The 10 Best Bourbons for Old Fashioneds

For as long as folks have been enjoying cocktails, Old Fashioneds have been on the menu. There are some slight iterations in how people make it. Some prefer the sweetener to be simple syrup, some prefer a sugar cube. Some make it with rye whiskey, others with bourbon.

For our money, bourbon is best. But then the question remains, what are the best bourbons for Old Fashioneds? With 150+ bourbons to choose from, we have something for every taste, but if you’re looking to wow with an Old Fashioned, here are ten of our favorites.

Cooperstown Doubleday Baseball Bourbon

A smooth finish laced with notes of caramel and butterscotch makes Doubleday Baseball Bourbon perfect for making a sweet Old Fashioned. And the bottle looks spectacular too.

Doubleday Bourbon comes in a decanter that’s a perfect replica of a professional baseball, right down to the 108 stitches. So not only does Cooperstown Doubleday Bourbon make a great Old Fashioned, it’s a grand slam gift too.

KOVAL Bourbon Whiskey

If you want your Old Fashioned to have a unique flare, this is the bourbon to build it on. Chicago’s KOVAL Distillery makes their bourbon with millet. This untraditional grain gives KOVAL Single Barrel Bourbon an untraditional flavor.

KOVAL Bourbon Whiskey has notes of mango sweetness, soft apricot, and a little bit of pepper heat. If you’re looking to impress, KOVAL’s whiskey will give your Old Fashioned recipe a distinctive, memorable stamp.

Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon

With a bottle as beautiful as this one, it’s hard to imagine using Willett Pot Still Reserve as anything other than a centerpiece. But rest assured, the gorgeous brown inside that bottle is a fantastic bourbon that makes an even better Old Fashioned.

Aged between eight and ten years, Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon presents a range of flavors. Moving from vanilla lemon cake to spice and citrus. Making your Old Fashioned with Willett Pot Still Reserve will give your cocktail dimensions you hadn’t even considered.

Old Dominick Huling Station Bourbon

The secret ingredient in Huling Station Bourbon? Family history. Old Dominick Distillery’s bourbon-making history started back in 1866 when D. Canale sold his bourbon out of his Huling Station warehouse in downtown Memphis.

Huling Station Bourbon’s history makes it special. Its flavor makes it extraordinary. Alongside notes of toasted vanilla and browned butter, this high-rye bourbon brings a subtle spiciness to your signature Old Fashioned recipe.

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon

Take your Old Fashioned back in time with Old Forester 1920. Back in the days of Prohibition, the U.S. gave six distilleries permits to keep making medicinal whiskey. One of those fortunate six was Old Forester.

Today, they follow the proofing guidelines of that permit to make Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon. Bottled at 115 proof, Old Forester 1920 has dark layers of caramel, malt nuttiness and sweet graham cracker that will add rich depths to your Old Fashioned.

Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon

There are 200+ years of bourbon-making history at Woodford Reserve Distillery. Those two centuries of distilling history are on full display in Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon’s 200 distinct tasting notes.

With flavors ranging from hints of mint and citrus to faint vanilla, toffee, and caramel, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon adds complex layers to your drink. When you stir up an Old Fashioned with Woodford, it’s an adventure in every sip.

Knob Creek 9 Year Bourbon

Knob Creek 9 Year is made with unflinching devotion. A devotion to bettering the flavor of your bourbon and raising your Old Fashioned standards. Nearly a decade old, Knob Creek Bourbon is filled with robust flavors.

When you stir up an Old Fashioned with Knob Creek 9 Year, you should expect a well-rounded drink. At 100 proof, this bourbon is still rich and sweet, a little fruity, and it will add notes of smooth vanilla and lush caramel to your Old Fashioned.

High West American Prairie Bourbon

High West Bourbon blends together a carefully curated selection of straight bourbons. And the result is one cohesive drink that goes best in an Old Fashioned. American Prairie Bourbon is balanced and earthy, and just waiting to be stirred up.

American Prairie Bourbon has a fresh-baked quality to it. Stirring up an Old Fashioned with High West Bourbon brings notes of honey nougat and sweet cornbread biscuits to the classic bourbon cocktail.

Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey

Want an Old Fashioned that packs a bold punch? Start with a bourbon that has spicy characteristics, like Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey. Bulleit makes their bourbon based on a 150-year-old family recipe that calls for a high rye content.

Even when you’re sipping it neat, Bulleit Bourbon has a clean finish. So when you use it in your Old Fashioned, you get the best of both worlds. Now your cocktail will have a bold punch of spice and a smooth, soothing finish.

Jefferson’s Reserve

A testament to the art of whiskey blending, Jefferson’s Reserve effortlessly elevates your Old Fashioned recipe. This bourbon from Jefferson’s is one of the oldest in their core lineup of whiskeys. And it’s also one with the fullest flavors.

Jefferson’s Reserve is packed with quintessential bourbon notes, which make it perfect for stirring up a set of Old Fashioneds. Tones of caramel, toffee and cinnamon meld wonderfully together with the bitters and sugar. Need we say more?

And if you need an Old Fashioned recipe…

Making an Old Fashioned is quick and easy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. Bourbon
  • 0.25 oz. Simple Syrup or 1 sugar cube, crushed
  • 2 dashes Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange Peel or Cocktail Cherry

Directions:
1. Combine simple syrup and bitters in rocks glass, add ice then stir / If using a sugar cube: add sugar cube and bitters, muddle then add ice and stir)
2. Pour bourbon over ice, stir until chilled
3. Garnish with orange peel or cherry

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