13 Most Iconic American Spirits Of All Time

If you were to guess which liquor bottles are considered the most iconic in U.S. history, there's a good chance you'd start by naming several bourbon brands. Yet, throughout our 250 years (and counting) as a nation, there's been a bounty of widely popular and well-known spirits created and distilled in the U.S. beyond bourbon whiskey — and that's why we're here.

Now, since bourbon is the quintessential U.S. spirit, we didn't shy away from that type of whiskey when assembling this list of true American liquor icons. But we also spotlighted a fairly diverse variety of different liquors, including a bottle produced by the oldest operating distillery in the nation, and the first craft gin legally sold in the U.S. after Prohibition.

Additionally, when we say iconic, we don't necessarily mean high-quality or expensive, and some of the American spirits we've highlighted probably belong closer to the bottom shelf than the top. Then again, becoming a legend among the American liquor landscape doesn't require a positive critical consensus, as demonstrated by several entries. From bourbons and rye whiskies to a handful of clear liquors and more, here are the most iconic American spirits of all time.

Every bourbon connoisseur, whether a newbie or a seasoned veteran, knows that particular category of whiskey contains an "e" in the word ... unless the bottle in question is from Maker's Mark. This iconic American spirit insists on the decidedly non-American spelling as a tribute to the roots of its founder, Bill Samuels Sr., who developed the Maker's Mark recipe over six years in the mid-20th century.

Now, to be clear, the enduring popularity and presence of Maker's Mark bourbon whisky is mainly related to the quality and taste rather than a missing letter. The bottle is distilled using red winter wheat in its mash bill instead of rye, providing a smooth sipping experience that helps distinguish it among bourbons on the market.

The unique presentation can't be overlooked, though, and the wax-sealed bottle stopper perched on top is an instant attention grabber, as well. In fact, the red wax, the shape of the bottle, and the label were all designed by Margie Samuels, a first woman accepted to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame who worked directly with a distillery.

The most iconic spirit produced in the biggest state (by area) in the contiguous U.S. is almost surprisingly clear — and we mean that literally. In fact, while most people might presume Texas is dominated by whiskey, the Lonestar State's greatest contribution to the U.S. liquor landscape just may be Tito's Handmade Vodka.

Simply put, it's nearly impossible to deny Tito's place among American-derived booze bottles. It's been the most popular liquor brand in the U.S. for some time, which is rather remarkable since it's only been on the market since 1997. Then again, Americans generally love to buy American-made products whenever they can, so it's not exactly shocking that a brand proudly proclaiming its U.S. heritage would make a strong mark among consumers in less than three decades on the market.

More than that, Tito's was also the first legally operating distillery in the state of Texas (it first obtained the permit in 1995). It's won numerous awards throughout its existence, as well, which only bolsters its case as a true icon among American spirits.

Arguably no American brand — of any product, spirits or otherwise — is as well-known or beloved as Jack Daniel's. The distillery's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey could potentially claim its black-and-white-labeled bottle is iconic enough on its own to merit inclusion on this list. But there's also no denying the Tennessee whiskey inside those square bottles is virtually unparalleled among American liquors.

Produced and bottled by the Jack Daniel's Distillery since the 19th century using Tennessee spring water, the Old No. 7 whiskey has won numerous awards throughout its long history, starting with a gold medal at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. It's continued to win competitions and contests, and it even outperformed Crown Royal in our head-to-head whiskey battle.

Interestingly enough, while the popularity of Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 is well-established, the reason for the name remains unknown. We may not be able to explain why it's described as "old" or what it's the seventh version of, but we'd also argue that mystery helps cement its legendary position.

No person from American history may be more of an icon than George Washington. On that note, if the nation's first president made an effort to secure the recipe for a particular spirit, and that liquor is still available on store shelves, it's a no-brainer for inclusion on this list, which is the case with Laird's Applejack.

This bottle's claim to fame isn't solely about a brief encounter with the man who's portrayed on the $1 dollar bill, of course. But with a track record that extends back to the time of our Founding Fathers, it's easy to see why Laird's Applejack is a legend among U.S. liquors. It's the oldest licensed distillery in the U.S., after all, and is considered the most iconic liquor brand from the state of New Jersey by many consumers. Even if some struggle to precisely categorize what Laird's Applejack — legally speaking, it's an apple brandy, though the classic bottle only contains 35% apple brandy (with neutral spirits making up the remainder) — there's no difficulty accepting its stature among American spirits.

Did you know Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the U.S. national bird instead of the bald eagle, because the turkey is a tough and ornery creature — just like America? You might not, because that (admittedly plausible) story isn't true. Similarly, the fiercely fearless nature of the traditional Thanksgiving poultry didn't inspire the creation or name of the Wild Turkey brand or its iconic 101 Straight Bourbon. But even if it did, this classic Kentucky-born bottle would remain among American spirits royalty.

The 101-proof whiskey is surprisingly smooth and sippable given the substantial alcohol content in each bottle, which is a big factor in its long-standing reputation and popularity. Its easily recognizable label — featuring the distinctive wild turkey imagery — ensures it stays prominent in the minds of shoppers, as well.

Its remarkably consistent flavor profile is a big plus, too, as the distillery has used the same production process for over six decades. And considering this classic bourbon continues to earn praise and accolades in the 21st century, including a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021, it's unlikely to lose its iconic American status anytime soon.

Everyone reading this article likely knows Prohibition forced the vast majority of U.S. distilleries to stop production in the 1920s. Yet few may know the first craft gin produced in America after that period wasn't bottled and sold until 1996. Now, we're not sure why it took six decades for an American craft gin to be produced post-Prohibition (which, like craft beer, essentially means the liquor is distilled on a smaller scale through a more hands-on approach). But Junipero Gin filled that void, creating a new market for U.S. distillers in the process.

Junipero didn't become a legendary liquor by innovation alone. It's popular among craft gin consumers and has won various awards throughout its existence. Plus, it's still manually produced in small batches in San Francisco, as has been the case since its founding.

In short, Junipero might have made this list regardless of it being "the original American craft gin" (as each bottle reminds consumers). But being the first or longest to do something in the U.S. earns any brand a huge amount of cultural cache, so there's simply no denying the iconic nature of this spirit.

Bourbon isn't the only whiskey intimately associated with the U.S. — rye whiskey also has a long and storied history among America distilleries. This comes as no surprise to fans of the rye-starring Sazerac cocktail, which is actually named after the iconic American spirit known as Sazerac Rye Whiskey.

First produced in New Orleans in the 1800s, Sazerac just may be the pearl of the quarter. After all, it was originally popularized in the Big Easy during the 19th century. Back then, it was usually mixed with bitters and served at the Sazerac Coffee House (the then-common name for saloons).

Now, the vast majority of this famed rye whiskey is produced and bottled at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky. But as a nod to its origins, in 2019, the brand bottled some of its whiskey at the Sazerac House in New Orleans.

If you opened this article and had never heard of Jeppson's Malört, and you have no idea what it is or why it's on a list of iconic American spirits, well ... you're clearly not a Chicago native. After all, while some say it's famous for all the wrong reasons, Jeppson's Malört remains an undeniable icon to anyone who's spent any significant time in Chicago. Even if no one from the Windy City actually enjoys the alcohol, there's no denying the wormwood-flavored liquor's place in the city's heart.

Produced in the Illinois area since the end of Prohibition — after a Swedish immigrant named Carl Jeppson began to bottle and sell the liquor — this bitter-tasting concoction is said to taste somewhat similar to absinthe. Yet the flavor profile is so bizarre and potentially off-putting that most people are said to make a "Malört face" when they first try it.

Now, if a painful expression is the most likely outcome when sipping a drink, you might wonder why anyone would willingly subject themselves to said alcohol. We don't have an answer to that, but we do know we'd face the wrath of Chicago citizens if we skipped this bottle.

Before anyone complains about Southern Comfort being included on this list — because it's a liqueur rather than a straightforward liquor — the bottom line is that SoCo belongs among American alcoholic royalty. The whiskey-flavored product starts with actual whiskey, after all (at least, it does as of 2017), and with a 150-year-plus track record of success, few U.S. spirits can match the iconic nature of Southern Comfort.

Invented in New Orleans after a bartender decided to add fruits and spices to cheap whiskey hoping to make it more palatable, Southern Comfort isn't what most would consider a premium option. But as we've noted throughout this article, iconic isn't synonymous with price. There's plenty of folks who love the bottle, as demonstrated by its staying power.

Beyond a long-standing place on store shelves, Southern Comfort actually won a gold medal previously at the Paris Exhibition (in 1900, which still counts). It's been beloved by countless Americans, including Janis Joplin, and at least one U.S. BG17 Bomber plane during World War II was nicknamed "Southern Comfort" in honor of the pilot's preferred booze brand.

Did you know the oldest continually produced whiskey brand in the U.S. is not a bourbon but a rye? It's true, and no bottle can match the length of time in production of Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey. Of course, while its longevity is notable — including its ability to survive Prohibition — it's not the sole reason why this rye belongs in the pantheon of American spirits.

For one thing, like Laird's Applejack, former fans of Old Overholt include a pair of U.S. commanders-in-chief. President Ulysses S. Grant and President John F. Kennedy were both known to sip this whiskey, and it was actually JFK's go-to whiskey option, though whether it's made an appearance in the Oval Office since the 1960s is unclear.

While its overall reputation has taken a bit of a hit over the years, Old Overholt remains in a class by itself. And as long as it stays in production, this eminently affordable bottle will remain an icon among U.S.-distilled options.

There are plenty of whiskey brands on this list (to say nothing of the genuine icons that we didn't include). But we couldn't complete this article without Jim Beam, which actually got its start as a corn farm in the 1700s. This makes perfect sense, since one of the legal requirements for distilling and selling bourbon is the inclusion of at least 51% corn in a mash bill. Either way, having been a mainstay of the bourbon world for more than two centuries — both before and after Prohibition — few American spirits can match the legacy or stature of Jim Beam.

The famed distillery began when Jacob Beam tweaked a family recipe in the late-18th century and began selling his new whiskey. Originally sold under as Old Tub Bourbon, that name was used until Prohibition, when Jim Beam (like so many other distilleries) was forced to stop production. When alcohol was once again legalized in 1933, the distillery no longer owned the rights to the Old Tub name, so it began selling it under the Jim Beam label.

Jim Beam is still a widely popular option among U.S. consumers, and it still remains under the operation of the Beam family. Freddie Noe became the 8th member of the Beam family to take over as master distiller in 2022, ensuring the flavor profile of this iconic bottle stays the same moving forward.

Few bottles of alcohol are likely considered equally useful as a beverage and a cleaning product. Of course, few bottles on store shelves essentially require an additional mixer before you can safely sip it, which is the case with Everclear. The standard bottle of this iconic (and perhaps only well-known?) American neutral grain alcohol comes in at an eye-popping 190-proof — and we mean that literally. Because if you start taking shots of a liquor with a 95% ABV, your eyes might not stay in their sockets for very long.

The prime ingredient for various jungle juice recipes — which, for many college students, means a combination of grain alcohol and a lot of fruit juice (or Kool-Aid, as was the case when this writer was in school) — Everclear is not for the weak at heart. And while it's not the only grain alcohol on the market, it's likely the only neutral grain alcohol brand most readers can name.

It's been a staple on store shelves in the U.S. since the early-to-mid 20th century, though its exact start date is uncertain. Even though the sales of its classic 190-proof bottle is restricted in some states as of this writing, Everclear is apt to continue dominating the grain alcohol market as long as it remains in production.

To be perfectly honest, the Buffalo Trace distillery may be more iconic than the actual namesake bourbon produced there. The distillery is the production home to a number of non-Buffalo Trace whiskey brands, and the facility's history extends much further into the past than this exact bottle. At the same time, Buffalo Trace Kentucky straight bourbon is an undeniably iconic American spirit, one that's boosted by its just-as-memorable (in our opinion) packaging.

Buffalo Trace is instantly recognizable on store shelves thanks to the image of a proud buffalo featured on every bottle. It's also a fairly affordable option, particularly when compared to some of the pricier brands distilled by Buffalo Trace, like Pappy Van Winkle. While relative affordability alone doesn't make an alcohol iconic, the ability to sip on a high-quality bourbon like this one without breaking the bank certainly helps elevate this bottle in our eyes (and among the general public).