12 Best Bourbons That Aren't Produced In Kentucky

If bourbon mythology is to be believed, Elijah Craig opened a distillery in Kentucky, where he aged his corn whiskey in charred oak barrels. Now, this story may not be verifiable, but it did give birth to the idea that whiskey is only bourbon if it's distilled and created in the Bluegrass State. Yet many distilleries across the U.S. are also known to create mythically fine bourbons.

After all, while some bourbon rules are set in stone — such as a mash bill that must be at least 51% corn — it's a misconception that whiskey must be distilled in Kentucky to be bourbon. Bourbon cannot be labeled "Kentucky straight whiskey" unless it's distilled in the state, of course. But many people don't realize that some of their favorite Kentucky bourbon started as what's known as Midwest Grain Product (MGP) bourbon – a spirit that's distilled elsewhere before being bottled or blended and aged in Kentucky.

The existence of high-quality sourced bourbon refutes the notion that the best bourbon comes exclusively from Kentucky. We don't mean large, out-of-state distilleries are churning out copycat bourbon, either. Distillers from coast to coast are utilizing local grains and small-batch offerings to make some delicious bourbon whiskey. If you're searching for a spirit from a different terroir, we've assembled a list of some top-notch bourbons made outside the state's borders to help get you started. Here are 12 exceptional bourbons that aren't produced in Kentucky.

Jimmy Red Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the lovechild of revivalists invested in bringing heirloom grains back to the South. Although this jewel-toned corn was cultivated by indigenous people across the Midwest, the story of this bourbon starts in 1910, when Richard Humphries of Screven, Georgia brought the corn to South Carolina.

When industrial agricultural production forced Jimmy Red corn nearly to extinction, a local farmer named Ted Chewning saw what was happening and began cultivating the grain. In 2015, it was added to the Slow Food Ark of Taste – a list of endangered foods considered important to a region's culinary heritage — and High Wire Distilling was allowed to cultivate its own Jimmy Red corn for distillation. In other words, this bourbon's 100% corn mash bill makes sense, as does the initial tasting notes of buttered popcorn and caramel.

The nose is complex and shifts as the bourbon is exposed to air. Aromas of spice, coffee, lemon, and honey are present, plus oak from the barrels it's aged in. The lack of barley or rye means all of the flavors come from the corn and the barrel in which it's aged, and the Jimmy Red corn's beautiful complexity shines clearly in the taste and nose. With a long finish on the palate that continues to change from the first taste to the last, you'll surely enjoy this bourbon.

The origin story of John J. Bowman Single Barrel begins in Virginia when four brothers (who were militia officers) moved to Madison Family County, Kentucky in 1779. When a great, great grandson purchased a farm in Northern Virginia and found himself with a surfeit of corn, wheat, and rye after Prohibition was repealed, he opened the A. Smith Bowman Distillery. Today, the distillery is an hour's drive from its original location, offering its first bottles in 1991. John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon takes its name from Colonel John Bowman, and the mystique behind this bottle is the stuff of legends.

An (unconfirmed) rumor has it that John J. Bowman is a sourced bourbon that's first distilled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky ... before A.Smith distills it twice more in a copper still and ages it on-site. The distillery is mum on everything from its mash bill to the age of its bourbon. But if the sourcing rumor is true, John J. Bowman shares the rarified air occupied by the likes of E.H. Taylor and Eagle Rare: Two exceptional Kentucky bourbons also produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Either way, this is a classic bourbon with notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice. These carry through to the finish, which is long and pleasant. Since this is not what you'd call an overly complicated bourbon, it makes for a great introduction to bourbon in general.

Some bourbon drinkers are snooty about blended whiskey, but Redwood Empire is here to change that. The area referred to as the Redwood Empire reaches from San Francisco to the Oregon border. Here, giants of the forest tower, with protected groves of Muir Woods and Humboldt Redwoods standing sentry. Redwood Empire is as committed to protecting these primeval trees as they are to making delicious bourbon — for every bottle sold, this distillery plants a tree (to the tune of just over 1,136,000 trees planted so far).

Sourcing from distilleries in California, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, Redwood Empire blends bourbons aged between four and 12 years to produce a bottle with notes of maple candy, dried fruit, and sugar cookies. It is a delicious example of the traditional bourbon flavor profile and mouthfeel, with buttery, smooth notes and body. The finish is clean, with hints of black pepper and some fresh fruit. It's the perfect introduction to bourbons for someone looking for a way into the sometimes overwhelming flavor profiles of bourbons with stronger ABV and more complex notes.

Widow Jane's 10-Year Bourbon Whiskey is routinely showered with accolades. Perhaps one reason is that it starts in the birthplace of bourbon before being aged in barrels in Red Hook, New York. Although its mash bill and originating distillery remain undisclosed, what is known is that this bourbon is consistently delicious, with a smooth, complex flavor profile that's developed over a minimum of six years of aging (and in this case, a full decade).

Widow Jane is the oldest of whiskies at the distillery, made in small batches and proofed with water from the Rosedale Mines (a.k.a. the Widow Jane Mines) of New York. The result is a beautifully smooth bourbon with tasting notes of vanilla, cinnamon, cherries, and spice. It's also considered a lower-proof bourbon at 91-proof, so there's no sharp ethanol smell. The nose is of oak, corn, vanilla, and the charred barrels in which it's aged.

Pepper and oak are present on the finish, which flares hot and then subsides. It's worth considering the high price point of this single-barrel bourbon. It has a solid traditional bourbon flavor, but if you don't want to pay more than $70 per bottle, there are similar bourbons to be had for less.

Smooth Ambler's Contradiction Bourbon is like the state it comes from: deeply down-home, but influenced by the states outside its borders. In the case of Smooth Ambler Contradiction Bourbon, the distillery blends whiskey from Indiana and Tennessee with its own wheated bourbon distilled in West Virginia. This bourbon is the perfect metaphor for the can-do spirit that lives in Appalachia. It's an upstart in a region that is known more for moonshine, and it's winning awards (including a prior gold medal at the World Whiskey Awards).

This blend combines 27% of a Smooth Ambler 2-year-old wheated bourbon and 73% of a 9-year-old high-rye sourced bourbon. These are blended and then barreled in the original barrel for another three months. This four-grain bourbon smoothes out the rough edges of the wheated bourbon, the taste of which pops forward on the first sip, followed by notes from the older bourbon. The characteristics of the wheated bourbon then become more forward, resulting in spicy heat that can be intimidating.

This bourbon finishes dry, with lots of wood. Although there are sweet notes of green apple and vanilla, this bourbon is not a traditional bourbon in either the nose, the taste, or the finish. If you are not an experienced bourbon drinker, this may not be the best place to start. For those who like something a little different, an ice cube opens up more complexity and can make it a more enjoyable experience.

Another great bourbon from Washington state, Dry Fly Distilling appears to use a straightforward mash bill that contains 55% corn and 45% triticale (a hybrid grain that marries wheat and rye). Triticale is a man-made grain that's used in just a handful of whiskies in the U.S. The result of this non-traditional grain combination is a light-colored spirit with a big punch of flavor.

Dry Fly Straight Bourbon 101 Whiskey weighs in at 101-proof — a high-proof tipple that was the first of its kind produced in Washington. On the nose, big orange aromas and sweetness from the wheat are present, as are floral notes. The orange makes an appearance on the first taste, too, with vanilla present. There is bread in the finish, a testament again to the wheat.

Wheat seems to be the big story here, as it beats some of the other more subtle flavors. To be clear, though, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The fullness of citrus rounded out by bready flavors and aromas makes for an unusual sip that's a pleasant departure from the traditional.