Top Barrel Proof American Whiskey Picks

A224 is the third batch for Heaven Hill's Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey, an allocated product released in batches twice a year. Like the Original expression it is made with a mash bill of 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley and the age will range from 7-9 years. It's bottled at a barrel proof of 125.2 proof (62.6% ABV). Availability for Batch A224 begins in late February 2024 at select retailers. (SRP $64.99)

Debuting a newly redesigned label highlighting the brand's transparency, this release from Barrell Craft Spirits is the 36th bourbon batch from the brand. It features a blend of straight bourbon whiskeys from Kentucky (9 year-old), Indiana (7.5, 8, and 10 years-old), and Tennessee (8 and 15 years-old) with a derived mash bill of 79% corn, 16% rye, and 5% malted barley. It's bottled at cask strength of 114.44 proof (57.22% ABV). Available in May 2024 via the BCS website and at select retailers in the US. ($89.99)

New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon is made with the same mash bill as the brand's standard bourbon release: 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. These single barrel releases are selected by retailers or on-premise locations. Each single barrel bottling is aged for 4 years in 53-gallon new, charred American oak barrels. Additionally, they are bottled at barrel proof without chill-filtration so expect to see variances in both flavor and proof with each barrel.

Luxco, the company behind brands such as Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks, and Blood Oath among others, has released this Kentucky straight bourbon. Aged 7 years, it is bottled at a barrel proof of 117 proof. Old Ezra Barrel Strength Bourbon 7 Year is available beginning fall 2018.

1792 Full Proof Bourbon is a release from Barton 1792. The warehouses in which the bourbon was stored are exposed to direct sunlight through 7 story-high windows, with metal frames and concrete bottom floors. The aged distillate was filtered once though a plate and frame filter (no chill filtering) in order to maintain its proof. It's bottled at the same proof at which it entered the barrel — 125 proof.

This is the first bourbon batch release from Booker's for 2024. Named after the small town in central Kentucky where Booker Noe was born and raised, the Springfield Batch was comprised of bourbon made on five different production dates and stored in four different warehouses. Aged for 7 years, 7 months, and 8 days, this was bottled at 124.5 proof (62.25% ABV). Available nationwide beginning April 2024. (SRP $89.99)

This release is made from a blend of 5-7 year-old barrels selected from the favorites spots in the warehouses in Owensboro, Kentucky. Each batch will have a variable proof with the first batch coming in at 117.3 proof (58.65% ABV). It's made using the same high-rye mash bill as the brand's flagship bourbon (70% corn, 21% winter rye, 9% malted barley). Available in select US markets beginning June 2024. (SRP $54.99)

Maker's Mark Cask Strength is a new release that is bottled exclusively in 375ml bottles. This isn’t a single cask bottling, but rather a blend of up to 19 different barrels with varying proofs and ages. This was Batch No. 14-01 which was put into the bottle at 56.6%. It is made from the traditional Maker's Mark corn, red winter wheat and barley mash bill.

As the name suggests, this is the cask strength version of Rossville Union, the first proprietary rye brand released by MGP Ingredients. It is made from a batch of 83 barrels, noted on the front of the bottle, aged in new, charred American oak. Barrel Proof is bottled at 112.6 proof and is available beginning June 2018 in select markets in the Midwest and Southwest US.

Jack Daniel's already offers a single barrel whiskey watered down to 94 proof. The barrel proof, as the name suggests, is bottled at what ever proof the whiskey comes out in the barrel. As each barrel has a different alcohol content due to evaporation during the aging process, there is no standard proof for this bottling. The bottle reviewed was 66% abv.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed is a Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at cask-strength. Each batch will vary in proof from batch to batch. Note: as of spring 2017, the product has a cosmetic change with new labels and different bottle shape than their previous releases.

This is the second of three limited edition 2024 releases for this expression. Made with a traditional mash bill recipe, this Kentucky straight bourbon is matured a total of 11 years and 2 months. It is bottled non chill-filtered and uncut at 130.6 proof. Available beginning May 2024. (SRP $74.99)