Father’s Day gift guide: 10 great Kentucky bourbons dad will love to drink
Looking for a special bourbon for a Father’s Day gift? Here are 10 worth a look for the whiskey lover in your life. Some are great bargains, while others are splurges.
First, some advice: Don’t go chasing Pappy Van Winkle, or any of the notorious “unicorn” bottles that bourbon fans splurge on.
And whatever you do, don’t buy any bottle from a third party online seller. Buffalo Trace, which is the parent distillery of Pappy, Weller, Blanton’s and Eagle Rare, last year issued a warning to beware of online scams and fakes. The Frankfort distillery does sometimes have bottles for sale; you can check availability online at buffalotracedistillery.com.
Many Kentucky distillers now sell distillery-only exclusives, so if you’re driving past stop in and check out what’s on hand.
And there are plenty of affordable and available bourbons in stores that would make a fine gift for any occasion (or even a good addition to a home bar.)
In this guide and list are some of the best bourbons and tips for buying something that’s a little “extra” without breaking the bank.
Good bourbons from Kentucky craft distillers
Kentucky has many smaller distillers who are putting out bottles worth a try. Look for ones that have been around long enough to do their own distilling and are bringing out their own aged spirits.
Like New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Wilderness Trail’s Small Batch bourbons, both priced under $75. They have drawn good reviews and both are widely distributed so you stand a good chance of finding a bottle.
Or Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon. Batch 3 is now available; the Woodford County distillery has been releasing 100 bottles every Thursday-Saturday, about $55 (only one each) while supplies last.
Another bourbon that’s drawn rave reviews is Green River Bourbon Whiskey, a bargain at about $35 a bottle. You can order it online directly from the distillery in Owensboro and they will ship it to you, if that’s legal where you live.
How to buy a bourbon barrel pick bottle
If you or the person you’re shopping for have a favorite brand, look for a barrel pick, a specially selected version of a particular bourbon. It’s an easy way to get something that you know will appeal and yet will be special.
Does your Dad already like Maker’s Mark? Look for a private version. Restaurants, bars and hotels, among others, often do barrel picks of bourbons that they sell as full bottles as well as by the drink.
Lexington racetrack Keeneland, for instance, has a Maker’s Mark Private Select version that is a unique version of the Kentucky bourbon’s Maker’s 46 aged with custom-picked combination of finishing staves. You can order online at Keeneland Mercantile selling for a price of $85 a bottle.
Big liquor retailers such as Total Wine & More also have barrel programs so you can probably find special versions of major bourbons selected to be sold under the store’s name: They have a Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Barrel Select available for about $74.
Small batch, single barrel bourbons are popular
Brands like Four Roses often have premium small batch or single barrel versions that aren’t hard to find. Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon has proven so popular its been added to the regular lineup, for a price around $50.
Old Forester, which has built a following for its stellar Birthday Bourbon for years, also has released several other special versions worth a try: Check out Old Forester 1920, designed to taste like a pre-Prohibition version of this original Brown-Forman bourbon, priced at about $50-$60 at bottle.
Elijah Craig Small Batch 1789 is a solid, affordable (under $30 from Liquor Barn stores) that delivers a lot of flavor for the price. A barrel proof version was named 2017 Whiskey of the Year by “Whisky Advocate” so it’s from a good family. The current small batch version doesn’t have an age statement; previous versions were aged 8 to 12 years.
Another bargain: Russell’s Reserve 10 Year (under $30 at Total Wine), an older version of Wild Turkey, which has lots of fans. You’re not going to find many 10-year-old bourbons for this kind of price.
This story was originally published June 14, 2022 at 10:02 AM with the headline "Father’s Day gift guide: 10 great Kentucky bourbons dad will love to drink."
