Which State Makes the Best Bourbon?

While it’s a common myth that only bourbon crafted in Kentucky can be called bourbon, it is true that a significant portion of it comes from the Bluegrass State. Many would say that Kentucky has the best bourbon, but as with any alcohol, it all comes down to the drinker’s taste. Tennessee has a great bourbon tradition, but so do up-and-comers like Wisconsin, Texas, and even California. A monthly bourbon membership can help introduce you to these smaller distilleries — who knows what state your favorite bottle may be crafted in!

What Is the Smoothest Bourbon in the United States?

There are dozens of distilleries that craft bourbon in the United States, each with its own techniques, traditions, and aging times. And with so many labels to choose from, how do you know which is the smoothest? Our answer: It’s up to you! One of the wonderful things about bourbon is that there are plenty of brands to choose from so you can find the smoothest spirit for your personal taste. Joining a monthly bourbon club can provide a way to sample more distilleries and find what is the best kind of bourbon for you.

What Are the Five Rules of Bourbon?

For a spirit to be considered “bourbon,” it must meet certain conditions: It must be crafted in the United States. The mash must be at least 51% corn. When it goes into the barrel, it must be no less than 80 proof and no more than 125 proof. The spirit must be aged in charred New American Oak barrels. Only water can be added to the liquor — no coloring or flavoring allowed.

What Is the Best Way to Drink Bourbon?

Neat or on the rocks? It’s one of the endless debates on how to drink bourbon. Drinking the spirit neat (or “straight”) simply means you’re enjoying it unadulterated — no ice, no water, no mixers. On the rocks will include ice, and it’s not uncommon for it to be a piece of craft ice shaped in a sphere or square to help with dilution into the spirit. Some drinkers prefer adding a splash of water to their bourbon pour to enhance the flavor. And, of course, there is the ability to use bourbon as the base for any whiskey cocktail. Ultimately, the best way to drink bourbon is any way you enjoy it!

How Should You Store Bourbon?

Bourbon is not difficult to store, especially as it does not require any refrigeration. Like most liquor, it shouldn’t experience large temperature changes and does not do well in direct sunlight. Finding a nice, cool spot in your house that doesn’t get hit by the sun’s rays will be the best place for it. And when you find that place, keep the bottle upright; it should not be laid on its side for storage.

How Long Will Bourbon Last Once Opened?

You’ve finally decided to crack open that bottle of bourbon — but you don’t have to drink it quickly. Opening any bottle of liquor will change it, as access to oxygen will impact the flavor. But the bigger issue is keeping the bourbon in the right conditions to extend its shelf life, as heat will cause the alcohol to evaporate. If it’s stored correctly, bourbon can last for years, though there is debate on the range of time. For optimum taste and flavor, it is generally believed that a bottle should be consumed between six months and one year after opening.

Best Places to Buy Bourbon Online of 2023

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a person opening a bottle of liquor while another person watches — Photo:
Food and Wine / Mohamed Sadek

With its skyrocketing popularity, it can seem that everyone suddenly has a go-to bourbon these days. But if you’re new to bourbon, selecting a bottle with confidence can be tricky. It can also be an investment, which is a bit nerve-wracking if you’re still trying to figure out what you like best in a good bourbon. And then there’s always the issue of access — how do you know what else is available if you’re limited to your local supermarket’s bourbon selection? To help broaden your palate and open doors to a wider selection, here are our recommendations for the best places to buy bourbon online.

Best Places to Buy Bourbon Online of 2023

Best Overall: Mash&Grape
Best for Samples: Flaviar
Best Same-Day Delivery: Minibar
Best for Gifting: Spirited Gifts
Best for Budget: PourMore
Best Variety: Saucey
Best for Extras: Spirit Hub
Best for Rare Bourbons: Taster’s Club
Best for Customization: Sip Whiskey

Best Overall: Mash&Grape

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: $69 per month
Free Shipping? No
Products per Delivery: 1

Why You Should Try It

Why should joining a bourbon club be complicated? Mash&Grape agrees, providing a straightforward business model that gives you a great bottle of bourbon on a regular basis for a fair price.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Hundreds of bourbons available
Price doesn’t change depending on plan

Cons

Limited shipping area

Overview

One quick glance at Mash&Grape’s website makes it clear that the company has a lot of bourbon options for you to try. And for $69, you can get one curated bottle from them each month, along with info and tasting notes, through its MashBox bourbon club. Mash&Grape’s vast online selection is fun to peruse, with a collection that ranges from the unique to the obscure. You’re probably not going to see your neighborhood liquor store selection here, but that’s the point. Mash&Grape wants to introduce its customers to little-known bourbon brands, and its monthly club makes it even easier to explore different labels.

Don’t forget your friends when signing up for the MashBox club either — the simplicity of the subscription makes it convenient to give as a gift to others.

Pricing and Plans

MashBox bourbon club: $69 per month
3-month, 6-month, or 12-month plans available
Individual bottle pricing varies by selection

Best for Samples: Flaviar

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: $60 per month
Free Shipping? Yes, for orders over $60
Products per Delivery: 1, 2, or 8

Why You Should Try It

Knowledge is power, and Flaviar wants to educate the world on spirits with a membership club that includes both full bottles and samples.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Full-sized bottles available at members’ prices
Shipping included for membership products

Cons

Multi-month subscriptions don’t receive monthly products

Overview

Bourbons come in all different tastes, and Flaviar wants to pair you with the ones you’ll enjoy most. That’s why the company’s membership includes Tasting Boxes as a product option; the boxes include three sample-sized bottles with tasting notes to help you find your next favorite bourbon. For those who know what they want, a membership product can also include a full-sized bottle from Flaviar’s curated selection.

Flaviar encourages members to share their knowledge with the world and works to help members organize tasting parties. It even hosts its own tasting events online and in person so members can get together to enjoy sipping together.

Pricing and Plans

Monthly membership with one product: $60
3-month membership with two products: $110
12-month membership with eight products: $315

Best Same-Day Delivery: Minibar

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: Varies by selection
Free Shipping? No
Products per Delivery: Varies

Why You Should Try It

Minibar gives you access to a bourbon selection across your local town by working with multiple partners and then delivering right to your door.

Pros and Cons

Pros

No membership fee
Possible to get deliveries in under an hour

Cons

Limited delivery area

Overview

Monthly membership clubs are great for a regular supply of bourbon, but with set delivery dates, sometimes you need to fill the gap in between deliveries. Minibar is there to help, partnering with local establishments to bring the best in bourbon (and all other spirits) right to your door in a matter of hours. Given Minibar’s ability to connect with so many businesses for your delivery, it’s often easy to find familiar brands that you know will be a hit — but based on your location, you may be surprised at the smaller or independent distilleries also available.

Pricing and Plans

Pricing and shipping fees vary

Best for Gifting: Spirited Gifts

Spirited Gifts

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: Varies by selection
Free Shipping? Yes
Products per Delivery: Varies

Why You Should Try It

Spirited Gifts makes it easy to send personalized bourbon gifts to friends or loved ones without having to sign up for a monthly membership.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Large selection of rare and collectible bourbons
Entire section of website dedicated to personalization gifts

Cons

Monthly membership club is a bit pricey

Overview

Occasionally you need a bottle of bourbon to be more than just the spirit itself. Spirited Gifts takes the wonderful gift of bourbon to someone in your life up a notch by offering gift baskets or bottle engraving. Baskets run the gamut of including a bottle of selected bourbon alongside snacks, glasses, or even humidors stocked with cigars. Engraved bottles can also have add-ons included, like glassware or a wooden box for display.

If you want to give the gift that keeps on giving, Spirited Gifts offers a Bourbon of the Month Club that will provide one bottle of rare bourbon monthly to the recipient. (And yes, you can add accessories to the gift membership, as well!)

Pricing and Plans

Bourbon of the Month Club: $399 for 3 months
Other product prices vary by selection

Best for Budget: PourMore

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: $49 per month
Free Shipping? No
Products per Delivery: 1

Why You Should Try It

With respect to your wallet and flexible subscription options, PourMore is a terrific club to start your bourbon collection or add to it without breaking the bank.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Can save $48 by prepaying for 12 months
Easy to set up as a gift

Cons

Cannot order individual bottles

Overview

Appreciating good bourbon can easily come with a high price tag. Luckily, PourMore’s subscription model is budget-friendly while still offering access to small batches and independent distillers. The membership provides one bottle per shipment, and you can select a frequency of monthly or bimonthly deliveries for the same cost of $49.

While the Intro club price point is excellent for those new to bourbon, the Explorer club provides access to a higher tier of bourbon for $30 more per shipment. To help with flexibility and finances, prepayment plans for three, six, or 12 bottles reduce the price.

Pricing and Plans

Intro club: $49 per month
Explorer Club: $79 per month

Best Variety: Saucey

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: Varies by selection
Free Shipping? No
Products per Delivery: Varies

Why You Should Try It

For very quick deliveries and a sizeable bourbon selection with a flat delivery cost, Saucey is a great option for alcohol at your door.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Flat delivery fee of $5
30-minute delivery available between 8 a.m. and 2 a.m.

Cons

Additional “cart fee” that varies by delivery zone

Overview

Saucey makes it quick and easy to find a bourbon you want and get it delivered to your door, with half-hour delivery times available. The selection depends on where you live, but for larger areas, there is a significant number of bourbons to choose from to have dropped off at your door. Deliveries even run into the early hours of the morning, making it simple to access your favorite bourbon whenever the mood hits.

Gifting is available, though the selection of bourbons to send as a gift is much smaller. However, there are still big-name brands and solid labels to choose from for your gift.

Pricing and Plans

No membership plans; the prices of products vary
$5 delivery fee

Best for Extras: Spirit Hub

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price: Varies by selection
Free Shipping? Yes, for orders over $250
Products per Delivery: Varies

Why You Should Try It

With a focus on smaller craft distilleries, Spirit Hub offers an incredible selection of bourbons in addition to all of your barware and cocktail essentials.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Large gifting catalog, from holiday to corporate
Cocktail mixers and add-ons also available

Cons

Spirit Boxes do not include one specifically for bourbon

Overview

If you’re looking for a unique bourbon for yourself or someone else, there’s a good chance you can find it at Spirit Hub. (Baseball-shaped Cooperstown bottles, anyone?) While you can still find bottles like Angel’s Envy and Woodford Reserve, the bourbon shop is full of independent distillers that Spirit Hub works directly with to shorten shipping times. The company even created a fund to help independent distillers struggling with the impact of the pandemic.

Additionally, Spirit Hub has a large collection of barware and glassware to put in your virtual shopping basket, including ice trays, decanters, muddlers, and more, making it even easier to enjoy your bourbon with the correct tools. Craft bourbons and all the accessories you need? We’re in.

Pricing and Plans

No membership clubs; product pricing varies by selection

Best for Rare Bourbons: Taster’s Club

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price $70 per month
Free Shipping? No
Products per Delivery: 1

Why You Should Try It

With a simple structure and access to bourbons that are otherwise difficult to find, Taster’s Club is a go-to for fans of rare bourbon.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Prepaid memberships include shipping
Bottle shop for one-off purchases available

Cons

Add-ons not available

Overview

Not only does Taster’s Club offer access to the sort of rare bourbons every serious bourbon drinker should be keen to try, but the materials it also provides with each bottle go well beyond tasting notes. Info about the inspiration for the bottle, production techniques, cocktail recipes, and more are included; Taster’s Club wants its customers to fully appreciate and understand the very unique bourbons they are drinking. There are even exclusive expressions from distilleries that may turn up in your monthly shipment.

With such an unusual collection of bourbons available for a decent monthly price, Taster’s Club can broaden the horizons of any bourbon fan. Make sure to check out its multi-month prepayment plan for three, six, or 12 months, which also includes shipping.

Pricing and Plans

Bourbon Club: $70 per month

Best for Customization: Sip Whiskey

Buy Now

Key Specs

Starting Price Varies by selection
Free Shipping? No
Products per Delivery: Varies

Why You Should Try It

With a wide selection of bourbons, corporate ordering, and custom engraving, Sip Whiskey has all of the bases covered for your bourbon delivery needs.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Combo packs and bundles available
Selection ranges to capture all budgets

Cons

Delivery eligibility is on the customer to determine

Overview

If you’re looking to customize your bourbon order, check out Sip Whiskey. Not only does the company provide bulk discounts and corporate/client orders, but it also offers gift messaging and wrapping to ensure your appreciation comes through. Personalized engraving is also available for select bottles. Sip Whiskey’s online store offers a decent variety of bourbons to choose from, but keep an eye out for the special bundles and combos with multiple bottles to maximize your enjoyment.

Pricing and Plans

No membership plan; pricing varies by selection
Some states receive flat shipping rate of $20

Final Verdict

If you’re looking to expand your bourbon horizons, there are numerous subscriptions and online shops available. But for the best overall place to buy bourbon online, we suggest Mash&Grape. Its impressive selection gives customers a window into small distilleries and a more well-rounded bourbon experience. Plus, Mash&Grape’s monthly bourbon club ensures you always have something interesting on hand to pour and enjoy.

Compare the Best Places to Buy Bourbon Online

Company	Starting Price	Free Shipping?	Products per Delivery	Delivery Area	Gift Option?
Mash&Grape Best Overall	$69 per month	No	1	37 states	Yes
Flaviar Best for Samples	$60 per month	Yes	1, 2, or 8	42 states	Yes
Minibar Best Same-Day Delivery	Varies	No	Varies	23 states	Yes
Spirited Gifts Best for Gifting	Varies	Yes	Varies	28 states	Yes
PourMore Best for Budget	$49 per month	No	1	42 states	Yes
Saucey Best Variety	Varies	No	Varies	18 states	Yes
Spirit Hub Best for Extras	Varies	Yes over $250	Varies	49 states	Yes
Taster’s Club Best for Rare Bourbons	$70 per month	No	1	45 states	Yes
Sip Whiskey Best for Customization	Varies	No	Varies	Not specified	Yes

Frequently Asked Questions

Which State Makes the Best Bourbon?

While it’s a common myth that only bourbon crafted in Kentucky can be called bourbon, it is true that a significant portion of it comes from the Bluegrass State. Many would say that Kentucky has the best bourbon, but as with any alcohol, it all comes down to the drinker’s taste. Tennessee has a great bourbon tradition, but so do up-and-comers like Wisconsin, Texas, and even California. A monthly bourbon membership can help introduce you to these smaller distilleries — who knows what state your favorite bottle may be crafted in!
What Is the Smoothest Bourbon in the United States?

There are dozens of distilleries that craft bourbon in the United States, each with its own techniques, traditions, and aging times. And with so many labels to choose from, how do you know which is the smoothest? Our answer: It’s up to you! One of the wonderful things about bourbon is that there are plenty of brands to choose from so you can find the smoothest spirit for your personal taste. Joining a monthly bourbon club can provide a way to sample more distilleries and find what is the best kind of bourbon for you.
What Are the Five Rules of Bourbon?
For a spirit to be considered “bourbon,” it must meet certain conditions:
1. It must be crafted in the United States.
2. The mash must be at least 51% corn.
3. When it goes into the barrel, it must be no less than 80 proof and no more than 125 proof.
4. The spirit must be aged in charred New American Oak barrels.
5. Only water can be added to the liquor — no coloring or flavoring allowed.
What Is the Best Way to Drink Bourbon?

Neat or on the rocks? It’s one of the endless debates on how to drink bourbon. Drinking the spirit neat (or “straight”) simply means you’re enjoying it unadulterated — no ice, no water, no mixers. On the rocks will include ice, and it’s not uncommon for it to be a piece of craft ice shaped in a sphere or square to help with dilution into the spirit. Some drinkers prefer adding a splash of water to their bourbon pour to enhance the flavor. And, of course, there is the ability to use bourbon as the base for any whiskey cocktail. Ultimately, the best way to drink bourbon is any way you enjoy it!
How Should You Store Bourbon?

Bourbon is not difficult to store, especially as it does not require any refrigeration. Like most liquor, it shouldn’t experience large temperature changes and does not do well in direct sunlight. Finding a nice, cool spot in your house that doesn’t get hit by the sun’s rays will be the best place for it. And when you find that place, keep the bottle upright; it should not be laid on its side for storage.
How Long Will Bourbon Last Once Opened?

You’ve finally decided to crack open that bottle of bourbon — but you don’t have to drink it quickly. Opening any bottle of liquor will change it, as access to oxygen will impact the flavor. But the bigger issue is keeping the bourbon in the right conditions to extend its shelf life, as heat will cause the alcohol to evaporate. If it’s stored correctly, bourbon can last for years, though there is debate on the range of time. For optimum taste and flavor, it is generally believed that a bottle should be consumed between six months and one year after opening.

Methodology

Our panel reviewed 50 different companies to assess the best whiskey delivery services. The evaluation criteria for services take into account a number of factors, including cost, customer service, membership subscription structure, and variety. Our review team contains a variety of people to capture as many voices as possible.

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Sources

Food & Wine uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.