I know something of American Whiskies, and a wee bit of the wonderful history of these whiskies....... and even a wee bit about the taste of them over the years. But about the only thing I can say with great confidence is that on an individual level, what matters is that, if you are a true Bourbon Enthusiast, the only thing that matters is what your palate tells you.
Now, there are those who argue that taste is so subjective that what you like here and now is all that matters. All I can say is 'not so'. In my humble opinion, sipping and enjoying bourbon (like all human endeavors) may end some day, as everything on a personal human level does, but it goes on as long as it is enjoyable to you.
Let us not play games here, drinking spirits, bourbon included, always carries risks. I will not go into them, as they have been enumerated many times and at some point, if you are a Bourbon Enthusiast, you must evaluate them for yourself.......... or sink into the depravity that always awaits those who abuse pretty much anything. I am not one who would remove risks from society because they can cause harm.
Still, what I am addressing here is the tendency of our society to anoint a number one in way too many endeavors. If there is a number one in anyting it is very fleeting and to be lost in the game of finding it is to be truly lost. The idea that there is a 'best' bourbon is foolish. But, I hasten to add there are some bourbons that are better than other bourbons. Which ones fit this category are for you to discover.
But....... the true Bourbon Enthusiast is always looking for that better bourbon, and is relentless in his/her pursuit of that Bourbon. To do so is to be human in the best sense of what it means to be a human being. What rings your bell today, may not ring it tomorrow. If it is your game to find the one bourbon that suits you best, my hat is off to you, but you are not (in my opinion) a Bourbon Enthusiast.
Being a Bourbon Enthusiast is not playing in a game that has an end!