Celebrate The Official Spirit of America on National Bourbon Day

Bourbon is indigenous not just to the United States but more specifically to the American South, with some 95% of it hailing from Kentucky. In recognition of this fact, we’ve been celebrating National Bourbon Day every June 14th since 1964 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an Act of Congress that designated bourbon as The Official Spirit of America.

Producing bourbon is no easy feat. For a whiskey to classify as bourbon, it must be made in the U.S. and the mix of grains used to distill bourbon must be within the range of 51-79% Indian corn. A bourbon must be aged at least two years using a new, charred oak barrel and bottled at no less than 80 proof. So, check out our choices for America’s Official Spirit and celebrate National Bourbon Day.

Henry McKenna Single Barrel 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Honoring the rich tradition of the McKenna family dating back to 1855, this single barrel 10-year old straight bourbon is the only extra-aged bottled-in-bond single barrel bourbon available today. Each bottle will be slightly different and entirely interesting.

$90

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Widow Jane 10 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Based in Brooklyn, NY, Widow Jane Straight Bourbon Whiskey offers a blend of up to five barrels sourced from Tennessee, Indiana, and Kentucky. The whiskey is a dark amber color with an almost syrupy texture, which looks incredibly appealing. The smell of the spirit is spot-on for a typical standard bourbon, with notes of toffee, caramel, and vanilla.

$68

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Double Eagle Very Rare 20 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

The Double Eagle Very Rare is the oldest of Buffalo Trace’s Eagles. Even after two decades of aging in an oak barrel, this bourbon whiskey is surprisingly balanced. Hints of vanilla, toasted oak, and caramel lead to a gracefully-aged oaky flavor. Only 299 bottles of this 90-proof whiskey were produced.

$18,900

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New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

A genuinely high-rye, full-bodied whiskey, New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon delivers a savory, spicy character. Aged in toasted and charred new oak barrels before bottling at 50% ABV, there’s a fairly generous amount of rye in the mash bill, 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley, so expect a good helping of spice alongside the sweeter, buttery notes.

$50

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Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon

A big bourbon with a lot to offer, the Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon is bottled at an impressive 50% ABV — not quite cask strength, but still able to cause a mighty sizzle on the taste buds. If you like baking spices in your whiskey, you will LOVE this. Definitely try it with a slug of water, if only to get it down to around 46%.

$50

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Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon

When the “Whisky Bible” calls a bourbon “liquid gold,” you know you’ve got something special. Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon is typically aged for eight or nine years and has its very own warehouse at Buffalo Trace.The core release is The Original Single Barrel Bourbon, bottled at 46.5% ABV. It is recommended to be drunk neat or on the rocks.

$125

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Stillhouse Black Bourbon

This Tennessee bourbon is considered a masterful blend of corn, rye, barley, and limestone water. It is distilled to perfection, barreled in charred new American Oak barrels before being charcoal filtered, then rested and mellowed in roasted small batch coffee beans, leaving it with a uniquely complex balance and smooth finish.

$31

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Hudson Bright Lights, Big Bourbon

Inspired by the bright lights of Broadway and the scenic views of New York State’s majestic Hudson Valley, Bright Lights, Big Bourbon is a bold, grain-forward straight bourbon from the Hudson Whiskey range. It is distilled from a mash bill of 95% New York corn and 5% malted barley, and aged for a minimum of 3 years in new, charred oak barrels. This expression, bottled at 92 proof, is kosher certified.

$50

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Koval Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Koval was the first legal distillery established in Chicago in 2008 since the time of prohibition. All of the grains used in Koval’s whiskey are sourced from local organic and non-GMO farmers. In this case, this bourbon starts out as a mixture of 51% corn and 49% millet. Taking a sip, there’s the well-saturated caramel and vanilla up front, with a bit of plum and other dark fruit following not far behind.

$52

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Kings County Bottled In Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Kings County Distillery is New York City’s oldest operating whiskey distillery — the first since Prohibition. Its Bottled In Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey is distilled, aged, and bottled entirely at its Brooklyn distillery, from barrels filled in one season, by one distiller. It’s reported that this bourbon is very alcohol-forward: It is 100 proof that tastes like 100 proof — it burns on the way down, with a slightly alkaline finish.

$81

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Whiskey Peaks Grand Tetons

Treat yourself to a set of special glasses from which to sip your favorite whiskey. The Whiskey Peaks Grand Tetons glasses are hand-blown from lead-free glass, allowing them to be thinner than normal glassware but no less durable. During the blowing process the glasses are each pressed onto a highly detailed sculpture of the Grand Tetons to create a permanent 3D topographic impression of the mountain in the base of the glass.

$65

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BLiS Blast Bourbon Barrel-Aged Hot Pepper Sauce (2-Pack)

Chipotle, arbol, and cayenne constitute the pepper mix in the BLiS Blast Bourbon Barrel-Aged Hot Pepper Sauce. What makes this sauce so unique (and delicious) is the fact that these peppers spend up to a year in seasoned oak barrels that not only aged the finest Kentucky Bourbon for 20 years, but also one of the world’s best Imperial Stouts. So, go ahead, slather it on some baby back ribs and enjoy some bourbon neat as you wait for the grill to work its magic.

$25

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Aged & Ore – Double Insulated Travel Decanter

This travel decanter by Aged & Ore is a 500ml spill-proof glass decanter that discreetly encases a pair of stainless steel double-walled drinking tumblers. 2 ounce integrated pour lines are included to help you measure cocktails and proper pours. It’s perfect for those who not only like to get outdoors and travel but also enjoy some spirits along the way.

$65

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