The Best Bourbons

Data Taken From OutdoorLife

http://www.outdoorlife.com

Compiled By : AniruddhaRay

What distinguishes a bourbon from other whiskeys?

1. Made from a fermented mash with a minimum of 51% and a maximum of 79% corn

2. Distilled at less than 80% alcohol/volume (160 proof)

3. Stored in a new, charred, white oak barrel at a maximum of 62.5% alcohol/volume (125 proof) for at least 2 years

4. The original color and flavor of the whiskey can not be filtered or altered in any way.

5. Must be produced and stored (for at least one year of the aging) in Kentucky to be called Kentucky Bourbon

6. The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1894 is another important legal measure that applies to the bourbon process.NOTE:

JACK DANIELS USES A CHARCOAL

FILTERING PROCESS THAT DISQUALIFIES

IT FROM BOURBON CLASSIFICATION

Pappy Van Winkle

15 Year Old

Richer than molasses, this deep, dark bourbon checks in at an easy-sipping 107 proof.

If you want to respect your elders, there's no need to add water or ice. Just kick back, put your feet up and let Pappy do the rest.

Price: $80

Buffalo Trace

The flagship bourbon of the heralded Buffalo Trace distillery starts off with vanilla mint spiciness and mellows on the palate with a deep molasses finish.

Keep a bottle of this in your liquor cabinet at all times and call it your 'house bourbon' and you'll be sure to impress your connoisseur friends.

Price: $20

Woodford ReserveThe official bourbon of the Breeder's Cup and Kentucky Derby, this 90.4 proof bourbon walks the line between complexity and mix-ability.

Woodford bourbon comes from a small but growing distillery in Kentucky.

You can enjoy its notes of corn, caramel and oak in a rocks glass by itself or you can use it in a mint julep or Manhattan.

Price: $30

Booker's

Aged six-to-eight years, this heavy duty bourbon is not for the light of tongue.

At 121 proof it can be a little more intense than your average bourbon.

But its notes of vanilla, tobacco and oak help you ride the long, intense finish.

Price: $50

Knob Creek

Sweet and rich, this 100-proof

bourbon has hints of brown

sugar and toasted nuts.

It's aged nine years and was

named National Whiskey

Champion by Wine Enthusiast.

Price: $40

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old

This 90-proof well balanced bourbon is brimming with vanilla and toasted nut flavors which garnered it a double gold at the prestigious San Francisco spirits competition.

If you're feeling flush, pick up a bottle of the even rarer Eagle Rare 17-year-old

Price: $30

Bulleit

Incorporating more rye into its

mash bill than most other

bourbons, Bulleit gives your

palate an added spicy kick.

The bottle that houses this 90-

proof tipple was designed in

tribute to the old-fashioned

brown medicine flasks.

Price: $23

Maker's Mark

These distinctive wax-dipped bottles are like snowflakes-each one is different.

But on the inside, each bottle contains the same smooth signature 90-proof bourbon that starts off with sweet corn and leather notes and sits on the palate with a long, rich caramel finish.

Price: $21

Wild Turkey Rare Breed

The Thunder Chicken got its name after a distillery executive used to bring this bourbon on turkey hunting trips.

This 108 proof bourbon is a blend of six, eight and 12-year old barrels that gives it hints of citrus, caramel and sweet tobacco.

Price: $33

George T. Stagg

The grand daddy of all

bourbons, this 140+ proof

bourbon has been nicknamed

'Hazmat' because of its high

alcohol content.

Add a little water to this 15-

year old and it will open up the

coffee, citrus and oak flavors.

Price: $60

ALSO RANS

Elija Craig

(18 years)

At 18 years old, this is the oldest single

barrel bourbon in the world. Each barrel

is hand selected by Parker and Craig

Beam (descendants of Jim Beam

himself). When the barrels are finally

selected about 2/3 of the original

contents have evaporated.

Comments: "Yummy, vanilla!"

Elijah Craig

(12 years)

This 12-year-old 94 proof bourbon has

some high accolades. It recently won

Double Gold at the San Francisco

World Spirits Competition and was

named winner in the Premium

Bourbon category in Whisky Magazine

's bi-annual “Best of the Best” tasting

competition. The OL editors liked it

too.

Comments: "Nice middle-ground

flavor"

Evan Williams Single Barrel

This 86 proof is the standard Evan

Williams' older, classier cousin. It's

more expensive, but it tastes

better too. It has been voted

Whiskey of the Year five times.

Comments: "Smooth and sweet

and woods"

Evan Williams

This was the big sleeper of the group.

It was by far the cheapest bottle in the mix (you can buy a bottle of Evan Williams for $12 in many parts of the country) but it still finished in the middle of the pack.

Comments: "Very nice. Good color, well-balanced."

Wild Turkey

This Kentucky straight bourbon holds a special place in hunter's hearts and the country in general; it's one of the best selling bourbons in the U.S.

It was introduced in 1940 and is made in a variety of different proofs. Our sample was 80 proof (personally I prefer the standard 101).

Comments: "Buttery smell and taste--smooth."

Baker's

This is a 7-year-old 107 proof

bourbon from the Small Batch

Distillery in Kentucky.

It's named after Baker Beam, the

grand nephew of Jim Beam.

According to the distillery, Baker's

is best served in a sniffer with a

splash of spring water.

Comments: "Very harsh up front,

but nice color."

CONTROVERSIAL

Jack DanielsWe know that Jack Daniels is not actually a bourbon, it's a Tennessee whiskey.

The distinction lies in the way its made. Jack Daniels is dripped slowly through 10 feet of firmly packed charcoal before it goes into charred oak barrels for aging.

We couldn't help but see how Old No. 7 stood up against the competition so we included it. Turns out Jack did pretty well.

Comments: "Smooth. Very nice"