8 Candy Like Bourbons That Deserve a Spot on Your Shelf
8 Candy Like Bourbons That Deserve a Spot on Your Shelf
There's something about a good bourbon that just hits different, especially when it's got that perfect balance of sweetness without being cloying. I remember the first time I tried a really quality sweet bourbon at a friend's backyard barbecue – completely changed my perspective on what whiskey could be. I'd been stuck drinking the same mass-market stuff for years, thinking that harsh burn was just part of the deal. Turns out, I was dead wrong. Sweet bourbons aren't just for beginners or folks who don't "get" whiskey – they're complex, interesting, and honestly, they're what bourbon was meant to taste like before big companies started cutting corners. Whether you're winding down after a long day or sharing a pour with friends, these bottles bring something special to the table. Here are eight sweet bourbons that deserve some real estate on your shelf, focusing on the craft distillers and smaller operations doing things right.
Wyoming Whiskey Outryder
Just as binge-worthy series have drawn inspiration from the rugged American West, whiskey production has also expanded into this region, yielding impressive results. Wyoming Whiskey’s latest limited-edition release, Outryder, exemplifies this trend. A blend of two mashbills—one rye-forward and the other bourbon-based—this straight American whiskey offers flavors like hot chocolate, dark molasses, brown butter, and roasted cumin. Its light body and sweet, approachable front make it a perfect choice for warm, sun-soaked summer days, appealing to both rye and bourbon enthusiasts alike. Buy it now!
Penelope Barrel Strength
These guys out of Indiana are doing something different with their blending approach, and their barrel strength expression is surprisingly sweet despite the high proof. They use four different mash bills and blend them together, which creates this complex sweetness that hits notes of brown sugar, butterscotch, and vanilla frosting. Yeah, it's strong at around 115 proof, but add a splash of water and it opens up into pure candy. The wheated component in their blend is what really drives that smooth, sweet character. It's become a cult favorite for good reason – you're getting craft quality with a flavor profile that doesn't punish you for wanting something approachable. Buy it now!
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Okay, this one's not exactly obscure, but it deserves a spot because it nails the sweet profile better than most. The double barrel aging process – where they finish it in a second heavily toasted barrel – creates insane amounts of caramel, vanilla, and dark chocolate notes. It's almost like drinking bourbon-infused creme brulee. The extra oak contact brings out sugars from the wood that you just don't get in standard expressions. Some people say it's too sweet or tastes artificial, but those folks are wrong – it's just leaning hard into what makes bourbon great in the first place. Perfect for sipping neat or with a single ice cube on a weekend evening. Buy it now!
Rabbit Hole Dareringer
Different from their Cavehill, the Dareringer is a straight bourbon finished in PX sherry casks, and holy hell is it sweet. PX sherry is already like drinking raisins and figs in liquid form, so when you finish bourbon in those barrels, you get this concentrated sweetness that's almost Port-like. There's honey, dried apricots, dark chocolate, and this lingering sweetness that sticks around long after you swallow. Rabbit Hole isn't messing around with their finishes – they're actually transforming the bourbon into something new. It's pricey, sure, but if you want something that screams dessert without actually being dessert, this is your bottle. Buy it now!
Old Elk Wheated Bourbon
Old Elk uses a slow fermentation process that apparently pulls out more sweetness from the grains, and you can taste it. Their wheated bourbon is soft, round, and packed with vanilla cream, honey, and sweet corn flavors. Wheat in bourbon generally makes things smoother and sweeter compared to rye, and Old Elk maximizes that characteristic. What's cool is that the master distiller has a background in spirits engineering, so there's real science behind why this tastes the way it does. It's not just randomly throwing grains together and hoping for the best. The result is consistent, sweet, and way more interesting than your typical wheated bourbon.
Angel's Envy Rye
Yeah, I know this is technically rye whiskey, but it drinks sweeter than most bourbons out there. The rum cask finishing is what does it – you get all this tropical sweetness, brown sugar, banana, and vanilla that completely transforms what you'd expect from rye. Most rye is spicy and sharp, but Angel's Envy flips that script entirely. The Caribbean rum barrels impart flavors you just don't find in standard bourbon finishes. It's become pretty popular, so it's not exactly a hidden gem anymore, but if you haven't tried it and you want sweet whiskey, this needs to be on your radar. Just be warned – once you taste it, regular rye might dissapoint you for a while. Buy it now!
Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series
Bardstown's Discovery Series changes with each release, but they consistently nail the sweet profile through smart barrel finishing. They've done everything from Cognac casks to Armagnac to various wine finishes, and each one brings that candy-like quality forward. The base bourbon is already solid – plenty of caramel and vanilla – but the finishing casks add fruit, chocolate, honey, and whatever other flavors those barrels picked up. It's bourbon for people who want to explore without getting too weird. Each batch is numbered and limited, so you're getting something special that not everyone has sitting on their shelf. The sweetness varies slightly batch to batch, but it's always there front and center. Learn more.
Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series The Keepers Release Bourbon
Okay, so Maker's is everywhere, but their Wood Finishing Series is actually pretty creative and worth checking out. They take their classic wheated bourbon and finish it with different types of staves – French oak, toasted oak, you name it. The result is amped-up sweetness with different flavor angles depending on which expression you grab. Some lean toward baking spices and brown sugar, others go hard on vanilla and caramel. It's Maker's familiar soft, sweet base turned up a few notches. The regular Maker's is fine, but these special releases show what happens when you push that wheated mashbill even further into dessert teritory. Plus, they're usually priced reasonably compared to some of the more boutique options out there. Buy it now!
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