Favorite Bourbons Of The Distiller Community

Distilled at the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky (formerly the Labrot & Graham Distillery), this Kentucky straight bourbon was first introduced in 1996 and remains the brand’s flagship expression. The high-rye mash bill contains 18% rye and is made from a blend of pot still and column still distillates. Though it carries no age statement, the bourbon is typically aged between 6–7 years. It is bottled at 45.2% ABV.

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.

Launched in 2010, Maker's Mark 46 is made by taking fully matured Maker's Mark Bourbon at cask strength and inserting specially seared French oak staves into the barrels. The bourbon finishes aging for a few months before bottling. The French oak staves selected from the Independent Stave Company, Maker's Mark long time cooperage, were named "Stave Profile No. 46." This is the first brand extension from the distillery since it started production in 1953 and is the first in its Wood Finishing Series. Note: As of March 2022 the brand has updated the packaging for its bottle and label to highlight the French oak staves.

Introduced in 1992, Knob Creek Small Batch Bourbon is part of the Jim Beam Small Batch Bourbon Collection along with Basil Hayden, Booker's, and Baker's. This Kentucky straight bourbon is bottled at 100 proof. Note: From late 2016-April 2020, the age statement was removed reflecting in this release. However, the age statement is back. Look for that 9 Year expression as a separate listing.

As the name suggests, each bottle of Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is made from an unblended, hand-selected barrel. The bourbon is aged in a rickhouse in Clermont, Kentucky for at least 9 years. However, unlike the standard small batch version, it is bottled at 120 proof instead of 100 proof. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve may vary from bottle to bottle as is the nature of the category.

Four Roses Small Batch is a Kentucky straight bourbon made by blending four of the distillery's ten proprietary recipes. It combines both of their mash bills — one with 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and another with 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley. The selected recipes use yeast strains designed to highlight a balance of light spice, richness, and fruit-forward character. Bottled at 90 proof.

Since 1983, the master distiller for Heaven Hill has chosen select barrels for this single barrel series. Each bottle is dated with the vintage date of when the bourbon was distilled along with the year it was bottled. Additionally, each bottle bares a serial number of the barrel from which it was drawn. Bottled at 86.6 proof.

This 86-proof product sits in between their 80 proof Green Label and 100 proof White Label. Though it used to have an age statement of 7 years in the 90's, it is still between 4-7 years of age. The cost of around $15 puts it at a standard go-to.

Produced by Heaven Hill and named after the disputed inventor of Bourbon Rev. Elijah Craig; he put his whiskey into barrels that had been charred in a fire. This is a small-batch bourbon (in this case, it is made from 100 or fewer barrels) and has a traditional bourbon mash-bill (one with 70-80% corn and remainder rye and barley). Note: As of Jan 2016, this product has been discontinued and replaced with a no-age statement Small Batch bottling.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon is one of the flagship products from Buffalo Trace Distillery. It is made from a low-rye mash bill and is aged for at least 10 years at the Kentucky distillery. The barrels are hand selected for quality and consistency before bottling. While the bottling proof was originally 101 when the brand was first released in 1974, it has been bottled at 90 proof since 2005.