There are many delicious, at the ten-year mark. But “many” doesn’t really get you far. The big question is: which is the best? You might find yourself asking that while you look up and down the liquor aisle for your next bourbon purchase, especially as you stare down bottles like , Widow Jane, and, if you’re lucky bottles like or Buffalo Trace’s highly-sought Old Rip Van Winkle.
To investigate that ourselves, we blind-tasted and ranked 15 of the best 10-year-old bourbons at every price point to determine how each performs. This list includes everyday options and allocated offerings. Because while availability may be a concern in your market, we’re trying to give you a definitive answer regarding “who’s best?” After ten years of maturation, some brands drastically proof-down their whiskey to optimize the quality, increase the yield, or increase its mass appeal.
Others prefer to leave the liquid undiluted and present it at cask strength to offer consumers the most undisturbed experience of straight-from-the-barrel bourbon. Both lines of thinking have their merits, but we wanted to find out how those different philosophies fare against one another. Is all cask-strength, all the time, indeed the best way to go? Or can a brand’s blending artisanship elevate barrels, even when diluted? Our definitive answer is below, and the results may surprise you! Keep reading to discover how the absolute best 10-year bourbons available in 2024 shake out.
15. Basil Hayden 10-.