Single barrel bourbons are some of the most exciting bottles to open. Each one comes from a single cask, which means no two are exactly the same. They are limited, distinctive, and often reveal surprising depth.
The 2025 International Spirits Challenge highlighted several standouts. Here are the gold and silver medal winners in the single barrel bourbon category, all aged ten years or younger and recognized for exceptional quality.
1792 Single Barrel Bourbon
Award: Silver Medal
Tasting Notes: Rich butterscotch, caramel, fruit, toffee
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BUY NOW: From $34
1792 Single Barrel is produced at the historic Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. It uses the distillery’s high-rye mash bill, which brings a spicy backbone to the sweeter corn notes. There is no age statement, but most barrels are matured between six and twelve years before selection. Bottling strength is 93.7 proof.
Each barrel is hand-picked for its character, making every release slightly different. The result is a bourbon that balances sweetness with rye spice. It remains one of the more accessible single barrel bourbons on the market.
Chestnut Farms Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Award: Silver Medal
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, caramel, burnt sugar, dried fruit, mint, oak, spice
BUY NOW: From $220
Chestnut Farms is produced by Sazerac at Barton 1792 in Bardstown. It is a Kentucky straight bourbon released under the Clear Spring Distilling Co. name, often as a retailer exclusive. As a Bottled in Bond whiskey, it is aged at least four years, distilled at a single distillery, and bottled at 100 proof.
The bourbon reportedly uses Barton’s high-rye mash bill, giving it both sweetness and spice. Limited releases make it harder to find. For those who track it down, it offers a classic Bottled in Bond profile with a touch more richness.
Doc Holliday 7 Year Straight Bourbon Single Barrel
Award: Gold Medal
Tasting Notes: Spice, caramel, oak, tobacco
BUY NOW: From $94
The Doc Holliday line is bottled by the World Whiskey Society, which sources rare barrels from established distilleries. The 7 Year Straight Bourbon is distilled in Indiana, using a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. It is bottled at cask strength, around 116 proof.
Each barrel yields only about 200 bottles, which makes every release limited and distinct. At seven years of age, the bourbon shows both the punch of rye spice and the smooth sweetness of longer maturation. Suggested retail price is around $85 to $90, although its collectible nature can drive higher secondary prices.
Doc Holliday 10 Year Straight Bourbon Single Barrel
Award: Silver Medal
Tasting Notes: Caramel, orange zest, rye spice, milk chocolate, malt, tobacco
BUY NOW: From $160
This bourbon is also part of WWS’s Western Collection, which celebrates frontier legends with rare single barrel releases. The 10 Year is bottled at barrel strength. It was distilled in Oklahoma and aged for a full decade in new charred oak.
Only a small number of these barrels were bottled, often sold in special collector sets. The combination of bold rye spice, deep oak character, and long maturation helped it secure a Silver medal in 2025.
E.H. Taylor Jr Single Barrel
Award: Gold Medal
Tasting Notes: Toasted oak, dried figs, butterscotch, tobacco, dark spices
BUY NOW: From $95
This single barrel release is part of the Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. lineup from Buffalo Trace. Named after one of bourbon’s most important pioneers, it honors Taylor’s role in championing the Bottled in Bond Act. Each barrel is hand-selected from Warehouse C, built in 1881, and bottled at 100 proof under bond.
The mash bill is Buffalo Trace’s low-rye recipe, and most barrels are aged eight to ten years. At retail, the bottle is priced around $60, but limited releases mean demand often pushes prices higher. Its balance of oak, sweetness, and spice made it a standout for the judges.
Uncle Nearest Single Barrel Batch #905
Award: Silver Medal
Tasting Notes: Toffee, red berries, cherries, oak, baking spices, caramel
BUY NOW: From $85
Uncle Nearest is distilled in Shelbyville, Tennessee, and honors the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first known African American master distiller. Batch 905 was bottled at 122 proof and carries a five-year age statement. Like all Uncle Nearest whiskeys, it is made using the Lincoln County Process of charcoal mellowing.
Only select barrels are chosen for the Single Barrel series by Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler. Priced around $80 to $100, these releases are limited but available across the brand’s wide distribution network. The high proof and layered sweetness helped Batch 905 secure its Silver medal.
W.L. Weller Single Barrel
Award: Gold Medal
Tasting Notes: Cherry, mint, vanilla, caramel, baking spices, cocoa, cinnamon, coffee, pepper
BUY NOW: From $350
W.L. Weller Single Barrel was first released in 2020 as part of the wheated bourbon family at Buffalo Trace. Each barrel is selected for its individual character, then bottled at 97 proof. The mash bill replaces rye with wheat, which softens the profile and enhances sweetness.
There is no age statement, but barrels are typically in the 8–12 year range. MSRP is around $50, though high demand and limited supply make it difficult to find at that level. Its smooth, layered profile and rarity helped it earn a Gold medal in 2025.
