11 Boozy Eggnog Bottles, Ranked Worst To Best

Nothing rings in the holiday season like pouring a chilled glass of eggnog into your favorite holiday glass. Usually made with a mixture of sugar, milk, egg yolks, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a choice of liquor — one might wonder how this creamy and delicious holiday drink was even created. Going all the way back to the Middle Ages, folks in England enjoyed warm milk mixed with beer or wine, and eggs were eventually added by monks on the Continent. Centuries later, the American colonists' version of boozy eggnog included rum. These days, it's common to use different alcohols to spike eggnog, like bourbon, brandy, or even vodka. It's now considered a holiday tradition.

Not all eggnog is created equal, however. Many different brands have made their own alcoholic eggnogs with their own spin. The type of liquor that is used, the alcohol percentage, the balance of cream and egg, and any spices or different flavorings that are added all can make an impact on how an eggnog tastes. With so many on the market, I decided to gather a collection of alcoholic eggnogs to compare against one another. 

When tasting these eggnogs, I focused on many factors — the initial taste once the drink hits your tongue, the creaminess, egg flavor, presence and balance of alcohol, and the aftertaste. Let's rank these boozy eggnog bottles from worst to best.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Old New England Classic Egg Nog is made with brandy, whiskey, rum, and Kentucky bourbon, with the dairy freshly sourced from local farms. The packaging of this eggnog is incredibly nostalgic. It features colonial-looking fonts and an image of a town covered in snow, and it definitely makes you think that the beverage will taste incredibly cozy.

When I first took a sip of this eggnog — which has a 15% alcohol by volume (ABV) — I felt that it had an incredibly strong flavor of alcohol. Once that burn initially wore off, I was able to taste the creaminess of the drink. It was definitely creamy, but not the creamiest that I had tasted. There were notes of vanilla, as well as a nice prominent egg-like taste to the beverage, which was a plus. However, the creamy and alcoholic flavors and textures didn't blend together as well as I had hoped, and I particularly felt like the burn of the alcohol was the most prominent flavor. There was also a slightly watery aftertaste — which, with eggnog, I truly want that thick, creamy aftertaste to linger in my mouth. 

Overall, I thought it was a fine eggnog and would definitely drink a glass if offered. But other brands stood out to me more.

Old New England Pumpkin Spiced Nog is made with the same exact base as the brand's classic flavor. However, this bottle of eggnog also includes additional flavors like sweet pumpkin. It has similar packaging, as well — apart from the classic, white-colored liquid, as this clear bottle boasts a soft orange color.

While this pumpkin spiced eggnog tasted incredibly strong to me, the other flavors kicked in fairly quickly to overpower the blend of liquor. The taste, when the eggnog was actually sitting in my mouth, was quite enjoyable: It was slightly sweet, I could still taste the eggy notes, and the spiced pumpkin was just a nice subtle flavor that didn't smack me in the face. 

The main thing that I didn't enjoy about this eggnog was that, as I swallowed, the texture felt a bit watery to me. The aftertaste was also almost purely of alcohol, which took away from the enjoyment of drinking a creamy eggnog. As mentioned, I prefer to have a lasting sense of cream left in my mouth. So, I might actually prefer to mix this pumpkin spiced eggnog with a bit more milk, or even a dash of cream, just to give it that extra rich thickness.

If you haven't had Skrewball peanut butter whiskey, you're missing out. This is one of the best sipping whiskeys out there, and the delicious peanut butter flavor is perfect as a post-dinner treat. I was excited to taste Skrewball's take on eggnog. With a 14.75% ABV, the brand, of course, stuck with what it does best: infusing the drink with peanut butter.

Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey Eggnog was definitely one of the thickest ones that I tried. It had a delicious smell of salty peanut butter, which is incredibly unique in the eggnog world. Interestingly, one of the first flavors that I noticed when tasting it was a strong saltiness — almost like it's made with salted peanuts instead of actual peanut butter. Then, once I swallowed, that peanut butter taste was finally noticed. So, I wasn't too much a fan of the initial flavor, but after I let it simmer, I enjoyed it. I also appreciated how creamy and thick this nog was, but I did think it could use a bit more sugar. 

Ultimately, I don't think that I could sit and drink this eggnog on the rocks or straight. I'd prefer to have it as a mixture to something sweet, like ice cream or a blended coffee cocktail.

Ole Smoky is a company that makes a large variety of moonshines. From juice flavor-based moonshines to moonshine pickles, it seemingly has every kind of flavor profile imaginable. Now, if you're not familiar with moonshine, it's a high-proof liquor that is derived from corn and sugar, and it's un-aged. The Ole Smoky Pumpkin Spice Cream Moonshine is 17.5% ABV, which is about 2.5% above most classic boozy eggnogs. The eggnog comes in a jar, which is incredibly unique when it's lined up against all of the other eggnog bottles.

Just by pouring this eggnog into the class, I thought that it looked a little bit thinner than the others. As I tasted it, however, it didn't feel super thin in the mouth. It had a smooth and creamy texture that was filled with many flavors. Surprisingly, this eggnog didn't taste extremely alcoholic at all. If anything, I could have been fooled that this drink didn't have booze at all. There was a nice sweetness to the eggnog, as well, and the pumpkin flavor really sat on the tongue. It almost tasted like a pumpkin-flavored frosting. 

The downside to Ole Smoky's pumpkin spice-flavored offering was that it wasn't incredibly nog-like. I didn't notice too much of a classic egg flavor — and if there was more of that, this would have been a top contender on my list.

Yule Nog is a brand that collaborates with other alcohol companies to create new and interesting eggnog flavors. At 16.5% ABV, this eggnog is made with Fireball, the popular cinnamon whiskey. I absolutely love anything spicy — and particularly think that a spicy drink feels very holiday-like. The Yule Nog Fireball is definitely interesting; however, it didn't fully live up to my expectations.

To be fully honest, I thought that this eggnog just tasted like a creamy version of Fireball. It could be because the flavors of Fireball are just so strong that eggnog doesn't stand a chance. When I first sipped it, the flavors of cinnamon candy filled my mouth. It wasn't necessarily spicy at first, but it tasted just like those sweet cinnamon candies that you can buy at the movie theater. It actually paired nicely with the creaminess of the eggnog, but any actual eggy taste was completely wiped out by the cinnamon. I wish that the Fireball flavor wasn't so powerful, then, so that the flavors of the eggnog could be appreciated more.

That said, as someone who enjoys the taste of Fireball, I would actually sit and drink a glass of this eggnog. However, when considering this ranking of boozy eggnog drinks, this product just doesn't really taste like eggnog. Instead, it's more like a cinnamon-flavored liqueur.

Benchmark Egg Nog comes in a beautifully designed bottle that gives off the vibe of a classic, upscale holiday celebration. It's definitely one that I would like to be sitting on top of my fireplace on Christmas Eve. With rich green and red accents that lay on top of the darker eggnog-colored label, the bottle itself earns some points. While the drink's ingredients aren't shared, it does contain, as you may have guessed, Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. However, just by smelling this eggnog, it seems incredibly classic, reminding me of the Land O'Lakes eggnog that I used to drink while growing up in the '90s.

This eggnog had a nice and thick consistency, which I absolutely loved. It felt rich in my mouth — exactly how an eggnog should. The bourbon didn't take away from the texture, and it's still at 15% ABV like many of the other brands, so it's not like Benchmark skimped on the alcohol. There was also a strong egg flavor that sort of stayed on my lips with each sip, making this eggnog feel extra yummy and cozy. 

The only downside to this boozy eggnog was the aftertaste — a slightly zingy flavor that stuck around, which I wasn't really fond of. It took away from the sweet creaminess that overwhelmed my taste buds at the beginning of each sip.

Ole Smoky Shine Nog Holiday Liqueur, which also has a 17.5% ABV, is served in an adorable jar adorned with an image of a red bow wrapped around the bottle. It's incredibly endearing, and the taste of the drink matches the vibe of the cozy exterior. Although this has a fairly high level of alcohol in it, this boozy eggnog really doesn't taste that strong. Indeed, there were many other brands that made it feel like I was being smacked with liquor, but that's not the case with the Ole Smoky Shine Nog.

I would categorize this eggnog to be on the thinner side; however, it still had some creamy attributes when I tasted it. Overall, it was incredibly sweet. Unfortunately, there wasn't a strong sense of egg in this nog, so that classic taste was definitely lacking. But it was still an enjoyable beverage: It had a nice balance of sweetness, alcohol, and creaminess. I think I'd reach for this eggnog if I really wanted to feel the effects of alcohol quickly, without compromising the taste of the drink — perhaps the perfect beverage for that awkward office party.

Yule Nog Southern Comfort, with a 15% ABV, is an interesting mixture. Southern Comfort is a whiskey-based liqueur that's made with the addition of stone fruit and spices, which give the spirit a very specific flavor profile. When first sipping this boozy eggnog, I noticed an acidic taste that kind of sat on the tip of the tongue. Then, as I let the nog sit in my mouth, I noticed that it was actually filled with strong, classic eggnog flavors. It was also incredibly sweet — probably one of the sweetest eggnogs on this list. However, there were also some slightly fruity aspects to it, which I wasn't a major fan of — I particularly noticed this as I swallowed, as it left an odd taste in the back of my throat. That was definitely coming from the Southern Comfort.

For me, personally, this wouldn't be an eggnog that I would excitedly reach for. However, I do think that people who enjoy a creamier, sweeter, and slightly fruity flavor profile would enjoy it immensely.

Evan Williams makes its Peppermint White Chocolate Egg Nog out of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, blended whiskey, liqueur, rum, and brandy. It truly smells like a creamy candy cane. I was intrigued to try a taste, and this eggnog really brought me through a taste bud journey.

When I first took a sip, I immediately tasted the classic eggnog flavors. The consistency was creamy, and the egg flavoring was definitely nice and rich. Then, as I began to swallow, a mixture of peppermint and a nice alcohol burn started to poke through. At 15% ABV, I thought that the alcohol blended pretty well with the rest of the flavors and liked how the peppermint kind of went along for the ride with that blend. Then, as I swallowed, the peppermint made one final kick that stayed on my taste buds. It added a nice refreshing lift to the eggnog without being too overpowering. Overall, while I enjoyed the taste of this boozy eggnog, it wasn't making me completely jump out of my seat with excitement.

After tasting the Yule Nog Fireball and Southern Comfort, I wasn't thinking that the Paul Masson version would knock my socks off. Paul Masson is a brandy, so while I was definitely curious to see what an eggnog with just brandy in it would taste like, I could sense a huge presence of this spirit as I smelled the bottle, which made me a tad nervous. Once I sipped this eggnog, however, all of my preconceived notions faded away. 

This boozy eggnog was the first one that I tried in my taste test that actually tasted like Christmas memories. It was perfectly creamy, not too thin, but also not incredibly thick, either. It had absolutely lovely notes of both vanilla and oak spice, which made this drink stand out a bit amongst the other eggnogs without going too much off course. What surprised me about this eggnog, however, is that there weren't any eggs listed in the ingredients. Somehow, the liqueur had an incredible aftertaste of pure eggnog, which I think is actual holiday magic, being able to achieve that taste without any eggs.

Drinking this eggnog evoked the feeling of sitting on the couch in a cozy cottage, with a warm blanket wrapped around me as the fireplace crackled in the background. It was deliciously enjoyable, and I truly think it's one of the best eggnogs I've had.

Evan Williams Original Southern Egg Nog comes in a bottle with a deep green label, a small illustration of a cozy cup of eggnog, and classy-looking text. Similarly to the brand's peppermint white chocolate offering, it isn't just made from Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, but also blended whiskey, rum, and brandy, with a 15% ABV. 

Since the label lists such an extensive blend of alcohol, I was admittedly a bit nervous to taste this eggnog. But right as I took my very first sip, it felt like I was being transported back in time to when my grandmother would mix up her favorite grocery-store eggnog with her alcohol of choice. There's a special nostalgia that comes with it, and this Evan Williams bottle matched that perfectly. It was nice and creamy, and when I first sipped it, the egg taste filled my taste buds. I could taste the alcohol, as well, but it blended so perfectly with the other flavors that it felt like they were meant to be paired together. The drink was sweet, but not overly sweet, and it left the most perfect aftertaste in my mouth. 

The pure creamy deliciousness of this eggnog lingered for quite some time, and it made me yearn for another sip. I definitely see myself enjoying many glasses of the Evan Williams Original Southern Egg Nog this season, paired with some delicious seasonal chocolates while enjoying the best holiday classics on TV. 

When embarking on this boozy eggnog tasting endeavor, I tried as many alcoholic eggnogs as I could find on the market. Once each bottle was secured, I tasted them all side by side, completely plain, and neat in a glass. I focused on the consistency, creaminess, overall eggnog flavor, other present flavors, the balance of alcohol, mouthfeel, and aftertaste. I took meticulous notes on each drink, and then it was time for the ranking. At this point, I tasted each eggnog once again to be sure that I was extremely confident in my order.