Can you recommend 'sweet' Bourbons?

In my, admittedly limited, experience - all of them except a special few. Having said that, Elijah Craig 12, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Makers Mark. The Elijah Craig is powerful stuff, high abv and very full bodied. The Buffalo Trace medium bodied with a more subtle and varied flavour profile. Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek, oak dominated with only subtle differences (beginner here, but I tasted both of these the other night and initially had trouble telling them apart). Makers Mark, well it has been a while but another fairly full bodied Bourbon.

However, all of them sweet. That's really Bourbon's thing. Finding a bourbon that isn't overwhelmingly sweet is a challenge.

Jules, I would recommend the Old Weller Antique 107 bourbon. I did not find the higher proof to be an issue. But your description for a "dessert" bourbon immediately brings to mind the wonderful baking spices I taste in OWA 107. And since it is a wheated bourbon, I find it very easy to sip. A girlfriend of mind loves to use it in her sweet Manhattens, and Old Fashions.

@Jules, all of the Van Winkle bourbons are excellent examples of sweet bourbons. 'Sweet' comes across more strongly with wheated bourbons in general than with standard rye-containing bourbons, because the wheat flavours meld together with the oak flavours rather than contrasting with them. Rye flavours produce much more of a distinct contrast, and many more differing subtle, contrasting, and mostly spicy flavours. You can get plenty of sweet with rye-bourbons, but sometimes it is strongly obvious, and sometimes not.

The traditional 5 longstanding brands of "wheaters" are Van Winkle, W.L.Weller (including Old Weller Antique, which @cherylnifer very correctly mentioned), Maker's Mark (Maker's 46 makes a much better sipper than the standard), Old Fitzgerald (especially sweet, but not my favourite), and Rebel Yell. If you haven't before, take a look at my Wheated Bourbon List.

A lot of rye-bourbons would work for your purposes too. Standard Evan Williams Black Label is quite sweet and light. The Evan Williams Single Barrel would serve nicely, as well, as would any Ancient or Ancient Ancient Age product of at least 45% abv. Really all of the whiskeys which @Phil 73805 mentions do work for "sweet"...it's just that the sweetness is not quite the same center of attention with them that it would be for wheated bourbons.

About Van Winkle 12 yo specifically...yes, it is a good "sweet trip", but it is rather on the light side. It would be good for 'dessert' purposes provided you haven't been drinking something intense, e.g. peated whisky, close before. I prefer this type of bourbon either completely by itself, or as the very first type tasted in a larger tasting. If you drink Corryvreckan first, you probably won't even be able to taste Van Winkle 12 yo Special Reserve 'Lot B' afterward.

Phil73805 mentioned Elijah Craig 12 yo. That's the standard expression widely available. If you can get your hands on one of the older Elijah Craigs, 18 yo, 21 yo, 23 yo, they are very beautiful sweet bourbons also, mellowed with very long wood aging. And certain batches of the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (also 12 years old), such as the 66.6% abv batch, are extraordinarily lush in their sweetness.

Yes, bourbon is, as Phil says, very much about sweetness derived from new oak sugars, which is why I prefer as categories US ryes and Canadian old school ryes to bourbon. I like dry, fruity, and spicy, and rye whisk(e)y has more of all three of these than does bourbon. But once you've tasted some of the lovely bourbons out there, you will likely have a place (viz. a mood and frame of mind) for them too.

Try get your hands on some 100% corn whiskey.

Corn whisky is next on my list...@Shane-IL

For a nice sweet desert whiskey Even Williams Single Barrel, light , very smooth, sweet. If like something with a little more punch Wild Turkey 101, dark sugar, Carmel . I love serving desert with Wild Turkey 101, it pairs well with everything from cheese cake to Apple pie. I'm getting hungry. Sweet Carmel whiskey go great with desert.

Thanks for the question.

I think I'll get some desert to go with my bourbon.

@Victor Thx for the quick overview!

As a novice bourbon person, I like Eagle Rare 10 Year Old and Four Roses Single Barrel (the standard version)

I gather that they are not particularly sweet as compared to other bourbons but they are sweet enough for me. What I find is that they are very well rounded and balanced.

If anyone is in the area Vintages through the LCBO is hosting "New Old School Bourbon Reception & Dinner" Thursday, March 12, 2015 The Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto Reception: 6:30 p.m. Dinner: 7:15 p.m. Price: $125 per person.

I'd also add to this list Angel's Envy. Port is traditionally an after dinner drink, and Angel's Envy brings some of hose flavors in a very smooth profile.

Old Weller Antique 107 is a great value, higher proof, wheated bourbon. Eagle Rare 10 is one I got a chance to re-taste a couple of weeks ago and it would definitely fit the bill, also at a reasonable price point. Evan Williams Single Barrel is a very approachable and clear representation of the 'basics' of the bourbon profile (vanilla, toffee/caramel) at a great price. If you're new to bourbon, I would start with EWSB.

I like Booker's and I find it to be a bit sweet. It's so think and has such a great mouthfeel, I'd have it for dessert....I need to open a new bottle...too bad I'm on call.

Save some money and get the 4Roses single barrel, nicely sweet, gentle mouthfeel and some complexity