About this episode

Fred Minnick shares his top 5 bourbons for beginners and explains their qualities.

Longtime Whiskey Writer offers his Top 5 list for beginner bourbons and explains why. Check out Fred's new book https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bottom-shelf-fred-minnick/1147295501 Chapters 00:00 Introduction & The "Starter" Label 00:46 A Special Gift: Mike’s Old Crow Art 01:58 What Makes a Great Starter Bourbon? 03:12 #5: Michter’s US1 Bourbon 04:00 #4: Four Roses Small Batch 05:14 #3: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond 07:40 #2: Woodford Reserve 10:13 #1: Maker’s Mark 11:47 Honorable Mentions & Why They Missed the Cut 12:26 The Wild Turkey 101 "Second Base" Rule 13:14 The Buffalo Trace "Third Base" Frustration 14:45 Green River & Final Thoughts Join Fred's Whiskey Club: https://www.patreon.com/FredMinnick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Fred Minnick

Topics covered

• bourbon
• whiskey
• beginners
• top lists
• tasting notes

Keywords

• bourbon
• whiskey
• beginner bourbons
• top 5 bourbons
• whiskey tasting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Barnes & Noble, Patreon

Products: Michter’s US1 Bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey 101, Green River, Buffalo Trace

Books & works: Bottom Shelf

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• Best Bourbon, Best in Show at 2026 ASCOT Awards · July 17, 2026 · 29 min
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