what are the 10 worst bourbons what are the 10 worst bourbons

Anyone new to the category who would like to give a craft product a try should sample this bottle. But Distillerreviewers point out that it has an intense heat, too much cinnamon, and is akin to lighter fluid. The Beam (originally Boehm) family settled in Kentucky and began selling whiskey there in 1795, according to The Whiskey Reviewer. 1. This whiskey embraces a high-rye mash bill thats comprised of 68 percent corn, 28 percent rye, and four percent malted barley which Bulleit has been distilling themselves since 2017. Despite whatever institutional turmoil it has endured, Barton 1792 produces low-key, understated expressions. . Detailed review . Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey Check Price Buy now The Barton 1792 Distiller produces one of the best bottom shelf bourbons in the world today. One Redditor said Town Branch's unpleasant flavor earned it the nickname "hand cleaner." When someone says that the "cherry flavor is way too loud. Its balance and wide appeal are what puts Knob Creek near the top of our list. So they blend it out into the cheap stuff. The perfectly balanced taste of our Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is composed of more than 200 detectable flavor notes, from bold grain and wood, to sweet aromatics, spice, and fruit & floral notes. It goes without saying when a bourbon provokes a description like "vomit inducing turpentine," you should probably think twice before investing $50 for a bottle. Its only $5 more than David Nicholson and just much deeper while also being more approachable and mixable. Maybe it's a sign that this bourbon needs to be locked away. The distinctly American grain spirit must. Their Small Batch Bourbon took double gold in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2018 and was named Best Small Batch at the same competition. In any case, Widow Jane is finished with fresh water from somewhere. The taste is classic bourbon with watery hints of leather, spice, and cornmeal next to vanilla extract, caramel, and old buttered popcorn. It's also flavorful, for the most part. Thirty One Whiskey says that using it as a mixer doesn't really help much, so if you're shopping for affordable, bottom-shelf bourbon, do yourself a favor and don't be a rebel. This suggests their tried-and-true middle-shelf expressions may be a safer bet for most tastes than their limited-edition experiments. Taste your way through the best of the best of America's native spirit. Like a stranger in the night, it's best to just stay away from this one. Some reviewers on Flaviar noted that it had a rather off-putting aftertaste, and the word harsh came up multiple times. This gives Maker's Mark a softer, richer flavor than rye-forward bourbons, with lots of caramel and fruit on the nose, and a pleasant hint of oak, according toBreaking Bourbon. But all things considered, it's a . The Bonded version basically takes everything thats just a whisper in the above version and lets it shine while layering in deeper flavor notes. It's like a story without any real plotline it may be entertaining, but you're bound to get confused and left wondering what just happened. Maybe this one should be tossed overboard. First online real money wager only. It's cringe-worthy no matter how you look at it. The finish is pretty much what youd expect for a bottle under $20 with a quick, watery fade, leaving you with the distant and vague idea of caramel, masa, and sweet oak those features could be a leftover from the nose more than the actual taste. The Willet family lineage and distilling experience extend back multiple centuries, but it was only in 1936 that theWillet Distillery was established on the family's property, three years after the end of prohibition. If super flavorful, bold, and bright bourbon is your calling, then you'll probably want to steer clear of Basil Hayden'sKentucky Straight Bourbon. It's called common sense. Knob Creek's Kentucky Straight Smoked Maple seems to be, according to some bourbon fans, a bad execution of a good idea. According to itswebsite, in 2012 Jefferson's Bourbon teamed up with OCEARCH (an internationally recognized nonprofit that tracks and studies keystone marine creatures) to test out a new bourbon-related theory. The taste delivers on that and expands into peach cobbler territory with mild hints of vanilla and brown sugar syrup with baking spices. There are hints of vanilla, overcooked popcorn, caramel, and what feels like fresh slices of Wonder Bread. Theres a mix of mild spice, bitter oak, ripe stone fruits, creamy vanilla, and an echo of salted caramel with little to no watery presence. Perhaps the quality has diminished over time because Beam Distillery claims that this exact whiskey has graced the desks of US presidents, as well as acclaimed writers like Mark Twain. Theres a bit of steeliness to the nose that mellows hints of dried florals, apple, and a touch of honey and spice. It sounds comparable to taking a mouthful of whiskey mixed with Listerine (At least you'll kill all the germs, right?). Today, many of Old Forester's expressions are formulated and marketed to evoke the brand's long history. And the similarities don't end there Basil Hayden's even boasts the same rye-forward malt bill as Old Grand-Dad. Buffalo Trace. The juice spends four years in barrels before its blended out into this expression and proofed way down to 80 proof. This alcoholic beverage has only been in existence since 2011. Maker's Mark Rather, Brooklyn, New-York-based Widow Jane is a relative newcomer to the bourbon scene. Officially defined as American-made corn-based whiskey aged in new charred oak barrels, bourbon first emerged in the 1780s in Kentucky, where settlers from Scotland and Ireland adapted their whiskey-making skills to local ingredients, as explained by The Spruce Eats. But while easy to love, Buffalo Trace isn't always easy to find. Hudson Bright Lights, Big Bourbon. The end is another left turn with a dusting of dark chocolate with a hint of honey as the water kicks in a fades out the stone fruit, spice, and oak pretty quickly. Price: ~$50. In the context of . This is just a cheap and easy bourbon thats good for mixing with Coke and not much else. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Despite its roots in Kentucky, Four Roses was not sold in the United States for some time, but instead became popular in Europe and Asia, according toThe Spruce Eats. Why the sub-par reviews? Today, Booker's is a mid-to-top shelf bourbon staple a limited quarterly release from Jim Beam Distillery that typically falls between 6 and 7 years old and 120 and 135 proof. The palate is largely the same with a sense of watered-down apple juice, a hint more of that vanilla, some alcohol burn (almost inexplicably), and a touch of chocolate-covered cherries dipped in water. Remember that old adage, "First the worst, second the best?" For the price, Kentucky Bourbon seems to fall flat, and tasters would probably agree with the Reddit user who wrote "I am pretty sure whatever is in this bottle came out of that horse.". The low percentage of rye in the mix lowers the spice and focuses on the honey and leather notes. Interestingly enough, the company was also bottling and selling hand sanitizer during the pandemic. The juice in the bottle is a year younger than a typical Jim Beam bourbon so three-ish years and it is cut way down to 80 proof for bottling. This delicious and smooth bourbon has slight aromas of dark honey and brown butter. It's easily one of the first whiskeys to be thrown into the pit of most regrettable bourbon purchases. This is easy, Wild Turkey 101 all day its only $20. But Id argue that Benchmark Bonded for $20 is such a big jump in quality and flavor that you should try that first. When it comes to bourbon, it's no different. Produced and distilled at Beam Distillery, Old Crow Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the least expensive option on this list, available at around $10 for a 1.75-liter bottle with a discount (via BevMo.com ). Sneaky. Plus, Jim Beam Black Label should only cost you around $19. That's so smooth, it's criminal. $21 at Drizly. George Dickel is actually the flagship spirit from Cascade Hollow Distillery. If your idea of a perfect bourbon is a smooth sipper, characterized by delicate aromas of nuts and fruit and gentle on the palate, Old Grand-Dad is most definitely not for you. Whiskey Advocate writes that this is called the TerraPURE process, and it utilizes ultrasonic waves to speed up the aging process from years to a mere day (and a week or so to rest). This is something that other rye whiskey offerings use to their advantage. Have you ever heard of the Kentucky Chew? The easy path is to just say, get the Eagle Rare 10 for $50 and be done with it. Like a moth to the flame, human beings are naturally drawn to loving shiny objects. Paste Magazine reports that dissatisfaction with pricing is a universal consumer woe regardless of the bourbon. Malt described their Very Old Barton Bottled in Bond as having "a solid quality/price ratio" that would make it a potentially "reliable go-to or house bourbon" were it more readily available. The first bourbon to be distilled in New York makes this list for its high corn mash bill, at 90% corn and 10% malted barley. Jim Beam is not only one of the biggest-selling bourbon brands, but it is one of the oldest. While some craft bourbon can read a bit young and woody on the palate, this whiskey tastes fully mature and carefully produced. All that's known about this whiskey is that the liquid parties involved are aged for a minimum of four years, and that a proportion of the Stitzel-Weller bourbon distilled prior to 1992 is also mixed in. To be fair, not everyone wasted their whole bottle; another commenter on the same thread said that this whiskey is a great ingredient in baked beans. And given the other options at this price point, there are definitely better spirits available to scratch your rye whiskey itch.". As a wheater, it tastes similar to Maker's or W. L. Weller: mellow, with hints of citrus and tree fruit. One taster compared this bottle to "grass clippings and gasoline aged in turpentine barrels," which doesn't sound like anything we'd want to put in our mouths (via Distiller). Unfortunately, you can't make a wish and ask for your $50 back. The first Booker's Bourbon batch of 2023, Charlie's Batch, is an intense and extra-caramelized delight, one of the best Booker's batches. Tasters on Distiller claim that this bourbon is flavorless, hard to get down, and incredibly bland and boring. These aren't the cheapest bottles you can find, but they are some of the best. Union Horse White Bourbon Whiskey 3. Whiskey Warehouse reviewed this spirit on YouTube, pointing out that it's thin and really has nothing going for it, other than smelling (and tasting) like watered-down bourbon. And while some bourbon fans love this rough-and-ready style (Lynyrd Skynyrd gave the brand a shout-out in on of their songs, as noted byWhiskey Reviewer), it's definitely not for everyone, which is why we're putting it low on our list. Sounds like most of the finances for this experimental spirit were put to really good use in the marketing and branding department. As 31 Whiskey noted, "Basil Hayden's is to Old Grand-Dad as Acura is to Honda." Old Foresters 86 Proof is a very straightforward whisky. Best $50 to $100 bourbon: Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon - See at Drizly Arguably the world's best bourbon whiskey, Buffalo Trace is serious value for money. And you're also going to want a nice, greasy meal the next morning to help you with that hangover. While whiskey can be made anywhere, bourbon can only be made in the United States, according to Distiller, and its mash bill (grain composition) must contain at least 51% corn, a grain native to the Americas. It's the bestselling bourbon in the entire world (via VinePair ), so chances are that when the average consumer thinks about this particular whiskey type, Jim Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the taste at the tip of their tongue. 13. It's all good when you're drinking the best bourbon under $100: 6. Double Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon 20 Year Old- $20,400. Claim Now Must be 21+. This Heaven Hill bourbon is standard bourbon made with its iconic mash bill of 78 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and ten percent rye (the same as Evan Williams and Elijah Craig). This has a very classic and spicy bourbon nose with clear hints of vanilla, oak, spice, and wood. The Whiskey Shelf noted that it "has some of the quintessential bourbon flavors, but overall there's not a lot going on," and Breaking Bourbon said its "straightforward and approachable flavor profile" makes it a "good base for cocktails.". But unfortunately, this spirit doesn't seem to live up to its trademark slogan: "You never forget your first sip of Basil Hayden." Bourbon makers can play this game too, producing both unpretentious mass-market bottles and more refined, smaller-batch expressions. No, Widow Jane is not Basil Hayden's elderly aunt. It also explains why the label has a picture of a brown horse on the front. Officially defined as American-made corn-based whiskey aged in new charred oak barrels, bourbon first emerged in the 1780s in Kentucky, where settlers from Scotland and Ireland adapted their whiskey-making skills to local ingredients, as explained byThe Spruce Eats. This makes perfect sense because the bourbon is named after Dr. James Crow, a Scottish physician and chemist who invented the sour mash process, an important step in distillation (via Whiskey Raw). Flavor is sweet at first, with a hint of old leather although it has some oak char bitterness, but nothing too severe. So unless you're interested in dropping $35 to $40 for a pretty bottle that happens to be filled with unpleasant whiskey, don't do it. This bourbon is an award winner (Double Gold at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Platinum at the 2018 SIP Awards). And this is where brands like Evan Williams come in handy. The juice is a bourbon blend thats a minimum of four years old. So how does it taste? Making a drink summery and wintery and pleasant to drink at the same time sounds like a fool's errand but Elijah Craig seems to have figured it out. Because theyre not going to just dump a barrel of whiskey into the gutter, right? Just get an Evan Williams White Label. The Michter's range includes bourbon, rye, American whiskey, and sour mash whiskey. PerBreaking Bourbon, it features the expected caramel, toffee, and vanilla notes on the nose, followed by a hit of spice, oak, and butterscotch. Literally tastes like dirt." It absolutely nails the classic Wild Turkey flavor profile and perhaps more importantly, finds the perfect balance between its fruity and sweet notes against its aged oak flavors. 1792 Sweet Wheat - $35. One Redditoreven claimed that they "poured it down the sink after a dram and felt bad for the drain and my wallet.". Brought to you by the Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company (not to be confused with Lexington Bourbon, the ones who brought you the bottle with a horse on it), Town Branch Kentucky Straight can only be described as a waste of money. Check out GAYOT's 10 Top Bourbons from the least expensive offerings to the priciest bottles. (That's a good thing.). Getty Images for Bulleit Frontier Whiskey 1. As The Bourbon Bard noted, "It's versatile with the fruit notes lending themselves to summer drinking and the spice coming through for colder winter nights." The Whiskey Shelf even compared it to Larceny. AsThirty One Whiskey writes, "Aging happens for a reason namely to give the spirit some depth and complexity that otherwise is missing. The burn carries through to the finish, muting the vanilla, peanut, caramel, and oak. W. L. Weller, 12-Year-Old Bourbon. It's aged for more than six years in American oak barrels, giving it what Ohanneson says are "notes of caramel, peanut brittle, and a thread of delicate, early summer fruit." Kentucky Gentlemen is brought to you by the Sazerac Company (known for Fireball,Myer's Rum, and Southern Comfort, to name a few), and distilled by the seventh-largest distillery in the world,Barton/1792 Distillery(via Whiskey University). It'll be interesting to see how Widow Jane evolves once its own distilled products start to enter the picture. When it comes to this bourbon, save yourself a trip to the dentist. SLB Basement Bourbon Bar goes into detail about this regrettable purchase, saying that it is very grainy, bitter, thin, and young, and the alcohol burn isn't anything to joke about. So you'd think that this boozy elixir would, you know, at least have some nice legs on it. Distillery: Wild Turkey. Winchester Straight Bourbon is the product of individuals who are probably more interested in the money side of the distilling world than the crafting process and end product. This is a distillery to put high on your list. Baby Bourbon (version 1.0) was groundbreaking in that it was the first legal whiskey made in New York since prohibition (via DrinkUpNY). Woodford Reserve is a modern bourbon brand with deep roots per Breaking Bourbon, it's produced and bottled in a distillery dating back to 1780. If you want to stick with Diageo, however, then Id recommend getting yourself some George Dickel Bottled-In-Bond for $40. Shipping is a great deal: $15 flat rate under $200; free shipping for orders over $200. From Heaven Hill Distillery, Henry McKenna is a lovely sipping bourbon with slight herbaceous notes and hints of spices and honey. Wild Turkey Rare Breed. This 95% New York-grown corn bourbon holds the distinction of being the first (legal) whiskey produced in the state since Prohibition . Apparently not, because it's also pretty thin. Imagine Kentucky Chewing on that. The Whiskey Jug reviewed Angel's Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon, and the tasting notes seem to be echoed across the web. What's even more mind-boggling is that in 2018, this bourbon won Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. More typically, it goes for $22 to $25 which makes you wonder about the aphorism "You get what you pay for." The Best Ten-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskeys, Tasted Blind And Ranked Barton 1792 Distillery Kentucky Tavern Sazerac Company ABV:40% Average Price:$8 The Whiskey: Barton 1792 Distillery part of. But unlike most other bourbon brands, Maker's Mark does not contain any rye, instead supplementing the corn with red winter wheat, according to The Spruce Eats. #7. Breaking Bourbon further noted that its smoothness, sweetness, and complexity make it easy and enjoyable to drink for both experienced and novice bourbon tasters.