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Finding the world’s best Scotch whisky is no easy task. To begin with, there’s so much of it already out there — with vintages in circulation from decades ago. Couple that with the fact that more and more whisky comes out every year, including seasonal drops, rare releases, brand one-offs, collaborations… It can all be pretty dizzying.

That’s where awards come in. They utilize expert drinkers to separate the wheat from the chaff. And when it comes to the awards circuit, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is very highly thought of.

Because we review a lot of whisky around these parts, it’s always a little gratifying when whiskies we love get big medals. We definitely enjoyed a few of those moments this year. That doesn’t mean we’re never surprised, though. The great thing about these awards is finding new labels — some we’ve never even heard of — thanks to how vast both Scotch whisky as a style and the SFWSC are.

This year, a panel of expert judges adjudicated 1,276 drams of whisk(e)y. That’s a lot of nosing, sipping, and spitting to find a select few gems to anoint the “best.” The process is pretty straightforward and includes four days of blind tasting, a medal round of tastings, and a final round of tastings to pick the “Best in Class.”

Below we’re parsing the Double Gold medal-winning scotch whiskies from this year’s tastings that were also named Best in Class. To receive the much-coveted Double Gold medal, a whisky had to receive a gold medal ranking from every judge on the panel. Then those scotches were judged again to figure out which ones really rose above. If you want to give some of these whiskies a try yourself, click on their prices!

Best In Show Whisky/Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch, 20 Years And Older — GLEN SCOTIA 25 YEARS OLD SINGLE MALT

ABV: 48.8%

Average Price: $445

The Whisky:

This year’s Best In Show Whiskey was from Scotland’s Campletown. The juice spent 25 years maturing in old bourbon casks before it’s vatted into first-fill bourbon barrels for a final touch of mellowing. The results are cut down with a little soft water and bottled at a very approachable 97.6 proof.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

Nose: Bracing Atlantic breeze gives strong maritime influence. Taste: Coastal air, red apple, and tangy orange peel with vanilla syrup and caramel sweetness. Finish: Long lingering sea salt with a spicy note of ground ginger.

Bottom Line:

At over $400 per bottle, we’re intrigued to find out if this lives up to the price (and hype it just received). That being said, Glen Scotia Victoriana — another multiple award-winning scotch — is a delight to drink. So we’re pretty confident this will live up to that “best in show” designation.

Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch, No Aged Statement — HIGHLAND PARK CASK STRENGTH

ABV: 63.3%

Average Price: $95

The Whisky:

This yearly drop is part of a new line from the Orkney Island’s distillery. The juice is a blend of single malts that are aged exclusively in old American oak that previously held sherry. The barrels are married and bottled as is, to assure you’re getting all the nuance and flavor of their malts meeting that oak.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a light sense of wildflowers on the nose with a rich vanilla husk that leads towards a touch of peat. The taste is surprisingly silken (for a cask strength) with rich and buttery toffee next to honeysuckle, eggnog spices and creaminess, and a small dose of orange zest as a counterpoint. The end holds onto the creaminess and spices as the peat just edges in with a whisper of resinous pine smoke.

Bottom Line:

We’re already pretty big fans of this bottle from way up in Scotland’s northern reaches. It’s edging toward the pricier end, but 100 percent worth investing in to expand your whisky palate.

Best Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch, Up To 12 Years — LAGAVULIN 8

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $65

The Whisky:

This expression was originally released to celebrate the distillery’s 200th anniversary. The whisky was created to mimic the juice that was being bottled back in the 1880s, during a high point in Lagavulin’s history. The whisky became a modern hit and is now part of their core line.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a sense of fried fish wrapped in newspaper that greets you on the nose, next to honey-lemon, dry and earthy malts, and a nod to chocolate-covered cherries. The taste brings a solid billow of campfire smoke with traces of dark chocolate, burning cinnamon sticks, dry mint, and burnt potato skins (yes, really). The end is long-ish and marries the tastes together, leaving you with the memory of drinking a dark mint-chocolate spiked espresso next to a smoldering backyard fire on a cold autumn night while somewhere in the distance the sea laps at the shore.

Bottom Line:

While this isn’t our favorite Lagavulin (that honor went to their recent Distiller’s Edition), we were kind of splitting hairs. Lagavulin remains one of the best introductions to both briny and mildly smoky whiskies on the shelf.

Best Distiller’s Single Malt Scotch, 13 To 19 Years — TALISKER 18

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $170

The Whisky:

Being called out as the Best of Class in 2021 by SFWSC is not too surprising for this amazing bottle of whisky from Talisker. 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 happens to be our favorite Talisker, full stop. This is probably the one bottle we’d always argue is worth every penny of that high price. It’s a milestone on any whiskey drinker’s journey that’ll take you to new heights every time.

Best Blended Malt Scotch Whisky — MACNAIR’S 21 YEAR OLD LUM REEK PEATED MALT

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $140

The Whisky:

This single malt from the famed Glenallachie Distillery in Aberlour is probably better known for providing juice for iconic blends like Chivas. This blend marries peaty malts with sweeter Speyside malts to create a sherry and red wine-forward dram of whisky.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

Nose: Aristocratic peat smoke with dark chocolate and fudge. Taste: Tobacco, leather, cedarwood, and waves of peat reek with oodles of cocoa, vanilla, honey, and spices.

Bottom Line:

We often call out our love for a saucy dram of Chivas. Since this helps form the backbone of that scotch, we can’t see not digging this too!

Best Blended Scotch, No Age Statement — COMPASS BOX GLASGOW BLEND SCOTCH

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $40

The Whisky:

Compass Box Whisky is all about creating very sippable blends of scotch. This blend is Scotland in a bottle. It’s 67 percent Highlands, Speyside, and Islay married to 33 percent Lowland whiskies aged in first-fill and refill bourbon, first-fill and refill sherry, and finished in specialty French oak.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a plummy nature that’s counterpointed by a subtle yet clear peaty smoke on the nose. The taste really basks in the plummy and nutty sherry aspects, while touching on a lighter vinous note and plenty of berry sweetness. The end is medium-length, with hints of that fruit next to a dailed-in smokiness.

Bottom Line:

Compass Box consistently wows with its masterful blends. Usually, those bottles can reach triple-digits in price pretty quickly. That’s why we really dig this expression — it’s affordable without sacrificing any depth of flavor.

Best Blended Scotch, Up To 15 Years — DEWAR’S CARIBBEAN SMOOTH

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

Rum cask finishing is nothing new, but it is all the rage. This blend from Master Blender Stephanie Macleod is a marriage of 40 whiskies that are vatted and finished in Caribbean rum casks. That final maturation gives the whisky a smooth feel, making it the perfect cocktail base.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a clear sense of burnt brown sugars and grilled pineapple on the nose, with hints of cloves and vanilla and maybe some dry grass. The taste edges towards a dark molasses rumminess with a touch of dried fruit, more cloves, and a slight mango sweetness. The end really embraces the rummier aspects while holding onto the tropical fruitiness on a fast fade.

Bottom Line:

This really is an excellent mixing scotch. It works wonders in a tropical fruit-centric highball or even as a replacement in Daiquiri or Dark ‘N Stormy. We know, blasphemous … but still delicious.

Best Blended Scotch, 16 Years & Older — DEWAR’S DOUBLE DOUBLE 27 YEAR OLD

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $100 (half bottle)

The Whisky:

Master blender Stephanie Macleod created another masterpiece through this “Double Double” four-step aging process. Step one: aging single malt and single grain whiskies for 27 long years. The malts are then blended, the grains are blended, and they both rest again. Next, all of that is blended together in a vat and rested. Finally, the juice is finished in ex-Palo Cortado sherry casks.

Tasting Notes:

You can really tell this has an Aberfeldy backbone with a floral honeyed nose that imbues summer breezes full of fragrant flowers. That floral honey leads to an almost lemon-honey vibe with hints of cinnamon and cedar next to light pear tobacco and dry grass. The end turns into pure silk as the florals, honey, pear, and spice slowly … massage your tongue as it fades away.

Bottom Line:

This is a phenomenal dram of whisky that’s worth the hype and the price. It’s so easy to drink while also holding onto a real character that feels authentic to its Highland roots full of wildflower fields in the summertime.

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The return of in-person concerts is almost here. Music festivals have started setting their sights on late summer and early fall events, and Milwaukee’s Summerfest is the latest to unveil their 2021 lineup. Festival organizers unveiled their first wave of lineup announcements, including headliners like Chance The Rapper, Jonas Brothers, and Miley Cyrus.

Summerfest is scheduled to take place later this year, on the weekends of September 2 to 4, 9 to 11, and 16 to 18. Along with Chance The Rapper, Jonas Brother, and Miley Cyrus, other acts on the Summerfest bill include Chris Stapleton, Luke Bryan, Wilco, Dave Matthews Band, Diplo, Fitz And The Tantrums, Bleachers, Black Pumas, Run The Jewels, Pixies, Rise Against, G-Eazy, Quinn XCII, Internet Money, Indigo Girls, Jai Wolf, and many more.

Jonas Brothers could not be more excited to finally perform in front of a live crowd again. Sharing the news of their headlining slot on social media, the group wrote, “We’ve really been looking forward to sharing lots of exciting updates with you guys and today we get to tell you the first! We said we would see you guys as quickly as we could and we’re so excited to announce we’re headlining @Summerfest in Milwaukee on September 8th!”

In a statement about this year’s lineup, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Don Smiley said, “We could not be more excited to unveil the lineup for Summerfest and introduce a new festival format; more weekends and more headliners, promises to be a big hit among our fans. From first timers, including Chance the Rapper, Miley Cyrus, and Run the Jewels, to Fest favorites including Dave Matthews Band, T-Pain, Styx, and Chris Stapleton, our lineup continues to be one of the most diverse and unique in the industry.”

Check out Summerfest’s full lineup below.

Tickets to Summerfest 2021 are on sale now. Get them here.

Atlanta upstart Kenny Mason had a breakout year with his 2020 album Angelic Hoodrat and its Supercut deluxe edition, but like most artists over the past year, he wasn’t able to celebrate or build on the momentum by performing his songs live on tour. As a compromise, he used his “Strays” video as a stage to perform his songs when there weren’t any available live, demonstrating his passionate energy and hyping fans up for the return of live shows. Today, he released “Strays 02,” a follow-up featuring a medley of Angelic Hoodrat songs, just a day after sharing the video for “4ever.”

As in the “4ever” video, Kenny occupies a cavernous darkened space with only a spotlight and a mic — in fact, “Strays 02” looks a lot like an extension of that video, which was likely excerpted from this longer performance. He sports his trademark Atlanta Braves jersey and goes for broke, showing off the diversity of styles he utilizes on Angelic Hoodrat, with a setlist that includes “Rih,” “PTSD,” the album’s title track, “Chevron,” “4ever,” and “Pup.”

With these songs and guest appearances with fan favorites like IDK (on “Cereal” with JID) and Freddie Gibbs (on Kenny’s own “Much Money“), Kenny’s maintaining that momentum, which will almost certainly result in an explosion of attention and accolades when he returns to the stage for real.

Watch Kenny Mason’s “Strays” video above.

Angelic Hoodrat: Supercut is out now. Get it here.

Jimmy Kimmel celebrated Cinco de Mayo in style on Wednesday night: By taking shots of tequila with his sidekick Guillermo and guest Rob McElhenney. Then by getting McElhenney to share a story about the time he got high with Snoop Dogg.

McElhenney is best known as the creator and star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. But he expanded his brand in 2020 with the premiere of Apple TV’s Mythic Quest, a series he co-created with fellow Sunny collaborators Charlie Day and Megan Ganz. When Kimmel asked McElhenney if he’s ever worked “under the influence” of alcohol or any other substance, the actor/writer confirmed that the cast of Sunny has undoubtedly been “known to partake.” But he then shared a story about a guest spot by Snoop Dogg on Mythic Quest’s second season (which premieres on Friday, May 7)… and you can probably imagine where this is going.

McElhenney was admittedly surprised that Snoop agreed to make a guest appearance on Mythic Quest—and even more surprised when he showed up early for a 7:30 a.m. call time. When Snoop requested a meeting with McElhenney shortly after his arrival on set, he assumed it had to do with the ridiculous motion capture suit that the rapper was being asked to wear. But that wasn’t it: Snoop (who was already wearing the costume) simply wanted to say hello, and ask Rob if he wanted to smoke a joint. Though it was a tad on the early side, McElhenney reasoned that “if Snoop comes to your place of business and asks you if you want to smoke a joint, you say ‘yes.’ So I said ‘yes.’” Which, in hindsight, might not have been the best idea.

Being that they were working, McElhenney made sure to be “responsible.” First, by going to Snoop’s bus to smoke, where he already had several perfectly rolled offerings. And secondly by not sharing a joint, as that would be irresponsible during the COVID pandemic. “So I smoked an entire one myself.” One has to imagine that Snoop doesn’t play around when it comes to quality, and the rest of McElhenney’s workday experience would seem to confirm that. The lesson learned here?

“It turns out if Snoop asks you to smoke at 7:30 in the morning on a workday, you say ‘no!’ Because by 7:46 I was hurtling through the atmosphere at 30,000 miles per hour directly towards Mars.”

While he was able to shoot a scene with Snoop with relative ease (it did, after all, only involve walking down a hallway and saying a few words), running the show for the rest of the day was a bit more problematic. When his assistant suggested they postpone a budget meeting that McElhenney had scheduled for lunch, he insisted on keeping it. “And apparently I had a blast, because I was just like: Sure, yeah, spend, whatever, don’t worry about it!”

You can watch the full clip—including Kimmel’s own “smoking with Snoop” story—above.

Will Jennifer Carpenter’s Debra really return for Showtime’s Dexter revival, as a possible set photo would suggest? An O.G. cast member may have thrown cold water all over that (quite strong) theory. Fans hoped that Debra, who obviously died at the end of the show’s eight-season run, would somehow make it back for the 10-episode limited series revival. Speculation has abounded that she will not be a zombie risen from the ocean-dead or anything but that she would be Dexter’s new Dark Passenger.

Well, the character that many viewers consider to be Dexter’s previous Dark Passenger (who dealt out murder-related advice to the title character), Harry, is definitely not returning (and he would know his status for sure, since filming recently wrapped). That isn’t too surprising, given the possibility that Debra would pinch hit in his place; however, the actor who played Harry, James Remar, is casting doubt on everyone else’s return, too. In a video that Remar apparently sent to a fan (who he mentions by name), Remar declares, “They didn’t ask any of the original cast back.” So… no one? Here’s more:

“I will not be back as Harry Morgan on Dexter Season 9. Thank you for saying that Harry is one of the best characters you’ve seen on a TV show. It’s one of the best characters I’ve ever had the chance to play. Especially season one. They didn’t ask any of the original cast back, so I don’t know what they’re doing… I really have no idea. It’s too bad because all of us wanted to go back. But, you know, it’s their show, so they’re gonna do what they wanna do.”

This seems… like a wet blanket, of course. Let’s think about what we know about the revival, though. We know that Dexter’s going to be an East Coast Guy again after leaving his temporary “lumberjack” occupation in Oregon, although he’s not going to be back in Miami. Instead, he’ll be headed to upstate New York, and that makes it totally possible for Dexter to replace Harry’s rent-free space in his conscience-hole with Debra while the rest of the O.G. cast is either dead or still in Miami. We still don’t know anything about poison-happy Hannah, though, since she ended the show in Argentina while caring for the son, Harrison, who Dexter decided to abandon.

In other words, we still know nothing concrete about Debra, and James Remar may simply be playing it safe because, yeah, the forensic evidence of striped shirts says a lot. Although I’m still holding out for Dexter’s son to return, all grown up, and face off with Dad, who’s back to serial killing and has a new job to help cover his tracks.

The Dexter revival will likely arrive in late 2021.

Things are not going particularly well in Nap Town right now, as rumors are swirling about the Indiana Pacers potentially making a coaching change after only one year of Nate Bjorkgren due to internal discontent about his style. Those emotions appeared to boil over on Wednesday night, when one of Bjorkgren’s assistants and a member of the roster had a public spat during a timeout.

During the third quarter of what ended up being an 11-point loss to the Sacramento Kings, Greg Foster and Goga Bitadze began jawing with one another, causing other players and coaches to step in to keep things from really getting out of hand.

It’s unclear exactly what caused the two to get after one another like this, but one day later, the franchise has handed down discipline for the incident. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Foster will receive a one-game suspension, while Bitadze is out an unspecified amount of money. Wojnarowski also noted that the pair have a good relationship despite this exchange.

The Pacers host the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night, so Foster won’t be on the bench for that one. Indiana’s place in the play-in tournament seems secure barring a total meltdown to end the year — they’re 30-35, good for ninth place in the East and 3.5 games up on the 11th-seeded Toronto Raptors — but between this and the reports about a potential coaching change, it’s not a stretch to say that things could be going better for Indiana.

While promoting his latest film, Without Remorse, that’s currently streaming on Amazon, Michael B. Jordan opened up about what he calls his “worst audition to date.” Despite being a known quantity thanks to his work on The Wire and Friday Night Lights, Jordan had a horrible time when he managed to score an audition for an unspecified role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

According to the Creed actor, the script he was given to work with was way too vague, and as explained to Marc Malkin on the Just for Variety podcast, he couldn’t get a good read on what the filmmakers were looking for. Via Variety:

“I think it was I couldn’t wrap my brain around some of the sides because you know when you’re reading for these high-level projects, there’s never really any specificity in the sides. Everything’s like super vague; everything is in secret. Reading through, I just couldn’t connect it. I definitely bombed that one for sure.”

While Jordan missed out on the Star Wars role, he eventually ended up working for Disney and blowing away Marvel audiences with his complex portrayal of the villainous Killmonger in Black Panther. Interestingly, Tom Holland had a similar experience. The Spider-Man actor recently revealed that he also bombed an audition for The Force Awakens only to later strike it big with Marvel. According to Holland, his problem wasn’t so much the script, but that he couldn’t stop laughing at the lady making BB-8 noises.

“I just couldn’t stop laughing,” Holland told Backstage. “I found it so funny. And I felt really bad, because she was trying really hard to be a convincing android or drone or whatever they’re called. Yeah, I obviously didn’t get the part. That wasn’t my best moment.

(Via Variety)

Throughout the course of her storied career, Beyonce has won countless awards and encouraged generations of women to be proud of who they are. But when Beyonce was first starting out as a singer, she also had a number of powerful women to look up to — namely the Spice Girls. Apparently, Beyonce took inspiration from the UK girls group when she was coming into her own career.

Victoria Beckham, formerly known as Posh Spice, recently recounted the time she met Beyonce a few years ago. During their conversation, Beyonce told Beckham just how much the Spice Girls influenced her.

Speaking on the Dear Media podcast Breaking Beauty, Beckham recalled her interaction with Beyonce:

“I think it’s about accepting who you are, and that’s what the Spice Girls were always about. It’s okay to be different; let’s not try and change who we are, let’s celebrate who we are. Let’s celebrate the fact that we’re all different, which is why inclusivity is so important to us. When talk about Spice Girls, and I don’t talk about it much anymore, but what I remember when you were talking to me about it and how we inspired lots of young women. I met Beyonce a few years ago, and she actually said to me, ‘It was the Spice Girls that inspired me and made me want to do what I do and made me proud to be a girl and proud to be who I am. And when someone like Beyonce, who is so iconic and was such a strong woman, says that she was inspired by the Spice Girls, I think that’s quite something.”

Listen to Beckham talk about Beyonce on the Breaking Beauty podcast above, at around the 16-minute mark.

There are a lot of bourbons out there. It may not always seem like that, since a few big brands tend to take up so much of the bourbon conversation. But trust us, there’s so much goddamn bourbon being shipped right now that it can be dizzying to think about. Certainly to cover.

Case in point, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition just released their 2021 winners and bourbon whiskeys alone received 96 Double Gold medals (across multiple categories). What does that mean exactly? Well, the SFWSC holds three rounds of judging. The first round is a blind tasting of flights with the 1,297 whisk(e)ys that made it to their tasting tables. Next, the best of those drams are judged again to decide where they fall in the medal categories (bronze, silver, gold, double gold, and the ultra-rare platinum). If a dram receives a unanimous “gold” medal from every judge on the panel, it gets the much-sought after “Double Gold Medal.”

Then, there’s one more round of judging to decide which whiskeys are the Best in Class from all the double gold winners. A sort of “best of the best (of the best)” designation. It’s… a lot.

Below, we’re listing the seven Best in Class bourbons and breaking them down with our tasting notes (if we’ve been lucky enough to taste them) or the distillery’s tasting notes (if we haven’t). Click on the prices if you want to give them a try yourself. We’ve also sifted through all the Double Gold medal winners and listed all 96 Double Gold winning bourbons, in case you’re curious what the world of expert-approved bourbon looks like in 2021.

Best Straight Bourbon — 1792 BOTTLED-IN-BOND

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $36

The Whiskey:

Hailing from the legendary Barton 1792 Distillery, 1792 Bottled-in-Bond tends to rake in the awards. The whiskey in the bottle is a high-rye bourbon, though Sazerac and Barton don’t publish their mash bills. The yearly release is a blend of bonded bourbons that are meant to be affordable, sippable, and mixable.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a cinnamon and nutmeg forward apple compote on the nose, with a hint of wet oak and maybe a little bit of mint. The spices marry to a rush a vanilla and caramel apple sweetness and smoothness as the feel of the dram remains very mellow. The end is short-ish and full of that spice and caramel apple, leaving you with a touch of vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is a perfectly good sipper with a few rocks. But we’d argue, that this really shines as a great cocktail base, thanks to that 50 percent ABV. Give it a shot in your next mint julep, Sazerac, or Horse’s Neck.

Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon — BARDSTOWN BOURBON COMPANY CHATEAU DE LAUBADE ARMAGNAC FINISH

ABV: 59.2%

Average Price: $1,199.99 ($130 MSRP)

The Whiskey:

This one-off limited edition release from Bardstown is another shining example of how a great blender can make sourced whiskey shine. 12-year-old Indiana bourbon (MGP) is vatted and filled into Armagnac casks for a final 18-month maturation before getting bottled at cask strength.

Tasting Notes (from the blender):

A rich palate of apricot with honey, espresso, and cinnamon. A sublime, balanced finish quickly becomes the star of this transatlantic partnership.

Bottom Line:

We don’t want to jinx it, but Bardstown can pretty much do no wrong. Their collabs and special finishing are among the best of the best and continually wow our team whenever we get our hands on a bottle.

Best Small Batch Bourbon, Up To 5 Years — BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS PRIVATE RELEASE BA1C

ABV: 57.33%

Average Price: $100

The Whiskey:

Barrell Craft Spirits is another blender that consistently delivers some of the best finished sourced whiskey in the game. Their Private Release program is all about taking things down to the smallest details while they blend barrels from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee — it’s like a long journey writ large in multiple bottles of bourbon. This release is comprised of 45 percent five-year, 25 percent ten-year, 25 percent 14-year, and five percent 16-year bourbons.

Tasting Notes (from the blender):

“It shows a fresh corn-forward sweetness.”

Bottom Line:

We know. “It shows a fresh corn-forward sweetness” is not a lot to go on. Still, we’re talking about a bourbon recipe that’s only going to be made and released once and never seen again. That alone is worth giving a shot. Add in that this rose to the top of the top at San Francisco and you have a whiskey worth tracking down.

Best Small Batch Bourbon, 6 To 10 Years — PARKER’S HERITAGE COLLECTION 10 YEAR OLD HEAVY CHAR BARRELS

ABV: 60%

Average Price: $150 ($120 MSRP)

The Whiskey:

Heaven Hill’s Parker’s Heritage Collection is pretty tough to track down but is always worth the effort. The key to this expression is that “heavy char,” wherein the barrels are charred with fire for a full 90 seconds, compared to the usual 40 seconds most barrels get. The rye-forward bourbon is then allowed to rest in those barrels for ten long years in a specific location in a specific warehouse. Finally, the best 102 barrels are married and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes (from the distiller):

Nose: Balanced and fruit-forward. Taste: Smooth, rich marmalade. Sweet but not cloying. Finish: Very long and warm. Cloves and cinnamon linger.

Bottom Line:

Heaven Hill releases a totally unique Parker’s Heritage every year. Two years ago, they released a high-rye bourbon finished in orange Curaçao barrels that was one of the best drams of 2018. It’s hard to imagine that this expression doesn’t live up to that.

Best Small Batch Bourbon, 11 Years & Older — BLUE RUN 14 YEAR OLD

ABV: 56.5%

Average Price: Available June 2021

The Whiskey:

This is going to be one of the most sought-after whiskeys of 2021. Legendary distiller Jim Rutledge (former Master Distiller of Four Roses) is behind the sourcing of these barrels and the current distilling of Blue Run.

Tasting Notes (from the blender):

There are no tasting notes for the 14-year expression yet. But this is what the 13-year tasted like and that will at least give you a clue about where this is going.

Nose: Vanilla on a sultry summer evening with the mildest hint of tarragon. Taste: A velvety romance between brown sugar and brown butter. Finish: Long and smooth, with apricot and golden raisins.

Bottom Line:

The 13-year expression of Blue Run sold out in days when it dropped last year. Now with this high praise on top of that, you might have to stand on line to get a bottle of this when it drops. And even then, you might still go home empty-handed.

Best Single Barrel Bourbon, Up To 10 Years — HENRY MCKENNA SINGLE BARREL BOTTLED-IN-BOND 10 YEAR OLD

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $60 ($50 MSRP)

The Whiskey:

Back at Heaven Hill, Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond continues its winning streak. The ten-year-old bourbon is a real crowd-pleaser that offers serious depth, which makes it great for both sipping and mixing.

Tasting Notes:

This is classic bourbon from the jump with rich and almost creamy vanilla pudding spiked with eggnog spices next to a salted caramel carnival apple. The palate mellows the sweetness towards cinnamon-spiced honey with hints of soft cedar, apple tobacco, and smooth vanilla. The end is long and really holds onto the honeyed sweetness while touching on the warmth of the eggnog spiciness.

Bottom Line:

You really cannot beat the price of this. It’s a single-barrel bourbon that’s also ten years old and bottled-in-bond. Those are all good things. This really does shine brightest as a cocktail base though. Drop some of this bourbon into your next Manhattan or boulevardier!

Best Single Barrel Bourbon, 11 Years & Older — BLUE RUN 13.5 SINGLE BARREL CASK STRENGTH

ABV: 65%

Average Price: $170

The Whiskey:

If you didn’t believe us above about what a legend Jim Rutledge is, then his whiskey showing up twice as Best in Class at San Francisco should change that. This 13.5-year-old expression just dropped this month. So, there’s not a whole lot to say right now besides we can’t wait to give it a shot.

Tasting Notes (from the blender):

Again, we’re pulling tasting notes from Blue Run’s 13-year expression to give you a general idea of what to expect from this one.

Nose: Vanilla on a sultry summer evening with the mildest hint of tarragon. Taste: A velvety romance between brown sugar and brown butter. Finish: Long and smooth, with apricot and golden raisins.

Bottom Line:

This is a marrying of barrels pulled together by one of the most lauded and respected whiskey makers, well, ever. Enough said.

All SFWSC Double Gold Bourbon Winners (with ABVs and MSRPs):

Double Gold Straight Bourbons:

• BARDSTOWN BOURBON COMPANY DISCOVERY SERIES #3, ABV: 55% Price: $125
• BARDSTOWN BOURBON COMPANY DISCOVERY SERIES #4, ABV: 57.5% Price: $125
• CLYDE MAY’S SPECIAL RESERVE BOURBON, ABV: 55% Price: $60
• HEAVEN’S DOOR LTO BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $100
• NINE BANDED WHISKEY WHEATED BOURBON CASK STRENGTH, ABV: 57.5% Price: $45
• SONOMA BROTHERS DISTILLING STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 44.2% Price: $65
• MYTHOLOGY DISTILLERY BEST FRIEND BOURBON, ABV: 44% Price: $52
• STILL AUSTIN THE MUSICIAN STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 49.2% Price: $45
• JAMES E. PEPPER 1776 STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 50% Price: $35
• SMOKE WAGON SMALL BATCH STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $50
• SMOKE WAGON UNCUT UNFILTERED BATCH #42 BOURBON, ABV: 57.44% Price: $68
• WOODFORD RESERVE BATCH PROOF STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 64.15% Price: $130
• THREE CHORD TWELVE BAR RESERVE STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 53.5% Price: $75
• BOWER HILL BARREL STRENGTH VERY SMALL BATCH BOURBON, ABV: 59.4% Price: $100
• BLUE NOTE PREMIUM SMALL BATCH, ABV: 46.5% Price: $50
• BULLEIT 10 YEAR OLD KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 45.6% Price: $40
• BESPOKEN SPIRITS STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 47% Price: $40
• EVAN WILLIAMS BOTTLED-IN-BOND BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $18
• ELIJAH CRAIG SMALL BATCH, ABV: 47% Price: $32
• REDEMPTION BARREL PROOF HIGH RYE BOURBON, ABV: 57% Price: $100
• MAKER’S MARK KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKY, ABV: 45% Price: $27
• MILAM & GREENE TRIPLE CASK BOURBON, ABV: 47% Price: $45
• YAPPY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKY, ABV: 40% Price: $40
• EAGLE RARE 17 YEAR OLD KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50.5% Price: $100
• COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR. BARREL PROOF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON. ABV: 65.15% Price: $70
• GEORGE T. STAGG KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 65.2% Price: $100
• STAGG JR. KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 65.5% Price: $50
• W. L. WELLER FULL PROOF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 57% Price: $50
• W. L. WELLER KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 67.2% Price: $100
• MISCELLANEOUS DISTILLERY BRILL’S BATCH STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 44%
• NINE BANDED WHISKEY WHEATED BOURBON CASK STRENGTH, ABV: 57.5% Price: $45
• EARLY TIMES BOTTLED-IN-BOND KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $25
• MARKSMAN KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 40% Price: $25
• DAVID NICHOLSON 1843 KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 50% Price: $30

Double Gold Special Barrel-Finished Bourbons:

• JOS. A. MAGNUS & CO. CIGAR BLEND BOURBON, ABV: 61.2% Price: $179
• CLEVELAND UNDERGROUND BOURBON WHISKEY FINISHED WITH BLACK CHERRY WOOD, ABV: 47% Price: $40
• BARDSTOWN BOURBON COMPANY PHIFER-PAVITT RESERVE, ABV: 50% Price: $130
• TX FINISHED IN PX SHERRY CASKS TEXAS STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50.8% Price: $64
• TX FINISHED IN TAWNY PORT CASKS TEXAS STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50.8% Price: $64
• WHISKEY ACRES BOURBON WHISKEY FINISHED IN MAPLE SYRUP CASKS, ABV: 59.7% Price: $90
• 28 MILE DEBONAIR BOURBON FINISHED IN COGNAC & SHERRY CASKS, ABV: 46% Price: $35
• HILLROCK ESTATE DISTILLERY SOLERA AGED BOURBON ‘HOMER CASK’, ABV: 55.7% Price: $130
• JOS. A. MAGNUS & CO. BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $92
• RESERVOIR HOLLAND’S BLADE RUMMER BOURBON (ARDENT STOUT RUM BARREL), ABV: 53.5% Price: $125
• GOLD BAR RICKHOUSE CASK STRENGTH STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 51.5% Price: $35
• GOLD BAR BLACK DOUBLE CASK STRAIGHT BOURBON FINISHED IN WINE CASKS, ABV: 46% Price: $55

Double Gold Small Batch Bourbons, Up to 5 Years:

• STEINMETZ SIPPING BOURBON, ABV: 60% Price: $70
• STEINMETZ SIPPING BOURBON, ABV: 60% Price: $70
• BOLDT STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50.5% Price: $60
• COAL CREEK DISTILLERY BOURBON, ABV: 40% Price: $35
• KO DISTILLING DISTILLER’S RESERVE BOTTLED-IN-BOND STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $70
• BARRELL BATCH 025, ABV: 56.7% Price: $90
• BARRELL BATCH 027, ABV: 57.85% Price: $90
• THREE KEYS KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50.5% Price: $49
• WHISKEY ACRES BOTTLED IN BOND BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $50
• SMOKE WAGON STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 46.25% Price: $30
• YELLOW ROSE OUTLAW BOURBON, ABV: 46% Price: $55
• EASTERN KILLE DISTILLERY BARREL STRENGTH MICHIGAN STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 63.4% Price: $45
• SWILLED DOG BARREL STRENGTH STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 58.5% Price: $50
• NEW RIFF KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY “WINTER WHISKEY” BOTTLED-IN-BOND, ABV: 50% Price: $50

Double Gold Small Batch Bourbons, 6 to 10 Years:

• GARRISON BROTHERS LAGUNA MADRE, ABV: 50.5% Price: $300
• COPPERCRAFT STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 48.5% Price: $50
• BARRELL BATCH 024, ABV: 56.95% Price: $90
• BARRELL BATCH 026, ABV: 56.32% Price: $90
• ALL NATIONS 6 YEAR STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 58% Price: $70
• HORSE SOLDIER BARREL STRENGTH BOURBON, ABV: 61% Price: $79
• RUSSELL’S RESERVE 10 YEAR OLD BOURBON, ABV: 45% Price: $40
• 1792 SMALL BATCH KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 46.8% Price: $30

Double Gold Small Batch Bourbon, 11 Years and Older:

• WILLIAM HEAVEN HILL 8TH EDITION BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $180

Double Gold Single Barrel Bourbons, Up to 10 Years:

• 291 COLORADO BOURBON WHISKEY FINISHED WITH ASPEN WOOD STAVES, BARREL PROOF SINGLE BARREL, ABV: 66.5% Price: $100
• WOODINVILLE WHISKEY COMPANY PRIVATE SELECT SINGLE BARREL BERN’S STEAK HOUSE BARREL #1953, ABV: 61.6% Price: $70
• DAVIDSON RESERVE TENNESSEE STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY #14-0326, ABV: 58.29% Price: $50
• DAVIDSON RESERVE TENNESSEE STRAIGHT BOURBON WHISKEY #15-0120, ABV: 57.58% Price: $50
• DRIFTLESS GLEN DISTILLERY SINGLE BARREL BOURBON WHISKEY, ABV: 48% Price: $65
• KING’S FAMILY DISTILLERY TENNESSEE BOURBON, ABV: 57.5% Price: $75
• DOC WHISKEY CASK STRENGTH SINGLE BARREL BOURBON, ABV: 57% Price: $22
• BLUE NOTE SINGLE BARREL RESERVE BOURBON, ABV: 61% Price: $60
• EVAN WILLIAMS SINGLE BARREL 2013, ABV: 43.3% Price: $30
• COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR. SINGLE BARREL KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $60
• ELMER T. LEE SINGLE BARREL KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 45% Price: $40
• JOHN J. BOWMAN SINGLE BARREL VIRGINIA STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 50% Price: $50
• W. L. WELLER SINGLE BARREL KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON, ABV: 48.5% Price: $50
• FREY RANCH SINGLE BARREL #22 BOURBON, ABV: 63.19% Price: $85
• FREY RANCH SINGLE BARREL BOURBON #420, ABV: 61.94% Price: $85
• FILIBUSTER SINGLE ESTATE BOURBON, ABV: 45% Price: $50
• ROCK TOWN SINGLE BARREL ARKANSAS BOURBON, ABV: 58.01% Price: $65

Double Gold Single Barrel Bourbons, 11 Years and Older:

• ELIJAH CRAIG SINGLE BARREL 18, ABV: 45% Price: $150
• LUCKY 7 THE PROPRIETOR BOURBON, ABV: 56.6% Price: $129

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