15 Best Apple Whiskey Brands To Try (2023 Edition)
Last Updated on August 21, 2023 by Lydia Martin
Apples can be anywhere from downright sour to sweet and tart, but do you know it mixes excellently with whiskey?
Apple-flavored whiskeys taste great on their own, but since it is versatile, you can use them to make fabulous cocktails.
Read on for our expert picks of the best apple whiskey bottles to sip by the fireplace.
Top 15 Apple Whiskeys To Sip
15. J. Seeds Apple Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $20/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: For some, Johnny Seeds Apple Cider whiskey was an accidental apple-flavored whiskey made from fine whiskey and homemade cider from Washington orchard.
But today, this “created by mistake” whiskey has become a crowd-favorite apple whiskey for its refreshing, smooth whiskey packed with a nice balance of sweetness.
At the first sip, the apple cider whiskey greeted us with its crisp apple cider that blends significantly with the aged whiskey flavors.
We noticed some irresistible vanilla, ripe pear, and caramel.
14. Ellington Reserve Apple Whisky
Average Price: Roughly $16.99/750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Ellington Reserve Apple whisky is a Canadian whisky infused with crisp and juicy flavors of gala apples that will surely tickle your taste buds.
The slightly sweet flavor profile balances the warm finish of the Ellington whisky along with cinnamon applesauce and lingering cinnamon zest.
This smooth and rich apple whisky is excellent on the rocks [1] and in cocktails, but you can mix it in cocktails or enjoy it on its own.
13. Serpent’s Bite Apple Cider Whisky
Average Price: Roughly $15.20/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Serpent’s Bite Apple Cider whisky features a mild flavor, making it ideal for non-whiskey drinkers.
The sweet cider shines with brown sugar, ripe pear, caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon notes.
The green apple flavor is noticeable in every sip, with a slightly tart flavor profile at the end.
The apple cider whisky is well recognized for its excellent quality, flavor, and mixability.
This one is easy to drink neat for its balanced sweetness, but you can try it in cocktails.
12. Iron Smoke Applewood Smoked Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly$59.99/750ml (Official Website)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It: Iron Smoke Applewood Smoked whiskey is carefully crafted and aged in Iron Smoke Distillery.
And while it tastes different from real apples, it offers complex and exciting flavors.
The legendary applewood-smoked whiskey features a warm bourbon finish infused with applewood-smoked wheat.
It has won awards from the 2017 North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition for its pleasant grainy scents and bourbon whiskey undertone.
11. Rattlesnake Rosie’s Apple Pie Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $36.99/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Rattlesnake Rosie’s Apple Pie whiskey is another apple whiskey from a similar distillery as the Iron Smoke Applewood.
The Rattlesnake Rosie’s Apple Pie whiskey is made from upstate New York apple cider and corn whiskey.
It has grand notes of baked apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla, making the apple pie whiskey enjoyable to consume.
In addition, the apple pie whiskey is versatile and blends greatly with cranberry juice, club soda, angostura bitters, and other fruity mixers.
10. Stillhouse Apple Crisp Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $22.67/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 34.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Stillhouse Apple Crisp whiskey is a corn whiskey infused with crisp apple liqueur for a superior taste and remarkably smooth finish.
It is one of the apple whiskeys with a noticeable crisp apple flavor and hints of cinnamon, ginger, baked apples, oats, and natural oats.
The green apple liqueur has a flavorful palate, and we highly recommend you try it with ice.
The ice opens up the complex flavor profile of the whiskey, making it more enjoyable to drink.
9. Select Club Apple Whisky
Average Price: Roughly $25.99/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Select Club Apple whisky is a Canadian whisky infused with crisp green apples for fresh, fruity notes.
This Canadian whisky is not overly sweet and has the right amount of green apple flavor on the nose and palate.
It has a smooth finish with apple cider and whisky undertones.
As we opened the bottle, the smell of fresh apples filled up our noses. We sipped it neat, and the complex flavor profile of the whiskey made us want to sip another glass.
8. Benchmark Apple Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $15.99/750ml (Guzwine)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Benchmark Apple is one of the great apple whiskeys with an evident crisp green apple flavor profile on every sip.
After the bourbon whiskey is aged in charred American oak barrels for character and flavor profile [2], it is infused with crisp apple extract for a great taste.
“As it gets deeper and darker in color, it gets more complex in flavor,”
– Fred Noe, Master Distiller
Our nose and palate are stuffed with the lovely blend of green apples and barrel char you will not find in other apple whiskeys.
7. Catch Fire Apple & Cinnamon Whisky
Average Price: Roughly $14.99/750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 30% ABV
Why We Like It: Catch Fire Apple and Cinnamon whisky is a Canadian distilled spirit [3] expertly blended with cinnamon-nosed fireball whisky and apple for a smooth and velvety mouthfeel.
It boasts a natural fruity flavor that will delight your taste buds in every sip. In addition, we noticed the freshly-baked apple pie crust aroma and taste profile.
6. Leopold Bros New York Apple Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $35.99/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It: Leopold Bros New York Apple whiskey is one of the best apple whiskeys that boasts the freshest apple aroma and tasting notes.
After the whiskey is blended with the apple juice, it oxidizes in the barrels and leaves apricots, dried fruits, and apple pie notes.
We noticed some caramel and vanilla finish as we sipped the apple whiskey with ice, but you can try it neat to taste the pure take on the flavored whiskey.
5. Bird Dog Apple Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $19.99/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 40% ABV
Why We Like It: Bird Dog Apple whiskey is one of the best apple whiskeys with high alcohol content compared to other flavored whiskeys.
Apple Bird Dog whiskey is like eating a freshly baked apple pie in a glass.
This Kentucky bourbon from Bowling Green is infused with ripe apple flavors for balanced sweetness and tartness.
4. Jim Beam Apple Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $18.64/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Jim Beam Apple bourbon has the right blend of green apple and esteemed distiller’s whiskey. It is not too sweet and tart, which makes it easy to drink.
Jim Beam Apple has a warm bourbon finish and crisp, fruity flavor.
The apple whiskey has an irresistible aroma of vanilla, cinnamon, and apple cider which we enjoyed neat. But what do you mix with Jim Beam Apple?
3. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple Whiskey
Average Price: Roughly $42.99/750ml (Total Wine)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple blends Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey Old No. 7 [4] and crisp green apple for a rewarding flavor profile.
The apple whiskey is exceptionally smooth, bold, and refreshing.
It has continuously impressed whiskey connoisseurs with its green apple candy impact and rich notes of caramel and vanilla.
You can drink it alone or mix it with club soda and a lemon wedge. But what proof is Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey?
2. Crown Royal Regal Apple Whisky
Average Price: Roughly $30.46/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 35% ABV
Why We Like It: Crown Royal Apple whisky has an extraordinary blend of Canadian whisky and regal gala apples.
It has a hint of tart, caramel, spice, and balanced sweetness.
We sipped it neat, and we found the slight sweetness and spicy vanilla enough to be the life of the party.
We noticed the smooth apple quality from its aroma, and on the palate, we noticed the creamy caramel sweetness of the Crown Royal.
1. Evan Williams Apple Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $14.99/750ml (Drizly)
Alcohol Content: 32.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Evan Williams Apple bourbon is a bourbon whiskey blended with crisp green apple flavor.
It has suitable alcohol proof and a nice balance of sweetness.
It does not overpower one another, which makes them extraordinary in ice and mixed drinks.
The palate has a nice blend of caramel, crisp apples, vanilla, and light spice.
FAQs
What is apple whiskey good with?
Apple whiskey is good with fresh lemon juice, bitters, soda, and fruit juices.
Its versatile flavor profile mixes excellently with fruity and tangy juices, making great-tasting cocktails.
Is apple whiskey real whiskey?
Yes, apple whiskey is real, but it is usually deemed a liqueur.
Apple whiskey is an apple-flavored distilled spirit with sugars and flavors for an elevated and tastier flavor profile.
To Sum It Up
With all the apple whiskeys on the market today, we hoped we helped you find the best bottles worth trying.
Crown Royal, Jack Daniel’s, and Jim Beam are nice bottles because of their captivating aroma and tasting notes.
But if you want to try the best apple whiskey, go for a bottle of Evan Williams.
Unlike other brands of apple whiskeys, it has the right sweetness, tartness, and kick from the bourbon.
References:
- https://www.thrillist.com/glossary/rocks
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/effect-of-aging-on-liquor-759921
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/distilled-spirit
- https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/22/supreme-court-to-hear-jack-daniels-trademark-case-against-dog-toy-company.html
