The Best Gift Bottles of Bourbon

Bourbon is a great gift because everyone who likes whiskey has opinions but most people don't buy themselves the nicer bottles. The right gift bourbon is something the recipient probably wouldn't pick up for themselves but would absolutely drink. Here's a working guide by price band.

Under $50

• Buffalo Trace. Around $30. The reliable workhorse. Hard to find at MSRP these days, but a steal when you can get it.
• Four Roses Single Barrel. Around $45. Single barrel for the price of a regular bottle. Variation is the feature.
• Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Around $50. Cask strength, three-barrel blend, more complex than its price suggests.

$50–100 (the gift sweet spot)

• Zanja-Madre Bourbon. Our high-rye California-aged bourbon. Made in Hollywood, small-batch, distinct. Around $65 — well within the gift range and unlike anything from Kentucky.
• Maker's Mark 46. Around $50. Wheat-bourbon finished with seared French oak staves. Sweeter, more dessert-like.
• Eagle Rare 10 Year. Around $50. Single-barrel, well-aged, classic Buffalo Trace style.
• Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve. Around $60. Cask strength, single-barrel, friend-of-bourbon-lovers gift.

$100 and up (the serious gift)

• Blanton's Single Barrel. Around $100–150. Sought-after, single-barrel, presentation bottle with a horse on the cap. Hard to find but visually iconic.
• Booker's. Around $90–120. Cask strength, six-to-eight years, every batch slightly different.
• Russell's Reserve 13 Year. Around $80–100. Long-aged for the price.

How to pick

• If they drink Old Fashioneds: high-rye bourbon. Zanja-Madre Bourbon is built for it.
• If they like wheat bourbons (Maker's Mark, Pappy): Maker's Mark 46 or anything wheated.
• If they're a serious whiskey person: single-barrel, cask-strength, age-stated. Booker's, Russell's Reserve 13 Year.
• If you want to introduce them to California bourbon: Zanja-Madre Bourbon. It's noticeably different from Kentucky.

Where to next

Shop Zanja-Madre Bourbon, read about the best California craft whiskey, or learn how bourbon is made.