Limited-edition bourbons like Pappy Van Winkle or aged Single malt whisky like Macallan 25 are extremely rare and expensive, but you can still find an excellent whiskey (or whisky, for those made elsewhere than in the United States or Ireland) at your local shop or online for much less than the aforementioned prices. Distell Master Distiller Brendan McCarron defines a superb whiskey as one that “tastes amazing,” he adds. There are a lot of diverse tastes and scents in the whiskies that I like the best. For a whiskey to be genuinely exceptional, you must be able to taste the distillery’s character and the impact of the wood.”
If you’re looking for a great whiskey, these are some of the bests out there.
Uncle Nearest
Consider learning about Nathan “Nearest” Green, the man who taught Jack Daniel how to prepare whiskey while he was still an enslaved African-American. Because of the maple charcoal filter that distinguishes it from other techniques of creating Tennessee Whiskey, he is considered to have developed his own process. It was Fawn Weaver who came up with the 1856 Premium Aged Whiskey label after tracing Green’s contribution to American whiskey-making history. You can’t go wrong with 1856, a combination of whiskeys aged between eight and 10 years, with hints of caramel, dried fruit and cinnamon.
Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie Signet is a labour of love for the men and women of Tain. One week every year, the distillery in the Scottish Highlands transforms chocolate malt barley into spirit, an even more demanding task than processing the core type. Glenmorangie blends it with some of its oldest stock after an unknown period of time. An elegant dram with hints of bitter cocoa, sherry, and spice, it’s ideal for enjoying by a roaring fire with company.
Redbreast 12 Cask Strength
In order to manufacture its 12-year-old Cask Strength Whiskey, Redbreast employs both malted and unmalted barley. Whisky reviewer Jim Murray featured this whiskey in his 2020 Whisky Bible as Single malt Irish whisky of the Year. After distilling in pot stills, Oloroso Sherry Barrels are used to age the spirit. In comparison to the standard 12-year-old Redbreast, the Cask Strength is bottled at a much higher 111.6 proof, resulting in more robust tastes and aromas. Fruity, spicy, and full of vanilla and oak, it’s a complex dram with a lengthy and lingering aftertaste.
Nikka Taketsuru
If you’re a fan of Japanese whiskey, you’ll have a hard time getting your hands on a bottle since there’s just not enough of it. This is a nice advantage of Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt: You can still locate it on the shelves! Despite the drink’s lightness, it packs a lot of flavour into a single sip.
Masataka Taketsuru, the label’s creator and the father of Japanese whiskey, is the name of this expression, which has been blended to achieve a harmonious balance. Apple and butterscotch flavours mingle with hints of malt, while a smoky flavour lingers on the tongue. It’s easy to see why Jim Murray rated it the best in Japan.
Wild Turkey
This is the fourth release in the Master’s Keep Series from Wild Turkey, and it’s hard to believe it hasn’t sold out already. Eddie Russell, the master distiller, created this expression using ryes aged nine to eleven years. If you can afford it, it’s a worthwhile investment. It has a sumptuous flavour profile with flavours of apple, honey, vanilla, pepper, and oak. It has a hefty mouthfeel and a sweet, peppery aftertaste that lingers for a long time.
Booker’s Bourbon
To begin with, just a limited quantity of the bourbon was sold to friends and family as a present, but in 1992, Jim Beam began selling a few bottles to the general public for the first time. Beam’s Booker’s Bourbon team makes four limited edition releases each year, and each one is a work of art. Current master distiller Fred Noe’s great-grandmother Margaret Beam Noe is the inspiration for “Granny’s Batch,” which is the moniker given to this year’s release.
Whiskey master Fred Noe utilised barrels from two separate production dates that were matured in six distinct rack buildings to create this boisterous 126.1 proof version. Featuring vanilla as the primary flavor, it’s accented by chocolate, peanut butter, and a sprinkling of baking spice.
