13 Rare Bourbons You'd Be Lucky To Find

A little sweet with a signature bite, bourbon is a great liquor to drink on the rocks, in a cocktail, or on its own. Go beyond the Jim Beam and look for one of these rarer labels to bring something special to your liquor shelf. If you want a truly unique experience, you can try one of these super rare bourbons — just be ready to search far and wide to track down a bottle.

The secret to bourbon is that it's made with at least 51% corn mash, although different recipes have other grains in different proportions. Many of the best bourbons are aged, which lets the flavor develop and take on the characteristics of the wood barrels where it rests. 

Many bourbon enthusiasts take great pride in showing off their collections, and the more rare the bottle, the more buzz it generates. The most exclusive bottles are often aged for decades and come in small batches, so expect to pay quite a bit to add one to your own liquor shelf. You may even be limited to only buying a certain number or only finding them at limited release times. 

Blanton's single barrel was the bourbon that made me a believer and kickstarted my obsession with this American whiskey. It was the first single barrel bourbon sold commercially and is still aged and bottled in the infamous "Warehouse H," where Colonel Blanton made is own private reserve label in the early 20th century.

It only comes out at certain times and most stores only get a bottle or two. I recommend getting on the mailing list or getting to know the staff at your local store so that you can stay up-to-date on when they get a shipment. In the past, I've been notified that a shop is getting Blanton's in the morning and, by the afternoon, it's already out of stock.

If you visit the distillery on the bourbon trail, you're limited to buying just one bottle every 90 days and it isn't available every day. Blanton's Gold and Blanton's Straight from the Barrel are in even shorter supply. However, you can see exactly how it's made and tour the entire historic site, which includes other bourbon brands as well. 

Each bottle comes with a derby-inspired horse topper with a single letter on it. When you get all of the toppers, you can spell out BLANTONS on a bar top display. The brand sells them at the distillery made out of bourbon barrels or you can find a locally crafted option. 

Considered one of the rarest and most awarded bourbons out there, Pappy Van Winkle is one that you'll have to search far and wide (and pay a pretty penny) to get. The most exclusive version is the Pappy Van Winkle 23, which can cost around $4,300 per bottle with certain years costing even more. When you can find it, though, Pappy makes a fantastic addition to a high-end bourbon collection. 

It's named for the patriarch of the Van Winkle family, who has been making bourbon since the 1800s. These are made with a combination of corn, wheat, and barley. The addition of wheat in the recipe means that the final product is smooth, soft, and ages beautifully. The best Pappy Van Winkles are those that have aged for 15 years or more.

This is a bourbon that I like to get by the glass when I'm out at a tasting room or bar that carries it, since it's a bit easier on the wallet. You'll still pay quite a bit — often around $100 per shot — and it's definitely a splurge for special occasions. However, I can stomach a few-hundred-dollar bar tab much better than a few-thousand-dollar bill at the liquor store. 

You should always drink it neat or with a few drops of water to get the warmest and richest experience. For bourbon cocktails, stick with something cheaper instead and keep the good stuff for special occasions when you really want to savor some sweet bourbon.

Another bourbon made at the Buffalo Trace distillery is Eagle Rare 25. Every bottle of Eagle Rare is aged for at least 10 years, but the 25-year version is super smooth and in limited supply. It is made in a state-of-the-art warehouse at the Buffalo Trace distillery that uses experimental techniques with aged bourbon. There isn't a lot produced and even fewer are aged for as long. This means that it's in short supply and super rare, in addition to being smooth and delicious. The bottle is encased in a special silver design and has a glass eagle inside, making the bottle a collectible as well. 

You'll have to pay a high price tag — as much as $25,000 per bottle — if you are able to get your hands on the 25-year Eagle Rare. It is the oldest of the Eagle Rare bourbons, but you can find others that aren't as expensive and slightly easier to get.

Barrel Craft Spirits has an entire dovetail line, which blends various whiskeys in a custom mix to create a very specific flavor. The oldest stock is used in the gold label version for a distinct bourbon taste. It is pretty intense, thanks to the aging process, and some of the included bourbons are as old as 25 years aged. It's finished in wine, port, and rum barrels for an even more complex flavor as well. 

This blend of whiskeys is bottled in Kentucky and aged in the U.S. and Canada. It isn't widely distributed, but worth the search to track down a bottle.

You can find some of the lesser aged Barrel Craft Spirits at a variety of liquor purveyors in Kentucky and online but the Dovetail Gold Label takes some searching. The other bourbons and spirits from the distillery are also worth checking out and can be easier to find (plus a little cheaper in some cases). If you really want to make an impression, though, look for the gold label.

E.H. Taylor was a legend in the fledgling American whiskey industry and the Colonel E.H. Taylor small batch bourbon lives up to the high standards set by its namesake. This bourbon is made in small batches and aged in the same warehouses used by Taylor.

You should enjoy this bourbon as a sipping drink, which allows you to savor every mouthful. You can put it over ice, but the warmth and soft mouth-feel is best appreciated when you drink it neat. 

At around $50 per bottle, this is one of the more affordable options on our list. It isn't as exclusive as some of the other super rare bourbons, but offers a fantastic value. You can't always find E.H. Taylor bourbons and even when you do, there can be limits on how many you're allowed to purchase to keep the supply reasonable. When visiting the Buffalo Trace distillery, where the bourbon is aged and bottled, you can only get one E.H. Taylor every 90 days. Bourbon lovers will appreciate the legacy that went into each bottle.

Each year a new batch of Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond is released and the amount of aging time varies. Back in 2022, we saw the release of the 17-year and 19-year bottles, both of which are exclusive and pricey. The 17-year version costs over $1,000 per bottle and boasts the year and season when it was distilled and bottled directly on the label.

Old Fitzgerald dates back to 1884, so you know that the brand has a long history of making bourbon. Bottled-in-bond spirits must meet strict requirements, including being aged at least four years and bottled at 100 proof. The barrels must also be made by a single distiller at just one distillery, in this case Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky. This means high-quality and closely controlled bourbon that is worthy of an extensive search to get.

The decanter is also collectible worthy, thanks to its vintage design and appeal. It has a similar design used with the 1950s Old Fitzgerald collection, even though the brand has since been bought by different companies. However, the recipe remains the same, and the legacy is definitely one worth adding to your collection.

When searching for Old Taylor bourbon, you'll come across different styles at a variety of price points. Old Taylor (or at least a version of it) has been around since the late-1800s when Colonel E.H. Taylor opened a distillery. 

Old Taylor is bottling new stuff, but if you find one of the older bottles, you're in for a treat. They aren't made the same anymore, so there's a limited number of the true "old" Old Taylor left. It can be hard to find and make sure that you look for something of the truly vintage variety, rather than newer Colonel E.H. Taylor bourbon. While still good and definitely rare, it's a different type of product.

The original Old Taylor distillery built by Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. isn't where current Old Taylor bourbon is made (that's the much larger Buffalo Trace campus). However, it's still a great stop to visit for the unique architecture, which resembles a European castle. The label currently made there is Castle & Key, which is newer to the bourbon scene, but worth checking out.

If you're starting a rare bourbon collection, a good strategy to stocking your shelves with super impressive labels is to go to one of the best-known distilleries out there: Buffalo Trace. Responsible for many of the labels on our list, you can keep the lineup of spirits in the antique collection on your radar when scoping out different bourbons.

The antique collection made and aged at the Buffalo Trace distillery is done in small batches, so there aren't as many bottles produced. There are multiple labels in the collection, including George T. Stagg, Sazerac Rye 18-year-old, William Laure Weller, Thomas H. Handy, and Eagle Rare 17-year-old, which already made an appearance on our list. What all of these have in common are legacy recipes and distilling techniques, plus plenty of awards to go along with it.

You'll have to search for individual bottles, which can be hard to track down even on their own. However, building the entire collection is a feat worth pursuing, especially if you're a fan of Buffalo Trace's other bourbons. They are typically released at the same time as a collection, and then sold separately by retailers.

You really can't go wrong with any bourbon from the E.H. Taylor lineup, distilled and bottled at Buffalo Trace. The step up from E.H. Taylor small batch is the single barrel offering from the same label. These bottles are all hand-picked and aged in a single warehouse, then distributed as part of a limited release each year. That means fewer numbers are produced and they are harder to come by for bourbon lovers.

The single barrel bourbon is hand-picked for quality and bottled-in-bond. This means it has to meet strict requirements during production and with the aging process. Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr., who the bourbon is named for, was an important figure in the early bourbon industry as well as a fan of getting bottled-in-bond officially recognized legally.

One bottle of E.H. Taylor single barrel costs around $200, making it one of the more affordable options among rare bourbons. It's still a great addition to a solid spirits collection, but isn't so expensive that you'll wince every time you take a sip.

If you have $6,000 to shell out on a bottle of bourbon, Michter's 20-year-old is an ultra-rare bottle to track down. This bourbon is made at 114.2 proof and aged in charred American white oak barrels. All of the Michter's bourbons are either single barrel or small batch, which means a really intense commitment to quality monitoring with each barrel. 

A double-barrel bourbon starts in one barrel and is moved to another for additional aging. However, a single barrel bourbon remains in the same barrel during the entire process. Both can produce high-quality and delicious results.

The Master Distiller at Michter's personally tastes and selects every barrel that will be bottled under the 20-year-old label once it hits that aging mark. The distillery takes a lot of care with barrels that have age at least 17 years and pays close attention to them, sampling often as they approach 20 years.

Parker's Heritage 27-year-old small batch bourbon was distilled in 1981 and aged in virgin charred American white oak. It was bottled in 2008 after resting in the barrels for 27 years, giving it a very mature and rich flavor. The long aging and limited release make this a coveted addition to the shelf. This one comes from Heaven Hill Distillery, a famous distillery in Kentucky. If you're looking for a spot to visit on the Kentucky bourbon trail, this is the perfect place to get a taste of some pretty rare options.

It's hard to find and quite pricey when you do. A single bottle costs around $4,800. The 24-year bourbon also from Parker's Heritage is less expensive at $1,450, but still a pretty big investment. If you do enjoy a glass, make sure to take the time to "nose" the glass and really take in all of the complex notes in this spirit.

What better way to celebrate the birthday of a bourbon legend than with a special bottling of ultra-exclusive spirits? That's exactly what the Elmer T. Lee 90th birthday bourbon was made to do. 

Only 2,000 cases of this commemorative edition bourbon were made, so it's a super rare bottle to find. Elmer T. Lee was a celebrated Master Distiller at Buffalo Trace and this version was made for his 90th birthday. This is a single barrel bourbon but it's the aging and limited release that make this version so exclusive. A single bottle can cost around $9,000.

The regular Elmer T. Lee single barrel is much more affordable at $275, but it's still a great bourbon and a good option for those who want to broaden their collection. Those who know bourbon will be familiar with Elmer T. Lee and appreciate the craft that goes into a bottle bearing his name.

Weller Millennium is a special type of bourbon not just for the impressive pedigree behind the brand but also the moment in time when this particular series was made. These bottles were distilled at the start of the new millennium and less than 3,000 were made. It's bottled at Buffalo Trace and is named after W.L. Weller, one of the pioneers of wheated bourbon, who included the grain in his mash back in the 1800s. Wheat gives the bourbon a softer feel, although corn still comprises the majority of the mash in order to get the bourbon label.

Weller Millennium is super rare and super expensive, listed at around $7,500 per bottle, so be prepared for a lengthy search and a hefty bill if you're determined to get your hands on a bottle for your own collection. If you see it offered on a bar menu, give this hard-to-find option a try to make sure that you like it before buying a bottle.

Buffalo Trace has an entire lineup of Weller bourbons, but the Weller Millennium is one of the most unique and exclusive. Because it is specific to a moment in bourbon history, once all of these bottles are gone, you can't exactly make any more. Fortunately, there are plenty of other wheat bourbons with the Weller name, including single barrel, W.L. Weller antique, and more.