These rare bourbons provide a variety of complex and rich flavours, making them perfect for any bourbon connoisseur looking to add something special to their collection.
Please appreciate that we have to be a bit realistic here with our selection. You might be asking where the Pappy is, but the really rare ones tend to sell out immediately.
What we have here in this list is the kind of exceptional bottles that will appeal to a true bourbon enthusiast, because of how they’re made and how rarely you see any of these in a bar or on a shop shelf.
Just in time for National Bourbon Day too, which falls on the 14 June. It’s a US celebration but we love bourbon too so why not get involved?
Here are ten highly recommended bourbons perfect for special occasions.
Top ten: rare bourbon whiskies to try for National Bourbon Day
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep – Revival Batch 1 Whiskey 70cl
Part of the inaugural release of Revival from the Master’s Keep series, this spectacular Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey from Wild Turkey has enjoyed a finish in oloroso sherry casks.
Colonel EH Taylor Small Batch Whiskey 70cl
Named after a legendary figure in bourbon history, this smooth and balanced bourbon has a genuinely complex and rewarding profile with notes of butterscotch, caramel corn, and subtle spices.
Black & Gold 11 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey 70cl
An 11-year-old bourbon here, for those who like their bourbon bold but still refined. The extended maturation period enhances its depth, with notes of brown sugar, decadent vanilla, and a touch of oak.
Four Roses Small Batch – Barrel Strength 2015 Whiskey 70cl
Only the finest whiskies from one of the best distilleries in Kentucky make it into the Four Roses Small Batch – Barrel Strength series. The 2015 vintage was bottled at a barrel strength of 54.3% ABV.
Bower Hill Single Barrel Whiskey 70cl
A top-tier bourbon with a well-rounded flavour, Bower Hill Single Barrel Whiskey blends caramel, vanilla, and fruit notes, complemented by a pleasing earthy quality.
Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition Whiskey 70cl
A suitably snazzy expression from Woodford Reserve, the Baccarat Edition was given a huge three-year-long finishing period in XO Cognac casks. A wealth of rich fruit and mature oak notes give this whiskey a luxurious quality matched by its handsome bespoke Baccarat decanters.
Bourbon Whiskey #1 24 Year Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company) 50cl
An incredibly well-aged 24-year-old bourbon from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. When was the last time you had a bourbon this old? Go on, see what all the fuss is about.
Driftless Glen 5 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon (59.5%) Whiskey 70cl
Wisconsin’s Driftless Glen distillery created this tasty bourbon, one that spent five years maturing in a single barrel before being bottled at a cask strength of 59.5% ABV. Expect notes of cooked apple, vanilla wafers, clove, and silky butterscotch.
Rare Hare 1953 Anniversary Edition Whiskey 70cl
This is an exceedingly well-aged bourbon, matured for 17 years, including a finish in Cognac casks. Need we say more?
Kentucky Owl Bourbon – Batch 11 Whiskey 70cl
The Kentucky Owl range is full of whiskeys blended using some brilliant stocks and then released in small batches. This here is batch 11, which has been bottled up at 59.4% ABV and boasts flavours of creamy vanilla juxtaposed by spicy oak, with orchard fruit and citrus oil sweetness.
