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Last Updated on March 12, 2023 by Lydia Martin
Calling all bourbon lovers out there! Get to know what’s the best high-end bourbon without spending a dime.
Our team curated a list of highly recommended high-end bourbons and some pieces of information about the American native spirits. Are you ready? Just scroll down!
Top 15 High-End Bourbons We Recommend (Most Voted!)
15. Michter’s US 1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $44.99 (Total Wine)
Distillery: Mitcher’s Distillery
Alcohol Content: 45.7%
Why We Liked It:
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish bourbon is not your ordinary bourbon, as it takes an additional aging period in a custom-made (toasted) barrel.
It has a unique and notable flavor profile because of the second toasted barrel maturation.
Michter’s US1 Toasted Barrel Finish bourbon has persistent notes of campfire and cinnamon.
It also includes notes of pecan and candied fruit with a lingering finish of vanilla and marshmallows.
14. Weller Antique 107 Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $165.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: 53.5%
Why We Liked It:
Weller Antique 107 Bourbon is a wheated bourbon with a balanced palate and full-bodied flavor.
It is bottled at 107 proof and offers a bold and complex taste every bourbon lover should not miss out on.
The flavor profile of Weller Antique is recognizable, and the spices will immediately hit your notes. It is rich in butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla tones with a surprisingly oak flavor.
13. Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Limited Edition
Average Price: Roughly $749.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Four Roses Distillery
Alcohol Content: 58.4%
Why We Liked It:
Four Roses Small Batch Barrel Limited Edition features bright notes of crisp green apples, apricot, and sweet cherry.
It contains peach jam, light oak, and magnolia blossom notes on the nose.
Four Roses have elegantly balanced flavors of fresh nutmeg, delicate ripe fruits, and spiced vanilla with a lingering finish on the palate.
12. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $87.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery
Alcohol Content: Around 63.6%
Why We Liked It:
Elijah Craig barrel-proof bourbon is a pride of Heaven Hill Distillery in its purest form: non-chill filtered, uncut, and straight from the barrel.
Each bottle may have different alcohol content because every barrel is unique, but the taste, nose, and finish share the same DNA as Elijah Craig’s barrel-proof bourbons.
It has rye, heath bar, oak, and leather notes. On the palate, it is rich in cinnamon candies, roasted vanilla beans, rye, and chocolate.
11. Knob Creek Limited Edition Batch #2
Average Price: Roughly $166.49 (Caskers)
Distillery: Jim Beam Distillery
Alcohol Content: 50%
Why We Liked It:
Knob Creek Limited Edition Batch #2 is patiently aged in charred oak barrels for an additional 14 years to achieve a robust oak taste, complimented with layered caramel and a smooth vanilla flavor profile.
10. Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $249.99 (Total Wine)
Distillery: Garrison Brothers Distillery
Alcohol Content: 65.65%
Why We Liked It:
Garrison Brothers Cowboy is a limited release, unfiltered, uncut bourbon straight from the barrel. It is sweet, but it does not overpower other spirit notes.
The bourbon has an inviting aroma of full grain leather, sweet pipe tobacco, and warm raspberry.
9. Eagle Rare 17-Year Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $1,887.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: 50.5%
Why We Liked It:
Eagle Rare 17-Year bourbon by Buffalo Trace Distillery is a Kentucky bourbon whiskey crafted and aged for 17 years.
It has rareness and a complex aroma with a lingering and smooth taste.
Moreso, Eagle Rare has distinctive tasting notes of candied almonds, rich cocoa, oak flavors, and a dry finish.
8. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: Roughy $271.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Angel’s Envy Distillery
Alcohol Content: 60.2%
Why We Liked It:
Who would miss the Spirit Journal’s “Best Spirit in the World”? Angel’s Envy Cask Strength bourbon whiskey is carefully crafted until it reaches its ideal maturity level.
Every sip of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength is worth savoring, thanks to its rich aroma and complex flavor profile.
You’ll taste the herbal notes, caramel, and sweet raisins, and its finish evokes heavily toasted oak, fresh figs, and dark chocolate.
7. Stagg Jr. Bourbon
Average Price: Roughy $119.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: 67.2%
Why We Liked It:
Stagg Jr. bourbon is unfiltered and uncut bourbon whiskey that has matured for nearly a decade. It boasts a bold character making every sip powerful and enjoyable.
This bourbon whiskey perfectly balances bold rye spice, rich, sweet chocolate, and brown sugar.
It has a boundless finish that lingers with hints of cloves, smokiness, and cherries.
6. E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Bourbon
Average Price: Roughy $999.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: Around 63.75%
Why We Liked It:
E.H Taylor Jr Barrel Proof bourbon features a pleasing aroma of cooked berries and a slightly floral and rich caramel scent.
On the palate, it is full of spice and fills your mouth with a distinct flavor of vanilla, dried oak, and pepper.
It has a long, satisfying finish with lingering fruit notes and a powerful rye character.
5. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $ 1,110.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Brown Forman Distillery
Alcohol Content: 52%
Why We Liked It:
Every September 2nd, Old Forester releases a 12-year-old vintage expression in a limited edition to honor the founder George Garvin Brown’s birthday.
This high-end bourbon is a must-try if you want to experience a rare handcrafted bourbon.
It has a beautiful symphony of dessert components and berry on the nose with balanced notes of dried herbs and vanilla.
It also has rich and inviting caramel, burnt sugar, and freshly baked cookie notes with a lengthy and dry finish.
Check out the world’s best-selling bourbons here.
4. George T. Stagg Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $1,332.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: 58.45%
Why We Liked It:
George T. Stagg bourbon is an uncut and unfiltered Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.
It has been aged for almost a decade, and its flavor profile is bold and rich in toffee sweetness and dark chocolate.
It also has underlying notes of dark berries, spearmint, coffee, and tobacco and a lingering finish.
3. William Larue Weller Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $2,776.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: Around 64%
Why We Liked It:
William Larue Weller bourbon is a widely acclaimed bourbon whiskey and another pride of the Buffalo Trace Distillery.
It has fragrant scents of new leather, caramel corn, light toffee, and tobacco.
WL Weller tastes like salted almonds, dates, figs, and nougat on the palate. It has a flavorful, sweet, and smooth finish. But what’s a good bourbon whiskey?
2. Michter’s 20-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Average Price: Roughly $4,999.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Mitcher’s Distillery
Alcohol Content: 57.1%
Why We Liked It:
Mitcher’s 20-Year-Old Kentucky straight bourbon is a limited edition spirit that undergoes very strict quality control – it does not meet the standard, and nothing is bottled [1].
The Mitcher’s 20-Year-old has tasting notes of rich, silky, and tannic.
It has an oak-forward aroma and flavor profile with heavy richness and a mix of spice and sweet.
1. Pappy Van Winkle’s 15-Year Family Reserve
Average Price: Roughly $2,524.99 (Caskers)
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Alcohol Content: 53.5%
Why We Liked It:
We know you are not surprised, but Pappy Van Winkle’s 15-Year Family Reserve is the most voted and highly recommended bourbon.
It is rich, smooth, flavorful, and sweet bourbon that no one should not miss.
Untouched by human hands and unhurried by time, the bourbon remained undisturbed inside deep-charred oak barrels for 15 years.
Find out why Pappy Van Winkle is so expensive here.
*Average prices are based on Drizly online. Prices may vary in local liquor shops.
FAQs
Are high-end bourbons always expensive?
Most likely. High-end bourbons represent luxury and high quality, so you’ll notice that most of the brands on the list are priced above $100, some even as high as $1000.
Are high-end bourbons hard to find?
It depends. Some high-end bourbons are available all year round. However, there are some top-shelf bourbon bottles that you may find hard to find, considering their limited production and your location.
Final Thoughts
Bourbon is an American native spirit [2], and because of its continuous growth, it is no surprise that there is a wide selection on the market today. Good thing we managed to compile the most voted high-end bourbons.
High-end bourbons are not necessarily expensive or hard to find. It all boils down to which bourbon is most enjoyable to drink. Cheers!
References:
- https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/michters-20-year/
- https://blog.liebherr.com/appliances/us/bourbon-americas-native-spirit/
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
