The Short Answer
The best bourbon for an Old Fashioned is one that's between 90 and 110 proof, has a good amount of sweetness and spice, and won't disappear behind sugar and bitters. You don't need to spend $80 — in fact, some of the best Old Fashioned bourbons sit between $25 and $50. What you do need is enough backbone to stand up to dilution and enough flavor to carry the drink from the first sip to the last.
We've been making Old Fashioneds behind our tasting bar and at home for decades. Here's what actually works.
What Makes a Bourbon Good for an Old Fashioned
An Old Fashioned is just three things: whiskey, sugar, and bitters. There's nowhere to hide. The bourbon is doing about 90% of the work, which means the bottle you choose matters more here than in almost any other cocktail.
The ideal bourbon for this drink has a few specific traits. First, proof matters. Anything under 86 proof tends to wash out once you add ice, sugar, and bitters. The sweet spot is 90 to 110 proof — high enough to hold its character through dilution but not so hot that it overwhelms the balance of the cocktail. Second, flavor profile matters. You want caramel, vanilla, and baking spice — the classic bourbon notes that complement the brown sugar and aromatic bitters rather than fighting them. Bourbons with heavy rye spice or strong fruit-forward profiles can work, but the traditional caramel-and-oak profile is the safest bet for this particular drink.
Our Top Picks at Every Price Point
Under $30: The Everyday Pours
Buffalo Trace Bourbon — There's a reason this is the default recommendation for almost every bourbon cocktail. At 90 proof, it has just enough weight to carry an Old Fashioned without overwhelming it. The caramel and vanilla notes are textbook for the drink, and the clean finish means nothing fights the bitters. It's the safe choice — and sometimes the safe choice is safe because it works.
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond — At 100 proof and usually around $20, this is the best value play on the entire list. The extra proof gives it serious cocktail muscle, and the slightly darker, roastier character adds depth that cheaper bourbons can't match. If you're making Old Fashioneds for a party and don't want to drain a premium bottle, this is the move.
Wild Turkey 101 — The 101 proof cuts through ice and sugar effortlessly. It's spicier than Buffalo Trace with more rye kick, which gives the finished cocktail a bit more edge. Some people prefer this style, some don't — but nobody would call it boring.
$30–$50: The Sweet Spot
Woodford Reserve — Woodford is the bourbon you'll find behind the bar at every serious cocktail spot, and there's a reason. The balance of dried fruit, vanilla, and toasted oak translates perfectly into an Old Fashioned. At 90.4 proof it's not a bruiser, but the flavor density makes up for it. This is probably the single most crowd-pleasing option on the list.
Elijah Craig Small Batch — Heaven Hill's workhorse bourbon punches above its weight class. The char and smoke notes add a layer of complexity you don't get from cleaner-profiled bourbons, and at 94 proof it holds up well in the cocktail. If your ideal Old Fashioned leans smoky and rich rather than sweet and smooth, start here.
Knob Creek 9 Year — At 100 proof and nine years old, this is arguably the best balance of age, proof, and price on the market for cocktail use. The extra time in the barrel gives it a depth that younger bourbons can't touch, and the 100 proof means it won't fade as the ice melts. Nutty, caramel-heavy, with enough oak to remind you it's been somewhere. Serious Old Fashioned material.
$50+: The Statement Bottles
Liquor Barn Single Barrel Picks — If you want an Old Fashioned that tastes different from every other one you've ever had, a single barrel selection is the way to go. Our barrel picks are hand-selected for complexity and character, and since each barrel is unique, you're getting something you literally can't find anywhere else. We rotate these regularly, so check our single barrel collection for what's currently available.
Russell's Reserve 10 Year — Wild Turkey's premium line is underrated for cocktails. Ten years of aging smooths out the Wild Turkey spice without eliminating it, and the 90 proof is perfectly calibrated for a drink where you want the bourbon to shine without punching you in the face. Elegant is not a word usually associated with Wild Turkey, but it applies here.
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style — At 115 proof, this is the heavy hitter on the list. It makes an Old Fashioned with serious density and a dark, almost chocolatey richness that higher-proof bourbon brings to the table. This is for people who want their cocktail to taste like a cocktail and not like flavored water. Add a couple extra dashes of water if you need to, but the full-proof experience is worth trying at least once.
The Simple Recipe That Works Every Time
Put a sugar cube (or a barspoon of simple syrup) in a rocks glass. Add 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters. If using a sugar cube, muddle it with the bitters and a splash of water until dissolved. Add 2 ounces of bourbon. Add one large ice cube. Stir for about 20 seconds. Express an orange peel over the glass and drop it in. Done.
The only thing that changes between a good Old Fashioned and a great one is the bourbon you put in it. Browse our full bourbon collection and find the right bottle for your glass.
A Few Things People Get Wrong
Don't use flavored bourbon. The drink already has sugar and bitters providing the flavor modifiers — adding honey bourbon or cherry bourbon on top of that creates a muddled, overly sweet mess. Stick with straight bourbon.
Don't use crushed ice. A single large cube or sphere is what you want. It dilutes slowly and keeps the drink cold without turning it into bourbon-flavored water in three minutes.
Don't overthink the bitters. Angostura is the classic for a reason. You can experiment with other bitters — walnut, chocolate, orange — but the standard aromatic bitters are the foundation.
Don't muddle fruit. The original Old Fashioned didn't have a cherry and an orange slice mashed into the bottom. An expressed orange peel for aromatics is all you need. If you want a cherry, drop a Luxardo or Starlino maraschino cherry in at the end — don't muddle it.
