Bourbon is an interesting spirit. It seems to have two sides. On one side are the over-the-top expensive, allocated bottles that many drinks will never get a chance to drink, like Pappy Van Winkle, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, EH Taylor, and others. The other side is reasonably priced, easy-to-find bottles that deserve a permanent spot on your home bar. Today, I’m writing about this latter group.
Sure, in my years writing about alcohol, I’ve been lucky enough to try some truly epic, sought-after bourbons. And while I have nothing but glowing reviews for many of these expressions, I have a special place in my whiskey-soaked heart for the bottles of bourbon you can stroll into your local whiskey retailer, grab off a shelf, and buy anytime you want without spending the equivalent of a car or mortgage payment.
Why should you try a readily available bourbon?
Obviously, the phrase “readily available” hints at why drinkers should buy these bourbons. That said, many bottom-shelf bourbons are available everywhere. While many of these inexpensive bottles have a place for mixing or rainy-day sipping, that’s not what I’m interested in today. I’m talking about balanced, premium, reasonably priced bourbons you can find on liquor store shelves from Bakersfield to Boca Raton.
How I picked my bourbons
First and foremost, my list is comprised of easy-to-find bottles of bourbon. And I’m not talking about easy for collectors with an “in” at a whiskey retailer. I mean bourbons you can find on store shelves across the country. But I’m not just looking for any readily available bourbon. No, these are well-balanced, flavorful, reasonably priced bourbons. They aren’t overly expensive, but they aren’t bottom shelf. These are well-priced bourbons, perfect for mixing or sipping on a cool fall night. They’re the bottles you’ll want on your home bar as long as you still enjoy the taste of corn whiskey.
The best bourbons available everywhere
Now that you’ve learned what “readily available” means and what makes for a great, easy-to-find bourbon, it’s time to add some to your home bar cart. Below are my favorite bourbons, available everywhere from Tampa to Tacoma (and pretty much everywhere in between). Keep scrolling to see them all. Since they’re readily available, you’ve probably heard of all of these brands. It’s just a matter of whether you’ve tried any. Well, now is that time.
Michter’s US*1 Small Batch
If you only purchase one whiskey on this list, make it Michter’s Small Batch bourbon. This 91.4 proof whiskey doesn’t carry an age statement but is believed to be matured between 5 and 8 years in charred, new American oak barrels. Truly a small-batch expression featuring only around 20 barrels, batched in a holding tank. The result is a complex, balanced whiskey that opens with notes of caramelized sugar, orchard fruits, raisins, butterscotch, honey, and oak. The palate is centered on caramel corn, toasted vanilla beans, crisp apples, wintry spices, and oaky wood notes. The finish is long and warm, ending with a mix of caramel sweetness, oak, and gentle baking spices that leave you craving more. This classic bourbon deserves to be sipped neat or with a splash of water while you sit around an autumnal campfire.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
While you could easily put Wild Turkey 101 in this spot, I believe you get more bang for your buck with Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Despite the “rare” in its name, it’s anything but. You can find it at whiskey retailers throughout the US. This 116.8 proof whiskey is made by blending 6-, 8-, and 12-year-old bourbons. This sippable, mixable whiskey opens with notes of clover honey, dried fruit, toasted vanilla beans, cracked black pepper, candied pecans, and oak. The palate is centered on flavors like vanilla cream, charred oak, sticky toffee pudding, treacle, and gentle wintry spices. The finish is long and lingering, ending with vanilla sweetness, cinnamon candy, and cracked black pepper. It’s big, bold, and should be sipped neat on a cool evening, with a splash or two of water to open up the aromas and flavors.
Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond
In the world of underrated bourbons, Evan Williams reigns supreme. Few whiskeys deserve more love than its Bottle-in-Bond Bourbon. This surprisingly inexpensive bourbon begins with a mash bill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye. It matures for a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse and is bottled at a robust 100 proof. This creates a sublime sipping whiskey that begins with a nose of toffee candy, toasted vanilla beans, charred oak, raisins, and baking spices. Sipping it reveals hints of caramel corn, cracked black pepper, vanilla cookies, orange peels, candied almonds, and charred oak. The finish is long, warm, and dry, ending with a gentle balance of wintry spice and caramelized sugar sweetness. This rich, robust whiskey is best enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or used as the base for your favorite whiskey cocktail.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
While you can’t go wrong with a tried-and-true bottle of Woodford Reserve’s classic Kentucky Straight Bourbon, I prefer the easy-to-find Woodford Reserve Double Oaked with its mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. It gets its name because it’s first matured in new, charred American oak barrels, then undergoes a second maturation in deeply toasted, lightly charred American oak barrels. The result is a 90.4 proof whiskey that begins with aromas of raisins, dates, clover honey, chocolate fudge, toasted marshmallows, charred oak, and caramelized sugar. Tasting it brings notes of candied nuts, orchard fruits, wintry spices, caramel candy, toasted vanilla beans, and dried fruits. The finish is long, warm, and memorable, ending with notes of crisp apples, caramel, and gentle honey sweetness you won’t soon forget. This is the perfect whiskey to sip neat or on the rocks while you sit in a comfy chair with a blanket and finally finish that novel you’ve been trying to read all summer.
