THE BOURBON RESOURCE AWARDS: Dec. 2023
The Bourbon Resource bestows awards in six categories, including Reader's choice
Happy Holidays and welcome to the Bourbon Resource Awards newsletter.
While many awards acknowledge a single bourbon as a best of class, The Bourbon Resource takes a different approach and categorizes the best by price points.
Why price point? That’s what readers want to see. What’s expensive? What’s special? What’s a value? All can help inform what makes an outstanding everyday drinker and what’s a special gift.
The Bourbon Resource bestows awards in the following categories:
Distillery Brand of the Year, honored for producing a wide range of outstanding bourbons.
The best Ultra Premium bourbon, $199 and above
The best Premium bourbons, in price points between $100 and $198
The best Gold Medal bourbons, in price points below $100
The Reader’s Choice Award
Note: Retail prices listed vary (some wildly) by location. Many of these bourbons are hard to find, and due to their limited qualities, they can cost many times retail. And please, share this with your friends!!
A special thanks to all of the distilleries who send information about their newest releases and products and those who send samples for review. They’re a big part of this newsletter’s success. And, thank you to the good folks at Bourbon Obsessed, who have been kind enough to publish some of our reviews.
DISTILLERY BRAND OF THE YEAR: LUX ROW
A trio of bourbons that would satisfy a wide range of tastes.
The Distillery Brand of the Year is purposely named this way. While distilleries can sell various products under its brand, the contents may be produced elsewhere. Even the most astute bourbon followers often have difficulty determining what comes from where. Distillery Brand seems more accurate.
Lux Row’s 2023 highlights three outstanding bourbons produced under its label --- Lux Row 12, Blood Oath 9, and Old Ezra 107.
Lux Row 12, $249.99: This deep, rich, amber-colored bourbon is surprisingly light and sweet for a high-proof (118.4 proof) product. This is one of the more well-balanced and utterly delightful bourbons I’ve recently tasted. Read the full review here.
Blood Oath 9, $129.99: Pact 9 has fantastic contrast, from pronounced sweet cherry upfront, with its 98.6 proof balanced by that rye spice. It has a long, deep finish with lingering flavors that coat your mouth. Here’s the full review
Old Ezra 107, $99.99: This robust bourbon has all of the notes you expect —- vanilla, caramel, maple — with a bit of toffee and chocolate. At 117 proof, this product doesn’t have a long burn. Instead, its flavors, especially the caramel, linger on the palate and finish. If the Lux Row 12 and the Blood Oath are too rich for you, the Old Ezra 107 is a terrific option.
BEST ULTRA PREMIUM BOURBON
$199 and up
Remus Gatsby Reserve
Ross & Squibb Distillery
Retail: $249
Few bourbons are worth such lofty prices. But the Ross & Squibb produced Remus Gatsby Reserve gets the Gold Medal in this category. First, the package is a work of art, with a box that opens like unfolding wings before unveiling a bottle resembling a skyscraper. But the packaging and bottle wouldn’t matter if it contained lousy bourbon. It doesn’t. The sweet cherry candy and licorice jump out and remain the predominant flavors. I let it rest in my Glencairn glass for a few minutes, tried again, and got a little vanilla. On the nose, it reminds me of the Lux Row 12 year. It’s well-balanced with a long, smooth finish and is an exceptional bourbon. You can read the full review here.
Other options: Willet Family Estate 8 year, Lux Row 12 year, Garrison Brothers Cowboy Straight Bourbon
BEST PREMIUM BOURBONS
$150 to $198
Russell’s Reserve 13
Wild Turkey Distillery
Retail: $150
The Russell’s Reserve 13 was supposed to be a one-time release in 2021. But it proved so popular that Wild Turkey announced it would become a limited annual product. That’s good — if you can find a bottle. It’s arguably the most balanced bourbon produced today. It’s a thick pour with the traditional bourbon notes, with oak, sweet, and fruity flavors that caress the tongue and a finish as long as a deep kiss. Yup, it’s that good. At 114.8 proof, you don’t need ice or water. It’s a smooth sip that stands by itself.
Other options: Michter’s Single Barrel 10, Elijah Craig 18, Garrison Brothers Balmorea
BEST BOURBON $125 to $149
Willet Family Estate 6 year
Willett Distillery
Retail: $130
Getting a hand of any Willet Family Estate bourbon is akin to finding a blue lobster. They’re out there but hard to find. I managed to taste a 6-year, and it’s tremendous. It starts with plum and dark fruit and explodes into sweet cherry licorice. The bottle I tasted was 127.8 proof, and while I didn’t find it hot, some will. But the heat didn’t take away from the prominent flavors. There’s a little oak and vanilla, but the big fruit makes this bourbon. If you can get a taste, pour water into your glass and enjoy.
Other options: George T. Stagg, Eagle Rare 17 year, Blood Oath 9
BEST BOURBON $100 to $124
Bomberger’s Declaration
Michter’s Distillery
Retail: $115
This is another limited-release bourbon that’s blow-you-away good. It has enormous toffee, burnt sugar, caramel, and vanilla. Its rich, deep color makes sense because the bourbon sits dark and bold in the glass. It has a long finish, and the heat isn’t immense, even at 108 proof. It’s a fantastic bourbon, and you can read the full review here.
Other options: Williams Larue Weller, Four Roses Private Section Barrel Strength, Shenk’s Sour Mash
GOLD MEDAL BOURBONS
The best bourbons below $100 retail
BEST BOURBON $71 to $99
Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength
Old Forester Distillery
Retail: $89
I made a mistake with my Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength. I drank it too fast. I mean, I held on to it for maybe six months, but that bottle kept making eyes at me, and for good reason. At 126.4 proof, it’s big enough to catch your attention yet smooth enough to go down easy. The oak and cocoa complement the deep caramel, roasted nuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. It’s a special bourbon; get two bottles if you can find it. You’ll need it. It’ll go that fast.
Others: E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof, Old Ezra 7, Booker’s
BEST BOURBON $55 to $70
Noah’s Mill
Willet Distillery
Retail: $60
When I mention Noah’s Mill to my bourbon friends, I either get a blank stare because (1) they’ve never had it or (2) they've never tried it. Now that you’ve heard of it, you need to try it. Brown sugar, oak, and deep, dark fruit highlight this well-rounded bourbon with a thick, rich flavor so smooth you wouldn’t guess it’s 114.3 proof. I always have a bottle on hand. You should, too.
Others: George T. Stagg Jr., Rock Hill Farm, Eza Brooks Cask Strength
Best Bourbon, $41 to $54.99
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Wild Turkey Distillery
This is what I call the sweet spot price point for bourbon. There are so many excellent products you could build a terrific collection just around this. But Wild Turkey Rare Breed wins here. The sweet citrus on the nose gives way to spice, followed by caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar. At 116.8 proof, you get lingering warmth, not a burn, and a big finish. You can’t go wrong with this.
Others: Rowan’s Creek, Larceny Barrel Proof, Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
Best Bourbon, $25 to $50
Elijah Craig Small Batch, $30
Heaven Hill Distillery
The Elijah Craig Small Batch is one of the easiest drinking bourbons on the shelf today, and it carries a price point that makes bourbon lovers happy. At 94 proof, it’s approachable for experienced bourbon drinkers and those just learning to enjoy. This bourbon doesn’t try to do too much, and that’s its strength. It’s a solid pour —- lots of vanilla and oak —- with good flavor at a fantastic price.
Other options: Benchmark Full Proof, Evan Williams single barrel, 1792 Small Batch
Best Bourbon, under $24.99
Evan Williams 1783, $20
Evan Williams Distillery
The Evan Williams 1783 is one of the best values on the market. It’s amazing Evan Williams can produce such a tremendous bourbon at this price point. (Remember when $20 would buy some of the biggest brands on the market?) The 1783 doesn’t have much on the nose, but that’s deceiving. The brown sugar explodes on the tongue and goes down smooth. It has a nice medium-long finish, and at 90 proof, no burn to speak of. This and the Elijah Craig would make two excellent bottles to start your collection.m
Other options: Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond, Buffalo Trace, Larceny Small Batch
READERS CHOICE
Elijah Craig Small Batch
The Bourbon Resource Readers Choice Award kicked off in October. Readers chose between the 1972 small batch, Elijah Craig small batch, Michter’s Sour Msh, JTS Brown, and Maker’s Mark 46. The bottles selected retail for $50 or less and are readily available at most retailers.
Elijah Craig won the Reader’s Choice Award with 38% of the vote, edging out the 1792 (33%). Makers had 19% of the vote, with Michter’s and JTS Brown each bringing in 5%.
That’s it for this month! If you’re an NBA fan, look at the Knicks Film School newsletter, the smartest commentary of all things New York Knicks and NBA basketball. You can click on the below button to learn more.
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Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly, and he’s president of the 32 Staves Society. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who freelances for some of the country’s largest media brands. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow.