Grey Hen Rx, a bar serving innovative cocktails and a wide variety of spirits. "It’s dry, full of spice, and has the perfect hint of vanilla. I like incorporating it within old fashioned cocktails.”
Noah's Mill Bourbon is a favorite of Connor Fitzpatrick, retail clerk at San Diego's Raised By Wolves, a Prohibition-style cocktail bar hidden behind a glamorous liquor store. "[It's] a wonderful blend of toasted caramel that feels like velvet on the palate with a hazelnut finish," says Fitzpatrick.
W.L. Weller Special Reserve Bourbon is another go-to for Taibi. "At 90 proof, this wheat bourbon comes from the same barrels as Pappy Van Winkle, but at a fraction of the cost—absolute perfection!"
"The Elijah Craig Barrel Proof makes for a great bourbon because it's high proof, with undertones of stone fruit, vanilla and butterscotch along with a subtle spice," says Gonzales. "It’s a great price for a full proof bourbon, and drinkers can enjoy it within a cocktail or neat."
“People naturally gravitate towards Kentucky when looking at bourbons, but there are distillers across the country making spectacular whiskeys," says Max Alexander, bar director at San Francisco's Ernest, a bar and restaurant inspired by global flavors. He loves Oakland, California-based outfit Wright & Brown, which mills, ferments, distills, ages, and bottles their spirits onsite. "It’s a level of hands-on craftsmanship that most distillers can’t claim," Alexander says. "This attention to detail is evident in their bourbon, which is both rich in vanilla and caramel notes, but perfectly balanced with a prominent rye presence.”
"When considering which bourbons to buy while in the whiskey aisle, I think the most important factor is knowing the production source," says John Johnson, owner and sommelier at Louisville's The Wine Rack, a shop for wine and spirits. "I love Castle & Key's newly released Small Batch Bourbon," he says. "Everything with their name on it, from the gins to the ryes and now bourbon, is excellent and made onsite by their dedicated team." This bottling has tasting notes of toffee, bread dough, dates, and toasted almonds, with a warm finish of cinnamon and allspice.
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