One of the fastest-growing sectors of the American whiskey industry is American single malt whiskey. It feels like everyone in the distilling game is getting in on the style. Not only did 2023 see a surge in great American single malts from brands that focus on the malted barley-based style, but the biggest names in the business also threw their hats in the ring with excellent additions to the genre.
All of that makes calling out the 30 best American single malt whiskeys a fun and refreshing prospect as 2023 comes to a close. And I’m doing exactly that below.
For this end-of-the-year “best of” list, I’m calling out 30 American single malt whiskeys that made a splash this year. I’m including whiskeys that I’ve been lucky enough to taste in my day-to-day as a whiskey critic, judge, and consultant. And while I’ve tasted a lot this year (well over 2,000 whiskey pours), even I have blind spots. Still, these whiskeys represent brand-new releases of 2023 or 2023 batches of whiskeys that have become mainstays.
When it comes to ranking these whiskeys, it’s all about taste. That means that I’m focusing on the depth of the profile — since all of these whiskeys are well-made (that’s a sort of given since they’re already on this particular list). “Depth” simply means that that flavor profile goes beyond the basic and delivers that something more. These are the whiskeys that surprise, take you on a journey, and leave you wanting another pour.
Let’s dive in!
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30. Jack Daniel’s American Single Malt Oloroso Sherry Cask
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
Jack Daniel’s has been toying with American single malt for over a year and has finally pulled the trigger on a permanent expression for retail shelves (albeit just on travel retail shelves… for now). The whiskey in the bottle is a 100% malted barley juice (that’s charcoal filtered) that was aged in new oak for over half a decade before being transferred into huge Oloroso sherry casks (from Tonelería Páez Lobato) for even more mellowing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of plums, dates, and figs swimming in brandy next to toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped into dark chocolate with a hint of spiced wine cut with molasses and fresh green chili pepper.
Palate: The dark chocolate attaches to the black-tea-soaked dates with plenty of nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice next to malted chocolate spiced holiday cakes and a nice flourish of marzipan just kissed with pear oils.
Finish: The end has an almost woody dark chocolate vibe with the green chili making a comeback with a deep leatheriness and nice maltiness.
Bottom Line:
This is a legitimately tasty American single malt that leans into its Tennessee whiskey roots with a darker fruitiness. Overall, this is a nice sipper that will pleasantly surprise. The only reason it’s last on this list is that it’s Duty-Free only and a little harder to get for the average U.S. consumer (unless they travel internationally, of course).
29. Clermont Steep American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
This new release from James B. Beam in Clermont, Kentucky is Beam’s foray into the world of American single malt whiskey. The juice was crafted from 100% American malted barley and fermented with Beam’s proprietary yeast strain. That whiskey was left for five years to mellow in toasted barrels that were barely charred. The final product was batched and proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a toasted caramel maltiness that’s akin to a nice bowl of bespoke porridge cut with salted toffee syrup and a nice dollop of butter with a hint of chocolate-covered caramels in the background.
Palate: The palate is luscious yet light with a Kentucky winter spice bark vibe next to a bowl of Cream of Wheat with a hint of honey and nasturtium as a counterbalance.
Finish: The end leans into the Kentucky wood spice with a nice hint of pear orchards and soft chewing tobacco just kissed with chili pepper spice.
Bottom Line:
Beam’s first stab at American single malt whiskey is very crafty and very Kentucky Beam. There’s a nice dark fruity spiciness that’s bolstered by bold graininess. This is 100% its own thing and will lead you down a unique path compared to Beam’s bourbons or ryes. That path will be malty but just familiar enough to catch your attention though, especially in citrus-forward cocktails.
28. Broken Barrel Luciferous American Singel Malt Whiskey
ABV: 61.3%
Average Price: $56
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is made from 100% Indiana single malt whiskey. Those barrels are then re-barreled into Amaro and French oak casks for final maturation. The final blend is a mix of 80% Amaro barrels and 20% French oak before and bottling at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of fresh squash with a good dose of winter spices, light caramel, and wet malts rounding things out.
Palate: The taste has a moment more of that fresh squash before hitting a note of intense chili pepper spiciness that buzzes hard on the palate with a sense of coconut and banana next to woody spice.
Finish: There’s a fair amount of spice at the end but the ABVs push past a pleasant buzz toward rich botanicals with lingering fruit, vanilla, and spice.
Bottom Line:
This was made for mixing up killer cocktails. That hefty spice and botanicals with some tropical fruit help this feel like a tropical cocktail base with a whiskey vibe in place of a rummy one. Plus, that high ABV will give your fruity and spicy cocktails a hell of a kick.
27. Yellowstone American Single Malt Whiskey 108 Proof
ABV: 54%
Average Price: $54
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey from Limestone Branch Distillery is a sourced single malt from Indiana. Four-year-old barrels of the malt whiskey were sent down to Kentucky where Stephen Beam masterfully blended and bottled this whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A light sense of sweet Cream of Wheat opens the nose with a dollop of honey and peach next to stewed kiwi with nutmeg and a very fleeting sense of walking through a garden shop.
Palate: Spiced malts and stewed pears lead to more honey, dry dates, and a hint of fresh pear with a soft woody vanilla underbelly.
Finish: That woody vanilla drives the smooth finish with a hint of cinnamon bark, nut cake, and some pear cider.
Bottom Line:
This is a fruit-forward malt with a nice hint of nutty wood spice to give it a nice warmth. The earthiness up top helps this go beyond the ordinary while making it a nice candidate for citrus-forward cocktails.
26. Virginia Distillery Co. Scholar’s Craft American Single Malt Whiskey Coffee Cask
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $69
Whisky:
This new release from American single malt titan, Virginia Distillery Co., is more than just a coffee-finished whisky. The actual whisky in the bottle is a 100% malted barley whisky that’s aged in ex-bourbon casks. Those barrels are vatted and then re-barreled into ethically sourced, small-batch coffee barrels for a short final maturation.
The ripple here is that 100% of the proceeds from the sales of this whisky go to support the newly endowed Angela H. Moore Women In Distilling Scholarship at Appalachian State University. The $100,000 endowment is from a women-owned and operated distillery to help bring more women into the industry, which makes this a must-buy on that merit alone.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a creamy bourbon buttercream with deep vanilla next to sour yet creamy espresso bitterness countered by cinnamon-spiced dark chocolate
Palate: Soft mocha lattes drive the taste toward sharp winter spices — clove, allspice, and nutmeg dominate — next to salted dark chocolate and a hint of malted biscuit dipped in vanilla syrup.
Finish: The end leans into the espresso bitterness with a nice note of dark chocolate and cinnamon gingersnaps.
Bottom Line:
This is a wonderfully balanced whiskey that nails the finish. Try this over a rock first to get a nice creaminess to the coffee-forward finish and then mix this into a cracking espresso martini.
25. Lost Lantern 2023 Single Cask #2 Westland Distillery American Single Malt Finished in Red Wine Cask 8 Years Old
ABV: 53.8%
Average Price: $139
The Whiskey:
Cask #2 of Lost Lantern’s first 2023 releases is a Washington state single malt made from 70% Great Western “Pure WA” Pale malt, 13% Briess Extra Special malt, 9% GW Munich malt, 4% Thomas Fawcett & Sons Brown malt, and 4% TF&S Pale Chocolate malt. That mix of malts is fermented, distilled, and aged in lightly toasted/heavily charred ISC Cooper’s Select barrel. After five years, the whiskey was re-barreled in a first-fill Washington Cabernet Sauvignon cask for an additional three years of mellowing before bottling 100% as-is in only 185 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried cherries and sultanas mingle with spiced red wine-soaked oak and a hint of old leatheriness on the nose.
Palate: Dark berries and leather lead to clove and allspice woody spice with a hint of pine dank and vanilla cookies.
Finish: Those woody spices and dark berries drive the finish toward soft vanilla and moist nuttiness with a hint of sweet vermouth.
Bottom Line:
Lost Lantern has a knack for picking exemplary single barrels from deeply devoted distillers around the nation. This is a prime example and a great place to dive into 2023’s single malt single-barrel picks. Yes, this will be hard to find now, but worth seeking out for a pour in a good whiskey bar as a slow sipper.
24. Westward American Single Malt Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Grand Cru Sauternes Cask
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This is Portland’s classic American single malt taken up a level. After years of resting, a single barrel was re-barreled in a sauternes cask from France’s Grand Cru Classé estate. 14 months later, Westward bottled that whiskey with a kiss of local water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a deep nose that takes you on a journey through green chili, soft caramel, burnt orange peels, grilled peach, summer flowers, and danish filled with vanilla cream and red fruit compote.
Palate: There’s a sharp cherry soda on the palate with a hint of grapefruit, pineapple, and ripe peach next to bright ginger, soft coconut, and a hint of honeyed malt with a whisper of nuttiness.
Finish: That orange comes back on the finish with a soft fresh floral edge next to light cedar bark braided with chewy fresh tobacco dipped in honey and dusted with citrus zest.
Bottom Line:
Westward Whiskey is really coming into its own and this 2023 release is a prime example of that maturity. This is just good sipping whiskey with a great depth that balances fruity malt with great aging. Sip it slowly over a rock to let the creaminess and nuttiness of the whiskey shine.
23. Old Line American Single Malt Whiskey Finished in Caribbean Rum Casks
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This Maryland whiskey starts as a great craft beer made with Premium 2 Row Malt and C-120 Malt. That beer is distilled and then aged for 4.3 years in new white oak. Those barrels are batched and the whiskey is re-barreled into Caribbean rum white oak casks for another eight months of mellowing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a rush of woody vanilla and rich butterscotch with a hint of brown-sugar-spiked tobacco wrapped around Meyere lemons and bitter oranges.
Palate: That spice orange drives the palate with a matrix of winter spices — think cinnamon, star anise, allspice, and nutmeg — before moving toward soft vanilla-heavy spiced nut cakes.
Finish: The end leans into the dryness of the winter spice with the lemon and orange going slightly bitter with a tobacco chewiness.
Bottom Line:
This is another nice example of quality distilling and finishing done right. The rum comes through in all the right ways, making this a great candidate for mixing with fruity and spicy tropical cocktails.
22. Root Shoot Whiskey American Single Malt Bottled in Bond Aged 4 Years
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is made from barley grown, harvested, and malted on a 5th generation family farm in Colorado. The whiskey is aged in new American oak for four years before batching and bottling at 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a fresh honey-laced granola bar with a hint of nuttiness and chocolate next to earthy cherry bark, old cinnamon sticks, and whispers of clove (maybe even anise).
Palate: Poppy seed danishes and mocha lattes drive the palate with a sense of wildflowers and apple orchards while a flutter of old leather tobacco pouches and old whiskey cellars sneak in.
Finish: The end leans into the woodiness of the tobacco and oak with a nice touch of malted spice cakes and orchard fruit.
Bottom Line:
This is a classically hewn Colorado malt that’ll feel familiar for bourbon drinkers with a hint of craftiness (malty sweet grains). The overall vibe is sippable over rocks but shines best in a cocktail with a simple set of ingredients (think old fashioned).
21. Wolves The Malted Barley Series California Single Malt Whiskey Lot No. 2
ABV: 55%
Average Price: $305
The Whiskey:
Lot 2 of this California Single malt just dropped and it’s an instant classic. The whiskey was made with imported Irish malts fermented with California ale yeasts. That juice was aged for 11 years before very small batching, which yielded only 2,010 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Nostalgia drips from the nose with oatmeal raisin cookies, old wicker porch furniture, lemon pepper, and dried red fruit leather next to spicy oak and soft apple cider.
Palate: Soft salted caramel and bruised apricot drive the palate with a sense of honeyed oats, old tobacco pouches, and rich malted vibes.
Finish: The end leans into the malted chocolate with a dried fruit feel with brandied pears and old oak staves leading to soft pipe tobacco and hints of floral honey.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey feels like a slow Irish single malt with a hint of American whiskey layered in for a deep and delicious effect. Overall, I’d use this for classic whiskey-forward cocktails or as a table whiskey for everyday sipping.
20. New Riff Sour Mash Single Malt Kentucky Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength
ABV: Varies
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This new whiskey from New Riff is years in the making. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of single malt whiskeys made with 100% barley mash bills (Golden Promise, Maris Otter, Chevallier heirloom barley, and Scottish peated barley malt) that are aged for seven to eight years in a combination of new charred oak, de-charred toasted oak, red wine casks, Portuguese brandy casks, classic sherried oak casks, and a few others.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich malted winter spiced cakes lead the nose toward chili pepper spice, old dried fruits (dates, prunes, figs) all dipped in floral honey, and a light sense of citrus (both candied and dried) before old oak, orchard bark, and fall leaves arrive with a sense of fermented fruit laying on the ground of that orchard.
Palate: The funky fruit and fall leaves drive the taste back toward rich vanilla and spiced malted fruit cakes with a light sense of pipe tobacco and old leather boots before floral honey gives way to bright nasturtiums.
Finish: The floral spiced honey gets malty on the backend with a hint of salt and rock candy before hot tobacco and dried red chili build at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is a bold and deeply bourbon-forward malt that has great balance. Overall, sip this slowly over a big rock and find all the hidden paths that open up with a touch of water. You’ll be rewarded for your time and patience.
19. Pacific Coast Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 57%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
This crafty whiskey from California sounds a lot like the mash recipe for a craft beer. The mash is made with Golden Promise Pale, Munich, Crystal 60, and Chocolate malts. Once distilled, that whiskey is left in new American oak for four years before batching and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That new oak shines through with rich and oily vanilla that leads to butterscotch and summer fruit orchards with a hint of stewed peach cobbler cut with buttercream, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Palate: Malted cookies arrive on the taste with walnuts and pecans next to more cinnamon and nutmeg with a hint of clove and dark cacao nibs over more stewed peach and a whisper of orange marmalade.
Finish: The end gets silky smooth with the stewed stone fruit and soft vanilla as the mild spice slowly builds toward a malty crescendo.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey feels much older than a four-year-old, which is a testament to the quality of the process. Overall, this works wonders as a great cocktail base right now but after a few more years this will be a top-tier sipper.
18. Hinterhaus Distilling American Single Malt Whiskey Discovery
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $67
The Whiskey:
This Sierra Nevada, California, distillery is all about local craft. They use local mountain water to ferment their local malt. The blend in this expression is 69% from a first fill ex-American single malt barrel and 31% from a heavy toast and medium char new American oak barrel. Both were aged at least 18 months before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft caramelized malts lead on the nose with layers of rich toffee, sharp winter spices, fresh mint, and berry cobbler.
Palate: The toffee gets a little salt on the palate as rich vanilla and pear pudding move the taste back toward sharp winter spice that is so cinnamon-heavy that it starts to feel like Red Hots.
Finish: That sharp yet sweet hot cinnamon is countered by vanilla malt and salted caramel over apple pie filling cut with cranberry.
Bottom Line:
This is an incredibly young whiskey all things considered and still hits the mark as nuanced and tasty. In the end, I’d use this primarily for classic cocktails. In a few more years, this will be a show-stopping sipper.
17. Colkegan Unsmoked American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $69
The Whiskey:
This high desert whiskey distiller is renowned for making boldly peated malt. This version is the unpeated expression that was made as an experiment over four years ago. The unpeated whiskey was left in the back corner of a warehouse in new American oak and used bourbon barrels. Once those barrels hit the right mark, they were vatted and bottled with a hint of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with velvety fruit (think apples, grapes, peaches) next to a hint of spicy woody warmth cut with brown sugar and cinnamon butter with a hint of nuttiness.
Palate: That nuttiness gets creamy on the palate as cinnamon toast and leathery dried apricots lead to a try nutshell and spice bark vibe with a hint of vanilla wafer.
Finish: The finish is lush and dry with a toffee and butterscotch creaminess cut with plenty of dry winter spice and orchard barks.
Bottom Line:
You can feel the Colkagan teams’ confidence in this whiskey. They know what they’re doing and hit it out of the park. This is as nuanced and tasty as a sipper over a rock and will shine in a fruit-forward cocktail.
16. Tenmile Distillery Little Rest American Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $224
The Whisky:
This new American single malt from New York is a grain-to-glass experience that highlights slow cooking and aging. The malt is made with 100% New York-grown barley that’s slow-fermented for seven days (about twice as long as the norm). After distillation, the hot juice is left to rest in Francois Freres barrels from Williams Selyem. Those barrels are small batched and whiskey is just touched with local water before bottling in Wassaic, New York.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Floral honey brightens the nose with a sense of fresh vanilla pods with a light warmth that leads to cinnamon bark, apple orchards, malted grains, and a light moment of whole dried chamomile flowers.
Palate: The honey gets creamy and vanilla-laced on the palate with a medley of leathery apricots, more soft summer florals, and a touch of woody spice that’s both bright and just touched by dried fruits.
Finish: The end has a mix of rum raisin and creamed honey with apple blossoms and a touch of malted grains cut with winter spice and salted butter.
Bottom Line:
This is another solid all-around sipper that will remind you of a subtle Highland malt with that floral honey and soft orchard fruit. Overall, take your time with this one and enjoy the soft and subtle maltiness in either a neat pour or cocktail.
15. Boulder Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey 2023 Limited Edition The 10 Essentials
ABV: 49.5%
Average Price: $64
The Whiskey:
This new limited release from Colorado’s Boulder is a blend of five single malt casks. Former armagnac, tawny port, PX sherry, and new American oak were batched for this release after five to 6.5 years of aging. The whiskey was then cut with El Dorado spring water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a medley of pear and apricot (both dried and candied) with spicy forest honey, old leather, and malty Graham Crackers dipped in dark chocolate and just flaked with sea salt.
Palate: The palate is lush with a sense of eggnog spices and creaminess that gives way to pear brandy-laced marzipan and more of that forest honey next to warm maltiness.
Finish: The warmth leans into fresh green chili, nuttiness, and dark chocolate on the end (almost getting into mole territory) before leaning back toward spiced malts with a woody tobacco finish.
Bottom Line:
This is where we get into the crazy good pours. This is just great sipping whiskey neat or on the rocks.
14. Lost Lantern Single Cask Series Andalusia Whiskey Co. Triple Distilled Texas Single Malt
ABV: 52.6%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This single cask from Lost Lantern’s Fall 2023 series is a three-year-old single malt from a very new Texas distillery. The whiskey in this case is made with 100% 2-row malted barley and triple distilled a la Irish whiskey. A single honey barrel was picked by the Lost Lantern team and bottled 100% as-is, yielding only 177 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of fresh chili pepper and leathery spiced fruit drive the nose with hints of stroopwafel (those honey waffle cookies from The Netherlands) and candy cane.
Palate: That candy cane turns to pure peppermint on the palate as subtle notes of clove and allspice mingle with creamy eggnog ice cream and malted honey crackers.
Finish: The finish is nice with a sweet spiciness akin to moist dark Christmas cookies with a touch of malted vanilla.
Bottom Line:
If you can find a bottle of this one, buy two. This is so unique and really leans into the holiday vibes of a good winter sipper (or cocktail base!).
13. Dogfish Head Let’s Get Lost American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 51%
Average Price: $64
The Whiskey:
All whiskey starts as beer so it makes a lot of sense when brewers start distilling. Beer 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 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 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:
This is another whiskey that just works. It’s not overly wrought but delivers a deep and fun profile, especially as a dessert pairing pour. It’s kind of like a chocolate espresso for the end of your meal.
12. Stranahan’s Snowflake Colorado Single Malt Whiskey 2023 Batch #26: “Pyramid Peak”
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $199
The Whisky:
This year’s Snowflake release from Stranahan’s is a small batch of great American single malts from the Colorado distiller. This year’s batch marries single malt finished in Islay quarter casks, rum, ruby port, sherry, and mezcal casks. Once those barrels were batched, the whiskey was proofed down with Rocky Mountain water and bottled otherwise as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sharp white pepper and old oak drive the nose toward apple hand pies frosted in powdered sugar icing, rich salted caramel, and a sense of sweet grain porridge cut with molasses and butter.
Palate: The apple takes on a rich and spiced cider vibe on the palate as vanilla bean and caramel drive the taste toward soft herbs, smudging sage, and a moment of dried sweetgrass dipped in that spiced apple cider.
Finish: Dark and apple-laced tobacco drives the finish toward dark and sharp cinnamon bark, clove buds, and allspice berries before leading into a fresh sense of sweet apples off the tree and rolled in caramel.
Bottom Line:
Stranahan’s has really come into its own over the last couple of years, peaking this year in my humble opinion. This year’s Snowflake release (the brand’s most coveted single malt) is a richly built slow sipper that’s worth the effort to add to any bar cart.
11. 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 apple dances 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 a whiskey that knows what it is and delivers a great profile. Sip this slowly and add water as needed to let it bloom toward stewed apple and deep creaminess.
10. 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 feels like the end of a chapter for Westward Whiskey and the beginning of a new chapter all at the same time. This whiskey slaps and is a promise of great things to come, wherein Westward becomes one of the true top-tier American single malt distillers in the country.
9. Stranahan’s Diamond Peak Colorado Single Malt Whiskey Extra Anejo Tequila Cask 2023
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $78
The Whiskey:
The second Diamond Peak release of 2023 is a 100% Colorado malt whisky. The whiskey barrels were five to eight years old (all-new American oak) and were 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:
Again, Stranahan’s had a great year. This is a wonderfully nuanced and fun sipper that really blooms with a single big rock or a little water. This will also make a killer holiday whiskey-forward cocktail.
8. Lost Lantern Gentle Giant Balcones Distilling Texas Single Malt
ABV: 57.6%
Average Price: $100
The Whisky:
This rare blend from Balcones via Lost Lantern is a batch of five-and-a-half super rare casks. The batch is made from single malts aged in a four-year-old double cask apple brandy cask, a three-year-old large European cask that dried outside for three years, another one of those casks but just a little older, a four-year-old ex-bourbon cask, and a half-full European oak cask that was exactly three years and 56 days old when it was dumped.
All of that whisky was vatted and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with Granny Smith apple skins over winter spice barks dipped in floral honey and dried next to orange wheels and Graham Crackers as a subtle hint of high-desert sage and mesquite lurk in the background.
Palate: The orchard-iness drives the palate with a sense of soft salted toffee cut with vanilla oils and dipped in dark chocolate orange sauce with a touch of roasted pecan and almond leading to a woody hint of old smudging sage and cedar bark.
Finish: Those orchard and desert woods mingle with soft caramelized malts that round out the finish with a hint of honeyed toffee and spiced apple fritter covered in buttery cinnamon icing.
Bottom Line:
Lost Lantern and Balcones is a perfect match and this is a wonderful sipper. The “gentle” moniker is taken very seriously, making this one of the easiest sipping whiskeys on the list that also delivers deep flavor notes that never feel like homework. Take it slowly with this one and you will be handsomely rewarded with a good time.
7. Virginia Distillery Co. American Single Malt Whisky Courage & Conviction Double Cask Reserve
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $71
The Whiskey:
This new fall release from Virginia Distillery Co. features double asking. That means that the whiskey was aged a minimum of five years in first-fill bourbon casks and European red wine Cuvée casks before slow batching with a touch of water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with deep honey and candied orange next to apricot jam over scones with a hint of malted spice and brandy-soaked oak staves.
Palate: Black Forest cake by way of honey-pear-floral malted crackers drives the palate toward winter spice barks, soft milk chocolate sauce, and a dash of lemon malt meringue.
Finish: Fresh gingerbread and soft oak round out the finish with a nice dose of spice, chocolate, and malt.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best Scotch-style American single malts available today. If you’re already into subtle and fruity dark Highland malt, then this is going to be your jam. It also makes a hell of a whisky cocktail.
6. Triple Eight Distillery The Notch Nantucket Island Single Malt Whisky 12 Years Old
ABV: 48%
Average Price: $399
The Whiskey:
This is classic The Notch single malt made with Maris Otter barley. In this case, the barrels are left seaside for 12 years before batching, proofing, and bottling in slightly larger runs than the famed eight-year-old expression from the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Creamy toffee with a flake of salt leads to red berries and stewed apples with a hint of floral honey, old oak staves, and cellar funk.
Palate: The taste is immediately pure silk and lush with a sense of creamy yet floral honey, creamed berries stewed in a pie, and malted vanilla wafers layered with nougat next to a fruit orchard on a bright summer day.
Finish: That orchard drives the finish toward a soft honeyed sweetness with a touch of apple and raspberry cobbler with a soft dollop of vanilla ice cream that’s just kissed with salt and caramel.
Bottom Line:
The Notch releases these whiskeys periodically. If you do come across them, this is the sweet spot of the lineup. Pour it into a Glencairn with a drop of water and enjoy the deep profile.
5. Westland Solum Edition 1 American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $183
The Whisky:
This special release from awards and industry darling Westland is made from a small batch of barrels. The whiskey — made from Skagit Valley Malting peated malt — is built from two new American oak barrels blended with a first-fill ex-bourbon cask. The barrels were 41 months old when they went into the bottle with a hint of local water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Apple and strawberry pie drive the nose with a nice dose of soft and sweet cinnamon powder and a touch of tart rhubarb, smoldering cedar, and burning apple tobacco.
Palate: The taste leans into the herbal vibes with chamomile, wild sage, and a touch of white flower next to rye bread crusts, vanilla cream, and pound cake with poppy seeds.
Finish: The rye bread goes full pumpernickel on the finish with a hint of sourness next to creamy maltiness and floral honey.
Bottom Line:
This is a funky and fresh single malt from a now classic American single malt distiller. This is the bottle you grab when you’re looking for something that’s 100% terroir-driven from a specific region to the point of having its own vibe through and through.
4. The Macklowe American Single Malt Whiskey 6th Edition
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $1,699
The Whiskey:
This is a super rare American single malt that’s filtered through a masterful Scotch whisky POV. The barrel was chosen by Master Blender Ian MacMillan and American beauty entrepreneur, socialite, and whiskey master Julie Macklowe. MacMillan and Macklowe chose a seven-year-old toasted barrel single malt aged in new American white oak in Kentucky. That whiskey was cut with local water and bottled as-is otherwise, creating only 237 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is all about sweet oak sugars (think brown sugar and rock candy) with a sense of burnt orange, marzipan, and salted caramel next to this moment of spicy honey with a twinge of dried florals and pecans.
Palate: Bitter yet sweet orange drives the taste toward soft stick toffee pudding with good salted caramel, orange zest, and walnut next to real maple syrup and old woody holiday spice barks.
Finish: Those holiday spices blend with the marzipan and dried orange for a cake vibe that’s accented by soft malted whisky with a sense of bourbon cream.
Bottom Line:
This is a clean yet deep pour of American single malt meant for slow sipping. The best part is that while this feels very Highland malty, it still has this distinctly American whiskey vibe that takes this further than your average malt pour. Sip it slow and enjoy the ride.
3. Lost Lantern Single Cask #1 Westland Distillery American Single Malt 7 Years Old
ABV: 52.8%
Average Price: $129
The Whiskey:
This whiskey is all about Washington state terroir. The mash is a local five-malt recipe that Westland is known for. This whiskey then spent seven years resting in one barrel from ISC Cooper’s Select line before Lost Lantern bottled the whole barrel 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a bright sense of dark citrus oils and tropical fruits next to wet brown sugar, subtly spiced malts, and a hint of woody oak spices cut with dark chocolate powder.
Palate: That dark chocolate powder welcomes you on the palate with white pepper, eggnog spices, and dark espresso beans counterpointed with bright tropical citrus and starfruit next to caramel and vanilla buttercream.
Finish: That caramel and buttercream drive the finish toward a hint of sweet oatmeal cookie dough cut with clove and sharp cinnamon and just kissed with nuttiness and chocolate chips.
Bottom Line:
This Lost Lantern single barrel from Westland narrowly edged out Westland’s own release, but only barely. This is just delicious whiskey with a more American whiskey-forward feel that still holds onto that hint of fresh funkiness from the distiller.
2. Cedar Ridge Distillery The QuintEssential American Single Malt Whiskey Special Release “Portside”
ABV: 58.6%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
This new special release of Cedar Ridge’s now-iconic Quintessential American Single Malt takes that whiskey to new places. The base is the same 100% 2-Row Pale malted barely base that’s aged for six years in ex-bourbon barrels. Prime casks were then batched and then re-barreled into first-fill Ruby Port casks, first-fill Amontillado sherry casks, and new French oak casks. Those barrels were then vatted and the whiskey was bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of pecan waffles with a sharp candied orange rind vibe next to sugar cookies frosted with almond and lemon oil-infused frosting, a touch of creamy chocolate, and a sharp slice of ginger soaked in maple syrup.
Palate: That candied orange takes on the ginger with a rock candy sharpness and sweetness before Nutella enters the equation over buttermilk biscuits with a deep butteriness that leans toward toffee and brandy-soaked cherries dipped in dark salted chocolate.
Finish: The pecan and chocolate combine on the finish with a deep woody winter spice, soft vanilla pancake, and candied orange feel before stewed pear and soft marzipan kick in with a mildly warming finish that leans into rich tobacco spice just kissed with dried red leathery chili.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the greats of the year, not just American single malt. It’s such an easy-going sipper that delivers deep flavor notes. If you’re looking for a wonderful dessert-adjacent pour, this is a great option.
1. Balcones Cataleja Texas Single Malt Whisky
ABV: 59%
Average Price: $125
The Whisky:
This new release from Balcones down in Waco, Texas celebrates the distillery’s 15th anniversary. The whisky in the bottle is built from 100% Golden Promise malted barley. That whisky was then aged in a variety of old sherry puncheons that held Moscatel, Amontillado Dulce, Oloroso, and Palo Cortado sherries for decades. Once batched, the whisky was bottled as-is with a drop of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Brandy-soaked dates, figs, and prunes pop on the nose with a hint of apricot jam, clove-studded oranges, cherry hand pies, and a note of soft pecan wood with this fleeting sense of … I swear … venison backstrap frying in butter in a cast iron skillet.
Palate: Those dates go hard on the palate as marzipan and salted cashews add a deep nuttiness with more of that clove-studded orange, a touch of lemon zest, and maybe some smoldering sandalwood next to eucalyptus and sage aromatic sticks.
Finish: A touch of smudging sage drives the finish toward grilled pineapple and peach with a touch of absinth herbs before a deeply creamy mocha latte leads to a scoop of black cherry ice cream.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that could easily be one of the best overall whiskeys of the year. It’s that goddamn delicious. It’s also a hallmark of the great work Balcones has done with American single malt over the years and a promise of a bright and delicious future of American single malt from the Texas distillery. This is iconic whisky, folks.