I get asked all the time, “What’s the best whiskey in (insert state name here) that you’ve ever tried?” It’s a tough question to answer because, folks, there’s just so much out there. None of us can get to it all. That said, I get to a whole lot more than most in my job as a critic, awards judge, and bourbon presenter.
Today, I’m going to do my best to answer that question by naming the best whiskey that I’ve ever tasted from each of the 50 United States. But before we dive into this mammoth list of whiskeys, let’s put up some guardrails. They are as follows:
- The vast majority of these whiskeys are hyper-regional and will not be available nationwide. That’s kind of the whole point.
- New and small whiskey scenes — think Hawai’i, Nebraska, New Hampshire, etc. — aren’t going to have bottles that even begin to compete with Kentucky, Indiana, or Tennessee. But that’s not the point either. This is about the best of what exists right now, sometimes in places where whiskey isn’t that big (and may never be).
- Price isn’t a consideration. There are $30 bottles on this list next to $10,000 bottles. Some whiskey regions aren’t big or old enough to warrant high prices. Some (like Kentucky) obviously are.
- Yes, I’m biting the bullet and picking only one whiskey from Kentucky even though I can easily list 100 you should try.
- This is the best of what I have tasted. As I said, I’m lucky enough to taste a lot (I’m already well over 2,000 pours this year). But even I have blind spots. There could be local whiskeys that are so new (or so small) that I haven’t even heard of them yet.
- Perhaps most importantly, each of these whiskeys must be made with whiskey produced in their home state. That means a local bottler using MGP of Indiana juice in, say, Kansas, Nevada, or California will not qualify as a Kansas, Nevada, or California whiskey even if the brand is marketed as one. The whiskeys on this list have to be fermented, distilled, and aged in their home state. I am making an exception for whiskeys with partial out-of-state whiskey in a blend. Still, this rule removes a massive swath of blender-created bottles from the mix.
That’s as specific as I can make a list like this so… let’s dive right in!
- The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons On The Market, Blind Tasted And Ranked
- The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons Under $100, Blind Tasted And Ranked
- The 100 Best Bourbons Of 2023 (So Far), Ranked
- The Best Bourbons Under $100 For Thanksgiving Dinner, Ranked
- The Best Mainstream Bourbons Under $40, Blind Tasted And Ranked
Alabama — Dettling Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 55.4% (Varies)
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
This Alabama whiskey is all about that grain-to-glass experience. What really stands out, though, is that this whiskey aged for only four years yet has a deep profile. The whiskey takes on a dark hew thanks to it being stored at the top of the rickhouse in hot and balmy Alabama. The results are bottled from a single one of those barrels without any cutting or fussing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this one starts with cornbread that’s been baked in lard in a cast-iron skillet with an almost burnt crust, plenty of salted butter, and a dollop of honey that’s been cut with orange oils.
Palate: The palate takes that cornbread, crumbles it up, and mixes in fresh cracked Tellicherry black peppercorns, dried roses, a touch of cedar, and a mild echo of orange-laced tobacco leaves.
Finish: Finally, the sip layers in a wintry spice combo that leans toward cinnamon sticks soaked in mulled wine and apple cider that leads towards a soft finish with a dried mint that’s… almost menthol tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Dettling is working hard to put Alabama on the bourbon map. They have some big advantages thanks to the warm and humid weather accelerating the aging process dramatically so expect to see more masterpieces like this bottle sooner rather than later.
Alaska — Port Chilkoot Wrack Line Rye A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
This 70% Alaskan rye focuses on organic grains, double distilling, and aging for four years in newly charred American oak. Those barrels expand and contract during warm summers and pause during severe Alaskan winters before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a brightness to the spice on the nose, kind of like peaches stewed in cinnamon and nutmeg with plenty of syrup.
Palate: The palate is light yet full of floral notes, oaky vanilla, and peppery rye spices.
Finish: That line of stonefruit sweetness comes in late which leads to a spicy warm finish.
Bottom Line:
Alaska is a fickle beast when it comes to aging whiskey, so finding anything aged from “The Last Frontier” is going to be very rare. Port Chilkoot is doing it right and producing a great mixing whiskey that pairs wonderfully with a basket of fish and chips.
Arizona — Del Bac Arizona Single Malt Normandie Finished in French Calvados Casks
ABV: 48.5%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
This yearly limited release is a Whiskey Del Bac Classic. The unpeated Arizona malt is pot distilled and then the juice ages in new American oak for a few years under the hot AZ sun. Those barrels are then batched and the whiskey is re-barrelled into ex-Calvados (French apple brandy) barrels for a final rest.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Salted caramel apples dance with sour cherry dipped in dark chocolate on the nose before a deep and rich dulce de leche with a light airiness arrives with hints of chili pepper-laced hot chocolate.
Palate: Freshly grated orange zest and more of that spiced hot chocolate drive the palate toward rich toffee with a touch of pear and maybe some peach.
Finish: Apricot jam and marmalade drive the finish toward more salted caramel apples and dark chocolate brandied cherry with a lush vanilla backbone.
Bottom Line:
This is just really nice sipping malt and a great example of the excellent work Del Bac is doing down in Arizona.
Arkansas — Rock Town Single Barrel Cask Strength Arkansas Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: Varies
Average Price: $72
The Whiskey:
Rock Town is all about using Arkansas ingredients to make Arkansas whiskey. The mash is made with local corn and wheat that’s grown right outside of Little Rock (82% corn, 95 wheat, and 8% malted barley). Every step of the process happens on site from the milling of the grains to the aging of the juice. After four years, barrels are hand-selected for single-barrel bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a hint of minerality on the nose next to fresh honey, dark cherries, peaches, pie crust, and a touch of maple syrup.
Palate: The palate has a sense of tangerine next to bran muffins with a whisper of green grass and vanilla wafers.
Finish: The end is full of soft toffee and mild woody spiciness with a clear vanilla-orange foundation.
Bottom Line:
Rock Town is putting Arkansas on the bourbon map with easy-sipping bourbon like this one. This also works really well as a cocktail mixer.
California — Old Potrero Single Barrel Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 65.16%
Average Price: $86
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is a bit of a throwback with a West Coast vibe. The juice is 100 percent rye whiskey made at Hotaling & Co. in Potrero Hill, one of San Francisco’s most iconic spots for booze. As of this year, the spirit is being distilled on the waterfront in San Francisco but still carries that Anchor Brewing heritage. With that move, the bottle also got a brand new design that leans into San Francisco’s sea-faring history.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Molasses heavy bran muffins mingle with dry cinnamon sticks, Granny Smith apple skins, and Red Hots next to rum-raisin and a twinge of an old oak stave and craft grain porridge with a caramelized edge.
Palate: The palate leans into ginger snaps with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to vanilla pudding right out of the cup and a dry sense of cedar kindling.
Finish: The end holds onto the dry woodiness with a layer of salted caramel raisins, sweet porridge, and vanilla candy on the very end.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lot of great whiskey coming out of California right now. Old Potrero’s rye is the top of the heap in late 2023. This is an excellent sipping rye that makes a killer cocktail with a unique vibe that feels local.
Colorado — Stranahan’s Diamond Peak Colorado Single Malt Whiskey Extra Anejo Tequila Cask 2023
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $78
The Whisky:
The second Diamond Peak release of 2023 is a 100% Colorado malt. The whiskey barrels were five to eight years old (all-new American oak) that was batched and re-barrelled into Jose Cuervo’s Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo Tequila for two more years of resting. Finally, those barrels were batched, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This pops with a deep pink peppercorn next to floral honey (think wildflowers and mountain sage) next to soft salted toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped in lush vanilla caramel.
Palate: That wild sage and lush toffee drive the palate toward a sense of old cedar planks, deep and dark berry leather, and a lush sense of vanilla over salted caramel and marzipan.
Finish: That creamy and lush vibe drives the end with more salted caramel, marzipan, and vanilla cream with a hint of honey-soaked dates and salted cinnamon candies with a whisper of rose-hued tobacco.
Bottom Line:
It’s hard to pick a single bottle from Colorado (again, there’s just so much happening there with whiskey). Still, this single malt is a great example of pushing boundaries while creating amazingly sippable whiskey.
Connecticut — Litchfield Distillery 5-Year Double-Barreled Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
Litchfield is one of those local Connecticut craft distilleries that do a little bit of everything. Their Double-Barreled 5-year-old is a highwater mark of the operation. The juice is made from locally grown Connecticut grains. That whiskey is then aged for a few years. Finally, it’s proofed with local water and re-barreled to add an extra layer of woody depth to the bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The sip starts with an almost vinous note that goes into sweet caramel and spice.
Palate: There’s a clear vanilla essence through the woody oak.
Finish: The aged-grape flavors come in again with a slight sweetness before a warm, woody, and spicy finale.
Bottom Line:
Connecticut’s scene is small but bold. Litchfield is the place to start your journey, especially if you’re looking for a classic bourbon that makes a solid cocktail.
Delaware — Dogfish Head Let’s Get Lost American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $64
The Whiskey:
All whiskey starts off as beer so it makes a lot of sense when brewers start distilling. Industry darling, Dogfish Head, did just that with this expression. The base is 100% barley with a mix of Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Coffee Kiln Malt, and applewood smoke Malt. That mash is fermented with Dogfish Head’s own ale yeast before distillation, aging, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Orange and honey mingle with a salted nuttiness next to vanilla pudding and a touch of dry cherry tobacco.
Palate: The palate has a touch of that fruity yeast next to a slight chili-choco vibe that leads back to the tobacco with a cinnamon Red Hot edge.
Finish: The finish really leans into the dryness of the chili-chocolate’s bitter end — to the point of conjuring an espresso bean next to a touch of smoked cedar.
Bottom Line:
Thankfully, Dogfish Head started making whiskey, otherwise, this would have been a hard space to fill. Luckily, this is legitimately good sipping malt that’s worth the effort to track (especially if you’re a fan of the brand’s beer).
Florida — St. Augustine Distillery Port Finished Bourbon
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $80
The Whiskey:
This Floridian bourbon rests for three years in new American oak, giving it a classic base. Then the booze goes into port casks from San Sebastian Winery next door to the distillery for up to six months (depending on the Florida heat). The end result is a unique bourbon that’s both enticing and refined.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a touch of woodiness but the star of the show is the red berries that are both tart and sweet next to a dusting of winter spices.
Palate: Vanilla and hints of mint show up on the palate with white pepper, mild florals, and a little bit of ripe cherry.
Finish: The end leans into oak, dark chocolate bitterness, and a whisper of ripe red berries with a touch of clove.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lot happening in Florida but it’s still very stuck in sourcing out-of-state juice (for now). St. Augustine’s whiskey remains the best place to start your Floridian whiskey journey.
Georgia — Doc Holliday Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
ABV: 56%
Average Price: $184
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is distilled in Georgia from a mash of 80% corn, 10% malted corn, 5% rye, and 5% malted barley. The whiskey then rests for 10 long years in Georgia before batching, a touch of proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sour cherry and peach pie mix with classic oily vanilla pods, deep caramel, and soft cedar planks just touched with apricot and dates.
Palate: The sip is warm yet balanced with burnt orange, apricot jam, and soft marzipan next to black-tea-soaked dates, old figs, and brandy-stewed prunes all cut with Christmas spices and dipped in dark chocolate.
Finish: That chocolate takes on a Nutella vibe at the end with a nice mix of mincemeat pies and sticky toffee pudding.
Bottom Line:
Georgia is low-key becoming a hot spot for bourbon. You’re seeing the juice pop up in amazing blends from Bardstown Bourbon Company and Barrell Craft Spirits out in Kentucky, which is a huge seal of approval. So grab a bottle of this award-winning bourbon to see what all the fuss is about.
Hawai’i — Ko’olau Old Pali Road Whisky
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $75
The Whisky:
Ko’olau’s Old Pali Road is a special whiskey for the state. The spirit is made from local Hawaiian-grown corn and mineral water straight from a volcanic spring. Then the booze is aged for a short spell before being blended with five-year-old mainland whiskey to create a balanced pour.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of banana fruit and dried plums upfront on the nose with a layer of creamy winter spices.
Palate: Vanilla cookies and winter spice kick around on the palate with a light sense of banana bread and pineapple upside-down cake.
Finish: The end leans into the winter spice, vanilla, and banana with a very short finish.
Bottom Line:
Hawai’i’s distilling scene is still in its infancy so pickings are slim. This is the best you’re going to get for now. Brasstacks, this is very much a mixing whiskey.
Idaho — Grand Teton Private Stock Straight Corn Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $80
The Whisky:
This high-altitude whiskey is made with 100 percent 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 pretty damn good corn whiskey that’s worth checking out the next time you’re hitting up Idaho’s Rocky Mountains.
Illinois — FEW Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
This expression from Illinois’ FEW Spirits marks the 125th anniversary of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is made from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley. That whiskey spends four years resting before it’s proofed down to 100 proof and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of vanilla cream pie with an extra thick vanilla pudding next to dry cedar bark with a touch of white moss, a touch of black licorice, and a hint of barrel smoke.
Palate: The palate leans into cherry bark with a light cherry tobacco spiciness that melds with the vanilla pudding, a pan of fresh sticky buns with plenty of cinnamon and walnuts, and a hint of black pepper and more of that dry cedar bark.
Finish: The finish has a bit of an oatmeal cookie vibe that leads back to the spicy cherry tobacco and white moss.
Bottom Line:
FEW remains the whiskey to drink if you’re in Illinois. Their Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a great all-around pour that works over some rocks or in any whiskey-forward cocktail.
Indiana — Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $62
The Whiskey:
This new release from Huber Farm’s Starlight Distillery (the distillery to know if you’re in the know) is made from their high-corn mash with a sweet mash method (each batch is fresh) in their old copper pot still. The whiskey is barreled in Canton barrels and left to age on the farm for four years before it’s batched (only 20 barrels) and proofed down to 100 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with dark stewed cherries and spiced prune compote next to cinnamon waffles with a hint of maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.
Palate: The palate is pure silk with notes of Cherry Coke next to clove-studded oranges dipped in dark chocolate with a flake of salt with whispers of apple fritters, eggnog spices, and singed cherry bark with maybe a hint of apple wood in the background.
Finish: The end has a subtle warmth thanks to wintry mulled wine spices that lead to fresh pipe tobacco kissed with dates and chocolate and packed into an old cedar box for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
Starlight Distillery is the most important distillery working in Indiana today (besides MGP naturally). The small family-run operation is producing some of the best bourbons and ryes full stop, and this is the best place to start your Starlight journey.
Iowa — Cedar Ridge Distillery The QuintEssential American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $59
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is all about a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made with 100% 2-Row Pale Malted Barley (the same stuff used in some of the biggest craft beers) from up in Saskatchewan. The whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed term. That whiskey is then finished in a combination of brandy, rum, wine, port, and sherry barrels before it’s vatted. The whiskey’s blend is then made using the solera method — where the vat is never fully emptied before the next barrel is added.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is immediately full of bright fruit with a peach and pear vibe that leans into a malty banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut next to a touch of Almond Joy (but the good ones from a high-end shop).
Palate: The palate is soft and subtle with hints of spiced malted gingersnaps, light cream soda vibes (maybe a light sasparilla), and a mellow and creamy base of chocolate that’s not dark but not milky either.
Finish: The mid-palate has a nice sweetness that’s slightly apple adjacent with an apricot hint that mellows into a final note of chewy toffees with rum-raisin lurking on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
Not only is the best whiskey coming out of Iowa, it’s one of the best American single malts in the game. This is a great sipper.
Kansas — Union Horse Distilling Co. Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $24
The Whiskey:
This Kansas whiskey is a neo-classic sour mash recipe of just corn and rye (no barley). The whiskey is distilled on copper pot stills before aging for over five years in Kansas’ rolling green hills and harsh winters. The final batch is touched with local water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hint of butterscotch and old oak pop on the nose with a dash of maple syrup and vanilla-forward pancakes with margarine (it weirdly works).
Palate: There’s a light nuttiness on the palate that’s akin to peanut shells that turn into a buttery peanut brittle on the palate before vanilla and cinnamon hot chocolate pop up.
Finish: That butterscotch comes back in full force on the end with more peanut and maybe some walnut shell with a hint of milk chocolate powder and vanilla pudding cups.
Bottom Line:
Union Horse is putting Kansas on the map as a contender in the bourbon and rye whiskey world (kind of for the first time). Start with this easy-going bottle and then go deeper into the brand’s wide range of whiskeys.
Kentucky — Eagle Rare 25 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $22,999
The Whiskey:
Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon is made from Mash Bill #1 at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. That’s their low-rye mash bill, and that’s all that’s known about the juice. That whiskey was then left to rest for nearly two decades in a warehouse before being moved into Buffalo Trace’s new state-of-the-art Warehouse P facility. When the whiskey hit 25 years old, something magical happened to the barrel and it was ready for bottling.
The single barrel was proofed down to Eagle Rare’s 101-proof and otherwise bottled as-is, yielding only 200 bottles. The bottle is also a collectible with a hand-hammered sterling silver eagle wing wrapped around a hand-blown crystal decanter. That striking bottle comes in a custom display box that opens like an eagle’s wings.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose hints at old oak staves resting in a musty warehouse before veering toward stewed cherries with hints of clove and nutmeg next to salted dark chocolate shavings and rich powdered sugar icing cut with bourbon vanilla and light pipe tobacco essences with a whisper of fall leaves and orchard barks.
Palate: The rich vanilla gets buttery and creamy with an almost eggnog vibe thanks to the spice on the lush palate has dried cranberry, brandy-soaked cherry, and dried figs lead to rich toffee rolled in dark chocolate and anise before getting cut with a touch of earthy tobacco pulled from fresh black dirt.
Finish: The finish hugs you gently with warmth tied to winter spice barks soaked in apple cider cut with black cherry as the dirt takes on a warehouse must with gently sweet oak staves mingle with a whisper of whole black pepper and clove buds over creamy dark orange spice cake.
Bottom Line:
This was a hard choice. There’s just so much great whiskey coming out of Kentucky right now. But this whiskey feels as important as it is delicious. Buffalo Trace has really done something special with this one.
Louisiana — LA1 Louisiana Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $61
The Whiskey:
Donner-Peltier Distillers out in Thibodaux has been distilling and aging award-winning whiskey for years now. The spirit is a unique one that incorporates locally grown rice into the mash bill alongside the classic ingredients of corn, rye, and barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a clear sweetness from the rice that accents the corn leading to classic hints of caramel and orchard fruit with a woody base.
Palate: A funky rye note comes in with an almost pumpernickel essence on the palate followed by a brown sugary sweet winter spiciness.
Finish: The finish is bold and brings the peppery rye spice with notes of oaky vanilla next to buttery toasted rye bread and hints of deeply roasted cacao nibs.
Bottom Line:
Louisiana isn’t on the whiskey map just yet but this whiskey is helping open the doors. Check it out if you’re drinking in New Orleans and looking for a solid cocktail base.
Maine — Fifty Stone Single Malt Highland Style Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
This is a Scottish-style single malt made in Portland, Maine. The distillers take 100% locally grown barley and malt it with locally sourced peat and seaweed. This imbues a clear and unique smokiness you won’t find in any other single malt.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This one opens up with a clear sense of the barley via a warm scone covered in salty butter and honey before a very subtle smoked orchard fruit vibe comes in.
Palate: There’s a briny nature — like you’re about to enjoy a crab boil off a campfire right on the beach — that dominates the palate with smoked orchard fruits and even smoked honey.
Finish: Finally, you do sense the sea spray through the smokiness on the finish alongside the honey with salty butter and a faint whisper of smoked salmon chowder.
Bottom Line:
This is a lovely peated malt that leans into seaside vibes. It’s perfect for pairing with a seafood feast.
Maryland — Sagamore Spirit Reserve Series 8-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey
ABV: 55.7%
Average Price: $86
The Whiskey:
This newest spring reserve release from Sagamore Spirit is an eight-year-old rye made from locally grown Maryland grains. The whiskey was batched and bottled as-is to highlight the deep maritime aging in Maryland.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with dried cherries dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with ground clove and allspice and then dipped in old vanilla syrup made with burnt pods and orange peels.
Palate: A soft cherry sweetness plays with a classic winter spice mix — think cinnamon sticks, anise, clove, orange rind, holly — next to ginger rock candy, peanut butter cookies, and a hint of rum-raisin.
Finish: That sweet/rummy-dried fruit drives the finish toward clove-laced plum jam, peanut brittle, vanilla oils, and a whisper of pine resin layered into rum-raisin tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Maryland’s best whiskey is made at Sagamore. Sip it, mix it, pour it over some rocks — you’ll be in for a treat either way.
Massachusetts — Triple Eight Distillery The Notch Nantucket Island Single Malt Whisky 15 Years Old
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $569
The Whiskey:
Like many of the single malts on this list, this hinges on the quality of the beer brewed as the base. They use the much-coveted Maris Otter barley that’s processed on-site at the brewery before being sent to the distillery to start this whisky. The hot juice is then barreled and stored next to the sea. This expression is a blend of whiskies aged in former sherry barrels, Cognac barrels, wine casks, and Sauternes barrels (a sweet French wine).
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Ripe, dried, and stewed red and black berries mingle with rich marzipan and very dark salted chocolate with a creamy base, a whisper of chili pepper, and a twinge of clove before a subtle layer of old hay bales and what feels like … summer on a farm … kicks in. It’s almost an ineffable feeling that arises from the nose of this whiskey.
Palate: Dark and woody spice barks arrive after a sense of old vanilla and nougat wafers but before dried dark berries take on a hint of tartness and almost espresso bitterness with a creamed vibe.
Finish: That creamy espresso leads back to the salted chocolate with a faint whisper of red chili pepper, cinnamon bark, and fresh allspice next to luxuriously creamy honey and berry cake.
Bottom Line:
This is arguably the best single malt in the U.S. It’s a great neat pour that delivers a truly deep profile.
Michigan — 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 amount 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, eggnog creaminess and nutmeg, 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 and plums mingle with clove, anise, and cinnamon bark.
Finish: Next, oily vanilla pods arrive with a whisper of old leather and tobacco wrapped in dry sweetgrass on the warm and buzzing finish.
Bottom Line:
Michigan is another spot that’s blowing up with good whiskey and Journeyman is leading the pack. This is a solid sipper that also works wonders in a cocktail, making it a great table whiskey to have on your bar cart.
Minnesota — Heaven’s Door Cask Strength “Homesick Blues” Minnesota Wheated Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 61.35%
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
This whiskey from Bob Dylan’s brand celebrates the singer’s home, Minnesota. The whiskey is a Minnesota bourbon made with Minnesota grains and distilled in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The massive temperature swings — up to 116F in the summer and -80F in the winter — make for a very unique aging experience. Still, this whiskey was ready after seven years of rest and bottled in a small batch as cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamed honey and salted caramel draw you in on the nose with a sense of prunes and dates mixed with rum raisin and brandy-soaked pears kissed with rich vanilla and freshly ground nutmeg.
Palate: That creamy vibe remains on the palate as creamy vanilla buttercream cut with equally creamy honey dances with soft sweetgrass and smudging sage next to a hint of old oak staves soaked in brandy and just touched with old cellars.
Finish: The musty old cellar vibe accents the sweetgrass and sage with rich pipe tobacco laced with marmalade and brandied pears before the lush vanilla takes back over on the very end.
Bottom Line:
Heaven’s Door has a penchant for releasing superb limited editions and this is no different. This whiskey is a wheated bourbon superlative. Sip it neat and enjoy the long and lush ride.
Mississippi — Cathead Old Soul Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
This is a blend of two bourbons. The base is a five-year-old high-rye mash bill bourbon from MGP. That juice is cut with a four-year-old bourbon distilled in Mississippi that also has a high-rye mash bill. Once batched, the juice is proofed with local water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with classic bourbon notes of caramel, vanilla, cherry, and oak before veering toward old leather and a faint hint of grilled tropical fruits.
Palate: The palate leans into that old leather with a faint wisp of pipe tobacco, Cherry Coke, and spicy gingerbread cake.
Finish: The cherry becomes leathery by the end with cinnamon bark and clove buds next to vanilla cream and a light sense of wood.
Bottom Line:
Mississippi is another state that’s only just starting to make a mark on the whiskey map. Mix with this one.
Missouri — Still 360 Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $52
The Whiskey:
“Missouri” straight bourbon has to be made with corn grown in Missouri only while also being fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled in the state. The juice from Still 360 has a pretty standard mash of corn, rye, and barley all things considered. In this case, the barrels are five years old before they go into the bottle only slightly cut with local water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is like opening a can of creamed corn that leads towards a vanilla husk, cherry tobacco, and a note of egg nog spice.
Palate: Those cherries carry through to the palate with a sense of brandy-soaked cherries dipped in dark chocolate next to a spicy tobacco leaf and a touch of butterscotch hard candy.
Finish: The tobacco leaf drives the dry-yet-warming finish through dried cherry, soft vanilla husks, and a twinge more butterscotch.
Bottom Line:
Missouri is one of the states to watch as the American whiskey boom heads toward the 2030s. There’s a lot of great stuff happening thanks to the massive craft brewing scene already there.
Montana — Glacier Distilling North Fork Rye Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $38
The Whiskey:
North Fork Rye won gold at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which helped put it on the map. The whiskey uses a mellow mash of rye and corn, charred American white oak aging, and local water for proofing to create a wonderfully balanced and easily drinkable sip.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The sweetness from the corn meets you upfront on the nose with a salted caramel creaminess, a touch of cherry vanilla, and dry sweetgrass.
Palate: The taste opens with a clear sense of oaky vanilla and mild caramel that’s cut by a mellow rye peppery nature and smudging sage.
Finish: Hints of orchard fruits and whispers of the corn marry that rye spice to propel the finish towards sweetgrass and peppery end.
Bottom Line:
There isn’t a whole lot happening in Montana with distilling but what is happening tends to be solid. Case in point, this local rye whiskey is a good table whiskey if you’re looking for something local before a trip into the mountains.
Nebraska — Cooper’s Chase Bourbon American Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $25
The Whiskey:
This is one of the few craft bourbons coming out of Nebraska these days. The juice is a bit of a sphinx though, the distiller doesn’t publish the mash bill or aging process besides that it’s all done in-house in Nebraska.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has a classic mix of vanilla, caramel, and spice with a slight oaky edge.
Palate: The palate delivers on that while adding in apple cores, cinnamon tobacco, and a touch of buttery toffee.
Finish: The end is short and sweet with a slight mineral water vibe cutting through the warmer end of the sip.
Bottom Line:
Nebraska has a very small distilling scene. So this is the best of what you’ll find when you’re in the Cornhusker State.
Nevada — Frey Ranch Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey Farm Strength Uncut
ABV: 62.15%
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
This new release from Nevada craft farm distillery, Frey Ranch, is a true grain-to-glass experience. The mash is Frey Ranch’s classic four-grain mash of 66% non-GMO corn, 12% Two-Row malted barley, 11.4% Winter rye, and 10% Soft White Winter wheat — all grown on the ranch. After almost five years of aging in the mountains of Nevada, the whiskey was batched and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose bursts forth on this one with deep cinnamon candy, nutmeg-heavy eggnog, creme bruleé, salted caramel, and buttery croissant next to old cedar kindling, dark boot leather, and a hint of dusty old wine cellar.
Palate: There’s a Black Forest cake vibe on the front of the palate that leads to clove-studded oranges, leathery apricot, black-tea-soaked dates, and rich and moist pound cake just kissed with poppy seeds and vanilla oils.
Finish: The end leans into black cherry with a flake of smoked salt, dark orange, and fresh cacao with a return of that cedar kindling and old boot leather next to this faint note of old rickhouses full of well-aged barrels of whiskey.
Bottom Line:
Frey Ranch is making some of the best grain-to-glass whiskey in the whole country. You really can’t go wrong with any of their releases. But if you’re looking for the purest example of their prowess, start with this whiskey.
New Hampshire — Tamworth The Old Man of the Mountain Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $70
The Whiskey:
This New England bourbon is all about grain-to-glass with a local mash bill of 82.4% organic yellow corn, 11% organic rye, and 6.6% malted barley. The juice is then aged for five years in medium-charred Kentucky barrels before it’s bottled according to bottled-in-bond regulations.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is all about that rich Christmas cake brimming with candied and dried fruits, dark spices, and nuts soaked in brandy topped with a dollop of vanilla-infused brandy butter.
Palate: The palate delivers on those promises of the nose while adding hints of dark chocolate-covered cherries, cedar, spicy tobacco, and a hint of Tellicherry black peppercorns.
Finish: That dry spiciness drives the finish to an end that’s warm yet sweet with that cherry.
Bottom Line:
Tamworth is very hit-and-miss so tread carefully with their releases. This is in the hit column and worth checking out if you’re traveling through New England.
New Jersey — All Points West Malt and Grain Pot Still Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $64
The Whiskey:
This New Jersy whiskey leans into Irish whiskey traditions with a lower corn mash bill. The whiskey is fermented in a pot still with German and Irish malts alongside corn and water from New Jersey’s mountains. The juice is then aged for 24 months before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cedar and cherries mingle with vanilla and toffee on the nose with a very distant whisper of campfire smoke.
Palate: Cherry blossoms, honey, cedar, and spicy tobacco lead the palate with a hint of dried roses and a touch of cream soda.
Finish: The finish is longish with a sense of spice, fruit, and flowers lingering the longest.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid entry from New Jersey, which doesn’t have a ton to offer the world of whiskey yet. My advice would be to mix with this one.
New Mexico — Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $53
The Whiskey:
Colkegan is a combination of the Scottish Highlands and New Mexico’s ingredients. Instead of smoking their barley malts with peat, Santa Fe Spirits uses local mesquite logs in the kilning process, giving the base of this whiskey a clear New Mexico vibe. The juice is then aged at 7,000 feet above sea level in a climate-controlled warehouse that drops the temperatures to near freezing before amping them up extremely high while also lowering and heightening the humidity in the room.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a subtle balance of brisk desert smoke next to olive brine umami on the nose and then hints of rich and sweet marzipan arrive with white chocolate fattiness and whispers of vanilla blossoms.
Palate: The smoke carries through with a sense of dark, tart berries and rhubarb, and dry mesquite wood on the taste.
Finish: That berry fruit feel carries on into the mellow finish as the smoke dissipates.
Bottom Line:
New Mexico single malt is a thing and it’s really damn good. Colkegan is a great distillery to delve into if you’re looking for truly unique American single malt.
New York — Kings County Distillery Bottled-In-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $96
The Whiskey:
This crafty whiskey from New York is a grain-to-glass bourbon experience. The mash bill on this one eschews rye and wheat for 80% locally grown corn supported by 20% malted barley from England. The juice is then aged for four years in small 15-gallon barrels and treated according to the law and bottled in Kings County’s signature hip flask bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This draws you in with a strawberry shortcake with a cornmeal base, topped with fresh berries, buttery vanilla whipped cream, and then dipped in a caramel sauce.
Palate: The palate veers away from all of that and touches on bitter black coffee syrup with brown sugar and butter notes next to oatcakes and vanilla sauce with a hint of spice lingering in the background.
Finish: The end is long and full of chocolate malts, leather, and more of that creamy and buttery vanilla whipped cream.
Bottom Line:
Kings County is unbeatable for true craft and truly New York whiskey. This bourbon remains an award-circuit darling and a whiskey bar favorite. Pour it neat or into your favorite cocktail and you’ll be set.
North Carolina — Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 58%
Average Price: $103
The Whiskey:
This North Carolina bourbon is starting to make some serious waves. This very limited batch of single-barrel bourbon is made from wheated bourbon mash bill with 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. The hot juice was left for around four years before the barrel was hand-pocked and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of orange blossoms and an apple orchard with a hint of pear and plum next to walnut shells, old honey bottles, and rich vanilla sauce with a hint of poppy seed.
Palate: The palate has a touch of dark chocolate powder sweetness that melds with walnuts and honey to make a cluster before the brown spice kicks in with sharp cinnamon and a touch of root beer.
Finish: The end leaves the spice and warmth behind for smooth vanilla walnut cake with a hint of apple-honey tobacco wrapped up with old cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This bourbon has helped put North Carolina on the map of great whiskey states (or at least great up-and-coming whiskey scenes). This is a wonderfully nuanced sipper or mixer for any whiskey-forward cocktail.
North Dakota — Proof Glen Fargo American Malt Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $180
The Whiskey:
This American Single Malt from North Dakota is all about double barreling. The local juice is first aged in new American white oak. Then, that whiskey is moved into an ex-bourbon barrel for a finishing rest.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of that bourbon barrel with notes of rich vanilla pudding next to mild spice and a green sense of malts.
Palate: The palate follows that lead while adding in apples, pears, and a touch of honey sweetness.
Finish: The end is long with a touch of oak and vanilla with a grassy finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice example from a very small whiskey scene up in North Dakota. It won’t blow your socks off but I’ll get the job done if you’re looking for something local on a road trip through the state.
Ohio — Whiskey War Double Double 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:
Ohio is making a lot of great whiskey right now. This is the mountaintop. This whiskey is a great sipper while also making a killer cocktail. This whiskey also just can’t stop winning awards, so there’s that.
Oklahoma — World Whiskey Society Class Collection Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Port Cask Aged 10 Years
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $164
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is distilled in Oklahoma but bottled in Georgia. The whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash bill (recipe) of 51% corn, 45% wheat, and 4% malted barley. That hot juice was then aged for almost a decade before going into a huge port cask for a final rest.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of grape soda and orange zest on the nose with a hint of crafty bourbon grains, dry grass, and old oak.
Palate: The palate sort of leans into red fruit and dry grass with a light sense of orange and vanilla.
Finish: The end is short and has a touch of vanilla cake and holiday spice.
Bottom Line:
It’s pretty hard to find a good whiskey from Oklahoma at the moment. Case in point, this OK whiskey was bottled in Georgia. Still, this is a perfectly good cocktail bourbon that works over a lot of ice in a pinch.
Oregon — Westward Whiskey Milestone American Single Malt
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $249
The Whiskey:
Westward Whiskey has been patiently making some of the best American single malt in the country for years now. This is the culmination of all that work. The whiskey in the bottle is a batch of 21 barrels from their Solera system and includes the team’s absolute favorite whiskeys that they’ve produced over the years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of roasted almonds soaked in fresh piney honey drive the nose toward candied orange peels and candied cherry with a rich and salted toffee creamy underbelly.
Palate: Rum raisin and brandy-soaked plums lead on the palate toward apple cider spiked with real cinnamon bark and whole nutmeg next to black walnut cake, mincemeat pies, and a deep butterscotch candy vibe.
Finish: The cinnamon and nutmeg kick up on the finish as more prune, date, and fig lead to sticky toffee pudding and a lush vanilla foundation.
Bottom Line:
This is a damn-near-perfect sipper of single malt. It’s easygoing while offering a truly deep profile. If this is your first Oregon whiskey, you’re in good hands.
Pennsylvania — Bluebird Days Whiskey Straight American Whiskey
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
Country Artist Jordan Davis partnered with Bluebird Distilling in Pennsylvania to create this American blend. The blend is a mix of Bluebird’s oldest barrels of wheat whiskey and bourbon that’s proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with old oak and leather with a hint of winter spice and a can of corn — just a plain ol’ can o’ corn.
Palate: The old leather drives the palate with a soft vanilla base and a sweet but singed marshmallow sweetness next to more of that mild winter spice.
Finish: The end really leans into the sweetness of it all with a creamy butterscotch and vanilla sheet cake with white frosting that’s cut with cinnamon and clove tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a very nice standard whiskey that gets the job done. It’s versatile while feeling approachable. Sip it over rocks or in your favorite cocktail.
Rhode Island — Sons of Liberty Uprising American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $40
The Whiskey:
Uprising has its foundation in the local Providence craft beer scene. The malts used in the 100% malted barley mash bill are the same darkly roasted malts (Chocolate Malt, Crystal 45, and Biscuit) used to make a local stout. That beer is fermented with ale yeast, distilled, and then goes into charred American oak and toasted French oak to rest for a few years. Finally, the barrels are blended to create a unique American single malt.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamy vanilla and salted caramel enriched the nose with a sense of dark chocolate-covered coffee beans.
Palate: The dark chocolate creaminess drives the palate with a mild nuttiness and winter spice balance.
Finish: The end goes back to that creaminess with a bitter espresso bean vibe and plenty of salted dark chocolate cut with clove and cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
This is a good cocktail whiskey. It’s also one of the only whiskeys you’re going to find from tiny Rhode Island.
South Carolina — High Wire Distilling Co. Jimmy Red Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $300
The Whiskey:
This bottled and bond release celebrates the 10th anniversary of High Wire out in South Carolina. The Jimmy Red corn bourbon is made with Jimmy Red corn grown and harvested by the Plumfield Farm in Darlington, SC from a single harvest before the corn is mashed, distilled, aged, and batched from a single distilling season. Once batched, the whiskey is proofed with local water to bottled-in-bond proof and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Earthy notes meet Graham Crackers on the nose with a hint of cinnamon apple and pancake syrup just kissed with dried chili flakes.
Palate: The earthiness goes full dry corn kernel on the palate (kind of like an earthy dry popcorn) next to vanilla-laced apple cider with a cinnamon stick bobbing in it.
Finish: The pancake syrup and vanilla get woody on the finish with a light sense of corn husks in fallow corn fields.
Bottom Line:
High Wire has been working hard to put heritage red corn bourbon on the map. They’ve truly succeded and this anniversary batch is a great place to see how beautiful that style of bourbon is.
South Dakota — BlackFork Farms Straight Bourbon Whiskey American Toasted Oak Finish
ABV: 46.5%
Average Price: $95
The Whiskey:
BlackFork Farms is a very new and small crafty whiskey distillery. Heritage corn (grown and smoked on the farm with apple and cherry wood) is mashed with Black Forest German rye, which they smoke on the farm as well. The juice is then aged for a couple of years before the whiskey is re-barreled into new toasted American oak for a final rest.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of apple orchards next to piles of firewood, dry hay stacks, and soft toffee laced with winter spice.
Palate: The palate has a note of corn husk next to peppery rye and dried dill with a touch of sweetgrass braided with cedar bark and tobacco leaf.
Finish: The end layers in dark chocolate and chili spice with singed orchard wood and burnt chocolate tobacco.
Bottom Line:
South Dakota is another state with slim pickings. This whiskey is legit (it’s good over ice or in a cocktail) and worth checking out if you’re visiting the state.
Tennessee — Jack Daniel’s 12-Year-Old Tennessee Whiskey, Batch 1
ABV: 53.5%
Average Price: $84
The Whiskey:
Jack Daniel’s doesn’t hide any of its processes. The mash at the base of this whiskey is a mix of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye. Those grains are milled in-house and mixed with cave water pulled from an on-site spring and Jack Daniel’s own yeast and lactobacillus that they also make/cultivate on-site. Once fermented, the mash is distilled twice in huge column stills. The hot spirit is then filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal that’s also made at the distillery. Finally, the filtered whiskey is loaded into charred new American oak barrels and left alone in the warehouse. After 12 years, a handful of barrels were ready; so they were batched, barely proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is creamy with deep notes of old boot leather, dark and woody winter spices, black-tea-soaked dates, plum jam with clove, and an underbelly of chewy toffee-laced tobacco.
Palate: That creaminess presents on the palate with a soft sticky toffee pudding drizzled in salted caramel and vanilla sauce next to flakes of salt and a pinch of orange zest over dry Earl Grey tea leaves with a whisper of singed wild sage.
Finish: The end leans into the creamy toffee chewy tobacco with a hint of pear, cherry, and bananas foster over winter spice barks and a deep embracing warmth.
Bottom Line:
A lot of whiskeys could have been in this spot. But this really is the best whiskey out of Tennessee this year. It’s just delicious and so deeply hewn. You cannot go wrong pouring this whiskey into a glass any ol’ way you like it.
Texas — Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 70.45%
Average Price: $249
The Whiskey:
This year’s Cowboy Bourbon from Garrison Brothers is a blend of only 118 barrels of six-year-old Texas bourbon. 1,000 bottles of the crafty Texas whiskey will be available in mid-September at the distillery with an additional 8,600 bottles going out nationwide the first week of October.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a rush of sharp cinnamon bark wrapped up with old saddle leather, freshly fried apple fritters, walnuts, old cedar bark braids twisted up with dried wild sage, and a hint of dried yellow mustard flowers with an underlying sense of maple syrup over pecan waffles.
Palate: The palate leans into the spice with a hint of allspice and ginger next to apple pie filling with walnuts, brandy-soaked raisins, and plenty of brown sugar next to spiced Christmas cake dipped in dark chocolate sauce.
Finish: The end takes its time and meanders through salted caramel, stewed plums with star anise and sharp cinnamon, a hint of vanilla Dr. Pepper, and a mild sense of chocolate-cinnamon-spiced chewing tobacco buzziness with a warming Texas hug that’s part Hot Tamales and part chili-spiced green tea.
Bottom Line:
Garrison Brothers is firing on all cylinders right now, and they’re producing amazing Texas whiskey. This year’s Cowboy Bourbon is a grandiose whiskey and not for the faint of heart, just like Texas. You might want to pour this one over a single rock though. It’s hot. Again, like Texas.
Utah — High West A Midwinter Nights Dram Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
ABV: 49.3%
Average Price: $140
The Whiskey:
Each year, this limited drop varies slightly. This release was a mix of MGP rye (95% rye) and High West rye (100% rye) finished in French oak barrels that held ruby and tawny port. The barrels picked for this batch were between four and seven years old with the older barrels coming from Indiana and the younger ones from Utah.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a pretty complex nose with sour berries next to dried apricot, woody and slightly sweet cinnamon, French toast, and a mild note of something umami (dried mushrooms perhaps).
Palate: The palate gets more savory with a rhubarb vibe as dark chocolate with a serious woody spiced edge meets old leather laced with years of tobacco, lush vanilla cream, and salted caramel.
Finish: The end is as silky as eggnog with a whisper of black tea bitterness and minty tobacco rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is the best whiskey from Utah by a country mile. It’s great over a single rock or in your favorite cocktail.
Vermont — WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon Whiskey Aged 6 Years
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $49
The Whiskey:
This newer whiskey from WhistlePig mixes locally made Vermont whiskey with Indiana whiskey to create a bespoke bourbon. The mash bill leans into the corn with a good measure of rye in the mix. The whiskey barrels are left alone for six years before batching, proofing, and bottling on the farm in Vermont.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a soft leathery nose that leads to caramel corn and a nutty spiciness with a hint of old oak.
Palate: The nuttiness drives the palate toward fresh maple syrup that turns creamy with an almond vibe, plenty of winter spice, and a hint of black tea.
Finish: That tea calms down toward a wet chamomile with a dollop of honey, a twist of orange, and a pinch of sweet cinnamon with a lingering sense of oak in the background.
Bottom Line:
WhistlePig is finally folding its own farm-to-glass whiskey into its releases and it’s working pretty damn well. Make your favorite cocktail with this one.
Virginia — Virginia Distillery Co. Courage & Conviction Cuvée Single Cask American Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 59.2%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
This whisky is made with 100% malted barley. That whiskey is then loaded into French red wine or Cuvée casks for a minimum of three years (each cask is hand-selected for its distinct flavor profile). These single casks were chosen for their beauty as a stand-alone whisky that doesn’t need any adulteration or cutting with water. The honey barrel is then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is seriously buttery with a touch of brandy butter next to lightly salted caramel with a vanilla whipped cream that merges into a fruity backbone with hints of raisins, new leather, and maybe a whisper of damp straw.
Palate: Malts shine through first on the palate as hefty brown spices create a serious heat (from those ABVs) before a cherry tobacco chewiness kicks in with a hint of pear candy under all that malty spice and warmth.
Finish: The mid-palate really leans into the dark and stewed cherry tobacco vibe as a hint of dry hay, reeds, and umami (sweetish tomato paste maybe?) poke in very late on the finish.
Bottom Line:
I’d be willing to argue that this is the best American single malt right now. So if you’re looking for a bridge from, say, the Highlands of Scotland to Appalachia, this is the whiskey to drink.
Washington — Woodinville Ginja Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Portuguese Ginjinha Casks
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This new bourbon from Woodinville up in Seattle, Washington, is a crafty dream with a very unique finish. After about five years of aging, the bourbon is re-barreled into Ginjinha barrels (a Portuguese liqueur) with sour cherries for another maturation run. Finally, those barrels are batched, proofed, and bottled for this limited run.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of sweet grits cut with molasses, honey, and salted butter that gives way to blackberries soaked in rum on the nose with a light sense of spiced cookies.
Palate: The sweet porridge continues on the palate as dark cherry jam mingles with spiced winter cakes, fallow orchards, fall leaves, and a light moment of soft woody cherry bark that’s just smoldering.
Finish: A touch of cinnamon bark drives the finish toward more of that smoldering cherry wood, mulled wine, and soft notes of blackberry pie covered in malted vanilla cream sauce.
Bottom Line:
Several Woodinville bottles could have slotted into this spot. But this new Ginja Cask release is just too good to ignore. This is Woodinville flexing some serious finishing prowess with great base bourbon underneath, making this a wonderfully soft sipper.
West Virginia — Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Series Rye Aged 5 Years Batch Two
ABV: 61.6%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
This 100% West Virginia whiskey is made from a mash of 88% rye and 12% malted barley — no corn needed here, folks. The barrels are left to age in the Appalachia hills for five long years before coming together in tiny batches and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a hint of leather and pine tar on the nose with a hint of tart red berry and burnt toffee.
Palate: The palate opens with a bourbon vibe with dark cherry, soft vanilla cream, and light old oak staves with a hint of bitter dark cacao.
Finish: The end leans into cinnamon bark and clove layered into a vanilla tobacco leaf that’s braided with wet cedar, dry leather, and old bouquet garni with a light sense of an old cheese cellar lurking on the very backend.
Bottom Line:
There aren’t a lot of options in West Virginia but what is there tends to be stellar. This is a prime example of the great work happening deep in the mountains of West Virginia right now, and a killer slow sipper to have on hand.
Wisconsin — Copper Crow 1560 Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Aged 4 Years
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $34
The Whiskey:
Copper Crow is from Indigenous distillers up in Wisconsin. The whiskey is made from a 70% corn mash bill and aged in new American white oak for four years. Those barrels are small batched and then the whiskey is cut with water from the local Lake Superior aquifer.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A classic medley of dark vanilla pods, old oak staves, and rich salted caramel mingle with cherry cola and dry sweetgrass braided with cedar bark and pipe tobacco.
Palate: The palate follows along the path with measured notes of crafty sweet grains — like Cream of Wheat meets white grits cut with butter and brown sugar — next to woody winter spices and a touch of orange zest.
Finish: Sweet oak and porridge lead the way on the finish with a dark cherry leatheriness tied to winter spice barks.
Bottom Line:
Indian Country is starting to get back into distilling after a long break. This whiskey is a prime example of the great work coming out of this Indigenous-run distillery right now and a promise of greatness to come.
Wyoming — Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 3 Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $79
The Whiskey:
This year’s Wyoming Whiskey Fall 2023 release is the third edition of the National Park series. This year Grand Teton National Park is the star of the show with a minimum five-year-old batch of bourbon aged in the plains of Wyoming as they descend from the Rockies.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Wyoming Bourbon’s signature orange creamsicle opens the nose with a sense of wet brown sugar, fresh unsalted butter, and little cups of toffee pudding before a hint of dry black tea leaves arrives.
Palate: The orange attaches to floral honey on the palate with a sense of coffee cake, Nutella, and soft vanilla pudding swimming in caramel sauce.
Finish: Pecan waffles with pancake syrup sweeten the finish before that black tea sneaks back in with a mild sense of leathery tobacco and the stick from an orange creamsicle.
Bottom Line:
These limited editions remain Wyoming Whiskey’s best juice by far. This is just good whiskey, folks. It’s also the best whiskey coming out of Wyoming by a mile.