Not Buffalo Trace: The Best-Selling Bourbon In The World Has Been Around For 230 Years

The world of bourbon ranges from affordable go-to's to rare, sought-after offerings. The first brands that come to mind depend on which end of the scale you pay more attention to. So, the one that sells the most bourbon in the world may either surprise you or feel like a total no-brainer. It's Jim Beam. 

Is Jim Beam one of the best bourbon brands? Absolutely. But bourbon enthusiasts may have expected the top seller to be a pricier pick like Buffalo Trace, Blanton's, or Michter's. Per the annual Brand Champions report from The Spirits Business, Jim Beam sold 16.7 million cases in 2025. The second top seller is Jack Daniel's, at 13.4 million cases — Jim Beam has quite the lead, and it's been that way for several years. 

Perhaps Jim Beam's sustained popularity can be attributed to its history. Founded in 1795, it's one of the older and more established brands on the market — in 230 years, you're bound to figure out how to make consistently good bourbon. The distillery was started by the Boehm family, who changed their name to Beam after immigrating to America and settling as farmers in Kentucky. Jacob Beam began turning his surplus corn into whiskey. He sold his first batch in 1795, officially forming the distillery ahead of an explosion of others popping up in Kentucky. The distillery passed from generation to generation; in 1935, Jeremiah Beam re-founded the distillery as the Jim B. Beam Distilling Company, named for his father.

Jim Beam has a distinctive flavor and quality, which the family intentionally honed and protected throughout the years. James "Jim" Beam would take the distillery's house yeast strain home with him on weekends to ensure it remained the distinctive yeast used in his bourbon only. The brand continued to scale up its recipes over the years without increased production causing drops in quality. They still age their bourbon for four years, when straight bourbon's minimum aging period is only two. While some people might assume Jim Beam isn't as good as bourbons that are more rare, this ubiquitous bourbon still wins awards at respected competitions like the 2016 International Wine & Spirit Competition. 

In fact, it's that accessibility that has helped Jim Beam become the world's best seller. We ranked Jim Beam bottles worst to best, and offerings run from the iconic Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to the Double Oak twice barrel-aged expression. While nuances change, the whiskey is always well made, free of additives and coloring, and satisfyingly delivers on bourbon's key tasting notes like vanilla and caramel. And it does all of this for around $22 for a 750-milliliter bottle.

Also adding to Jim Beam's selling power is the fact that the distillery owns and produces bourbon for other brands — some of which are behind the most search-worthy rare bourbons. Names like Basil Hayden, Booker's, and Hardin's Creek in the Jim Beam portfolio demonstrate the quality the distillery is capable of, and this range only further strengthens Jim Beam's popularity and sales.