Aging bourbon — or any whisk(e)y for that matter — in a special or second cask is nothing new. That practice has been around forever. But with the latest whiskey (and more specifically bourbon) boom raging in full, unique cask agings and finishings have become a way to get more shelf space for brands large and small. It’s also a fun way for drinkers to expand their palates.
Today, I’m shouting out some uniquely-casked bourbons that I think you might enjoy. I disqualified any “Double Oak” maturations, since that’s simply putting the whiskey into another oak barrel. Whether that barrel is new, toasted, rebuilt, re-charred, or what-have-you, it’s still another standard oak vessel. While that can result in a damn tasty whiskey (Woodford Double Oaked, Michter’s Toasted Barrel, and Peerless Double Oak come to mind), it’s really not a “unique” barrel for our purposes here.
Which does raise the question: What even is “unique” anymore? Most brands have already gone whole hog on specialty barrel releases. So, for the 20 bottles of bourbon below, I chose a good mix of more classic special casks, like sherry, port, and stout, alongside whiskeys aged in different oaks from the other side of the world, fruit brandy casks, and even some with Rocky Mountain Aspen staves right in the barrel.
It’s a good mix, with two throughlines: They’re all tasty bourbons and they’re all under $200 (MSRP). Hopefully, you find something here that excites you.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
20. Thomas S. Moore Finished In Port Casks
ABV: 49.45%
Average Price: $80
The Whiskey:
It’s very likely this is Barton 1792’s low-rye bourbon mash. The barrels are pulled from various, undisclosed age ranges and vatted. That juice then goes into ex-port casks for an additional maturation of one to three years. That whiskey is then married, slightly proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is rich with hints of red berries, sweet and dry dates, a touch of vanilla tobacco, and a whisper of soft leather. The palate has a jammy presence with a plum compote spiked with cloves and allspice next to a touch of port-soaked cedar planks, vanilla cream, sultanas, and, mulled wine cinnamon sticks. That spice does start to build towards the medium-length finish but doesn’t overheat. The fade is nice and mellow with more dried and red fruit leading towards a creamy veneer of spicy vanilla custard with a very distant tobacco vibe on the end of the tail.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a great place to start. While this is on the lighter end of the spectrum when it comes to boldness in special barrel finishing, it still packs a pretty good flavor profile. That being said, I lean more towards using this in a simple cocktail like a Manhattan.
19. Savage & Cooke The Burning Chair
ABV: 44%
Average Price: $58
The Whiskey:
This whiskey marries Napa Valley winemaking to Ohio Valley whiskey. Winemaker Dave Phinney sources four-year-old bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana and brings those to Napa. Once there, the bourbon is filled into local Cabernet barrels for final maturation. Finally, the bourbon is cut with pure spring water from California’s Alexander Valley before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Those barrels come through with a note of a dry lumber next to caramel apples, butterscotch candy, and a sliver of vanilla bean. That vanilla drives the palate and comes creamy and thick as apples stewed in eggnog spices kick in with a slightly woody, maple syrup sweetness and sweet red grapes. That sweet note drives the mid-palate towards a finish that warms with the holiday spices and almost hot apple cider next to a vanilla cookie with a dusting of maple brown sugar.
Bottom Line:
The only reason this ranks this low on this list is the lower ABVs. That soft spring water comes through and mutes that backend. For me, that means this is more of a cocktail mixer that you can sip on in a pinch on the rocks.
18. Redemption Cognac Cask Finish
ABV: 49.5%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
Master Blender Dave Carpenter built this small-batch bourbon off the back of barrels of very high-rye bourbon (60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent malted barley) from MGP of Indiana. Carpenter then moved that juice into Cognac barrels from Ferrand Cognac which held Cognac for 30 years. The bourbon spent 12 months finishing in those old-school barrels before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear pecan pie vibe on the nose with a buttery crust, plenty of holiday spices, a touch of apricot, and a whisper of dried hibiscus petals. The palate takes the apricot and stews it with the spices to create a jammy compote next to an earthy and wet cellar beam dripping with cobwebs as the hibiscus brightens and leads towards a hint of raisin, prune, and white pepper. The mid-palate leans into that sweet dried fruit/peppery edge as the pecans return in a bowl of Karo syrup and dusted with nutmeg-heavy eggnog spices and a final flourish of that wet yet fruity wood.
Bottom Line:
We’re already getting into the “good stuff” and we’re only three bottles in. This has really grown on me as an everyday on-the-rocks sipper in the last six months. That said, this rules in an old fashioned too.
17. Widow Jane Decadence
ABV: 45.5%
Average Price: $88
The Whiskey:
This New York whiskey is sourced from 10-year bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana that are shipped out to the Empire State. The whiskey is masterfully vatted and then re-barreled into maple syrup barrels from Crown Maple from Upstate New York for a final rest. Those barrels are then blended and proofed with local spring water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose bursts forth with pecan pie next to sasparilla, a touch of old cedar, and, yes, fresh Grade-A maple syrup with a hint of tree sap still in it. The vanilla kicks in pretty strongly on the palate with a crispy waffle vibe, a touch more of that old cedar, and curled cinnamon stick. That waffle draws towards the pecans on the mid-palate as a wet brown sugar sweetness ends and an almost Red Hot cinnamon-laced tobacco wrapped around that old cedar finishes the sip.
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect breakfast bourbon. Well, let’s say “brunch” instead. Either way, this is a solid sipper on a couple of rocks. But that sweet and nutty edge really helps this shine in any “brunch” cocktail.
16. Yellowstone Limited Edition Bourbon 101
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $125
The Whiskey:
Last year’s drop from Stephen Beam’s Yellowstone line is a mix of seven-year-old and 15-year-old bourbons. The 15-year barrels are high-quality bourbons hand selected by Beam. The seven-year barrels were finished by Beam in Amarone red wine casks before this batch was put together, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a balance of dark stewed fruits — think holiday cake spices with dates, prunes, figs, and raisins — next to this bright burst of bright red berries with a slight tartness and powdered sugar sweetness swimming in vanilla cream, with mild hints of old leather, dark cacao powder, and toffee lurking in the background. The palate really embraces that vanilla cream base while the berries go full dark and sweet cherry with more of that buttery toffee, dark cacao, and meaty fig adding a dark depth to the sip. The finish builds on the sweet and dark fruits of the mid-palate towards an end that’s full of bright cherry tobacco and small lines of cedar plank that’s lightly singed on the edges.
Bottom Line:
This is just a damn fine sipper (rocks or not). Though I recommend adding a little water to really let this one bloom in the glass.
15. 291 Small Batch Colorado Bourbon Whiskey (Colorado)
ABV: 50.8%
Average Price: $78
The Whiskey:
291 Colorado Whiskey’s Small Batch is a great entry point into the wider world of the crafty brand. The juice isn’t a “straight” bourbon since it’s only aged for one year. That very young whiskey is amped up thanks to Aspen wood staves which are added into the barrels to create a deeper sense of maturation without taking half a decade to achieve those layers.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a push towards cornbread dripping with butter next to hints of berry bushes plus a touch of caramel apples. The taste adds a good dose of cinnamon to the mix as the caramel leans away from apple and towards kettle corn with hints of nougat and maple syrup arriving late. The end holds onto the warmth of the cinnamon and the sweeter edges while a pine-y resinous note sneaks on the short finish, adding a nice nuance to the sip.
Bottom Line:
This is so interesting in that it’s so young while still having an aging/finishing that no one else is doing (it also tastes great for that age). True, Maker’s adds staves to their barrels for finishings, but 291 is adding local Aspen staves from the mountains outside of their distillery. That’s a local terroir vibe that you simply can’t get anywhere else.
14. Breckenridge Rum Cask Finished
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This whiskey starts off as Breckenridge’s famed and award-winning bourbon. That juice is then re-barreled in Colorado rum barrels that held Breckinridge’s own spiced rum, which was, of course, aged in Breckenridge’s own bourbon casks with a mix of fresh fruits and dark spices right in the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a burst of dried tropical fruits next to candied nuts, wintry spices, a hint of sweet oak, and some salty caramel drizzled with dark chocolate sauce. The palate has a banana bread vibe with walnuts baked right in next to stewed apples with plenty of cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla. Rich toffee drives the sweet mid-palate towards a full throttle of spices — allspice, nutmeg, clove, star anise — that warm up the finish with a counterpoint from dried apple and banana chips.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bourbon to buy for any dark rum lover. The big fruit and spice notes really shine through while still holding onto the whiskey feel of the sip. This really rocks in a cocktail too.
13. Elijah Craig Beer Barrel Finish
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $40 for a 200ml bottle (Distillery Only)
The Whiskey:
This very limited edition, distillery-only release from Heaven Hill takes their classic bourbon (78 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and ten percent rye) and finishes it in a beer barrel for about nine months. In this case, Elijah Craig Small Batch barrels were sent to Goose Island Brewery to age their famed Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Those barrels were then sent back to Kentucky and re-filled with Elijah Craig Small Batch for those aforementioned nine months before proofing and bottling in cool little 200ml bottles.
Tasting Notes:
The stout comes through immediately on the nose with a matrix of chocolate malts, rich and buttery toffee, light eggnog spices, oily vanilla beans, and a hint of beer-soaked wood. The palate lets that chocolate malt shine as chocolate-infused Graham Crackers lead towards an almost creamy vanilla-laden eggnog with plenty of nutmeg and allspice with a hint more of that wet wood. The finish really delivers on the “stout-aged” vibes as the chocolate bitters towards a long end full of subtle dark spices, toffee candies, and sweet oak with a hint of old leather.
Bottom Line:
I really dig this. It delivers what it claims while finding an actual balance between the beer and the whiskey that makes sense. It’s shame it’s such a tiny distillery-only limited release because finding one is a pain unless you happen to be at the distillery on the right day.
12. Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon
ABV: 50.35%
Average Price: $199
The Whiskey:
This sourced bourbon is built from 11 and 18-year-old bourbons. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks before vatting and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts. A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and funk. A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bottles that are easy to fall in love with. It’s nuanced and deep. It’s really lovely in a glass with a single rock, which will allow some of the deeper flavor notes to pop up.
This is also where the bottom lines are going to start splitting some serious hairs. Every bourbon from here on out is pretty goddamn great in its own way.
11. Barrell Armida
ABV: 56.05%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
Barrell puts out a lot of whiskeys every year. This edition is a mix of whiskeys finished in pear brandy, Jamaican rum, and Sicilian Amaro casks that are then batched. The juice then goes into the bottle uncut to help highlight the disparate yet similarly cozy flavors given by each of the barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Pear drives the nose with a pear compote or pear butter made with plenty of dark spice and just a hint of dark chocolate and tobacco. The taste is warm but slightly rummy with a clear eggnog note acting as a driving force, leading towards hints of black licorice next to creamy toffee next to hefty chocolate bars filled with nougat and walnuts. A slight black tea bitterness takes over on the end as the nuttiness, spiciness, and sweetness all come together for a big finish, with plenty of warmth and boldness.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys that bridges the gap between unique and classic really well. It’s new while feeling comforting. It’s the sort of pour that really draws you in and keeps your attention.
10. Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength
ABV: 55.6%
Average Price: $58
The Whiskey:
This starts off as classic Maker’s 46 — that’s a wheated bourbon made in very small batches that are then finished with French oak staves in the barrel for a final, short maturation. This version takes the honey barrels from that program and releases a limited edition Cask Strength version that doesn’t get cut down with Kentucky’s famous limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Based on 2021’s release, expect a nose full of classic bourbon notes of cinnamon, Graham crackers, dark chocolate powder, vanilla beans, pine kindling, and a hint of marshmallow that’s just been touched by fire. The palate leans into the hotness of the cinnamon but is tempered by vanilla cream pie filling, Honey Nut Cheerios, a light leather, and more of that dry pine. The end builds with that cinnamon heat towards a crescendo of honey-laced tobacco in a cedar box with a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Bottom Line:
This is an interesting ripple in the special cask finish, in that the “finishing” barrel is broken down and put into the barrel to finish the maturation process from within. It’s deep and those dark flavors come through in this damn tasty yet nuanced bourbon.
9. Rebel Bourbon Finished In Tawny Port Barrels
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
This four-year-old bourbon from Rebel is made from top to bottom at Lux Row in Bardstown, Kentucky, according to their old-school wheated bourbon recipe. The whiskey was finished in a very small batch (only 6,000 bottles released) in tawny port barrels for six more months. That whiskey was then vatted, cut with local limestone water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is so soft with hints of candied walnuts, marzipan, a hint of orange blossom water, soft suede, and a touch of caramel. The palate subtly moves from wet wicker furniture and nutshell to vanilla wafers with hints of dried rose, dried orange peels, raisins, prunes, and elderflower syrup. That floral syrup on the mid-palate leads towards an end that’s soft with the slightest hint of green tobacco leaves, hazelnut, and vanilla pod.
Bottom Line:
This is just really nice. The ABVs are low and there is a sense of that on the palate, but the flavors are never washed out by that additional water (which is why it’s ranked higher). This really lingers on the senses and works great as a neat pour.
8. Belle Meade Black Belle
ABV: 54.55%
Average Price: $60 (Distillery Only)
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a collaboration between Blackstone Brewery and Nelson’s Green Brier Distilling, both in Nashville. The juice is a nine-year-old bourbon (from MGP) that spends an additional one year and 11 months in an imperial stout barrel from Blackstone in the Green Brier warehouse. That whiskey is then bottled as-is to highlight the beauty of that process.
Tasting Notes:
This opens up your senses with big notes of peppery rye spice next to orange oils, fresh and oily vanilla husks, and big woody sticks of cinnamon. The palate marries that cinnamon to a dark chocolate note that’s more like ground cacao nibs than a bar of chocolate while hints of brittle toffee, nutmeg, whole black peppercorns, and dried orange rind lurk just under the surface. The finish darkens that cacao towards oily and damn near sour espresso beans as the sip slowly fades back through the spice, sweetness, and citrus towards a warming and comforting finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a really solid bourbon that truly goes somewhere else through that stout finishing. It feels elevated while having distinct flavor markers to remind you where you are. Pour your favorite stout and sip this on the side.
7. Old Charter Oak Mongolian Oak
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $69 (Distillery Only)
The Whiskey:
This 2018 release from Buffalo Trace’s Old Charter Oak series really ups the ante in aging bourbon in something “unique.” This bourbon spends 10 years aging in oak from Mongolia, Quercus mongolica. The tree is hardcore in that it’s an oak tree that can survive drought, intense sun, and basically grow where other trees cannot.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is strikingly familiar with pecan pie, cedar bark, cinnamon bark, rich and buttery caramel sauce, and a hint of pine kindling. The palate follows in those footsteps, while adding clove and dark chocolate powder with a vanilla oil base, more cedar, and plenty of nutty depth (think Brazil nut meat, hazelnut shells, and almond paste). The mid-palate sweetens with meaty raisins and prunes that lead to a finish full of pecans, cedar, cinnamon tobacco, and a touch of black peppercorns.
Bottom Line:
This extremely rare release is a bit of a wonder. It’s worth tracking down (likely only at a high-end whiskey bar) to give it a try for something wholly different that’s still, well, nostalgic. This really is one of those drams you ponder as you slowly sip.
6. Bomberger’s Declaration 2021
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
This whiskey heralds back to Michter’s historical roots in the 19th century, before the brand was even called “Michter’s.” The juice in the bottle is rendered from a very small batch of bourbons that were aged in Chinquapin oak (a white oak cousin of sorts) which was air-dried for three years before charring and filling. That bespoke oak barrel is what makes this whiskey really rise above the standard white oak crowd.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with this rich and meaty plum presence next to a hint of buttery toffee and creamy vanilla with a touch of wood lurking in the background. The palate goes full crème brûlée with sticky burnt sugar over the top and a slight touch of allspice and nutmeg next to a dark cacao powder dryness with a touch of smoke salt and light, dry cedar. The mid-palate leans back into the dark stone fruit and sweetness as it only slightly dries out with notes of wicker and cedar humidors.
Bottom Line:
This is a very fine pour of whiskey. It’s also one of those pours where you might have an “ah-ha” moment, thanks to its deep and alluring flavor profile.
5. Barrell Dovetail
ABV: 62.17% (varies by release)
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
This is a complex whiskey from one of the country’s best blenderies. Barrell sources a 10-year-old Indiana whiskey that was finished in Dunn Vineyards Cabernet barrels and marries that juice to 11-year-old Tennessee bourbon that was finished in both blackstrap rum casks and port pipes. That blend is then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
You’re greeted with the port notes of dried raisins and plums, leading towards a touch of licorice next to a really rummy sweetness. There’s a sense of spicy stewed cherries (think clove and anise) that supports a touch of charred marshmallow with a bit of soft oak. The end holds onto the fruit and sweeter notes while going all-in on the warmness of the ABVs with a black pepper spiciness and long yet subtle tobacco buzz.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys that’ll make you ride or die for a brand. It’s also one that you’ll want to immediately go back to to find the deeper flavors layered within.
4. Woodinville PX Sherry Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This whiskey takes Woodinville’s signature (and much-lauded) five-year-old straight bourbon and gives it a new finishing touch. The juice is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. While there are similarities between this and the much-loved Woodinville Port Cask Finish, this feels like a step up in many small, tough-to-define ways.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a bouquet of dark spices next to dried orange rinds, soft Christmas cake, and a slight floral underpinning that’s more “damp” than “dried out.” The taste embraces the holiday spice matrix with a creamy veneer of dark chocolate oranges, eggnog spice, and a velvety mouthfeel with a hint of orchard fruit and toffee drizzle. The finish is long but doesn’t overstay its welcome. There’s a sense of the woody spices that’s more akin to cinnamon sticks once stirred in hot apple cider, leaving you with a dry note of spicy tobacco.
Bottom Line:
If you have a bottle of this on your shelf, you already know how great it is. Go and pour one and enjoy it! If not, take the time to seek one out.
3. Heaven’s Door Redbreast Master Blender’s Edition
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $115
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a collaboration between Heaven’s Door Master Blender Ryan Perry and Redbreast’s legendary Master Blender Billy Leighton. The duo worked long and hard to create multiple whiskey expressions, which Bob Dylan taste tested and granted final approval on. The juice in the bottle is Heaven Door’s low-rye 10-year-old Tennessee bourbon. They take that whiskey and fill it into Redbreast whiskey casks that had previously aged Irish whiskey for 12 years (which spends time in Spanish oak). After 15 months of final maturation, those barrels are vatted and slightly proofed down with soft Tennessee spring water.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with this medley of marzipan, soft leather, prunes and dates, Gala apples, a hint of cedar, and a whisper of ripe red cherry. There’s this body of nutmeg that leads towards a light vanilla pound cake full of candied and dried fruits with a soft marzipan center. That then draws towards subtle pops of orange oils, floral honey, walnuts in buttery brown sugar syrup, and this mild touch of spiced apple tobacco leaf. The end lasts for just the right amount of time and leaves you with a walnut shell dryness, soft warmth, and slight tobacco chew buzz that all circles back towards a raisin sherry sweetness and a final morsel of that vanilla pound cake.
Bottom Line:
This is whiskey is pretty close to perfection.
2. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $148
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is hewn from 90 30-gallon barrels of four-year-old bourbon that were transferred into 26 59-gallon Tawny Port casks for a final maturation of nearly two years. That juice was then bottled with a touch of water added.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this bursts with raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry, all stewed with plenty of holiday spices and folded into a cobbler topped with dense buttery buttermilk biscuits. The palate leans into the spice with a focus on clove, nutmeg, and a very small whisper of anise as the berry turns more towards a fresh strawberry with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans chiming in on the mid-palate. That chocolate-bitter vibe drives towards a finish full of cinnamon-spiked dark chocolate tobacco leaves, stewed plums, and a dollop of floral honey.
Bottom Line:
See the “bottom line” for the last entry.
1. Belle Meade Bourbon Honey Cask Finish
ABV: 53%
Average Price: $175 (Annual Distillery Lottery Only)
The Whiskey:
This whiskey starts off by seasoning used whiskey barrels (from Nelson’s Green Brier’s warehouse) with honey. The distillery sends their barrels to TruBee Honey Farm in Arrington, Tennessee where the barrels are filled with wildflower honey. After the honey has finished its rest, the barrels are emptied and sent back to Nashville. Once they arrive at Nelson’s, they’re filled with Belle Meade’s award-winning bourbon for a six to eight-month rest where the honey makes its mark on the whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
The floral honey notes from that honey really shine through on the nose. It’s supported by a slightly woody, yet sharp cinnamon that’s been stored in a cedar box with a hint of green tea lurking underneath. The palate pushes the cinnamon to the foreground as a light touch of fresh brioche with butter and orange marmalade mingles with soft toffee and almost sticky honey cream, which creates a velvety mouthfeel. That honey and cinnamon combine on the mid-palate and lead towards a light note of vanilla pods and almond butter on the super-soft finish.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey will completely change everything you’ve ever known about “honey” bourbons. This is a stellar bourbon that’s accented beautifully by real honey, adding extra dimensions to the overall experience. That game-changing vibe is why this one wins the day. Well, that and it’s delicious.
