Bourbon

The 10 Best Bourbons You Can Buy Right Now

We stock over 300 bourbons at LoveScotch. These 10 made the list because they're exceptional, consistently available, and worth every dollar — whether you're buying your first bottle or hunting something rare.

Which style are you looking for?

Smooth & wheated → #7 Weller Special Reserve, #9 Maker's Mark 46

High-rye & spicy → #5 Four Roses Single Barrel, #8 Bulleit 10 Year

Single barrel & allocated → #2 Blanton's, #6 Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

Special occasion / gift → #3 Woodford Double Oaked, #4 Pappy 15 Year

→ Skip the list and browse all 300+ bourbons

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1 — Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Caramel, vanilla, oak | ABV: 45%

The benchmark. If you've never tried it, start here — and if you have, you already know why it's #1. Caramel, vanilla, a clean finish. Endlessly drinkable. The fact that it's still under $40 when you can find it is the best deal in bourbon.

Who it's for: First-time buyers, everyday sippers, cocktail makers.

→ Buy Buffalo Trace

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2 — Blanton's Original Single Barrel

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Citrus, caramel, spice | ABV: 46.5%

Every bottle is drawn from a single barrel and sealed with Blanton's iconic horse-and-jockey stopper. That's not just packaging — it means every bottle is genuinely different. Notes of citrus, orange peel, caramel, and a warming spice finish. One of the most collected bourbons in America.

Who it's for: Gift buyers, collectors, anyone who wants something they'll remember.

→ Buy Blanton's Original

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3 — Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Chocolate, vanilla, toasted oak | ABV: 45.2%

Aged twice — first in a standard charred oak barrel, then finished in a second deeply toasted barrel. The result is unusually rich: dark chocolate, vanilla cream, toasted caramel. Smoother than its ABV suggests. A genuine step up from standard Woodford.

Who it's for: Scotch drinkers making the switch, fans of rich and complex profiles.

→ Buy Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

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4 — Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve 15 Year

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Dried fruit, cinnamon, caramel | ABV: 53.5%

There's a reason Pappy has a waiting list at most retailers. 15 years in oak produces something almost no other bourbon achieves — dried fruit depth, leather, cinnamon, and a finish that genuinely lingers. This is the bottle you open for something worth celebrating.

Who it's for: Serious collectors, enthusiasts looking for the best, memorable gifts.

→ Buy Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year

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5 — Four Roses Single Barrel

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Cherry, cocoa, vanilla | ABV: 50%

Four Roses makes 10 distinct bourbon recipes — the Single Barrel pulls the best individual barrels from that lineup. High-rye mashbill means spice up front: cherry, cocoa, vanilla, and a long warm finish. One of the most under-appreciated bottles at this price.

Who it's for: Anyone who finds standard bourbons too sweet, fans of rye-forward profiles.

→ Buy Four Roses Single Barrel

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6 — Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Marshmallow, cinnamon, caramel | ABV: 47%

Elijah Craig starts strong, and the Toasted Barrel takes it further — finished in a second toasted (not charred) barrel for marshmallow, cinnamon, and brown sugar notes that stand out in a blind tasting every time.

Who it's for: People who love dessert-forward profiles without going overboard on sweetness.

→ Buy Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

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7 — W.L. Weller Special Reserve

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Honey, butterscotch, oak | ABV: 45%

Weller is the wheated bourbon gateway. Same wheat-forward mashbill philosophy as Pappy Van Winkle, without the four-figure price tag. Honey, butterscotch, light oak — soft and approachable. If you want to understand what makes wheated bourbon special before spending big, start here.

Who it's for: Whiskey newcomers, Scotch drinkers, people who find standard bourbons too harsh.

→ Buy W.L. Weller Special Reserve

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8 — Bulleit 10 Year Old

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Dried fruit, toffee, spice | ABV: 45.6%

Bulleit's standard expression is already high-rye and spicy. The 10 Year adds time and complexity — dried fruit, toffee, and a deeper spice note. More nuanced, longer finish, better for sipping neat.

Who it's for: Bulleit fans ready to step up, fans of spicy high-rye profiles.

→ Buy Bulleit 10 Year

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9 — Maker's Mark 46

Region: Kentucky | Tasting Notes: Caramel, spice, vanilla | ABV: 47%

Maker's Mark 46 takes the original wheated recipe and finishes it with French oak staves — adding caramel depth and a spicy complexity the classic doesn't have. Smoother than you'd expect, richer than you might guess from the price. One of the best under-$60 bourbons on the market.

Who it's for: Maker's fans ready for something more, people who like smooth with a bit of bite.

→ Buy Maker's Mark 46

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10 — Balcones Texas Pot Still Bourbon

Region: Texas | ABV: 63%

Not Kentucky, not the standard playbook. Balcones distills in Texas with a pot still and local grain, producing a bourbon that's distinctly American but distinctly its own — big, bold, and unapologetically different. If you've worked through the Kentucky classics and want to explore, this is the move.

Who it's for: Adventurous drinkers, American whiskey enthusiasts looking beyond Kentucky.

→ Find Balcones at LoveScotch

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Ready to shop? All 10 bottles above are in stock at LoveScotch. We carry 300+ bourbons — everyday drinkers, single barrels, and rare allocated bottles — with flat rate shipping from $19.95 to 42 states.

→ Browse the Full Bourbon Collection