Father's Day Gift Guide 2025: The Best Bourbon's

Forbes

28-05-2025

Whiskey glasses on barrel in a whiskey distillery.
De Agostini via Getty Images
In the 115 years since it was founded, Father's Day has seen countless numbers of ho-hum gifts bestowed upon Dad in appreciation of an often thankless job. We all know the scene. Dad opens his gift and acts like the tie, hat, gardening tool, book, or other such item was just what he wanted. Everyone smiles, and Dad goes back to his routine, often setting his gift aside to be quickly forgotten.
But it doesn't have to be like that. Instead, you can go against the norm and drop a fantastic bottle of bourbon into your father's lap this year. If he loves a good cocktail, it should bring a big smile to his face and provide many happy thoughts each time he enjoys it. Hopefully, he will even share a sip with you to show his appreciation for finally getting something he truly wanted. But where do you find a truly special bottle of bourbon?
Look no further than the recently released Best In Class finalists at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. As one of the world's most prestigious competitions, distillers send their best bottles to the event, hoping to Wow their judges. This year, the event singled out 35 bourbons from a field of over 500 bottles across eight separate categories; these are the crème of the crop. All are in the running to be named the World's Best Bourbon.
But many of them are virtually impossible to lay your hands on-they are limited releases, experimental batches, and such. I scoured the list, and here are nine bottles that you can lay your hands on if you act quickly. All are reasonably priced, can be ordered online, and should blow your Dad's mind. If my kids are reading this, you know what I want.
Hailing from Vail, Colorado, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company pays homage to the soldiers of the legendary US Army division that was formed during World War II and trained nearby. Many of its veterans returned home to establish numerous ski areas in the US, including Vail. Their bourbon was named a finalist in the Small Batch Bourbon-Up to 5 Years category. The judges had this to say about it: Candied orange peels and brown sugar peaches on the nose, with chocolate-covered orange peels, white pepper, and vanilla on the palate—a big, bold finish. You can order one here.
For decades, Old Grand Dad was a bottom-shelf straight bourbon that was overlooked and ignored. First bottled in 1882, it was a working man's whiskey known for its reliable burn upfront with a smooth finish. Although not particularly special, it was a solid sip that was often overshadowed by other flashier bourbons. All of that changed in 2024 when the brand released a limited edition 16-year-old version, which pays homage to its original recipe. The judges loved it and made it a finalist in the Straight Bourbon category. Here is what they said about it: Aromas of dust and leather lead to a palate rich with banana foster and cookies and cream. You can order one here.
Every bourbon lover should have a bottle of 1792 under their roof; it's just that simple. First produced in 2002 by the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, it has been a perennial winner in all major spirits competitions and is loved by bourbon connoisseurs. The fact that it was named a finalist in the Best In Class Small Batch Bourbon (up to 5 Years) surprised no one, as it routinely lands there. What is surprising is that it is still affordably priced at around $32 after two decades, which is a rarity in today's market. The judges said this about it: Blueberries, vanilla, and minerality on the nose with a taste that is delicious, finishing with astringent black pepper and chocolate. You can order one here.
If you are looking to treat Dad to a bottle that he has never heard of yet will love, then look no further. The Widow Jane Distillery in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, crafted this beautiful thirteen-year-old bourbon from Kentucky and Tennessee stocks. Proofed using pure limestone water from the famous Rosedale Mines one hundred miles north of the distillery to impart a distinctive minerality. It was named a finalist in the Small Batch Bourbon Aged 11 Years and Older category, and the judges called out its butterscotch and seasoned oak wood notes complemented by a long, sweet finish. You can order one here.
Direct from the heart of Texas, Garrison Brothers Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon is a bold beauty that delivers with each sip of its undiluted, cask-strength liquid. Each barrel is hand-selected by their Master Distiller, Donnis Todd, due to its distinct flavors that were formed during the long summer days and cold winter nights in Hye, Texas, where it is distilled and aged. As the first bourbon distiller outside Kentucky and Tennessee, the team at Garrison Brothers knows what they are doing, so it shouldn't surprise anyone they were named a finalist in the Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey-Up to 10 Years Category. The judges had this to say about it: Explosive aromas of brown sugar, caramel, and leather on the nose with a noticeable palate of orange zest, cherry syrup, and seasoned oak. You can order one here.
Every so often, a distiller tries something off the beaten path, and it works. That is the case with this bourbon, made entirely from Jimmy Red corn —a rare heirloom variety known for its rich flavors —revived by High Wire Distilling in Charleston, South Carolina. Bottled from a single barrel to showcase the unique liquid each bottling can present, it can offer a slightly different flavor profile, making it the perfect bourbon to include in a vertical tasting. It was named a finalist in the Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey-Up to 10 Years category. Here is what the judges had to say about it: Aromas of black cherries, oak, and cinnamon oatmeal with a palate of cherry syrup with crème de cassis, black pepper, and vanilla with a medium-length finish. You can order one here.
If your Dad likes a sweeter and smoother bourbon, then this is the bottle you want to get him. As one of Heaven Hill's impressive Grain to Glass series of bourbons, it is designed to showcase the legendary distiller's small-batch craftsmanship by working with a unique corn seed varietal to produce a distinctive bourbon with each release. By featuring a higher wheat mashbill that was aged for over six years, they have created a whiskey that is wonderfully easy to sip. It was named a finalist in the Wheated Bourbon category, and the judges called out its rich and creamy palate with a long finish that featured molasses, brown sugar, dried fruit, nuts, and oak spices. You can order one here.
Hailing from Michigan, the team behind Fox & Oden aims to honor and preserve the legacy of pre-prohibition whiskey blending and finishing. They do that by sourcing liquid from some of America's top distillers and then masterfully creating a liquid that blends old-world techniques with new-school ideas. The result is a lineup of bottles that have rapidly established themselves on the world competition stage. Their Double-Oaked Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from a blend of 8-15-year-old bourbons that underwent secondary aging in new charred oak barrels and was named a finalist in the Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon Category. Here is what the judges had to say about it: Aromas of vanilla and seasoned oak that are followed by a candied sweetness with a long, sweet, and spicy finish. You can order one here.
Over the last decade, bourbon drinkers have rediscovered rye, one of the oldest styles of whiskey made in the United States, which almost died out after Prohibition. Known for its distinctive spiciness and bold flavors, rye whiskeys have become a favorite of bartenders and can form the backbone of a great cocktail. This offering from Whiskey Tree, a relatively new distiller producing some exceptional spirits, features a high rye bill that has been double-oaked and bottled at 100-105 proof. It is also a finalist in the Special Barrel-Finished Category and offers a spicy punch. Here is what the judges had to say about it: Persistent spicy notes surround rich caramel, vanilla, and ripe apple aromas. The palate features flavors of caramel apple, rye toast, cinnamon, and black pepper, with a long, spicy finish. You can order one here.
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