The History Shelf

Few bourbons wear the bottled-in-bond stamp as visibly as Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch. Bottled-in-bond — one distillery, one season, at least four years in wood, exactly 100 proof — is the 1897 standard Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. fought to create, and this small batch tribute ages in the century-old Frankfort warehouses he built, now home to Buffalo Trace. The pour runs to caramel corn and butterscotch with a ribbon of licorice, closing soft before subtle pepper and tobacco arrive late. Made from the distillery's low-rye Mash Bill #1, it stays an allocation staple that moves quickly when it hits shelves. Pour it neat for anyone who wants to taste why the bond act mattered.

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style is a limited edition bourbon whiskey from the Old Forester distillery. It is a high-proof whiskey, bottled at 115 proof (57.5% alcohol by volume). The whiskey is made from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. It is aged for at least four years in new, charred oak barrels. The whiskey has a deep amber color and a rich, full-bodied flavor with notes of caramel, oak, and spice. It is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

Old Fitzgerald 7 Year is a wheated Kentucky straight bourbon carrying the strictest guarantee in American whiskey: bottled-in-bond — one distillery, one season, 100 proof, the 1897 law that invented whiskey you can trust. Heaven Hill swaps rye for wheat in the mash, which lets the barrel speak in a softer voice: honeyed caramel and baked apple on the nose, vanilla and toasted oak across a round, weighty palate, a long finish with a whisper of baking spice. The art-deco decanter bottle earns its shelf space, but the whiskey inside is the argument — seven years of patience at full bonded strength. Released in limited runs and gone quickly; pour it neat for the wheated-bourbon devotee.

Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch is a Tennessee whiskey blended by master blender Victoria Eady Butler, the great-great-granddaughter of Nearest Green — the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel his trade. Bottled at 93 proof, it carries honey, warm brown sugar, cedar, and orange peel on the nose, then a palate of caramel, baking chocolate, cigar leaf, and cinnamon over spicy wood tannins. The finish runs long and smooth, cinnamon fading into dark chocolate and maple. Charcoal-mellowed the Tennessee way, it drinks well above its price and holds up neat or over a single cube. A bottle with real history behind every pour.

Jack Daniels Old No 7 Sour Mash Whiskey is a classic American whiskey made from a unique blend of corn, rye, barley malt, and natural flavors. It is aged in charred oak barrels for a minimum of four years, giving it a smooth, mellow flavor. This whiskey is perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks, or for mixing into classic cocktails like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan.

Makers Mark Bourbon is a premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced by Beam Suntory. It is made from a mash of 70% corn, 16% red winter wheat, and 14% malted barley. It is aged for six to seven years in charred white oak barrels and bottled at 90 proof. The whiskey has a sweet, smooth taste with notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak. It is a popular choice for cocktails and is often used in Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and Mint Juleps.

Wild Turkey 101 Rye is a straight rye whiskey produced by the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It is bottled at 101 proof (50.5% alcohol by volume) and is aged for a minimum of 6 years. The whiskey has a spicy, peppery flavor with notes of oak, caramel, and vanilla. It is often used in cocktails such as the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned.

Four Roses Single Barrel is a Kentucky straight bourbon drawn one barrel at a time from the OBSV recipe. Four Roses builds it on a high-rye mash bill of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, married to the fruity, delicate V yeast, then bottles it at 100 proof rather than cutting it to the standard 80. Expect ripe red fruit, baking spice, and a core of caramel that leans dry instead of sweet. Because each bottle comes from one barrel, no two are identical, though the OBSV signature of cherry, clove, and a warm oak spine carries through. It drinks with more depth than its price suggests. Pour it neat to read the barrel, or over a large cube on a warm evening.

The price of Michters US 1 American Whiskey 750 ml varies depending on where you purchase it. Generally, it can range from $30 to $50.

One barrel is enough for most bourbon; Woodford Reserve Double Oaked insists on two. The fully matured Kentucky straight bourbon is re-barreled into a second new cask that has been deeply toasted and only lightly charred, a treatment that pulls extra soft, sweet oak into the whiskey. Bottled at 90.4 proof from the distillery's 72 percent corn, 18 percent rye, 10 percent malted barley distillate, it drinks like dessert with structure — dark fruit, caramel, hazelnut and marzipan, with a long, creamy finish of honeyed apple. Keep Double Oaked for after dinner: neat, over one big cube, or in an Old Fashioned that needs no extra sugar.

Old Forester 86 Proof is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced by Brown-Forman Corporation. It is bottled at 86 proof (43% alcohol by volume) and is aged for at least four years. It is a medium-bodied whiskey with a sweet, oaky flavor and a hint of spice. It is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.