The new year is in full swing! So much so that it doesn’t really feel all that new anymore.
Do you mean to tell me the Super Bowl wasn’t months ago? At any rate, there are still plenty of new whiskies hitting the market every week, so we figured that now would be a great time to give you a rundown of the ones you should be most excited to chase down.
This list includes bourbon and rye whiskeys, wheat and light whiskey, and even some American Single Malt to highlight America’s newest legally designated whiskey category. With everything from four-year whiskey to 19-year-old juice, there’s genuinely something delicious in this bunch for everyone!
So please sit back, grab your favorite glass, and get ready to enjoy the best of our recent faves. These are the 30 best whiskeys to chase down right now!
30. Sable Bourbon
ABV: 47%
Average Price: $75
The Whiskey:
Sable Bourbon is the brand-new expression from four newcomers to the whiskey world: Harold Perrineau, Malcolm D. Lee, Taye Diggs, and Morris Chestnut, otherwise known as the gentleman responsible for the cult classic “Best Man” movie franchise. Evading the pitfalls of typical celebrity whiskeys, this one features big name backing and sleek branding but also a ton of great flavor to match. The mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley is most likely produced at the Barton Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, I’m instantly greeted by smoked Manuka honey, Brazil nuts, freshly cracked black pepper, and sticky toffee notes that send my eyebrows to the sky. This instantly familiar yet unexpected aroma profile strays from others of the same mash bill. Further notes of toasted coconut, dark chocolate, and fresh almonds add intrigue.
Palate: On the palate, many of this whiskey’s aroma notes make it to the tongue as toasted coconut, smoked honey, black pepper, and sticky toffee lead the charge. The proof point allows all of them the space to lay claim to swaths of your palate without overwhelming the senses. It’s a medium-bodied, flavorful ride that eagerly encourages a second sip.
Finish: The finish succinctly ties a bow on all of those decadent flavors by leaving you with a kick of black pepper spice to go with caramel-drizzled kettle corn.
Bottom Line:
While whiskey aficionados tend to grow bored of celebrity creations just as swiftly as they initially entice them, Sable Bourbon is primed to buck that trend. With a unique flavor profile that captures the elevated essence set forth by the bottle’s chic branding, this is a serious bourbon worth savoring by newcomers and savants all the same.
29. Edmond’s Honor Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Cognac Casks With Pure Vanilla Essence
ABV: 43%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
Edmond’s Honor, named after Edmond Albius, is an incredibly unique high-corn mash bill bourbon that undergoes a secondary maturation in Cognac casks that previously held pure Madagascar vanilla extract and were enhanced with vanilla essence. It isn’t your typical finished bourbon, but then Albius wasn’t the typical bourbon icon. He was the man who unlocked a method for manually pollinating vanilla.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Delicate cognac notes entice the nose as soon as you extend it towards the glass, with a beautifully subtle undergirding of vanilla, brown butter, honey, cinnamon, and clove. Apples and brown sugar also begin to emerge from the glass after you allow the whiskey some time to rest.
Palate: The first sip of this bourbon is incredibly rich with honey, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and spiced apple notes, all competing for the bulk of your appreciation. Allspice and a touch of citrus soon begin to bloom as you roll the buttery, viscous liquid in your mouth.
Finish: The medium-length finish is where the influence of honey is most prominent, along with some freshly cracked black pepper, tobacco leaves, and black tea. This is where the cognac cask’s influence is most prominently felt.
Bottom Line:
While one might expect the vanilla notes in this bourbon to be overpowering or come across as artificial, the exact opposite is true. It’s a steadying yet subtle force underlying each sip, but the bevy of fresh fruit flavors and baking spices ring true, as this bourbon eschews artifice in favor of authenticity in every pour.
This is dangerously tasty stuff that you’ll want to try as soon as possible.
28. John Lee Hooker Boogie Chillin’ Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
John Lee Hooker was a legendary bluesman, and to honor his legacy, his very own grandson — Glenn Thomas — created this brand in 2023, giving blues fans everywhere a reason to smile. Bottled at 100 proof and priced right at the same dollar amount, this four-year bourbon is the brand’s flagship offering.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with notes of caramel apple, vanilla, and oak for a familiar introduction. A slight twist of lemon zest adds some brightness to the overall bouquet.
Palate: On the palate, caramel apple, corn pudding, and allspice are immediate standouts. What surprises, however, is an impressive richness in both texture and flavor profile. Surprisingly viscous for the proof, this whiskey delivers some final flavors of black pepper and rosemary before transitioning to the finish.
Finish: While the finish is fairly succinct, it does a fine job of leaving all of those well-integrated flavors on your palate before dissipating into nothingness. You’ll definitely be inclined to go in for a second sip before long.
Bottom Line:
Perhaps the most surprising bottle on our list, this excellent expression from a relatively unknown upstart brand knocked our socks off from the first sip. With a distinct richness that left us more impressed each time we returned to the well, John Lee Hooker Bourbon is an outstanding everyday offering that you’d do well to procure before the hype train leaves the station.
27. Castle & Key Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon
ABV: 52.8%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
Made using 73% locally grown non-GMO white corn, 10% winter wheat, and 17% malted barley, Castle & Key’s Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon goes big on flavor. Once that distillate is laid in barrels, they rest in Castle & Key’s famous stone warehouses, which tend to push flavor in unexpected directions.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of cinnamon, nutmeg, floured pie crust, and brown sugar peaches. While the sweet notes are evident and welcome, it’s the beguiling aroma of flour and other subtler baking spices that cast the most intrigue. Accenting notes of ripe apricots, orange rind, and cloves can also be discovered over time.
Palate: Across the palate, this whiskey is burly with a medium-bodied texture that has some teeth and quickly uses them to sink into your tongue. Again, there’s a kind of floured doughiness that leads the way before nutmeg, torched mango skin, brown sugar, black pepper, and maple candy notes sweeten the ordeal.
Finish: The medium-length finish features a flourish of black pepper spice and more mango before receding to reveal burnt caramel, burnt pie crust, and oak.
Bottom Line:
This is a really intriguing pour that shifts over your tastebuds with guile, depositing ores of rich flavor at the tip of the tongue and along the sides of your jaw. While many bourbon fans are busy chasing hard-to-find wheated bourbons, Castle & Key just delivered a delicious option that you’re more likely to find on the shelf than most of its competitors.
26. New England Barrel Company Small Batch Select Cask Strength Bourbon
ABV: 61.77%
Average Price: $57
The Whiskey:
New England Barrel Company, the northeast region’s biggest home-grown whiskey brand, was founded by James Saunders in late 2020, and they’ve been on quite the ascent since then. For the brand’s premium cask-strength offering, they bottle it undiluted after at least three years of aging.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes open with some peanut shell, sticky toffee, and rich oak notes that soon morph to include dark chocolate, tobacco leaf, and barrel char in their complement.
Palate: As you take your first sip of NebCo’s cask strength bourbon, hazelnut spread, tobacco leaf, and brown sugar, consume the palate in dense layers, indicating that this is truly well-made whiskey. Further notes of nougat, milk chocolate, and black pepper spice round things out as it takes a turn for earthier notes at mid-palate with an almost chalky texture leading the way towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is lingering, and the chalky texture continues with notes of dark chocolate, slight smokiness, and savory dates concluding the sipping experience.
Bottom Line:
New England Barrel Company has been wowing us with its stellar selection of ryes, but this barrel-proof bourbon stands as proof that they’re competent switch hitters. This bottle is a home run, if not a grand slam, just in time for spring.
25. 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.
24. Larceny Bourbon Batch A125
ABV: 62.5%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
Larceny Barrel Proof has been getting uneven reviews since it first launched, but over the last year or two, things have really leveled off, and the praise has been rolling in. This is the first batch of 2025, and as always, it features a blend of 6-8-year-old Heaven Hill wheated bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Juicy orange notes are immediately striking, with vanilla pods, corn husk, plums, and freshly risen biscuits sans butter soon emerging as well. While it isn’t an “off note” per se, there’s also a slightly soapy aroma that casts intrigue throughout each nosing approach.
Palate: Wow, this is really balanced. Juicy oranges and candy apple notes seize the lead at first, with brown sugar, faint menthol tones, sassafrass, and barrel char soon following. It dries the palate significantly as the heat begins to settle in, bringing with it some notes of hazelnut spread and toasted coconut shavings.
Finish: The finish is really lingering and marked by barrel char, red apple, brown sugar, and peppercorns.
Bottom Line:
Larceny’s Barrel Proof lineup has been improving in fits and starts since its inception in 2020, and now we’re finally seeing both steadfast improvement and consistency with each batch. The latest release aligns with previous highs and makes a strong case for those who either have overlooked these releases or haven’t revisited them in a spell.
23. Raconteur Rye Batch 3
ABV: 59%
Average Price: $130
The Whiskey:
Now back for its third batch, Raconteur Rye, for the first time, features a blend of both Indiana 95/5 rye and Kentucky 95/5 rye. This batch was finished in the same Mizunara casks that previously held batch 2, which was one of our top rye whiskeys of 2024.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Stewed peaches, apricots, and candy apple with sandalwood, cedar, and white pepper hit the nose before some submerged caramel aromas surface along with vanilla, plum skin, and saline. This is intriguing stuff.
Palate: This whiskey has a lovely, lush mouthfeel with sugar plums, Brazil nuts, brown sugar, and black cherry. There’s some black pepper spice and thyme as well. Once you get beyond the layers of sugar plum, brown sugar, Brazil nuts, and black cherry, it gets a bit muddled, but that nondescript foundation serves to add nuance and intrigues as you attempt to tease out the full complement of flavors.
Finish: The finish is lingering and full of black cherry syrup, white pepper, and apple core. Some honey and vanilla extract close things out.
Bottom Line:
Raconteur Rye has been steadily improving with each batch after an auspicious start. Now, with batch 3 introducing Kentucky rye in the blend along with Indiana juice, the expression is more complex than ever and primed to impress newcomers to the scene as well as folks who have been fans from day one.
22. Old Louisville 7-Year Bourbon
ABV: 57.5%
Average Price: $128
The Whiskey:
Old Louisville, founded in late 2022, has quickly caught our attention with stellar release after stellar release of classic Kentucky Straight Bourbon whiskey. This 7-year offering follows in those footsteps and is bottled without chill filtration at full cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a surprising hint of floral notes before ascending into the prototypical bourbon profile that you might expect. The greatest hits are here in impressive form: sticky toffee, brown sugar, and oak, with accenting notes of roasted coffee beans and nutmeg.
Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, the palate is greeted by all of those classic bourbon notes — only their intensity is dialed up to 11. The sticky toffee flavor finds crevices between your teeth and threatens a cavity or two, while freshly cracked black pepper, roasted peanuts, and rich oak notes round things out.
Finish: The lengthy finish is flush with black pepper and oak, while semi-sweet hazelnut spread and almond butter give it an approachable, velvety note to end on.
Bottom Line:
Old Louisville has yet to register a miss in my book, and this robust, classic 7-year bourbon expression is the best place to begin your exploration of the brand. I’ll need a backup for this bottle pretty soon, and I’m not mad at it.
21. Kinfolk Trust American Whiskey
ABV: 62.8%
Average Price: $118
The Whiskey:
Kinfolk Trust is a brand-new blend of American whiskeys from Taste Select Repeat’s Orlando “OJ” Lima, launched in late 2024. The unique blend takes barrels sourced from Dark Arts Whiskey House (potentially Danville-distilled bourbon) and Bainbridge Distillery. While there are only three batches of the cask strength version planned per year, the same is anticipated for the lower “Preferred Proof” version.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma notes unveil hints of beeswax at first, while butterscotch, oak, and orange blossom aromas follow close behind. It has a very creamy, approachable nose despite the proof, with a faintly vegetal note pulsing throughout as well.
Palate: Bubblegum reaches the palate first, then the faintly citric, sweet note of orange pith comes in. It’s big and flavorful at midpalate, with loads of butterscotch, slightly floral notes, orange marmalade, and restrained spice blossoming. The heat fans out over the edges of the tongue and then dart up the roof of the mouth, with black pepper leading the charge.
Finish: Kinfolk Trust’s Cask Strength offering has a lingering finish that hangs on the palate for a long time, with some nougat and black pepper leaving the most lasting impression.
Bottom Line:
As part of an intimate product reveal in Louisville, Lima indicated that he wasn’t intent on creating an empire with Kinfolk Trust, but that doesn’t change the fact that this is whiskey fit for a king. If this thoughtful, well-constructed inaugural blend is indicative of what we can expect from the future of the brand, then you’ll want to keep it firmly on your radar for 2025 and beyond.
20. Penelope 17-Year Light Whiskey
ABV: 69.4%
Average Price: $130
The Whiskey:
Penelope’s new 17-year light whiskey has some big shoes to fill. The brand’s well-received 13- and 15-year light whiskeys were sensations, and now the brand is back with its oldest age-stated whiskey ever.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Curry powder, black pepper, vanilla frosting, and apple leather notes strike the nose at first for a surprising melange. Further notes include a touch of cumin, lemon zest, and pound cake. It’s an interesting nose that is striking in that those savory curry powder and cumin notes help to prop up the sweeter notes one expects.
Palate: The palate is strikingly balanced with some mango skin, vanilla frosting, candied orange peel, and smoked honey serving as a counterpoint to a steadfast savoriness reminiscent of tagine-prepared chicken, black pepper, and faint pimento wood. It drinks well below the proof at the tip of the tongue and midpalate, but you feel the crackle of heat as it transitions to the finish.
Finish: On the lingering finish, the heat crescendos but maintains a manageable temperature as smoked honey, nougat, white pepper, vanilla frosting, and dried mango notes close the curtain on this pour.
Bottom Line:
Penelope’s light whiskey has been turning heads since 2022, but now they’re back with what might be their most definitively delicious expression yet. Those delicate, sweet notes commonly associated with light whiskey are on full display but with impressive integration and remarkable balance for a mature, assertive pour that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up even as its stout proof puts a few sprigs of hair on your chest.
19. Rare Character Limited Release Batch 2025-01
ABV: 56.5%
Average Price: $90
The Whiskey:
Rare Character first began producing this intriguing Limited Release label in 2024, teasing fans with the fact that it was a blend of 5-and-15-year bourbon. While the percentages of each bourbon’s age in the blend is undisclosed, the rumor is that they’ve been slowly adding more of the oldest stock in each subsequent release, making this an incredible bang-for-your-buck option in their coveted lineup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a ton of butterscotch and vanilla as the mature oak begins to give off notes of polished leather, damp tobacco leaves, and black cherry syrup. Overall, the aroma notes seem to fall in line with the fact that this is a carefully calibrated blend of younger and older bourbons.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey opens with a big pop of butterscotch and black cherry before receding and allowing space for vanilla extract, honey, white pepper, and cigar ash. It’s a bit lean on the front end but progressively expands on the palate, getting juicier and more robust as the whiskey transitions to the finish.
Finish: The lengthy finish is marked mostly by cigar ash, cedar, dried apricots, and butterscotch. It’s a surprising return to some of the more youthful notes found at the tip of the tongue, making this one a really fun ride to savor from beginning to end.
Bottom Line:
I’ll be frank, I don’t give a damn about the percentages of the aged bourbon in these blends. They’re all exceptionally easy-drinking delights. The first batch of 2025 is finally hitting retailers, and with it building on the success of 2024’s feverishly sought-after expressions, we’re already anticipating what Rare Character does with batch two.
18. Barrell Foundation Double Oak 5-Year Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $55
The Whiskey:
You’ve got to love Barrell Craft Spirits. After knocking it out of the park for years with cask-strength offerings across spirits categories, last year, they delivered their first proofed-down bourbon, and it was a major hit. Now, they’re giving fans more of the same, with yet another 100-proof bourbon with a five-year age statement, but this go-round, they’re double-oaking it for more pronounced barrel-driven flavors.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spiced pears, fresh rubber, vanilla pods, and white pepper hit the olfactory senses at first for an intriguing blend that will make you lean forward and take notice. After some time I picked up a touch of green apple and clove as well.
Palate: Juicy pears and caramel tones come crashing over the palate with a whisp of sassafrass, black pepper, French vanilla, and barrel char along for the ride. This one has a really impressive medium-bodied mouthfeel, and chewing the whiskey unlocks subtler accents like almonds and dark chocolate.
Finish: The finish is lingering and leans sweet with pear, butterscotch, green apple skin, and barrel char, concluding each sip.
Bottom Line:
This richer, more viscous take on Barrell’s original Foundation Bourbon is a killer display of what can happen when you double down on a winning formula. With juice from Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, and Tennessee in the mix, some of it as mature as 9 years old, this whiskey further proves the company’s already lauded blending prowess.
17. Woodford Reserve Double Double Oaked
ABV: 45.2%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
Woodford Reserve’s Double Double Oaked isn’t named by mistake. Launched initially as a member of the Distillery Series in 2015, the longtime distillery-exclusive fan-favorite features Woodford bourbon that rested for 5-7 years before being finished in a second, heavily toasted, lightly charred, new oak barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bourbon opens with cedar, rich brown sugar, cinnamon, and nougat. It’s an alluring medley that draws you deeper into the glass and reveals subtler hints of dark chocolate chunks, black pepper, and sticky toffee.
Palate: Once on the palate, this bourbon detonates with a richness the nose only hinted at. The flavors of milk chocolate, cedar, sage, cinnamon, vanilla pods, and brown sugar cascade over the tongue and cling to the palate convincingly. This is a bourbon that spites its proof by being relentless from start to finish, and that’s worthy of extended appreciation.
Finish: The finish ties a tight bow on those many layers of flavor with a sage smudge ribbon accented by cinnamon flecks, sunflower butter, and semi-sweet dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
While the price point and relatively low proof might give you pause, make no mistake — this is delicious whiskey. Woodford Reserve is famed for its 90.4 proof point, and this is the best bourbon they’ve ever released that fits those specs.
16. Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2025)
ABV: 55.25%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
Comprised of barrels that Michter’s deems too good for blending, this single-barrel expression showcases the best of their rye whiskey at undiluted cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smoked caramel leads the way, with milk chocolate, mint, and graham cracker aromas following closely behind on this whiskey’s robust nose. It immediately comes across as a proofy, dense ride, and it will leave you salivating in anticipation of the first sip.
Palate: Smoked caramel and barrel char with leather lead the way on the palate before mint flows in at midpalate, cooling the tongue and introducing milk chocolate before the finish.
Finish: The finish is full of black pepper and nutmeg, but the smoked caramel is the note that most stubbornly persists. There’s also a touch of mocha present before the liquid completely evaporates.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye is always an absolute treat. It’s a versatile sipping whiskey that can make a kickass, boozy cocktail just as well as it can be a standalone delight. This year’s release once again gripped our attention, and after tasting it, it has a hold of our palates as well.
15. Green River Single Barrel Wheated Bourbon
ABV: 59.3%
Average Price: $80
The Whiskey:
Bottled at barrel strength and aged for at least five years, these brand-new Green River Single Barrel Wheated Bourbons immediately caught our eye. Green River has been delivering the goods for the past two years, and having already given their standard wheated bourbon our seal of approval; we were anxious to try these full-octane variants.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smoked honey and dates billow out of the glass, with black pepper, caramel, and black olives rounding things out. Finally, you can pick up the aroma of sugar cookies and graham crackers.
Palate: The mouthfeel is dense, expansive, and decidedly sweeter than the nose let on, with sugar grapes, nougat, honeycomb, dates, sage, and clove standing out. This is a surprisingly nuanced pour with a lot going on for the patient sipper to appreciate.
Finish: The finish is lingering and slightly spiky on the tongue, with some vanilla and youthful oak accenting black pepper as it dries your mouth and leaves that sugared grape flavor in the end.
Bottom Line:
Green River’s winning streak remains firmly intact with this fantastic release. Thanks to the variance of the single-barrel format, you’re guaranteed to find one that you like, and having it at full cask strength only enhances the fun. Don’t sleep on anything coming out of Green River this year.
14. 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.
13. Seelbach’s Private Reserve 8-Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey
ABV: 59.15%
Average Price: $65
The Whiskey:
Seelbach’s Private Reserve label has been humming along now with stellar releases too numerous to name, so it should come as no surprise that they’re back again with another fantastic blend of bourbon from two sources in Kentucky. The mash bills of those two bourbons in the blend are 74% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley, and 60% corn, 36% rye, and 4% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey begins with mango skin, honeyed green tea, milk chocolate-dipped orange peels, and peanut shells. It’s a chimeric nose that initially shifts a bit when you try to identify the leading note, but over time, you’ll find that the mango skin, milk chocolate, and citrus notes are the most steadfast aromas.
Palate: This whiskey has a noticeably heavy mouthfeel with honey-roasted peanuts, dried mango, and seasoned oak anchoring the entire pour. It’s a lovely, viscous experience that will make you want to chew the whiskey, smack your lips, and admire how well-developed each layer of flavor is.
Finish: Seelbach’s Private Reserve 8-Year Bourbon has a nice lingering finish with black pepper, honey-roasted peanuts, and artificial cherry candy, lasting longest on the palate before tapering off with a nice sizzle of ethanol kick.
Bottom Line:
The Seelbach’s Private Reserve label has been delivering outsized quality compared to the fanfare it gets, and if you’re a savvy bourbon enthusiast, you’ll want to take note of that. These releases are prone to flying under the radar, but there’s no denying their outstanding quality with every batch.
12. OKI 16-Year Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 63.9%
Average Price: $300
The Whiskey:
After releasing a stellar 15-year bourbon last year, said to be sourced from the ill-named stock of “Buff Turkey” floating around the industry, O.K.I. is back again with a 16-year version. Let’s see what one extra year does to this well-rounded, hyper-aged stock.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied pecans stand out on the nose in addition to fresh figs, pie crust, and a slightly vegetal note. Black pepper and hazelnut spread soon enter the fray and add a bit of depth, but the top notes definitely dominate the aroma profile.
Palate: Peanut brittle, creamy vanilla and hazelnut spread immediately detonate on the palate. I’m not one to call whiskey an *insert tasting note* bomb, but this one definitely lands with explosive assertiveness. The thick, oily mouthfeel helps to contain the heat as blackberry jam, allspice, and mature oak grow in prominence at midpalate.
Finish: The lengthy finish welcomes butterscotch and nougat to the mix, while the blackberry note from midpalate carries over and ends with a bit of peanut brittle.
Bottom Line:
While we’re proponents of the popular wisdom that bourbon hits its sweet spot between 8-12 years of age, there’s no denying the brilliance that well-managed barrels can reach at a more mature age. OKI’s new bourbon is proof positive that under careful stewardship, bourbon old enough to celebrate its sweet 16 can maintain a vibrancy typically reserved for younger stock. This is an absolutely killer release.
11. Premier Drams Bourbon
ABV: 56.8%
Average Price: $220
The Whiskey:
Premier Drams is a new brand that was launched early this summer by the same man behind Washington D.C.’s legendary whiskey bar, Jack Rose, Bill Thomas. 8 years ago, Thomas began procuring contract-distilled whiskey from an elusive producer in Bardstown, Kentucky, and aging it at the site of the historic Old Taylor Distillery, which today is the home of Castle & Key. Due to Castle & Key’s uniquely cool maturation facilities, many of the barrels that went into these Premier Drams single barrels saw a significant drop in ABV, with the majority hovering right around the 100-proof mark at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Strawberry saltwater taffy escapes the grasp of the glass to greet the nose at first before evolving into a cherry Luden’s note and partnering up with truffle honey, white pepper, and peanut brittle for a mellow and intriguing medley.
Palate: On the palate, it’s a delight to discover that the Luden’s cherry note has evolved into a full-blown Rainier cherry, carrying white pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and honey in tow. The flavors here are markedly rich, defying its moderate proof and delivering a depth and richness that will have you sucking your molars, frantically trying to prevent even a single drop from slipping through the cracks.
Finish: Vanilla pods, salted butter, fatty Brazil nuts, and white pepper prevail on the finish with a dollop of honey and Rainier cherries, adding a sweet closing kiss as it succinctly slides off your palate.
Bottom Line:
Premier Drams is quietly revolutionizing the modern bourbon landscape by delivering cask-strength bourbon at a moderate proof point, and more people should be taking note of that. In the fashion of any groundbreaking innovation, I’m not entirely sure the public is ready for it yet, but that’s what makes discovering excellent single-barrel offerings like this so awesome.
You’ll want to seek out Premier Drams in 2025 so you can tell everyone you know, “I told you so” in 2026 and beyond.
10. 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.
9. A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength Bourbon Batch 4
ABV: 69.85%
Average Price: $99
The Whiskey:
A. Smith Bowman’s Cask Strength Bourbon is essentially the crown jewel in their lineup. The annual release, now on its fourth batch, features their premium bourbon unfettered by chill filtration and undiluted by water; it’s the purest whiskey you’re ever going to taste from the Fredericksburg, Virginia, distillery.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of cherries drizzled in salted caramel comes wafting out of the glass almost immediately, and given some time to settle, there’s also plenty of nougat and lemon zest to balance things out. Vanilla beans, nutmeg, and golden raisins can also be found.
Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, it unfolds a delicate matrix of sweet notes from honey, vanilla ice cream, and coffee cake to Chelan cherries and apple cider. The texture is pretty heavy on the palate, which makes rolling the whiskey over your tongue and seeking out each layer of flavor a lot of fun. At midpalate, it takes a slight turn, with citrus notes joining oak and pie crust flavors before it barrels towards the finish.
Finish: The finish features juicy oranges, vanilla extract, cloves, and cedar before it gently fades away, which is impressive because at no point does this whiskey drink as fiery as its proof.
Bottom Line:
A. Smith Bowman’s Cask Strength releases are always cause for fanfare, as the underrated expressions regularly compete for bourbon of the year accolades. This year’s release is no different, with a bold flavor profile and an unctuous texture that hugs the palate and begs to be chewed and enjoyed at length, A. Smith Bowman has another instant classic on its hands.
8. Stranahan’s 12-Year Founder’s Release
ABV: 60%
Average Price: $200
The Whiskey:
How does the highest-proofed nationally released Stranahan’s whiskey of all time sound? Pretty damn good to us, and that’s exactly what’s in this bottle. Aged for 12 long years in Colorado, this American Single Malt is made from 100% malted barley and aged in new American oak barrels. It’s worth noting that some of the barrels in this blend were finished for one to four years in second-use bourbon barrels and blonde ale casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honeydew, golden raisins, and apricots come tumbling out of the glass almost immediately. Sweet barley notes and organic honey soon follow, with a hint of allspice, amaretto, and oak tying it all together. This is a truly lovely nose.
Palate: The heavy mouthfeel stands out immediately because I’m not used to Stranahan’s liquid being so dense. Oily and viscous, yes…but this is a different animal. Sweet malt, honey, and cinnamon over buttered biscuits make a striking first impression on the palate, and those notes only grow richer as they sit on your tongue. Brown sugar peaches, freshly cracked black pepper, torched lemon peels, and a faint dusting of chocolate truffle powder cap things off.
Finish: The finish is lengthy and concentrates the notes of honey, cinnamon, and sweet malt for an exceedingly satisfying conclusion.
Bottom Line:
With all due respect for Snowflake releases from years past, this just catapulted to the top of my favorite Stranahan’s releases ever. What it lacks in a variety of flavors, it more than makes up for with the richness of its limited notes, and that’s before you add points for its robust mouthfeel and extensive finish.
Whether you’re already on the American Single Malt train or not, this is a release you’re sure to instantly fall in love with.
7. 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, cedar, black cherry, and vanilla ice cream notes stand the tallest on the first pass over this glass. Some orange rind 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, but it doesn’t detract from the boldness of the flavors as the liquid glides to its conclusion.
Finish: That astringency is present on this lengthy finish, but 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.
6. Oakley Spirits Collectors Edition 20-Year Kentucky Bourbon
ABV: 61%
Average Price: $1,000
The Whiskey:
Oakley Spirits is a brand-new producer with some absolutely jaw-dropping whiskey in its portfolio. Case in point: its inaugural release, a 20-year Kentucky Bourbon forged from single barrels and aged to its optimal peak.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with stunning force as fresh Brazil nuts, gooey caramel, and mature oak aromas set the tone. From there, crisp red apples, marzipan, and palo santo notes emerge alongside honeycomb, cinnamon, peanut butter, and white pepper. It’s the sort of nose that makes the hair on the back of your arm stand up as you anticipate the first sip.
Palate: Caramel sweetness seizes the palate, allowing the flavors of Rainier cherries, vanilla bean ice cream, stunning oak, milk chocolate, and faint whisps of polished leather to take turns delighting the center of the tongue. At the tongue’s edges, you’ll pick up more forceful oak and baking spice tones like cinnamon and clove, which help to balance the sweetness and elevate its richness.
Finish: The long and lingering finish welcomes the reincorporation of Rainier cherries and an uptick in the vanilla bean flavors, while dark chocolate chunks and well-developed oak notes offer earthier layers of nuance that enhance each sip.
Bottom Line:
From a quality standpoint, there’s no good reason why Oakley Spirits’ inaugural bourbon offering should be flying under the radar. The combination of an unknown name in the space and a prohibitive price point is surely to blame, but tasting is believing, and we’ve been head-over-heels in love with this bourbon from the first sip, so much so that we have it earmarked as an early bourbon of the year contender.
While the first two barrels from this lineup took a few hours before being hunted into extinction, the brand’s third release of these 20-year-old bourbon barrels met its fate in mere seconds. These incredible Collector’s Edition offerings are highly difficult to hunt, but they’re the real deal.
5. Dream Spirits “It Was All A…”
ABV: 55.61%
Average Price: $150
The Whiskey:
Dream Spirits is based in Leesburg, Virginia, but they’re sourcing barrels from all over to deliver outstanding bourbons and rye whiskeys to market. One of their best expressions to date is this single-barrel selected by a group of industry veterans that includes Denaya Jones, General Manager of Seelbach’s, Da’Mon Brown, co-founder of River City Whiskey, and UPROXX Head Whiskey Critic, yours truly.
This is an 11-year bourbon sourced from Indiana that was bottled without chill filtration at full cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bourbon is resplendent with bright cherry pie notes, complete with the flaking crust and a bit of sugar sprinkled on top. That sweet opening salvo is soon joined by robust oak tones, with black pepper, orange rinds, vanilla pods, and clove.
Palate: Once this whiskey crosses your lips, you’re immediately struck with that cherry hand pie note from the nose, and it’s deepened by the presence of candied orange peels, vanilla bean, faint tobacco leaf, and just a touch of clove to curtail the sweetness. The mouthfeel is restrained yet supple, allowing the liquid to easily travel over your tongue and burrow into your tastebuds with staying power.
Finish: The concise finish gently coats your tongue with a thin blanket of red cherries and butterscotch before red pepper flakes, barrel char, and nutmeg notes round things off as the liquid recedes from detection.
Bottom Line:
This “It Was All A…” Dream Spirits single-barrel selection has been called “one of the best MGP whiskies…in years” by other prominent sources in the whiskey space, but I’m content just to call this damn fine bourbon. Bottles are dwindling by the day, but for those who manage to buy one — you’re in for a sweet, unique treat.
4. Michter’s Bomberger’s Declaration PFG (Precision Fine Grain)
ABV: 50.1%
Average Price: $380
The Whiskey:
Michter’s brand-new expression of Bomberger’s Declaration, which they call PFG, or Precision Fine Grain, is a fun one. For this release, they take their aged bourbon and dump it in a second new French fine grain oak barrel with proprietary toasting and a uniquely specified char level. That secondary barrel is also made using a blend of oak from various places, including the Tronçais, Allier, Nevers, and Vosges forests, and staves that naturally air-dried outdoors for a minimum of 40 months.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes are full of allure, with cedar, Brazil nuts, French vanilla, black cherry, red peppers, star anise, blood orange, and black pepper making up its tightly wound core. It’s a multi-layered experience that will have you discovering new nuggets each time you bring your nose to the glass.
Palate: The palate comprises gooey caramel and black cherry notes, which coat the tongue with accents of cedar, clove, and sage, which fan out from that base of flavors. It’s remarkably smooth and viscous. Dark chocolate, toasted coconut, and allspice emerge at the back end.
Finish: The influence of caramel, star anise, dark chocolate, and candied walnuts marks the medium-length finish, along with some cinnamon bark and cedar.
Bottom Line:
I don’t know what’s more remarkable, this bourbon or the hot streak that Michter’s has been on for the last two years. Despite the heights they’ve soared to in recent years, this new Bomberger’s release (and 2024’s bourbon of the year) proves they still have plenty in the tank.
I’m impressed with standard Bomberger’s Declaration annually, but this diffusion brand might be their best yet.
3. 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.
2. Colonel Randolph 16-Year Single Barrel Bourbon
ABV: 53%
Average Price: $350
The Whiskey:
If you think this bottle has some serious vintage vibes, you’re on the right track. Old Commonwealth is on a hot streak of reviving brands, but for this Colonel Randolph 106-Proof bourbon, not only have they resurrected one of the early 90s most iconic labels, but they even enlisted the assistance of the man responsible for the OG to select the inaugural single-barrel offering for the brand: Gordon Hue.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried strawberries and cherry syrup notes perfume the air once you pour this whiskey, with a touch of dustiness, dense star anise aromas, black pepper, smoked honey, and faint milk chocolate-covered orange peels. After nosing this glass for 15 minutes, I’m pleased to report that this is one of my favorite noses ever on a bourbon.
Palate: The dustiness I picked up on the nose comes through on the palate, with a ton of caramel and faint leather notes, but the fruitiness is surprisingly restrained. However, those sweet, fruit-forward notes do still come through, and the flavor of strawberry saltwater taffy, vanilla ice cream, rosehip, clove cigarettes, and black pepper permeates each sip.
Finish: The finish is medium-length but leaves a resounding impression on the palate as smoked honey and crisp apple notes cling to your tongue and cause you to salivate, which leads to chewing the whiskey and mining every sip for those final flavors.
Bottom Line:
Colonel Randolph’s brand-new 16-year single-barrel bourbon was launched with a ton of hype and yet the nose on this whiskey manages to exceed that excitement in every way. It’s at that point before the initial sip that you should temper expectations, as the delicately nuanced palate performs famously but notably loses steam after its stellar nosing notes.
That said, this is one of the few costly bourbons that punches right at its price point, delivering a memorable experience that you’ll undoubtedly decide to savor at length.
1. Heaven Hill 19-Year Wheat Whiskey
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $300
The Whiskey:
Heaven Hill’s vaunted Heritage Collection, launched in 2022, has been home to some of the brand’s most hyper-aged and limited expressions over the past three years, and this year’s expression is truly special. Made from a mash bill of 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley, this 19-year wheat whiskey comes from 277 barrels that were laid down in August and September of 2005 and aged on the 5th and 6th floors of rickhouse Y.
Of note: this is the oldest wheat whiskey that Heaven Hill has ever released.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Woah, what an instantly enthralling nose! Sweet oak, leather, fresh black cherries, cinnamon bark, sticky toffee, and tapioca pearls come emanating from the glass as soon as this whiskey is poured. It’s extremely effusive for such a modest proof point, with rich and distinct aromas worth extra time to enjoy.
Palate: Sugared Chelan cherries and significant leather kick off the flavor notes and soon milk chocolate trickles in with stewed peaches in brown sugar, Tahitian vanilla, wheat funk, and tapioca pearls again popping up on the palate. This has a surprisingly viscous, medium-bodied texture.
Finish: The moderate finish is full of vanilla and brown sugar peaches with a touch of tobacco leaf and faint leather that threatens to throw things out of balance before receding to reveal cinnamon and fading away.
Bottom Line:
Heaven Hill’s Heritage Collection causes quite a stir every spring, and while 2025’s announcement that we’d be seeing a 19-year Wheat Whiskey was met with cautious optimism, the results deserve liberal praise. This balanced, borderline decadent whiskey is everything fans had hoped for and more. It just serves as a notice that while Heaven Hill’s primary advantage over other distilleries is “time,” they can produce genuinely magical results when that edge is coupled with artful craftsmanship.
