Quick note to the inevitable: How are these ranked?

Overall flavor, enjoyability, and a little bit of clout because honestly, the story is half the pour right? This is a culmination of the best bourbons that are annually released. If you know that it will be released each year, regardless of whether it is the exact same as the previous year (or you can find it), it will be on the list. 

In other words, Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year is on the list along with Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year as they are each released yearly in each expression. However, a King of Kentucky that is released yearly but with a different age statement and proof each year will only be considered as the King of Kentucky release and not the 18 year release versus the 15 year release. This will beg the question, “then how do you determine what is better when the King of Kentucky 18 year is better than the 15 Year?” Well, this is an average accumulation of each expression. So if you pour a King of Kentucky, any King of Kentucky, it is almost definitely better than any E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof you pour, and that E.H. Barrel Proof on average, is probably better than any Russell’s 13 Year you pour and so on. Now it is important to call out that this is not true of each release. The 2021 Russell’s 13 might be better than the 2021 E.H. Barrel, so just remember this is a general list, and it is my list, it is not absolute and you can disagree.

Also, Limited Edition bourbons that are not released annually but only as a special single availability are not on this list, but yearly LEs are. So while the Wild Turkey Master’s Keep is a different Limited Edition released each year, it is still released annually and so it goes on the list as the generic Wild Turkey Master’s Keep. Conversely a Michter’s 25 Year which is not released yearly would not be on this list.

Got it? Ok, here we go!