A little while ago, I wrote a guide to the bourbons that first got me into the category. The bottles that took me from curious to committed.
Since then, my palate has continued to develop. The bottles in that beginner guide remain ones I love and still recommend without reservation, but I have found myself drawn to greater complexity, higher proof, and a more curious approach to the category; mash bills, designations, finishing, and single barrels.
So, in the interest of helping you take the next step up, these are some of the bourbons that I found myself reaching for as my palate changed.
Green River Wheated Bourbon, 45% ABV, $31 / £45
Named Best Bourbon in the World at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, Green River is the value pick on this list, and a fine introduction to wheated bourbon as a style.
Most bourbons use rye as their secondary grain, which brings spice and sharpness. When wheat takes that role instead (here, a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted barley), the result is softer and rounder, with more emphasis on sweetness and texture.
Pappy Van Winkle is perhaps the most famous wheated bourbon in the world; Green River sits in that same tradition at a very different price point.
The nose is caramel, vanilla, and honey. The palate moves into peaches, apricots, buttery pastry, and a velvety honeyed mouthfeel. Genuinely complex without being demanding. Great value for money, too.
If you would like a little more of a kick, Green River Wheated Bourbon Full Proof is a great choice. Proof varies by batch, but starts at around 109 proof (54.5% ABV).
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon 2023, 59.1% ABV, $200 / £160
The standard Angel’s Envy Port Finish featured in my beginner guide, and it remains a bottle I return to. The Cask Strength takes that same foundation and significantly raises the stakes.
At 59.1% ABV, there is real weight here, but the port cask finishing keeps it well-controlled, a reminder that when finishing is handled with care, the cask enriches rather than overwhelms.
The nose is butterscotch, freshly baked bread, brown sugar, orange zest, and dark cherries. The palate delivers vanilla, toasted oak, plums, dark cherries, cinnamon, and raisins, with an earthy undertone throughout. The finish lingers well. A natural progression for anyone who loved the entry-level expression.
It is a little pricey, for sure, but if you can try a dram I would definitely recommend it.
Four Roses Single Barrel, 50% ABV, $43 / £44
Four Roses started my bourbon journey, and I keep coming back. The Single Barrel is one of the most accessible entry points into single barrel whiskey without a significant outlay, and a genuine step up from the Yellow Label.
Where the standard expression blends multiple recipes for balance, the Single Barrel presents one specific barrel from Four Roses’ OBSV recipe: a high-rye mash bill with their slow-acting yeast strain, contributing a fruity, floral character unique to that barrel. No two are identical, and at this stage of your journey, the variation is exciting and will keep you on your toes.
The trademark Four Roses buttery texture arrives alongside peaches, baked cherry tart, crisp apple, vanilla, cinnamon, mint, and toasted oak, with an effervescent, fizzy quality on the finish.
Excellent value for a single barrel of this quality.
Brother’s Bond Bottled-in-Bond, 50% ABV, $54 / £62
Yes. A celebrity brand. This is the bourbon brand co-founded by Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley of The Vampire Diaries. I grew up watching that show, and I will admit there was personal investment in wanting this to be good when I tried it at a launch event in London.
Thankfully, it is good, and even won a Double Gold medal at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition.
A Bottled-in-Bond bourbon must come from one distillery, one distillation season, aged a minimum of four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at exactly 50% ABV. A pre-Prohibition quality standard that still holds.
At seven years old, this exceeds it comfortably. The high-rye mash bill (51% corn, 39% rye, 10% malted barley) delivers complexity and bundles of spice, and Brother’s Bond’s commitment to regenerative agriculture makes it a considered choice beyond the glass.
The nose is robust and fragrant. Caramel, maple syrup, and a distinctive thyme note that sets it apart immediately. On the palate, herbs and marshmallow give way to rye spice, cherries, sourdough, raisins, and vanilla, with a chewy, satisfying texture throughout.
Eagle Rare 17 — Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2025, 50.5% ABV, $150 RRP
When I covered the BTAC tasting last year, I named Eagle Rare 17 as my favourite expression of the evening. That proved contentious to some, but I stand by it. Whiskey tasting is subjective, and that is the whole joy of it. Your palate will take you somewhere different to where mine takes me, and honestly, that is exactly as it should be! So here we are again, Eagle Rare BTAC 2025.
This is not an easy find at RRP, and secondary market prices can climb ridiculously high. But if you can find this at a reasonable price, give it a try.
Although labelled as a 17-year-old, the 2025 release spent 18 years and 4 months in the barrel.
The nose is ripe cherry, macerated strawberries, leather, and sweet puff pastry, followed by vanilla and cream soda.
The palate delivers more cherry, caramel, toasted oak, and tobacco, with what I can only describe as strawberry jellies bringing a playful sweetness that balances the depth underneath. Decadent, fruit-driven, and impeccably balanced.
This is, without a doubt, a more aspirational pick. As a more accessible alternative, Eagle Rare 10 Year Old (which in the UK is consistently available at a great price is a great bourbon that introduces you to the brand. It has the same cherry sweetness with notes of vanilla, oak, leather, and sweet tobacco.
Honorable Mentions
I could probably add at least ten more bourbons to this list, but for now, some honorable mentions: Knob Creek Small Batch, Old Forester 1920, Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Cask Strength, Widow Jane 10 Year Old, Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old.
Where To Go From Here
Of course, your choice of what to try next may differ from mine, and that is absolutely fine. But if I may offer one piece of advice: stay curious. Try a wheated bourbon alongside a high-rye. Pick up a single barrel and then another from the same range. Add a few drops of water to a cask strength and see how it opens up. The category rewards exploration.
Which bottles have shaped your journey so far? I would love to hear about them in the comments.
Read the full article at Graduated From Beginner Bourbons? Here’s What To Try Next
