If you are going just by Billboard stats, the biggest song of 2022 wasn’t even released this year — great work, Glass Animals! And that’s often how the music world works these days, with artists finding long-tail success because of television syncs (Kate Bush), TikTok virality (Fleetwood Mac), and seasonal relevance (Mariah Carey, literally every year). But while catalog is booming in many aspects of the music industry, there was still a wealth of quality tunes sprouting up from all corners of the music landscape. And besides, we’re talking about the best songs of 2022 here, not just the biggest ones.
Some were inescapable, like Harry Styles’ omnipresent “As It Was” or Gunna’s massive “Pushin P.” Others might have been a little less underscored in pop culture, like great tunes from the likes of Ethel Cain, Fred Again.., and Vince Staples. But the thing tying together the following 50 songs is that they’re all living at the intersection of art and accessibility, where their creativity and inspiration are just as integral to their story as how people connected with it. Songs are nothing without someone to hear them, and the best songs of 2022 all encouraged passionate advocates and repeated spins.
But that’s enough from us, check out the best songs of 2022 below, and be sure to check out the best albums of 2022 while you are at it.
The 1975 – “Part Of The Band”
Our first taste of The 1975’s great Being Funny In A Foreign Language was less a preview of the album’s aesthetic and more a condensed look into the complexity at the heart of their music. The arrangement is as pristine as the melody is gorgeous, while the lyrics veer wildly from tongue-in-cheek to salacious to insightful. But for me, it’s the reflective closing moments, where leader Matty Healy looks at himself remarkably clear-eyed: “Am I ironically woke? The butt of my joke? / Or am I just some post-coke, average, skinny bloke / Calling his ego imagination?” The answer is plainly all of the above, which makes his notation of the days since quitting heroin all the more affecting. He’s also alive, one of our most provocative and interesting artists, and, you know, part of the band. – Philip Cosores
Anitta – “Envolver”
Though “Envolver” technically was released towards the end of 2021, the song made a big splash this year for Anitta. The song went viral on TikTok after the Brazilian superstar’s dance move of twerking to the ground while seemingly doing a push-up had everyone testing their physical strength on the dance floor. The sultry choreography embodied the alluring reggaeton romp’s powerful message of taking control in the bedroom. In the standout track on Anitta’s Versions Of Me album, she asserted herself as a global pop act who wasn’t afraid to push buttons or boundaries. – Lucas Villa
Armani White – “Billie Eilish”
Billie Eilish didn’t drop this year, and NORE’s “Nothin’” came out in 2002. Because of Armani White’s innovation, there are traces of both on our Best Songs Of 2022. “Billie Eilish” samples “Nothin’,” but White’s cocky flow adds the necessary original flavor. “Glock tucked, big T-shirt, Billie Eilish” is such a simple hook; the attitude in White’s delivery made it sticky enough for A-list TikToks by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Tom Brady. The West Philadelphia rapper told Uproxxhe wants to make “happy hood music.” After his “Billie Eilish” breakthrough, he’s earned the runway to experiment however he’d like. – Megan Armstrong
Bad Bunny – “Me Porto Bonito” Feat. Chencho Corleone
Reggaeton music’s past and present made an incredible collision in Bad Bunny’s “Me Porto Bonito.” The Puerto Rican superstar teamed up with ex-Plan B member Chencho Corleone for his freaky reggaeton romp on Un Verano Sin Ti. While singing the praises of the woman that he was lusting for, Bad Bunny also waxed poetic as a feminist with the Spanish lyric: “If you want me to, I’ll make you a baby or bring you the plan B.” He evoked millennial nostalgia and mentioned telenovela group RBD in the same breath as perreo. Bad Bunny at his baddest is what made this sexy collaboration so good. – L.V.
Becky G and Karol G – “Mamiii”
Becky G and Karol G brought the Latin g-force to pop music with their collaboration “Mamiii.” The breakup anthem pulled from influences of mariachi music from Becky G’s Mexican background and blended that with the reggaeton genre that both women are dominating at the moment. Becky G and Karol G lyrically cut their exes down to size while evoking Mexican icon Paquita La Del Barrio’s classic “Rata de Dos Patas.” The Latina girl power behind this fiery collaboration made it one of the most exciting moments on Becky G’s Esquemas album. – L.V.
The Beths – “Expert In A Dying Field”
Expert In A Dying Field by The Beths is a breakup album, the phrase itself referring to the act of getting to know someone so well just to end up departing from them and having nowhere to put the intimate information. Bandleader Elizabeth Stokes captures this particular, searing pain on the opening title track, singing, “And I can close the door on us / But the room still exists,” summing up in a single, striking image the urge to return to a past lover instead of moving on. –Danielle Chelosky
Beyoncé – “Alien Superstar”
When Beyoncé talks her sh*t — think “Bow Down / I Been On” or “Upgrade U” — the world stands still. Renaissance’s“Alien Superstar” is no exception. The track commands attention over all 16 tracks of Bey’s seventh studio album, serving as both a moment to flex for the veteran pop star and a rallying dance floor anthem. Outside of its confidence, Bey toys with texture creating a variety show on the 3-minute track. She pays homage to the Black ballroom, gives us a sermon from National Black Theatre founder Barbara Ann Teer and sprinkles a catchy adlib, “UNIQUE,” on top of it all. Kudos to Knowles for pushing past typical futuristic themes for her otherworldy-titled track and referencing the past for her new sound. If you’re looking for the spunk of Vanity 6’s “Nasty Girl” interwoven with Beyoncé’s floaty vocals, look no further than “Alien Superstar.” – Ellice Ellis
Bia – “London” Feat. J. Cole
BIA’s brilliance on her tongue-in-cheek, UK drill anthem “London” gave J. Cole imposter syndrome. The single marked the Massachusetts-bred MC’s first time rapping over a UK drill beat, but she was right at home. BIA cleverly rips through brand names she can afford and lame men she can’t be bothered with, while Cole shakes down anyone who’s forgotten he’s the man. They walk the walk in the video, galavanting around London and toying with British accents. All told, it’s an infectious bar fest. – M.A.
Big Thief – “Certainty”
Big Thief recorded 45 songs in 2021, 20 of which are included on their staggering double album, New Warm Dragon I Believe In You. Incredibly, all of those tunes are pretty great. One of the highlights is this mid-tempo strummer, which spotlights the easy chemistry these four musicians have. It sounds like a love song that Adrianne Lenker is singing to her own band in praise of their steadfast fidelity: “My certainty is wild, weaving / For you, I am a child, believing.” – Steven Hyden
Buddy – “Wait Too Long” Feat. Blxst
West Coast crooner Blxst has been on a roll the last few years and his hot streak continues here. While Buddy, who released his long-awaited second album Superghetto after a nearly four-year hiatus, handles the smooth verses, it’s Blxst’s yearning chorus that sets off this sunny serenade, which was a staple of LA house parties throughout the summer.” – Aaron Williams
Burna Boy – “Last Last”
For the second year in a row, afrobeats found its place in the song of the summer conversation. What was Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence” in 2021, became Burna Boy’s “Last Last” in 2022. Supported by a sample of Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” Burna Boy detailed the struggles he endured following the end of a relationship. Still, the sad nature of the song meant little to many as they gleefully sang the song through the year’s hottest months. Even Burna’s pleas for “igbo and shayo” (“weed and alcohol” in Yoruba) to cop with heartbreak played more to fans’ desire for the aforementioned party favors as a boost to their outings. Nonetheless, you can’t blame many for not understanding Yoruba. In the end, “Last Last” did what music, in general, is supposed to: unite those from far and wide. – Wongo Okon
Charli XCX – “Beg For You” Feat. Rina Sawayama
Charli and Rina letting it all out on the same track set the British pop world on fire. This is the stuff that cotton candy-flavored dreams are made of. On the best moment from Charli XCX’s fifth album, Crash, the pair gush over a sizzling beat from producer Dance Farm Animals in an instant dance-pop classic. It’s everything that good pop music should have: an undeniable bounce, desire at its core, sheer thirst for romance, and two magnetic divas in their prime. Yes please. – Adrian Spinelli
Chlöe – “Treat Me”
Halfway into 2021, Chlöe kicked off her journey as a solo artist with her debut single “Have Mercy.” That journey continued into 2022 with the release of “Treat Me.” The high-paced single sees Chlöe take on the New Orleans bounce-inspired beat without issue as she puts her foot down with each bass drop to stand on her worth. Its accompanying music video saw Chlöe leave it all on the floor with her flamboyant spirit and high-octane dance movies. If “Treat Me” taught us anything, it’s that there’s no humbling or quieting Chloe Bailey. – W.O.
Claud – “Go Home!”
Buzzy indie artist Claud has been climbing the ranks since signing to Phoebe Bridgers’ label imprint and dropping their debut 2021 album Super Monster. Though they didn’t release an album this year, they still managed to drop their version of a song of the summer with the breezy “Go Home!” Accompanied by cascading keys and ballad-like lyrics, the song evokes the unmatched comfort of returning home after a particularly difficult day. – Carolyn Droke
The Dare – “Girls”
2022 marked the return of indie sleaze, so it only makes sense we had some coquettish music to go along with the revival of the era characterized by runny eyeliner and sweaty dance floors. Enter The Dare: the new musical project of NYC-based DJ Harrison Patrick Smith. With salacious lyrics about smoking cigs and hating cops, the electrifying song is a cheeky and catchy ode to New York’s thriving nightlife and evokes the chaos and fervor that ensues with it. – C.D.
When Doechii first released “Persuasive,” it was hard to fathom she could improve upon the seductive ganja-inspired single. Yet SZA’s soft and dramatic vocals command the second verse, which when paired with the track’s tinkering beat and Doechii’s self-confident but faded adlibs, force the listener to slow down — as any stoner anthem would. The house-inspired single plays SZA’s “spiritual baddie” aesthetic off of Doechii’s animated rap person, making “Persuasive” more than a dance anthem. It’s a stark reminder of the power, range, and talent held by the first ladies of TDE. – E.E.
Doja Cat – “Vegas”
With no time for games, Doja Cat refuses to put up with “hound dogs” on the standout track from the Elvis soundtrack. Sung in tandem with an interpolation of Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog,” Doja is aware of her power and mystique, refusing to settle for men who aren’t on her level. Though much of her summer was spent recovering from tonsil surgery, Doja’s presence was felt through this empowering earworm, which was inescapable this year. – Alex Gonzalez
Dove Cameron – “Boyfriend”
From innocent childhood star to sexually liberated singer, Dove Cameron has had quite a transformative year. While former Disney darlings find it difficult to shed their preadolescence image, Cameron leaned into one of her tween roles for viral single “Boyfriend.” Co-written by Skyler Stonestreet and anchored by Evan Blair’s robust production, “Boyfriend” quickly became one of the newest queer anthems. The track’s use of theatrical finger snaps creates an ominous opening, followed by grandiose strings and strategic bass placements, building the perfect mold for the song’s flirtatious lyrics. “Boyfriend” is Cameron’s undeniably bold initiation into the mainstream. – Flisadam Pointer
Ethel Cain – “American Teenager”
Cain’s single, “American Teenager,” shines a light on the hedonistic underbelly of her perception of the patriotic dream. With the music video filmed on a high school football field, she details the passing of a neighbor’s brother and getting drunk at church to grieve — all while parading around in a cheerleading uniform. “It’s just not my year, but I’m all good out here,” Cain maintains in the chorus, keeping the positivity that matches the upbeat pop instrumental. –Lexi Lane
Fred Again, Romy, HAAi – “Lights Out”
Fred Again.. fired on all cylinders this year. No dance music producer built a fresh cult following during lockdown quite like he did, with his bedroom dispatch collaborations with vocalists from across the globe. Enter “Lights Out,” a beat he made on a train ride in Scotland, sent to HAAi to flair up with drum and bass bravado, before The xx’s Romy Madley-Croft gave it the emo-EDM pulse it needed. “Lights Out” teems with dancefloor sparks, instantly making you sweat as it builds into a triumphant release. Fred said it best: “Romy’s lyrics and voice are just like a hug from a rave angel.” – A.S.
Future – “Wait For U” Feat. Drake and Tems
On the poignant “Wait For You,” from Future’s I Never Liked You, he and Drake seek to stand by their loves, despite the occasional tumultuousness of their relationships. The two deliver their signature styles of rap-singing over a sample of Tems’ “Higher,” seemingly ready to move on from the “toxic king” ways that made them both household names. When Future and Drake link, it’s always a guaranteed hit, but “Wait For U” tapped into a side of them we hadn’t seen from either since the days of Pluto and Take Care – the records that made us love them in the first place. – A.G.
GloRilla and Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2”
If there was any doubt about GloRilla’s star power after “FNF” took over the airwaves and Yo Gotti signed her to CMG, it was removed when Cardi B lent her considerable co-sign to Glo’s thugged-out, weirdly optimistic banger. For someone who hasn’t put out an album for over four years, Cardi has certainly kept visible, and “Tomorrow 2” is a stellar, endlessly quotable example of how she’s been doing it. – A.W.
Gunna and Future – “Pushin P” Feat. Young Thug
Whether or not one is familiar with the southern colloquialism “Pushin P,” the song set the mood for 2022. Though the song clocks in at just over two minutes, the musical chemistry between the three ATL legends is evident, as they deliver bars reflecting Gunna’s explained “player mentality” over glimmery production. Everyone and their mother was pushing blue P emojis this year, and while some of the tweets from corporations may have been cringe, most would agree that the trio have delivered a timeless classic. – A.G.
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Harry Styles penned “As It Was,” a three-time-Grammy-nominated chart-topper, about his personal evolution through the pandemic. It also undeniably transcended him into generational rock star status. There is no going back; we’re living in Harry’s world. The Harry’s House lead single dances between shimmering synth-pop melody and stripped-down introspection. “Answer the phone,” he softly sings. “Harry, you’re no good alone.” Styles has hardly been alone since launching his Love On Tour, including an unprecedented 15-date Madison Square Garden residency, with “As It Was” as a unifying staple on the empowering setlist. – M.A.
Hitkidd and GloRilla – “FNF (Let’s Go)”
Let’s Go! GloRilla and Hitkidd’s “F.N.F.” is an anthem for women to let go – whether it’s from shedding their fears and insecurities from their past relationships to devoting their time to their girl squad and, more importantly, themselves. More than anything, the song is an ode to self-love. With its bumping base and Big Glo’s raunchy lyrics, the track is both rachet and righteous — something for the streets to dance to and the perfect mantra to get through any breakup. – Alexis Oatman
Ice Spice – “Munch (Feelin’ U)”
Reminiscent of TLC’s “No Scrubs,” Ice Spice uses the drill-inspired track to call out a specific group of thirsty men, also known as a “munch.” With the help of social media, the Brooklyn rapper’s track became a runaway hit. Her gritty lyrics and adorable curly head of hair captivated the world and made everyone wonder what a munch is. Ice Spice would eventually reveal in an interview with Rolling Stone that song was not only meant to be a fun and upbeat record, but it helped to describe “the heaps of desperate men” who can’t stop thirsting after her. Additionally, the rapper noted that the song was a shot at her critics, particularly the men who were sex-shaming her online. – A.O.
Jack Harlow – “Churchill Downs” Feat. Drake
Jack Harlow dispelled “never meet your heroes” with the Grammy-nominated “Churchill Downs.” He challenged Drake back into his ruthless rap bag post-Certified Lover Boy and was rewarded with an explicit co-sign, as Drake plainly states in the hypnotizing track’s last line, “Shorty like, ‘You know that boy Jack is going places’ / I know.” Place is important to Harlow. Namely, all he craves is Louisville’s embrace — akin to Drake’s universal embodiment of Toronto. Their Kentucky Derby takeover felt like the official coronation of the city’s new king. – M.A.
Jamie xx – “Kill Dem”
Jamie xx’s knowledge of musical styles is second to none. Go see him DJ for a masterclass in global genre-hopping through his elite crate-digging moxie. For “Kill Dem,” The xx producer dug into his personal experiences growing up exposed to the Caribbean cultures and dub music of the Notting Hill Carnival every summer. The dancehall sound system tune, soaked with a heavy dose of Jamie’s signature steelpan drum sound, presented a long-awaited return to form for the sleeping giant. He’s back. – A.S.
Kendrick Lamar – “Die Hard” Feat. Blxst and Amanda Reifer
Kendrick Lamar’s long-awaited fifth album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers features many uncomfortable and off-kilter records. These niche records make up half of Mr. Morale, with the remaining half being more digestible records like “Die Hard.” The Blxst and Amanda Reifer-assisted song touches on Kendrick’s passionate ways, and how it often aided his bad qualities as much as it did his good ones. The track’s West Coast feel, something aided by the presence of Blxst, brings Kendrick back to his roots, a place he needs to go in order to fix the many problems he details on Mr. Morale. – W.O.
Kodak Black – “Super Gremlin”
Kodak Black’s multiple run-ins with the law have prevented him from having a steadily rising and uninterrupted career. Despite that, Kodak has managed to release records that have placed him high on the charts: “Zeze,” “Tunnel Vision,” and “Roll In Peace.” The latest example of this came with “Super Gremlin,” the haunting and spooky track that captures Kodak’s disappointment with a former associate’s betrayal towards him. Kodak’s quick-timed punchlines and unforgiving bars are on full display for the record that peaked at a top-three position on the singles chart, the second of his career. – W.O.
Latto – “Sunshine” Feat. Childish Gambino and Lil Wayne
Latto‘s nostalgia-baiting megahit “Big Energy” may have garnered most of the attention early in the year, but the real gem from her sophomore album 777 turned out to be a more traditional rap song tapping a fellow Atlantan and one of her generation’s greatest influences. The result is an uplifting anthem that puts Latto’s full rapping ability on display while pushing the boundaries of her stylistic palette. – A.W.
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
This year, it was “About Damn Time” Lizzo delivered another viral hit and she certainly did not disappoint. Lizzo returned with glitz and glamor on her feel-good track “About Damn Time,” which previewed her much-anticipated sophomore album Special. In true Lizzo fashion, the song is upbeat, infectious, and has some of the most quotable lyrics of the year. I mean, who can resist singing along to the line, “It’s bad bitch o’clock, yeah, it’s thick-thirty.” – C.D.
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her”
Meg’s time as a judge on HBO Max’s ballroom competition Legendary is evident in this viral track. On “Her,” Meg channels her inner dancing queen, as she delivers fiery bars over a house-inspired beat. With this fan-favorite from Traumazine, she takes over the dance floor, rocking high fashion and fully aware that all eyes are on her. And without hesitation, she will gladly “tell a hater, kiss both cheeks, ciao bella.” – A.G.
The National – “Weird Goodbyes” Feat. Bon Iver
It’s been more than a decade since the Dark Was The Night compilation, but these old friends still have a natural chemistry that lends itself to collaboration. On this song, they return to the electro-folk template of Sleep Well Beast and I Am Easy To Find, though Justin Vernon gives the chorus some understated soul when he harmonizes with the classically craggy Matt Berninger. – S.H.
NewJeans – “Hype Boy”
Not a day goes by where I haven’t played this song since its unofficial release over the summer. It’s dreamy Y2K pop with a blend of R&B, sung by five young and talented girls from ADOR and HYBE Labels who sound incredibly mature. “Hype Boy” checks off the qualities of a perfect K-Pop song with its addictive dance (a challenge done by almost everyone in the industry) and catchy hooks. – Lai Frances
Nilüfer Yanya – “Midnight Sun”
This buzzy British singer-songwriter was a breakout artist back in 2019, thanks to an eclectic amalgam of influences suggesting that Yanya ultimately wants to fuse the slinky grace of Sade with the sort of chunky and lovable punk anthems associated with Blink-182 and The Libertines. On her 2022 LP Painless, she detours into art-rock territory. Several tracks resemble Hail To The Thief-style rock bangers, though Radiohead hasn’t come up with a song as catchy as “Midnight Sun” in years. – S.H.
Oxlade – “Ku Lo Sa”
Afrobeats is the most refreshing genre that’s making a pop crossover. One of the songs that helped lead the charge for afrobeats this year was Oxlade‘s “Ku Lo Sa.” In the alluring love song, the Nigerian singer beautifully sings in Nigerian Pidgin English that’s typically spoken in his country. Oxlade’s voice soars with determination to get closer to the woman that he’s in love with no matter what obstacles are in the way. His slick charm and heartfelt performance made the world feel connected to this irresistible track. – L.V.
Post Malone – “Cooped Up” Feat. Roddy Ricch
Post Malone and Roddy Ricch do it again. After displaying some unexpectedly cool chemistry on the remix of “Wow.” in 2019 (before Roddy took over the world with “The Box”), they once again strike gold with “Cooped Up,” an angsty going-out song that somehow captures the anxiety of the last couple of years while giving listeners an irresistible urge to dance. Not bad for a track that Posty says he “probably” wrote “on the sh*tter.” – A.W.
Quavo and Takeoff – “Hotel Lobby”
It’s so weirdly unfair that Takeoff was killed just as Migos entered into this latest, unusual phase of their collective career. After years of “left off” jokes, the quietest Migo was finally getting his due as one-half of the Unc and Phew duo while they worked out whatever their beef was with Offset behind the scenes. “Hotel Lobby” offers the best summation of Quavo and Takeoff’s back-and-forth chemistry but it also leaves a pang knowing that any possibility of a true Migos reunion died with him. – A.W.
ROSALÍA – “SAOKO”
ROSALÍA ripped into her MOTOMAMI album with “SAOKO,” and it’s one of hell of a multi-genre ride. Though the song lasts a little past two minutes, the Spanish pop star makes every second count. She turns an interpolation of the classic “Saoco” by reggaeton pioneers Wisin y Daddy Yankee into a cyberpunk club banger. There’s even a jazz music detour thrown in the mix to show her influences are limitless. ROSALÍA evokes queer culture as well to describe her pop takeover. “Drag queen makeup, I transform,” she sings in Spanish. ROSALÍA’s drive to push her sound to new places is masterfully manifested in the rush of “SAOKO.” – L.V.
Saucy Santana – “Booty” Feat. Latto
Saucy Santana extended his run of hood hits with the Beyonce-sampling “Booty” after finally receiving recognition on the cover of XXL as one of its Freshman class of 2022. An undeniable twerk anthem, I’ve personally witnessed the inability of even the most stoic straight men to resist giving the tiniest of shimmies at this song, because it’s just that hypnotic. For years, we’ve been asking the wrong questions about hip-hop and gay rappers; the question was never “if” or “when” but “how” — and now, we’ve got our answer. – A.W.
Sorry – “Let The Lights On”
UK-based post-punk group Sorry took an off-kilter-yet-charming turn with their Anywhere But Here single “Let The Lights On.” It’s an amorous, hypnotic, and drum-driven track that captures the anxiety and excitement of new love, opening with vocalist Asha Lorenz repeating enamored lyrics. The song not only shows off the band’s songwriting chops, but it gives an honest portrayal of how difficult it can be to let go of love, even when it’s the right choice in the long run. – C.D.
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Every time I listen to “Bad Habit” is more exciting than the last. You see, it’s not just a ridiculously catchy pop song, it’s also an incredibly layered one. On every new spin, there’s another wrinkle to discover, whether it’s a vocal loop you didn’t realize was there before, a synth that jumps out of nowhere, or Lacy’s incredible range. The song somehow even managed to end Harry Styles’ historic run atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “As It Was,” and it’s a testament to the many, many flowers that Lacy is set to receive in his budding career. – A.S.
SZA – “Shirt”
There’s a history behind SZA’s “Shirt.” She first posted a snippet of the track on her Instagram story back in 2020; months later, the song was teased at the end of her March 2021 “Good Days” music video. After just under two years of TikTok challenges to the mystery audio and pressure from fans, she blessed them with 3 minutes of classic SZA. She lusts for love, digging into her rap-singing bag and refusing to shy away from addressing the despair that fame brings. The track is her premiere collaboration with industry vet Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins’ emotionally chilling sound, which is a fitting foundation for SZA’s commonly expressed relationship woes. – E.E.
Tate McRae – “She’s All I Wanna Be”
McRae struggles with self-comparison on “She’s All I Wanna Be.” Specifically, one that involves competing for a “stupid boy’s” attention and affection. While not gearing into internalized misogynistic tropes like predecessors of Paramore’s “Misery Business” might have, she instead makes a pop hit that plays into almost an admiration for the perceived other woman. McRae wants to be her while realizing the guy is the real problem. – L.L.
Taylor Swift – “Lavender Haze”
Taylor Swift didn’t release an advance single from Midnights. For Swifties listening to her record-breaking October album in order, the swirling opener “Lavender Haze” was the palate cleanser from the cottagecore of Folklore and Evermore — a synth spiral back into prime Pop Taylor. Swift borrowed the titular phrase from Mad Men, fiercely protecting her relationship with Joe Alwyn. Swift rejects the outdated fairytale “Love Story” or “Mine” was built upon. She’s not “a one-night or a wife.” She’s standing tall against “the 1950s sh*t they want from me.” Sprinkle in Zoë Kravitz’s songwriting credit, and “Lavender Haze” is a contender for the All-Cool Team. – M.A.
TWICE – “Basics”
Being one of the most artistically driven members of TWICE, Chaeyoung knew what she was doing when she wrote “Basics.” As this feel-good b-side track hails from the group’s 11th EP, Between 1&2, “Basics” highlights the members’ strengths and hidden talents in a perfect mesh of Korean and English lyrics. (Pay attention to the second verse where Chaeyoung and Momo go back-to-back in a thrilling rap cypher or when Mina and Jihyo perfectly show off their English pronunciation in the pre-chorus.) – L.F.
Vince Staples – “When Sparks Fly”
If you’ve been following my work for any amount of time, you know I’m biased when it comes to Vince Staples. But I will defy you to find a rap song from 2022 that grabs hold of your guts the way this standout from Ramona Park Broke My Heart does. Sure, the concept — personifying a controversial piece of cold steel — has been done, but where predecessors have focused on the technicality of the execution and the precise machinery of mechanical storytelling, Staples kicks you in the chest by making it a doomed love story. – A.W.
The Weeknd – “Less Than Zero”
Each song on Dawn FM seems like it cost $1 million to make and came out sounding like $10 million. Go beyond the extremely 1980s signifiers — the synth tones, the Thriller vibes of nearly every chorus, Jim Carrey’s ‘luded-out DJ (his best performance since Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind!) — and it’s this quality that makes the album feel like such a throwback. The record’s climax arrives with the penultimate track, which sounds like a lost A-Ha tune covered by George Benson. – S.H.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Sometimes during the holiday season you can’t help but splurge on a big gift that you don’t quite have the money for just yet, so you put it on a credit card (or layaway) and deal with it later.
That apparently is also how Colorado approached the hiring of Deion Sanders. Coach Prime is taking his talents from Jackson, Mississippi to Boulder, Colorado, making official what had been rumored for weeks late Saturday night after Jackson State won the SWAC title. While he didn’t give his buddy Rob Jay a ride to Colorado, he did arrive in style and had a press conference on Sunday where he talked about trying to open doors for other HBCU coaches at the FBS level, his expectations for the Buffs, and even introduced his son, Shadeur, as the new quarterback in Boulder, confirming the former 4-star recruit will transfer from Jackson State to Colorado.
However, the part of the press conference that made the most waves wasn’t anything said by Deion, but instead came from Colorado AD Rick George, who was asked about the 5-year, $29.5 million deal they gave Sanders which is the biggest in program history. George admitted they didn’t have all the money for the contract just yet, but that they would.
Colorado AD Rick George was asked how CU came up with the money to hire Deion Sanders. He said, “We don’t have the money yet, but I know we’ll have it, so I’m not worried about that piece.” #cubuffs
This raised a lot of eyebrows because you don’t often hear someone say they don’t have money for someone’s contract just yet very often, and while I’m sure he’s referring to the full five year amount — and it should be noted he was fully confident that the money was coming their way — it’s still very funny to hear. As such, folks from around college football had jokes about the Buffs putting Coach Prime’s contract on their credit card and worrying about it later.
I know this probably isn’t actually anything to worry about. I also know that this *sounds* like the last thing you want to hear your AD say. Like he’ll be able to pay his coaches just as soon as this NFT side hustle starts paying off or something. https://t.co/WGIrCRbLGO
As SI reporter Ross Dellenger noted, this is actually an oddly common process for college athletic departments, but still not one most ADs say out loud in public.
It is actually somewhat normal – and also alarming – how much athletic departments are fueled by *pledges* from donors and not actual cash on hand.
(I mean, you guys really don’t think these school collectives have $10-20 million in NIL *on hand* right?) https://t.co/La80K2Uisn
(Spoilers for The White Lotus will be found below.)
Someone (or someones) is gonna die next week on The White Lotus. Our own Brian Grubb has made his predictions, and there’s no telling who will die. Or who will be the murderer. Tanya’s possible death was a subject of much theororizing heading into this penultimate episode, and Ethan might be losing his mind with jealousy (and his paranoid imagination) over Cameron and Harper. There’s also the possibility that Albie decides to defend Lucia to her pimp and doesn’t walk out of the altercation alive. Valentina could feel spurned next week if her birthday present turns out to be “for charge,” and yes, lots of possibilities exist, including implications of that photo viewed by Tanya.
Heck, the angry Sicilian family members could descend upon The White Lotus resort and kill off the three-generation trio. Admittedly, that’s a super far-fetched suggestion, but let’s talk about how much people enjoyed this week’s episode. Tanya’s moment of staring at a certain photo could provide clues for how the season ends, but people are also loving/hating her cocaine moments.
Nooo don’t snort that coke Jennifer Coolidge they wanna kill u #whitelotus
Also, Ethan is seething, maybe even going crazy. People are concerned and noticing the call-out of a double standard.
This!!! This is what I was thinking the entire episode. Ethan gets a hint of something with zero proof and he’s losing his fucking mind. Meanwhile, he expects Harper to just take his word and be cool and move on. #WhiteLotushttps://t.co/eJxVoCbRrN
Fears for Albie also abound regarding Lucia’s motivations.
I can see Albie dying because he goes to confront that guy who was following Lucia and 1) the dude really is harassing her & he kills Albie or 2) Albie discovers that they are working to scam his family & they accidentally kill him. #WhiteLotus
All of that means that it’s time for our Best Scotch Whiskies of 2022 list. 50 whiskies from all across Scotland!
Over the last year, I’ve been lucky enough to taste around 1,500 whisk(e)ys across all categories. Though to be honest, the vast majority were bourbons, ryes, and Scotch whiskies. So for my list of the 50 best Scotch Whiskies of 2022, I’m pulling the absolute killers that crossed my palate this year. Then I’m ranking those by delectability, depth of flavor, nuance, and a category I’m dubbing… sheer splendor.
A quick reminder before we dive in, this list isn’t about what you can get or afford (how could I know that?). This is about the absolute best Scotch whiskies that I was lucky enough to taste this year via multiple trips to Scotland, judging spirits competitions, attending industry events around the world, and working in whisky media 24/7/365. This is about calling out the best of what’s out there right now (though I did omit any direct-from-the-barrel tastes I had over the last year — shout out Lagavulin’s Iain McArthur for cracking open some truly outstanding barrels for me in the damp, seaside cellars on Islay!).
Let me tell you, there were some astoundingly delicious Scotch whiskies that dropped this year. So let’s dig in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
This new release from a brand new distillery is aiming to put the Lowlands of Scotland back on the map. The juice is a 100% malted barley whisky (naturally) that’s aged for three years in a combination of first-fill bourbon and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks. Those barrels are blended and the result is proofed down with local spring water for bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a touch of black licorice with old peaches and honey but it’s all very light and malty. The palate leans into spiced malts with bruised banana and melon next to a hint of non-descript oak and maybe some dry oats. The finish has a nice peppery warmth with a hint of bourbon vanilla smoothing things out on the short and malty end.
Bottom Line:
This new whisky from a new distillery is fresh, young, and worth keeping an eye on as they grow.
Yes, Scotch whisky has celebrity white-labeled brands too. This one comes from Outlander star Sam Heughan. The whisky’s recipe/build is under wraps so there’s not much more to say.
Tasting Notes:
Lemon drops and Almond Joys drive the nose with a hint of honey, bourbon vanilla, and dried apricot. That apricot gets leathery on the palate as the malts arrive with plenty of honey and cinnamon-forward spice next to a hint of eggnog nutmeg. The finish is concise with a little cinnamon, honey, and almond rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is a steadfast blended scotch with a subtle sensibility that’s perfect for bespoke cocktails.
This single malt from the famed Loch Lomond Distillery is all about the aging process. The hot juice is loaded into ex-bourbon, re-fill bourbon, and re-charred oak barrels for 12 long years. Those barrels are then blended and the whisky is proofed down with Highland spring water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a mix of white summer flowers and a lot of fruit kind of like a fruit salad out of the can. The palate really amps up the fruitiness with overripe peaches, bruised pears, and plenty of grilled pineapple next to a rummy spiced cocktail vibe with a little bit of vanilla, allspice, and woody cinnamon. The finish keeps it easy with more canned fruit syrup, a hint of sweetgrass, and a bit of malty spice.
Bottom Line:
This award-winning whisky is a great introductory to the Highlands and fruity, unpeated whiskies.
This unpeated malt from Orkney starts its life on a barrel-shaped Lomond wash still. This still from the 1950s is super rare and only a few are left in operation. The whisky then spends an undisclosed amount of years mellowing in barrels from Tennessee and Kentucky. Those barrels are then vatted and proofed all the way down to 40% before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Old apple skins and floral honey lead the way on the nose with a hint of sour cream and roasted almond with a thin line of salt. The taste has a slight damp straw funk to it as more honey smooths out the mid-palate with notes of dry anise and licorice leading to a touch of lemon pepper spice. The finish has a note of old oak stave next to a lemon creaminess and that honey sweetness with a fair amount of that proofing water calming everything down.
Bottom Line:
Scapa Skiren is s funky, fun, and fresh example of old-school distilling mashing up with new ideas and flavors.
This Campbelltown whisky is a rarity, like most whiskies from the tiny region. After an initial maturation, the whisky spends a final 12 months maturing in 30% Pedro Ximenez sherry butts and 70% heavily charred American oak before bottling truly as-is — no proofing, no filtering, no coloring.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is thick with a lot of savory fruit — figs, squash — next to sweet oranges, overripe pineapple, and robust but fresh florals. On the palate, that floral nature takes in a nasturtium vibe with a layer of spice next to a thin line of saltwater taffy wax paper wrappers, rum-soaked cinnamon sticks, and a thin layer of creamy vanilla. The end has a vibe that’s kind of like malt-soaked tropical fruit next to spicy vanilla pudding with a whisper of singed apple bark lurking in the background.
Bottom Line:
This Campbelltown whisky is an insider’s pour that might get you hooked on the subtly of the mico-region.
45. Isle of Raasay Sherry Cask Finished Single Malt Whisky
This Island malt was aged in ex-Woodford Reserve rye barrels for an undisclosed amount of time before a finishing spell in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry quarter casks. Those whisky barrels were then vatted and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The whisky’s nose opens with dashes of green peppercorns next to a line of smoked almonds and plums with a hint of medicinal menthol in the background. The palate mixes freshly ground nutmeg with clove-spiked orange rinds as a creamy almond paste leads to a wintry mulled wine sour red fruit with a light sweetness and smoked plum vibe. The end is full of earthy and almost floral smoke next to more of that almond paste and mulled wine sour spiciness.
Bottom Line:
This is a fascinating pour that pushes flavor profiles to new and fun corners of your whisky palate.
This old-school brand just expanded into 18-year territory this year for the U.S. market. The whisky is made from malts and grain whiskies mostly pulled from the famed Cragganmore distillery. Those whiskies are vatted/batched, proofed, and bottled in this old-school stubby bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Dark and meaty dates and figs are countered by a hint of vanilla cream, woody cinnamon, and … I want to say … oyster or clam shell. The palate is a classic malty experience with a touch of sage over caramelized root vegetables with a touch of vanilla cake filled with spicy stewed plums. The end has a mild woodiness that’s attached to the spices with a hint of oak and mustiness.
Master Blender Stephanie MacLeod really hits it out of the park with these blends. This one starts with 32-year-old barrels of both single malt and single grain whiskies. Then all the single malts are blended and re-barreled in an “exhausted” barrel (meaning the barrel has aged its last whisky and would otherwise be repurposed). MacLeod does the same with the grain whiskies. Those grain and malt whiskies are then blended and put into another exhausted barrel for a spell. Finally, those barrels are blended and filled into an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry barrel for a final maturation.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a rich sticky toffee pudding full of black-tea-soaked dates, sharp cinnamon, nutmeg, buttery toffee sauce, and vanilla ice cream with hints of orange zest, wicker, and an old leather tobacco pouch. The palate largely delivers on the nose’s profile with meaty dates, figs, and prunes countered by woody spice, dark fruit leather, and a touch of honey barrel staves. The finish is shorter than expected with all that dark and dried fruit leaving you with a sweetened and wintry vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is blended scotch at its best with true depth that’ll keep its hooks in you.
The “happy accident” that led to this whisky was Ardbeg’s boilers breaking down. Instead of throwing out the mash until those were fixed, Dr. Bill Lumsden (the mad-scientist distiller behind Ardbeg) decided to see what would happen if they let it be. The washback lids were opened and the mash was allowed to ferment with the sea-kissed Islay air for three more weeks. To put that in perspective, Ardbeg (and most whiskies) usually ferment for 72 hours before distillation. Once the boilers were back up and running, the whisky was distilled and then barreled in first-fill and re-fill bourbon casks. 13 years later, Dr. Bill decided it was ready and here we are.
Tasting Notes:
The nose starts off with this burst of fresh green grass just after the rain that melts into a summer herb garden (mint heavy), grapefruit seeds, and smoked butter with sweet lemon candy and orange trees that’s underpinned with a dark and rich soil that’s been turned with manure. Going deeper on the nose, you get fresh tires, mossy fir bark, and maybe a hint of fennel-heavy focaccia. The palate starts off incredibly soft with a toffee note before veering into burnt scones, hints of absinthe, what feels like powdered turmeric, and finally cigarette ash. The finish lets that sweetness stay while the cigarette ash builds towards a crescendo and leaves your senses feeling like you’ve licked an ashtray.
Bottom Line:
This is the quintessential love/hate whisky. I fall on the former side but totally understand if this is too much for the uninitiated in the bowels of hardcore peatiness.
This redesigned The Glenlivet is still a classic whisky. The hot juice is aged in a triple combination of first-fill Oloroso sherry, Troncais oak Cognac casks, and vintage Colheita Port casks. After 21 long years (at least), the barrels are vatted and proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Leather and winter spices lead the way on the nose with a hint of saffron-stewed pears, ripe peaches, and lush eggnog next to boiled beans with a bay leaf. The palate leans into the peaches and pears but puts them in a pie with plenty of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg next to apricot jam and rum-raisin. The mid-palate hits a pine resin note before descending toward brandied cherries and dark chocolate with fresh ginger sharpens and a dash of cinnamon candy.
Bottom Line:
This is a subtly beautiful pour of whisky that’s perfect for anyone looking for deft unpeated whisky glory.
Johnnie Walker’s Green Label is a solidly crafted whisky that highlights Diageo’s fine stable of distilleries across Scotland. The juice is a pure malt or blended malt, meaning that only single malt whisky is in the mix (no grain whisky). In this case, the primary whiskies are a minimum of 15 years old, from Talisker, Caol Ila, Cragganmore, and Linkwood.
Tasting Notes:
Soft notes of cedar dance with hints of black pepper, vanilla pods, and bright fruit with a wisp of green grass in the background. The palate really delivers on that soft cedar woodiness while edging towards a spice-laden tropical fruit brightness. The finish is dialed in with hints of cedar, spice, and fruit leading toward a briny billow of smoke at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This blended malt is the high water mark of the standard Johnnie Walker line and seems to be getting better and better with each passing year.
This Viking whisky from high up in the Orkneys takes barreling one step further. Their 18-year expression is matured in casks made from American and European oak specifically for Highland. Those bespoke vessels are sent to Jerez, Spain to age sherry for three years. The same barrels are then sent back to Orkney to age this whisky for 18 years.
Tasting Notes:
This really feels like a classic scotch at every step. You’re greeted with notes of marzipan, dark berries, honey, and light lines of smoke on the nose. Those notes hold on as buttery toffee arrives with a dark chocolate counterpoint, leading towards ripe red cherries and floral honey. The end embraces distant billows of sweet smoke with a dry and earthy undertow on the slow, sweet, and berry-filled fade.
Bottom Line:
This is Highland Park at its most straightforward and, frankly, delicious.
This year’s Càirdeas release celebrates the Friends of Laphroaig and how they keep the brand going. The whisky in the bottle is made from Laphroaig’s high-phenol peated malt right next to the sea on Islay. The hot spirit was then filled in first-fill limited edition single barrel Maker’s Mark bourbon barrels. The barrels were then stored in the famed four-story Warehouse 1 right next to the crashing sea until they were just right and then bottled as-is after vatting.
Tasting Notes:
Here we go again. The nose opens with a huge note of smoked grainy malts next to an un-opened box of Band-Aids, peppery smoked brisket with plenty of smoked fat, and smoked sea salt counterpointed by vanilla sheet cake with a honey icing and dusted with cinnamon and nutmeg. The palate opens with burnt yet buttery toffee next to white wildflowers, dried fennel, and rich and creamy honey smoothness and sweetness. The end gets a little woody with a fatty smoked peppery vibe next to more toffee and a dash of seawater-washed granite.
This distillery-only Oban edition is made to celebrate the whisky makers of the past at Oban. The whisky in the bottle is made from Oban’s subtly peated malts. It’s then filled into ex-sherry casks, both first fill and refill. After a good rest, the barrels are pulled and vatted before being bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a supple sense of pear candy, soft honey, smoked apple chips, burnt orange rinds, and a hint of white saltwater taffy with mild hints of woody spices tied to warm malts. Those warm and spicy malts open the palate toward dark and tart berries, pear Starbursts, orange oils infused into marzipan, and almost sour apple peels. The end slowly descends through the spiced malts toward the dried berries with a hint of honey and vanilla before the apple/pear vibe leans into a hint of orchard wood smokiness.
Bottom Line:
This special edition of Oban celebrates the tiny distillery’s massive impact on the scene and your palate.
Old Pulteney is a renowned Highland single malt. The unpeated whisky is aged in second-fill ex-bourbon casks for 18 years before being re-barreled into first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks for a final maturation. Finally, the whisky is vatted, proofed down, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Bright notes of floral honey greet your nose as yellow pears, orange blossoms, and tart apples mingle with a thin line of vanilla cream, winter spice, and chocolate-covered raisins. The palate leans into the chocolate while the taste gets slightly bitter like an espresso bean before a minced meat pie drops in with sweetness and meaty dried fruit with a good dusting of brown spices. The end has a nice hit of orange zest that leads to a holiday cake with tons of dried and candied fruits and a good measure of wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those unpeated malts that’s just delicious from top to bottom.
Hailing from the Tobermory Distillery on Mull, this brand is all about the peat. The whisky was made to mimic the hardcore peated whiskies of the 1700s that were made in the Inner Hebrides. That heavily peated barley is mixed with local spring water for fermentation. Finally, the whisky spends 18 years in used oak before a finishing spell in Oloroso sherry casks.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nose full of smoked apple and pear chips with a woody underbelly next to dates and prunes swimming in dark spices and honey with a touch of sweet cherrywood. The palate leans into the spice with a mix of ground ginger, allspice, clove, nutmeg, and maybe some mace as fatty pork belly smokiness adds some serious depth and creaminess. The finish has a malty chocolate vibe that leads to more smoky fat, woody spice, and dark leather fruit on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskies that if you know, you know. And if you know, you know how great it is. If not, it’s time to grab a bottle and dig in.
34. Bruichladdich The Organic Barley 2010 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
These special releases from Islay’s Bruichladdich are all about highlighting specific barley farms/farmers. In this case, the barley used is specifically from Mid Coul Farms in Inverness, Scotland, which was harvested in 2009 and distilled into this whiskey in 2010. After eight years mellowing next to the sea at Bruichladdich’s warehouse in ex-bourbon casks, the whiskey was vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is soft like soft-serve vanilla ice cream next to green apple skins, pear candy, and wet straw bails. The taste is malty and earthy with a sense of buttery brioche next to orchard wood with a hint of moss under apricot jam, stewed pear, and some saffron. The end has a malted vanilla milkshake vibe next to wet sweetgrass and a hint more of that sweet pear throughline.
Bottom Line:
Bruichladdich is doing some of the most interesting work in the game when it comes to sourcing and experimenting with barley.
33. Lagavulin Offerman Charred Oak Cask Aged 11 Years
This brand-new release is the third collaboration between Lagavulin and Nick Offerman. This time around, the team at Lagavulin took 11-year-old malt and finished it in heavily charred casks that used to hold bourbon and red wine. Those barrels were then batched and built around flavor notes that pair perfectly with a steak dinner.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a rich peatiness that’s tied to pecan chocolate clusters and dried cranberries with a dusting of sea salt, burnt orange zest, and fine nutmeg. The palate dips those red tart berries in dark salted chocolate with cinnamon bark and clove buds next to espresso cream and a whisper of malty vanilla wafers with fresh honey in between. The end has this enigmatic mix of smoked toffee, salted black licorice, and brandied cherries wrapped in cinnamon-laced tobacco and folded into an old cedar box.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty great pour of Lagavulin that feels fresh, fun, and symbolic of the old-school shingle.
This Lowlands whisky is all about tradition and patience in a nearly-thousand-year-old abbey setting. The wash is made from Kingdom of Fife barley with an extra-long fermentation period. After distillation, the juice is loaded into ex-bourbon barrels, ex-wine barriques (casks from Bordeaux), and sherry butts. Those barrels are batched and blended before proofing and bottling as-is without filtration or coloring.
Tasting Notes:
A pile of grilled tropical fruits greets you on the nose with pineapple and mango being the most distinct alongside wintry spices, a touch of vanilla, old leather gloves, and a hint of sweet oak. The taste largely follows that path and layers in fresher orchard fruits, some dried-out dates, more dark spice, and a touch of dry vanilla tobacco. The end is a distillation of the sugars from the tropical fruits with a line of spicy malts tying it all together.
Bottom Line:
This is cool whisky with a cool story that also delivers on the palate in every way.
31. Springbank Local Barley 2022 Edition Aged 10 Years
This is as local as whisky gets. The locally grown Belgravia barley is malted in-house with a little bit of local peat from the Kintyre Peninsula. The whisky is then distilled two and a half times before barreling in used bourbon barrels. Those barrels then rest in the old, moldy warehouses for 10 years before this expression is built and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Old oatmeal cookies with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon lead to a mix of a malting room floor with sweet barley warming up on your senses next to a hint of sultanas and dried cherry. The palate feels like a vanilla angel food cake drizzled with floral honey and served with a dusting of hot cinnamon and allspice as malty birch water rounds things out. The finish touches on sweet malts and heavily salted caramel.
Bottom Line:
This is a great way to get into the wide world of Springbank whiskey, albeit at a price.
A’bunadh (ah-boon-arh) means “the original” in Gaelic and the whisky in this Highland bottle represents that for Aberlour. The whisky is matured in old Oloroso sherry casks exclusively. The whisky then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.
Tasting Notes:
That sherry plumminess is evident right up top, with hints of bright orange oils, clumps of dark chocolate, honey, and nuts, and a hint of oak. The taste shines with notes of dark, ripe cherries, prunes, more bright orange zest, dark chocolate, and a good measure of svelte vanilla. The slow finish leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel next to bitter chocolate next to sweet cherries and plums, all of which lead towards a warming spice on the tongue at the end.
Bottom Line:
This remains Aberlour’s true shining bottle of unpeated, cask-strength glory.
This Highland whisky is a no-age-statement version of The Dalmore. The juice is made from Golden barley that grows on the island in the rich and very coastal soils. The ground malted barley is mixed with pure water from the Cromarty Firth nearby during the mashing process. After a couple of times through pot stills, the hot whisky is loaded into ex-bourbon casks, 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry butts, and former Cabernet Sauvignon from the Saint-Estèphe appellation of Bordeaux. After 10 to 15 years, those barrels are vatted, the whiskey is proofed, and it’s bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is openly complex from the first inhalation with a matrix of sticky toffee pudding spices — cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg — next to dried red berries with a slight earthiness, a touch of salted toffee candies, and a whisper of vanilla wafers. The palate opens with a chocolate maltiness next to a bowl of fresh and tropical fruits — pineapple, tart apples, sweet pears, plums, bruised bananas — with a mild nuttiness, sharp orange zest, and subtle winter spices. There’s a light mustiness on the back end that leads to soft and moist pipe tobacco with a thin layer of orchard fruits and stewed figs.
Bottom Line:
This is dark and stormy and The Dalmore almost showing off how skilled their team really is.
The 10th release from the most beloved The GlenDronach Cask Strength series is another instant classic. The whisky in the bottle is blended by Dr. Rachel Barrie from whisky aged in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks. The whisky is then vatted and bottled as-is with no fussing.
Tasting Notes:
Backporch wicker vibes with soft prunes and spicy holiday cake with a clove focus next to soft sultanas and berries with an echo of dead fall leaves lurking underneath it all. The palate leans into the holiday cake with a matrix of ginger sharpness, cinnamon, nutmeg, candied fruits and citrus peels, and a roasted nuttiness with a hint of dates and black tea with soft toffee drizzle just touched with salt. The end leans back into that wicker from the nose with a supple sense of toffee-covered shortbread and stewed plums.
Bottom Line:
The GlenDronach at cask strength is a wonderful pour of unpeated delights.
This is a classic single malt that also happens to hold the title of “Best Single Malt Whisky in the World” from the World Whiskies Awards. The iconic juice is rendered in Talisker’s bespoke stills and then spends nearly two decades resting in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels, like most of the true classic single malts.
Tasting Notes:
This is subtle. The nose has a light yet clear sense of ripe plums, orange oils, buttery toffee, and an almost sour apple next to a distant whiff of briny campfire smoke from one beach over. The orange oils remain on the palate as eggnog spices peek in gently, with hints of that butter toffee driving a rich silkiness. The smoke remains in the distance as the spices warm your senses and the meaty fruit takes the edge off on the slow and satisfying fade.
Bottom Line:
This classic whisky got a new look for 2022 and the whisky in the bottle has never tasted better.
This brand-new limited edition Octomore from Bruichladdich is all about Islay. The whisky is made from heavily peated malts grown on the island (most malts are shipping in from the mainland) back in 2015. In 2016, the whisky was distilled right by the sea at Bruichladdich and then loaded into first-fill, ex-American whiskey casks and second-fill European oak casks from the Rivesaltes region of France and the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. After five years, the casks were vatted and then bottled completely as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a subtle mix of salted caramel with sweet caramel malts, apricot jam, gingerbread, and a touch of nasturtium with a whisper of smoked apples and pears before the ashen peat starts sneaking in. The palate opens with smoked brown sugar next to rich marzipan with a hint of Almond Joy next to Kiwi boot wax, orange marmalade, dried roses, lemon pepper, and a hint of oyster liquor. The end has a caramel maltiness that’s just kissed with sea salt and potpourri cut with mild dark spices and more of that marzipan, finishing on a light fruit soda vibe.
Bottom Line:
Of the Octomore releases that we were blessed with this year, this is the one to get your hands on.
25. Caol Ila Single Malt Single Cask 13-Year Cask Strength Exclusive to Jack Rose
This Islay whisky is an iconic peated single malt. The juice is aged basically a stone’s throw from the briny and dark sea on the small island. Generally, Caol Ila releases a 12-year-old single malt that’s a blend of their best casks as an entry point to the brand. This is a year older and from a single cask that’s bottled completely as-is for Jack Rose in DC.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a subtle sense of the sea and runway tar on the nose that leads to a fruit orchard on a cool fall day when the fruit is fermenting in dead leaves on the ground and the bark is hardening on the tree with a hint of white moss and soft black soil. The palate has a sense of smoked floral honey with a dash of smoke prunes and pears next to a light sense of cold ash from the bottom of a Weber grill. The warmth on the palate is never overpowering and leads to a finish full of oily green herbs, dried pear chips, oyster pearls, and a sense of a pebble beach campfire on a rainy day.
Bottom Line:
This Caol Ilabarrel pick from the Jack Rose Saloon team in DC is rare excellence captured in a bottle and shipped over the pond to our shores.
This young whisky from the youngest distillery on Islay packs one hell of a punch. The juice is made from peated malts made in-house on Islay. The whisky then spends four years aging in Madeira casks before it’s bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of oaty malts next to sweet plums, Christmas spices, singed cotton candy, candied citrus peels, and a hint of new leather. The palate dives further into those notes while bringing about a spicy mulled wine vibe next to red berry leather and rock candy with a good dose of cinnamon and nutmeg rounding things out. The end is a lush slide into sticky berry tobacco with a dash of sharp cinnamon, an echo of old cellar beams, and a fleeting hint of mince meat pies with a sugar frosting.
Bottom Line:
Kilchoman is the whisky lovers’ insider distillery that’s poised to blow up even more as we get into 2023 and this stellar bottle is only one of the reasons why.
23. Benriach The Twenty Five Four Cask Matured Single Malt Scotch
This whisky is a masterclass in maturation and blending by Dr. Rachel Barrie. The whisky spends 25 long years in sherry, bourbon, virgin oak, and Madeira casks before Dr. Barrie finds just the right ones to make this superior blend of single malt whisky.
Tasting Notes:
This feels fresh on the nose with caramelized apple mingling with leathery smoked apricots, espresso macchiatos, and brandied cherries dipped into very dark chocolate. Saffron-stewed pears lead the way on the palate as woody winter spices mix with burnt orange peels, a hint of oily vanilla, and a silky layer of smoked salted toffee with smoky almonds. The thin whisper of smoke leans sweet as the leather apricot and brandied cherries dominate the finish with a sweet and subtle dark fruitiness with a thin line of cherrywood smoke and a creamy hint of something medicinal.
Bottom Line:
This expression is Dr. Rachel Barrie flexing hard as one of the true icons of whisky-making worldwide.
22. Talisker 11-Year-Old 2022 Special Releases Collection Whiskies
This classic lightly-peated Talisker is aged by the sea in American oak, ex-bourbon first fill, refill casks, and wine-seasoned casks. Those barrels are batched and then bottled as-is after 11 years of quiet mellowing.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of seaside campfires far down a rainy beach next to a fruit orchard with a hint of nori sheets, old boat rope, and a dash of brown wintry spices on the nose. The palate leans into the oiliness of the nori with a slightly singed salmon skin vibe, smoked fish oils, and a touch of that distant campfire next to smoked plums and apricots with a hint of salted pear chips and dry red chili pepper. The end has a long meander through a pebble beach with sea salt, smoked pear, and briny seaweed salad next to a hint of fatty smoked salmon bellies with a black and red pepper crust.
Bottom Line:
This was a classic, funky, vivid pour of whisky that feels like coming home to an old house and cooking a new meal.
21. Aberfeldy 18 Finished in Tuscan Red Wine Casks
This year’s limited edition Aberfeldy 18 was finished in special red wine casks. Aberfeldy’s Stephanie Macleod hand-selected Tuscan red wine casks from Bolgheri, Italy to finish this whisky. Once those barrels hit the right spot, they were vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a cumin and chili powder essence on the nose with vanilla cream, cherry cake, spiced caramel malts, and maybe a fleeting hint of flour tortillas with a hint of lard. The palate Leans into the spiced and sweet malts with a dash of sharp green pepper next to lime leaves before moist marzipan and vanilla cake counterpoint the spice with sweetness. The end has a soft oakiness that leads to a hint of soda bread with a mild pepperiness to the malt.
Bottom Line:
Stephanie Macleod’s ability to choose just the right barrel to finish Aberfeldy every year is always a delightful surprise of perfection and deliciousness.
The Balvenie just added a new release to its core lineup last week. The whisky here is a masterful blend from whisky legend David Stewart. After around 15 years of aging, the whisky is transferred to Pineau des Charentes casks (a French fortified wine) for a final maturation, which is The Balvenie’s first foray into French oak finishing. The whisky is then bottled with a touch of water but as-is otherwise.
Tasting Notes:
Red geraniums and fresh honeycomb greet you on the nose with supporting characters of green grass, pear skins, apple cores, a hint of a cinnamon roll with vanilla frosting, and a dash of nutmeg. The palate leans into a lemon curd with a hint of grapefruit pith before layering in floral honey, ginger beer, vanilla-heavy shortbread, oatmeal raisin cookies, and a good dose of orange zest with a pinch of dark chocolate powder mixed in. The end is light and airy with a hint of savory fig next to ginger-infused rock candy dipped in creamy dark chocolate that’s just kissed with cinnamon spice.
Bottom Line:
When a legend like David Stewart makes a new whisky, folks pay attention. And this sophisticated pour is proof of that legendary status.
This brand-new whisky from Compass Box is part of the Extinct Blends Quartet they’ve been releasing. The blend is about 50% malt whiskies from Caol Ila and Glendullan distilleries and grain whiskies from Cameronbridge and Girvan distilleries and 50% malt and grain whiskies from seven other lots from all over Scotland. The end result is bottled as-is without coloring, filtration, or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a light sense of briny fruitiness on the nose with a sweet toffee candied malt, light pine varnish, and a hint of smoked pear and apple woods. The palate has a nuttiness that leans toward smoked pecans and marzipan with a light feel of minced meat pies cut with dark spices and just a whisper of vanilla that leads back to mild earthy peatiness with a whisper of smoked brisket fat. The end is all about stewed plums with a rum-raisin and winter spice feel.
Bottom Line:
Compass Box is always ready with a big and enticing and this whisky hits every high mark the blending house is known for.
Glenallachie’s Master Distiller Billy Walker hand-selected just five casks for this release. The barrels were ex-Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry puncheons (a large barrel that’s around 100 gallons, give or take). Those whiskies were vatted and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a note of grapefruit pith when you nose this dram that leads towards honeyed chocolate truffles with a touch of cinnamon and orange. The palate goes full Christmas cake with plenty of dried nuts, candied and dried fruits, rich wintry spice, and a touch of chocolate maltiness next to candied ginger, more orange, and a note of golden corn syrup. That sweetness attaches to the fruit and spice to create a stewed plum vibe on the finish that luxuriates in mild spice, sweet and meaty stone fruit, and a touch more of that chocolate.
The Bottom Line:
This unpeated malt really is just delicious, proving The GlenAllachie as one of the greats from Speyside.
17. Cardhu 16-Year-Old Diageo 2022 Special Releases Collection Whiskies
This Speyside unpeated malt was aged in refill and re-charred American oak bourbon barrels for 16 years. That whisky was then refilled into Jamaican pot still rum-seasoned casks for a final rest before vatting and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a definite sense of aura of funky rumminess with a hint of barrel char and grilled tropical fruits with plenty of brown spices — clove, allspice, nutmeg — surrounded by creamy lemon meringue pie, mango lassi, and freshly washed sheets flapping in the summer breeze (it’s wildly engaging and kind of weird but I love it). The palate has a rummy toffee syrup mood with spiced rum cocktails cut with banana bread, walnuts, and brown butter with a hint of brandy-soaked oak staves. The end has a light black pepperiness with more of that rummy barrel funk and soft and sweet (not acidic) tropical fruit.
Bottom Line:
This might well be the best Cardhu of the year thanks to a truly deep flavor profile that’s comforting yet adventurous.
16. Gordon & MacPhail Tormore Distillery 1994 Singel Malt Scotch
Gordon & MacPhail get their hands on some of the best (and rarest) barrels in the whisky game and bottle them as-is. In this case, that was a 1994 barrel of Tormore, which is a very bespoke distillery in Speyside. For this bottling, Gordon & MacPhail chose a barrel that shines on its own without any fussing and at barrel proof.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a mix of orange candies with a hint of winter spice, dashes of clove, cuts of green grass, and a buttery toffee smoothness. The palate leans into dark chocolate laced with a light and almost woody chili pepper as bruised sweet apples (skins and all) counterpoint marzipan and dry cedar bark braids. The end combines those old apples with winter spices to create a spicy apple compote with a hint of vanilla beans and orange marmalade on the backend.
Bottom Line:
This very rare whisky is proof positive that Gordon & MacPhail remains one of the best bespoke bottlers working in the game right now.
This is Ardbeg’s yearly release of special batches of 19-year-old peaty malt. The whisky is Ardbeg’s signature, heavily peated whisky that’s bottled during a “haar.” That’s a thick and briny foggy morning on Islay, which imparts that x-factor into the whisky before it goes into the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
A soft smokiness comes from smoldering lime leaves that lead to a hint of sour cream bespeckled with fennel seeds and wrapped up in cold-smoked salmon with a hint of pine resin and black tea in the background of the nose. The palate has this soft and sweet hint of grilled pineapple that works the taste toward salted dark chocolate fudge, orange zest, and dried lavender with a whisper of wet granite and sea-soaked charcoal. The end has a slight sweet ash vibe that’s more fruity than peaty with a sense of seawater-soaked wood smoldering away and roasting some marshmallows.
Bottom Line:
Ardbeg hit a pinnacle this year with their 19-year Traigh Bhan masterpiece of peated audaciousness.
14. Oban 10-Year-Old Diageo 2022 Special Releases Collection Whiskies
This lightly peated Highland whisky from the tiny Oban Distillery is rendered from refill and new American oak barrels. That whisky is vatted and then refilled into Amontillado-seasoned casks for a final rest before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lithe sense of lemon/lime saltwater taffy wrapped in white wax paper with a hint of lime leaves and wild sage next to salted smoked lemons and tangerines with a hint of really good and cloudy extra virgin olive oil speckled with smoked sea salt and freshly cracked red peppercorns. The palate is silken and full of layers of smoked grapes, smoked plums, and salted chili pepper candies with a fleeting sense of violet and lavender creaminess tied to a lush vanilla underbelly. The end has a mild woody chili pepper spiciness that’s dry and leads to a limber finish with warmth, lightly caramelized malts, and smoked apricot jam with brandy cream.
Bottom Line:
This new Oban expression is the perfect balance of delicate peat, nuanced sweetness, sharp spices, and just the right amount of eccentricity that makes for deep transcendence in the glass.
13. MaltyVerse First Edition 30-Year-Old Single Cask Whisky
The first-ever whisky released as a comic book — and available in the U.S. right now — is way more than just a gimmick. The whisky in this bottle is a super-rare 30-year-old whisky from the now-shuttered Cambus Distillery in Scotland. That means that you’re never seeing this whisky again. The actual juice was aged for three decades in first-fill ex-sherry butts (huge 500-liter barrels) and then bottled in 2021 with a touch of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
The opens with a dried fruit salad brimming with brandy-soaked dried cherries with a hint of tartness to them, rum-soaked raisins, stewed plums, Earl Grey-soaked dates, and some prunes swimming in cinnamon syrup spiked with cloves, allspice, and star anise next to a hint of oakiness by way of an old dirt cellar floor. The palate leans into the dried fruit while layering in mulled wine spices with a sour yet sweet edge next to a hint of minced meat pie next to Christmas nut cake with plenty of fatty nuts and a hint of fig pudding. The end opens with a hint of red peppercorn spice next to dried vanilla pods, a twinge of date pits, and a whisper of huckleberry tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
Comic book tie-in aside, this is a superb pour of whisky that would stand up to any whisky pro’s palate and give them a new thrill.
This whisky was drawn from three 39-year-old casks. The first was an ex-red wine cask, the second was an ex-port cask, and the third was a re-seasoned European oak cask that held Pedro Ximinez and Oloroso sherry. The marriage of those three casks gave us only 1,695 bottles of this cask-strength expression.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this reminds you of a hot day in wine country with rum-macerated blackberries that are countered by a decadent Christmas cake brimming with fatty nuts, dried figs, candied orange, brandy-soaked cherries, raisins, sultanas, prunes, and plenty of cinnamon-heavy spices with a hint of toffee and vanilla smoothing everything out. Moving onto the palate, the silkiness of the mouthfeel is off the charts. That creaminess leads to cloves, anise, and sassafras with hints of red peppercorns, bay leaf, and dark berry tobacco with a distant hint of sea salt. The finish circles back to the spicier edge of the Christmas cake that’s been soaked in cherry liquor (nearly cough syrup) next to that blackberry tobacco leaf with a whisper of mint to it.
Bottom Line:
The Singleton doesn’t get as much play in the U.S. as it does in East Asia, but releases like this are really starting to grab everyone’s attention as true gems.
Like many whiskies on this list, this is all about the casks. This whisky spends around 25 years aging in ex-bourbon casks and Tawny Port pipes and casks, some of which held Matusalem oloroso sherry for 30 years before they got to The Dalmore. Those barrels are married and then the whisky is proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a hint of lychee next to grilled papaya before veering more traditional with sticky toffee pudding, Earl Grey tea, salted toffee sauce, and a good dusting of dried orange blossoms. The palate amps up the vanilla to the point of rich and oily pods being squeezed in your hands as waxy cacao nibs mingle with soft wintry spices and plum pudding with plenty of dark stone fruit. The finish takes on a slight maple syrup vibe before hitting a soft cedar bark braided with a single leaf of ginger-infused tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is The Dalmore’s sweet spot. This is the Highland malt at its categorical zenith.
Dufftown’s Mortlach is one of those distilleries that may just make you fall in love with scotch. The mash is distilled 2.81 times, according to Mortlach’s unique distilling methods. That juice is then loaded in sherry casks and left to do its thing for 20 long years. The results are vatted, brought down to proof with that soft Speyside water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Freshly baked apple pie with cinnamon bark and nutmeg leads to black raisins, fatty walnuts, grilled pineapple, and sea-salt-infused dark cacao sauce with a hint of vanilla and pear on the nose. The palate leans into the lard pie crust under that apple pie with a hint of powdered sugar icing next to mint chocolate chip, old vanilla pods, and banana’s foster with a smidge of clove and allspice thrown in. There’s a light sense of caramel malts on the end that leads to a walnut cake full of raisins and cinnamon with a buttery vibe next to a savory note that’s part green herbs and part extra virgin olive oil.
Bottom Line:
This is a perfect whisky that you can still get, so get some while you still can.
9. Glenfiddich Suspended Time Aged 30 Years, Time Re:Imagined Collection
This new line from Glenfiddich is all about slow and steady aging over decades. In this case, this ultra-rare whisky was aged for three decades in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks until it hit a perfect point for batching, proofing, and bottling this year.
Tasting Notes:
Soft hints of stewed plums cut with sweet cinnamon, bitter clove, and salted dark chocolate mingle with a sense of old but very soft suede, dusty oak beams in an old wine cellar, and this fleeting sense of old honey stored in stone pots of eons with an echo of orange blossom. The palate builds on that mild floral vibe with and aura of rose-water-laced moist marzipan dipped in creamy dark chocolate with an edge of cinnamon bark and dried apple bushels countering everything. The end has another note of that old honey and stone pots with a lingering sense of pipe tobacco dipped in apple honey and rolled with dry strings of cedar bark and strips of musty leather.
Bottom Line:
This Glenfiddich release is one of the most delicious unpeated malts of the year.
This collaboration between Islay’s Bowmore and Aston Martin is about luxury. The blend of this single malt follows the golden ratio to create an aesthetically pleasing vibe. The base is 61.8% of 21-year-old single malt aged in first-fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. The rest of the blend is equal parts of Bowmore’s other casks that are at least 21 years old ranging up to 35 years old.
Tasting Notes:
Creamy yet floral honey draws you in on the nose with fresh Grade-A maple syrup that has a little of the tree bark in it, alongside hints of peanut brittle, creamy Nutella, and fresh boot leather (almost creamy boot wax). Soft mulled wine spices and sugars open the palate as savory fruit — mostly papaya and gala melon — mix with vanilla lattes dusted with dark cacao, cherry bark, and toasted coconut. The mid-palate sweetness and creaminess give way to spicy woody tobacco, dark fruit leather, and a distant whisper of burnt marshmallows over a smoky backyard firepit.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best Bowmore releases that highlight the true subtly peated whisky can have.
7. Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour Aged 48 Years
This whisky is so rare that the casks it’s made from are from ghost distilleries. Those are the ones that no longer operate. In this case, that’s barrels from Port Dundas, Brora, Glen Albyn, and Glenury Royal. Though, the Brora distillery has officially reopened as of spring 2021 after a nearly 40-year closure. Regardless, single malt barrels from each of those distilleries that were a minimum of 48 years old came together to make a mere 288 bottles for this release.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a soft breeze on a misty pebble beach with a grill box smoking away somewhere in the distance with some oysters and salmon on the fire as dates wrapped in nori mingle with rum-soaked prunes, a hint of winter spice, and an old leather tobacco pouch that’s more old tobacco oil and old dirt than rawhide. The palate leans into the smoke but layers in dried cherries, blackberries, and slightly tart currants as the spice kicks in with sharp cinnamon with browned buttered layered into an apple fritter with a hint of vanilla and a touch of nuttiness. Hot fireplace coals, burnt toffee, and smoked berries round out the finish as a final note pulls in the beachside grill box smoke, berries, spice, and leather into a subtly soft end.
Bottom Line:
This is Johnnie Walker going so hard in the paint that it’s ridiculous, especially price-wise. But the whisky in the bottle delivers something truly extraordinary that we’ll never see again.
This ultra-rare single cask single malt from Speyside is a thing of beauty. The whisky is from a single barrel — a sherry cask — that was filled in 1978 and left alone for 40 long years. That barrel yielded 184 bottles, all of which were bottled as-is with no fussing.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with this mix of kiwi skins, sandy pear flesh, saffron threads, and creamy honey with a thin line of old vanilla husks. The palate layers orange and lime citrus into the honey as soft notes of black and green peppercorns mingle with a faint whisper of wet chili pepper, old lemon candy wrappers, and dark chocolate powder-laced tobacco. The end softens considerably toward a lush and silky finish full of chocolate malts, rich toffee, marzipan, and this almost invisible line of peaty yet sweet fireplace smoke.
Bottom Line:
This vintage barrel of whisky is one of those “ah-ha!” moment whiskies where the clouds part and the sunshine warmly hits your face while teaching you how truly great whisky can be.
This whisky is all about Malt Master David Stewart MBE — who basically invented special barrel finishes — finding the best 40-plus-year-old barrels and blending them into this miracle of an expression. The seven barrels are a mix of traditional ex-bourbon casks and sherry butts that somehow survived the four decades in the warehouse with something not only drinkable but delicious still in those casks. Those barrels ended up providing only 150 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a leathery dark fruit vibe on the nose with a clear sense of old honey barrels and maybe even dead honey bees (honey bee stew is an old-school delicacy) next to fresh cream and raspberries, orange marmalade with plenty of burnt zest, and a soft vanilla cream sauce. The palate leans into that orange with candied edges, kind of like a holiday fruit cake, with candied ginger, candied almonds, tea-soaked dates, and super mellow winter spices that lead back to that creamy vanilla with a hint of black licorice and a small whisper or soft cedar. The finish marries the burnt orange with the old and woody honey with a whiff of the moldy cellar, cobwebs, and a final brush of an old straw broom.
Bottom Line:
This was the best The Balvenie release, maybe of all time.
This Speyside distillery is for the whisky nerds out there. This particular release just dropped last summer with only 1,000 total. The whisky in those bottles was produced in 1981 and then spent four decades chilling out in old Oloroso sherry casks before going into the bottle as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This is soft on the nose with flourishes of plum puddings and mince meat pies next to candied ginger, lightly spiced malts, a hint of dark cacao powder, orange zest, and old brown sugar. The palate keeps that subtly as stewed apples with a hint of saffron dance with a dash of grapefruit pith, more orange zest, old maple syrup, and waxy dark cacao nibs freshly picked from a tree. The end has a twinge of tannic old oak stave with dry sweetgrass and cedar bark braids next to a thin line of black-tea-soaked dates and allspice.
Bottom Line:
This has been the year that Benromach went from a niche to a global powerhouse and this multi-award-winning is a big reason why.
3. The GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 11 Aged 28 Years
The GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 11 was created by Dr. Rachel Barrie (who also created the BenRiach above). Dr. Barrie hand-selected a tiny number of rare Pedro Ximénez and oloroso Sherry casks that were filled with The GlenDronach malt almost 30 years ago. Those barrels were vatted and bottled with a touch of water into just over 3,000 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of black-tea-soaked dates blended with Saigon cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg next to blackstrap molasses, walnut cake, old oak staves soaked in floral honey, moist marzipan laced with orange oils and dipped in salted dark chocolate, and a little twinge of bourbon vanilla cherries. The palate pops with dark cherry cordial on the palate next to stewed plums with anise and clove, old leather tobacco pouches, and a touch of creamy espresso. The end is a mix of dark chocolate and brandy-soaked cherries next to spent oolong tea leaves, walnut shells, and salted black licorice with a whisper of spiced caramel malts.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best bottles of The GlenDronach out there.
This is a very rare whisky aged in 60% sherry casks and 40% bourbon casks for 25 long years. After that, the whisky is touched with a little local water and it’s filled into only 1,300 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a soft marriage between fresh raspberries and subtle rose petals with old cellar beams, cobwebs, and a dirt floor rounding things out, with a whisper of seaside air lurking in between. The palate veers from that nose pretty drastically with hints of rum-soaked overripe bananas next to wet brown sugar, rock candy, and a hint of large salt flakes. The end builds on that saltiness with a rush of malted barley and sweetgrass after the rain.
Bottom Line:
This is the apex of great whiskies from Campletown and Springbank. If you have a bottle of this, you have a bottle of greatness.
This whisky was bottled to celebrate the 175 years Caol Ila has been operating on Islay. 3,000 bottles were rendered from barrels of at least 24-year-old whisky, each of which highlighted the sophisticated brand’s nuanced peatiness and fruitiness.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of a beach campfire far away as fresh brioche filled with nougat and dusted with nutmeg dries the profile toward raisins soaked in mulled wine with plenty of orange and clove. There’s a sense of that deeply ruddy mulled wine on the palate with star anise, allspice, cinnamon bark, and rum-raisin butter next to prunes, dates, figs, and tart dried red berries with a flourish of moist vanilla cake frosted with salted toffee and dusted with dark chocolate shavings. The end leans into the woody spices with mulled wine-soaked cinnamon bark and clove buds next to salted caramel tobacco leaves rolled with old cedar bark and strips of nori as that whisper of beach campfire smoke sneaks back in.
Bottom Line:
This is perfection from Caol Ila. Perfection. Perfection. Period.
Costco tends to release sleeper hits with their Kirkland Signature booze. Their bourbons this year all punched far above their weight class (with regards to price and name recognition), some of them by far. But how about their big ol’ bottle of añejo tequila? Does that 1-liter, $30 bottle also outpace the competition?
Before we dive in, a little context. Costco’s Kirkland Signature Tequila Añejo is from NOM 1173, which is the Corporativo Destileria Santa Lucia in Tesitán, Jalisco. The distillery is a pretty standard contract distiller that produces 18 other brands, give or take. They’re probably most famous for having made Tres Agaves Tequila, alongside Costco’s budget bottles.
For this tasting, I’m looking at the flavor profile and how the Costco bottle stands up in blind tasting against eight other añejo tequilas. I’ve selected some true icons of the style that win awards, get all the hype, and deliver classic añejo flavor notes. I’m really eager to see how Costco’s $30-ish bottle measures against some titans.
The nose on this one opens with a layer of dark chocolate spiked with black pepper and a touch of nuttiness before the roasted agave kicks in. The palate has a soft vanilla impression next to raisins and more of that pepper, a touch of cinnamon, and burnt chocolate-covered coffee beans. The end has a bit more of that roasted agave next to white pepper with a semi-watery finish.
This starts strong but ends a little weak.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear tannic note on the nose that leads toward a hint of burnt cacao nibs that are almost smoldering next to bold white pepper powder and a hint of sour crema. The palate has a sense of deeply roasted agave next to woody cinnamon sticks, allspice, and clove with a burst of burnt orange and singed vanilla pods. The end is soft and sweet with caramel and vanilla qualities leading back to spicy barks and wood tannins.
This was pretty nice with a solid beginning, middle, and end. The end was a tad sweet but not overly so.
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rush of deeply roasted agave with caramelized sugars over stewed plums, brandy-soaked raisins, and tobacco leaves dipped in salted dark chocolate cut with pink peppercorns and dried chili pepper. The palate has a deep and dark burnt orange spiked with clove and salted black licorice next to softer notes of stewed apricot and marmalade with a hint of brandy butter. The end sweetens lightly toward agave rock candy and sharp Tellicherry black pepper.
This is pretty delicious.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a bourbon aura of caramel and vanilla with a touch of cherry bark, singed marshmallow, and woody winter spices with a layer of roasted agave underneath. The palate has a cherry rock candy sweetness with a hint of winter spice cake full of dates and cinnamon with a touch of nutmeg and candied citrus. The end is fruity and spicy with a rich roasted agave base.
This was fine. It did feel like it was made for an American whiskey palate more than a classic tequila one though. Still, it was pretty tasty.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
The nose has a nice balance of roasted agave with a hint of caramelization next to woody cinnamon bark with a touch of mild chocolate and coffee lurking in the background if you really dig deep. The palate is pretty light with hints of choco-chili tobacco and white pepper powder next to a whisper of mango skins and rock candy. The end has a note of sweet agave candy and cracked peppercorns with a semi-watery finish.
This was fine as well. It feels a bit standard and really sweet.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich roasted agave and smoldering spice bark aura on the nose with a hint of butterscotch sweetness and vanilla smoothness. The palate has a slight nuttiness that leans into chocolate nut clusters with a shot of espresso on the side and a touch of vanilla just kissed with cinnamon and clove. The end has a mild almost musty oakiness with a rich salted caramel sweetness countered by bold white pepper and roasted agave.
This was pretty okay overall.
Taste 7
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is earthy on the nose with a hint of garden-center potting soil next to butterscotch, sour red wine spiked with winter spices, and old vanilla pods. The palate has a sense of cinnamon and clove with a toffee sweetness and a touch of peach and vanilla cake. The end holds onto the dirty earthiness with a sense of whole peppercorns, caramelized agave, and charred cinnamon bark.
The was a little funky but fine otherwise.
Taste 8
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a medley of burnt orange rinds, chocolate-covered espresso beans dusted with salt and cinnamon, and a sense of roasted agave with a peppery base. The palate leans into the woodiness of the cinnamon with a hint of anise, marmalade, and white pepper. The end is a little watery but delivers a caramel and agave vibe next to smoldering cinnamon and burnt sugars.
This was perfectly fine but didn’t jump out at me.
Taste 9
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of supple agave on the nose with a caramelization that leads to salted black licorice and dark chocolate with a mix of smoldering woody spice and fine white pepper powder with a whisper of sour cream. The palate has a deeply roasted agave flavor note that leads to smoked oysters and smoked apricots with a sense of mineral-forward sea salt, a dash more of those burnt spices, and rich toffee. The end leans further into the smoked nature with a dash of charred orchard wood and oyster shells over caramelized tropical fruits and agave with a white pepper sharpness.
This is by far the most complex tequila on the panel, and pretty damn tasty.
This tequila is a “single estate” product, meaning all the Weber agave comes from the farm around the distillery. The agave is roasted in brick ovens and then crushed with a roller mill to extract the sugary juices. After fermentation, the juice is twice distilled and then filled into ex-bourbon barrels for a 16-month rest. Finally, those barrels are vatted, proofed down, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This tequila just never lands for me. There’s nothing really at fault here besides that it’s the thinnest flavor profile on this list. It just has a somewhat gaunt vibe.
This is pretty standard tequila from a process POV. Blue Weber agave, autoclave, and roller mill extraction. The juice is twice distilled, but in this case in a stainless steel pot still. There are additives involved, but it’s unclear how so.
Bottom Line:
This was a bit overly sweet but still delivered a standard roasted agave body. Still, this was pretty subpar.
Famously known as George Clooney’s billion-dollar tequila brand, Casamigos delivers the goods. The piñas are slow-roasted in brick ovens. The juice is then fermented for nearly four days, allowing the flavors to run deep in the juice. Finally, the tequila is aged for 14 months — resting through the hot highland days and cool nights.
Bottom Line:
Again, this was fine. It felt a little bourbon-forward, which made it feel more like something I’d mix with than sip neat.
This classic tequila — made with Blue Weber — is all about the slow aging process. The tequila is barreled in new French oak barrels for two long years before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This had an interesting funkiness that didn’t really go anywhere interesting on the finish.
This version of Cazadores is made with classic Blue Weber agave, of course. The hot juice is aged for 12 months in small-format new American oak casks. Once those hit just the right spot, they’re batched and the tequila is proofed and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This was a pretty standard but well-made añejo. I can see mixing a tequila old fashioned with this one.
Kevin Hart’s new tequila is a collaboration with an 11th-generation tequila maker, Juan Domingo Beckmann. The agaves are roasted in traditional stone ovens and the juices are open-fermented. After double distilling, the tequila mellows in American and French oak for 12 months. Lastly, the tequila is batched and re-barreled into old cognac casks for a final rest before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
This was nice all things considered. It felt like an easy sipper that’d also make one hell of a cocktail.
This tequila spends three years resting in American oak from the jump. Those barrels are then batched and re-barreled into Pedro Ximénez sherry casks using the solera method (never really emptying the casks before new juice goes in). Finally, those barrels are batched, proofed, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This was pretty delicious overall. It had a great body with clear and concise flavor notes that told a story from start to finish. That makes this a nice sipper, especially with a rock or two and a twist of lime.
1. El Tesoro Añejo The Laphroaig Edition — Taste 9
This is the inaugural “Mundial” barrel release for El Tesoro. Their añejo tequila was vatted and then re-barreled into used Laphroaig barrels from Islay, Scotland for a final maturation. Then those barrels were batched and the tequila was proofed and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This had the most complexity by far. There was a mild sense of edging toward smoky mezcal that worked with the briny smoky peated aura of the Laphroaig barrel in play. Overall, this is the good stuff, folks.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
Costco’s tequila didn’t stand up — really at all — to this panel of tequilas. It wasn’t undrinkable but it was certainly overly sweet. To me, that screams that it’s really built for mixing into cocktails than sipping.
In the end, any of the top five would be a better buy than the Costco bottle (unless you’re making a punch for a party and want a tequila note in the mix). And if you want a solid añejo, the Gran Coramino, Lobos 1707, or El Tesoro are the way to go. They’re vibrant, deep, and all pretty goddamn tasty.
There are two things we know for sure heading into the season two finale of The White Lotus…
The first thing is that multiple guests end up dead. We know this because of the scene way back at the beginning of the first episode where a body is discovered in the ocean and everyone freaks out (understandable) and in the aftermath we hear that “other bodies have been found” and those “other” guests have been “killed.” We don’t have a specific number yet but we do know it is, at minimum, “a few.”
The second thing is that the following people are safe: Daphne (discovered the body on a swim, screamed a little); Valentina the Manager (received the news about the bodies and cussed about it); Rocco (delivered the news to Valentina and made a number of delightful little faces while doing it); and Salvatore (never on camera but told Rocco about the multiple bodies, presumably with that remarkably Italian little voice of his).
Everyone else is on the table. Or… in the water, I guess. Potentially. Some characters are more likely than others to die. No one is doing especially great at this scenic Sicilian resort, if we’re being honest. There’s one episode left in the season and a reasonable case could be made for any of them ending up lifeless in the sea. So… that’s what we’re going to do here. We’re going to break it down into groups, represented by skulls, from One Skull (least likely to die) to Four Skulls (most likely to die).
A few final notes before we start:
These will probably be wrong
If I end up being correct, no one will ever hear the end of it
It would be really funny if, like, Portia goes full John Wick and kills everyone on this list
Here we go.
ISTOCK
Albie
Albie is a sweet boy and I cannot believe the show would spend six episodes creating this innocent little forest creature and then bash his head on the rocks strewn about the choppy Sicilian seas they keep cutting to between scenes. It would be kind of funny, though, in a sick way. I picture him walking along the cliffs, deep in thought about how to offset the damage generations of men before him have done, and then just, like, slipping on a banana peel and falling to his death. A long shot, yes, but something to consider.
Portia
Portia’s trip has been a rollercoaster, from no fun at all to lots of fun with exciting English boys with sensitive nipples to no fun at all again when the aforementioned English boy drank too much and got very honest about the situation he and his “uncle” have created for themselves. It’s not great. I do not think Portia will die, in part because there are many more likely candidates and in part because it will make me very sad. Portia needs to come home and evaluate some things.
Tanya
ON ONE HAND: I refuse to believe this or any show will kill off a perfectly good Jennifer Coolidge character, especially considering she’s the one who has tied the first two seasons together so far. I want to see her back again for season three, maybe in a ski lodge.
Isabella probably lives for two main reasons: One, the discussion about the bodies in the first episode refers to them as guests, not employees; two, Rocco was the one reporting on this bloodbath and I think he would have heaved his body in front of a car if his beloved Isabella perished.
I could be wrong here but I suspect I am not.
ISTOCK
Mia
Quite a ride for Mia, from semi-reluctant escort to kind of poisoning a piano player during a tryst in a church to stealing his job to hooking up with the manager who hated her as recently as a few episodes ago. The smart money here is more on her getting discovered by a talent agent on vacation than her dying in the ocean, but we can’t rule out that Giuseppe takes her out with a revenge poisoning when he realizes she has replaced him behind the piano in the lounge.
Jack the Rowdy English Boy
More on him later.
Dominic
Tricky one here. Earlier in the season, back when he was miserable and hooking up with teenage prostitutes and getting hung up on by his wife, I would have had him way higher on a list like this. Now… I don’t know. It’s not so much that he’s improved his odds of survival as it is that other characters have tanked their own through relentlessly poor decisions. Lesson to be learned here. Sometimes you can win by letting everyone else lose.
Harper
I suspect Harper survives the season for a handful of reasons that are hard to quantify but I believe with all of my heart. That said, we simply cannot rule out a scenario where she and Ethan take a cruise with a number of other guests and a massively depressed Ethan grabs the wheel and crashes it straight into the side of a cliff. He’s not doing great. More on this later, too.
ISTOCK
Lucia
Three notes here:
Lucia also does not count as “a guest” of the hotel, so take everything below with a grain of salt
She said the thing at the beginning about sex workers always getting punished in the end, which, if you believe in foreshadowing more than you believe in characters growing and changing throughout a season, could be a thing
She does have an angry and possibly violent pimp with a number of aggressive piercings on his face chasing her around a bunch
So there’s that.
Giuseppe the Piano Man
Also not a guest, I suppose, but you can’t run around taking handfuls of mysterious pills given to you by sex workers and expect to live forever, you know?
Greg
I had forgotten about Greg in the last few weeks but it would be good to remember a few things before the finale:
Greg went home to continue an affair because he is a sleaze and a doof
He is allegedly coming back
It would be really funny if Tanya just, like, accidentally knocks him off of a boat, or even straight-up murders him for being a sleaze and a doof
Let Tanya do a murder.
Alessio the Pimp
ON ONE HAND: Not a guest.
ON THE OTHER HAND: I could see Albie just kind of snapping and doing a vehicular homicide by running Alessio and his henchman off of the road and into the sea. Anyone as nice as Albie has a dark side. I want to see it.
ISTOCK
Quentin and His Collection of Suspicious Hangers-On
My prediction for the finale:
Quentin uses Tanya’s cocaine-fueled night with a studly gigolo to blackmail her into giving him a huge chunk of money in exchange for not showing evidence to her husband that would cost her millions and millions in a divorce that is presumably no longer restricted by a prenuptial agreement due to the aforementioned cocaine romps with gigolos
OR he is working WITH Greg and plans to give him the evidence in exchange for a healthy chunk of the money Greg gets in the divorce
Quentin and his crew celebrate by going out on the yacht for a sea-based party
Someone — Tanya, probably not; Portia, no, but it would be funny; Jack, my favorite suspect, in a fit of revenge and morality — causes the yacht to crash or sink, killing everyone on board, including the adorable little captain we met a few episodes ago, which will make me really sad
Write this one down.
Ethan
Ethan is doing bad. He is doing so bad. I wondered a little bit if he was going to die at the end of the penultimate episode when he was doing his little depression breaststroke out into the horizon. He’s seeing visions of his wife cheating on him with his friends. He’s confronting both of them about it. He’s really just kind of sighing a lot and sitting around with his head in his hands and it is nowhere near outlandish to envision a scenario where he throws himself onto the rocks in the middle of his morning run.
Also, let’s consider…
Cameron
I do not necessarily think Cameron is the dead body teased at the very beginning, only because Daphne was the one who discovered it and her reaction would have been… bigger, I guess, if it had been her husband.
BUT
The body could have been Ethan’s…
AND
… Cameron could be one of the other bodies in the water…
BECAUSE
… maybe Ethan suggested they go out on those jet skis again and then rammed his into Cameron’s in a blind jealous rage, killing them both in a way that pays off the jet ski montage from earlier in the season…
AND
… allows me to shout “CHEKHOV’S JET SKI” at my television…
WHICH
I really want to do it now.
Bert
Bert is very old and concussed and just had his entire trip to discover his roots dashed by an old woman wielding an artichoke and a knife. There are literally dozens of scenarios where he ends up dead in the ocean. He had a good run.
Remember Greg (Jon Gries)? Tanya’s husband? He hasn’t been seen since episode three, when he tells Tanya that he has to cut their vacation short because he has a work thing in Denver that he needs to take care of. He claims he’ll be back in two days, but Tanya overhears him talking to someone on the phone. “Yeah, she’s clueless as usual,” he says. “I’ll be home tomorrow.” He even says “I love you” to the mystery caller. Tanya is verklempt after Greg leaves — until she meets the “high-end gays,” led by Greg, who after a day spent drinking and gossiping, invites her to a fancy palazzo in Palermo.
It’s important to remember something Cam said earlier in the season: “These European aristocrats, they have no money. Like, I sh*t you not. They have all these palazzos, and they got no cash.” Cameron might be a douche (OK, he’s for sure a douche), but he’s on to something here. Think about it: Jack, who travels with Quentin & Co., dines and dashes with Portia, partially for the thrill of it, but also maybe because he doesn’t have any money? Could the high-end gays be scamming Tanya? And — to go full Pepe Silvia — is Greg involved? Y’know, Denver isn’t far from Montana, where Quentin tells Tanya he fell in love with an American cowboy. It would also explain why Greg was so upset about Portia being there during the Sicily trip (or maybe he just didn’t want someone who wasn’t his wife around on a romantic trip, which would be understandable).
Fast forward to the episode that aired tonight (episode six) and, after snorting a bunch of cocaine, Tanya goes wandering around Quentin’s palazzo while she waits for her much younger (and “notoriously well-hung”) Italian drug dealer paramour to prepare himself to bone her, and then she comes across a photo featuring two dudes who look a lot like younger versions of Quentin and Greg (aka “the cowboy”.)
HBO
Yep, that’s definitely Greg and Quentin. All things considered, it seems like the aforementioned fan theory about Tanya’s storyline was pretty spot on and there seems to be nefarious business afoot here. Especially considering all the cocaine being fed to her.
HBO
Looking forward to the season finale next weekend to see what happens!
(Spoilers for The White Lotus will be found below.)
Murder is coming on The White Lotus. That’s part of the formula, which was confirmed after an early-on body bag in Season 1 and the death of Armond. In the opening moments of Season 2, we saw Daphne freak out over this season’s dead body (although there may be more than one), which floated right past her as she enjoyed some final vacation serenity. Who died, though, and who is the murderer?
Many possibilities exist in this tightly woven, satiric tapestry from Mike White. Sad socialite Tanya, for example, could be the subject of a plot to take her out, and that’s made people very tense. As well, the show’s angry pimp could take out Albie or Cameron or Lucia or maybe the whole hotel. Anything is possible! Don’t rule out Daphne as a possible suspect, either. Girlfriend is very good at faking contentment, and god only knows whether she’s finally had enough of Cameron’s cheating sh*t and has kept that hidden behind a saccharine smile. Daphne could want to run off with her trainer and live happily ever after.
From there, though, a very likely source of fatal animosity has surfaced. That would be coming from Ethan, who has already been dealing with tension in his marriage to Harper. Upon arrival in Sicily, he’s been further put into a pretty awful situation by his old friend, Cameron. Harper suspected him of cheating after finding a condom wrapper, and this week, she saw him talking to the two sex workers in question. Of course, Cameron is the cheater, and he slept with Lucia, but Cameron’s also been hitting on Harper over the course of this vacation. She has been encouraging the vibe (that leg rub) and might be motivated to egg Cameron on (or even sleep with him) for revenge.
Let’s just say that Ethan is pretty pissed off. He wanted to work on things with Harper despite their dead-ish bedroom, but it sure seems like Harper and Cameron may have hooked up. The locked front door to the hotel room and the open side door do not bode well. We also saw Ethan’s imagining (?) of the situation, and it’s clear that he’s in a very bad state of mind by the end of this week’s penultimate episode.
In fact, Ethan is seething, maybe even going crazy. People are concerned.
ethan isn’t making it home LMAO harper got that man’s mind going CRAZYYYY #WhiteLotus
Could Ethan actually fly off the handle and take out his old buddy? We should find out next week when this season wraps, and Season 3 will then pick up with a whole new set (unless Tanya is lucky enough to survive again) of miserable vacationers.
It’s that time of year, folks. Time for our official Best Bourbon Whiskeys of 2022 list.
A quick note on methodology before we dive in — this list is based on my professional opinion as a whiskey pundit. I’ve tasted around 1,500 whiskeys this year. I’ve judged three spirits competitions. I’ve consulted on a handful of barrel picks — one of which raised just north of $60,000 for charity. I’m fortunate to be in the highest echelons of the spirits industry on the media side and have access to… pretty much everything. That means this list is about the best bourbons that I sampled in 2022, not the best bourbons that you can find wherever you are.
I’ve also ranked every single one of my top 100 bourbons. The ranking is based on my professional experience (mentioned right up there in that above paragraph). But know this — all of these whiskeys are worth drinking. Some of them are true greats. Some of them are once-in-a-lifetime pours that’ll stick with you forever. If someone wants to claim their “best of the best of 2022” is better, I’ll happily accept the challenge (sounds like a fun blind test, if nothing else). Remember, this is only a small fraction of the bourbons released this year that I was lucky enough to get to taste. There’s no trash here, just winners, champions, and stone-cold legends.
The whiskey is a blend of old sourced barrels of bourbon from Bardstown, Kentucky. Those whiskeys spent 14 years in the barrel before the crew at 15 STARS picked them up and created a whole new experience from them for this award-winning release.
Tasting Notes:
Soft orchard fruits and maple syrup lead the way on the nose as roasted almonds and vanilla/caramel tobacco pipe tobacco round things out. The palate balances creamy vanilla sauce with a dark and bitter chocolate powder that’s nearly espresso bean oil. The finish is subtle but deep with a hazelnut vibe that blends with the chocolate for a lush Nutella feel next to woody maple, rum-soaked raisins, and a hint of old porch wicker draped in old leather.
Bottom Line:
This new bourbon shingle from a father and son team is racking up awards for building some seriously great whiskeys. They’re also distilling some unique mash bills that we’re all looking forward to tasting soon.
Freddie Noe — Beam’s eighth-generation Master Distiller — created this expression by blending classic Basil Hayden with bourbon partially aged in California red wine casks. The resulting batch is then proofed down and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of orange zest on the nose with sour mulled wine spices — star anise, cardamom, cinnamon — next to Cherry Coke and vanilla cake with white frosting. The palate is soft yet creamy with a nutty spiced cake vibe next to zucchini bread with a dollop of butter next to tart dried berries dipped in brandy with a hint of dark cacao in the background. The end is pretty short (low-proofed) and finishes with a sense of old oak staves soaked in sour red wine with a dash of burnt orange and dried winter spice rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is the best Basil Hayden’s release of the new generation of expressions from the brand.
98. Jefferson’s Ocean Aged At Sea New York Edition
This version of Jefferson’s famed Oceans Series sailed through the North Sea, around Europe, along the Atlantic Seaboard, and through the Panama Canal before ending up in New York City. Once there, the whiskey was batched and proofed down with New York City’s famed water (which is unfiltered and from closer to the Catskills).
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nice sense of soft caramel chews on the nose with a dash of cigar tobacco and old humidors next to old leather cloves, burnt orange, and a hint of saline. The palate leans into brash winter spices with spicy and woody cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and a hint of cardamom next to lush crème brûlée with a hint of that cigar vibe. The end stays strong with the spices and tobacco next to a soft vanilla creaminess and slightly salted pasta water finish.
Bottom Line:
Jefferson’s really added something special to their lineup by delving into how much impact proofing water has a bourbon’s flavor profile with this one.
The bourbon in this bottle was contract distilled in Ohio at Middlewest (but it’s now being made in Kentucky too). The whiskey is a wheated bourbon that spent eight years mellowing before bottling. Each barrel was hand-picked before being married into a barrel strength expression that’s bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mild crafty, sweet grain nose that opens toward a pile of freshly chopped firewood, lemon pepper, creamy vanilla-laced honey, winter spices, and Kiwi boot soap. The palate has a hint of caramel malts next to Vanilla Coke, a buttery and spiced apple pie with plenty of brown sugar, and a hint of ginger next to some orange blossoms in the background. The end is solid with a spicy warmth next to more of that dry firewood and a smidge of sweet oatmeal cookies.
Bottom Line:
This is a great bourbon that supports undersupported vets. You cannot beat that.
This small batch from Savage & Cooke out in California is made from an MGP of Indiana 7-year-old high-rye bourbon. Master Distiller Jordan Via hand picks only 38 barrels for this blend and then cuts that whiskey with Alexander Valley spring water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This is another classic nose full of maple syrup over pecan waffles, dried cherries, salted caramel, meaty dates, old leather, and singed cedar with a hint of old musk lurking in the background of the nose. The palate has a hint of caramel next to vanilla malt with dates, prunes, and raisins leading to dark chocolate-covered dried cranberries with a hint of spiced tobacco. That spiced tobacco mingles with old leather and cedar on the back end.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey proves that Savage & Cooke is becoming one of the best blenders working in California today.
This whiskey from out in Colorado combines two whiskeys from Indiana (MGP) with Colorado’s Rocky Mountain spirit made at Old Elk. The whiskeys are a corn/rye/barley mash bill combined with a corn/wheat/barley mash to create a four-grain experience by blending instead of from scratch. That whiskey then spends six to seven years aging in the Rocky Mountain state before it’s bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Dark fruit and almonds play with sweet apple wedges and vanilla sheet cake on the nose with a hint of leather, oats, and toffee lurking underneath it all. The taste is all about the creamy and nutmeg-heavy eggnog with a nice counterpoint of sweetgrass and vanilla pipe tobacco. The mid-palate has a sweet winter spice vibe that leads to a raw and sweet carrot and apple cores next to a hint of new wicker.
Bottom Line:
As more and more Old Elk juice becomes part of the mix, this whiskey just gets better and better.
Penelope Bourbon is another great example of what a master blender can do with MGP whiskey. In this case, three barrels were blended — aged three to five years — to create a barrel strength expression that highlights the quality of those casks. The final product ended up being a four-grain bourbon with a mash bill of 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this bursts forth with peaches, red berries, blueberry, and an almost savory gooseberry next to cotton candy, a touch of toffee, and very light-yet-sweet oak. The palate shines as the peaches and berries combine to make a sort of summer fruit crumble with plenty of butter, dark sugar, and spice alongside a thin line of soft leather, rich vanilla, and more of that sweet oak. The mid-palate sweetens with more cotton candy before diving into a warming and spicy finish that keeps the spice sweet and subtle.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey won tons of awards this year. And after one sip, it’s easy to see why.
This whiskey from country music legend Brad Paisley actually crisscrossed the country with the star. The whiskey in the bottles is largely from Bardstown Bourbon Company, with four whiskeys aged three to 15 years with both low and high rye bourbons in the mix. The team at Bardstown worked closely with Paisley — a whiskey nerd himself — to select, blend, and finish the bourbon according to Paisley’s palate. After a 7,314-mile trip across America, the barrels were vatted, proofed, and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lightness at first whiff that gives way to a soft apricot jam on a buttered Southern biscuit next to a hint of cinnamon-spiked caramel and apple cider-soaked oak staves. The palate really does burst forth with firework pops of old leather, toffee candies, Red Hots, peanut brittle, nougat, milk chocolate, and vanilla pipe tobacco. The mid-palate sweetness fades as the pipe tobacco takes on a little warmth and spice while brioche, black pepper, and braided dry cedar bark round out the finish.
Bottom Line:
Gimmicks aside, this is just good old-fashioned whiskey.
This whiskey marries Italian-American heritage with bourbon in Kentucky’s horse country. The juice is a contract-distilled high-rye bourbon that spends six years resting in new American oak. That whiskey is then just barely touched with local water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose feels like walking through a peach orchard on a sunny day with blossoming honey suckles wrapped around cinnamon sticks in your hand. The taste builds on that spiced honey with a mild root beer vibe next to overripe peach, a touch of vanilla cream, and a whisper of fresh mint. The finish stays fairly mellow with creamy honey and mild spices blending with a soft touch of vanilla/mint tobacco warmth.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey is built to be enjoyed with a big meal, lots of friends, and plenty of time to enjoy it all.
91. Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Lightly Toasted American Oak Barrels
This brand new release from Daviess County is the first in Lux Row Distillers’ new Toasted Barrel Finish Series, which will be an annual release. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of rye and wheated bourbons that aged at least four years. Once vatted, those whiskeys are re-filled into lightly toasted new oak for a final maturation. Once just right, the whiskey is proofed down and bottled (only 18,000 bottles were shipped).
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is salty/sweet with a sense of caramel and buttermilk next to soft oak and a mild hint of coconut shells. The palate toasts that coconut as buttery toffee leading to a vanilla cream pie with a lard crust and a dash of orange oils. The end mixes a soft vanilla cake with a pecan waffle with a whisper of woody maple syrup and light raisins.
Bottom Line:
This expression will get you excited about the cool work happening with Daviess County special releases.
Castle & Key Distillery is the renovated Old Taylor Distillery outside of Frankfort, Kentucky. This distillery has spent years contract distilling for other brands, until this year when they released their first batch of this expression in April. The juice is a mash of 73% white corn, 17% malted barley, and a scant 10% rye. After four years, 80 barrels are chosen for this small-batch expression and proofed down with local water.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a sense of unbaked sourdough cinnamon rolls next to Graham Crackers dipped in vanilla-creamed honey served with a warm can of peach soda. The palate leans into the fruitiness with a pink taffy vibe that’s countered by slight pepperiness, a touch of “woody,” and more of that creamy honey laced with vanilla. The fruity take on a savory essence — think cantaloupe — on the mid-palate before circling back to the pepperiness with a bit of woody spice on the short end.
Bottom Line:
Castle & Key has quietly been making some of your favorite whiskeys behind the scenes as a contract distiller. Know they’re rolling out their own expressions and they are living up to the hype created around their brand.
89. RD One Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with French Oak
This brand-new Lexington, Kentucky whiskey is a follow-up to the award and insider darling Old Wm. Tarr Bourbon, which this expression is replacing. The bourbon in play is finished in French oak, adding an extra layer of depth to the final product before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
That old porch wicker and boot leather lead on the nose with a hint of bespoke Almond Joy, dried rose petals, and allspice cherry cola. The palate has a lush creaminess tied to vanilla cake with a cherry compote next to eggnog spices and creaminess and a dash of woody winter spice with a pipe tobacco edge. The end has a rich toffee vibe that leads to almonds and raisins with a sense of spiced choco-cherry tobacco just kissed with orange oils.
Bottom Line:
This small operator makes a big whiskey that’ll make some waves over the next year.
This whiskey, from Owensboro Distilling Co., is all about the finish. The whiskey is finished in casks with staves from ex-bourbon, sherry, and French oak barrels. Once that whiskey hits the right point, it’s vatted and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Dark chocolate powder opens the nose up to fresh raspberry, vanilla husks, buttery toffee, and those candy orange wedges with the sugar coating. The palate leans into the berries as oatmeal cookies dipped in Earl Grey tea lead to almond shells and dark earthy soil. The mid-palate re-sweetens with a vanilla shortbread that ends up at an eggnog creaminess and spiciness next to a very mild and dry cornmeal finish with a hint of dark chocolate pipe tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Adding broken barrel staves to a finishing barrel turns out to be a great way to create a nuanced final whiskey.
This whiskey is from Jack’s bonded warehouse. The mash of 80% corn, 12% barley, and 8% rye is twice distilled before it’s run through Jack’s very long Lincoln County process of sugar maple charcoal filtration. The spirit then goes into the barrel for at least four years — per bonded law — before it’s batched, cut down with that Jack Daniel’s limestone cave water, and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Vanilla comes through with a bold sense of the oil and beans in the pod as cherry Jolly Ranchers, a light touch of sweet oak, a hint of fresh leather, and an echo of orange peels round out the nose. Going back in on the nose after a minute or two, a sense of potting soil and maybe the vitamin aisle at a health food store alongside more of that fresh leather leads to a little bit of sweetgrass, apple blossoms, and a vanilla cookie with a touch of oat in the mix. The palate is immediately sweet with apple fritters and maple bars next to brown sugar and vanilla cream. The mid-palate adds in a little winter spice with a lean toward cinnamon and clove and a dusting of nutmeg. The finish arrives with brown sugar and butter mixed into Cream of Wheat as a minor note of wood and apple cider kicks in late and lingers the longest on the end.
Bottom Line:
Jack Daniel’s released a lot of great whiskeys this year, but this one really stood out thanks to that price and a truly great whiskey in the bottle.
This sourced whiskey is a 12-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon whiskey. Those barrels are emptied and the whiskey is refilled into old Cabernet Sauvignon casks for a final maturation before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Hello, Tennessee! The nose opens with a sense of cherry Tums next to soft grains, dried sage and thyme, and a hint of smoked pork fat. The taste leans into that Tennessee whiskey vibe with soft grains next to vanilla Necco Wafers, old cellar floors, and a good dose of sharp winter spices. The finish lets the cherry chine with a hint of old glove leather, apple pie filling, and a sour sense of butter with a garden center earthiness.
Bottom Line:
UFC’s Bruce Buffer proved he’s a heavyweight in the bourbon world (sorry) with this super solid inaugural outing.
This bourbon starts off as Penelope’s beloved and much-lauded four-grain bourbon. That whiskey is then re-barreled into Spanish Vino de Naranja casks from Valencia before small batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a light sense of burnt orange and cinnamon toast on the nose that leads to a hint of cherry vanilla cream soda with chocolate chip cookies cut with orange zest. That orange zest turns into chunky orange marmalade on the palate over buttery southern biscuits, woody mulled wine spices, wet brown sugar, and oily vanilla pods. The end has a nice bitterness to it tied to the orange rinds and seeds with a hint of orange blossom next to salted dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
Penelope seems unstoppable with their unique releases, which means we have a lot of greatness to look forward to in 2023 from them.
The second batch of Larceny Barrel Proof of 2022 is batched from barrels of Heaven Hill’s iconic wheated bourbon (68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley). Those barrels are chosen for their specific flavor profile and blended as-is and bottled at barrel proof.
Tasting Notes:
A hint of red berries hits your nose first and then the nose goes full “classic” with notes of rich caramel, fresh leather, vanilla beans, raw pancake batter, and a soft note of kindling. The palate feels high-proof but not “hot” — that means it coats your mouth with a buzzing sensation but there’s no burn — as grassy mid-palate leads to subtle Christmas cake spice, salted caramel sauce, and a layer of cherry compote between two sheets of vanilla cake. The end is silky and lush with that cherry and vanilla fading toward damp and supple wicker that ultimately leaves you with a velvet mouthfeel and warm Kentucky hug.
Bottom Line:
Of the three Larceny Barrel Proof releases this year, this one sticks with you the longest thanks to that classic flavor profile.
83. Laws Whiskey House Intention Origins Series 2022 Release
This whiskey starts off with Laws’ classic Four Grain Straight Bourbon made with 60% heritage corn, 20% heirloom wheat, 10% heirloom rye, and 10% heirloom malted barley. That hot juice then rests in barrels for three to 10 years before bottling at cask strength and no fussing, creating only 1,680 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a soft graininess that leads to sour cherries, old leather, a hint of honey, and a whisper of orange. The palate has a sense of cinnamon rolls with a crafty sweet graininess and subtle spice next to buttery grits and a twinge of black tea bitterness. The end leans into a little more of that honey with an oatmeal cookie vibe next to woody spice.
Bottom Line:
Laws has been killing it for years now. This cask-strength version only further proves why the brand is so beloved.
82. Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey Original Cask Strength
The newest release from Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley is an evolution of their brand. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of three bourbons which create a four-grain bourbon. That blend was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a balance of old leather boots and freshly cracked black pepper next to a hint of walnut shell, vanilla pod, and orange zest. The palate leans into what feels like star fruit as orange marmalade, salted butter, and fresh honey drip over rye bread crusts. The end comes with a good dose of peppery spice and old leather as those walnuts and orange combine with a handful of dried fruit and a dusting of winter spices on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This latest version of Brother’s Bond proved the brand was about more than celebs white labeling booze. It proved that Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley truly care about this industry and the whiskey in their bottle.
This year’s first Elijah Craig drop is a 12-year-old whiskey made from Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and a mere 10% rye. Those barrels are masterfully blended into this Barrel Proof expression with no cutting or fussing. This is as-is bourbon from the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Caramel draws you in on the nose with a slight sourdough cinnamon roll with pecans, a touch of floral honey, and a soft and woody drug store aftershave with an echo of vanilla candle wax and singed marshmallow. The palate rolls through a soft leather and vanilla pie note as cinnamon ice cream leads to spicy oak. The mid-palate leans into a sweeter, almost creamy spice (think nutmeg-heavy eggnog) which, in turn, leads to a dry cedar bark next to a dry stewed-apple tobacco leaf folded into an old leather pouch for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
Of the three Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases this year, this was the one to get.
This contract-distilled whiskey from Pinhook celebrates the young racehorse “Bourbondini.” The whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash of 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley. After a long rest, the whiskey is just touched with water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a big nose full of hot apple cider spiked with clove, raisins, and molasses next to a soft bar of high-quality marzipan all with a whisper of figgy jam in the background. The palate leans toward that savory fruit with a hint of dry tropical fruit before a chili-infused dark espresso takes over with a dash of powdered dark chocolate. The finish sweetens with a rich toffee and brown butter vibe as the charred barrel makes an appearance at the very end.
Bottom Line:
Pinhook continues to crush it with these releases.
79. Red Line Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
This whiskey from Red Line is sourced from hand-selected barrels from MGP of Indiana. The team at Red Line picked six-year-old barrels of MGP’s iconic high-rye bourbon mash of 75% corn, 21% rye, and only 4% malted barley. Those barrels were vatted and then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lovely sweetness that arrives on the nose with a hint of burnt sugars and brown butter just starting to coalesce into caramel with a flake of salt and a sense of rum-raisin and an echo of charred oak. The palate leans into a light apple compote with a hint of plum and plenty of wintry spices next to vanilla and wicker before the warmth of the ABVs peak on the mid-palate. The end is soft and supple with a sense of spiced prune jam, old porch wicker, and allspice berries.
Bottom Line:
This seemingly small and bespoke bottler killed the awards circuit this year with this expression of finely sourced Indiana bourbon.
Doc Swinson’s Master Blender, Jesse Parker, takes a lot of time to make this whiskey. The whiskey is a blend of MGP five-year-old bourbons. That blend is just touched with water to bring it down to 155 proof and then bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nice balance of dried and leathery apricot next to Caro syrup and peanut brittle with a hint of charred oak in the background of the nose. The palate leans into the nuttiness with an almost Almond Joy vibe with a dark chocolate bitterness and a touch of creamy vanilla. The finish is part brown sugar and part crushed peanuts with a hint of spicy dark chocolate tobacco rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is another sourced bourbon from a small-time bottler that just slaps.
This special edition bourbon from craft distilling darling Jeptha Creed is all about heritage corn. The mash is 90% Bloody Butcher Corn alongside 5% malted rye and 5% malted barley. The whiskey is left alone for nearly five years before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on his one starts off with a stained deck board vibe that boils down to silver plastic Christmas garlands fresh out of the pack with old woody spices, dry raisins, and savory figs. Earthy vanilla and old porch wicker mingle with Caro Syrup and orange tobacco with a supporting cast of wintry baking spices. The end moves from woody maple syrup toward soft marzipan, a dash of chocolate, and a distant whisper of peppermint candy cane.
Bottom Line:
This is craft whiskey that feels authentically classic from top to bottom.
This Colorado crafty whiskey gets a lot of attention from bourbon drinkers in the know. The mash is made from 64% corn, 21% malted barley, and 15% Abruzzi Heritage Rye, which Master Distiller Todd Leopold malted at his malting house at the distillery in Denver. That mash ran through a classic pot still before it was barreled and left to rest for five years.
Tasting Notes:
The floral and spicy nature of that Abruzzi rye really comes out on the nose with a touch of candied apples, Quik chocolate milk powder, and the faintest hint of sourdough rye with a light smear of salted butter. The taste leans into stewed pears with nutmeg and clove spices leading the way as Almond Roca and green peppercorns jostle for space on your palate. The end mellows out as that spice fades towards an eggnog vibe with a creamy vanilla underbelly and a final touch of that floral rye and hint of pear.
Bottom Line:
This is the whiskey nerd’s whiskey that’s also pretty damn tasty.
75. Pursuit United 2022 Release Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskeys
The team at Pursuit United re-vamped their bourbon for the first 2022 release. They’ve picked barrels via Bardstown Bourbon Company from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana that skewed a little more rye heavy this year and blended those into this high-proof release.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with a mix of old leather and a back porch on a sunny day with layers of apple and pear skins, plenty of dark spice, white sugar frosting, dry grass, and a hint of sour cherry. The palate has a light ABV warmth (a Kentucky hug if you will) that fades toward a mix of chocolate-covered cherries and orange spice next to mulled wine and vanilla cookies. The end leans into porch wicker with that cherry darkening toward more spice and dark chocolate on the finish.
Bottom Line:
The Pursuit United team continues to deliver excellently built blends with this year’s release.
This Ohio whiskey is all about grain-to-glass. The juice is made from a mash of sweet yellow corn, soft red winter wheat, dark pumpernickel rye, and Two-Row malted barley. The whiskey spends about four years in oak before it’s bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Coconut cream pie dominates the nose with a lard crust, a touch of black banana, and almond-covered toffees round things out. The palate leans into the creaminess of the pie while adding in soft dried fruits, a touch of winter spice, and a whisper of cedar. The finish arrives with a Honey Nut Cheerios vibe as the wintry spices amp up toward a warm end.
Bottom Line:
This may well be the best whiskey coming out of Ohio right now.
Frey Ranch is all about the farm behind the whiskey. In this case, that’s a 165+-year-old farm in the Sierra Nevada basin near Lake Tahoe. The grains (corn, wheat, rye, and barley), fermentation, distilling, aging, and bottling all happen on-site at Frey Ranch.
Tasting Notes:
Fruity cherry gummies mingle with raw sourdough bread dough, vanilla beans, dry firewood, and burnt brown sugars on the nose. The taste has a very crafty corn chip vibe that leads to tart cranberry, more of that vanilla, and a cinnamon-spiced oatmeal raisin cookie. This all coalesces on the finish with the spice, oats, tart red fruit, and vanilla playing second fiddle to the dry firewood and slightly spiced tobacco end.
Bottom Line:
This is the best whiskey coming out of Nevada right now.
72. Redwood Empire Whiskey Grizzly Beast Bottled in Bond Batch #002
The latest batch of Redwood Empire’s Grizzly Beast is a four-grain bourbon. The California whiskey was made with 69% corn, 22% rye, 5% malted barley, and a mere 4% wheat. After five years of maturation, 26 barrels were picked for this batch. Those barrels were vatted and the whiskey was just kissed with pure water from a local Russian River Valley aquifer.
Tasting Notes:
Cherry pie with plenty of winter spice leads off on the nose with buttery brown sugar, tart red berries, and walnut shells. The palate opens with burnt orange, salted caramel, and more of those tart berries swimming in rich vanilla cream before a hint of spicy warmth arrives. The end leans into brown sugar and winter spice-laced butter with walnut tobacco leaves wrapped in vanilla husks and cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
Redwood Empire is on the verge of blowing up, especially in California, with this expression proving why.
71. Joseph Magnus Murray Hill Club Bourbon Whiskey, A Blend
This is a masterfully sourced whiskey. The whiskey is a mix of 18 and eleven-year-old bourbon with a nine-year-old light whiskey (a high-proof whiskey aged in lightly toasted, uncharted barrels). That blend is then just touched with water before bottling without any fussing.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a rich sense of buttery toffee on the nose with plenty of cinnamon/nutmeg/allspice next to a hint of savory fig and some vanilla cream. The palate merges the spices into a lush eggnog vibe as hints of old cedar planks mix with a black peppercorn sharpness. The end mixes the spices into a buttery cookie with hints of singed cinnamon bark, old pine, and soft vanilla tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
These blends always deliver great whiskeys that fly under too many radars.
This expression from Illinois’ FEW Spirits marks the 125th anniversary of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is made from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley. That whiskey spends four years resting before it’s proofed down to 100 proof and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of vanilla cream pie with an extra thick vanilla pudding next to dry cedar bark with a touch of white moss, a touch of black licorice, and a hint of barrel smoke. The palate leans into cherry bark with a light cherry tobacco spiciness that melds with the vanilla pudding, a pan of fresh sticky buns with plenty of cinnamon and walnuts, and a hint of black pepper and more of that dry cedar bark. The finish has a bit of an oatmeal cookie vibe that leads back to the spicy cherry tobacco and white moss.
Bottom Line:
FEW Spirits perfected their bourbon craft with this expression.
This masterful blend from Barrell Craft Spirits celebrates the coming of winter with a high-rye bourbon blend. The batch is dailed in toward the flavors and vibes of the season with deep woodiness, spices, and dark fruits to help celebrate the season.
Tasting Notes:
Old porch wicker, boot leather, salted caramel candies, vanilla cakes, and a hint of dried mango rolled in salt lead the way on the nose. The palate leans into sharp yet sweet cinnamon with burnt orange and dried plums layering into a spiced fruit cake with a hint of sage and thyme. The end has a lightly dried rose vibe with some soft marzipan covered in dark chocolate and layered into an old fruit cake with candied and dried fruits, citrus, nuts, and plenty of dark winter spice.
Bottom Line:
Stellum has been killing it with these blends since last year, and this year has only gotten better.
68. BLACKENED x Wes Anderson Master of Whiskey Series
This new collaboration from Metallica’s whiskey finds Master Distillers Rob Dietrich of BLACKENED working with Wes Henderson, Co-Founder of Angel’s Envy, to create a new expression. The whiskey is a classic Kentucky bourbon aged for six years. Those barrels are vatted and then refilled into white port wine casks for a final rest. Finally, the port barrels are batched and the whiskey is bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a good bit of fruit on the nose with pear skins, rum-raisin, and burnt orange next to dried-up old cinnamon sticks and tobacco leaves. The palate stews the pear with honey and wintry spices while a hint of dried chili flake leads to walnut cake and a very mild echo of old wet straw. The end is lush and full of oranges studded with cloves and allspice next to pear tobacco and old cedar humidors.
Bottom Line:
This is great, party-hard yet classic bourbon with a truly well-built flavor profile.
This year’s Yellowstone Limited Edition is a masterstroke of blending by Master Distiller Stephen Beam. The whiskey in the bottle is a mix of seven, 15, and 16-year barrels finished in Sicilian Marsala Superiore casks (a drier sherry-like Sicilian fortified dessert wine). Once vatted, the whiskey was just touched with water to bring it down to 101 proof, which yielded about 30,000 bottles this year.
Tasting Notes:
This opens soft with an almost meaty dried apricot dipped in pine-laced honey with a line of cinnamon-spiced tobacco sharpening the nose. The palate has a mild sticky toffee pudding vibe with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to meaty dates, rum-raisin, and a hint of walnut cake with a twinge of butteriness. The end leans into those sweet dates with a hint of black tea and a dash of wet brown sugar before raisins packed in vanilla tobacco leaves round things out.
Bottom Line:
If you buy one bottle of Yellowstone this year, make it this one.
This special release from Maker’s Mark is their classic wheated bourbon turned up a few notches. The batch is made from no more than 19 barrels of whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey goes into the barrel at cask strength with no filtering, just pure whiskey-from-the-barrel vibes.
Tasting Notes:
Burnt caramel candies and lush vanilla lead the way on the nose with hints of dry straw, sour cherry pie, and spiced apple cider with a touch of eggnog lushness. The palate has a sense of spicy caramel with a vanilla base that leads to apricot jam, southern biscuits, and a flake of salt with a soft mocha creaminess. The end is all about the buzzy tobacco spiciness with a soft vanilla underbelly and a hint of cherry syrup.
These single-barrel releases from Huber Winery’s Starlight Distillery are starting to light up the craft bourbon scene. The Indiana whiskey is true craft made on a family farm going back to the mid-1800s (this isn’t MGP). Depending on the barrel, the mash here is a unique one with 58% corn, 27% rye, and 15% malted barley. That whiskey is aged for at least four years before it’s considered ready for single-barrel bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this meanders from sheet cake with vanilla frosting toward chili-laced dark chocolate ice cream to old leather gloves with a hint of potting soil, soft cedar planks, and a twinge of an orange creamsicle. The taste balances a lemon meringue pie with silky cream soda, red peppercorns, and thick toffee sauce with plenty of brown butter. The end has a bit of woody spice next to spiced cherry syrup, a crack of black pepper, and crumb more of that cake from the nose with a counter of those old leather gardening gloves finishing off the taste.
Bottom Line:
This classic single-barrel expression from Indiana’s Starlight Distillery is the perfect introduction to the brand.
The whiskey is Peerless’ signature sweet mash bourbon that’s finished in hand-picked rum barrels. After vatting, those barrels are bottled as-is with no fussing whatsoever.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this runs deep with hints of burnt orange tea leaves next to a mild sense of dark molasses with a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso bean flaked with sea salt and wrapped in dry cedar bark. The palate opens with a burst of dark orange oils next to burnt sugars and woody winter spices with a warm mid-palate. After a big crescendo of woody spice and burnt sugars, the palate falls into a creamy sense of honey with a smoked plum vibe in the background and more of that winter spice wrapped up in old cedar bark with a hint of sweetgrass and raisin.
Bottom Line:
Peerless is an awards darling that always delivers for the masses. They’re truly batting a thousand.
63. George Dickel Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whisky Fall 2008 Aged 13 Years
Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This release is a whiskey that was warehoused in the fall of 2008. 13 years later, this whiskey was bottled at 100 proof (as per the bottled-in-bond law) and left to rest.
Tasting Notes:
Sour cherries, maple syrup, and pecan waffles mingle with dried apple chips, old leather boots, and winter spice with a hint of vanilla wafers on the nose. The taste leans toward spicy apple pie filling with walnuts, plenty of cinnamon, and some raisins before malted vanilla milkshakes, blueberry cotton candy, and dark chocolate milk arrive on the mid-palate and lead toward a moist oatmeal cookie dipped in salted caramel. The end has a dry woody spiciness with star anise, cinnamon, and allspice mingling with marzipan and cherry/cinnamon tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This expression just keeps getting better and better each and every year.
The second Booker’s release of 2022 is a masterful blend of barrels from seven locations around Jim Beam’s rickhouses. Those barrels are mostly from the seventh floor of those rickhouses, with one coming from the ninth floor. All of them averaged out to this whiskey being seven years, one month, and seven days old before it was batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rush of dry nutshells next to old cellar beams, soft old boot leather, salted caramel sauce, sweet black cherries, and dry tobacco leaves and cedar bark braided together. The palate has a creamy and lush vanilla underbelly that supports a hint of chocolate chip cookie next to fresh broom bristles, caramel apple from the state fair, and a whisper of freshly cracked black peppercorn with a dash of dried ancho underneath it all. The end is all about salted peanuts covered in dark yet creamy chocolate with beautiful lush vanilla tobacco chewiness wrapped in that old leather and cedar.
Bottom Line:
Don’t worry. There’s another Booker’s Bourbon below.
Bib & Tucker’s barrel picks are always worth chasing down. The whiskey is a sourced Tennessee bourbon that’s aged for 12 long years in very lightly charred oak. The whiskey then goes into the bottle after being proofed down (ever so slightly) to 99 proof.
Tasting Note:
Expect a nose of fairly classic bourbon with creamy vanilla, salted caramel apples, and a hint of soft cedar. The palate touches on dark orange oils next to bright red cherry with a vanilla pudding base and a subtle dose of dark spice leading towards salted and almost chalky dark chocolate. The end is quite quick and leaves you with more dark chocolate, orange, and a drop more of salted caramel.
Bottom Line:
This is the age statement where Bib & Tucker truly shines as a great bourbon from Tennessee.
This new release from Nelson’s Green Brier is a big evolution for the brand. This high-rye bourbon is aged for four years before it’s masterfully blended into his expression. It’s then bottled without any fussing or meddling.
Tasting Notes:
A vanilla wafer with soft nougat greets you on the nose with a hint of burnt orange zest, Christmas cake, candied cherry, and a little bit of apple pie filling. The taste has a moment of grilled pineapple that leads to brandy-soaked dark chocolate-covered cherries with a supporting act of zucchini bread, pecan pie, and a whisper of lemon meringue pie — it’s kind of like being in an old-school diner. A mild dusting of white pepper ushers in the finish with a smooth green tea cut with menthol tobacco.
Bottom Line:
The Nelson Brothers hit it out of the park with their new line this year and this is the bottle to start with.
59. Filibuster Distillery Bottled-in-Bond Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 5 Years
This Virginias whiskey is a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made from locally-grown grains — 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley — and local spring water in the Shenandoah Valley. After five years of mellowing in Appalachia, a small bundle of barrels are batched and proofed to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a waft of old porch wicker next to floral honey, burnt orange, black tea leaves, and a classic sense of woody cherry and vanilla. The palate creams the honey while adding in soft oak and cherry pie filling with a hint of vanilla malt next to mulled wine spices — heavy with star anise, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a pinch of mace or cardamom. The end has a dark chocolate-covered espresso bean vibe that leads to a mild dried cranberry note next to a strawberry-rhubarb-walnut crumble with a scoop of vanilla malted ice cream that finished back at the old porch wicker braided with dark cherry tobacco and dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This bottle of Virginia bourbon came out of nowhere and grabbed a lot of people’s (including mine) attention as a sleeper hit this year.
These releases from New Riff will vary from location to location as they’re largely reserved for retailers. The whiskey in the bottle is New Riff’s standard bourbon mash of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. The spirit is aged for four years before they’re bottled individually without cutting or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on these tends to be soft, kind of like freshly baked rye bread, with notes of eggnog spices, slick vanilla flan, thin caramel sauce, and hints of spicy orange zest. The palate amps everything up as the orange peel becomes candied and attaches to a moist holiday cake, dried cranberry and cherry, more dark spice, a touch of nuttiness, and plenty of that vanilla. The end takes its time as the whole thing comes together like a rich and boozy fruit cake as little notes of leather and tobacco spice keep things interesting on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
New Riff puts out a lot of great bourbons but their single barrels always seem to be the cream that rises to the top.
57. Hidden Barn Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Small Batch
Former Master Taster for Old Forester, Jackie Zykan, just left her post at Brown-Forman and her new whiskey is already on my desk. Zykan’s first release at her own shingle is a sourced whiskey from Neeley Family Distillery in rural Kentucky. The bourbon is made from a sweet mash (a brand new mash with every cook instead of reusing mash for a sour mash) with a high-ish rye content over pot stills (a true rarity in bourbon these days). Those barrels aged for four to five years before Zykan picked a handful for this inaugural release at batch proof.
Tasting Notes:
Woah! This is totally different. The nose is full of digestive biscuits and whole wheat pancakes cut with vanilla and pecan next to hints of anise, caramel candy, and cinnamon-toast tobacco. The palate holds onto the massive graininess with a clear sense of rye bread crumb next to thick oatmeal cookies with more of those pecans and plenty of raisins and spice. Later, a hint of white pepper arrives and leads the finish to soft espresso cream with a dash of nutmeg and creamy toffee.
Bottom Line:
This grain-forward bourbon is one of the best examples of pure craftiness on the market and a great example of what’s to come from Zykan and the team in 2023.
This brand-new expression from Jim Beam is about highlighting the beautiful high-end barrels from Beam’s vast rickhouses. The whiskey in the bottle is a classic low-rye Beam that rested for 16 years and a 15-year-old high-rye bourbon. Once batched, that whiskey goes into the bottle as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with a rich spice mix of woody cinnamon, soft nutmeg, almost bitter cloves, and dusty allspice with a hint of black licorice leading to a buttery caramel sauce with a flake of salt, twinge of vanilla oil, and whisper of cherry tobacco in an old cedar humidor. The palate builds on that classic foundation with layers of old boot leather, hard sultanas, meaty dates, stewed plums, and rum-soaked Christmas cake with candied orange rinds and cherries. The end soaks the raisins and candied fruit in maple syrup with a hint of sour cherry laced with ancho chili peppers and woody spices.
Bottom Line:
The team at Beam really brought it with this exclusive release. It’s just a quintessential bourbon from top to bottom.
55. Bardstown Bourbon Company Founders KBS Stout Finish Bourbon
This new whiskey from Bardstown Bourbon Company leans into beer barrel finishing. The bourbon is a ten-year-old Tennessee whiskey comprised of 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley (which, coincidentally, is the same mash bill as Dickel). That whiskey is then transferred to KBS Stout barrels from Founders Brewing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The whiskey spends an additional 15 months mellowing with the stout-infused oak before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with a balance of almost waxy cacao nibs next to oily vanilla beans, dry roasted espresso beans, milk chocolate malts, a hint of Nutella, and a bright burst of orange oils. The palate builds on that foundation and layers in hazelnuts, mulled wine spices, and a dark, thick, and spicy cherry syrup with a woody backbone. The sweetness of the cherry on the mid-palate ebbs as the woody spices and bitter dark cacao kick in late and bring about a dry finish with plenty of Nutella, espresso cream, and spicy cherry tobacco chewiness with a hint of citrus oils cutting through everything.
Bottom Line:
Bardstown Bourbon Company is another brand that’s batting a thousand, especially with their special finished blends like this one.
54. Eaves Blind Kings County Bourbon Barrel Strength
Marianne Eaves — who came up as the Master Blender at Brown-Forman and Master Distiller at Castle & Key — released a full line of bourbons from outside of Kentucky this year. This one is from Kings County in Brooklyn, New York, and highlights Eaves’ master blender status. The whiskey is Kings’ four-year-old bourbon that Eaves blended to create a barrel-proof expression.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nice balance of red fruit on the nose with woody pomegranate, burnt orange, sour cherry, and maybe some blackberry jam next to mild winter spices, light cedar, and a hint of dark and old leather. The palate leans into brown sugar and maple syrup with a hint of cinnamon butter, walnut, and raisin before a warming and sharp cinnamon and dried red chili pepper peek in. The end leans back toward the dark red fruit with a hint of cedar and cinnamon bark layered over dry tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Marianne Eaves’ whole line is worth mentioning/ranking, but this one really stood out as a show-stopper.
This brand-new whiskey from Woodford Reserve takes classic Woodford bourbon that’s aged at least four years and finishes it with some honeyed oak. The bourbon is filled into barrels that aged honey for a final maturation before blending, very light proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Hello, honey cask! The nose has a lovely floral honey note with a hint of orange peels studded with cloves next to Almond Joy and a touch of Graham Cracker dipped in honey and dusted with cinnamon. The palate has a touch of fresh ginger next to more fresh honey with a hint of sticky toffee pudding underneath it all. The end has a touch of old cedar with a whisper of coconut tobacco next to creamy honey cut with vanilla.
Bottom Line:
Woodford Reserve shines brightest when it’s experimenting and getting a little funky and this bottle is just that.
This whiskey starts as Woodinville’s award-winning five-year-old bourbon. That whiskey is then re-barreled into Moscatel wine casks for a finish maturation period. After nearly a year, the whiskey goes into the bottle having just been touched by water but otherwise as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose presents as sweet with hints of sweet prunes and dates but runs deep and dark with smoked apricot, five spice, dark chocolate creaminess, and black tea cut with burnt orange. The palate mixes Almond Roca (toffee covered in roasted almonds) with peach pits, vanilla pound cake, poppy seeds, black molasses, rum-raisin, black-tea-soaked dates, and rich Christmas cake spices with candied zests. The end leans into those dark spices and adds a woody edge that leads to dry porch wicker, choco-date tobacco, and cedar bark dipped in toffee.
Bottom Line:
Woodinville continues its run of great special barrel-finished bourbons with this first nationwide release.
This Colorado whiskey is made from a mix of local corn, malted wheat, malted rye, and beech-smoked malted barley. As per 291’s classic aging methods, the whiskey is aged for about two years with aspen wood staves in the barrel to accelerate the aging process. Finally, this is batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a whole fruit basket of fruitiness with stone fruit really shining through — think apricots and peaches — next to old tart apples, cinnamon sticks, toffees dusted with crushed almonds, and a murmur of chamomile tea. The palate has a crafty graininess that’s akin to oatmeal cookie dough with a hint of nuttiness, brown sugar, cinnamon, and something slightly floral but woody. The end brings the apricot back as a spicy jam with a little vanilla creaminess and tannic florals.
Bottom Line:
This crafty from Colorado continues to wow bourbon drinkers and awards circuit judges in equal measure.
50. The Frank August Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The first whiskey from Frank August is a sourced bourbon. The whiskey is made in Kentucky, where it’s also aged. The team at Frank August then takes roughly ten to 15 barrels per batch and builds this bourbon painstakingly to fit their desired flavor profile. The whiskey is then lightly proofed down to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is pure classic bourbon with hints of salted caramel with a twinge of soft grains next to spicy cherry syrup, a whisper of sour apple, and a touch of aged oak staves soaked in mulled wine. The palate moves on from the soft grains towards rum-soaked raisins with a warm winter spice matrix — cinnamon, ginger, clove, allspice — before a brown sugar/rock candy sweetness takes over on the mid-palate. The finish is long and sweet with a nice dose of sharp cinnamon and soft nutmeg that leads to a supple vanilla cream with a thin line of dry cedar and tobacco spice just touched with dark cherry on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This new release from a new brand sourced some amazing whiskey, proving there’s still a lot of space for greatness in the whiskey game.
Here we are, the midpoint. Shit is about to get wild. Strap in.
This is the second major holiday release from Chicken Cock. This year’s super rare whiskey is made from a classic mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. That whiskey was aged for an undisclosed amount of years before it was re-barreled into 32 French cognac barrels. Those 32 barrels were then batched, proofed, and bottled as-is for this release.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is supple and full of creamed honey, moist marzipan, peaches and cream ice cream with a hint of waffle cone, and fresh plums dashed with clove and star anise. The palate leans into the plums with a spiced cake vibe next to rich Black Forest Cake, candied dates, rum-raisin, and banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut with a twist of fresh orange zest. The end embraces the orange and adds in salted dark chocolate tobacco with a hint of brown butter, pecan shells, and cedar boughs.
This expression is made from instant-classic Stellum Bourbon barrels. The ripple here is that the blend of this bourbon was created from specific rare barrels used for Stelllum that were blended until the exact moment of the vernal equinox. That whiskey was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Soft grains and leather lead to a hint of sour apple on the nose with a touch of sweetgrass, woody spice, and mild toffee. The palate opens with dried and leathery apricots dipped in fresh honey next to a sharp cinnamon stick shoved into an orange rind with clove berries in between. The mid-palate layers of creamy citrus with a whisper of jasmine and maybe some oolong tea as a thin line of black potting soil, dark cacao powder, and old dusty oak staves fill out the finish.
Bottom Line:
This early 2022 release from Stellum was a damn fine whiskey that still feels like an instant classic.
47. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This new release from Huber Farm’s Starlight Distillery (the distillery to know if you’re in the know) is made from their high-corn mash with a sweet mash method (each batch is fresh) in their old copper pot still. The whiskey is barreled in Canton barrels and left to age on the farm for four years before it’s batched (only 20 barrels) and proofed down to 100 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Stewed cherries, figgy pudding, apple butter, cinnamon waffles, woody maple syrup, and dark chocolate with a pinch of salt all dance on the nose. The palate leans into Cherry Coke with a spice vibe, burnt orange peels, cloves, creamy eggnog, sour mulled wine, and a hint of apple fritter dusted with cinnamon sugar. The end has a singed cherry bark sensation that leads to dry winter spices — star anise, allspice, clove, cinnamon, and pine — next to dates and prunes layered into pipe tobacco with a twinge of dark chocolate and cedar.
Bottom Line:
As you dive deeper into Starlight’s whiskeys, you’ll find hidden gems like this one.
This is the expression that’s theoretically the closest to Pappy. The whiskey rests in the warehouse for 12 long years, in the same barrels and warehouses as Pappy. The difference between this and Pappy 12 — good ol’ “Lot B” — is pretty simple actually. If the barrel doesn’t hit the exact flavor profile needed for a Pappy, it’s sent to the blending house to become a Weller (as long as it hits Weller’s flavor profile, of course). So yes, this could have been a Pappy 12 had the flavor profile been slightly different in the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
The nose hits softly with bruised peaches and old pears next to fresh wool sweaters, vanilla pancake batter, and moist marzipan next to orange oils, worn-out wicker deck furniture, and old Buffalo Trace leather with a faint hint of dried roses. The palate kicks around cherry bark and apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks with spiced cranberry sauce over buttermilk biscuits and gingerbread. The end leans into the sharp brown spices with a mild sense of vanilla cake with apple cider and cinnamon frosting, a touch of burnt orange, and more of that moist marzipan covered in salted dark chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This year’s Weller 12 had a little extra somethin’, somethin’ to it that helped it stand out.
45. Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels Cask Strength
This modern classic is a yearly limited release from the beloved Lousiville distiller. The whiskey is made from a mix of locally sourced barrels that are finished in Ruby Port casks. The best of the best are hand-selected by Angel’s Envy’s team for as-is batching and bottling with only 14,000 odd bottles making out this year.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a deep sense of blackberry jam over a Southern biscuit with plenty of brown butter, vanilla sauce, and apple fruit leather with a dash of cinnamon, allspice, and star anise next to a whisper of cherry cream soda and orange-chocolate tobacco packed into a cedar box. The palate is soft and supple with a brandy butter vibe next to mince meat pie with powdered sugar icing, meaty dates, black tea, and rich Black Forest cake. The end subtly meanders through shaved dark chocolate and stewed cherry, eventually landing on a vanilla-laced tobacco leaf rolled up with apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks and old wicker canes.
Bottom Line:
This release from Angel’s Envy will help you fall in love with the brand.
44. Heaven’s Door Aged 10 Years Decades Series No. 1 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is the first in the new series from Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Tennessee whiskeys. The whiskey is a 10-year-old straight bourbon that was made in Tennessee but wasn’t charcoal filtered before or after aging. The sourced barrels were blended and just proofed down before bottling without any other fussing.
Tasting Notes:
This opens strong on the nose with a mix of overripe pear, wintry spice, rich toffee, soft vanilla, and woody maple syrup. The palate is luxurious and leans into buttery toffee and soft vanilla cream with layers of warming spices that lean toward a black Necco Wafer, moist marzipan, and old porch wicker. That earthy note leads towards some soft powdered dark chocolate with an almost sour edge before worn garden leather gloves with a speck of sweet potting soil mixes with a stewed pear tobacco finish.
And we’ve officially come full circle. This whiskey was distilled at Castle & Key back in 2018. 200 of those barrels were hand-picked for this release to take a look back at the past two years and “reflect” upon the trials they brought.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a distinct note of tart yet slightly sweet cherry on the nose with a supporting cast of butterscotch candies, mild firewood, and a hint of pancake batter. That batter becomes a stack of pancakes with vanilla-laced butter, maple syrup, and a few nuts thrown in that lead to a herb garden full of rosemary bushes. That savory note mellows out through the mid-palate as a dusting of nutmeg rounds out the finish with hints of woody maple syrup and a final echo of that tart cherry.
Bottom Line:
Blue Run is probably one of the coolest brands to keep an eye on as they continue to drop amazing whiskeys like this into 2023 and beyond.
42. Widow Jane The Vaults Aged 14 Years 2022 Release
This sourced New York whiskey is made from 14 to 19-year-old barrels of whiskey from Tennessee and Indiana. Those barrels were sent out to Brooklyn and blended and then re-barreled into Missouri Ozark casks that were air-seasoned for three years before they were coopered and charred. Finally, the whiskey was blended in a small batch and bottled as-is without filtering but was cut with limestone mineral water from the Rosendale Mines in New York.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mild sense of graininess on the nose with a hint of vanilla wafer honey sandwiches with mild winter spices — woody cinnamon, allspice, star anise — next to a hint of sweet tobacco layers of cherry and apple pie filling. The palate has a very Tennessee vibe with soft bran muffins next to vanilla wafers layered with nougat and cinnamon with a hint of root beer cut with cherry syrup. The end has a mild chocolate milk powder feel next to old oak, worn leather, and root beer-laced tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This felt like the mountaintop for Widow Jane, yet we all know next year they’ll top this one too.
This new release from Barrell Craft Spirits really leans into unique and rare finishings. The blend is a mix of Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky bourbons that were finished in three different oaks separately before blending. In this case, that’s Japanese Mizunara casks, French, and American oak. Different toast and char levels were used for the barrels to achieve a unique palate that builds on the heritage of Barrell’s other triple cask-finished whiskeys (Dovetail, Seagrass, and Armida).
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of chili pepper-infused dark chocolate pudding next to a hint of toasted coconut, dry ginger next to root beer, and an echo of pineapple stems. The palate is full of orchard wood and espresso cream next to a hint of lush eggnog with plenty of nutmeg and a dash of some green, herbal, and savory — kind of like tarragon. The end lets the spice amp up toward red peppercorns as plum cake counters with a soft and sweet finish.
Bottom Line:
This is just great whiskey from one of the most interesting blenders working in all of whiskey right now.
While Uncle Nearest is distilling their own juice these days, this is still the work of Master Blender Victoria Eady Butler with carefully sourced Tennessee whiskey barrels. In this case, Eady Bulter hand-selected the best-of-the-best from their inventory to create the perfect whiskey to exemplify the brand and Tennessee whiskey traditions.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lovely sense of sourdough old-fashioned doughnuts dusted in cinnamon on the nose with a hint of brown sugar, nutmeg, pecan, and cedar/tobacco with a warm edge. The palate layers those pecans into a waffle with plenty of butter and maple syrup next to dried sour cherries with old leather, dried corn cobs, and spiced cherry tobacco next to dry black dirt with a hint of sweetness to it. The end lessens the cherry and leads to peppery tobacco with a warm finish full of dry firewood, more of that woody maple syrup, and a dash of vanilla cream underneath it.
Bottom Line:
Uncle Nearest is one of the most important brands right now and this whiskey is a testament to their ever-increasing ability to wow audiences.
39. Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 5 Years Limited Edition National Parks No. 2
This bottle celebrates our National Parks with each limited edition release. In this case, the release celebrates Yellowston’s 150th anniversary with part of the proceeds from each bottle sold going to Yellowstone Forever, which helps protect the park. The whiskey in the bottle is a special release from Wyoming grains — 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley — and water. After five years, the barrels are small-batch blended and bottled with a drop of proofing water.
Tasting Notes:
Soft holiday spices mix with orange creamsicle, dry sweetgrass, old boot leather, a dash of dark chocolate powder, and a hint of cedar. The taste feels like you’re on a back porch on a sunny day with rich toffee, cherrywood, and vanilla next to buttery zucchini bread with walnuts and plenty of cinnamon. The end takes on this woody and sweet carrot vibe while lush marzipan brings a nutty sweetness with a hint of Earl Grey and walnut loaf with low notes of soft cedar and warm tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Wyoming Whiskey puts out a lot of great whiskeys, but this one has a higher purpose while also tasting really freaking great.
This year’s Remus Reserve is a mix of six to 14-year-old bourbons. Buckle in. The blend is made from 2% of a 2008 bourbon with a 21% rye mash, 27% from a 2012 bourbon with a 21% rye mash, 29%from a 2014 bourbon with a 21% rye mash, 17% from a 2012 bourbon with a 36% rye mash bill, and 25% from a 2014 bourbon with that same very high rye mash bill. Once vatted, the whiskey is just touched with water for proofing and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is complex and meaders through mint fields and caramel apple stands as hints of old boot leather, plum jam, winter spice, and a hint of sweet oak round things out. The palate opens with a rich toffee before a warmth takes over with a soft spice (nutmeg and allspice) before woody vanilla and creamed honey take over. The end feels like a handful of candied fruits wrapped up in leathery tobacco leaves with a hint of cedar bark and dried mint in the background.
Bottom Line:
Remus Repeal’s annual release remains a must-have for 2022.
This whiskey is hewn from 90 30-gallon barrels of four-year-old bourbon that were transferred into 26 59-gallon Tawny Port casks for a final maturation of nearly two years. That whiskey was then bottled as-is after a touch of water was added.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this bursts with raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry all stewed with plenty of holiday spices and folded into a cobbler topped with dense buttery buttermilk biscuits. The palate leans into the spice with a focus on clove, nutmeg, and a very small whisper of anise as the berry turns more towards a fresh strawberry with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans chiming in on the mid-palate. That chocolate-bitter vibe drives towards a finish full of cinnamon-spiked dark chocolate tobacco leaves, stewed plums, and a dollop of floral honey.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey is so good.
36. Rabbit Hole Nevallier Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in New French Oak
The latest Founder’s Collection from Rabbit Hole is a pricey masterpiece. The whiskey in the bottle is made from a few hand-selected barrels of 15-year-old bourbon that was then finished in new French oak before bottling as-is in only 1,155 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a subtle nod to white pepper next to soft vanilla cream, hints of burnt orange, salted caramel, and a touch of woody spice. The palate reveals layers of tart black currants next to chewy vanilla tobacco leaves that lead to a hint of savory figs and woody cinnamon with a twinge of sweetness to it. The finish builds on the chewy vanilla tobacco toward a supple end full of sour cherry, soft spices, and a touch of suede.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskeys that’ll make you a super fan of Rabbit Hole.
35. Old Carter Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Very Small Batch 2-KY
Old Carter is a hidden-away bottler right off Whiskey Row in Louisville. It’s still very insider. Their process is all about finding great barrels of whiskey, blending them, and bottling them for whiskey lovers in the know. In this case, that was a three-barrel small batch blend that yielded only 688 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
A thickness comes through on the nose with creamy vanilla and maple syrup vibe with a buttery underbelly accented by old corn husks, woody cinnamon, allspice, and lush nutmeg with a hint of hazelnut. Thick salted caramel sauce vibes with a black-tea-soaked date feel as cinnamon syrup and smoldering orchard wood leads to a big mid-palate Kentucky hug. That warmth fades quickly as hints of dried cranberry tobacco and cedar braids filled with wicker and sweetgrass end the sip on a dry note with a touch of floral honey lurking underneath it all.
Bottom Line:
This is a great place to start with this niche bottler, especially if you’re looking for a great pour of the good stuff.
34. Southern Star Paragon Cask Strength Single Barrel Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This North Carolina bourbon is starting to make some serious waves. This very limited batch of single-barrel bourbon is made from wheated bourbon mash bill with 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley. The hot juice was left for around four years before the barrel was hand-pocked and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of orange blossoms and apple orchard with a hint of pear and plum next to walnut shells, old honey bottles, and rich vanilla sauce with a hint of poppy seed. The palate has a touch of dark chocolate powder sweetness that melds with walnuts and honey to make a cluster before the brown spice kicks in with sharp cinnamon and a touch of root beer. The end leaves the spice and warmth behind for smooth vanilla walnut cake with a hint of apple-honey tobacco wrapped up with old cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is a stellar bottle of whiskey from a quiet brand out in North Carolina.
Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled with their barrel number and warehouse location.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with classic vibes from top to bottom thanks to rich vanilla smoothness, wintry spices, a hint of cedar, and a mix of sour cherry and tart apple. The palate stays very classic with old boot leather next to dry cedar bark, a layer of marzipan, and a distant hint of orange blossom with a whisper of honey. The end finishes with a good hint of spiced cherry tobacco and old leather next to mild nuttiness.
Bottom Line:
This is the bottle of Wild Turkey to keep stocked at home.
This year’s return of the Stagg is hewn from whiskey distilled all the way back in 2007 with Kentucky corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota barley. The hot juice was filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds). Those barrels were then stored in the famed Warehouse K on the first and fifth floors over 15 years, wherein 75% of the liquid was lost to the angels. Finally, the barrels were batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey is hot. Your nose is met with buttery pecan waffles loaded with dark salted chocolate chips and dripping with maple syrup that feels expensive next to darkly roasted espresso beans, singed vanilla husks, and dried sour cherries next to a medley of holiday spices. The palate leans into those spices with a clear sense of sharp cinnamon, old clove buds, allspice berries, and whole nutmeg bulbs next to a hint of star anise and maybe some cardamom before that darkly roasted coffee jumps back in with a deeply stewed cherry in a dark treacle syrup before the ABVs buzz hard on the mid-palate. The end amps up the woodiness with the spices and adds in a sense of old cedar bark, dark chocolate nibs, and a cherry-tobacco buzziness.
Bottom Line:
Stagg is back, baby!
31. Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #1: Smooth Ambler West Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Lost Lantern just dropped their spring 2022 collection of single-cask selections from some seriously big hitters in the craft whiskey world. For their first edition, the bottler chose a barrel from Smooth Ambler in West Virginia. This bottling is from one 53-gallon barrel of wheated bourbon from West Virginia that’s bottled as-is without filtering or cutting down with water. That means there are only 190-odd bottles of this around.
Tasting Notes:
You’re taken to a confectionary on the nose with dried cranberries and cherries rolling through rich, bitter, yet creamy dark chocolate that’s just been touched with dark chili spices and bespeckled with crushed almonds. The palate builds on that with a Christmas cake spice mix next to more dried and candied fruits — think brandied cherries and candied orange peels — that leads toward a deep cacao note that’s nearly waxy. The end is all about the black cherry tobacco and old pine boxes that hold that tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This single barrel from Smooth Ambler was a one-off sparkling gem of a whiskey.
30. King of Kentucky Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel (5th Edition)
This year’s King of Kentucky is a 15-year-old bourbon made from a mash of 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley. The spirit — made at the Brown-Forman Distillery in West Louisville (Shively) — went into the barrel on December 18, 2009, at 125% entry-proof. After 15 long years, only about 35% of the whiskey was left in the barrel. 43 single barrels were then chosen for this release and individually bottled as-is, yielding about 3,500 bottles of King of Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
This opens very tannic-y (and old) with a mix of pitchy firewood, old honey barrels, dried cranberry, nutmeg, old vanilla husks, cornmeal pancake batter, and a hint of chili-laced tobacco. The taste is bold with a hot spice mix of cinnamon and dried anchos that’s tempered by lush vanilla and creamy dark chocolate with a hint of sweet cherry and old wicker rounding things out. The end is woody and full of potting soil with a hint of old chewing tobacco next to orchard wood.
Bottom Line:
This year’s King of Kentucky packed a wallop for the high-proof whiskey seekers.
29. Four Roses 2022 Limited Edition Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This year’s LE Small Batch is made from a blend of 20-year-old Bourbon from the OBSV recipe (high rye, delicate fruit yeast), a 15-year-old OESK (lower rye, slight spice yeast), a 14-year-old OESF (lower rye, herbal notes years), and a 14-year-old OESV (lower rye, delicate fruit yeast). The blend is non-chill filtered and bottled at 109 proof. There are only 14,100 bottles this year.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is soft and feels aged yet fresh with mild notes of old cellar beams that lead to a sour cherry next to sourdough pancakes smothered in butter and maple syrup with a thin line of spiced cherry jam next to a bit of crumpled up old leather gloves. The palate opens creamy with a vanilla underbelly that’s countered by a whisper of barnyard funk and old barn floorboards before a chewy spiced cherry tobacco leaf kicks in with layers of nutmeg, clove, and allspice with a creamy eggnog vibe and a hint of Kentucky-hug warmth. The mid-palate gets a little warmed before diving back toward the spicy cherry tobacco and a finish that’s full of creamy brown sugar butter and hazelnut shells.
The Bottom Line:
Four Roses always delivers excellent whiskey with these releases.
Michter’s fills their barrels with 103-proof hot juice from the stills. After a handful of years spent aging, that proof inches upwards as the angels take their share. Usually, the whiskey is cut with that soft Kentucky limestone water before bottling but not in this case. This is pulled from single honey barrels that were just too good to cut and bottled at the Fort Nelson Distillery right on Louisville’s Whiskey Row.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you deep into the classic bourbon ecosystem of rich and buttery toffees next to salted dark chocolate-covered cherries, a touch of smoked stone fruits, and a minor note of spicy tobacco leaf. The palate delivers on those notes as the tobacco spice amps up before being smoothed out by rich and creamy vanilla, salted caramel, and apricot stone dryness. That dryness drives the mid-palate towards the finish with a pecan shell vibe next to slightly bitter singed cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s Bourbon at barrel strength is low-key one of the best Michter’s bourbons.
27. Willett Estate Bottled Single Barrel Bourbon 9-Year
I forgot to write down the barrel number on this one but it was in the low 3100s. That means this is a high rye bourbon mash bill (52% corn, 38% rye, and 10% malted barley) that’s aged for just north of nine years. The barrel pick (from The Ballard Cut) has a slightly lower proof than the bottle above.
Tasting Notes:
Singed vanilla pods and candied cherry stems lead to a hint of burnt sugars on the nose next to chewed cigar stubs and a dash of sticky toffee pudding spices (a lot of sharp cinnamon and soft nutmeg next to black tea bitterness). The palate leans into the tart cherries with a good dusting of smoked sea salt with a hint of stewed plums with a whisper of dill underneath and plenty of wintry spices adding to the heat of the mid-palate. The heat falls off dramatically as a sense of old porch wicker with a hint of black mold melds with worn saddle leather with a hint of wax next to dry bunches of cedar and pine kindling with an echo of maple syrup and pecan waffle underneath it all.
Bottom Line:
Willett hits a sweet spot at nine years old that’s damn near magical.
Barrell’s New Year Bourbon is one of the most beloved releases of the year. This year’s batch is made from a grouping of five, six, seven, eight, and 10-year-old straight bourbon whiskeys distilled in Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Wyoming, New York, Texas, and Maryland. Those whiskeys were batched in Kentucky and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This is a classic bourbon on the nose with deep flavors of buttered buttermilk biscuits, salted caramel, singed marshmallow, Almond Joy, cherry cream soda, and a touch of Nutella and maple syrup. The palate leans into cherry root beer with a hint of vanilla cream soda next to eggnog spices and creaminess, old dried roses in older leatherbound books, and a whisper of red peppercorn cracked over some sweet pipe tobacco. The end has a candied chili pepper vibe next to burnt orange, marzipan, and creamy dark chocolate with a hint of walnut and cherry saltwater taffy.
Bottom Line:
This is the ultimate whiskey to ring in the new year with.
25. Lost Lantern 2022 Single Cask #13 Cedar Ridge Iowa 5-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This single barrel from Lost Lantern’s latest 2022 barrel release is a special one. The juice is from Iowa’s famed Cedar Ridge and is made with 74% corn against 14% rye and 12% malted barley. The barrel they picked was aged for five years before they found it. It turned out to be a “short cask,” meaning that the standard 53-gallon oak barrel only yielded 100 bottles (a little less than half of what’s normal at that age). What was left from the angel’s share was bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is luxurious with salted caramel drizzled over apple pies full of walnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg with plenty of brown sugar and butter next to oily vanilla pods and a hint of bruised peach and sun-kissed wicker lawn furniture. The palate simmers those old peaches in winter spice with a woody edge and plenty of brown sugar with a hint of cardamom and mace next to a supple vanilla cream sauce with poppy seed and a hint of warmth from those woody spices. The end levels off toward rich toffee next to very creamy eggnog with a hint of cream soda before old cedar bark and sweetgrass are braided together and wrapped up in an old cinnamon/apple tobacco leaf and put into a leather pouch.
Bottom Line:
Lost Lantern hits a double-high mark for getting us excited for their next gen of barrel pricks and the amazing distilleries they’re pulling those picks from.
This expression is all about the barrel-picking prowess of the team at Nelson Green Brier. Each of these barrels is hand-selected for its beauty and then bottled at cask strength to let that barrel shine through in the finished product.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with deep vanilla that mingles with hints of dark chocolate sugar cookies with a touch of mint and maybe a little dried ancho chili with a woody vibe. The palate centers the creamy vanilla while adding in cinnamon bark with notes of black pepper and floral honey moved into the background as a chocolate-mint espresso bean pops in. The end is long-ish and carries more of that vanilla cream while that cinnamon becomes slightly chewy like a Red Hot with a dried choco-mint tobacco buzz on the tip of the tongue and a lush feeling around.
Bottom Line:
This throwback to the early days of Belle Meade is proof positive of the greatness of the team behind Nelson’s Green Brier.
23. 1986 Blanton’s The Original Single Barrel Bourbon
This vintage bottle of Blanton’s is from the early days of the brand (it all started back in 1984). This Blanton’s was actually made and bottled by the legend, Elmer T. Lee, himself. That alone adds an aura of rarity to this pour. That aside, this is classic Blanton’s made at what is now the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky back when it was still called the George T. Stagg Distillery. The single-barrel whiskey was proofed down and bottled by hand … back in the mid-1980s.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of Christmas spices right away, leaning towards honey spiked with vanilla and an old cedar cigar humidor on the nose with a dash of worn leather boots and an echo of cherry wood kindling. The taste leans into freshly grated nutmeg with salted caramel kettle corn, more fresh honey, and tart red berries. Vanilla husks mid-dominate the palate alongside a hint of freshly fried old-fashioned sourdough doughnuts dusted with raw sugar. The end hints at lush eggnog spice, dry vanilla pods, and salted butter toffee syrup with a dash of bitter black tea-soaked dates and meaty prunes wrapped in thin sheets of dry wicker.
Bottom Line:
While this isn’t the original Original Single Barrel vintage (the brand launched in 1984), it’s damn close and the perfect example of how and why Blanton’s conquered the world of whiskey.
22. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 17-Year Spring 2022 Edition
This whiskey was distilled and laid down in barrels back in 2004. The barrels were vatted after 17 years and proofed down to the bottled-in-bond standard of 100 proof and then bottled in the iconic Old Fitz decanter for a Spring 2022 release.
Tasting Notes:
A hint of woodiness comes through on the nose via cherry tree bark with the faintest echo of dried rose next to soft vanilla oil, a hint of cedar, a distant thought of old leather, and a touch of burnt orange peels. The palate starts off softly with a lush vanilla cream that builds towards a winter spice matrix of nutmeg, allspice, and clove with a touch of cherrywood that sweetens toward dried cherries. That mid-palate builds on the cherry with spices (nutmeg and allspice) and sticky tobacco vibes as the finish arrives next to a super creamy dark cherry in vanilla cream feel with a dusting of dark chocolate and more of that dry cherry tree bark.
Bottom Line:
Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond rained down straight fire with their releases this year.
21. Nashtucky Special Release Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 8 Years
This whiskey is part of the new line from the famed Nashville Barrel Company. In this case, barrels were filled in Kentucky and then sent down to Nashville to age for eight years, colliding the worlds of Kentucky bourbon with the Tennessee climate. The results are bottled as-is one barrel at a time.
Tasting Notes:
Old lawn furniture with a hint of dry grass mixes on the nose with salted caramels, figs, dates, and prunes, a mix of wintry spices, a dash of white pepper, and some light stone fruit (think fresh apricot and plum). The palate leans into spiced fig jam with a sense of spiced Christmas cake, burnt sugar, and candied citrus countered by dry sweetgrass braided with cedar bark next to singed wild sage and a hint of strawberry tobacco. The end has a mild sense of warmth next to pear fruit leather and apricot jam with a hint of dark chocolate and dried strawberry tobacco in an old leather pouch.
Bottom Line:
This new line/expression from Nashville Barrel Company is a peak into the bright future — and amazing whiskey drops — that Michael Hinds and his NBC team have ahead of them.
The latest Booker’s is a nod to “Kentucky Tea” which isn’t tea at all. It’s when you add a little whiskey to a glass of water and then that looks like tea. The whiskey in this case is a blend of bourbon barrels from seven locations across six different warehouses. The final product was bottled without any fussing at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear sense of sour cherry and vanilla cookies on the nose with a supporting cast of dark tobacco packed into old cedar boxes with a rough and worn leatheriness tying everything together. The palate opens with a vanilla white cake frosted with cherry and chocolate — a bit like a Black Forest cake — that leads to orange oils, clove, and old pine boards with a touch of sap. The end has a fruitiness that leans towards a spicy star fruit with a fresh vibe next to light pear tobacco with a pine humidor edge.
Bottom Line:
The last Booker’s drop of 2022 from Beam was a transcendent classic that harkens back to the glory days of old-school bourbon.
19. Kirkland Signature Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
This Costco release is sourced from Sazerac’s other Kentucky distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery down in Bardstown, Kentucky. The whiskey in the bottle is very likely the same distillate/barrels as 1792 Full Proof, which won double gold as well from San Francisco this year. However, this is proofed down a tiny bit below that at 120 proof instead of 125 proof, adding some nuance to this release.
Tasting Notes:
This is, again, classic from top to bottom with a nose full of oily vanilla, thick caramel sauce, and a sense of almond shells by way of sweet oak with some dark fruit lingering in the background. The palate builds upon those promises with mulled wine-soaked cinnamon sticks, corn husks, nutmeg-heavy eggnog, creamy vanilla, a touch of dark cherry tobacco, and a dusting of dark chocolate powder. The finish brings it all together with a spicy/hot finish that’s part spicy chocolate pipe tobacco and part brandied cherry with an oaky base.
Bottom Line:
Costco managed to drop one of the best bourbons of the year for a price that blew away all of the competition. $34? Insanity.
18. Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Limited Release Rickhouse Collection Camp Nelson C
All of Wild Turkey’s bourbon is made from the same mash of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Comparatively, Turkey uses less rye and more barley than your average bourbon. These barrels were loaded into Rickhouse C in Camp Nelson and left alone on floors three and four for years (those are the central floors of the seven-story rickhouse). As the rickhouse was falling apart and it became clear it was beyond repair (nearly hundred-year-old structures tend to do that), the Russell crew started tasting whiskey to see what they could do with it. 72 barrels rose to the surface with a parallel flavor structure that became this whiskey, which was bottled completely as-is without filtration or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is super supple with a soft marzipan fondant that leads to mince meat pies with plenty of rum-raisin, brown sugar, and mild cinnamon/nutmeg/clove spice with a thin layer of powdered sugar frosting over the buttery crust. The nose also has a sense of brandy butter with a hint of salted caramel and vanilla taffy next to a faint whisper of apple fritters. The palate is lush and silky with rich buttery toffee rolled in roasted almonds and coconut and dipped in dark and creamy chocolate sauce with plenty of orange zest and flakes of salt. The mid-palate leans into cinnamon bark, allspice berries, and freshly ground nutmeg next to tart apple pies loaded with pecans. The mid-palate stays silken as mild hints of soft cedar bark mingle with cardamon pods and more of the nutmeg (almost like eggnog) and maybe a hint of dried mint. The finish circles back around the brandy butter, rum-raisin, and powdered sugar frosting for a sweet and luxurious end.
Bottom Line:
The first drop from Wild Turkey’s new Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse series was a dessert-lovers dream while still hitting classic Turkey notes.
Cowboy Bourbon is Garrison Brother’s signature bottle of whiskey. This year’s release was made from 118 hand-selected 25-gallon barrels, aged between eight and nine years. Master Distiller Donnis Todd went through all of their small-format barrels over the course of the year to find a dozen or so that he thought met the high standards of Cowboy Bourbon without filtering or cutting with water. That makes this a very as-is representation of what makes Garrison Bros. special.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a rush of sharp cinnamon bark wrapped up with old saddle leather, freshly fried apple fritters, walnuts, old cedar bark braids twisted up with dried wild sage, and a hint of dried yellow mustard flowers with an underlying sense of maple syrup over pecan waffles. The palate leans into the spice with a hint of allspice and ginger next to apple pie filling with walnuts, brandy-soaked raisins, and plenty of brown sugar next, next to spiced Christmas cake dipped in dark chocolate sauce. The end takes its time and meanders through salted caramel, stewed plums with star anise and sharp cinnamon, a hint of vanilla Dr. Pepper, and a mild sense of chocolate-cinnamon-spiced chewing tobacco buzziness with a warming Texas hug that’s part Hot Tamales and part chili-spiced green tea.
Bottom Line:
This whiskey has been instrumental in putting Texas bourbon on the map among the greatest in the pantheon of great bourbons.
This whiskey heralds back to Michter’s historical roots in the 19th century before the brand was even called “Michter’s.” The whiskey in the bottle is rendered from a very small batch of bourbons that were aged in Chinquapin oak which was air-dried for three years before charring and filling. The Kentucky bourbon was then bottled in an extremely small batch that only yielded 2005 bottles this year.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet mashed grains — thinks a bowl of Cream of Wheat — mix with sticky toffee pudding, old leather, old cellar beams, and sweet cinnamon with a hint of burnt orange and dark chocolate next to eggnog with a flake of salt. The palate is super creamy with a crème brûlée feel that leads to soft winter spices, dry cedar, and orange chocolates with a hint of marzipan in the background. The end has a creamed honey vibe next to figs and prunes with fresh chewing tobacco and salted dark chocolate.
Distilled back in the spring of 2010, this whiskey was made with a mix of Kentucky corn with wheat and barley from North Dakota and that Kentucky limestone water. The distillate was filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and stored in warehouses C, K, and N on floors 2, 3, and 4 for 12 long years. During that time, 64% of the whiskey was lost to hungry angels. Those barrels were then batched and this whiskey was bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is surprisingly sweet with a big slice of coconut cream pie (with a lard crust) next to your grandma’s butterscotch candies straight from an old leather handbag that’s held menthol cigarettes for decades and maybe some old Mon Cheri bonbons. The palate opens with a lush eggnog full of nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla that leads to a white pound cake with a hint of poppy seed next to old leather tobacco pouches with a hot cinnamon spiciness on the mid-palate with a light cedar woodiness. The end layers that white cake into the tobacco while packing it all into an old leather handbag with whispers of mint chocolate chip, Halloween-sized Mounds bars, and old lawn furniture that’s been left out too many seasons.
Bottom Line:
This year’s superlative William Larue Weller might well help you fall in love with bourbon for the first time or all over again.
14. Old Forester Single Barrel Chris’ Pick Series 3
This is classic Old Forester from a single barrel that’s not cut with any water. When you find these, they’ll generally be a pick from a retailer or bar program. That means they’ll vary slightly, depending on what the person picking the barrel was looking for. Still, there’s a consistency of “Old Forester” running through them all. In this case, this was a barrel pick for Kroger.
Tasting Note:
There’s a clear sense of dark fruit, especially cherry, that becomes stewed with dark winter spices on the nose with a good dose of dry tobacco in an old cedar box that’s wrapped up in old leather. A hint of old dry roses sneaks in on the palate as those spices and syrupy cherry and berries intensify and attach to the chewy tobacco. The mid-palate sweetens with an almost rose-water marzipan vibe as the cherry tobacco dried out pretty significantly, leaving you with a sense of pitchy pine sap and your grandparent’s old tobacco pipe that’s still hot to the touch.
Bottom Line:
Chris Blandford is finding some of the best barrels of bourbon out there for Kroger, which is helping to make elite whiskey accessible to us all.
13. The Prideful Goat 15 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength
This whiskey is a sourced masterpiece of Kentucky bourbon that’s bottled down in Texas. The mash bill is corn heavy with 78.5% corn next to 13% rye and 8.5% malted barley. That hot juice is left in barrels in Kentucky for 15 long years before they’re shipped to Texas, blended, and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
This is classic bourbon with a deep sense of buttery toffee next to dark cherries with a sour edge, slightly tannic oak, a hint of worn boot leather, and a spicy tobacco leaf. The palate hits on a soft ginger snap with sharp cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg leading to a handful of allspice berries before wet brown sugar and maple candy kick in and mellow the mid-palate toward dark cherry tobacco wrapped up with old wicker canes and pine needles. The end subtly drops toward old oak staves, the cellar floor, and caramel/cinnamon syrup with a dash more of that tobacco.
Bottom Line:
The Prideful Goat is one of those under-the-radar brands that needs to be on your radar in 2023.
This limited-edition release celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Knob Creek, which started back in 1992 during the darkest days of bourbon. The juice is Beam’s standard mash bill that’s distilled at a slightly different temperature and treated with a little more care during aging by placing barrels in very specific locations throughout their vast warehouses. After 18 long years, the best of the best barrels are small batched, and just proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a deep sense of brown sugar that’s more molasses than granular sugar next to pecan nutshells, brown butter, figs, dates, and salted caramel with a slight sense of singed cherry bark and burnt cedar lurking in the background of the nose. The palate leans into sweet and lush vanilla cream next to burnt cherry stems and dried apple chips with a sense of heavily roasted espresso beans covered in very dark chocolate that leads to a subtly warm spicy mid-palate. The end touched on orange blossoms and fresh honey with a sense of bruised peach and Bing cherry next to apple cider spiked with sharp cinnamon and allspice that eventually leads to a cinnamon/honey/cherry tobacco chewiness with a whisper of old pine pitch and lawn furniture on the very end.
Bottom Line:
The Beam team took Knob Creek to unforeseen new heights with this well-aged release this year.
This whiskey from Kentucky Peerless is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. That final barrel is bottled at cask strength, as-is, allowing all that beautiful bourbon and oak aging to shine brightly.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nose full of salted butter next to hints of very soft leather, light notes of vanilla bean, a touch of toffee sweetness, and freshly cracked walnuts with a dry edge. The taste leans into that oak barrel with dashes of woody spices (think allspice berries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks), dry cherry tobacco leaves, salted caramel, and more of that super soft leather. That leads towards a mid-palate of dark red fruits stewed in mulled wine spices and cut with a dollop of fresh honey before the (long) finish dries out towards an old wicker chair, a very distinct hint of a cellar funk, and a touch of dried mint.
Bottom Line:
Peerless continued to dial in their great whiskey even more (somehow) with this stellar new edition of an already instant-classic bourbon.
10. Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled In Bond Vintage Series Fall 2018 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The latest seasonal drop from Tennessee’s Chattanooga Whiskey is another great. The whiskey is a blend of four of their mash bills. 30% comes from mash bill SB091, which is a mix of yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley. Another 30% comes from mash bill B002, which has yellow corn, hardwood smoked malted barley (smoked with beech, mesquite, apple, or cherry), caramel malted barley, caramel malted, and honey malted barley. The next 20% is mash bill B005, which is yellow corn, malted wheat, oak smoked malted wheat, and caramel malted wheat. And the last 20% is from mash bill R18098, which is yellow corn, pale malted barley, naked malted oats, double roasted caramel malted barley, peated malted barley, cherrywood smoked malted barley, chocolate malt, and de-husked chocolate malt.
Tasting Notes:
Cinnamon, butter brown sugar, walnut, and raisins meld on the nose with some vanilla to create a moist oatmeal cookie next to buckwheat pancakes griddled in brown butter and topped with apple butter, and maybe some apricot jam with a dash of nutmeg, dark chocolate shavings, and creamy vanilla whipped cream. The palate leans into cherry hand pies and vanilla wafers with a counter of dried wild sage, orchard tree bark, and meaty dates. The end has a sharp turn into dried red chili pepper cut with pipe tobacco, dark chocolate bars, cedar bark, burnt orange, and lime leaves with this whisper of cinnamon cookies at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the biggest sleeper hit of the year with an amazing price point, killer liquid, and truly unique construction. A real surprise and the top-ranked bottle under $60.
From the newly minted Ross & Squibb Distillery (formerly just MGP of Indiana), this whiskey combines barrels that were filled in 2005 and 2006. Those carefully selected barrels were small batched into this fine whiskey. The final blend was bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is classic old-school bourbon with dark dried cherry and cranberry next to caramelized pecans inside a waffle, soft leatheriness, and rich maple syrup cut with lush vanilla and subtle woody tobacco spiciness. The palate leans into brandied cherries with a hint of blueberry syrup next to leathery notes of tobacco and dark berries with a hint of woodiness that leads to huckleberries and mulled wine spices. The end has a lovely softness that leans into apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, singed cherry bark, and pipe tobacco loaded into an old oak barrel.
Bottom Line:
Remus pulled off a surprise buzzer-beating win with this beautiful whiskey release.
8. Bardstown Bourbon Company Chateau de Laubade Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskies Finished in Armagnac Casks
This bourbon is a blend of 12-year-old, low-rye bourbon from Kentucky and 10-year-old, very-low-rye bourbon from Tennessee. The whiskeys were re-barreled into Armagnac casks from the famed Chateau de Laubade. One set spent two years mellowing on the bottom floor of the rickhouse while another set spent 16 months mellowing on the top floor. After that, the barrels were vatted and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This hits on complex notes on the nose from old leather, dried sage, cellared oak, roasted almonds rolled in toffee, sultanas, and then deep winter spice: freshly ground nutmeg, mace, cardamom, sharp cinnamon. The palate has a silky vanilla foundation with more sultanas over top, fresh and meaty dates, ginger snaps, and prunes mingle. The end has a gingerbread vibe next to cherry bark and grape must with more of those spices pouring into an old cedar humidor that used to hold tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This release from Bardstown Bourbon Company might truly get you hooked on rare whiskey.
7. Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond Fall 2022 Edition Aged 19 Years
The latest decanter release from Heaven Hill’s Old Fitzgerald Bottled-In-Bond series was made back in September 2003. Those barrels rested on three floors of rickhouse F and one floor of rickhouse X on the main Heaven Hill campus until October of 2023. They were then batched and proofed down to 100-proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This has a classic bourbon nose with deep leather, oily vanilla pods, dark chocolate-covered cherries dusted with salt and nutmeg, and a mild sense of really fancy Almond Joy with this faintest whisper of singed marshmallow and smoldering apple wood. The palate leans into woody spices with black licorice and spearmint candy blending into mint chocolate chip ice cream and root beer spiked with cherry syrup topped with creamy vanilla and dusted with cinnamon, clove, and dark cacao powder. The end has a long and supple sense of those woody spices before delivering into soft Black Forest cake with a brandied cherry vibe and a hint of star anise-infused apple-berry cider.
Bottom Line:
This is the good stuff rendered in old-school bourbon vibes from the vintage decanter to the classic bourbon flavor profile.
6. Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cognac Casks
This release — from the distillery’s broad selection of uniquely finished whiskeys — is made with Starlight’s own four-year-old bourbon that’s loaded into hand-selected Cognac casks for six months. The whiskey then goes into the bottles with no fussing.
Tasting Notes:
Smoked maple syrup and raw tobacco lead the way on the nose as floral honey, dry cacao powder, and a hint of rum-soaked raisin mingle throughout. The palate turns that cacao into a dark chocolate bar with almonds layered in as a mild, dry chili pepper adds some pep on the mid palate. There’s a dark and worn leather vibe that kicks in as the finish arrives with hints of apple-raisin-honey cider pipe tobacco vibing with old leather tobacco pouches and dry sweetgrass braids rounding out the end.
Bottom Line:
Sometimes whiskey isn’t about flash and hype. Sometimes it’s about expert whiskey making that creates a bourbon for ages, which this is. An excellent bottle and superb value.
5. Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof Bourbon, First Edition
The base of the spirit is Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and a mere 10% rye. This particular whiskey is built from several barrels from four warehouse campuses in the Bardstown area. In this case, three different ages were pulled with 17 years being the youngest. The whiskey is made from 28% 20-year-old barrels, 44% 19-year-old barrels, and 28% 17-year-old barrels. Once those barrels are vatted, the bourbon goes into the bottle as-is, without any cutting or fussing.
Tasting Notes:
The age is apparent from the first nose with old glove leather next to a soft hint of cobweb-draped cellar beams leading towards a dark and thick cherry syrup that’s laced with cinnamon, clove, and allspice. The nose then grows with an almost cherry-maple syrup with a buttery base pushing it toward a toffee creaminess. The palate leans into those spices with a winter-spice-laced chewy (almost wet) fistful of tobacco leaves jammed into an old cedar box. The mid-palate bursts with spiced cherry crumble with baked brown sugar and nutmeg-dusted nuts, creating a velvety texture. The finish carries the spice from that mid-palate towards a sweet finish that feels like a marrying of toffee syrup and cherrywood tobacco with that dry cedar tobacco box echoing on the far backend.
Bottom Line:
Heaven Hill threw its hat in the ring of elite whiskeys with an absolutely iconic bottle of bourbon this year.
Back in the spring of 2005, a humble bourbon was made with Kentucky distiller’s corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota barley. That hot juice was then filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and stacked in Buffalo Trace’s warehouses H, K, and L on floors one and four. It was left alone for 17 years, which allowed 70% of the whiskey to be lost to the angels. In 2022, the barrels were batched and the bourbon was proofed down to 101 proof and was bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose subtly draws you in with soft pipe tobacco that feels fresh and vibrant next to dried sour cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate and rolled in vanilla seeds and vanilla-laced streusel with a good dose of woody maple syrup with this fleeting hint of red brick, moldy cellar beams, and soft and sandy cellar dirt floor. Old maple trees dripping with sap lead to a rich salted caramel candy vibe next to rich vanilla pound cake topped with a creamy dark chocolate frosting and bespeckled with orange zest, dried cranberries bits, and crushed espresso beans. The mid-palate takes on a woody spiciness with a whisper of apple bark that informs a spiced Christmas cake full of soft cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, mace, and maybe some anise and dried dark fruits with creamy eggnog baseline next to old Whether’s Originals wrapped up in dry tobacco leaves and stacked in a musty pine box for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
Exceptional. Flawless. Transcendent.
3. Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Years Old 2022 Release
This is where the “Pappy Van Winkle” line starts in earnest. The whiskey in this expression is pulled from barrels that are at least 15 years old. Once batched, the whiskey is just touched with water to bring it down to a sturdy 107-proof.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with freshly fried sourdough fritters dusted with ground almonds, sharp cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, burnt sugars, and maple frosting with a hint of old vanilla pods next to soft figs. The palate leans into rich toffee with a sense of minced meat pies covered in powdered sugar frosting right next to sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel, orange zest, and tons of brown wintry spice countered by a moment of sour mulled red wine cut with dark maple syrup. The end has a soft cedar vibe that leads to vanilla and dark cherry tobacco leaves and a hint of pine next to old white moss.
Bottom Line:
This year’s Pappy 15 somehow rose above the rest of the line as the stunning touchstone of the brand for 2022.
This whiskey is a blend of Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky bourbons. Each barrel in that blend is a minimum of 16 years old. The barrels were specifically chosen for their cherry, nutty, high-proof, and chocolate profiles. Half of those barrels were then finished in new American oak for a final touch of maturation before vatting and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of wet oak staves (think rained on barrels) next to freshly pressed sugar cane juice, damp, almost still unharvested cherry tobacco leaves, the seeds from a vanilla pod, rainwater, stringy cedar bark, and fresh apricot next to Bing cherry. Dark cherry leads to candied ginger on the opening of the taste as orange marmalade mingles with toasted sourdough, sticky yet subtle fir resin, and creamy key lime pie filling with just a hint of the butter in the crust of that pie. The mid-palate leans into the sugar in that pie filling as the cherry kicks back in with a sliver of tartness next to overripe peaches, dried hibiscus, mild anise, allspice berries, sassafras, and dried cacao nibs. The finish gently steps through a field full of orange blossoms as that cacao dries out more, leaving you with dried choco-cherry tobacco that’s been inside a cedar box wrapped in decades-old leather.
Bottom Line:
This is 21st-century bourbon at its best — perplexing, provocative, and profound.
1. Michter’s Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 20 Years Old 2022 Release
Master Distiller Dan McKee personally selects these (at least) 20-year-old barrels from the Michter’s rickhouses based on… I guess just “pure excellence” would be the right phrase. The bourbon is bottled as-is — no cutting with water.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine a nose full of dark and sweet cherries smothered in rummy molasses with a touch of dried roses, roasted almonds, and cedar bark all leading towards the soft — almost wet — tobacco leaves with a hint of dry apple and pear next to lush vanilla and wintry mulled wine spices. The palate doesn’t veer too far from those notes while adding in a touch of burnt ends from vanilla pods with a light clove spice that leans more towards that tobacco than woody cinnamon sticks and star anise next to a hint of dried sage and fleeting, almost spicy mint with a touch of singed marshmallow. The finish really embraces the cherry but more towards the stem and seed as the nuttiness leans into moist marzipan, orange oils, and chewy fresh tobacco with a hint of leather and cedar.
It’s a lot but trust me — you want to be on this journey.
Bottom Line:
This is, really without question in my mind, the best bourbon of 2022. It’s everything that made me fall in love with bourbon all those years ago wrapped up in a rare level of dynamism, moxie, and still, quiet, powerful confidence.
(Spoilers for The White Lotus will be found below.)
No one knew what to expect from The White Lotusgoing in, but that first season body bag clued everyone into a murder that would eventually be afoot. By the second season’s launch, we knew the game, and that means that at least one of these miserable vacationers won’t be leaving alive. There’s some potentially life-threatening stuff going on for sure. The question, of course, is this: who will be the murder victim?
Let’s just say that I didn’t expect to be so worried about Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya this year. She’s the connecting thread between seasons, after all, and I expected that she’d be around for Season 3. Yet wouldn’t that be a great unexpected twist from Mike White if she died? I’d be very upset if this happened, and that would be doubly the case if “the gays” were the ones who took her out. A woman should be able to count on them!
Ahhh, it’s the perfect cover. And White told Varietythat he “wanted to make gay sex transgressive again,” so why turn all societal (Carrie Bradshaw/Stanford Blatch-esque) expectations upside down as well? Last week, it appeared that — possibly — Tanya’s husband could be setting her up in cahoots with Quentin and his “nephew,” Jack, and this week, Jack conveniently carts Tanya’s unhappy assistant, Portia, away for a day of “fun.” All the while, Quentin maintains unfettered access to Tanya, who’s been feeling vulnerable (she thinks her husband is simply cheating) and trusts her new pal.
Well, she probably should not trust him. That’s my gut feeling, and I’m not alone. She’s the guest of honor at Quentin’s party, and everyone’s kissing Tanya’s butt for no reason, so what gives? Even though Tanya’s loving the attention (and the coke), this can’t work out well. Could her earlier vision of Greg with “shark eyes” next to men with “effeminate hairstyles” mean that he shows up in the finale and dies, or will it be Tanya who goes out? The momentum for this theory grew stronger over the past week, and people went into this episode feeling very tense:
Rewatched episode 1 and Tanya has a vision during sex with her husband “I was seeing all these faces of men with these very effeminate hairstyles and then I saw you and your eyes were like shark eyes. Completely dead” Foreshadowing! #WhiteLotuspic.twitter.com/7JNHiwvAF2
Remembering the tarot card reader said to Tanya not only your husband is in love with someone else, but- “And this card is beauty. There’s someone beautiful in this life.”
Someone said they think Greg hired the gay man to get rid of Tanya. IS GREG THE STRAIGHT AMERICAN LOVER?! The one he said he would do ANYTHING for!? #WhiteLotuspic.twitter.com/FLq1X2vF5m
The episode’s only getting started. Keep watching for more Tanya developments and try not to grip that remote control too hard.
HBO’s The White Lotus airs on Sunday nights.
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i’ll worry about the money part later 
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Sierra
Avi 
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Mercy