If you came looking for bourbon specifically — not whisky in general — this is your shelf. Our bourbon whiskey collection holds more than 1,600 bottles of America's native spirit: Kentucky straight bourbon, wheated mashbills, high-rye recipes, small batches, single barrels and cask-strength barrel-proof pours, from Buffalo Trace at $24.99 to allocated icons like Blanton's at $89.99. Every bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, family-owned in San Diego since 1974, and ships nationwide. For the wider whisky world — Scotch, rye, Irish and Japanese — step up to the full whisky collection; this page is bourbon, all the way down.
- 1,600+ bourbons: Kentucky straight, wheated, high-rye, small batch, single barrel
- Buffalo Trace $24.99, Eagle Rare $54.99, Smoke Wagon Straight Bourbon $32.99
- Blanton's Single Barrel $89.99, Willett Pot Still Reserve $59.99
- Del Mesa hand-selected single barrels when allocations land
- Ships nationwide from San Diego, California
What Makes It Bourbon
By law, bourbon must be made in the United States from at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, and aged in new, charred oak barrels — no added color or flavor. That new-oak rule is why bourbon tastes the way it does: vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and baking spice pulled fresh from charred wood, over a sweet corn base. "Straight" bourbon has aged at least two years; "bottled in bond" means one distillery, one season, exactly 100 proof under government supervision. Most bourbon comes from Kentucky, but Indiana, Tennessee and a wave of craft states now bottle excellent whiskey under the same rules — and every unaged bottle in our moonshine collection is bourbon's clear, pre-barrel cousin.
The Styles Worth Knowing
Wheated bourbon swaps rye for wheat in the mashbill, drinking softer and rounder — the Weller and Maker's Mark tradition, and the style most beginners love first. High-rye bourbon pushes spice and structure, the choice for Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. Small batch means a limited number of barrels blended for a house profile, like Four Roses Small Batch Select ($59.99). Single barrel bottles come from one barrel only — Blanton's, the original single barrel bourbon, is the benchmark. Barrel proof skips dilution entirely and pours at cask strength; approach with water nearby. Celebrity and craft entries like SirDavis American Whisky sit just outside the bourbon rules but drink in the same family. When an allocated release lands, it moves to our rare and top shelf collection — check there for the hardest bottles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does bourbon have to come from Kentucky?
No. Bourbon must be made in the United States, and Kentucky makes the most of it — but Indiana, Tennessee, Texas and other states produce respected bourbon under the same federal rules.
What is the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey?
Tennessee whiskey starts as bourbon-style mash and adds one step: filtration through sugar maple charcoal before aging, the Lincoln County Process. It is bourbon in method, with its own name by tradition and state law.
Which bourbon is best for an Old Fashioned?
A high-rye bourbon at 90 to 100 proof — the spice holds up against sugar and bitters. Eagle Rare ($54.99) and Four Roses Small Batch Select are house favorites; barrel-proof bourbon makes a richer, stronger version.
Why are some bourbons allocated?
Distillers cannot speed up aging. When demand for a brand outruns the barrels laid down a decade ago, distributors ration the supply — which is why bottles like Blanton's appear and disappear. If it shows available here, it is in hand.
Sixteen hundred bourbons, from Tuesday-night pours to the bottles people line up for. Order your bourbon whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor and we will ship it to your door, anywhere in the country.