Best Bourbon for Beginners

Released by Heaven Hill, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon (~200 barrels per batch) is comprised of selected bourbon whiskeys 8-12 years of age. This no-age statement product was introduced in early 2016 to replace the brand's 12-year bourbon bottling. Barrels charred to a level 3 are used in its production and it's bottled at 94 proof.

The Bulleit label, revived by Tom Bulleit, traces its roots to the early 1800s, when Augustus Bulleit produced a high-rye whiskey recipe for friends and family, though it was never sold commercially. Tom reintroduced the brand in the late 1980s, and it was later acquired by Diageo in 2001. Made with a mash bill of 68% corn, 28% rye, and 4% malted barley, it is bottled at 90 proof.

Basil Hayden is one of four Kentucky straight bourbons in the Beam Small Batch Collection, alongside Booker’s, Baker’s, and Knob Creek. While Basil Hayden, Sr. is not featured on his namesake bottle, his likeness appears on every bottle of Old Grand-Dad, which uses the same high-rye mash bill recipe found here. This expression is the lowest proof in the collection, bottled at just 80 proof. Note: As of 2021, the brand name was updated from Basil Hayden’s to Basil Hayden across the entire portfolio, though the bourbon recipe itself has not changed.

Larceny Small Batch is a brand extension of Heaven Hill's Old Fitzgerald line. According to their story, back in the day, John E. Fitzgerald used his privilege of holding the keys to Pappy Van Winkle's bonded warehouse, where the Old Fitzgerald bourbons were kept, to steal the best casks for himself. These became known as the "Fitzgerald Barrels." Larceny is a wheated straight bourbon made from a blend of selected barrels made in honor of this legend. It bears no-age statement and is bottled at 92 proof. Note: Packaging update in summer 2024 to feature the key and keyhole as well as the wheated bourbon mash bill.

Four Roses Bourbon is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon and the brand’s entry-level expression. It is made from a blend of two mash bills—60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley—using all five of the distillery’s proprietary yeast strains. Formerly known as “Yellow Label,” the product was renamed Four Roses Bourbon in spring 2018.

Old Forester 86 Proof is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon made from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. Bottled at 86 proof, it serves as the brand’s entry-level expression. The Old Forester brand was introduced in 1870 by George Garvin Brown and named for Dr. William Forrester, a customer of Brown’s (the second “r” was later dropped).

This is the flagship bourbon from Buffalo Trace, made from a traditional low-rye mash bill and bottled without an age statement at 90 proof. The former George T. Stagg Distillery was renamed Buffalo Trace when Sazerac Company took over ownership in 1999. Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee played a key role in the creation of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, which was released later that year.

Maker’s Mark Bourbon is a wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon made from a mash bill of 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley. The recipe was developed by Bill Samuels Sr., who famously tested grain combinations through baking rather than distillation. His wife, Margie Samuels, designed the bottle’s shape, label, and signature red wax seal. The bourbon is aged 6–7 years in char #3 new American oak barrels and bottled at 90 proof.

Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon is produced at the Wild Turkey Distillery and was created by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. The bourbon is made from a mash bill of corn, rye, and malted barley, aged at least 5 years (typically between 6–8 years), and bottled at 101 proof with only minimal proofing after maturation.

Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon was first released in 1992 as part of the Jim Beam Small Batch Collection with a 9 year age statement. In 2016, the age statement was removed, though the brand aimed to maintain a similar flavor profile. It returned in April 2020 and has remained in place since. The bourbon is bottled at 100 proof.