There’s a huge range of whiskey styles made all over the world, and all across the United States, too. But when it comes to American whiskeys, it’s hard to compete with bourbon. It’s essentially the spirit equivalent of apple pie, the most American alcohol on the market. To earn the moniker “bourbon,” it must be made from 51% corn and every step of the process—mashing, distilling and aging—must be completed within U.S. borders.
But in spite of the rigorous rules, there’s still plenty of diversity in the category—which can make it difficult to pick and choose a bottle to buy. Across the country, producers experiment with nearly every aspect of the process, from the blend of grains used for the base and barrels in which the liquid is aged to the amount of time it’s aged and the final alcohol level. There are blended bourbons, cask-finished bourbons, high-rye bourbons—you get the drill.
Confused? Don’t stress. The bourbons that made Wine Enthusiast’s list of the Best Spirits of 2023 reflect that variation with best-in-class picks for a wide range of styles. There are classic Kentucky and bottled-in-bond bourbons, multiple budget-friendly picks, as well as barrel-aged versions that make use of a wide range of different casks. The mix covers not just this year’s top-scoring bottles, but more importantly, those that ignited our tasters’ curiosity and imaginations.
Here are the top bourbons of 2023.
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Best Independent Bourbon
Lost Lantern Soaring Spice
The name is apt: this bourbon truly offers an explosion of spice from the first sip. Bold cayenne, cinnamon sweet heat and cardamom meld with caramel, maple and oak, finishing long, with black-pepper sparks and a touch of sandalwood incense. From independent bottler Lost Lantern, this is part of the Single Distillery Series, specifically a bottling from Frey Ranch Distiller in Fallon, NV. 97 Points — Kara Newman
Best Cask-Finished Bourbon
Bhakta Armagnac Cask Finish Bourbon 2013
What’s in the bottle is a nearly 100% corn bourbon distilled in Indiana in 2013, aged about nine years, finished in ex-Armagnac casks and bottled in Vermont. That translates into robust caramel plus an unusual explosion of orange peel and orange oils on the first sips. Add a splash of water to draw out hints of hazelnut, pecan and mocha. Salted caramel and a hint of prune frame the long, mouthwatering finish. Sip or mix a drink with minimal adornment, like an Old Fashioned. 96 Points — K.N.
Best Blended Bourbon
Barrell Bourbon Batch #035
This is a mix of straight bourbons from Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana, ranging in age from six to 13 years old. The end result is a mix of rich caramel and toffee on nose and palate. Each sip opens relatively dry, with oak and hints of espresso and dark chocolate, but finishes long and luxe, showing mocha tinged with hazelnut and a final burst of fiery ginger heat. 96 Points — K.N.
Best High-Rye Bourbon
High N’ Wicked Bourbon
This super-high-rye bourbon is complex and enticing. Mellow toffee and oak aromas lead into a silky but spicy palate. Sarsaparilla, allspice, nutmeg and clove surround a faint ripple of butterscotch. The relatively dry finish offers hints of cedar, roasted grain and cigar tobacco. 95 Points — K.N.
Best Kentucky Bourbon
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged
The oldest expression from the venerable distillery, this includes a blend of 11- and 12-year-old bourbons, each aged about half its life in a limestone cellar to slow the extraction of tannins. It drinks similarly to the standard Maker’s, with plenty of caramel, charcoal and spice, but with a bit more intensity and oak. This is the 2023 edition; there will be a new edition each year going forward. 95 Points — K.N.
Blade and Bow Bourbon
There’s no age statement on the label; that’s intentional. The lore of this liquid is that it includes a small amount of the last bourbon ever produced at the iconic Stitzel-Weller distillery, which closed in 1992. (Diageo re-opened it in 2014.) This blend of straight bourbons offers vanilla on nose and palate, leading into almond and a hint of dried apricot. The finish is lively and relatively dry, with grapefruit peel, leather and chamomile tea. Overall, it’s a light-handed and pleasing take, regardless of how much (or little) old/rare distillate is actually in the glass. 93 Points — K.N.
Best Budget Bourbon
Dragon’s Milk Beer Barrel Bourbon
Finished in Dragon’s Milk Stout barrels, this bold bourbon opens with a distinct hoppy aroma, mingled with subtle fresh apple and almond. The lively palate echoes that hoppy note, focusing it on a roasty, malty backbone that is accented with a hint of cocoa nibs. Juicy Granny Smith apple and grapefruit-peel astringency make the mouth water, creating an effect that’s light and refreshing. A hint of ginger crackles on the finish. Best Buy. 95 Points — K.N.
Bank Street Reserve Bourbon
Bank Street Reserve Bourbon
Expect a honey hue and an aroma that suggests rich caramel and toasted nuts. The palate opens with vanilla sweetness, pecan and chestnut cream, lingering in a clove and black-pepper finish. This is a five-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon bottled in New Jersey. Best Buy. 94 Points — K.N.
Best Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
Best Wheated Bourbon
Castle & Key Small Batch Wheated Bourbon 2022 Batch #1
This is a five-year-old bourbon, released in 2022. Concentrated caramel aromas entice. The bold palate opens with vanilla and oak, and a surprising peach-nectar hint. Grapefruit peel and coconut emerge on the exhale, shored up by ginger and white-pepper sparks. 94 Points — K.N.
Best Barrel-Proof Bourbon
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon
Aged 11 years and five months, the latest edition in the Barrel Proof series is a straight-up vanilla bomb, start to finish. Along the way, espresso and hints of dark fruit, clove and black pepper add complexity, ending long and super-drying, with oak and toasted almond. Batch #B523. 93 Points — K.N.
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All products featured here are independently selected by our team, which is comprised of experienced writers and wine tasters and overseen by editorial professionals at Wine Enthusiast headquarters. All ratings and reviews are performed blind in a controlled setting and reflect the parameters of our 100-point scale. Wine Enthusiast does not accept payment to conduct any product review, though we may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this site. Prices were accurate at the time of publication.
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