I have sampled many bourbons and whiskeys over the last year. However, I thought it would be important to acknowledge three surprising bourbons that stood out.

My criteria

I purposely selected bourbons that are affordable and available. It is easy to include a Boss Hogg or a Masters Keep Triumph on the list, but for most people, these are unattainable or unaffordable. My selections were also surprising to me, meaning I did not have a lot of advance notice or excitement. It was for the first time that I had sampled them without much early buzz.

One of Three Surprising Bourbons

The most surprising RD-One Amburana Finish

It is hard to explain the impact this bourbon had on me. It was one bottle out of an initial release of four different profiles. Initially, I was traveling in Indiana for a barrel selection of Remus at the Ross & Squibb Distillery. As often happens, while visiting a liquor store, I noticed that out of the four RD-One releases, one bottle was sold out. The clerk told me that everyone wanted the Green Label bottle. Once I heard that, I knew that was the one bottle I needed to find. At the end of this chapter, I will include a link to our original video tasting RD-One Amburana for the first time. It was spicy and sweet with the in-your-face character of what I would call cinnamon toast. It was and is a flavor bomb. You can watch the video HERE.

My second surprise is the Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled-in-Bond

I had sampled Holladay bourbon previously and was both surprised and impressed with the flavor and quality of their bourbon. I looked at that bottle as one of the best bourbons produced outside of the state of Kentucky. However, the real star was when I sampled Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled-in Bond. This 100-proof wheat bourbon is incredibly smooth and is a welcome addition to anyone who enjoys wheat bourbon. I have not found a single person who has sampled this release and was not delighted with it. You can watch the video on Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled-in-Bond HERE.

Finally, my third surprise

Walking through Kentucky liquor stores, I had spotted this bottle along with dozens of others that were interesting but not on my radar. However, I am very glad I sampled Augusta Distillery’s Old Route 8. August Distillery is the same distillery that released Buckners 13-year-old whiskey in 2023 which was named the bourbon of the year. When I first looked at the bottle of Old Route 8, I was immediately taken by the deep, dark color. This bourbon was delightful, and it put Augusta Distillery on the Map for me. I have subsequently visited their location on the Ohio River in Augusta, Kentucky. Here is a review of Old Route 8.

This is a very difficult process

For the previous year, I have typically sampled at least one new bourbon or whiskey release each week, sometimes more than two. Many of the releases I sample are above average and worth the money to purchase. However, the three surprising bourbons listed above stood out to me in multiple ways. I do not think you will be disappointed trying any of them.