The 2020 WhiskyFest calendar kicks off in Chicago on March 27, when Windy City whisky lovers will connect with their favorite brands, discover new drams, and experience an evening full of education and excitement. Want to attend? Be sure to
get your tickets, and then start planning your night. Whether it's your first WhiskyFest or you've been coming for years, you'll want to
devise a strategy that incorporates top-priority pours and
can't-miss seminars while making plenty of time to eat and stay hydrated.If you're unsure where to start when drawing up your list of must-taste whiskies, never fear: As with every WhiskyFest, the Whisky Advocate editors are here to help. Yes, Pappy Van Winkle and the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection will be poured, but that's not the whole story. These are some of the most exciting, interesting, and just plain standout whiskies that we'll be lining up to try.
Whisky of the Year—All of Them
The Whisky Advocate Top 20 started in 2017, and we've had three No.-1 whiskies since then. All three—Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Nikka From the Barrel, and George Dickel 13 year old Bottled in Bond—can be enjoyed at WhiskyFest, along with numerous other bottles from the Top 20. There are actually too many to list here, but you can cross-check the event's
Whisky List with the
Top 20 archive and make your own ranking.
Belfour Spirits
NHL Hall of Fame Goaltender Ed Belfour
launched a line of whiskeys this year with the partnership of his children, Dayn and Regan. The rye and Texas Pecan Wood-Finished bourbon are debuting at WhiskyFest—and word is that Eddie the Eagle himself will be on hand to meet fans and toast the new releases.
Dewar's Double Double 27 year old
We quite liked the entire Dewar's Double Double range last year, crowning the 21 year old the
No.-2 whisky of 2019. You can go a rung higher at WhiskyFest, where the
27 year old, finished in palo cortado sherry casks, will be poured. VIP attendees can step up further with the
32 year old, finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
Tennessee Trio: Jack, George, and Uncle Nearest
Get your Tennessee whiskey fix with the state's three biggest brands, all pouring at WhiskyFest.
Jack Daniel's is bringing several different expressions; we're partial to the barrel-proof Single Barrel.
George Dickel and
Uncle Nearest both have a brace of whiskeys. And if that's not enough Volunteer State liquid for you, swing by the booth of John Lunn and Allisa Henley, two distillers from Sazerac's as-yet-unnamed Tennessee distillery whose whiskey is currently aging—though they'll pour you tastes of the new-make and a barrel sample.
Larceny Barrel Proof
Perhaps you know Larceny, the affordable wheated bourbon in the hourglass bottle that scored
90 points. Now meet its burlier sibling, Larceny Barrel Proof—the same whiskey, but bottled at 60%-plus ABV rather than 46%. Parent company Heaven Hill does the same thing with Elijah Craig, and that's worked out
pretty well. Whiskey this tasty doesn't fly under the radar for long: You'll want to grab a taste on WhiskyFest night before the secret's out.
Independently Bottled Scotch
Independent scotch bottlers (IBs) make it possible to taste a new side of a familiar distillery—or, for distilleries whose whiskies usually go into blends, to taste the single malt, period.
Mossburn Distillers will pour several rarely-seen whiskies at WhiskyFest, including Inchgower and Glen Spey. Meanwhile,
Gordon & MacPhail, Scotland's most venerable IB, is bringing Linkwood and Glenturret. You can also try Glenlivet at cask strength, or Caol Ila finished in a Hermitage wine cask. Gordon & MacPhail's own single malt distillery, Benromach, is also pouring its full lineup of “old-style” Speyside single malt.
Kentucky Peerless
Kentucky Peerless splashed onto the whisky scene in 2017, impressing us with its rye, which scored 91 points and landed at
No. 15 on that year's Top 20. The distillery further added to its acclaim in 2019 when it released its 4 year old bourbon, which scored
90 points. Taste both, plus two single-barrel offerings, at WhiskyFest and see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
Glengoyne
WhiskyFest gives you the opportunity to taste entire ranges and get familiar with brands you might have previously passed by. Take Highland scotch distillery Glengoyne, for instance, which will be pouring its 10 year old, 12 year old, 18 year old, 21 year old, Cask Strength, and specialty Legacy release. Start from one end and taste your way through: What do the whiskies have in common? How are they set apart? Do you have a favorite?
Craft Whiskeys
Make room in your glass for some of the newcomers to the whiskey world. Craft distillers from across the country will be at WhiskyFest Chicago, including
Rock Town Distillery from Arkansas,
Virginia Distillery Co., Colorado's
Laws Whiskey House, and
Blackened, the Metallica-backed whiskey
now being made by Rob Dietrich. Iowa is represented by Slipknot No. 9, a bourbon-rye blend made at
Cedar Ridge, as well as the distillery's bourbon and rye. And of course hometown favorite
FEW Spirits will be pouring its bourbon, rye, single malt, and special editions all night.
Island Scotch
No, not Islay scotch, although there will be plenty of that too. We're talking about some of Scotland's other islands, which have their own distilling traditions. Try
Isle of Arran, whose balanced, rich whiskies will delight fans of robust Highland single malts like Glenmorangie.
Tobermory Distillery on the island of Mull makes its namesake whisky (available as a 21 year old for VIPs) and a peated single malt called Ledaig (pronounced leh-chig) which is sure to delight smoke lovers.
