The Best Fall-Flavored Whiskeys

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It's no secret that flavored whiskey can be very, very polarizing, and there's a good reason for that. When they're bad, they can be sickeningly sweet, have a strange, cough-syrup sort of texture, and have an artificial flavor that definitely doesn't exist anywhere in nature. The whiskey is almost an afterthought, and while we're not going to name any names here, if you've done a shot of awful-flavored whiskey, you know exactly what we're talking about. The good news is that there are some absolutely delightful ones out there. If you're looking for something that captures some of the most iconic fall flavors, we've got you covered.

We put together a list of some of our favorite flavored whiskeys for sipping on the rocks or adding to a whiskey cocktail for an autumn beverage that's perfect for those blissfully cool evenings when it starts getting dark earlier. There are some serious bonfire vibes going on here, and we dig it.

The picks here are heavily based on this writer's personal experience trying an almost irrational number of flavored whiskeys and spending quite a few nights turning them into fun cocktails. But as I know that taste varies greatly, I wanted other opinions — and searched through review sites and social media to make sure there were others who love these fall-flavored whiskeys as much as I do. Good news! I found so many people speaking so highly of our picks that we're confident in recommending them to you.

There's a lot to love about Knob Creek. When we at Mashed ranked the most popular bourbon brands, we put it in fourth place (just below Bulleit) for being a reliable, easy-drinking, and affordably priced line that's a great option to keep on hand for an ordinary-day kind of sip. This line's entry in the world of flavored whiskey is perfectly respectable, and the Smoked Maple has a ton of fans.

Yes, it's sweet — but in all fairness, that's precisely what you should expect from maple. The smokiness takes a lot of the edge off, and if you're the type who likes to crack open a bottle and enjoy the aroma as much as the taste, this one is definitely for you. It's incredibly rich, and while it can definitely stand on its own over ice — particularly as a dessert drink — there are also some cocktails that it's perfect in.

Try it in a classic old fashioned: With or without the bitters, that smoky maple flavor is outstanding when it's complemented by the cherry and orange of this old-school favorite. Add a dash of cinnamon or maple simple syrup and trust us when we say that it might be your new favorite fall cocktail. We do have to add, though, that there's another reason you might want to pick up an extra bottle. This flavored whiskey makes an outstanding ingredient in marinades and in barbecue sauce.

Bird Dog got started back in 2010, and the idea was pretty simple: Combine real whiskey and real flavors in a way that people actually wanted to drink. It's won a ton of recognition from the World Whiskies Awards and the Sip Awards, and the fact that the company is also involved in wetland conservation doesn't hurt, either.

There are a ton of great flavors, but we're here to talk about fall, so we'll start by recommending the hot cinnamon, which might just change the way you think about cinnamon whiskey. The brand has a wildly popular award-winning apple that's great in a cocktail. The maple-flavored whiskey is a little deceptively named. It's not just about the maple — and yes, there's real maple syrup in there — there's also a little butterscotch sweetness there, too. Looking for an outstandingly delicious option to sip on the rocks? Grab a bottle of the s'mores and thank us later.

We also appreciate the fact that Bird Dog is super affordable, and you can expect to pay somewhere around $20 for a 750-milliliter bottle. There's something that hurts about picking up a pricey bottle of whiskey and then using it in a cocktail, but there's no regret here. Pro tip: Use it to replace vanilla extract the next time you whip up a batch of sugar cookies or a pecan pie.

Full disclosure: This is absolutely one of those seasonal favorites of mine that, when it shows up in stores, I push everything else aside to get a case. It's a limited release, and finding it might be a bit of a challenge, but if you see it, you should absolutely pick it up. It's technically described as a whiskey apple punch, and as it's only 15% alcohol by volume (ABV), it's incredibly easy to drink.

The taste is something akin to a mulled hot cider, and yes, this is one flavored whiskey that you should absolutely drink warm from a coffee mug. Think apple pie, cinnamon, clove, a little vanilla, a little orange, and a very, very mild whiskey flavor — and we really can't stress that part enough. This isn't a strong drink, but it is delicious.

You can usually find bottles for around $15, but it's so popular that when we went to Reddit to see what others thought of it, we found some people who were reselling bottles for many, many times the price after it disappeared for the season. We're not saying that you should definitely go the case route, but we'd totally understand if you did.

If you're the type who believes everything is better with bacon, we have two pieces of advice for you. First, you should definitely find the time to treat yourself to peanut butter and bacon-washed whiskey shots. Second, you absolutely must try Bubba's Pancakes & Bacon Whiskey, especially if you're looking for something easy to drink and incredibly flavorful. This one checks in at 35% ABV, and we'd even recommend this for someone who's not a huge fan of whiskey. Drink it straight, alongside some chocolate-covered bacon, or add it to cola for a pretty great brunch drink that's perfect for fall.

Bubba's has a few other options, and they're all great for those autumn months. The Marshmallow Chocolate Whiskey is just what you need when the season gets to the point where you know it's time for s'mores, whether that's around a bonfire with friends or if you're whipping up some oven-baked s'mores in your kitchen. Bubba's version is great as a shot, and while you're making those s'mores, use some of that melty chocolate for a rim on the shot glass.

Finally, there's a Burnt Sugar, too. It's a little sweet, a little smoky, and so easy to drink that it makes a great dessert drink on the rocks. This trio of flavored whiskey is also on the affordable side, and you can expect to spend just over $20 on a 750-milliliter bottle.

Whether you prefer a drink that's strictly on the sweeter side or one that has a spicy kick, there's a flavored Wild Turkey for you. Wild Turkey's American Honey is wildly popular. If you're looking for something that's sweet but doesn't have that weird, heavy mouthfeel and cloying, artificial flavor that some honey whiskeys can have, this is a great option. You can definitely drink this on the rocks, but the honey here is so sweet and inoffensive that we'd suggest it as a great option for a cocktail, particularly something like the honey-and-lemon gold rush.

Wild Turkey's American Honey Sting is also outstanding, and don't let the fact that it gets its heat from ghost peppers scare you away. The heat here isn't food challenge-worthy, burn-your-eyeballs level of capsaicin. Instead, you get some spice along with that ultra-smooth honey. It's perfect for cool autumn nights, and it'll give you that warm-on-the-inside feeling. We'd suggest that if you love a classic hot toddy, the heat from this one is a great way to add another dimension to your drink.

Both also have more of what you might consider a traditional whiskey flavor than some flavored whiskeys, which can be overpowered by whatever's getting added to them. Both are also on the affordable side, retailing for around $25 a bottle.

If you've never tried bourbon balls before, please do. We promise you're in for a treat. Our friends over at our sister site, Tasting Table, have a great recipe for Kentucky bourbon balls. This no-bake dessert of bite-sized balls combines pecans, graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, corn and maple syrups, and — of course — bourbon, for a delightfully boozy treat that is perfect for the fall.

If you have had bourbon balls, you know exactly what kind of chocolatey, rich flavor we're talking about, and that's exactly what you'll get in Ballotin Bourbon Ball Whiskey. Chocolate and whiskey are one of those combinations that has to be executed perfectly in order for it to be good, and this one isn't just good. It's outstanding. It's a little nutty and a little chocolatey with a little bit of the lighter sweetness of caramel. It is by no means too sweet, too chocolatey, or too heavy, and trust us when we say you're going to want this one on ice.

It also makes for a stellar Irish coffee, combining the chocolate and sweetness of the whiskey with the creaminess of the Bailey's and whipped topping. It's sweet enough that you might even be able to drop any added sugar to your coffee cocktail, and it's the perfect way to warm up on a frosty fall night.

There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who celebrate the start of pumpkin spice season as if they had won some sort of annual lottery, and the ones who will side-eye the heck out of the first group. This whiskey is actually kind of for both groups because even if you couldn't be paid to drink a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, there's still a chance that you might like Southern Tier's Pumking — especially in a cocktail.

Why? Because this one is strong, which can be something of a double-edged sword. You might want to skip drinking this on the rocks, but it will add a wonderful, spicy sweetness to a number of cocktails. Imagine all of the traditional pumpkin pie spices — cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg — over a smooth-drinking whiskey, and from there, your imagination is the limit.

We do have a few suggestions, though, starting with turning this into a fall version of a Moscow mule. This ultra-icy cocktail might seem like it gives off some serious summer vibes, but pairing the pumpkin spice of Pumking Whiskey with the ginger beer of the cocktail is a great, fall-friendly take. You could also use it to replace the traditional vodka in a white Russian and turn it into a wonderfully creamy dessert drink, and it might just win the hearts of even the biggest pumpkin pie spice skeptics.

Here's one for all the espresso martini fans out there. Although these fan-favorite brunch drinks typically call for vodka, we'd suggest swapping that vodka for Heritage's Cocoa Bomb Chocolate Whiskey and giving this cocktail a serious upgrade. Don't believe us? Hesitant about the idea of chocolate whiskey? This particular whiskey has taken home a slew of awards from the USA Spirit Ratings, the World Whiskies Awards, and the ADI International Spirits Competition, and it's been doing that for years.

There's a little clarification that's needed here, though. You shouldn't go into this one thinking it's going to taste like a Hershey bar. This leans more into the dark chocolate side of things, so it's a little more heavy than sweet — which is one reason we love it in an espresso martini, as it goes really well with coffee.

It's also on the pricier side of our flavored whiskeys, retailing for about $40 a bottle. At that price, you might want to just sip this over ice, and you won't regret that decision, either.

This one's a Canadian whisky, and it's super-smooth and very easy to drink. The pecan flavor is a pleasantly mild one that doesn't make you regret reaching for a flavored whiskey because it's now all you can taste. Interestingly, Revel Stoke advertises itself as a whiskey for those who don't take whiskey too seriously, who want to enjoy their beverages without feeling like they have to pontificate about flavor notes, nose, and mouthfeel, and who simply want to enjoy the little things in life.

We think the brand nailed it, and honestly, picking just one or even a few of Revel Stoke's flavors was tough, but we singled out the Shellshocked Roasted Pecan because of everyone's favorite fall pie. We feel as though we'd be remiss if we didn't mention some of the other fall flavors that you might want to keep an eye out for: Hotbox Cinnamon, Hardcore Roasted Apple, Root of Evil Root Beer, and S'moregasm Toasted S'mores. They're all super fun, especially if you're experimenting with something like cola.

And honestly, that's one of the reasons we like Revel Stoke — it's just fun. It also retails for around $15 a bottle, and you should definitely give more than one flavor a try. Whiskey, after all, isn't limited to the intimidating world of connoisseurs, rating systems, and the proper way to enjoy a beverage — so don't be afraid to reach for that flavored whiskey.

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In order to come up with a list of must-try flavored whiskeys that capture all the favorite fall flavors and do it really well, I started with personal experience, as I've tried an almost surprising number of flavored whiskeys, as well as experience with my customers both in a bar setting and a liquor store setting.

Some of our recommendations on this list are flavored whiskeys I know fly off the shelves. I also headed to social media and Reddit to get an idea of the general consensus on these brands. I also looked at price and availability and whether there was a wide range of people — including non-whiskey-drinkers — who enjoyed these. In addition, I suggested some cocktails based on my own personal bar experience. In terms of pricing listed, that's estimated based on national pricing that is accurate at the time of writing.