Bourbon, and certainly American whiskey basically (for not each American whiskey is a bourbon), is using a wave of recognition that’s been constructing over the previous decade. Bourbon is a barrel-aged liquor constituted of corn and hailing from the American South. Thought of to be sweeter than conventional whiskey, it has bitter notes however an total flavour profile of vanilla, caramel and oak. We have examined bourbons with a mellow nature (greatest for newbies), high-corn stuffed varieties with deeper spicy notes and sweeter, lighter choices. So whether or not you prefer to serve it on the rocks, neat or lightened up with water or cola, we have a bourbon for everybody.
Bourbon can be the star of lots of our recipes, together with our summer time favorite sticky bourbon BBQ wings with blue cheese dip, the place the coolness of the dip cuts the warmth of the wings, our sticky-sweet bourbon-glazed pork stomach chunks, and slow-cooked bourbon & honey-glazed brisket. Plus there may be our bourbon, black cherry & bacon brownies for dessert, full of all-American favourites.
Flick thru our high 10 bottles, and browse up on our recommendation for consumers on find out how to distinguish a bourbon from different whiskeys.
For extra exams, go to our critiques part and discover style exams of the most effective Japanese whisky, Scotch, Irish whiskey and whisky from all over the world.
Soar to hyperlinks
Finest bourbon whiskey at a look
- Finest bourbon whiskey for novices: Maker’s Mark Kentucky straight bourbon, £24.50
- Finest bourbon for an quaint: Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky straight bourbon, £32.95
- Finest bourbon whisky with caramel notes: Wild Turkey Uncommon Breed Kentucky straight bourbon, £53.95
- Finest spicy bourbon: Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Choose Kentucky straight bourbon, £35.95
- Finest classic bourbon: Evan Williams Single Barrel Classic straight bourbon, £47.49
- Finest toasty bourbon: Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky straight bourbon, £52
- Finest buttery bourbon: 4 Roses Kentucky Small Batch straight bourbon, £31.95
- Finest widespread bourbon: Jack Daniel’s Previous No.7 Tennessee whiskey, £30
- Finest oaky bourbon: Yellowstone Choose bourbon whiskey, £39.95
- Finest candy bourbon: Sonoma Distilling Co. cherrywood smoked bourbon, £54.85
The perfect bourbon whiskey to purchase
Maker’s Mark Kentucky straight bourbon
Finest whiskey for novices
ABV: 45%
We’ve kicked off with Maker’s Mark because it’s a fantastic bourbon for brand new whiskey drinkers. It has a mellow character because of the excessive proportion of corn and winter wheat in its ‘mash invoice’ (the combination of grains used to make a bourbon) of 70% corn, 16% wheat and 14% malted barley. The mash invoice provides a touch of sweetness, making this an approachable, easy-drinking however satisfying bourbon.
Obtainable from:
Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky straight bourbon
Finest for an quaint
ABV: 50.5%
Wild Turkey’s mash invoice is excessive in corn, which softens its excessive energy. Soften it much more by including a splash of water to assist respect the buttery chocolate, gingerbread, tobacco leaf and toffee flavours. Wild Turkey 101 makes a fantastic quaint, greatest appreciated when stirred down with a contact of demerara in addition to white sugar.
Obtainable from:
Wild Turkey Uncommon Breed Kentucky straight bourbon
Finest whisky with caramel notes
ABV: 56.4%
As if Wild Turkey wasn’t sturdy sufficient, Wild Turkey Uncommon Breed was upped from its already premium energy to 56.4% in 2015. Fortunately, this explicit native Kentucky hen is just not as endangered as its ‘Uncommon’ branding would possibly counsel and a fast web search will reveal shares held captive that may be delivered to your door. You will discover it a really tasty, full-bodied hen with walnut and brazil nuttiness together with distinctive salty caramel.
Obtainable from:
Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Choose Kentucky straight bourbon
Finest spicy bourbon
ABV: 32.3%
The ‘reserved’ gentleman of the bourbon world, Woodford additionally has a high-corn mash invoice (72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley) however with loads of rye to present this Kentucky gent some spicy spine. Woodford has flavours of barbecued corn-on-the cob, blackened fruitcake, gingerbread and darkish bitter chocolate.
Obtainable from:
Evan Williams Single Barrel Classic straight bourbon
Finest classic bourbon
ABV: 43.3%
Every year, the Evan Williams grasp distiller selects barrels for that yr’s classic bottling, with every bottle marked with the date it was put into barrel, together with the yr it was bottled. Naturally, yearly, and certainly each barrel, is barely totally different however this full-bodied bourbon tends to have flavours of toasty maple, vanilla and chargrilled sweetcorn with roasted almonds, earthy apple and enlivening spice.
Obtainable from:
Elijah Craig Small Batch Kentucky straight bourbon
Finest toasty bourbon
ABV: 47%
That is named after Baptist minister Elijah Craig, the person credited with inventing the charring course of that US legislation decrees each barrel for use to make bourbon should bear. The minister, together with 177 of his neighbours, was discovered responsible of distilling and not using a licence on twenty sixth September 1798 and fined $140, his flock clearly drawn by a spirit apart from Holy. With its toasty candy maple, wealthy corn, dried fruit and spice notes, they might have doubtlessly been attracted by this whiskey.
Obtainable from:
4 Roses Kentucky Small Batch straight bourbon
Finest buttery bourbon
ABV: 45%
Blended from lower than 35 barrels, there is a story to this bourbon’s identify. In 1884, Paul Jones Jr. transported his grocery enterprise from Atlanta, Georgia to Louisville, Kentucky. 4 years later, now a whiskey maker, he trademarked the identify 4 Roses, in response to legend, after sending a proposal of marriage to a wonderful Southern belle. She is alleged to have replied saying that if the reply was sure, then she’d put on a corsage of roses in her gown to the up-coming ball, though she ended up saying no. Whereas he might have been bitter, this bourbon is wealthy, buttery and honeyed with popcorn, Christmas spice, blackened fruitcake and vanilla.
Obtainable from:
Jack Daniel’s Previous No.7 Tennessee whiskey
Finest widespread bourbon
ABV: 40%
This final alternative is a tad controversial – even the folks at Jack Daniel’s would say they make a ‘Tennessee whiskey’ and never a bourbon. Nevertheless, the actual fact is Jack complies with all seven ‘ABC’ standards under.
The Lincoln County Course of that units all Tennessee whiskeys aside from bourbon whiskeys is also referred to as ‘charcoal mellowing’. This entails dripping the clear distillate, which emerges after distillation, via vats full of densely-packed laborious sugar maple charcoal.
This course of removes the spirit’s bitter edge, reaching in days what barrel getting older takes years to do. After present process the Lincoln County Course of, the spirit is then aged in virgin oak barrels in the identical method as bourbon.
Jack Daniel’s, and certainly all of the bourbons talked about, are nice served over ice with cola, however please additionally attempt them with only a splash of water at room temperature. Within the case of Jack Daniel’s, attempt serving over ice with soda water rather than cola – the discount in sugar will likely be good to your tooth and weight-reduction plan, and also you’ll respect the popcorn flavours within the whiskey that the soda water reveals.
Obtainable from:
Simon Difford is the founding father of Difford’s Information.
Yellowstone Choose bourbon whiskey
Finest oaky bourbon
ABV: 47%
Produced by distillers with a proud heritage within the whiskey recreation, Yellowstone Choose is called after the well-known Nationwide Park and $1 from every bottle goes to a charity that helps preserve it. That provides a feel-good issue to the acquisition earlier than you even start to benefit from the smoky, peppery and caramel-laced goodness from the Limestone Department distillery. Learn our full evaluation of the Yellowstone Choose bourbon right here.
Obtainable from:
Sonoma Distilling Co. cherrywood smoked bourbon
Finest candy bourbon
ABV: 47.8%
This small-batch bourbon is made utilizing cherrywood smoked barley, giving the bottle a candy and lightweight profile. Citrus fruits meet roasted peanuts and peppery rye on this complicated expression from California. Learn our full evaluation of the Sonoma Distilling Co. bourbon right here.
Obtainable from:
Grasp of Malt (£54.85)
What’s bourbon?
To be labelled a bourbon, the whiskey have to be produced in response to a strict algorithm. The next ABC is a useful approach of remembering the seven key standards that set bourbons aside:
A = American: have to be made within the USA. (Bourbon could be made in any US state, however Kentucky bourbon can solely be made in Kentucky).
B = Barrels: have to be aged in virgin, charred oak barrels at 62.5% ABV or much less. The truth that solely new casks are utilized in bourbon manufacturing retains the Scotch whisky trade equipped with second-hand barrels, and it additionally offers the drink its wealthy flavour.
C = Corn: will need to have a mash invoice shaped from a minimum of 51% corn (however no more than 79%), plus a flavouring grain, both wheat or rye – and a bit of malted barley.
D = Distillation: have to be distilled to a energy of no greater than 80% ABV. Most bourbon is distilled to between 62.5% and 70% ABV.
E = Entry: should go into the barrel at not more than 62.5% ABV.
F = Filling: have to be bottled at a minimal of 40% ABV.
G = Real: should not comprise any synthetic flavours, colors or different alcohols. Watch out for bourbon that omits the time period ‘straight’ on the label and as a substitute has the phrases ‘mix’ or ‘blended’. These might comprise added colouring and may be diluted with unaged impartial spirits.
There isn’t a minimal age requirement for bourbon. Nevertheless, to be termed a ‘straight’ bourbon, the whiskey have to be aged for no less than two years in virgin, charred oak casks.
Any whiskey which has been aged for lower than 4 years should state its age on the label so these within the know can keep away from immature bourbon.
Because of European legal guidelines relating to what constitutes a whiskey, this isn’t such a difficulty within the UK, however beware memento searching when holidaying in America.
Spirit critiques
The perfect whisky from all over the world
The perfect artisan gins
The perfect conventional gins
The perfect rum
The perfect whisky
The perfect vodka
The perfect brandy
Finest whiskey glasses
Bourbon cocktail recipes
Whiskey bitter
Quaint
Manhattan
Mint julep
All our high bourbon cocktail recipes
This evaluation was final up to date in June 2022. In case you have any questions, solutions for future critiques or spot something that has modified in value or availability, please get in contact at goodfoodwebsite@fast.co.uk.
Which bourbon do you drink? Go away your product solutions within the feedback under…
