2719 Searched for key words of the whiskey rebellion

With whiskey tourism at an all-time high—there were over two million visitors to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 2022—it’s a good time to expand your horizons, look beyond the distilleries themselves, and learn how the spirit we treasure came to be in the first place. We’ve assembled a list of five significant whiskey history-focused destinations—two in Kentucky, two in Pennsylvania, and one in Virginia—that will provide a deeper understanding of how American whiskey was conceived and acquaint you with some of the important people and places that got the ball rolling.
Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History
Bardstown, Kentucky
This artifact-laden museum is located in Bardstown, Kentucky’s historic Spalding Hall, built in 1839 as part of St. Joseph’s College, a small Catholic institution whose educational mission ended in 1968. Today it’s home to the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History as well as the Bardstown Historical...

This article was originally published in June 2020. COVID-related restrictions may affect some of the opening times and offerings of these venues, so check in advance of a visit.No city in the country has deeper roots in whiskey history than Pittsburgh. It was virtually the epicenter of the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794, when farmer-distillers raised arms against federal agents. The area gave rise to our nation's first named whiskey style: Monongahela rye. It was famous long before Kentucky bourbon, and dominated the national market until after the Civil War.Pittsburgh's history is also entwined with the industrialization of the U.S., and it embraces its hard-working reputation decades after the decline of the steel industry. Once a shot-and-a-beer town, the Steel City's move into the 21st century has seen tremendous improvements in everything from air and water quality to food, drink, and entertainment. This heritage makes the city more a rye and bourbon mecca than a haven for other...

Shrouded in the woods in an unincorporated town outside of Frankfort, Kentucky, a 19th-century distillery rumbles back to life. Abandoned in 1972, the workers walked out, leaving coffee mugs and office memos on their desks, not knowing when or if they might return. In the passing decades, the Old Taylor Distillery, with its “Sleeping Beauty” castle, was crumbling, cloaked in ivy, an unintended casualty of an unloved spirit.Now the sprawling compound stands resurrected as Castle & Key, a massive and mercurial passion project of former Kentucky lawyer Will Arvin and hedge funder Wesley Murry. The reborn distillery began producing bourbon and gin in November under the energetic oversight of Marianne Barnes, the first female master distiller in bourbon country since Prohibition. “Since the first time I laid eyes on the historic site that would become Castle & Key, I knew that it was important,” she says. “It is a lost bourbon icon, built by a man who was not shy to say...

Around 2010, the realization that bourbon does not have to be made in Kentucky took hold; bourbon was being produced in nearly every U.S. state. The topics of sourced whiskey, no age statement, and transparency were hot. Whisky lovers pursued knowledge about whisky and their favorite brands. Innovation and experimentation have become a norm unlike ever before.
2010
❖ The number of craft distillery openings begins to explode, with some of the more high-profile ones being Woodinville and Westland in Washington, Dad’s Hat reviving rye whiskey in Pennsylvania, Santa Fe Spirits in New Mexico, Breuckelen and King’s County in New York, Mississippi River in Iowa, Union Horse in Kansas, Rock Town in Arkansas, Ole Smoky in Tennessee, and Firestone & Robertson in Texas.

❖ Malt Advocate magazine, which launched in 1997, is acquired by M. Shanken Communications. The magazine would be redesigned in the following year and rebranded...

David Landrum is the founder of Two James Spirits, a small distillery in Detroit. His buddy, Jacques Driscoll, runs Johnny Noodle King, a nearby ramen shop. Driscoll was planning a bar program for the restaurant and asked Landrum if he might create a whiskey to complement his umami-rich broths.“I was an art student,” says Landrum. “I've always been pushed by creativity. I like to keep making new things.”He had been drinking a lot of Asian teas and lapsang souchong, a Chinese smoked tea, came to mind. It was a source of inspiration. Landrum infused a blend of corn and rye whiskeys with lapsang souchong and two other Asian teas. He calls it Johnny Smoking Gun. Driscoll loved it. Both the noodle shop and Two James's tasting room serve it in cocktails and also neat with a “broth back.”Interesting? Yes. Unique? Sure. Innovative? Absolutely! But is it whiskey?That question sits at an intersection of art, craft, tradition, culture, law, commerce, imagination, taste—and probably...

It was the Friday before spring break. School was nearly out and the suburban soccer moms bustled into my neighborhood liquor store, filling their baskets with everything from chardonnay to schnapps. They cluttered the walkways, keeping me from my precious aisle, when one of them grabbed a bourbon from the bottom shelf and said out loud, “I don't know what that means.” A liquor store worker heard her whiskey distress signal and replied, “Oh, it's not small batch.” He then upsold her on a bottle three times as expensive as the $15 Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond 6 year old she'd inquired about.I assumed she was referencing the term “bottled in bond” with her question. Outside of whiskey geeks, does anybody really know what this means; that it is a piece of historic government legislation? Today your average liquor store's American whiskey section is filled with labels containing unregulated terms such as small batch, single barrel, and handcrafted. The tiny words “bottled in...

Who doesn’t like apples? The ripe, luscious peach is now a distant memory of summer, and so it’s apple season—meaning fresh apples, apple pie, and perhaps even a warm spicy rye finished in apple brandy casks. Hudson Rye Calvados Cask Finish is 7 year old whiskey first aged in new oak before a long, secondary maturation in calvados casks from Normandy, France. 
Meanwhile, we're pleased to see that Castle & Key is out with another branded expression, this one a wheated bourbon. We all were very excited when restoration began on this historic distillery back in 2014, forgetting that the process would take a while. In the ensuing years, Castle & Key was relying exclusively on contract distilling, but its first whiskey under the Castle & Key name finally appeared in 2022. Slowly but surely, Castle & Key is starting to develop a true portfolio of expressions.
Uncle Nearest, having already built a successful...

Water. Malted barley. Hops. Yeast. Copper. Oak. Fire. Family. Money. Rebellion. Power. These 12 words flash across the screen in the opening moments of Netflix’s smash hit “House of Guinness,” a signal that it’s time to pour a glass of good Irish whiskey and settle in.
"House of Guinness" was written and created by Steven Knight, and the dark cinematography and slick pace have a natural affinity to “Peaky Blinders,” Knight’s best-known work. The power struggles and sibling rivalries bear a close resemblance to another family drama, “Succession.” The costumes for the principal parts are magnificent, subtly drawing on the rich color palette of a pint of Guinness: think black, cream, and deep reds. The hustle and bustle of the brewery and cooperage are vividly brought to life through the sweat, grime, and noise of the men working the coppers (giant riveted fermenting vessels), shoveling coal into fires, and repairing and rolling...

Even if you like to explore different whisky styles, one that you may not have seen is light whiskey. It’s a curious, mysterious genre, and people are often left wondering what it really means. Spoiler alert: it’s not called light whiskey because it’s diet-friendly, because of its color, or because of its proof. The term is partly meant to describe the whiskey’s flavors, but that isn’t the whole story.
By definition, light whiskey must be produced in the U.S., with a distillation proof of more than 160° (80% ABV) but less than 190° (95%), and aged in new uncharred or used oak containers. There is no rule on what grains can be used, a fairly typical part of most other whiskey definitions. It seems to fly in the face of what most people have come to expect from American whiskey. Yet light whiskey is undergoing something of a renaissance in recent years. The style, looked down upon for decades, has suddenly been generating some buzz.
One of...

Bourbons, blends, and compelling finishes set the tone for this week's new whiskies. The year's second batch of Booker's is here, blending whiskeys from seven different production dates that aged in eight separate warehouses. Peerless has debuted the second iteration of its Toasted Rye, which aged first in new oak before being finished in barrels with a medium toast. From Bardstown Bourbon Co. comes the latest Distillery Reserve Series release, this one a blend of bourbon, rye, and Tennessee whiskey finished in mizunara oak; World Whiskey Society has gone with a different Japanese finish for its new bourbon, putting it in shochu casks. Castle & Key, Wheel Horse, and Rebel each have new bourbons, while Uncle Nearest unveils its newest Master Blend. Rounding out the U.S. contingent are an imperial stout cask-finished straight rye from Old Potrero, a new single cask American single malt from Copperworks, and a Kentucky whiskey aged in Scotland from...

St. Patrick's Day may have passed, but that doesn't mean you need to abandon your Irish whiskey altogether. We have some simple cocktail recipes and a list of high-scoring bottles that will serve you well throughout the year. And of course, you can always work on making the perfect Irish coffee ahead of next year's festivities.The top new releases this week mostly hail from Kentucky, as Castle & Key debuts its small batch bourbon. The first batch is coming this month, and the second will arrive in May. Meanwhile, Barton 1792 is extending its Thomas S. Moore line of finished bourbons with finishes in madeira, sherry, cognac, and merlot casks, and Japan's Kaiyō adds two blended malts to its range. Read on for full details.Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon 2022 Release (Batch 1) Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyABV: 49%Age: 4 year oldPrice: $50Release: March 2022Availability: 18,564 bottles in AZ, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, NJ, NY, OK, SC, TN, TX, WA, and WICastle & Key...

The biggest weekend for Irish whiskey is upon us, and if you're looking for new Irish whiskeys to try, cocktail recipes, the perfect food pairing, or simply tons of information about Irish whiskey to impress everyone at the bar—we've got you covered. After all, there's never been a better time to drink Irish whiskey than right now. And there's an even newer Irish whiskey coming out too—see below.High-rolling scotch fans, meanwhile, can look forward to the latest release in Glenlivet's Winchester Collection, a 50 year old single malt distilled in 1967. As expected, the price is hefty: $25,000. Just 150 bottles of the rare whisky are being released worldwide.The Spring 2019 batch of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond bourbon is rolling out. Distilled in September 2005, this 13 year old whiskey is available in limited amounts for $130.That new Irish whiskey is the second label from Chapel Gate Whiskey Co.'s J.J. Corry brand. A 16 year old single malt, it's named for a historic pistol...

Updated 9/30/25: Wyoming Whiskey's Buffalo Bill Cody (see details below), originally released as a Wyoming exclusive, is now available nationwide. The ABV is 48%, compared to the Wyoming-only release's 48.5%.
A mixture of bourbons, ryes, and American blends leads the week’s new releases. High West brings back its The Prisoner Wine Co. red wine-finished blend of bourbon and rye, while Penelope has a blend that includes straight bourbon, American single malt, and American light whiskey. Woodinville has upped the age on its flagship rye, while 15 Stars introduces its oldest blend of rye yet; new bourbons include the fourth chapter of Castle & Key’s Untold Story series, a wheater from Great Jones, and a tribute to Buffalo Bill Cody from Wyoming Whiskey. Overseas, Tomatin, Loch Lomond, and Gordon & MacPhail all have new single malt scotch whiskies.
 
High West The Prisoner’s Share (2025 Edition) American blend
ABV: 51%
SRP: $175

In case you haven't heard: Our Top 20 whiskies of 2020 have been unveiled! Check out the list and join us at 3 p.m. today on Instagram Live, where we'll be discussing and tasting several of the winners.On to new releases! Stranahan's is making some of its rarest whiskeys available to benefit the Colorado communities impacted by recent wildfires. While its annual Snowflake release—which sees long lines of fans congregating for days ahead of time outside the distillery—is on hold until February 2021, the distillery is offering five bottles each of its 2015-2019 releases at auction. Proceeds will benefit the Colorado State Firefighters Foundation, and Stranahan's will match the gift up to $25,000. Follow the distillery's Instagram page for more information.Woodford Reserve has revealed its latest Master's Collection whiskey, Very Fine Rare. The bourbon is available in limited amounts, priced at $130, and debuts in a new bottle.Barrell is launching its annual New Year blended straight...

In a converted Guinness brewery in the southern Irish seaport of Waterford, something remarkable is happening. Mark Reynier, formerly of Scotland's Bruichladdich Distillery and a barley provenance devotee, has created what he terms, “A cathedral of barley” in his Waterford Distillery, where spirit flowed for the first time in January 2016.Taking a page from his Islay playbook, Reynier enlists 46 Irish farms, some organic, growing barley on nineteen distinct soil types. Each farmer's crop is harvested, stored, malted, and distilled separately, one each week throughout the year. Reynier declares, “Thus we can capture in spirit each farm's terroir, that subtle character shaped by micro-climate and soil. I'm trying to make the most profound single malt whiskey possible.” In September, Reynier distilled the first organic Irish whiskey.Meanwhile, further north, in County Meath, whiskey making is about to return to the Boyne Valley, where the last of Drogheda's eighteen distilleries...

The Monongahela River winds its way slowly from West Virginia to Pittsburgh, where it merges with the Allegheny to become the Ohio River. Centuries ago, farmer-distillers worked the Monongahela Valley, growing rye and distilling it into a distinct style of whiskey that took the region's name. Monongahela rye was the first American whiskey style to gain widespread recognition, both here and abroad. It became notorious due to an uprising among its distillers on the western frontier. The Whiskey Rebellion pushed back against taxation, and was quelled at the command of President George Washington.Originally an unaged product, the regional whiskey gained a meaningful prefix once people became familiar with the delicious, red-hued barrel-aged version: “Old” Monongahela. In fact, in 1794, while trying to mediate a confrontation with the rebels, former state assemblyman Hugh Henry Brackenridge explicitly referred to the whiskey's barrel-aging: “The people were mad. It never came into my...

For many drinkers, bourbon can be a bit too sweet,” says Todd Leopold, distiller and co-founder at Leopold Bros. in Denver. “The American palate—at least for foodies—is moving very, very rapidly away from sweet and over into savory, bitter, and hot [as in Scoville hot]. Think of how popular bitter IPAs and aperitifs [Campari, Aperol] have become. This was unthinkable 25 years ago.” This is very good news for rye whiskey. Although it is still a small sliver of the American whiskey category, rye is finding fans among discerning drinkers who relish complex, often intense flavors, and it's finding its niche in both cocktails and for straight sipping.Because Kentucky and Tennessee are so closely associated with bourbon and its kissing cousin, Tennessee whiskey, rye gives far-flung distillers, like Leopold Bros., a way to sidestep those comparisons. Leopold Bros. deems their rye a Maryland-style, which they characterize as fruity, floral, and lightly oaked. They are experimenting...

New whisky abounds from all across America this week—plus a couple of scotches.First up, Ardbeg’s annual limited-edition bottling has been revealed. Ardbeg Grooves includes whisky matured in red wine barrels with heavily charred, grooved staves, which allow for increased wood contact. As in years past, the whisky is first available to Ardbeg Committee members outside the U.S. at a higher proof, with a 46% ABV version rolling out to coincide with Ardbeg Day (this year on June 2nd).Several new craft whiskeys are launching. Colorado’s Woody Creek Distillers is debuting its first bourbon, a 4 year old whiskey that will be widely available wherever Woody Creek is sold. Also four years old: a new bottled in bond rye whiskey from Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol, California. We tip our hats to craft distillers that can release 4 year old whiskey!Not yet 4 years old, but still on theme: Pennington Distilling Co. in Nashville has a new "four-grain" whiskey that blends its bourbon...

The week’s rolling announcement of our Top 20 Whiskies of the Year is completed today, with the unveiling of whiskies 11-20. As always, the drumroll began on Monday with Nos. 10, 9, and 8, followed by 7, 6, and 5 on Tuesday, and 4,3, and 2 on Wednesday. Yesterday came the big day, with the reveal of our Whisky of the Year,  and we finished up today with the rest of the list. With due congratulations and celebration for the winners, we will soon begin the quest for next year’s winners. It all starts here, on the pages of our Whisky Weekend new releases.
In keeping with the ways of the modern whisky world, this year’s Top 20 features a number of international collaborations, notably Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Voyage, whose rum barrel finish is a joint effort with Jamaica’s Appleton Estate. In this week's new rollouts, we have Puncher’s Chance whose latest, The Unified Belt, blends Irish whiskey and bourbon. Meanwhile...

Thanksgiving is next week, and with it comes a prime opportunity to share some drams with family and friends. While we’ve previously covered the best cocktails and crowd-pleasers to serve when hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, or how to best optimize particular whisky styles, this year we compiled a list of American whiskeys that are sure to please longtime whisky lovers and newer fans alike. Cheers to the start of the holiday season, and happy sipping! 
With the holidays now upon us, the onslaught of new whiskies is in full swing. This week, there's a new finished rye from Kentucky Peerless, a bourbon and a rum cask-finished rye from Kentucky Owl, and a new collaborative blend from High West and The Prisoner Wine Co. Read on for full details.

Kentucky Peerless Double Oak 
Style: Finished rye Origin: Kentucky Age: Not stated ABV: 54.65% Price: $150 Release: November 2022 Availability: Limited
Need to...

While whiskey appears in many movies and TV shows, some make it more than prop, embedding it within the culture of the characters to reinforce key ideas. No show has done this better than “Justified.” From the first episode, which premiered on FX on March 16, 2010, to the last, characters are frequently shown with a whiskey in hand, their drink choices reflecting their lifestyle, class, or attitude. Over six seasons and 78 episodes, it established itself as the preeminent show for whiskey lovers. Set in Kentucky, “Justified”—based on the Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole”—had an ingrained way of featuring a dram. “Liquor is not a throwaway in the show,” David Blass, the show's production designer, tells Whisky Advocate. “It binds everyone together.”
Walton Goggins, who played the whiskey-loving criminal Boyd Crowder and enjoys a whiskey himself, agrees. “Whatever bottle you pulled out, with...

This week’s new releases include three scotch whiskies—a 16 year old from Highland Park, and 12 year olds from Bunnahabhain and Glenlivet. On the American side, Heaven Hill has three new extensions to its Grain to Glass Series: a bourbon, rye, and wheated bourbon aged 6 years in chinquapin oak. Old Overholt rye has a new cask strength 12 year old, while Whisky del Bac continues to branch out from its single malt roots with a new bourbon, this one with mesquite-smoke staves inserted into the barrels. Elsewhere, we have two new whiskeys from Barrell, the oldest whiskey yet from Pinhook, a stout cask-finished expression from Virginia Distillery Co., and much more.
 
Bunnahabhain 12 year old Cask Strength (2025 Edition) scotch single malt
ABV: 56.4%
SRP: $149
Availability: Limited
The 2025 edition of Bunnahabhain 12 year old cask strength is an unpeated Islay whisky created by Bunnahabhain master blender Julieann Fernandez. The series was...

Worn leather cowboy boots, cream-colored Stetson hats, and wide-open desert space dappled with cacti—these are visions of Texas in the mind's eye. But there's much more to the Lone Star State, including a dynamic whiskey scene. The ties to whiskey are not deep, as distilling arrived here just over 15 years ago. Yet even as a newcomer, Texas is rapidly building its whiskey credentials as distilleries become firmly rooted across the state, creating a colorful patchwork of styles and flavors.A key part of the picture in Texas is its multifaceted climate. Roughly the same size as France, it has a landscape that's nearly as varied. In Texas Hill Country west of Austin, dense forests, wildflower fields, and sparkling blue lakes see extreme temperature swings—daily averages can vary from 42°F to 95°F over the course of a year. In the southern reaches of Texas, sweltering humidity creates tropical conditions all year, thanks to proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. By the northern borders...

Last weekend, our sister publication Cigar Aficionado's Big Smoke event teamed up with WhiskyFest to stage "Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest", a combined extravaganza at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. It was a day filled with exquisite cigars, world-class whisky, and great company, with over two thousand cigar and whisky fans in attendance. Tonight, WhiskyFest will be held in Chicago, then hit New York on November 11 before wrapping in San Francisco on December 3.As for this week's new whiskies, Johnnie Walker offers a blend made with a sky-high percentage of rye in the mashbill, Jack Daniel's has a new expression from its single barrel series, and Angel's Envy celebrates the 10th anniversary of its annual cask-strength port-finished bourbon release.Johnnie Walker High RyeStyle: Blended whiskyOrigin: ScotlandAge: Not statedABV: 45%Price: $35Release: November 2021Availability: NationwideNeed to know:This whisky, which will be a core offering from Johnnie...

WHERE IT’S FROM
American whiskey comes in many forms. Bourbon, the most recognized type of American whiskey, can be produced only in the United States, but—contrary to popular belief—does not have to be produced in Kentucky, though most of it is. Tennessee whiskey, however, must be made in Tennessee.
Rye whiskey, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily have to be made in the United States; it’s also widely produced in Canada (see Instant Expert: Canadian Whisky for more information), and elsewhere. Rye that’s made in America is American whiskey, but rye made elsewhere is not.
WHAT IT’S MADE OF
American Whiskey
The United States requires all whiskey to be produced from a fermented mash of grain. Specific categories of whiskey have more exacting requirements.
Bourbon
Bourbon must be made from at least 51% corn, although it often contains substantially...

It's a steamy Saturday afternoon at the Clinton Street headquarters of Nashville, Tenn.'s Corsair Distillery and the tasting rooms are hopping. In one, drinkers jockey for position at a small bar serving big beers like the 8.4% Applewood Smoked Gratzer or 7.6% Smoked Salt Gose, all crafted in the brewery portion of the ‘brewstillery,' while in a second, significantly larger room, a much greater crowd has gathered to partake of the distillery side's wide range of spirits.Sliding between the group of twenty-somethings beginning their stag party on a high note and a somewhat overly amorous couple apparently bent on enjoying their weekend to the hilt, I arrive at a sliver of bartop and behold the selection of bottles lining the shelves behind.‘Triple Smoke' reads one, which I assume—correctly, as it turns out—to be a whiskey made from malt smoked over a trio of different woods, while the next, ‘Quinoa Whiskey,' gives me greater pause for reflection. Could it really be made from...

Updated May 30, 2024: Effective May 28, 2024, Golden Moon Distillery ceased operations.
Denver began as a mining town in 1858 with a whisper that gold had been found in the Rocky Mountains. Prospectors and fortune-hunters set up tents and shacks on the banks of the Platte river, and in their wake came entrepreneurs—gamblers, prostitutes, and saloonkeepers—ready to help “mine” the miners of whatever they might find. Though not much gold was found, there was plenty of whiskey to help wash away their troubles.160 years later, Denver is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and the residents have not lost their taste for whiskey and other spirits. Craft distilleries are opening at a remarkable rate; the recently launched Colorado Spirits Trail includes more than 50 distillers around the state creating a wide variety of spirits, from whiskey to brandy. Denver alone has nine distilleries as of August 2018, plus several more in the greater metro...

On Ireland's windswept southwest coast, the Galley Head Lighthouse sits high above the rocky cliffs at the edge of the Atlantic. The fields around the lighthouse are filled with sea air and mist, and are planted with barley. The Scully family has owned this farmland for three centuries. “It's a special place to grow barley,” says Michael Scully, who represents the eighth generation of family leadership. “The maritime air permeates right to the grain.”Scully's passion for farming extends to a love of whiskey, and he saw the farm's seaside location as an ideal place for making and maturing it. In 2016, he took the plunge, and scouted a distillery location in the town of Clonakilty, about five miles down the road. Scully's mission: to make single pot still whiskey. “The very best single pot still expressions are among the very best exemplars of whiskey in the world, and our goal is to make world-class whiskeys,” he says. Clonakilty Distillery, a modern glass building that...

We've come a long way since “Whiskey in the Jar.” While Irish folk tunes and other traditional music genres have long revered our favorite brown spirit, today's pop and rap artists are starting to catch on, with references both subtle and overt weaving their way into the Top 40 and beyond.If a Taylor Swift tune or Beyoncé album drop doesn't call to mind a glass of whisky on the rocks, then pour a fresh drink and listen again. Here are ten whisky references you may never have noticed in these hit songs—and a perfect dram to match.Pair Your Next Drink with This Whisky-Worthy Playlist“6 Inch” by Beyoncé and “LOVEHAPPY” by The CartersKey Lyrics: “She got that sake, her Yamazaki straight from Tokyo” (6 Inch); “Sippin' Yamazaki on the rocks” (LOVEHAPPY)Drink This: Yamazaki Mizunara Cask 18 year old (2017 Edition)—96 points, $1,000Queen Bey has flexed her whisky tastes more than once on record, favoring Yamazaki—a pricey, high-scoring Japanese single malt...

Bourbon was born on the American frontier and came of age on Madison Avenue—and everything about its history reflects the nation that invented it. The story is cast with immigrants, industrialists, farmers, and hustlers, and set in fields, factories, boardrooms, and back rooms. Inextricably intertwined, America shaped bourbon and bourbon shaped America. And no matter how hard marketers try to embellish the history, they'll never top the real thing.7000BC—A-maize-ingEarly Native Americans domesticate a weedy Mexican grass called teosinte, ultimately transforming it into the primary ingredient of bourbon and a grain that feeds and fuels the United States.1622—Dying for a DrinkGeorge Thorpe, a colonist who had been experimenting with making alcohol beverages from corn, is killed during the Powhatan Uprising in Virginia.1776—Revolting DevelopmentsAs the war with the British hinders the sugar trade, and therefore rum production, Americans resort to distilling from native grains...

The name Elijah Craig adorns some of Heaven Hill Brands' finest bourbons. In fact, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof was named Whisky Advocate's 2017 Whisky of the Year. Like many whiskey namesakes, Elijah Craig is a real historical figure. The label of Elijah Craig Small Batch states that he was the “Father of Bourbon.” But does he really pass the paternity test?The claim derives from The History of Kentucky, published in 1874 and written by Lewis and Richard Collins, which reads: “The first Bourbon Whisky was made in 1789, at Georgetown, in the fulling mill at the Royal spring.” Notice Elijah Craig isn't mentioned here; however, in the two paragraphs just prior to this quote, the Collinses write that Craig was responsible for building the first fulling mill (used in the creation of woolen cloth) at Georgetown, also in 1789, and the first “rope-walk” (necessary for making rope) and paper mill as well. So although Craig isn't mentioned by name specifically, it is implied that he...

Members of the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild recently learned how a bill becomes a law—no "Schoolhouse Rock!" cartoon necessary—as they collectively lobbied for House Bill 266. “I'm a distiller; I'm here to make spirits, as are the rest of my peers. We never thought that we'd really get into legislation on the state level,” says David Weglarz, guild president and owner and head distiller of StilL 630 in St. Louis. That involvement proved fruitful however, as on July 11, 2019, Missouri bourbon was legitimized. “All the distillers in the guild have been working toward calling their reps, traveling to Jefferson City, and really trying hard to get this passed,” Weglarz told Whisky Advocate shortly after. “So we're in a brief moment of celebration as we scramble to try and put down more Missouri bourbon whiskey.”
Missouri bourbon is a legally recognized whiskey style, based on the existing federal rules of bourbon. To be considered...

On a snowy day in November 2020, John McKee—founder of Headframe Spirits in Butte, Montana—reached out to a group of his closest friends in craft distilling, who collectively call themselves the Good Guys. After months of isolation and social distancing, canceled events, and continuous disruptions to daily life, he missed seeing his fellow distillers, and he wanted to do something about it. So he sent a message to the group conveying exactly that, and within minutes, a conversation took hold and an idea was born. Under the name Good Deeds Spirits, the Good Guys would make a new whiskey—a blend of craft American single malts—and it would have a purpose. All proceeds would benefit the American Craft Spirits Association's (ACSA) Spirits Training Entrepreneurship Program for Underrepresented Professionals (STEPUP) Foundation, a diversity and inclusion initiative.Nine distillers, all members of the Good Guys, contributed whiskey for the project. Among them is Paul Hletko, founder...

For American whiskey lovers, there’s no place quite like Louisville, Kentucky. A true whiskey playground, it offers distilleries and tasting rooms galore along Whiskey Row, a historic 12-block stretch in the heart of the city that has been revived over recent years and has come to symbolize Louisville’s whiskey-led renaissance.
The area’s past is rooted in the 1840s, when distilleries, warehouses, distributors, and sales agents all operated right on Main Street until Prohibition fractured the area’s economy. By the mid-20th century all the distillers were gone, and the area was just a shell of its former self. In 2013, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience opened its doors and sparked the revival of Whiskey Row. Today the area has exploded with whiskey makers, and is back bigger than it ever was in terms of brand representation. At last count, some 11 whiskey makers are in residence on Whiskey Row.
Modern-day Whiskey Row is more vibrant than ever, and it...

Whether you’re a fan of neat bourbon or scotch on the rocks, there’s a great whiskey (or whisky) cocktail you’ll love. We’ve got variations on classics including the Old Fashioned, Sazarac, Manhattan, Irish Coffee, this spin on the Rob Roy, and more, plus newer cocktails, like this Paper Plane makeover. 
Whether your whiskey preference is bourbon, rye, Irish, scotch, Japanese, or a world whisky, there’s something on our list for every palate. There are plenty of options for refreshing summer whisky drinks as well as fireside sippers and cocktails that are perfect for the holidays or winter months when you want to warm up with whiskey. Looking for special occasion whiskies? We have you covered with suggestions for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and beyond. Or check out these entertaining with whisky ideas.
Our list spans the flavor gamut, too, with options for those who like cocktails sweet or floral to spicy and complex...

There's a brand-new issue of Whisky Advocate out now, and it's all about BIG whisky: big proof, big prices, big production, and more. Pick up a copy today, and subscribe to receive new issues even before they hit newsstands.On to the week's new releases. Wild Turkey has unveiled its latest limited-edition bourbon, a 2003 vintage of Russell's Reserve. Priced at $250, there are just 3,600 bottles available.Macallan is launching the newest entry in its Fine & Rare series, distilled in 1993. Just 256 bottles are available, priced at $18,000 each.Jack Daniel's has unveiled the latest Tennessee Tasters' Selection, a Tennessee whiskey finished in Jamaican allspice barrels. With 24,000 half-size bottles for sale mainly at the distillery, the price is $40.Compass Box has created a limited-edition version of Peat Monster to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary. Peat Monster Arcana is priced at $95, with just over 8,300 bottles available.Aberfeldy is launching another limited-edition...

Style diversity is a key characteristic of American craft whiskey, but most have one thing in common: youth. They are generally young compared to what the legacy producers deliver, lacking the years in a barrel that lead to mature-tasting whisky. No one has solved the aging puzzle either. Young whiskeys taste young.Unlike most other countries, there is no minimum wood aging duration for American whiskey. Any amount of wood contact will suffice. One type of whiskey, corn whiskey, doesn't need to be aged at all.American whiskey making tradition has deep roots. Fifty years ago, when bourbon sales slumped, several large producers petitioned federal regulators to change certain whiskey labeling rules. One proposal, in imitation of foreign practice, would have imposed a minimum age requirement.The regulators demurred, stating that, “No need was established for a minimum age requirement for current domestic types of whisky.” The ruling further observed that, “there are no appreciable...

Fall is in full swing, and so are new whisky launches. In a burst of good news for Pappy fans, the 2022 Van Winkle lineup has been announced, and with it the word that more bottles than usual are available this year. Does that mean it'll be easier to get your hands on one ahead of the holiday season? Not necessarily, but here's to staying optimistic.The Van Winkle whiskeys aren't the only specialty releases making their debut this week. There are two new whiskies from Hibiki—a cherrywood-finished blend and a 30 year old whisky—both of which are highly limited. Knob Creek, meanwhile, has introduced a rarity of its own, an 18 year old bourbon that marks its oldest release to date, and High West has unveiled the 10th edition of A Midwinter Night's Dram, along with a distillery-exclusive special to commemorate the 10th anniversary. From Scotland, Glendronach has debuted Grandeur Batch 11—aged for 28 years—while Gordon & Macphail is offering three new...

Jim Beam has unveiled a new campaign aimed at football fans, which is a humorous take on the woes of post-game defeat. It’s a partnership with comedian, writer, and producer Keegan-Michael Key, who’s best known as a co-star in the comedy series “Key & Peele.” His involvement isn’t a straightforward name-on-a-bottle partnership, but is centered around a humorous play on the seven stages of grief dubbed the “7 Stages of Defeat.”
Key, a longtime Detroit Lions fan, summons his comedic talents to address each of those stages through a series of sketch comedy skits. The aim is to turn the bitterness of defeat into an opportunity to laugh it off and enjoy a dram. The biggest draw is a tangible Jim Beam branded “care package,” a sleek all-black box, which when opened reveals items directly tied to each of the seven stages of defeat defined as: Shock, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Woe, Rebuilding, and Acceptance.
Missing from the...

Where It's From
Irish whiskey can be made throughout the island of Ireland, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
What It's Made Of
Irish whiskey must include malted barley and may include other unmalted cereal grains, resulting in four main types of whiskey.
Malt
Malt Irish whiskey is made using 100% malted barley and distilled in pot stills. Single malt whiskey comes from only one distillery.
Pot Still
Pot Still Irish whiskey is made from a mash of a minimum 30% malted and a minimum 30% unmalted barley, with up to 5% of other cereals added, and is distilled in pot stills. Single pot still whiskey comes from only one distillery.
Grain
Grain Irish whiskey is made using no more than 30% malted barley in combination with other whole unmalted cereals—usually corn, wheat, or barley—and is distilled in column stills. Single grain whiskey comes from only one distillery.
Blended
Blended Irish whiskey is a...

Irish whiskey lovers are luckier than ever. More blended Irish whiskeys have appeared in the last five years than in the previous 50. The transformation of blended Irish whiskey from a lifeline thrown by the few surviving distillers of Ireland to the life force driving forward one of the most thrilling whiskey-making nations is a truly remarkable feat. Irish pot still whiskey and Irish single malts deserve the love of aficionados, but for Ireland, the blend is savior, champion, protector, hero, and guardian angel.Learn Everything You Need to Know About Irish WhiskeyUnlike their Scottish counterparts, Irish blenders often work with whiskeys made under their own roof, which originated out of necessity given the dearth of Irish distillers throughout the 20th century. Furthermore, Irish blends can be made from any combination of the three distinct styles of whiskey produced in Ireland. This differs profoundly from blending in Scotland, where blenders combine just two styles, but many...

As the 20th century came to a close, the page was turned on an era of historic lows in whisky’s popularity. At that point, the “buzz” surrounding whisky—to use a now-dated term of the ’90s—was nearly at zero. But as the years moved into the 2000s, a sea change began as the whisky world awakened from its decades-long slumber. Few people realized this was the dawn of a new era that would soar beyond everyone’s wildest expectations—where master distillers became rock stars, whisky lovers lined up all night for the latest releases, and distilleries became tourist destinations. Here’s a look at how we got here, year by year.

2000


❖ The Glencairn whisky glass makes its debut, with a wider introduction starting the following year. The glass had been designed in 1981 by Raymond Davidson at his crystal studio just outside Glasgow, but he saw no future in it. His prototype sat on the shelf for nearly 20 years...

Many drinkers are quick to inspect the back label of a whiskey bottle to determine the origin of the liquid inside—whether it was actually distilled by the people who sell it or if it was sourced from elsewhere.Often, the answer is both.That's the approach taken by Smooth Ambler Spirits and its aptly named Contradiction bourbon—a blend of straight bourbons combining about one-third house-distilled whiskey with the balance sourced from another distiller.While a popular approach now, this was once a novel idea, says national sales and marketing director John Foster, who has been with Smooth Ambler since 2009. “At first there were two camps,” he says. “You either made everything from scratch and everybody else was a poser, or you sourced everything and pretended you made it.” Sourcing was not part of Smooth Ambler's original plan.How Open Should Brands Be About Sourcing? Our Editors DebateSometimes however, serendipity leads to success. “Contradiction is our most popular...

Though it's not a new whiskey release, the latest Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor is worth reporting here as it incorporates whiskey—in this case, WhistlePig 6 year old Piggyback rye. (The distillery and ice cream manufacturer are Vermont neighbors.) Ben & Jerry's Whiskey Biz flavor has a brown butter-bourbon ice cream base and incorporates blonde brownies, Piggyback-infused caramel swirls, white fudge chunks, and white chocolate ganache. It's kosher, which means Piggyback is now certified kosher, as are all WhistlePig whiskeys with the exception of 12 year old Old World.On to new whisky releases, starting with The 117 Series from Old Forester. This limited-edition collection debuts with High Angels' Share bourbon, priced at $50 for 375 ml.Dalmore Distillery's 12 year old Sherry Cask Select is landing on U.S. shores. Priced at $80, the single malt is initially for sale only at Total Wine & More stores, with expanded availability starting in September.Jefferson's is...

Last Friday, we kicked off the fall WhiskyFest season with WhiskyFest San Francisco, where throngs of whisky lovers came together to enjoy over 400 different whiskies. And last night, the fun continued with WhiskyFest New York, an event that drew even more fans and had plenty of top-tier whisky names in attendance. If you’ve missed out on these events, or want to get in on some superb sipping once more, WhiskyFest Las Vegas is on December 2nd at Resorts World Las Vegas; for now, tickets are still available.
In new whisky this week, there are plenty of limited releases coming out ahead of the holiday season. Angel’s Envy returns with the 11th edition of its cask strength port wine barrel-finished straight bourbon, Booker’s has released its third whiskey of 2022, and Balvenie adds three new rarefied single malts to its Stories lineup. Read on for full details.



ANGEL’S ENVY CASK STRENGTH (2022...

While whisky opinions vary as widely as the flavors that come from a barrel, every whisky lover I know shares this one: Producers should be open and honest about what they're putting in the bottle. The demand for transparency is strong and abiding. But what happens when clear language runs head-on into protected terminology?Earlier this month, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Delaware against Virginia Distillery Co. (VDC), alleging that the American distillery was misleading consumers to believe their Virginia-Highland whisky is scotch. The complaint opens by pointing out two specific words on the label—“Highland” and “whisky”—as problematic. The Highlands are one of Scotland's five legally protected whisky regions, while the spelling of “whisky” without an E is used for scotch. (“Whiskey” is more common in the U.S., although both spellings are permitted.) The lawsuit also notes that VDC has a product called...

Fall is in full swing, and so are distilleries, with all manner of releases coming out practically by the minute. In a burst of good news for Pappy fans, the 2022 Van Winkle lineup has been announced, and along with it the revelation that more bottles than usual are available this year. Does that mean it'll be easier to get your hands on one ahead of the holiday season, be it for yourself or a loved one? Not necessarily, but here's to staying optimistic.As mentioned, the Van Winkle whiskeys are hardly the only specialty releases to debut this week. There are two new whiskies from Hibiki—a cherrywood-finished blend and a 30 year old whisky—both of which are very limited in nature. Knob Creek, meanwhile, has introduced a rarity of its own, an 18 year old bourbon that marks its oldest release to date. From Scotland, Glendronach has debuted Grandeur Batch 11—aged for 28 years—and there are three new ultra-limited, ultra-aged bottlings from the Gordon &...

Strap in, because there's a whole lot of new whisky headed your way.First up, Four Roses has unveiled the 2020 Limited Edition Small Batch. Details on the recipes used are below. With a recommended price of $150, there are 14,040 bottles available.Buffalo Trace will release limited amounts of Blanton's Straight From The Barrel starting this fall. Previously only available overseas, the whiskey has a recommended retail price of $150.Ardbeg is rolling out the 2020 release of 19 year old Traigh Bhan. The whisky is priced at $300 and available in limited quantities.GlenDronach's latest whisky in partnership with the Kingsman movie franchise is a 1989 vintage. It's priced at $1,299, with just 3,052 bottles available worldwide.Bardstown Bourbon Co. is releasing a bourbon finished in Copper & Kings Destillaré orange curaçao barrels. There are 3,000 bottles available, priced at $125.Pinhook is launching its flagship Bohemian bourbon, distilled at Castle & Key. The whiskey is widely...

Independence Day is upon us—time for fireworks, parades, backyard barbecues, beach days, and perhaps a dram or two when the sun goes down. Here are some selections, listed in alphabetical order, that will add more fun to your Glorious Fourth. Some of these whiskeys have carved their place in the American experience, while others simply evoke a uniquely American spirit.  
15 Stars First West Blend of Straight Ryes (Batch 2-SSDD), 52.50% ABV, $89
Whiskey maker 15 Stars is named as a toast to Kentucky’s joining the Union as the 15th state in 1792. The U.S. flag with 15 stars and stripes, which was approved by President George Washington, is proudly featured on its labels. 15 Stars was founded in 2019 by father and son blenders Rick and Ricky Johnson, and it debuted its first whiskey in 2022. We’ve scored six of them so far, and all have rated above 90 points. 
Col. E.H. Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon, 50% ABV...

It's a big weekend for whisky lovers out west. For the first time in three years, Stranahan's is staging its Snowflake Festival at the distillery in Denver to celebrate the latest release of its Snowflake single malt. The festivities kick off today, and bottles will go on sale tomorrow morning. Tonight is the first-ever WhiskyFest Las Vegas, with whiskies being poured by Bruichladdich, WhistlePig, Hibiki, and many others, and seminars by whisky makers including Dewar's, Maker's Mark, and Suntory.
WhiskyFest is a great way to taste whiskies as soon as they're released, and this week there are some notable names with new expressions. George Dickel brings back its 17 year old Tennessee whiskey, now with wider distribution, and Heaven Hill announces the latest Parker's Heritage release, a blend of aged bourbons. Meanwhile, Johnnie Walker has debuted its latest bottling for the Lunar New Year, which celebrates the Year of the...

Lots of new whiskies are coming out this week, but first, some quick updates on existing brands: Fistful of Bourbon, the blend of straight bourbons produced by William Grant & Sons master blender Brian Kinsman and blender Kelsey McKechnie, is now available nationwide. It launched two years ago and up to now was limited to Texas.George Remus bourbon, which is made by MGP, is now offering a single-barrel program for retailers. There's a list of participating stores if you'd like to find one near you.O.Z. Tyler Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky has rebranded as Green River Distilling Co., the historic name connected with the company's DSP (distilled spirits permit). When the distillery launches its own-make whiskeys at 4 years old, they'll bear the Green River name.On to this week's new releases. First up, Hudson Whiskey has rebranded its core lineup and launched new packaging, and a new finished rye. Prices are lower than they used to be, and the liquid is apparently more...

While Loch Lomond Distillery's partnership with The Open is set to include a host of new whisky releases, we'll have to wait until this summer for the first one to be revealed. In the meantime, there are plenty of other new releases to tide over thirsty whisky lovers.The whiskey word of the week is bonded. Heaven Hill Distillery—maker of Whisky Advocate's 2017 Whisky of the Year, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof—is about to debut the first in a series of limited-edition Old Fitzgerald bottled in bond bourbons. Every spring and fall, Heaven Hill will roll out a new Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, each with a different age. The wheated bourbon brand has long included a non-age statement bonded expression, but these special editions will each be much older than the requisite 4 years and available in limited quantities. The first release is priced at $110.That's not the only new bonded whiskey, however. Old Overholt—one of the most storied whiskeys in America, and the last link to the...

Driving south into Lexington, Kentucky on Interstate 75, you pass Kentucky Horse Park and International Museum of the Horse right at the city line. Enter from the west on Old Frankfort Pike, and you travel by the famous Secretariat statue. Fly into Blue Grass Airport and you’ll exit on Man O’ War Boulevard and drive past Keeneland racetrack. It’s pretty hard to miss the equine theme, which is why Lexington’s trademarked nickname is Horse Capital of the World. But the city also anchors the eastern end of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and it’s surrounded by distilleries, along with new experiences for whiskey lovers. You no longer need to leave the city to visit distilleries.
Lexington is only about half the size of Louisville, which lies around 80 miles to the west. But this vibrant city has been playing catch-up to its bigger rival in recent years, adding hotels, tours, attractions, and new distilleries. Resurgence is in the air, so...

Michter’s 20 year old, Garrison Brothers’ Cowboy, and Cedar Ridge Double Barrel are just some of the new offerings in this week's parade of new American whiskeys, while in scotch, Highland Park is out with a new bottling in its cask strength series. Among world whiskies, Nikka celebrates the 40th anniversary of its Nikka From The Barrel whisky with a commemorative release, and Paul John has unveiled its annual Christmas Edition. Somewhat related is news that Bobby Garg, the U.S. importer of Indian whisky label Rampur, has released his own bourbon. 
 
Michter’s 20 year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
ABV: 57.1%
SRP: $1,200
Availability: Limited
While Michter’s 20 year old bourbon is an infrequent release, fans of this coveted whiskey are in luck: for the second year in a row, the distillery is releasing the 20 year old bourbon next month. The 2025 bottling is selling at the same $1,200 price tag as...

In the blazing dry heat of the Sonoran Desert, a 600-degree fire burns in a custom-made steel furnace, unfurling plumes of white smoke laced with the smell of burning mesquite. It's malting day at Hamilton Distillers in Tucson, Arizona. Mesquite smoke is pumped from the furnace into a germination and malting kiln, where it runs through moist barley, imbuing the grain with a smoky, lip-smacking barbecue character. It's nearly the same process used for making smoky single malt scotch, except Hamilton makes mesquite-smoked single malt whiskey and it's happening not on a cool and misty Scottish island, but in the high desert in one of the hottest parts of the United States.This is just one face of the bright future of smoked whiskey in America, one of a huge array of styles of smoked whiskeys made using techniques new and old. American distillers are experimenting with new ways of smoking barley and other grains, using regional hardwoods that reflect their local environment, and even...

The whisky world was abuzz with news this week. WhiskyFest took place in Chicago last Friday, May 12th, drawing in newcomers and returnees to the Windy City’s marquee whisky event. Bourbon heavyweight James B. Beam Distilling Co. has thrown its hat into the American single malt ring with the release of Clermont Steep—its first official ASM expression, and a permanent addition to its whiskey family. In an exclusive interview with Whisky Advocate, Justin Sloan and Justin Thompson of Washington, D.C. retail outfit Justins’ House of Bourbon have responded to the TTB dropping its counterfeiting claims.
As far as new expressions go, whisky fans are spoiled for choice this week. Newcomer Forbidden has debuted with a small batch bourbon expression, Chattanooga Whiskey has added a new bourbon to its Experimental Batch series, Jack Daniel’s has a new barrel proof rye, and Kilchoman released its 2023 edition of Loch Gorm. Read on for full...

WhiskyFest D.C. happens on April 17th, when whisky lovers of all stripes will have the chance to try hundreds of amazing whiskies, ranging from amazing scotch and bourbon to exciting new Irish and craft whiskeys. As befits an event in our nation's capital, craft whiskey distillers from all across the country will be pouring their wares at the event, so if you've ever been curious about the exciting new styles of whiskey being made outside of Kentucky and Tennessee, WhiskyFest is the perfect time to start exploring. Here are a few of our top picks.Be sure to check out the full list of pours, as well as our guide to getting the most out of WhiskyFest (don't forget the seminars!). And if you don't have your tickets yet, get them here!George Washington's DistilleryGeorge Washington may have put down the Whiskey Rebellion—the only time in U.S. history that a sitting president has personally led an army—but that doesn't mean he didn't like whiskey. In fact, he made the stuff, and was...

It's a big week for the Emerald Isle—or at least its distillers—as several new Irish whiskeys are making their stateside debut.First up, Boann Distillery is adding a trio of cask-finished offerings to supplement its recently released Whistler Double Oaked blend. The Whistler Oloroso Cask-Finished ($35) is widely available, while Calvados Cask-Finished ($40) and Imperial Stout Cask-Finished ($40) are both more limited, with 3,000 bottles available.Sliabh Liag Distillers is launching the Legendary Silkie with two blends, one lightly peated ($42) and the more heavily peated Dark Silkie ($44)—both using Irish peat, a first in the U.S. The whiskeys are available in several states, with expansion planned.The first whiskeys made at Royal Oak Distillery have come of age and are being released as The Busker. The lineup includes single malt, single grain, and single pot still whiskeys (all $30), as well as a blend ($25) of all three. They are widely available.Moving away from Ireland...

Matthew Kelley would like to clarify that his son is not named Dingle. In April 2019, Kelley had plans to visit Ireland for the launch of Dingle's first single malt. An avid Irish whiskey fan, he couldn't wait for the trip. That same year, Kelley and his wife, Ashley, learned that they would be expecting their first child together, with the doctor's visit that revealed the baby's sex occurring on the same day his plane was to depart.The two agreed to wait until he returned to South Carolina to share the news with their family, but with a sonogram image tucked inside his passport, Kelley had to tell someone. “Being impatient and wanting to share the news, 10 hours later, I'm huddled up in a pub over in Dublin, sharing this information, this news that we're having a little boy, with some of my closest friends in Ireland,” he says. The trip turned into quite the celebration, and while he has a bottle stashed from that event to share with his son once he comes of age, the...

There are many ways to toast St. Patrick's Day with whiskey—whipping up cocktails like a Whiskey Ginger or Hot Toddy with your favorite Irish whiskey, creating your own Irish cream, indulging in some Irish Coffee, or keeping it simple by sipping your spirit neat. And to that end, there are lots of new Irish whiskeys to choose from this year and plenty of ways to celebrate.Just as it did last year, Jameson is teaming up with music artist Anderson .Paak to host a free St. Patrick's Day concert in California. For details on how to attend, sign up for updates from Jameson. Meanwhile, Tullamore D.E.W. is bringing back its O'Everyone campaign, which allows fans to order a commemorative shirt featuring their own last name transformed with an O-apostrophe to sound Irish. This year, O'Everyone will also feature Irish pub pop-ups close to St. Patrick's Day in Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Los Angeles. Update 3/16/2020: The Jameson x Meet Me At The Bar concert in Los Angeles, scheduled...

In 1965, author Tom Wolfe introduced the world to a chubby-faced NASCAR racer from North Carolina named Junior Johnson. The fearless ex-con bootlegger honed his driving skills as a teen moonshine runner and won 50 races at southern racetracks throughout the 1950s and ‘60s. Wolfe’s story for “Esquire”—titled “The Last American Hero is Junior Johnson. Yes!”—called Johnson “the lead-footed chicken farmer from Ronda.”
While researching a book about NASCAR’s moonshine-soaked roots, I met Johnson at his home in North Wilkesboro back in 2002. He gifted me a mason jar of his moonshine, three plums soaking inside. To this day it sits on a shelf, a token to the entwined histories of southern moonshine and stock car racing. Johnson, who died in 2019 at 88, had explained to me the relationship between his twin careers, “Moonshiners put more time, energy, thought, and love into their cars than any racer ever will. Lose on...

Growing up, Tennessee-born Marianne Eaves was passionate about math and science, and her appetite for both eventually led her to pursue a degree in chemical engineering at the University of Louisville. During her sophomore year, she took an internship that would set the tone for the next decade-plus of her life: a research and development co-op at Brown-Forman. There, she found that the analytics and applications required of her math and science disciplines could be applied to whiskey making, in everything from discerning mashbills to fermentation and distillation, and she was hooked—she’s been making whiskey ever since, and quite a lot of it, under many different names.
While Eaves cut her teeth at Brown-Forman, studying under then-master distiller Chris Morris, she branched out on her own in 2015, taking on the title of master distiller at the then-newly opened Castle & Key. “I have had a few ‘A-ha!’ moments in my career as a distiller, and...

New whiskies are coming from all over the world this week. Glenmorangie has its latest Tale Of limited-edition single malt, this one a spotlight on spices. Elsewhere across the pond, Torabhaig has the fourth installment in its Legacy Series, Port Ellen celebrates its 200th anniversary with a 42 year old single malt, and Teeling debuts another release in its multi-year partnership with the University of Notre Dame. In American whiskey, there’s plenty to enjoy, with new ryes from Sagamore Spirit, Wigle Whiskey, and Blue Note, and bourbons from Yellowstone, 15 Stars, and Jackson Purchase. And for the single North American single malt fans, WhistlePig has brought out a 30 year old bottling finished in Italian dessert wine casks.
 
Glenmorangie A Tale of Spices Single Malt Scotch
ABV: 46%
SRP: $92
Availability: Limited; imported by Moët Hennessy USA
The sixth installment in Glenmorangie’s annual A Tale Of limited-edition series, A Tale...

For many years after the near-collapse of the Irish whiskey industry in the 1960s and ’70s, innovative whiskey making in Ireland was nearly extinct. That dearth of artistry was by necessity, as all efforts were centered on just a handful of brands in order to get Irish whiskey back on its feet again. The wilderness years lasted nearly three decades, but Irish whiskey creativity has finally returned to the fore, with innovators tapping into terroir, creating modern twists on Irish whiskey’s past, and pushing the envelope on flavor. Here’s a look at what’s happening.
Boann Distillery
Salvaging History in a Dram
Boann Distillery started making whiskey in 2019, and is using the past to inspire the future. Soon after opening, Boann partnered with Irish whiskey historian and author Fionnán O’Connor on its vintage mashbills project to test 10 historic recipes. Since then it has been on a mission to be one of the more creative players in the...

As COVID-19 continues to affect just about every part of our lives, its impact is being felt by secondary market buyers—now looking at potentially higher prices—and, more crucially, by small and independent distillers, who are struggling to weather the storm of disrupted markets and supply chains. If there's a local distillery you love, show some support by buying a bottle or reaching out with words of encouragement, and urge your representatives to keep the craft spirits industry in mind as they work to provide business relief.And when you need to stock up on more whiskey, consider this week's new releases—some of which will be easier to find than others. In the latter category falls Col. E.H. Taylor 18 year old Marriage, a straight bourbon made from all three of Buffalo Trace Distillery's bourbon mashbills. It's retail-priced at $70, but with a very limited amount available, the bottles are likely to fetch much more.The Hirsch name has adorned rare whiskey too, but the brand's...

With around 50 operating whiskey distilleries and thousands of traditional pubs, the Irish drinking scene has much to offer the whiskey lover. While the island is small enough to fit into California five times over, it packs in a huge amount of distilling power and whiskey history for its size. Our suggestions will help you tailor your itinerary to ensure you take in the very best distillery tours, bars, restaurants, whiskey shops, and visitor attractions the Emerald Isle has to offer.
DISTILLERIES

Midleton Distillery Experience
County Cork
At the recently revamped Midleton Distillery Experience, visitors enter the lobby to find a wall of 1,100 whiskey bottles before being ushered into the new auditorium to watch an immersive video as the tour begins. Midleton, celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, is home to all the Irish Distillers labels—including Spot Whiskeys, Redbreast, Powers, and Method & Madness. It’s worth taking the extended...

The term ‘flipper' sounds so bad,” Paul H* groans after I casually refer to him as such. As the midday sun streams in through his kitchen window, he leans back against a folding table that's overflowing with whiskey-shipping supplies, running a hand through his bed-head hair. “I sell high-end whiskey as a middleman,” he clarifies. My eyes drift to ogle another table full of enviable whiskies—Hirsch Select 25, Sazerac 18, and Hibiki 21 year olds. Paul's makeshift processing center is not what you'd call tidy. Children's books, plastic bags, and crumpled cash fill the occasional voids between the rare bottles packed upon the stained table.[*Several sources for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity. They are indicated by abbreviated surnames.]“But I never feel bad about selling whiskey,” Paul admits. “It's like walking into a store, seeing 10 lotto tickets, one of which is a winner, and taking any of the nine losers. You don't...

Single malt scotch drinkers, it's your day: The latest Diageo Special Releases have been unveiled, and aside from a 26 year old Lagavulin, they're remarkably accessible, coming in at $250 or less. As with previous iterations, this year's collection—called Legends Untold—was curated by Diageo master blender Craig Wilson and includes eight whiskies in total.It's an abundant week for American whiskey lovers, too, with new bourbons from Wild Turkey and Woodford Reserve, the latest edition of High West's A Midwinter Night's Dram, and a cask strength single malt from Westward Whiskey. Read on for full details.

Wild Turkey Master's Keep One
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: Not stated
ABV: 50.5%
SRP: $175
Release: October 2021
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
Master’s Keep One is the sixth release in Wild Turkey's limited edition Master’s Keep series. This one blends 8 to 10 year old bourbon with 14...

When touring northern California, it's not grain that comes to mind, but grapes. A mere hour north of San Francisco lie Sonoma and Napa Counties—home to over 1,700 wineries and the crown jewel of American wine, Napa Valley. While picturesque wineries and verdant vineyards are the main draw, craft distillers have staked their claim in wine country too, and are offering up something different for the wine-loving masses.
Making your way to Sonoma, Napa, or beyond from San Francisco, the closest major transportation hub, is not too difficult—just hop in a car and hit Highway 101, wine country's main artery. In an hour's time, you'll find yourself surrounded by lush expanses of vineyards, and quick trips off the highway will also take you to a number of distilleries. One of the first is Sonoma Distilling Co. in Rohnert Park, a small city with redwoods, creeks, and distant mountain views located on the doorstep of Sonoma County. The distillery is housed in a modern...

America's bourbon barrels, which can be used to age whiskey here only once, are the globetrotting alchemical vessels that keep many of the world's spirits flowing, crossing the Atlantic to house scotch or sailing to the Caribbean to cradle rum. Brewers have also embraced these barrels to create complex and robust beers, like Goose Island Beer Co.'s Bourbon County Stout and its many imitators. Now, with the current fervor for American whiskey, barrel aging includes much more than just alcohol beverages, expanding its footprint in the wider culinary world with bold steps and new techniques that promise to bring the magic of barrel-aged flavor to fine dining, or your breakfast table.How Sweet It IsSteven Stallard, a professional chef and whiskey lover, founded Blis Gourmet in Grand Rapids, Mich. in 2004 to put his chef's penchant for ingredient sourcing and flavor construction to work, creating specialty foods like salmon and arctic char cured over whiskey barrel staves. Struck by the...

Whether making bourbon, rye, wheat, or any other style of American whiskey, all distillers are faced with a choice between using sour or sweet mash. But what exactly are they, and what is the difference between the two?
First, a quick review of the initial steps in whiskey making. Milled grains are blended with water to create what’s called a mash. The grain element has natural sweetness, and into this mix goes yeast, which touches off fermentation to turn that sweetness into alcohol. The resulting beer-like liquid—the mash—is then distilled into whiskey.
Generations ago, distillers discovered the idea of adding something to the mash called backset—liquid strained from the previous batch. Whiskeys made without backset are sweet mash whiskeys, and those with backset are sour mash whiskeys. Why would anyone choose to add this strange acidic substance to a mash? Sour mash distillers use the backset to protect against bacterial contamination during...

Change is in the air, and we aren't just talking about the seasons. Major brands are losing some of their top whiskey makers, as distillers and blenders are leaving corporate comforts to create a legacy of their own. We spoke to Jane Bowie and Denny Potter, formerly of Maker's Mark, and Jackie Zykan, formerly of Old Forester, about their decisions to forge their own paths and the whiskeys we can expect from them in the future.As for whiskies you can search for now, there are plenty to choose from this week. Wild Turkey adds to its Master's Keep line with Unforgotten, while Maker's Mark unveils the latest release in its stave finishing series, a pair of whiskeys labeled BRT-01 and 02. As for single malt scotch, Benriach is bringing back its limited Smoke and Malting Season whiskies. We also covered the 2022 Diageo Special Releases, dubbed the "Elusive Expressions," earlier this week. Read on for full details.

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten
Style: Blend of...

Another million-dollar Macallan has just sold at auction, but if your wallet can't handle seven figures, never fear—there's plenty of new, much more affordable whisky rolling out.Evan Williams is releasing a special 2012 vintage of its single-barrel bourbon in honor of the Kentucky Derby Festival. Evan Williams Single Barrel 2012 Vintage is 56.5% ABV and $75, and includes a 2020 Gold Pegasus pin—good for admission to many Derby events—sealed in the wax on the neck. Just 600 bottles are for sale at the Evan Williams Experience in Louisville, Kentucky.Four Gate Whiskey Co. is releasing another batch of Foundation, its 9 year, 9 month old Kentucky straight bourbon. Just 590 bottles are available, all at 60.1% ABV and $200. Details on the original release can be found here.Ardbeg has unveiled its 2020 limited-edition Committee Bottling, Ardbeg Blaaack. The pinot noir cask-finished whisky will be available in the U.S. in June, priced at $140.Luxco, parent company of Lux Row...

Driven by a relentless desire to push the bounds of flavor in whiskey and other spirits, Marianne Eaves hit the road for inspiration, and now she's inviting whiskey lovers along on the journey—through their palates, at least. The former Castle & Key master distiller announced in October the launch of a “mobile spirits laboratory” and Eaves Blind, a subscription service that encourages blind tasting through small-batch and single-barrel whiskeys chosen by Eaves from distilleries around the U.S.Tennessee-born and Kentucky-raised, Eaves earned a degree in chemical engineering at the University of Louisville before becoming master taster atWoodford Reservein 2014, and took the reins at Castle & Key the following year. But she stepped down in 2019 to travel the U.S.—and start her consulting company, Eaves LLC.“I was doing a lot of traveling and meeting new people, seeing new production facilities, learning about different regions of the U.S., and different expressions of...

“Every day, I’m paranoid someone will open a bottle of something I’ve picked and call me a hack,” says co-founder and co-owner of Rare Character Whiskey Company Pablo Moix. The 49 year old entrepreneur still struggles to wrap his head around the exploding success of Rare Character bottles; all of which are personally selected by him. “Selling bottles at $99, knowing they’ll hit resale markets for $400 or more, and having it not drink like a $400 and the buyer is upset—that pressure is intense,” Moix says, adding, “I have no fallback plan; this has to work.”
But work it has. Rare Character Whiskey Company has become the next “it” brand in American whiskey.
What started as a pandemic business in 2021 has blown up into six sub-brands, each with rabid followings, many of which are already selling at ten times the suggested retail price at Sotheby's and Unicorn Auctions. Rare Character (RC) fan groups on...

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and if you're panicking about what whisky to serve, take a breath: We've got you covered, with recommended pours, party-ready punches, and a guide to pairing whisky and pie. (Speaking of which—we can also teach you how to make pie-inspired whisky cocktails.) But if you're looking for brand-new bottles to pop, keep reading.For the high rollers, Michter's is rolling out its aptly-named Celebration just ahead of the holidays. The blend of straight bourbon and rye is priced at $5,000, with just 277 bottles available.At 20% less than Celebration, Glenrothes 40 year old is still a luxury buy. The single malt scotch costs $4,000, with just 66 out of 594 bottles coming to the U.S.Can't let the Americans and Scots corner the high-end whisky market though; Ireland's Chapelgate Whiskey Co. has unveiled J.J. Corry The Chosen, a £6,500 ($8,393) single malt. There are just 100 bottles available.Bardstown Bourbon Co. is releasing the latest batches of its...

Oregon has played a key role in making whiskey since the dawn of America’s craft distilling movement—one of its major contributions being the birthplace of American malt with McCarthy’s Oregon single malt, which debuted in 1996. The city of Portland is best known for its craft breweries, lively food scene, and whimsical reputation for weirdness. But it’s also a whiskey city, with a distilling culture that dovetails nicely with Oregon’s wine and beer background. This culture stretches far beyond Portland, spilling across the rest of the state, too. Here’s a sampling of prominent distilleries that have helped put Oregon on the whiskey map.
PORTLAND DISTILLERIES
Westward Whiskey
FOUNDED 2004
westwardwhiskey.com
Westward Whiskey wasn’t the first to brew an ale and then distill it, but the Portland distiller has certainly perfected the craft. “We have a rich brewing history in the Northwest, and a lot of us at Westward...

Whiskies come and go, and while new releases are always heralded, expressions that are phased out get much less attention. But earlier this week, High West announced plans to discontinue Yippee Ki-Yay, its blend of ryes finished in vermouth and syrah barrels. Bottles can still be found on shelves, so if you're a fan, snatch them up when you see them.Moving on to new releases, which this week all come from these United States.Westland Distillery announced a new series called the Outpost Collection, which will encompass the existing Garryana expression ($150) as well as two new single malt whiskeys: Colere ($150), coming in the spring of 2021, and Solum, which won't be ready until 2023. All of these whiskeys will be released annually in limited amounts.Sagamore Spirit is also launching a new range called Distiller's Select, starting with Manhattan Finish, a rye finished in select barrel types to impart the classic cocktail's flavors. The whiskey is available in limited amounts, priced...

Whisky can be transportive, evoking memories of places you've been and trips you've taken. Distillers know this well and sometimes use it to great effect. Look to Dr. Bill Lumsden, the director of whisky creation for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, who has time and again used his own experiences as inspiration for his creations. In the Glenmorangie "A Tale Of" series, he's explored Scottish forests and the delights of enjoying a dram by the fire, and now he's fathoming Tokyo through a glass with Glenmorangie's A Tale of Tokyo release. And while only the most adventurous among us have been to the  Isle of Harris, this tiny island in the Outer Hebrides has a distillery. This week it introduces The Hearach, its very first single malt—a  gently peated Islands expression that arrived on the eighth anniversary of the distillery's opening. That one seems likely to be a transportive experience of its own.
Isle of Harris isn't...

On June 24, 1889, on Main Street in Telluride, Colorado, Butch Cassidy robbed his very first bank. Skiing had not come to town yet, but whiskey certainly had, and the famed outlaw was known to partake. The story goes that he holed up in the tiny nearby mining hamlet of Dunton Hot Springs, where he carved his name into the bar of the town’s saloon. Dunton became a ghost town, but was purchased in 1994 and the entire town and its Old West buildings were transformed into one of the nation’s most luxurious all-inclusive boutique resorts. Today the saloon is the resort’s main bar, and Dunton Hot Springs has a nice selection of scotch and bourbon, and guests can sit at the bar etched with Cassidy’s signature for a dram. The house label is George Dickel, an old case of which was discovered beneath the floor during renovation. The owner took this as a sign and now leaves a bottle out in the library for guests to enjoy at their leisure. That’s taking après...

One late August day, members of the heavy metal band GWAR were set to visit Catoctin Creek Distillery. The distillery's co-founder Scott Harris wasn't entirely sure what to expect. A fan of Neil Diamond and Barbara Streisand, Harris says he likes easy-listening music, which is about as far away as one could get from the stage antics, graphic imagery, and demonic get-ups of GWAR. “They were like, ‘Yeah we'll bring our costumes, we'll take some pictures.'” Harris says. “And so we were like ‘Okay!' And not sure what that was going to be like. It was pretty fun.”
Three band members—Mike Derks (Balsac the Jaws of Death, rhythm guitar), Brad Roberts (Jizmak Da Gusha, drums), and Bob Gorman (Bonesnapper, backing vocals)—of the hard rocking, intergalactic artistic collective visited the Purcellville, Virginia distillery to taste whiskey samples for what would become Ragnarök Rye, a new collaborative release from the band and Catoctin...

Whisky lovers are a varied bunch—just take a glance at the different whisky clubs that have sprung up around the country. But whisky producers, even those with diverse employee makeup, don't necessarily reflect the same diversity at the ownership level.That doesn't mean there aren't any Black-owned whisky makers, though. They're out there, and they want to share their whisky with you! If you're looking for a Black-owned whisky distillery or company to support, check out the folks below.We plan to continuously update this list as we learn of Black-owned whisky producers. Are we missing someone? Send us an email.
California
Shadow Ridge Spirits Co.
Sean Hallman is a former Navy surface warfare officer, and currently a federal civilian employee for the department of Navy. An interest in homebrewing led Hallman to explore the world of distilling, and now he and his wife, Lisa Ireland, run Shadow Ridge Spirits Co., which is registered under Oceanside Distillers in...

Good news for stateside scotch lovers: The pound recently fell to its lowest position against the dollar in 37 years (dropping below $1.14 at times), meaning that whisky aficionados can benefit from substantial savings at retail, in duty-free, and the auction market abroad. In UK travel retail, savings can soar as high as 59%; a 1-liter bottle of Caol Ila 12 year old, for example, will set you back just $39 at Heathrow, compared to $97 in U.S. stores. If you're visiting the UK in the near future, it will be well worth it to do some whisky shopping—either in duty free or local stores—to score some whisky at prices below U.S. retail prices. Meanwhile, there's plenty on offer among this week's new releases. Metallica's Blackened has collaborated with Angel's Envy co-founder Wes Henderson on a port cask-finished bourbon, Glenfiddich has added a sherry cask-finished single malt to its core range, and Dewar’s has reintroduced its flagship 12 year old blended scotch...

It's the night of WhiskyFest Chicago. The ballroom is brimming with hundreds of whiskies for sampling and the excited whisky lovers who adore them. But one group of attendees seems to be having the most fun of all. Adorned in matching navy blazers embellished with their club patch, and sporting fur pelts draped around their shoulders, Illinois's own Whiskey Wolf Pack is chatting with distillers, clinking glasses with presenters, posing for photos, and generally owning the room.
Don't mistake this dashing whisky club's gregariousness for indiscriminate imbibing. These guys know good whisky. The Wolf Pack first came together in 2016 as a way to pool their cash and obtain the bottles they might not otherwise afford on their own, according to vice president and current treasurer Robert Pagel. (Lest you wonder where his whisky fondness lies, he gave his son the middle name “Macallan.”)
“When we were younger, dropping a hundred dollars on a bottle was a big thing...

This weekend, it’s off to the races! The 148th Kentucky Derby takes place tomorrow at Churchill Downs, and we’ve got a variety of tips and tricks to help you celebrate. If you plan on attending, we have the inside track on making the most of your day (or weekend) in Louisville. For those watching from home, try your hand at a Kentucky Derby Classic: the Mint Julep. Regardless of where you are, take a deep dive into the thoroughbred stars themselves ahead of the big race. Of course, we can't forget the big event on Sunday, either—raise a glass to Mom and wish her a Happy Mother's Day.
Elsewhere, there’s new whisky aplenty this week. Westland debuts the second release of terroir-focused single malt Colere, Jack Daniel's adds two new bottled in bond whiskeys to its repertoire, and New Riff unveils a sherry-malted rye. Read on for full details.

Westland Colere (Edition 2)
Style: American single maltOrigin: WashingtonAge: Not statedABV: 50%Price...

Over the centuries, the distilling business has produced famous figures, legends, outright myths, and even ghosts—more than a few of them, in fact. Reports of spectral sightings and other phantom phenomena have occurred so often that they’re almost the rule rather than the exception. Some distilleries have conjured up so much spooky notoriety that paranormal experts have visited, often affirming suspicions that unseen forces are at play. To toast Halloween, we’ve rounded up a handful of distilleries around the world where spirits—the liquid and the otherworldly kind—are both part of the story.
Buffalo Trace Distillery
Over the years, Buffalo Trace has received visits from a number of paranormal investigators, drawn by claims that ghosts roam the distillery’s halls. Chief among them are the spirits of Colonel E.H. Taylor and Colonel Albert B. Blanton—Taylor was the distillery’s founder, and Blanton ran the distillery in...

Few things in life go together better than whiskey and music. Some whiskey makers, most notably Blackened, even use music to enhance the liquid’s maturation process. In summertime and sometimes year-round, many distilleries add sparkle by hosting live music events, and their distillery spaces can often serve as natural concert venues, with refreshments available, of course! Here’s a brief selection of distilleries around the country that offer music on-site.
CONNECTICUT
Sono 1420 

City: Norwalk
Type of Music: Acoustic
Admission: Free

Local bands are featured at the tasting room Friday nights in the distillery's Acoustic SoNo series. Admission is free and guests can order light bites, whiskey, craft cocktails, beer, and wine during the shows.
ILLINOIS
Whiskey Acres Distilling Co.
City: DeKalb
Type of Music: Various
Admission: Free

Whiskey Acres features bands, most of which play...

With St. Patrick’s Day nearly upon us, Irish whiskey will be front and center. It’s a most versatile and exciting spirit, but if your experience with Irish whiskey is limited to downing shots once a year dressed in a green velvet leprechaun’s hat, then we’ve got three routes to help you engage with Irish whiskey on a more rewarding level. First, our neat pour list contains six whiskeys that are worth getting to know better as they represent some of the most flavorsome whiskeys from Ireland right now. Second, for the make-at-home cocktail enthusiast, we pick six bottles to play with at home, each with a different style of Irish whiskey. With dozens of cocktail recipes online for inspiration, we want to be less prescriptive and encourage you to make a cocktail you love using an Irish whiskey and then make it again with a different pick to show you how whisky flavor influences the finished cocktail. Finally, Irish whiskey and food is a match made in heaven, so we...

Danko, Abruzzi, and Rosen may sound like a law firm, or a not so hip 70s rock band. But you'll hear the names being bandied about at small distilleries around the U.S. They are heirloom varietals of rye—grains that had all but disappeared from American farming until about a decade ago, when craft distillers began seeking out local farmers to grow them. Their aim is to restore long-vanished rye whiskey styles, and these forgotten rye strains may be their key to success. It hasn't been an easy endeavor, but distillers believe the resulting differences make it all worthwhile.Farmers mainly use rye as a cover crop—planting it in the fall and plowing it under in the spring or summer, for the purpose of keeping the soil in place during winter. Larger distilleries look abroad for their rye grain—to Canada, Germany, or Sweden. Herman Mihalich, co-founder and distiller of Dad's Hat Rye in Bristol, Pennsylvania, was one of the early voices advocating for a return to native...

All around the country, upstart distillers big and small are finding new ways to create great whiskey, even when time, scale, and tradition are all arrayed against them. Whether working in the forest, the field, or the laboratory, they're breaking old rules, reviving even older traditions, and applying techniques that have never been attempted before. Not every experiment succeeds, but those that do offer us a glimpse of the future of whiskey. These visionaries may have different ideas about where whiskey is headed, but they share a will to venture wherever their passion leads. Here's a look at a few of the leaders transforming American whiskey.Darek Bell: The Smoke Charmer
Darek Bell fell in love with smoked whisky while studying on Islay at Bruichladdich's Distillery Academy, but the only peat he could find stateside tasted of oily, tar-like creosote. “My uncle is into barbecue and told me to start smoking with what we have available here in the South—hardwoods like oak and...

Suddenly it's quite a time for aged whiskies, at least compared to the past 10 or 15 years. The days of drastic shortages and non-age statement releases have faded as whisky inventories swing back into full supply—and possible oversupply going forward. But putting industry prognostications aside, what we know for sure is that it's all good news for people who appreciate fine whisky, because there are more aged whiskeys that weren't available only a short time ago. Knob Creek is back once again with its 18 year old, while Sagamore has a 7 year old Bottled in Bond, as does Brother's Bond. The most sought-after labels are still offering their best aged expressions in fairly limited fashion, but it's still a noticeable change from previous years, and a great opportunity to try some new—or should we say old—whiskies.
Orphan Barrel Woven Honor 18 Year Old Single Malt Scotch 
ABV: 46.3%
SRP: $185

In an industrial section of Los Angeles, a fantasy jungle grows inside a warehouse. Populated by animatronic topiary dinosaurs, talking plastic parrots, and an autonomous AI personality named Tessa, this steampunk theme park houses Lost Spirits Distillery. Here, ideas about whisky—and whisky itself—are deliberately challenged, broken apart, and remade.Lost Spirits founder Bryan Davis ushers me aboard a flat-bottomed wooden boat, which he pilots through darkness filled with simulated thunder and wind, toward an “island” of tiny fermenters and pot stills topped with dragon heads. Here, behind a heavy wooden door, in a starkly bare room, futuristic-looking devices emit otherworldly bright light, while hoses snake like tentacles to the ceiling. It all appears too outlandish to be true, but Davis has a slightly mad twinkle in his eyes and chuckles as he tells me, “One thing you'll catch as you go through this: all the jokes are real.” It would be easy to dismiss Davis as a...

Here at Whisky Advocate, we hear one question more than any other: “What whisky should I buy?” Whether for yourself or a loved one, the gift of whisky—a well-considered, out-of-the-ordinary bottle—is perfect for any occasion, and we offer plenty of tools to help you find the right one: from Best Value and Editors' Choice picks to the annual Top 20 list, plus the full Buying Guide with over 4,000 whisky reviews, sortable by price, score, and more.But what about the whisky lover who already has a fully stocked bar, or the one whose taste is so discerning you're afraid of picking something they won't like? Each issue of Whisky Advocate includes recommended whisky gear (everything from decanters to cocktail picks to glassware), and we've made some additional picks below. There's something here for every budget and all kinds of whisky lovers, including the at-home bartender, the aspiring taster, the outdoor enthusiast, and the cigar aficionado. Some of these come with whisky, while...

The first week of April has brought a whole lot of new whiskies, from blended and single malt scotch to bourbon, rye, and more.Dewar's announced a limited-edition trio of whiskies called Dewar's Double Double. Each blend—aged 21, 27, and 32 years—was finished in a different type of sherry casks. The whiskies are available in limited amounts, packaged in 375-ml. bottles and ranging in price from $50 to $150.WhistlePig has unveiled its first whiskey since master distiller Dave Pickerell passed away last fall. WhistlePig Piggyback Rye is 6 years old and sourced from Alberta Distillers; the pig on its label sports a stetson hat, Pickerell's trademark look. The whiskey is currently available for $50 in a few states, with expanded distribution to come.Several new whiskies from Islay's Bruichladdich Distillery will be hitting shelves soon. Black Art 06.1 1990, the mysterious blend of casks created by master distiller Adam Hannett, will sell for $420. Meanwhile, four heavily peated...

Long known for its country music scene, Nashville has recently built a reputation as a food and beverage destination. And after a 2009 law reintroduced distilling for the first time since statewide Prohibition in 1910, a crop of craft distillers has sprung up, making all sorts of whiskey. While some distillers are breaking new ground, others are reviving recipes passed down through generations.There are now enough local distilleries to support a Tennessee Whiskey Trail, established in 2017 by the Nashville-based Tennessee Distillers Guild. The trail features 30 distilleries across the state, ranging in size from boutique micro-distillers to the big guys, George Dickel and Jack Daniel's. With a number of innovative craft distillers showcasing regional ingredients and flare in Nashville and the surrounding area, there's good reason to break away from the honky tonks on Lower Broadway to sample some locally grown and distilled whiskeys.Nashville Whiskey DistilleriesCorsair Distillery601...

Less than a decade ago, a tour of Tennessee's whiskey distilleries would have taken you to Jack Daniel, George Dickel (now Cascade Hollow), and family-owned Prichard's, and that would have been it. Tennessee distilling remained within this small circle of three until the mid-2000s—despite the state being home to the world's biggest-selling American whiskey, Jack Daniel's, and laying claim to distilling roots dating back to 1771.
The reason for this oddity can be summed up in one word: temperance. Just prior to the Civil War, Tennessee was producing enough whiskey for the Confederate government to place a wartime ban on production in order to maintain grain supplies. In the post-war years, the temperance movement gathered steam, and by the time Prohibition was enacted in 1920, some 33 states already were enforcing their own alcohol bans. Tennessee was one of them, placing bans on consumption and production as early as 1838, but really ramping up efforts by the early 1900s...

Update 4/21/25: Gregg Snyder, former Chicken Cock master distiller, has left that post to join veteran-owned, Bardstown-based Four Branches Bourbon in an advisory role.
When the modern whiskey era and the dawn of craft distilling arrived in the early 2000s, most fledgling craft players “sourced” whiskeys— buying aged distillate from other, larger suppliers— while waiting for their juice to mature. Utah-based High West famously sourced aged rye whiskeys from MGP, using those as the cornerstone of some great whiskeys while its distillery was being built. Others, like Woodinville Whiskey in Washington, chose never to source whiskey, waiting years for its own distillate to mature. Still others, like Smooth Ambler of West Virginia, chose a middle path, blending sourced whiskey with its own make.
Then another business model came upon the American whiskey scene—the producer that’s solely a blender and bottler, with no plans to build a distillery...

On Monday, December 4, our countdown of the Top 20 Whiskies of 2023 begins! The reveal kicks off with whiskies 10, 9, and 8, followed by whiskies 7, 6, and 5 on Tuesday, December 5; whiskies 4, 3, and 2 on Wednesday, December 6; and the unveiling of our Whisky of the Year on Thursday, December 7. The entire Top 20 list, detailing the most exciting whiskies of the year, will be published on our site next Friday, December 8.
As for this week's new releases, perhaps a future Top 20 candidate is in their midst: Read on for full details of all the week has to offer, including the latest Diageo's Distillers Edition, Fuji Whisky's 30 year old Single Grain, Jack Daniel's Distillery Series Selection #12, and more.
SCOTCH
Diageo Distillers Edition 2023
Each year, Diageo releases its Distillers Edition versions of some of its most popular single malts. Generally speaking, they’re the same whiskies as the core expressions, but they all receive varying amounts of...

Barrel-proof whiskey—which has no additional water added before bottling—consistently delivers big, bold aromas and flavors. For many whiskey drinkers, this uncut, minimally filtered liquid is as good as it gets. “If you ask any distiller—especially a bourbon distiller—what is their best bourbon, it would always be straight out of the barrel,” says Wild Turkey master distiller Eddie Russell.As Russell notes, bourbon might be considered the poster child for big proof, since in Kentucky, proof almost always increases with time in the barrel (unlike Scotland, where proof generally dwindles over decades). As whiskey matures, some liquid is lost to evaporation—known as the angels' share. In hot, dry climates, the barrel loses water at a faster rate than alcohol, so the whiskey's strength increases over time. The environment of the particular warehouse and a barrel's specific location further influence a whiskey's final measure of alcohol by volume (ABV). A whiskey that is...

The Irish whiskey narrative over the past 15–20 years has been a story of restoration, perseverance, and conviction, galvanized by a resilient spirit that recognizes how the island nearly lost its whiskey industry in the 20th century. Dozens of new distilleries and hundreds of new Irish whiskey brands were founded with aspirations of capturing the U.S. market, but now find themselves facing a post-Covid world battling the combined effects of geopolitical uncertainty, economic downturns in China, trade tensions, and a sober-curious Gen Z.
Persuading whiskey drinkers to explore beyond Jameson has been a challenge, such is its dominance among Irish whiskeys. As all styles of whisky struggle, the global casualty list of distilleries keeps growing, the most high-profile Irish example being Waterford Distillery, which went into receivership in November 2024 with substantial debt. Others are in similar straits, and even the country’s number-one whiskey maker, Irish...

Bourbon may be America's native spirit, but rye was famous first, dominating the national market until the mid-19th century. When Prohibition shut down America's thriving whiskey industry, rye's popularity sank. But over the last couple decades, rye whiskey has come roaring back thanks in large part to the cocktail renaissance.Rye is a traditional flavoring grain in both American and Canadian whiskies and often adds a punch of spice, even when used in small amounts. In the U.S., rye whiskey must have at least 51% rye in its mashbill, resulting in a spirit that's less sweet than bourbon, with bold aromas and flavors. And because rye often reaches maturity quicker than bourbon, even new distilleries can produce superb bottlings.Whisky Advocate's Summer 2020 Buying Guide offers reviews of more than 130 whiskies, including over a dozen ryes. From cask-strength offerings to innovative cask finishes—plus the first taste of the newly revamped Old Overholt—there's a whiskey for just about...

Seattle's association with drinks has tended toward the city's world-class coffee and the monster-hoppy IPAs. But Seattle also has an active local craft distilling scene, home to almost 20 distilleries, with many making whiskey.Single malt whiskey has been the object of much local obsession. In the last several years, scientists from Washington State University and Oregon State University have confirmed what distillers and farmers have long suspected: that the maritime climate in this part of the world mirrors that of Scotland, where some of the best single malts are made.But single malt isn't the only whiskey style Seattle distillers are creating. Bourbon, rye, and other whiskeys are also flowing off the stills, often with an emphasis on using local grains and reflecting the terroir of the area.The local whiskeys are garnering praise from near and far, and Seattle is becoming known as a distilling powerhouse. The Washington Distillers Guild is launching an interactive trail map this...

Ireland’s spectacular west coast features some of the most stunning coastal scenery on earth. It’s a paradise for surfers, walkers, sailors, history buffs, food lovers, and whiskey fans—offering an epic coastline-hugging journey of 1,600 miles through ancient lands where towering cliffs have withstood the raw power of Atlantic waves for thousands of years. The route wends around the headlands of Cork in Ireland’s southwest, all the way up to Donegal in the northwest. Its shores fire the imagination with craggy islands, historic treasures, natural wonders, magnificent castles, quaint harbors, colorful towns, and deserted beaches. The entire route takes at least a week or two to cover, and more time will be required if you want to visit distilleries and sample the fine fare at the pubs along the way. But you don’t have to tackle it all, of course. The route can be started from either end, but since vehicles in Ireland drive on the left, go south to north if...

There are more whiskey options nowadays than ever before, with hundreds of bottles on the shelves of some stores—but you may be surprised to discover that some of them aren't true whiskey. Many products, including the ones below, use words like whiskey, bourbon, and rye prominently on their labels, and some display the names of well-known whiskey brands; however, none of these are straight whiskey. That doesn't mean they're inferior or you shouldn't consider drinking them, but that they may display flavors well outside what's normal for conventional whiskey.
Know What You're Drinking: Whiskey Liqueurs, Flavored Whiskeys & Whiskey Specialties

Angel's Envy Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels
Looks like: Bourbon
It's really: Whiskey specialty - Kentucky straight bourbon finished in port barrels. (93 points)
Basil Hayden's Dark Rye
Looks like: Rye
It's really: Whiskey specialty - Kentucky straight rye blended with Canadian rye...

If there’s one thing to learn from the Roy family in the hit television series “Succession,” it’s that blood relatives and business often don’t mix. But that adage doesn’t ring true in American whiskey, where many storied families have embraced distilling with enduring success. The oldest distilling families have been at it for centuries— most notably the Beams, where the tradition stretches back eight generations to 1795, when Jacob Beam sold his first barrel of corn whiskey. Closely intertwined with that story is today’s Noe family, who are direct descendants.
Other families might not count eight generations back, but are nonetheless ingrained into the story of American distilling. Think the Van Winkles of Pappy fame, who are now into the fourth generation of whiskey makers, or the Hendersons with three generations of distillers, who created Angels Envy and recently launched True Story whiskey. Willett, too, has long remained a...

In the far reaches of northern Minnesota, just 40 miles south of the Canadian border, Michael Swanson’s family has been farming its 1,000 acres of land for over a century near the town of Hallock. A farm kid through and through, Swanson spent his childhood among fields of wheat, sugar beets, barley, canola, and sunflowers, and in a home surrounded by the sprawling Minnesota plains where his Swedish immigrant great-grandparents had settled. While both sides of Swanson’s family were in agriculture, neither had backgrounds in distilling, so it was a leap of faith when in 2013 he decided to devote some of his harvest toward something new: whiskey. “It made sense to me—to distill whiskey from grain that you grow just outside of the distillery itself. It gives you utmost control over the raw materials and their quality, as well as a story with an authentic feel,” he explains.

Before getting Far North Distillery off the ground, Swanson turned to...

Convincing spirits aficionados that their beloved whiskies can and do pair admirably with food is a daunting task at the best of times. Extending that gastronomic linkage to cheese, long the domain of wine and, more recently, beer, can be nigh on impossible.But the fact is whisky really is an ideal accompaniment to many cheeses, in some cases superior, even, to wine or beer. The key, as ever, lies in making the right combinations under the most favorable circumstances.That latter part, the circumstances, is oft-times glossed over in beer and wine pairing, but can prove vital when partnering spirits with comestibles. Because aromatics are both intense and key to the appreciation of whiskies, how they are delivered can make or break a food pairing, and so care should be taken with respect to temperature, dilution, and even the shape of the glass, or in other words, the circumstances of the tasting.Where the more intense flavors of blue and aged hard cheeses are concerned, for example...

This article was originally published in December 2019. COVID-related restrictions may affect some of the opening times and offerings of these venues, so check in advance of a visit.Blessed with great weather and equally impressive scenery, Scottsdale anchors the “Valley of the Sun,” a sprawling jigsaw puzzle of Arizona municipalities including Tempe, Phoenix, Cave Creek, Paradise Valley, Mesa, and more. The region's heart and soul is Old Town Scottsdale, a walkable neighborhood full of restaurants, bars, shops, and Old West flair that is also home to one of baseball's top spring training facilities. Along with the adjacent Fashion Square mall area, it forms the regional downtown.Radiating out from this center in every direction is an impressive array of large resort hotels, including many that cater to golf, a key driver of tourism. Scottsdale is among the top warm-weather golf destinations in the world and the epicenter of the stunning course style known as desert golf. With...

The biggest whiskey news of the week was the launch of Sweetens Cove, a new bourbon backed by NFL star Peyton Manning and tennis great Andy Roddick, among others. We spoke to both Manning and Roddick, as well as master blender Marianne Eaves, about the whiskey and its links (pun completely intended) to the beloved golf course of the same name. Check out the in-depth article, and then keep reading for the hard stats and some analysis below.The latest Port Ellen single malt from Diageo is coming out now, priced at a cool £6,500 (about $8,000). It's 40 years old, a vatting of nine "rogue" casks. There are 1,380 bottles available, though none are being sold in the U.S.Kentucky-based blender Barrell announced its Private Select whiskey series, a collection of unique "micro-blends" that are each finished in a different barrel type. Each offering is limited to 150-180 bottles, priced at $109. Barrell is also set to release Batch 024 of its bourbon, priced at $90 and available in limited...

It’s Father’s Day weekend, and earlier in the week we posted a piece that covered a wide range of Father's Day gift choices to suit nearly every dad. We follow here with an array of new whiskeys, many of which could also be in the running—notably a just-released Father’s Day Bourbon Collection from Woodford Reserve. Among other noteworthy new items, Old Forester is offering a new batch of its President’s Choice single barrel bourbon, while Blue Run is back with Flight Series II, featuring six micro-batch whiskeys. Texas whiskey maker Still Austin has a summer release of its Bottled in Bond red corn, and the Penelope Cooper Series has a new release of its bourbon finished in grenache rosé wine casks from the Southern Rhône.
For scotch lovers, the U.S. Open golf championship is in full swing this weekend, and Dewar’s is out with this year’s release of its 19 year old Champion’s Edition...

Have you been following along with the Top 20 countdown? Whiskies 5-10 have all been revealed, and we'll unveil the the rest of the list next week. Join us for the countdown, and don't forget to enter the sweepstakes to win the top three whiskies!With the holiday shopping season officially underway, now's the time to start thinking about what whisky you want to give—or receive. (For whisky-related gifts that aren't actually bottles, though, check out our gift guide.) Several distillers are offering their whiskies in special holiday packaging, including Hibiki—which we wrote about previously—J. Rieger & Co., and Woodford Reserve. The special bottle for J. Rieger Kansas City whiskey was inspired by a 1910 advertisement for the original distillery and is festooned with holly and berries, as well as a jolly Santa Claus. The whiskey's price is $35, and it's also available as part of a holiday three-pack with J. Rieger's gin and vodka ($85). The label on Woodford Reserve's...

The drumbeat of craft distillery acquisitions continues, as this week brought news of Maryland rye maker Sagamore Spirit being acquired by Illva Saronno, the Italian drinks company best known for its Disaronno amaretto liqueur brand. Sagamore's story is one that any whisky lover can appreciate: it was founded by the deep-pocketed Kevin Plank, famous for his Under Armour sportswear brand, who spared no expense in launching Sagamore's distillery on Baltimore's waterfront back in 2017. From the start, the company has been serious about its mission to restore Maryland rye's reputation, and its own-make whiskey is just now starting to come of age. In an interesting twist, yesterday Illva Saronno also unveiled a new amaro label called Sagamore Spirit Amaro, which includes Sagamore Spirit rye distillate.
Earlier this week, Diageo announced the fourth release of its coveted Prima & Ultima whiskies. This year's edition marks the first time this collection of...

When Whisky Advocate published a cover story on the craft distilling movement back in 2013, there was much to talk about—smaller barrels (to age the whiskey faster), new and exciting grain varieties, experimental distilling techniques, and much more. But most of the whiskeys were still quite young, and many of today’s stars were just getting started. Thus, with some notable exceptions—like Balcones, Clear Creek, Stranahan’s, and Leopold Bros.—the buzz was more about the excitement rather than the whiskey itself. A good number of craft whiskeys simply didn’t live up to the hype, and soon the discussions of craft moved into the future tense—just wait a few years, people would say, and the quality will emerge.
Today, more than a decade later, those craft distilleries have grown to whiskey adulthood. Except for a few pioneers in the 1990s and early 2000s like McCarthy’s, Old Potrero, St. George, and some others, the big wave of openings...

Any American of retirement age who has worked in beverage alcohol for most or all of his or her career has never experienced American whiskey, the pride and joy of the American distilled spirits industry, healthy and growing like it is today. For most of our working lives, American whiskey was quiescent. It sold. A few companies did well with it. Most didn't. Nothing seemed to move the needle. The customers kept getting older and many feared that when the last bourbon drinker went to that great brass rail in the sky, that would be it. It wasn't always so dismal. Bourbons, ryes, and blends sold as fast as distilleries could make them coming out of the privations of World War II in the mid-1940s. They were still going strong when we were in high school. Almost two million barrels were filled in 1967 and there were more than eight-and-a-half million in aging inventory. By the time we finished college and went to work, the bottom had fallen out. The industry was on its way to losing half...

Burns Night is one of the most beloved celebrations of the year in Scotland, a commemoration of poet Robert Burns whose words still ring with particular power today, 226 years after his death. Each year on January 25th, celebrations around the world mark the birthday of the man whose work has impacted people across the generations and around the world.
To make the occasion, a traditional feast of haggis, whisky, and recitations of selected verses from Burns are featured. Yet while great single malt and copies of his poetry are easy enough to find, it's a lot more challenging for home cooks to whip up haggis—a pudding traditionally made of sheep’s heart, liver, lungs, oatmeal, beef or mutton suet, and spices encased in sheep’s stomach.
To make things easier, we enlisted the help of Philadelphia’s Libertine chef and owner Derek Davis to create a delicious, easily executable menu for the big night. It’s Scottish in inspiration—note the use of...

Japanese whisky’s reputation has come a long way over the arc of 25 years. Once an unglamorous local tipple, today it’s a globally revered spirit—with supply straining to meet demand. Along this path to glory, Japanese whisky has inspired some of the world’s great cocktail bars, created liquid magic with its use of mizunara oak, and achieved mastery in the art of blending. On the global auction market, Japan has produced some of the most coveted collectibles ever released. In short, the allure is undeniable.
Despite centuries-old traditions in sake and shochu, Japan’s history of whisky distilling is not a lengthy one. The country’s two most famous malt whisky distilleries are Yamazaki (owned by Suntory), which opened in 1923, and Yoichi (owned by Nikka), which began distilling in 1936. The seminal figure for whisky in Japan was Masataka Taketsuru, a scion of a sake brewing family who journeyed to Scotland from 1918-20 to study whisky making and...

With the warmth and beauty of summer now upon us, there aren’t many good excuses to stay indoors. For some of us, however, baking is one of them. These three breezy dessert recipes are good for a summertime indulgence and made even better by a carefully chosen accompanying bourbon. Two of the desserts offer a double dose of whiskey, both infused into the core components of the desserts and alongside.
Mississippi Mud Pie with Woodford Reserve Chocolate Custard and Woodford Double Double Oaked

Recipe and pairing courtesy of executive chef, DJ Jackson at The Southern Gentleman, Atlanta.
Mississippi Mud pie is a Deep South delight made popular in the 1970s, likely gaining its name from a resemblance to the muddy banks of the Mississippi River. This one features a fudgy custard enrobed in a fluffy whipped cream sitting atop a nostalgic and sweet crumbled Oreo crust. It’s ideal enjoyed alongside Woodford Double Double Oaked bourbon, available nationwide since...

I see FarmStock 001 being a $10,000 bottle of whiskey within 10 years," says Raj Bhakta. It's a bold predictionfrom the founder of pioneering craft distillery WhistlePig, especially given that FarmStock 001 is the company's first offering to include whiskey actually distilled at WhistlePig's picturesque Vermont farm. Bhakta, however, has good reason for his optimism. The most recent release from WhistlePig, Boss Hog The Black Prince, a rye finished in Armagnac casks, launched last fall and retails for $500 a bottle—an unheard-of price for a craft upstart.The Black Prince has beaten out competition from Scotland, Ireland, Kentucky, and Japan to win a slew of awards, including the Best Whiskey in Show award from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Bhakta and others believe that Boss Hog is not an outlier or a flash in the pan, but the beginning of something new. Not just for drinking anymore, American whiskey has achieved investment grade.Add These American Whiskeys to Your...

It's high season for new whisky releases, as everyone gears up for the holidays and rolls out plenty of new options, along with highly anticipated limited editions like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, the Van Winkle lineup of whiskeys, and the Diageo Special Releases, which were fully revealed this week—with some significant changes, especially for American fans. Other brands are releasing limited-edition packaging in the lead-up to the holidays. J. Rieger & Co. unveiled the annual Holiday Edition label for its Rieger Kansas City whiskey, priced at $35. Meanwhile, Basil Hayden's has partnered with Wildsam Field Guides to create four special-edition labels: one that's available nationally, and three specific ones for Northern California, Southern California, and Brooklyn, New York. The whiskey remains the same—regular Basil Hayden's—but each label features local trivia, hidden spots, and drink recipes. Bottles are priced at $40.On to the new whiskies for the week...

The capital of the Emerald Isle has long been known for having the best pints of Guinness in the world, but now it's earning a new reputation. Thanks to several new distilleries, Dublin has become the home of Irish whiskey's revival. From its new wealth of distillery tours to a rich and lively bar scene, Dublin is an ideal getaway for the whisky lover.Getting AroundBuses aren't necessary unless you're going out of town. But the Hop On Hop Offroutes will take you to Teeling. Bicycles can be rented via DublinBikes. Taxis are hailed on the street, or go to a taxi rank. Ridesharing hasn't taken hold; Uber is just a taxi-hailing service. Bicycle rickshaws are increasingly common in town, but settle on a fare first! Executive cars or limos are a possible option for out-of-town touring. Buy a Leap Cardfor travel on bus, tram, and local trains.When to GoNew York's Times Square has nothing on Dublin, which celebrates the ringing in of the New Year with a spectacular fireworks show and public...

This week's newest whiskies come from Scotland, Kentucky, Indiana, Ireland, and beyond.Balvenie is releasing this year's batch of Peat Week 14 year old. Vintage-dated to 2003, the peated whisky will be quite available—36,000 bottles are destined for the U.S. market—and will cost $99. If you're wondering why Balvenie, a typically unpeated Speyside single malt, would make a peated version, find out the answer from the man who makes it, David Stewart.Another whiskey that's coming back for the second year in a row, WhistlePig Farmstock Crop 002 is now hitting shelves. The blend includes ryes sourced from MGP Distillery in Indiana, Alberta Distillers in Canada, and WhistlePig's own Vermont Distillery; this year, the Vermont portion makes up 32% of the mix. As with Farmstock Crop 001, this year's batch is limited. It has a recommended retail price of $73.Speaking of MGP, the Indiana mega-distillery has just released its own rye, after years of supplying hundreds of other brands...

For all of Dublin's 21st-century buzz and bustle, and its burgeoning number of operating distilleries—more than ever in living memory—it's certain secluded spots that appeal to Carol Quinn.“I love a pub with a snug,” she says. “When people think of Dublin, they think of pubs, and the snug was always this private area in a public space where you could have those private little conversations.”Quinn knows Dublin—she's the archivist for Irish Distillers—and proceeds to share the history and charm of a snug, once used by ladies who preferred not to be seen drinking. “Women would have gone in and called for a cup of tea in a china cup,” Quinn says. “But it wasn't a cup of tea, it was a nice little shot of whiskey, which you could sip in a very refined manner out of your teacup. That's what was happening in the snug.”Such is the spell cast by Dublin—an alluring mix of companionship, conversation, history, a splash of humor, and a lot of fun. Dublin has the best...

The city of Portland, straddling the Willamette River in the Pacific Northwest, is not a bad place to be a drinker. Around 70 breweries are located here, more than any other city in the world. About a dozen distilleries call ‘Stumptown' home, with a similar amount of urban wineries. The food culture complements the drinking scene, with award-winning restaurants, 600 food trucks, and an almost religious belief by Portlanders in enjoying local products and the farm-to-table philosophy.There are whisky and cocktail bars in almost every neighborhood, and a healthy respect for pairing good whisky with local craft beer (the two major food groups in the city). Add to this a walkable, vibrant downtown with efficient public transportation, and two days of hedonistic ramblings are easily filled.Many of the bars don't open until late afternoon, so take a distillery tour earlier in the day or pay a visit to a liquor store. Oregon is a control state, so all spirits are sold through...

Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2026 is built from five distinct distillate styles and marks the 43rd edition of the blended Irish whiskey’s annual release. Master distiller Kevin O’Gorman, who created his first Midleton Very Rare vintage in 2021, has included the distillery’s three single pot still styles and two single grain whiskey styles for the new release. With components aged between 14 and 36 years, O’Gorman shares how the latest vintage is crafted to offer something new while staying true to the profile first established by master distiller emeritus Barry Crockett in 1984.
“The new Midleton Distillery was built in 1975 and has grain and pot still whiskey production on-site,” explains O’Gorman. “With his first vintage, Crockett’s objective was to establish an ultra-premium whiskey and showcase the blending of the two whiskey styles, grain and pot.” Midleton Very Rare is aged exclusively in American oak bourbon barrels...

Remember the beaver whiskey? It's back again, with New Hampshire's Tamworth Distilling releasing a new batch available through Warehouse Wines & Spirits. The 200-ml bottles are a hefty $70 apiece, but where else are you going to get whiskey flavored with castoreum from a beaver's anal glands?If you prefer your whisky unadulterated, however, there are plenty of new releases free of animal products. Nikka is offering a pair of single malts, one each from its Miyagikyo and Yoichi distilleries, blending whiskies from the 1960s through today. Priced at $3,500, there are just 70 bottles of each variant coming to the U.S.Laphroaig is launching a new series of well-aged single malts in honor of former distillery manager Ian Hunter, starting with a 30 year old aged in bourbon barrels. The whisky is priced at $1,250, with limited amounts available.Glendalough Distillery has unveiled its first single pot still whiskey ($55), along with a 17 year old single malt finished in mizunara casks...

This week, Texas distiller Garrison Bros. announced the arrival of its Lady Bird limited annual release, which uses the same recipe as previous expressions—4 year old cask-strength Garrison Bros. Honeydew bourbon with a long cognac cask finish. Yellowstone, meanwhile, is out with a 6 year old that’s the first age-stated whiskey ever for the label.
Elsewhere, Chattanooga has a new pre-Prohibition-style bourbon, while Virginia Distillery Co. adds yet another stout cask-finished whiskey to its lineup. In scotch, Tobermory has unveiled the final release in its five-part Hebridean Series, this one a 27 year old oloroso cask-finished expression. Among world whiskies, Taiwan distiller Kavalan has two 2009 vintage whiskies—ultra-aged in Taiwan’s sub-tropical climate, which is no easy feat.
Yellowstone 6 year old Small Batch 107 Proof Bourbon
ABV: 53.5%
SRP: $45
Availability: Nationwide
Yellowstone, the whiskey brand made by Limestone...

Virag Saksena had already been brewing beer for a couple decades when, in 2011, he began dreaming up a plan to make American single malt that could stand up to the finest whiskies from Scotland and Japan. “In order to do that, the first step was to understand how the old masters made it,” Saksena says. He traveled to the source of the big peated malt whiskies he most adored, apprenticing at an Islay distillery before he and business partner Vishal Gauri—both engineers—opened 10th Street Distillery in an industrial part of San Jose, California in 2017. Using a pair of 500-gallon copper pot stills that are dwarfed by their lofty 6,500-square-foot space, they're making peated and unpeated malt whiskey that is rooted in European tradition, but with unmistakable California provenance.To make their peated whiskey, Saksena and Gauri use San Jose's alkaline, mineral-rich water for mashing and fermentation, combining it with custom-peated malt sourced from the Highlands of Scotland...

Bright and buoyant, the Whiskey Sour is whiskey dressed for a summer day. The drink may have originated with 18th-century sailors combining ingredients they had at hand, but the unbeatable balance of spirit, sugar, and citrus makes this drink transcend the whims of cocktail fashion. “It's beautiful in its simplicity and it's delicious and it manages to be really fun, and it's also a really nice access point for whiskey for a lot of people,” says Dan Sabo, director of food and beverage at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
As long as you stay focused on a balance of sweet, sour, and spirit, the Whiskey Sour leaves plenty of room for interpretation or tweaking to suit your palate. “There are a thousand things you can do to add a little twist to it and that's one of the things that great classics can do,” says Neal Bodenheimer, co-owner of Cure in New Orleans. “It can handle a little bit of innovation, but the basic version is as...

Garrard County, Kentucky, is a place with an interesting distinction, certainly in regard to the whiskey world. It's the birthplace of Carrie Nation, the most famous figure in the temperance movement that led to the establishment of Prohibition. She's best remembered for her hatchet-wielding attacks on saloons around the country in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, done long after she had moved on from the Bluegrass State. But it was not until November of 2023 that Garrard voted to allow alcohol county-wide. Now, it will soon see the opening of a new distillery, its first since the 1800s.
The new Garrard County Distilling Co. is owned by Staghorn, an Atlanta-based company founded in 2018 by Ray Franklin, a former beer and liquor distributor. The original announcement was planned for 2020, but Covid caused delays. Construction continued, however, and Garrard County Distilling Co. is now fully operational, having filled its first...

Big flavors abound in this week's new releases. First up, Basil Hayden's is launching Dark Rye, a new whiskey that will be a part of the core line. Read the label closely and you'll notice a few things that stand out: this is a blend of Kentucky and Canadian ryes, and it includes port-style wine from California. Huh? Don't feel silly for being confused—it is unusual. According to the Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau (TTB), which regulates these things, a non-straight rye whiskey can include up to 2.5% wine by volume and still be labeled as a rye. But Dark Rye is classified as a “whisky speciality,” so the wine probably exceeds that amount.Tullamore D.E.W. is bringing in apple flavors to its latest release, a blended Irish whiskey finished in hard cider casks. The whiskey is seasonally available and will return each year, and it's being sold in 1-liter bottles—great news if you plan to host a Halloween party and want to serve whiskey in volume. (And if you are...

Taken at face value, the words “cask strength” signify something extra: alcohol. But there's much more to these whiskies than just higher proof. Cask-strength single malt scotch, which has no additional water added before bottling, is indisputably more flavorful; the molecules that make up what our noses and palates detect as delicious aromas and flavors are bound to alcohol, not water. With more alcohol in a dram, there's more flavor potential.You don't have to love high proof to benefit from cask-strength whiskies. These whiskies put the power of enjoyment fully in the hands of the drinker. Rather than tasting whisky that has already been diluted to a standard 46%, 43%, or even 40% ABV, the imbiber is left to determine the ideal strength—a process that can be as simple as tasting neat, then adding a few drops of water at a time to taste. Or it can be as precise as measuring out whisky and water and trialing different combinations to methodically determine a particular whisky's...

Update: Decanter no. 1 of Gordon & MacPhail 80 year old sold for $193,000 on October 7, 2021.Many of us consider an 18 year old scotch a treat, and regard a well-aged 25 or 30 year old expression as an indulgent luxury. These are mere youngsters compared to the new Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80 year old distilled at Glenlivet Distillery. Matured for eight decades, this whisky spans the term of office of 15 U.S. presidents. It was approaching 50 years old when President George H.W. Bush took the oath of office, making him the last sitting president to be older than the whisky, and from Biden back to Clinton, none of the last five presidents were even born when this cask was filled. It's a Speyside single malt disgorged from a sherry butt filled on February 3, 1940, which extends Gordon & MacPhail's unbroken run of releasing the world's oldest whisky, a record the company has held since the launch of the Generations series in 2010.Sir David Adjaye OBE has designed the...

At this moment, in distilleries and blending labs around the world, a critical communication is underway. A blender or distiller is having a silent conversation with a glass that contains whisky. It could be the latest iteration of a blend in the course of developing a new product, or in the maintenance of a legacy brand. Either way, the process requires passion, methodology, and clinical precision.
We’ve asked some of the world’s top blenders and distillers to give us an extraordinary peek into their labs and workspaces to help us understand their work and their creative process—from sensory overload to how they deal with the more prosaic activities of driving a car or doing the same thing day after day; of taking their “work” home with them and what it all means to you.
While these artisans are much like you and me, they have to deal with everyday issues in a slightly different manner. The issue of sensory impact and overload was considered by...

There’s no more fitting time to raise a dram of your favorite scotch whisky than January—specifically on January 25, or Burns Night, which honors the birthday and legacy of 18th-century Scottish poet Robert Burns with special events and suppers throughout Scotland and around the world. These "Burns dinners" typically include traditional Scottish fare, from haggis to neeps and tatties to, of course, scotch whisky, as well as poetry reciting, most notably of Burns’ “Address to a Haggis,” bagpipe playing, and general merriment.
If you can’t make it to Scotland to toast the country's national poet, worry not: here are some venues across the United States that are holding their own Burns Night celebrations to immerse you in Scottish culture, and scotch whisky.
BOSTON
Not Your Usual Burns Night
Thursday, January 25, 2024, multiple entry times, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square...

Single malt scotch distiller Laphroaig is celebrating the differences that make life interesting in a new campaign with actor Willem Dafoe, whose films include At Eternity’s Gate, Platoon, Shadow of the Vampire, and Spider-Man, among others. The effort is a first for Laphroaig that includes a short film, an ad campaign, a new signature cocktail debuting at bars around the world, and the tease of a new specialty whisky created with input from the actor that’s slated for release next year.
While Laphroaig fans wait on the whisky, they can try the brand’s new bespoke cocktail The Other Island (recipe below), which made its global debut in London at The Barley Mow pub. The drink blends Laphroaig 10 year old with Amaro Ciociaro, fresh pineapple and lemon juices, spiced cinnamon syrup, and Prosecco to evoke a tropical and spiced Spritz-style cocktail. Mixologist Meaghan Dorman created the drink, and it’s set to be featured at select bars around the globe...

Islands have always held special allure in the world of whisky. Scotch whiskies from the islands of Islay, Skye, and Orkney are renowned for their salty, often smoky character. Meanwhile, America's traditional whiskey heartlands of Kentucky and Tennessee are located in hilly uplands far from the sea. But now, whiskey is being made in every parcel of the United States, including those surrounded by water. Pummeled by nor'easters and gales, America's island distillers produce whiskeys that owe as much to the Scottish isles as to their compatriots in Kentucky and Tennessee. These are whiskeys that capture the essence of the sea.Worlds ApartWindswept Nantucket, 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, has been a nautical haven for centuries. The island grew fat on whale blubber, and even today it is as much a historic nautical community as a luxury summer colony. It's here that Randy Hudson, owner and distiller at Triple Eight Distillery, has made whiskey for nearly two decades. His Notch...

Western Pennsylvania whiskey maker Liberty Pole Spirits has relocated to a new facility within its hometown of Washington, Pennsylvania, about 28 miles south of Pittsburgh. Its original location in downtown Washington had been open since 2016, and now its owners, the Hough family, have built a new and substantially expanded distillery.

Washington and the surrounding area of Washington County are located in the historic farm country of the Whiskey Rebellion, which took place from 1791-94. In keeping with the Hough family’s longstanding commitment to local whiskey history, the new distillery is fronted by a strikingly accurate reconstruction of an 18th-century stone meetinghouse—like those where the rebels met to oppose Alexander Hamilton’s whiskey tax. Inside are two bars serving cocktails, neat pours, local beer, and small bites in a colonial atmosphere that includes four stone fireplaces. The meetinghouse also has a retail shop offering the full range of...

Tennessee-based Chattanooga Whiskey is best known for its signature high-malt bourbon. The distillery was founded in 2011, during a time when distillation wasn’t even legal in its home base of Nelson County. Founders Tim Piersant and Joe Ledbetter found a workaround by bottling sourced whiskey while lobbying with the state legislature to legalize distilling. Their efforts paid off in 2013, and afterward, they began distilling. After some tasting trials, they ultimately landed on a mashbill of yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley, which came to be known as the “Barrel 91 recipe.”
In the modern landscape, where other flavoring grains like rye and wheat get all the attention, Chattanooga’s high-malt recipe is certainly a rare bird. Though uncommon, the mashbill has been well received by fans and critics, and today it’s still the distillery’s go-to recipe for its various main-line bourbon releases. Every now...

Crank up the subwoofers and get ready to rock and roll: Metallica has its own whiskey, and it was created in part by the band's music. A blend of straight American whiskeys selected and blended by master distiller Dave Pickerell, Blackened was put through a proprietary "sonic enhancement" process that used Metallica songs to create sound waves that impact chemical reactions taking place in the aging whiskey. Coming out in late September, the whiskey will be available in a handful of states and online for $43.Less glitzy but equally exciting: Four Roses has announced its 2018 Limited-Edition Small Batch. This year's release celebrates the distillery's 130th anniversary. With just over 13,000 bottles available and priced at $140, expect it to be in high demand among both Four Roses fans and collectors.Speaking of collecting, Highland Park has unveiled its second-ever 50 year old whisky. A mere 274 bottles, packaged with a custom crystal decanter, will be available at $15,000 apiece.Back...

Rediscovering a forgotten whisky can be like finding a lost love. Remember how delighted and dazzled you were by all those great drams when you first started exploring whisky? Those early block builders are often forgotten—eclipsed by the perpetual seduction of new discoveries. Our advice: Don't always be so quick to move on. Take a moment to rediscover your whisky-loving roots, and find some time for the whiskies you forgot you love.
Single malt scotch


Glenfiddich 12 year old 89 points, 40%, $55
Launched in 1999, Glenfiddich sells around 10.5 million bottles of this 12 year old Speyside single malt every year. “The distillery process continues to be exactly the same as it was decades ago, with traditional mash tuns, wooden washbacks, and unusually small stills,” says Glenfiddich malt master Brian Kinsman. Matured in American and Spanish oak casks, this expression balances those distilling and maturation aspects beautifully. Aromas of...

There's so much new whisky coming out, it's hard to know where to start! First things first: Blood Oath is releasing its first three "pacts"—annual batches—in a special gift pack for the holidays. Just 900 of the trilogy packs will be for sale nationwide for $599. Whisky Advocate's Buying Guide scored Pact No. 1 82 points, Pact No. 2 88 points, and Pact No. 3 89 points.Buffalo Trace Distillery has unveiled a new range of experimental bourbons as part of its Old Charter brand. The distillery has been experimenting with different types of oak for years, and the Old Charter Oak range will showcase some of the biggest successes, starting with Mongolian Oak. Different releases will have different availability, but in general, the whiskeys will be distributed nationwide. Mongolian Oak is priced at $70.The Heaven's Door brand—created in partnership with Bob Dylan—is releasing a 10 year old Tennessee straight bourbon. Available in limited amounts, it costs $130.Two new single malt...

Whisky lovers have a slew of new releases to look forward to, this week and into the future.Kentucky Peerless Distillery is launching a new program that allows liquor stores, bar, and restaurants to purchase single-barrel rye by the case. Called Peerless Dimensions, the whiskeys will be released annually, selected by head distiller Caleb Kilburn. Each barrel selection will have a unique flavor, highlighted in its name (think S'more, Mixed Berry Cobbler, and Chocolate Crème Brûlée). If you want to try these whiskeys, you'll have to keep an eye out for which stores or venues purchase bottles, then track them down. The distillery's website has more information.Meanwhile, Virginia Distillery Co. is anticipating the release of its house-made single malt whisky, called Courage & Conviction, in 2020, and is offering people the chance to pre-purchase a special Medallion Edition now. Each batch of Medallion Edition will be a unique offering and come with a medallion, with the first...

Once early settlers in America ran out of the beer, wine, and spirits they had lugged over from the Old World, their only choice was to produce their own. Many of these settlers were from Ireland and Scotland, which already had a solid history in distilling. Rum was an early option, until the British cut off the sugar supply to the Colonies. Luckily, the East Coast was plentiful with both apples and rye, so those were  soon distilled in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.
     Eventually, despite having his own stills at Mount Vernon, President George Washington would approve an excise tax on liquor in the hope of paying off Revolutionary War debts. Suffice to say, the numerous farmer-distillers of the era were not thrilled, and soon they would revolt. 
     Many headed to the new state of Kentucky, where the soil was fertile, the corn abundant, and the water limestone-filtered. The corn, in fact, would create a...

The potato chip is one of those happy accidents of the culinary world. The story goes that chef George Crum was cooking his haute cuisine one evening in 1853 at Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York. Fashionably, Crum offered french fried potatoes on the menu. When a guest sent them back to the kitchen, not once but twice, proclaiming they were cut too thick, Crum had enough. He sliced and fried the potatoes thin and crisp in a fit of rebellion. As it turned out, the crispy potatoes were a hit and became a specialty known as Saratoga chips. It didn't take long for entrepreneurs to begin bagging the chips, and in 2015 potato chips racked up an impressive $7.5 billion in sales.The humble potato chip continues to set trends. According to food industry analyst Phil Lempert of Supermarket Guru, flavors are becoming more varied, exotic, and adventurous; witness the recent explosion of sriracha chips. Lempert predicts that while the popularity of spicy seasonings will remain high...

Rye has been a part of America's distilling heritage since colonial times, yet gets only a fraction of the recognition of its better-known sibling, bourbon. For a time in the late 20th century, whiskey distillers barely made any rye at all, and finding a bottle on the shelf of a liquor store could be a challenge. But in recent years, rye has made a comeback, and whiskey lovers are discovering (and rediscovering) how delicious it is.Bourbon has to be made of at least 51% corn, and similarly, rye has to contain 51% rye grain at a minimum. However, while bourbon must be made in America, and is most often associated with Kentucky, rye can be made anywhere, and different regions in North America have their own unique claim to it. If a rye is labeled as “straight,” it has been aged at least two years in a new charred oak barrel; if it's not straight, it might be younger than two, may have been aged in a used or new toasted barrel, or could have up to 2.5% added flavoring or...

It's long been an open secret that a lot of “craft” distilleries buy and bottle whiskey from an Indiana factory called Midwest Grain Products (MGP). You only need flip over a bottle and see “Distilled in Lawrenceburg, IN” to know who is doing it. Often it's because the distillery's own whiskey is still aging, and the company needs something to sell during the years of maturation. Dozens of brands offer hundreds of bourbons and ryes that start—in theory—as the same, exact thing. And yet, why do so many of these MGP whiskeys taste so different?Age matters, of course. So does the fact that MGP offers its clients five different bourbon and three different rye mashbills to choose from, as well as corn and wheat whiskeys, among others. Among them, the distillery's 95% rye mashbill seems to be the most popular.“When we started out, we knew everyone and their mother were buying MGP 95% rye,” explains David Perkins, founder of High West Distillery. The Utah-based producer got...

From Scotland this week, Macallan is out with the third edition in its Harmony Collection, this one created in collaboration with two of Paul McCartney's daughters—fashion designer Stella McCartney and photographer Mary McCartney. Compass Box has a new creation, Art & Decadence, blended from a rich, malty array of cask finishings. On the American whiskey scene, the very prolific Barrell Craft Spirits has a nicely affordable item in Barrell Foundation at $60, its first non-cask strength whiskey.  Pinhook,  meanwhile, has a truly unique concept in its Vertical Series, which follows the progress of 1,350 barrels of high-rye, MGP bourbons as they age over the course of time. First launched in 2019, the project will conclude in 2027, and this week we're greeted with Pinhook Vertical 8. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Verticals seem to be improving with each release, though opinions will vary on that, which is all part of the fun. Plenty of...

Angel's Envy is the the distllery that launched the finished bourbon phenomenon back in 2011, and now it's gone a different route with its first-ever release of a non-finished bourbon.  And speaking of different routes, Isle of Arran-based Lagg DIstillery launched in 2019 as the peated sibling of the more famous Isle of Arran distillery, Lochranza; now its whiskies are finally reaching U.S. shores, with two expressions hitting the market. Elsewhere, Widow Jane has a new release that features its heirloom corn Baby Jane, while Laws has launched a new collection called the Headwaters Series, and Lost Lantern is back with the second edition of its Summer of Bourbon Series.
Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon 
ABV: 50%
SRP: $55/375 ml
Availability: Distillery exclusive; 12,000 bottles 
From the jump, Angel’s Envy has emphasized cask finishes, with its core bourbon finished in port casks for up to 6...

To say “the state of bourbon is strong” is an understatement. The state of bourbon in 2016 is, especially to long-time observers, astonishing.To understand why, consider where bourbon was 25 years ago. Back in 1991, American whiskey sales were flat and that was an improvement. Sales had finally bottomed out after a brutal 20-year decline, during which bourbon lost half of its volume and comparable market share.By 1991, the bleeding had stopped. Instead, sales from year to year were up 1 or 2 percent one year, down a similar amount the next, essentially flat.Outside of the South, young Americans were drinking everything but bourbon. Without the traditional ‘Bourbon Belt,' bourbon might have gone extinct.Moving OutAfter receiving so much bad news for so long, the industry had given up on bourbon. Consolidation had just about eliminated the bourbon-only companies. Every company still standing had valuable assets outside the whiskey category and that's where they put their attention...

With Memorial Day now in the rearview mirror, we cruise toward summer, which means grilling season and all sorts of celebratory occasions. Over in Scotland, the fun got off to an early start this week with Islay's annual Fèis Ìle festival, which finishes up tomorrow. The festivities, which feature music, tastings, food, tours, and other events, are a great way to immerse yourself in the culture of this famous whisky island.  
On this side of the pond, whisky makers have been having a busy week, with a slew of releases ahead of Father's Day and the summer season. Russell's Reserve is back with a new release of its 13 year old, and Woodford Reserve's annual Master's Collection release is out, this one at cask strength. Elsewhere, Teeling has added a new expression to its Wonders of Wood Series, Stranahan's has a red wine cask finished whiskey, and Johnnie Walker’s Cities Series has a new label in the...

It's a big weekend for cigar and whisky lovers, as Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest makes its return to Hollywood, Florida tomorrow, Saturday, March 4. We previewed some of the whiskies being poured, seminars being held, and cigar stars in attendance, but it is truly an event you have to take in for yourself, combining two worlds into one extraordinary night. 
Meanwhile, with St. Patrick's Day approaching, it's another big week for Irish whiskey. Waterford brings its Cuvée series global with Argot, Method and Madness has a 60% rye and 40% unmalted barley whiskey coming to the U.S., and Writers' Tears announces its second new release in as many weeks with the 2023 edition of its cask strength whiskey. Plus, Westland unveils Solum Edition 1 and WhistlePig drops its first-ever single malt. Read on for full details. 
 
Waterford Cuvée: Argot
Style: Single malt
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
ABV: 47%
Price...

When something gets ranked as the best of the best, only the foolhardy—or a genius—would attempt to top it. No one would call Nicole Austin a fool, however. The general manager and distiller at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., who made 2019 Whisky of the Year George Dickel 13 year old Bottled in Bond, is following up that sensational release with a new version, this time 11 years old, and she shared all the details with Whisky Advocate. “With the first one, there was no pressure; I was just doing what I love,” Austin says. “I was confident in the whiskey and confident people would like it. It got a lot bigger very quick, and this [year's batch] was a lot harder.”George Dickel 11 year old Bottled in Bond shares many of the same qualities as its older sibling. It was made according to the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, and its mashbill—84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley—and charcoal-filtration process are identical to that of the 13 year old. Austin went through the same...

Once you've amassed a collection of whisky, how are you going to show it off? These whisky lovers have dedicated entire rooms to their collections, modeling them after a library, speakeasy, and 20th century hotel. Get started on your own whisky room with these tips.As for new whiskies to add to your stash, there's a wide variety out this week. Michter's has unveiled the 2022 edition of its US1* barrel strength rye, Heaven Hill adds to the Old Fitzgerald lineup with a 17 year old bourbon, Stranahan's and Balcones have new versions of familiar single malts, and Barrell Craft Spirits continues its series of blended straight bourbons with Batch 032. Read on for full details.Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye (2022)Style: Straight ryeOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 55.8%Price: $100Release: March 2022Availability: LimitedNeed to know:As with previous releases of Barrel Strength Rye, this whiskey is bottled as a single barrel product, so while the average proof is 111.6%, it varies...

It’s long been an open secret that a lot of “craft” distilleries buy and bottle whiskey from an Indiana factory called Midwest Grain Products (MGP). You only need flip over a bottle and see “Distilled in Lawrenceburg, IN” to know who is doing it. Often it’s because the distillery’s own whiskey is still aging, and the company needs something to sell during the years of maturation. Dozens of brands offer hundreds of bourbons and ryes that start—in theory—as the same, exact thing. And yet, why do so many of these MGP whiskeys taste so different?
Age matters, of course. So does the fact that MGP offers its clients five different bourbon and three different rye mashbills to choose from, as well as corn and wheat whiskeys, among others. Among them, the distillery’s 95% rye mashbill seems to be the most popular.
“When we started out, we knew everyone and their...

How do you balance the rich heritage of James B. Beam with modern innovations in bourbon production?
In today's world, you see many things that were once popular making a resurgence. This has been happening more frequently over the past 8 to 10 years. I believe that to be at the cutting edge or a leader in something, especially bourbon, you must immerse yourself in understanding its history.
Having a rich history allows us—myself, my family, and our team—to innovate effectively because we deeply understand the industry and the process. This historical knowledge also helps us identify potential pitfalls and understand the specific nuances of various brands. Without this historical insight, you risk going too far in your innovations. Thus, understanding history is key to being a successful innovator.
What are some of the key innovations in aging techniques and barrel management that you have introduced?
Blending, especially in the context of American whiskey...

Everybody knows cowboys love their whiskey. And that thirst is well-satisfied by the proliferation of distilleries in Denver, the city at the heart of the Colorado Spirits Trail, which now counts more than 60 producers. Stranahan's is perhaps the best known nationally; launched in 2004, it remains at the forefront of American single malt whiskey, and their annual Snowflake release is a modern cult classic. Leopold Bros., operating as a brewer since 1999 and distiller since 2001, and Laws Whiskey House epitomize the Colorado farm-to-glass zeitgeist, with an emphasis on grain sourcing and malting. Farm operations like Whiskey Sisters Supply have stepped up to serve the craft whiskey industry and its demand for unusual grains. You'll taste their labor in the work of upstarts like Rising Sun, with their certified organic bourbon and rye and Ironton Distilling, producers of a beech-smoked single malt and a blue corn whiskey.While there's plenty of made-in-Colorado whiskey to be tasted...

No matter what's going on in the world, the certainty that there will be new whiskies to look for stands firm. And so it is this week!First up, Crown Royal is rolling out the latest release in the Noble Collection, a 16 year old rye. The limited-edition whisky is priced at $70.Nikka has overhauled the recipe for Taketsuru Pure Malt while also updating the bottle. Priced at $80, the blended malt is widely available.Indian single malt brand Rampur has a new release, finished in Indian cabernet sauvignon casks. Rampur Asava is priced at $90 and widely available.Widow Jane is offering a higher-proof version of its 10 year old blended straight bourbon, with proceeds going to support hospitality workers and their families. Called "You'll Never Walk Alone," the whiskey is priced at $90, with 3,300 bottles available.Barrell has unveiled a Private Release series of single-cask bourbons, each with a unique microblend. The whiskeys are limited edition, with a recommended price of...

Danko, Abruzzi, and Rosen may sound like a law firm, or a not-so-hip 70s rock band. But you’ll hear the names being bandied about at small distilleries around the U.S. They are heirloom varietals of rye—grains that had all but disappeared from American farming until about a decade ago, when craft distillers began seeking out local farmers to grow them. Their aim is to restore long-vanished rye whiskey styles, and these forgotten rye strains may be their key to success. It hasn’t been an easy endeavor, but distillers believe the resulting differences make it all worthwhile.

Farmers mainly use rye as a cover crop—planting it in the fall and plowing it under in the spring or summer, for the purpose of keeping the soil in place during winter. Larger distilleries look abroad for their rye grain—to Canada, Germany, or Sweden. Herman Mihalich, co-founder and distiller of Dad’s Hat Rye in Bristol, Pennsylvania, was one of the early voices...

The aged whiskies just keep on coming: Colorado-based Stranahan’s is celebrating American single malt’s official classification with the release of a 12 year old, while Penelope is offering a 17 year old American light whiskey, and single malt scotch Aberfeldy has a 26 and a 39 year old—all of them being limited editions, of course. Meanwhile, Kentucky newcomer Garrard County Distilling Co., which filled its first barrel in January of 2024 at a new distillery in Lancaster, about 35 miles south of Lexington, is relaunching its All Nations brand using sourced liquid. Among other releases, Elijah Craig is out with its first barrel proof batch of the year, while Redwood Empire has a higher-proof version of its Pipe Dream expression. From across the pond, Irish single malt Dingle has the second release in its Celtic Wheel of the Year series
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (Batch A125)
ABV: 59.1%
SRP: $75
Availability: Nationwide
Each January...

“Non-chill filtered” is a big selling point for American whiskey, a point of pride that's emblazoned on many a bottle of bourbon, rye, and American single malt. Private single-barrel picks and other exclusive whiskeys are almost always bottled at high strength without chill-filtration, and many drinkers take it for granted that a high-quality whiskey will not be chill-filtered. In fact, the practice of chill-filtering is often regarded negatively.But why is it bad? What does chill-filtration actually do to a whiskey? Are whiskeys that are not chill-filtered automatically superior to those that are? Whiskey makers are best positioned to answer these questions, but even among distillers, there's less consensus than you might think. And some of the whiskeys you like the most—well, they may just be chill-filtered.How Chill-Filtration WorksAll whiskey is filtered before bottling to remove particulate matter from the barrel. Chill-filtration is a more meticulous refining process...

Planning a trip to New York City—the Statue of Liberty, Broadway, museums, the Empire State Building, Central Park, shopping on Fifth Avenue, and world-class dining? Why not add distillery visits to your itinerary, and head to Brooklyn? The borough is home to a burgeoning whiskey scene, with innovative distillers making bourbon, rye, and malt whiskey, while others experiment with rice, apples, and wormwood. Making whiskey isn't easy, but distilling in an urban setting like New York is particularly challenging since distillers must navigate various building regulations and stringent laws governing manufacturing sites, all while working in a tight space and respecting the surrounding neighborhood. Yet a group of industrious distillers has surmounted these challenges and is making whiskey and other spirits in the city that never sleeps. These places began cropping up around a decade ago, and since then have multiplied.New York City's modern whiskey-making movement arguably began in...

That familiar scent—like sweet, tangy sourdough—fills the nostrils upon crossing the threshold of Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery on West Main Street. The interior features a fresh, white steel skeleton, designed to hold the aging brick building erect, and deep within lies the aroma's source: twin cypress tanks where a secret whiskey mash ferments. The tanks were reassembled on-site and, along with their companion copper stills, belonged to Pennsylvania's Michter's Distillery, closed since 1990. Originally manufactured by Louisville's Vendome Copper & Brass Works, this is a homecoming.The scent of bourbon permeates Kentucky's largest city—literally and figuratively—drifting along Louisville's wide sidewalks fronting historic buildings, then flowing into low-key, brick-backed bars. This is bourbon country, after all—where three-quarters of a million proud Louisvillians are eager to welcome visitors, divulge favorite sipping spots, and swap barstool stories.A Southern...

After years of concentrated efforts, false starts, and anticipation, last week American single malt distillers received the long-awaited news. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) released guidelines for the category, making it all but certain that American single malt will be an official part of the American whiskey lexicon before year-end.Under the TTB's proposed rule—this is technically just a notice to define and recognize American single malt whiskey and isn't final quite yet—the whiskey must be distilled entirely at one U.S. distillery, and must be mashed, distilled, and aged in the U.S. It also has to be made from a fermented mash of 100% barley, stored in oak barrels no larger than 700 liters, and while it may not contain neutral spirits, additives like coloring, flavoring, and blending materials are allowed. As with all other whiskeys produced in the U.S., American single malt must be bottled at 40% ABV or higher as well. Over the next 60 days, the...

Since 2012, Westland Distillery has plied its trade in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, named for its south of downtown location. It’s a former industrial part of town filled with warehouses and factories that have gradually given way to a new generation of distillers, brewers, restaurants, and retailers. Westland’s trendy urban feel stands in stark contrast to its whiskey creations, which lean toward a far different landscape—north in the Skagit Valley, where damp, spongy peat bogs proliferate and fields of tulips, cabbage, potatoes, and barley grow, then west to Washington’s forests of garryana oak. These are the places where you’ll find Westland’s inspiration for its whiskeys, which are part of a burgeoning style called American single malt.

But Westland’s whiskeys represent just one of many interpretations of the genre, as distillers around the country put their own stamp on this rapidly emerging style. The core unifying...

It's not quite ready to roll, but, there's an upcoming new release of an annual expression that's always an occasion for its distillery and its fans. Lady Bird, made by Texas distiller Garrison Brothers, is a honey-infused, cognac-finished bourbon made from a mashbill of 75% corn, 15% soft winter red wheat, and 10% barley. It’s released once a year at the distillery in the town of Hye, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, west of Austin, and this year’s release date has just been revealed as May 11. Some 7,002 bottles of Lady Bird’s 2024 edition are being made available: the first 1,000 bottles will be sold on May 11 at the distillery, and the remainder will be released at retail nationwide. Lady Bird is bottled at 57% ABV and carries a retail price of $180. The waiting line at the distillery on selling day starts at around 5 a.m. and usually stretches for a couple of miles. In the meantime, there are plenty of new releases here to...

Bourbon leads this week with a swarm of “B's”, as Bernheim, Baker’s, and Bardstown all weigh in with new releases. Bernheim Barrel Proof, appropriately enough for this list, is offering Batch B, the second and final installment of 2024 for this expression. We’ve yet to taste Batch B, but Batch A has been one of our favorite whiskeys so far this year. There’s also a welcome return for Baker’s, the single barrel gem whose appearances are all too infrequent. Based on previous tastings, we’d recommend that you snag a bottle. Elsewhere, Bardstown’s new super-wheater is serious business—check out that 39% wheat share in the mashbill. In comparison to other wheaters, Larceny’s is a mere 20%, as is Old Fitzgerald, while Maker’s hovers at around 15%.
Cask-finished whiskeys also feature prominently this week, as Old Elk continues its finishing work with a cognac barrel-finished wheater. Virginia Distillery Co. has a new...

Fans of The Walking Dead can look forward to a special bourbon coming out sometime later this year, but if you're looking for new whisky to drink now, keep reading.Two years after releasing its acclaimed straight rye, Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. in Louisville is debuting its first straight bourbon, aged for four years. It will be priced at $70 and initially available in Kentucky before rolling out more widely.Buffalo Trace Distillery has unveiled the second release in its Old Charter Oak collection. Old Charter Oak French Oak has a recommended price of $70 and will be available in limited amounts.A 12 year old straight bourbon produced at Bardstown Bourbon Co. is hitting shelves. The second batch of Sam Houston 12 year old is available in a handful of states, priced at $100.Meanwhile, Four Gate 11 year old bourbon, finished in a sherry-rum cask (keep reading—it's explained below), was recently released in Kentucky and Tennessee. The company aims to produce several different...

Earlier this week, Woodford Reserve announced a changing of the guard: Elizabeth McCall is now master distiller, while Chris Morris has moved into a master distiller emeritus role. Morris has mentored McCall since she joined Woodford in 2015, and in recent years her influence at the distillery has grown, as she's taken the lead on series like the Master's Collection and guided the distillery toward more in-depth grain research. She's only the third master distiller in Woodford's history, and she joins a growing rank of women at the helm of whisky's biggest names.
In new whisky, there's plenty to celebrate this week. Heaven Hill has released a barrel proof version of its Bernheim wheat whiskey, previously a Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience exclusive; Bowmore has collaborated with luxury automaker Aston Martin on yet another whisky; and Woodford is back with the 18th edition of its Master's Collection. Read on for full details.

Bernheim Barrel Proof 

Denver was one of the birthplaces of the craft brewing movement, which led to craft distilleries, some helmed by pioneering brewers. The city boasts some of the nation’s oldest craft distilleries, with an unusually strong focus on whiskey compared to other spirits, especially American single malt. But, from distilleries to bars with elaborate cocktails, Denver covers all the bases and is arguably the nation’s best big city for whiskey lovers. It’s also quite affordable.
Making Denver even more appealing is a reliable international airport with non-stop flights from around the country and the world. It has the best public transport connection to downtown of any U.S. airport, with direct rail service into the city’s Union Station, the heart of downtown, at just $10 for the 37-minute ride. Once there, most top bars, restaurants, hotels, and distilleries are nearby—some walkable, and none more than a short rideshare away. For sports fans looking to double...

A beautiful thing happens when whiskey meets a teaspoon (or mountain) of sugar. The bold flavors of a neat pour are eased into a delectable saccharine hug—all of its warmth and unique flavors left to be enjoyed. Whiskey desserts aren’t anything new, but there’s a lot more on the roster than the classic Irish coffee cake. Though whiskey’s rich and buttery mouthfeel holds up against other ingredients that have a bitter edge, like chocolate and coffee, it also is a natural pair for less acerbic, but equally rich flavors such as stone fruits, berries, vanilla, and caramel. All of this offers a platform for whiskey to take the stage in sweet treats. 
When it comes to your choice of whiskey, a few general tips prevail. Vanilla-tinged spirits like bourbon, Tennessee, and American rye whiskeys make a great addition, bringing out the round, soft flavors of the dessert’s sweetness while adding some punch to keep it interesting. Corn and Canadian whisky, on...

Amid the usual fanfare of new product announcements, this week brought word of the retirement of John MacDonald, longtime manager at Balblair Distillery in the Northern Highlands. One of the great citizens of the scotch whisky world, Macdonald has overseen all aspects of whisky making at Balblair, including its recent transition from vintage-dated releases to age statement whiskies. Situated on a hillside overlooking the Dornoch Firth, Balblair is arguably Scotland’s most picturesque distillery and certainly one of its more underrated ones. It’s just up the road from its famous neighbor Glenmorangie, and while it has never achieved the fame of Glenmorangie or its other Northern Highlands neighbor, Dalmore, its whiskies are certainly on equal footing.
As for the new whisky introductions, it’s been a busy week. Things got started with the rollout of the latest Lagavulin Offerman Edition, followed by the inaugural release from Islay distillery Ardnahoe, whose...

Diageo-backed Distill Ventures has been in the news recently. Essentially it's a venture capital fund for small start-up distillers using the incubator model of business development: a creative attempt to identify real long-term winners from the craft distilling scene. In return, Diageo gets equity in the business.Until recently, investment levels have been relatively modest but with a commitment of around $14 million in Denmark's Stauning Whisky just announced and an unspecified but presumably similar amount in Starward New World Whisky of Melbourne, Australia, I asked Frank Lampen, co-founder and CEO of Distill Ventures what marked out these investments.“Typical to all of our investments, the first thing to attract us is the team,” he told me. “In Stauning's case, you have nine friends, all with very different backgrounds, perspectives, and skill sets. They are a real mix and you can see the influences from each of them reflected in the decisions they make… [it's] the...

The Irish coffee hits all the marks of a great whiskey cocktail: delicious, beautiful, and easy to make and customize according to your taste. There are many variations, from using flavored coffee to serving it on ice, but in the end, the perfect Irish coffee is the one you like best. The basic recipe for Irish coffee is simple: Add 2 teaspoons demerara sugar to a warm mug or Irish coffee glass. Add 4 to 6 oz. hot coffee and stir well to dissolve sugar. Add 1½ oz. Irish whiskey and stir to combine. Float whipped cream on top by pouring it over the back of a spoon. Using that as a starting point, follow these tips to craft an Irish coffee that's perfect for your palate.
The 5 Key Elements of Irish Coffee
The CoffeeSome people prefer light roast Colombian java while others only drink dark French roast, and you can pick pretty much any coffee for your cocktail. Although Morgan Carney, general manager and bar manager of Boston's Grafton Street, uses an extra bold roast...

There are plenty of new whiskies to look for this week. High West is releasing its 2020 allocation of Bourye, a blend of straight bourbon and rye aged at least 10 years. Last year's batch scored 91 points; this is a great whiskey and well worth seeking out if you like big flavor.You'll soon be able to find single barrels of George Remus bourbon and Rossville Union rye on store shelves. MGP Distillery—which provides tons of whiskey to other producers—owns and markets these two brands, and will invite accounts to the distillery to select barrels. Two mashbills of George Remus will be offered, bottled at barrel proof with a suggested retail price per bottle of $60; Rossville Union single barrels—also available in two mashbills—will be offered as a bottled in bond product at a suggested $50 a bottle. The program launches in March, with the first bottles hitting shelves in September.For whiskies you can find now, there are plenty of options. Angel's Envy is releasing the second...

Before we get to the week's newest releases, an update: Following up on the news we published previously about Macallan 52 year old, the distillery has confirmed that 42 bottles (out of 250) will be available in the U.S. The price is, as reported earlier, $53,500.Another very old whisky is coming out, but at a much lower price. Independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail has unveiled a 70 year old Glen Grant, distilled in 1948 and matured in a sherry butt. Priced at £17,500, just 210 bottles are available, including some for the U.S.—although the exact amount and price in dollars hasn't yet been determined.Meanwhile, Woodford Reserve's limited-edition Double Double Oaked bourbon is back, available at the distillery and select Kentucky retailers. The whiskey costs $50 for a half-size bottle.West Cork Distillers has brought back its Barrel Proof Irish whiskey. The malt and grain blend clocks in at a whopping 62% ABV and costs $55.Down in Pennsylvania, Wigle Whiskey has released the...

No matter how well-acquainted you are with our beloved spirit, odds are that you’ve noticed a slight difference in how your favorite brands style their labels. Some distillers call their creations “whiskey,” while others eschew the “e” in favor of “whisky.” This slight difference in spelling has created one of those historical oddities that makes the water of life such a colorful and fascinating subject. As always seems to be the case with whisky, various events throughout generations have created the divide. 
To help shed some light on the whisky-versus-whiskey question, we’ve unpacked the story in its various parts. Much of it comes down to where the liquid was made, but again, despite all the great efforts to codify and regulate this great drink, we often find some exceptions to the rules.
Countries That Use Whisky

Canada
Japan
Scotland
World

Countries That Use...

You've amassed a collection of whiskies, properly inventoried every bottle—and if you haven't, read this guide—and now you want to make sure that your investment is secure. It's time to get an appraisal. Whether it's for insurance purposes, or because you are selling at auction, an accurate valuation of your whiskies will be essential. And who knows? Your collection may be worth much more than you think.
Why Insure Your Bottles?
“Insurance is there to put you back in the same financial position that you were in immediately prior to an insured event happening, such as a loss,” explains Alexandra Richards, a private client development executive at Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers in Scotland. The company specializes in brokering private client insurance in the UK and has access to household policies that accommodate high-value wine and whisky collections. They also work with whisky brokers, independent bottlers, and new distillery owners to arrange their...

The surest sign that summer has ended? A slew of new whisky releases have been announced—plus some major news. In case you missed it, Angel's Envy has filed plans to build a second distillery, located in Henry County, Kentucky, and Wyoming Whiskey has formed a strategic partnership with Edrington Group, the parent company of Macallan, Highland Park, and Glenrothes.But that's not all: there are lots of new whiskeys to anticipate. Jim Beam has announced a limited-edition bourbon celebrating the 85th anniversary of Repeal. Jim Beam Repeal Batch is non-chill filtered and will cost $18, available nationwide starting this fall.Meanwhile, WhistlePig has unveiled the fifth edition of its single-barrel, barrel-proof Boss Hog range. Boss Hog V: The Spirit of Mauve is a 13 year old straight rye finished in calvados casks and named for one of the distillery's "founding pigs," Mauve, who passed away earlier this year. The $500 whiskey will be available in limited amounts.GlenDronach is bringing...

The calendar is about to turn over to a new month, and there will be plenty of new whiskies to look for as spring continues to blossom.First up, Bulleit 12 year old rye is already on shelves in a number of states, priced at $50. The first age-statement rye from Bulleit uses the same mashbill and distillery source (MGP) as regular Bulleit Rye.Buffalo Trace announced that it will release a limited quantity of a new, high-proof Weller in June. Weller Full Proof clocks in at 57% ABV (114 proof), the same proof at which it goes into the barrel. Available annually, the suggested retail price is $50.Meanwhile, Canada is finally sharing one of its best whiskies with its southern neighbor. Gooderham & Worts, a blended four-grain whisky, is now available in the U.S. for $45.A single malt whisky from Belgium is hitting shelves this spring. Gouden Carolus is made by the same family that owns Het Anker Brewery (which is why the name might sound familiar to Belgian beer fans). It's priced at...

American whiskey makers are staying busy in the new year. Shortly after reporting that Nelson's Green Brier plans to renovate its Nashville distillery, news broke that Traverse City Whiskey Co. began construction on what will be the largest whiskey distillery in Michigan. Traverse City is targeting early 2024 to have production up-and-running, with a plan to open to the public several months later.
While Michigan whiskey drinkers will have to wait for more Traverse City, there are a number of new releases this week worth getting excited about. Heaven Hill extends its Heritage Collection with a 20 year old corn whiskey, Westland announces the 7th edition of its Garryana single malt, and Sagamore Spirit is bringing its 8 year old rye nationwide. Read on for full details. 
Heaven Hill Heritage Collection (2023)Style: Corn whiskeyOrigin: KentuckyAge: 20 year oldABV: 57.5%Price: $290Release: March...

American whiskey historically was a bit like the Wild West, guided not by rules and regulations but by a lawlessness that encouraged questionable practices that occasionally resulted in deadly consequences. These included adding color, flavor, and chemicals—ranging from tobacco and turpentine to iodine and kerosene— all the while calling the product “whiskey,” though you’d be hard-pressed to recognize it as such today.
At the same time, distribution was far different than today— though distillers sold barreled whiskey directly to retailers, they also sold to rectifiers, who were both blenders and distributors. While there were a handful of good rectifiers, among them William Weller and Isaac Wolfe Bernheim, both of whom believed in the art of blending, many unscrupulous operators ultimately gave the word “rectifier” a bad name. They were responsible for the above-mentioned atrocious additives, doing it to boost yields and thus...

The District of Columbia might be best known for hard-nosed politics and massive protests, but the hard-working men and women of the nation's capital can at least agree on one thing: the need to unwind with a whiskey. Already home to one of the world's best whiskey bars, Jack Rose Dining Saloon, D.C. now offers a thriving craft distilling culture, with several making the good stuff right in the heart of the city.There are half a dozen whiskey-producing distilleries in the nation's capital, and that's just in D.C. proper—no need to hit the beltway or figure out the difference between the inner loop and outer loop. Even better, four of those six distilleries are within half a mile of each other in the bustling Ivy City neighborhood, making it a cinch to visit them all in a single day.Hit the craft whiskey trail in Washington, D.C. at these six distilleries.
The Magnus Room at Jos. A Magnus & Co. is used for tastings, cocktail classes, and private events.The Ivy City Quartet...

Kentucky is America’s most revered whiskey region, and the state’s Bourbon Trail has long been anchored by the sister cities of Louisville and Lexington. There you’ll find great food, whiskey bars, and two of the most famous horse racing grounds in the world, Churchill Downs in Louisville and Keeneland in  Lexington. In recent years Louisville has seen a slew of high-profile hotel openings, including the Omni, Distil, Grady, and Moxy. Now Lexington is catching up, and June 2023 saw the debut of whiskey and equine-centric The Manchester hotel.
In real estate they say location is everything, and The Manchester is the first and only hotel within the city’s Distillery District, a 25-acre campus on the site of the historic James E. Pepper Distillery, which opened in 1879 and shuttered in 1958. After half a century of inactivity, the industrial park underwent a massive renovation and now has two working distilleries, the reborn James E. Pepper and Barrel...

Seasoned bartenders make it look easy. Of course, they know how to add just a splash of amaro or a drop of saline to turn an average drink into one you can’t forget. But remember, they also have first-hand experience at Mac-Gyvering a broken cork out, using everyday kitchen utensils in place of bar tools you really shouldn’t waste your money on, and simply turning lemons into garnishes that double as works of art.
We polled 20 professional bartenders on their tips and tricks to identify the best intel for home bartenders. The next time a missing wax tab, complex cocktail recipe, or big party throws you into a panic, one (or more) of these are sure to help. After all, whisky and cocktails are meant to help relieve stress, not cause it. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and have fun,” counsels Bob Peters, beverage director of Built on Hospitality in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Cocktail Chemistry

Double The Pleasure
Make a split-base...

Whisky lovers will descend on New York's Marriott Marquis on November 16 for the 20th anniversary of WhiskyFest. With nearly 500 whiskies (and even a few other spirits and wine) available, there will be something for everyone, whether you're a scotch lover, a craft whiskey fan, a whiskey veteran looking to try the next big thing, or a bourbon aficionado. If bourbon is your drink of choice, you'll have a vast array to choose from—so where do you start?Many folks will head straight for the Pappy Van Winkle table—especially since the 2017 releases are just coming out. If you're thirsting for a chance to taste this legendary bourbon, step behind the velvet rope and enjoy. And close by will be the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, another must-try for new drinkers and old fans alike.And there's so much more! It's impossible to call out every great whiskey that's being poured—it's definitely not possible to drink them all—but we've selected a few highlights you should aim to try.If...

If you haven't noticed already, bourbon and rye are not alone on American whiskey shelves. Among the first intruders was unaged whiskey, fancifully labeled as “white whiskey” and “moonshine,” extremely popular late in the last decade.As the moonshine movement struggled, classic American whiskey skyrocketed, and producers unable to distill and age their own whiskey purchased bourbon and rye from large distillers with existing stocks of aged whiskey. But due to demand those whiskey sources started to dry up around 2012, forcing American independent bottlers to think outside the stillroom.The result is a new focus on non-traditional and nearly forgotten styles of whiskey.Corn WhiskeyCorn whiskey's rustic charm draws a certain grain-loving consumer.In contrast to bourbon's 51%, corn whiskey requires a much greater minimum of 80% corn. The distillation method, however, follows bourbon's off-the-still 160 proof maximum and no more than 125 proof as it enters a barrel, if it enters a...

If you missed our big announcement on Monday, check it out: We're bidding a grateful farewell to executive editor Jeffery Lindenmuth and welcoming in his place David Fleming, a longtime member of the Whisky Advocate blind tasting panel and experienced whisky writer. This doesn't mean any big changes are coming to Whisky Advocate; we'll still be bringing you the latest news, insights, reviews, and other whisky content in print and online.Speaking of latest news, on to the week's new releases. First up, The Last Drop has unveiled its second bourbon release, a whiskey distilled in 1980 at what is now Buffalo Trace Distillery. There are 240 bottles of the 20 year old bourbon available, with a recommended price of $4,600.Islay's Bruichladdich is rolling out the latest edition of Black Art, distilled in 1994. The single malt scotch is priced at $450, with 12,000 bottles available.Bruichladdich neighbor Kilchoman Distillery is launching two new single malts: Fino Sherry Matured ($130;...

Few spirits can match tequila in popularity these days, as the tequila space swells with new releases. One particular innovation that has been attracting a lot of attention is additive-free tequila. American whiskey drinkers are already well-versed in additive-free sipping, as whiskeys labeled as "straight" are legally prohibited from using additives. Tequila, however, is relatively new to the additive-free game.
Tequila production is regulated by Mexican law, which states that to be called tequila, a spirit must be made from at least 51% blue Weber agave in one of five Mexican states, Jalisco being the largest and most popular. Of course, most top brands today boast that they’re made with 100% agave. Agave is the key to tequila. The blue Weber agave plant is a large succulent with spiky leaves. The plant’s stalk can grow higher than 10 feet and its leaves can grow to be 7 feet long. On average, it takes five to seven years for a plant to reach maturity for tequila...

Single barrel whiskeys, pulled from a single cask chosen by an individual or a group, are all the rage. They’re usually selected for representing the apex of a whiskey’s flavor profile, or sometimes for being very different, and each single barrel is unique. But what if you wanted to create a whiskey that’s even more bespoke? The answer lies in micro-blending, the latest wave in the private barrel whiskey world.
Micro-blending is the practice of blending all or part of two or three single barrels, sometimes all made from the same mashbill, but increasingly from different mashbills and finishes. “The market needs more innovative and dynamic flavors, pushing the boundaries of what whiskey can be,” says Dark Arts Whiskey House founder Macaulay Minton. “Micro-blending is the ideal progression.”

Minton’s micro-batching journey began after a field trip to Kentucky’s Wilderness Trail Distillery in 2016, while in college...

Scotch whisky fans were celebrating this week as the long-silent Brora Distillery in the Scottish Highlands opened its doors for the first time since 1983. We covered the historic reopening ceremony, and Whisky Advocate auction expert Jonny McCormick took the opportunity to study some of the distillery’s rarest expressions in our “What’s It Worth?” series.For those looking for a more accessible dram, this week’s roundup of new whiskies has plenty on offer. Cask finishing and brand collaborations are the main events, with Lagavulin teaming up with Guinness for a new release and Heaven’s Door working with Redbreast on a new bourbon with an Irish touch. Read on for full details.Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask FinishStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Islay)Age: 11 year oldABV: 46%Price: $80Release: June 2021Availability: Limited editionNeed to know:Lagavulin Offerman Edition first debuted in October 2019. This iteration, created in collaboration with actor Nick...

Wheat may be a major staple in American agriculture, but it has maintained a low profile in the national whiskey space. While widely used as a secondary grain in wheated bourbons and rye whiskeys, wheat is not often showcased by domestic whiskey makers. But some distillers are taking the plunge, exploring wheat’s many varieties and signature flavors.
A wheat whiskey must include at least 51% wheat in the mashbill, with maturation in charred new American oak barrels. A wheated whiskey, on the other hand, is one where wheat is the major secondary grain—behind corn in the case of wheated bourbons, for example. Well-known “wheaters” include popular names like Van Winkle, W.L. Weller, Maker’s Mark, and Larceny.
But actual wheat whiskeys are rare birds indeed. Historically, it was never a popular grain for whiskey making, primarily because it was more expensive than corn or rye. The situation wasn’t helped by some early attempts that resulted in...

Kentucky is bourbon country, and Louisville is the capital. Home to distilleries and brand experiences from the likes of Jim Beam, Old Forester, and Evan Williams—all part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail—the birthplace of the Old Fashioned, and the setting for the most exciting two minutes in sports and a bonafide cocktail holiday, the Kentucky Derby. Whether it's a Mint Julep in your hand, a decadent Coffee & Donut cocktail from Whiskey Dry or simply a neat pour made down the block, Louisville is a bourbon drinker's paradise and one of the greatest whiskey cities in the world.
Getting Around
Uber or Lyft are your best bets. Taxis can be scarce and the municipal bus system, TARC, isn't conducive to a proper urban expedition. The major distillery visitor centers outside of town can require an hour's drive, so a car rental and non-drinking driver are necessary unless you utilize an organized tour company.
When to Go
Kentucky Derby Festival begins in April...

There’s a lot to consider this week, with two familiar annual releases—Parker’s Heritage from Heaven Hill and Garrison Brothers Laguna Madre—as well as new entries from Macallan, New Riff, High West, A. Smith Bowman (that very underrated whiskey from Sazerac), and Blue Note, among others. Off the beaten path are Penelope's pre-mixed Old Fashioned in a 750-ml. bottle, and a new blackberry entry from Jack Daniel's—technically not a whiskey since it’s below 40% ABV.
Heaven Hill Parker’s Heritage Collection 11 year old Kentucky Straight Whiskey (2025 Edition)
ABV: 61.25%
SRP: $180
Availability: Limited
Now in its 19th year, Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage Collection showcases the distillery’s innovative side, as a tribute to late master distiller emeritus Parker Beam’s legacy. The latest Parker’s Heritage whiskey is a blend of three distinct whiskeys: 15 year old Kentucky straight...

In the last five years of this retrospective, we again see a sea change. This time, it includes acquisitions, the impact of the pandemic, and reports of distillery closures, bankruptcy, and downsizing. Simultaneously, we celebrate more women in the industry, a record high for bourbon tourism in Kentucky, higher age statements, and more.
2020
❖ Teeling introduces its Single Pot Still expression, the first single pot still whiskey made in Dublin in more than a century.

❖ In a surprise move, two major master distillers resign to dabble in craft whiskey. At Jack Daniel, Jeff Arnett departs to launch Company Distilling in Tennessee, and Brian Nation of Irish Distillers resigns to join O’Shaughnessy Distilling in Minneapolis.
❖ Diageo, which had largely stayed out of the craft whiskey acquisitions game, buys Texas-based Balcones. Jared Himstedt, who was at Balcones from the beginning, stays on and continues in his role as master...

Last November, the Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau, better known as the TTB, released Notice No. 176, a 132-page set of proposed regulations. Like many government documents, it's as good a sleep aid as a handful of Ambien. One small section, however, buried deep within the proposal, has woken up the bourbon community, particularly small distilleries that stand to be affected by it.There's already a set of rules in place about what type of whiskey can be labeled as bourbon. It has to be distilled from a mashbill of at least 51% corn, it must be distilled to no more than 80% ABV, it has to be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV, and it has to be produced in the United States, to name a few. (Read up on the complete set of requirements for bourbon and other American whiskeys with our Instant Expert primer).Chief among the requirements for bourbon (as well as rye, malt, and wheat whiskey) is that it be aged in new charred oak containers—in other words, barrels. This is where the...

Booker's Rye—68.1% ABV, $300Booker Noe accomplished many things in his career. When he passed away in 2004, rye whiskey was low on the list. Now, that has changed.Before he died, Booker filled 100 barrels that aged for 13 years in Jim Beam warehouses D and E. The end result is this year's American Whiskey of the Year, which ranks among the best whiskeys Booker ever made. In addition to high scores, these awards factor in trendsetting, ingenuity, and creativity, too. Plus, there's a nostalgia factor: this whiskey is one of our last connections to American whiskey's first “rock star” distiller.As I tasted the crème brûlée, with a sultry smokiness, raw honey, and nutmeg dusting I couldn't help but think, “What if Booker Noe did the same for rye that he did for bourbon?”MGP's 95% rye mashbills dominated the rye resurgence, and many new consumers assume rye should taste like those MGP products. We need more variety in American rye, and Booker's Rye is a great model for new...

The biggest American whiskey in the world, Jack Daniel's, is rolling out a series of exclusive whiskeys. The Tennessee Tasters' Selection offers unusual and creative whiskeys for sale mainly at the distillery in Lynchburg. The first two releases, High Angels' Share Barrels and Hickory Finish, are available now, with the next release, Reunion Barrel, coming in early 2019. Each 375-ml. bottle is $40; batches are around 24,000 bottles, with several batches released each year.More of an Irish whiskey fan? Your ship has come in. Four new whiskeys from the Emerald Isle are making their way to store shelves, offering an array of styles and exciting flavors.First up, the 2018 release of Midleton Very Rare is rolling out now overseas, hitting U.S. shores in 2019. This year's batch blends whiskeys aged 12 to 28 years. It will be available in limited amounts for $200.Next, Kilbeggan has unveiled a pot-distilled whiskey made with at least 30% rye grain—the first such Irish whiskey made in over...

The Irish whiskey restoration is in full swing. Over the last decade, the number of operational distilleries in Ireland has increased from 4 to nearly 40, and Irish whiskey's soaring sales have made it the biggest growth story in the world. Following the collapse of Ireland's economy in 2008, craft distilleries began sprouting up all over the island—occupied in abandoned spaces that formerly housed bakeries, sawmills, woolen mills, breweries, jam factories, and even a church. Within a decade, Dublin was reborn as the most vibrant whiskey city in the world, and Ireland's distilleries hosted a million visitors in 2019 as whiskey lovers took notice.During Irish whiskey's lowest years of the 1960s and 1970s, blended expressions provided a straightforward route for rebuilding, and Irish blends, championed by Jameson, Bushmills, and Tullamore D.E.W., remain the driving force today. But now Ireland's distillers are cultivating a far greater depth and diversity of styles, bringing Irish...

In planning out a wedding day, selecting a special location is the first big step. Once upon a time, a distillery wouldn’t have been on the menu of choices. But as whiskey has grown ever more popular, distilleries and matrimony have become an unlikely pair. Weddings, meet whiskey.
Distillers around the country have added event spaces to host weddings, creating distinct and memorable places where brides and grooms can celebrate their love—for each other, of course, but also for their favorite spirit. You can get married in the rickhouse, have your reception in the tasting room, and take photos next to stills. Your guests can sample the distillery’s whiskeys and tour areas that aren’t usually open to the public.

“From the barrels to the stills, distillery properties offer really unique elements that a traditional wedding venue won’t have,” says Becca George, owner and event planner at Nashville, Tennessee-based wedding firm Modern...

This city's inimitable convergence of great music and fine whiskey is embodied in the recent announcement thatHeaven's Door Spirits, co-created with musician Bob Dylan, plans to open theirHeaven's Door Distillery and Center for the Artsin downtown Nashville in 2020. Touted as acraft distillery, restaurant, and live performance venue, it will be in good company offering whiskey or a show. In fact, several companies are already hosting whiskey tours, with visits to downtown distilleries likeCorsair, a craft whiskey pioneer with lots of offbeat creations. Also near the top of the list for many visitors isNelson's Green Brier Distillery, a historic producer (holding the fifth license in Tennessee) that has been resurrected as a craft distiller. Whiskey and others spirits are also emerging fromPennington Distilling CompanyandNashville Craft Distillery.However, most visitors come here with just one whiskey in mind: Jack Daniel's, the American whiskey that outsells all others. Downtown...

Just about every distillery these days has a tasting room where visitors can sample a dram—an important part of the experience of learning about whiskey. A taste or two is one thing, but some distilleries are taking it further by offering full-service cocktail bars on-site.* As destinations unto themselves, these venues go beyond the Old Fashioned and Manhattan to offer inventive and original creations that showcase the whiskey made just steps away. Step up to the bar and raise your glass—it's cocktail hour.*These venues all offered full-service schedules when the article was originally published in print in December 2019. As COVID-19 restrictions vary, it's best to check venue websites for the most up-to-date opening information.
Photos of famous whiskey distillers, like Parker Beam and George Washington, line the top shelf of the backbar at The Shanty.The Shanty at New York Distilling Co.—Brooklyn, New YorkIt can be easy to miss New York Distilling Co., tucked into a...

Irish whiskey is booming, and Ireland can satisfy every possible whiskey tour aspiration, from intimate artisan craft distilleries to remote historic homesteads and convenient tourist destinations. Check websites and social media for tour availability and times, and book online to avoid disappointment. Operational distilleries currently without tours are listed separately, as many are likely to open their doors over the next year. Anticipated newcomers, who may or may not get further than the architect's drawing board, are also listed.NorthScore A Hot TicketEchlinville Distillery—near Kircubbin, County DownPat yourself on the back if you manage to tour Shane Braniff's Echlinville Distillery, hosting as few as 12-15 visitors per month. Jarlath Watson, always a dapper gent in his tweeds, will have a tasty libation on hand: maybe a dram of Dunville's Irish whiskey, Jawbox Belfast Cut Classic dry gin, or the Echlinville Single Estate Irish Pot Still gin. We're excited because their...

For likely as long as whisky has existed, people have enjoyed it to the accompaniment of great music. Whisky has inspired its fair share of songs too, with numerous artists weaving it into their work. Now some musicians are taking it even further, integrating their art straight into the bottle. Blackened might be the most well-known of the moment, aged to the thump of Metallica's oeuvre, but many other whiskies now boast a musician's endorsement—and in some cases, their heavy involvement.Matching Flavor Profile to Musical StyleThe experience of enjoying whisky and music together inspired DJ and producer TommyD to create his own brand, a single grain whisky called 8O8. “Alcohol and music have gone hand-in-hand for centuries—there's nothing new about this,” he says. “So it's not an unreasonable connection to make. Music is intrinsically part of the 8O8 whisky DNA.” Inspired by the TR-808 drum machine commonly used in electronic dance music, 8O8 whisky caters to the dance...

Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you're looking to celebrate with an Irish whiskey, we've got you covered. This list captures all of the current excitement around Irish whiskey, with a new 100% rye from Powers, an affordable single pot still from The Busker, a showcase of Ireland's terroir from Waterford, and much more. And lest you think Irish whiskey is meant only for March, the style is showing sustained growth, with shipments to our shores rising by 28% last year to a whopping 72 million bottles.
In other whisky news, Uncle Nearest is opening a new experiential space dedicated to elevated drinks, food, and live music on its Tennessee campus; Michter's is adding new barrel houses and running additional distillation to increase availability; and Oak & Eden has announced that six of its permanent whiskeys are now kosher certified. As for new whiskies this week, Jack Daniel's is bringing back its 10 year old Tennessee whiskey and...

This year’s annual Birthday Bourbon release from Old Forester is a 12 year old whiskey at a robust 53.5% ABV, which will please fans hungry for more proof, as the last two years have seen it at a mere 48%. The 12 year old age statement will also be reassuring, as some recent releases have seen it slip to 11 years. This year’s expression again will be sold via national lottery—the ritual of lining up the distillery ended after 2021, as the crowds were becoming too big to handle. (Old Forester owner Brown-Forman also saw the lottery as a better way to keep tabs on the secondary market.) This year’s lottery will be held on September 2: register by August 21, and you’re in with a chance.
In scotch whisky, Talisker is out with the annual release of its 30 year old, while Royal Salute has expanded its  62 Gun Salute with the addition of two more expressions, making it a three-part collection. Back in America, Remus Repeal Reserve is...

In a living room chock-a-block with animal skulls, taxidermied raccoons, Civil War-era wooden furniture, and 1980s Japanese robots, it's easy to overlook the shelf of whiskey bottles. Many of the labels are faded or torn, while others—Cutty Sark, Wild Turkey—look perfectly ordinary, part of any whiskey drinker's home bar.At first glance, the sheer number of bottles on the floor-to-ceiling bookcase is impressive, but on closer inspection, these are not familiar bottom-shelf whiskey brands. The forgotten distillery names, the faded labels, the tax strips on the necks—all are indicators of the whiskeys' provenance and age, which are well out of the ordinary—indeed, exceedingly rare—in 2017.Mike Jasinski is one of the country's foremost hunters of old whiskey, and one of the most generous. His collection of “dusties,” dusty old bottles rescued from liquor store shelves, once numbered 1,200. These days he has closer to 700 or so bourbons, ryes, scotches, and other whiskeys...

Age is the thing in this week’s lineup of American whiskey releases, with Michter’s unveiling the latest release of its 25 year old bourbon—always an occasion to be noted. The 25 year old hasn’t appeared since 2020, and it's a rare pour indeed that can be tough to procure at retail, though it can be found on the best whisky lists in bars and restaurants throughout the land. Either way, it's quite the holiday treat. Then there is Old Forester, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary—not with a 150 year old bourbon, but with a 150-month old bourbon, bottled in throwback holiday decanters, with just 150 bottles available. This is the good stuff that was once bottled only for the owner's family, and this one comes with quite the package of perks, as you'll read below. Elsewhere, Dickel is out with its first 18 year old bourbon, while Barrell gets a jump on things with its Bourbon New Year 2024. There's more to...

We made it! January is over, and as the calendar turns to its shortest month, there are new whiskies to anticipate.Glenmorangie has unveiled the tenth release in its Private Edition series. Allta ("wild") is a whisky whose barley was fermented from wild yeast found in the fields near the distillery—a first for Glenmorangie. Cultivating and using wild yeast is an unusual step for modern scotch distillers generally, although custom yeasts are very common in American whiskey. Glenmorangie Allta is priced at $99 and available in limited amounts.Angel's Envy has announced a new bourbon finished in oloroso sherry casks. There are just 3,600 bottles of the bourbon, priced at $200 each, and they're going on sale first to members of the distillery's 500 Main group. After that, the remaining bottles will be for sale at the distillery and select Kentucky retailers.Buffalo Trace is releasing the next two whiskeys in its Experimental Collection, a pair of bourbons aged in barrels whose wood was...

Father’s Day is on the near horizon (June 16th), and that means the new whisky releases are coming fast and furious. Rye and bourbon dominate the scene, including Wild Turkey's latest Master's Keep edition and the latest ultra-aged, and ultra-expensive expression from  W.L. Weller, Weller Miillenium. But we were particularly interested to see some big news from Sagamore Spirit. When its waterfront distillery in Baltimore, Maryland opened its doors in 2017, Sagamore was redoubling its mission to restore Maryland’s once-great reputation for rye whiskey. Focused entirely on rye, Sagamore initially used sourced liquid while its whiskey matured, gradually blending in its own make. But now comes the moment we’ve been waiting for: the release of its first 100% own-make, permanent rye edition. Things are actually ahead of schedule, as Sagamore originally projected that its first own-make rye wouldn’t be ready until 2025. Our...

With one of Japan's most legendary distilleries being revived, there'll soon be new whisky on the way—but we don't have to wait. Plenty of bottles are hitting shelves right now!First up, GlenDronach is launching a new expression of Port Wood as part of its core lineup. The whisky is priced at $90 and widely available.Jack Daniel's has announced its 2020 limited-edition single barrel, this year a barrel-proof rye. Priced at $65, the whiskey is available in limited amounts.The Spot Whiskeys range has a new member, Blue Spot, a 7 year old cask-strength single pot still whiskey. U.S. pricing hasn't yet been set, but it will likely be around $95, with the whiskey widely available.Heaven Hill has bottled a 13 year old single-barrel bourbon to celebrate its 85th anniversary. The whiskey is extremely limited, with just 146 bottles for sale mainly at the visitor center, and priced at $300.Chicken Cock is releasing its oldest whiskey to date, a 15 year old bourbon. Priced at $300, there are...

As autumn's cooler temperatures drift over New England, travel to the region heats up. Vacationers may have flocked to New England’s beaches and coastal destinations during the summer, but in fall they focus farther inland, where the vibrant display of autumn foliage blankets much of the region.
Vermont-based WhistlePig’s blender Meghan Ireland.
Yet there’s more reason to travel to New England in the fall than just those treebound pops of color—or for the apple and pumpkin festivals that inject a bit of revelry into many of the region’s quaint towns. Distilling in New England is back in a big way. Making spirits here can be traced back to the 17th century, and although rum was the primary product for centuries, whiskey production has come on strong over the past two decades, which means there’s no shortage of great whiskey distilleries to see and experience.
Here we spotlight eight New England distilleries that make carefully...

Spirits giants Brown-Forman and Pernod Ricard are in talks about joining forces, which could see Brown-Forman brands like Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve combine with Pernod whiskeys, including Jameson, Redbreast, Rabbit Hole, and others. On a smaller scale, Ireland's Waterford Distillery has found a buyer. Meanwhile, the arrival of spring means that spirits companies are unveiling new sports partnerships to greet the season.
Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman In Talks On a Merger
The global drinks industry could be primed for more consolidation, as two of the world’s five biggest spirits players, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman, confirmed initial talks toward a potential merger. The two companies, both publicly traded but controlled by the Ricard and Brown families respectively, said a combination would "be akin to a merger of equals" that would leverage Brown-Forman's strong position in American whiskey with Pernod's extensive global distribution...

How would you like to own a barrel of bourbon? Or batch two barrels together for your own unique small batch? Once the exclusive domain of bourbon clubs and choice bars, now any whiskey lover with the desire and some determination can buy a barrel of bourbon.The U.S. three-tier liquor laws require that a wholesaler purchase from the supplier and then sell to the retailer, who sells to you. In other words, you can't just walk into the warehouse, grab a barrel, and check it in your airport luggage. Fortunately, because you'll be spending between $5,000 and $12,000 in their store, most retailers will gladly help make your dream come true by cooperating with your chosen distillery.The goal is to achieve something uniquely suited for your group's palate. No two barrels taste the same, so this is a true tasting study.Buy It: Distilleries and Brands with Batching and Single Barrel ProgramsAt Four Roses, the barrel selection process provides you the rare opportunity of tasting up to 20...

Looking for new whisky to temper the hot summer days, or perhaps to enjoy while grilling out? Look no further. This week brings several new releases that span a wide range of flavor profiles.First up, Crown Royal is offering a special release that nods to its strong Texas support. Crown Royal Texas Mesquite is infused with mesquite flavors and comes packaged in a spiffy bag sporting the Lone Star State's flag colors. At $25, it's available in a handful of states—including, of course, Texas.Next, Woodford Reserve has unveiled a permanent addition to its core lineup of whiskeys, which includes Bourbon, Double Oaked Bourbon, and Rye. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt has a mashbill of 51% malted barley, with the remainder made up of mainly corn and a little rye. Note that this whiskey is not the same as a single malt, which in Scotland and Ireland is defined as being 100% malted barley—though in the U.S., there's no legal definition as of yet. Woodford's new straight malt will...

Suddenly, it's perfectly acceptable to start your day with the taste of whiskey. Craft whiskey distillers and small coffee roasters, often dubbed the third-wave of coffee, are joining forces to bring the flavor of whiskey to your morning joe. Vermont's WhistlePig Distillery ages green, unroasted coffee beans in their used rye barrels, then returns them to Vermont Artisan Coffee & Tea Co. for roasting. “We don't sell flavored coffee, but this was really good,” says founder Mané Alves. “I found the flavor to be exceptional, the closest thing to a truly natural flavor.”Big players are also getting into the act. Starbucks aged green Sulawesi coffee beans in regularly hand-rotated used American whiskey barrels from Woodinville Whiskey Co., a Washington craft distiller. After a few weeks in barrel and a good roast, the coffee was available at Starbucks Roastery in Seattle. And Jack Daniel and Jim Beam both recently debuted coffees influenced by the flavor of their whiskeys...

The biggest new whisky news of the week was Diageo's unveiling of its 2019 Special Releases. Well, sort of. The scotch mega-company revealed the names of this year's whiskies, but nothing else—and the pickings look a little slim.We should get more information about those whiskies come fall, but for now, there are plenty of new releases with full details to anticipate. First up, Woodford Reserve is rounding out its core lineup with a wheat whiskey, priced at $35 and hitting shelves across the country now.Tennessee whiskey brand Uncle Nearest has a new release, aged 7 years and priced at $50. Uncle Nearest 1884 is named for the year that Nearest Green likely stopped distilling.The 2019 edition of Parker's Heritage Collection from Heaven Hill Distillery will hit shelves in September, and for the first time ever, it's a rye. Parker's Heritage Collection Heavy Char rye was aged in level-5 charred oak barrels and matured for over 8 years. It's available in limited amounts for...

If you’re traveling to Kentucky as a whiskey tourist, chances are the state’s northern reaches aren’t first on your list of places to visit. That’s by no means a snub as much as a statement of fact—the vast majority of the state’s distilleries are dotted across the center of the commonwealth, in the “Amber Triangle” formed by Lexington, Louisville, and Bardstown. These days, however, there’s a hub of whiskey activity humming to the north, with Covington at the center of it all. Here's your guide to spending 48 hours in Covington.

The city of Covington (population 40,984) lies just across the river from Cincinnati, a travel hub with an airport bigger and more accessible than what you’ll find in Louisville or Lexington. Covington touts a rich, albeit lesser-known distilling history (one of its politicians, John G. Carlisle, was a co-creator of the Bottled in Bond Act, for starters) that’s resulted in a...

Scour enough whiskey forums—particularly bourbon or rye boards—and you’ll see it crop up repeatedly: “I didn’t like the neck pour on this bottle.” The what now?
The neck pour is what some whiskey enthusiasts call the very first pour from a bottle. The belief, held by a surprising number of drinkers, is that the whiskey sitting in the neck of the bottle has oxidized and tastes different from the rest of the bottle. It’s even common for neck pour proponents to throw away the first pour.
The debate about the existence of a neck pour makes Heaven Hill master distiller Conor O’Driscoll’s head hurt. “It actually makes the vein on my forehead pop,” he laughs. “Because it’s not real.”
Looking At The Science
O’Driscoll first heard about the concept of the neck pour while on the Mash & Drum podcast and immediately grabbed a bottle of Old Fitzgerald Very Very Special 13 year old, and...

WhiskyFest made a joyful return to New York last week, as whisky lovers filled the Marriott Marquis Times Square ballroom for a night of memorable pours and educational seminars, while also getting to meet the master distillers for George Dickel, Heaven Hill, Blackened, Widow Jane, and many others. Read our recap from the night, and note that WhiskyFest will make its final stop in San Francisco on Dec. 3. Get your tickets today.WhiskyFest attendees had a chance to taste the newest release from Glenmorangie before it was officially unveiled. That sweater-inspired single malt highlights this week's new releases, along with single grain whiskies from Frey Ranch, and the latest single malt from St. George Spirits. Read on for full details.Glenmorangie 13 year old A Tale of WinterStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Highlands)Age: 13 year oldABV: 46%Price: $100Release: November 2021Availability: Widely availableNeed to know:Glenmorangie’s director of whisky creation Dr. Bill Lumsden was...

Tommy Brunett, founder of Iron Smoke Distillery in New York State, was smoking ribs in his backyard one day while enjoying a whiskey, when suddenly a thought occurred to him: “How do you combine these two American pastimes—great American barbecue and great American bourbon?,” the musician turned whiskey maker remembers asking himself. For roughly a year and a half, he smelled like smoke as he tried to get his whiskey idea just right. He was looking for just a whisper of smoke on the finish—not something that was overpowering or overdone. The end result was Iron Smoke straight bourbon, made using applewood-smoked wheat. The applewood is indigenous to the distillery's region, and smoking the wheat adds an unexpected dimension to the sweet grain. “From the backyard to now, it's been pretty amazing,” Brunett says.Indeed, just as smoke itself can drift anywhere, Darek Bell, Corsair's founder and distiller, thinks the possibilities for smoked American...

It's no secret that there's been an explosion of new craft distilleries across the United States in the past decade. The exact figures are difficult to pin down, with the Distilled Spirits Council reporting 750 “micro distilleries” in 2015, up from 92 in 2010, and the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) tabbing a total of 1,280 “active craft spirits producers” in 2015. The American Distilling Institute (ADI) predicts an additional 1,000 net entrants in the craft distilling industry over the next five years. Perhaps even more intriguing is that certain geographic areas have become hot spots for craft distilling. As part of its Craft Spirits Data Project, the ACSA indicated that more than half of the country's craft distillers are located in just ten states. For whiskey that means its presence has been stretched far from the traditional home base of Kentucky. These new hot spots can be found in some cases around a particular city, such as Chicago and San Francisco; across...

Millions of Americans boast Irish heritage. Now, one of Ireland's top distillers—the man once responsible for Jameson, among many other brands—is crossing the pond to work at a new Minnesota distillery. Brian Nation, who stepped down as master distiller at Midleton Distillery in mid-June, is joining O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. in Minneapolis, which is due to start distilling in 2021. Whisky Advocate spoke with Nation and the distillery's founders to find out how he was lured away from Ireland's most prestigious whiskey position.The Adventure of a LifetimeThe Irish diaspora reaches around the world, to the extent that the number of people claiming Irish heritage now vastly outnumber the population of Ireland; among them are cousins Patrick and Michael O'Shaughnessy, two avid spirits fans with an entrepreneurial zeal whose ancestors emigrated from Ireland to the U.S. during the Great Famine of the 1840s. “We have an old Irish heritage that goes back many generations, and of...

With the calendar turning a new page, there are plenty of new whiskies too.First up, Buffalo Trace has bottled a single barrel of Col. E.H. Taylor, Jr. bourbon in honor of the 124th anniversary of the Bottled in Bond Act and benefiting the nonprofit Outlaw State of Kind, which was founded by musician Chris Stapleton. There are less than 100 bottles available, with the first ones auctioned through Charitybuzz.A new blended Irish whiskey is hitting shores in not just bottles, but cans too. Two Stacks comes in 4-packs of 100 ml cans for $19, as well as a traditional 750 ml bottle ($40). There's also a cask-strength version called Blender's Cut for $60.Old Elk is debuting Sour Mash Reserve straight bourbon. Priced at $90, there are just over 5,000 bottles available in the first batch.Sagamore Spirit is rolling out its latest Distiller's Select rye, finished in tequila casks. The limited-edition whiskey is $69.Proof and Wood has partnered with bar owner Rob Morton to release Idle Hands...

Iodine. Coal tar. Asphalt. Bacon fat. Brine. Tarry rope. Soot. Campfire ash. Seaweed. Creosote. These are some signature flavors of peated whisky. It's hard to tell if we should drink it or use it to seal a leaky roof. Peated whiskies have an edgy reputation for being boisterous, pungent, antagonistic drinks. They invite you to take a slug at the end of an ocean pier, stretch out your arms, and let out a visceral, primal howl. And for the drinkers who love them, only peated whisky will do.Peated whisky hasn't always been so popular. Most recently, peated whiskies roared back into fashion after the Millennium, igniting a smoldering passion that has engulfed wave after wave of whisky drinkers ever since. Sure, other spirits use cereal grains, yeast, and oak barrels, but peat smoke defines this exuberant style of whisky.What Does PPM Mean?Plants MatterAn equation for peat might be written as flora plus death and water, minus oxygen, multiplied by pressure and time. In other words, peat...

One day back in 2010, California native-turned-Tennessee resident Loren Simpson walked into his local liquor store and happened upon a bourbon tasting. Both Simpson and his wife are certified sommeliers, but at the time had begun to feel their interest in wine was peaking. Being curious, Simpson took a sip of the bourbon, which was Four Roses. He liked what he tasted and bought a bottle on the spot.
“It was so good,” Simpson recalls. “I could enjoy it for an hour without ice. I went back and bought a case of Four Roses Single Barrel.”
Now, more than a decade later, Simpson’s personal collection has expanded to nearly 750 bottles of Four Roses. He has studied the brand in detail, learning about its 10 different recipes—based on various combinations of mashbills and yeasts—and developed a passion that has led him to become an unofficial Four Roses ambassador. His interest in the brand soared when he discovered how much information Four...

On March 23rd, whiskey lovers of the Midwest will convene for WhiskyFest Chicago, the first WhiskyFest event of 2018. As always, hundreds of whiskies will be available at the event, and attendees can range freely between scotch, bourbon, Japanese whiskies, and many other whiskey styles—including the big tent of American craft whiskey. As craft whiskey has matured, small producers can now stand toe-to-toe with much more established distilleries. A number of craft distilleries from all around the country will be pouring at WhiskyFest Chicago, so you can sample the wide variety of styles now being made. Here are some of our top picks.Also, be sure to check out the full list of pours and the lineup of free seminars. And read our tips for navigating WhiskyFest like a pro. If you don't have your tickets yet, it's not too late!Kentucky PeerlessCraft whiskey is made all over the country, and that includes traditional whiskey-making states like Kentucky. In fact, Louisville-based Kentucky...

Earlier this week, we spoke with distilleries in the U.S. and Scotland about the implications of coronavirus-related operations changes for the future availability of their whiskies. Most big companies are optimistic that current interruptions aren't going to impact the availability of bottles down the road, but that's not the case for everyone. Read more about the situation, and what it means for whisky lovers, in our in-depth report.Of course, COVID-19 has changed the way people are drinking whisky right now. With more virtual tastings and Zoom events popping up every week, a couple of whiskey companies are getting extra creative to keep fans engaged, opening up their blending processes to input from the public. Ireland's Chapel Gate Whiskey Co., which makes J.J. Corry, will create a crowd-sourced blend called The Lock In, sending blend samples to participants who will vote on their favorite. Once bottled, the whiskey will be available widely for sale. If you're interested in taking...

The typical playbook for starting a whiskey distillery in the U.S. often involves sourcing whiskey to bottle while waiting for the own-make distillate to age. But Longmont, Colorado’s Dry Land Distillers has taken anything but the beaten path. After leaving the coffee business in the early 2010s, founder and master distiller Nels Wroe dove headfirst into the world of distilled spirits with no formal training. The mission? To produce spirits using unique ingredients from the American West, showcasing the land’s terroir.
“I'm from Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, so I felt strongly that if we were to tackle something in this craft space, we’d have to find crops that are appropriate to the place and are very true to Colorado and the American West,” Wroe says. “That sent us down the grain path because it gave us an opportunity to create spirits that mimic the wine world in terms of (using and reflecting the) terroir.”
Very Dry Land...

In case you missed it, the biggest news of the week is the announcement of Whisky of the Year, along with the reveal of the full Top 20 whiskies of 2018. Get on over to the list to read up on why these are the most exciting bottles of the year.Meanwhile, there are tons of new whiskies to look forward to, some of which are hitting shelves right now. First up, Basil Hayden's has released its first age-statement bourbon, a 10 year old. The whiskey will be for sale in limited amounts for $60, and will return in future holiday seasons.Compass Box has two new releases coming out: Juveniles is a blended malt made in partnership with a Paris wine bar and features a whimsical bell on the bottle. Nearly 15,000 bottles are available for $150 each. Compass Box Stranger & Stranger isn't technically a whisky—it includes a very small amount of grain spirit that doesn't meet the 3-year minimum aging requirement for scotch—but the company is betting few drinkers will mind. Around 4,000 bottles...

When the COVID-19 pandemic first began taking shape in the U.S., Whisky Advocate responded by looking for ways to come together from a distance—and so #TasteWithSpace was born. Since the first Friday New York City went into lockdown, our editors have hosted whisky distillers, blenders, bartenders, and other experts for conversation and tasting on Instagram Live every week.Early on, #TasteWithSpace focused on the issues surrounding the pandemic and repercussions for whisky makers, bars, and restaurants. The conversation has since expanded and now encompasses a range of issues important to whisky lovers. In June, after Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's debuted an education and mentorship program for Black whisky professionals, Uncle Nearest founder Fawn Weaver joined #TasteWithSpace to talk more about it. Nicole Austin, the distiller behind our 2019 Whisky of the Year, George Dickel 13 year old Bottled in Bond, came on to debut the whiskey's 2020 release, comparing and contrasting the...

Rare whisky season is in full swing with the annual Van Winkle releases announced earlier this week.Meanwhile, more luxury than rare, after first launching it at Travel Retail last year, Woodford Reserve is releasing its Baccarat Edition in select liquor stores. The cognac cask-finished bourbon is priced at $2,000 and packaged in a custom Baccarat decanter (of course).On to new releases. Ireland's Teeling Whiskey is unveiling its first peated single malt. Blackpitts Batch 1 will hit the states in early 2021 with 6,000 bottles available at $75.Cascade Hollow Distilling, home to George Dickel, has a new blended whiskey. Cascade Moon Edition No. 1 will cost $90 and is available in California, Tennessee, and Texas.Balvenie has released the seventh batch in its Tun 1509 series. There are a limited number of bottles available for $420 each.Renowned blender Barrell Craft Spirits has a new finished bourbon that includes three Tennessee bourbons, each finished separately in Jamaican rum, pear...

Woodford Reserve this week released its annual Derby bottle ahead of the 2025 Kentucky Derby, which takes place on May 3. This year’s label was created by Cuban-American artist Humberto Lahera, who’s based in Louisville. The one-liter bottle retails at $50 and can be purchased on Reservebar, on Woodford’s online store, at the Woodford Reserve Distillery, and selected retailers nationwide.
Among other new releases, Orphan Barrel is out with a 17 year old, while Old Elk has a new flagship bourbon called Slow Cut. Penelope Rio, the amburana cask-finished bourbon, is back with its third iteration, while High West returns with the annual release of Bourye, its rye-bourbon blend. There's plenty more, with new offerings from Buzzard's Roost, Remus, and Westward, among others, including a noteworthy release from Bushmills, which has unveiled the oldest Irish single malt ever—a 46 year old with a limited global release of just 300 bottles, priced at a cool...

Some filmmakers seem to have a special penchant for whisky, using it over and over again in character development and during crucial plot points. Quentin Tarantino films are characterized by their snappy dialogue, reverence for bygone cinematic eras, and graphic violence, but just there within the frame is another frequent theme: whisky. Sometimes it's a subtle reference, and other times it plays a key role in the action, but when whisky shows up in Tarantino's movies, it's always with purpose. (Warning: Spoilers ahead.)
What you drink is part of who you are, and Tarantino uses this idea to tell us about his characters. For example, in “Inglourious Basterds,” General Ed Fenech (Mike Myers) isn't a major presence, but one detail we learn is that his drink is “Whiskey, straight. No junk in it.” His drink style reflects his commanding style: to the point with no dilution.Beyond whisky, characters reveal key traits through their drinking habits. Ordell (Samuel...

Chip Tate played a pivotal role in shaping the craft whiskey scene, especially in American single malt. As the founder of Texas-based Balcones Distillery, where he worked from 2008-2014, Tate produced many American single malts—the distillery's flagship Lineage (Batch SML20-2) went on to earn a place on our Top 20 list of 2020 with a score of 91 points. Nowadays Tate is busy developing the new spirits portfolio at Foley Family Wines & Spirits, but still also finds time to make whiskies elsewhere. Thanks to a collaboration with rare whisky purveyor World Whiskey Society (WWS), Tate recently made his first foray into Japanese whisky, which resulted in a new WWS release called Double Barrel Japanese Single Malt by Chip Tate.
The partnership kicked off late last year when WWS CEO Alex Kogan approached Tate with the idea of doing a project in Japanese whisky. Tate says he had long wanted to work with Japanese liquid, but had never been able to do so...

The whiskey brand co-founded by Bob Dylan, Heaven's Door, announced that it has a few more bottles of its 10 year old Tennessee bourbon for sale, priced at $130. In addition, there's another limited-edition offering coming: a 25 year old whiskey finished in mizunara oak casks. The first release in The Bootleg Series, this whiskey will come out later in 2019, priced at $500. We'll provide more details as they become available.If you're looking for new whiskies to buy now, however, you're in the right place. First up, Glenmorangie has changed the recipe for Quinta Ruban, adding two years to its age statement. The single malt will now age for about 12 years in bourbon casks, before a roughly 2-year finishing period in port casks. The price, however, stays the same at $55, and it will be as widely available as before. Simultaneously, Glenmorangie has updated the packaging for Lasanta to better highlight its 12 year old age statement.The Orphan Barrel range of "forgotten" whiskies has...

Spring is here and with it comes our latest issue, which is now on the newsstands. The issue offers an in-depth insight into the world of single barrel whiskeys, a guide to making the most of the upcoming Derby Weekend in Louisville, over 100 whisky reviews, and more—pick up your copy today and dig in.
Elsewhere, Stranahan's has debuted a new après ski experience in Vail Valley that’s perfect for whisky-loving skiers, snowboarders, and mountain-goers. A collaboration between the distillery and The Westin Riverfront, the Stranahan’s Après Ski Lounge features four life-size, heated whiskey barrels made for dramming and dining. It runs until April 2, and you can make reservations here. 
New whisky this week comes from all over the U.S. and Scotland. Maker’s Mark has introduced the fifth and final installment of its Wood Finishing Series, Kentucky Peerless is making its high-rye bourbon a permanent fixture...

Glen Scotia is out with the second release in its Icons of Campbeltown series, but the rest of the scotch whisky world is somewhat quiet, although Glenmorangie will soon hit our shores with another installment in its “Tale” series—this one called A Tale of Ice Cream, matured in bourbon barrels as well as “high vanillin” casks that received a special heat treatment to bring our as much vanillin as possible in the wood. We’ll have more next week, but pricing is at around $100 and it’s expected to hit the market on October 1.
On the bourbon front, we have news that Basil Hayden is offering its 10 year old as a permanent member of the lineup—graduating from its previous role as a limited annual release. We’ve been seeing many more aged whiskies lately, a far cry from a decade ago, when the good stuff was in very short supply—indeed, greater age seems to be the message far more than it used to be. Pinhook has a...

What a week for new releases! There’s no shortage of new whiskies as we transition from summer into fall, and they range from highly allocated collectible single malts and experimental limited editions to widely available permanent expressions.
Scotch lovers have plenty to be excited about, with new malts and blends coming from all over the country. Laphroaig has debuted the third edition of its experimental Elements series; Single Cask Nation has bottled three new single malts; Buchanan’s has added a luxurious new blend; and Johnnie Walker has launched a limited-edition Blue Label bottle and box that celebrates the Indian festive season. In bourbon, there’s cask finishes galore. Both Barton 1792 and Hirsch have introduced cognac-finished bourbons, while Widow Jane is back with its maple syrup-finished Decadence, and Steph Curry’s Gentleman’s Cut has a Pedro Ximénez sherry-finished bourbon, made in collaboration with chef José...

The Summer 2020 issue of Whisky Advocate dropped earlier this week, with over 130 whisky reviews in the Buying Guide. Peruse for a few minutes and find a new bottle to try! For even more new whisky (to be reviewed soon!), keep reading.Wild Turkey is rounding out its rye portfolio with the launch of Rare Breed Rye. Always bottled at barrel proof, the initial batch is 56.1% ABV and priced at $60, available nationwide.Glenmorangie has launched the newest limited-edition single malt in its Bond House No. 1 collection. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1996 is 23 years old, aged entirely in first-fill "bespoke" bourbon casks, and priced at $825.MGP is set to release the 2020 bottling of Remus Repeal Reserve bourbon in September. The 12 year old bourbon is priced at $85 and available in limited amounts.Walsh Whiskey is rolling out the 12th batch of The Irishman Vintage Cask. There are 3,500 bottles of the high-proof blended Irish whiskey available, with 750 coming to the U.S. at $140 each.A...

For years, MGP Distillery has been known as the source of dozens of whiskeys, from Smooth Ambler Old Scout to WhistlePig. The familiar words “Distilled in Indiana” on a bottle's back label denote MGP as the source, even if it's not officially publicized by the particular brand. And while MGP has made forays into offering its own-brand whiskeys under the Rossville Union rye, George Remus bourbon, and Eight & Sand American whiskey labels, progress has been slow. They're only available in some states and—despite reflecting the high quality turned out by the distillery (Remus Repeal Reserve regularly scores above 90 in the Buying Guide)—aren't nearly as well-known as other brands made on the very same stills.But all that could change, as MGP is about to cannonball into the deep end of the national whiskey market. The company announced on Jan. 25 that it would pay $475 million, in cash and stock, to acquire St. Louis-based Luxco, which produces a variety of spirits, from vodka...

New whiskies this week truly run the gamut from Irish blends to craft rye, with ages ranging from 8 months to 18 years.Jameson is launching The Blender's Dog in the U.S. The whiskey is part of Jameson's Whiskey Makers Series, which celebrates the different crafts that go into producing a finished whiskey. In Winter 2016, the Blender's Dog was rated alongside the other two whiskeys in the line, The Cooper's Croze and The Distiller's Safe (all were available in Europe first)—and The Blender's Dog outshined its siblings with a 90-point rating. It should be easy to find on store shelves.Other new Irish whiskeys this week include Prizefight, a blend sourced from West Cork Distillers and finished in American rye barrels from New Hampshire's Tamworth Distillery. There's also a sourced Irish blend bottled under the Bogart Drinks label, which celebrates—you guessed it—Humphrey Bogart.Speaking of American rye, Redemption is releasing its oldest whiskey to date, an 18 year old rye that was...

Our Spring issue is all about rye, a whiskey that seems to increase in popularity with each passing day. Take it as a sign of the times that Wild Turkey's next limited-edition Master's Keep is the first rye whiskey in the collection. Wild Turkey Master's Keep Cornerstone Rye is priced at $175 and will hit shelves in August. There are 15,000 bottles available.Meanwhile, The Last Drop is rolling out two single casks of Glenrothes distilled in 1969. Just 271 bottles of the nearly-50 year old whisky are available, priced at $6,250.More widely available are new bourbons from Bardstown Bourbon Co. (BBC), including the first whiskey that includes the distillery's own straight bourbon. Fusion Series #1 combines sourced 11 year old Kentucky straight bourbon with 2 year old wheated and high-rye bourbons distilled at BBC and costs $60. Meanwhile, Discovery Series #1 blends four Kentucky straight bourbons, ranging in age from 5 to 11 years, and costs $130. Finally, Collaboration Series #1...

This week, we covered yet another distillery opening, this one on the Glenmorangie campus in the Scottish Highlands. At the Lighthouse, Glenmorangie head of distilling and whisky creation Dr. Bill Lumsden will be able to pursue his wildest whisky dreams, and we're looking forward to the forthcoming fruits of his labors.While it'll be awhile before we see new whiskies from the Lighthouse, there are plenty of new releases to enjoy right now, including a new, aged bourbon from Hudson Whiskey, a fruit-forward blended malt from Compass Box, and a single malt meant for pairing with cigars from Tamdhu. Read on for full details.Hudson Four Part HarmonyStyle: Straight bourbon
Origin: New York
Age: 7 year oldABV: 46%
Price: $70
Release: September 2021
Availability: 1,200 for CT, NJ, NY with expansion planned Need to know:Pot distilled from a mash of 60% corn, 15% rye, 15% wheat, and 10% malted barley, and aged for 7 years, this limited-edition is the oldest release from Hudson...

Even a quick glance at its name makes it safe to assume that Dampfwerk Distilling in St. Louis Park, Minnesota has a far-flung influence. In this case, that influence is German: Owner Ralf Loeffelholz is originally from the Bavarian town of Muhldorf. There, fruit brandies and herbal liqueurs are deeply entrenched in the culture, and Loeffelholz knew that when he opened his distillery on American soil, those European-style brandies and liqueurs would be at the heart of his business. But Dampfwerk (which translates to “steam works”) is a family affair, and distiller Christian Loeffelholz (Ralf’s son) joined Dampfwerk with American single malt in mind—which he makes on the same German-made still his father uses.

“The still was designed to our specifications; it’s not a traditional whiskey still by any means, but it’s tuned for leaving as much flavor in the product as possible—in that way, we have great bandwidth for brandies and...

Mother’s Day falls this Sunday, May 14, so you're probably scrambling to find the perfect gift for Mom. You could always give her flowers, chocolates, more jewelry, or a bottle of a favorite whisky. But how about giving something different—like a distillery event? Check for events at distilleries close to home, or consider attending one of those listed here. Either way, it will be a memorable Mother’s Day.

Virginia Distillery Co.
Lovingston, Virginia
May 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Free of Charge
If you want to start the celebration a bit early, Virginia Distillery Co. will be hosting a special “Cocktails & Chocolate Celebration” on the day before Mother’s Day. The event spotlights American single malts, including whiskey-infused truffles, courtesy of Milène Jardine Chocolatier, and features special cocktails—made using expressions from the Courage & Conviction series. Locally grown flowers...

Few things in life go together better than whisky and music. Some whiskey makers, most notably Blackened, even use music to enhance the liquid’s maturation process. In summertime and sometimes year-round, many distilleries add sparkle by hosting live music events, and their distillery spaces can often serve as natural concert venues—with refreshments available, of course! Here's a brief selection of what's doing in music at distilleries around the country, listed in alphabetical order by state.
California
The Hollywood Room at Napa Valley Distillery
Napa
Type of Music: Indie, Jazz, Americana, and Soul
Schedule: Year-round, currently booked through August
Refreshments: Food and drink
Admission: Free (Tickets/RSVP required) 
napadistillery.com
The Hollywood Room is Napa Valley Distillery’s dedicated craft cocktail bar—not to be confused with its other tasting saloon. Open...

It’s mid-October, which means we’re drawing ever closer to the spookiest time of year: Halloween. This year, match your favorite sweet treat to a whisky—take Raisinets, for instance, which are a fantastic complement to George Dickel 11 year old Bottled in Bond given the lush, deep, dark fruit qualities of that whiskey. Of course, it's not just chocolate treats that suit whisky, and this guide offers up our favorite Halloween candy-and-whisky pairings.
As for new whisky, being in the thick of fall also means that new releases continue to flood in. Aberfeldy is back with an 18 year old whisky aged in red wine casks—this one from a Tuscan winery. Kentucky Peerless brings back its absinthe-finished rye, while Michter's returns with its 20 year old straight bourbon. Read on for full details.

Aberfeldy 18 year old Tuscan Red Wine Cask
Style: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Highland)Age: 18 year oldABV: 43%Price: $130Release: October 2022Availability...

A new year has begun, and with it come new whiskies. This week brings news of an age-statement blended malt from Douglas Laing & Company, as well as the first two whiskeys in a new series from South Carolina's Dark Corner Distillery.Timorous Beastie 10 year old is a limited-edition blended malt with a similar flavor profile to Douglas Laing's standard Timorous Beastie. The silvery-gray packaging is meant to mimic aluminum, the traditional gift for 10-year anniversaries.Dark Corner's Lewis Redmond series of whiskeys commemorate a notorious local moonshiner and outlaw from the 1800s. The first two whiskeys launched in November and December, and more will be coming. They are currently available only at the distillery in Greenville.Finally, find information about Fifty Stone single malt whiskey from Maine Craft Distilling. A reader who had enjoyed our article about Westland Distillery's use of American peat recently suggested that we check this whiskey out, because it's also made with...

A comeback is an exciting thing—especially when it involves a beloved whiskey. In addition to the return of Smooth Ambler's Old Scout 99 Proof Bourbon (more on that below and in this article), Old Forester has brought back its 1910 Old Fine Whisky. Initially released in October 2018, the bourbon was such a success that it sold out quickly—but Old Forester now has plans in place to ensure that won't happen again. Similarly, Old Forester's sister brand Woodford Reserve is rolling out more bottles of its straight malt whiskey which sold out shortly after launching in June 2018.Many brand-new whiskies are also hitting shelves now. First up, Maker's Mark is debuting the first in a series of limited-edition bourbons finished with unique wood staves. Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series: Stave Profile RC6 is available in limited amounts for $60.Meanwhile, the extremely limited Macallan Fine & Rare 1979 Vintage is now available. The single malt is 40 years old and costs $14,500.More...

It’s gift giving season, and if you’re looking for something special for the whisky lover in your life, we've got you covered. There are plenty of snackable gifts available, from popcorn to barbecued ribs, specifically designed to be paired with whiskey. We also have a few other recommendations including books, luggage, and more whisky related items that will enhance your tasting experience. There are some exciting new whiskies out this week that also would make great gifts. Woodford Reserve adds to its Master’s Collection with a beer-inspired malt whiskey, High West brings its High Country single malt to a wider stage, and Barrell Craft Spirits adds two new straight bourbon blends to its lineup. Read on for full details.Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection: Five-Malt Stouted MashStyle: Straight maltOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 45.2%Price: $130Release: December 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:A version of Woodford’s straight malt whiskey, this new addition to...

As we roll toward the July 4th weekend, there's plenty of Americana among this current crop of new releases. Separately, we've also put together a list of whiskeys that capture the spirit of July 4th, many through their part in the American story. As for this group, we have new expressions of the long-standing Michter's Legacy Series, a toasted barrel whiskey from Old Potrero and a toasted barrel bourbon from Peerless, a barrel proof rye from E.H. Taylor, and a new Babe Ruth commemorative edition from George Remus. From Scotland, we have another wine cask finished item from Glenmorangie, this one aged 23  years.
Not listed here is the partnership between Oregon-based Pendleton Whisky and the Bob Woodruff Foundation, a collaboration that began in 2021 and has just released a new Military Edition label to honor and support our veterans. A portion of every bottle sold (up to $100,000) will go to support veterans programs around the nation. The Bob...

We've turned the corner into the second month of 2020, and with that transition come several new whiskies.First up, Glenmorangie is launching The Cadboll Estate, a 15 year old single malt made from barley grown on the distillery's land. It will be available in limited amounts for $85.Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay has unveiled its seventh iteration of Black Art. The vintage 1994 whisky is 25 years old, and there are 12,000 bottles available at $430 each.Ireland's Kilbeggan Distillery is debuting its first single pot still whiskey, made with 2.5% oats. The new whiskey is widely available for $45.Retired NFL player and actor Terry Bradshaw has partnered with Silver Screen Bottling Co. to debut his own Kentucky straight bourbon. Bradshaw bourbon is priced at $40, currently available online with expanded distribution at retail stores coming soon.Conecuh Brands, the company behind Clyde May's Alabama whiskey, is reviving McConnell's, a historic Irish whiskey brand. The blended whiskey...

Whiskey and coffee is a winning combination—whether you simply splash some whiskey into your cup of joe as an after-dinner treat, or prefer to mix the perfect Irish Coffee, with Irish whiskey, coffee, sugar, and fresh whipped cream. But rather than adding a little whiskey to coffee, these enterprising distillers are adding a little coffee to their whiskey.Unlike coffee liqueurs, which almost always include a generous dose of sugar, these new whiskey creations strive for a purer expression of grain and bean, marrying high-quality coffee with credible whiskeys.In January of 2020, Irish whiskey giant Jameson released Jameson Cold Brew, combining Irish whiskey with cold brew coffee flavoring. By definition, Irish whiskey can't include additives aside from caramel coloring and water, but this “whiskey specialty," according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), will still find fans among Irish whiskey drinkers. The cold brew flavor, created from 100% Arabica beans from...

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, the holiday season is upon us, but we've also spent the week counting down our annual Top 20 list, with the full list officially out today. Check out our pick for Whisky of the Year, a bonded Tennessee whiskey priced at just $30, and see if any of these exciting whiskies catch your eye or look right for the whisky lover in your life.
New releases this week include the latest iteration of High West's High Country single malt, the third release in the Bushmills Rare cask series, and the 2023 bottling of Barrell's New Year blend. Read on for full details. 

High West High Country
Style: Single malt Origin: Utah Age: Not stated ABV: 44% Price: $80 Release: December 2022 Availability: Limited
Need to know: 
High Country is High West’s ode to Scottish single malts, and as such it blends single malt scotch techniques with American whiskey making. Its 100% malt mashbill...

Among this week’s items, Compass Box, always of interest, has a Travel Retail exclusive that blends peated single malt and grain whiskies. Garrison Brothers has unveiled this year’s Laguna Madre release, while rising player 15 Stars keeps them coming with two new aged bourbons. Considering the high scores achieved by 15 Stars since we started reviewing their whiskeys last year, we very much look forward to tasting these latest ones. Elsewhere, World Whiskey Society, fresh off its Japanese collaboration with whisky maker Chip Tate, continues its globe-trotting with two American single malts named for Wild West folk hero Wyatt Earp, while Buzzard’s Roost, ensconced in its new home on Louisville’s Whiskey Row since last year, is out it with its first Bottled in Bond (BIB) expression. And then we have the curious case of Natterjack whiskey, the Irish American collaboration, and its latest effort, Natterjack The Mistake. This one is the result of a...

Learn how to make a Sour, and you open yourself to a world of cocktails. The simple combination of spirit, sugar, water, and citrus can be mixed in almost endless ways. But the best base is, of course, whiskey.The practice of adding citrus juice to spirits may have started in the 1700s when British sailors began consuming lemons and limes to prevent scurvy. Rum was part of their rations, and made a natural companion to the tart citrus, sometimes with water or sugar added. The concoction eventually made its way to shore, where drinkers weren't limited to a single spirit and naturally experimented with not only rum, but also brandy and whiskey.In 1862, the recipe for a Whisky Sour was recorded in Jerry Thomas's The Bartender's Guide. The recipe called for 1 large teaspoon of powdered sugar dissolved in a little seltzer water, the juice of half a small lemon, and 1 wine glass of bourbon or rye, shaken. The drink was then strained into a claret glass and garnished with berries.In the 19th...

The Trump administration's announcement on Oct. 2 that it will impose tariffs on billions of dollars in European imports starting this month could bode ill for U.S.-based single malt scotch and Irish whiskey fans.Key European Union drinks exports are set to face new tariffs in the U.S. market thanks to a longstanding dispute over aircraft subsidies. The World Trade Organization ruled on Oct. 2 that EU subsidies to plane maker Airbus were illegal, and gave the U.S. the green light to impose retaliatory tariffs on $7.5 billion worth of EU products annually. Starting Oct. 18, 25% levies will take effect on wine from France, Spain, Germany, and the UK; liqueurs from Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the UK; single malt Scotch whisky; and Irish whiskey from Northern Ireland.However, the levies may not be as severe or widespread as feared, with categories including cognac, champagne, Italian wine, and French liqueurs evading the Trump administration's crosshairs for now. Crucially for...

Ask Chris Stapleton about his palate and the country icon laughs. “I’m not one of those folks who can pick out distinct flavors,” he says. “I’ve got a “Gladiator” approach: thumbs up or down. I don’t consider myself a whiskey expert—other than in consumption.”
The “Tennessee Whiskey” singer always issues a thumbs up to Buffalo Trace Distillery products, particularly E.H. Taylor. “Someone brought a bottle into the studio in 2013 and I loved it,” Stapleton tells us during a video chat from a Florida vacation. “I find something I like and stick to it. [E.H. Taylor] is where I’ve lived for a long time.” Present for every recording session of any record he’s made, E.H. Taylor may well be a de facto member of Stapleton’s band.
Now E.H. Taylor must battle for studio space. Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey is here.
What is Traveller Whiskey and How is it...

Glenn Howerton has spent two decades playing a man who believes, with terrifying sincerity, that he is the most intelligent person in any given room. As Dennis Reynolds—the vain, predatory, oddly magnetic anchor of “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia”—he’s always wrong about himself in ways that are always someone else's problem.
Akin to Reynolds, Howerton loves good whiskey; that penchant dovetails into his belief that modern people need more opportunities to socialize, and what better backdrop than the local watering hole? In contrast, though, Howerton is thoughtful, deliberate, and focused on the long game. For evidence, consider Four Walls Irish American Whiskey, which Howerton co-founded with his Sunny co-conspirators Rob Mac and Charlie Day.

Four Walls, a wink to the show’s fictional Paddy’s Pub, is a marriage of Irish grain and malt whiskeys from Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk and American rye from Cedar Ridge...

When new distilleries hang out their shingle, many establish their whiskey-making credentials through a family legacy or local historical connections. But Danville, Kentucky'sWilderness Trail—which is releasing its first bourbon and rye in April 2018—has taken a different approach. Rather than finding a colorful story to tell, co-founders Shane Baker and Patrick Heist are emphasizing the scientific pursuit of distilling great whiskey.Baker, a mechanical engineer, and Heist, a PhD microbiologist and biochemist, initially paired up in the 1990s, playing in a grunge and hard rock cover band. Their initiation to whiskey-making, however, started with the consulting company Ferm Solutions, which they founded in 2006. Baker and Heist made a name for themselves as troubleshooters for distilleries around the world, helping clients start distilleries, consulting on bacterial contamination, developing mashbills, and analyzing grain quality, yeast strains, and fermentation. While they can't...

Midway through the first month of the year, the pace of new releases has picked right up, especially for bourbon. High West has debuted a blend of sourced straight bourbons that range in age from 6 to 20 years, while Penelope has partnered with a southern furniture company on a bespoke bourbon blend. In single barrel bourbon, Knob Creek has launched the second whiskey in its Bold Pick collection, Still 630 has kick-started its celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. with a line of 12 bottled in bond single barrels, and Wyoming Whiskey has unveiled the latest edition of its annually released single barrel. And calling all Woodford fans: This week brings the return of Double Double Oaked, now in its second year of nationwide availability. 
That’s it for bourbon! Elsewhere in American whiskey, New Riff is back with this year's batch of Balboa rye, and Rebel Bourbon is trotting out its discontinued root beer-flavored whiskey once more. And from overseas, Royal...

Every March, whisky lovers set their sights on the 17th. (In 2018, that date fortuitously falls on a Saturday.) St. Patrick's Day is a time to celebrate all things Irish, and there's never been a better time for fans of Irish whiskey to experience the riches of the Emerald Isle. You could try out a cocktail made with Irish whiskey, or experiment to create your own perfect Irish coffee. Or you could just sip some excellent whiskey neat or on the rocks. While there are a number of classic drams every whiskey lover should taste, new releases likewise abound. These 17 whiskeys, all released in the past six months, give those drinkers who are serious about their St. Paddy's celebrations new terrain to explore.Upgrade Your St. Patrick's Day Drinking With a New Irish WhiskeyJameson Caskmates IPA EditionThe success of Jameson's stout barrel Caskmates in 2015 led the brand to make the whiskey part to its core range. In late 2017, Jameson Caskmates introduced a new edition, finished in...

While the tried and true whiskies might be a distillery’s bread and butter, experimental and celebratory releases offer a chance at exploration—not just for whisky fans, but for distillers, too. Look to Balcones' new single malt Cataleja, which is a toast to the Texas distiller's 15th anniversary, and testament to its non-stop creativity. It blends three batches of whiskey, which head distiller Jared Himstedt led through three separate maturation journeys. Similarly, over at Ardbeg there's always plenty of experimentation from whisky creator Dr. Bill Lumsden, whose latest Ardbeg Committee release delves deep into the effects of cask charring.
As for other new whiskies, Wild Turkey has debuted Generations, a collaborative effort between three generations of the Russell family: Jimmy, Eddie, and Bruce. In Maryland, Sagamore Spirit has cooked up two ryes, the latest iterations of its Penny's Proof and Bottled in Bond whiskeys. There's...

If you're planning a bourbon trip, consider Cincinnati. The Queen City sits on the Ohio River across from Kentucky, is only an hour away from most distilleries, and has a strong whiskey scene of its own.Day OneOnce you've checked in and settled down, your 48 Hours must begin standing next to a bathtub with the words “Since 1861. Arnold's Bar & Grill.” The tub is symbolic of the restaurant's Prohibition-era owner, Hugo Arnold, who allegedly made bathtub gin and sold illegal liquor to thirsty customers. Built in the late 1830s, the building is a slice of Midwestern Americana and showcases an old bar that commands the city's first right of refusal on allocated bourbons. The eclectic menu gives you an inside glimpse of Cincinnati cuisine, with noodles in its chili and the local meat-and-grain sausage called “goetta.” From Arnold's, it's time to cross the bridge and buy bourbon history in a bottle. At Liquor City Uncorked are the most-coveted bourbons of all time: 16 year old...

When David Jennings was in college, he didn't particularly like Wild Turkey: It was the inexpensive stuff, a shooter to throw back before going out, something to mix with Coke. So he was as surprised as anyone to discover a few years ago that, actually, Wild Turkey is delicious. That realization has led him down a life-changing path to extreme fandom, which has so far yielded a successful blog, a book, and a following of paying Patreon supporters called Russell's Renegades who get access to Jennings' private barrel picks and other benefits.It all started around 2013 with a pint of Wild Turkey 101 that Jennings bought on a whim. He was just getting into whiskey seriously and wanted to try something new—or retry it, years after his first casual tastes—to potentially review on Reddit. “In my mind I'm thinking this is going to be bottom-shelf whiskey,” he says, “and it ends up tasting really good.”Although Jennings was surprised, his newfound appreciation kick-started his...

You came to Ireland for the whiskey—so where to get it? Distillery stores are great places to shop for gifts and apparel as well as new, rare, and distillery-exclusive whiskeys. The airport stores and Dublin whiskey shops remain your best bet for finding those special bottles to take home.Northern IrelandLaverys—BelfastEstablished in 1854, this is one of the city's best-loved bars for its diverse floors of fun, from the rooftop beer garden and live music in the back bar to the clatter of billiard balls and roar of the match on the big screen. Best of all, they sell takeaway late into the evening, including bottled craft beers, premium spirits, and cigars.Don't Miss: Local labels such as Titanic Irish whiskey and Dunville 10 year old single malt.The Vineyard—BelfastA decent collection of distillery and independent Irish whiskey bottlings, coupled with a cracking beer selection and a well-selected wine range. Reach for bottles such as the Quiet Man, Teeling Revival, or something...

In the decade or so that American whiskey has been booming, many new brands have popped up claiming roots in Prohibition, whether via a great-great-granddaddy's moonshine recipe or a vague tale about smuggling bottles across the border. Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, they say, and many of these yarns are spurious at best. But there's a new whiskey whose founders actually can prove the veracity of their forebears' criminal liquor enterprise—because they have a presidential pardon for them.“You don't just snap your fingers upon the repeal of Prohibition and decide to get into the liquor business,” says Marc Taub, president and CEO of Taub Family Cos. and co-founder with his son Jake of Jacob's Pardon American whiskey. The third generation of a family of alcohol distributors, Marc guessed that there was more to the origin story of the business than he knew, but wasn't privy to the details for most of his life. He describes growing up and seeing a metal box in...

Where a whiskey ages has a big impact on its flavor, with temperature, humidity, and seasonal changes all contributing to the maturation process. While it's taken for granted that barrel warehouses should be on land, that certainty doesn't hold water for Hank Ingram, the creator of O.H. Ingram River Aged straight whiskey.With a passion for rivers and a penchant for whiskey, it makes sense that Ingram, founder and proprietor of Nashville, Tennessee-based Brown Water Spirits, would come up with an unusual way of aging the spirit that harnesses the water's temperaments. “I had the idea of what would happen if we put a barrel on a barge,” he says. “My history is in the barge business, and we always refer to the river as brown water. The whiskey is brown water, the river is brown water—it kind of just came to me.”On Oct. 9, Brown Water Spirits launched its first release, O.H. Ingram River Aged straight whiskey. The blend of bourbon and rye aged for 3 years in a “floating...

More than two decades ago, Jess Graber was a volunteer firefighter in Woody Creek, Colorado, and was called to a barn fire at the home of George Stranahan, a longtime craft brewer and whiskey aficionado. After the flames were extinguished, a spark ignited between the two gentlemen over a passion for whiskey. That bond quickly burgeoned and, in 2004, Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey was born, with Graber at the helm. Now the renowned American single malt maker is hitting the snowy pistes of Aspen with Stranahan’s Whiskey Lodge, opening on March 9th. 
Stranahan’s Whiskey Lodge, at 307 South Mill Street, celebrates the roots of Stranahan’s remarkable efforts into putting both American single malt and Colorado distilling on the map. Featuring innovative cocktails that showcase the range of Stranahan’s whiskey lineup, including some lodge-only exclusive bottles and pours, as well as apres-ski-inspired elevated food, Stranahan’s...

212 is the area code for Manhattan, and it’s also the recipe formula for the city’s namesake whiskey cocktail: 2 oz. of rye, 1 oz. sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters. It’s a timeless classic, and arguably the most popular rye cocktail of all time.
On paper, it’s a very simple drink with just those three ingredients, but what sets every Manhattan apart—aside from the person making it—are the types of whiskeys and vermouths that make it into the mixing glass.
There was a time not long ago when finding different rye whiskeys wasn’t so easy, as rye lived in the shadow of bourbon. For the most part, bars stocked Old Overholt, Pikesville, Rittenhouse, Canadian Club, and that was about it. But with the rejuvenation of cocktail culture in the early aughts came a newfound appreciation for rye, and distillers across the country heeded the call.
With so many ryes to choose from now, choosing a great cocktail rye can be...

The return of Michter’s 20 year old bourbon after being away for two years was certainly the highlight of the week, although getting hold of a bottle of this limited release will prove to be a challenge as always. The 20 year old's arrival came just in time for WhiskyFest New York on Wednesday night, where it was in high demand. Elsewhere among the new  American whiskey releases, Tattersall has two limited edition bottled in bond expressions, while Colorado’s Laws offers two cask-finished bourbons. Other new announcements feature Pendleton, Hidden Barn, and Wyoming Whiskey.
In scotch, Johnnie Walker Blue is out with its Lunar New Year release to commemorate the Year of the Snake, while Macallan has two new whiskies in the fourth edition of its Harmony Series, which this year celebrates Macallan’s use of oak. And finally, from Ireland, Teeling has released another of its aged whiskeys, this one a 24 year old.
Michter’s 20 year old...

Just the name Miami evokes thoughts of sunny days with gentle trade winds and sultry nights filled with neon lights and the strains of salsa music.Miami's cityscape is constantly changing. Wynwood, now the city's art and brewing capital, was an industrial and warehouse district as recently as 10 years ago. The Design District was once a place for interior designers to shop for upholstery, and now it's home to designer shops like Gucci and Dior, and has some of the finest eateries in Miami.The entire city's food scene is thriving, and there are some things you absolutely cannot miss: a Cuban sandwich, a slice of key lime pie, and croquetas—fried bites filled with bechamel sauce and meat (usually ham, cod, or chicken)—Miami's official snack. If you visit between October and May—stone crab season—don't miss out on some crab claws. And Little Havana is a good place to find some of Miami's most authentic food and drink.
The Fontainebleau is Miami's most iconic hotel and puts...

Each whiskey Freddie Noe creates is a reflection of where he is in his journey as an eighth-generation distiller at Jim Beam. Freddie is the mind behind Little Book, developing a unique blend each year using some of Beam's best whiskeys. “A lot of it is [based on] where I am in my career, or things I'm working on,” he said in an Instagram Live interview on Sept. 25, part of Whisky Advocate's #TasteWithSpace series. But the backstory behind each release also is particularly important in unpacking how Freddie's own heritage as the son of an iconic American whiskey family informs his process when it comes to putting together the blend.“Chapter 1 ‘The Easy' was really about the ingredients of bourbon, and an ode to Granddaddy,” Freddie said, referring to his grandfather, Booker Noe, a legendary distiller and the grandson of Jim Beam himself. “Chapter 2 ‘Noe Simple Task' really talked about the liquid itself, from [Alberta Distillers], and our whiskey as well.” Chapter 3...

Food pairings can elevate any drinking experience, whether you are tasting as a group or enjoying a dram on your own. Cheese is a good choice, with a wide array of styles offering a multitude of pairing options. Get started with our guide to matching whisky and cheese and see which combination works best for you.If you're looking for a new whisky to crack open, we have plenty to choose from this week. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is back, this time with an online lottery; Ross & Squibb unveils the latest batch of its Remus Repeal Reserve series; and Jefferson's adds a new wheated bourbon to its Aged at Sea series. For scotch lovers, Ardbeg is out with the fourth edition of Traigh Bhan, its 19 year old annual release. Meanwhile, for collectors, we also have all the details on the new Littlemill bottling, as the lost Lowland distillery releases its oldest whisky ever. Read on for full details.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (2022 Release)
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin...

Every April 22nd, millions around the world recognize Earth Day, a celebration first held in 1970 to raise awareness and support for the planet’s precious natural resources. In the world of whisky, there are some distillers who have to keep a closer eye on the earth around them than others—and that’s because they’re entirely grain to glass.
What exactly does grain-to-glass distilling entail? For the most part, it’s exactly as it sounds—the distillery handles every part of production, starting with the very grains the whisky is made from. While a few go as far as to grow the grains themselves, more grain-to-glass distillers purchase some or all of their grain from farms in spitting distance of their stills. Then, those grains are distilled, and the whiskey is matured and bottled on-site. Voila! Grain-to-glass. 
In celebration of Earth Day, we’ve rounded up a number of true grain-to-glass distilleries that take care of their locales...

Since late September 2018, the South Indian Ocean has been home to an unusual bit of flotsam: a 16-liter cask of single malt Irish whiskey. The cask, from Glendalough Distillery in County Wicklow, is on board an abandoned yacht, drifting slowly over a thousand miles from the nearest shore. The whiskey is waiting to be rescued—and it may be very soon.How the cask, and its ill-fated means of transportation, ended up abandoned is quite a story. Last July, Irishman Gregor McGuckin set out in the yacht Hanley Energy Endurance as part of the 2018 Golden Globe Race, a round-the-world, non-stop solo sailing race that started and will end in Les Sables d'Olonne, France. Glendalough Distillery provided sponsorship, along with a cask of its 7 year old, porter cask-finished single malt whiskey (and six bottles for McGuckin, so he wouldn't be tempted to tap the cask), with the idea that the cask would spend an additional seven months maturing on the seven seas. It would be called 777, and...

In Pour This, Pair That, Whisky Advocate asks professional chefs to share a recipe designed for a specific type of whisky. Learn why these food and whisky combinations work—and try them yourself at home!Irish whiskey is nearly impossible to pin down. Whereas styles like bourbon, rye, or peated scotch have an easily identifiable character, it's difficult to discuss Irish whiskey in such broad terms. Technically, Irish whiskey can be one of four different styles: malt, grain, blended, or pot still whiskey. But even within each of those categories, there can be significant flavor differences.“Irish whiskey can be potent and powerful sometimes, but very beautiful and delicate at other times,” explains chef Nihad Hajdarhodzic, of Ardiente in Philadelphia. “The beauty of Irish whiskey is its timelessness, its ability to transform even the simplest of dishes, while highlighting others. Notes of vanilla, oak, caramel, straw, all the way to the deep flavors of peat can all be found in...

Whiskey has a long and rich history on the Emerald Isle, though for most of the 20th century it languished, with just a handful of distilleries in operation. Now, however, Irish whiskey is experiencing a resurgence as new distilleries open, making single pot still and other styles, and yielding an array of liquids for potential blending. “It's a good time to be a whiskey bonder,” said Lousie McGuane, founder of J.J. Corry Irish Whiskey, who joined Whisky Advocate's #TasteWithSpace on Feb. 26. “It wasn't when I started, but it is now.”Irish whiskey bonding—not to be mistaken with the American bottled in bond whiskey—is technically a way of blending which was commonplace in previous centuries and operated similar to the way Scotland's blending tradition evolved. Independent merchants would purchase spirit from different distilleries to age, finish, and blend themselves. “You source whiskey from other sources and you custom-blend it to make your own house style,” McGuane...

Tennessee's capital city of Nashville boasts a lively craft whiskey scene, robustly supported by its acclaimed music, barbecue, and bar venues. At the edge of the city's Watkins Park neighborhood is Nelson's Green Brier, housed in the former Marathon Automobile factory. Here, past meets present: The Nelson's Green Brier name first appeared back in 1870, when Charles Nelson began distilling whiskey in the town of Greenbrier, 25 miles north of Nashville. Nelson's distillery shut down in 1909, and today his descendants Andy and Charlie are bringing back the family business, opening the modern iteration of Nelson's Green Brier in 2009 and making whiskey in-house since 2014. (Update: Charlie left the company in the summer of 2023.)
While waiting for its whiskey to age, the company has released sourced Indiana bourbon under the Belle Meade name. The revived Green Brier label, which debuted in 2017, blends 75% in-house pot still whiskey and 25% contracted column still whiskey, with...

Pennsylvania is the cradle of American whiskey making, ruling the American landscape in the 19th century with many hundreds of distilleries. Like Kentucky, the Keystone State had a mix of large and small producers, many of them started by farmer-distillers. But unlike Kentucky, very few of them were making bourbon. Rye was king in Pennsylvania, especially in the Monongahela (muh-non-ga-HEY-luh) River valley in the southwestern part of the state.
Revolutionary War veteran John Large started distilling rye whiskey on the Monongahela (Mon) tributary of Peters Creek in 1796—and brought in his son Jonathan as well. Jonathan was succeeded by his son Henry, and the Large family distillery became renowned for its high-quality rye, eventually winning 10 gold medals at expositions from Paris in 1900 to Rio de Janeiro in 1923. Large also had the distinction of being the last distillery to operate in the Mon Valley, closing around 1956.
Thomas Bell founded a distillery at Freeport...

The Whisky Advocate Awards system has evolved over the years, just as the industry itself has undergone impressive changes and progress. We started giving out awards in 1994 and continue to so today. Many of the whiskies we once loved are no longer available, and some of people we've honored have since passed on, but we continue to celebrate their legacy.
Whisky Advocate's 17th Annual Awards (2010)
Best Buy Whiskey of the Year—Tie:Evan Williams and Very Old Barton 6 Year Old Bottled in Bond
Artisan Whisky of the Year: Kilchoman (Summer 2010 Release)
American Whiskey of the Year: Buffalo Trace Antique Collection
Canadian Whisky of the Year: Forty Creek Confederation Oak
Irish Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast 12 year old
World Whisky of the Year: Amrut Fusion
Scotch Whisky Blend of the Year: Compass Box “Flaming Heart”
Scotch Whisky Single Malt of the Year: Glenfarclas 40 year old
Industry Leader of the Year: Glencairn...

Japanese whisky lovers have cause for celebration, as Suntory announced last week that it will be investing $77 million into its whisky distilleries over the next two years. The Yamazaki and Hakushu Distilleries will each receive a new malting floor as well as updated visitor experiences as part of the expansion. 
Coinciding with that announcement is news that Suntory plans to bring its Ao world blend to the States for the first time. Other new releases from this week include an Irish rye from Powers, Batch 34 of Barrell Bourbon, and a sauternes cask-finished American single malt that will be a part of Westward's Whiskey Club. Read on for full details. 
Suntory Ao
Style: Blend
Origin: World (Japan, Scotland, Ireland, U.S., and Canada)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 43%Price: $55
Release: February 2023
Availability: Widely available
Need to know: This blend is created using Beam Suntory whiskies distilled in five...

James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi were already friends and Andretti Autosport teammates when they discovered bourbon. In late 2016 or so, the IndyCar drivers approached one another about this shared discovery. “Bourbon was just another thing we both sort of fell into and another common interest,” Hinchcliffe says. “I don't think it's hurt [our friendship], that's for sure, [but] it's hurt our bank accounts,” he jokes.
In contrast to their high-speed racing, the two shifted into whiskey gradually, starting with some fairly foundational bottles—Basil Hayden for Rossi and Woodford Reserve for Hinchcliffe. “We thought that that was kind of all there was to it,” Rossi says. “But clearly there was much more.” They soon connected with friends in their home base of Indianapolis who were already established bourbon drinkers, and began meeting once a month for blind tastings. That group turned into a private club that would later be...

In Quercus we trust. There are over 600 species of oak trees in the Quercus genus, to which whisky maturation owes all. Without time in oak barrels, whisky would remain white and fiery, devoid of the toasty, caramel, nutty, or vanilla notes that make our mouths water. It's simple—without oak, there is no whisky as we know it today. Considering oak's profound effect on the taste of whisky, it's not surprising that the details count. The specific type of oak, the origin of the tree, and all the finer points of its treatment during production will influence the flavors the barrel imparts, whether vanilla or citrus zest, baking spices or dark red fruits, or a myriad of other possibilities. To understand whisky, you must understand oak.Ancient TechnologyUsing oak for barrels isn't exactly an emerging trend. “Oak became a barrel of choice as far back as the Roman empire,” says Chris Morris, master distiller at Brown-Forman, producer of Woodford Reserve and Jack Daniel's whiskeys.Oak...

It has already been a big year for Michter's, and it's about to get even more exciting as a new master distiller takes the helm in May. Dan McKee, previously distiller, has been promoted to the position, as Pamela Heilmann steps back to become master distiller emerita. The two distillers have worked together for over a decade, including the last four years at Michter's. Concurrently, former distillery manager Matt Bell will step into McKee's role as distiller.The announcement comes on the heels of Michter's opening its Fort Nelson Distillery on Louisville's Whiskey Row at the end of January. After years of construction and renovation—which included several setbacks related to the historic building's state of deterioration—the distillery is now open five days a week, welcoming visitors, and introducing them to the whiskey-making process using the 550-gallon pot still from the original Michter's Distillery in Pennsylvania. In addition to Fort Nelson, Michter's has two other sites in...

For fans of American whiskey, the words “barrel proof” often bring to mind big, brawny bourbons—uncut, unfiltered, and packed with flavor. But high-proof rye offers a similarly amped up version of the bold, spicy spirit that was famous before bourbon and reigned supreme until Prohibition shut down America's whiskey industry. Whisky Advocate's Fall 2020 Buying Guide offers reviews of more than 150 whiskies, including a trio of high-proof—and high-quality—ryes. Each of these whiskeys offers a distinct set of aromas and flavors that speak to different distilling traditions and techniques, as well as different mashbills and barrel-entry proofs, all of which affect the final whiskey. What they have in common are high scores, similar proofs, and an abundance of flavor.Whisky Advocate's Fall issue turns the spotlight on Big Whisky, and these ryes fit the bill—with their potent proofs and robust flavors, they're the kind of whiskey that leaps out of your glass in a delicious way...

So. It's been a week. As the world turns upside down because of COVID-19, we've been trying to keep grounded through what we know best: whisky. We're continuing to compile resources for connecting over a dram even while social distancing, along with content that we hope you'll find entertaining, useful, or just downright fun during this period of uncertainty and isolation. We'll continue to serve and support you, our readers, as best we can, remembering that even when separated from each other, whisky friendships will persevere.And today, that means bringing you news about the latest releases. First up is an age-stated Canadian whisky. Benjamin Chapman 7 year old is a blend of rye and wheat whiskies, launching widely and priced at $39.Following the recent debut of its first rye distilled at partner Castle & Key, Pinhook is rolling out a C&K bourbon to match. The Bohemian High Proof bourbon will be widely available at $50.A new brand with Indian roots, but made in Canada, will...

These are turbulent times for the whisky world. In the U.S. and Europe, distilleries and visitor centers are just starting to reopen after sustained lockdowns due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, American whiskey companies are confronting enduring forms of racial injustice within their industry as part of the ongoing anti-racism movement. Now, distillers, importers, and retailers are facing another formidable hurdle as the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is, once again, threatening increased and expanded tariffs on European whiskies and a litany of other wines and spirits. The proposed new tariffs would cover all whiskies from Europe, including single malt and blended scotch, Irish whiskey, and the many styles of innovative new whiskies coming from France, England, Germany, and elsewhere.The industry already is struggling due to the 25% tariffs the Trump administration imposed last October targeting around $7.5 billion of European goods, including single malt scotch and Northern Irish...

It’s a great week for American whiskey lovers, with new releases from Beam, Heaven Hill, Michter’s, Barrell, Kentucky Owl, and more. Freddie Noe has introduced another chapter of Little Book, which spotlights unique blends; this release is no different, combining five unique bourbon and rye components. Heaven Hill has followed up the May release of its Grain-to-Glass bourbon with the second iteration of its Grain-to-Glass rye. Elsewhere, Michter’s returns with its two Legacy Series brands, Shenk’s Homestead and Bomberger’s, which honor key figures in the distillery’s history. Rounding out the week in new releases are fresh bourbon batches from Barrell and Kentucky Owl, a rye from Wigle Distillery, a high-rye straight malt from Root Shoot Spirits, and an Irish single grain from Two Stacks.
Little Book Chapter 9: “None For Granted” Blend
ABV: 60.9%
SRP: $160
Availability: Limited
Fred B. Noe master distiller...

We all have drinking traditions—using only custom-inscribed rocks glasses or reciting festive toasts by heart—but their impact usually stops at the gesture. Yet a whiskey ritual at an obscure Tennessee golf course has inspired its own brand of bourbon, with All-Pro quarterback Peyton Manning and tennis great Andy Roddick, among others, behind it.The golf course in question is Sweetens Cove, a nine-hole public course in Marion County, Tennessee, about 33 miles from Chattanooga. It was bought by Manning and Roddick along with musician Drew Holcomb; Tom Nolan, former president of Ralph Lauren golf; course architect Rob Collins; and real estate developers Mark Rivers and Skip Bronson, in early 2019. Sweetens Cove has no clubhouse or even bathrooms, just a Home Depot shed, in which it's traditional for players to take a shot of whiskey before each round. “Like they say there, ‘Take your first shot before your first shot,'” Manning tells Whisky Advocate. “[It's] very authentic...

The biggest news of the week was the reveal of Whisky Advocate's Whisky of the Year and full Top 20 awards—a list that has something for everyone. Be sure to check it out! And then keep reading to discover the week's newest whiskies.First up, Balvenie has crafted a new 50 year old single malt, priced at $38,000. Just 110 bottles are available worldwide.Compass Box is rolling out its Myths & Legends trio in the U.S. The series includes two single malts and one blended malt scotch, all priced at $150 apiece; availability is around 4,400 bottles of each variant.Clyde May's is re-releasing its cask-strength expression with an added year of age. There are 3,000 bottles of Clyde May's 11 year old Cask Strength, priced at $120.Royal Salute has debuted a blended grain whisky, the Snow Polo Edition. It's available at travel retail for $155.High West is launching a single malt whiskey (sort of) that's all made in-house. Initially for sale in Utah for $80, it will go national in 2021.Wigle...

The coronation of King Charles III takes place Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London, and while the ceremony plan is somewhat less extravagant than coronations past, there will be plenty of pomp and circumstance for royal watchers. Many of the whiskies being released in honor of the coronation are anything but pared down. Among the most kingly is Royal Salute's The Coronation of Kings Charles III Edition, a $25,000 blended scotch that's presented in a richly hued sapphire blue Dartington crystal decanter. While the majority of these coronation whiskies are scotches, an English single malt was also in the mix—from The English Distillery's The English Coronation single malt. That one, priced at $105 in U.S. dollars, sold out quickly. But the list offers numerous other celebratory bottles at a variety of prices.
Coronation whiskies aside, there are new releases galore this week. New Riff continues its...

Knob Creek age statements are returning with a vengeance, as many of us can remember the days of 2009 when Knob Creek ran out of aged juice altogether. Of course, Knob Creek was hardly the only one caught off guard by the whisky boom—the years between 2010 and 2020 were filled with non-age statement releases and other measures as distillers scrambled to meet demand. Now, thankfully, the age-statement whiskey scene appears to be back in full bloom.
Elsewhere Crown Royal is getting into the single malt act, which adds another big distiller to a space, once the province of craft distillers. The space now also includes Jack Daniel’s, and Jim Beam. Can Heaven Hill be far behind?
Lots more is doing, including a high-proof bottling from the rapidly rising Green River Distillery, whose Owensboro, Kentucky distillery received 10,000 visitors last year. Quietly inserted in the most recent new product information from Kentucky’s Frank August was news that Potter Jane...

No dog days of summer this week, as whisky lovers are being treated to lots of exciting news. In American whiskey, Seattle's Westland Distillery,  whose co-founder Matt Hofmann moved on last year, continues its reset with the release of  two new expressions—one finished in beer casks and the other in wine casks. Knob Creek, always among the most traditional of whiskey makers, gets creative with a new blend of bourbon and rye, while Woodford Reserve has blended two malt whiskeys for the latest edition in its Distillery Series. Dixon Dedman, who made his name with the Kentucky Owl whiskeys back in 2014, continues to see his star rise with 2XO, whose latest release is a bourbon finished in French oak casks.
Not to be outdone, the scotch side has some very interesting news. Compass Box, whose celebrated founder John Glaser departed the company earlier this year, is ready for its next act with two entirely new labels...

Irish whiskey is a rich and diverse style, encompassing many grains, techniques, and flavors. The whiskey often hits its apex through blending with this rich palette—and right now might be considered the golden age of Irish blends.An Irish Whiskey Blend for Every TasteIf you want to get deep into the fundamentals of Irish whiskey, check out Instant Expert. For a quick-and-dirty summary of the different whiskeys that go into blends, and where they typically originate, use this guide.The Four Types of Irish WhiskeyLegally, Irish whiskey can fall into one of four categories.Single Malt Grain: 100% malted barley Distilled in: pot still Made at: a single distillery Flavor profile: Smooth, sweet, and maltySingle Pot Still Grains: at least 30% malted and 30% unmalted barley Distilled in: pot still Made at: a single distillery Flavor profile: Spicy and distinctively mouth-coatingSingle Grain Grains: whole, unmalted cereals with up to 30% malted barley Distilled in: column still...

Bottled in bond bourbon has been around for more than a century, yet the style has undergone a full-on renaissance in recent years. Newer distilleries are finally seeing their stocks reach the 4-year minimum age requirement outlined by the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897; coupled with the steady stream of big-name producers releasing new and revived bottled in bond labels, it seems like every week there's a new option on the shelf. The Bottled in Bond Act was meant to ensure one very important thing: the integrity of the whiskey.
Prior to its enforcement, there was no telling what kind of liquid was in the bottle. It could have been adulterated, flavored, colored, diluted—and so the government intervened. To be labeled bottled in bond, a whiskey must be the product of a single distiller in a single season—spring (January to June) or fall (July to December)—aged for a minimum of 4 years in a federally bonded warehouse, and bottled at 50% ABV.Beyond a quality...

In our “What's It Worth?” series, Whisky Advocate auction correspondent Jonny McCormick examines the current collectability of a distillery or brand.Midleton master distiller Kevin O'Gorman recently unveiled the release of Midleton Very Rare 2022. This long-running series has become the most traded Irish whiskey at auction, so with the new release marking the 39th bottling in the series, we examine the highest auction values for Midleton Very Rare vintages released by Brian Nation, O'Gorman's predecessor as Midleton master distiller, whose signature adorned the bottles released during 2014 to 2020. When Barry Crockett launched the first release of Midleton Very Rare in 1984, the international market for Irish whiskey was markedly smaller than it is today. But Crockett had instituted a policy of laying down 100 casks of top-quality stock every year for future use in Midleton Very Rare as it found its place in the hearts of Irish whiskey lovers. That decision bears fruit to this...

Sotheby’s shattered auction records galore in New York on January 24th, as The Great American Whiskey Collection lived up to its name. Now the most valuable American whiskey collection ever sold at auction, its combined hammer price* of $2,003,900 (or $2,504,892 with buyer’s premiums) soared above the $1.2–$1.7 million pre-sale estimate. Old Rip Van Winkle 20 year old (distilled in 1982) for Sam’s Wines & Spirits achieved a new auction record for American whiskey, with a hammer price of $130,000 (or $162,500 with buyer’s premiums). This is the highest proof Van Winkle release in history at 133.4 proof, one of only 60 bottles created. This is the first appearance of the bottling for Sam’s to hit the auction block in over a decade.
At the podium on the Breuer Building, Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s global head of spirits, gave an electrifying performance as the new record was set, tapping his hammer repeatedly to quiet the room as the major...

This week's new releases see several whisky makers take familiar concepts and flip them on their heads. First up is Woodford, which has reinvented its Chocolate Malt Whisper bourbon into a whiskey that, at 69.7% ABV, is the highest-proof expression it has ever released. Elsewhere in Kentucky, Peerless has taken two whiskeys it’s executed well in the past—rye and toasted barrel—and combined them for its first toasted barrel-finished rye. Frey Ranch is also bringing something fresh to the table with the introduction of a whiskey made entirely from unmalted barley. Overseas, Bushmills has had its hands full with cask finishes, while Macallan has debuted the 8th release in its nostalgia-evoking Archival Series. 
Woodford Reserve Chocolate Whisper Redux 139.4 Bourbon
ABV: 69.7%
SRP: $100/375 ml
Availability: Limited; woodfordreserve.com, distillery tasting room, and KY
To understand this new Woodford whiskey, we must first look back to 2021...

Folks in Indiana are famous for their Midwestern friendliness—“Hoosier Hospitality”—but they also view themselves as tenacious underdogs, an aesthetic noted in just about every Hollywood depiction of the state, from "Hoosiers" to "Breaking Away" to "Rudy." Locals have taken the same approach to craft distilling—until 2014 it was illegal to operate on-site tasting and retail, the way many small distillers in other states make sales. This made Indiana an unfriendly place for indie spirits, but pioneers plunged ahead, while working to change the laws.“In 2014 the state said that if you had a license to distill spirits for three years you could open a tasting room,” recalls Blake Jones, co-owner and president of West Fork Whiskey Co. “That was still tough, but it sort of made distillery tasting rooms in Indiana a thing, and since then we've been able to get it reduced to eighteen months.” For this reason, the Indianapolis distillery boom is a very recent thing, and...

It's been quite the month for notable openings. After the James B. Beam Distilling Co. debuted the Fred B. Noe Distillery, a new, smaller-scale outfit where labels like Booker’s and Baker’s will be produced, in addition to more experimental whiskeys created by eighth-generation distiller Freddie Noe, Johnnie Walker has opened the doors to its massive Princes Street flagship home and visitor attraction. We take you inside the former luxury department store, detailing the many tours, bars, and drinking experiences on offer.Onto the new whiskies. Yamazaki has released a 55 year old single malt, Laphroaig returns with the latest version of Cairdeas, and Daviess County has a new finished bourbon. Read on for full details.Yamazaki 55 year oldStyle: Single maltOrigin: JapanAge: 55 year oldABV: 55.46%Price: $60,000Release: September 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:The whisky is a blend of single malts, with components distilled in 1960 and aged in mizunara casks and distilled in...

It's a big weekend on the American whiskey auction scene, as Chicago-based Hart Davis Hart (HDH) has commenced live bidding on its Finest & Rarest Spirits sale, which started earlier this morning and ends tomorrow. Of the 2,800 lots available, 2,189 are American whiskeys. HDH expects the total value of the American lots to reach between $1.9 million and $3 million, which would bring the highest value yet for an American whiskey sale. See the big-ticket items here.Of course, there are plenty of new whiskies to try—ones that are valued at quite a bit less than those! Kentucky Owl has added a new rye under The Wiseman label, Basil Hayden debuts a subtly smoky bourbon, and Compass Box introduces a new blended whisky that's evocative of old books. Read on for full details.Kentucky Owl Wiseman RyeStyle: Straight ryeOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 50.4%Price: $60Release: March 2022Availability: LimitedNeed to know:This whiskey is made with a mashbill of 95% rye.Whisky Advocate...

(“Uisce Rising” is a pun on Easter Rising; 2016 is the centenary of the Easter Rising in Ireland.)The Irish love their myths, folklore, and legends. Unfortunately, during the rise and fall and rise of Irish whiskey, a great number of tall tales grew up around it too. Irish whiskey is a drink full of contradictions, but we are here to pierce the bunkum.If it's Irish, then whiskey always has an 'e', doesn't it? Sorry, not always. Both whisky and whiskey were used historically, though the latter is the dominant form used today. The extra ‘e' helped to differentiate the drink from scotch. The last Irish Whiskey Act was passed in 1980 (don't worry, they're working on a new one), but legally it can still be called Irish whiskey or whisky under European Law.Okay, but it's all triple distilled, isn't it? Sorry, not always. There are many different types of Irish whiskey. Although much of it is triple distilled, it's not a defining Irish whiskey characteristic. There's Auchentoshan for...

The Noes are one of Bourbon Country's most legendary families: Booker Noe—grandson of Jim Beam—was a leader in creation of small batch whiskeys, including Jim Beam’s current Small Batch Collection (Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s, Baker's, and, of course, Booker's). His son, Fred Noe, serves as Beam's current master distiller. Now Fred's son, Freddie, is trying his hand at making whiskey with Little Book, a new blended whiskey that will be released annually.Over in Scotland, Glen Moray is celebrating its 120th anniversary—and the fact that there have been only five master distillers during that time period. The Speyside distillery is set to launch a special single malt whisky that combines five different vintages.Meanwhile, House Spirits Distillery is rolling out Westward American single malt nationwide—and in full-size bottles—and there's a new Tennessee whiskey that honors the legacy of Nearest Green, the African-American slave who taught Jack Daniel about...

Colorado might be famous for its ski slopes and outdoor activities, but its lively distilling scene can’t be overlooked. Here is a peek at 10 must-visit Colorado distilleries and what makes them special. There are all-in-one destinations, like Marble Distilling in Carbondale, with its boutique hotel located inside the distillery. Others are a short walk to great hotels, restaurants, and bars with top-notch whisky menus and fun, only-in-Colorado activities (a whitewater rafting trip that drops you off at a whiskey tasting room, anyone?). All of them share the magic of Colorado’s crisp mountain water, high altitude, and unpredictable weather. From the better-known distilleries to your new favorite hidden gem, Colorado whiskey has something to offer across the board.
Stranahan's: The Original Colorado Whiskey
To many people, Stranahan’s is Colorado whiskey. It was the first legal distillery to open after Prohibition and is the state’s oldest whiskey...

In order to bag a rare bourbon, Ricky Nash endured ridicule. The Georgia native walked into liquor stores and asked for “Elmer T. Lee.” The store associates laughed. He asked for “Pappy,” and they teased the whiskey enthusiast like he was stalking a unicorn.Nash tracked Internet rumors and the online secondary market, drove across several states, and looked inside more than two dozen liquor stores in search of any limited edition or hard-to-find bourbon. Then, one day in late November, it happened. He stepped inside one of the stores he'd been eyeing and there was the entire Van Winkle line, ranging from the 23 year old for $2,900 to the 10 year old for $400. After negotiating it down to $350, Nash finally owned 10 year old Old Rip Van Winkle and gleefully commented on a bourbon Facebook group, “Today was a good day!! My first bottle of ORVW10!!!.”He shopped, he scored.Like many whiskey lovers, Nash realized it's much more difficult to buy limited edition bourbon now than...

Many writers have found inspiration in a bottle of good whisky: Mark Twain, James Joyce, William Faulkner, Dorothy Parker, and numerous others. Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, wrote dozens of works that mention or focus on whisky, including “Scotch Drink” and the humorously metaphorical “John Barleycorn.”Joining the literary greats in using the water of life as a muse, Sara Robinson of Charlottesville, Virginia has been writing poetry about whisky for nearly a decade, though she came late to the craft after a career in the chemical and mineral processing industry. “I was writing articles in technical journals,” she says. “You can imagine how ‘dry' that writing was…[During those years] I got introduced to really good scotches [and] I discovered a fascination [similar to that of] wine drinkers for developing a sophisticated palate. It became really intriguing and interesting to me that there was a real spirit behind the spirit. All of these things I discovered...

Want to buy a $20 single malt scotch? Good luck. Desire a quality $30 Cognac? Yeah, right. Even vodka, which can be made in an instant, places its premium products north of $30. Fortunately, we do not need to settle for cheap beer or two-dollar jug wine. Hope awaits us penny-pinching spirits lovers: sitting in new charred oak barrels, resting in Kentucky rickhouses are copious amounts of delicious bourbon that will be bottled in the $9 to $30 range, delivering plenty of satisfying flavor, while still leaving some coin in our pockets.The recent interest in bourbon has priced once-hidden gems like Elijah Craig 18 year old out of the everyday drinking conversation for many of us. Lavish media attention made others, like Pappy Van Winkle, nearly impossible to find, but the bourbon standbys that so often go unappreciated are waiting on the shelves to offer solace.The Best Bourbons for $20 or LessJust ask Ernie Smith, a western Massachusetts resident who's been drinking bourbon so long his...

It's been quite a week for Michter's, which announced that master distiller Pamela Heilmann is stepping back and distiller Dan McKee will be taking her place. On top of that, the distillery is rolling out the newest release of its 10 year old single barrel bourbon. Priced at $130, it's available in limited amounts.Rebel Yell also has a new whiskey coming, a 50% ABV straight bourbon. Rebel Yell 100 Proof is the first in the brand's lineup to sport new packaging. It's widely available for $20. Simultaneously, the 2019 batch of Rebel Yell 10 year old Single Barrel bourbon is also rolling out.A new trio of blended malt scotches are about to launch in the U.S. MacNair's Lum Reek includes non-age-statement ($50), 12 year old ($60), and 21 year old expressions ($150), all of which are peated. The whiskies will be widely available starting this summer.Finally, independent bottler Mossburn has seven new single malt scotches, each available in limited amounts. The whiskies include 10 year old...

Christie's, New York will auction 74 bottles of rare whisky valued at $250,000-$350,000 on June 7. While primarily a fine wine sale, the whisky selections are significant and can be summed up in four words: all killer, no filler. If you're a collector of classic bottlings of scotch distilled in the mid-to-late 20th century, then this one's for you.The biggest highlight is the full Springbank Millennium Set with miniatures (Lot 432), a rare offering at the best of times, but it's particularly exciting to see one going under the hammer at a U.S. auction house. The set contains bottles of Springbank bottled in 5-year age brackets from 25 to 50 years old. The late whisky writer Michael Jackson bestowed some of his highest-ever scores on these 25, 30, and 35 year old Campbeltown whiskies when first released. Christie's has only ever previously sold one full set in London in 2018, though a new record price was recently set at Bonhams auction in Hong Kong in May. Back in 2010, the highest...

Wood-aged tequila has a surprisingly short history, and American whiskey barrels have dominated it. While some tequila makers have borrowed from the scotch whisky playbook by using wine, sherry, port, and cognac casks for aging or finishing their spirit, most typically look north for their vessels. Price is the obvious reason. The most popular styles of American whiskey require new barrels, so a steady flow of less expensive used wood exists. But moreover, these vessels smooth the edges and add a dose of familiarity to a drink that can seem peculiar to American palates. Whiskey barrels impart a measure of caramel sweetness and evoke the natural vanilla tones in a drink that tends to be spicy and tart in the raw.
While most casks have gone incognito (Jack Daniel's and Jim Beam are assumed to be responsible for much of the trade), some tequila brands are calling out the names of whiskies that formerly inhabited their barrels. For instance, Espolòn looks to Wild Turkey for its...

For whisky lovers, Japan conjures images of rare whisky and effervescent Highballs. Given its mastery of whisky, it's worth taking a closer look at the nation's traditional drink, sake, which had a 1,000-year head start on whisky. A fermented beverage with an average alcohol by volume (ABV) of 15% and usually no carbonation, sake is often referred to as rice wine. But this complex beverage is a much closer cousin of beer because it's brewed, and it also shares similarities with whisky since it's made from rice, a grain. In some cases, distilled alcohol is used in its production, and a handful of sakes are even aged in wood.“Sake is, for lack of a more in-depth definition, an alcoholic beverage that's made by taking rice, polishing it, and letting it ferment,” says Bill Wood, beverage director for Uchū Hospitality. Wood is a certified sake sommelier and adviser through the Sake School of America, as well as a certified bourbon steward and Japanese whisky expert. Sake's basic...

The cocktail pick serves an important purpose, keeping fingers dry while plucking a plump cherry from a Manhattan or fishing a twist from the depths of an Old-Fashioned. Sure, a wooden toothpick could do the job. But why not impress your guests by spearing some fruit with style? Whether you choose a cheeky plastic pick or a satin sterling silver spike, crafted like fine jewelry, the only thing you'll wet is your whistle.Him and Her Pic in sterling silver—$120/pairThe perfect wedding present for your whisky-loving friends who have enough whisky.Celtic Martini Pick in Pennsylvania cherrywood—$5Sleek and simple, this wooden pick comes complete with a cultural design.Kate Spade New York Acrylic Arrows in black or cream—$20/4For your next cocktail party, add some direction to your drink.Chateau Antique Key Cocktail Picks by Twine in zinc and stainless steel—$20/4The key to a great looking cocktail is closer than you'd think.Branch & Twig Cocktail Pick in brass and...

Whisky may evolve slowly in the cask, but occasionally a progressive leap forward comes along, a seismic development that changes everything in a heartbeat. The privilege of delivering these accomplishments comes with lasting recognition. Generations of whisky makers follow in the footsteps of the innovators, offering refinements on genius, but forever in their debt. These ten junctures have helped to forge the taste, heighten the pleasure, and illuminate the joy we discover in a glass of good whisky today.Single Pot Still Whiskey—1785Like America's Declaration of Independence, Ireland's single pot still whiskey is the brilliant result of a bunch of guys who didn't want to pay their taxes. With the passage of the Malt Tax in 1785, Irish distillers were forced to pay duty on malted grains in addition to the spirit they produced. The extra tax caused distillery owners to re-evaluate their cereal selection in search of a loophole. Malted barley is crucial to successful fermentation...

Michael Myers realized he wanted to make whiskey while 30,000 feet in the air. Already an accomplished fashion photographer, Myers was traveling between New York and Colorado Springs in August 2010, fresh off a Vanity Fair shoot, when he read a New York Times article about Steven Grasse, the creator of Sailor Jerry rum and Hendrick's gin. An established whisky fan, Myers was inspired and encouraged by Mike Bristol, a friend and owner of Bristol Brewing Co., to pursue the path of whiskey. And thus Distillery 291, a leading innovator in American craft whiskey, was born.To get started, Myers need a still, which leading industry manufacturer Vendome estimated would cost him $50,000 for a 50-gallon unit. “I can't spend that money,” Myers recalls thinking, having never brewed beer or distilled whiskey before. “Being an artist and being handy, I was like, ‘I can build it.'”Myers used repurposed copper photogravure plates from his photography days, shaping them into a still that's...

The Vendome pot stills at Michter’s Fort Nelson distillery in Louisville have had quite a life. They were built in 1976, and first made whiskey in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania, for Pennco Distillery—a contract distiller whose clients included a small brand called Michter’s. How did those very stills end up in Kentucky, and what other hands did they pass through? We detailed their origin story, and how they ultimately landed with Joseph Magliocco, owner of the Michter's brand today.
There’s new whisky aplenty this week, starting with the annual Ardbeg Day single malt, this one a particularly peaty dram. Elsewhere, Crown Royal returns with the final edition of its Noble Collection, and Proof and Wood has another Polish rye in the offing. Read on for full details.
Ardbeg Heavy Vapours
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 46%

A bounty of new whiskies is on offer this week, with American whiskey weighing in heavily as usual. Blackened and Rabbit Hole have teamed up on a collaborative bourbon, while Russell’s Reserve offers its second single rickhouse release. Still Austin has a new bottled in bond high-rye bourbon, and Ross & Squibb is asking a cool $200 for its 15 year old limited edition Remus Gatsby Reserve. In scotch whisky, we all received great news with the return of Glenglassaugh. This distillery was acquired by Jack Daniel's owner Brown-Forman back in 2016, and that purchase also included Benriach and GlenDronach. While we've seen master blender Rachel Barrie turn her formidable talents to Benriach and GlenDronach, it's been a quiet time for Glenglassaugh. But now it's back and with a troika of new releases that should delight single malt scotch drinkers. Also from Scotland, Johnnie Walker Blue has a new collaborative effort...

Angel’s Envy is creating excitement with today’s official unveiling of a new addition to the range, its first in many years. Elsewhere in the bourbon world, Jim Rutledge, formerly of Four Roses fame, continues his revival of Cream of Kentucky, the legacy brand acquired in 2019, with two new releases. Rutledge's whiskeys are still sourced for now as he moves toward opening his own distillery. Meanwhile, Lux Row has a new sherry cask-finished bourbon, and WhistlePig revs it up with another Formula 1-themed release.
There’s much more on offer, including new bourbons from Hidden Barn, Wyoming Whiskey, and O.H. Ingram, as well as a new cask finished scotch from Speyside single malt maker Speyburn. On the collectibles side, scotch distiller Benromach has a 50 year old single malt, made before Benromach was acquired by its current owner, Scottish independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail, in 1993. Alas, the price for this precious liquid falls into the...

It's been another big week for whisky lovers. Westward Whiskey announced a partnership with Diageo's Distill Ventures unit, a move that allows the American single malt brand to expand its production and availability.Diageo also unveiled full details of its 2018 Special Releases, including pricing. While some information was previously available, the company announced that its tenth Special Release whisky this year is a blended malt called Cladach. Not every whisky will be available in the U.S. We got all the details.Meanwhile, there are many other new whiskies coming out now and in the next few weeks. The third 2018 batch of Booker's is hitting shelves. Called "Kentucky Chew," it was aged 6 years, 4 months, and 12 days and clocks in at 63.35% ABV. It has the usual price tag of $70-$75.Bowmore has unveiled the third and final whisky in its Vintner's Trilogy, a 27 year old that matured first in ex-bourbon barrels and then in port pipes. The second maturation actually exceeded the first...

Triple distillation has returned to the Old Midleton Distillery in County Cork, Ireland for the first time in over 40 years. Irish Distillers built a new microdistillery, with the scope to produce up to 400 casks per year. Given the vast capacity of the existing operations at Midleton Distillery to produce a variety of single pot still and grain whiskey styles, you would be correct to assume that this is not directly about meeting the stock requirements for the increasing global demand for Irish whiskey.Brian Nation, Midleton's master distiller, takes us inside the former warehouse to explain the three main functions of the new facility. “Firstly, it's about education and training,” he says. “It gives distillers the hands-on opportunity to run totally manual distillations. They tend to learn more that way. There's a high level of automation in the main plant, which is great for consistency and reproducibility, but sometimes people miss out on fully understanding the process.”...

As fast-moving fires incinerate swathes of the West Coast, killing dozens of people in multiple states and sending smoke across the U.S., whiskey makers too are feeling the heat. In a year that's already left the spirits industry reeling from economic setbacks brought on by a global pandemic, scores of distillers now face yet another obstacle as they set out on what looks to be an even steeper road to recovery. Yet even as they battle a double whammy of COVID-19 and wildfires, some are tackling relief efforts to support local first responders and evacuated residents.Westward is leading the charge in Oregon by donating $10 for every bottle sold in the state through the end of the month to American Red Cross wildfire relief efforts. As of Sept. 11, the distillery's warehouse in Clackamas—which houses the vast majority of the company's barrels—remained under a Level 2 evacuation warning. “The Riverside Fire got to within 12 miles of the site of our warehouse, so literally the...

Fall calls for whisky, and there are more than 150 of them rated in Whisky Advocate's Fall 2020 Buying Guide—including several bourbons that draw flavor from unusual cask finishes. American distillers are hopping on the finishing bandwagon, long commandeered by their Scottish peers, as they experiment with new types of wood, finishing length, and barrels that previously held a totally different spirit.In the U.S., these whiskeys are known as distilled spirits specialties. Generally, they encompass any type of spirits that contain or are treated with flavors, colors, or nonstandard materials or processes. This includes bourbons and straight American whiskeys that are finished, or partly matured, in a secondary barrel that is not new, charred oak, such as a sherry, port, or rum cask. Although these products often use words like “whiskey,” “bourbon,” and “rye” prominently on the label, and bear the names of famous distilleries, none of them are straight whiskey. That...

After several high-octane weeks, where the pace of new releases seldom faltered, we have a quieter week here, with just five new whiskies. Aberfeldy, the sole new scotch, has continued its exploration of wine casks, releasing a 15 year old single malt finished in Bolgheri red wine barrels. In Tennessee, Jack Daniel Distillery has added another whiskey to its coveted Single Barrel Special Release Series, this one a rye. Kentucky is well represented with five new whiskeys: three are from Beam, which has launched the latest terroir-driven series under its Hardin's Creek label; another comes from blender Frank August, which has a new Case Study bourbon; and the last is a blend of bourbons and ryes from independent bottler High n' Wicked. 
Aberfeldy 15 year old Bolgheri Red Wine Cask Finish Highland Single Malt Scotch
ABV: 46%
SRP: $85
Availability: Limited; specialist retailers; imported by Bacardi
Tuscany is known for its breathtaking landscapes...

There may be tequila cask-finished scotch on the horizon, as the rules for permitted cask types in scotch production have just been updated to include a much broader range of options than before. And Beam Suntory has announced that it will be bringing back Knob Creek bourbon's 9 year old age statement starting in 2020. In addition, the company is transforming Baker's from a batched bourbon to a single barrel offering—still at 53.5% ABV and 7 years old—later this year. The company says there are no immediate plans to change the price on Knob Creek, although Baker's will now be priced at $60. We'll report more on those developments as details become available.While we wait for those bottles to roll out, there are plenty of new whiskies coming out much sooner. Heavy metal band Slipknot has collaborated with Iowa's Cedar Ridge Distillery to release two American whiskeys, both a blend of bourbon and rye. Slipknot No. 9 Iowa whiskey ($40) and Slipknot No. 9 Reserve Iowa whiskey ($70...

Whiskey and ginger seem made for each other. “There is just something magical about the combination of oak-aged spirits and spicy ginger,” says Erick Castro, cofounder of San Diego's Raised by Wolves and Polite Provisions.No wonder variations of the Whiskey Ginger—a two-ingredient Highball with ginger ale or ginger beer as the mixer—have existed since who knows when. But Prohibition “blew up” the drink, says Darron Foy, head bartender at The Flatiron Room in New York City. “Ginger ale was a perfect mixer to temper the odor of the subpar whiskey of the time while providing its own unique flavor point,” he explains.On top of that, Greta Garbo may have helped the drink earn a classy reputation. While playing the title character in the 1930 film Anna Christie, Garbo said, “Give me a whiskey, ginger ale on the side, and don't be stingy, baby.” The movie was the highest-grossing picture of the year.Because the Whiskey Ginger is so easy to make and most styles complement...

Many American whiskeys tout their history and authenticity, but few can lay claim to their actual birthplace. Old Overholt can. First made in western Pennsylvania in the early 1800s by Abraham Overholt, one of the rye whiskey's earliest distilleries still stands at West Overton Museums in Scottsdale, a living history site that traces the area's evolution from agrarian to industrial, with a particular emphasis on the founding Overholt family. Now, Old Overholt parent company Beam Suntory is partnering with West Overton to ensure that the whiskey's role in that story continues to be highlighted and supported.“It always felt like a no-brainer to us,” says Jon Marks, brand director for small batch at Beam Suntory, explaining that Beam Suntory feels a duty to help maintain such an important piece of Old Overholt's history. “We are stewards of this brand. We own this brand today, and it's our responsibility to do right by it.”Jessica Kadie-Barclay, CEO of West Overton Museums, says...

In order to give us all a chance to consider this latest round of new releases as closely as possible, we've decided to separate them into two installments. Today we'll cover the landscape of new expressions in American whiskey, and on Monday we'll report on the latest from Scotland, Japan, and elsewhere in the world. For the American side, there's much ado about the barrel, as so many of these releases feature a variety of cask finishings and longer barrel agings, some of them unusual. Also, Widow Jane digs into the cellars for some of its most aged liquid, and we note with interest that Frey Ranch is out with an American single malt. We haven't scored that one yet but can confirm from preliminary tastings that it's a good one, though unfortunately its volumes are tiny, and are sold only at the distillery and on their website.  There's plenty more to take in here, so enjoy.
Widow Jane Decadence
Style: Blend of straight bourbons
Origin: Tennessee...

Iconic in presentation with its silver cup and fresh greenery, the Mint Julep is arguably bourbon at its most refreshing. But historically, the Julep has been made with brandy, rum, and even genever—and occasionally without mint—so there's precedent for flexibility.Like many classic cocktails, the Julep benefits from a short ingredient list and ease of execution. Frank Caiafa, beverage director at New York City's The Stayton Room and author of “The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book,” says that respecting simplicity is important. “Keep it basic,” he urges. “Stick to protocol.”Ryan Hart, bar manager at The Crunkleton in Charlotte, North Carolina says that the Mint Julep is easily tweaked to suit the drinker, depending on whether you prefer your cocktail stronger or sweeter. “What's really important is getting the gist of the recipe and learning how to balance it,” he says.How to Make a Mint Julep 1 tsp. sugar or ½oz. simple syrup Handful mint leaves, plus a sprig for...

Whisky: it's so hot right now. Especially if it's finished in Tabasco hot sauce barrels, which is the case with a new flavored whiskey from Tennessee's George Dickel. In fact, "Hot Dickel" takes things even further by blending in distilled Tabasco, creating a spicy spirit with a capsaicin kick. If you're into it, the whiskey is a permanent part of Dickel's lineup and will cost $25.For those who don't like to mingle condiments and whisky, there's a new blended American whiskey from Hotaling & Co. (formerly Anchor Distilling), makers of Old Potrero. The blend includes Old Potrero 18th-Century Style Whiskey, Old Potrero Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Port Casks, and Kentucky bourbon. Called J.H. Cutter after a historic whiskey brand, the 48% ABV whiskey costs $50 and is available in a handful of states.From Scotland come two new single malts in the Port Askaig line: an 8 year old and a 14 year old. Each sourced from a different, undisclosed single malt distillery on Islay, the...

With gift-giving season upon us, there's no better time for new whisky. First up, Maker's Mark has a very special Private Edition coming out in December—a custom bourbon created by the competitors on Bravo's Top Chef. Just a few hundred bottles are available for $80 each, going on sale after the second episode of season 16 airs on December 13.Islay distillery Bowmore has unveiled a single malt distilled in 1965 and aged a whopping 52 years. There are just 232 bottles available, but at a cost of $30,000, the list of eligible purchasers isn't going to be too long.Meanwhile, boutique independent bottler The Last Drop is also rolling out a very aged whiskey—this one a bourbon distilled in 1982 at what is now called Buffalo Trace, but was then the George T. Stagg Distillery. It was moved out of barrel in 2002 to avoid becoming over-oaked. At 20 years old, with just 44 bottles available, the whiskey costs $4,000.Another bourbon from the George T. Stagg era is being released by Buffalo...

These are uncertain times for many, but the certainty that whisky will continue being made offers some reassurance, no?Let's start with St. Patrick's Day, coming up on Tuesday. If you're looking to try a new bottle, check out our recommendations. On top of the newcomers, familiar whiskeys will be sporting new looks. Powers is rolling out a redesigned bottle of its Gold Label Irish Whiskey in the U.S., hitting shelves now. Powers  John’s Lane and Three Swallow—which earned the No.-18 spot in our 2019 Top 20—will receive similar updates later in the year. In addition, Jameson is releasing a limited-edition St. Patrick’s Day label that features a design by Stephen Heffernan, also known as Hephee, a Dublin-based graphic designer. Fans can scan the QR code on the bottle to remix the label and enter to win prizes.If you spurn Irish in favor of American whiskey, there's something new for you too. Old Overholt has raised its proof and switched to being non-chill filtered, adding a...

Distilleries release new whiskies all the time, but rarely does a single producer debut multiple products at once. Old Elk is taking that route, however, launching new expressions of straight rye, wheat whiskey, and wheated bourbon across the country by mid-April. These aren't limited-edition whiskeys either; they're permanent additions to the lineup, with ample availability to satisfy drinker demand.Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Old Elk produces just 150 barrels of whiskey per year, although it's in the process of building a huge new distillery. The bulk of its whiskeys currently in bottle were distilled at MGP Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. That's not just because MGP has the capacity; Old Elk's master distiller, Greg Metze, was a long-time employee at the Lawrenceburg facility, holding the title of master distiller when he resigned in June 2016. While still employed at MGP, Metze designed Old Elk's custom mashbills and oversaw its first distillations. Now mature, these...

As whiskey lovers look to gather, taste, and learn more about their favorite spirit, whiskey tasting clubs are more popular than ever. Many distilleries have created their own clubs, through which fans can receive discounts, early access to releases, launch-party invitations, and more. Though these clubs have looked a bit different during the pandemic, they still offer whiskey aficionados a way to safely unite in their devotion to the dram.“We have seen a steady increase in membership since the beginning of the pandemic,” says Elisabeth Flaherty, head of hospitality for Utah's High West Distillery, where the High West Whiskey Club was formed in 2016. There is no fee to join, and “membership is maintained for as long as you wish to receive emails from High West,” Flaherty says. She adds that the biggest perk is finding out early when High West's releases are hitting the shelves.KO Distilling in Manassas, Virginia also has its own club—whose members are called PlanKOwners, in...

The whisky scene was abuzz this week about the story of Mary Dowling, and the release of two whiskeys bearing her name. Dowling (1859-1930) was a distillery owner, entrepreneur, accused bootlegger, and all-around brilliant businesswoman with one of the most remarkable careers in whisky history (see below). She's perhaps best noted for relocating her entire distilling operation down to Juarez, Mexico during the Prohibition years, outsmarting the law and her competitors. Rabbit Hole founder Kaveh Zamanian of Louisville has created two whiskeys under the Mary Dowling name to honor her legacy. While the announcement is not quite accurate in saying that Dowling's story has never been told—she was featured in Fred Minnick's 2013 book Whiskey Women, among other places—dedicating whiskeys to her name is a home run of an idea. We haven't tasted the whiskeys yet, and we certainly hope they...

Ardbeg made a splash this week with news of the return of its much-coveted 17 year old, which will be available only to members of the Ardbeg Committee fan club later this month. Noteworthy among nationally available releases is Clonakilty's Irish single pot still expression, the western Ireland producer that started laying down whiskey in 2019 with single pot still as its primary focus. Bardstown Bourbon Co. has new releases for both its Collaborative Series and its Discovery Series, while Kentucky blender Dixon Dedman’s 2XO has a new edition in its Icon Series. Filmland Spirits, the company that combines a passion for both whiskey and cinema, is out with its latest movie-inspired blockbuster, this one a blend of four bourbons. And there's more, as the autumn whisky release season begins kicking into high gear. 
Ardbeg 17 year old The Legend Returns 
ABV: 40%
Price: $190
Availability: ardbeg.com, at the Distillery Visitor...

This article was originally published in March 2020. COVID-related restrictions may affect some of the opening times and offerings of these venues, so check in advance of a visit.No city shares a greater affinity with rye whiskey than Baltimore. Locals remained loyal to Maryland's Pikesville rye even long after the brand moved to Kentucky's Heaven Hill Distillery in 1982. The city is also the epicenter for the revival of Maryland-style rye, which is distinguished by a significant portion of corn, anywhere from 15% to 45% of the mashbill, giving it a lighter, sweeter taste. Its reemergence is a sign of Baltimore's, and Maryland's, return to the East Coast's whiskey-making vanguard.Like rye playing second fiddle to bourbon, there is an underdog quality to Baltimore, living in the shadow of Washington, D.C. “We're excited to show the world what sort of spirits Baltimore is creating, and return the city to its rightful place in the pantheon of world booze meccas,” says Max Lents...

Halloween is on Monday, which means it’s time to unwrap some candy, open up some whisky, and find your favorite pairing. We put together this list of whiskies that showcase popular candy notes, though we also have a guide to pairing a variety of candy types with a wide range of whisky. Start by matching flavors, searching for whiskies that have notes of chocolate, nuts, cookies, and caramel, and grabbing a Snickers, Twix, or other candy to go with it.
As for new whiskies this week, there are plenty of treats to choose from. Buffalo Trace has unveiled this year’s Antique Collection, which includes the return of George T. Stagg. Glenmorangie adds to its Tale series with a woodland-inspired single malt, while The Macallan adds to the Harmony Collection with a pair of whiskies inspired by coffee. Nikka meanwhile, extends its Discovery Series with two new single malts devoted to yeast. Read on for full...

Erik Niel owns three restaurants in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and he’s passionate about whisky— especially exclusive barrel picks. He offers more than 20 private barrel selections at his venues—Easy Bistro & Bar, Main Street Meats, and Little Coyote—and plans to expand that repertoire. What started as a hobby to stock unique whiskeys at his bars has turned into a full-on passion.
Niel has a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University, where his training included wine service and knowledge, but not much on whiskey. It wasn’t until he opened his first solo restaurant, Easy Bistro & Bar, in 2005 that he began focusing on the bar—and started tasting whiskeys. After that, he was hooked. “Having a background in culinary and wine helped me understand my palate, the nose, and how to think about tastings, which helped me develop an appreciation for whiskey,” Niel says. “I was fortunate to get into it on the earlier...

The French may have popularized charcuterie as we know it today—and gave it the name, which comes from their words for flesh (chair) and cooked (cuit)—but salting and smoking meats to preserve them dates back to at least ancient Rome. “Since there was only so much pork loin, beef rib eye, and tenderloin to go around, Romans would chop, mince, and grind all parts of the animal and stuff the innards with this meat, plus salt and spices, and then roast them over an open fire,” says Kevin Ouzts, owner, executive chef, and charcutier of The Spotted Trotter in Atlanta. 
While wine and cheese make a natural pairing, whisky and charcuterie are just as delicious together. The flavors you’ll find on a charcuterie board are similar to those of many whiskies—including smoke, brine, fruit, and spice—and enjoying them together enhances the flavors of both. With so many different meats, cheeses, and other ingredients that make up a charcuterie...

The biggest whiskey release news of the week was Buffalo Trace's unveiling of its 2018 Antique Collection, including the surprise twist that Eagle Rare 17 year old is getting a higher proof this year. The bourbons and ryes in the collection will also have a slightly higher recommended retail price—although longtime fans will know that usually has no impact on the actual asking price in the store.If you're in search of more readily available, and affordable, whiskies, there are plenty to choose from, hitting shelves very soon. First up, a celebrity whiskey for MMA fans: fighter Conor McGregor is launching Proper No. Twelve, a blended Irish whiskey named for his hometown of Crumlin (12 is part of the postcode there). The whiskey is sourced from "the world's oldest whiskey distillery" (code for Bushmills) and will be available in Ireland, and nationwide in the U.S. for $30.Kavalan is releasing a single malt aged in neutral barrels to showcase the fruity flavors that develop in...

In Scotland, malt whisky is always made using 100% malted barley. In the U.S. many malt whiskeys (especially those labeled “single malt”) are made with 100% malted barley as well. But they don't have to be: U.S. regulations stipulate that malt whiskey is only required to have a minimum of 51% malted barley in the mashbill.Like bourbon and rye, the maximum proofs for distillation and barrel entry for American malt whiskey are 160 and 125, respectively. Additionally, it must be stored in new, charred oak barrels. Therefore, American malt whiskeys are closer kissing cousins to bourbon and American rye than they are to scotch single malts.Taking advantage of the U.S. definition, Woodford Reserve's Kentucky straight malt whiskey is made from a mashbill of 51% malted barley, 47% corn, and 2% rye. It's a malt whiskey that is also just a touch shy of qualifying as a bourbon. As with other U.S. whiskey styles, straight indicates it has spent at least 2 years in a new, charred oak...

Single pot still Irish whiskey was a breakthrough winner in Whisky Advocate's Top 20 whiskies of 2020, with three expressions—from Kilbeggan, Drumshanbo, and Teeling—making the list. This is a style anchored to Ireland, and has yet to be widely imitated in other nations. Brace yourself for a cascade of fresh single pot still whiskeys from the many new distilleries that have fired up their stills across Ireland in recent years.Although 95% of Irish whiskeys are blends, single pot still is seen by many as Ireland's path to becoming the choice of whiskey lovers around the world. At Midleton Distillery in County Cork, distiller Katherine Condon describes single pot still's character for those yet to discover its delights. “They're spicy, robust, and full-bodied, with a great element of depth and complexity and a wonderful creamy mouthfeel,” she says. The spiciness is a distillate character credited to the unmalted barley, while triple distillation is used to...

It’s a forgotten piece of whiskey’s past, from back in the 1990s, brought to light by an auction held on April 14th at Sotheby’s in New York. The item was a collection of ultra-aged, ultra-premium American whiskeys called The Rare American Whiskey Selection, conceived as an annual series by one of the biggest companies in the business. At the time it was an unusual concept in American whiskey, to say the least.
The idea came from United Distillers, a forerunner to Diageo. In addition to its prowess in scotch, the company had sizable holdings in American whiskey, including the acquired assets of Schenley, Glenmore, and Stitzel Weller. But in the late 1980s and early ’90s, American whiskey was in a sorry state. A generation of young drinkers had turned up its nose at brown spirits, favoring imported vodka and California chardonnay—and leaving whiskey companies desperately seeking solutions to the problem.
United Distillers thus created a luxury...

Barrell is back with two releases in its ultra-aged Grey Label series, a bourbon and a rye, the latter being a blend of two whiskies with 100% rye mashbills from an undisclosed Canadian distiller (most likely Alberta Distillers, which is known for its high rye mashbills.) That Canadian entry is the only non-U.S. whiskey on today’s list, which also includes a new 7 year old, high-rye expression from Baker’s—a welcome new addition for Baker's fans, who always want more from this somewhat sparsely available label. Louisville distiller Rabbit Hole, meanwhile, has a limited edition 8 year old rye from its Boxergrail label.
Elsewhere, Blue Note is offering a new honey barrel expression, while Log Still Distillery has a new rye, and Lost Lantern is out with a new collection of 10 year old single cask whiskeys.  Although Halloween and Thanksgiving still await, some whiskey makers are already unveiling their holiday whiskeys. Old Potrero...

In the coming months, you'll see many American whiskey labels donning the term “Oregon oak.” What is it?Oregon oak is the popular name for a species of American white oak, Quercus garryana, that grows along the Pacific coast and is indigenous to British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. It's also commonly referred to as “Garry oak,” “post oak,” “Brewer's oak,” and “shin oak.” But let's face it, Oregon oak sounds better than shin oak.The broadleaf hardwood was named in 1839 and offered little commercial value, according to 1920s U.S. Forest Service literature. The species was noted for making good barrel staves, which were likely used to make beer barrels in the region.Oregon oak's contemporary barrel rise began in the 1970s, when the U.S. Forest Service studied its wine barrel potential. In 1988, Oregon Oak Barrels burst onto the scene and began selling barrels to prominent U.S. winemakers. Since then, several coopers have offered Oregon oak, including Rogue...

Inspired by the classic summertime cocktail, the Whiskey Smash, this meringue-based dessert is a showstopper that’s simple to pull together. Like the cocktail, it highlights summer’s bounty of fresh strawberries married with a slightly dry, oaky whiskey and enhanced by mint’s brightness.
Mint and whiskey have a special affinity, likely thanks to the mint-forward compounds whiskey picks up from barrels during maturation. Hard Truth sweet mash rye is a solid addition to the recipe, thanks to a minty punch in the form of what our tasting panel found to be peppermint patties, Moroccan mint tea, and Andes chocolate. It’s the backbone of a boozy syrup, made with fresh mint, tossed with strawberries and strewn atop a free-form meringue shell alongside dollops of fresh whipped cream. 
Like the Smash, this three-part recipe is marked by a key technique: “muddling” or “smashing” so the flavors are evenly incorporated. Here it’s...

There has been much praise for the virtues of honey barrel-finished whiskey, but comparatively little is said about whiskey barrel-aged honey. When done right, barrel-aged honey can be a real treat for whiskey lovers, with its notes of oak and char lending a complexity that goes far beyond honey’s typical flavors.
Jeff Otto is the apiarist at TruBee in Eagleville, Tennessee, about 40 miles south of Nashville, which he owns with his wife Laura Kimball. He conducts the aging process by taste, not time. “There are so many variables,” he says. “Honey itself, there’s no recipe for it, the bees give me what they give me. The barrels are the same way; if the barrels have more char, we’re getting more char flavor…if they’re a little wetter, we’ll get more whiskey flavor. We’re kind of at [everything’s] mercy for this process, but we have to try to stay as consistent as possible.”
Otto tastes his barrel-aged honey...

There are many drinks to toast St. Patrick's Day, but whiskey is, of course, our choice. At home, you could pour a healthy dram, make an Irish whiskey cocktail, or craft your own perfect Irish Coffee.Some big brands are offering ways to celebrate the holiday beyond the comfort of your own couch. In partnership with musician Anderson .Paak, Jameson will buy a drink for bar patrons who use the hashtag #lovethybar and share a photo on Facebook Messenger. Tullamore D.E.W., meanwhile, is inviting everyone to be Irish for the day—no matter their national heritage—with customizable shirts that transform any last name into an Irish-sounding name. I, for example, would be Ted O'Simmons. You can learn more and purchase your own shirt at oeveryone.com.Most of us whiskey lovers will celebrate the holiday with a dram of great Irish whiskey, and there's no better occasion to try a new bottle. Whether you like single malts, single pot still, or blends, there's something exciting to try right...

In this new round of releases, Beam Suntory is at it again with yet another collaboration whisky, this one a blended scotch called Ardray, curated by the Scotland and Japan production teams. It's the third cross-global collaboration by Beam Suntory since the company was formed in 2014. The first came in 2019 with Legent, a Kentucky bourbon distilled at Beam and finished by the Japan blending team in a variety of wine and sherry casks. Next came Ao, first launched in Japan and Travel Retail in 2019 and introduced in the U.S. earlier this year, made with whiskies from Beam Suntory distilleries in five countries. Now comes Ardray, as the company seems determined to create some sort of collaborative, international niche within its vast whisky portfolio.
There were lots of other whiskies unveiled this week, including a new Weller family member, the latest red wine cask finished expression from Aberfeldy, the third release of Colere from...

Updated June 13, 2024
Father’s Day is this Sunday, and there’s no better time to celebrate the father figures in our lives. If your dad appreciates a great dram, then odds are there’s a whisky that ties to his other interests, be it a love of cars, the great outdoors, music, or other things. A bottle of whisky goes a long way in letting dad know how much you appreciate him.
History Buff Dad 
Shackleton Blended Malt Scotch, 40% ABV, $35
This blended Highland malt is inspired by the whisky that Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton left behind during a failed bid to reach the South Pole in 1907.
George Washington’s Straight Rye, 43% ABV, $188/375 ml
Researchers discovered the original recipe for Washington’s whiskey in his ledgers from 1798 and 1799—he used a mashbill of 60% rye, 35% corn, and 5% malted barley. Today, that same recipe is made at Mount Vernon Distillery, on the site of Washington’s home.
Grilling...

Joseph Magliocco’s earliest link to Michter’s came in the late 1970s, when he took his very first sales job at his family’s wine and spirits business. Michter’s, then a Pennsylvania brand with roots stretching back to 1753, had released mini gold-plated King Tut decanters of its pot still sour mash whiskey—at the time, much of the country was captivated by the “Treasures of Tutankhamen” traveling exhibit, which drew huge crowds. The decanters didn’t have the same sort of pull; in fact, they were such flops that Magliocco was tasked with getting them out of the company’s warehouses by any means necessary. As he worked to clear out the Michter’s decanters, however, he also developed an affinity for and deep understanding of the brand.
Fast forward to 1995, when Magliocco was at the helm of a new family business, Chatham Imports, and was looking for a brand to jumpstart the budding company’s revenue stream...

“America’s Finest City” is a nickname San Diego earned in large part for its famously good weather and beaches. But for whiskey lovers, its downtown, especially the Gaslamp neighborhood, is a hotbed of standout bars. The city is also famous for its locally beloved happy hours, so ingrained that virtually every watering hole joins in the fun. Establishments have specials from late afternoon and/or early evening on weekdays and in some cases weekends.
San Diego’s airport is less than 10 minutes, without traffic, from downtown where parking is scarce. Readily available rideshare services are your best bet.
Make Aero Club Bar the first stop on your way to the Gaslamp or the last stop before you depart; there are over 1,000 whiskies to choose from.
Day One
The Horton Grand Hotel opened in the Gaslamp District in 1886, and catered to celebrities from Wyatt Earp to Babe Ruth to President Benjamin Harrison. Today it’s a reasonably priced...

Burgers and beer have long been friends, but whisky is also a natural accompaniment. Many bars and restaurants around the country offer a their signature burgers alongside some very cool whisky lists. From private barrel exclusives to sampler flights of unique brands, these bars have whiskies that appeal to all types of aficionados, while also offering elevated burger options that run the gamut from custom beef blends to wild game patties, with toppings that are equally creative.

Spears Bourbon, Burgers, and Beer
Wheeling, Illinois
Both burgers and whisky get major attention at Spears. This suburban Chicago restaurant boasts almost 400 whiskies on its menu, alongside grass-fed beef specialty burgers. Private barrels are a big deal here, and Spears offers a variety of exclusive bottlings, from Old Forester and Jack Daniel’s to Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and New Riff rye ($14-$32/2 oz., some are available for bottle purchase). Beyond that...

The world of whisky is ever-expanding, extending into your medicine cabinet and onto the baseball field. That means there are more options and opportunities to educate and enjoy and if you are serious about either, a proper plan is best. Pursue your best whisky life with these 10 tips.1. Start a Tasting ClubStarting a regularly scheduled tasting club is a great way to form friendships and advance your whisky knowledge. It can be as formal or casual as you like, says Jim Holdsworth, who runs the Passen Cotty Scotch Club in western Massachusetts. “We'll have a theme, as many as 10 to 20 whiskies,” says Holdsworth. “Scotch, rye, a wood-finished theme, wounded soldiers—we'll take pictures of the empty bottles. It's an event.” Use these 5 tips to start your own vibrant whisky club.Scout for members: Start with your favorite specialty whisky retailer. “They already know the heavy hitters in the area, and are probably in touch with [them],” says Jim. They might post a flyer or...

When the weather warms up and more of life’s pleasures take place outside, even enthusiastic home bartenders know that it’s not always practical to mix up cocktails to go. But nowadays, there are high-quality ready-to-drink (RTD) options that you can take almost anywhere.
In 2019, entrepreneurs Neal Cohen and Yoni Reisman were taking stock of the drinks landscape. At the time, these two ardent cocktail lovers were regularly working major outdoor festival events, and they noticed there were plenty of vodka lemonades, but no prepared drinks for cocktail aficionados. “We had such a love of cocktails and felt the accessibility was so limited,” says Cohen, noting you either had to head to a bar or make them at home. So Tip Top Proper Cocktails was born to fill the void.
Canned Classic Cocktails
Tip Top focuses on classic cocktails—Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Whiskey Sour, Paper Plane, Penicillin, and Boulevardier—with recipes developed by...

The noise sounds like a distant echo when you're standing outside the nondescript building on an otherwise silent street, minutes from downtown Louisville. But the instant you open the shop door to the Vendome Copper & Brass Works, an industrial orchestra—clatter, clank, hiss, bang!—drowns out any attempt at conversation. That can be a nuisance when Mike Sherman, one of Vendome's fourth-generation owners and its vice president, is showing you around and explaining the intricate technicalities of welding, soldering, plasma-cutting, and precision turning.There are probably a dozen projects underway in the vast shop on this particular morning. There's distillery equipment in various stages of being: hulking columns with gaping holes where sight ports will go, lying sideways like Doric columns of an ancient Greek building felled by an earthquake; a fermenting tank flush against the floor, its legs just a pile of copper poles beside it; shiny stacks of perforated trays. Men are...

As you make your way through the holiday rush, we've rounded up some gift ideas to help complete your list. There's a little something for all sorts of whisky lovers in your life, be they in need of new ways to bring the party, beautiful bottles to bedazzle their shelves, and much, much more. And if you're looking for something smaller (and edible) we have a list of great pairing gifts as well.Of course, don't forget the ultimate whisky gift guide, our annual Top 20 list, which captures the most exciting whiskies from the year, weighing quality, affordability, availability, and x-factor. We're counting down to Whisky of the Year on December 9, with the full list revealed on the following day.Whisky Gifts for Your Bar and Beyond
Bring Your Bar Absolutely EverywhereHave you ever wished you had access to your home bar while you were traveling? This backpack ($248) aims to give you just that. Complete with 17 different components, among them a stainless steel hawthorne strainer...

Indisputably, scotch is the world's most popular style of whisky, with single malt regarded as the epitome of this fine spirit, cherished for its unparalleled quality. While I make my home in Scotland and have a passion for her whiskies, my role as Whisky Advocate's world whisky reviewer presents me with a steady stream of fascinating whiskies from India, Taiwan, Mexico, Israel, Australia, and beyond!Just 20 years ago, it would have been considered laughable that anyone could challenge Scotland's dominance of single malt—butJapan gave scotch lovers reason to pause. Today, I'm in awe of the proliferation of whisky from around the world, and the vast range of countries that stand proudly behind high-quality products.A global community of distillers is transporting single malt whisky to new places, literally. By adding their own creativity and local techniques, resulting in exciting flavors and geographical styles, the single malt world is changing quickly. Because I sample and...

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a mecca for whiskey tourism in the United States, has kicked off summer with a revamp that includes an expanded trail, now encompassing 46 Kentucky distilleries, and a major upgrade to the digital side offered by the group’s website. The Bourbon Trail, which launched in 1999 and celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has attracted millions of tourists to Kentucky over the years.
This new expansion of the Bourbon Trail, which previously included 18 core distilleries, will encompass what was previously called the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, a separate leg spanning 28 craft distilleries. By combining both trails, Kentucky now has one statewide Bourbon Trail experience that includes 46 distilleries.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail distilleries include Angel’s Envy, Evan Williams, and Stitzel-Weller in Louisville, plus Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Bardstown, Four Roses in Lawrenceburg, James B. Beam in Clermont, and Woodford Reserve in...

Deep leather armchairs and quiet sitting rooms have their place, but when summer is in full swing enjoying whisky need not be a strictly sedentary affair. After all, the word whisky famously derives from “water of life,” and the life well-lived should include travel and the great outdoors. Thanks to surging interest in whisky, you can now find it being distilled in scenic spots from Scotland to Montana. Intrepid whisky lovers unite: these thrilling and delicious destinations will unleash your whisky warrior.Slay the Single Track at Breckenridge DistilleryColorado's most bicycle-centric town, Breckenridge has more than 100 mountain bike trails plus a technical obstacle mountain bike park and the beginner-friendly Illinois Creek Trail System. The Breckenridge ski resort offers a dozen lift-served trails of its own, and nearby Copper Mountain also has a lift-served trail network. For the less adventurous, the seven-mile paved Blue River Recreation Path is blissfully car-free. There...

Bottled in bond bourbons have made a huge splash recently—take Whisky Advocate's 2019 Whisky of the Year George Dickel 13 year old Bottled in Bond, for example. Bottled in bond whiskeys aren't limited to just bourbon, though. As long as the whiskey—or any other spirit, like brandy—is produced according to the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, it can be labeled as such.A bottled in bond whiskey must be produced in a single distilling season by a single distiller, aged in a U.S. bonded warehouse for a minimum of 4 years, and bottled at 50% ABV. Any style of whiskey can be bonded as long as it meets those regulations—and to that point, many bottled in bond ryes have emerged over the last few years. One of those ryes, New Riff Bottled in Bond, even made our 2019 Top 20, earning the No.-17 spot.While the whiskeys on this list share many qualities due to bottled in bond regulations, and the fact that most are rye, there's also rich variety represented. These bottles hail from several...

When is a whiskey not actually a whiskey? We explored the question in our Spring 2020 issue, and that feature is now online. Take a read if you haven't already—you'll be better equipped to understand why we call brands like Angel's Envy "finished bourbon" and not just "bourbon."On to new releases. Bushmills is debuting a 28 year old single malt that spent a very long time in a cognac cask. The first whiskey in its Rare Casks series, it's priced at $500 with less than 500 bottles available.Highland Park is launching a cask-strength single malt. Produced in batches, the whisky will be widely available, priced at $90.The 2020 release of Angel's Envy Cask Strength hits shelves next month—and this year, it's available in all 50 states. There are 17,400 bottles to go around, priced at $200.Bruichladdich is launching all of its annual Octomore whiskies at once: Octomore 11.1 ($200; 30,000 bottles), 11.2 (£140; 8,000 bottles), 11.3 ($260; 18,000 bottles), and 10 year old ($235; 12,000...

As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, there’s no better time of year to savor Irish whiskey. While Jameson has long ruled the roost as the most readily available Irish whiskey on the market, there’s now a wide world of Irish whiskeys out there to enjoy, with the Irish whiskey renaissance moving into full swing. We’ve rounded up some of Ireland’s most exciting releases for a wee bit of exploring on St. Paddy’s.
Method and Madness Rye and Malt, 46%, $80
Rye and Malt is new to the States, and comes from Irish Distillers Micro Distillery at Midleton, the experimental unit where the company’s whiskey makers try new and different combinations while the main distillery next door takes care of the star brands. Rye and Malt is triple distilled, and it combines 60% rye and 40% malted barley. It was aged for just over 6 years in bourbon barrels and bottled at cask strength.
Powers Irish Rye, 43.2%, $32
This is the first 100% Irish rye...

The holiday season is swiftly approaching, and with it, a slew of extra-special releases that would make interesting end-of-year gifts. For the car lover in your life, there is Bowmore's latest opus in partnership with luxury British automaker Aston Martin. Also out is a new edition from the Heaven's Door Bootleg series—the crème de la crème of the brand, which was created in partnership with Bob Dylan. Of great interest to us is the new release from Old Overholt, a 10 year old, cask strength rye priced at $100. That seems like quite a departure for this price-friendly label that has long been a favorite of rye lovers, though this release is in fact a throwback to Old Overholt ryes of the previous century. 
Elsewhere in new whisky, High West returns with a fresh edition of The Prisoner's Share, this one using no sourced whiskey, as it's 100% made at High West's Wanship...

We’d wager that for most people, it’s only natural to think first of Kentucky, and then perhaps Tennessee, when thinking of American whiskey. After all, the two southern states possess rich distilling histories that stretch back hundreds of years, and today Kentucky makes about 95% of all bourbon on the market. But there’s another state right next door with a rich whiskey history of its own: Indiana.
The Hoosier State is home to the city of Lawrenceburg, once known as Whiskey City, USA thanks to its prolific rye production from the mid-19th century up to Prohibition. The city, which lies just west of Cincinnati, and under 2 hours northeast of Louisville, built its first distillery in 1847. Originally called Rossville, it has gone through a series of name changes over the years—from Rossville to Jos. E. Seagram Lawrenceburg, then Lawrenceburg Distillers, more recently MGP, and currently Ross & Squibb. It’s a distillery that has supplied whiskey for...

It's a light menu of new whiskey releases this week, led by the return of Flaming Heart from blended scotch bottler Compass Box, which is out with a 25th anniversary edition. Chattanooga Whiskey, meanwhile, has a 13th anniversary release, drawn from the distillery's solera systems and made from a different combination of whiskeys than the previous year, in keeping with Chattanooga's tradition. On the other side of Tennessee, in Memphis, Old Dominick has released a single barrel 7 year old wheat whiskey. And finally, Louisville-based Pursuit Spirits pays tribute to its hometown's distilling history with the revival of two lost whiskey names: Mellwood and Derby Town. 
 
 
Compass Box Flaming Heart 25th Anniversary Edition Blended Malt Scotch
ABV: 48.9%
Price: $165
Availability: Limited; 9,384 bottles
Compass Box has announced a new edition of Flaming Heart, its peaty blended malt scotch, to celebrate the company’s 25th...

The newest Sotheby’s 2025 Whisky & Whiskey auction, Festive Spirits, is now open for bidding and will culminate in a live auction on December 12. Among the scores of lots are ungodly scarce bottles, many beyond unicorn status—what’s rarer than a unicorn? A Pegasus?—including a 1950 Very Very Old Fitzgerald 15 year old “Blackhawk”, a Macallan 78 year old, and 22 pints of 1953 Old W.L. Weller 5 year old.
Standing toe-to-toe with these Pegasus bottles, one collection that’s already attracting bids is a selection of 30-plus bottles from Preservation Distillery’s Marci Palatella—specifically, a slew of Very Olde St. Nick expressions from the early ’90s, along with collector editions such as The Legends of the Wild West and Outlaw Collector series.
“We’ve never seen this many [Preservation] bottles come to auction at once,” says Zev Glesta, assistant vice president and whiskey specialist for...

It's Friday the 13th, but don't get spooked—this week's new whiskeys are all perfectly normal. In fact, Diageo just announced news of its 2018 Special Releases—most of them, that is.First up, Wild Turkey has announced a new, permanently available bourbon called Longbranch, which master distiller Eddie Russell made in partnership with creative director (and film actor) Matthew McConaughey. It's 8 years old and filtered through both American white oak and mesquite charcoals, and it costs $40. Since McConaughey's stamp of approval is on it, I'm guessing this whiskey is all right, all right, all right (or even better than that).Balvenie Distillery debuted DoubleWood 12 year old in 1993, and in celebration of its 25th anniversary, the company is rolling out limited-edition packaging. While the liquid inside is the same as in any other bottle, Balvenie also plans to release a 25 year old DoubleWood later this year.Blade and Bow is returning with its 22 year old bourbon for the fourth...

Update April 6, 2023: Edrington has increased its stake in Wyoming Whiskey from 35% to 80% making it the majority shareholder of the distillery.
Edrington Group, the parent company of Macallan, Glenrothes, and Highland Park scotch, announced that it has formed a “strategic partnership” with Wyoming Whiskey. The Kirby, Wyoming craft distiller's bourbon and other whiskeys will become part of Edrington's portfolio, which also includes The Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark blended scotches, Brugal rum, Partida tequila, and Snow Leopard vodka; Edrington will handle all sales, marketing, and distribution. Other terms of the deal—such as the size of the stake, price, or whether it includes the potential for full acquisition in the future—were not disclosed, although president and CEO of Edrington North America Chris Spalding says that the partnership is long-term. The two companies spent about two years in discussions before reaching an agreement.
Other than two...

Get to the chopper! The same bottling company that brought us Star Trek-themed James T. Kirk bourbon and Montgomery Scott scotch is now offering Dutch bourbon, named for the tough soldier played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 action movie Predator. The bourbon is sourced from South Carolina-based Terressentia Corp., which uses its patented TerrePURE process to filter and smooth out harsh alcohols using ultrasonic waves. (I reported on Terressentia and other companies maturing whisky through alternative means in the Spring 2017 issue.) Available for pre-order now at $35 a bottle, the whiskey will begin shipping in April.One of the only whiskey distilleries in Hawai'i is set to debut its first release next month. Old Pali Road whiskey combines 6 month old whiskey made at the Ko'olau Distillery on O'ahu with 5 year old whiskey sourced from Missouri. The whiskey will be available in Hawai'i for $45.Finally, Douglas Laing & Co. is launching a 12 year old, cask-strength version...

A shake-up in the American whiskey world went down earlier this week, when it was announced that Rob Dietrich—formerly master distiller at Stranahan's—is taking on the role of master distiller and blender at Blackened, the whiskey brand co-founded by Metallica and the late, great Dave Pickerell. Dietrich has big shoes to fill, and we look forward to watching his progress.In the meantime, there's plenty of new whisky to look for now. Basil Hayden's has released its latest boundary-crossing expression, a blend of rye whiskeys and rum. Basil Hayden's Caribbean Reserve Rye is available for a limited time, priced at $45.Macallan is adding a new whisky to its core lineup. Made from barley grown on the distillery's Easter Elchies estate, Macallan Estate has a price of $250 and will be widely available.Tyrconnell has unveiled a single malt finished in casks that previously held both oloroso sherry and moscatel wine. Tyrconell Oloroso & Moscatel Cask Finish 16 year old is available in...

Oats! They're not just for breakfast anymore. Distilling with oats “creates a very creamy whiskey,” says Sonat Birnecker Hart, president and co-founder of Koval Distillery in Chicago. “It covers your palate. It's a little bit earthy…and has a nice sweetness to it as well.” Using 100% oats, Koval crafts a whiskey that Hart describes as clean, bright, and “incredibly grain-forward.”Major American distillers including Jim Beam and Buffalo Trace have previously experimented with oats, but only on a small scale. Perhaps the reason we haven't seen oats widely used in whiskey is the list of unique challenges they present, from milling the thin, pliant grain, all the way through distillation. In creating Woodford Reserve's Master's Collection Oat Grain bourbon, which includes 18% oats, master distiller Chris Morris was met with foaming fermentation that required filling fermenters to a lower than normal level. The oats also created a sticky mash, which made it difficult to...

There is plenty to talk about.
The outgoing U.S. Surgeon General has proposed cancer warnings for liquor labels. The new administration has proposed tariffs that could disrupt alcohol imports and exports. Popular weight loss drugs seem to also depress the appetite for alcohol. Legal cannabis is growing as an alternative intoxicant.
American whiskey sales declined in 2023 for the first time in more than 20 years, and 2024 was even worse. Headlines in the trade and popular press say the bourbon boom is over.
But the sky is not falling.
About 20 years ago, demand for bourbon began to exceed supply. After more than 30 years of excess capacity, the industry suddenly had none to spare. To support their own brands, several distillers declined to renew contracts with non-distiller producers, who had to find other sources or, in some cases, become distillers themselves. 
As domestic sales grew, so did exports. Existing distilleries expanded and new distilleries...

A decade after purchasing the Newport, Tennessee-based distillery that had been home to Popcorn Sutton whiskey, Sazerac is gearing up for its first-ever Tennessee whiskey release from the newly named AJ Bond Distillery. Under Sazerac, AJ Bond has been a labor of love, painstakingly undertaken by the late master distiller John Lunn and master blender Allisa Henley, whose first names inspired the “AJ” in the distillery’s name.
Lunn and Henley, both Tennessee natives, saw their careers become intertwined from the jump. They started at Cascade Hollow (maker of George Dickel) within a few months of each other in the mid-aughts, and when Lunn moved to Avery’s Trail Distillery (home of Popcorn Sutton) in 2015, Henley joined him soon after. After Sazerac acquired Avery’s Trail, Lunn and Henley stayed on and were given free rein to develop AJ Bond’s identity from the ground up. Over the next several years, they did just that.
Tragedy struck in 2023...

When Eagle Rare debuted back in 1975, it was billed as a luxury bourbon. While the whiskey was initially made for Seagram by no other than Charles L. Beam (the longtime Four Roses master distiller), it ended up in the hands of Sazerac by the late '80s. These days, the Buffalo Trace-made Eagle Rare is an entirely affordable item, given that its age remains even as its price tag hovers around $40. Consequently, this has made it more scarce on shelves—its sterling reputation as a reliable older bourbon at a relatively low price has led to a demand that outstrips the distillery’s supply. We explore what makes Eagle Rare 10 year old an enduring fan favorite, and whether you’ll have an easier time finding it in the future.
How is Eagle Rare 10 Year Made? 
The modern day Eagle Rare 10 takes Buffalo Trace’s mashbill #1, which, while kept under lock and key by the distillery, is known to be a low-rye mashbill with 10% or less rye grain...

In Pour This, Pair That, Whisky Advocate asks professional chefs to share a recipe designed for a specific type of whisky. Learn why these food and whisky combinations work—and try them yourself at home!High-proof bourbon has seen its stock rise in recent years. As whiskey lovers search for ever more powerful expressions of their favorite distillers' visions, these robust, rich bottlings have come to exemplify the art of bourbon production. And alongside appropriately full-bodied dishes, all those layers of flavor and aroma packed into the high alcohol content really have a chance to shine.“The reason for fatty food with high proof bourbons and ryes is the same reason for wines with big tannins,” explains Clayton Rollison, chef and owner of Lucky Rooster in Hilton Head Island, SC. “We need something to stand up to the heat of the proof. High-proof bourbons have bolder flavor profiles as well, since they are not cut when they come out the barrel.” Alongside a dish like...

The rebirth of our herb gardens lends whiskey cocktails a fresh and vibrant spin that neatly fills the void between fireside Manhattans and summer's whisky Highballs. "Adding herbs in whisky cocktails is a great way to accentuate many of the other elements, like citrus, bitters, and sugar," says Kaitlin Ryan, bartender at PABU Izakaya in San Francisco. In her words, these drinks are "a bouquet of flavor in a glass."Country Club SmashCoconut water and fresh mint give an island spin to the classic Whiskey Smash.Get the Recipe: Country Club SmashThyme After TimeBalance out peaty scotch with thyme and herbal bitters.Get the Recipe: Thyme After TimeKumamoto SourFrothy and refreshing, this cocktail uses the fresh, aromatic tones of basil to its advantage.Get the Recipe: Kumamoto SmashRose-Colored ThaiBourbon complements cilantro, mint, and lime in this soft and silky drink.Get the Recipe: Rose-Colored...

A whisky lover's cure for the common cold, the seemingly basic Hot Toddy has an ambiguous history.The word “toddy” may come from the Hindi word “tārī,” a drink made from fermented palm tree sap. Legend has it that the British discovered the drink during colonial trade days and brought it back to the motherland—although the contents of the beverage surely changed with the lack of palm tree liquor, no doubt substituting whatever spirits were locally available. The first recorded use of the word toddy to mean a drink made with spirits, hot water, sugar, and spices was in 1750 in the Boston Weekly Post Boy.Toddy variations abounded in the 18th and 19th centuries, using not only whisky but rum, brandy, gin, and apple brandy. Wherever you were, if you had access to spirits, water, and sugar, you could make a Toddy (hot or cold—though the cold variation is also known as a Sling). During a time when actual medical treatments for a cold or other winter illness were few and far...

New distillery visitors centers are springing up all over: Last week it was Woodford Reserve, and this week, Bulleit opened the doors to a new experience at its Shelbyville distillery. Plus, Lagg Distillery on Scotland's Isle of Arran is also now welcoming visitors and churning out heavily peated spirit. In a few years, it will be mature enough to call whisky.There's plenty of already-mature whisky now though. Maker's Mark has expanded availability of its 101 expression. Previously for sale at travel retail only, Maker's 101 is now available at the distillery and select Kentucky retailers, priced at $50 for a 1-liter bottle.Glenlivet has unveiled its latest mystery malt; called Enigma, the whisky's details are deliberately being withheld so that drinkers can make up their own minds about the flavor. Available in the U.S. only, Enigma costs $149.Meanwhile, there's a lot going on in bourbon country. Heaven Hill is launching a 7 year old bottled in bond bourbon this fall. While the...

Many whiskeys have a good story behind them, but for Rabbit Hole's newest bourbon, that story takes on particular poignancy. In an exclusive interview with Whisky Advocate, Rabbit Hole founder Kaveh Zamanian revealed why he chose the name Heigold, and what inspired the new names he's given to the rest of the brand's whiskeys. Heigold ($70) and the rebranded line roll out next month, first at the distillery and later more widely.Other new whiskies are coming out as well. Kentucky Owl is releasing the third batch of its rye, this time with a 10 year old age statement. Priced at $200, Kentucky Owl Rye is available in limited amounts.Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay is adding two new vintage releases to its core range. Bruichladdich 2010 Bere Barley is made with an ancient strain, while Bruichladdich 2010 The Organic is, as you might have guessed, distilled from organic barley. Both whiskies are $100, with 18,000 bottles of each available.Eighth-generation Jim Beam distiller Freddie Noe...

Jack Daniel's announced the launch of Tennessee Apple this week, if you like flavored whiskey—but if you prefer the unadulterated stuff, there are plenty of great options from Scotland, Kentucky, and elsewhere, all rolling out now.First up, there's a half-century scotch at a remarkably fair price, all things considered. There are 125 decanters of Benromach 50 year old available, priced at $10,000 each.Much more affordable, but no less exciting, Ardbeg is bringing back its super-peaty Supernova for the fifth time. Limited quantities are available at $180; expect it to sell fast.More limited-edition peaty goodness is coming from Bruichladdich, which is releasing the tenth Octomore series. Four different Octomores of varying ages and availabilities are hitting shelves, priced at $190 to $250.Booker's is rolling out its third release for this year. Booker's 2019-03 "Country Ham" is, as always, available in limited amounts, with a recommended price of $80.Sagamore Spirit has a cognac...

The Volunteer State was once home to hundreds of distilleries, but since Prohibition, Tennessee whiskey has been dominated by just two names: Jack Daniel's and George Dickel. That's changing fast. The epicenter of the action is Nashville, which for years has been emerging as one of the nation's hottest tourism cities. More than ever Nashville lives up to its moniker of Music City, expanding beyond country music to include live performances in all genres, while its red-hot culinary scene is equally diverse, from Southern classics to award-winning gourmet chefs. There are several suddenly trendy neighborhoods, new museums, non-musical entertainment, and boutique hotels seemingly opening monthly. Adult beverages have been diversifying as well, with the opportunity to tour and taste your way through whiskey, beer, sake, and cider, all in one day.Nashville's many neighborhoods and their offbeat names often confuse visitors, but they are very small and close together, with downtown and most...

Some people love whisky, but most everyone loves dogs, and when vacation time comes, nowadays people are increasingly inclined to bring along the family pooch. Indeed, demand for dog travel is so high these days that many hotels, restaurants, and attractions that once catered only to humans have opened their doors to pets. The trend fueled the recent record use of private jets, and NetJets now even provides its staff with canine training. But you don’t need a private jet to have a great vacation with your best buddy in Kentucky, where the nation’s richest whiskey culture offers an extraordinary level of dog-friendly amenities. Call it Southern hospitality, canine-style.

Day One
Welcome to Louisville! Start your trip in Kentucky’s biggest city with a visit to something few other cities boast: a “dog park bar.” PG&J is a full-blown, indoor/outdoor off-leash dog park and bar, and like all the best fur-friendly spots, it’s named for...

The Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection is a series of collectible Irish whiskeys released between 2020–2025, representing the last whiskey distilled at Old Midleton Distillery and totaling six releases in all. The four single pot still whiskeys, peated malt, and blend in the collection sell for a combined $291,000, with the early releases making several appearances in our auction coverage of the 20-highest hammer prices of the month. As the final chapter is released, Whisky Advocate has reviewed every bottling over the six years of this remarkable project, and our ratings and full tasting notes are below.
Chapter 6 Details
The sixth release is a 50 year old single pot still whiskey priced at $60,000, the oldest Irish whiskey released to date, that has been bottled to mark the 200th anniversary of the distillery’s founding. It was distilled by Max Crockett, the forefather of modern Irish whiskey, whose son, Barry Crockett, master distiller emeritus, was...

While they’re already serving up robust cocktails in inviting atmospheres, these distilleries are getting a makeover this holiday season—transformed into pop-up bars with festive lights, holiday decor, and playful themes to bring holiday cheer. We’ve rounded up 13 distilleries that are pulling out all the stops, with looks ranging from winter wonderlands to iconic Christmas movie-themed makeovers. There’s plenty of yule-themed fun at these distilleries.
Artisan Distillery & Craft Bar – The Elf Bar
San Antonio, Texas
Open through December 24th
Artisan Distillery and Craft Bar in downtown San Antonio mainly makes vodka, though it also produces a handful of whiskeys. This holiday season, its downtown location has been turned into a North Pole-themed wonderland inspired by the film “Elf”. Book a table and enjoy an interactive experience filled with surprises, karaoke, Christmas trivia, and of course, specialty cocktails to sip...

Minnesota native Phil Steger had been a longtime whiskey lover, but the idea of actually making whiskey himself was never part of the plan. That is, until he visited a distillery in Kentucky and started formulating an idea for a “better American whiskey.” But even then, he spent years working on whiskey chemistry while also working as a lawyer and an activist before moving full-time to distilling and taking the plunge to found Minneapolis-based Brother Justus Whiskey Co. in 2014.
A law school graduate, Steger’s eclectic career included work as an attorney and humanitarian, as well as years spent helping monks to digitally preserve centuries-old manuscripts. It was during that time that he came to appreciate the importance of protecting cultures. And it was also during his time preserving manuscripts that this whiskey-lover had a life-changing moment: After visiting James B. Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky to take a tour in 2007, his dream to...

The Manhattan cocktail—a simple recipe of American whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters that predates the Martini—yields myriad combinations to suit almost any whiskey lover. “I'm very choosy, first, about which rye—yes, rye—works best. Bourbon is too soft for me in this drink,” says Charles Cerankosky, co-owner of Good Luck, Cure, and Jackrabbit Club in Rochester, New York. However, many enjoy bourbon just fine, especially when matched with the right vermouth to balance its sweetness with bitterness and acidity. In fact, almost any style of whiskey you enjoy can shine in a Manhattan.
The modern Manhattan ratio is 2:1 whiskey to vermouth, but the original skewed the opposite, with twice as much vermouth as whiskey. Try this lower-proof rendition well-suited to summer—or find your sweet spot somewhere in between. When these ingredients meet with ice, it's hard to go wrong.
How to Make a Manhattan

2 oz. whiskey
1 oz. sweet...

Father’s Day is fast approaching, and distillers are offering special items for the occasion. Teeling has a gift set that includes a bottle of Teeling single malt, two leather coasters, two rocks glasses, and a set of whisky stones for $80. Blackened has released The Black Album Whiskey Pack, comprised of a bottle of Blackened Batch 114, a collectible whiskey coin, and a Snakebyte cocktail booklet named after James Hetfield’s signature guitar, all for $50. Aberfeldy is offering personalized hand-dipped gold wax bottles for their 12, 16, and 21 year old whiskies, with the bottles stamped by hand with the initials of your choosing. Pricing starts at $60.Perhaps a new release might make a perfect gift. This week’s lineup includes cask strength offerings from Booker’s and Writers’ Tears, as well as limited editions from Dewar’s and Midleton. Read on for full details.Dewar’s 19 year old The Champions EditionStyle: Blended whiskyOrigin: ScotlandAge: 19 year oldABV: 43%Price...

This week came word of a new Dickel Bottled in Bond (BIB) release, a welcome return after its last sighting in September of 2022. These Dickel BIB releases, which first appeared in 2019,  are of a quality that vaulted the once-maligned Dickel back into the American whiskey game. Its price has crept up to $45 from the 2019 level of $35, but folks, this is still an unbelievable deal for a beautifully aged American whiskey. Elsewhere around the  American whiskey scene, Basil Hayden is back with a second release of its Subtle Smoke expression, which uses hickory smoke infused barrels. Barrell has a new mizunara finished bourbon, and  Seattle's Copperworks Distilling Co. is out with three new single malts, albeit in very limited quantities. And from Scotlland, single malt maker Aberfeldy has ventured into Bordeaux for the latest effort in its wine cask-finishing work. Read on.
Aberfeldy Limited Edition 15 Year Old Cadillac White Wine...

One of the biggest hurdles to tasting a small, sought-after craft whiskey is finding it. We’ve all been there: You hear about an interesting craft whiskey from a friend, or you fall in love with one at a tasting event, only to discover that these bottles are impossible to find at nearby liquor stores. It’s a problem that’s long plagued the craft scene.
Many craft whiskeys are small and lack national distribution, but the issue is also a symptom of the way alcohol sales are regulated in the U.S. After the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, the federal government left alcohol regulation up to the states, with one key stipulation: It mandated the establishment of the so-called three-tier system, under which the producer (Tier 1) sells to a distributor (Tier 2), who then sells it to a retailer (Tier 3). The problem is that today’s distributors have consolidated into mammoth companies that are too busy selling big-volume brands to devote much attention to tiny craft...

Put down that beer! Too often our favorite spirit gets cast aside in favor of a cold brew or a white wine when the heat is on. But bourbon, our great American whiskey, is also one of the most versatile spirits at the table, according to celebrity chef, author, restaurateur, and whiskey lover Edward Lee.Lee has created a summer menu that pairs perfectly with our love of bourbon. At his standout restaurants in Louisville, Ky. (MilkWood, 610 Magnolia, The Wine Studio, Whiskey Dry) and the Washington, D.C. area (Succotash), Lee gets playful with flavors of the American South. Green curry boudin sausage, for example, challenges expectations with Lee's signature Asian twists, while his riff on a cheeseburger comes slathered in pimento cheese and slab bacon jam. No matter what he's cooking, Lee's food is fresh, contemporary, and often pairs brilliantly with whiskey, a personal passion of his. Indeed, his restaurants feature extensive selections of the spirit, with a particular focus on...

College can be the setting for many formative experiences; if you didn't develop an appreciation for whiskey in your university years, perhaps you discovered a taste for it. Recently, colleges have been striking licensing deals with breweries—like Old Tuffy, a partnership between NC State and New Belgium Brewing—but until now no one had branched into spirits. Breaking that ground is New Mexico State University (NMSU), which is launching a collaborative whiskey to raise funds for its athletic department. Made in partnership with Las Cruces-based Dry Point Distillers, Pistol Pete Six-Shooter rye joins the school's existing branded beer and wine.In a year where many college campuses have reduced attendance at athletic events, the licensing deals allow NMSU to make up some of its lost ticket sales. “While I don't think one product is going to hit it big, when you start adding the licensing revenue from a spirit and a wine and a beer, and some of these other consumables that we have...

The world of musician-backed whiskeys is growing larger. With well-known musical artists like Bob Dylan, Slipknot, and Florida Georgia Line serving as the face of whiskey brands, it can appeal to both fans of the spirit and the music. Blackened, the whiskey fronted by heavy metal band Metallica, is no exception. “I can definitely say that whiskey is almost hand-in-hand with the culture of rock and roll and metal,” said Rob Dietrich, Blackened master distiller and blender. Dietrich joined Whisky Advocate's Instagram Live show #TasteWithSpace on May 21 to discuss Blackened and the convergence of the worlds of whiskey and music. “You look at early ‘80s, or even the ‘70s, there's always these images of musicians onstage with a bottle of whiskey,” he said.Dietrich took over whiskey making at Blackened in 2019—after the death of Dave Pickerell, who helped launch the brand—but he was no stranger to the music industry; he noted that he worked as a rigger and stage manager...

American whiskey makers are getting an early jump on the year's releases, as Old Forester kicks things off with a new expression in its Whiskey Row Series. This series was started in 2014, with each release highlighting a significant historical milestone in Old Forester's history. The latest release, 1924, channels the Prohibition era. It has a bit more age than the core whiskey, which is usually matured for around  4 to 6 years. It also has a slightly different mashbill, with the rye component much lower than that of the traditional Old Forester. Commemorating its history is a prominent theme for Old Forester, even more so than most whiskey houses: its 117 Series, which launched in 2021, themes its releases in a similar way, and the company's annual Birthday Bourbon release honors the founder. Elsewhere among new rollouts, Angel's Envy is out with a three-pack of finished bourbons—oloroso sherry cask, tawny port, and madeira...

Founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 1969, The Allman Brothers Band grew to be one of the most influential rock groups in American music. An early Southern rock pioneer, the band’s run spanned 45 years, and their music inspired prominent musicians like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Widespread Panic, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Tom Petty, in addition to a slew of spin-off groups including Gov’t Mule and The Allman Betts Band.
Today marks a milestone for the band: the 53rd anniversary of its third studio album, “Eat a Peach.” On top of having hits like “Melissa” and “Blue Sky,” the record was also a defining moment in the group’s history, as it was the first album released following the death of founding member and lead guitarist Duane Allman, who died in a tragic motorcycle accident at the age of 24 while the album was still being recorded. To commemorate the anniversary, the Allman Brothers estate has partnered with Three Chord...

Unpeated and matured in a single refill bourbon cask; there’s nothing aggressive about this on the nose, not even at full strength: Bramley apple peels, lemon shortbread, poached pear, dried flowers, vanilla, and gentle spice. A thick, chewy mouthfeel with waves of baked apple, warm cookies, toffee, cranberry tart, red apple, and vanilla fudge, with a fruity finish of clove and juicy apple. (246 bottles)

If you’re a whisky drinker, you probably know the basics of whisky making. You might’ve even dreamed about ditching your day job to become a distiller. If you’re one of those dreamers, Buffalo Trace Distillery has an offer you won’t refuse: a sweepstakes contest that gives the winner a chance to work alongside master distiller Harlen Wheatley.
The lucky distiller-for-a-day, and their guest, will be afforded the deepest behind-the-scenes access that any Buffalo Trace visitor has ever received, as they complete nearly every aspect of the whiskey-making process alongside Wheatley. And working hand-in-hand with the master distiller isn’t the only perk.
The winner will receive roundtrip transportation, including airfare if needed, to Louisville, and a one-night stay at a 4-star hotel in the city. Private transportation to Buffalo Trace in Frankfort (about an hour from Louisville) will be provided, as will a $100 Uber credit, for any additional...

This fruity, frisky bourbon, now a part of Castle & Key’s permanent lineup, kicks off with dried pineapple, candied orange, vanilla bean, Creamsicle, and a trace of lilies on the nose. There’s some wood up front on the palate, but notes of single-origin coffee, açai, and cassis soon smooth it out. The finish turns darker, as dark-roast coffee, semi-sweet chocolate chips, Heath bar, and lemon peel take over

Fall is the most exciting time for whisky—lots of new and limited-edition releases hit shelves during the months leading up to the holiday season. And even though we're still weeks away from autumn leaves, and temperatures, the first of the 2018 special bottles is about to roll out. Old Forester always kicks off the season with its Birthday Bourbon, which is released each year on September 2, the birthday of founder George Garvin Brown. Bottled for the first time at Old Forester's new distillery in downtown Louisville, this year's Birthday Bourbon is 50.5% ABV and has a recommended price of $100.Macallan is releasing the seventh limited-edition whisky in its Masters of Photography series, collaborating with multiple artists for the first time. This edition, called Magnum, celebrates Macallan's new distillery. It costs $3,500 and 2,000 packages are available worldwide.Another limited-edition bourbon that is sure to be in high demand: Kentucky Owl Batch #8. Clocking in at its highest...

While Buffalo Trace Distillery announced the 2019 release of the Old Rip Van Winkle whiskeys yesterday, the real new product upset of the week was Glenlivet's cocktail pods—an innovation that isn't even coming to retail shelves, but nevertheless caused quite a stir. My take? Do not fear the scotch pods.Beyond the unobtainable, there are plenty of new whiskies to look for now. Jim Beam has revealed an overhaul of its Baker's brand. The bourbon will remain at least 7 years old and 107 proof, but is now bottled as a single barrel for $70. In addition, there's a limited-edition 13 year old Baker's available in small amounts for $100.Beam's Kentucky neighbor, Heaven Hill, has debuted Larceny Barrel Proof. The cask-strength version of the distillery's wheated bourbon is priced at $50 and will be released in three batches a year.Balvenie Distillery is rolling out Batch 6 of Tun 1509. The limited-edition single malt costs $400.Wyoming Whiskey is bringing back Outryder at 7 years old. The...

It started in 2010 with two sets of ten seeds, acquired from the National Seed Repository in Idaho and grown safely indoors under lab lights at Cornell University. The seeds sprouted and grew into rye. The rye produced seeds—more than ten, but not enough to plant outdoors. One of the rye strains—Prolific, ironically—proved unsuitable, but the other—Horton—flourished. The seeds were replanted, another year passed, and finally there was enough rye to plant outdoors, on a tiny four-square-foot plot on a large, mostly organic farm in the Finger Lakes owned by Rick Pedersen. This rye, too, was harvested and replanted. It takes a million seeds to plant an acre of rye, and it can take an acre of rye, give or take, to make a barrel of whiskey—not counting what's set aside to grow even more rye the following year.It took until 2015 before there was enough Horton rye for New York Distilling Co., which initiated the project, to even distill a test batch. By 2017, there was enough to...

Special release season continues this week. We recently reported some other fall limited releases, like the Diageo Special Releases and Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition, and we have an upcoming look at the new edition of Octomore. Now comes the announcement of this year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC)—and the notable detail that there is no George T. Stagg in the lineup, because the barrels for the 15 year old barrel proof bourbon did not meet the distillery’s standards this year.See the full details below on this year’s four BTAC whiskeys, along with some other goodies such as a no-age statement Macallan that celebrates the new year, a Writers' Tears Irish whiskey with an ice wine finish, and a cognac-finished bourbon from Firestone & Robertson's TX label.William Larue Weller (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2021 Release)Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 62.65%Price: $99Release: October 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to...

Kentucky bourbon is prized for its bold flavors and authenticity. Like an old-school steakhouse, it harnesses tradition and authority to deliver a rarified experience, a process and product that have been perfected over time. But whiskey drinkers, like gourmands, have ever-expanding palates, and as much as the old ways work, and work well, there is no denying the excitement of new ideas and perspectives on something as universally beloved as bourbon.
“Kentucky bourbon is a unique product unto its own. And frankly, it's a very good one,” says Bill Welter, owner and head distiller at Journeyman Distillery in Michigan. As for Journeyman's Featherbone bourbon, which uses an all-organic mashbill of 70% corn, 25 % wheat, and 5% rye, Welter states, “We weren't really setting out to try and replicate something that was already being done very well.”
Welter and Journeyman are among a crop of new distillers reimagining what great bourbon can taste like; stepping...

When we were kids, teachers would send us home with lists of books to read over the summer. No one is assigning required reading to grown-ups, but many of us still want some recommendations. If you're looking for great whisky books, check out these four newly published tomes, covering everything from serious whisky geekery to planning a great whisky party. Whether you're stuck at home, sunning on the beach, or hiding away in a mountain retreat, crack the spine and enjoy a few hours deep in the pages.4 New Whisky Books to While Away the SummerWhiskey Master Class: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, and Moreby Lew Bryson ($27)Whisky writer and former Whisky Advocate managing editor Lew Bryson follows up his first whisky book with this new volume, equally comprehensive but with a different approach. Where “Tasting Whiskey” offered a broad survey and introduction to the art and practices of whisky appreciation, “Whiskey Master Class” takes a deep dive into...

It’s that time of year again—our Top 20 whiskies of 2021 have been revealed! This year the list is led by a single malt Scotch, Lagavulin 11 year old Offerman Edition Guinness Cask Finish, a whisky we first included in this very roundup back in May. The rest of the list spans the globe, offering up a little something for everyone.There are plenty of new releases to enjoy alongside these gems. Booker’s unveils its final release of the year, Barrell Craft Spirits adds some older bourbon and rye to its Stellum line, and Cascade Hollow debuts a 13 year old rye in its Moon series. Read on for full details.Booker’s 2021-04 “Noe Strangers Batch”Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: 6 years, 6 months, 12 daysABV: 62.2%Price: $90Release: December 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:The fourth and final batch of Booker’s for 2021 celebrates Booker Noe’s social nature. It is said that the 6th generation Beam master distiller could turn any stranger into a friend, and...

As Fèis Ìle 2023 gets underway on Islay this weekend, Kilchoman made headlines this week when it announced plans to build a rum distillery on the island of Barbados. The new site will sit on nine acres of land at Bentley Mansion and will include a distillery, mill, and cask warehouse.
As far as new whisky, this week’s releases include a finished bourbon from Penelope, a straight bourbon from NBA star Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, and two limited single malts from Suntory in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Read on for full details.
Penelope Cooper Series Rio
Style: Finished bourbon
Origin: Indiana
Age: Not stated
ABV: 49%
Price: $90
Release: May 2023
Availability: Limited
Need to know: 
A blend of three bourbons, the mashbill of this whiskey is 75% corn, 15% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley. Inspired by...

Japanese food has long found a partner in whisky, and now one of the leading Japanese chefs is taking it one step further, putting his touch on a new offering from Rogue Ales & Spirits. Masaharu Morimoto—best-known for competing on the Japanese TV show “Iron Chef” before starring in Food Network's “Iron Chef America” in 1999—has teamed up with the Newport, Oregon distillery to create a limited-edition whiskey that highlights the link between brewing and distilling, and showcases how further experimentation could push the bounds of flavor.The whiskey grew out of previous collaborations between the chef and distillery. In 2003, Rogue launched the Morimoto Signature Series of beers, which includes an imperial pilsner and Black Obi ale, brewed with barley and buckwheat, the main ingredient in soba noodles. These two beers (minus the hops) became the wash for Morimoto's whiskey; after distillation, the spirit matured in new American oak casks for over two years, resting in...

Walton Goggins remembers his first sip of alcohol. He was 14, living in Georgia, and working on a roofing crew during the summer. The other guys had taken him under their wing and on a trip together, they offered him some moonshine. “It was white lightning,” he recalls. “My eyes did roll into the back of my head and they looked and laughed and supported me, and I got sick and all the rest.” But Goggins recalls the experience fondly, and today he speaks of whiskey with a deep reverence.
He has come a long way from sipping 'shine in the Georgia sun, and that's due in part to the role he's most associated with. For five years he played Boyd Crowder on FX Networks' “Justified,” earning himself an Emmy nomination in 2011. Crowder was a slick-talking Kentucky criminal with a serious yen for whiskey. What he drank, when, and with whom would often reflect his mood or the status of his ever-changing enterprise.“
It was over the course of this...

“This represents over 100 years of American history in a single auction,” enthuses Joe Wilson, head of auction content at Scotland-based Whisky Auctioneer, discussing the 600-bottle auction of American whiskey that includes 28 pre-Prohibition and Prohibition-era expressions. Consignments from two American collectors of around 200 bottles each form the backbone of this landmark sale which runs today through August 23rd. Highlights include early Van Winkle bottlings from Old Commonwealth Distillery, early A.H. Hirsch Reserve, Japan-exclusive Van Winkle releases, the legendary Twisted Spoke bottle, and one of the exclusive Van Winkle bottlings for the Corti Brothers—a true rarity.“We have an incredible selection of pre-Prohibition Old Overholt, a huge selection from Wild Turkey, a really interesting collection of pre-fire Heaven Hill, and over 65 selections of Willett Family Estate single barrels—including some signed by Willet owner Even Kulsveen himself,” adds Wilson. The...

Brad Paisley's road to both music and whiskey starts in the small-town bars of West Virginia. He describes a place called the Warsaw as a house that simply hung a sign out front. There was also the Hayloft, a second-floor bar in Moundsville, which neighbors his hometown of Glen Dale. In a state famous for moonshine production and consumption, he observed local drinking culture at an early age.
“I wouldn't have legally been allowed in there, but I was in the band so I get to play. And I never ever had a drink. In fact, it turned me off, being around it,” Paisley says. “It sort of made me a teetotaler for the first part of my career just where I was real serious about doing this right.”
It's a surprising background for a country music superstar who has built a fully functional English-style pub in his house, and who launched his own whiskey brand, American Highway Reserve, in November 2021. Add to that his 2004 song “Whisky Lullaby”, which is...

Many whiskey lovers have come to know the pleasures of whiskey finished in cider barrels, but few consider the opposite: ciders finished in whiskey barrels. The residual elements of a whiskey barrel meld well with cider’s fruit notes—giving it more depth, as well as flavor notes that whiskey drinkers will recognize.
The process of barrel-aging cider starts with sourcing freshly-dumped whiskey barrels—the wetter the better. Once the fermented juice is dumped into a barrel it begins to leech flavor from the barrel and develop tannins that add complexity to the cider. Barrel-aged cider typically spends anywhere from 6 months to 1 ½ years aging, depending on the barrel type. “We sample from our barrels, and when we deem them ready, a batch is blended and prepared for bottling,” says Paul Koehler, cidermaker at Wisconsin-based Von Stiehl Winery, which makes a variety of ciders carrying the Von Stiehl name, including a bourbon barrel-aged expression...

It started as a warehouse joke. “Everyone does a cigar batch or a cigar blend,” says Macaulay Minton, president and chief alchemist at Dark Arts Whiskey House in Lexington, Kentucky. “I’m a cannabis consumer, so I said, ‘Let’s make a blunt blend.’” Minton’s crew chuckled, then got serious, yanking some barrels for a blend of straight rye whiskeys that would be ideal to pair with marijuana.
Dark Arts Blunt Blend is the first time anyone’s created a whiskey made to pair with marijuana. “There’s a lot of beer-centric cannabis accompaniments or cigar and whiskey pairings, but no whiskey made with cannabis in mind,” says Minton. (To be clear: there’s no marijuana in this whiskey.)
“I wanted this to be perfect whiskey to complement weed smoking,” says Minton, “We tried some blends, but we were most drawn to the rye because of the herbaceousness and spice quality,” he says...

Whiskey and chocolate share a special synergy, similar to classic pairings like vodka and caviar, wine and cheese, and champagne and oysters. This recipe showcases the harmony achieved between whisky and chocolate in a simple bundt cake. The whiskey and coffee ingredients create a moist, slightly dense crumb with a boozy heft, enrobed in a whiskey caramel glaze, for a comforting, bittersweet flavor.
Because this recipe uses a large amount of melted chocolate, aim to use a quality brand such as Guittard, Valrhona, and Ghirardelli. A semi-sweet chocolate (60-65% cocoa solids) can work well with the mocha, coffee, and chocolate flavors associated with a stout-cask finished whiskey, like New Holland's Dragon’s Milk Beer Barrel bourbon. It has stout-like malted notes that work beautifully with the bittersweet complexity of the cake’s chocolate backbone and coffee flavors.
Though most bourbons or even a rye on the sweeter side would also be suitable, the stout...

Bourbon doesn't usually taste like the corn it's made with, and vodka rarely tastes of potatoes, grapes, or whatever the distiller chooses. Then there's rye, a grain that likes to stand and shout. We've rounded up a few examples where rye has spilled over into other spirits, so rye fanatics can experience their favorite grain—even beyond whiskey.St. George Spirits' master distiller Lance Winters notes that relatively flavorless grain neutral spirit (GNS) forms the foundation for most vodkas and gins. “A GNS base is like a blank canvas that allows botanicals to show their true colors, unadulterated. With rye as [our] base, it's like we're painting botanicals on black velvets,” he says. St. George's Dry Rye gin is malty and robust, so Winters doubles down on the amount of juniper used in his non-rye gins. St. George also offers a Dry Rye Reposado gin, rested in French and American oak wine casks.Devoid of oak or other flavorings, rye vodka is like rye undressed. Belvedere offers...

Chattanooga Whiskey was founded in 2011, at a time when distilling in the city and its Hamilton County base wasn’t even legal. The start-up worked around that by using sourced whiskey while founders Tim Piersant and Joe Ledbetter lobbied with the Tennessee legislature to legalize distilling. On May 16, 2013 their efforts paid off, and Chattanooga has been a big part of Tennessee’s distilling revival ever since.
Chattanooga’s house style tends to favor high-malt bourbons, a relatively uncommon choice compared to the high-rye and wheated versions. The distillery’s latest expression aims to innovate with a not-too-commonly seen finish—the white port cask. Chattanooga White Port Cask Finished is a blend of three bourbons. While the exact grain ratios are undisclosed, each component follows a mashbill featured in a previous Chattanooga release: 

B005: Corn, dark malted wheat, caramel malted wheat, and oak-smoked malted wheat. It was...

Diageo, which owns about a quarter of Scotland's single malt distilleries, is reportedly planning new products and processes that could fundamentally change the nature of scotch. According to a story in the Wall Street Journal (paywall), the company formed a “secret task force” last year to determine how Scotch whisky is “constrained” in regulatory, legal, technical, and other ways, and to explore the “scope for reform.” That means Diageo is hoping to use its clout to force changes or adaptations to the rules set down in the Scotch Whisky Regulations of 2009 and upheld by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) trade group.Two particular ideas are highlighted in the WSJ article. First, Diageo is considering creating “scotch whisky infusions,” low-alcohol and/or flavored alcoholic beverages sold under the same name as existing single malt or blended whisky brands. Secondly, Diageo has sought permission from the SWA to finish some of its single malts in Don Julio tequila...

When we gave Amrut Spectrum our World Whisky of the Year award in 2016, the Indian single malt wasn't yet available in the U.S. But as of this month, that's no longer the case—though the limited-edition whisky will still be tough to find. There are plenty of other new whiskies to try though: a brace of unique ryes from Woodford Reserve (available at the distillery only), bourbons from Redemption and George Remus (both made at MGP Distillery), single-cask scotches from the Exclusive Malts, and two bottled in bond whiskeys made by Laws Whiskey House.Amrut Spectrum 004Style: Single maltOrigin: IndiaAge: Not statedProof: 50% ABVPrice: $160Release: June 2017Availability: 1,800 bottles for the world, including 600 bottles for the U.S.Need to know:This Indian single malt whisky was matured in a cask made with four different types of staves: new American oak with a No.3 char level, lightly toasted new French oak, and ex-oloroso and ex-Pedro Ximénez sherry. The 004 is latest batch of...

In scotch whisky, Glengoyne 18 year old is back after a five-year absence from the U.S. Among American whiskeys, we have Bardstown Normandie Calvados Cask, New Riff Winter Whiskey and a sherry cask-finished malted rye, Barrell's new blend, Wyoming Whiskey's latest National Parks expression, Old Forester's Texas tribute King Ranch, and a single malt from Laws. 
Glengoyne 18 year old scotch single malt
ABV: 43%
SRP: $150
Availability: Nationwide
In 2020, Glengoyne ceased bringing its 18 year old single malt to the U.S. After a five-year drought, brought on by a lapse in production in the mid-aughts, it’s now returning to the American market. The Highland malt is matured predominantly in oloroso sherry casks, with a smaller portion aged in refill casks. As it makes its way back to shelves, it’ll be in new, sustainable packaging as well, bottled in 49% recycled glass and a fully recyclable box (the latter of which...

There are quite a few well-aged whiskies in this week's roundup, including a 12 year old from Barrell, and 10 year olds from Michter's, Sagamore Spirit, Bernheim, and Wyoming Whiskey, while Yellowstone's 8 year old bourbon revives the Yellowstone label from the 19th century (a bottle previously available only at its Limestone Branch Distillery). Elsewhere, Johnnie Walker seeks to woo American drinkers with a new bourbon cask-centric expression, and this year’s edition of Macallan Distil Your World is an ode to Paris.

Johnnie Walker Black Cask Blended Scotch
ABV: 43%
SRP: $35
Availability: Nationwide
Black Cask is a new permanent Johnnie Walker expression designed to appeal to both scotch and American whiskey fans. Crafted exclusively from whiskies aged in bourbon casks, the recipe features whiskies from distilleries used in Black Label, including Cameronbridge, Glen Elgin, and Roseisle. It's the latest Johnnie Walker expression introduced this...

There’s no shortage of great whisky bars in New York City. There are those that celebrate American whiskey, others that spotlight scotch, and some that feature Irish or Japanese whiskies. In today’s (hopefully) post-pandemic world, some of the city’s most-beloved whisky spots are sadly no longer with us: places like Noorman’s Kil, Coogan’s, Angel’s Share, Highlands, Ward III, and others did not survive the shutdowns. But whether you’re looking for a nightcap, a whisky-filled evening, or whisky on top of dinner and a show, we’ve got you covered. From up and down Manhattan and across the river into Brooklyn, these Big Apple whisky bars will leave you happily drammed.

Bar Moga
Sure, it’s fun to go to a bar that offers a little bit of everything, especially if you’re with companions who prefer different styles of whisky (or something else altogether). If it’s Japanese whisky you’re after, head straight to...

August is when we start seeing the first of the fall releases, and Four Roses is right on time with this year's Limited Edition Small Batch expression, always among the most highly anticipated of the season. It's first available at the distillery and the nearby  Four Roses warehouse (details below) and then rolls into retail in mid-September. Tennessee's Chattanooga Whiskey has a new experimental expression called the Harvest Batch, this one is a seven-grain bourbon aged in six different barrels. And finally, from Washington State, Woodinville Whiskey has released its most remarkable whiskey to date—an 8 year old bourbon that's the culmination of a decade of experimentation to find what Woodinville calls  "the best barrel in the world" for maturing its bourbon. In concert with Independent Stave Co., the distillery filled eight different barrel types with new make and aged them for 4 1/2 years before deciding which barrel...

BuffTurkey. Russalo Trace. Wild Buffalo. The hottest whiskey on the market—Wild Turkey bourbon distilled by Buffalo Trace—has several portmanteau monikers, and even more alleged origin stories. The leading lore? A professional sports franchise owner from the South won a national championship and commissioned these barrels before forgetting about them. Others say Campari Group faced production woes during expansion of a then recently purchased Wild Turkey and tapped Buffalo Trace to help, but didn’t love the finished product.
Also shrouded in mystery is the production run’s final volumes. Industry scuttlebutt varies widely, from a scant 600 barrels to an eye-watering 10,000 barrels. The latter seems improbable, as that would represent three to four straight weeks of non-stop production by Buffalo Trace. A thousand barrels, insiders tell me, is most likely; that would require only two production days.
How BuffTurkey Was Made and Sold
While we...

In a Los Angeles mansion, hidden behind a façade obscured by bookshelves, is a bank vault door secured by a ten-bolt combination lock. On the eve of Prohibition, the owner of this fine residence amassed a bunker of booze in a secret cellar, filling it with demi-johns of sherry and port, and stockpiling hundreds of pints of whiskey. The vault was one of two belonging to Jean-Baptiste Leonis: merchant, liquor dealer, banker, real estate developer, and founder of the industrial city of Vernon, California. In 2017, Leonis' descendants discovered his Prohibition-era stash, untouched for nearly a century. The find is especially important given the scale, provenance, and condition of the collection, according to the wine department of Christie's auction house, which prepared it for sale in New York on December 7th.
Multiple lots of Hermitage 9 year old bottled in bond whiskey went up for sale. (Photo courtesy of Christie's)Before the gavel fell, I sat down with Chris Munro, head of...

Owing to its reputation as a lighter, usually blended, “smoother” pour, Irish whiskey is often seen as an entry point for the entire category. Perhaps your first interaction with it was a Jameson shot at the bar, but go further, and there's a lot of truly exquisite stuff from the Emerald Isle. In fact, Ireland offers a wealth of whiskey variety through its four styles: single malt, single pot still, single grain, and blended. (Learn what differentiates each of them in our Instant Expert guide.)Irish whiskey is perpetually approachable; never overly aggressive, nor too off-beat in flavor—and it's typically quite affordable. That means beginners are easily able to dip their toes into the category, discovering the greatness—and diversity—of Irish whiskey without intimidation.Irish Whiskey 101: Start Your Education With These WhiskeysGreen Spot—91 points, $50Made at Midleton Distillery, along with its elder siblings Yellow Spot and Red Spot, this is Irish single pot still...

So many drinkers regard Irish whiskey as a style only for beginners. It's light and smooth, often low proof, and considered too easy-drinking—as if that could be a bad thing. These qualities might be found in some expressions, but there's much more to Irish whiskey than that, with many brands branching out into creative cask finishing and other maturation techniques. Many of the best bottles are nuanced and complex, demanding exploration by more mature palates.Whether single malt, single pot still, single grain, or blended (the four styles of Irish whiskey), these recommendations aren't going to slam you over the head with aggressive flavors and sky-high ABV. What they will display, however, is the breadth of the Irish whiskey category and the incredible diversity of flavor profiles it can offer.Irish Whiskey 201: Intermediate-Level Bottles You Must TasteYellow Spot 12 year old Single Pot Still—89 points, $90A slight step up from the 10 year old Green Spot, this 12 year old single...

Singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton is no stranger to whiskey, waxing poetic about it frequently in his music, from hit covers of “Tennessee Whiskey” and “Whiskey River,” to several songs of his own, including “Whiskey and You,” “Whiskey Sunrise,” and “Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey.” Given all this whiskey talk, it’s not a far leap to see that Stapleton has an affinity for the dram, and that’s led him to release his first whiskey.
Named after his debut studio album, Stapleton’s Traveller whiskey is a collaboration between himself and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley. Stapleton recorded Traveller in 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky, which is just 30 miles from Buffalo Trace; it was during one of those recording sessions that he became acquainted with E.H. Taylor, Jr., one of the distillery’s labels. Soon bottles were a mainstay on his home bar, and backstage with him as he toured.
The debut...

Laws Whiskey House opened its doors in Denver, Colorado’s South Broadway neighborhood back in 2011. Since then, the distillery has gradually built its presence not just in the Centennial State, but around the country, thanks to a wide range of terroir-driven, pot distilled whiskeys that feature strong relationships with local farmers and are made with open-air fermentation and Eldorado Springs water. Now, Laws is taking its game up another notch, with the debut of what it’s calling a “Whiskey Sanctuary.” 
Word of founder and president Al Laws’ intent on building a dramatic whiskey gathering site first came in 2022. While construction was slated to wrap up later that year, the space’s grand opening was delayed until last December due to construction complications. But it appears that the Whiskey Sanctuary was well worth the wait—the building is a feat of brutalist architecture, made with steel, glass, stone, and exposed concrete, and...

Whiskey warehouses are susceptible to sundry forms of calamity. Battered by the elements, they can collapse, catch fire, be struck by lightning or torn apart by tornadoes. Several warehouse mishaps in 2018 and 2019 prompted the bourbon industry to look into ways to prevent similar disasters from happening in the future. Bourbon warehouses—often called rickhouses or rackhouses—are typically constructed of large wooden support poles, with horizontal storage racks, or ricks, stacked several high, and are sheathed with corrugated tin metal. With age, these buildings grow increasingly vulnerable to damage from severe weather and other threats—including pests.A recent study by pest management company McCloud Services, which works with distillers across Kentucky, explains the importance of assessing and mitigating insect damage in warehouses. “While never proven as the root cause for collapses, [wood-destroying insects] should be managed to decrease structural integrity degradation...

By our calculations, thirteen 21st century Scotch whisky distilleries could have whiskies ready to graduate to the bottle* in 2018 (or shortly before), but will they pass the test? At the top of our list are the resurgent distillers in the Scottish Lowlands, with others scattered across the Highlands, Islands, and Speyside. We asked every distiller to tell Whisky Advocate their plans for their inaugural releases, including their expected U.S. debut. We assess the future of Scottish whisky, and those that might be held back.*New spirit filled into oak can legally be called Scotch whisky after 3 years.Annandale Distillery—LowlandUnder the guidance of the late Dr. Jim Swan, peated and unpeated spirit was laid down at this restored historic distillery in Dumfries & Galloway.First spirit run: November 2014First single malt available: Cask #2014/001 of Man o'Words unpeated whisky was bottled on November 15, 2017, the day it turned 3 years old, with peated whisky following later.U.S...

Some relationships are skin deep: For Dennis Steckel and his love of Amrut single malts, the term takes on a whole new meaning. Steckel sports not one, but two Amrut tattoos on his forearms—symbols of an abiding fascination that has transformed the mild-mannered Swede into the whisky's No.-1 fan worldwide. On his left arm is a reproduction of the logo on Amrut's distillery in Bangalore, India, while his right arm shows a variation of the “Greedy Angel” illustration that bedecks the brand's oldest bottlings, with the names of Steckel's three children inked below.“I really connected with that angel,” Steckel says of his first time seeing and tasting a bottle of Greedy Angels in 2015. His first encounter with Amrut had come just a year or two earlier, and he was instantly smitten. “I'm a person that if I'm doing something, I will do it 110%,” Steckel explains, noting that Amrut's name intrigued him initially, but the whisky itself was what won him over. “Some people say...

High West Distillery is making a major change to one of its core whiskeys, Double Rye. Previously a blend of 2 year old rye from Indiana's MGP Distillery and 16 year old rye from Kentucky's Barton 1792 Distillery, Double Rye will now include a portion of High West's own rye, made in Utah. The exact proportion of whiskeys isn't being disclosed, but master distiller Brendan Coyle says the house-made whiskey is a minority of the blend and ranges in age from 4 to 7 years old. “We have some fairly complex, intricate blending recipes; the High West component that is in the Double Rye recipe now is a blend in itself,” he explains, adding that the mashbill for all the house-made whiskey is 80% rye and 20% malted rye. The abv (46%), price ($35), and packaging for Double Rye will all remain the same. If there's an 18 at the beginning of the batch number on the label, that means the whiskey inside is the new recipe.The High West-made rye replaces the 16 year old Barton rye, which is in...

The official announcement for Spirits of the Apocaplypse, the Walking Dead bourbon, came out this week. Whisky Advocate reported this bottle's imminent arrival back in May, and we're excited to bring you a review in an upcoming Buying Guide.More new whiskies are on their way or hitting shelves now, like the newest limited-edition bourbon from Jim Beam. Knob Creek Quarter Oak includes bourbon was finished for 4 years in a quarter cask; it's priced at $50 and available nationwide for a limited time.Kentucky Owl is rolling out Batch 9 of its bourbon, blended from a number of different whiskeys. There are just over 10,300 bottles available, with a suggested retail price of $300.Dogfish Head has launched its third whiskey, a limited-edition single malt finished in ale casks from the Delaware brewery. Alternate Takes: Vol. 2, Whiskey Finished in Palo Santo Marron Ale Barrels is priced at $50, and there are roughly 6,000 bottles available.Four Gate Whiskey Co. is launching its second...

There's a pricey new book about "impossible" whiskies that you might want to peruse if you have a spare grand—but for everyone else, check out the week's newest releases (even though a couple of these are just as spendy).Speyside's Glenrothes Distillery is releasing its oldest single malt ever. Distilled in 1968, Glenrothes 50 year old is priced according to its rarity, with just 50 bottles available at $35,000 each.Michter's is bringing back its 25 year old straight bourbon after a three-year absence. The 2020 release is priced at $1,000 and, needless to say, is very limited.Blackened has launched its first barrel-proof whiskey. Blackened Cask Strength debuts with Batch 106, priced at $55, and available in Florida and Kentucky, with expansion planned.Barrell Craft Spirits is rolling out the 2020 release of BCS bourbon, a higher-end blend than the core Barrell bourbon expression. There are 12,000 bottles available, priced at $250.Ireland's The Shed Distillery is debuting its first...

Joining the ranks of Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., and several other whisky-making nations, New Zealand has published guidelines setting out the standards for its native whisky styles. Though the country's exports to the U.S. have been tiny thus far, the new rules could help.There's plenty of new whisky hitting shelves now, however. First up, the folks behind Barrell Craft Spirits have unveiled Stellum, a line of bourbon and rye, including single barrels. The whiskeys are all priced at $55 and widely available.Highland Park is rolling out its third 50 year old single malt, priced at $30,000. There are just 274 bottles available.The Spring 2021 release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond is hitting shelves, this time at 8 years old and with a suggested price of $85. As always, it's available in limited amounts.The latest offering in Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection line is called 14E19 Twin Blend—a combination of Tennessee whiskey and rye. There are 24,000 375 ml bottles...

WhiskyFest season has been in full swing, starting with Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest in Hollywood, Florida October 30, rolling into Chicago on November 5th, and drawing a big crowd in New York last night. The final WhiskyFest for 2021 will be held in San Francisco on December 3rd. Tickets are still available for a night that will feature pours from Ardbeg, Dewar’s, Four Roses, Glendalough, Redbreast, Westward, and many more.As for this week’s new whiskies, Teeling adds a 30 year old to its Vintage collection, Bowmore connects with Aston Martin for a new expression, Nikka unveils new versions of its Yoichi and Miyagikyo single malts, and Jim Beam announces a special edition Baker’s just in time for the holidays. Read on for full details.

Teeling 30 year oldStyle: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: 30 year oldABV: 46%Price: $2,200Release: November 2021 at the distillery, January 2022 in the U.S.Availability: Limited edition; 4,000 bottles globally
Need to...

The torrent of new whiskies continues, and the many highlights include the return of A Midwinter Night’s Dram, the eleventh release in this annual series from High West Distillery in Utah. The High West annual releases were always among the most anticipated bottlings of the year, and fans were disappointed a few years ago when High West discontinued another cherished annual affair, Yippee Ki Yay. But Midwinter lives on, and we’ll have to see whether this year’s expression can still capture the old magic.
Elsewhere, there’s a new edition of Benriach Malting Season, the third release in the annual series that celebrates Scotland’s long history of floor malting. There’s a touch of romance in seeing a distillery’s floor maltings—alas, only eight whisky makers in Scotland still use this very enchanting (and very expensive) process. Benriach is one of them. Elsewhere from Scotland, young distiller Torabhaig from the Isle of...

Our deep dive into Rare Character Whiskey Company’s explosive growth and astounding auction potential is a comprehensive profile on the company. (Click here to read it, if you haven’t already.) All of Rare Character’s whiskey is sourced, and while some mashbills and distillery locations are somewhat straightforward—as with Brook Hill bourbon and rye, Old Cassidy bourbon, and Pride of Edison County bourbon and rye—the Rare Character Single Barrel Series is different. 

It features more than 30 different mashbills from a variety of distilleries and locations. Each single barrel bottle receives a corresponding barrel code and a designated wax color. (These wax colors indicate similar, though not always identical, flavor profiles.) Here, Rare Character co-founder and barrel selector Pablo Moix explains each code and color, and offers some of his personal tasting notes. 
RIO / Copper Wax

“Rio is Spanish for...

In a world where people actively avoid high-fat foods, whisky lovers can make an exception: washing fat through whisky introduces a whole new universe of delicious flavors. So forget diet culture and embrace the fat, at least for your favorite drink. Through fat-washing—a technique that imparts flavors from meat, plant, and oil-based fats into spirits—rich and savory elements can be added to any style of whisky. Complementing the natural flavors gleaned from distillation and barrel aging, whisky can be made even tastier by the likes of bacon fat, butter, or plant-based oils like olive, coconut, or sesame.
There’s science involved in fat-washing, but anyone can do it with the right tools. It’s a process of extracting fat from one source and rinsing it through another, thereby adding the flavors from the fat to the end product without adding the fat solids. There are a lot of steps, but it’s not as difficult as it looks or sounds. And the result, while...

Irish cream doesn't always have the best reputation among whisky drinkers, but that's somewhat undeserved. Sure, it hardly resembles actual whisky and is a key ingredient in frivolous cocktails like the Mudslide, but Irish cream—invented in a mere 45 minutes in 1973—makes a delicious after-dinner drink, and is the perfect single-ingredient addition to coffee when you need more than just caffeine to pick you up. “Irish cream adds a fantastic texture and ultimate creaminess to cocktails,” says Georgina McKevitt, bartender at The Irish Times Pub & Restaurant in Los Angeles.There are dozens of Irish cream brands out there, with Baileys being the most well-known. But many brands use a minimum of real whiskey, instead swapping in neutral grain spirit to make up most of the alcohol. So if you're looking for a guaranteed whiskey-forward Irish cream, consider making your own. The process is crazy simple, and any supermarket will carry the ingredients. All you have to do is measure...

Dick Stoll, the last of the old-time Pennsylvania distillers, passed away on Aug. 13 at the age of 86. Though his name may be unfamiliar to many, he made significant contributions to American whiskey history.I'm proud to have been a friend of Dick's; in fact, he was the man who sparked my love of whiskey. We first crossed paths on my last visit to the beautiful old Michter's Distillery in rural Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It was November 1989, and as I left the Jug House, the on-site whiskey store (the only one in the country at the time), I noticed an open warehouse door and walked inside. My first impression was how empty the building was, nearly bereft of barrels, with two men dumping them into a trough. I approached and we struck up a conversation. One of them offered me a taste straight from the cask, and I was hooked. For me it was the beginning of a life as a whiskey enthusiast. For the distillery, it was nearly over.Decades later, I learned that gracious man was Dick...

Jared Himstedt, Harlen Wheatley, and Caleb Kilburn talk about how they got into distilling, how they’ve seen the industry grow, and their favorite way to drink.

Jared Himstedt
Head Distiller, Balcones
Jared Himstedt’s journey into distilling took an unlikely path. While pursuing a career as a social worker (his chosen major in college), he began making home-brewed beer in his spare time. Before long, he was hooked. That passion turned into a calling in 2007 when he co-founded a beer bar in his native city of Waco, Texas. From there, It was only a matter of time before he came upon whiskey, and that happened when he connected with Balcones founder and previous owner Chip Tate in 2008. Himstedt was offered the opportunity to help build the Balcones Distillery in his hometown, overseeing label design, barrel selection, and various other aspects of the project.
Since that start, Himstedt has seen quite an evolution in the whiskey world, with whiskey lovers...

When it comes to making whiskey cocktails, people often go straight to bourbon or rye—and indeed, many classic recipes were invented with these styles in mind. Irish whiskey may not have the storied cocktail history of its American counterparts, but it’s just as mixable with a wide variety of ingredients and worthy of the spotlight in the cocktail realm.
Patrick McGoldrick, beverage director at Afterbar in Chicago, believes that Irish whiskey is one of the most essential and versatile spirits in the world. “It’s incredibly accessible to novices and whisky veterans with its smooth and balanced sweetness,” he says. “This makes it a wonderful choice for both sour-style drinks as well as spirit-forward ones.”
Irish whiskey in fact offers something for every type of whisky drinker: It shares similarities with scotch due to the malted barley in its mashbill, but its lack of big, bold smokiness in favor of subtler sweet and fruity qualities...

While Kentucky dominates American whiskey today, there was once another bastion of whiskey production in the U.S.: Pennsylvania. Hundreds of distilleries were scattered across the state in the 19th century and there was a healthy mix of producers large and small, with many farmers-turned-distillers as well. Rye was the state’s reigning style, especially in the southwestern Monongahela River valley region. To honor this rich history, Suntory Global Spirits has opened the James B. Beam Pennsylvania Whiskey Heritage Center in partnership with the nonprofit historic site West Overton Village & Museum in Scottdale, Pennsylvania. 
Suntory’s involvement in the project hails from Beam’s connection to Pennsylvania rye through Old Overholt, a brand it acquired in 1987 that’s one of the oldest whiskey brands in the U.S. It was founded back in 1810 by Abraham Overholt, whose family settled in West Overton in 1800 and began farming 263 acres of land there...

Tomorrow is the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the biggest day in horse-racing and a pretty great excuse to pull out your favorite bourbon for a Mint Julep or two—or even to throw a whole party centered around the most exciting two minutes in sports.But if that's not your thing, there's plenty more to get excited about this week, with new releases from Maker's Mark, Jefferson's, and even Bob Dylan. In fact, the acclaimed folk musician and Nobel Prize winner is rolling out a brand new line of bourbon, whiskey, and rye called Heaven's Door. (If you don't know where the name comes from, take a listen to this.) The bottles feature ironwork designs Dylan crafted himself. While the whiskeys are currently sourced, there are plans to open a distillery for Heaven's Door in Nashville in 2019. This project has legs: one of the founding partners of Angel's Envy is backing it. The bourbon and whiskey will sell for $50, while the rye is $80.Meanwhile, Maker's Mark is offering a new, very limited Private...

Another American whiskey brand is partnering with a major multinational spirits company. Just days after Wyoming Whiskey revealed it was entering a strategic partnership with Edrington Group, Diageo has announced that it will invest in Westward American single malt through its Distill Ventures unit. The whiskey is made at House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon, and the deal includes investment in both the facility and inventory, as well as the Westward brand. Majority ownership and independent control remain with Westward's founders and current investors, and existing staff, including head distiller Christian Krogstad, will stay on to make the whiskey.Major Craft Distiller Buyouts Since 2010House Spirits was founded in 2004 by Krogstad, a former brewer, and Tom Mooney, who serves as CEO; one of its investors is football legend Joe Montana. An early player in the American single malt whiskey movement, Krogstad aspired to make whiskey from the beginning, but got off to a slow...

So many new releases this week! We decided that we can’t possibly fit them all without creating a post that resembles a whisky encyclopedia, so today’s Whisky Weekend will feature only the  latest American whiskey offerings. On Monday, we’ll post a second run of new releases, and those will feature Scotland, Ireland, and other places beyond our shores.
Here at home, multiple bottle releases seem to be the thing these days. We posted Lost Lantern’s Summer of Bourbon range a few weeks back, a lineup of eight whiskeys in all, and this week we feature Tennessee’s Old Dominick Distillery, which offers six new expressions. Elsewhere, there’s a new bonded Jack Daniel’s in town, and this time it’s a rye. Meanwhile, the explosion in cask-finished bourbons continues, with Barrel’s new rum cask and amburana finished whiskeys, as well as a new stout-cask finished expression from...

Scotland and Ireland have been heard from this week after a recent stream of new American whiskeys. In the west of Scotland, May is festival time for Campbeltown and Islay, which brings forth a slew of special releases, including Laphroaig Càirdeas, which we cover here.  Also from Scotland comes the very limited  Daftmill, the Lowlands farm distillery whose highly sought-after whiskies are notoriously difficult to find. From Ireland, Teeling is out with the third edition in its Wonders of Wood series—this one aged in Swedish oak—while Bushmills offers a 31 year old as the fourth edition in its Rare Cask series and The Whistler unveils a 21 year old madeira-finished single malt.
From the U.S., Barrell has a new batch, while Colorado distiller Laws has a trio of bottled in bond expressions. NBA superstar Steph Curry, who came out with his first whiskey, Gentleman's Cut, last year, last week...

The modern whisky business is driven forward by innovation, and distillers have many avenues to explore in creating bold and dynamic flavors. Sometimes the focus is on the mashbill, using uncommon grains like rice or quinoa, or employing unique strains of grains like Jimmy Red corn or Orkney-grown Bere barley. Some smoke their grains with things other than peat—including mesquite wood and even sheep dung. Others play around with finishes, tapping casks that previously held unusual contents or virgin barrels made from exotic woods.
One area that’s seen great attention recently is maturation. It seems like a simple enough process without much room for innovation: Barrels are loaded into a warehouse where they’re stored until coming of age. But some whisky makers have turned that notion on its head—putting their distillate through unconventional aging regimens, which run the gamut from gimmicky to far outside the box. Here we’ve rounded up some of the...

New whiskies are coming from all corners and in all styles this week.First up, Crown Royal is launching a new range of whiskies called the Blenders' Series, celebrating the art of blending. The first release, Blenders' Mash, showcases the corn-forward whisky that makes up one of Crown Royal's five key blend components. It was originally released a few weeks ago as Crown Royal Bourbon Mash, but that name didn't sit well with American distillers or the TTB, since Crown Royal is Canadian and bourbon can only be made in the U.S. Eagle-eyed whisky drinkers may still be able to spot the old label on shelves, but for the rest of us, Blenders' Mash will be widely available and cost $28.Meanwhile, Kentucky's Wilderness Trail Distillery releases its very first bourbon and rye tomorrow. The distillery was founded by two scientists who use precise and forward-thinking techniques to create whiskey—from using sweet mash to going chemical-free. The bourbon and rye—both aged at least four...

This week's crop of new whiskies includes a handful of ultra-aged expressions, among them an anniversary bottling of Caol Ila aged for 24 years and an 81 year old Macallan (distilled during WWII!). There's also the latest release of Amrut's Spectrum 004, and a new flagship bourbon from the revived Green River Distilling Co. in Kentucky. Read on for full details.Caol Ila 175th Anniversary Celebratory BottlingStyle: Single MaltOrigin: Scotland (Islay)Age: 24 year oldABV: 52.1%Price: £295 (about $400)Availability: 3,000 bottlesNeed to know:This special bottling—released in honor of the distillery’s 175th anniversary last year—is being sold at specialist retailers, malts.com, and Lagavulin Distillery. Lagavulin was chosen as the distillery sales venue because Caol Ila is currently closed to the public while undergoing a major revamp of its visitors center.Whisky Advocate says:Caol Ila is the workhorse of Islay, pumping out more whisky annually than any other distillery on the...

Summer and whisky have never gone so well together! Jeffery Lindenmuth serves up 10 daring, yet refreshing whisky cocktails in his feature "Make It A Summer of Whisky." How does a Strawberry-Mint Poptail or a Whiskey-Gria sound?

Meanwhile, Fred Minnick breaks down the history of bonded whiskeys and recommends a few to try. Have a look and visit your favorite liquor store where you'll likely find a great bang for your buck bottle on the shelf.

Five Scotch whisky distilleries are celebrating anniversaries this year: Deanston, Tamnavulin, Craigellachie, Strathmill, and Lagavulin. Jonny McCormick gives perspective on their history and the impact they've had on the Scotch whisky industry as we know it today.

He also breaks down the still—that mass of shiny copper, a work of art, a mechanical intrigue, and a key component to the whisky you enjoy. Sure, the barrels used for aging impart flavors that are key to the profile of a dram, but it's in the still...

The fourth season of “Succession” reaches its climax this month as the final episode hits our screens. While we can’t wait to find out what happens, it hasn’t escaped our notice that the multi-Emmy-winning HBO Max series about power and politics includes a great deal of imbibing. To toast the last installment, here’s our guide to what to pour into your glass, whether you want to match the choices of the super-rich in key scenes or sip our whisky recommendations inspired by the show’s glamorous locations.
“Succession” follows the fortunes of octogenarian media tycoon Logan Roy as he fights to keep control of Waystar Royco, his global media and entertainment conglomerate. The darkly comic drama sees Roy, played by Brian Cox, negotiate the balance of power over a series of digital media merger and acquisition deals, amid a series of scandals, betrayals, and takeover bids as the next generation makes a play to succeed their father as the...

The first WhiskyFest of 2019 hits Chicago on Friday, March 29—and it's going to be a heck of a night. With literally hundreds of whiskies to choose from, figuring out what you most want to try is key. There are the obvious bucket-list whiskies—like Pappy Van Winkle and the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection—as well as a slew of selections from the 2017 and 2018 Top 20, like High West Double Rye, Port Charlotte 10 year old, Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye, Glen Moray 18 year old, Ardbeg An Oa, 1792 Bottled in Bond, and Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2010, 2017 Whisky of the YearElijah Craig Barrel Proof, and 2018 Whisky of the YearNikka From The Barrel.And there's so much more! You could spend the evening tasting only bourbon or scotch, voyaging around the world of single malt, or focusing on whiskies with a shared trait, like the same age or cask finish. Or you could use this list as a guide to some of the bottles Whisky Advocate's editors are most excited about. Be sure you get your...

WIth tax season upon us, many of you might be feeling a bit lighter in the wallet around this time of year, and one way to stretch your dollar is by choosing a higher-proof whisky. While these powerful whiskies aren't for everyone, the best ones deliver bold flavors and aromas that are well worth savoring. But the buyer must sometimes beware because high proof is not always an indicator of quality. Some lesser whiskies will keep the proof jacked up to mask imperfections, banking on the idea that a drinker will expect a high-powered liquid to taste brawny and more rustic.  But the best high-proof expressions are not necessarily like that. Our panelists will often write about a high-proof expression that "holds its proof well," meaning that the structure and essential flavors are very much discernible, the key advantage being that they are delivered in a more bold and powerful way. The best examples are sometimes described as being easy to taste...

Love or hate him, Kyle “Rowdy” Busch is one of the most talented drivers currently competing in NASCAR. Known for his uber-competitive nature, penchant for trash talking, and aggressive driving style, Busch has set many impressive records in his 20-plus year career on the track—including all-time wins across all three national series, the most wins in the Trucks Series, and the most consecutive seasons with a win. But now his palate is in the spotlight, with his new single barrel bourbon made in partnership with MGP’s Rebel Bourbon rolling out nationwide.
The bourbon, dubbed Rebel Kyle Busch 108 Single Barrel, was pulled from over 100 barrels, each selected by Kyle Busch at the Lux Row Distillery in Bardstown with guidance from master distiller John Rempe. It has a mashbill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley—it’s the same recipe as Rebel’s other wheaters, which the brand claims have been around since...

Old Overholt rye has had a steady presence on the bottom shelf of your local liquor store for decades, its founder's face glaring at you from the label of every bottle—but it wasn't always that way. In fact, Old Overholt was, at one time, one of the most respected and highly regarded whiskeys in the United States, said to have once been the preferred tipple of notables like Ulysses S. Grant and John Henry “Doc” Holliday. It is the only American whiskey brand that retains undeniable ties to the “Old Monongahela” (muh-non-guh-HAY-luh) style of rye.So how did this once-lauded whiskey go from top of the heap to bottom-shelf bottle? It all started over 200 years ago.Learn what makes Old Monongahela rye unique and where you can find it todayThe Oberholtzer family, headed by patriarch Henry, left Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1800 and, after a six-month journey over the Allegheny Mountains in covered wagons, settled on the western frontier. Their 263-acre farm was located in a...

These days, a new whisky comes out practically every day—sometimes a dozen or more a week (all reported each Friday in Whisky Weekend). Store shelves are crowded with more bottles than ever before. New releases make a splash, but when a whisky disappears, it usually happens quietly.That was the case with Old Scout, a popular whiskey sourced from MGP and bottled by Smooth Ambler. Just a few years ago, the West Virginia distillery was selling every bottle of Old Scout bourbon and rye that it could ship—so much that it ran out of mature whiskey altogether. So since September 2016, Smooth Ambler has bottled only a few barrels of Old Scout bourbon, usually limited to gift shop sales. But now Old Scout's 99-proof (49.5% ABV) bourbon is coming back for good.“It was really dumb, what we did,” says Smooth Ambler CEO and master distiller John Little, explaining how the well dried up. The company had bought its first barrels of bourbon and rye for Old Scout in 2011, and continued to buy...

Few things pair better than a good book and a good whisky—and best of all is when the book is about whisky. There are several new whisky books out now, ready to be perused alongside a good dram. Pour a glass, settle into your favorite chair, and get lost in the pages.Crack the Spine of These Five New Whisky Books
The Complete Whiskey Course: A Comprehensive Tasting School in Ten ClassesBy Robin Robinson ($28)Whisky educator Robin Robinson sets out to demystify the spirit in this book that takes the form of a comprehensive “tasting school,” with ten classes that transport readers to the far-flung corners of the booming whisky world. The heavily illustrated tome delves into whisky history, including the evolution of distillation in different countries and regions; the many styles of whisky and their production methods; and sensory appreciation of whisky—how to nose and taste. Each chapter offers a guided tour through the traditions of major whisky-producing countries...

COVID-19 has battered the entire whisky industry but perhaps no one is struggling quite like the thousands of craft distillers in the U.S. The pandemic has shuttered tasting rooms and disrupted distribution, cutting off crucial revenue streams, prompting staff cuts, and potentially putting some on the brink of permanent closure. While most large companies forecast little impact from the current crisis—even as they suspend operations or shift production capacity to making hand sanitizer—some smaller distillers foresee whiskey supply shortages down the road, or worse.An April survey of over 150 distilleries by the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) reveals that sales are down for almost 85% of respondents, as a majority have closed tasting rooms, laid off or furloughed employees, and are depleting remaining inventory as they allocate most of their production to hand sanitizer. Another survey, by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States and American Distilling...

In the weeks following the killing of George Floyd, as protests against police brutality and structural racism toward African Americans roiled seemingly every aspect of American life, many businesses released statements expressing their intent to be more diverse and inclusive. Yet initially, American whiskey brands largely remained silent, prompting the Black Bourbon Society (BBS) to publish an open letter on June 7 to the bourbon and American whiskey industry, calling out whiskey brands for not publicly speaking out against racism; the letter also details the many ways that African Americans have played an important role in the industry's success, and continue to support it. Major distilleries and smaller companies alike are now reckoning with and confronting enduring forms of racial injustice—including within their own industry.Since the letter was made public, “We have received overwhelming support and response from the majority of the bourbon brands,” BBS founder and CEO...

Looking for a good whisky to drink on Super Bowl Sunday? Raid your shelves to find a perfect pairing for wings, pizza, chips, dip, and nuts—or check out one of the new releases below.First up, Buffalo Trace is bringing back Double Eagle Very Rare, its 20 year old version of Eagle Rare bourbon. There are just 199 bottles available this year, with a suggested price of $2,000.Irish whiskey producer Egan's is rolling out Legacy Reserve III, a 17 year old single malt finished in cadillac casks. It's priced at $200, with 1,000 bottles available.Berkshire Mountain Distillers has unveiled the first releases in its Craft Brewers Whiskey Project, the result of distilling and aging popular craft beers. The first three offerings—UFO White Ale whiskey, Spencer's Trappist Ale whiskey, and Big Elm Brewing's 413 Farmhouse Ale whiskey—are available now in limited amounts, priced at $65.New Riff is offering a 15 year old straight bourbon, distilled at MGP, to raise money for hospitality workers...

If you hold regular whisky nights with your friends or tasting club, chances are there's some food, and maybe even a little music on hand to enhance the experience. Take the revelry a step further with one of these whisky-themed games, which will test your whisky knowledge or add a touch of bourbon to your usual game of cards or chess.New whiskey releases this week all come from the U.S. Old Overholt is raising the age of its flagship straight rye to 4 years, Barrell Craft Spirits is adding a Dovetail expression to its Grey Label line, and Daviess County kicks off its range of toasted barrel finishes with a Lightly Toasted straight bourbon. Read on for full details.

Old Overholt 4 year old
Style: Straight ryeOrigin: KentuckyAge: 4 year oldABV: 43%Price: $20Release: August 2022Availability: Nationwide
Need to know:
Old Overholt is raising the age of its flagship straight rye from 3 to 4 years old. The change comes just a few years after the proof was...

Before there was Diageo, there was United Distillers, a company with major holdings in scotch and American whiskey. While United Distillers owned Stitzel Weller and many other whiskey assets in the United States, in the early 1990s American whiskey wasn't nearly as popular as it is today, making it a tough sell. In an effort to change that scenario, the company created a luxury subsidiary called The Classic Kentucky Bourbon Company, whose first project was The Rare American Whiskey Selection. This was to be an annual release of five different barrel proof, ultra-aged whiskeys from some names you’re likely very familiar with today (Stitzel Weller of course, as well as George T. Stagg, Taylor Williams, and others). But that project never saw the light of day—until now, in a record-setting sale.
There’s less rarefied new whisky to enjoy this week, including a new barbecue-inspired single malt from Ardbeg, the first batch of Booker's this year...

There’s nothing quite like the decadence of an Irish cream liqueur—it’s dessert for grown-ups! With an ABV typically between 15% and 20%, the mixture of Irish whiskey and cream (and often additional flavors like vanilla or toffee) is delicious on its own or with a little ice, but it also makes a great addition to an Irish Coffee—or simply splashed in a regular cup of joe—and just as tasty poured over ice cream, or blend the two up for an adult milkshake. What’s not to like?
Irish cream is a young product, first created in the 1970s—compare this to Irish whiskey’s history dating back to the 12th century (or Irish dairy farming’s similarly centuries-long history, for that matter) and it’s practically brand new. Baileys was the first: It was introduced in 1974, and in addition to Irish whiskey and cream, today it features multiple flavor variants. Other brands have since emerged, such as Carolans, The Irishman, and Five...

While Rick and Ricky Johnson knew the ins and outs of their own family business when they launched 15 Stars in 2019—the Johnson family has owned Black Jewel Popcorn since 2011, and operated a number of other businesses under the Johnson Ventures umbrella—the father-son duo was less familiar with whiskey. Rick counted himself an occasional bourbon drinker, and Ricky was freshly 21, only aware of whiskey to the degree that his father was. That soon changed, however, when Rick approached his son, then a college student, with a proposal for a summer project: Why not distill the corn they used for Black Jewell and make some whiskey? “In the beginning, that was really what it was supposed to be—a cool project,” says Ricky. “I was a business student; it was going to be a great learning experience. But at the end of the summer, it turns out my business plan was compelling enough that we wanted to move forward with it.” And with that, 15 Stars was...

The Emerald Isle 1865 that Tad Seestedt, distiller and founder of Ransom Spirits in Portland, Oregon produces is a straight American whiskey distilled from a mashbill containing oats. The idea was inspired by the long-lost manuals of a British excise agent who, in 1865, recorded mash recipes of distilleries he visited. The treasure, a spirit geek's fantasy, was unearthed by David Wondrich, legendary drinks historian (and Whisky Advocate contributor), who shared it with Seestedt, who then set to work tweaking percentages of the grains in the 100-plus-year-old recipe, aiming to get a sense of what traditional Irish whiskey tasted like.Seestedt, of course, isn't producing an “Irish whiskey,” he's essentially playing detective, investigating the recipes. The old records are a window into a past when oats, in various proportions, were an integral mashbill component and the Irish whiskey industry in general was a bit like the Wild West. That by-any-means-necessary approach to distilling...

WhiskyFest is celebrating its 20th anniversary in New York on November 16th, and, with over 110 tables pouring nearly 500 different whiskies, it's going to be quite the celebration. As always, Scotch and bourbon lovers will find plenty to enjoy. Plus, craft distillers from around the United States will be sharing their unique and exciting whiskeys at WhiskyFest. Craft whiskey is incredibly diverse and constantly changing, and even longtime fans will find new drams to try. Don't worry if you aren't sure where to start—this guide offers tips for making the most of all of WhiskyFest's craft whiskeys. (You can also check out the full list of all whiskies being poured at WhiskyFest New York—and don't forget to download the app.)Fun fact: WhiskyFest is older than all but one of the distilleries on this list!The Hometown Heroes: Hillrock, Hudson, Coppersea, and Widow JaneNew York State is home to one of the most vibrant craft distilling scenes in the nation, and that's well reflected by...

The Collins is one of those classic cocktails that started out featuring one base spirit but has evolved to encompass a range of variations—including the popular and tasty Whiskey Collins.“Collins cocktails rank among the oldest cocktails of all time,” says Brent Rosen, president and CEO of the National Food and Beverage Foundation. In the mid-19th century, single-serve cocktails replaced communal punches as the drink du jour, he says. In turn, the Gin Punch created by London bartender John Collins in the 1830s—a mixture of gin, sugar, citrus, and water—was later dubbed the “Tom Collins”—as mixologists began using Old Tom gin (a sweeter style) as the base spirit.But gin wasn't the only base for this refreshing drink. Bartenders experimented with other spirits, including whiskey since at least the 1870s, according to Rosen. Today, Whiskey Collins recipes exist using bourbon, rye, Irish whiskey, and pretty much every other style as a base.“It's a great cocktail because...

After last Friday's Whisky Weekend published, we got news from Diageo about the 2020 Special Release Collection, which this year includes eight single malt scotches. Check out the full details—including pricing and availability—and look for reviews in an upcoming Whisky Advocate Buying Guide.This week's new whiskies come from Ireland, Scotland, Kentucky, and beyond. First up, Ireland's Midleton Distillery is launching the Method and Madness range of experimental whiskeys in the U.S. The lineup includes a single grain ($60), single malt ($75), and single pot still ($90). All are available in limited amounts.Kentucky Owl is releasing a limited-edition bourbon to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Prohibition. Just 2,000 bottles of Kentucky Owl Dry State are available—including a handful to be sold at auction—with a recommended retail price of $1,000.The Fall 2020 release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond is rolling out, this time at 14 years old. Available in limited amounts...

Spring is in the air, and for some that means a season of change. Stranahan's in Colorado for one has unveiled new packaging for its Original single malt whiskey. Beyond an additional label on the bottom half of the bottle, the whiskey is slightly older as well, a blend of 4 to 7 year old single malts.On to new whiskies from this week. Wyoming Whiskey has released a bourbon that honors the state's national parks. Wyoming Whiskey National Parks is available in Wyoming and New York for $50.M&H Distillery in Tel Aviv, Israel is adding two new cask types to its Apex Series. Cognac Cask and Red Wine Fortified are both priced at $100 and limited releases.Bladnoch in the Scottish Lowlands is bringing a new non-age statement single malt to the states. Vinaya is $50 with wide availability.Also from Scotland, Ardnamurchan is bringing its single malt stateside and introducing a single cask expression along with it. The single malt will be $65 with a 5,000 bottle release, while the single...

Whether you call it a Boilermaker (U.S.), a Half-and-Half (Scotland), or a Tall and a Small (Ireland), the combination of whisky and beer is likely as old as the spirit itself, built upon the harmony between fermented and distilled grain. While that link alone is sufficient to make almost any combination enjoyable, some pairings can be truly fabulous. With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, we decided to keep things Irish in our choices of both the beers and the whiskeys.
Harp Lager & Bushmills Original
Northern Ireland’s most famous whiskey is made to be light and complex, while Ireland’s most famous lager is a more straightforward creation, meant for quaffing rather than contemplation. Bushmills is sweet, a bit honeyed, citrusy, and perhaps surprisingly creamy, while Harp leans toward the grainy side, with hops providing just enough bitterness to accentuate its refreshment. Enjoyed together, the lemony notes of the whiskey bring forth the beer's malty...

Each summer, Pebble Beach Resorts on California’s Monterey Peninsula hosts the Hickory Sticks Invitational, a charity event for the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. The one-day, 9-hole tournament is contested on the resort’s short course, The Hay, which benefited from a Tiger Woods-led redesign a few years ago. The 670-yard layout now includes architectural features that either pay homage to the famous holes on the resort’s flagship course, Pebble Beach Golf Links, or take inspiration from Golden Age courses all around the world.
The host course may be diminutive—its longest hole measures only 106 yards—but the event is still plenty challenging. It’s called the Hickory Sticks Invitational because participants play not with modern clubs that boast steel or graphite shafts but with vintage old hickory wood-shafted clubs. Hickories, as these antique tools are affectionately known by golfers, are what the players used throughout the 19th and early...

Glenfiddich was one of the key distilleries behind the growth of single malt scotch in the 1960s and is now one of the most ubiquitous scotches in the marketplace. But as far as whisky collectors and connoisseurs are concerned, there can be a price to pay for being a mainstream brand; modern whisky drinkers assume they know everything about it already, and collectors overlook it in pursuit of other acquisitions.
Auction houses welcome sales of collectible Glenfiddich, from the distillery’s Rare Collection, Private Vintage, and Vintage Reserve series, and through previous iterations of the 30 and 40 year old, early bottles from the 1960s, and limited editions such as Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix. The distillery has never stopped courting whisky collectors; Glenfiddich was the first scotch whisky brand to launch a whisky NFT on BlockBar.com in October 2021, and it introduced a bold new look in 2022 with the Glenfiddich Time Re:Imagined collection. The...

Back in 19th-century Scotland and Ireland, whisky merchants also sold wine, bringing in popular fortified wines like port and sherry. Casks filled with wine were shipped across the sea from Spain and Portugal, and once they were emptied, the merchants would often refill them with whisky from a nearby distillery rather than discard them and pay for new casks. Eventually, people came to see that a whisky’s maturation in wine casks contributed some very nice flavors. Ireland’s whiskey merchants, famously Dublin’s J.A. Mitchell & Son with its Spot whiskeys, were particularly renowned.
But those days were more about cost expedience, and generally involved full maturation rather than finishing per se. It was in Scotland during the early 1980s that cask finishing as a modern art form was born. In 1982, David Stewart, former malt master at Speyside distillery Balvenie, decided to see what would happen when a whisky aged in American oak casks was transferred to a...

Just a week after announcing its seventh batch of limited-edition bourbon, Kentucky Owl has revealed plans to roll out a rye whiskey for the first time. The 11 year old sourced whiskey will be available in much larger quantities than Kentucky Owl's bourbon—and will cost less, though it's by no means inexpensive at $130 a bottle. About half the country will have access to Kentucky Owl rye.Meanwhile, New York-based Hillrock Estate has a new bourbon from its solera, finished in California Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. The distillery says the 6 to 8 week finish gives the nose and finish of red wine, but preserves the core bourbon flavors on the palate.Finally, FEW Spirits is launching its latest collaboration with Chicago-area record label Bloodshot Records. White Lightning is a whisky (no E) that is distilled from five types of malt and rested for a short period of time in FEW bourbon and rye barrels. There are only 150 bottles, available at the distillery starting on September 9th at...

There is a lot of new whisky this week, but the biggest release has been out for a while. Lagavulin 8 year old first debuted in 2016 as a special edition whisky celebrating the distillery's 200th anniversary. It has now officially been added to the Lagavulin range permanently, joining the 16 year old and Distiller's Edition.While more bourbon will soon be made in Bardstown at Kentucky Owl Park, this week's new bourbons all come from outside the state. Virginia's A. Smith Bowman is releasing a $40 port-finished bourbon as part of its permanent lineup. Isaac Bowman Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Casks is available in Virginia only right now, but will expand to other states in the near future. And FEW Spirits in Illinois has three new whiskeys with unusual finishes as well: FEW Bourbon and Rye finished in Copper & Kings brandy barrels, and FEW Bourbon finished in Sicilian wine casks. There are limited amounts of each whiskey, available mostly in Illinois and, for the wine cask...

A fresh crop of whiskies are rolling down the pike this week. Barrell Whiskey's second rye is hitting shelves. This batch combined rye from Indiana with malted rye from Poland. Like all Barrell products, it's bottled at cask strength. The company is also releasing its 2018 New Year bourbon. This year's iteration combines bourbons made at seven distilleries in five states, ranging in age from 5 to 14 years old.The English Whisky Company rebranded its core line in the last year or so, and the new names and packaging are finally arriving in the U.S. Now known as The English, the two core expressions are Original and Smokey. In addition, there's a single rum cask-matured single malt, exclusive to the U.S.Meanwhile, a variety of craft distilleries are launching new whiskeys. Old Elk bourbon comes from Colorado, but is the result of the producer's collaboration with three distilleries: Woody Creek (CO), Finger Lakes (NY), and MGP (IN). Old Elk has named former MGP master distiller Greg...

Heads up, whisky lovers! There are lots of new releases to get excited about this week.Jack Daniel's is rolling out a bottled-in-bond version of its classic Tennessee whiskey. Currently available in travel retail stores only, the whiskey will sell for $38 for a 1-liter bottle.Meanwhile, peat heads will want to look for this year's Laphroaig Cairdeas, the distillery's annual special release. The 2018 Cairdeas matured in first-fill bourbon barrels before a finishing period in fino sherry casks. It costs $80 and will be available in limited amounts.Freddie Noe, son of Fred Noe and grandson of the legendary Booker Noe, has unveiled Little Book Chapter 2 "Noe Simple Task." The whiskey combines rye from Kentucky with two whiskies from Canada. Priced a bit higher than Little Book Chapter 1 "The Easy"—which was ranked number 11 in Whisky Advocate's 2017 Top 20—this whiskey is available in limited amounts for $100.Another limited-edition—and bottled-in-bond—bourbon will be hitting...

Love scotch, bourbon, or American single malt? Then pay attention—this week's new whiskies should make you very happy.Balvenie is releasing a 25 year old edition of its DoubleWood single malt, matured first in ex-bourbon casks and then in Spanish oak oloroso sherry casks. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first Balvenie DoubleWood 12 year old, just 3,600 bottles will be available at a price of $599. Meanwhile, Balvenie's parent company William Grant & Sons has unveiled a blended straight bourbon. Fistful of Bourbon combines five straight bourbons from undisclosed sources, blended to balance five unique flavor profiles. The whiskey is initially launching in Texas for $25, and is expected to become more widely available in the future.Michter's is re-releasing a bourbon that was last available in 2015. Michter's US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish will be available nationwide with a recommended price of $60, but expect it to sell out—like the previous releases, this is available in...

It's often taken for granted that more time in the barrel equals a higher-quality whisky, but that's not always the case. Whisky Advocate spoke to master distillers and other bourbon experts to find out: can a bourbon be too old?It's not a question we have to answer with the following bottles, though, as the only super-aged whisky among the week's new releases is a scotch. (And scotch, as the above article explains, has a much different maturation trajectory than bourbon, able to age for far longer.)First up, Jack Daniel's is rolling out No. 27 Gold to the entire U.S. Previously available at travel retail and then in Tennessee only (mainly at the distillery), Jack Daniel's No. 27 Gold undergoes a finishing period in a maple wood barrel and a second filtration using the Lincoln County Process. Assistant master distiller Chris Fletcher provides more detail about the process below. The whiskey is now on shelves nationwide for $100.That super-old scotch is Glenmorangie's latest Bond...

If you have extra Halloween candy lying around (or you're raiding the kids' stash), take advantage of the excellent pairing opportunity by matching it with some whisky. (Check out our suggestions here.) Then read all about this week's new releases, starting with some old bourbons.Michter's is rolling out the 2019 batch of its 20 year old bourbon. Retail-priced at $700, it's available in limited amounts.Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace has debuted the 1994 vintage of O.F.C. bourbon. The limited-edition whiskey is priced at $2,500, with 1,085 bottles available.GlenDronach Distillery is also releasing a 1993 vintage whisky, although this is, of course, a single malt scotch, priced at $350. Concurrently, GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 8 is rolling out, priced at $95. Both whiskies are available in limited amounts.Westward Whiskey from Portland, Oregon is launching a stout cask-finished single malt. Priced at $90, the whiskey will be available as a permanent line extension.Scotland's Glencadam...

As craft distilleries across the country find new ways to welcome visitors safely, many whisky lovers are looking for new bottles to try. There's plenty to satisfy on that front this week, with fresh releases celebrating big moments and others pioneering novel flavors.First up, Heaven Hill Distillery has debuted Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel, a bourbon finished in a second, new, charred, and heavily toasted cask. It's available nationwide, priced at $50.Heaven Hill is also rolling out the Spring 2020 release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond, this time at 9 years old. The bourbon is priced at $90 and available in limited amounts.Jack Daniel's has partnered with country singer Eric Church on a limited-edition single-barrel release. Roughly 60,000 bottles of the Tennessee whiskey are available, priced at $50.Johnnie Walker has created a trio of special blended scotches to celebrate its 200th anniversary this year. John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend is inspired by the brand's...

Tennessee whiskey has long been led by Jack Daniel's and George Dickel, but in recent years a new crop of distillers has brought fresh excitement to the scene, while both Jack and Dickel have been upping their game with innovative releases. Get started with one of these 12 Tennessee whiskeys, brush up on the Lincoln County Process of charcoal filtration that gives the style its identity, and learn why Nashville is increasingly becoming a whiskey destination.As for new whiskies this week, Kentucky is leading the way. Limestone Branch Distillery has unveiled the 2022 release of its Yellowstone Limited Edition bourbon; there's a new venture from Jackie Zykan and Royce Neeley called Hidden Barn; and Blue Run Spirits drops Batch 2 of its Golden Rye. Read on for full details.

Yellowstone Limited Edition (2022 Release)
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 50.5%Price: $100Release: September 2022Availability: Limited; 30,000 bottles
Need to know:
The...

Generations ago, the U.S. whiskey landscape was rich with farm distillery rye whiskeys, but modern American producers tend to use giant suppliers to source their rye grains. The past decade has seen a growing contingent of American craft distillers move the focus back to heirloom rye grains, aiming to revive long-forgotten styles. We look at some of these distillers and the trials, tribulations, and triumphs they’ve experienced along the road to a rye renaissance in this story from our Spring 2022 issue.
For fans of American whiskey, and bourbon in particular, this week's new releases should be  tantalizing. Barrell Craft Spirits has debuted its latest finished blend of straight bourbons, Four Roses has announced details for this year's Limited Edition Small Batch, and Michter's is back with US*1 Toasted Barrel bourbon. Read on for full details.

Barrell Vantage
Style: Blend of straight bourbonsOrigin: Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee Age: Not statedABV...

We firmly subscribe to the notion that Irish whiskey should be consumed all year round and not just one day a year, so with St. Patrick's Day in the rearview mirror, we figured your home Irish whiskey selection might need a bit of restocking. So here’s our whiskey version of Johnny Cash’s “Forty Shades of Green”—in the shape of 40 wallet-friendly Irish whiskeys.
The 40 Best Irish Whiskeys Under $50
94 Limavady Single Barrel, 46%. $50
This butterscotch and candied peel-tasting single malt made our Top 20.
93 Kilbeggan Single Pot Still, 43%, $45
Inspired by an old Locke family recipe, this has citrus, stone fruit, and fizzing pot still spices.
92 Knappogue Castle 12 year old, 40%, $42
This easy sipping single malt has notes of green apple, lemon meringue pie, and vanilla custard.
92 The Legendary Dark Silkie, $46, $44
Peppery barbecued meat, brown sugar, and orchard fruits on this peated blend.
92 The...

While most of the new whisky releases have been dominated by bourbon and scotch, fans of Irish whiskey will be happy to hear that Ireland is also in the mix. Recent releases include two new bottlings from Ireland, both featuring an Italian wine cask finish. The legendary Spot whiskey label has introduced a new 13 year old single pot still into its Gold Spot lineup. The Quiet Man has a new aged single malt, which was finished using Sicilian marsala casks. 

Gold Spot The Generations Edition
At the peak of the Victorian whiskey boom, Dublin bonded whiskey seller Mitchell & Son originated a system of labeling casks with a daub of paint, each painted “spot” identifying the whiskey’s age. The system evolved into a brand name—the Spot whiskeys— that’s famous in Irish whiskey today. While the entire Spot family has always scored well, its wine cask-finished expressions—like Quails’ Gate and Chateau...

Pat Fallon’s health was rapidly deteriorating when he reached out to Francisco Melendez in 2022.
The 52 year old former Marine was in full kidney failure following a series of medical misfortunes stemming from a lung injury. With dialysis as his lifeline, “The only solution was a new kidney,” Fallon recounts, “but no one I knew was a viable donor.” To amplify his plea, Fallon tapped Melendez, founder of a Texas nonprofit and The Sinner’s Club, a whiskey group on Facebook of which Fallon was a member.
Melendez raced into action, blasting Fallon’s dire situation to the entire 5,800-member group. Within minutes, a dozen offers to get tested flooded in; within weeks, five had completed the test. One, a bubbly coordinator for an audiologist and part-time bartender named Brittany McCaffety, was a perfect match. “I called Francisco and Pat and said ‘This is happening!’ and we all cried on the call,” McCaffety...

We all know and love Islay and its eight distilleries, but look around; Islay is only one of Scotland's distilling islands. A scan of a gazetteer reveals another eight whisky distilleries spread across seven islands, each with their own distinctive identities, some old, some very new. Both Tobermory on Mull and Highland Park on Orkney date back to 1798, whereas newcomer Isle of Harris Distillers opened in October 2015. And, where mighty Talisker and Caol Ila measure their annual production in millions of liters, the tiny stills at Abhainn Dearg trickle out just 10,000 liters a year. Such are the contrasts we find in island life. So let's start this tour with the only distillery on Arran, the largest island in the Firth of Clyde. Arran is a favorite of Glasgow vacationers for its easy access, benign climate, and, because of its varied topography, known as ‘Scotland in miniature'—except that until 1995 it lacked a distillery. Thankfully, this was remedied by Hal Currie, a former...

Where It's From
As it says in the name, scotch comes from Scotland. It can be made anywhere in the country, and is often designated as coming from one of five regions: Lowlands, Highlands/Islands, Speyside, Islay, or Campbeltown.
What It's Made Of
Scotch can be made of any cereal grain, which results in three main types of whisky:MaltMalt whisky must be made in a pot still of malted barley only. Single malt whisky comes from only one distillery.GrainGrain whisky is made from malted or unmalted cereal grains,including wheat, corn, andbarley, and is typically made in a column still. Single grain whisky comes from only one distillery.BlendedBlended whisky is a mixture of whiskies from different distilleries, typically using both malt and grain whiskies. Blended malt whisky mixes single malts from a number of distilleries. Blended grain whisky mixes single grains from a number of distilleries.
How It's Made
The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 dictate certain rules for...

Like many whisky lovers, Professor Gordon Cook of the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Center would love to get his hands on some Macallan 1878 27 year old. Yet he has no intention of putting it in his mouth. The whisky recently captured a lot of attention when a Chinese multi-millionaire reportedly paid 9,999 Swiss francs ($10,000) for the dram at the Hotel Waldhaus am See in St. Moritz, Switzerland. What's even more surprising than the exorbitant price: the whisky may be a fake.(Ed. note: It is, in fact, fake.)The vintage bottle's label raised suspicion with the words, ‘Roderick Kemp. Proprietor, Macallan and Talisker Distilleries Ltd.'—an improbable phrase as Kemp never owned Macallan and Talisker distilleries simultaneously. Similar bottles have appeared before, including one withdrawn from an auction in Glasgow in 2013 under suspicion of forgery.Cook says he can conclusively determine whether the whisky is real or a forgery. “This bottle is open; therefore...

A new U.S. whisky auction record was set at Sotheby's in New York on October 13th by The Macallan Peter Blake 1926 60 year old—although the sum of $843,200 fell short of breaking the current world record set at Bonham's in Edinburgh ten days earlier, when The Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 60 year old went for $1,102,619 (£848,750 including buyer's premiums). The Sotheby's Macallan was the fourth bottle from that vintage to be offered at auction in 2018. The first three, sold in Asia and Europe earlier this year, each topped $1 million. The Sotheby's sale topped the previous U.S. record set in 2010 by the 1.5-liter Macallan 64 year old in Lalique Cire Perdue, which sold for $460,000.Whisky collectors know that the value of whisky can go up or down, and the secondary market can be fickle. The first million-dollar bottles sold in May in Hong Kong; there, a bottle of The Macallan Peter Blake 1926 60 year old sold for the equivalent of $1,014,273. The Sotheby's sale thus represented a 17%...

Update 10/14/19: Diageo has finally confirmed details on this whisky's release. Offerman collaborated with Lagavulin distillery manager Colin Gordon to select the liquid for this special edition, matured in refill (i.e., ex-bourbon that has been used at least once for maturing scotch) and rejuvenated (ex-bourbon that has been scraped and recharred) casks . It's hitting shelves now priced at $75.
Something bigger than the Pawnee Harvest Festival is about to go down: Nick Offerman looks to be getting his own Lagavulin whisky. The actor, who played the curmudgeonly-yet-goodhearted character Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, adorns a label for an 11 year old Lagavulin that was recently approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).Offerman's character on Parks and Rec is frequently seen with a bottle of Lagavulin, his whisky of choice. (Trivia: Swanson's father apparently favored Wild Turkey; Ron once says that he would put it on his corn flakes.) In the season 6...

Two major auction houses will put millions of dollars' worth of whisky up on the block in Hong Kong this month. On May 17, Bonhams, Hong Kong will hold a Fine & Rare Wine & Spirits auction one year to the day from when it sold the first bottle of whisky for over $1 million. Meanwhile, Acker—better known as the leading wine auction house in the world, selling over $105 million worth of wine in 2018, according to Wine Spectator—is preparing to host its inaugural spirits auction on May 11 in the city. Below, I've listed my top picks for lots to watch—and bid on—at both auctions, with a few words of caution as well.5/8/2019: In response to the errors noted below in Acker's listings, the company has corrected and updated their catalogue.The Top Whisky Lots at Bonhams, Hong KongWith nearly 500 lots of single malt scotch and Japanese whisky available, Macallan is leading the pack with a mind-blowing line-up of some of the most sought-after releases from its back catalogue...

For the whisky lover, traveling to Scotland can seem daunting—there's so much ground to cover in scotch's homeland. Fortunately, the capital, Edinburgh, offers visitors a comprehensive whisky experience in the convenience of an urban setting. With its excellent access to over a dozen Highland and Lowland distilleries, countless pubs and bars, revitalized urban distilling, world-class cocktail culture, and immersive whisky education, Edinburgh serves as the gateway to Scotch whisky.Getting AroundCentral Edinburgh is divided into two sections: the Old Town, whose main artery is the Royal Mile, stretching from Edinburgh Castle down to Holyrood Palace, and the New Town, the neatly gridded area to the north of Princes Street Gardens. Buses and trams provide excellent transportation throughout most of the city, but within the Old Town, which has a lot of stairs and narrow alleys, getting around on foot is most efficient—just be prepared to huff and puff a bit. Taxis and Uber operate...

A tightening of smoking restrictions in many towns has left little harbor for the connoisseur of both whisky and cigars—let alone those in search of an occasional "two-fer." Unfortunately, many cigar bars offer a whisky list that is nothing to puff about, and often overpriced. The sublime mingling of a fine dram with the rich palate of a top-notch stick remains worth seeking out, however. Here, we've found five excellent places where you can enjoy a smoke with your whisky—and a pairing worth trying at each one.Light Up and Drink Up: Great Whisky-Cigar BarsThe Occidental Cigar Club—San FranciscoFounded in 2001, this club doesn't mince words. “If the aroma of fine tobacco products offends you, this is not an entrance,” declares a sign outside the front door. “There are a few good restaurants around the corner on Belden.” Inside, the proprietors match their boasts with a bravura collection of whiskies, from WhistlePig Boss Hog to local distillery Sonoma County. While city...

It's been an open secret for years that some Japanese whiskies aren't so Japanese—that is, they're often made with imported whisky, blended or proofed down or simply bottled locally, and then labeled as “Product of Japan.” Many such brands exist, though typically not openly, cloaking themselves in kanji and Japanese names while never disclosing that some or all of the liquid inside the bottle came from Scotland, Ireland, Canada, or elsewhere. But such practices may soon be a thing of the past, as Japan's leading spirits trade group has established guidelines to clarify what makes a Japanese whisky Japanese.The rules, published by the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association on Feb. 16, are entirely voluntary, meaning that they apply only to members of the group and there will be no government enforcement if some producers opt to flout them. But Japan's biggest distillers have already signed on. Suntory, which makes a variety of single malt and blended whiskies at its...

Of Canadian whisky, legendary whisky writer Michael Jackson once wrote, “Whatever their labels say, all Canadian whiskies are of the same style.”
While that may have been true in 1987, when Jackson penned those words in his “World Guide to Whisky,” one needn’t be a whisky expert to know that things are much different today. Not only are the ranks of Canadian whiskies now populated by a large number of straight ryes—a style that Jackson bemoaned as “a shame” that Canada lacked them in his day—and all sorts of other whisky types, including ersatz “bourbons,” triple distilled whiskies inspired by the Irish tradition, and a steadily growing coterie of single malts.
It is in that final camp that Canadian whisky may have its greatest potential.
“We have some of the best grain growers on the planet,” says Tyler Dyck, CEO of British Columbia’s Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery, “If...

Most people know that tequila and mezcal are both crafted from agave. Beyond that, the well of knowledge usually runs dry. A few pointers on the differences between these two types of spirits will help enhance your appreciation of mezcal, Mexico’s once-forgotten agave spirit whose popularity is now blooming.
Regulations require that only blue Weber agave be used for tequila. Around 30 varieties can be used for mezcal, but there are just a handful that are typically used. The denominations of origin for each also specify different Mexican states where they can legally be grown. So although these two spirits are both agave-based, the differences are significant.
Once the agave has been harvested and the leaves removed to reveal the pine cone-shaped heart or piña, it’s cooked and crushed to convert its starches into more readily fermentable sugars. The piña for tequila is typically cooked in steam, whereas for mezcal it is buried and cooked using wood...

The still room at Stauning is silent.
Copper gleams in the morning light. Rows of stills —24 in total—stand in neat lines, like sleeping instruments waiting for a conductor. But there’s no heat in the coils. No sound of bubbling wash. No spirit dripping into the safe.
Stauning still sells whisky. Its warehouses are stocked, the brand remains strong, the whisky is flowing—into glasses, not stills. But what is a whisky distillery that no longer distills? That’s a difficult question. A distillery can stay alive on cask sales for a while. But when the spirit isn’t being made, it’s like a heart that’s stopped beating—waiting for revival or reality to sink in.
This isn’t a story of failure. But it is a story of reckoning, one that says as much about the state of craft whisky today as it does about Stauning itself. At its center stands Hans Martin Hansgaard, one of nine co-founders and reluctant witness to a dream in...

In whisky packaging, luxury usually means heavy—think thick bottles with hefty stoppers that double as trophies on a shelf. Johnnie Walker wants to upend that thinking and embrace the notion that lithe is luxurious. Case in point: The new Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra bottle, at 6.3 oz. (180g), was just awarded the Guinness World Record for lightest 700 ml bottle. The stopper, made of hollowed-out aluminum, adds approximately 2.5 oz., for a total weight of 8.8 oz.
In other luxury sectors—like watches and supercars—less has always meant more. The lighter, the rarer. But spirits have been different. For fans of Blue Label’s famous square 1.8-pound (850g) bottle, a featherweight replacement might be a bit of a culture shock. Going from something as heavy as a paperweight to the Ultra, a glass bottle as light as six pencils, may take a minute to get used to.
How the Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ultra Bottle Was Created
The Ultra bottle is the result of a...