Port, second perhaps only to sherry, is the most traditional cask used to finish whisky. As with sherry, various styles of port can be used—tawny, ruby, white, rosé, and even vintage port. Port-finished whiskies are often noteworthy for their deeper color and flavors that include plentiful berry notes of cranberry and blackberry, cherry, plum, and chocolate nuttiness, among others.
Even peated whiskies can be finished in port barrels, and Islay, the spiritual home of peated scotch, has many smoky port-finished offerings. Port-finished bourbons have only been around for a little more than a decade, but they too are now figuring more prominently in port cask finishing. And almost every other whisky country in the world nowadays offers port cask-finished whiskies.
While port finishing’s flavors are discernible to the experienced palate, identifying them is unimportant. Why? Because if you can identify the finish too easily, then it’s not done right. The best finishings of any type should create a unified flavor that’s not overtly identifiable as a cask finish but rather presents as a whisky with an interesting extra kick of flavor.
94 points - Bunnahabhain 14 year old Ruby Port Cask (Feis Ile 2024) Single Malt Scotch 58.7%, $214
Created in celebration of the Fèis Ìle 2024, an Islay Whiskey Festival, this limited-edition expression was aged for 11 years in bourbon casks followed by 3-year finish in Ruby Port Hogsheads. Fruit and spice are the name of the game here, as allspice, plantain chips, banana pudding, dried cherries, and orange slices glide from the glass.
93 points - Balvenie 21 year old PortWood Port Cask Finished Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 43%, $350
This single malt, standing as the oldest whisky of the brand's core range, underwent its first maturation in American oak, followed by a finish in rare port casks. The palate is sweet but balanced by the oak, with more berries, savory spice, and chocolate. It’s very flavorful and completed by a long finish of red berries, well-integrated oak, and lots of spice.
93 points - World Whiskey Society Double Barrel Bourbon and Port Ruby Casks Finished Japanese Single Malt Whisky (Handcrafted by Chip Tate), 51%, $120
This expression marks American Single Malt pioneer Chip Tate's first foray into the world of Japanese whisky. After first maturing in third-fill bourbon barrels for 3 years, it was then finished in two types of ruby port casks for 5 months. Limited quantities are available, as roughly 600 bottles were produced. The palate is spicy, but also notably delicate and smooth for its proof, with red fruit from the wine barrel quite present.
92 points - Ardbeg The Spectacular Single Malt Scotch 46%, $130
Another celebratory limited-edition release for the Fèis Ìle 2024, made specifically for the festival's last day dubbed Ardbeg Day. It uses whiskies aged 9-13 years, 35% of which were matured in bourbon barrels and the remaining 65% in rare port casks. A peat blast on the nose, softened by tart and sweet notes of lemon. The palate is peated and spicy, with Golden Delicious apples, honey, cracked pepper, charcoal, candle wax, and light soapiness.
91 points - Chattanooga Whiskey White Port Cask Finished Straight Bourbon, 47.5%, $60
91 points - Ezra Brooks 99 Special Cask Finished Series Port Wine Cask Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 49.5%, $35
This blended whiskey from Luxco is the bargain of the list. It features 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malt in the mashbill aged for 6 months in port wine barrels from Portugal. The palate is hot and packed with more berry fruit, though there are herbaceous elements to parse out as well: spearmint, licorice, and cherry cough drop. With water, the heat’s been wrangled and brings out creamy chocolate.
91 points - Virginia Distillery Co. Port Cask Reserve American Single Malt, 46.5%, $45
This is more of a classic finish compared to the rest of the reserve portfolio, which sports a variety of new world and old world finishes. Not only is this whisky finished in traditional tawny port casks sourced from premium Portugese bodegas but also spent time in port-style wine casks sourced in Virginia. On the palate, it delivers fruitcake, black and white milkshake, and marzipan.
89 points - Templeton Midnight Rye American Rye Blended with Dark Port Wine 45%, $40
This unusual expression is not aged in barrels previously housing wine as typical with other whiskeys, but instead infused with an undisclosed amount dark port wine after an initial maturation in first-fill American Oak barrels. The port is noticeable, dialing back the rye spice and overwhelming the more subtle fruits the grain could offer. The finish has good length and a pleasant raspberry sweetness.
88 points - Little Rest Port Cask American Single Malt 46%, $125
For this expression the New York-based Tenmile label steers clear of a short finish and instead embraces a hefty age time, around 4 years, in first-fill port wine casks from California. The palate offers vanilla and jammy dark berries, chile pepper, and some bitter chocolate. More red berries on the finish—raspberries, strawberries, and cherries— plus dark chocolate and an appealing char note.
