11 Best Bourbons to Drink in 2025 According To Men's Journal
11 Best Bourbons to Drink in 2025 According To Men's Journal
We share the enthusiasm of whiskey enthusiasts for the finest bourbon. There are special spirits on this long list from the folks over at Men's Journal to suit every taste and budget.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The Woodford Reserve In order to extract more delicate, sweet oak character, Woodford Reserve's award-winning Distiller's Select Bourbon is aged twice in a barrel that has been gently charred and extensively toasted. This process is known as Double Oaked Bourbon. No other Kentucky whiskey has the rich, vibrant flavor of this twice-barreled bourbon. According to Chris Morris, Woodford Reserve Master Distiller, "double the maturation, double the wood exposure." That's the Double Oaked character's secret. The story is told in the second barrel. Buy it now!
William Larue Weller 2021 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Like the previous vintages, the 2021 release is hand-bottled, uncut, and unfiltered. It is a sour-mash wheated bourbon that was bottled at a cask strength of 125.3 proof after being aged for more than 12 years and 6 months in #4 char American oak casks. It was distilled in 2009 from Kentucky corn, North Dakota wheat, and malted barley. This whiskey is well-aged, robust, and well-balanced, with notes of cherry, chocolate, herbaceous, and wood. Buy it now!
Evan Williams Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
A 100-proof version of their Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey is called Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond. In addition to being 100 percent, BiB indicates that it has been aged in barrels for at least 4 years and is made in a single distillery for a single season. The expression, which earned the prestigious Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021, is smooth with the warmth that one would anticipate from its proof and has delightful aromas of caramel, vanilla, wood, and lemon. Buy it now!
Maker's 46 Bourbon
In at least fifty years, this is the first new Makers Mark recipe. Maker's 46 is a French twist on Maker's Mark. Aged in charred French oak staves for a long time, this is a true Maker's Mark. The Independent Stave Company provided the staves, which tested ten virgin French oak staves with varying degrees of sear to caramelize the wood sugars and seal in the oak's bitter tannins. After being added to the barrels of the original Maker's Mark, the last staves, designated "Profile 46," were matured in Maker's limestone bourbon vaults. More spice, sweetness, and vanilla are added to the spirit by the French oak staves, which also produce a smoother, stronger, and more nuanced flavor profile. at a strong 47% ABV in bottles. Buy it now!
Old Grand Dad 114 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Old Grand-Dad 114 whiskey Whiskey uses more rye to create a lighter, spicy whiskey, honoring Basil Hayden's traditional Old Grand-Dad formula. The barrel-strength bottling and the distinctive mashbill of the bourbon provide the ideal harmony of flavor and smoothness. The scent of Old Grand-Dad 114 Bourbon Whiskey is distinctly spicy, with flavors of wood and rye grains, leather, and candied sugar. While the mild sweetness from the aroma becomes more noticeable through hints of pear, apricot, vanilla, and caramel that are noticeable on the tongue, the bourbon's taste still retains many of the stronger notes, such as pepper and tobacco. Long-lasting aromas of vanilla and wood dominate the aftertaste. Buy it now!
Tom’s Foolery Ohio Straight Bourbon 10 Years Old Single Cask (Lost Lantern)
Tom Foolery produces bourbon, applejack, and rye the old-fashioned manner. The whiskey isn't available everywhere, but this past fall, independent bottler Lost Lantern made it more accessible by adding it to their Fall 2024 Collection. For many years, Tom's Foolery has been dedicated to producing whiskey the old-fashioned way. According to Lost Lantern co-founder Adam Polonski, the small distillery uses a labor-intensive and meticulous process that includes pot still distillation, wooden fermenters, and much longer aging times than we typically see from fairly young distilleries. Learn more!
Rabbit Hole Mizunara Founder’s Collection
This 15-year-old Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Finished in Japanese wood, the second manifestation of the Mizunara Founder's Collection, is the oldest and most exquisite in the Rabbit Hole line. Rabbit Hole's rarest Kentucky Straight Bourbon combines the best qualities of both terroirs by first maturing for 15 years in new charred American oak and then spent 1 year in virgin Japanese Mizunara oak, which comes from the Ariake Snagyo cooperage on Shochu Island. This results in notes of scented wood, mint, and other exotic flavors. The cask strength of this excellent premium whiskey is 114.2 proof. Buy it now!
Michter's US1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
The mash used to make Michter's US*1 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is mainly made of ripe, American maize, as opposed to Rye. Following harvest, the grains are mashed and ground, fermented, and then distilled using a copper-pot still. After distillation, the bourbon is aged in carefully chosen white oak barrels, giving the whiskey a deep, amber hue. Along with flavors of sweet corn and vanilla, the bourbon smells like apricots, nutty bread, and cracked pepper. There are hints of plums and raisins in the well-balanced aftertaste. Michter's US*1 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey received a score of 90-95 points from Wine Enthusiast and four stars from F. Paul Pacult's Spirit Journal. Buy it now!
Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch
A blend of seven-year-old barrels from the sixth floor of a brick building in Kentucky is used to make Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Bourbon, which bears his name. The bourbon, which is 100 proof and bottled in Bond, has a pronounced oak and dried fruit flavor. On the end, the initially sweet flavors give way to notes of citrus, butterscotch, and salted caramel. Every bottle of Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. Small Batch Bourbon comes in a canister and vintage label that harken back to the bottles Taylor used more than a century ago. Buy it now!
Wilderness Trail High Rye
Using their proprietary yeast strains, their Small Batch Bourbon mash bill is composed of 64% corn, 24% rye, and 12% malted barley. It's smooth enough to enjoy on its own or as a tasty addition to your favorite mixed drink. Buy it now!
W.L. Weller Special Reserve
By using wheat instead of rye grain, the Original Wheated Bourbon Whiskey has a remarkably smooth flavor. The burnt orange color of W.L. Weller Special Reserve, which is bottled at 90 proof, makes it stand out. This bourbon is excellent for sipping or mixing drinks because of its milder flavor notes. This unique bourbon won a Silver Medal at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards and a Gold Medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Buy it now!
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