It was one other robust yr for the whisky nerds amongst us – which is, properly, all of us – as we tried to pare down the tons of of choices we reviewed all through 2023 and give you a listing of the ten that excited us essentially the most. Sure, we heard your cries from final yr: Too many luxe unicorns, not sufficient attainable juice. We’ve tempered our style for four-figure spirits this time round, and whereas a lot of the whiskeys we picked for 2023 price greater than $100, just one lands in what we’d think about unicorn territory. That mentioned, it actually deserves to be represented right here, so we couldn’t go away it out. Need extra alternatives? Take a look at our vacation purchasing information.
As at all times, we’re revealing one whiskey every day over the following 10 days till we hit #1 on Christmas Eve. Whilst you’re getting ready for the large reveal, be happy to bask in a few of our earlier prime 10 whiskey lists: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017. You may also search a number of shops at wine-searcher to search out the most effective costs on all these merchandise and extra.
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Keep tuned for tomorrow after we’ll replace the checklist with our #1 choose, counting down the highest 10 till Christmas Eve!
2. Glenmorangie “A Story of Tokyo” – This newest addition of Glenmorangie’s “Story of” sequence takes every little thing nice concerning the basic Glenmorangie taste profile and pushes it additional, due to some ending time in mizunara oak casks. Candy with orange, vanilla, and caramel on the nostril, it gives a great deal of complexity because it rests within the glass, unfolding layers of sandalwood, black tea, and pepper. The palate retains the sweetness going with notes of milk chocolate, ginger, and anise becoming a member of within the dialog, offering dimension with out getting too syrupy or convoluted. This one is deep in its intricacy, and spending an honest sipping session with it’s well worth the funding of money and time. The limited-edition Glenmorangie expressions nearly at all times promise to ship a great time. “Tokyo” retains the successful methods ongoing and is actually worthy of inclusion right here. 92 proof. $110 -RT
3. Bardstown Bourbon Firm Discovery Collection #11 – This newest bourbon from the tireless whiskeymakers at Bardstown Bourbon Co. got here loopy near nabbing our prime spot, a formidable feat for its debut on our coveted checklist. The collaboration bottling with Foursquare rum distillery earlier this yr may have simply made the checklist, as properly, however there was one thing about this eleventh version of its Discovery Collection that simply captured our palates. Balanced, approachable, flavorful – it was cinnamon toast in a glass. Perhaps the celebs simply aligned for this one or perhaps using BBCo.’s house-distilled bourbon shares will imply a good greater stage of high quality for this mix going ahead. I assume we’ll discover out within the new yr. 118.1 proof. $169 -DB
4. Eagle Uncommon Bourbon 17 Years Previous 
2023 – Regardless of being solely the third oldest Eagle Uncommon expression available on the market, Eagle Uncommon 17 is a splendidly oak-driven whiskey. The 2023 model from Buffalo Hint’s Vintage Assortment soars as a result of it strikes a steadiness between the qualities related to hyper-aged bourbon and the vivaciousness of its considerably youthful counterpart, Eagle Uncommon Single Barrel. Whereas many people are left to yearly lament the restricted portions and excessive worth of Eagle Uncommon 17, it stays among the many most desired bourbons available on the market, and this yr’s expression is nearly as good as any in latest reminiscence – it might, in actual fact, be the most effective. 101 proof. $2000 -FD [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
5. Teeling Single Pot Nonetheless Virgin Portuguese Oak Irish Whiskey – Dublin-based Teeling continues to hit them out of the park with its common releases at each the ultra-high finish and extra modest choices. Living proof, this latest launch which blends malted and unmalted barley 50/50 and ages it in unused barrels produced from oaks grown in Portugal. What a distinction switching issues up like this makes, the added tannin of the Portuguese oak including pepper, tobacco, and furnishings polish notes to what may in any other case be a tender and ephemeral whiskey. Earthy and brooding on the end, it’s a wintry deal with that lingers within the thoughts as a lot because the palate. 100 proof. $99 -CN
6. Buckner’s Bourbon 13 Years Previous – Augusta Distillery’s Buckner’s Bourbon is a kind of uncommon bourbons that seemingly got here out of nowhere and have become an instantaneous hit. After garnering widespread fanfare on the awards circuit and reward from seemingly everybody who was fortunate sufficient to style it, we managed to get our arms on a bottle and, spoiler alert: It didn’t disappoint. What begins as a full throttle punch to the palate quickly mellows out to disclose decadent layers of taste that may maintain you coming again for extra with every sip. In a yr filled with ho-hum releases (alongside the gems, natch), Buckner’s 13 managed to buck the development and emerge as a excessive octane showstopper. 140 proof. $200 -FD
7. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Elusive Umami – Placing “Umami” within the identify of $400 whisky looks like a loopy alternative, however let’s hear out the Home of Walker, OK? A collaboration between Walker and Japanese chef Kei Kobayashi, there’s no sleight of hand on this one – it’s only a barrel choose, with Walker pulling whiskies from its assortment that characteristic these wealthy, meaty umami flavors – mushrooms, white pepper, sesame… all of the stuff of an important Asian meal, simply in whisky kind. The expertise isn’t as overblown as a few of these taste notes may counsel; that is nonetheless a brilliant and sunny expertise – only one that delights in its complexity. 86 proof. $369 -CN [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
8. Bruichladdich Octomore 14.2 – Whereas latest expressions have come extremely shut to creating our checklist lately, Octomore hasn’t made an look in our prime 10 since our inaugural checklist in 2017, when the second model of the 10-year-old knocked our socks off. There’s been fairly a little bit of time and plenty of choices between every now and then, and ultimately we arrive on the masterpiece of model 14.2. The distinction of 14.2 to its siblings 14.1 and 14.3 is sort of compelling. A comparatively low stage of peat (128.9 ppm) lets notes of spiced fruitcake, tobacco leaf, and purple berry shine by means of earlier than the standard coastal notes of campfire, seaweed, iodine, and lemon zest oscillate their method to a lingering and extremely satisfying end. It doesn’t have the no-nonsense, uncooked phenolic throat punch Octomore normally doles out, however extra experimentation alongside these traces is a most welcome expertise. I’m sure we’ll be seeing Octomore once more on this checklist earlier than 2030. 115.4 proof. $260 -RT
9. Cragganmore Distillers Version 2023 – Perennially underrated, Cragganmore is likely one of the greatest offers in Scotch whisky due to its poor identify recognition – and with this particular version from the 2023 Distillers Version assortment, it will get even higher due to ending in Port-seasoned American oak casks. It’s not too heavy on the fruity Port notes, because the malt at its core does the heavy lifting, plus it’s a mere 80 proof, which additional ensures a mild, easygoing expertise. These in search of a brand new each day dram from the world of single malt received’t discover a higher possibility launched this yr. 80 proof. $90 -CN [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
10. Filibuster Triple Cask Bourbon Tokaji Completed – I needed to struggle fairly laborious to get this whiskey on the checklist over plenty of different glorious contenders, however since I’m the boss round right here, I received the battle ultimately. A part of that struggle stems from the truth that this was a restricted launch that’s more and more laborious (however not unattainable) to search out. And it’s a pity, as a result of it’s one among my favourite bourbons of the yr, mixing Filibuster’s Virginia-born distillate with some MGP inventory and letting all of it simmer in a Hungarian Tokaji wine barrel to complete issues off. The outcomes are magical, making for an intensely candy, nutty, fruity, and fragrant whiskey that may problem every little thing you assume you recognize about bourbon. Right here’s hoping Filibuster tries one thing related once more subsequent yr. 112.8 proof. $120 -CN
Extra reporting by Drew Beard, Frank Dobbins, and Rob Theakston.
