Public interest in bourbon may never have been higher than in recent years, but are
the most popular bourbon players actually any good — or are they just big? Let's take
a look at the biggest bourbon brands out there, ranked from the very worst to the best.
Every ladder has a bottom rung, and this time, that rather questionable honor falls to none
other than Jim Beam. It's the best selling bourbon in the entire world, 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. But should it be there
in the first place?
To start, Jim Beam is not bad. You're unlikely to have a sip of it and throw the bottle away
in deep, seething disgust. What earns this particular brand the place at the bottom of
the ranking is that there simply isn't a lot to it on any front. The standard, white-label
Jim Beam is a young, cheap bourbon for people on the lookout for young, cheap bourbon, and
there's nothing really wrong with that.
However, at the end of the day, the nose, palate, and finish of Jim Beam all lack depth.
It's a sweet, shallow thing that's excellent if you want an entry-level bourbon that doesn't
pretend to be anything else. If a person who doesn't like whiskey finds themselves in a
stereotypical Old West saloon where the only options on the menu are bourbon and bullets,
this is the brand that's among the easiest to drink — but a serious bourbon lover might
want to head for different pastures.
Package design can be an incredibly important factor for all sorts of goods, not to mention
liquors that are competing with each other on some pretty packed store shelves. And while
Basil Hayden's Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey definitely looks good standing next to the
competition, unfortunately, this particular bourbon can't quite live up to its look.
Another member of the Jim Beam family, Basil Hayden's has a fairly similar, light and butterscotch-y
flavor profile, but adds a little punch of pepper at the end. Even then, at the end of
the day, it still has that Jim Beam thing going on, meaning that it's firmly on the
easy-drinking side of the bourbon experience. As with Jim Beam, there's no shame in that
— but it also means that whenever heavyweight bourbons duke it out, Basil Hayden's is just
a touch too gentle and soft to make it to the final rounds.
Some may feel it's sacrilegious to place a decent utility bourbon like Four Roses this
low on the list, but the mid-tier is pretty packed, and ultimately, the Roses' fruity
tang can't quite rise above the competition. There's a good reason it's among the bestsellers,
though: The brand's distinctive floral and fruity aromas make it interesting enough on
its own, especially when it comes to the more expensive limited editions — though, to
be fair, pretty much every brand of liquor has a set of excellent limited editions and
high-end products.
The standard Four Roses is 80 proof, which is drinkable enough on its own, but perhaps
at its best as an affordable cocktail base. As such, a bourbon enthusiast might very well
want to keep a bottle around as a combination of a neat conversation piece for those who
love to discuss distilling, and a capable everyday spirit. Still, unless you're already
a huge fan of Four Roses' particular brand of well-balanced, low-proof fare, there are
tastier things.
The third outing of the Jim Beam family on this list marks a significant turn for the
better. Out of all popular bourbons, Maker's Mark might just be the one with the greatest
rock 'n' roll chops, courtesy of its association with Motörhead singer-bassist and overall
rock legend Lemmy Kilmister.
Either because of this or because of its wide availability, the brand has been the "starter"
bourbon for many, and some have been soured by this reputation and dismiss it as an easy
choice. But is easy all that bad, after all?
Its comparatively mellow palate can't quite cash in the checks its strong nose writes,
but the finish is nicer than the mouthfeel would make you assume, making Maker's Mark
a not-too-steep, but still perfectly enjoyable rollercoaster. Just don't expect fireworks.
"The thing I will say about my Donald, he may not be good at much, but at least he can
stock a bar."
Yes, Wild Turkey makes it this high in the rankings. Your favorite cheap bourbon shot
from back in the day might not quite make it to the highest echelons, but when you look
behind its relatively inexpensive price, it's one of the most versatile and secretly delightful
popular bourbons out there ... with one important caveat.
Wild Turkey's 81-proof base product is a decent, if not earth-shattering bourbon that would
fare far worse on this list on its own, and that has a tendency to get two-star reviews.
This is the Wild Turkey you may remember from more hedonistic days. However, the situation
changes pretty dramatically when you bring up Wild Turkey 101, which improves Wild Turkey's
overall standings greatly.
The powerful 101-proof stuff is notorious for being surprisingly finished and complicated,
all while being surprisingly affordable, and the combination of an excellent flavor profile
and a decent price tag makes it one of the best utility whiskeys out there. Ultimately,
it's a good choice for mixed drinks and sipping alike. Though Wild Turkey 81 may leave something
to be desired, the existence of the highly acclaimed and award-winning 101 is more than
enough to drag Wild Turkey into the realm of better popular bourbon brands out there.
Yes, really.
"There's no doubt, though, especially with the finish, that this is a Wild Turkey brand."
Once again, the Jim Beam family makes an appearance on this list, though, by its very design,
Knob Creek is quite a different beast from Jim Beam and Basil Hayden's. This small batch
endeavor got its start in the early 1990s, and immediately proved its mettle as a highly
sought-after hit product amongst all sorts of bourbon drinkers. In fact, it's so good
that even someone who dislikes bourbon, in general, may find a soft spot for Knob Creek
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey's rich, spicy, oaky autumnal vibe. If you're a bourbon
skeptic, then this may well be the right path for you.
Knob Creek is a very decent mid-tier bourbon: Its relatively affordable price and enjoyable,
old-school character make it a worthy addition to any bourbon fan's collection, even though
it's not necessarily the bottle you'll find yourself saving for special occasions. Still,
there's nothing wrong with a workaday bourbon of this caliber.
If you favor mellowness over boldness, you might want to mentally drop Bulleit a few
places. Even so, few other mainstream bourbons pop like this one.
Bulleit Straight Bourbon Frontier Whiskey has developed a reputation as one of the best
whiskeys to put in an old fashioned, but it can hold just as well on its own. Bulleit's
main draw is that it's an excellent cocktail base, and thanks to its particularly high-rye
mash bill, it combines hues of rye whiskey's peppery punch with the traditional notes of
bourbon. Unsurprisingly, Bulleit also has a pretty decent variety of rye in its array.
With its strong presence of rye and an ample, oaky spiciness, Bulleit is a fairly punchy
bourbon compared to many of its more unabashedly sweet compatriots. While its sting makes it
a solid and easily distinguishable presence as a mixing ingredient, it also makes Bulleit
a very interesting mid-tier sipping bourbon — and while it might not be for everyone,
the people who do swear by it might very well rank it even higher.
In the world of hard liquor, coming up with a catchy name can sometimes be half the battle.
On the other hand, when a bourbon happily enters the fray with a name like your mother-in-law's
favorite accountant, you know that the brand means business.
Evan Williams may not be the coolest or quirkiest bourbon on the shelves. It's not even particularly
high-end. On the contrary, it's very much a value brand ... but an absurdly underrated
one.
Why? It checks all the boxes: It's 86 proof, it's got a spicy flair, and it's versatile
enough that you can absolutely drink it neat, on the rocks, or use it in your favorite cocktails
— and having all that in a single bottle is a big deal.
Evan Williams is indeed a surprisingly complex bourbon that consists of a number of nuances
that just so happen to work — like pieces of a puzzle that all seem a different color,
yet fit in perfectly. Its smoothness makes Jim Beam, the biggest affordable, smooth bourbon
name out there, a natural point of comparison. Evan Williams is the more delicious of the
two, and its quality-price ratio makes it a perfect choice for an everyday liquor that
might not be everything that a bourbon can be, but very much is what a bourbon needs
to be.
So, we've finally come to Woodford Reserve. The name alone invokes images of both high-brow
sipping bourbon, and yet also something you'd order a shot or three of after a long day.
Aesthetically speaking, the brand covers its bases before you even crack open the bottle.
Much like Bulleit, this bourbon brand is pretty rye-heavy, but despite the spice this brings
to its flavor profile, the spirit is still considerably mellow and beloved by quite a
few bourbon aficionados. And that's for good reason.
Woodford Reserve is noteworthy for its intensely fruity nose with a strong undercurrent of
mint, vanilla, and several other aromatic notes. The palate delivers what the nose promises,
with a pleasantly soft, medium-length finish of spice and sweetness.
Now, if you happen to prefer your liquor with a more immediate kick, this bourbon might
not be your jam. However, when it comes to taking traditional bourbon flavors and embracing
them to the maximum, Woodford Reserve is a very hard drink to beat. In fact, when it
comes to popular bourbon brands, it reigns supreme.
"Bourbon."
"What is the bourbon?"
"It's just the cheap stuff."
"Make mine a Woodford."
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Mashed videos about your favorite
stuff are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss
a single one.