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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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

With roughly 4,000 Irish pubs to be found across the country, there are plenty of options for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day—and even at a regular old pub, you’re likely to be able to get a shot of Jameson and a pint of Guinness. But for something a little more special, there’s a handful of Irish bars with expansive Irish whiskey selections sure to please even the most particular of connoisseurs. Here are five spots worth a visit, especially if you’re looking to honor St. Patrick this month.
An Sibin, Cambridge, Massachusetts
The newest bar on the list, An Sibin opened in September 2022 and is a cross between an Irish pub and an American speakeasy, with modern and classic cocktails offered alongside an impressive selection of 130-145 whiskies, depending on availability, 30-40 of which are Irish, and one of the best pours of Guinness in the Boston area. Irish whiskey selections range from big names like Bushmills ($10/2 oz.) and Tullamore D.E.W...

We pour Irish whiskey year-round, but St Patrick’s Day is a great occasion to look at what’s doing well. There are new brands like Skellig Six 18, Clan Colla, and Garavogue, but established names aren’t standing still either, as this year we’re hearing about fresh releases from Redbreast, Proper No. Twelve, Shortcross, and The Whistler—all showing that despite the global slump, Ireland’s whiskey revival is alive and well.
For collectors, Bushmills recently showcased its 26 year old Crystal Malt, while Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2026 will land this spring. Irish whiskey bonder Two Stacks is elevating its blends with older components and a packaging refresh, while Dingle returns with a retooled single malt at a different ABV and friendlier price, while a core range single pot still and its first 10 year old single malt are set to come later in the year. Whether you plan to cheer on the parade, join the celebration at your local Irish...

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...

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...

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 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...

In scotch whisky, Ledaig, the peated label of Torbermory Distillery on the Isle of Mull, has released a cask strength 10 year old, while Oban offers a very sherried 15 year old. From the Irish whiskey space, Midleton Very Rare's 2025 Edition uses six different whiskeys of two styles—three single pot still and three grain. Of equal interest is Dingle's U.S. debut of a single pot still whiskey, while Natterjack introduces The Deliberate Mistake, aged in virgin oak casks for a year longer than intended.
Ledaig Hebridean Moon Scotch Single Malt
ABV: 58.8%
SRP: $113
Availability: 7,000 bottles worldwide
Ledaig is Tobermory Distillery’s peated label (the Isle of Mull distillery also makes the Tobermory unpeated label). This new single malt was aged in bourbon barrels and is Ledaig’s first-ever cask-strength 10 year old, and the distillery is billing it as a one-off, with just 7,000 bottles available. It also holds the distinction of being the...

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...

Game of Thrones might be over, but it lives on in Scotland as Johnnie Walker is launching two new limited-edition blends in honor of the series. Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice honors House Stark, while Johnnie Walker A Song of Fire salutes House Targaryen. Both whiskies are available nationwide for $36.Meanwhile, Glen Moray has debuted a 21 year old single malt finished in port casks. There are 1,200 bottles of the whisky coming to the U.S. this year, priced at $180. Glen Moray announced today that master distiller Graham Coull is leaving to join Ireland's Dingle Distillery—which also has a new whiskey out this week (keep reading).Jameson Caskmates has made two special editions in partnership with Chicago's Revolution Brewing and Bale Breaker Brewing Co. in Yakima, Washington. Both priced at $30, the whiskeys are available within and close to the breweries' home states.Widow Jane is releasing a limited-edition 14 year old blend of straight bourbons sourced from Indiana and Tennessee...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

(“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...

Irish whiskey is rich in history and delicate in character, and as new distilleries continue to pop up across Ireland, the Emerald Isle is returning to its glory days of old. With more variety than ever before, it’s a good time to enjoy it at a bar that carries a diverse and extensive selection. Here are five U.S. spots with solid Irish whiskey lists.

The Cabbage Shed
Elberta, Michigan
At first, this bar and restaurant might look like a regular neighborhood spot, scenically situated on the water, but behind the bar, you’ll find precisely 99 bottles of Irish whiskey. A trip to Ireland by the owners in 2010 inspired an obsession with the spirit, and they began stocking the bar with enough Irish whiskey to surpass any other in Northern Michigan. Expressions from familiar names like Teeling and Redbreast and rarer bottles like Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy ($89/2 oz.) are available. You also don’t have to spend a lot to taste harder-to-find...

Looking for a gift for the whisky lover in your life this holiday season? We've got you covered with these 14 recommendations, ranging from specialty bottles to sweet treats, to unforgettable whisky and cigar experiences. Check out our 12 Whiskies of Christmas for more selections to gift or share this holiday season. And of course, our annual Top 20 list is a great resource if you are looking to gift a bottle, with this year's selections ranging in price from $30 to $275, and covering a range of styles.
New releases this week represent a wide range of styles as well. Old Forester adds to its 117 series with Extra Extra Old; Orphan Barrel releases the final installment in its Muckety-Muck range, a 26 year old single grain whisky; Booker's announces the fourth batch of this year's bourbon; and Mortlach and Talisker each have new aged expressions. Read on for full details. 

Old Forester 117 Series: Extra Extra...

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...

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...

Amid all the razzmatazz of new releases, we note with some nostalgia that Cutty Sark, that grand old scotch, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and it just rolled out a limited anniversary edition to mark the occasion. Cutty has been dressed up in a festive bottle and gift box that is hitting retail across the U.S., and there will be 100 celebratory events around the country in its honor. Named for the fastest clipper ship in the 19th century, during Prohibition years Cutty became a favorite of rum runners plying the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard. This light-tasting blend was a very popular choice for cocktails, and for years Cutty Sark  was America’s number-one scotch whisky, peaking in 1980 at an astounding 22 million bottles annually, according to our research arm Impact Databank. Today it's far smaller, selling just under a milllion bottles a year.
But on to the business at hand. Halloween is not quite here yet, but we have some...

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...

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...

If you love whiskey, food, and good company, Ireland is the perfect place to enjoy yourself. From the gentle humor of vintage Guinness murals to lilting accents that seduce the listener's ear, there is no shortage of good craic to be had in the authentic pubs that are, literally and figuratively, colorful. Position yourself in a dark recess by a backbar crammed with whiskeys, and sip away while the fiddles, accordion, and bodhran of the traditional musicians keep your toes tapping. Relish the best Irish ingredients transformed into plates of the most delicious creations in the country's top restaurants. At the end of the night, collapse into a welcoming bed in a traditional country house or a modern, chic city hotel. You really can't go far wrong, and these recommendations are a great place to start.DublinEatRestaurant Patrick GuilbaudRenowned as Ireland's only two-star Michelin establishment, start salivating for the Mellow Spiced Wicklow Lamb and colorful arrangements of Annagassan...

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...

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...

With 1 in 10 people in the U.S. claiming Irish heritage, there's a natural affinity with Ireland, and it extends to Irish whiskey. Some stateside distillers have also created their own take on Ireland's classic whiskey styles.At Black Bear Distillery in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, master chef and distiller Victor Matthews produces an Irish-style whiskey and a sherry-finished Irish-style bourbon, which he describes as a fusion of Irish-style whiskey and wheated bourbon. Inspired by his great-grandfather's Irish ancestry, he fought and won a two-year campaign with U.S. and Irish regulators to use the term “Irish style” for this 100% American- made whiskey.Ten years ago, Meagan and Patrick Miller, co-founders of Talnua Distillery in Arvada, Colorado, set out to produce American single pot still whiskey after tasting Redbreast in a Galway pub on their honeymoon. Talnua is Irish for “new land,” and they proudly claim to be the only U.S. distillery dedicated to making single pot...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

New York City’s The Dead Rabbit knows a thing or two about Irish coffee. The Irish-focused bar sold over 40,000 of the classic last year, and it’s such a popular drink that the place has a dedicated Irish Coffee menu that includes its classic, frozen, Martini, and alcohol-free versions, with a spiced tequila version available at San Patricio’s, its Jersey City Mexican Cantina and Irish Pub outpost. Head bartender Cory O’Brien-Pniewski says the drink’s popularity is down to its approachability and the fact that it gets ordered at any time of the day.
“Out with friends and you need a little pick-me-up? Choose Irish coffee,” says O’Brien-Pniewski. “Late night last call at your local bar? Maybe that one last one can be an Irish Coffee. It’s a smaller, more manageable drink and can be enjoyed at all occasions."
There are many tips for creating the perfect Irish Coffee, but you can’t go wrong with this classic...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

From the ancient reserves of the world's oldest licensed distillery to a Dublin-born blend finished in heavily charred bourbon casks, Irish whiskey contains multitudes. This March, when St. Patrick's Day puts Irish whiskey back in the spotlight, it's worth pausing on just how much the category has changed.   
In a category that has tripled in size over the past decade, most of what's new blurs together. Another blend. Another shelf-talker. Another brand chasing the same tired talking points. Against that backdrop, two bottles stand apart — not because they're louder than the rest, but because they're doing genuinely different things. 
One has been perfecting single malt on Ireland's North Coast for over 400 years, looking to the past to consistently pursue greatness in the present and future. The other takes everything we know about Irish whiskey and innovates to ensure the category's...

Gifting a bottle seems easy enough, but finding the right bottle for a whisky lover is where the difficulty lies. You could play it safe by buying a bottle of their usual pour, but that isn't very exciting. Alternatively, you could surprise them with something completely new—but then you run the risk of buying something they won't like. 
A great way to start is to focus on flavors. The best approach is to look for whiskies with profiles your giftee likes—focusing on familiar foods like chocolate and barbecue, beverages like coffee or wine, or certain things like cigars—that you know will hit the spot. To cut out the work for you, we've assembled a list of 26 high-scoring whiskies that will please your whisky lover's palate and put a big smile on their face.
Dessert Lovers
For whisky lovers with a sweet tooth, there are plenty of options to choose from, including well-aged bourbons, inventive blends, light-bodied Irish whiskeys, and beyond. The...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

An unsung part of bourbon country—Northern Kentucky—is finally getting its due with the announcement this week of The B Line, a trail of distilleries, bars, and restaurants catering to whiskey lovers. If you're traveling to Cincinnati, plan to spend a little extra time discovering the hidden treasures of Northern Kentucky that lie just across the river.But despite that exciting news, there are no new bourbons coming out this week. Instead, it's all about Scotland and Ireland. Glenmorangie has unveiled the ninth release in its annual Private Edition series of limited-edition single malts. Spìos, which means "spice" in Scots Gaelic, was entirely matured in ex-rye casks from Kentucky. It's an unusual choice, and we're eager to try it.From Ireland come several new whiskeys. Pearse Lyons Distillery, which opened its doors to the public last September, is now launching its entire line in the U.S. Two of the four whiskeys—The Original and Distiller's Choice—contain malt whiskey that...

Kilbeggan is Ireland's oldest continually licensed distillery: It opened in 1757 and survived famine, world wars, Prohibition, and more before going silent in the 1950s. After being revived in 1989 and restarting distilling in 2007, it is now a leader of the Irish whiskey renaissance. Brand ambassador Michael Egan joinedWhisky Advocate's#TasteWithSpace Instagram Live series on March 5 to discuss Kilbeggan's history and longevity.“There were multiple opportunities for it to shut down and fail,” Egan said. “It's a testament to the people that work there, the whiskey that they made, their level of resilience, [that they] never gave up and there was still that demand for Irish whiskey as a category and as a result, Kilbeggan.”Just over a week ahead of St. Patrick's Day, Egan and Whisky Advocate senior editor Susannah Skiver Barton kicked off the discussion by making traditional Irish Coffees using brown sugar, hot coffee, Kilbeggan Original, and a dollop of cream. Egan says that...

This St. Patrick's Day, ditch the green-dyed beer and opt for a sophisticated Irish whiskey sipper. With its mellow and smooth flavor, Irish whiskey makes a versatile base for all types of cocktails, from fruity and shaken to spirit-forward and stirred. Whether the day calls for something refreshing or warming (you never know this time of year, do you?), these recipes are simple to execute at home so you can be drinking in style come March 17th—no food coloring needed.Five Irish Whiskey CocktailsAll recipes by Luna Kemp of Tipsy Moon EventsIrish Ginger Peach Smash 2 oz. Irish whiskey 4 peach slices 1 oz. agave nectar 3 oz. ginger beerIn a shaker muddle 3 peach slices. Add whiskey, agave, and ice and shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a Highball glass filled with fresh ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with the remaining peach slice.Scailtin 2 oz. Irish whiskey 1 cup high-fat milk or milk alternative 2 Tbsp. honey ⅛ tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp...

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...

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...

Higher proof whiskeys have been expanding their presence these days—indeed, among the latest releases, it almost seems like a rare thing to find a whisky with an ABV in the 40% bracket. These new expressions are nearly all in the high 50% or low 60% range, with only two bottlings in the mid-40s. It seems to be what whisky drinkers want as they seek intense, amped up flavors, and, so distillers are delivering. This lineup spans most of the major styles, including bourbon, rye, single malt, and Irish, nearly all pushing up the needle on proof.
Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye
ABV: 55.25%
SRP: $120
Availability: Limited
While your favorite Michter’s releases can sometimes go on hiatus due to a combination of limited supply and the judgment of master distiller Dan McKee and master of maturation Andrea Wilson, the distillery has made concerted efforts in recent years to make sure that its whiskeys are on shelves. That effort has paid...

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...

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...

There's never been a better time to drink Irish whiskey. New distilleries are popping up left and right, brands are expanding with new cask finishes and other innovations, and of course,the classics continue to shine. We've rounded up ten recommended Irish whiskeys that represent an array of flavor profiles and styles. Think of this list as your roadmap to the treasures of the Emerald Isle.Bushmills 16 year old—86 pointsMatured in a combination of bourbon, port, and sherry casks. The result is a complex and very satisfying Irish single malt. Connemara 12 year old—90 pointsAn innovative peated Irish single malt created by Cooley. It offers a maturity to match its natural ruggedness. Green Spot Château Léoville Barton—89 pointsThe first Irish single pot still whiskey to be finished in Bordeaux wine casks, after aging in new American oak,oloroso sherry casks, and bourbon barrels. Different and delicious.The Irishman Founder's Reserve Small Batch—89 pointsA notably characterful...

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...

St. Patrick's Day is rapidly approaching, which means we're getting new Irish whiskey releases. Leading this week is the 2022 edition of Midleton Very Rare, the ultra-aged annual release crafted by Midleton master distiller Kevin O'Gorman, who took on that role from Brian Nation in 2021. Other Irish releases this week include a commemorative bottling of The Sexton to honor the final season of "The Walking Dead," and a Glendalough single malt finished in mizunara barrels. Outside the Irish whiskey space, the notables include a single barrel expression from Evan Williams to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the Kentucky Derby Festival, and a collaboration between Royal Salute and designer Richard Quinn,Midleton Very Rare 2022Style: Blended whiskeyOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedABV: 40%Price: $200Release: Spring 2022Availability: Limited Need to know:Midleton master distiller Kevin O’Gorman has selected single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys aged between 12 and 33 years for...

It's a big week for well-aged scotch. Macallan is releasing a 50 year old single malt that aged in a single Spanish oak sherry butt, while Dalmore has unveiled a 45 year old which includes whiskies finished in two vintage tawny port pipes. The Macallan 50 year old costs $35,000, and only 200 bottles are available (35 for the U.S.), while The Dalmore 45 year old rings up at $12,500 with 500 bottles for sale.Meanwhile, Glenlivet is reprising the same elements of mystery that surrounded its Alpha release a few years ago. The Glenlivet Code is a Speyside single malt whisky, and that's about all we know of it. Glenlivet wants drinkers to taste the whisky and determine for themselves what aromas and flavors they detect; then, at the end of the year, the distillery will reveal details about the whisky's maturation. While Alpha was very limited in quantity, Code is more widely available and will have a shelf price of $120.In American whiskey new releases, Michter's is rolling out its 2018...

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...

Today's Irish Drams Show Newfound Sophistication Once the most popular spirit in the entire world, Irish whiskey nearly went extinct after multiple wars, Prohibition in the U.S., and financial problems caused many Irish whiskey distilleries to close in the early part of the 20th century. Quickly, Irish whiskey was overshadowed by what was coming out of Scotland. For the last few decades, however, Irish whiskey has been steadily returning and today it is booming in a big way. Today's sophisticated offerings shouldn't take a back seat to scotch, whatsoever. In fact, and in many ways, Irish whiskey offers more diversity than scotch, with a variety of distillation methods and resulting whiskeys. Today you can enjoy Irish single grain whiskeys, Irish single malts, and even peated single malts coming from the Emerald Isle, offering a remarkably wide variety of flavor profiles fit for any kind of drinker.Kilbeggan® Small Batch RyeDouble-distilled in Ireland's oldest licensed distillery...

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...

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...

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...

This year’s auction scene has been led by one-of-one releases, and Compass Box served up the final one of the year. A world blended malt, a fusion of Scottish and Swedish influences, Compass Box Confluence was the debut expression of Angelo D’Orazio, the former Mackmyra master blender who was appointed the new Compass Box creative director of whiskymaking in July 2025. It fetched a hammer price of $18,000 at Bonhams Skinner, a record for the brand. The sale generated a combined hammer price of $43,200 for The Wolfsonian across eight Compass Box lots, containing 44 bottles direct from the company, including some of the most memorable Compass Box releases from the past 25 years.
Macallan dominated December’s 20-highest hammer price list during a busy first fortnight in the salesrooms. Bonhams, Edinburgh returned from its difficult October sale and successfully cleared all Macallan The Red Collection bottles from that sale, including the 71, 74, 77, and 78 year old...

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...

While the biggest whisky news this week was the announcement of our 2017 Whisky of the Year, there are lots of other great whiskies to celebrate. If you haven't checked out the most exciting whiskies of 2017, head over to the Top 20 page to see 1 through 10, and check back on Monday, 11/20, for 11 through 20.Meanwhile, take a look at the newest whisky releases, coming out now. Jim Beam has launched a non-chill filtered bourbon aged 5 to 6 years and bottled at 50% ABV. Priced at $23, it is definitely worth trying to see whether chill-filtering makes a difference to your enjoyment of the whiskey.In other bourbon news, Sazerac's Barton 1792 Distillery also has a new 50% ABV bourbon: Barton 1792 Bottled in Bond. Both of these whiskeys are available for a limited time.Midleton is rolling out its second whiskey in the Virgin Irish Oak Series. Dair Ghaelach Bluebell Forest is a blend of pot still whiskeys aged 12 to 23 years in bourbon casks, then finished for a year and a half in toasted...

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...

In the last few years, Irish whiskeys have begun crowding bourbon and scotch on the shelf. In fact, Ireland’s distilling scene is undergoing an exciting renaissance—as detailed in our Winter 2016 issue. So it’s no surprise to see new brands hitting the U.S., especially around St. Paddy’s Day. Check out these four Irish whiskeys rolling out now—two new expressions from Bushmills and Tyrconnell, a unique Irish-American hybrid whiskey from Connacht, and Jameson’s limited-edition St. Patrick’s Day bottle.Bushmills Red BushStyle: Blended Irish whiskeyProof: 40% ABVPrice: $23Release: March 2017Availability: Widely availableNeed to know:Joining Bushmills Original and Black Bush, as well as a couple of aged single malts, this is the first new expression in the Bushmills family in quite awhile. It’s matured exclusively in first-fill bourbon barrels and is recommended as a shot or with mixers like ginger ale or soda.Whisky Advocate says:In a statement, master distiller Colum...

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...

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...

Traditionally, peat was anathema to Irish whiskey, representing Scotland—even though Ireland possesses deep peat reserves. And through the ages, the Irish have had a close relationship with the land, cutting and lifting turf to burn. “If you go back far enough in Irish history, everything was peated—you and I would have been peated, as there would have been an open fire in the middle of the room and no chimney,” notes Alex Chasko, master distiller at Teeling Distillery in Dublin.More recently, a handful of peated Irish expressions have emerged—against a range of challenges. First, all the peated malt must be imported, as Ireland's commercial maltsters won't touch the stuff due to limited demand. Second, so many of Ireland's whiskeys are triple distilled, which can refine the heavier phenol influences—responsible for much of the peat-smoke character—out of the spirit entirely. The challenge is made even more difficult for peating single pot still Irish whiskey, because...

Regardless of how or where you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, you'll need to have Irish whiskey on hand. Whether for sipping neat, with a splash of water, on ice, in a cocktail, or chased by a Guinness, we have you covered! There are four main styles to explore: Single malt, made from 100% malted Irish barley and either double or triple distilled; single pot still, known for its spiciness and distinctive oily mouthfeel, made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, and occasionally adjunct grains such as oats and rye; single grain, made from different grains in a column still; and blended, made from a combination of any two of the above styles. For the Irish diaspora scattered across the world, St. Patrick’s Day is an opportunity to raise a glass to the old country. When it comes to which whiskeys to pour, we’ve selected everything from neat pours to make-at-home Irish cocktails. In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, whether you’re Irish or...

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...

Looking for a new whisky to pair with the chocolate you got for Valentine's Day? Or perhaps you're just in the mood for something different. There's a lot to choose from in this week's newest releases.Glen Grant recently rolled out a 15 year old single malt exclusively for the U.S. market, stepping up the bottling proof to 50% ABV. The distillery's presence in this country has been quiet in recent years, but global brand ambassador Robin Coupar recently told Whisky Advocate that Glen Grant's parent company, Gruppo Campari, aims to establish the brand as a reputable, high-quality whisky.Another brand aiming to raise its profile: Aberlour. The Speyside distillery is launching a single cask 16 year old, bottled exclusively for the state of Illinois. Aberlour's core whiskies all include some sherry cask influence (and in the case of Aberlour A'bunadh, all sherry), but this special edition comes from a bourbon cask, showing a totally different side of the whisky. Just 163 bottles are...

St. Patrick’s Day comes with more to celebrate than usual this year, with news that Irish whiskey exports to the U.S. are flying once again after a brief slowdown during COVID-19. More than 72 million bottles of Irish whiskey were shipped to the U.S. last year, representing a 28% growth rate from 2021, according to research arm Impact Databank. Only tequila, whose sales have been on fire in recent years, is growing more rapidly among imported spirits.
Jameson continues to be the big seller of Irish whiskey, accounting for nearly 80% of all sales. But other Irish whiskey makers have been building their own momentum, led by Tullamore D.E.W., Bushmills, Redbreast, and Teeling, among others. And a host of other creative players like Waterford, Boann, Slane, and Clonakilty, to name only a few, are making the Irish whiskey shelf a fun place to shop. The number of whiskey distilleries in Ireland has exploded–from 4 only a decade ago to more than 40 today–led by small...

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...

The Irish Coffee has been a beloved cocktail for ages, and for good reason. Combining Irish whiskey, coffee, sugar, and cream is a surefire way to guarantee a delicious drink. But what if this luxurious libation was transformed into a cake? In their cookbook “Whiskey in the Kitchen,” Emanuel and Madeline Greenberg did just that with this scrumptious recipe for an Irish-Coffee cake. Not to be mistaken with traditional American coffee cake, which typically has a cinnamon crumble and is best served with a cup of coffee, this cake is based on the aforementioned cocktail.
With instant coffee powder, Irish whiskey, heavy cream, chocolate bits, and even chocolate-covered coffee or espresso beans, this recipe captures every delicious flavor of Irish Coffee. Plus, while you can make your own sponge cake for the recipe, it can be made easier by purchasing one ahead of time—you can go for a standard sponge cake, a bundt cake, or even double down on the mocha flavors by...

There are plenty of new whiskies to look for this week—although not all will be accessible to the average drinker. After announcing it last fall, Jack Daniel's has released Reunion Barrel, part of its Tennessee Tasters selection. The red wine barrel-finished whiskey is $40 for a 375-ml. bottle and for sale mainly at the distillery.Mortlach is the latest scotch brand to unveil a super-aged edition, this one 47 years old and available only online via ballot. The cost is £10,000, and if you want a chance to snag one of the 94 bottles, you can register on the Justerini & Brooks website.The first Booker's bourbon release of 2019 is upon us: Booker's 2019-01 "Teresa's Batch" is hitting shelves now. As always, it's at barrel proof, uncut and unfiltered, and will go for a recommended price of $80.Another barrel-proof whiskey is rolling out as well: Michter's US*1 Barrel Strength rye. Available in limited amounts, the whiskey has a suggested price of $75.Blood Oath Pact No. 5 will...

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...

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...

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...

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...

A bottle of Macallan The Reach 81 year old was sold at auction earlier this month, this one by Whisky Auctioneer. It was the fourth-highest single-bottle hammer price for a whisky so far in 2023, but the price represented a sharp drop for this ultra-aged Macallan expression. The most recent previous sale of The Reach was at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in April, when it went for a quarter of a million dollars higher. Has The Reach achieved maximum reach? It’s far too early to tell. This is the lowest hammer price for this whisky to date, but only three bottles have been sold at auction thus far, and the price in April’s Hong Kong auction was part of Sotheby’s 50 Years In Asia activities, which may have attracted a larger audience and driven up the price. The winning bid at Whisky Auctioneer was in line with that achieved at a Sotheby’s special auction for The Reach last fall, so the value of this Macallan is probably just finding its feet.
Whisky...

The Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection debuted in 2020 with the oldest single malt Irish whiskey ever released at the time. The second release is even older: a 46 year old single pot still whiskey distilled at the Old Midleton Distillery under master distiller Max Crockett in 1973. The Silent Distillery Collection is changing outmoded perceptions about what Irish whiskey can represent. “It's wonderful to take our seat at the table with other distilleries around the world,” says master distiller Kevin O'Gorman. “Back in the early 70s, Old Midleton was a very different distillery,” he adds, noting the major upgrades in technology at the new Midleton Distillery. “The huge pot still was powered by coal, it had different distillation rates, and there was a worm tub rather than a condenser. The principle of distillation and attention to detail were the same, but they are two different eras, which results in a completely different taste profile.” This...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Father’s Day is this Sunday, and if you’re looking for some last-minute gift ideas, we’ve got you covered. The Dad's Day classic is a bottle of whisky, and earlier this week, we rounded up the ten highest scoring whiskies in our Summer 2022 Buying Guide. Any of them would make for a worthy splurge. Or perhaps you’d like to give the gift of gear—consider a canteen that will keep batched cocktails chilled all day; a high-end carrying case for hauling bottles, bar equipment, and more; or handy upgrades for any home bar cart.
In new whisky, there’s plenty to enjoy. The Spot range gets a brand new Gold addition, while Brother’s Bond has unveiled a cask strength iteration of its flagship bourbon and O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co. debuts the latest Irish-American style whiskey in its Keeper’s Heart lineup. Read on for full details.

Gold Spot 9 Year Old
Style: Single pot still Origin: IrelandAge: 9 year oldABV: 51.4%Price...

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...

While Craigellachie is giving away its next round of 51 year old in New York City, more new whiskies are rolling out.A big shakeup is coming for Balblair's single malt whiskies: The core lineup is moving from being vintage-dated releases to age-statement bottlings. There are advantages and disadvantages to the change—age statements are an easy benchmark to understand compared to vintages, which might be released multiple times at successively older ages. (For Balblair, you'd have to check the smaller print on the label to see which release you'd picked up and how long it had aged before bottling.) Balblair's new lineup includes 12, 15, 18, and 25 year old whiskies, each bottled at 46% ABV and matured in ex-bourbon and/or ex-sherry casks. The company stated in a press release that the new whiskies are distinct and unique, but fall in line with Balblair's house style. The new line is rolling out now overseas, but will not arrive in the U.S. until 2020, and U.S. pricing hasn't been...

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;...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 a worldwide whisky mashup among this week's newest releases.Boutique blender Compass Box has unveiled its newest blend, created in honor of the company's majority-female staff. Hedonism, The Muse is a special edition of Compass Box's core blended grain scotch whisky and—if past limited editions have been any indication—should be a heck of a dram.Meanwhile, Glendalough Distillery from County Wicklow, Ireland has three new expressions, which are rolling out with new packaging for the brand. Glendalough Double Barrel is a single grain whiskey aged first in bourbon barrels, then finished in oloroso sherry casks. Glendalough Black Pitts Finish 7 year old was finished in porter beer barrels from Dublin's 5 Lamps Brewery. And Glendalough Mizunara Cask Finish 13 year old is the first Irish whiskey finished in casks made from Japanese mizunara oak.Jura Distillery, located off Scotland's west coast, is launching two new expressions to go with Jura 10 year old, which hit the market...

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...

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...

Our 2018 Whisky of the Year proves that blends deserve to be taken seriously, and in the field of Irish whiskey, there are an array of options. From advanced aging to inventive finishes, there is enough diversity within Irish blends to fit almost any palate. Below, we highlight 19 blends that cater to single malt fans, cocktail champions, and curious sippers alike. What's more, most of these picks register below $50 making the leap a bit easier to take.The Artful Ascent of Irish BlendsFor Pot Still and Single Malt FansIdeal for everyday sipping, these whiskeys allow you to appreciate the subtle flavor contributions of the different styles of Irish whiskey in the blend.The Dubliner—90 points, $28An easy-drinking blend of single malt and grain whiskeys brimming with blossom honey, vanilla, whole peach, butter toffee, and an uplifting floral bouquet.
J.J. Corry The Gael—90 points, $75Fresh hay, floral blossoms, comb honey, dry spice, oak, lemons, and spices on this blend of...

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...

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...

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...

There’s an old joke about real estate that the best time to buy a house is 20 years ago. That crack is probably even more relevant to today’s whisky market. Most of us have heard the war stories—about bottles of Old Rip Van Winkle, Port Ellen, and other now-precious whiskies that once sat on store shelves ignored for months and even years because no one was interested. But as for selection, there’s no time like the present. Over the past two decades, the whisky world has changed beyond all recognition, and that’s true of every style across the board.
In rye, the market is now comprised of countless labels, whereas 20 years ago there were only three distilleries making the stuff—Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, and Beam. While bourbon has always been prominent, the proportion of change has been the same. Craft whiskeys barely existed two decades ago, and now there are 2,753 craft distilleries across the nation accounting for nearly 8% of total spirits...

There are still two full shopping days before Chanukah, and four before Christmas, and if you're looking for the newest whisky to gift, keep reading.The Fall 2019 release of Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond is hitting shelves now, this time at 15 years old. It's priced at $150 and available in limited quantities.Bardstown Bourbon Co.'s latest Collaboration series release is a Tennessee bourbon finished in The Prisoner red wine barrels. There are 10,000 bottles of the whiskey rolling out in more states than ever before, priced at $125.Barrell has unveiled its New Year 2020 whiskey, a blend of straight bourbons from five states. Priced at $90, Barrell New Year 2020 is available in limited amounts.Oak & Eden has debuted its newest whiskey, a wheated bourbon "finished" with a toasted French oak spiral in the bottle. Oak & Eden Wheat & Spire is $39 and available in several states.The oldest single malt ever released from Wales' Penderyn Distillery is coming exclusively to the...

Irish Whiskey in the 90+ Club
The 90+ Club is a collection of exceptional whiskies that have scored 90 points or higher from Whisky Advocate’s trusted ratings, marking them as benchmarks of their categories. Redbreast 12 Year Old is no exception. This quintessential Irish whisky has earned its place by defining what the category can be through its elegance, complexity, and stylishness. In this Behind the Score, we dig into the Irish whiskey’s Quality, Craftsmanship, Terroir, and Uniqueness.
Long-standing Irish Quality
“Redbreast Liqueur Whiskey” has been proudly produced since 1933. Irish Distillers Limited has been the brand owner since 1986, reintroducing it in 1991 with a thorough makeover—flawless pot still distillate and a revamped wood program. Over three decades later, it remains Irish pot still whiskey at its finest and richest. Elegant, complex, and stylish it offers notes of toffee, maple syrup, banana bread, and layers of...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Even if you're not hitting a whisky trail, there's still plenty of excitement to be had in a new bottle or two—and this week brings six new whiskies to taste.First up, Johnnie Walker's third installment in the Blue Label Ghost and Rare series will be hitting shelves this October. With the main rare malt sourced from Glenury Royal Distillery—closed in 1985—the blend is priced at $350 and available in limited amounts.Also limited, although much more affordable, is the latest release in Jack Daniel's Tennessee Tasters' Selection: Barrel Proof Rye. There are about 24,000 half-size bottles of the whiskey for sale at Jack Daniel's Distillery and select Tennessee retailers, priced at $40 each.Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace Distillery has unveiled the latest limited-edition Col. E.H. Taylor, Jr. bourbon. Made with amaranth as the flavoring grain, rather than rye or wheat, the whiskey is available in limited amounts for $70.Compass Box is revamping the recipe for The Peat Monster, its heavily...

If you’re catching a flight from Dublin or Cork, there’s a new Travel Retail-exclusive single pot still Irish whiskey to pick up in Duty Free. Redbreast Cuatro Barriles Edition (Spanish for four barrels) is the latest in the Redbreast Iberian Series.  Launched in 2021, the Iberian Series highlights the connection between Redbreast Irish whiskey and the coopers and winemakers of the Iberian Peninsula. The new expression made at Midleton Distillery is bottled at 46% ABV and is priced at €108 (approximately $117). It will be a permanent bottling in the line-up.
Dave McCabe, recently appointed as master blender at Irish Distillers, married stocks of single pot still Irish whiskey matured in Spanish oloroso sherry butts, virgin European oak casks, American oak bourbon barrels, and Portuguese tawny port hogsheads. That’s a lot to unpack for travelers dashing to the gate to catch a flight, so to save you the trouble, we’ve checked the new whiskey’s...

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...

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...

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...

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...

In the weeks following Christmas, the stream of new whisky slows to a trickle. Nevertheless, there's a brand new bourbon to be on the lookout for, as well as an Irish whiskey returning to market after being sold out for some time.West Cork Distillers' Black Reserve blended Irish whiskey scored well when we reviewed it—86 points in the Buying Guide—and costs $40.Meanwhile, S.D. Strong Distilling is launching a straight bourbon, aged just under 3 years in a cave—a cave that is still in active use as a mine. The bourbon is appropriately named Big Boom, and it's available in 375-ml. bottles in a handful of states and online for $40.Read on for full details.West Cork Black Reserve Irish Whiskey 2018 ReleaseStyle: Blended whiskeyOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedProof: 43% ABVPrice: $40Release: December 2017Availability: 4,800 bottles for the U.S.Need to know:This is a new batch of West Cork Distillers' Black Reserve Irish whiskey, which was previously available in 2016. It's blended...

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...

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...

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 addition to the news that Casa Cuervo is purchasing Pendleton Whisky, this week has brought several new releases.BenRiach is rolling out a 21 year old single malt that aged in four different casks: bourbon, virgin oak, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and red wine. The whisky is initially available overseas, but will be coming to the U.S. in 2018. Stay tuned for pricing and availability details.Two Irish whiskeys are making their debut online only. Knappogue Castle 12 year old Special Reserve is a higher-proof version of the standard single malt, available at ReserveBar.com. Meanwhile, DWD The Heritage Edition is a blended Irish whiskey that resurrects an old brand from the 19th and early 20th centuries.Brooklyn's New York Distilling Company has released a version of its Ragtime Rye, finished in applejack barrels. The whiskey meets all the standards for New York's new Empire Rye category—one of eight whiskeys currently available with that designation.Meanwhile, Copperworks Distilling in...

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...

Just last week, Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky filled its first barrel with new-make spirit. While that whiskey will spend a good couple of years aging, there are plenty of other whiskies to enjoy that are coming out now.Hot on the heels of Macallan's special Chinese New Year package, Johnnie Walker has unveiled its annual Lunar New Year Blue Label. Celebrating the Year of the Dog, the bottle's design features a Shar Pei in an elaborate triptych.Speaking of Macallan, the distillery is releasing a new single cask bottling in its Fine & Rare Vintage collection. Just four bottles of the Macallan Fine & Rare 1977 Vintage will be hitting the U.S. for now, though more will be on their way later in the year. Each bottle costs $15,000.A new Irish whiskey brand, Lambay, is making its U.S. debut after launching in Europe last year. Sourced from West Cork Distillers, Lambay is a joint venture between cognac house Camus and the Baring family of Ireland. There is currently a...

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...

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...

Irish whiskey is starting to challenge the assumption that ultra-aged whisky is the preserve of Scotland and Japan. The decimation of the Irish whiskey industry in the mid-20th century left very few operational distilleries and precious little stock. Extraordinarily old casks are therefore rare, but the rising importance of Irish whiskeys of great age—at least 25 years and older—is still among the more interesting manifestations of Ireland's whiskey renaissance.Bushmills has the largest stock of aged single malt whiskey in Ireland. In 2020, it launched The Rare Casks, an annual series sold exclusively in the U.S. The first release was Bushmills 28 year old, which received 16 years of secondary maturation in a cognac cask after its traditional Bushmills aging in bourbon and sherry casks. Bushmills built up stock in the 1990s and was actively experimenting with non-traditional cask types when this cognac cask was filled, without any definitive plan for using it. But this Rare Cask...

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...

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...

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...

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...

With 11 brands making the cut this month, the competition for which bottles make the monthly list of highest hammer prices is heating up. June’s list produced a combined value of $1,062,769, outperforming June 2023 by 34%. It’s the first month of 2024 to beat last year’s figures, and only the second month to break the million-dollar mark this year, beating the year-earlier month by $267,733. One reason for that was the setting of a new highest hammer price of the year at $210,200, achieved when Unicorn Auctions handled the year’s first successful sale of Yamazaki 55 year old.
For the first 6 months of 2024, some 120 bottles have made the monthly lists of the 20 highest hammer prices, for a combined value of $5.13 million. Last year, the comparable figure was $6.44 million, so despite June’s bump, the year-to-date for 2024 is still down $1.31 million or 20.3%. Before anyone pours their priceless whisky down the drain, it’s worth remembering these...

Limavady is one of Ireland's more recent whiskey releases to reach American shores, but the name is not entirely new to the Irish whiskey world. Its history reaches back to the 18th century and the Northern Ireland town of Limavady, whose long-vanished distillery produced whiskey more than two centuries ago.Limavady's owner, Darryl McNally, is an Irish whiskey veteran who worked at Bushmills for nearly 17 years before moving to Dublin Liberties Distillery in 2017. This new venture is something of a family affair for McNally: he can trace his ancestry back to the original distillery's owners, and Limavady is his hometown. Knowing the history, “Limavady kept calling,” says McNally. “So I said, let's grab this with both hands. My brother—who was also a distiller at Bushmills—left as well to come into the family Limavady.”Matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, Limavady's liquid is sourced from an undisclosed Irish distillery. While there are...

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...

The latest issue of Whisky Advocate hit newsstands this week, and it includes over 100 new whisky reviews. Check it out and let us know what you think! We look forward to adding reviews for this week's newest whiskies to the Buying Guide soon.Glenlivet has launched a rum cask-finished single malt called Caribbean Reserve. The whisky is widely available for $35.Buffalo Trace's newest experimental whiskey—a 12 year old bourbon that was proofed down mid-maturation—is available in very limited amounts, priced at $47 for a 375 ml.New Riff is releasing a very unusual bourbon and rye line called Backsetter. Both bottled in bond whiskeys are made with backset that came from a distillation of peated malted barley. There are roughly 2,250 bottles of each style available, priced at $50.Abasolo corn whisky from Mexico is making its debut. The 100% corn whisky is priced at $40 and available in seven states.Read on for full details.Glenlivet Caribbean ReserveStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Auctions have been buzzing this month, with a frenzy of summer whisky sales delivering impressive results. Yamazaki 55 year old set a new highest auction price of the year this week, with another bottle of The Macallan The Reach 81 year old recently fetching a six-figure sum (see below for further details). Not to be outdone, this weekend’s Whisky Hammer sale includes the chance to bid on both of these collectibles again. We are predicting that June’s 20-highest hammer prices will break $1 million, and it’s looking like it will be the first month of 2024 to outperform the year-earlier period, reversing a downward trend of recent months.
We reported that American whiskey is performing particularly well at auction recently, making notable gains while some scotch and Japanese whisky values have been on the slide. Competition for rare bourbon and rye has pushed prices to new heights and made American whiskeys a regular fixture in our monthly list of the 20-highest...

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...

The best high-proof whiskies offer a combination of balance, power, and amped-up flavor. Generally defined as being above 50% ABV but often going far higher than that, they make for great whisky sipping any time of year but are perhaps best suited for the winter months. Sipping over ice or with a bit of water—which coaxes out additional flavors—is the preferred tasting method for most people, though some brave souls enjoy them neat. We've assembled this list of high-powered sippers that will make great gifts for the holiday season, or you can enjoy them on your own. There's quite a bit of variety here, with American whiskeys leading the way, joined by a strong contingent of scotch, an Irish expression, and an Irish-American blend. The good news is that they're all priced at $100 or lower, with some coming far below that threshold.
13 High-Proof Whiskies Perfect For The Season
95 points - Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Coy...

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 &...

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 

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...

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...

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...

It's a big week for bourbon lovers. Four Roses announced a new, permanently available bourbon that's non-chill filtered and bottled at a solid 52% ABV. Four Roses Small Batch Select is made with six of the distillery's recipes and is the first core bourbon to prominently feature the F yeast strain. Priced around $55-$60, it will eventually be available nationwide, but is starting off in five states: California, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, and Texas. Whisky Advocate spoke with master distiller Brent Elliott to get more details about the whiskey; keep reading to find out how he developed the formula, and which specific recipes he used.Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace has debuted a 20 year old version of Eagle Rare. Double Eagle Very Rare is packaged in a crystal decanter and fancy box, and has a recommended price of $1,999. Just 299 bottles are available.The Whiskey Barons collection, which is made at Wild Turkey Distillery, has unveiled its latest bourbon, W.B. Saffell, as well as the second...

Irish whiskey comes in many forms. There is pot still—malted and unmalted barley a truly unique whiskey native to Ireland, rich and complex with a hint of spice. There is malt whiskey—made exclusively from malted barley to be fruit forward and flavorful. And there is single grain whiskey—composed of both malted barley and unmalted grains like wheat for a milder, more approachable profile. The Busker is the only brand offering the unique experience of producing these three classic styles of Irish whiskey all under one roof. 
When produced by a single distillery like The Busker’s Royal Oak Distillery in County Carlow, Ireland, the “Single” designation can be legally added to each style as well. The Busker Single Pot Still is triple distilled and aged in ex-bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks, creating rich and robust notes of spice, vanilla, and toffee fudge. Busker Single Malt is 100% Irish malted barley likewise matured in ex-bourbon...

Scotland may have put single malt on the map, but in the past few years, more and more countries are embracing the style, curious to see how different climates and techniques can impact flavor. As a result, whisky drinkers have even more ground to cover when exploring and educating themselves. Here, we survey the global single malt landscape to determine where the next great single malt is most likely to arrive from.The Front RunnersThese regions are leading the way, already showing the ability to compete on the world single malt stage.
NordicThere are numerous Nordic distilleries making intriguing whiskies with innovative techniques: Eimverk in Iceland using sheep dung for drying malt, the meticulous recipes at High Coast in Sweden, the underground maturation of Mackmyra's casks in a mine, the intricate spirit cuts at Spirit of Hven, and the floor malting of local barley at Stauning in Denmark. This is a region bursting with inventive ideas and a commitment to making...

A couple months after its launch at Fèis Ìle, Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 is available stateside. The cask strength version of Laphroaig's Quarter Cask expression will retail at a recommended price of $80. There's more maritime scotch to be had, as Douglas Laing & Co. (which recently announced plans to open its own distillery in Glasgow) is releasing a sherry cask version of its Rock Oyster blended malt. Meanwhile, Hirsch has launched an 8 year old bourbon with a high-rye mashbill, and there's a new single grain Irish whiskey from the Egan's brand. Plus Hamilton Distillers in Arizona is debuting a cask strength batch of its single malt whiskey that's made with barley dried with mesquite smoke. Read on for full details.Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 Quarter CaskStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Islay)Age: Not statedProof: 57.2% ABVPrice: $80Release: August 2017Availability: Limited quantitiesNeed to know:Each year, Laphroaig releases its special-edition Cairdeas ("friendship" in Gaelic...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Did you see Monday's reveal of the full Top 20 list? Check out all 20 of the most exciting whiskies of 2017, including Whisky of the Year.Beyond the Top 20 list, there's more excitement to be had in this week's new whisky releases. Glen Moray—whose 18 year old was number 10 on our list—is launching a sherry cask-finished, NAS single malt. For only $30, it's worth picking up if you've never gotten acquainted with this Speyside distillery.Higher up the pricing ladder, Macallan has a new line of single cask whiskies ranging in age from 12 to 22 years old—and priced from $250 to $1,300. There's not much other information available about these seven single cask bottlings.If you prefer peatier scotch at a lower price, Bowmore has a new 18 year old ($127) partly matured in manzanilla sherry casks and a 26 year old ($540) that spent half its life in wine barriques. Both are limited in quantity.Meanwhile, the Big Peat blended malt brand is launching its first age-statement whisky. Only...

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...

Alex Conyngham set out to create whiskey he describes as “smooth” yet “aggressive and aromatic;” that's just as good neat or on the rocks as it is in a cocktail; and that, ultimately, brings people together. The Slane Irish whiskey co-founder joined Whisky Advocate's Instagram Live series #TasteWithSpace on Sept. 3 to talk about its core expression; how aging in three distinct casks influences its flavor; how Slane is striving for complete sustainability; and what it was like growing up in a castle in Ireland that hosted everyone from King George IV to U2, and continues to unite whiskey and music lovers from across the globe through its Slane concert series.“We didn't only have a bar growing up, we had a nightclub down in the basement,” Conyngham explained, speaking from the bar in Slane Castle, with an enviable wall of whisky visible behind him. “When my dad, Henry, who I started the Slane whiskey project with, took over the castle from my granddad, one of the first...

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...

Bars with outdoor seating are in high demand when the weather starts to warm; bars that are on the water even more so. And while most waterfront watering holes will reliably have the classic summertime cocktails—think Margarita and Gin and Tonic—on offer, the 10 listed here are actually whisky destinations. After all, true enthusiasts know that whisky has no season. So sit back, relax, and raise a toast to summer as you enjoy your whisky by the water.
Bourbon Prime
Morgantown, West Virginia
With a dining room featuring indoor and outdoor seating that overlooks the Monongahela, the mother river of rye whiskey, this bourbon-focused restaurant offers a casual take on upscale chophouse fare, complemented by a whisky list of more than 80 labels. It claims to be the first establishment in West Virginia to develop its own private selection bourbon from Woodford Reserve, which it calls the Country Roads Blend. The current batch is No. 29 and can be enjoyed by the 1...

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...

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...

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...

The Fall release from Old Fitzgerald is out: it's just a week before the start of winter, but these Old Fitz releases are nearly always worth the wait. Woodford Reserve, meanwhile, offers a second Batch Proof release this year, while Penelope has a new rum barrel finished expression. Still Austin, fresh off being named the No. 7 whisky of the year in Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 rankings for 2024, joins an increasingly crowded cigar blend market with its new Still Austin Tanager. Hidden Barn, the work of former Old Forester master taster Jackie Zykan, has a new expression, while Chattanooga offers the 2024 edition of its Vault Series. And in the spirit of the holidays, Good Deed Spirits is back with a new blended whiskey whose proceeds will all be donated.
Woodford Reserve Batch Proof Bourbon (2024 Edition)
ABV: 59.75%
SRP: $150
Availability: Limited
Thanks to Woodford Reserve’s fiscal calendar, which ends in May, we’re being treated...

Multi-bottle lots have had a resurgence, drawing the highest bids in several recent auctions. Irish Whiskey Auctions sold a 32-bottle collection of Midleton Very Rare vintages for $45,982 this month, and Scotch Whisky Auctions attracted $27,680 for a 6-bottle set of Macallan The Archival Series. There are pros and cons to selling bottles as a set as opposed to individually. Sets offer the convenience for bidders to buy a ready-made collection, but for sellers, the pool of buyers may shrink as the price goes up, and collectors might not bid if they have a partial set already. In Just Whisky’s March sale, a trio of Macallan The Red Collection aged 71, 74, and 78 years failed to reach its reserve price, despite attracting a substantial bid of $196,096. In November 2022, Whisky Auctioneer sold the Macallan James Bond Collection in the Globe Trotter travel case with archival prints for $52,154; there are more sets on sale at Whisky Hammer and The Grand Whisky Auction this...

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...

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...

Even if Irish whiskey typically isn't your first choice, it'd be blasphemous not to have some on St. Patrick's Day. There are plenty of ways to enjoy Irish whiskey, though many people immediately think of Irish Coffee. This year, put an extra spin on the traditional recipe with the Flying Irish, created by Meg Nielson, mixologist, Pebble Beach Resorts in California.
“This cocktail is perfect for winter days when it’s hard to decide between the whimsy of a frothy hot chocolate or the serious punch of espresso,” Nielson says. “Rich hot chocolate and espresso are spiked with Irish whiskey plus a subtle cinnamon note for a kick that will warm you up both inside and out.” 
Flying Irish

2 oz. Jameson (or other Irish whiskey)
1 oz.  espresso
5 oz. milk
1 1/2 oz. Ghirardelli (or other chocolate sauce) 
1 pinch ground cinnamon
Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for garnish

Warm a glass cocktail coffee mug...

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...

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...

For a style of whiskey that nearly disappeared, Irish single pot still is making a comeback in a big way; three single pot still whiskeys made the Whisky Advocate 2020 Top 20, including one from Dublin's foremost distillery, Teeling. Alex Chasko, Teeling's master distiller, joinedWhisky Advocate on Instagram Live for #TasteWithSpace to discuss the reemerging style. “[Single pot still] has challenges—it's not an easy whiskey to make,” Chasko said. “There are certainly reasons why it's not made all around the world.”Fortunately, Teeling is well-equipped to make single pot still whiskey. The company opened its distillery and began making whiskey in Dublin's New Market Square just six years ago, three years after its founding in 2012. “This is the first whiskey that we made there,” Chasko said. “We thought, ‘If we're going to do this, what are people going to be interested in in six years' time?'” For the mashbill, Teeling stuck with a pretty traditional recipe, only...

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...

Last week Powerscourt Distillery, maker of the Irish whiskey brand Fercullen, announced that it reached a deal to be acquired by U.S. investment firm Altiva Management Inc. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but Powerscourt confirmed that the sale—which is expected to close in the coming weeks—covers all of its brands—which include the Fercullen single malt and the lesser-priced Fercullen Falls blend, as well as intellectual property, inventory produced on-site, and the leases for its distillery and visitor center.  The distillery will continue to make and sell whiskey for its Fercullen label under the new ownership, and the staff is expected to be retained. 
Powerscourt Distillery was founded in 2018 on the Powerscourt Estate, a historic 47-acre country estate, known for its breathtaking gardens and golf course, located half an hour south of Dublin in County Wicklow. It’s best known for its Fercullen label, which is produced from the...

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...

Among the latest new releases, Ardbeg takes us back to the the turn of the new millennium with some of its first whisky made in 2000, while Glenmorangie is out with the fourth edition of its Cadboll Estate label, made from barley harvested on its estate in the Highlands. From the U.S., Iowa whiskey maker Cedar Ridge has released its first sherry finished bourbon, while Ireland's Boann Distillery makes its global debut with a trio of Irish single pot still whiskeys—two of them finished in sherry casks and the other in madeira casks. Up until now, Boann has been best known for its branded whiskey The Whistler, and also for its work with old Irish mashbill recipes, specifically its Vintage Mashbill Project, done in collaboration with Irish whiskey historian Fionan O'Connor.
 
 
Ardbeg Vintage Y2K Single Malt Scotch
ABV: 46%
SRP: $800
Availability: Ardbeg.com, the distillery visitor center, Reservebar.com, and...

While Louisville welcomed Old Forester Distillery back to its original location this week, new whiskies from Kentucky, Scotland, and beyond are rolling out to store shelves.Macallan just can't stay still. After opening its stunning new distillery, unveiling a packaging revamp, and announcing its oldest-ever single malt, the company is releasing two new limited-edition whiskies: Macallan M Black follows up in the M series, making a dramatic entrance in a black crystal Lalique decanter and with a price—$6,995—to match. Meanwhile, Macallan Edition No. 4 will hit shelves next month at $100 a bottle, showcasing the concept of structure in whisky.Revival is the name of the game for three Kentucky straight bourbons this week—literally so, in the case of Wild Turkey Master's Keep Revival. The newest iteration of master distiller Eddie Russell's blending genius, Revival was inspired by Wild Turkey Sherry Signature, a sherry-finished bourbon created by Eddie's father, master distiller...

Exploring new whiskies is among the joys that we’re able to experience regularly as whisky lovers. But there’s something to be said for familiar favorites—those bottles that first sparked your passion for whisky, or have stayed faithfully in your home bar since the very first sip. For a look at these old reliables, check out this list, which highlights some of those still-great first loves.
Elsewhere, the dog days of summer are delivering a handful of new whiskies, including three different styles of Irish whiskey from Jameson and W.D. O'Connell. The Dalmore has added a new aged single malt within its Principal Collection, High West is re-introducing its Campfire blended whiskey, and Bruichladdich takes another deep dive into Islay terroir with its latest release of Islay Barley. Read on for full details.

The Dalmore 14 year old
Style: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Highland)Age: 14 year oldABV: 43.8%Price: $90Release: September 2022Availability...

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...

While scotch prices might be rising thanks to recently enacted tariffs, there's plenty of good news for whisky lovers, starting with this week's newest releases.First up actually is a single malt scotch, the final release in Diageo's Game of Thrones tie-in bottles. Mortlach 15 year old Six Kingdoms is priced at $150 and available in limited amounts, alongside the other eight single malts, which originally launched in 2018 and have been re-released this fall.Canadian Club is rolling out a 42 year old whisky called The Dock Man. Priced at just $300 (a steal for a whisky of this age), it's available in limited amounts.Another well-aged Canadian whisky at a higher price is coming from Heaven's Door, the Tennessee-based brand backed by Bob Dylan. The first release in its Bootleg Series of limited-edition whiskies is a 26 year old Canadian whisky finished in mizunara casks. Less than 3,000 bottles are available, priced at $500.Egan's is rolling out Centenary, a blend of Irish malt and grain...

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...

Irish single pot still whiskey has garnered great attention in the Irish whiskey renaissance of recent years, as a signature style of the country’s distilling tradition and a key element in the Irish revival. Some of Ireland’s newer distillers have been seeing their single pot still stock reach maturity and hit the market.
Clonakilty Distillery, founded in 2016, released its first Irish single pot still expression in the U.S. late last year, while fellow Irish whiskey maker Boann Distillery, founded in 2019, offered its first single pot still expression in early 2023 and returned late last year with two wine cask finished single pot still whiskeys, reviewed here. The Busker, whose whiskeys first came to market in 2020, is from Royal Oak Distillery, which was founded as Walsh Whiskey Distillery in 2016 before being acquired and renamed by Italy’s Illva Saronno in 2019. 
Veteran single pot still label Redbreast offered its Missouri Oak and its highly...

We regularly cover new whiskies here at Whisky Advocate, but with some bottlings, we delve just a little deeper. This week, for instance, there are two new projects in the mix: a single barrel Empire rye from New York Distilling made exclusively for the Brooklyn-based Wythe Hotel, and an entirely new brand from master blender Dixon Dedman. The Empire rye is a celebration of Brooklyn's rich distilling and cocktailing cultures, which both have been reborn in the past decade, while Dixon Dedman's release marks an exciting new chapter for this acclaimed Kentucky blender, who's best known for reviving Kentucky Owl back in 2014.
Of course, there are plenty of additional whiskies to present this week. Michter's is back with the latest edition of its highly coveted 10 year old Rye, Nikka returns with an age-statement Japanese single malt, and Nelson Green Brier sweetens its range with a bourbon finished in a honey-coated cask. Read on for full details.
Michter’s 10...

Among this week's new whiskies, Heaven's Door has released its first bourbon that includes distillate from its own backyard. Earlier this year, Heaven's Door announced plans to open a Kentucky distillery in the scenic town of Pleasureville, the heart of bourbon country. The Pleasureville distillery has actually been in development since 2017 and making small batches there since 2018 on a custom Vendome still. But in September the place will open its doors to the public, to reveal a campus with two separate stillhouses, a visitor center, tasting rooms, and other amenities. Back in 2019, Heaven's Door was mapping plans to open a distillery and brand center in a 160 year old church in Nashville, which it acquired in 2016. That site will now be used as the headquarters of The Heaven's Door Foundation, the company's philanthropy arm supporting charities and the arts. 
Among other new releases, Kentucky distiller New Riff and Idaho-based Grand Teton Distillery...

In case you missed it: On June 25, Brian Nation—former master distiller for many of Ireland's most famous whiskeys like Jameson, Midleton, and Redbreast, and now of Minnesota-based craft distiller O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co.—joined #TasteWithSpace to talk about his move from Ireland to Minneapolis, and his new role at O'Shaughnessy. Nation also tasted through O'Shaughnessy's inaugural whiskey, Keeper's Heart, with associate editor Ted Simmons, and the two dug into the differences between Irish and American whiskeys, as both styles will be focal points for the distillery.Nation shocked the whisky world when he left Irish Distillers last June and announced the move to O'Shaughnessy. A year later, he's now settled into Minnesota, and is preparing for the release of Keeper's Heart, which is a sourced blend of Irish grain whiskey, Irish pot still whiskey, and American rye. Nation also discussed O'Shaughnessy's opening date, with the distillery set to start making whiskey in late July...

September’s auction market got off to a flying start with a full lineup of events offering collectors the opportunity to acquire some impressive rarities. Sotheby’s brought a mixture of scotch, Japanese, bourbon, and rye to New York, led by 57, 60, and 62 year olds from the Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection selling for $75,000, $60,000 and $30,000 respectively. Macallan Anniversary Malt 1928 50 year old garnered $55,000, and Macallan Millennium 1949 50 year old went for $20,000. Further high-value scotch selections included Glenfiddich 50 year old First release going for a hammer price of $12,000, Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1938 60 year old which hammered at $8,500, and Black Bowmore 1964 30 year old Second Release which reached $8,000. Rye whiskey performed strongly, topped by a bottle of LeNell’s Red Hook Rye 23 year old Barrel No. 1 which hit a hammer price of $42,000. A bottle of Rathskeller Rye, a 24 year old...

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...

It might be a holiday week, but new releases do not pause just because the rest of us get the day off. Earlier in the week, we announced the exclusive news that MGP Distillery will launch its first bottled in bond bourbon in November. Remus Volstead Reserve is a limited-edition whiskey, priced at $200, and will be for sale in 14 states. Get the full details in our in-depth article.Although we first reported it back in April, Glenmorangie's newest Bond House No. 1 release is hitting shelves now. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1991 costs $750 and is available in limited amounts.There are several new scotches launching at travel retail stores, including four special editions of Johnnie Walker Black and 15 rarely-seen single malts from Speyside. While they're only for sale at duty-free stores for now, the whiskies are noteworthy enough to seek out if you're traveling through the right airport.But what about whiskies that are readily available now? WhistlePig is rolling out the third...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Do you miss Game of Thrones? Johnnie Walker—which previously released White Walker—is here to help assuage your woes with two new special-edition blends: Song of Ice and Song of Fire. Few details are available, but even a casual GoT fan will recognize that the Song of Ice packaging features direwolves, the sigil of House Stark, while the Song of Fire packaging shows House Targaryen's dragons. Both whiskies are available for pre-order at Reservebar.com, priced at $43. A full U.S. rollout will happen in August.Also coming out at the end of the summer, Old Forester's 2019 Birthday Bourbon. The whiskey is bottled at its highest proof yet—52.5% ABV—and carries a suggested price of $100, with 13,200 bottles available.Meanwhile, the latest limited-edition Crown Royal is rolling out now. Crown Royal Noble Collection French Oak Cask Finished is, as you probably guessed, finished in French oak casks. It's available in limited amounts for $60.Compass Box has unveiled a new blended malt...

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...

Undoubtedly, after an epic bull market, the whisky industry has been facing some major headwinds. Whisky sales fell in 2023, and then even more in 2024, marking the first consecutive declines in more than two decades. Further uncertainty looms, too, thanks to the threat of tariffs and a potentially prolonged trade war. The ongoing responses by the industry—production pauses, layoffs, and closures—have evoked echoes of previous whisky downturns, when sales slumped and distilleries shuttered. While we’re very far from the lows of the bad old days that took hold in the 1970s, there’s been a mounting turbulence that isn’t behind us quite yet. Below is a look at some of the biggest pauses, job cuts, and closures announced in the past calendar year. 
Irish Distillers
This month, Irish Distillers announced that its Midleton Distillery—producer of such big-name Irish whiskeys as Jameson, Midleton, Redbreast, the Spots, Powers, and...

December rounded off the auction year with a strong month for bottles of Macallan, Hibiki 40 year old, and LeNell Red Hook Rye, each making multiple entries in this month’s list of the 20-highest hammer prices. The month’s 20 bottles sold for a combined sum of $862,186. While Macallan The Red Collection 60 year old topped the list, its value has plunged by more than $50,000 since the start of the year. The first bottle of Eagle Rare 25 year old 2024 release came up for sale at Unicorn Auctions, but fetching a hammer price of $22,100, it fell just short of making December’s 20-highest hammer price list. 
In other auction news, Just Whisky launched a new website in December, only to watch as the auction traffic crashed the server in the final hours. The auction finally concluded 24 hours later than planned. Speyside Whisky Auctions announced that they were making some changes in the company, including withdrawing the offer of storage facilities to customers...

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...

The Winter 2021 issue of Whisky Advocate is on the newsstands now, and features our Top 20 Whiskies of the Year list, in addition to over 115 whisky reviews and a wealth of stories to savor. As we move into a new year, the new releases are starting to arrive. Bushmills has a new age-stated single malt, and Orphan Barrel is rolling out another release of Muckety-Muck. Yellowstone has unveiled a special anniversary edition, while Westland also marks a bit of history with the final release of its circus-themed Westland Peat Week bottling, concluding an eight-year run. Read on for full details. Bushmills 12 Year OldStyle: Single maltOrigin: IrelandAge: 12 year oldABV: 40%Price: $60Release: January 2022Availability: Widely availableNeed to know:While this whiskey shares similarities with other  Bushmills releases—made from 100% unpeated malted barley and triple distilled in copper pot stills—it separates itself from the pack by marrying two 12 year old whiskeys, one aged in oloroso...

Brian Nation was supposed to be an expat by now. The former master distiller for some of Ireland's most famous whiskeys—from bestsellers like Jameson to rarified releases like Midleton—left his job last year at Irish Distillers to take on the master distiller role at a small Minnesota craft venture called O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. His plan, before COVID struck, was to decamp from the Emerald Isle last summer and settle in Minneapolis, where he could be on-site as construction finished at the distillery.Nation's new plan is now established—or as established as it can be during a pandemic. He and his family will make the move in July to arrive before two important milestones: O'Shaughnessy's first distilling day, currently set for August, and his children starting a new school year in a new country. “The adventure of building a brand from the ground up and being involved in the building of a new distillery really did excite me,” he says. “The kids see it as an adventure...

As sure as crocuses and daffodils bloom in early spring, new whiskies are sprouting up left and right.First up, Compass Box is releasing its latest limited-edition blended malt, Menagerie. There are 7,741 bottles available, priced at $120 in the U.S.The 2021 bottling of Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Batch Proof is hitting shelves with a suggested price of $130. It is, as always, available in limited amounts.Barrell's newest blend of ryes is called Seagrass. It's available in limited amounts, priced at $90.Blood Oath bourbon is rolling out Pact No. 7. Priced at $100, there are 51,000 bottles available.Lowlands scotch distillery Bladnoch has debuted its 29 year old Bicentennial single malt in the U.S. There are just 200 bottles available, priced at $7,500.Virginia Distillery Co. is launching three new versions of its Courage & Conviction single malt, each focused on one of the cask types that's used in the flagship whiskey: bourbon, sherry, and cuvée. The whiskeys are priced...

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...

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...

No matter how you prefer your whisky, there's no denying the benefit of adding a bit of water. Some drams open up with a splash, and we have a handy calculator to help you determine exactly how much to add. A dropper is an ideal tool to add a precise amount of water; check out these stylish and sleek droppers, including one from glassware company Glencairn.If you are looking for a whisky for adding water, we have those as well. Old Forester has released the details for this year’s highly sought after Birthday Bourbon, Dewar's adds to its Smooth line with a mizunara finish, and Uncle Nearest commemorates the opening of its distillery visitors center with a special release. Read on for full details.Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (2021 Release)Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: 12 year oldABV: 52%Price: $130Release: September 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:This year’s batch of Birthday Bourbon, the 21st edition from Old Forester, comes from 119 barrels that were filled...

Father’s Day is this Sunday, and we have plenty of cool whiskies that will make perfect gifts. In addition to those, you could consult our Summer 2023 Best Values and Editors’ Choice lists to make sure you've got all the options covered. This week, the whisky world is awash with new expressions. New scotches include Laphroaig Càirdeas and six age-statement blends from Ian Macleod’s Isle of Skye range. In addition, Woodford Reserve has a new bottled in bond wheat whiskey, and Heaven Hill offers a wheated whiskey from its microdistillery at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville. Meanwhile, Texas and Ireland meet, as Clonakilty has collaborated with Garrison Brothers on a new single malt that's finished in Garrison Brothers casks. Read on for more.
Laphroaig Càirdeas White Port & Madeira Casks
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: Not stated

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...

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...

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...

When shopping for the whisky lover(s) in your life, it might be tempting to get them a bottle of whisky and call it a day. A beloved bottling is a thoughtful gift, to be sure (and our Top 20 list is a great place to look when going that route), but there are plenty of whisky-centric presents that are more personalized to certain interests, hobbies, or livelihoods. From whisky-themed jewelry and apparel to whisky-infused chocolates, whisky-scented candles, and even whisky-branded golf putters, there are a number of more distinctive gifts for all the pals and loved ones in your life who appreciate whisky.
Stuff Those Stockings
Tasting Note Notebook ($15)

Great for either the blossoming whisky taster in your life or the seasoned pro, this 48-page memo book from Field Notes is a fantastic way to log a whisky journey, and the notes tasted along the way. As a bonus, it's waterproof, so there's no need to cry over spilled whisky (unless it's more than a splash, of...

Among the new releases this week is an American single malt from Yellowstone, which has always been tied exclusively to bourbon. Up until last summer, no formal guidelines for American single malts existed; technically, they still don’t, as the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has yet to officially sign off on the rules it first put on the table in July 2022. But many American single malt producers expect those guidelines to be in place soon enough, and the floodgates to more American single malts from producers both small and large have already opened.
Among other releases, it's a week to welcome back some returning stars, including Midleton Very Rare, Michter's 10 year old single barrel bourbon and Benriach's 16 year old expression. While Midleton's arrival is right on schedule, Michter's 10 had been absent for year, and Benriach The Sixteen had left us in 2016. Read on for full details.
Midleton Very Rare Vintage 2023
Style: Blend

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...

Two aged single malt scotches highlight this week's roundup of new whiskies. Ardbeg is adding an age statement whisky to its core range for the first time in 20 years. Traigh Bhan 19 year old will be released annually as a small batch item for $300.Highland Park has an even older single malt on the way, a one-time release in collaboration with Danish photographer Søren Solkær. Highland Park 26 year old will sell for $900, with 249 of 1,206 bottles coming to the U.S.The Irishman is releasing a cask-strength blend of single pot still and single malt. The Irishman Vintage Cask will be priced at $140, with 186 bottles allocated to the U.S.French whisky brand Alfred Giraud is hoping to be the next highly coveted luxury brand with two new blended malt releases. Heritage will cost $155 with roughly 900 bottles coming to the U.S., while Harmonie is even more rare, with 300 bottles of the $190 whisky making their way to the States.Seattle's 2bar Spirits has a barrel strength rye at 56% and...

It’s no secret that 2024 was a challenging year in various quarters of the whisky world. Still, through it all, the scene continued to churn with dynamic and exciting change—new distillery and visitor center openings, master distillers taking on new roles, and an increasingly creative surge of sought-after releases. Here's our look at the year in whisky.
Not Used to This
After declining in 2023 for the first time in memory, total American whiskey sales were projected to decrease again this year, according to our research arm Impact Databank. Within that big picture, the leading higher-end American whiskeys generally still saw healthy sales, while scotch faced a slightly different scenario. In late December, UK trade group the Food and Drinks  Federation (FDF) reported that whisky export sales (mostly scotch) fell by 36.4% by value in the first three quarters of 2024. But the most notable headwinds came in the American craft...

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...

The majority of whisky barrels are mass-produced, utilitarian items—ready-to-wear in fashion parlance. But sometimes, you want to dress your whisky in something custom, much like a bespoke suit is made to the customer's exacting specifications, with particular finishing touches like a ticket pocket, turnback cuffs, or horn buttons. Distillers ordering bespoke casks are looking for the same sort of custom tailoring from their cooper, as they aim to make new discoveries, expand the boundaries of flavor, and turn heads. Rather than chasing fashion, bespoke casks can embellish a whisky with a style all its own.Hip to be SquareThere's something wonderfully spherical about the word ‘cooper.' Write it down and feel how all six letters require a curving, looping motion of the hand to form the letters. Like visual onomatopoeia, the word evokes the roundness of wooden casks. So when Swedish master cooper Johan Thorslund was challenged to build a square cask, he couldn't resist.The challenge...

As the master blender at Sazerac’s new Irish distillery, Hawk’s Rock, Helen Mulholland has been handed a cherished luxury in the world of whiskey: creative freedom. The result? Garavogue 20 year old Irish single malt, the first expression from Mulholland’s inaugural Hawk’s Rock offering presents a thoughtful twist on Irish whiskey. Double-distilled and matured for 14 years in bourbon barrels, it then spent an additional 6 years in an eclectic array of finishing casks, including French muscat, sauternes, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and Barbadian rum before being blended.
This 94-proof expression honors its Irish roots while expanding the flavor profile through a blend of sweetness, structure, and subtle complexity. Garavogue 20 year old is a whiskey that respects tradition but doesn’t mind rewriting the ending.
How Garavogue 20 year old Irish Single Malt Was Made
Mulholland joined Hawk’s Rock after three decades at Bushmills, where she...

Ireland's distillers are world leaders in whiskey finishing, with names like Teeling, West Cork, Glendalough, The Irishman, Tullamore D.E.W., Tyrconnell, The Whistler, and Jameson frequently expanding our horizons. Irish whiskey's technical rules allow for a broad approach to finishing—which can come from either an alternative wood such as virgin Irish oak, or a cask previously seasoned by another spirit, like port, rum, or even tequila.But finishing with alternative wood types is far from an easy path. After finding initial success with a French chestnut finish in its Method & Madness range, Midleton moved to French wild cherry, acacia, and most recently mulberry wood. But the trial and error of these experiments can be arduous. “The cherrywood tested our persistence, composure, and patience,” notes O'Gorman. French wild cherry, Prunus avium, is an open, porous wood in the same subgenus as sakura, Prunus serrulata, the increasingly popular finishing cask used in Japan...

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...

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...

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...

Pairing whisky with food doesn't have to be complicated or complex: sometimes the best matches come from the simplest ideas. Take snack cakes, for example. Twinkies, Honey Buns, Swiss Rolls, all those sweets you loved as a kid, make great companions to a dram, with notes of chocolate, honey, vanilla cream, and more. Find the pairing that suits your palate with our guide.The summer season tends to be a quiet time for new releases, but there are some good ones out there. Old Forester has added to its 117 series with Whiskey Row Fire, while independent bottler Douglas Laing has unveiled the latest version of its Scallywag The Chocolate Edition, and Talnua Distillery in Colorado shows off the first-ever bottled in bond single pot still whiskey. Read on for full details.

Old Forester 117 Series: Whiskey Row Fire
Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: 7 year oldABV: 50%Price: $60Release: July 2022Availability: Limited; distillery exclusive
Need to know:
This...

Just after 12 a.m. on December 2nd, as temperatures dip below 25 degrees, the biting winter air hasn’t dampened the party in Stranahan’s Distillery parking lots in Denver. Dubbed “Snowflake Village,” it’s where more than 1,000 people have set up post in tents and RVs. All the revelers are here to purchase a bottle of the limited-edition 2023 Snowflake single malt release, a distillery-only offering that will go on sale first thing the next morning.
In this frigid setting, pockets of Stranahan’s superfans, all bundled to the hilt in winter garb, roast marshmallows on open fires just outside a giant (inflatable) igloo, as a stream of musicians rotates through the igloo’s stage. The line for the official Stranahan’s bar, nestled in a corner of the igloo, is more than a dozen deep, though many denizens are swapping flasks containing past Snowflake releases, among other whiskies. A quartet of food trucks has ceased serving, so camping...

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...

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...

This week is all about the limited-edition whisky. Balvenie is rolling out its fourth batch of Tun 1509, an annual release that blends various casks in a marrying vat. The NAS single malt is pricy, but scores well—91 points each for Batch 1 and Batch 3.Michter's is offering a 25 year old bourbon for the first time in nine years. Michter's didn't make any of the whiskey: its Shively distillery has only been open since 2012, though the company was making whiskey at other distilleries for several years before then. But Michter's president Joseph Magliocco says this bourbon's flavor profile matches what the company hopes to achieve with the whiskey it's distilling itself.A Midwinter Night's Dram from High West is back for the fifth year. The blended rye, finished in French oak port barrels, is a perennial favorite and delivers on its name, warming up many a cold winter evening. For anyone wondering whether the series will continue after Act 5, don't fret: the show will definitely go...

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...

It seems like high season for distillery openings, with two new facilities opening and a major project announced. Kansas City's J. Rieger & Co. has officially opened its new distillery, featuring a 40-foot slide for visitors, while over in Scotland, Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh is now welcoming guests to observe its innovative production. Meanwhile, Beam Suntory announced that it's building a 1.2 million proof gallon "craft" distillery at its Clermont, Kentucky Jim Beam plant. We spoke with master distiller Fred Noe to get details about the facility, which is slated to open in 2021.For whisky that's ready to buy now, however, there are plenty of options, starting with a super-aged Macallan single cask. The Exceptional Single Cask 1950 is nearly 68 years old, with just 336 bottles available and a price befitting its ultra-rare status: $58,000.Much more easy to access is Glenlivet's new 14 year old, finished in cognac casks. The whisky is exclusively available in the U.S. for...

While Irish whiskey is celebrated around St. Patrick’s Day each spring, the style is worthy of recognition year-round. Single malt enthusiasts will find Irish examples aplenty, sometimes at considerably lower costs compared to their Scottish counterparts. The curious drinker will have plenty of other avenues to explore, as Irish cask-finishing is often leading the way on the innovation side. And fans of the true Irish style, single pot still, will be delighted by the growing number of expressions on the market. These five whiskeys from the Fall 2022 Buying Guide are an excellent representation of this diverse category. Mainstays like Redbreast and the Spot range continue to deliver quality and innovation in tandem, while newcomers like Drumshanbo prove worthy of the global spotlight.
Get to Know These High-Scoring Irish Whiskeys
Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition single pot still 93 points, 50.5%, $95 The Irish-American whiskey trend works both ways. This golden dram serves...

The Old Fashioned is one of America's oldest cocktails, and Ireland has never really entered into its origin story. But there is actually an Irish connection of sorts, starting with James E. Pepper, the distinguished 19th-century bourbon figure whose eponymous distillery has been restored in the modern era. Pepper is often credited with introducing the Old Fashioned to New York City at the Waldorf Hotel bar in the late 19th century. As It happens, Pepper was of Irish origin—his maternal grandmother was an O'Bannon, whose family was originally from Tipperary. Though some dispute Pepper’s role in the rise of the Old Fashioned, we share it in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, along with a recipe to make an Old Fashioned with an Irish twist.
It starts with an aged Irish whiskey. “Aged and cask-aged Irish whiskeys offer a robust backbone that withstands the intensity of bitters and other sharper ingredients, creating an exciting and...

The biggest new release of the week is Johnnie Walker's female-focused The Jane Walker Edition, a special package for Black Label. I had some thoughts about how Diageo missed the mark with this one—and a suggestion for what they could have done to promote women's representation in whisky instead.Apart from this limited-edition bottling, there are many other new whiskies to try. Woodford Reserve is releasing a new annual special edition: Woodford Reserve Batch Proof. The whiskey is a higher-strength version of its core bourbon. It will be available in limited quantities for $130, and the proof will change from year to year. The 2018 release clocks in at 62.9% ABV.Tullamore D.E.W. has unveiled the latest addition to its range of Irish whiskeys, finished in a cask that was seasoned with demerara rum from Guyana. The blended whiskey will sell for under $30 and be widely available just in time for St. Patrick's Day.Luxco—whose Lux Row Distillers recently opened in Bardstown...

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...

The whisky world has been shaken by the sad news of the death of Dave Pickerell, one of the pre-eminent distillers of American whiskey who helped shape dozens of brands over the course of his career. He will be sorely missed, yet his influence will continue to be felt as long as the whiskeys he helped create are enjoyed by drinkers. We certainly will continue to raise our glasses to him.Speaking of which—there are many new whiskies to fill your glass with this week. Canadian Club is releasing its oldest whisky to date at 41 years old. The blended whisky is $300 and available in limited amounts.The sixth and final release of Rhetoric, part of the Orphan Barrel series, is coming out. Rhetoric 25 year old caps off a run that started at age 20. It is for sale in limited quantities for $140.Two new cask-finished expressions of The Famous Grouse are rolling out in the U.S. Previously available abroad, The Famous Grouse Ruby Cask is finished in port casks, while The Famous Grouse Bourbon...

The biggest whiskey news of the week came yesterday when Beam Suntory announced the debut of Legent, a new bourbon made by master distiller Fred Noe and master blender Shinji Fukuyo. We have full details below and in an in-depth article where both men discuss how they created the special blend.[caption id="attachment_13597" align="alignleft" width="300"] New packaging for Knob Creek[/caption]Beam Suntory also unveiled new packaging for Knob Creek. The updated look is a bit sleeker and more polished than before, but the whiskey is the same big, bold bourbon and rye.Diageo announced that it will release whiskies from the shuttered Port Ellen Distillery in the new Untold Stories series. The first bottling, Port Ellen Untold Stories: The Spirit Safe, is 39 years old. Just 1,500 bottles are available, priced at at £4,500; none are coming to the U.S., although online ordering is available through The Whisky Exchange.An aged single malt scotch you can actually get stateside—although it...

This St. Patrick's Day celebrate with a pour of Irish whiskey or maybe a flight, perhaps a pint of Guinness, or might we suggest elevating your festivities with an Irish whiskey cocktail?
“Lighter, blended, and younger-aged whiskeys, with their smooth and approachable profiles, effortlessly blend with fruity and herbal notes,” says Aaron Wells, bar director at Chicago's Celeste. Try them in brighter cocktails, he suggests, where you'll appreciate the whiskey's nuanced flavors.
The Apple Drop is a tribute to the Irish countryside, where the fruit is grown. Smooth Irish whiskey meets the refreshing embrace of Granny Smith apples, while lemon adds a zing of citrus. Topping with foam bitters leads to a velvety mouthfeel. Sláinte!
Apple Drop

1 1/2 oz. Bushmills Original (or other blended Irish)
2 oz. Granny Smith apple juice
3/4 oz. lemon juice
3/4 oz. simple syrup
3 dashes Fee Brothers foam bitters
Fresh apple slices for...

St. Patrick's Day is upon us, and while it's the biggest time of the year for Guinness Stout, Irish whiskey also gets plenty of play on the big day. Times have changed quite a bit for Irish whiskey, and we've written extensively about the Irish renaissance and the explosion of variety across the spectrum, from single pot still to single malt, finished whiskeys, and ultra-aged gems. If you're looking for a great Irish whiskey to enjoy, these selections all rated 90 points or higher and are priced at $100 or less. Erin go bragh!

Teeling Blackpitts 94 points, 46%, $75 
Orchard fruit, panna cotta, sweet floral notes, tangy marmalade, and peppery spice (No. 3 in the 2021 Top 20)

Kilbeggan Single Pot Still 93 points,43%, $45
Orange, apricot, cake, vanilla, and pot still spices (No. 8 in the 2020 Top 20)

Redbreast Pedro Ximénez Edition 93 points, 46%, $86
Raspberry, red currant, plum, cherry, black tea, and spice
...

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...

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...

Part of being a luxury hotel is stocking a respectable whisky selection, but only a handful go the extra mile to woo whisky lovers with curated lists of rarities, private barrels, tasting programs, specialty whisky cocktails, food pairings, and more. Whisky regions like Ireland, Japan, and Kentucky play host to some great whisky hotels, but don't discount Wisconsin, Beverly Hills, and Boston. Whisky fans appear in every corner of the globe and so do the hotels that cater to them.
10 Hotels That Cater to Whisky Lovers
21c Museum Hotel—Louisville, KentuckyLouisville's hippest hotel focuses on art and whiskey and succeeds at both, with just 91 guest rooms and suites built around a contemporary art museum. Its vibrant lobby scene is anchored by Proof on Main restaurant, offering regional foods and more than 250 different American, Japanese, and Scotch whiskies, showcasing around 175 bourbons. There are half a dozen WhistlePig ryes including Boss Hog ($65), half a dozen Van...

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...

Shieldaig 18 year old will delight fans of Speyside scotch with its flower bouquet, candied fruit, nuts, and sweet oak flavors. Just as impressive is its bargain price—$47, a fraction of what other 18 year old single malts command. According to its label, Shieldaig is from “the Loch of Herring,” a place in the Torridon Hills of Scotland's northwest Highlands—far from Speyside, or from Islay, where Shieldaig's 14 year old single malt is made.No one has ever seen the mysterious Shieldaig Distillery: it doesn't exist. The whisky was created for mega-retailer Total Wine & More. Big-box stores like Costco and Walmart and grocers like Trader Joe's also sell their own private-label whiskies. These bottles are created specifically and exclusively for large retailers and go by either a fictitious brand name (like Shieldaig) or a store brand, like Costco's Kirkland.Blind Taste Test: The Best Big Box WhiskiesAn educated whisky drinker might feel she's rightfully suspicious of...

It's Valentine's Day—a great opportunity to enjoy whisky in the company of someone you love (even if that someone is your dog or cat, or your grandma, or just your own inimitable self). Hopefully you already have a great dram planned, but if you want inspiration from the newest releases, keep reading.Woodford Reserve is rolling out the 2020 edition of Batch Proof, an incredible bourbon that was named No.6 in our 2019 Top 20. It's limited edition—meaning once it's gone, it's gone until the 2021 bottling comes out—and available nationwide, priced at $130.Glenfiddich has debuted two single cask whiskies, both distilled in 1975 and bottled at cask strength. They're 44 years old, so understandably both rare (100 bottles of each) and expensive ($9,000 apiece).Country musicians Florida Georgia Line and Jason Aldean have teamed up to offer Wolf Moon, a straight bourbon distilled at MGP in Indiana. It's currently for sale on reservebar.com, priced at $25, and will hit retail shelves in...

This is a great week for scotch lovers. A whole boatload of new single malts—and a couple new blends—are rolling out to store shelves. First, Macallan has two new releases to track down: Fine Oak 18 year old—which was released overseas before coming to the U.S.—joins the existing Fine Oak range of age statement whiskies. Macallan Classic Cut, on the other hand, is an NAS whisky bottled at cask strength. It's around for a limited time only and has a recommended price of $89.Macallan's parent company, Edrington Group, also owns Highland Park, and the Orkney distillery has a new whisky designed with music in mind. Highland Park Full Volume is around 18 years old and was matured entirely in ex-bourbon casks. Like Glenmorangie Pride 1974, the whisky has a custom piece of music written to go with it.Compass Box is debuting two new blended malts. Although the company has famously fought for more transparency in scotch labeling, it is deliberately holding back information about its...

Dublin-based Teeling Whisky Company has sold a minority stake to Bacardi Ltd. The international spirits company is best known for its eponymous rum brand, but its portfolio also includes several well-known whiskies. Bacardi owns Angel's Envy bourbon, as well as John Dewar & Sons, which covers both the Dewar's blended scotch line and the single malts that go into it, including Aberfeldy and Craigellachie. The terms of the sale were not disclosed, but Teeling will continue to operate autonomously and independently. The deal dictates that Bacardi will become the whiskey's U.S. importer—meaning that Teeling may become more widely available than it is currently.Jack Teeling started the whiskey company in 2012, with his brother, Stephen, joining the following year. Their father, John Teeling, had founded the first new Irish distillery in decades when he opened Cooley in 1987. Cooley—which includes the historic Kilbeggan Distillery—made whiskey for a variety of brands, including...

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...

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...

Whisky can be produced in either a column or a pot still. Column stills use continuous distillation to separate alcohol from other compounds, while pot stills require batch distillation: separating and concentrating the alcohol with each run through the still. In most cases, two pot distillations are all that's needed, but sometimes, distillers opt for a third.Triple-distillation is not the domain of any single country. While it's strongly associated with Irish whiskey, several distilleries in Scotland, as well as producers in the U.S., England, Sweden, and Australia, triple-distill too.Any grain, from malted barley to rye to mixed mashbills (like those used for bourbon), can be triple-distilled. And, of course, by combining two or more styles together, such as single malt and grain whiskey, a triple-distilled blend can be produced.How Triple-Distillation WorksIt's all in the name. Triple-distilled whisky must be distilled three times, usually in copper pot stills. It's a more...

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and while the classics are always a safe bet—think flowers, chocolate, and jewelry—what better way to celebrate the whisky-appreciating mom in your life than with a memorable trip to a distillery event? Distilleries across the country are hosting events this weekend, ranging from a gift market at Westward Whiskey in Portland, Oregon happening tomorrow to a special guided tour of Sagamore Spirit in Baltimore, Maryland on Sunday. Of course, the "Succession" lovers among us know that Sunday is also the eighth episode of the final season—we've rounded up a complete list of whiskies spotted on the show, as well as some recommendations of our own that will have you sipping as the Roys do.
As far as new whiskies go, Hirsch pays homage to a past release with a new single barrel Kentucky bourbon, Santa Fe Spirits debuts an American single malt from New Mexico, and Colorado-based Laws Whiskey House is back...

Amid all the excitement over Ireland’s whiskey renaissance, Northern Ireland is frequently overlooked. While sectarian differences have long separated the North from the Republic, both sides share many things in common—not least of which is a formidable pedigree in whiskey. If Dublin was the epicenter of global whiskey making in the late 19th century and the early 20th, Belfast in the north was its great rival. The biggest Belfast whiskey names—Dunville & Co., J.&J. McConnell, McElvey, Cromac, Avoniel, and Royal Irish—were vast facilities, exporting millions of barrels of their whiskeys around the world. Their immense bonded warehouses were an imposing presence on the city’s vibrant commercial landscape.

 

1 Scott’s Irish Whisky
2 Boatyard Distillery
3 Wild Atlantic Gin School & Distillery
4 An Carn Derry (under construction)
5 Old Bushmills Distillery
6 Glens of Antrim Distillery
7...

If you're searching for an extra-special bottle to augment your shelves or gift a loved one, then Sotheby's March whisky sale in New York might have just what you're looking for. Bidding opened yesterday on a slew of exceptional labels, including rare expressions of Pappy van Winkle, Michter's, Buffalo Trace, and more. In this sale, called The Camouflage Collection Part 1, there are 470 lots on offer, and you have until March 17th to check out the online catalog (and make a bid, if you so desire). 
Of course, there are more price-friendly new whiskies hitting the shelves this week, among them a heavily peated expression from Compass Box, a new wine cask-finished release from Green Spot, and two ultra-aged single malts from Bushmills. Read on for full details.
Compass Box Peat Monster Cask Strength: Origin Story
Style: Blended malt
Origin: Scotland
Age: Not stated
ABV: 56.7%
Price: $125
Release: March 2023

Yamazaki 55 year old set a new highest auction price of the year this month, with Sotheby’s Hong Kong achieving a hammer price of $256,162; nearly $46,000 more than Unicorn Auctions’ June sale in Chicago. Meanwhile, Whisky Auctioneer set a new highest price of the year for Macallan The Reach 81 year old, nudging the 2024 record for this expression higher by $775 over the price set by Sotheby’s in April. To date, these Yamazaki and Macallan bottlings, both the oldest expressions ever released by the respective distilleries, make up 6 of the 7 highest auction prices of the year with a combined value of $1.2 million (a bottle of Macallan The Red Collection 60 year old just squeaked into sixth place). 
New 2024 releases have been making their way to auction this month, with bottlings of Weller Millennium wheat whiskey, released with a suggested retail price of $7,500, making $9,000, and bottles of Double Eagle Rare 20 year old, released at $3,000, fetching...

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...

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...

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...

Waterford Distillery, the terroir specialist of Irish whiskey, has fallen into receivership following unsuccessful attempts to raise more funding to keep it afloat. The Irish Times reported that the business entered receivership following an emergency board meeting this week, and distillery staff were informed of the news on November 27th. The Waterford online shop was taken offline the same day. The receivers will seek a new buyer for the business, but if that doesn’t materialize, the distillery and its stocks could be put up for sale.
 Located in the city of Waterford in the southeast of Ireland, Waterford was launched by Mark Reynier in January 2016 from a former Guinness brewery along the city’s riverfront. Four years earlier, Reynier had exited his position at Islay’s Bruichladdich Distillery, having voted against its acquisition by Rémy Cointreau. From the outset, Waterford enabled Reynier to take his vision of terroir-driven whiskey...

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...

We've got plenty of new whiskies this week, both for ardent collectors and more casual fans. Old Forester has unveiled the second edition of its Warehouse Series, while Heaven Hill has announced the annual release of Parker's Heritage, which is a wheat whiskey this year. From Scotland, Bruichladdich has released the latest vintage of Port Charlotte Islay Barley, while Daryll McNally, best known for his work at Dublin Liberties Distillery, is reviving Limavady Irish whiskey in partnership with Vermont's WhistlePig. Read on for full details.Old Forester The 117 Series Warehouse KStyle: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 55%Price: $50Release: August 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:The first release of The 117 Series, called High Angels’ Share, featured bourbon from barrels with an unusually high rate of evaporation. This release, called Warehouse K, highlights barrels aged on different floors of the eponymous warehouse, which is known for its exceptional...

We first covered news of Limavady Irish whiskey last August with its U.S. debut, and recently caught up with Limavady owner Darryl McNally to talk about what separates this Irish expression from others on the shelf. Though new and without a distillery (yet), Limavady has made an impressive debut, with its Single Barrel whiskey scoring 91 points in our Winter 2021 Buying Guide.Among this week's new whiskies, Kentucky Owl is back with a special St. Patrick's Day bourbon, Octomore has a new, decade-old release, and Penelope pivots away from bourbon in favor of an aged, light whiskey. Read on for full details.Kentucky Owl St. Patrick’s Day Limited EditionStyle: BourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: A blend of Kentucky straight bourbons aged 4 to 11 yearsABV: 50%Price: $135Release: February 2022 Availability: Nationwide, but limited to a select number of retailersNeed to know:This is the second Kentucky Owl expression made under the direction of new master blender John Rhea, the former Four Roses...

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...

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...

The first Dingle single pot still release for the U.S., this spent 5 years in bourbon barrels, followed by an Australian shiraz cask finish for 2-3 years. The nose combines Medjool dates, raisins, and an underlying aniseed spiciness with clotted cream and candied strawberries in syrup. Damson, black cherry, blueberry, and clove; it gets creamier with crème caramel, cashew, and egg custard on the palate, with residual berry fruit on the finish. (Release date: 4/25)

Now that Passover is behind us, Buffalo Trace is rolling out the 2021 batches of its kosher trio of whiskeys—bourbon, wheated bourbon, and rye. Curious why Passover matters? Check out our detailed feature on the complex rules and methods of making kosher whisky.On to the newest releases. First up, Laphroaig is adding an oloroso sherry-finished 10 year old to its range. Though available in limited amounts, it's a permanent addition, priced at $90.Rabbit Hole has unveiled a mizunara cask-finished bourbon as part of its Founder's Collection. There are just 1,403 bottles, priced at $1,500 each.The 2021 special-edition Glen Scotia released for the Campbeltown Malts Festival comes out soon. Finished in bordeaux red wine casks, the whisky is priced at $80 and available in limited amounts.Four Gate Whiskey Co. is rolling out its latest limited edition, Kelvin Collaboration III. The finished bourbon is priced at $199, with 2,470 bottles available.Bardstown Bourbon Co. has created an...

Remember a month ago when WhistlePig teamed up with Flaviar to crowdsource a new blend? That whiskey, WhistlePig HomeStock—this year's edition of FarmStock—is now available for pre-order, priced at $73. There are 25,000 bottles available.New York-based Widow Jane is launching a 13 year old straight bourbon, bottled as a single barrel. Widow Jane Lucky Thirteen is priced at $90, with 15,000-20,000 bottles available.Washington, D.C.'s Republic Restoratives is rolling out the third batch of Borough bourbon, this time aged 5 years and finished in armagnac casks. There are 14,000 bottles available, priced at $49.Chicken Cock has a new Kentucky rye finished in beer casks from Goodwood Brewing Co. At $90, there are just under 1,500 bottles of Chicken Cock Ryeteous Blonde available.Colorado's Golden Moon Distillery is debuting a brace of single malts: Principium, which is double-distilled, and Triple, distilled three times in homage to Irish tradition. Both are priced at $59, with about...

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...

There are over a dozen Irish whiskeys reviewed in the Spring 2020 Buying Guide, spanning blends, single malts, and single pot still—the uniquely Irish style that reigned supreme in the 19th century, nearly vanished into history in the 20th, and has since come roaring back; you can read all about it in the issue's comprehensive feature.Here, we highlight six of spring's most exciting Irish whiskeys that embody the category's incredible diversity of flavor. For the full lineup of reviews—including a very rare, and collectible, Midleton—check out the Spring 2020 Buying Guide.6 of the Best Irish Whiskeys for Spring 2020Redbreast Small Batch Cask Strength Single Pot Still (Batch A)93 points, 58.6% ABV, $100Prominent red apple, tropical fruits, pot still spices, and oloroso sherry notes; this shows great balance. The spices are powerful, with a roasted aroma like a crooked burnt match. The palate is gripped by the high alcohol as pepper and clove break open over the tongue into a bed...

Zuidam Distillery's Patrick van Zuidam is well aware of rye's reputation as a troublesome grain. “Basically, you end up with 10,000 liters of wallpaper paste,” says the Dutch master distiller, referring to rye's tendency toward ‘stuck mash' and frenetic foaming during fermentation. But van Zuidam and a rising number of global distillers refuse to let such challenges deter them from rye's irresistibly flavorful results. “Rye has that special earthy spiciness that connects you directly to the grain and to farming,” says van Zuidam, “If the end result wasn't so special, I wouldn't touch rye ever again.”As one of Europe's leading proponents of rye, van Zuidam notes that it is not so much a new grain as an old one. “There is heritage in the grain: rye has always been a major part of distilling in the Netherlands, though mostly for genever. Rye was cheap and easy to grow, even on very poor sandy soils. It doesn't need much to grow, apart from a bit of rain and sunshine at...

In recent years, many Highlands and Speyside single malt whisky brands have added peated expressions to their lineups (see anCnoc with Cutter, Flaughter, and other whiskies in the peated collection, or BenRiach with Curiositas). This might have seemed like a departure from their traditional unpeated styles, but the truth is that most scotch whiskies were made with peated malt in the years before the mid-20th century: Peat, after all, is Scotland's most readily available fuel source. So although Balvenie hasn't had a peated expression in decades, its latest release, Peat Week, isn't a complete novelty. The brand began distilling peated whisky for a week each year starting in 2002, and this is the first bottling of that experiment. Going forward, Balvenie will keep releasing Peat Week annually.In other news, Glenmorangie is re-releasing Astar after a 9-year absence.The limited-edition expression scored 93 points the last time it was reviewed in our Buying Guide, and we're excited 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...

Last week it was Aberlour and Craigellachie, and this week it's Glenlivet, which is bringing a series of single-cask whiskies to the U.S., available in just six states: California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas. The ages and ABVs vary, as do the prices, from $269 to $299.Balvenie is also releasing some single-cask scotch whiskies, but these cost a lot more. The final release of Balvenie's DCS Compendium, Chapter Five, includes five vintage single malts ranging from 16 to 56 years old. Other than the 1962 Vintage—which can be bought individually for $47,000—these whiskies are only for sale as a set of five, priced at $80,000 with just 50 sets available.WhistlePig is rolling out the sixth iteration of Boss Hog rye. This year's release, called The Samurai Scientist, comes from Canada and has some unusual production details. It's priced at $500 and available in limited amounts.The third release of Old Charter Oak, made at Buffalo Trace Distillery, has debuted...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The House of Suntory has unveiled the four Japanese single malt expressions in the 2024 Tsukuriwake Series, which aims to showcase its adventurous sense of creativity. The series lets Suntory chief blender Shinji Fukuyo demonstrate how blending can illustrate the intricacy of Japanese whisky making by spanning a variety of elements in barley strains, peating levels, and different cask types.
The Tsukuriwake Series (pronounced soo-koo-ree-wah-keh) debuted two years ago, and the word translates as “artisanship through the diversity of making.” The company marked its 100th anniversary in 2023 with special centenary releases, so there was not a Tsukuriwake Series release last year. The 2024 Tsukuriwake Series is driven by the core values of wa, which takes inspiration through harmony with Japanese nature, monozukuri, which means to be elevated by Japanese craftsmanship, and omotenashi, which is about the enjoyment of an authentic Japanese cultural...

Balmy languid summer days aren’t ideal for slaving away in the kitchen. Surrendering to summer’s bounty, these three informal and oven-free recipes are the perfect coda to a long day in the sun. From a gentle kiss to a punchy blast, the recipes utilize whiskey in different ways to propel juicy seasonal fruit to its full dessert potential. And for ultimate summer refreshment, there’s a recipe for a frozen treat that harnesses whiskey’s rich toffee and chocolaty notes against a backdrop of abundant coffee and coconut.
Poached Whiskey Peaches With Vanilla and Pink Peppercorn
Sweet, sappy peaches become summer’s elegant post-dinner darling when gently poached in liquid gold composed of vanilla, peppercorns, and whiskey. A modestly priced rye whiskey such as Rittenhouse or a rye-heavy bourbon, like Old Forester 100 or Wild Turkey 101 add a pleasant spice to fragrant fruit-leaning pink peppercorns. Leftover peaches stored in the poaching liquid can be...

With the country facing two crises at once—COVID-19 and ongoing demonstrations against racism and police violence—whisky, too, is a part of the conversation. As states begin to reopen, distilleries are facing hard choices and added expenses in order to create safe spaces for visitors and staff. And as whisky companies are starting to reckon with the urgent need to employ and support a diverse workforce, a new nonprofit from the founder of Black Bourbon Society has emerged to help.Amidst this landscape, whiskies are continuing to roll out. Though it's not a new release, Jameson is offering a special on Black Barrel. Customers who purchase Jameson Black Barrel through ReserveBar from now until Father's Day can get a custom message engraved on the bottle, free of charge.Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. is releasing the 2020 batch of George Dickel Bottled in Bond, this time at 11 years old (distilled in 2008). I spoke with distiller and general manager Nicole Austin to get all the...

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...

Created by Joaquín Simó, partner at Pouring Ribbons in New York City, the OTT Irish Coffee puts a toasted twist on a cocktail classic. “My favorite wintertime attire is a whisky sweater—that delicious warming glow that keeps me feeling toasty even when a bitter wind nips at my cheeks,” Simó says. Here, that sweater comes in the form of a hot Irish whiskey with orange-spiked whipped cream floating on top.
INGREDIENTS

3 cardamom pods
1½ oz. Knappogue Castle Irish whiskey (or other single malt Irish whiskey)
¼ oz. rich demerara syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water)
5 oz. hot coffee
5 drops saline solution (or 1 tiny pinch kosher salt)
Garnish: orange heavy cream (recipe below), 2 lightly toasted marshmallows (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Muddle cardamom pods in the bottom of a pre-heated Irish coffee glass. Add whiskey, demerara syrup, hot coffee, and saline solution and stir. Float orange heavy...

Once upon a time, Irish whiskeys could be accused of sameness, but that’s no longer true. In recent years Ireland has been among the most innovative of the major whisky nations, partly due to its good fortune of having some creative leeway in its production regulations. The new distillers that emerged in Ireland over the past decade have waited patiently for their whiskeys to mature and they’re releasing them. Meanwhile, the traditional players—Jameson, Bushmills, Redbreast, Powers, and the Spots—have been unveiling a host of new expressions. Here’s a list of our top-scoring Irish whiskeys to sip.
91 Bushmills 12 year old Single Malt 40% • $60
Date loaf, sweet fig, chocolate orange, oak, black tea, walnut, and honey
89 The Busker Single Malt 44.3% • $30
Toffee, apple, sultana, vanilla, chocolate ganache, spices, caramel, and rich fruit
89 Clonakilty Double Oak Single Malt 43.6% • $50
Lychee, fresh...

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...

Earlier this month, we were in County Sligo in northwest Ireland to visit Sazerac’s long-awaited Irish distillery project: a 100-acre campus formerly known as Lough Gill Distillery, which the company acquired in 2022. The immense, immaculately clean facility is relaunching as Hawk’s Rock Distillery, adding a potentially significant new asset to Sazerac’s whiskey portfolio. “We have an eagle [Eagle Rare], and now we have a hawk,” one company representative smiled during our site visit.
We’ve tasted the first whiskey that will emerge from Hawk’s Rock, which will be released this June. The particulars of that liquid are still under wraps, but we can reveal that all the Irish whiskeys being crafted here are being done under the watchful eye of master blender Helen Mulholland.

The list of accolades Mulholland has racked up over the years is lengthy. She spent 25 years work at Bushmills, most recently as its...

Any day is a good day to drink some Irish whiskey, but Saint Patrick's Day calls for upping the ante. If you've outgrown green beer and tastelessly named shots, why not try your hand at an Irish whiskey cocktail? Check out these six recipes from top bartenders which incorporate a number of Irish whiskey styles, from a traditional blend to single malts.An Age-OldClassic: The TipperaryFizzy and Long: St. Kevin SlingFruit Flavors with a Twist: Spring DewTreasonous: The King is DeadCreamy and Rich: Irish SlangThe Border-Crosser: India to...

Barrel staves toasted in a smokeless fire pit? That’s a new one for us. In an unusual partnership, Vermont WhistlePig has teamed up with Solo Stove, a maker of portable stainless steel fireplaces for the backyard and beach, to toast its barrel staves. Elsewhere around the whiskey world, Elijah Craig is out with this year’s Batch B, and it’s a bit older than Batch A—closer to the 12 year old level that was the norm before Elijah Craig owner Heaven Hill removed the age statement last year.  Westland Colere has a new edition, and there's a new whiskey in the Woodford Reserve Distillers Series.
 
 
Elijah Craig 11 Year and 2 Month Old Barrel Proof Bourbon (Batch B524)
ABV: 65.3%
SRP: $75
Availability: Nationwide
The newest batch of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, B524, was aged for 11 years and 2 months—featuring slightly older liquid than the previous batch released in January.
Only three batches of...

With 2023 in the rearview mirror, we look forward to a new year of exciting sales on the global auction market. January’s calendar contains mainly online auctions including holiday sales that closed early in the month, but the traditional auction houses hold very few live auctions at this time of year. The result thus far has been an eclectic mix of whiskies vying for spots in this month’s 20-highest hammer prices, though the big money seems to be sticking with Macallan.
Whisky Hammer
Auction ended January 2nd  


Scotch: Macallan The Red Collection 78 year old, $53,051. This expression has depreciated by $27,000 since February 2023.
Japanese: Karuizawa Emerald Geisha 33 year old Cask No. 8908, $15,789. A 2018 release of 170 bottles from a single sherry cask.
American: A.H. Hirsch Reserve 1974 16 year old, $2,432. A Preiss Imports bottling with the foil cap, rather than the wax closures of the...

Party planning becomes easy when you start with a solid theme. “When there is a theme, and there's a sense of continuity among food and beverage, décor, time, and place, it just feels way more thought-out. It leads people to engage more and to have a better time,” says Juliet DeRose, senior beverage manager at Union Square Hospitality Group in New York.As yearlong whisky advocates, we certainly don't need a reason to get together with good friends to enjoy whisky. But for whisky-loving hosts looking for inspiration to gather, we're here with a list of great excuses to throw a whisky party.
JanuaryReason to celebrate: Robert Burns's Birthday (Jan. 25)You're serving: Single malt scotchPoet Robert Burns is traditionally celebrated with readings of his classic works like “Auld Lang Syne” and “Address to a Haggis” accompanied by authentic Scottish cuisine. “It's particularly important to expatriates like myself that we maintain these traditions,” says Alex Murray...

Since its inception, the San Francisco-based Hotaling & Co. Distillery has hung its hat on rye whiskey. Hotaling was founded in 1993 as Anchor Distilling, a small offshoot of the venerable Anchor Brewing Company. Back then, Anchor was owned by craft beer legend Fritz Maytag, who purchased the brewery when it was on the brink of failure in 1965 and spent the ensuing decades whipping it back into shape. By the early ’90s, Maytag was planning an expansion into spirits, intending to distill a product inspired by the whiskeys of the 18th century. After doing some research, he was drawn to rye whiskey—a style that had been wildly popular before Prohibition, but was on the verge of extinction.

To make that dream a reality, Maytag set up pot stills in the Anchor Brewing warehouse and left things in the hands of Bruce Joseph—one of Anchor’s most experienced brewers—who would go on to serve as master distiller for over three decades before retiring in...

Irish Distillers released Redbreast Dream Cask 38 year old Zenith Edition earlier this year, the seventh and final edition in its series of exceptional and rare cask selections and finished single pot still whiskeys. The series originated after a Facebook Live tasting hosted by master blender Billy Leighton in 2017 to coincide with World Whisky Day, during which Leighton showcased a 31 year old single pot still whiskey distilled at Midleton Distillery. The following year, the Dream Cask series began in earnest with the debut of that whiskey, bottled at 32 years old. Each annual release came in 500 ml bottles and was sold by ballot through The Birdhouse, Redbreast’s online members’ club. The releases sold out quickly every year. Leighton made the cask selections, working with blender Dave McCabe as the series progressed. By the time of the final release in 2024, McCabe had been named the new master blender and Billy Leighton had retired, becoming master blender...

Sotheby’s, Paris set a new highest price of the year this week with the online sale of a Yamazaki 55 year old for $343,129. This is the first bottle of this limited-edition whisky to sell in 2023, but it’s always worth watching as it set the highest hammer price bottle for Sotheby’s, Zachys, and Bonhams in 2022. All three bottles of Yamazaki 55 year old sold by Sotheby’s in 2022 were sold in New York, with prices peaking at $480,000 in June.
Sotheby’s, Hong Kong
Auction ended March 7th


Scotch: Brora 40 year old $35,669. This was the first Brora 40 year old released in 2014, distilled in 1972, with a release of 160 bottles
Japanese: Yamazaki 25 year old Bill Amberg $16,561. Limited edition packaging with only 100 sets made.
American: Old Rip van Winkle 15 year old $4,076. Van Winkle whiskeys are becoming a more regular sight at auctions in Hong Kong.

Celtic Whiskey Auctions

Auction ended March...

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

A few weeks ago, Compass Box announced that they'd overhauled the recipe for The Peat Monster, making a significant change after more than 15 years of production. I spoke with blender John Glaser about why he decided to mess with a winning formula, and how the new whisky fits into the current peat craze.Speaking of changes, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) recently proposed making barrels of "approximately 50 gallons" the regulated size for aging bourbon. This could have a major impact on many American distillers, so we spoke to people on both sides of the issue to find out what they think.On to new whiskies. MGP Distillery is starting up a private-barrel program for retail stores, allowing them to create a custom version of its Rossville Union rye whiskey. Retailers can meet with MGP's distilling and blending teams to taste from different barrels and put together a unique blend, to be bottled at 50% ABV.WhistlePig is launching its oldest whisky to date, an 18 year...

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...

The Spring 2022 issue of Whisky Advocate hit newsstands this week, and inside you'll find a deep exploration of all things rye whiskey. We offer up new cocktail recipes, purchasing recommendations for any budget, and a look back at what made Pennsylvania such a titan of rye production. Plus, there are more than 95 whisky reviews in the Buying Guide, all of which you can browse right now.As for new whiskies out this week, GlenDronach has announced Batch 19 of its single cask series, Old Line Spirits adds a bottled in bond American single malt to its range, and The Irishman shares details for this year's Vintage Cask bottling. Read on for full details.GlenDronach 1992 Vintage (Cask 217)Style: Single maltOrigin: ScotlandABV: 55.4%Age: 29 year oldPrice: $820Release: March 2022Availability: 383 bottles; GA, MA, NJ, NYGlenDronach 1992 Vintage (Cask 6052)Style: Single maltOrigin: ScotlandABV: 50.8%Age: 28 year oldPrice: $720Release: March 2022Availability: 658 bottles; CA, ID, IN, KY, LA...

We’ve entered a new year, and with it, a flurry of hotly anticipated distillery openings. Several distilleries are being built in Scotland, with a host of brand-new names joining the fray, and another re-opening after a decades-long closure. In the States, Kentucky bourbon remains a hotbed of investment opportunity. Beyond the Bluegrass State, a couple of craft brands that have made serious strides as non-distiller producers are taking the next step this year and opening their own distilleries. Read on for all the distilleries set to open, or have a groundbreaking, in 2024.
Scotland 
Openings
Port Ellen
Islay distillery Port Ellen shuttered in 1983 amid one of whisky’s great downturns. The whisky that remained in the warehouses gained a cult following in the decades after its closure and correspondingly high prices for the finite inventory of remaining bottles. Fast-forward to 2017, when Diageo announced an investment of $44 million to revive Port...

Everyone who enjoys whisky likely knows how to make a proper Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Sour, and other classic whisky cocktails. For one, they've stood the test of time—whereas the latest trendy drink is often only popular because it looks cool on Instagram, classics have been perfected, so you know they taste good. For another, most are easy to make yet impressive to serve to guests. 
At the same time, you can respect the classics while letting them serve as a starting point. The majority of contemporary cocktails are variations on these standards, and experimentation can lead to delicious results.
An easy place to start is by switching up the whisky you use as the base. “Swapping in different whisky styles lets you explore how [a whisky’s] grain, distillation, and aging change a cocktail’s whole character,” says Jason Hedges, director of beverage for LT Hospitality. “Just like jazz musicians state the basic theme before launching into...

Irish professional golfer Graeme McDowell has teamed up with Boann Distillery in Drogheda, County Louth, to create Grey Coast, a new Irish whiskey blend. Grey Coast is named for McDowell's hometown of Portrush on Northern Ireland's north coast, where whiskey and golf are two of the most popular pastimes. (Portrush is located just six miles from Bushmills Distillery.) “I think whiskey's always been in the blood,” says McDowell. “I've spent a lot of time in the Northeast of Scotland, at distilleries and cooperages. I've always wanted to do something really cool, effective, and authentic.”This bottled blend marries four whiskeys. In all, 60% of the blend is made from single grain corn whiskeys matured in first-fill bourbon barrels, with an additional 25% made from single grain whiskey aged in new American oak. The remaining 15% is split between two Irish single malts: 10% is aged in new American oak and 5% is matured in oloroso sherry casks.For McDowell, the...

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...

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has a new web page that enhances and simplifies your travel plans in Bourbon Country by calculating the details for you. In California, Redwood Empire is making the most of its new headquarters on Mare Island in Vallejo, across the bay from San Francisco, with the establishment of a "Whiskey University," a learning center at the distillery. Elsewhere, Washington's Woodinville Whiskey has a new bottle design that features an age statement for the core brand, Glenfiddich gets a packaging refresh, and there are more cutbacks in Scotland as Laphroaig and Bowmore combine their production teams.
 

Planning a Trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Just Got Easier
The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has launched a new page on its website that allows you to customize your trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Not that it was a difficult trip to plan before, but with 68 destinations in 6 regions, it was certainly overwhelming. That...

If your New Year's Resolution is to drink more—or maybe better—whisky, let us help you with a guide to living your best whisky life. Or maybe you want to get organized and improve your whisky storage? Perhaps you're just looking for more excuses to bring friends and whisky together, every month of the year.Whatever you're after, you'll need whisky to make it happen, and we'll continue to bring you the newest releases every Friday.First up this week, Woodford Reserve is bringing back Double Double Oaked, its bourbon that spends time aging in three different new charred oak barrels. The whiskey is available in limited amounts for $50 for a 375-ml. bottle, mainly for sale at Woodford's visitor center.Great Lakes Distillery in Milwaukee is unveiling one of the oldest American single malts ever. Its Menomonee Valley 10 year old will be available in Wisconsin, priced at $100.Washington, D.C.'s One Eight Distilling is also launching a milestone whiskey: its first bottled in bond rye...

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...

Redbreast Lustau Edition—46% ABV, $69Aaah, the luxury of choice. Irish whiskey drinkers are blessed that shelves are brimming with a much wider selection than just a decade ago. It's not that long since new Irish whiskey releases were too infrequent to run an Irish whiskey section of the Buying Guide in every issue of this magazine. Now they are so numerous that we have to be selective about what goes into print. It's a good problem to have. The first thing you need to know about this whiskey is that it doesn't carry an age statement; however, Irish Distillers has been perfectly transparent in explaining that the liquid is between 9 and 12 years old. It was matured in American and European oak, then finished for up to a year in an oloroso sherry cask made at A. Páez Tonelería in Jerez for the sherry house of Lustau. In price, it sits between the Redbreast 12 year old and 12 year old Cask Strength editions.Redbreast last won this award three years ago, and a sherry finish to...

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...

Two high-proof bourbons—Wild Turkey and Rebel Yell—are rolling out new editions this month. In addition, Jura scotch has announced a rebranding in the U.S., and its first release is a 10 year old single malt. Plus, discover two brand new Irish whiskeys from Tipperary Boutique Distillery hitting American shelves now, and a new Teeling single malt that's launching in Europe.Wild Turkey Rare BreedStyle: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: NASProof: 58.4% ABV Price: $45Release: May 2017Availability: Widely availableNeed to know:Wild Turkey’s barrel proof bourbon is rolling out a new batch now. The ABV has gone up a bit—from 56.4% ABV (112.8 proof) to 58.4% ABV (116.8 proof)—and it’s got a new bottle design.Whisky Advocate says:Rare Breed is regularly available, and Wild Turkey has a product locator on their website if you want to find it nearby.Jura 10 year oldStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Islands)Age: 10 yearsProof: 40% ABVPrice: $55Release: May 2017Availability: U.S...

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...

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...

Golf and whisky just go hand in hand. It makes sense, after all, as the game was cultivated in a region where, for just as long, whiskies were crafted with similar attention to detail, care, and passion. And nothing celebrates a day on the links better than a dram.
When the game was first introduced stateside in the late 19th century, it brought whisky enjoyment with it. Golf resorts have since flourished, both in the U. S. and throughout the British Isles, and so we celebrate golf courses with whisky programs that match the elevated level of their play. A visit to one of the following seven destinations will find exceptional whiskies being poured once the day’s final putts are holed.

Adare Manor
COUNTY LIMERICK, IRELAND
For first-time guests, visiting Adare Manor can be an overwhelming experience. Located just over 10 miles outside the southwest city of Limerick, this five-star luxury resort is home to a sparkling Irish manor house designed in the Gothic...

Tullamore D.E.W. has made ribbon cutting obsolete. For the opening of their new distillery on October 19th 2017, a bottle of Tullamore D.E.W. was smashed against a grain column like the launching of a ship, eliciting cheers from the assembled guests. The grain distillery's opening comes three years after Tullamore began production at its malt and pot still whiskey distillery, located adjacent to the new facility. After a $70m investment, Tullamore D.E.W. has been transformed: long blended from sourced whiskey, the brand's production is now going grain to glass.The Rebirth of Tullamore D.E.W.Tullamore, Co. Offaly is a busy little country town in the center of Ireland, an hour west of Dublin. It's the original site of the Old Tullamore distillery (1829-1954) that was once owned by Daniel E. Williams (his initials put the D.E.W. in the whiskey). William Grant & Sons, best known as the family behind Glenfiddich and Balvenie in Scotland, purchased the Tullamore D.E.W. brand in 2010...

The 15th annual Tales of the Cocktail—a bartenders' convention in New Orleans—happens next week. Considering the high volume of professional cocktail-makers (and drinkers) in attendance, it's the perfect chance for whisky brands to debut new expressions. And thus Redemption is launching its new wheated bourbon (detailed here), Kilbeggan has a single grain Irish whiskey coming out, and Auchentoshan The Bartenders' Malt will make its first U.S. appearance. Plus, the first Maker's Mark Private Select barrel in the state of Louisiana will roll out at Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House, the famous French Quarter seafood restaurant and bar. Read on for details.Auchentoshan The Bartenders' MaltStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Lowlands)Age: Not statedProof: 47% ABVPrice: $47Release: July 2017Availability: Limited quantitiesNeed to know:This is a new expression of Auchentoshan that was created by a group of bartenders from around the world. Dubbed the "New Malt Order," these 12 cocktail...

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...

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...

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...

Among the latest rollouts, Heaven Hill honors its Deatsville warehousing campus with a new 13 year old bourbon, High West has unveiled the annual release of its Bourye expression, Chicken Cock has a new wheater, and Bulleit has a new bourbon whose mashbill contains a high share of mesquite-smoked malt. With Formula 1 racing season upon us, Jack Daniel’s has unveiled its latest collaborative effort with the McLaren F1 racing team, and there's much more.
 
Heaven Hill Deatsville 13 year old Bourbon
ABV: 54.5%
SRP: $200
Availability: Limited
This well-aged bourbon honors Heaven Hill’s Deatsville warehouse campus and represents a blend of 17 barrels that were matured on the third floor of Heaven Hill’s Rickhouse AA. It has a mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, the recipe Heaven Hill uses for many of its bourbons, including Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, and others. Heaven Hill acquired the warehouses in the early 1980s...

Both sides of the pond have announced some notable new releases in this week's wrap-up. From Ireland, Redbreast has a new single pot still whiskey finished in Málaga moscatel wine casks, while scotch whisky blending house Compass Box's annual release of Hedonism drops February  24th. Among single malt scotch whiskies, Macallan has a  James Bond tribute, and Ardbeg has unveiled its  2026 Committee Release, this one a cask strength expression. American whiskeys, meanwhile, announced several new bottlings this week. Most renowned among them—and also the most rarely seen—is Michter's Celebration Sour Mash, which has been released only five times over the past 30 years. Other new whiskies this week include bourbons from Woodford Reserve and Green River, ryes from Stoll & Wolfe and Shiner, and a straight malt from Chattanooga Whiskey.
Redbreast Moscatel Wine Cask Edition Irish Single Pot Still
ABV: 46%

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...

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...

As the whisky world continues to adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet another event is going virtual after in-person festivities were cancelled. The Islay Festival (Fèis Ìle), the annual celebration of music and single malt, announced via its website on March 18 that the 2020 festival scheduled for May 23-30 would be cancelled due to the Scottish government's guidelines during the pandemic. Yet the island's distilleries, which prepare for this festival all year, couldn't let the week go by without some kind of event, and several are bringing the celebration online—and reaching many more whisky fans in the process.The festival typically works with each of the island's nine distilleries opening its doors on a different day; Ardbeg always concludes the week. Since it can't physically open its doors on May 30, the distillery will now present the Ardbeg Blaaack Whisky Trials on its Facebook page. The two-hour program will feature tastings, games, and entertainment, all...

Constructed in the mid-1800s, the vast waterside building that houses Boston Harbor Distillery is a marvel in its own right, but your real reason to visit is to taste the 100% malted barley whiskey, a cocoa-tinged affair, and the exquisite whiskey-based coffee liqueur that they're turning out on their 150-gallon still that, coincidentally, has a serial number of 1776.Day OneMake Boston Harbor Distillery your first visit on your two-day spree through this small but lively capital city, whose history reaches far beyond the Freedom Trail. While George Washington was making rye whiskey at his Mount Vernon estate after his presidency, Colonial Bostonians were cranking out vast amounts of rum. Although the city has fallen into line with all the contemporary trends, boasting its share of whiskey bars and cocktail dens, it's a city that is ferociously true to itself, refusing to budge when it comes to putting its past on display.A short cab ride from Boston Harbor Distillery is one of the...

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...

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...

One is the world’s oldest licensed whiskey distillery, with over 400 years of history. The other is a pioneering American distillery barely two decades old. Yet, both Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Stranahan’s American Single Malt are redefining the single malt landscape. And neither are from Scotland.
First distilling whiskey as far back as 1608, today Bushmills owns the largest reserves of aged Irish single malt whiskey in the entire world. That’s one reason they continue to be the only Irish whiskey producer able to continually release novel, aged whiskeys on an annual basis. But the distillery is not resting on its laurels.
Bushmills is the #1 most-awarded Irish single malt and continues to honor its steadfast commitment to making some of the world’s greatest single malt whiskey for over 400 years. Over the past few years, Bushmills has released the Rare Cask Series, the limited edition Private Reserve Collection, and multiple permanent...

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...

Higher-proof whiskies began growing in popularity around 20 years ago, thanks to bartenders who loved their ability to stand up to competing flavors in a drink. But over the years, whisky fans increasingly gravitated toward drinking them neat, with the perception that more proof means more flavor. Recently, proof bombs have gained a cult following, primarily thanks to American whiskeys like Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill and others. Most of the whiskies on this list are fairly gentle compared to those, but all have robust levels of alcohol. At their worst, high-ABV whiskies simply hide behind their proof, attempting to ride the high-proof craze without offering much beyond that. But at their best, well-made high-proof whiskies offer loads of accentuated flavors and complexity to sip and enjoy.
95 points - Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Special Release Coy Hill Barrelhouse 8 Tennessee whiskey (2024), 67.35%, $80
Coy Hill is the highest...

When the nice weather arrives, there’s no better place to be than the great outdoors. Chances are you’ll want to enjoy a dram outside now and again—whether it’s an evening at the park, a trip to the beach, an open-air concert, a party, or any other outdoor event. We've put together a list of equipment to make the most of your al fresco affair, so ditch the clunky cooler, leave the breakable glassware, and check out these stylish alternatives to enhance the experience.
Among this week's new whiskies, Blackened is back with a new limited-edition bottle that celebrates Metallica’s 72 Seasons album and M72 world tour, Four Roses has come out with a nifty sample pack of the 10 component whiskeys used in making its various bourbons, and Frey Ranch brings a cask strength bourbon to the table. Read on for full details.
Blackened 72 Seasons Limited Edition
Style: Blend
Origin: Multiple
Age: Not...

This week we've seen a fair few imported whisky releases from countries other than Scotland and Ireland. India's Paul John brings us early holiday cheer with its 2023 Christmas Edition, fairly tiny at just 1,500 bottles but available in a wide variety of states. India's whiskies have scored remarkably well in our Buying Guide: of the more than 60 Indian releases we've tasted over the years, 10 have scored 94 points, and the vast majority have received scores of 90 points or more. The strong suit there is single malt, and if the volumes can begin to climb in this market, India has the quality to become a player in the single malt scene. From Japan, we have three expressions from Shizuoka, all made from barley grown in Japan—a rare thing, because Japanese farmers don't produce much of it. The availability is accordingly a bit sparse, but Shizuoka's previous releases have also passed the 90-point mark with our tasters. And from New Zealand comes Pokeno, which is just getting...

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...

While pondering the pricing on high-end bottles and anticipating future releases from Old Montreal Distillery, take a few moments to read up on this week's newest whiskies.The latest Orphan Barrel bourbon is launching, and it will be familiar to fans of the brand. Rhetoric 24 year old follows up on the previous four releases at 20, 21, 22, and 23 years old with one more year of age and a tiny bump in proof to 45.5% ABV. It also has gone up a bit in price to $130. Quantities are limited.Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace Distillery is also re-releasing a past limited-edition bourbon. Col. E.H. Taylor Jr. Four Grain is coming out with its second batch, and this year it's 13 years old rather than 12. The distillery has stated that there is no more Taylor Four Grain planned, so if you want it, grab a bottle now. (And good luck finding one!) Suggested retail price is $70.California's Charbay Distillery has unveiled Doubled & Twisted, a blend of single malt whiskey, whiskey distilled from...

Auction sales for March made a strong finish in the final week of the month, with some big-ticket items coming under the hammer. The usual cast of stars, notably Macallan and Karuizawa, led the pack. Meanwhile, April is shaping up to make a strong showing.
Whisky Online Auctions
Auction ended March 22nd


Scotch: Macallan Millennium 1949 50 year old, $30,574. While there were two bottles of this classic Millennium release available in this sale, only this one found a new home. 
Irish: Midleton Very Rare Vintage 1997, $642. A sweet and spicy vintage from the Barry Crockett era.
English: The Lakes Private Reserve Platinum Jubilee, $538. Bottled for Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee in 2022.
American: Jack Daniel’s Holiday Select (2011 Release), $294. After a number of other bottles failed to reach their reserves, this festive bottle of Tennessee whiskey was the highest-priced American whiskey in this sale.

Christie’s...

Tullamore D.E.W. has announced the release of its honey liqueur in the U.S. The Irish whiskey’s Original label—a blend of pot distilled, malt, and grain whiskeys—is infused with honey from the Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. According to the International Centre for Young Beekeepers the Czech Republic has 55,000 beekeepers, of which 33,000 are hobbyists, caring for 600,000 hives. The small, independent apiarists with their focus on quality are the source of the honey for this liqueur.
The expression is not new; it launched in four countries, including the Czech Republic, in 2021. But it’s now available nationwide, with a suggested retail price of $24. Irish whiskey fans might enjoy this sweet twist for a Highball, mixed with lemonade or ginger beer, or perhaps a Hot Toddy.
Among Irish whiskeys, the most famous honey-based liqueur is Irish Mist, which interestingly enough, comes from the town of Tullamore. Irish Mist was once owned by the Williams...

Leading the charge this week is Penelope bourbon, which has taken things up a notch with its barrel strength bourbon expression, raising the age statement from 4 years to 7 years. From Rebel comes a collaboration with NASCAR veteran Kyle Busch on a new single barrel bourbon, while Virginia Distillery Co. has unveiled three new single malt expressions.  Minnesota distiller Keeper's Heart is rolling out the first whiskey made entirely from its own production, and Irish whiskey Proper No. Twelve has a new, more charred-oak riff on its core label.
 
Penelope 7 year old Barrel Strength Bourbon
ABV: 57.6%
SRP: $60
Availability: Limited
Penelope has announced a change to its Barrel Strength bourbon, raising the age statement from 4 to 7 years old. This version is a blend of four bourbons rather than three, and it has a slightly different mashbill of 70% corn, 23% rye, 5% malted barley, and 2% malted rye. The initial release accounts for 78,000...

There's a new whisky for just about every taste this week, from bourbon and Tennessee whiskey to an array of peated and non-peated scotches.Jack Daniel's is rolling out its latest single barrel, a limited-edition whiskey that was aged in so-called "heritage" barrels made in a 19th-century style with more toasting and a lighter char. Priced at $65 a bottle, just 200 barrels are being bottled.Woodford Reserve has announced plans to release not one, but two Master's Collection whiskeys this year: Select American Oak, a bourbon aged in Ozark oak barrels, and Oat Grain, a bourbon made with—you guessed it—oats in the mashbill. Available in limited amounts, each whiskey costs $130.Over in Scotland, Ardbeg is releasing its latest Twenty Something, a 22 year old single malt that hails from the days when the distillery was infrequently in operation. The 46.4% ABV whisky costs $550 and will be available in limited amounts.Highland Park's newest special edition is hitting shelves. Valknut...

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...

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...

Hundreds of American single malts are being made across the country by an array of distillers, but there only a handful of names that can truly be credited with pioneering the style. Among them is Seattle-based Westland Distillery, which has long been working to raise the status of American single malts through its terroir-driven whiskeys. Just over a year after his first appearance on #TasteWithSpace, Westland master distiller Matt Hofmann rejoined Whisky Advocate on April 23 on Instagram Live to discuss the current state of American single malt, and share details on Westland's latest whiskeys.“The most beautiful thing about American single malt is that it's highly dynamic; it's alive, it's reflective of what's going on in the U.S., and there are so many people who have different approaches and are trying different things,” said Hofmann. “There's a real sense of optimism within the American single malt space, and I think a lot of people recognize this is a once-in-a-lifetime...

The new year is off to a promising start, with a handful of releases from whisky makers around the globe. Hye, Texas's Garrison Brothers is ringing in 2024 with a new edition of its cask-finished Guadalupe bourbon. Musician Chris Stapleton has dipped his toes into the whiskey pool, releasing a new blend in collaboration with Buffalo Trace. Catoctin Creek is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a bonded rye. Over in Scotland, Bruichladdich has a new version of its vintage-dated Islay Barley single malt, and Royal Salute has new festive packaging for its 21 year old blend. Read on for full details. 
Traveller Whiskey
Style: Blend
Origin: Multiple (undisclosed)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 45%
Price: $40
Release: January
Availability: Nationwide
Need to know: 
A collaboration between singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace master distiller Harlen Wheatley, Traveller is a blended...

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...

The best part of WhiskyFest is the selection: Hundreds of new whiskies await your glass, representing scotch, bourbon, Irish, craft whiskey, and so many other styles. If you want to make a night of tasting only the newest releases, you'll be busy. Here are our top picks for the must-taste new whiskies at WhiskyFest Chicago on March 23rd—many of them making their public debut that very night.Keep this list handy, and consult our recommendations for the top bourbons, scotches, and craft whiskeys at the event. Don't forget to check out the free seminars, or to plot your strategy for making the most of your evening. Haven't gotten tickets yet? There are still a few available.Glenmorangie SpìosThe latest release in Glenmorangie's Private Edition Series, Spìos was matured entirely in American rye casks, giving it a spicy flavor profile. (“Spìos” means spice in Scots Gaelic.)Barton 1792 Bottled in BondA limited-edition bonded bourbon from Sazerac's Barton Distillery, be sure you...

If you are on the hunt for a new whisky to try, new releases are a great starting point, but sometimes discovery can come from unexpected places. Take Nordic whiskies for example. Distillers in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland are crafting whiskies that capture Nordic climates and traditions—including smoking with sheep-dung—and adding to the ever-expanding category of world whisky. Read all about the growing Nordic whisky scene in our feature looking at the region.As for this week's new releases, Glenmorangie has unveiled its Grand Vintage Malt 1998, a portion of which comes from 23 year old single malt aged in virgin oak barrels. Wild Turkey announced a new addition under its Russell's Reserve label that examines the impact of warehouse location. And WhistlePig added to its PiggyBack line with a 100 proof bourbon. Read on for full details.

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1998
Style: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Highlands)Age: 23 year oldABV...

The art of cask finishing has been elevated significantly over recent years. In wine cask finishing, we’ve seen whisky makers explore a variety of different regions in search of new flavor nuances, while an ever-increasing number of American whiskeys are taking the cask-finished route.
Ireland has long been a leader in the finishing game, and three Irish whiskeys in this selection offer some interesting options. The Spot whiskeys have chosen Italy for this year’s Gold Spot Generations Edition, a limited release that’s finished in casks that held sweet Italian wine Recioto di Valpolicella from northeast Italy's Valpolicella region. Fellow Irish whiskey Keeper’s Heart has a 10 year old expression that's finished in barrels from the Malaga wine region in Andalucia, southern Spain. And while marsala wine casks from Sicily have been used by Glenmorangie and Bushmills in the past, here Irish whiskey The Quiet Man ventures forth, putting them...

The Winter 2018 issue of Whisky Advocate includes over 175 reviews across all styles, including several special sections: the 2018 Top 20, dozens of private-label whiskies from big-box stores like Costco and Trader Joe's, the 2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, and the 2018 Diageo Special Releases. While some of these whiskies rank among the highest scores in the Buying Guide, they aren't included on this list; rather, we're calling out the scotch, bourbon, and Irish whiskies that scored 94 points and above.Bushmills 21 year old Single Malt Irish Whiskey96 points, 40% ABV, $150Bushmills' sumptuous magnum opus spins aromas of sultana, brown sugar, walnut oil, date slice, chocolate-covered cranberries, leather gloves, and a hint of espresso. The dark, crepuscular mystique continues in the syrupy mouthfeel redolent of forest honey, banana bread, nuts, browned butter, sultana, date, and blackberry. Utterly beguiling, the Madeira finish works wonders here, right through to the last...

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...

Though the use of virgin oak is not uncommon in scotch, Midleton is the first modern distillery to produce a virgin Irish oak-finished single pot still whiskey. Foresters carefully select a small number of oaks to be felled from woods on well-managed Irish estates. The oak travels to a cooperage in Spain to be quarter-sawn and seasoned for 15 months before the barrels are raised and returned to Midleton Distillery in County Cork. The third release of the highly collectible Dair Ghaelach series comes from seven trees grown in Knockrath Forest in Co. Wicklow, which yielded 42 barrels. These were filled with single pot still whiskeys matured in American oak, ranging from 15 to 28 years old, and finished in the virgin Irish oak casks for up to 2 years.Although the whiskeys are consistent in the main, the flavor differences among each of the trees are evident. Each tree's number is noted above the ABV on the front label. Read on for notes on the entire Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach...

This week's new releases feature a new edition of Blue Run's Flight Series, a collection of six whiskeys made in micro-batches, with each "flight"  made from a maximum of four barrels. The concept aims to poke fun at the term "small batch," which isn't legally defined and rarely reveals details on the quantities of each batch. On the tasting front, this new Flight Series contrasts bourbon and rye-led mashbills, and showcases their differences. Elsewhere in Kentucky, New Riff celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, and it bottled a commemorative bourbon and rye to mark the occasion. Both are now out, though at the distillery only. Meanwhile, Irish whiskey Proper No. Twelve climbs the age ladder with a new 13 year old single malt to show that it can be a contender, while scotch whiskies Glen Grant and Macallan have new ultra-aged offerings.  
Blue Run Flight Series III Blended American
ABV: Varies
SRP: $125
Availability...

It's usually record-breaking sales that grab auction headlines, but recently a massive flop sent shockwaves through the world of whisky collecting: A whisky collection valued at $2 million raised only $236,000 at auction on July 9. Over 81% of the whisky lots passed unsold at the Fine Wine & Whisky sale at Poly Auction, Hong Kong, part of China's largest state-owned auction business. Could these poor results be an early indication that the pool of wealthy whisky buyers in Asia is drying up?After postponing spring sales due to the pandemic, Poly Auction rescheduled its modern art, jewelry, watches, wine, whisky, and Chinese spirits auctions for July. The whisky collection comprised 331 bottles of Scotch and Japanese whisky parceled into 221 lots, with pre-sale estimates valuing it at $1.5 million-$2 million. Poly Auction was anticipating results in the region of $4,636-$5,924 per bottle, but in reality, realized a disappointing $327 per bottle. In the end, sales totaled $235,712, a...

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...

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...

It’s not only Japanese whisky that’s exploding in popularity. Tourism to Japan is too, thanks to a vibrant culture, unparalleled hospitality, and a historically weak yen. With $20 cocktails quickly becoming the norm in the U.S., the favorable exchange rate also means some of the best whisky bar deals on the planet are happening right now in Japan.
A couple of things to bear in mind: Bars can be hard to find and located in the basements of buildings, table charges are normal (this is Japan, and space is at a premium) but usually include little snacks, one dram typically measures 30 ml (around one ounce), and bars can’t sell bottles because they usually aren’t licensed for it. The bar spaces are often smaller than you might imagine. While Japan has cracked down on indoor smoking, lighting up is still permitted at some bars, whether cigars or cigarettes. But at others, like Aloha Whisky in Tokyo and One Shot Bar Keith in Osaka, smoking is a no-no.
Whether...

For a spirit to be considered whisky, it must meet a few basic requirements, among them that it can be bottled at no less than 40% alcohol by volume (ABV). This presents a challenge for scotch whisky makers aging stocks for extended periods, as the temperate climate of Scotland causes proof to decrease over time. By contrast, the hot, humid summers of Kentucky, Tennessee, and elsewhere in the U.S. cause proof to increase over time as the barrels lose more water than alcohol.However, nothing in whisky is an absolute, and barrels aging in the U.S. can sometimes see their ABVs decline. While checking samples for George Dickel's single barrel program, Cascade Hollow general manager and distiller Nicole Austin discovered just that—as barrels that had been aging on the lower, cooler tiers of the rickhouse clocked in at 39.9% ABV. Rather than blending them away with higher-proof stocks, she decided to bottle them as the newest Cascade Moon release: a 15 year old Barrel Proof.“I...

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...

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...

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...

It's a mixed bag of whisky and whiskey this week.First up, MGP Distillery has unveiled a new brand called Eight & Sand. The whiskey is a blended bourbon, which includes both straight bourbon and other unspecified American whiskeys. It's hitting shelves in a dozen states for $30.Want to taste whisky from a long-dead distillery? Littlemill 40 year old, distilled in the waning days of the 1970s, is available from Loch Lomond Group. Just 250 bottles are being released, including 23 coming to the U.S. for the hefty, but round, price of $10,000.Two new whiskies from Germany are hitting U.S. shelves for the first time: Eifel single malt and Eifel rye are made in the western part of the country, distilled in both a column and a pot still, and aged in a variety of cask types. The single malt is $60, while the rye is $55, and both are bottled with no chill-filtration at 46% ABV.The Redneck Riviera brand, co-created by country music star John Rich of Big & Rich, has added a second...

Kansas City, Missouri is at once historic and modern, both sophisticated in its tastes and irreverent in its maker-fueled energy. It's the kind of place where distillers collaborate with farmers and brewers, and coffee roasters cross-pollinate with chefs and bartenders in all corners of the fifteen-county metropolitan area that's anchored in Missouri and creeps into Kansas.Every visit comes with risks, warns Ryan Maybee, co-founder of J. Rieger & Co. and owner of Manifesto, an intimate craft cocktail bar. “If you come to Kansas City, you'll end up wanting to live here.”Day OneKansas City is a car town, but the KC Streetcar is a great alternative. The two-mile route puts you within easy walking distance of downtown's attractions, plus it's free.It's also handy to Hotel Phillips, an art deco gem that once housed former President Harry Truman's haberdashery and now serves up cocktails and live music at P.S. Speakeasy. Truman often lunched at the nearby Savoy Hotel and Grill...

There was fierce competition for the top spots on the last monthly 20 highest hammer prices of 2025. The combined hammer prices for December were $931,990, up 8% against December 2024. The monthly 20-highest list closed the year on a high, having outperformed 2024’s figures for the last five months. Whisky.Auction topped the list for December, with a winning bid of $100,684 for a Macallan in Lalique 50 year old, bucking the trend of falling Macallan prices that began in 2024. This decanter achieved more than double the $40,000 hammer price of the bottle sold in New York four days earlier at Sotheby’s. 
From New York to Hong Kong, ultra-premium Macallan was on sale in large amounts at both Sotheby’s and Bonhams in December. Lalique decanters from the Six Pillars collection and The Red Collection made the 20-highest list. Unusually, Whisky Auctioneer didn’t attract a high enough hammer price to make December’s list. Macallan took 18 out of 20...

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...

Explore the latest creations from Ireland’s top distillers as Whisky Advocate covers the new directions in the Irish whiskey space. We start with Irish single pot still whiskey, the signature Irish style that nearly disappeared during Ireland’s downturn years of the 1970s but is now front and center—with a host of new releases and many more on the way. We also look at the latest in Ireland’s innovative cask finishes, as well as peated whiskeys and the top ultra-aged Irish expressions.

The issue also includes our report on the previously opaque world of Japanese whisky, where a new set of guidelines has been established on sourcing whiskies from overseas. Which famous labels are 100% Japanese, and which are “world” whiskies that include liquid from other countries? The answers may surprise you.

Also in this issue, we have some fun with our Heavy Metal Whiskey story—a look at rock bands that are now making their own whiskeys...

Memorial Day is on Monday, May 28, and if you're looking to show your support of our nation's armed services through whisky, look into some of the distilleries founded and run by veterans. You may just find your new favorite bourbon, rye, or corn whiskey.Or check out this week's newest whiskies. Smooth Ambler has unveiled Big Level, a 5 year old wheated bourbon made entirely at the West Virginia Distllery. Smooth Ambler had previously released a wheater, and this whiskey is made with the same mashbill, process, and barrels, but, according to director of sales John Foster, the team has "gotten better at divining the best of our own-make." Big Level—which is named for the area of West Virginia where Smooth Ambler is located—is 100 proof and costs $55. It's distributed in around 26 states currently.Next up, Old Carter Whiskey Co. is rolling out its second batch of rye, after Batch 1 (released in early March) sold out. Founded by Mark and Sherri Carter—who were previously partners...

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...

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 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...

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...

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 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...

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...

In 2016 MGP pivoted toward the creation and acquisition of its own whiskey labels. The move was slow at first, but MGP struck gold in early 2021 with the $475 million acquisition of Luxco. Last year, it made another key acquisition with the purchase of Penelope Bourbon. Both moves added to a healthy and growing list of brands that accounted for nearly $254 million in sales last year. This week MGP announced two new releases: a second batch of Penelope Rio and a new 6 year old wheated bourbon from Rebel on the way.  
Penelope Rio Bourbon 2024
The first batch of Rio holds a somewhat interesting place in Penelope Bourbon’s history. Unlike many of MGP’s other high-profile brands, the ever-popular Penelope wasn’t brought over as part of the 2021 Luxco sale. It’s one of the newer faces in the MGP lineup, only having been a part of the group for under a year. Rio was the first Penelope bourbon to be released after its acquisition, with its...

Hey Big Spender! Your convenience store may sell whisky, but not these whiskies. Big-ticket whiskies reside in glass cases in specialty spirits shops, priced more in line with luxury goods and fine art rather than everyday drinks. The most expensive whiskies available can span opulent new releases, auction bottles bought to resell, and unsold collectibles with prices that have risen commensurate with their scarcity. The retail prices bear little relation to the cost of production, and some would even say reality, but then you wouldn't expect to buy a 50 year old whisky based on the price of malted barley, sherry casks, and labor from five decades ago.So, if not raw materials, what makes these whiskies so expensive? For one, age comes at a premium, and scotch whisky is way out in front on this one due to a combination of history, technique, and a favorable climate. Macallan, Glenfarclas, Dalmore, and Gordon & MacPhail have all released whiskies 60 years and older. Due to...

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Minneapolis was the flour milling capital of the world. No spirits enthusiast should write this off as mere trivia. Minneapolis's legacy as the linchpin of America's breadbasket is echoed in its local food and drinks scene today, and the city is also now a brightening star on the country's whisky map.Like most Midwestern cities, Minneapolis is a sprawling patchwork of neighborhoods. There are buses and a light rail system, and Nice Ride Minnesota is a dependable bike and e-bike rental service—although rideshare is the best bet for making optimal use of your time. Minneapolis is also a good walking city, except when a deep freeze sets in. Throughout its neighborhoods and riverside paths, antique signs and other vestiges of old immigrant communities can be spotted amid the trendy shops and restaurants.The centrally located North Loop, on the edge of downtown, is an ideal home base for your stay. The Hewing Hotel is a stylish...

There are loads of new releases to dive into this week, as well as news of another brand revamping its look. Heaven Hill is rolling out restyled packaging for Evan Williams straight bourbon and bottled in bond bourbon, as well as the line of flavored whiskeys. Look for the new bottles to hit shelves starting this month.On to new whiskey! Glenmorangie is launching a special single malt finished in tokaji dessert wine casks. Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake is priced at $99 and available in limited amounts.WhistlePig's newest Boss Hog is rolling out, and it has an unusual finish. WhistlePig Boss Hog VII: Magellan's Atlantic is available in limited amounts, priced at $500.Three special batches of Old Forester bourbon have been created in honor of the brand's 150th anniversary. All are quite limited, with bottles priced at $150.Macallan is wrapping up its Edition series with Edition No. 6. The single malt scotch is available in limited amounts and priced at $150.Bruichladdich Distillery has...

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...

Distillation: It's what separates whisky from beer. The process works because alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water. Apply heat to a solution of alcohol and water, and you can cause the alcohol vapor to rise off the liquid, cool the vapor to condense it into liquid once again, and arrive at a much more potent product than you started with.Whether speaking legally or practically, two distillations are generally the minimum required to make whisky using pot stills. But some distillers choose to add a third distillation, a more complex process which produces a distinctive spirit with different flavors and characteristics. Triple-distillation is closely associated with Irish whiskey, however it's neither a whisky style exclusive to the Irish, nor a requirement for making whiskey in Ireland. Triple-distillation has passionate supporters all over the world.Distillation is really a process of refinement, so triple-distillation represents one more level, resulting in a distinct...

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...

To some whisky connoisseurs, “blended” is seen as a dirty word, and that's not without reason. A blend typically combines robust malt or flavoring whisky with lighter grain whisky. Historically, many blended whiskies included a large proportion of youthful, high-proof spirits, but some were comprised of a majority of neutral grain spirit and a lot of caramel coloring. In fact, according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which lays down the rules for alcohol in the U.S., “blended whisky” can contain as little as 20% straight whisky, with the rest being neutral grain spirits.But just because it's allowed to be that way doesn't mean that has to. In fact, many whisky-making nations, like Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and Japan, have long and proud legacies of making excellent blends. These whiskies show off the blender's skill in the art of creating balance and layered complexity. They work splendidly in cocktails, and many can be sipped neat or on ice. Best of...

This week, there's a 10 year old Irish whiskey from The Dubliner, and Limestone Branch is launching a new rye brand.Minor Case RyeStyle: Straight rye whiskeyProof: 45% ABVPrice: $50Release: March 2017Availability: Widely availableNeed to know:A new brand from Limestone Branch, this 2 year old rye whiskey is named after Minor Case Beam, the great-grandfather of Limestone Branch cofounders Steve and Paul Beam. It’s finished in a sherry barrel.Whisky Advocate says:Limestone Branch opened their distillery in 2011, but this rye whiskey isn’t made there. The label says it’s distilled in Indiana, so it’s safe to assume it’s made at MGP.The Dubliner 10 year old Single MaltStyle: Single malt Irish whiskeyProof: 43% ABVPrice: $50Release: March 2017Availability: More than 20 U.S. statesNeed to know:The Dubliner brand is launching its first age-statement whiskey, which is also its first single malt.Whisky Advocate says:The Dubliner Irish Whiskey is reviewed in our Spring 2017 Buying...

Las Vegas has come roaring back this year, and visitors will find many new additions to the city’s lodging, dining, and drinking options. Among the new hotels, the 3,500-plus room Resorts World is the first mega-casino addition to the Strip in 10 years, and Circa is the first all-new major casino resort built in old downtown in four decades. The beloved Palms Casino Resort has reopened under new ownership and a $620-million facelift, a new NFL (and concert) stadium has debuted, new shows abound, and new restaurants and attractions are running at full steam. What’s in it for the whisky lover? Thanks to some of these recent additions, the answer is plenty.
In terms of getting around, after a historic struggle with public transportation, the underground Las Vegas Loop, now under construction, promises to change all that. Until then, the airport is close to the Strip, so taxis or rideshare remain the best way to get into town, and in many cases, to then get around. The one...

If you're the type of whisky drinker who cherishes being the first to get their hands on new releases, distillery clubs will keep you in the know when products drop, give you access to exclusive tastings, and get you discounts on merchandise and tours. We detailed the many perks of joining a distillery club, and spoke to some of the loyal patrons who enjoy them.As for new releases within the wider world of whisky, Maker's Mark introduces a second limited-edition stave finish for 2021, Macallan adds a 30 year old to its Double Cask line, and Westland unveils its 6th edition of Garryana. Read on for full details.Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: Not statedABV: 54.55%Price: $60Release: September 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:This is the second limited edition stave finish released by Maker’s Mark this year following FAE-01 this spring. Maker’s Mark doesn’t chill filter its whiskeys, which results in...

Whisky Auctioneer brought the excitement back to whisky auctions this month, breaking the auction record for Hanyu on its way to setting the highest hammer price of the year so far. Close on its tail was a huge bid for a one-off bottle of Macallan 1967 from the Anecdotes of Age Collection. Among an array of high-value sales, these two were Whisky Auctioneer’s highest-value lots to sell since their May 2022 auction. This helped set March on a trajectory that should see the 20-highest hammer prices break the million-dollar mark for the first time in 2025.
That outcome will largely depend on the results from Sotheby’s, whose parallel auctions in New York and Hong Kong conclude this week. Check here to see if Sotheby’s, Hong Kong beat Whisky Auctioneer’s new Hanyu auction record, as they too are selling a bottle of Hanyu Ichiro’s Malt Card Series 1988 Ten of Spades this month. Not only that, but Sotheby’s, New York has an exclusive Macallan, a...

April’s 20-highest hammer prices broke the million-dollar barrier for the first time in 2024, thanks largely to two sales of Macallan The Reach 81 year old. The month's 20-highest hammer prices were valued at $1,023,392, but despite this bumper month,  year to date sales are down 29%, by a total of $1.3 million. The market for the most expensive collectibles has softened since 2022–23, with unsold bottles of five-figure whiskies failing to meet the reserve price now  becoming a regular occurrence at auction. The whiskies struggling to sell are often relatively recent releases or bottles in a price segment where market is undergoing a correction after an initial flurry of interest has died down. But even this month’s  usual stand-outs, Macallan and Karuizawa, are experiencing some of these market forces. Sellers who can accept a lower sum might make the sale regardless, whereas others might want to take their bottles back...

October got off to a flying start with Sotheby’s, Hong Kong setting a new highest-hammer price of 2024 with a winning bid of $283,135 for a bottle of Karuizawa 1960 52 year old. Back in 2017, we reported how this bottling had set the highest price ever paid for a single bottle of whisky at auction with a bid of $141,551, just half the price paid for the bottle this month. The result also beats any hammer price paid for Yamazaki 55 year old this year, and the current top three hammer prices of 2024 are now all Japanese whiskies.
Whisky Auctioneer had a highly successful sale with many bottles of Macallan Fine & Rare and classic Samaroli bottlings selling for large sums. The sale also set a new record auction price for Arran whisky from Lochranza Distillery. Actor Ewan McGregor offered 150 bottles for charity from his personal sherry hogshead. The cask was gifted to him by the distillery when he helped them celebrate the first Arran spirit becoming whisky in 1998 when...

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...

While there’s a plentiful crop of new whiskies out this week, news of Jim Beam’s Fred B. Noe Distillery opening means that Beam will be able to experiment more freely, as the new facility will be a place for distiller Freddie Noe to work on his Little Book releases and additional projects, including an American single malt. Learn more about Beam’s new Clermont, Kentucky distillery and find out what Freddie has planned for the future.As for whiskies on shelves right now (or coming relatively soon), Metallica-owned Blackened has teamed up with Willett Distillery on a rye finished in madeira casks, Four Roses has released details on its 2021 Limited Edition Small Batch, and Barrell has a new 15 year old Gray Label bourbon. Read on for full details.Blackened x Willett Kentucky Straight RyeStyle: Finished rye
Origin: Kentucky
Age: Not stated
ABV: 54.8%
Price: $140
Release: August 2021
Availability: LimitedNeed to know:This is the first release in Blackened’s Masters of...

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...

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...

As the weather heats up, you may find yourself craving something a bit more refreshing than your usual Manhattan. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with a good ol’ Whisky Soda, summer is the perfect time to head to the farmers market and stock up on some cocktail-friendly produce to up your summer whisky cocktail game. There’s an abundance of fresh fruits, from stone fruits to melons, but don’t forget all the other great produce at the peak of freshness in the summer months—herbs like basil, mint, and thyme, vegetables like cucumbers and beets, and spicy chile peppers; even corn can be a great addition to your whisky cocktail.
Fruity and Refreshing Whisky Cocktails
“I enjoy making summertime whisky cocktails because it’s an opportunity to think outside the box,” says Maddie Kaye, retail and spirits assistant for Tampa, Florida-based hospitality group Bern’s Co. “Whether I’m pairing a spicy American rye...

August has started off with a bang, with plenty of new whiskies ripe for drinking. From Japan (and America) comes a new iteration of Legent from Beam Suntory, this one with a Yamazaki cask finish. Another intercontinental effort is Campfire from High West, that ingenious blend of rye, bourbon, and scotch whisky, whose annual release was announced this week. And pop icon Rod Stewart becomes the latest rocker to release a whisky—but if you're inclined to skip past it, note that it's made at Loch Lomond Distillery, so it definitely seems worth a look. Also from Scotland, Gordon & Macphail has released six new single malt bottlings, with vintage statements ranging from 1976–1997. There's a 1997 Imperial in there for $550—yes, that's the cheapest one—and things get very pricey from there.
On our side of the Atlantic, McCarthy's is back with its 6 year old expression, this one finished in Oloroso sherry casks. Barrell Craft Spirits...

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...

There’s a wintry feel in this latest round of new releases, led by New Riff’s latest Winter Whisky offering, as well as two new stout cask finished expressions—one from Nelson’s Green Brier in Nashville and the other from distiller-brewer Town Branch in Lexington, Kentucky. Then we have a honey barrel-finished bourbon from North Carolina distiller Southern Star, inaugural releases from Distillery of Modern Art, based in Chamblee, Georgia, another shot to get your hands on World Whiskey Society's 13 year old Wyatt Earp Hazmat Edition, and whiskey-based liqueurs. Plenty to add to your Black Friday shopping list!
New Riff Winter Whiskey Kentucky Straight Bourbon
ABV: 50%
SRP: $55
Availability: Limited
A seasonal release first introduced in 2020, New Riff Winter Wheat is made from a mashbill of 65% corn, 20% malted oats, 7% pale ale malt, 5% steel-cut raw oats, and 3% chocolate malt. As with many of New Riff’s whiskeys...

As more labels backed by famous faces enter our whiskey aisles, it’s easy to roll your eyes and presume they’re all cash grabs. What can this celebrity actually know about distillation, maturation, and blending? Very little, right? And that’s true for some. 
Not Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley, founders of Brother’s Bond whiskey. 
“We’re meticulously laying barrels down in certain places of the ricks based on when they’re distilled,” Somerhalder tells us. “We’re able to pinpoint flavor profiles this way. October distillate in one particular section always ends up in our rye. We know exactly which [rickhouse] spot that barrel needs.” Somerhalder can talk your ear off about maturation, in a manner of articulation typically reserved for master distillers.
The duo met as actors playing brothers on the hit TV show "Vampire Diaries" and forged a friendship over bourbon, hence the...

In case you missed it: On July 2, Kevin O'Gorman joined us on #TasteWithSpace to chat about his first full year as Midleton's master distiller, and reflect on the state of Irish whiskey, which covers the Summer issue of Whisky Advocate. O'Gorman discussed a range of topics relevant to Irish whiskey, and tasted through two whiskeys with associate editor Ted Simmons, both of which showcase the top tiers of Midleton's whiskey making prowess.Following Brian Nation's departure from Irish Distillers last June, O'Gorman was tapped to step into the master distiller role at the company's Midleton Distillery, and he's since been busy with new releases such as Blue Spot, whose launch completed the return of the Spot range, and the 2021 vintage of Midleton Very Rare. While Blue Spot (and all the Spot whiskeys) are single pot still expressions—a style that's quintessentially Irish—Midleton Very Rare is a blend of single pot still and single grain whiskeys, and this is the first vintage...

Single malt scotch makes a good showing this week, with new releases from Glenmorangie, Nc’nean, and Bladnoch, in addition to a collectible Laphroaig. In keeping with previous changes to its other core whiskies The Original and The Nectar, Glenmorangie has added some extra aging to its popular Lasanta expression, while Nc’nean unveils its annual release of Huntress. Both whiskeys have reasonably wide availability. Meanwhile, Lowlands scotch maker Bladnoch follows with the second release in its Wave series, and Laphroaig delves into the archive to release a new 38 year old. Among American whiskeys, Blue Note offers a single barrel rye, while Pursuit United has a rye—sourced not from MGP, but from Bardstown Bourbon and Sagamore Spirit. In bourbon, Kentucky Senator has two new additions, while Michigan’s Coppercraft has an MGP-sourced 9 year old.
Glenmorangie The Lasanta 15 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch
ABV: 43%
SRP...

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...

Mizunara casks have been a staple of Japanese whisky aging for quite some time, but it wasn’t always this way. The much-revered mizunara oak got its start out of necessity rather than design. In the early days of Japanese whisky making back in the 1920s, first-fill bourbon and sherry casks were the barrels of choice. But that changed during World War II, when it became all but impossible to obtain those barrel types. Left with no other choice, Japan’s whisky distillers looked to native oak for their casks. Now, nearly a century later, it’s the American and European distillers who seek out mizunara oak casks from Japan, enthralled by the notes and characteristics that it can contribute to a whisky. 
It all started nearly a decade ago on the craggy shores of Islay where, in 2015, Bowmore released a limited-edition single malt that utilized Japanese casks. That was followed quickly by Washington-based Bainbridge Organic Distillers’ debut of Yama, a...

Cask finishing can take many forms; its ultimate purpose is to imbue a whisky with layered flavors that elevate its character after initial maturation in a different type of barrel. Rum cask-finished whiskies generally present notes of juicy tropical fruits. Casks that previously held light rums might lend more clean, vegetal sweetness, while richer, molasses notes can shine through in a whisky finished in casks that held dark rum. The flavors imparted by a rum cask can enhance a whisky, from mirroring bourbon’s inherent sweetness, balancing out spice in a rye, or adding layers of flavor to a grain or single malt scotch.
The use of rum casks to finish whisky is an idea that goes way back among makers of scotch and Irish whiskey. In American whiskey, Angel’s Envy was one of the pioneers, coming out with a Caribbean rum cask-finished rye 12 years ago. Producers use rum casks in different ways: as a solo finishing cask, in combination with other casks, or as the sole...

As we close in on the holiday season, you can bet on seeing some seriously stellar whiskies. Diageo is helping lead the charge by revealing details of its newest Special Releases collection, Spirited Xchange Second Edition.
This year’s crop of Special Releases is comprised of eight rare, highly collectible single malts, all selected by master blender Dr. Stuart Morrison. Highlights include a softer, sweeter iteration of Lagavulin; the second-ever whisky from Speyside distillery Roseisle; and the oldest single malt in the bunch, a 21 year old from Benrinnes. Prices for the 2024 collection are about in line with previous years—it opens at just $105 for a uniquely finished 8 year old Talisker, and tops off at $480 for the ultra-aged Benrinnes.
As always, these whiskies are true one-and-done, according to Diageo. If you’re interested, bottles are available now (in limited quantities, naturally) on malts.com and at specialty scotch whisky retailers.
Diageo...

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...

The Summer 2022 issue of the magazine hit newsstands on Tuesday, offering over 100 whisky reviews. We've compiled some of those reviews into two website lists: Summer 2022 Collectibles, and Summer 2022 Best Values. Look out for more such Summer 2022 Buying Guide lists in the weeks to come.
In the world of new whisky, there's plenty to look explore. From across the pond, Bushmills has debuted a collaboration with British television series "Peaky Blinders" ahead of its final season, while Benriach is releasing three single cask expressions—for the first time ever—in the U.S. From our own backyard, High West has unveiled its limited edition release of Rendezvous Rye, and Nevada's Frey Ranch also has a new rye, this one a  single barrel, cask strength expression. Read on for full details.

Bushmills Prohibition Recipe
Style: BlendedOrigin: IrelandAge: Not statedABV: 46%Price: $30Release: June 2022Availability: Limited; nationwide
Need to...

Bushmills The Rare Casks is a four-part series of ultra-aged triple-distilled single malt Irish whiskeys available exclusively in the U.S. The collectible series from Northern Ireland debuted in 2020, and the age statement was nudged up each year until concluding in 2024 with the oldest and most expensive release in the series. Each bottle carries the signature of Colum Egan, Bushmills master distiller. In late 2021 year, owner Proximo Spirits, decided to upgrade the brand’s packaging changing the look of Rare Casks from the second release onwards, and they had to complete the project under the direction of a new master blender following the departure of Helen Mulholland in 2021.
With Bushmills having access to the largest stocks of single malt of any Irish distillery, the compelling aspect of these whiskeys’ rarity isn’t just their age statements, it’s also the result of the lengthy secondary maturation which was actually longer than the initial...

Christmas is nearly upon us, but there's still time to buy a whisky gift or two if you hurry—our gift guide makes recommendations both large and small.If whisky-related accoutrements aren't enough, however, there are many new whiskies coming out that will provide delicious excitement—that is, if you can afford them. This week, there are four whiskies aged for at least a half-century, and several others with advanced double-digit ages as well. The prices on these bottles vary widely, although, of course, none are inexpensive. (If you're wondering why whiskies of similar ages can be priced so differently, you're not alone. We explored the dynamics of luxury whisky pricing, and found a whole world of variables.)Two super-aged bottles from Macallan lead the pack. The Macallan 52 year old clocks in a whopping $53,500, while its younger sibling, the Fine & Rare Vintage 1978, is 40 years old and costs quite a bit less—$11,750. Naturally, both whiskies are available in very limited...

It's a big week for whisky lovers with a host of new bottles to look out for—including some from Westeros. Although the Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection won't be launching until later this year, we have information on the full lineup, which ranges from Lagavulin to Dalwhinnie to Talisker—and we'll let you know when those whiskies are hitting shelves.Meanwhile, Glenfiddich's newest release is out, and it shows off a whole different side of the Speyside single malt. Fire & Cane is a peated whisky, finished in South American rum barrels, and it's hitting shelves now. It will be widely available at $50 a bottle.Another new, widely available Speyside single malt is coming your way this fall: Aberlour has announced a new whisky in its core lineup, Casg Annamh. Aged in first- and second-fill bourbon casks and finished in sherry casks, the whisky will hit the U.S. later this year at $65 a bottle. Like Aberlour A'bunadh, Casg Annam is a batched product, but will...

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...

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...

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...

March’s 20 highest-priced bottles were valued at $750,900, with plenty of close competition as the top hammer prices were tightly packed between $24,000–$75,000. Three months into 2024, and our year-to-date figure is 22% down on this time last year, a deficit of $625,245.
With a quarter of the year gone, our table below shows that three brands— a scotch, a Japanese, and an American whiskey—account for more than half of monthly top 20 sales so far this year. Leading the pack is Macallan, which secured the top three highest hammer prices for the third month in a row, and nine of March’s 20 slots overall.
While we list whiskies in our table by distillery, independent bottlings regularly take top prices at auction. Entries by Gordon & MacPhail, which announced that it would halt new make fillings for independent bottlings starting this year, have appeared on every monthly list in 2024 so far, with their entries fetching a combined total of more...

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...

Two exclusive single malt scotches will battle it out this month in a bid to command the highest hammer price of the month. Both luxury editions are being sold at different auctions on different continents by Sotheby’s, and both are the final releases in their respective series.
First up is The Dalmore 52 year old Luminary No. 3 The Rare (estimated $102,500–$205,000), the final and oldest expression in the design-led series, with proceeds going to support Dalmore’s partnership with V&A Dundee, Scotland’s Design Museum. The Luminary No. 1 The Rare sold for $112,933 in November 2022, and No.2 fetched $95,523 in May 2024 after a single bid below the low estimate, though this was the second-highest hammer price of the month. The first two editions were sold in London, but this time, Dalmore selected Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, for the sale. Bidding has been sluggish of late in Hong Kong, however, unlike the earlier editions, this bottle was offered...

These two whiskies aren't technically brand-new—both have been released in previous iterations—but the latest bottlings from Kilchoman and Laws Whiskey House are now available and have evolved since previous releases. Kilchoman is Islay's newest distillery,* and has been releasing yearly batches of 100% Islay, a whisky made entirely from Islay-grown barley, since 2010. This year's edition is the oldest yet, aged seven years. Similarly, A.D. Laws Bottled in Bond Secale Straight Rye is on its third edition, with more to come in the future.*Ardnahoe Distillery is currently being built on Islay, but isn't yet producing whisky.Kilchoman 100% Islay 2017 ReleaseStyle: Single maltOrigin: Scotland (Islay)Age: 7 yearsProof: 50% ABVPrice: $100Release: June 2017Availability: 1,260 bottles for the U.S.Need to know:This is the newest release of Kilchoman's 100% Islay expression. The whisky is made of barley that's grown and malted on Islay, and is then distilled and matured at Kilchoman...

Some people add to their whisky collection by tracking new releases, while others scour auction sites for rare bottlings. On September 23, Sotheby's New York will auction what it is calling The Timeless Whisky Collection, with lots that include a complete six-bottle set of the Macallan Six Pillars Collection, and a major crop of independently bottled scotch whiskies, as well as other aged expressions from Glenfiddich, Bowmore, and others. Get the details from our auction preview, including the 10 most expensive lots by estimate.Among this week's new releases, Dewar's adds to its Cask Series line with a calvados cask finish, and Woodford Reserve is offering a new honey barrel-finished bourbon as a distillery and Kentucky exclusive, while Jefferson's has an interesting new Ocean: Aged at Sea bourbon expression made with New York City water. Read on for full details.

Dewar’s 8 year old French Smooth
Style: BlendOrigin: ScotlandAge: 8 year oldABV: 40%Price: $25Release...

Happy 4th of July! Like us, you’re probably looking forward to a few celebratory days that include grilling, great drinks, and good company. We have some favorite summertime whiskies to suggest as well as the ideal whisky pairings for barbecue and grilled meats and vegetables. If you're hosting a party, here's some useful equipment that will make your life easier, and for the beach crowd and the partygoers among us, consider tossing one of these ready-to-drink cocktails into your bag to crank up the fun this weekend.
As far as new whisky goes, Redbreast debuts the first expression in its new American Oak series; Jack Daniel's  is releasing its highest proof whiskey to date; and Michter's is back with its beloved 10 year old rye. Read on for full details.

Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition
Style: Single pot still Origin: IrelandAge: Not statedABV: 50.5%Price: $96Release: June 2022Availability: U.S. exclusive; limited release
Need to know:
Redbreast is...

“The floral notes of the chamomile syrup complement the robust Irish whiskey, while the bright acidity of the sparkling wine along with the lemon juice makes for a very well-balanced cocktail,” says Adam Robinson, owner of Deadshot in Portland, Oregon and creator of the Irish Rover.
Break Out the Bubbly for These Champagne and Whisky Cocktails
INGREDIENTS

1½ oz. Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey (or other blended Irish whiskey)
½ oz. Lustau Capataz Andres cream sherry (or other cream sherry)
¾ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. chamomile syrup (recipe below)
1 barspoon honey
2 dashes aromatic bitters
1½ oz. brut champagne
Lemon slice and a spritz of Laphroaig 10 year old (or other peated scotch) for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Combine the first six ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake until cold. Add champagne to the shaker, then strain into an ice-filled double Old Fashioned glass. Spritz...

Sotheby’s New York’s first whisky auction of 2023 was a smash hit, with a combined hammer price of $1,063,600. All 272 lots were sold, which consisted of 72% American whiskey, 18% scotch, 7% Japanese, 2% other spirits (cognac and tequila), and 1% Irish whiskey.
Two brands in particular dominated the February 10th sale with Van Winkle accounting for one in four lots sold, and Macallan responsible for one in eight. Collectors bid $450,600 on Macallan across 47 lots, with $342,250 bid on 94 Van Winkle lots consisting of Pappy Van Winkle and Old Rip Van Winkle labels. Median hammer prices for Macallan and Van Winkle lots were $2,800 and $2,600 respectively. Macallan delivered the three highest sales of the day: aside from the $200,000 bid on Macallan Distil Your World New York Single Cask Edition, Macallan 50 year old (2018 release) made a hammer price of $55,000, and Macallan 52 year old (2018 release) attracted a $50,000 bid.  Two bottles of Pappy Van Winkle 23 year...

It's not uncommon in the whisky world to see a brand revived after it's been dormant for a number of years. Some pre-Prohibition brands have only just come back with the recent American whiskey boom. But it is certainly less common to see such a brand revived and catapulted into premium status in just a few years, and that's precisely what has happened with Kentucky Owl. “One of the questions I get asked a lot is…‘How did I start doing this? Where was my education?'” said Dixon Dedman, the Kentucky Owl master blender who joined Whisky Advocate's #TasteWithSpace on Instagram Live on Oct. 9. “One of the greatest pieces of advice…A lot of the people I decided to emulate said, ‘You know what? Make and create whiskeys that you like, that you believe in.'”The original Kentucky Owl brand was founded in 1879 by Dedman's great-great grandfather, and Dedman relaunched it in 2014 after he'd been working in another family business—historic Kentucky hotel The Beaumont Inn. “I'm...

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...

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...

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...

While only a single bottle of the special 50 year old Chivas Regal commemorating Manchester United's 1968 European Cup win will be available for purchase, there are many other whiskies with much greater availability to look forward to this week.First up, High West is rolling out the 2018 batch of A Midwinter Night's Dram. This year, the blend of straight ryes finished in French oak port casks also includes some of High West's own whiskey. Priced at $100, it is for sale nationwide.If you're a polo fan, Royal Salute has a special-edition 21 year old blend celebrating beach polo. The whisky, which is softly peated, costs $140 and is currently expanding beyond travel retail.Virginia's Catoctin Creek Distillery has announced its first bottled in bond rye. Rabble Rouser will be released in February in honor of the distillery's tenth anniversary. Limited amounts of the whiskey will be sold for $96 at the distillery, as well as more widely.Near to Catoctin Creek, Virginia Distillery Co. is...

High West Distillery has built its reputation on blending, but it's making a complete 180 with its newest whiskey: High Country American single malt, debuting on Dec. 6. The Utah-based producer has long sourced whiskeys for labels like Rendezvous and Double rye, A Midwinter Night's Dram,Bourye, American Prairie bourbon, and the bourbon-rye-scotch mashup Campfire. And starting in 2018, it began blending its own house-made rye into some of these recipes. But until now, there has been very little whiskey from High West that was 100% house-made. (Some unaged whiskey and Valley Tan, an oat and wheat whiskey blend, are made at the distillery but sold only in Utah in small amounts.)A single malt, by definition, can come from only one distillery, and it can include only malted barley in its mashbill. But that doesn't mean it can't be blended together with different liquids with unique flavor profiles. “We've always shown that we can make the most complex, unique, interesting whiskey by...

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...

While the ocean-matured Irish single malt from Glendalough Distillery is still months from bottling—if it's successfully rescued, that is—there are new whiskies ready right now.Jim Rutledge, who was formerly master distiller at Four Roses, has come out of retirement to open a new distillery and launch new whiskeys. While that project, called J.W. Rutledge Distillery, is in the works, he's reviving the historic Cream of Kentucky brand using sourced whiskey. The 51% ABV, 11 ½ year old straight bourbon is available now in a handful of states for $150.Virginia's Copper Fox Distillery is relaunching its packaging and debuting a new whiskey. Copper Fox Sassy single malt rye is made from 100% malted rye and aged in ex-bourbon barrels with new and used oak and apple wood chips. It's bottled at 45% ABV and widely available for $57.Finally, Dillon's Small Batch Distillers of Ontario is bringing its Three Oaks rye to the U.S. for the first time. The 43% ABV whisky is made with 100%...

There are 135 whiskies reviewed in the Summer 2020 Buying Guide, covering everything from scotch to bourbon to Irish single malt and beyond. Here, we highlight ten of the highest-scoring whiskies (not featured as Collectibles), each netting 93 points or above. There are plenty of other high-scoring whiskies beyond these as well, including the newest Angel's Envy, Barrell Cask Strength Rye, Redbreast 27 year old and its younger sibling, Redbreast 21 year old, and an enchanting American single malt made in Brooklyn, New York—and many more. For the full lineup of reviews, check out the Summer 2020 Buying Guide.10 of Summer 2020's Highest-Scoring WhiskiesDram Hunters 7 year old Southern Coast Distillers Single Cask Australian Single Malt (Cask No. 112)95 points, 63.6% ABV, $250Without water, this oddball is deeply herbaceous and spiced with aniseed, coriander, hardwood smoke, brown sugar, and powerful oak throughout the nose and palate. Add some water, and suddenly the sunbeam breaks...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

College students at New Mexico State can now buy a whiskey with their mascot on it, but for everyone else, there are plenty of other new releases to look for.First up, Buffalo Trace is releasing a new vintage O.F.C. bourbon, this one distilled in 1995. There are 1,500 bottles, each priced at $2,500.Kentucky Owl is launching its 10th batch of bourbon, as well as the fourth and final release of its rye. Both whiskeys are priced at $300 and available in limited amounts.Scotch giant Diageo is rolling out the 2020 Distillers Edition bottlings for six of its distilleries: Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Glenkinchie, Lagavulin, Oban, and Talisker. The limited-edition single malts range in price from $85 to $110.Craigellachie has bottled a single sherry butt at 24 years old. Just 474 bottles of the whisky are available, priced at $300 each.Loch Lomond Distillery has unveiled 21 ($300) and 30 year old ($800) expressions. While joining the core lineup, annual allocations are limited.Portland, Oregon's...

March is shaping up to be a buoyant month in the secondary market, with Scotch Whisky Auctions, Whisky Auctioneer, and Sotheby’s, Hong Kong already posting strong results. Today sees the action switch back to New York, where Sotheby’s is holding its Whisky & Whiskey sale that includes bottles from the Richard Gooding collection. If that name rings a bell, it will be for The Perfect Collection. Whisky Auctioneer handled the 3,900 bottle Richard Gooding Collection split across two sales in 2020, which raised a combined hammer price of $9.1 million. Notably, the sale also generated Whisky Auctioneer’s first million-dollar Macallan bottle. There’s no million-dollar bottle on the block at Sotheby’s Whisky & Whisky sale, but we do expect bottles such as Macallan in Lalique 50 year old, other scotch rarities, and American whiskeys to generate a number of the month’s highest hammer prices.
Whisky Auctioneer February 2024 Auction
Auction...

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...

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...

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...

This week in new whisky, it's all about returns. Laphroaig has introduced the latest release of fan-favorite Càirdeas; this year's edition is a cask-strength iteration of the distillery's core single malt Lore. In Kentucky, Knob Creek has brought back Bourbon x Rye, a limited edition blend of straight whiskeys that landed on our Top 20 list last year, while Old Forester is rolling out its 1910 Extra Extra Old bourbon for the first time since 2022. Elsewhere in the U.S., Wyoming Whiskey has its newest National Parks release, this one an ode to Acadia in Maine, Bib & Tucker has a bourbon that combines the worlds of whiskey and coffee, and Wolves returns with its latest Willett collaboration.
 
Laphroaig Càirdeas Lore Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch
ABV:  59.6%
Price: $110
Availability: Limited
Laphroaig has unveiled its annual Càirdeas release, a fan favorite that launched in 2008 for its Friends of Laphroaig club members...

While many whisky lovers will be enjoying a drop of the Irish this week (and if you need some suggestions, here are 17 new Irish whiskeys to try), there are still plenty of bourbons, scotches, and other whiskies to get your hands on.Booker's is rolling out the first of four 2018 releases. Kathleen's Batch, named for longtime brand ambassador and friend of Booker Noe Kathleen DiBenedetto, was aged for 6 years, 3 months, and 14 days, and is bottled at 63.7% ABV. Having tasted it myself during the selection process, I can say with confidence that this will please avid Booker's fans.Another limited-edition bourbon, Blood Oath has released Pact No. 4. This year, the whiskey—whose formula changes with each "pact"—combines three bourbons, including one finished in toasted oak.A whole slew of new single malts from BenRiach and its sister distillery, GlenDronach, are hitting shelves, including BenRiach Classic Cask Strength Batch 2 and a duo of 21 year olds—the unpeated Classic and the...

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...

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...

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...

There aren't any summer doldrums in the world of whisky. In addition to Ardbeg's announcement about its newest whisky, An Oa, this week also brings news of a limited-edition release from GlenDronach. The pricy single malt scotch is meant as a companion whisky to the Kingsman film franchise, although unlike Old Forester Statesman—a permanent whiskey in Old Forester's range, specially created to be part of the upcoming film "Kingsman: The Golden Circle"—GlenDronach Kingsman Edition 1991 will not be reprising its role. Once it's gone, it's gone.Elsewhere in scotch, Johnnie Walker is rolling out its latest Blenders' Batch—this one featuring whiskies matured in wine casks. There are a couple of other new Blenders' Batch whiskies, but they will not be coming to the U.S.There are three new bourbons to look for soon. Kentucky Owl has been known among bourbon aficionados as a high-quality, expensive blend of sourced whiskeys. Up to now, it has only been available in Kentucky. But its...

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...

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...

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

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...

Indiana-based Hard Truth Distilling Co. is best known for its sweet mash whiskeys made from local grains. Its newest release is no exception, but it has a pretty interesting maturation story that sets it apart from the rest. Named “Grounded in Truth Rye," it is pulled from a single barrel matured on the distillery’s pond.
The whiskey was distilled from Hard Truth’s RW-1 mashbill, 94% rye and 6% malted barley. That same recipe is used to make Hard Truth’s flagship rye, along with several of its cask-finished expressions. The newcomer was aged for 5 years and 8 months, spending the first year and a half in Hard Truth’s Rackhouse No.1. After that, the barrel was transferred to a small wooden shed attached to pontoons—with just enough room for one barrel—that floated on a pond at the distillery. The rye spent the remainder of its aging period there and was emptied on July 16, 2024.
Master distiller Bryan Smith says the pond idea was part...

Our Fall 2021 issue includes over 130 whisky reviews, covering a wide variety of styles. This week, we highlighted the 10 highest-scoring whiskies from the issue's Buying Guide, representing the very best from the whisky world and highlighting both familiar names and more obscure labels.As we move further into October, the exciting new rollouts continue. There’s a fresh release of Booker’s, the latest from Johnnie Walker Blue Label’s Ghost and Rare, WhistlePig’s Boss Hog series, and new wheated bourbons from New Riff and Wyoming Whiskey. Read on for full details.Booker’s 2021-03 “Bardstown Batch”Style: Straight bourbonOrigin: KentuckyAge: 6 years, 5 monthsABV: 62.75%Price: $90Release: October 2021Availability: LimitedNeed to know:The third batch of Booker’s released this year is named after Bardstown, Kentucky, the town where Jim Beam master distillers past and present have lived. Booker Noe, for whom this whiskey is named, lived in Bardstown for more than 50 years...

To quench the public thirst for visiting the places where whiskies are made, distilleries have transformed from merely production facilities to all-out tourist destinations. Many distilling regions have created dedicated whisky trails to help guide travelers along the way. Check out a few of our favoritesKentucky Bourbon TrailMany new places to eat, drink, and stay have blossomed along this trail since its debut in 1999. For those who want to travel by bicycle, the Bluegrass Cycling Club has mapped the safest routes.Bonus Trails: The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour features twenty small distilleries including Willett and Kentucky Peerless, while the Urban Bourbon Trail covers bourbon bars, restaurants, and history in downtown Louisville.Recommended Touring Time: Four days.Distilleries: Angel's Envy, Bardstown Bourbon Co., Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Four Roses, Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center, Jim Beam, Lux Row, Maker's Mark, Michter's...

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...

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 certainly exciting to visit a bar displaying hundreds of whisky bottles on its shelves, and such venues can be found in many—if not most—American cities. But what about those with a thousand, or several thousand whiskies on the menu? They’re more like your favorite allocated dram: Harder to come by, but oh-so rewarding when you get to experience them. With their encyclopedic menus of 1,000-plus whiskies, these 10 bars from around the country should definitely be on your bucket list.
Aero Club Bar
San Diego, California
This spot originally opened in 1947 as a place where owner and pilot Marianne Profit could enjoy a drink with her fellow pilots, and was later purchased by Bill Lutzius, who turned the space into a whisky bar. The establishment is currently owned by a group of friends intent on keeping its history alive, including original décor reflective of Profit’s love of flying and a menu of over 1,000 whiskies, including such...

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...

When new distilleries launch, there's plenty of fanfare and celebration. After all, it means more whisky is on the way, giving whisky lovers something to anticipate and allowing the distillery to spread the word far in advance of its first releases. But one Kentucky producer has taken the opposite approach, quietly laying down tens of thousands of barrels of bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskey without so much as a peep beyond the required public paperwork—and without its own distillery.The company, IJW, has popped up occasionally in news reports about its Danville, Kentucky warehouse construction, its Louisville property acquisition, and its possible affiliation with the University of Michigan; Whisky Advocate contributor Chuck Cowdery has also written a bit about the few known facts. But until now, no one from this mysterious company—which keeps its ownership a secret—has spoken out publicly.Now IJW is ready to pull back the curtain, and Whisky Advocate has the...

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...

Being appointed master distiller at any distillery is a hefty task, but the title takes on even more weight when it's at the largest distillery in the United States. “It's been a bit of a whirlwind,” Chris Fletcher said of the five weeks since he was announcedas master distiller at Tennessee whiskey giant Jack Daniel's. Fletcher joined Whisky Advocate's Instagram Live series #TasteWithSpace on Nov. 13 to discuss his new position, which he started in early October after former master distiller Jeff Arnett stepped down the preceding month. “I've been around this distillery a long time, since I was about six years old,” Fletcher said. “It's been a really cool thing to get rolling with our team here.”As he stated, Fletcher is no stranger to Jack Daniel's. Beyond working at the distillery on and off starting in 2001, Fletcher has the Tennessee whiskey in his blood—his grandfather, Frank Bobo, was Jack Daniel's fifth master distiller from 1966 to 1989. Fletcher is the eighth...

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...

“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...

Westward Whiskey master blender Miles Munroe was wandering through the distillery’s new barrel warehouse this past spring, stopping to pull samples from a variety of barrels that caught his fancy. It’s a diverse collection, ranging from blends of pinot noir and stout casks to port, rum, and Brazilian amburana wood. But one that drew particular excitement was an acacia cask—a novel wood type to find in a whiskey rickhouse, and one that delivers an intriguing assortment of flavors.
“Acacia can produce floral and citrus notes, along with soft honeyed flavors, and with Westward it brings out the orange zest that hides in the aroma and adds jasmine and honeysuckle character,” says Munroe. “What I really like about this wood is that it has pretty low tannin content compared to other wood types, so there's less astringency and softer tannin complexity extracted.”
Munroe's interest in acacia was piqued by a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens...

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...

“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...

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...

Bidders took their pick of the rarities in the early days of 2025. Whisky Auctioneer delivered the highest prices of the month so far, with a bottle of Macallan The Reach 81 year old leading the field. Not far behind, a bottle of Port Ellen 12 year old created for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Port Ellen Maltings on August 9th 1980 sold for $80,796. If the bottle shape looks familiar, it’s because this expression was bottled in the same design that was used for Oban in the early 1980s. The sale also saw a late bid secure a bottle of Glenfiddich 1937 64 year old for $43,843, one of the 61 bottles of this rare Glenfiddich released in 2001.
Single malt scotch is attracting the month’s highest prices so far. Bowmore topped Whisky Hammer’s auction with sales of the first bottle of Bowmore ARC-52 to sell in over a year, along with a bottle of Black Bowmore 1964 50 year old The Last Cask, which fetched $37,258. In addition, a bottle of Brora 1972 40 year old was...

Seven oaks were felled in Kylebeg Wood in 2015 for the virgin Irish oak hogsheads used in this fourth Dair Ghaelach release, part of a project dating back to 2008 uniting themes of biodiversity, sustainability, and traceability around Irish oak. Whiskeys matured for 13 to 25 years in first-fill and refill American oak bourbon barrels were finished in these lightly toasted Irish oak casks for 15 months, the open structure of the wood readily adding color and flavor to the single pot still whiskeys. Across the release, we found a spectrum of whiskey aromas but a consistency of caramel, fruit, and toffee flavors on the palate, with subtle differences in sweetness and spice.Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach Kylebeg Wood ReviewedMidleton Very Rare Dair Ghaleach Kylebeg Wood (Tree 5)92 points, 56%, $340 A delicious nose of heather honey, baked peach, dried apricot, fresh oak, and clotted cream on warm scones, with a twist of black pepper and ground ginger. The way the fruitiness breaks...

As news breaks that Kentucky Owl may be getting its own distillery, there are plenty of new whiskies to look for this week. Woodford Reserve is releasing its annual Master's Collection special edition. This year, it's a bourbon that features a high-malt mashbill: 30% malted barley, all of it smoked over cherry wood to lend the finished whiskey a nutty and slightly smoky flavor.Meanwhile, Islay's Kilchoman Distillery is rolling out two new single malts. The 2009 vintage follows up previous years' vintage releases and clocks in around 8 years old. It includes whiskies aged in both bourbon and, for the first time, sherry casks. Kilchoman Red Wine Cask Matured is roughly 5 years old and spent its entire maturation in—you guessed it—red wine casks from Portugal's Douro Valley.California craft distiller Graton Distilling Company—which makes George D. Benham's gin and vodka—is launching its very first whiskey, a blend of house-made rye, sourced rye, and sourced bourbon. There will be...

Summer is officially upon us, as of June 21, and there are lots of new whiskies to celebrate that occasion. In fact, Highland Park's latest release specifically honors the longest day of the year, and the lengthy daylight hours that occur in the Orkney Islands during the summer months. Highland Park The Light is a counterpart to The Dark, which came out last December. Aged only in refill American oak sherry casks, it is 17 years old and costs $300, with 4,500 bottles available in the U.S.Meanwhile, the newest Booker's bourbon is named Backyard BBQ, commemorating the cookouts Booker Noe would host for friends and family. Available in limited amounts around the country, it costs $70-$75.Michter's is rolling out the 2018 batch of its 10 year old single barrel rye, a consistently high-scoring whiskey that can be tough to find. At $160 a bottle, it frequently shows up on the secondary market at higher prices; if you find one on the shelf at recommended retail price, consider yourself...

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...

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...

We're set to kick off the season—no, not football, although there is that too. The season for big-time whisky releases is upon us. From Kentucky, Four Roses just announced its annual Limited Edition Small Batch, this one a celebration of its 135th anniversary, while Michter's is back with US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish rye. Both will drop in September. Meanwhile, Parker's Heritage has unveiled its annual release, and it's a 10 year old cask-strength rye. And Little Book is out with Chapter 7, an intriguing retrospective blending one component each from Chapters 1-6 and then adding a new whiskey for Chapter 7.
From Islay, Ardbeg's Dr. Bill Lumsden is at it again with the new Ardbeg Anthology series, the inaugural release highlighted by Sauternes cask finishing in the mix. The Sauternes cask is not often seen on  Islay, though it has been used by Kilchoman and  Bunnahabhain. From Speyside, Balvenie has another...

Bidding at December’s auctions continued in the successful fashion of November’s sales, with strong prices achieved for Macallan, Hibiki 40 year old, and bottlings of LeNell’s Red Hook Rye in particular. In addition to the highlights below, Whisky.Auction received a winning bid of $46,895 for a bottle of Macallan The Red Collection 78 year old, while Scotch Whisky Auctions sold a Macallan Anniversary Malt 50 year old for $31,862.
This month also saw the first auction appearances of Macallan Time: Space 84 year old, beginning with Whisky Auctioneer in Scotland and then at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong. Sadly, neither set found a buyer, taking away the opportunity this year for it to make history by becoming the oldest-ever whisky to sell at auction. The holder of that record, Macallan The Reach 81 year old, has also struggled to sell at auction in the last few months, though Macallan remains the leading brand in our monthly list of top 20 hammer prices.
Look out...

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...

An American history museum may be the ideal place to learn more about our heritage, but it’s generally frowned upon to sip a whisky as you roam the halls. Thankfully, you can stop into some of the country’s oldest bars and instantly become immersed in history—and better yet, imbibe as you learn. From bars that are even older than the country itself to those frequented by noteworthy historical figures to the birthplaces of iconic cocktails, these bars are captivating destinations whether you’re a history buff, a whisky enthusiast, or both.

The Carousel Bar & Lounge New Orleans
Located in the historic Hotel Monteleone, this 25-seat bar—which opened in 1949, replacing the former Swan Room—is a literal carousel, completing a full rotation every 15 minutes. Enjoy the ride as you sip your whisky or, better yet, a Vieux Carré ($21) right in the spot where it was created in the 1930s by hotel bartender Walter Bergeron. This...

Anytime a bottle of The Macallan The Reach 81 year old sells at auction, it has the potential to bring one of the highest hammer prices of the year. This month, two auction houses sold bottles of The Reach on the same day. Both achieved almost identical prices—certainly less than a dram between them, with the conversion to dollars putting Sotheby’s, Hong Kong sale of $191,609 slightly ahead of England-based WVA Whisky Auctions’ hammer price of $189,859. Aside from Macallan, it’s also shaping up to be a good month for Karuizawa with several sales claiming potential slots in this month’s 20-highest hammer prices. Meanwhile, the 19 lots donated to the Demeter Collection raised $53,290 at Whisky Auctioneer for funds for the OurWhisky Foundation. The highest bid in the collection was $15,187 for a bottle of Dalmore 1979 44 year old, one of only two in existence.
Sotheby’s, Hong Kong
Auction ended April 2nd


Scotch: Macallan The...

Limited-edition bourbon season doesn't start for another month or two—Old Forester's Birthday Bourbon usually kicks things off, with other special releases like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection rolling out later in the fall. But Heaven Hill has gotten a head start by announcing this year's Parker's Heritage Collection release, a 10 year old straight bourbon finished in orange curaçao casks. The whiskey will cost $90 and, as always, a portion of the proceeds will go to support the ALS Association.If you've got a yen for the peaty stuff, Bruichladdich will be rolling out three new whiskies in its Port Charlotte range this fall. All peated to 40 ppm, the lineup includes Port Charlotte's first age-stated whisky, a 10 year old, as well as Islay Barley 2011—both $65 each—and MRC:01 2010, which was finished in Bordeaux casks and costs $120.Meanwhile, fellow Islay single malt distillery Kilchoman has announced its 2018 editions of Loch Gorm ($110) and Port Cask Matured ($125...

The French are the world's greatest consumers of whisky, as well as the only producers of cognac, an aged spirit distilled from grapes rather than grain. When mature whisky finds its way into a used cognac cask, it's often referred to as “cognac-finished.” While the partnership can sometimes result in two distinct flavors duking it out, a few talented master blenders have been successful in striking the perfect balance, resulting in a growing selection of opulent whiskies.Few blenders are more qualified to explain the intricacies of cognac casks as a finishing vessel than Patrick Léger. He is both cellar master for Camus, a family-owned cognac house, and master blender for Lambay, an Irish whiskey brand co-founded by Camus and the Revelstoke Community Trust of Ireland. “There are different types of barrels in France and different types of oak, but our cognac casks for Camus are always new oak,” explains Léger, noting that toast levels may vary. By law, cognac casks are made...

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...

As Irish Coffee fans know, combining your favorite whiskey and java brings out the best in both drinks. “Whiskey and coffee often show similar overtones of vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, and baking spices. Their warm flavors are perfectly complementary,” says Franco Bilbaeno, head bartender at Niku Steakhouse in San Francisco. And now is the ideal time of year to take advantage of the internal heat stoked by a warm drink. 
The recipes below take Irish Coffee (coffee, Irish whiskey, and a little sugar, topped with a layer of cream) to the next level yet are still easy to make at home. Warm a mug and get ready to wake up and smell the cocktails.

Wish and the Thing
Created by Richard Willis, beverage supervisor, King + Duke, Atlanta
Combining Punt e Mes vermouth with coffee-infused amaro creates a well-balanced drink that tastes almost like a dark chocolate-covered espresso bean, Willis says. 
Ingredients

1 oz. Laws...

While nearly all the innovation at the Irish Distillers campus in Midleton, Ireland, has been coming from its Micro Distillery—the facility dedicated to experimentation—some of that work is being carried over to the core whiskeys. In one major example, flagship Jameson is preparing to release its first-ever whiskey partly matured in chestnut casks. Elsewhere, Woodford Reserve celebrates the 20th anniversary of its Master’s Collection with a new bourbon finished in madeira casks, while WhistlePig is out with the 11th edition of its annual Boss Hog release—this one a single barrel finished in thandai barrels. Westland is offering the 9th release of its Garryana expression, and Impex is now on the 4th edition of The Impex Collection, its curated assemblage of single cask whiskies from Scotland and around the world.
 
Woodford Reserve 2024 Master’s Collection: Madeira Cask Finish
ABV: 45.2%
SRP: $180/700...

It's been another week of ever-increasing changes due to the spread of COVID-19. Dozens of distilleries stepped up to produce hand sanitizer instead of whiskey, scrambling to get all the necessary supplies. Others have begun hosting virtual tours, giving fans entry even when visitor centers are closed. Legendary Washington, D.C. whisky bar Jack Rose is selling off its entire collection to pay its staff, and I hear other venues are following suit.Even in this week of immense upheaval, new releases march on. First up, Ardbeg is debuting a new, permanent addition to its range. Ardbeg 5 year old Wee Beastie is priced at $47 and widely available.The 2020 release of Blood Oath bourbon is rolling out. There are 51,000 bottles of Blood Oath Pact No. 6 available, priced at $100.Finally, Old Elk is launching three new whiskeys, all part of its core range, as detailed earlier this week: straight rye ($90), straight wheat whiskey ($65), and a straight wheated bourbon ($65). All three whiskeys are...

Whether you are celebrating a birthday or another special occasion, you can't go wrong with any of these 21 year old whiskies, all of which scored 90 points or more in our Buying Guide. This list offers a wide array of styles, including single malt scotch, blended scotch, blended malt, blended grain, Irish single malt, single pot still, and Japanese whisky. Aged with care and sometimes with multiple cask types, all of these whiskies make for a toast-worthy pour.
Our picks for the best 21 year old whiskies to drink now
Bushmills 21 year old Madeira Finish Irish Single Malt
96 points, 40%, $250 This whiskey underwent its final two years of maturation in madeira casks, which bring incredible depth of flavor to this exceptional triple distilled Irish single malt.Chocolate, sultana, dates, forest honey, nuts, and banana bread.


Dewar's Double Double 21 year old Blended Scotch
94 points, 46%, $40/375 ml Dewar's blends parcels of aged malt and grain, blends...

New month, new whisky!Woodford Reserve is rolling out its special Kentucky Derby bottle ($50 for 1 liter) ahead of the big race on May 2. The label features a watercolor by Louisville artist and former Atlanta Braves baseball player Richard Sullivan that depicts horses racing toward the finish line at Churchill Downs.Bulleit has unveiled Blenders' Select No. 001, the first in a series of planned limited-edition releases crafted by the distillery's blending team; this one was created by Eboni Major. The straight bourbon is $50, available in limited amounts.Johnnie Walker has reintroduced Jane Walker as a new blended malt, rather than simply repackaging Johnnie Walker Black with a special label. The limited-edition whisky is $38 and available nationwide.Dewar's is launching Ilegal Smooth, an 8 year old blended scotch finished in Ilegal mezcal casks. The whisky is widely available for $22.Redbreast has added a 27 year old single pot still whiskey to its permanent range. It's available...

January auctions delivered a delicious mix-up of whiskey styles, with many rarities making the list for the first time. Some incredible antique bottles appeared at Sotheby’s sale of bourbon and rye in New York, as well as a 12-bottle case of private barrel Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 20 year old distilled at Stitzel-Weller Distillery and bottled in 2007 for a restaurant in San Francisco. It fetched a hammer price of $130,000, valuing each bottle at $10,800. Aside from single bottles, Whisky Hammer drew a bid of $138,943 for a refill bourbon barrel of Springbank 1993 containing enough whisky for 149 bottles. With bourbon, rye, scotch, Irish, and Japanese whisky making the list, the 20 highest single-bottle hammer prices for January fetched a monthly total of $637,064.
January 2024 – 20 Highest Single Bottle Hammer Prices
Results converted to dollars using xe.com
20. Michter’s Straight Rye 25 year old Single Barrel
Sold on: January 1st at...

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%

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...

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...

With many of May’s auctions scheduled toward the end of the month, the first half saw a greater number of Japanese whiskies from Karuizawa and Hanyu break $20,000 than scotch, though scotch took the highest bids. Leading the pack was WVA Whisky Auctions with their sale of a bottle of Macallan The Red Collection 50 year old for $39,167 while Scotch Whisky Auctions sold a bottle of Macallan 1950 Exceptional Cask #13 2018 Release for $37,566. With Dalmore eyeing a place at the top of this month’s highest sales for The Dalmore The Luminary No. 2 49 year old at Sotheby’s on May 31st, it will be interesting to see the month’s final tally. Whisky Auctioneer had an impressive line-up in April (see below), but a bottle of Yamazaki 55 year old and a bottle of Macallan 1950 Tales of the Macallan Volume I failed to make their reserves—both have regularly featured in our monthly list of highest hammer prices. Even in the upcoming Sotheby’s auction, Dalmore will...

Buffalo Trace Distillery has released details of this year's Antique Collection (also known as BTAC), hitting shelves in a few weeks. The five whiskeys—George T. Stagg bourbon, William Larue Weller bourbon, Eagle Rare 17 year old bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye, and Sazerac 18 year old rye—remain the same in almost every way, other than (for some) proof. This year, however, marks a significant change for Eagle Rare 17, whose proof—previously 45% ABV—will bump up to 50.5% ABV, which was the proof when the Eagle Rare brand debuted in 1974.The suggested retail price per bottle for this year's collection has also changed, from $90 to $99. Of course, avid BTAC fans and even casual whiskey drinkers know that the suggested price is almost never the shelf price, as these bottles are in such high demand that many retailers are able to ask, and get, much more.Read on for details for the full 2018 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection; more details on each whiskey are linked in the...

From spectacular cliff-top castles and coastal links golf courses, to wild remote glens and brooding mountains, Northern Ireland has a great deal to offer any visitor. ‘Norn Iron' (if you want to sound like a local) was formed from six of the nine historic counties of Ulster when Ireland was partitioned in 1921. With The Troubles largely confined to the 20th century, these days the country is well recognized for the quality of its food and drink, its welcoming hospitality, and the achievements of Rory McIlroy, Liam Neeson, and Kenneth Branagh.A whiskey visitor can drink in more than just the landscape; there are a growing number of distilleries, whiskey bars, and restaurants to experience. This year has been designated the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink. From pints of the black stuff sipped in historic pubs along with foot-stompin' traditional music, to sophisticated libations quaffed in high-end hotel lounges, this place should be high on your bucket list.Whether you fly...

There's a whole lot of new bourbon coming your way—in a few years, that is. Diageo announced yesterday that it plans to construct a massive new distillery in Kentucky to produce Bulleit and several other American whiskeys, potentially including new brands, although construction will take a couple of years at least.In the meantime, there are plenty of new bourbons and other whiskies to fill your glass right now. Booker's is rolling out its fourth release for 2018, "Kitchen Table," as well as a special 30th anniversary bourbon. While Booker's 2018-04 retails for $70-$80 and is available in its usual, limited-but-not-crazy-limited amounts, Booker's 30th Anniversary will cost $200 and be much more limited.Also very limited: Wyoming Whiskey's Barrel Strength bourbon, which is coming out for the second time. Just 50 bottles are available at $199 apiece.Barrell Craft Spirits has unveiled Dovetail, a blend of whiskey and bourbon sourced from Indiana and Tennessee and finished in Cabernet...

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...

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...

American whiskey drinkers have long valued big, brawny whiskeys, reaching for barrel proof expressions that can hover around 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). More recently that attraction has been taken to the next level, with the rise of so-called “hazmat” whiskeys (bottled at 70% ABV or higher) like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch 6, Jack Daniel’s Coy Hill 2022, and A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Batch 2. This fascination has also spilled over into other parts of the whisky world—like Scotland, Ireland, and elsewhere—with independent bottlers offering single cask whiskies at cask strength and enterprising distillers cranking up the proof for special releases.
Amid all the excitement about cask strength expressions, it’s easy for some to overlook all the great whiskies that are bottled at far lower proofs. There’s an understandable reason for that. Conventional wisdom holds that proof equals flavor, with the highest-strength whiskies...

The 20 whiskies that achieved the highest hammer prices of 2024 sold for a combined value of $2.8 million. Japanese whiskies took the three highest hammer prices of the year, whereas 12 months earlier, the top three spots were all occupied by scotch. American whiskey had an impressive year, with Buffalo Trace, Old Fitzgerald, and Van Winkle, all sold by Unicorn Auctions, each making the 20-highest hammer prices of the year list. That’s three more American whiskeys than in 2023. That said, the secondary market for whisky had mixed fortunes in 2024. There were no million dollar bottles or the boost of a Distillers One of One auction, making it slightly unfair to directly compare the results with the year before. It’s true to say that there were more high-value whiskies on sale than there were buyers, and with less competition in a softening market, prices began to fall. That was good news for buyers who were able to pick and choose what they wanted for a favorable price, but...

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...