Isaac Bowman

A. Smith Bowman has made whiskey in Virginia since 1934 and has been Sazerac owned since 2003. Its Fredericksburg distillery takes already double distilled spirit from sister Sazerac plants, then runs it a third time through Mary, a 2,000 gallon copper pot still.

That third pass is the point. Master distiller David Bock says it pulls back the spicy corn note and brings floral softness forward. Isaac Bowman is that bourbon finished in port barrels, some from Virginia wineries, at 92 proof. The distillery says it is made like its Abraham Bowman port finish, named World's Best Bourbon at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards. Soft bourbon, dark fruit, no fight.