14 Best Flavored Bourbons Of All Time Ranked

You may have heard the adage, "All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon." Before you take another sip of bourbon, we'll break it down for you: Basically, whiskey can only be classified as bourbon if distillers follow strict rules. According to the Distilled Spirits Beverage Alcohol Manual, bourbon must be fermented with a mix that contains at least 51% corn; it has to be distilled at an ABV of 80 (160 proof); and most iconically, it has to be aged in new, never before used charred oak barrels. And while most bourbon is made in Kentucky, it's not actually a requirement that bourbon is distilled in that state (via Dana McMahan of the Courier-Journal).

So with the rise in popularity of flavored whiskeys and bourbons, here is a shocking truth: Bourbon cannot contain added flavorings and still be considered bourbon (via TTB.gov.) So there's some debate as to whether or not these bourbons mixed with flavoring or liqueurs should be marketed as bourbon. But for the sake of ease, and because the last thing we need is another brain teaser when all we want to do is drink delicious spirits, let's just say the following flavored-whiskeys-that-were-once-bourbon are the best out there.

If you love Irish coffee, then you already know that whiskey and coffee work well together. So thankfully the makers of FEW bourbon leaned into this when they created FEW Cold Cut Cold Brew Coffee flavored bourbon whiskey, which is a blend of their straight FEW bourbon diluted with cold brew coffee instead of water. The result is a drinkable, subtle, and delicious bourbon that will please coffee lovers and coffee-phobes alike.

The bourbon benefits from cold-brewed coffee, which is less acidic and astringent than hot coffee, making for a smoother flavor. The coffee flavor isn't too strong and tends to linger more on the finish (via Whiskey Reviewer). According to Wine Magazine, it has tasting notes of mocha and peanut butter that lead to a peppery taste at the end. Mix it in a cocktail or sip it straight, this is a lightly flavored bourbon that deserves a spot in your home bar.

Jim Beam is a well-known name in the whiskey world for making good booze at a good price. And their cherry-flavored Red Stag Bourbon has been around since 2009, according to Liquor.com, making it one of the first flavored whiskeys on the market. Now, to be clear, Jim Beam Red Stag Bourbon is polarizing. While it sells well, people either love it or hate it. For one thing, like many flavored bourbons, it's technically not a bourbon, but a black cherry liqueur infused with bourbon. So if you're a bourbon purist, well, you're probably not drinking flavored bourbons anyway.

But for the Red Stag fans out there (and according to the almost 1,200 positive reviews on Influenster, the legion of Red Stag fans is thriving), this cherry bourbon is the perfect blend of the sweet, dark cherry liquor with the oaky, vanilla taste of Jim Beam bourbon. According to The Spruce Eats, the black cherry helps to cut down on the medicinal, too-sweet taste that can happen with maraschino-based liqueurs. Jim Beam Red Stag is great in a cocktail mixer, to make a cherry-flavored old fashioned, or according to Influenster, tastes great mixed right in with some Dr. Pepper.

Okay, so technically this doesn't contain bourbon, but we had to make just one exception for this beloved flavored whiskey. Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey was one of the first of its kind and has won so many awards, it has earned its place on this list. After all, this peanut buttery booze won "Best Flavored Whiskey" at the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition in 2019 (via the New York Daily News). And Tastings.com gave it 93 points, awarding it a gold medal and rating it Exceptional. The site describes this drink as a whiskey with "flavors of Butterfinger bar, honey-roasted peanuts, and peanut butter cups." A dessert in a glass!

Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey was developed by the couple who used to own OB Noodle Bar in San Diego, California, according to Forbes. This flavored spirit was born when they started mixing a peanut butter-flavored whiskey shot, and the customers couldn't get enough. Now anyone can enjoy this 70-proof whiskey mixed with actual peanut butter for roughly $20 a bottle.

There are plenty of honey-flavored whiskeys out there. But Wild Turkey American Honey Sting is a honey-flavored bourbon with a twist. According to its website, the Wild Turkey distillers have kicked it up a notch by adding ghost pepper. The end result is like if honey-whiskey and Fireball had a higher-end, bourbon-based baby. No wonder Men's Journal rated it as one of the best flavored whiskeys!

If drinking bourbon spiked with ghost pepper doesn't sound fun to you, have no fear. Reviews make it clear they didn't go overboard on heat (via Drink Hacker); the predominant flavor is sweet honey, oak, and vanilla bourbon, with just the slightest hint of heat sneaking up in the finish. At only $22 a bottle, the price won't sting either. So if you're sick of all the sweet flavored bourbons out there, be sure to give this spicy variety a try.

If you're that person who dug through every trick-or-treat bag to find the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, then this is the whiskey for you. (Assuming you are not still a child. If you're under 21, please just stick with candy for now.) Ballotin is a Kentucky-based bourbon distillery that has taken the genius step of blending not one but TWO flavors into its whiskey: peanut butter and chocolate. As we know, both flavors mix well with bourbon on their own, but together? They sing.

According to Good Spirit News, the peanut butter and chocolate flavors are present but don't overwhelm the whiskey flavor, which is a good thing. This means it tastes great on its own, mixed into a cocktail, or in a cup of coffee. Bachelor on the Cheap gave it five out of five stars, praising its Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and Butterfinger flavors, with a smooth whiskey finish keeping it from being too sweet or cloying. In other words, it's the perfect drink for anyone who has aged out of trick-or-treating but still wants a little sweetness in their life.

We have heard of love bombing, but hot chocolate bombing is the alternative we prefer to savor. Heritage Distilling Company's Cocoa Bomb chocolate whiskey is one of the best flavored whiskeys out there, naturally flavored with notes of chocolate, vanilla, and marshmallows, tasting like drinkable s'mores. It's the adult hot cocoa experience we have been needing and craving, without that artificial fake chocolate flavor.

Not only is it delicious on its own, but it makes a wonderful base for a uniquely flavored old fashioned, hot toddy, or even a chocolate martini. Good Spirit News tried the chocolate-flavored whiskey and found that the flavor was more like Cocoa Puffs cereal and less like hot chocolate, which was a pleasant and boozy alternative to your favorite childhood breakfast. While not technically a bourbon, it still maintains those oak or vanilla whiskey characteristics instead of becoming a flavored whiskey liqueur. It's a flavored whiskey that you can enjoy regularly or occasionally in many ways without that dreaded sugar crash.

Knob Creek has earned its keep as a well-respected bourbon amongst the (sometimes snobby) bourbon drinkers out there. So when the company also got into the flavored whiskey game, it's safe to say that many bourbonites were likely expecting to be disappointed. Luckily, Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon is a flavored bourbon that actually tastes like bourbon, but with just a slight flavor enhancement (via Men's Journal).

The reviewer over at Bourbon Blog, Tom Fischer, is one of those clear anti-flavored whiskey drinkers who was won over by Knob Creek Smoked Maple Bourbon. He reports that the smoky flavor is subtle and not overpowering, helps to counter the maple, and keeps it from being too sweet. While these purists just wanted more bourbon, Intoxicology reviewers agreed that it's delicious enough to stand all on its own, or as part of a cocktail. And any flavored bourbon that can convert the skeptics is a winner in our book.