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There’s something gorgeous about that big wall of bourbons in your local spirits shop—but there’s something intimidating about it, too. All the different labels, age statements, and esoteric terms (“sour mash,” “cask strength,” “bottled-in-bond”) are enough to make you throw in the towel and grab one of the familiar, ubiquitous brands. But what if there was a service that sent you intriguing and hard-to-find bourbons multiple times a year, along with contextual materials and other perks? Welcome to the realm of bourbon of the month clubs.
At the most basic level, a bourbon of the month club is a subscription service that delivers unique bottles of interesting bourbon at regular intervals, but beyond that, there are a variety of choices. You may get shipments once a month, while others are quarterly; there are small samples of various bourbons to taste, in addition to a 750 ml bottle; and you’ll find intriguing perks to indulge in. We researched dozens of the best bourbon of the month clubs to find out which offer the best value, the best user experience—and, of course, the most fascinating bourbons.
Best Bourbon of the Month Clubs of 2023
- Best Overall: Mash&Grape
- Best for Samples: Flaviar
- Best Value: PourMore
- Best for Rare Bourbons: Taster’s Club
- Best for Craft Whiskey: Bounty Hunter
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Liquor.com / Mohamed Sadek
We researched around a dozen companies that ship and/or deliver bourbon via standard deliveries as well as through subscriptions. Our team collected 14 data points about each company, ranging from price and delivery area to offerings, what’s in each shipment, and avenues for reaching customer service.
Best Overall : Mash&Grape
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Mash&Grape
- Starting Price: $69/month
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: 1
Mash&Grape offers a simple, one-bottle-a-month service that draws on its deep and highly curated selection of interesting bourbons.
Diverse selection of eclectic bourbons
Impressive curation
Straightforward and easy-to-use
Extensive online marketplace
No discount for longer-duration membership
Does not ship to all states
Mash&Grape tops our list for its simplicity, affordability, and mission to introduce bourbon lovers to unique, unexpected bottlings. A straightforward subscription club that dispatches one curated 750 ml bottle of bourbon midway through each month, Mash&Grape offers three subscriptions: three months, six months, and 12 months. Each one clocks in at the reasonable fare of $69 per shipment.
Mash&Grape’s deep selection of off-the-beaten-path bottles has made the company popular among bourbon lovers. These aren’t the familiar labels you see in supermarkets or liquor stores. Instead, Mash&Grape features eclectic brands and small producers, many of them representing a new, dynamic generation of distillers. Helpful tasting notes are included with every shipment, and additional bottles may be purchased at any time on the website. Mash&Grape also makes it easy to order a subscription for a friend—though, after browsing its impressive bourbon collection, you may decide you’d rather treat yourself instead.
- 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months: $69 per month
Best for Samples : Flaviar
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Flaviar
- Starting Price: $60/month
- Free Shipping: Yes, for orders over $60
- Products per Delivery: 1, 2, or 8
A unique online destination with numerous member benefits, Flaviar gives bourbon lovers the chance to try small samples of multiple whiskeys (or other spirits) with each shipment.
Access to extensive online spirits community
Special pricing on rare bottles
Ability to try small samples of multiple spirits
Subscription model may be confusing for some
Flaviar is an online spirits interface that gives subscribers access to all kinds of benefits, including member reviews, product and distillery profiles, cocktail recipes, distillery tours and free events, and, of course, spirits of your choice delivered right to your door. Members get exclusive access to Flaviar’s online store, which carries more than 15,000 different spirits, including whiskey, Scotch, bourbon, rum, gin, and even mezcal.
Instead of a standard monthly membership, Flaviar subscriptions come in either one-, three-, or 12-month increments. Each plan includes a certain number of products, which can either be full-sized bottles of liquor or "Tasting Boxes" that contain three sample vials of spirits for a try-before-you-buy experience. The monthly membership includes one product and the three-month membership includes two. But the best value comes with the 12-month membership, which will send you eight products whenever you want them over the course of the year. All three plans give you free shipping, online discounts, early access to exclusive bottlings, and more.
- Monthly Membership (one product): $60
- 3-Month Membership (two products): $110
- 12-Month Membership (eight products): $315
Best Value : PourMore
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PourMore
- Starting Price: $49/month
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: 1
PourMore’s affordable subscription service offers bourbon fans the opportunity to expand their palates without breaking the bank.
Affordable pricing plans
Ability to receive shipments monthly or bi-monthly
Reduced rate for pre-ordering multiple months
Does not ship to UT, MS, AL, MA, AK, or HI
PourMore is another bourbon club that earns high praise for its reliably diverse selection of bottles. But it's customization, particularly in the pricing department, sets it apart from other one-size-fits-all clubs. Dedicated to offering pricing plans for enthusiasts of all levels, PourMore wins our accolade for best value.
PourMore offers two tiers for subscriptions: the Intro package, which goes for $49 (shipping starts at $18) per installment, and the Explorer package, featuring higher-end bottles, which costs $79 (shipping starts at $18) per delivery.
Charges occur on a month-to-month basis, but you’ll save money if you pre-pay for a number of months in advance. For example, preordering the Intro package for 12 months results in a reduced rate of $540 (plus shipping), rather than $588. Further annual savings are available if you choose to receive shipments bi-monthly instead of monthly.
- $49/month for “Intro” club
- $79/month for “Explorer” club
Best for Rare Bourbons : Taster’s Club
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Taster’s Club
- Starting Price: $69.99
- Free Shipping: No
- Products per Delivery: 1
Taster’s Club courts bourbon nerds everywhere with its exclusive bottlings and substantial supplementary material included with shipments.
Hard-to-find bottles
Extensive supplementary materials
Access to club-exclusive bottlings
Affordable pricing
No discount for longer-duration membership
Does not ship to all states
Taster’s Club prides itself on sourcing hard-to-find bourbons from the nation’s most esoteric distilleries in Kentucky and beyond. You can expect to see some age-statement bottles (six years, 10 years, etc.) as well as the occasional rye whiskey, just to keep you on your toes. Most appealingly, certain distilleries will offer bottlings exclusive to Taster’s Club, so you’ll have the potential to taste whiskeys you truly can’t source anywhere else.
If you’re a proud bourbon nerd (or, better yet, an aspiring bourbon nerd), the Taster’s Club subscription offers additional value through its monthly “Digital 101” materials. This includes information regarding the production of the bourbon, images of the distillery and its unique story, expert tasting notes, cocktail recipes, and the rationale for selecting the bottle for each month’s shipment. This attention to detail, plus nice touches like a personalized welcome certificate for every new subscriber, make Taster’s Club an enticing option for bourbon buffs of all levels.
- $69.99/month plus taxes and shipping
Best for Craft Whiskey : Bounty Hunter
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Bounty Hunter
- Starting Price: $249/shipment
- Free Shipping: Yes
- Products per Delivery: 2
Delivering quarterly or monthly shipments of two bottles of craft American whiskey, Bounty Hunter offers its subscribers the opportunity to compare bourbon with its compatriots.
Two bottles in every shipment
Access to rare and unique bottles
All American whiskeys featured, not just bourbon
No ability to select own bottles
Taxes are not included
Online wine merchant Bounty Hunter offers a “Bourbon Trail Club” that delivers two excellent, unique bottles of whiskey to its subscribers in every shipment. Utilizing its purchasing power and industry access, Bounty Hunter has developed a reputation for sourcing hard-to-find craft whiskeys. This includes single barrel and bottled in bond selections. You can choose to sign up for either a monthly or quarterly Bourbon Trail Club plan. Both subscriptions cost $249 plus tax per shipment.
The most distinctive aspect of the Bourbon Trail Club is that it’s not limited to just bourbon. Club members can look forward to receiving Wheated, rye, and other American whiskeys that aren’t made in adherence with bourbon’s particular requirements. For the bourbon lover who wishes to expand their palate, the Bourbon Trail Club offers an enticing invitation into the full spectrum of remarkable styles and traditions on display in the ever-expanding world of domestic craft whiskies.
- $249/shipment, plus tax, either quarterly or monthly
Our Unboxing Process
The fun part about putting together this roundup was opening each delivery box and checking out some bourbons. We captured the unboxing process to help you decide which bourbon of the month club might be best for you. We paid attention to:
- The outside packaging: How sturdy was the box?
- The inside packaging: How were the contents secured inside the delivery box?
- Extras: What else besides the actual products were in the box? We wanted to know if the companies included any literature or freebies such as glasses, tasting notes, etc.
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Liquor.com / Mohamed Sadek
Final Verdict
Bourbon of the month clubs come in all shapes and sizes, and the best ones offer bourbon connoisseurs the opportunity to try intriguing bottles that they otherwise might never have encountered. For its ease-of-use, straightforwardness, and affordability, we ranked Mash&Grape as the best bourbon of the month club. Those seeking a more robust and immersive experience would also be encouraged to look into Flaviar, with its sample-filled tasting boxes and robust online community.
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Liquor.com / Mohamed Sadek
Compare the Best Bourbon of the Month Clubs
Company | Starting Price | Free Shipping? | Products Per Delivery | Delivery Area | Gift Option? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mash&Grape
Best Overall |
$69/month | No | 1 | 36 states | Yes |
Flaviar
Best for Samples |
$60/month | Yes, for orders over $60 | 1, 2, or 8 | 42 states | Yes |
PourMore
Best Value |
$49/month | No | 1 | 46 states | Yes |
Taster’s Club
Best for Rare Bourbons |
$69.99/month | No | 1 | 45 states | Yes |
Bounty Hunter
Best for Craft Whiskey |
$249/shipment | Yes | 2 | 7 states | Yes |
What Is Bourbon?
By definition, bourbon is a type of American whiskey made from at least 51% corn, complemented by other cereal grains such as malted barley, rye, and/or wheat. It must be aged in charred new oak barrels, distilled to no more than 160 proof, entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof, and bottled at 80 proof or more. No color or flavoring can be added, unlike other categories of whiskey like Canadian and Scotch. While some believe that bourbon must be made in Kentucky, it can actually be made anywhere in the United States.
How Is Bourbon Made?
A mixture of the aforementioned grains are milled and then combined with water and yeast and allowed to ferment. This liquid, known as mash, is then distilled (typically twice) in column and pot stills. Once it reaches the appropriate strength, the distillate, known as white dog or "white whiskey," is put into new charred oak barrels and allowed to age. (There’s no minimum length of time the spirit has to be aged, but it must be aged for a minimum of two years to be called "straight bourbon.") Once it is mature, the whiskey is either "cut" with water or bottled at barrel strength.
What Are the Rarest Bourbons?
While certain well-reviewed bourbons have achieved cult status in recent years, these tend to be recognizable brands produced by major distilleries. The highly sought-after Pappy Van Winkle, for example, is produced to the tune of nearly 84,000 bottles a year. In comparison, your local craft distillery might be turning out just a few hundred (or even a few dozen) cases of its flagship bourbon. So the rarest bourbons, counterintuitively, are likely the ones that no one’s heard of yet.
How Do Bourbon Subscription Services Work?
Typically, bourbon subscription services will deliver a bottle of bourbon at regular intervals, accompanied by tasting notes and other contextual materials. Schedules and duration vary, as does pricing. In some cases, discounts may be accessed by ordering multiple shipments in advance.
Methodology
We researched several clubs’ offerings and consulted industry experts to select our favorites. In addition, we spoke to both seasoned bourbon drinkers and relative novices about the considerations that would pique their interest in a bourbon of the month club. Overall, we looked at the diversity of offerings, curating philosophies, cost (and value), frequency, accompanying literature, and growth of membership.
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