Kentucky bourbon gift guide: 12+ premium whiskeys to toast the holidays
If you’re looking for a gift for a bourbon lover, you have plenty of options from Kentucky distillers.
You could go with a rare whiskey, a limited edition bottle or you could even go with your very own barrel.
This guide and list has some that are completely new releases, while others are new versions of familiar favorite whiskeys.
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Many are available now to buy in stores or online, but others will be coming in January so you’ll have to gift the promise.
James B. Beam Barrel Club
This is a big one, but what are the holidays if not the ultimate gift-giving occasion? And this is definitely an “ultimate” gift.
For the first time ever, the James B. Beam Distilling Co. has launched the Beam Private Barrel Club for fans who want to buy and bottle their own single barrel directly from the distillery in Kentucky.
The first brand to be featured will be Knob Creek, according to a news release. Members of the Beam Private Barrel Club can select a barrel of bourbon or rye whiskey to be bottled for their own enjoyment.
The program launches in January 2025 but you could always wrap up a note as a present.
To become a member of the Beam Private Barrel Club, request a booking via the Beam Private Barrel Club Booking link., beamdistilling.com/book-a-tour#id=beam-private-barrel-club-selection-experience-clermont.
The one-of-a-kind selection experience will let members and up to eight guests sample and select in a rackhouse after a private curated tour behind the scenes, lunch at the distillery restaurant and more.
How much does all this cost?
Well, a lot. Pricing will depend on the bottled yield, starting at $59.99 per bottle. A typical barrel yields 100-175 bottles, so $6,000-$10,500 easy. To reserve your barrel, a non-refundable $1,000 deposit is required when you book.
But the joy of having your own hand-picked barrel of Knob Creek to enjoy or share with really good friends is possibly priceless.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond
Just in time for the holidays, Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown has put out the 14th national release of this 100-proof favorite.
The Fall 2024 edition of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is 11 years old, comprised of barrels produced in the fall of 2023 and bottled in the fall of 2024.
As always, this wheated bourbon comes in a retro ornate decanter and label, complete with a tax strip.
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of leather, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. On the palate, it’s creme brulee sweetness with a bright ginger note, old leather and toasted oak and a warm, dry finish with hints of pepper and char.
Available on an allocated basis, it has a suggested retail price of $154.99.
Hidden Barn Perfect Harmony, Slow Fade
Hidden Barn Distillery in Sparta, Ky., has two 2024 releases to look for: Perfect Harmony, which is a Madeira finished bourbon, and Slow Fade, named for the sweet, slow fade on the finish.
Both are from the partnership of master blender Jackie Zykan (formerly of Old Forester) and the Neeley Family Distillery.
Perfect Harmony is a 6-year-old bourbon distilled Royce Neeley and aged in Madeira barrels for seven additional months. Zykan blended eight barrels to find the perfect balance. According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of toffee, overripe red fruits, apple pie and oxidized rose. On the palate it’s dense and creamy with vanilla and a hint of raisin and finish with slightly dry mint and notes of nutmeg and cardamom. It’s 99.9 proof, with a suggested retail price of $89.99.
Slow Fade is the 10th expression in Hidden Barn’s Series One, a blend of 5- to 6-year-old barrels distilled by Neeley and blended by Zykan. Tasting notes describe it as brown butter, black cherry and orange zest on the nose. On the palate, it’s dar cacao and hazelnut, with a slow fading finish with balanced warmth and clean longevity. It’s 106.5 proof, with a suggested retail price of $79.99.
Both bottles are available at the Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta and at retailers in Kentucky, Indiana, New york, California, Georgia, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.
Pappy Van Winkle
If it wouldn’t be the holidays without Pappy, then you’re in luck because this year Buffalo Trace Distillery, which makes the coveted bourbons and rye whiskey, says there is more available.
According to the Kentucky distillery, this year’s release includes a surplus of two of the oldest Pappy Van Winkle bottles “due to an exceptional yield from those barrels.”
Look for stores that hold lotteries to buy rare bottles or charity auctions for your best chances of scoring the real deal at suggested prices.
The Van Winkle Collection includes:
▪ Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10-Year-old is 107 proof, suggested price of $129.99.
▪ Old Rip Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12-Year-Old is 95.6 proof, suggested price of $149.99.
▪ Old Rip Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13-Year-Old is 95.6 proof, $199.99 suggested retail price.
▪ Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15-Year-Old is 107 proof, suggested retail price of $199.99.
▪ Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20-Year-Old is 90.4 proof, $319.99 suggested retail price.
▪ Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23-Year-Old is 95.6 proof, $449.99 suggested retail price.
2XO Gem of Kentucky
Whiskey blender Dixon Dedman released the second vintage of Gem of Kentucky from his label 2XO Whiskey (for two-times oaked). Dedman selected 80 barrels from stocks of his 35% high-rye bourbon mash bill that spent up to a year in new charred oak barrels before bottling, according to a news release. Each Gem of Kentucky bottle has the barrel number on the front label and each is different, ranging from notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and toasted marshmallow to more savory with notes of dark red fruits, nutmeg, and a black pepper spice.
“This release of Gem of Kentucky is big, rich, viscous, heavy on the palate but with a balance of sweetness and spice,” said Dedman in the release. “Gem of Kentucky is unique because it’s the only double-barreled, single barrel on the market.”
Gem of Kentucky has a suggested retail price of $199.99; the annual limited release is available in select markets nationwide and online at ReserveBar.com.
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If you want to really up your gift game, there are a limited number of special glass sculptures made by Lexington glass artist Travis Adams of Trifecta Design Studio; contact Travis at travis@trifectadesignstudio.com for pricing.
Four Roses Single Barrel Collection
This one probably won’t be on shelves until after the first of the new year, but you could always wrap up the promise.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of Four Roses Distillery’s much-celebrated Single Barrel Bourbon, the Lawrenceburg distillery is launching a new collection that will feature, on a rotating basis, other single-barrel recipes.
Four Roses is unique, with its 10 bourbon recipes created with two mashbills and five proprietary yeast strains.
The collection will introduce three of its iconic 10 recipes — OBSF (herbal notes, bright rye, apple, vanilla, clove, and cocoa), OESK (baking spices, mellow oak, tea leaves, and caramel), and OESO (rich red fruit, vanilla, brown sugar, and delicate oak) — as Single Barrel Bourbons available alongside the flagship Single Barrel, OBSV (rye spice, apricot, pear, cinnamon, and toasted oak.)
Aged 7-9 years and bottled at 100 proof, each Single Barrel will be sold nationwide at $49.99 per bottle. Look for them in stores in early 2025, and at the Four Roses Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg or at the Four Roses Warehouse & Bottling Facility in Cox’s Creek, Kentucky.
Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon
Eric LeGrand Bourbon, founded by former Rutgers football star Eric LeGrand who sustained a spinal injury in 2010 and has become a bourbon connoisseur who wants to share his enthusiasm with others, released a single barrel produced by Green River Distillery in Owensboro.
Eric LeGrand Single Barrel Bourbon is a limited-edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey aged for four years in toasted and charred barrels. It has notes of vanilla, orange peel, soft oak, and a subtle hint of black cherry. To honor Eric LeGrand’s #52 during his time playing football at Rutgers University, the bourbon is proofed at 52% ABV, making it 104 proof. The brand will donate $5.20 of every case sold to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for paralysis research.
It’s available online at ericlegrandwhiskey.com for about $62.99 and in-stores only in New Jersey.
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength
Angel’s Envy released its 13th annual Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels with a spin: Master distiller Owen Martin blended Tawny Port barrels with the trademark Ruby Port, crafting a rich and complex profile.
This annual release is 118.8-proof; 59.4% ABV; 23,196 bottles were available for purchase nationwide beginning in December at a suggested retail price of $229.99.
In a statement, master distiller Owen Martin said the Tawny Port adds a nutty, caramelized fruit quality. According to the tasting notes, this version of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon has caramelized notes of brown sugar and butterscotch, evolving into stone fruit, pear, and spice on the nose. The palate has crisp apple crumble and buttery pie crust, balanced with darker notes of chocolate, oak, and cinnamon honey, both nutty and floral. The finish is oak tannins mingling with rich port and bright fruits for a sweet and spiced finale.
Woodford Reserve & chocolate
Woodford Reserve and Compartés are debuting a limited-edition chocolate bar infused with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon. The bar, with hints of orange, is an homage to the Old Fashioned cocktail.
Compartés chocolatier Jonathan Grahm teamed up with Woodford Reserve master distiller Elizabeth McCall for their second special release, following last year’s Valentine’s Day bundle.
Infused with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon, the chocolate bar offers a harmonious blend of rich butterscotch, smooth vanilla, and sweet caramel notes, delivering an elevated tasting experience, according to the news release.
“The marriage of Double Oaked Bourbon, with its sweet flavor profile, and dark chocolate are a perfect pairing,” McCall said. “This is a delightful gift for the holidays.”
The limited-edition Compartés x Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Chocolate bar is available in a bundle with chocolate bitters and a special glass at Woodford Reserve Distillery and can be shipped nationwide via shop.woodfordreserve.com for the suggested manufacturer’s retail price of $55.99.
But to really make it the perfect gift, send along a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked as well for an extra $63.99.
Blue Run Spirits Ember
The new limited-release expression, Ember, is a small-batch, high-proof bourbon from Blue Run Spirits. It’s 128.8 proof with bold flavors great for a wintry sip.
According to the tasting notes, on the nose it’s soft floral and jasmine with cocoa, oak and a hint of earthiness. On the palate, there’s a burst of orange, cinnamon and honey with a finish of sweet wood spice. Ember is available online and in select retailers in some states; suggested retail price is $129.99.
Basil Hayden 10 Year Old
Not a limited release or even really a new one. But an old friend with a new look. Basil Hayden 10 Year Old was re-released and added to Beam Suntory’s permanent lineup in 2024 with a rebranding.
So if you’d missed this favorite with notes of sweet caramel and vanilla, it’s on shelves now with a suggested retail price of $84.99.
Old Forester 117 Warehouse I
For the 91st anniversary of Repeal Day on Dec. 5, Old Forester Distillery dropped a new bourbon in its 117 series.
This new limited edition expression celebrates the end of Prohibition with an 11-year-old bourbon aged in Old Forester’s Warehouse I, heat-cycled since 2013 and chosen from the hottest floors, according to the news release, producing a distinct flavor profile.
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of sweet aromatics with notes of dark honey, peanut brittle, toasted oak and hints of spiced pear and stonefruit, clove and light-roasted coffee. On the palate, it’s juicy apricot and orchard fruit with butterscotch, clove and nutmeg, with a note of white pepper and a slightly dry and oaky finish.
It’s available for shipping in states where it is legal (KY, ND, NE, ND, D.C. only) at shop.oldforester.com and at select Kentucky retailers.
It’s 95-proof, with a suggested retail price of $64.99.
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye
Beam’s Knob Creek Distillery also has a new special release: The limited edition blend, Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye, combines two of their award-winning whiskeys, 9-Year-Old Bourbon and their 7-Year-Old Rye.
The result balances the sweet notes of the bourbon with the bold spice of the rye. According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of sweet maple syrup and vanilla, with hints of nuttiness and baking spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. On the palate, it’s caramel and toffee, with a hint of fruitiness and a finish of black pepper and lingering spice.
It’s 113 proof with a suggested retail price of $44.99, available now.
Woodford Reserve Batch Proof
Woodford Reserve Distillery has released its annual limited-edition high-proof expression, Woodford Reserve Batch Proof.
It’s 119.5 proof, made from batching 100+ different Woodford Reserve barrels together, according to a news release. The barrels were drawn from many dates of production and matured in various warehouse and different floors, giving a range of sweet aromatics, fruit, spice, wood and grain that pop at a higher proof, rather than Woodford Reserve bourbon’s standard 90.4.
“Batch Proof allows consumers to taste Woodford Reserve exactly as it comes out of the barrels, with all of its complex flavors intact,” said master distiller Elizabeth McCall.
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of peanut butter toffee cookie with dried fruit, vanilla and a dusting of cinnamon spice. On the palate, it’s creamy sorghum butter, clove and nutmeg, and a finish of dry berry medley.
It’s available in select U.S. and global markets and online at shop.woodfordreserve.com with a suggested retail price of $149.99.
This story was originally published December 13, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
