American whiskey is a broad, catch-all category. When it comes to bourbon, rye, and American single malt, there are laws that allow those whiskeys to be called what they are. But there’s so much more to the American whiskey scene than just bourbon, rye, and single malt. Below, I’m going to call out 50 great American whiskeys that do not fall into a major category like bourbon, rye, or single malt.
So what are these “American whiskeys,” exactly? For the most part, when a brand puts “American whiskey” on their label or a liquor store organizes a bottle onto an “American whiskey” shelf, they’re talking about a range of styles. This can be anything from a bourbon and rye blend to a wheat whiskey to corn whiskey to a blend of malt, bourbon, rye, wheat, and anything else really, as long as it’s made in the U.S.A.
For this list, I’ve compiled 50 American whiskeys that span everything from corn whiskeys to wheat whiskeys to straight malts, blends, and special mixes of styles. Long story short, there’s a ton of great whiskey out there that can’t be called “straight bourbon” or “straight rye” or “American single malt,” legally. That doesn’t mean that just because those whiskeys can’t carry that moniker they’re somehow inferior. There are great whiskeys that fall into this wide-reaching category and I’ve listed them below!
- The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
- The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
- Our Head Drinks Critic Reveals The Expensive Bourbons He *Won’t* Pay Above Retail For
- The 100 Best Bourbons That *Aren’t* From Kentucky, Ranked
- The 100 Best Bourbons Under $100 Right Now, Ranked
50. Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Unblended American Whiskey
ABV: 41.7%
Average Price: $48
The Whiskey:
Generally speaking, when you see a whiskey labeled as “blended whiskey” or just “bourbon” (instead of “straight bourbon”), it’s a blend of whiskey with neutral grain spirits to help keep costs down and profits high. This expression is labeled as “Unblended,” specifically because it’s made with whiskey only (no grain spirits added). The whiskey in these bottles was aged in barrels that are “whiskey-soaked.” Once the whiskey is just right, it’s then blended and small-batch bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Orchard fruits, butterscotch candies, and vanilla cake greet you on the nose with a hint of wooden spice.
Palate: That fruit becomes more dried and almost salted on the palate while bourbon vanilla and mild caramel sweetness mingle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Finish: The finish is pretty short and sweet with a red berry vibe next to some thin apple cider.
Bottom Line:
This is a great freezer whiskey. I keep a bottle in there to use for highballs and shots.
49. Mellow Corn Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey Bottled In Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $19
The Whiskey:
This whiskey has a hardcore fan base. The actual whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash bill of 81% corn and aged for at least four years (in a once-used bourbon barrel) before bottled-in-bond proofing to 100-proof and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of corn husks and snickerdoodles on the nose with a hint of vanilla oak.
Palate: The palate is almost creamy (kind of like corn chowder) with a good dose of winter spice, rum raisin, and dry firewood.
Finish: The end leans into the snickerdoodle and rum raisin with a hint of funkiness and warmth.
Bottom Line:
Again, the fan base on this one is rabid. It’s good stuff, but certainly works better when you want to make a funky cocktail or take a bold shot with a beer back.
48. Tincup American Whiskey
ABV: 42%
Average Price: $37
The Whiskey:
This Colorado whiskey is a well-built blend. The whiskey in the bottle is made from Indiana straight bourbon and Colorado single malt. The barrels were batched high up in the Rocky Mountains and cut with glacial water from the mountains.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Orange and ginger drive the nose toward black peppercorns, a hint of leather, and malted vanilla.
Palate: Winter spice barks and orange lead to a rich cinnamon toast vibe next to caramel chews and Graham Crackers.
Finish: That malty cracker leads back to winter spice and burnt orange on the short finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a simple but nice whiskey. It’s made for mixing and building with so add it to a bold and wintery cocktail — think hot toddy.
47. Jack Daniel’s Triple Mash Blended Straight Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $39
The Whiskey:
This expression, a “triple mash,” is comprised of 60% Jack’s Tennessee Rye, 20% Jack’s Tennessee Whiskey, and 20% of their new American malt. Once those bonded whiskeys are blended, they’re proofed down with that iconic cave water and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a hint of wet malts that leads into a big note of fresh honey with a hint of honeycomb. There’s a touch of vanilla on the nose alongside wet deck planks, a little bit of sweetgrass, a hint of potting soil, and big and plump dates with a very distant note of cream soda.
Palate: The palate is all about those wet malts with plenty of vanilla backbone — think full pods you pay $30 each for.
Finish: The mid-palate is super soft with hints of nutmeg, buttery toffee covered in crushed almond, and that vitamin aisle again all leading to wet wicker, more of that vanilla, a whisper of applewood, and a super clear sense of rain-covered slate on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
This is a rich and fulfilling whiskey with great depth. I tend to lean toward mixing cocktails with this one but it can work as an on the rocks sipper in a pinch.
46. Proof And Wood Extraordinary American Blended Whiskey Vertigo
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $149
The Whiskey:
This blend is a mix of American rye, bourbon, and American light whiskey (aged in uncharred oak) from MGP of Indiana. The whiskeys were distilled in 1992, 2008, 2013, and 2015 and only yielded 1,000 bottles once batched.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old cupboards full of winter spices mix with a sense of butterscotch candies and old vanilla pods on the nose.
Palate: There’s a mild sweetness on the palate that leans into dry grains or very dry sweetgrass next to a nutty chocolate vibe with a hint more of that musty spice from the nose.
Finish: The end has a moment of rye green herbaceousness that leans back into dry sweetgrass, butterscotch, and old Nutella with a winter spice underbelly.
Bottom Line:
This is a deep and dank whiskey that’s worth enjoying over some ice. Think of it as a good table whiskey (something for the every day).
45. Union Horse Distilling Rolling Standard Midwestern Four Grain Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $39
The Whiskey:
This Kansas whiskey marries two American whiskey styles with four separate grains involved. It’s part American wheated bourbon and part American single malt. Locally sourced corn, wheat, rye, and barley are utilized in the mash. Then the booze is mellowed in used oak barrels from Missouri until it’s just right.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The grain-to-glass whiskey opens with classic notes of oaky vanilla, banana, cloves, and mild pepperiness.
Palate: On the palate, a maple syrup earthy sweetness cuts through along with a roasted almond fatty nature.
Finish: Dark pitted cherries come into play right before the rye kicks in with a hint of cinnamon on the mildly spicy finish.
Bottom Line:
This works well as a backyard pour on the weekend. Pour it over a lot of ice, mix it in some citrus-heavy cocktails, or use it for baking (in place of vanilla).
44. Five Trail Blended American Whiskey Barrel Proof Bold and Uncut
ABV: 59.5%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This new batch of whiskey from Coors’ new distillery and Bardstown Bourbon Company out in Kentucky blends six-year-old Colorado single malt with 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon. Once batched, those whiskeys go into the bottle with zero filtering or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of old leather and cumin seeds next to salted caramel, pecan waffles, real maple syrup, and browned butter with a few woody spices thrown in alongside a date or prune.
Palate: The palate sweetens the spices with a hint of sour mulled wine next to caramel apples, Cherry Coke, gingerbread, and allspice-heavy Christmas cake with candied orange rinds.
Finish: The end leans into the gingerbread with a nice layer of marzipan and cedar over some mild ABV warmth.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey has really grown on me over the last year. It’s a mixer and on-the-rocks drinker for sure but does offer some nice depth.
43. Old Elk Straight Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Colorado uses 95% soft red winter wheat and 5% malted barley in its mash. That whiskey then ages for five years up in Colorado before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a soft sense of floral — almost alpine — honey with a black cherry vibe next to vanilla sheet cake with a whiff of cinnamon bark and smudging sage.
Palate: The palate veers into a peach cobbler with a hint of mulled wine next to more of that vanilla cake before dry cedar and smoked fig lead to a whisper of a buttermilk biscuit.
Finish: The end has a yeasty doughnut vibe with stewed apple and plenty of cinnamon next to more of that cedar braided with wild sage.
Bottom Line:
This is just tasty. I like it over a single big ice cube or mixed into apple-cinnamon old fashioned in the fall.
42. Breckenridge Whiskey Imperial Stout Cask
ABV: 54.25%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a match made in Colorado. The whiskey is aged in imperial oatmeal stout from Breckenridge Brewing. The brewery and distillery are only two miles apart. So, there’s very little time between the beer getting emptied from the barrels and the whiskey getting filled in, adding extra layers of flavor to the final product.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one is surprisingly fruity with a mix of dark berries that are almost tart with hints of ripe banana and chocolate-covered strawberries with a hint of burnt vanilla husks.
Palate: The palate dries out that strawberry while the chocolate darkens as salted caramel kicks with an eggnog spice base and a touch of dry and mild chili pepper flakes.
Finish: The finish lingers for a while as the burnt vanilla, caramel, and dark berries coalesce under the dark and bitter chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent stout-finished whiskey. It’s a must-try if you’re in the Rocky Mountain state.
41. Reiger’s Kansas City Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $37
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a hardcore throwback to the 1800s. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of straight bourbon, light corn whiskey (aged in uncharred oak), and straight rye that were all aged at least four years. Once those barrels are batched, 15-year-old Oloroso sherry is added to the whiskey to “rectify” it (which is a very old-school way of adding extra flavor to and proof a whiskey, or any spirit really). Since sherry is the main proofing agent (instead of water), it creates a richer texture and profile.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A nutty sherry comes through on the nose with salted butterscotch and toffee next to corn husks, winter spices, and a touch of candied orange and pear.
Palate: Those corn husks turn into a sweet cornbread on the palate with dates, figs, and sultanas next to marzipan dipped in salted dark chocolate.
Finish: The winter spices kick up on the dry finish with more dried dark fruits, soft almond, and bitter chocolate tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a fascinating and tasty whiskey. I would save this for the holidays thanks to that flavor profile. Then, I’d use this for simple whiskey-forward cocktails.
40. WhistlePig Summerstock Whiskey Pit Viper Limited Edition “Solar Aged”
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This new summer-ready release from WhistlePig is a blend of wheat and rye whiskeys. Once batched, that whiskey is finished in a toasted solera barrel (a barrel that is never fully emptied). Finally, the whiskey is batched, proofed, and bottled all under a 100% solar-powered farm and distillery.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Maple syrup over vanilla-forward pancakes with a hint of butter leads to a dash of cinnamon and orange with a twinge of nuttiness.
Palate: There’s a dry grassiness with woody cinnamon on the palate next to more of that sweet maple, a touch of citrus, and smudging sage.
Finish: There’s a thick blackberry jam on the finish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream underneath alongside very faint hints of brown spice and brown sugar.
Bottom Line:
This is a great option for fun summer backyard cocktails, ice-cold shots, and on the rocks sipping.
39. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $34
The Whiskey:
This Woodford mash bill utilizes 51% malted barley, 47% corn, and 2% rye, meaning this isn’t a single malt. The hot juice is then treated as a straight bourbon or rye and is aged in new American oak for at least four years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose grows from a sense of rummy molasses, dried fruits, and nutty toffee towards soft cedar and a subtly savory fruit like squash.
Palate: The palate leans into the velvety dark chocolates and toffees with hints of Christmas spices while the sweet fruits fade and the cedar becomes somewhat toasted.
Finish: There’s an echo of coconut in the background as the fade leads back to that savory fruit with plenty of bitter chocolate and sweet and nutty toffee lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
This is funky and fun. The savory fruit makes this a great pairing for watermelon and BBQ. That said, that funky savory fruit will be a bit much for classic cocktails — I’d recommend reaching for this when you want a unique experience.
38. Breckenridge Whiskey Finished in PX Naranja Cask
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $125
The Whiskey:
This is a batch of Breckenridge’s four to six-year-old whiskeys. Once batched, the whiskey is re-barreled into 20-year-old PX sherry casks that were used to macerate Seville oranges for eight months. The whiskey spends about three months finishing in those casks before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied peach and apricot lead to bitter chinotto orange with a deep sense of rum raisin and winter spice over lush vanilla.
Palate: That rum raisin really pops on the palate with a rich marmalade over cinnamon toast, fig pudding, and a touch of old spice barks and smudging sage.
Finish: The end leans hard into the chinotto with plenty of marmalade sweetness, winter spice, and cedar cigar humidors.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for an orange-bomb whiskey, this is it.
37. Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey Barrel Proof Batch: A223
ABV: 59.4%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This new release from Heaven Hill is their famous wheated whiskey at barrel proof. The mash of 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley is fermented and distilled and then left for seven to nine years in open-air warehouses. Once batched, the whiskey goes into the bottle without any filtering or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of a freshly baked loaf of whole wheat bread on the nose with a slight sweetness, toasted oats, soft dry nuts, dried fruits, and a layer of honey accented by a thin line of clove.
Palate: That honey and clove come out further on the palate as creamy spiced malt with a hint of choco caramel mingles with dark winter spices and a small note of vanilla.
Finish: The end sweetens with the caramel and honey as spiced dark chocolate counters on the hot finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a bold wheat whiskey. It does lean into sweet notes that make it very accessible and mixable into a cocktail.
36. Chicken Cock Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This new release from Chicken Cock is a new mix. The blend in the bottle is a mix of eight-year-old Kentucky whiskeys that have been double-barreled, meaning that they were aged in new American oak for a spell and then were re-barreled in new new American oak barrels. This adds an extra layer of fresh and vibrant wood sugars to the mix, really amping up the flavor profile with the wood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark caramel opens the nose before diving into creamy espresso, dark chocolate-dipped cherry and raspberry, and a mild sense of really fancy Almond Joy.
Palate: Whiskey-soaked red berries and vanilla beans drive the palate before ice cream waffle cones, cherry ice cream, and holiday cakes full of winter spice, roasted nuts, and toasted coconut thrive on the taste.
Finish: The creaminess really amps up the finish with a sense of toffee pudding and cinnamon ice cream with a sense of berry compote spiked with allspice and clove over a mild sense of pipe tobacco and cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is a sweet whiskey that feels like a classic old bourbon. It’s solid in a cocktail and works wonders over a lot of ice.
35. Barrell Craft Spirits Private Release Islay Cask Finish
ABV: 62.08%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This new single-barrel release from Barrell Craft Spirits via ReserveBar is a blend of bourbon and rye whiskeys. Once batched, that whiskey went into a single barrel from Islay that held peated single malt whisky over in Scotland for years. That barrel was then selected by the team at ReserveBar and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose leans into smoked black pepper with a hint of salted caramel next to coconut nut clusters, demerara syrup, and a twinge of dried smoked cherry.
Palate: There’s an earthiness to the palate that’s almost mossy in a dry way next to more smoke cherry and wet brown sugar with a twinge of marzipan just kissed with dark orange.
Finish: The nuttiness drives the dry finish toward very thin whisps of smoked dark fruit and winter spice barks.
Bottom Line:
This is funky and fresh. It also offers a good bridge between Islay and Kentucky without overdoing either element. Try it neat, dive deep, and go from there.
34. Backbone Big Bash American Whiskey Blend of Straight Whiskeys Batch No. 1
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This Indiana whiskey is a blend of straight rye and straight bourbon whiskeys. About 90% of that blend is from an array of finishing barrels that added anywhere from six months to two years of maturation to the original whiskeys.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of dark berries, black cherry, and blood orange against soft vanilla, lightly toasted oak, and a sense of plum pudding cut with brandy butter.
Palate: The taste leans into the dark fruits with a dark chocolate orange feel next to woody winter spices, soft leather tobacco pouches, and a hint of marmalade.
Finish: The end lingers on the cinnamon bark and clove berries as a nice sense of roasted peach and stewed plums drive a soft sweetness toward rich spicy tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid sipper to have on hand for pretty much any occasion.
33. The Beverly High Rye Fine American Whiskey
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey is rendered from a marriage of Iowa’s famed Cedar Ridge and Indiana’s MGP whiskeys. The blend balances bourbon with a majority of rye in the mix to create a “high rye” American whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is soft and full of rye bread crusts, a touch of pound cake, and a hint of marzipan with a mild “woodiness” below everything.
Palate: The palate feels very Irish Whiskey with a spiced maltiness — cinnamon and nutmeg mostly — next to wet brown sugar, floral honey, and a hint of lemon pepper.
Finish: The end really leans into the maltiness with a hint of nutshell woodiness and toffee sweetness next to mild raisin notes.
Bottom Line:
This is another nice table whiskey to have on hand for shaking or stirring up your favorite cocktails.
32. Grand Teton Private Stock Straight Corn Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $80
The Whisky:
This high-altitude whiskey is made with 100% Idaho-grown corn. That corn is mashed with pure Rocky Mountain water, which is also used to proof the juice before bottling. But first, the whiskey spends 6.5 years resting in oak before single barrels are picked for a bottling run.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Maple syrup and clove-studded oranges lead on the nose with rum raisin, mild sour butter, and a hint of old cellar beams.
Palate: The palate is lush with a warm sense of mulled wine spices and sour cherry next to cinnamon buttered toast and soft yet sweet corn muffins.
Finish: The end has a smooth vanilla base with a hint of date and black tea next to buttery cornmeal with a hint of brown sugar.
Bottom Line:
This is a must-try if you’re in Idaho or trekking through Yellowstone this summer.
31. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
The mash bill on this special Woodford release clocks the wheat at 52% with 20% malted barley, 20% corn, and 8% rye. It’s an interesting four-grain mix given the high ratio of malted barley. The whiskey then goes through the Woodford process of triple distillation on pot stills and years of maturing in horse country.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re greeted with a mix of vanilla next to pears stewed in cinnamon and butter with a note of dried roses and cedar.
Palate: The palate holds onto those notes while adding in more of the stewed fruit spiciness with hints of chocolate mint and a very distant note of toasted coconut.
Finish: The end is chewy and the pear becomes more of a pear stem or core as the taste dries out nicely.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the more unique expressions from Woodford Reserve that you can actually get. Reach for this when you’re looking for something a little different but still comforting.
30. Wyoming Whiskey Outryder American Straight Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $81
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Wymonig is a blend of an “almost” straight rye whiskey with a Wyoming Whiskey’s high-rye bourbon. That whiskey is just touched with local water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich sourdough rye bread with a hint of caraway and dill leads to beeswax and orange rinds with a whisper of Black Forest cake on the nose.
Palate: The chocolate from that cake drives the palate as a whisper of taco seasoning leads to brown butter and this fleeting sense of orange creamsicle.
Finish: Pecan waffles, butter, and maple syrup drive the finish toward more dark spice and a touch of apple fritter with that creamy orange lurking beneath it all.
Bottom Line:
I have it on very good authority that this is whiskey Harrison Ford serves at his Jackson Hole ranch. So there’s that. That aside, this is a good on the rocks pour that also shines in cocktails.
29. Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Original Sour Mash Whiskey
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $50
The Whiskey:
This was the first American whiskey to be named “Whiskey of the Year” by The Whiskey Exchange in the U.K. back in 2019. The reason this is a “sour mash” and not a “bourbon” or “rye” is that the mash bill doesn’t focus on corn or rye, hence it’s just a sour mash whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with smoked plums, crunchy rye crusts, a hint of caraway, and deep caramel with a hint of salt next to vanilla and apple/pear cider.
Palate: The sip really embraces the smoky dark fruit with hints of vanilla and cherry popping up next to winter spices and a touch of green savory herbs.
Finish: The whiskey carries that smoky plumminess through to the end with a nice nod to an oaky and bourbon-y vanilla underbelly.
Bottom Line:
This is just good whiskey. Drink it how you like it.
28. Balcones ZZ Top Tres Hombres Texas Whisky
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
ZZ Top worked directly with Master Distiller Jared Himstedt to blend three Balcones whiskies together. The blend is one part Balcone’s signature Blue Corn Whisky, one part Texas Single Malt, and one part Texas Rye. The idea behind the blends was to build the sip from a bold and oily base towards a fruity mid-palate that ends up nice and spicy.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a Digestive Biscuit with a hint of brown butter, brown sugar, and pecan leading to a moment of dried juniper next to floral citrus.
Palate: The palate is bright with a grapefruit soda vibe — more Fresca than Jarritos — as a moment of cumin dances with some suede, grape must, and a salty cracker.
Finish: The end leans into the floral side of the citrus while adding in a hint of fresh ginger spice and apple cider cinnamon candies.
Bottom Line:
As far as celebrity whiskeys go, this is one of the best. It drinks well on its own but also works in funky whiskey-forward cocktails that need a kick in the ass.
27. Chattanooga Whiskey Straight Malt Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks Tennessee High Malt
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is made from bourbon mash bills with a high level of specialty malt, especially toasted, roasted, and caramel malts made by Riverbend Malt House in Asheville, North Carolina. Those barrels spent four years resting before batching and re-barreling into Cabernet Sauvignon casks from Silver Oak Cellars out in Sonoma County, California. After a final 18 months of resting in those red wine barrels, the whiskey is batched, just kissed with water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sweet red tart berry vibe on the nose that leads to blackstrap molasses with a spiced cherry cough drop vibe next to a hint of sweet brown bread.
Palate: That red fruit drives the palate toward salted caramel and old oak that’s been soaked in cherry brandy with a fleeting sense of a savory green herb garden lurking beneath it all.
Finish: There’s a sense of malted cookies dipped in honey and blackberry juice next to softly spiced dark chocolate flaked with salt.
Bottom Line:
This is a deeply fruity and dark whiskey that feels like a great after-meal sipper.
26. F.E.W. Motor Oil Whiskey Finished in Rum and Vermouth Casks
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a collab between Illinois’ F.E.W. Spirits and the rock band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of F.E.W. Bourbon finished in rum barrels, F.E.W. Bourbon finished in vermouth barrels, and a mesquite-smoked wheat whiskey. Those barrels are vatted and proofed down to 101 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a clear sense of chocolate malts next to dry reeds and rich spice with a slightly floral edge — think sassafras by way of whole cinnamon and very subtle hibiscus.
Palate: The palate starts off with a dry chocolate cookie before layering in vanilla husks, brown sugar, and a faint whisper of fat from a brisket smoker.
Finish: The end lets the brown sugar and dry spices mingle with a thin line of that fatty smoke rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
There’s a nice depth here that works wonders in simple whiskey cocktails or on the rocks.
25. Middle West Double Cask Collection Oloroso Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This limited edition release from Ohio’s Middle West is all about the locally-grown red winter wheat in the mash bill (recipe). That wheaty beer is distilled and then loaded into new American oak where it rests for five years. Those barrels are batched and that whiskey goes into Spanish Oloroso sherry casks before batching and proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic bourbon notes of rich vanilla and spiced oak lead the nose toward rich and creamy eggnog with plenty of allspice and nutmeg next to cinnamon sticks dipped in warm apple cider.
Palate: Lush marzipan dipped in salted dark chocolate and rolled in dried dark cherries vibe with brandy-soaked prunes and dates next to subtle hints of burnt orange and old oak.
Finish: Those brandy-soaked raisins drive the finish toward an end brimming with dark chocolate, dark cherry, and dark spice vibes.
Bottom Line:
This is a great whiskey to break out during the holidays. Mix it into your favorite cocktails or just sip it slow.
24. Barrell Dovetail Whiskey Finished in Rum, Port, & Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Barrels
ABV: 62.17%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
This is a complex whiskey from one of the country’s best blenderies. Barrell sources a 10-year-old straight Indiana whiskey that was finished in Dunn Vineyards Cabernet barrels and marries that juice to 11-year-old straight Tennessee bourbon that was finished in both blackstrap rum casks and port pipes. That blend is then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re greeted with the port notes of dried raisins and plums, leading towards a touch of licorice next to a really rummy sweetness.
Palate: There’s a sense of spicy stewed cherries (think clove and anise) that supports a touch of charred marshmallow with a bit of soft oak.
Finish: The end holds onto the fruit and sweeter notes while going all-in on the warmness of the ABVs with a black pepper spiciness and long yet subtle tobacco buzz.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys that will make you say/think, “Ahhh, this is what all the fuss is about…” It’s just good stuff that has serious depth. Take your time with it and find all the wonderful and hidden tasting treasures buried in the profile.
23. Keeper’s Heart Whiskey Irish + Bourbon Cask Strength
ABV: 59%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
This new release from Keeper’s Heart continues their tradition of blending Irish whiskey with classic American whiskeys. In this case, the whiskey in the bottle is a blend of triple pot still Irish whiskey (made with malted and unmalted barley) that aged for over four years in ex-bourbon barrels, a grain whiskey (made with corn and malted barley) that spent over four years in ex-bourbon barrels, and classic bourbon (made with 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley) that aged for four years before batching.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hints of chocolate malts mingle with dark caramel and old oily vanilla pods with a touch of apple/pear in the background with a note of woodpiles.
Palate: Spiced apple cider with a hint of sweet oak drives the palate toward vanilla cream with burnt sugars next to a hint of apple crumble with plenty of brown sugar, butter, and winter spice.
Finish: There’s a twinge of black pepper on the woody finish with dark vanilla and toffee next to a soft graininess and a hint more of that sweet oak and apple orchard.
Bottom Line:
This is the best release from this Irish-American whiskey shingle. It’s really good sipping whiskey that’ll pop in any cocktail.
22. Journeyman Distillery Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey
ABV: 66.25%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
This Michigan whiskey is 100% wheat whiskey. The grains are 100% organic and grown locally around Michigan. The whiskey then ages for an undisclosed about of time before it’s blended into a final product that looks to Irish whiskey for inspiration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of toffee and vanilla cake on the nose with a dash of woody winter spices and a light whisper of smudged sweetgrass.
Palate: The palate leans into the smoldering grassiness while warm dark spices add a sharpness before stewed pears mingle with clove and cinnamon bark.
Finish: The finish opens with vanilla pods and a whisper of old leather and tobacco on the warm and buzzing finish.
Bottom Line:
This multi-award-winning whiskey is a great sipper to have on hand for easy-going drinkin’.
21. Blackened Cask Strength Volume 01 A Blend of Whiskeys Finished in Black Brandy Casks
ABV: 61.4%
Average Price: $80
The Whiskey:
This new line from Metallica’s Blackened is all about the cask-strength versions of their now-classic “sonically-enhanced” blend of straight whiskeys. In this case, the blend is a mix of bourbon and rye that are batched and re-barrelled in black brandy casks that are blasted with, you guessed, Metallica tunes during the finishing maturation. Finally, those barrels are batched and bottled as-is at barrel strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leathery figs, old vanilla cookies, buttery toffee, and candied orange peels mingle with a very light sense of oatmeal cut with butter and maple syrup.
Palate: The palate is nutty and lush with a salted caramel vibe next to silky vanilla sauce bespeckled with poppy seeds and brittle toffee next to a hint of spiced oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips.
Finish: The nuttiness turns into smooth marzipan on the finish with a sense of chili-spiked dark chocolate next to cinnamon caramel syrup and soft vanilla cake.
Bottom Line:
This is another celebrity whiskey that slaps. Throw on your favorite Metallica vinyl, pour a big glass of this, and let the day wash away.
20. Michter’s US*1 Limited Release Toasted Barrel Finish Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $286
The Whiskey:
This release takes Michter’s signature Kentucky Sour Mash and finishes it in toasted barrels. In this case, those barrels are first air-dried for 18 months and then lightly toasted barrel before the whiskey is filled in. Finally, the booze is batched and bottled with a good dose of that Kentucky water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a soft sense of a pile of firewood cut from an old fruit orchard next to dark chocolate oranges with a flake of salt and a drop of honey with a hint of vanilla cake frosted with apple-cinnamon butter frosting.
Palate: The palate has a lightly smoked cherry vibe next to clove and allspice with a sense of lush and creamy eggnog and vanilla-cherry tobacco stuffed in a slightly pitchy pine box.
Finish: The end really leans into the cherry tobacco with a layer of mild chili spice and more of that soft and sweet orchard firewood.
Bottom Line:
This is excellent whiskey. It’s a killer sipper over a single rock that just keeps delivering great flavor notes.
19. Penelope American Light Whiskey
ABV: 67.3%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This unique release from Penelope is “light” in the sense of aging, not like a “light” beer. This is all about the barrel having no char which is classified as “light whiskey.” Anyway, this expression is a blend of MGP whiskeys (pretty much the only distillery making light whiskey) that’s left at a very high proof before bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a wild card with familiar notes of pancake batter with plenty of vanilla, caramel corn balls, sweet apple tarts, and a mild dose of very soft yet resinous pine.
Palate: The palate moves from creamy vanilla pie toward apple crumble with plenty of butter and brown sugar, cinnamon, and tartness before a layer of soft floral citrus arrives.
Finish: The finish feels like vanilla cupcakes frosted with an eggnog frosting with plenty of powdered sugar everywhere next to a woody yet subtle spice mix.
Bottom Line:
This is an essential pour for expanding your palate (and knowledge) of American whiskey styles. It’s also a great pour that delivers a wonderfully balanced and nuanced profile.
18. Redwood Empire Lost Monarch Blend of Straight Whiskeys Cask Strength
ABV: 58.6%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This California whiskey is a blend of two whiskeys that range from three to 12 years old. The base is a rye mash of 94% rye, 5% malted barley, and a mere 1% wheat mixed with a bourbon mash of 74% corn, 20% raw rye, 4.5% malted barley, and 1.5% wheat. Once blended, that whiskey goes into the bottle at cask strength with no fussing whatsoever.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a bold nose full of old boot leather, dried chanterelles, cedar bark, a whisper of cumin and chili powder, and creamy yet sharp mint chocolate ice cream.
Palate: The palate opens with a cherry bomb that’s tempered by mild ABV warmth and buzzing before spiced apricot jam arrives with a soft scone, creamed butter, and bright Turkish Delights on the mid-palate.
Finish: Those soft and fruity candies give way to meaty dates and rum-soaked raisins with a hint of vanilla candy, apple cider tobacco, and a flutter of white pepper.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a bridge between bourbon and rye with a stopover in a dank forest. It’s a great mix and makes for a great sipper (or cocktail base).
17. Bardstown Discovery Series #9 Blended Straight Whiskey
ABV: 56.25%
Average Price: $140
The Whiskey:
The Bardstown Discovery Series has become one of the most beloved and sought-after blended whiskeys in the game. Their latest edition is a mix of 35% eight-year-old Georgia bourbon, 31% 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon, 19% 17-year-old Tennessee whiskey, and 15% 12-year-old corn whiskey from Ontario. Those barrels are shipped to Bardstown where they’re masterfully vatted and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this is dense yet inviting with hints of sour apple next to waxy cacao nibs, old boot leather, bruised plums, wet cedar bark braids, soft winter spice, and a hint of wet forest mushroom underneath it all.
Palate: The palate is ultra lush with creamy vanilla leading things off as layers of cinnamon cake, dry reeds, and a twinge of spicy orange tobacco leaf mingle.
Finish: The end is pure silk thanks to that vanilla with an accent of chanterelles and stewed plums in a ginger/cinnamon/clove brown sugar syrup base.
Bottom Line:
This is the one Discovery Series to get from Bardstown (that’s not a bourbon). It’s goddamn delicious.
16. High West The Prisoner’s Share Batch A Blend of Straight Whiskeys
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $175
The Whiskey:
This is blended whiskey made from straight whiskeys (mostly ryes and bourbons) that are sent out to Utah for batching. Once blended, those whiskeys are then re-barreled into The Prisoner Red Blend wine barrels for a final, high-altitude rest. Finally, the barrels are batched, just kissed with water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a fruity nose that’s bright and tart with black currants, pomegranate, and sour cherry next to darker dried fruits — prunes, dates, figs — over fermented honey, gingerbread, and a hint of dried roses and maybe some cherry blossom before cedar pops in.
Palate: The palate really leans into the honey and dark dried fruits before veering into apricot jams, scones, and dark orange slices that are damn near juicy with a hint of black pepper.
Finish: The end has a coconut cream pie vibe that’s countered by oaky tobacco with a twinge of burnt orange.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lot of talk about High West’s Midwinter Rye and deservedly so — it’s a great pour. But I’m going to throw down that this is their best expression. This is straight-up delicious whiskey.
15. Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Islay Cask Straight Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
This organic wheat whiskey from up in Washinton has a pretty unique finish. The juice is made from 100% USDA organic soft white wheat pulled in from local Washington farms. The spirit then spends around two years mellowing in oak before it’s re-barreled into oak from Islay which held peaty whisky for 10 to 12 years. After around 10 months of finishing, the whiskey is vatted, proofed with local water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of soft and damp nori next to a whiff of beach campfire smoke made from driftwood underneath a metal grill that’s searing pineapple and tart apples with a hint of white pepper and vanilla bean.
Palate: The palate layers in more of the driftwood campfire smoke with a savory sea salt edge leading toward smoked pork belly fat and maybe a hint of smoked salmon belly too next to a touch of old boot leather.
Finish: The finish veers towards a sweet and smoked toffee candy with hints of maple syrup next to dark chocolate sauce flaked with more sea salt and just kissed with that driftwood smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is a whiskey education in a glass. If you’re looking to expand your palate, try this whiskey ASAP.
14. Balcones Big Baby Bottled In Bond Straight Corn Whiskey Matured in Tequila Casks
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
This Texas whiskey is one of the most interesting releases of 2022. The juice is made from 100% roasted blue corn from New Mexico. That mash is pot distilled before going into used tequila barrels for a five-year rest. After maturation, the barrels are vatted and proofed down to 100 proof per bottled-in-bond law and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a lovely balance of fresh and bright Key lime pie next to freshly cracked black and red peppercorns with dry corn cobs, grapefruit pith, and a dash of old dry cedar bark intertwined with orange-laced tobacco leaves and black tea.
Palate: The palate leans into dry chili spice with a hint of sea salt next to honeydew melon skins, vanilla wafers, and a burst of apple Jolly Rancher that leans toward Martinelli Apple Cider cut with cream soda.
Finish: The end kicks up the melon vibe with a watermelon candy vibe before layers of dry sweetgrass, cedar bark, lime leaves, and vanilla tobacco finish the sip on a dry yet bright note.
Bottom Line:
Corn and tequila just go together. We all know that. That aside, this is a great sipper that delivers serious flavor notes that just kind of keep going. If you’re having. a Mexican feast, this is an essential pour to have on hand.
13. Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 2nd Edition Kentucky Straight Corn Whiskey Aged 20 Years
ABV: 57.5%
Average Price: $289
The Whiskey:
The 2nd edition of Heaven Hill’s Heritage Collection asks what budget brand Mellow Corn would taste like when left alone for 20 years and treated like an elite whiskey. The results from the mash of 80% corn, 12% malted barley, and 8% rye ended up in 110 barrels back in October 2002. After 20 long years in Heaven Hill’s famed Rickhouse 1K, they were batched and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a mix of sweet white grits cut with salted caramel and old oak on the nose next to a slight nuttiness with a hint of sweetgrass dipped in Caro Syrup.
Palate: That dry grassy nature continues on the palate as burnt orange and dry nuts balance out next to sweet dry white hominy and a hint of vanilla pods.
Finish: The end leans into the burnt orange and nuttiness with a creamy edge and a mild sense of powdered winter spices.
Bottom Line:
Try the Mellow Corn above. Then try this. You’ll be blown away by what that whiskey turns into after two decades of mellowing in Bardstown, Kentucky. This is a rich and rewarding tasting experience that’s truly one-of-a-kind.
12. Chattanooga Whiskey Founder’s 11th Anniversary Blend A Blend of Straight Whiskeys
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This very limited edition whiskey is made from a blend of Chattanooga’s own whiskey blended with classic whiskey from MGP of Indiana. All the barrels are over two years old (young by a lot of people’s “standards”) and barrelled in toasted and charred oak. Those barrels were batched (using nine to 11 barrels at a time) and that whiskey was then added to Chattanooga’s solera vat (where whiskey is always added before the old wooden vat it’s fully emptied). That whiskey was then lightly proofed and bottled as-is otherwise.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark chocolate and nutty holiday cakes dance on the palate with a sense of spiced plum jam next to soft vanilla pudding that slowly morphs into fancy cream soda.
Palate: A hint of waffle cone and walnut salted caramel ice cream drives the palate a soft sense of oak and holiday spice barks with a hint of stewed apple/pear in the background.
Finish: The orchard fruit layers into spiced chewy tobacco with a sense of plumminess that’s part holiday cake and part creamy pudding.
Bottom Line:
Delicious. Buy it. Drink it.
11. Bardstown Bourbon Company Fercullen Blended Whiskey
ABV: 57.2%
Average Price: $199
The Whiskey:
This Kentuck whiskey is a blend of America and Ireland and it rocks. The blend is made from 36% 17-year-old Tennessee whiskey (84/8/8 corn/rye/malted barley mash), 24% 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon (75/13/12 corn/rye/malted barley mash), 20% 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon (78/10/12 corn/rye/malted barley mash), and 20% 21-year-old Irish single malt (100% malted barley) from Powerscourt Distillery in Wicklow. Those whiskeys are vatted and bottled in Bardstown as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The Irish whiskey just comes through on the nose with a sense of nutty honey clusters with soft malted vanilla wafers next to rich and salted toffee, black cherry, and burnt orange marzipan with a hint of pecan waffles and really good drip coffee.
Palate: The palate has a sense of malted oat cakes next to red pepper spice, blackberry pie, mocha frappuccinos, and stewed tart apples with plenty of winter spice — think star anise, cardamom, and nutmeg.
Finish: The end is full of sweet and sour mulled wine with a sense of sticky toffee pudding, mince pies, and caramel tobacco with a touch of peanut shell and pine box.
Bottom Line:
This is the best Irish-American whiskey that money can buy.
10. Parker’s Heritage Heavy Char Barrels Aged 11 Years Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 62%
Average Price: $999
The Whiskey:
2021’s Parker’s release is a wheat whiskey that’s small-batched from 75 barrels with a heavy char. The juice in those barrels is a mash of 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% barley. The whiskey was matured on the sixth floor of Rickhouse Y for 11 long years before batching and bottling as is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a honey sweetness that’s steeped in nutmeg and cinnamon sticks with a hint of ginger snap, peanut brittle, and a fair amount of that heavily charred oak bitterness.
Palate: The taste sweetens on the front of the palate as the honey turns to a rummy dark syrup vibe and then the midpalate kicks in with a buttery vanilla touch next to spicy tobacco notes and a fleeting hint of candied cherry on the very backend.
Finish: The finish does warm considerably with that Kentucky hug next to an almost espresso oil bitterness from the char and a slight inch towards a dry apple cider with a hint of cinnamon tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is the same juice as Bernheim Wheat Whiskey (above) that just hit higher marks. This is excellent wheat whiskey and a quintessential example of the style.
9. Shenk’s Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey 2022 Edition
ABV: 45.6%
Average Price: $260
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is made with a fair amount of rye whiskey over a bit of bourbon whiskey in a traditional sour mash style. 2022’s release varied mildly in that some of those whiskeys in the blend were aged in specially made toasted French oak that spent 24 months seasoning before they were made. The barrels were all vatted and bottled with just a touch of Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft leather, burnt orange, spiced Christmas cake, fresh vanilla beans, sultanas, and a hint of fresh firewood round out the nose with a hint of almost sweet oak char.
Palate: The palate has a nice sweet spiciness, like a box of Hot Tamales next to allspice and orange with raisins, nutmeg, and a whisper of espresso bean sneaking in late.
Finish: The end marries the orange oils to soft cedar notes with a woody spiciness next to soft notes of sweet cinnamon, stewed plums, minced meat pies, and brandied cherries layered into chewy tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is a secret Michter’s and a special version of their Sour Mash. We already know those are delicious, so you can be assured that this is too. Real talk, this might be the best overall neat pour on the list.
8. Rare Character The Exceptional Series Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey Aged 14 Years and 5 Months
ABV: 68.79%
Average Price: $199
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Rare Character was distilled back in May 2008. 14 years later, in December 2022, the single barrel was bottled and released into the wild. The whiskey in the bottle was made from a mash of 65% malt and 35% corn, creating a signature “Kentuck Straight Malt Whiskey,” which is only just becoming a thing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a distinct sense of stewed fatty meats in dried chilis, clove buds, cinnamon bark, peppercorns, bay leaves, whole cumin, turmeric, and sweet garlic all wrapped up in a banana leaf next to sharp cherry root beer with a soft vanilla white cake countering everything and a sense of salted caramel candied dipped in dark chocolate and dusted with the faintest whisper of dried lavender pedals.
Palate: The palate pops with a sense of cinnamon bark, juniper berries, and whole Tellicherry black peppercorns next to moist fruit cakes soaked in brandy and brimming with dried fruits, candied citrus, and almost black dark spices.
Finish: The end lingers for a while hitting wet leather gloves, old tobacco pipes, wet braids of cedar bark, wild sage, and wicker, and a sense of fallow apple orchards in the winter.
Bottom Line:
These Kentucky Malt releases from Rare Character are dynamic, bold, and delectable. This is truly next-level whiskey that’ll challenge your palate and perception of American whiskey.
7. Little Book Chapter 6: “To The Finish”
ABV: 58.725%
Average Price: $125
The Whiskey:
2022’s Little Book is another masterpiece from Beam’s Master Distiller, Freddie Noe. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished with cherrywood staves, four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished in applewood smoked barrels, four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished in hickory smoked barrels, four-year-old straight malt whiskey finished with maplewood staves, and Beam’s classic five-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon, making this a kind of single malt/bourbon hybrid. The juice was bottled after blending with no filtering or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This blend was built to celebrate grilling meats in the backyard and that’s evident from the nose as hints of smokey orchard woods pop first. Next, the nose reveals hints of sour cherry, tart apple cores, and bright orange zest with a smidge of smoked plum in the background with a dash of winter spice and maybe some oatmeal cookie dough.
Palate: The palate kicks in with a mix of winter spices and dry green herbs (a hint of sage?) next to lightly smoked sweet cherry wood and some dry hickory that leads to a hint of cherry root beer.
Finish: That cherry layers into a dry tobacco leaf with a thin line of dark chocolate and some rum-raisin as the finish veers toward orchard wood with smoked apricot and a twinge of salted vanilla cream lurking underneath it all.
Bottom Line:
This is another tasty sipper. It’s also a testament to how far Kentucky single malt has come and how well it blends with classic bourbon. Take your time with this one, it’ll reward you.
6. Whiskey War Double Double Oaked A Blend of Straight Whiskeys
ABV: 56.75%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This Ohio whiskey is hewn from a rye-heavy mash bill. That spicy juice is then rested in new American oak for a spell before being vatted and re-barreled into another brand-new American oak barrel, all adding up to five years of mellowing. Those barrels are then batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sweet sense of salted caramel on the nose that gives way to dried chili pepper, old wet leather sheets, pink peppercorns, and a hint of burnt orange rinds over cider-soaked cinnamon bark and raw waffle batter with a whisper of pecan.
Palate: The palate hits that burnt orange and caramel note harder as minor keys of winter spice, fruit cake, and rum raisin darken the taste.
Finish: The end has a sense of pitchy firewood and sweet oak next to smudging sage and spearmint-chocolate tobacco just dusted with lemon pepper from the 90s.
Bottom Line:
This is a big award-circuit darling. And with good reason, it’s one of the best blended whiskeys on the shelf today. Over ice, neat, in a cocktail — you can’t go wrong.
5. Barrell Gold Label Dovetail
ABV: 70.09%
Average Price: $499
The Whiskey:
This ultimate edition of Barrell Craft Spirit’s beloved Dovetail Whiskey feels genre-defining. The whiskey in the blend is made from Indiana, Tennesee, and Canadian whiskeys that are up to 25 years old that were finished in rum, port, and Dunn Vineyards Cabernet wine barrels. Finally, those barrels are batched and bottled 100% as-is in Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of tart red currants and old red wine barrels with a sharp grapefruit pith balancing things out before spearmint and raspberry jam lean the nose toward creamy and sour espresso with a hint of root beer cut with cherry syrup.
Palate: The palate leans into orange and lime leaves with a twinge of strawberry and rhubarb next to sage, mint, and parsley tied up with pine resin burned to toast marshmallows.
Finish: The end has a ginger vibe with a touch of spicy rum, cran-apple cider, wet wicker, old boots, and grilled pineapple drizzled with rummy toffee.
Bottom Line:
If you’re into the Dovetail above, buckle up. This takes that whiskey to massive new heights. This is another whiskey that needs time but will reward you with a galaxy full of flavors.
4. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Foursquare Blend of Straight Whiskies Finished in Foursquare Rum Barrels
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $159
The Whiskey:
This is a much-sought-after blend from Kentucky darling Bardstown Bourbon Company. The blend in this case is a mix of seven-year-old Indiana straight rye with a mash bill of 51% rye, 45% corn, and 4% malted barley blended with a 17-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon with a mash bill of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. Once those barrels are batched, the whiskey is re-barreled in Foursquare rum barrels for an additional 23-month rest.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Woody banana and rich marzipan pop on the nose with a deep and sharp clove, anise, and cinnamon vibe next to peanut butter clusters dusted with toasted coconut, burnt orange zest, and sea salt with this whisper of rum-soaked raisins and old oak in the background.
Palate: The rye funkiness drives the rummy oak tannins towards a soft sticky toffee pudding with rich toffee, mild vanilla oils, and a sense of spiced mincemeat pie.
Finish: The finish is lush and silken with a sense of fresh and warm vanilla pods over warm grog with a handful of dark and woody winter spices countered by luxurious and buttery salted caramel with a fleeting hint of smoldering marshmallow.
Bottom Line:
This is arguably one of the best rum-finished American whiskeys of all time. It’s just freaking great.
3. Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $225
The Whiskey:
This 2022 Master Keep release is a whiskey born from a crew member accidentally adding some young rye into old bourbon in the batching tank. Everything came to a screeching halt. Once the whiskey was tasted, though, Eddie Rusell realized they had a happy accident on their hands, and their first blend of rye and bourbon was born. Today, this blend is a mix of eight and nine-year-old rye with 13-year-old bourbon that’s then finished in a used rye barrel in Turkey’s pre-Prohibition Rickhouse B.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The whiskey opens with a lush and vibrant fruit orchard full of bright and ripe oranges, tart apples, and sweet peaches next to roasted almonds, salted caramel, and creamed honey with a touch of hickory and pine.
Palate: There’s a sense of that salted caramel sweetness on the palate that leads to mince meat pies dusted in powdered sugar and nutmeg with a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, old oak staves, and dried sage, and maybe some spearmint.
Finish: The end has a dried apricot and prunes vibe next to floral honey cut with orange oils, a twinge of marzipan, and more of that bitter dark chocolate tied to pipe tobacco, cedar boxes, and old pepper mills that are more woody than spicy.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent example of Kentucky straight bourbon and rye working together perfectly. It makes me long for more whiskeys like it. It’s pretty much a perfect sipper. It also makes a phenomenal Manhattan.
2. The Last Drop Signature Blend No. 28 A Blend Of Kentucky Straight Whiskeys
ABV: 60.7%
Average Price: $3,999
The Whiskey:
This blend is from Buffalo Trace’s Master Blender Drew Mayville, who’s been at the distillery since 2004. Mayville created this blend by sampling bourbons and ryes from the rarest and sometimes oldest barrels of whiskey in Buffalo Trace’s vast and numerous warehouses. While the exact details of the final blend are unknown, we do that the whiskeys in this blend are some of the rarest that the distillery had on its ricks. And since it is a blend of bourbon and rye whiskey, this is technically a “blended straight whiskey.”
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose deepens into sticky toffee pudding, old dried-up figs, black-tea-soaked dates, burnt orange, cinnamon sticks, dried ancho chilis, firewood pitch, and a creamy underbelly of vanilla and toffee.
Palate: The palate warms with an ABV buzz that leads to soft vanilla cream with tart but dark berries floating next to orange zest and salted caramel. There’s a sense of old boot leather and Kiwi boot cream next to waxy cacao nibs, cherry cream soda, pecan and dark chocolate clusters, pistachios, and roasted root veg — think caramelized parsnips and carrots next to a Yorkshire pudding.
Finish: The end becomes a luxuriously soft and creamy sip of stewed black cherries with anise and clove next to holly bushes and fir needles with a little bunch of spices — cinnamon sticks, star anise, dried rose, a stick of pine, dried orange peel — tied with an old waxy piece of twine.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the craziest sipping whiskeys out there. The profile is so deep and delicious that it leaves you kind of baffled. There are few whiskeys (of any style) better than this.
1. Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey 2022
ABV: 56.4%
Average Price: $13,499
The Whiskey:
The fourth ever Michter’s Celebration release — and the first one since 2019 — was released in February 2023 after a slight delay. This American whiskey is a collaboration between Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. The duo chose seven whiskey barrels for this special blend that ranged from 12 to 30+ years old. Those barrels were batched and bottled without any cutting with water, creating only 328 bottles for the whole world.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose subtly opens with a sense of dark chocolate cut with brown butter, Saigon cinnamon bark, and a light note of crème brûlée made with just a drop of cognac and a hint of old champagne cellars.
Palate: That boozy vanilla opens the luxurious palate toward a dusting of winter spices — clove, anise, nutmeg — next to stewed peached and burnt orange over singed marshmallows, old smoldering hickory, and orchards full of falling leaves next to whisper of creamy black cherry and candied pecans.
Finish: Those pecans meld with woody maple syrup, more cinnamon bark, orange-studded cloves, and a sense of bushels of orchard fruits mixed with nuts and dried fruits in an old wooden basket and wrapped with thick old twine and leather next to a spiced chocolate-cherry tobacco leaf dropped in the middle of it all.
Bottom Line:
While the Last Drop above might be deeper, this is more accessible. From nose to finish, this whiskey delivers deep and delicious notes that feel comforting and nostalgic while never compromising its character. It’s a masterpiece.