Keeping up with brand-new whiskey releases is my job.
It’s grueling work, but somebody’s got to do it. After all, life is busy enough, and depending on how your bank account is set up, buying every flashy new label to hit liquor store shelves isn’t an option. That’s why I decided to round up the best new whiskeys to cross my desk lately into this tidy list, ranking them all from good to great.
For this list, we’ve got everything from well-aged Tennessee whiskey to the latest batch of classic bourbon, never-before-released American whiskey, and much more!
The spring is here, and with these new whiskey releases, you’ll have plenty of good cheer to raise a glass to while you soak up the warming weather. Without further ado, here are the best new whiskeys to chase down right now!
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20. O.K.I. Bottled In Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
O.K.I.’s Bottled in Bond Bourbon, sourced from MGP, gives the brand a new entry-level whiskey offering. This inaugural bottled-in-bond bourbon was bred from a mash bill of 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet mashed grains lead things off — think of Cream of Wheat drizzled with honey — while the aroma of pears and Golden Delicious apples come tumbling out of the glass soon after. Saigon cinnamon and pie crust notes follow closely behind those more robust notes.
Palate: It opens with hints of molasses, red apples, and barrel char on the palate before taking a slightly bitter turn reminiscent of Kalamata olives, with wildflower honey, black tea, and cigar ash emerging as it transitions to the finish.
Finish: The finish continues strumming the notes of black tea and cigar ash, with a healthy shake of black pepper spice and some Bosc pear sweetness to end it all.
Bottom Line:
This unique take on bottled-in-bond MGP whiskey doesn’t entirely hit the mark, but thanks to its distinct earthiness, it certainly has something interesting to say. If unconventional, earthy bottled-in-bond bourbon is your jam, then you’ll want a bottle of this one ASAP.
19. Hirsch The Departure American Single Malt Whiskey
ABV: 49%
Average Price: $75
The Whiskey:
Hirsch’s first American Single Malt offering sure is a fun one. Double-distilled from 100% malted barley in small copper pot stills, this whiskey is aged for 6 years and 9 months in both new char #3 and toasted American oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Singed blood orange notes start singing as I pass my nose over the glass with robust malt chocolate tones, cinnamon bark, maple taffy, and a faint honeydew melon sweetness blends with underripe mango skin to round things out.
Palate: Maple candy and dark chocolate take the lead on the palate before black pepper, honeydew melon, mango, and black pepper spice kick things into high gear at midpalate. As it transitions to the finish, it picks up steam with some red apple and bubblegum notes, joining hints of sweet malt and molasses.
Finish: The brief finish is most prominently marked by the persistence of underripe mango tones in concert with black pepper spice, malted chocolate milkshakes, vanilla extract, and Manuka honey. Surprisingly, a pinch of sassafrass closes the door on the entire affair.
Bottom Line:
We’re in the midst of what can be considered either the first or second wave of American Single Malt whiskey, and with its inaugural ASM offering, Hirsch seems poised to be a permanent fixture in the movement. This unique take on the category, full of tropical fruit and maple candy, is definitely indicative of how diverse the flavors in ASM can be.
18. Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 62.7%
Average Price: $60
The Whiskey:
Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey, a newer addition to Heaven Hill’s portfolio, has been slowly gaining steam since it was first introduced two years ago. This year’s first batch (“A” indicates the first batch of the year, “2” indicates the month, and “25” indicates the year) sticks to the script, delivering Heaven Hill’s flagship wheat whiskey undiluted at full cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes on this one are led by Granny Smith apples and peanut brittle, which morphs into a cinnamon-dusted apple sauce note with nutmeg, cloves, and a touch of spearmint. Sandalwood and faint leather notes round things out.
Palate: On the initial sip, this is a restrained albeit flavor-packed pour that leads with stewed apples and brown sugar before broadening to include cinnamon bark, allspice, lemon zest, and ground ginger. For a wheat whiskey it has a sturdy base, texturally speaking, and effectively coats your palate without displaying some of the disjointedness common with the category.
Finish: The lingering finish introduces milk chocolate and nutmeg, while the gentle oak tones fuse with mocha and cinnamon for a satisfying conclusion.
Bottom Line:
I’ve never considered myself to be a big fan of wheat whiskey, which has a tendency to suffer from a thin mouthfeel and a lack of harmony between its flavors. Bernheim Barrel Proof, however, continues to defy those expectations with medium-bodied, well-integrated offerings like this one.
If you’ve previously given up on this expression, now is a good time to check back in and give your palate a refresher.
17. Penelope Wheated Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 47.5%
Average Price: $35
The Whiskey:
Penelope’s brand new affordable offering is a crowd-pleaser: Wheated Bourbon. While savvy enthusiasts will note that Penelope already offers a Four Grain bourbon with wheat in the mash bill, this one has a slightly higher percentage of wheat in the mash bill and is bottled at a higher proof. Finally, this expression is non-chill filtered to preserve maximum flavor.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The distinct aroma of kettle corn wafts out of the glass before red licorice, dried apricots, and peppercorn notes claim center stage. On the second pass, the peppercorn is cracked open and ground as black pepper spice and apple sauce aromas start to assert themselves, while nutmeg and brown sugar have the final say.
Palate: The texture of this whiskey is surprisingly lush and mouth-coating, with menthol, rich honey, dried apricots, and peppercorn flavors rolling over the palate. This drinks above the proof, which is a compliment and probably a credit to the fact that it was bottled without chill filtration.
Finish: The medium-length finish features a much more assertive assortment of baking spices, with cinnamon bark, nutmeg, and black pepper piggybacking off some red apple sweetness before it’s all over.
Bottom Line:
Penelope’s Wheated Bourbon is a revelation. While I’ve typically been more drawn to the brand’s burlier high-ABV options, with excellent expressions like this and their recent 10-year Estate Collection offering, I am inclined to reconsider my position. Don’t be fooled by its position on this list. This is a whiskey I cannot recommend highly enough.
16. Bulleit Bottled In Bond Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
Bulleit’s brand-new bottled-in-bond bourbon really hits the sweet spot for fans of the brand who love their classic flavor profile but would love a little extra flavor even more. What makes this one so special is the fact that it’s comprised 100% of Bulleit’s own distillate — a first for the brand.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with floral notes accompanied by black currants, fresh hazelnuts, juicy clementines, caramel, and nutmeg.
Palate: On the first sip, it’s clear that this whiskey has a really clean mouthfeel, with distinct notes of fresh hazelnuts, sweet, gooey caramel, and fresh red apples coating the tongue at first. It has very well-defined albeit limited layers of flavor, and it’s very tasty; you’ll want to take repeat sips.
Finish: The finish is medium length, surprisingly, but fairly mild, with black pepper and seasoned oak joining red apples before sage emerges as it fades off.
Bottom Line:
Bulleit has made a resounding splash in each of the last two years, first with the return of its celebrated 12-year rye and now with a bottled-in-bond line expansion comprised entirely of their own distillate. This new expression deserves praise as it strikes a nice balance of flavors and indicates a ton of promise for future tasty offerings.
15. New Louisville Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 8 Years
ABV: 66.3%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
Nicknamed “El Chapo,” this new single-barrel offering from New Louisville Whiskey Co., which is itself an offshoot of Prohibition Craft Spirits Distilling Company, is an 8-year, Indiana-sourced bourbon. You probably know PCS as the parent company of NULU Whiskey Co.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose of this whiskey is resplendent with wild cherry bark, mature oak, chocolate truffle dust, and vanilla beans. A few swirls of the glass unveil Ladyfingers, almond extract, and mascarpone with a hint of peanut brittle.
Palate: The palate leads with mocha, almond extract, and black cherry notes before evolving to include chocolate truffle dust, allspice, and sugar-sweetened mascarpone. The texture begins buttery before the ethanol sinks its hooks into your tongue, introducing barrel char, black pepper, and cloves.
Finish: The finish is medium to long and marked by ground ginger, almond extract, mature oak, and black cherry flavors as it slowly sizzles away.
Bottom Line:
This impressively robust bourbon matches its formidable flavor depth with just enough finesse around the edges to maintain a “crushability” more often found in whiskey at a lower proof. If you’re a bourbon fan, you’re familiar with the classic notes found in this rock-solid single barrel. What you’re probably not familiar with is experiencing them in such an approachable, well-rounded manner.
14. High West Bourye Blend Of Straight Whiskeys Batch 25A24
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $100
The Whiskey:
High West’s Bourye is the expression, more than any other, that helped put bourbon-rye blends on the map. That said, while the trend has spread throughout the industry a bit, it hasn’t really caught on yet. No matter, High West’s Bourye is a regularly available exploration of the subset, made from a blend of straight whiskeys. Though it doesn’t have an age statement, all of the whiskeys (sourced from different, undisclosed distilleries) in this blend were aged for at least ten years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Have you ever smelled freshly baked blueberry muffins? Imagine that aroma with a touch of lemon zest with honey, white pepper, and faint peppermint notes bolstering the background of each whiff. This is some alluring stuff, with vinegar and savory dates to round it all out.
Palate: The mouthfeel is the most immediately apparent aspect of this pour, with a heavy density that easily coats the palate with chocolate truffle dust, waxy plums, potting soil, and menthol. Bits of gooey caramel punctuate the underlying sweetness between the more staid, earthy notes.
Finish: The finish is short to medium, which sadly is too short a runway for this complex, multi-layered pour to reach the heights it has aspirations for fully.
Bottom Line:
This is definitely the best batch of High West’s Bourye that I’ve tried in years, and even though an all-too-short finish mars it, it’s that same brevity that will send you in for a second sip. I can’t help but want more from this whiskey, but that’s not to call it an underachiever because it still delivers the goods.
13. Orphan Barrel Fanged Pursuit 17-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
ABV: 46%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
The latest Orphan Barrel offering, dubbed Fanged Pursuit, features 17-year non-chill filtered Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. KSBW at that age is hard to come by. Notably, it’s brought to Orphan Barrel’s preferred proof — a relatively low 46% ABV.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose bursts forth with the aroma of Luden’s cherry cough drops, clove cigarettes, Red Vines candy, leather, and torched orange wheel covered in dark chocolate. With patience, the sweet red notes continue to vacillate between red licorice and black cherry while peanut shells and caramel come into focus.
Palate: This whiskey begins with tobacco leaf, Rainier cherries, and red apple skin on the tip of the tongue before it introduces sage smudge, black pepper, barrel char, and touches of lime rind.
Finish: Allspice, dark chocolate, thyme, and orange zest hang on the palate with a medium-length finish to close things out.
Bottom Line:
I’ve been pretty consistently impressed with Orphan Barrel’s offerings, enjoying the flavorful, low-ABV expressions in a vacuum. Their price, however, has more often been the sticking point. At 17 years old, this is one of the few expressions in the lineup that warrants the cost, offering an atypical and enjoyable tasting experience.
12. Binder’s Stash 9-Year “Swing Juice” Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 58.75%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
Binder’s Stash releases used to be black and white: either you loved them, or you hadn’t tried them yet. The same could be said for the brand’s color scheme, which previously only came in black and white, but for 2025, Binder’s Stash is shaking things up and debuting new colorways, including this one, reminiscent of Tiffany blue, to house some premium 9-year bourbon from Indiana.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey opens with candied almonds, dark chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon before it takes an intriguing turn toward Tajin-like aromas of lime, chili pepper, and salt. This is a light but multilayered nose that’s really enjoyable.
Palate: The palate leads with notes of tobacco leaves, vanilla frosting, chili peppers, faint black pepper, and lime. The texture is lean and spry, with the whiskey easily traveling over your tongue and depositing sweet butterscotch notes along the edges of the tongue.
Finish: “Swing Juice” has a short and sweet finish with almond shells, barrel char, and butterscotch, leaving the final impression.
Bottom Line:
Binder’s Stash has been putting out an eclectic bunch of high-quality whiskey blends over the last few years, and this “Swing Juice” single barrel is right up there with the best of them. While supplies are generally limited on Binder’s Stash bottles, and the demand is always feverish, you definitely should seek them out to add to your personal collection as soon as possible.
11. Old Sport Single Barrel American Whiskey (Barrel #9)
ABV: 61%
Average Price: TBD
The Whiskey:
Old Sport is a vintage whiskey label being revived by Old Carter founder Mark Carter. Fans can expect an assortment of American whiskey and bourbon in the limited release of single barrels in this line. Barrel #9, which I’ll be reviewing today, is one of the brand’s American whiskey releases.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with light notes of buttered popcorn, lavender, butterscotch, orange zest, pear skin, and nutmeg. Given some time to relax in the glass, further notes of sage smudge, a hint of cedar, and rich vanilla smoothness also emerge.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey is buttery and supple with top notes of vanilla buttercream, creme brulee, dried apricots, and stewed pears. From there, it evolves to include ground Ceylon cinnamon, dilute honey, and delicate white flower flavors.
Finish: The finish is viscous and medium-length, marked by mild tones of cinnamon and dilute honey with a bright, fruit-forward infusion of orange zest and vanilla.
Bottom Line:
Seen by some as the long-awaited arrival of Old Carter’s single barrel program, Old Sport whiskey is actually an animal of a slightly different stripe. With a stronger emphasis on American whiskey than bourbon, at least thus far, fans of Old Carter’s American Whiskeys will find in these releases a familiar mellow sweetness that’s sure to hit the spot.
10. Caleb’s Crossing Bourbon
ABV: 55.53%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
Caleb’s Crossing, the inaugural bourbon release of the brand’s Dual Cask Series, is a treat. This non-chill filtered expression was made from a blend of whiskeys with mash bills of 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley (aged for 7 years), and 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley (aged for 6 years). The final blend underwent secondary maturation for seven months in red and white Pineau des Charentes as well as Armagnac casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes begin with waxy plums, lipstick, and wildflower honey for an at-first confounding medley that gradually coalesces as black pepper, vanilla extract, and candied almonds enter the fray. I’m also picking up some cayenne and black tea with a spoonful of milk, which is cool.
Palate: Plums, honey, peppercorn, leather, and the flavor of champagne grapes come tumbling over my front teeth and cling to my palate with the initial sip. It has the sweetness of white sugar, but those stone fruit notes make it more approachable, while hints of nutmeg and black pepper give it some welcome depth.
Finish: The succinct finish features the most intriguing conversation between the sugary sweetness and the black pepper spice, with subtler notes of apricots, green apples, and lilacs rounding it all out.
Bottom Line:
Caleb’s Crossing bourbon is fantastic in that it doesn’t shy away from proudly showcasing the base spirit while adding to those core flavors with two interesting finishing casks. That secondary maturation period adds layers of flavor that enhance the underlying liquid, achieving exactly what a good finished product should: a result that is greater than the sum of its parts.
9. Jack Daniel’s 14-Year Tennessee Whiskey
ABV: 63.15%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
Jack Daniel’s age-stated series kicked off back in 2022 with a 10-year whiskey, and ever since then, we’ve welcomed ever-better entries into the lineup. This year, we’re welcoming the inaugural batch of Jack Daniel’s brand-new 14-year Tennessee Whiskey, marking the first time since the mid-1900s that the brand has released an expression at this age. Most intriguing of all? This is the first barrel-proof expression in the lineup, and it clocks in at a respectable 126.3 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bananas foster comes tumbling over the edge of the glass with a strong rum-like overtone, followed by the aroma of hazelnut spread, pineapple chunks, clove, black pepper, and duck fat to round things out.
Palate: Once on the palate, the flavor of bananas foster, molasses, brown sugar, and tobacco leaf coat the tongue with a slightly chalky mouthfeel. Further notes of Brazil nuts, vanilla pods, faint leather, marzipan, and restrained oak soon bring more life to the party. This is a multilayered and delicious sipper.
Finish: The lingering finish is drying at midpalate but juicier at the edges of the tongue where the banana and marzipan linger with closing notes of sage smudge and nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
Expectations for this release were sky-high ever since preliminary mock-up labels first hit the TTB and social media soon after. Was the wait worth it? Most definitely.
Almost every new limited edition in Jack Daniel’s lineup has immediately entered the debate for “best modern Jack Daniel’s expression.” While the influence of oak is more prominently featured on this release than any of the previous age-stated series bottles, which may not be for everyone, this is yet another stiff competitor for that honor.
8. Booker’s Bourbon 2025-01 “Barry’s Batch”
ABV: 62.85%
Average Price: $120
The Whiskey:
Booker’s new Barry’s Batch honors Barry Berish, former Beam Chairman and CEO and a dear friend to Fred Noe. The base of this bourbon (41%) comes from the 5th floor of the 7-story warehouse 3, with additional components coming from center cuts in warehouses 1, H, X, and G.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: These days, I go into pretty much every Booker’s expression expecting an onslaught of floral notes combined with peanuts, peanut shells, or hazelnuts. For 2025’s first batch, there are indeed some floral notes of lavender found right off the bat, but some salted dark chocolate, nutmeg, and corn pudding obfuscate the nutty notes.
Palate: The whiskey is impressively oily and explodes with the flavor of cayenne, brown sugar, salted dark chocolate, and robust nutmeg. I’m immediately struck by how dynamic this whiskey is. Viscous on the palate and full of cinnamon, baked apples, and honeyed graham cracker notes that all brush up against a vigorous shake of black pepper and rapidly building ethanol punch.
Finish: The finish is rather lengthy, aided by this whiskey’s high heat. The closing notes include brown sugar, black pepper, baked apples, graham cracker pie crust, and ground ginger.
Bottom Line:
While the swiftly building heat does, in fact, detract from the overall experience here a bit, singing the roof of the mouth in a level 3 char, I’m pleased to report that this is my favorite standard Booker’s release of the last two years. Not one to throw that claim around lightly, I was delighted to have my expectations subverted in such a dynamic way thanks to each surprisingly layered and flavorful sip.
7. Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: P.X. Sherry
ABV: 57.76%
Average Price: $85
The Whiskey:
Barrell Craft Spirits is well known for having one of the best blending teams in the business, but it also has a burgeoning reputation for secondary maturation. Enter this P.X. Sherry cask-finished blend of straight bourbon whiskeys. Edition 001 of this expression features a mingling of straight bourbons that were sourced from Kentucky (9 & 10 years old), Indiana (6, 7, 8, & 12 years old), and Tennessee (7 & 15 years old) before being finished in Pedro Ximenez barrels from Spain.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The sherry notes are a hit right off the bat with this whiskey. It immediately gives off the aroma of a Black Forest cake with cocoa powder and whipped cream gently folded into brandied cherry notes, almond extract, nutmeg, and torched blood orange peels. This is a potent, engaging aroma profile.
Palate: On the palate, it takes on the flavor of a spiced orange cake olive oil cake with pecan nuttiness, robust black pepper, and salted honey notes washing over the tongue at first. You feel the heat on the palate more than you sense it on the nose as it sinks its hooks into your tongue and holds on for dear life.
Finish: The finish is lengthy and full of orange blossom and black pepper, with some nutty oiliness and dried raspberry notes lingering on the palate before it sizzles out of existence.
Bottom Line:
I’ve long felt that Barrell Craft Spirits is underrated, albeit a tad bit overpriced. However, with its mid-shelf offerings, it’s been shedding accusations of the latter while reinforcing notions of the former. Put plainly, this is exquisitely blended whiskey, artfully finished and delivered at an incredibly fair price. This is a new whiskey that you need to own.
6. Pursuit Spirits Derby Town 7-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 61.4%
Average Price: $50 (375ml)
The Whiskey:
Here’s a whiskey that caught me by surprise. When I saw this one in my mailbox, I didn’t realize at first it was from the fine folks at Pursuit Spirits. Derby Town is a revived label that dates back to 1933 and the end of Prohibition. For the contemporary release, the Pursuit Spirits crew is bottling bourbon sourced from Kentucky, aged for seven years, and bottled at full barrel proof. This expression falls under their Mellwood Collection, which also features a bottled-in-bond bourbon in tandem with this release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Wow. A bouquet of sweet plums, brown sugar, cherry cordials, torched shishito peppers, clove, and raw honey comes wafting out of the glass at the outset. It’s a decidedly dark and sweet profile aided by undertones of mature oak and sweet leather.
Palate: The palate of this whiskey follows a familiar flavor journey as the nosing notes, led by sweet Mirabelle plums, brown sugar, and clove, before cherry cordials and torched shishito peppers round things out. A bit of milk chocolate pools at midpalate with black pepper, red apples, and mature oak, adding breadth to the full-bodied experience.
Finish: Once this whiskey reaches the lingering finish, it welcomes an uptick of black pepper, barrel char, and brown sugar, all undergirded by mature oak tones that gently dry out the palate, leaving a sweet, earthy impression as it fades away.
Bottom Line:
While the arrival of this whiskey at my doorstep came as a surprise, I was even more taken aback once I had a chance to try it. Kentucky bourbon aged for 7 years, even at barrel strength, doesn’t tend to be this flavorful, but this one is jam-packed with rich layers. From the packaging to the 375ml format, this release is intriguing, but the best part by far is the whiskey.
The same can’t be said for all revived brands, but this one passes the muster.
5. Lost Lantern Single Distillery Series: Opulent Orchard New York Distilling Co.
ABV: 57.5%
Average Price: $100
The Whiskey:
This unique release from the country’s preeminent independent bottlers — Lost Lantern — sees them working alongside one of New York’s first distilleries, New York Distilling Company. For the first rye in the brand’s Single Distillery Series, Lost Lantern bottled a blend of three different 7-year-old rye whiskies that were finished in American apple brandy barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: It opens with the aroma of green apple saltwater taffy, transporting me back to the Jersey Shore while allspice, thyme, and Manuka honey notes draw my nose deeper into the glass. This has a mellow, well-integrated aroma profile with really impressive harmony. I can’t wait to take a sip.
Palate: The first sip continues the surprisingly mellow vibes with green apple taffy notes gently coating the palate while mild black pepper spice, nutmeg, and potting soil notes balance out that mellow sweetness without stealing its thunder. This drinks well below its proof in the heat department, but the richness of its flavor lives up to the ABV, which is a laudable feat.
Finish: The finish is lengthy and mouth-drying, with nutmeg, green apple chips, mild cinnamon bark, black pepper, and faint honey notes closing out each sip. Texturally, it gains weight on the palate without singing the tongue, indicating its proof with subtle blunt force rather than an acute sharpness.
Bottom Line:
In order of impressiveness, Lost Lantern’s Opulent Orchard expression has an alluring profile, rich, well-integrated flavors, and a restrained heat that only crops up on the finish, making it a slow-building sipper that crescendos at just the right moment. It’s so harmonious and perfectly proofed I almost can’t believe it wasn’t diluted to achieve this profile. This is a dangerously delicious bottle, befitting of its name.
4. Pinhook Vertical Series 9-Year Rye
ABV: 55.6%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
Pinhook’s Vertical Series is now in its 5th year of bringing consumers on the journey of experiencing the flavor evolution of the brand’s sourced rye whiskey. As a quick refresher, Pinhook took a select lot of four-year-old MGP-sourced whiskey in 2020 and has been releasing it annually with one additional year of maturation. This year’s expression is now 9 years old, blended from just 20 barrels of 95/5 rye and bottled unfiltered at 111.2 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: It opens with lush, sweet mint notes, sage, caramel, dark chocolate, and petrichor. It’s a totally classic rye profile with great dark sweetness and impressive depth. Nutmeg, vanilla extract, and bacon fat blend well with the aroma of calvados that close out the aroma notes.
Palate: The first sip is full of sweet mint, calvados, allspice, green peppers, and salted caramel. A second sip emphasizes the allspice and brings a bit of barrel char, Mexican hot chocolate, and Concord pear flavor into the mix. The mouthfeel here is medium-bodied.
Finish: The finish is medium-length and full of oak, black peppercorns, and toasted almonds with some sweetness reminiscent of honeyed mint tea that holds it all together.
Bottom Line:
Any American whiskey enthusiast worth their salt is already familiar with the 95/5 rye whiskey profile, but having the opportunity to witness its evolution from year to year is an innovative experience that’s not to be missed. Equal parts education and elegance, Pinhook’s Vertical Series appears to have hit the sweet spot with this nine-year offering.
3. Wild Turkey 8-Year 101 Proof Bourbon
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $45
The Whiskey:
Talk about making a splash! After banishing one of its most beloved offerings as an export-exclusive and teasing domestic drinkers with last year’s 70th Anniversary bottling, Wild Turkey is finally ready to make 8-year, 101-proof bourbon a part of its everyday American whiskey lineup. It utilizes Wild Turkey’s sole bourbon mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley, made in the same way as classic Wild Turkey 101 but aged for eight years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: It starts surprisingly floral, but this quickly gives way to brown sugar, plums, Honeycrisp apples, clove, and vanilla notes. Aside from the notes’ richness, the balance they present themselves with makes them impressive. If you’re patient, you will also find a touch of sherried mushrooms with sage and black pepper spice alongside burgeoning caramel aromas.
Palate: The dense mouthfeel makes the mouth’s periphery start watering as soon as the whiskey hits your palate, with brown sugar, stewed apples, vanilla pods, and sweet tobacco leaves setting the table. Saigon cinnamon, clove, and mature oak notes help flesh things out.
Finish: The lengthy finish has Manuka honey, cinnamon bark, black pepper, and cinnamon bark in spades with walnut shells, French vanilla, and brown butter that kick in as it starts warming the mouth.
Bottom Line:
Wild Turkey’s latest run of 8-year 101 is as magical as it ever was. Last year’s 70th Anniversary release was created as an homage to Jimmy Russell and thus reflected the flavor profile Jimmy prefers. This year’s 8-year 101, however, is its own thing. With a flavor profile that emphasizes more of the dark sweet notes, rich red berries, and baking spice boldness found in, say, Russell’s Reserve as opposed to Rare Breed, Wild Turkey has created a “new” expression that will wow its core fans.
2. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Chocolate Whisper Redux
ABV: 69.7%
Average Price: $120 (375ml)
The Whiskey:
Woodford’s original release of Chocolate Whisper in 2021 was met with a ton of fanfare. So much so that the brand held back some of those barrels and decided to re-release them, now at 12 years of age. To rehash how these releases got their name: this whiskey was distilled immediately after a run of bourbon that utilized chocolate malted rye, which left a “whisper” of chocolate flavor in the succeeding batch that the distillery found too intriguing to pass up.
One final note that makes this re-release special is that while 139.4 proof is the highest-proofed Woodford Reserve release of all time, this whiskey was actually slightly proofed down. It isn’t even at cask strength! That’s impressive.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A bounty of chocolate truffle notes fuses with gooey caramel, Macadamia nuts, flan, cinnamon bark, and polished leather on the nose of this bold whiskey. Subtler accents of brandied cherries, Earl Grey tea, melon rind, and vanilla pods really help elevate all of the top notes as well.
Palate: Once on the palate, notes of caramel, French vanilla frosting, cinnamon bark, and brandied cherries seize the lead while the robust chocolate notes from the nose emerge at mid-palate with a creamy, full-bodied chocolate fudge flavor that becomes an anchor for the entire pour.
Finish: The medium-length finish feels perfectly proofed as the fudge notes roll over with accents of almonds, mild barrel char, and vanilla pods.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve fans don’t frequently gripe about the label delivering their favorite whiskey at a modest 90.4 proof, but on the sparing occasions when the Versailles, Kentucky, distillery opts to push the boundaries and produce cask-strength bourbon, it certainly always generates excitement. Now that we’ve had a chance to try the highest-proofed Woodford Reserve release ever, we can’t help but hope that singing its praises will result in a third Chocolate Whisper in the future.
This is one of the best Woodford Reserve releases we’ve ever tasted.
1. Bardstown Bourbon Company Distilled Reserve Cathedral French Oak Barrel Finish Bourbon
ABV: 55.05%
Average Price: $100 (375ml)
The Whiskey:
Bardstown Bourbon Company’s latest release is more than 300 years in the making. Utilizing a blend of Kentucky bourbons between the ages of 9 and 18 years old, with the lion’s share coming from 14-year and 18-year stock comprising 45% and 37.5% of the blend respectively.
As for the three-centuries-in-the-making, that’s due to the oak staves that made up the barrels this blend was finished in. The 300-year-old French oak staves hail from the Bercé Forest and were originally harvested to restore the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following the fire of 2019, thus the name.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cinnamon bark, chocolate-covered raisins, spiced cedar, black cherry, and vanilla ice cream notes stand the tallest on the first pass over this glass. Some orange rind, star anise, and maple syrup notes soon emerge as well for an indulgent, well-developed nose that will keep you coming back to the glass for enjoyment.
Palate: Maple syrup, French vanilla, roasted coffee beans, and brown sugar flood the senses on this remarkably robust bourbon from the first sip. The flavors border on decadent as the richness finds every corner of your mouth. There is a slight astringency, akin to gently over-steeped honeyed black tea, but it doesn’t detract from the boldness of the flavors as the liquid glides to its conclusion.
Finish: That astringency melts away on the lengthy finish as notes of maple syrup, vanilla bean, faint black cherry notes, orange rind, and mature oak overrun it.
Bottom Line:
This is exceptionally delicious bourbon, and after reading the back label and seeing the ages and percentages of the whiskeys in the blend, the flavor notes make a lot of sense. It’s also hard to discount the impact of the 300+ year French oak used for the barrels that this blend was finished in, as decadent, mature, woodsy notes are well-integrated from the nose to the palate.
To put it plainly, this might be the most “must-try” bourbon that Bardstown Bourbon Co. has ever released and is an early contender for bourbon of the year.
