Here are the best bourbons in 2022:

Credit: https://www.insider.com/guides/kitchen/best-bourbon (Thanks to Scott Foreman for sharing!)

If you’re new to bourbon, learning what to drink and how to drink it can be intimidating. Fortunately, there’s no wrong way to enjoy it. “The most important thing is that they have a good time,” said Jeremy Johnson, owner of Meta cocktail bar in Louisville, Kentucky. “Bourbon’s all about having a good time.” 

To find the best bourbons, I traveled the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, toured eight distilleries, talked to countless experts, and tried over 100 bourbons. While our picks are based on expert recommendations and several tastings, preferences are subjective and personal. “Everybody’s palate is different,” said Henry Kwok, owner of Henry’s Place, a bourbon bar in Okemos, Michigan. “It’s really subjective.”

We curated our list so that the bourbons below will appeal to most drinkers. This is an excellent place to start if you want to get into bourbon — we also recommend checking out our beginner’s guide to drinking bourbon.

Best bourbon overall: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon has smooth, complex aromas and flavors, plus a delicious finish that makes for an outstanding neat drink.

Best budget bourbon under $20: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Costing less than $20 a bottle, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon has a smooth, well-rounded taste that works just as well in a cocktail as it does on its own.

Best budget bourbon under $30: Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
If you want complex flavor without breaking the bank, Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon offers a pleasant burst of flavor while remaining smooth.

Best $50 to $100 bourbon: Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon
Henry McKenna Single Barrel is an outstanding sipping bourbon for drinkers who prefer a mix of sweetness and bite.

Best bourbon for Old Fashioneds: Old Forester 100 Bourbon
With its high-rye mash bill and combination of spice and smoothness, Old Forester 100 is the ideal bourbon to use in an Old Fashioned.

Best sipping bourbon: Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon
Though it’s getting harder to find, Knob Creek 12 Year Bourbon has an impressive, spice-forward flavor profile that makes it great to sip on its own.

Best wheated bourbon: Maker’s Mark Bourbon
If you don’t like the spiciness of most bourbons, consider Maker’s Mark, a wheated bourbon that offers sweet, caramel notes.

Best Tennessee whiskey: George Dickel Superior Recipe No. 12 Tennessee Whisky
If you’re looking to try Tennessee whiskey, George Dickel Superior Recipe No. 12 is your best option with its delicious vanilla and charred oak flavoring and smoky finish.

Best barrel proof bourbon: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon
With up to 140 proof, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon is not for the faint of heart, yet it provides strong sweet flavors from nose to finish.

Best non-Kentucky bourbon: Smoke Wagon Small Batch Bourbon
Distilled in Indiana and aged in Nevada, Smoke Wagon Small Batch is an outstanding non-Kentucky bourbon featuring complex flavors, an exquisite mouthfeel, and a pleasant finish.

What else we tasted

I tasted more than 100 bourbons for this guide, and several are suitable alternatives if you can’t find our picks online or in the store.

Buffalo Trace brands: Buffalo Trace makes some of the best bourbons in the world, including Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, EH Taylor, Stagg Jr., Blanton’s, and my personal favorite, Weller. Unfortunately, demand has made these bourbons difficult to find in stores (and some, like Pappy, nearly impossible). So, we didn’t include them in our guide, but if you find one of them on shelves in a liquor store at a reasonable price, I encourage you to try it.

Jack Daniels: I tested Jack Daniel’s 10 Year and Bonded for this guide. I loved the 10-year. It was light on the tongue, smoky and sweet.  Unfortunately, you can no longer find it in stores. The Bonded is an excellent option worth trying. It isn’t as complex as the 10-year, but it’s still a good sipper.

Balcones Texas Pot Still: This has a unique flavor profile. The distiller describes a nose of “oiled glove” and a palate of “leather,” which doesn’t sound appealing, yet I was drawn to it. This is the one if you want a truly one-of-a-kind, complex bourbon.

Four Roses: I toured the Four Roses Distillery and tried its four main bourbons: Four Roses, Small Batch, Single Barrel, and Small Batch Select. My favorite was the Small Batch Select, with its many layers of flavors, including oak, chocolate, and campfire. However, it’s pricey.

Bulleit 10 Year: This rye bourbon is an excellent option for cocktails or on its own. I liked the balance of charred oak and vanilla and the medium smoky finish.

Woodford Reserve: I appreciated the ensemble of flavors in this one: coconut and oak with hints of caramel and chocolate. The nose matched the palate, and the finish was lingering and smooth.

Widow Jane 10 Year: Blended in New York from bourbons distilled in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, Widow Jane has a distinct, rich flavor profile. When you sip it, this pricey bourbon coats your tongue with a cherry and maple sweetness plus almond notes. The charred oak comes out in a long, mild finish.

Grand Traverse: I first liked this high-rye Michigan bourbon, but its strong corn flavor started to wear on me. It reminds me of sitting around on a hot summer day, shucking corn, while an apple pie bakes. The finish was long and smooth. If you want a truly unique bourbon, give this a try.

Jim Beam: I liked cooking with Jim Beam. It’s inexpensive, yet it imparts a distinct bourbon flavor to pies, glazes, candied bacon, and more. Jim Beam Black was my favorite of the three expressions I tried, but the flavor was pretty basic. Still, it finished third in our taste test. 

Larceny Barrel Proof: If you’re looking for a great wheated bourbon, pick up Larceny Barrel Proof. This Heaven Hill brand tastes great. It’s strong and sweet and gives you a long, warm “Kentucky hug” finish.

Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond: This new 7-year BIB bourbon seems to be flying off the shelves. I enjoyed the ensemble of flavors. Vanilla, caramel, and honey come through the light nose and palate. While the sweetness dominates, charred oak is also present. The finish is long and smooth.

Uncle Nearest 1884: This small-batch Tennessee whiskey has notes of apple, vanilla, and maple on the nose. The mouthfeel is incredibly dry, as if it evaporates on the tongue. It also brings a lot of spice to the palate, suggesting it could be suitable for cocktails.

Castle & Key: The Castle & Key bourbon didn’t make our guide because you can’t find it anywhere. The distillery didn’t even have samples when I visited. The brand sent me samples, and I thought the bourbon was a good sipper. The flavor reminded me of sticky toffee pudding. Castle & Key is relatively new and will likely have more barrels reach maturity soon.

FEW: Distilled in Illinois, FEW is a sweet bourbon with an intense maple nose and vanilla tasting notes. The finish was short and mellow. I’d want something more complex at this price point, but this is a good option for drinkers who want a smooth, straightforward bourbon.