The Best Buys In Single Barrel Bourbon—According To Top Spirit Comp
Single-barrel bourbons are often among the rarest and most expensive whiskies available. Limited to just a few hundred bottles, each bottling presents a unique aroma and flavor profile. Many expressions sell out quickly, and once sold out, they are gone forever. Here are 12 award-winning single-barrel bourbons, all medal winners in multiple spirit competitions that have been released in the past 24 months, and each priced under $100. Most should still be available at retail. Below is a brief description of each distillery, along with detailed tasting notes. The indicated price is the average retail price as reported by winesearcher.com
The Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, is famed for using a combination of 10 mash bills and yeast recipes. Their typical Single Barrel Bourbon expressions are bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof) and are classified as a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Each bottling is typically aged for 7 to 9 years.
The standard single barrel expression uses the OBSV recipe, one of Four Roses' ten distinct mash bill and yeast strain combinations. OBSV is made from a mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. It features a yeast strain that imparts delicate fruit, spice, and creamy notes.
The bourbon features aromas of caramel, orchard fruit notes of apple & pear, and light baking spices. It's fruity and smooth on the palate, showcasing flavors of honey, vanilla, orchard fruit, mild cinnamon, and cherry notes. The finish is long, with lingering fruit and subtle notes of seasoned oak.
Baker's single barrel bottlings are part of Jim Beam's Small Batch Collection. They are typically bottled at cask strength, with proofs ranging from 107° to 120 °.
The whiskey features aromas of toasted nuts, café mocha, and vanilla. It's sweet and creamy on the palate, showcasing flavors of marzipan, caramel, toasted nuts, and subtle oak char. The finish is long and smooth, with lingering notes of nut and caramel—an exceptional value for a cask-strength, single-barrel bourbon from an iconic producer. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon, Kentucky 55% ABV, 750 ml. $70
This single-barrel bourbon is produced at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY, from a high-rye mash bill. Each barrel is hand-selected by Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. This bottling was selected from rickhouse G, floor 5, barrel 136.
The bourbon features aromas of toffee. Salted caramel, dark cherry, apple fritters, and wood spices. It's smooth and flavorful on the palate, showcasing flavors of baked apple and cherry pie, toffee, caramel popcorn, and baking spices, underpinned by gentle rye warmth. The finish is long, sweet, and creamy with lingering notes of wood spices, salted caramel, dried fruit, and seasoned oak. Woodinville Whiskey Co. Private Select Single Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey 61.99% ABV, 750 ml. $74
Bottled by the Woodinville Whiskey Co. (WA), the bourbon is sourced from Indiana and is composed of a mash bill consisting of 72% corn, 22% rye, and 6% barley. It's a custom bottling available at select retailers,
The whiskey features aromas of peach, black cherry, dark berries, brown sugar, and subtle earthy notes. It's sweet and silky on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, ripe orchard fruits, and subtle baking spices. The finish is long, sweet, and fruity, with lingering notes of dark berries, toasted pecan, and orchard fruit.
Glencairn whiskey tasting cups with a bourbon whisky barrel in the background. getty 1792 Single Barrel, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 49.3% ABV, 750 ml. $48
The bourbon is produced at the Barton 1792 distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky, from a medium-rye mash bill for a select group of merchants.
The whiskey features aromas of stone fruits, tobacco leaf, baking spices, caramel, and vanilla. It's sweet on the palate, showcasing flavors of cinnamon, as well as dried fruit notes of apricot, peach, and golden raisin, and seasoned oak. The finish is long and spicy with lingering notes of seasoned oak and wood spices, especially cinnamon. Peerless Toasted Single Barrel, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 55% ABV, 750 ml. $95
Peerless Distilling, located in Louisville, Kentucky, is renowned for its custom-toasted barrels. This bourbon is aged for an average of five years and is bottled at cask strength. Technically, this is a two-barrel rather than a single-barrel offering.
According to the company, 'Toasted Bourbon begins its journey aging for five years in a standard char level 3 barrel. This level of char, achieved in about 30 to 35 seconds, breaks down hemicellulose in the oak, releasing wood sugars and caramelizing the interior of the barrel. The result is a rich foundation of flavor, with notes of caramel, brown sugar, and toffee.'
After this initial maturation, the whiskey is 'finished' in a second barrel. This step deepens the complexity of the spirit, layering in flavors of honey, vanilla, toasted spices, and chocolate.
The bourbon features aromas of charred oak, a candied, marshmallow sweetness, honey, and wood spices. It is flavorful on the palate, showcasing toasted marshmallow, cinnamon spice, caramel, and roasted nuts. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of wood spices, char, and seasoned oak. Knob Creek Single Barrel, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 60% ABV, 750 ml. $59
The Knob Creek single barrel expressions are produced by Jim Beam and matured for nine plus years before bottling. It's among the oldest single-barrel bourbons available for under $100 and has been a perennial medalist in international spirit competitions.
The bourbon features aromas of vanilla, toasted oak, and cedar. It's smooth, rich, and full-bodied on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, seasoned oak, milk chocolate, and dried tobacco leaf. The finish is long and robust with lingering notes of seasoned oak and wood spices. Barrell Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon, Batch 037, 56.3% ABV, 750 ml. $85
Barrell Craft Spirits in Kentucky sources its whiskeys from multiple distilleries. It's cask strength, single barrel bottlings are individually selected with an eye towards unusual and desirable aroma and taste profiles.
The bourbon features aromas of molasses, wood spices, caramel, dark chocolate, and ripe dried fruits. It's robust and silky on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, tropical fruit, robust wood spices, orange zest, roasted banana, and toasty oak. The finish is long, creamy, and layered with lingering notes of dried tropical fruit, herbs, and seasoned oak. Pinhook Bourbon, The Big Horse Single Barrel, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 9-Year, 57.15% ABV, 750 ml, $93.
Pinhook is a Kentucky-based specialty bottler that sources its single-barrel whiskeys from a variety of producers. The Big Horse Single Barrel expression is sourced from Pinhook's Vertical Series and is based on a mash bill of 75% corn, 20.5% rye, and 4.5% malted barley.
The bourbon features aromas of butterscotch, roasted peanuts, and coffee. It's sweet and flavorful on the palate, showcasing flavors of coffee, vanilla, and candied cinnamon. The finish is long, with lingering notes of toffee and spice.
Wooden bourbon barrels stacked up and aging in a rickhouse in Kentucky getty Frey Ranch Single Barrel, Straight Bourbon, 63.8% ABV, 750 ml. $95
Frey Ranch bottles a variety of single-barrel bourbons based on four-grain, three-grain, and single-grain mash bills. The ABVs vary by bottling but are generally around 60%. This bottling is from barrel #1625.
This single-barrel expression is based on a four-grain mash bill. It's powerful and robust, featuring aromas of rose petal, lilacs, caramel, maple syrup, dark chocolate, and cinnamon. It's flavorful and sweet on the palate, featuring flavors of honey, wood spices, especially candied cinnamon, caramel, cherry syrup, mint, char, herbal notes, dark chocolate, and toasted nuts. The finish is long, sweet, and robust, with lingering notes of cinnamon, dried fruits, and seasoned oak.
This lineup showcases accessible, high-quality single-barrel bourbons under $100, each with medals to back their excellence. Distilled across the US, they offer diverse profiles—from richly toasted and fruity to spice-driven and wheated—highlighting both tradition and innovation in modern bourbon craftsmanship. Perfect for enthusiasts seeking premium bourbons with barrel-specific character at an affordable price. But hurry, these limited quantity bourbons won't last long! More From Forbes Forbes The World's Best Small Batch And Single Barrel Bourbon, According To The World Whiskies Awards By Joseph V Micallef Forbes Top Single Cask Bourbon Crowned By International Wine & Spirit Competition By Joseph V Micallef Forbes The World's Best Single Barrel Bourbon, According To The San Francisco World Spirits Competition By Joseph V Micallef
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