A ton of must-try bourbon is hiding in plain sight at your local bar.
Sure, it’s human nature to get excited about all of the new, seldom-seen releases that brands are pumping out faster than you can say Pappy Van Winkle, but sometimes it’s almost too much. Sometimes, you don’t want to have to search high and low for your next pour, and it’s then that the old, reliable classics come in handy.
For this list, we compiled the fifteen bourbons you’re most likely to see sitting behind the bar at your local watering hole and ranked them for flavor. This includes some of the most ubiquitous and best-selling bourbons in the world because, let’s face it, these expressions are popular for a reason. Bar owners tend to stock their establishments with the classics that they know will sell, and while these expressions may not be the rarest or the most expensive, they do offer a high degree of quality.
Whether you’re consulting this because you’re in a pinch and limited for choices or trying to broaden your horizons, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. Here’s our ranking of the best bourbons you can find at (almost) any bar!
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15. Old Forester 86-Proof
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $21
The Whiskey:
While it features a spruce label, in line with the rest of Old Forester’s packaging, Old Forester 86-proof has a history that dates back to 1959 when consumers were thirsty for a lighter style of whiskey, well-suited for inclusion in cocktails.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has a bit of graham cracker, youthful oak, and cocktail cherries, with the volume of each aroma turned down. The overall impression is light and approachable.
Palate: On the palate, all of the nosing notes come alive with a bit more vibrancy and are joined by a vanilla splash. With regards to the mouthfeel, this is a thin whiskey. Still, the texture isn’t overly watery or unpleasant, as it’s just substantive enough for the flavors to develop before washing out and transitioning to the finish.
Finish: On the finish, there’s a bit of oak, honey, and bright red cherry, but it’s quite brief, so you’ll find yourself reaching for a second sip as opposed to savoring your first.
Bottom Line:
There are outlines of a really flavorful bourbon here, so it’s easy to see why Old Forester originally introduced this expression in the late 1950s to ingratiate themselves with the growing cocktail culture. However, if you’re looking for a neat-sipper, this bourbon will do the trick in a pinch, thanks to its assortment of easy-going flavors.
14. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $24
The Whiskey:
If Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 needs an introduction, you probably shouldn’t even be at a bar. I mean, it’s only the world’s most recognizable bottle of whiskey! Sure, ubiquity in itself isn’t a signifier of quality, but Old No. 7 has endured in watering holes and pop culture for a reason: it’s just good stuff.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Maple candy, buttered popcorn, and banana pudding come tumbling out of the glass to greet the nose, along with a touch of red pepper. That maple candy note is due to the Lincoln County Process, a maple charcoal filtration process that all Tennessee whisky undergoes by law.
Palate: Banana pudding is again present on the nose, with some faint vinegar-based BBQ sauce notes and some gentle oak tones. A bit of maple candy provides the last oomph of flavor on this easy-sipping pour.
Finish: The finish is where you’ll find a slight flourish of black pepper baking spice, but overall, it’s full of those maple syrup notes that reverberate throughout the nosing notes and the palate profile.
Bottom Line:
For a lot of people, Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 was probably their introduction to whiskey, but it’s worth revisiting even if you’ve been sipping bourbon for a while now. It’s surprisingly tasty for such a modestly proofed pour, and best of all it is always available. You simply can’t go wrong with classic Jack.
13. Basil Hayden Small Batch Bourbon
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
Basil Hayden, and its eye-catching bottle, is produced by one of the most well-regarded brands in the whiskey world — Jim Beam. Though the age statement was removed back in 2014, the whiskey in this blend is still believed to be between 6-8 years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Buttery croissants and a bit of brown sugar punch through on the nose, making you instantly sit up to recognize how rich they are. A warm vanilla aroma, cola nut, and clove join those notes.
Palate: Gentle oak tones, gooey caramel notes, and more beautiful brown sugar prevail on the palate — each well-defined and coming through as clear as a bell. Those focused flavors come together on a superbly substantive mouthfeel that rewards “chewing” as well as easy-sipping.
Finish: Brown sugar, black pepper, and clove accent the finish, but a bit of space is left for some subtle barrel char.
Bottom Line:
Basil Hayden is an easy-sipping bourbon banger. The bouquet of prototypical bourbon notes on the nose prepares your senses for the palate’s steady yet unrelenting bounty of flavor. Basil Hayden is already well-known as one of the smoothest bourbons available, and it checks every box from affordability and well-rounded flavor to availability.
12. Four Roses Bourbon
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $19
The Whiskey:
Four Roses Bourbon, the oft-overlooked entry-level offering from Four Roses features a blend of all ten recipes that the distillery is famous for. Little known fact: Four Roses regularly utilizes slightly older bourbon in these blends, which is part of the reason they eschew an age statement. It’s also part of the reason that this remarkably consistent expression is so damn good.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Four Roses Bourbon begins with a touch of honeysuckle, the floral aspect of rosewater, and stone fruits like white peach and Golden Delicious apples.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is surprisingly spry, as the lean mouthfeel allows notes of black tea, white peach, and honey to coast over your tongue. A touch of vanilla and black pepper spice can be found as each sip transitions from midpalate to the finish, which adds a bit of nuance to the generally light flavor profile.
Finish: On the finish is where the sweet notes make their final stamp, with honey and vanilla leading the way as this pour succinctly falls off the palate.
Bottom Line:
Four Roses Bourbon is one of the best easy-going bourbons that money can buy, and it’s one I regularly keep on hand for the hotter summer months. While it’s a fairly straightforward whiskey when enjoyed neat, follow this tip for summer sipping: pop it in the freezer and pour heartily when you need a refreshing drink that’s a tad bit stronger than water.
11. Jim Beam Bourbon
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $20
The Whiskey:
Jim Beam’s history goes back to 1795 when the brand’s first barrel was sold under the name Old Jake Beam by Jim Beam’s (the man’s) grandfather. The brand’s flagship, Jim Beam Bourbon, is aged for four years and is consistently one of the best-selling bourbons in the world.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Jim Beam Bourbon reveals dilute caramel, fresh hazelnuts, honey, black pepper, and faint oak.
Palate: Once on the palate, that straightforward medley of aroma notes comes alive with a bit more black pepper, a sturdy undergirding of hazelnut, and some honey, which joins the caramel from the nose as the primary source of sweetness on the palate. There’s also a touch of lemon zest to be found.
Finish: The finish is succinct but welcomes an uptick in the lemon zest and honey notes, while some youthful oak curtly closes out the experience.
Bottom Line:
Jim Beam Bourbon is another pour that will surprise longtime bourbon fans because while its range of flavors is pretty limited, those flavors are fairly well-developed. Jim Beam has flashier options that you can find at many bars (like their revamped 7-year black label offering) but this is one bourbon that’s sure to be available anywhere in the world and it’ll definitely deliver a solid experience if you’re in a pinch.
10. Woodford Reserve
ABV: 43.2%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
Woodford Reserve Bourbon is frequently cited as one of the best bourbons for beginners for two main reasons: it’s bottled at a relatively low proof and has an assortment of rich, balanced, and crowd-pleasing flavors. Woodford Reserve is owned by Brown-Forman, which also includes Jack Daniel’s and Old Forester in its portfolio.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Plums, rich oak, and sticky toffee notes are immediately evident on the nose of this whiskey, and the aroma of vanilla pods, clove, and cinnamon bark joins them.
Palate: The palate of this whiskey introduces the toffee note from the nose right off the bat, and that’s joined by a surprising yet welcome splash of citrus to go with the additional flavors of vanilla, mellow oak, and gentle black pepper spice. The mouthfeel is lean, but rather than contrasting with the richness of the flavors, it helps to make them more pronounced while maintaining the whiskey’s general agreeable smoothness.
Finish: The finish is brief but marked by more vanilla and sweet oak, with a final kiss of sticky toffee and candied walnuts.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve deserves all the praise it receives for being a fantastic beginner bourbon. Sure, its proof point might make bourbon snobs turn up their noses. However, there’s absolutely no denying that this whiskey still manages to pack a ton of flavor, free from any harsh elements, making it one of the best, easy-sipping, readily available whiskeys of any category on the market.
9. Bulleit Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
Bulleit Bourbon has become super popular over the last decade thanks to awesome branding, well-rounded flavor, and surprising ubiquity in the market. Its affordable price point helps as well. This one is aged for at least six years and bottled at a robust 90-proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with rosewater, butterscotch, and oak. It then evolves to include some red apple notes along with the aroma of black pepper, nutmeg, and allspice.
Palate: The palate is full of nutmeg, maple candy, and black pepper baking spice, with some faint accents of dilute caramel, non-descript red berries, and clove coming through as well. Overall, it’s a well-blended mish-mash of flavors that comes with a fairly slick texture, which makes this one a pleasure to sip at length.
Finish: The finish is fairly short, but the resounding sweet notes close things off with some bright cherries, a drizzling of honey, and a touch of oak at the very end.
Bottom Line:
Bulleit isn’t the brand with the most extensive history on this list, but it is an impressive best-seller with a ton of availability and flavor. Regarding entry-level options, it’s hard to do much better than this on-premise darling of a bottle.
8. Evan Williams Bourbon
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $16
The Whiskey:
Evan Williams is frequently cited as one of the best-selling bourbons in the world year after year, and that’s in large part due to its approachable, prototypical flavor profile and widespread availability. Named after the founder of Kentucky’s first distillery, Evan Williams Bourbon is the flagship brand in the Evan Williams lineup and perhaps the most popular bottle on this list.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Evan Williams brings together several familiar and prototypical bourbon aromas. Here, there’s a bit more orange zest, but the notes of vanilla, caramel, and young oak are all present, along with a touch of peanut shell.
Palate: On the palate, all of the aforementioned nosing notes come together with moderate harmony. This is an easy-sipper that crosses the threshold of being “good for the price” as well as “good for the proof.”
Finish: The finish is brief but combines all the tasting notes for a harmonious crescendo.
Bottom Line:
Evan Williams Bourbon delivers an instantly familiar flavor profile that checks every box one expects when drinking bourbon, but it couples that with an approachability that makes it tame enough for novices to enjoy heartily. When you find those two qualities in a whiskey that is as ubiquitous as it is affordable, you’ve got a winning formula.
7. Buffalo Trace
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
Buffalo Trace is one of the biggest names in the bourbon world because it produces legendary expressions like Pappy Van Winkle as well as bottles from the critically acclaimed Buffalo Trace Antique Collection like George T. Stagg and William LaRue Weller. Their flagship product is the perfect entry point both for anyone interested in bourbon and anyone curious about those more elusive expressions.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honeysuckle and gentle baking spices like white pepper combine with saltwater taffy, vanilla, and caramel to form an approachable but well-refined bouquet of aromas.
Palate: On the palate, you can expect to find notes like crisp apple and caramel joining some of the flavors that were immediately evident on the nose.
Finish: Pleasantly sweet with a bit of oak and further splashes of vanilla are present on the finish, making this an easy pour to enjoy again and again.
Bottom Line:
Buffalo Trace Bourbon skews a bit on the lighter side of the sweetness spectrum with vanilla, caramel, and delicate oak showcasing the classic trio of prototypical bourbon flavors. Not to be overlooked as a mere beginner’s pour, there is enough depth to these flavors to keep even a more seasoned drinker engaged.
6. Angel’s Envy Bourbon
ABV: 43.3%
Average Price: $42
The Whiskey:
Angel’s Envy’s flagship expression, its Kentucky Straight Bourbon, is blended in small batches of 8 to 12 barrels at a time and finished in 60-gallon ruby port wine casks. This expression’s base liquid is typically aged up to 6 years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, Angel’s Envy doesn’t shy away from the influence of its finishing cask as the aromas associated with port wine come tumbling out of the glass. Think candied walnuts, red berries, and a lovely mingling of vanilla and milk chocolate. The base whiskey peeks through ever-so-slightly, but the fruit-forward sweetness shines the brightest.
Palate: On the palate is where Angel’s Envy’s base spirit begins to assert itself as the gentle undulation of caramel and oak prop up those rich berry-forward flavor notes from the nose. The whiskey has an almost sticky texture, starting off austere at the front of the mouth before sinking its hooks into the edges of the tongue and asserting those rich red berries, walnuts, and clove notes.
Finish: On the finish, there’s a flourish of freshly cracked black pepper that adds depth to the red-berry flavors and a gentle oak tone that sits on the middle of the palate, extending the finish into the medium-length range.
Bottom Line:
If you want the short and simple, here it is: this is a bourbon that excels by being rather unlike a bourbon. The ruby port notes do a lot of the heavy lifting, but what makes that a plus and not a minus is the fact that this is a bourbon that can deftly capture an audience more attuned to wine or mixed drinks, making this a tasty option and one readily capable of creating new fans.
5. Maker’s Mark
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
Maker’s Mark features an iconic bottle design, the same one they’ve been utilizing since their founding in 1953, and a mash bill that’s been used for just as long. This wheated bourbon is one of the best-selling whiskeys in the entire world, making it a ubiquitous sight on liquor store shelves.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, you’ll find a bit of corn pudding, vanilla extract, and indistinct red berry aromas wafting out of the glass. There’s also a bit of graham cracker sweetness and white pepper.
Palate: On the palate, Maker’s Mark greets the tongue with a bunch of honeyed graham cracker notes that soon make way for vanilla pod and cornbread. A second sip morphs the vanilla pod into a custard note, complete with caramelized sugar and some red berry compote.
Finish: The finish of Maker’s Mark features some mellow spice and more red berry compote, as those natural sugars fuse with vanilla notes to quickly dissipate from the palate.
Bottom Line:
Despite its modest proof point, Maker’s Mark has a ton of flavor, meaning you won’t blow out your palate or scare off bourbon novices if you decide to sip this one neat. It’s ubiquitous on liquor store shelves and back bars alike, making it an easy (and easy-drinking) bourbon that you can reach for at any time.
4. Elijah Craig Small Batch
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $30
The Whiskey:
To call Elijah Craig a classic bourbon is to echo what’s been said about it 100 times over. Named after a famed Baptist preacher, Reverend Elijah Craig is credited, by the brand at least, as the “father of bourbon.”
Tasting Notes:
Nose: From the first whiff, Elijah Craig is an elevated version of Heaven Hill’s value brands. Most reminiscent of Evan Williams, it takes the typical bourbon aromas and dials them up a notch with vanilla extract crossing over into vanilla cream, brown sugar becoming more distinct, and a robust oak backbone fully forming.
Palate: On the palate is where Elijah Craig offers few surprises again, but it plays the hits with gusto. Brown sugar, vanilla, and caramel feature prominently, but a faint nuttiness and understated, stewed stone fruit notes help to improve the flavor profile further. The texture is unremarkable but, at the same time, substantial enough to allow each of those flavors to unfurl fully.
Finish: For the finish, Elijah Craig closes with an interplay of oak, peanuts, and brown sugar that serves as a medium-length microcosm for the entire experience.
Bottom Line:
Sometimes, all you need is a prototypical whiskey, and this bourbon is as classic as it comes. With a proof point that bridges the bite of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof and the 40% ABV that novices might be more comfortable with, Elijah Craig Small Batch delivers flavor in spades with approachability as its primary calling card.
3. Knob Creek 9-Year Small Batch Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
The same folks behind Jim Beam make Knob Creek’s Small Batch Bourbon, and the years of experience they’ve gathered in crafting their flagship expression is on full display with this bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Peanut shell, brown sugar, caramel, and rich oak can be found on the nose of this bourbon, which comes together in impressive harmony thanks to those nine years spent developing in the barrel.
Palate: On the palate, those flavors come together in a surprisingly rich and harmonious symphony of flavor that coats the palate and even evolves over time to reveal an additional layer of nuttiness.
Finish: On the finish, both the proof and the age of this bourbon reveal themselves as it introduces a slight earthy sweetness reminiscent of hazelnut spread along with allspice and nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
Aged for a minimum of 9 years and minimally diluted down to 100 proof, this is a serious – and seriously versatile – bottle of bourbon. Neat drinking will fix you up fine, but you should also really consider ordering this bourbon in a booze-forward cocktail like an Old Fashioned and admire how well it holds that additional sweetness together.
2. Michter’s US*1 Bourbon
ABV: 45.7%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
Michter’s was recently voted the World’s Most Admired Whiskey Distillery, and its flagship bourbon is the most readily available example of why. For this expression and the rest of its whiskey lineup, Michter’s uses a proprietary filtration process to optimize the flavor coming from its barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Michter’s US*1 Bourbon has a dense aroma bouquet that immediately appears well-refined. Notes like honeysuckle, brown sugar, raisins, and youthful oak fill the air, with each well-developed layer greeting the olfactory senses warmly.
Palate: On the palate, what’s immediately remarkable about this bourbon is the texture, as it gently coats your tongue with moderate warmth, and before you know it, the taste of brown sugar, raisins, and walnuts is suddenly everywhere on your tongue. That deceptively viscous texture works well here and is a credit to Michter’s proprietary filtration process and their atypical proof-point.
Finish: The finish here is brief, with brown sugar and cinnamon coexisting harmoniously alongside new oak and clove, making for a gentle send-off after every sip.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s US*1 Bourbon perfectly threads the needle of being delicious and affordable. Free from any harsher elements, your palate will take to this whiskey like a fish in the water as those enchanting mellow notes wash over your tongue and coat your mouth with a remarkable range of flavors that make this one delicious bourbon to order neat at the bar.
1. Wild Turkey 101-Proof Bourbon
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $20
The Whiskey:
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon is not only the most classic expression in the brand’s lineup, it’s one of the most iconic bourbons in America. Wild Turkey’s signature 101-proof designation was first formulated in the 1940s by Austin, Nichols & Co. executive Thomas McCarthy and it’s been a benchmark for high-quality, budget-friendly bourbon ever since.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey encapsulates what Wild Turkey is all about. There’s a lovely dusting of baking spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove resting atop stone fruits like stewed red apples, bruised peaches, and a faint dose of caramel and oak.
Palate: On the palate, Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon offers a familiar range of flavors, from apple chips, cinnamon bark, and oak to vanilla extract, nutmeg, and clove. The mouthfeel is intriguing, maintaining enough grip on the palate to heighten the impact of the various baking spices but enough give for the fruit-forward flavors to strut their stuff.
Finish: The finish is where black pepper flares up, along with a more forceful impression of the oak and clove notes. It’s a short-to-medium finish that pairs well with the flavor profile, giving the impression that this blend is perfectly proofed.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey 101 might conjure memories of crazy college nights for some people, but serious connoisseurs know that even with its rowdy reputation, this is one of the best-kept secrets in bourbon. With a robust, spice-heavy profile, Wild Turkey 101 is bold enough to liven up any party while offering the depth of flavor that makes it great to savor at length in quiet contemplation, too. It is truly the ultimate, most versatile bar pour around.
