There are many delicious, critically acclaimed bourbons at the ten-year mark. But “many” doesn’t really get you far. The big question is: which is the best?
You might find yourself asking that while you look up and down the liquor aisle for your next bourbon purchase, especially as you stare down bottles like Russell’s Reserve 10-Year, Widow Jane, and, if you’re really lucky bottles like Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon or Buffalo Trace’s highly-sought Old Rip Van Winkle.
To investigate that ourselves, we blind-tasted and ranked 15 of the best 10-year-old bourbons at every price point to determine how each performs. This list includes everyday options and allocated offerings. Because while availability may be a concern in your market, we’re trying to give you a definitive answer regarding “who’s best?”
After ten years of maturation, some brands drastically proof-down their whiskey to optimize the quality, increase the yield, or increase its mass appeal. Others prefer to leave the liquid undiluted and present it at cask strength to offer consumers the most undisturbed experience of straight-from-the-barrel bourbon. Both lines of thinking have their merits, but we wanted to find out how those different philosophies fare against one another. Is all cask-strength, all the time, indeed the best way to go? Or can a brand’s blending artisanship really elevate barrels, even when diluted?
Our definitive answer is below, and the results may surprise you! Keep reading to discover how the absolute best 10-year bourbons available in 2024 shake out.
15. Basil Hayden 10-Year Bourbon
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $83
The Whiskey:
Basil Hayden’s recently redesigned 10-year expression is made with a mash bill of 63% Corn, 27% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley, the high-rye recipe Jim Beam also uses for its Old Grand Dad lineup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of pears, Cracker Jacks, vanilla, and oak are all distinct, albeit slightly conservative, on this whiskey’s nose. The aromas are there; they’re just a bit on the restrained side due to Basil Hayden’s mild proof point.
Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey continues carrying clear, well-defined flavors that only suffer from being muted. That means vanilla, a touch of peanut shells, honey, and youthful oak tones. The lean mouthfeel allows you to chew and enjoy the minimalistic flavor palette comfortably.
Finish: The brief finish on Basil Hayden’s 10-Year bourbon has the faintest indication of nutmeg and black pepper, but the sweet vanilla tone lasts the longest.
Bottom Line:
Basil Hayden’s standard bourbon is a middle-of-the-road crowd-pleaser that has become quite the favorite among newcomers. This 10-year-old version does ever-so-slightly enrich those quotidian flavors, but this whiskey is generally too washed out (and too pricey) to justify.
14. Eagle Rare Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
Eagle Rare is one of Buffalo Trace’s many sought-after mid-shelf offerings. Aged for at least ten years, this bourbon is essentially a single-barrel version of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, with the primary difference being that the two brands are hand-selected to cater to slightly different tastes despite the fact they have the same mash bill.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The distinct aroma of a caramelized orange wheel joins mature oak, faint cherry notes, and vanilla frosting as the marquee players here. Because Eagle Rare is essentially a single-barrel product, your mileage may vary, but you can almost invariably expect that prototypical cherry aroma to be present with this expression.
Palate: Flavors like cherry syrup, mellow oak, and some vanilla extract are burrowed in this bourbon and reticent to greet your taste buds. The modest proof point might be the culprit here (and, again, with single-barrel bourbon, some variance in quality is to be expected), but the flavors on the palate are surprisingly restrained and a tad bit muddled, making this one a chore to tease apart. While it’s inoffensive, it could certainly benefit from being on offense a bit more. This one is just…dull.
Finish: The finish here is brief, with dilute cherry syrup notes and vanilla pudding bringing a close to the show.
Bottom Line:
Eagle Rare Bourbon is one that I generally love despite having both fantastic and exceedingly forgettable experiences with it. Sadly, this particular bottle is firmly in the latter camp. While it used to be a favorite at $30, you should be aware that you’re increasingly likely to see it on shelves for more than $60, and with its inconsistency, it can be a bit of a risk.
13. Old Bones 10-Year Bourbon
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $115
The Whiskey:
Old Bones is a budding non-distilling producer that’s using Kentucky-made bourbon for this high-rye bourbon offering. The mash bill for this one is 75% Corn, 15% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sugary blast that quickly recedes, allowing oak, sticky toffee, and a slight artificial caramel syrup note to take the lead. Despite all of those sweet notes standing out, the bourbon itself has an earthy body with oak resin, black pepper, and bitter chocolate also present.
Palate: On the palate, those sweet notes seize control of the flavor wheel, with the caramel notes becoming richer and rich oak tones coming in to curb them from cloying. The whiskey has a nice, stern body with a substantive mouthfeel that feels a bit more expansive than the flavor profile, making chewing it and exploring the texture just as enjoyable as the flavors you’ll find.
Finish: The finish features a flourish of freshly cracked black pepper, the dark sweetness of toffee, and a touch of tobacco leaf — all of which have great staying power.
Bottom Line:
Old Bones is perhaps the least-known producer on this list, but Backbone Bourbon Company is quickly raising its profile thanks to its strong collection of rye and more aged bourbons. If this 10-year-old bourbon is your first time encountering the nascent brand’s product portfolio, you shouldn’t blush at the price point — this is one you’ll surely enjoy.
12. Bulleit 10-Year Bourbon
ABV: 45.6%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
Bulleit is now one of the most established bourbon brands on the market thanks to its crowd-pleasing approach to whiskey production and appealing packaging. For this 10-year-old version of its standard bourbon, Bulleit ever-so-slightly dials up the proof and blends barrels on the more aged side of the decade mark.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, this one begins floral with some rosewater, torched lime wheel, and caramel aromas wafting from the glass. From there, you’ll pick up hints of nutmeg, red chili powder, and oak.
Palate: On the palate, those first two notes of rosewater and torched lime wheels make the initial approach with a bit of caramelized sugar and caramel, providing richness and depth. After swirling it around in the mouth, this bourbon becomes a bit darker and sweeter, with cooked apples and butterscotch emerging alongside the oak tones from the nose and a splash of red pepper.
Finish: The finish features even more red pepper, quickly curtailed by caramel and a melange of citrus, almonds, and red berries. While it’s a lengthy finish, it does turn a bit tannic and drying like black tea, left to steep too long.
Bottom Line:
With this 10-year-old version, Bulleit manages to put together an exceedingly enjoyable bourbon that offers richer, darker flavors than their flagship product while still maintaining the wallet-friendly price point that makes their high-quality portfolio of offerings so appealing in the first place. There are better 10-year-old bourbons, but few can match Bulleit’s combination of quality and affordability.
11. Henry McKenna Bottled In Bond Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $72
The Whiskey:
Henry McKenna is Heaven Hill Distillery’s critically acclaimed 10-year-old single-barrel bourbon. Due to that critical acclaim, this expression has become far less readily available (and more high-priced), but it remains a stellar value in the Heaven Hill portfolio.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose begins with nail polish that soon cedes the way for cherry syrup, leather, rich oak, and honey-roasted almond aromas. It’s unbalanced, but it is still enjoyable.
Palate: On the palate, those first three notes from the nose make a solid initial impression as the nail polish/cherry syrup vibe strikes your palate before turning into more of a leather-inflected cherrywood note. It begins texturally robust but gradually thins out as the liquid unfurls over your palate and finds the edges of your tongue with a last gasp of caramel and faint smokiness before transitioning into the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium-length, but it’s here where the black cherry flavor finally plants its flag and welcomes even more dense oak and barrel char notes on the back end, allowing this bourbon to stick the landing.
Bottom Line:
As you know, dear reader, Henry McKenna Bottled in Bond, as a single-barrel expression, can offer a wide array of different flavors depending on which barrel your bottle is from, and this one falls in the middle of the range. Finding barrels that are this good from a brand notoriously known to be inconsistent is a treat, but the prospect of finding even better ones will keep you on the hunt.
10. Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
Since its debut in 2001, this bottle has been often considered one of the most classic bourbons on the market, especially given its ubiquity and price point. Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon is the flagship of Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve lineup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Russell’s Reserve 10-Year-Old Bourbon contains a cornucopia of vanilla ice cream, flaky pastry notes, and the aroma of brioche buns. Those notes are joined by salted caramel, mature oak, and fresh nutmeg.
Palate: On the palate, this bourbon is earthy, with toasted walnuts, apple leather, and mature oak making the initial impression. Once you take a second sip, those notes only grow, with the dense oak and walnut flavors outpacing the reserved fruitiness as clove and cinnamon grow in prominence. The mouthfeel is unremarkable, but it carries all of those earthy flavors without being overly slick or distracting.
Finish: The finish on Russell’s Reserve 10-Year-Bourbon has vanilla pods, cardamom, and a fruity blend of red apple skin with ripe oranges. It has a medium length that’s surprisingly pleasant and drifts off of your palate just before the oak tones have a chance to dry out your mouth and diminish the experience.
Bottom Line:
Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Bourbon is a classic for a reason. With a flavor profile that screams “Kentucky bourbon” and a spice kick that Wild Turkey is well-regarded for, this is the whiskey above all others that strikes the best balance of affordability and availability while still delivering a high-quality tasting experience.
9. Jack Daniel’s 10-Year Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 48.5%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
Jack Daniel’s 10-Year was the brand’s inaugural entry into its Age-Stated Series, followed soon thereafter by a 12-year-old offering. A fairly new series, this expression was first released in 2022.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lavender-infused maple syrup, peanut chews, and black pepper with sage accent the air once this whiskey is poured into the glass. There’s also a subtle hint of Nestlé dark chocolate syrup.
Palate: The whiskey begins with a thin texture that gets increasingly oilier as it sits on your palate. The flavors are densely packed with plenty of honey candy, peanuts, sage, and allspice, and it all capably grips your palate, overcoming the initially lean mouthfeel.
Finish: The whiskey has a lingering finish with allspice and honey, plus a faint peanut shell flavor that sticks around on your palate for a while.
Bottom Line:
The line of demarcation between Jack Daniel’s 10-Year and Jack Daniel’s 12-Year is pretty well-defined: the latter is very much its own thing and a departure from the norm. The former is rock-solid Jack whiskey, amped-up with deeper flavors and an alluring finish that just won’t quit. While the 12 is a notch above it, this 10-year version will be right at home with those who already enjoy the flavor profile of Old No. 7.
8. Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond Decanter Series 10-Year Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $460
The Whiskey:
The Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Decanter Series, which began in the spring of 2018, has quietly grown to become one of the most sought-after biannual expressions on the bourbon calendar. For the Spring 2024 release, Old Fitzgerald decided to use 10-year-old wheated bourbon from their bonded stock.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey-roasted peanuts, well-charred wood, and cloves come tumbling out of the glass first, along with the aroma of black pepper spice. Overall, it’s pretty straightforward and has a well-developed depth.
Palate: The initial impression across the palate is full of cayenne and honey-roasted peanuts with moderate oak. The liquid itself is fairly austere, and the flavor profile matches. The taste of honey-roasted peanuts, cinnamon bark, and dilute caramel stand out as the most expressive.
Finish: The finish fades after some medium length and gently fades away with honey, charred red peppers, and Brazil nuts, leaving the most lasting impression.
Bottom Line:
Old Fitzgerald’s Decanter Series definitely sports one of the best-looking bottles on any whiskey shelf, but the biannual expression has also suffered from some variance in quality. For Spring 2024’s edition in the lineup, Heaven Hill essentially hit a double. This release puts them in the conversation with some of the better 10-year-old bourbons on the market, but thanks to its middle-of-the-road flavor profile, it doesn’t quite round the bases.
7. Rebel 10-Year Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $115
The Whiskey:
Rebel’s 10-year single-barrel bourbon is an expression marked by a winding history that saw it go from production at the famed Stitzel-Weller distillery as a locally distributed bargain brand to becoming a surprise hit thanks to a Billy Idol song, being sold to current owners Luxco, and being repackaged as a premium offering.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with the aroma of snickerdoodle cookies, inviting caramel and vanilla tones, and some fudge to round out the sweeter notes. On the earthier side, there’s the scent of clove and turmeric, in addition to the faintest shake of freshly cracked black pepper.
Palate: Once in the mouth, caramel, the burnt citrus flavor of a torched orange wheel, and vanilla introduce the senses to this lush bourbon. The mouthfeel is full-bodied with almonds and white pepper found in spades, though it skews more heavily toward the sweet tones. This lovely, well-balanced whiskey rewards chewing as it unlocks further cinnamon bark and wheat funk notes.
Finish: For its final act, Rebel 10-Year Bourbon features rich oak, honey-roasted peanuts, and vanilla that hangs around with considerable staying power.
Bottom Line:
Rebel 10-Year Bourbon has long been rumored to feature whiskey in the blend that significantly exceeds its age statement and that speculation certainly passes the taste test. The liquid is a lush showcase of how depth can overcome the brevity of flavors to deliver a balanced and highly enjoyable bourbon, one of the more staid and consistent single-barrel ranges in all of American whiskey.
6. Widow Jane Bourbon
ABV: 45.5%
Average Price: $73
The Whiskey:
For their flagship 10-Year Bourbon, Widow Jane blends whiskey distillate from three different states in bespoke 5-barrel batches before proofing it down with mineral water from their Rosendale Mines in New York. The barrels from each blend hail from distilleries in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Widow Jane has a captivating nose of fresh cherries, orange oil, mature oak, and milk chocolate paired with more unique notes like waxy plums, coconuts, and pears.
Palate: Immediately, you’ll notice that this is a really rich whiskey that punches way above its modest proof point. That exceptional mouthfeel brings a complex web of all the notes above, with the red cherries, chocolate milk, and coconut aspects featuring most prominently across the palate while maple candy and cinnamon creep in more subtly.
Finish: Again defying its modest proof point is the finish, which lingers for quite a while, leaving mature oak and milk chocolate with a touch of plum on the palate, priming you for your next sip.
Bottom Line:
Widow Jane’s flagship expression might be under the radar for certain consumers who turn their noses up at bourbon produced outside of Kentucky. Still, having featured it in our “best non-Kentucky bourbons” round-up, you should know they’re making some seriously good stuff. If the price of some of their more premium expressions gives you pause, rest assured that this is a bottle that you’ll be glad you picked up.
5. Old Forester 1924
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $230
The Whiskey:
As the latest expression in Old Forester’s popular Whiskey Row Series, 1924 hit the market with pretty big expectations earlier this year, exceeding every single one. This 10-year-old expression is the only age-stated release in Old Forester’s Whiskey Row Series and features a mash bill shared by another of Brown-Forman’s most beloved expressions: Early Times Bottled in Bond.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Old Forester 1924 is decadent with ripe plums, cinnamon bark, honey, and buttery pie crust aromas for an initial impression reminiscent of early autumn. Further black cherry, leather, and polished oak accents provide even greater depth and enjoyment.
Palate: Oiled leather and ripe black cherries greet the palate, making a major splash on the front of the tongue and spreading out over the roof of your mouth. The proof point here is perfectly restrained, allowing the viscous liquid to coat your mouth without becoming medicinal or overly oily. It also helps push the sweetness forward, keeping the tannic oak notes from developing.
Finish: The finish is surprisingly brief, and you’ll find the oak tones encroaching on the sweetness to an unwelcome degree, leaving barrel char and black pepper on the back of your tongue. You’ll use that as ammunition to fire off another pour if you’re wise.
Bottom Line:
Old Forester 1924 is not without flaws, but, man, oh man, does it soar to some impressive heights. The nose on this bourbon is incredible and worth the price of admission alone, but once on the palate, the front-of-mouth experience pushes it over the top. It’s only on the finish where you’ll be left wanting for more, but even though the party ends too soon, it’s most certainly a memorable affair.
4. Buckner’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV:
Average Price: $160
The Whiskey:
Made by Augusta Distillery on the banks of the Ohio River, Buckner’s 10-year is one of the latest expressions putting the plucky upstart operation on the map. Founded in 2018, Augusta Distillery has made a name for itself by sourcing award-winning bourbon and releasing it from a range of 8 to 17-years-old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Out of the gate, with rich barrel tones and toffee setting the stage, this warm and sweet bourbon feels like an instant classic. Honey-roasted peanuts and the rising influence of cocoa powder, coffee beans, and freshly tanned leather all add to the fun.
Palate: Salted Pretzels, toffee, and a touch of mocha make the initial impact on the palate. The heat is evident here, and it sets a gentle blaze to the center of the palate and the roof of the mouth, leaving you to suck your tongue and discover the flavors it leaves behind afterward. There’s a bit of black pepper to discover, but the barrel notes drown that out, and it’s heavy, which means that despite the heat, you can still capture a great deal of depth.
Finish: Buckner’s 10-Year Bourbon’s finish is lengthy, and you’ll find that it has some more barrel char, medium roast coffee, and chocolate in that meandering send-off.
Bottom Line:
Augusta Distillery’s Buckner’s lineup is one we’ve thoroughly enjoyed in the past, and this 10-year single barrel is leaps and bounds better than their 8-year offering. Their stellar 13, 15, and 17-year-old expressions are also well worth your attention, but sticking to distillate at the decade mark, this one can hang with the best of them.
3. Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 47.2%
Average Price: $350
The Whiskey:
Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon, one of the American whiskey world’s most critically lauded expressions, is on an annual release schedule that sends bourbon fans into a fervor each time it’s announced. Utilizing Michter’s well-aged sourced whiskey stock, their blending team then subjects hand-picked barrels to their proprietary filtration process for the end result.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Mango, brown sugar, and black cherry all burst out of the glass once this bourbon is poured like they’ve got places to go. I highly encourage sitting with it for a while, as rich oak and a touch of leather add new dimensions to the aroma profile of this intriguing whiskey.
Palate: Milk chocolate, coconut cream, and almonds splash across the palate on the first pass, making this taste like an Almond Joy in a glass. The barrel tones round things out, and it comes complete with a slick texture that brilliantly carries all of those well-developed flavors without going overboard.
Finish: The finish on this year’s Michter’s 10-year bourbon is medium in length but long on notes like hazelnut and coconut with oak tones and black pepper included.
Bottom Line:
2. Nashville Bourbon Company 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon “Nashville Nights”
ABV: 62.22%
Average Price: $190
The Whiskey:
Nashville Barrel Company has established itself as one of the boldest, most badass NDP brands on the market, and they have their superlative whiskey to thank. NBC is short on marketing gimmicks but long on robust, flavorful single-barrel offerings.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This bourbon from Nashville Barrel Company leads with an intense nose of raspberries, allspice, and Mexican hot chocolate. The cinnamon and chocolate notes fuse well with the mature oak aromas this one gives off, making it an intoxicating pour to explore on the nose.
Palate: The robust flavor of raspberries and honey pops with freshly cracked black pepper and a touch of butterscotch and clove. Wow, this is a pour that genuinely has some zip. Each sip burrows that bounty of flavors deeper into your palate as its deft combination of well-integrated proof and slick viscousness work to showcase just how high each note can soar.
Finish: The finish on this Nashville Nights single barrel is lengthy and delicious. It’s both a display of decadent sweetness and restrained baking spice that makes it a marvel.
Bottom Line:
Nashville Barrel Company is housing some truly remarkable liquid in the Volunteer State. If they can continue to release single-barrels that reach the heights of this superlative one-off, I’d like to volunteer to taste several more of them personally. This is a brand you should have firmly planted on your radar.
1. Old Rip Van Winkle
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $890
The Whiskey:
As the youngest expression in the legendary Pappy Van Winkle lineup of wheated bourbons, Old Rip Van Winkle represents the premium range’s entry-level offering. While snobs will quickly note that Old Rip doesn’t say “Pappy” anywhere on the label, and as such, it’s often excluded from being called a “Pappy,” that doesn’t change the fact that it comes from the same stock of barrels that go into the older 15, 20, and 23-year-old expressions.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes for Old Rip Van Winkle are full of bright red cherries, honey, mature oak, pecans, and vanilla ice cream. It has a medley of rich aromas that deviates very little from that core profile, though perhaps there’s a bit of sage in the mix as well.
Palate: The triple threat of intense honey, vanilla bean ice cream, and rich red cherries socks you in the palate at first, with a bit of mature oak and rich leather sweeping over your tongue soon after that. This oily, medium-bodied whiskey sticks to the back of your teeth and brings chocolate truffle dust, some faint clove, and caramel streaking over your tongue.
Finish: The lengthy finish extends the richness of the palate with decadent chocolate cherries joining caramel as the closing impression.
Bottom Line:
Balance is the name of the game here. While all of the flavor notes are impressively lush, with each of them genuinely being given a platform to shine, the fact that they work so well in harmony is Old Rip Van Winkle’s most impressive quality. This whiskey checks every box, and though it may be exceedingly difficult to find at a reasonable price, it’s impossible to argue that it isn’t worth the cost of admission. At the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, that is.
