Our coverage of the very best American whiskeys of 2025 concludes with the king of categories: Bourbon. Tennessee whiskey is also included in this genre, as all the same rules apply, with the only difference being the Lincoln County process (a filtration step where unaged whiskey is poured through charcoal before barreling). So far we’ve highlighted Ryes, American Single Malts, Double-Barrel expressions, and a category dedicated to Innovation, so it’s fitting we end with one of our nation’s most popular creations. This year’s most amazing bourbons came from giants in the field, respected family-owned distilleries, and small independent wizards toiling away in near obscurity. With the holiday season in full swing, these dozen gems will make for a perfect last-minute gift to a loved one. Read on for our top 12 bourbons of 2025:
Best Bourbon Of 2025: Jack Daniels Aged Series 14-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey
“This is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my 20 something years in distilleries, that we’re doing a whiskey that hasn’t been done in Lynchburg, Tennessee, since Jack Daniel did it himself,” Chris Fletcher told Maxim back in March in his friendly drawl. “It’s one of the things that as a distiller, you just have to pinch yourself.”
The topic being the latest edition of their Aged Series, a 14-Year-Old Tennessee whiskey marking the newest chapter in a project that began in 2021 with a 10-Year-Old batch and soon evolved into a 12-Year-Old release. These magical bottles gift aficionados a rare glimpse of what Jack Daniel’s beloved Old No. 7. mash bill gains from extended aging beyond the four years usually allowed for its signature, world-famous whiskey.
Crafted from the same classic mash bill—80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and 8 percent rye—this expression demonstrates how patience can transform a familiar spirit into something extraordinary. Each drop begins its life in the bucolic Lynchburg campus, where roughly 2,000 barrels are dumped daily. While one immediately recognizable the base whiskey for its signature vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel waves, the extended aging in new, charred American oak barrels amplifies depth and complexity, building layers that showcase the craft behind each and every bottle distilled on that campus.
One cannot find a cocktail lounge, dive bar, cantina, bodega, or gin joint in any corner of the planet that does not have a bottle on Jack Daniel’s black Old No. 7. resting on shelf. Yet every drop is crafted at the same Lynchburg campus, from the same mash bill—demonstrating a remarkable level of consistency and quality control. The Aged Series underscores the quality of that traditional Old No. 7, without which these Aged Series bottles could not exist.
Fletcher explains that the alchemy behind this 14-Year-Old begins on the top floors of Jack Daniel’s rickhouses, where barrels age for roughly 8 years under warmer conditions, losing much of the angel’s share. They are then carefully lowered to the ground floor, where slower, cooler maturation allows flavors to develop further, producing a richer, more nuanced whiskey than previous releases. The 12 percent malt in the grain bill, paired with fresh in-house yeast cultivated weekly, ensures bright fruit notes that dance alongside the deep vanilla and caramel tones.
This Aged Series 14-Year-Old is truly a special liquid. Imagine for your entire youth, you crushed on a girl living across your cul de sac. One day she goes off to the big city for college, and then a decade or so later you bump into each other on the streets of Paris. She’s barely recognizable, the cute girl-next-door matured into a full swan—PhD. brains on point with Bond girl looks, yet still beaming with the that witty, mischievous Jennifer Lawrence personality you fell in love with in the first place. That’s Jack Daniels latest Aged Series, and we look forward to watching how it evolves. $150 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Knob Creek 21-Year Bourbon
There’s a wide world to consider, sip and savor under the James B. Beam Distilling Company umbrella. Far beyond classic Jim Beam “White Label” are innovations like Clermont Steep (Beam’s take on an American Single Malt) and a variety of experiments both straightforward and more boundary-pushing from Knob Creek, founded in the early 1990s by seventh-generation Beam master distiller Fred Noe. For instance, a blended Knob Creek bourbon and rye debuted last year (and returned this year), but the biggest bang for your bar cart debuted earlier this fall. Meet Knob Creek 21, both the oldest Knob Creek release and the oldest-ever release from Beam Distilling.
That fact alone is enough to warrant a second look, as the company billed the illustrious release as a “true milestone” and the “result of intentional craftsmanship and decades of patience.” Of course, two-plus decades could very nearly be seen as the upper limit before a quality drop-off in the world of American whiskey, but Knob Creek walks that tightrope in careful, delicate fashion. Bottled at 100 proof and boasting a rich amber-copper color, the release stacks up quite favorably to the previously released Knob Creek 18-Year, especially in a side-by-side tasting.
Careful barrel selection, especially from barrels carefully positioned lower in Beam rackhouses guided the process, resulting in an utterly sumptuous whiskey with bold notes of caramel, charred oak and even a touch of light-yet-rich dark fruit. There are limited bottles up for grabs as of press time, but like the 2025 return of Knob Creek BourRye, perhaps this could become an annual, highly covetable Knob Creek release. $250 SRP —Beau Hayhoe
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series Spring 2025 Wheated Bourbon
Among the most coveted annual releases in American whiskey, Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series occupies rarefied air. Issued twice yearly in spring and fall, each release adheres to the uncompromising standards of bottled-in-bond: distilled at a single distillery in one season, aged a minimum of 4 years, and bottled at 100 proof.
Distilled in the spring of 2016, this latest release marks the fifteenth Old Fitzgerald bottling since Heaven Hill acquired the storied brand in 1999. Aged 9 years, it showcases the distillery’s wheated “OFD” mash bill—68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley—the same foundation behind Larceny, yet elevated here by time, selection, and circumstance.
“Because you are constraining yourselves with the bottled-in-bond parameters, each half season you decide when this batch is ready,” Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll shared with us. “And whatever that particular alchemy created in that time for that batch, what you get is Old Fitzgerald.” That philosophy explains why Decanter Series age statements can vary dramatically—sometimes reaching well into the teens—depending on when a whiskey truly peaks.
O’Driscoll calls the process both thrilling and unforgiving. “That’s the beauty and the terror of it,” he revealed. “Now that it’s gone, buh-bye.” Each release is a singular snapshot, related in DNA but distinct in personality. In the glass, Spring 2025 leans warmly into classic comfort. O’Driscoll notes aromas of apple pie—especially the crust—layered with vanilla, butterscotch, and toasted cereal. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of cardamom follow, before a creamy, baked-apple finish settles into oak and spice. His verdict? “It’s a big slice of delicious apple pie.”
Inspired by an original 1950s Old Fitzgerald diamond decanter, the ornate glassware of the Spring 2025 Bottled-in-Bond edition pays homage to the long history of Old Fitz being packaged in artistic decanters of all shapes and sizes. As this is the spring release, it gets the green label with traditional tax strip (fall sees a brown label). You’ll be lucky if you can find it for its original price. $130 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Collection, Camp Nelson E Bourbon
This year a pair of Russell’s Reserve’s most innovative bourbons marked their fourth edition: first the 13-Year Old Bourbon, an expression born in June 2021 from the similarly themed, but a bit younger, Russell’s Reserve 10-Year Old. A very good whiskey, but we’re going to opt for its sibling: the latest iteration of their Single Rickhouse Collection, Camp Nelson E. While many drinkers obsess over mash bills and barrel char, the Single Rickhouse Collection turns the spotlight inward, toward the unseen forces that shape flavor, and asks a different question: Where exactly did the whiskey age?
For this year’s edition, Master Distiller Eddie Russell and his team looked to the eponymous Camp Nelson E, a seven-story rickhouse built in 1946 and tucked deep among the trees at the edge of the Camp Nelson property. Running north to south along the Kentucky River, Camp Nelson E lives in near-constant shade, exposed to river-driven airflow and cooler temperatures that slow maturation and subtly reshape the spirit within. Its dirt-floor basement and deeper-set location create one of the coolest microclimates on the grounds—a striking contrast to last year’s sun-baked Camp Nelson B. From this environment, Russell selected barrels exclusively from the fifth floor, where the whiskey evolves patiently, trading brute force for nuance.
Bottled at a formidable 64 percent ABV / 128 proof, Camp Nelson E marks the highest-proof Russell’s Reserve release to date. Yet despite its strength, the whiskey is defined by balance: layers of dark fruit, baking spice, and deeply integrated oak unfold with control. “Camp Nelson E is one of the most interesting aging environments we have, completely different from where we’ve pulled from in the past,” Wild Turkey Master Distiller Eddie Russell said of this release. “That’s exactly what this series is about—celebrating the uniqueness of each rickhouse and how it helps shape the whiskey we love.” $300 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
New Riff Winter Whiskey Bourbon
You could say it’s been a banner year for New Riff. In 2025 the Newport, Kentucky distillery expanded distribution nationwide, launched its “Give It a Rye” campaign spotlighting its excellent rye portfolio, and rolled out an eye-popping 13 new releases—including heirloom grain standouts like Balboa Rye (No. 4 in Whisky Advocate’s “Top 20 Whiskies of the Year”) and Red Turkey Wheat Bourbon. Perhaps most importantly, they celebrated 11 years of distilling their own juice with First Decade Bourbon and Rye, the distillery’s first 10-year-old whiskeys.
Yet even amid all that hullabaloo, our favorite New Riff bottle might just be their Winter Whiskey. A deliberate departure from tradition, Winter Whiskey’s mash bill reads more like a brewer’s notebook than a rickhouse log: 65 percent corn, 20 percent malted oats, 7 percent pale ale malt, 5 percent steel-cut raw oats, and 3 percent chocolate malt. Aged a minimum of 4 years, it’s a bourbon that proudly wears its brewing roots on its sleeve.
Unsurprisingly, as New Riff Master Distiller Brian Sprance shared the release was a tip of their collective cap to New Riff’s “brewing roots,” and inspired by their love of chocolate oatmeal stouts. Of course translating that concept into whiskey form is easier said then done, but with Winter Whiskey the payoff balances malty complexity with classic bourbon structure. On the palate, Winter Whiskey delivers dry cocoa from the chocolate malt, layered with restrained oak and a warming, oat-driven spice that’s entirely its own. $60 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A125 Bourbon
The first of Elijah Craig’s acclaimed Barrel Proof series in 2025, A125 carries an age statement of 10 years, 7 months—the youngest barrel in the batch—and packs a wallop with its formidable 59.1 percent ABV (118.2 proof). But it’s still balanced, greeting the nose with rich bourbon layers of vanilla, charred oak, and honey, while the palate unfolds notes of pipe tobacco, prunes, and maraschino cherries. Every sip reflects the classic Elijah Craig signature, yet elevated by the intensity of its famed cask strength. No wonder its one of Heaven Hill’s most popular and coveted releases (at some might argue a value price).
“Striving for greatness,” Conor O’Driscoll told Maxim flatly when asked what Heaven Hill’s overriding manifesto commands for the Elijah Craig label. “Those of us working on this brand, and really every brand at Heaven Hill, are driven by a commitment to consistently produce high-quality whiskeys across the portfolio. The Elijah Craig family plays a major role in the Heaven Hill family because it represents so many skills the company is known for.”
Obviously for Elijah Craig’s “Barrel Proof” program—launched in 2013 and dropping three times per year (January, May and September)—choosing the correct barrels is paramount to the mission. What exactly might O’Driscoll be looking for when selecting candidates? “I work alongside [the team] to ensure the barrels chosen for our Elijah Craig Barrel Proof fit the classic spice and sweetness Elijah Craig is known for,” the Master Distiller clarifies. “But at a higher proof—straight from the barrel.” $75 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Wyoming Whiskey National Parks: Acadia Edition
When you name your distillery after your home state, it’s pretty clear you proudly wear a sense of place on your sleeve. Wyoming Whiskey builds its identity around wide skies, hard winters, a deep respect for the land and, of course, damn good whiskey. With the release of Acadia Edition, the distillery smuggles that ethos across state lines for the first time in its National Parks collection—honoring not Wyoming’s rugged plains, but the wind-swept granite cliffs and evergreen forests of Maine’s Acadia National Park.
This marks a meaningful expansion of the National Parks Series, now in its fifth edition. Created in partnership with Friends of Acadia, the release supports preservation efforts at one of America’s most historically significant parks—the first formed from land donated by conservation-minded citizens. To put their money where their mouth is, Wyoming Whiskey donated $10,000 to Friends of Acadia, reinforcing the brand’s long-standing belief that great whiskey and environmental stewardship can, and should, go hand in hand.
But in the end, this is all about the juice. Wyoming crafted the whiskey utilizing their standard wheated bourbon mash bill (68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley), made entirely with non-GMO grains grown in Byron, just miles from the Kirby distillery. Proofing with pristine limestone-filtered water drawn from a local aquifer, Wyoming’s latest aged at least 5 years in new charred American oak. The state’s dramatic temperature swings—think frigid Abominable Snowman winters followed by asphalt-searing summers—helped mold a bourbon with depth, intensity, natural complexity and a wonderful, luxurious viscosity. Bottled at 98 proof (49 percent ABV), National Parks: Acadia Edition is available exclusively at brick-and-mortar retailers in Maine. $80 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
E.H. Taylor Bottled in Bond
The spirits behemoth that is Sazerac often operates under a microscope, Buffalo Trace and the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (the distiller’s historically inspired, limited-edition yearly collection) very much included. Full-proof offerings like William Larue Weller and George T. Stagg lead the way in the BTAC, and innovation (or at least, high-proof whiskey) is a focal point.
What Buffalo Trace does often guides the winds of the whiskey world at large, which is why the October 2025 release of the collection’s first-ever E.H. Taylor Bottled in Bond made such big waves (It was also the first new expression to join the lineup in nearly 20 years, after all.) Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. spearheaded the Bottled-in-Bond Act to bolster transparency and authenticity in the world of bourbon well over a century ago, so the debut of an E.H. Taylor Bottled in Bond as part of the BTAC offering (also the collection’s first Bottled in Bond offering) makes perfect sense.
But does the liquid live up to the hype? Consider the answer a resounding yes. At a fall tasting in New York City, the company said the release came about because its flagship E.H. Taylor liquid “needed more age” before joining the BTAC lineup as a Bottled-in-Bond offering. The end result is a 15-year-old, 100-proof special-edition whiskey in a handsome bottle bearing Taylor’s signature. The balance between recipe and age (in this case, the “low-rye,” corn-heavy Mash Bill No. 1 of Buffalo Trace) shines through, particularly with delicate yet rich notes of plum and dark fruit on the palate. Buyer beware: This covetable whiskey is decidedly more expensive on the secondary market or through select retailers. $150 SRP—Beau Hayhoe
Michter’s Bomberger’s PFG 2025
Michter’s has plenty of firm footing to stand on—it’s been crowned the “World’s Most Admired Whiskey” three years in a row, and that designation is no joke. There’s a remarkable amount of care that goes into everything from Michter’s lauded US-1 Straight Bourbon as well as memorable expressions like US-1 Sour Mash, while the recently released Michter’s 20-Year is also a towering achievement in the category.
And while that might seem like a tough mantle to meet, Michter’s Bomberger’s PFG 2025 goes the extra mile (its name even nods to the historic 1800s Bomberger’s Distillery, later changed to Michter’s). Given the PFG designation. denoting the special attention paid to Precision Fine Grain, in its custom French oak-barrel finishing process, the whiskey is a case study in how to make an already-excellent bourbon even better. French oak staves (air-dried in France) from four distinct forests accent Michter’s proprietary charring and toasting process, breathing new life into the barrels themselves.
In this instance, it’s the Michter’s flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon that’s given a bold and utterly delicious treatment, with a creamy mouthfeel bolstered by delicate notes of dark fruit and spice in a way that can only be described as a symphony. Bottled at about 100 proof and delivered in a suitably elegant bottle that calls to mind French wine more closely than bourbon, the most shocking thing is the fact that this elegant whiskey goes for a highly agreeable (suggested) retail price, if you happen to be lucky enough to track down a bottle. $140 SRP—Beau Hayhoe
Bardstown Bourbon Company Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish
There’s few corner of the spirits world Bardstown Bourbon Company won’t explore, and with the latest release from its Distillery Reserve series, the intrepid BBC brain trust traveled from Kentucky to the white chalk cliffs of Normandy. Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish marries American bourbon tradition with historic French apple brandy—one of our personal favorite spirits—turning a once-forbidden eau-de-vie into a modern whiskey dream.
Famously restricted by French Minister of State Jean-Baptiste Colbert to protect the wine brandy trade, Calvados becomes the unlikely star of this limited-edition experiment. Working with barrels from the House of Christian Drouin, Bardstown Bourbon leans fully into its ethos of innovation through uncommon finishes, extended aging, and top notch blending. That conversation begins with a custom bourbon blend aged between 11 and 12 years, filled into 59-gallon Calvados casks and left to rest for 28 months. The whiskey is then transferred to new, medium-toast American white oak, layering classic bourbon richness atop Calvados’ orchard-driven character. The finished profile balances crisp apple and pear notes with caramel, roasted almond, gentle spice, soft wood smoke, and a whisper of vanilla.
Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish marks the third and final Distillery Reserve release of 2025 for BBC, following the acclaimed Cathedral French Oak and Hokkaido Mizunara Oak expressions. It’s bottled at 104.2 proof (52.1 percent ABV) in 375mL bottles and produced in extremely small quantities. To drink this gem correctly, order up a dozen chilled Utah Beach oysters and a pile of bulots to enjoy sip-after-slurp. $100 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength 10 Bourbon
“This is the 14th year of the [Cask Strength expression], so what’s on my mind is, ‘How do you continue to progress the conversation with something that’s already been around for a little bit, and how do you keep it new and fresh?’” Angel’s Envy Master Distiller Owen Martin revealed his thinking when asked why he considered this specific expression to be the first Angel’s Envy worthy of having an age statement.
Martin added how he’d been working on the base components for the better part of two years, with some of the barrels dating back to among the first he ever poured when joining Angels Envy. “So it’s kind of been a good full circle release for me,” he added, “and one that I’ve got to really see from start to finish—as far as the curation of barrels, filling of liquid and then final blending.”
As opposed to their core portfolio expressions, with each annual Cask Strength release Angel’s Envy aims to offer a unique experience, making them highly coveted for bourbon fans worldwide. This allows the blending team the prerogative to go in whichever direction they choose, sometimes leaning into “port bombs” and other times letting the bourbon take the driver’s seat—as is the case with this particular release, where Martin discloses the focus was on showcasing the aged bourbon.
Bottled at a potent 61.3 percent ABV, Cask Strength 10 is the highest proof point for an Angel’s Envy release since 2018—a “throwback to some of the stuff we’ve done previously that were at fairly high proofs,” Martin concluded. With approximately only 24,000 bottles produced, Cask Strength 10 remains a relatively small release in terms of volume, yet its symbolic significance for the Louisville label is substantial. $250 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Knob Creek Single Barrel: Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick Bourbon
When Booker Noe launched Knob Creek in 1992, bourbon was far from fashionable. Distilleries were closing, shelves were thinning, and American whiskey was fighting for relevance. Noe’s response was characteristically contrarian: double down on quality. Alongside Booker’s, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden in Jim Beam’s inaugural Small Batch collection, Knob Creek was born as a throwback—bold, full-flavored, and unapologetically old-school. Named for the creek near Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home, it was meant to channel the sturdy authenticity of pre-Prohibition bourbon, bottled at a resolute 100 proof and aged a then-unfashionable 9 years.
More than three decades later, Knob Creek is thriving. Recent expansions into aged ryes and ultra-mature bourbons have cemented its reputation as one of Jim Beam’s most muscular and expressive labels. In 2025, that confidence took on a new face with the brand’s first-ever Bold Picks release, timed to celebrate Super Bowl LIX.
Enter Knob Creek Single Barrel: Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick Bourbon. Selected by the two-time Super Bowl champion himself, the whiskey was handpicked during a rackhouse tour at Jim Beam’s Clermont, Kentucky campus alongside Master Distiller Fred Noe and co–Master Distiller Freddie Noe, who represent three generations of Beam family stewardship. As one of the biggest proprietors of his own Sweeten Coves Tennessee label (launched in the summer of 2020 with his brother Peyton and other athletes like Andy Riddick), it’s fair to say Eli knows his way around a whiskey thief.
“Growing up in New Orleans, I’ve always been drawn to bold flavors and the energy of big celebrations—it’s the same boldness I look for in a great bourbon,” Manning told Maxim about his initial draw to whiskey. “I’ve been a long-time fan of Knob Creek, it has that full-flavored intensity that feels right for those standout moments, whether it’s celebrating a win or just unwinding after a long day.”
Then we asked if he and Peyton ever talk, or drink, whiskey during their popular Monday Night Football “ManningCast” broadcasts. “My brothers and I definitely talk whiskey and share recommendations,” he was quick to reveal. “It’s fun to compare notes—for example, I’m a big fan of something on the sweeter side. We may not always agree on the playbook, but there’s something special about sharing that connection over a bold glass of bourbon.” Bottled at 92 proof and released in extremely limited quantities, this single barrel leans into Knob Creek’s signature depth with a slightly softer edge. $550 SRP—Nicolas Stecher
Follow Deputy Editor Nicolas Stecher on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday, and Contributor Beau Hayhoe at @beauhayhoe.
