Looking for the best bourbons of 2025? From bold craft releases to heritage classics, these award-winning bourbons have all earned top honours from respected global competitions.
Whether you’re new to bourbon or a seasoned enthusiast, this list breaks down five standout bottles — including their tasting notes, production highlights, and who they’re perfect for. If you’re exploring what to try next, these whiskies are a great place to start.
10,000 Drops Craft Distillers Single Barrel Bourbon (Double Gold – SFWSC 2024)
Best for: Craft bourbon fans looking to venture beyond Kentucky.
Buy Now: $68.53
This single barrel release from Minnesota’s 10,000 Drops Distillery offers an impressive display of flavor and balance, especially given its youth. Aged at least four years and bottled non-chill filtered, each barrel is individually proofed for optimal flavor. It features a high-rye mash bill and typically clocks in around 100 proof.
Expect a bold yet approachable dram, with notes of charred oak, vanilla, caramel, and baking spice. While the distillery keeps things traditional, the result is anything but ordinary. Earning a Double Gold at San Francisco means every judge on the panel agreed it was a gold-worthy pour. For those seeking a confident step into the world of independent American whiskey, this one delivers.
10,000 Drops was founded in 2015 by three lifelong friends: Rob, Jake, and Pat. The brand’s home is located in a four-storey Peterson Art Furniture building that dates back 100 years. The three friends learned all that they could about crafting award-winning spirits, before firing up the stills in 2018.
Kentucky Peerless Toasted Bourbon (Gold, 98 Points – IWSC 2024)
Best for: High-proof drinkers who love rich, dessert-like complexity.
Buy Now: From $99
Peerless is known for its bold, full-flavored bourbons, and this toasted expression is no exception. Aged first in traditional level #3 charred oak before a secondary maturation in toasted barrels, this release is bottled at full cask strength, with the award-winning batch coming in at 55.5% ABV. The distillery uses a sweet mash fermentation and never chill-filters, preserving its intensity and depth.
Peerless Head Taster, John Wadell, emphasises the rigorous nature of barrel selection: “We hand-select each barrel for the finishing process. We chose to use a medium toast because it contains less tannins which results in a more aromatic whiskey with warm, sweet, savory character and strong vanilla overtones.”
IWSC judges were especially impressed, awarding it a near-perfect 98 points and praising its “captivating aromas” and “layers of caramel, delicate nuttiness, and a creamy embrace.” Expect a layered sip of honey, cinnamon, oak, and dark chocolate. This is a standout for anyone who enjoys the richness of double-barrel finishes and the intensity of uncut bourbon without sacrificing balance.
George T. Stagg (#9 Whiskey of the Year -WC 2024)
Best for: Experienced bourbon lovers who enjoy big, unapologetic flavor.
Buy Now: From $800
George T. Stagg needs no introduction. It is a benchmark for cask-strength bourbon. The 2023 release — judged in 2024 — was aged over 15 years and bottled at a fiery 67.5% ABV, uncut and unfiltered. It’s made from Buffalo Trace’s low-rye mash bill and matured in new charred oak barrels, typically with a deep No. 4 char.
Despite its strength, it’s remarkably balanced. Official notes highlight layers of toffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, and molasses, with undertones of cherry, tobacco, and mint. Judges awarded it nearly 95 points, noting its powerful yet refined profile. This is a bottle for those who relish complexity and heat in equal measure.
Due to the limited nature of George T. Stagg releases, this bottle will set you back quite a few dollars. However, if you are a bourbon connoisseur looking to sample the best of the best, it might well be worth it.
Widow Jane 10 Year Old Bourbon (Double Gold – International Spirits Challenge 2024)
Best for: Bourbon newcomers and those who value smooth, balanced pours.
Buy Now: From $63
Blended in Brooklyn using sourced bourbons from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, Widow Jane 10 Year is proof that great bourbon doesn’t need to come from a single state, or even a single barrel. Bottled at 45.5% ABV and non-chill filtered, each small batch is proofed with limestone-rich water from the Rosendale Mines in New York, giving it a distinctive mouthfeel.
On the nose, you’ll find vanilla, nutmeg, and cream; on the palate, orange peel, maple, and dark cherry, with a gentle almond and oak finish. This consistent award-winner is rich without being heavy, making it ideal for casual sipping or introducing someone to bourbon.
Our very own Phil Dwyer is a huge fan of this bourbon and highly recommends visiting Widow Jane in Brooklyn if you ever get the chance.
Old Elk 9 Year Old Straight Bourbon (Gold – Best Non-Kentucky Bourbon, World Whiskies Awards America 2025)
Best for: Scotch fans and curious drinkers looking for something different.
Buy Now: N/A
Distilled in Indiana and aged in Colorado, this Old Elk bourbon breaks with Kentucky tradition. With a mash bill that includes an unusually high percentage of malted barley. According to the brand, this recipe contains 4 times more malted barley than the industry standard.
Old Elk’s 9 Year Old delivers a silky, malt-forward profile that stands out in a sea of corn-heavy bourbons. The bourbon is bottled using a proprietary “slow cut” proofing process that softens the final spirit without losing depth.
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WWA judges described it as having “graham crackers on the nose, garden vegetables and earth on the palate, and a soft caramel finish.” That combination of sweet and savory, layered over a gentle oak structure, makes this an intriguing bottle for fans of single malts or anyone wanting to explore bourbon’s more nuanced side.
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