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5 Reasons Every Whisky Lover Should Attend WhiskyFest New York

Rare pours, whisky makers from around the globe, top notch seminars, and more highlight this year’s festivities.

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After swinging through San Francisco, WhiskyFest heads to New York this week for one of the largest gatherings of whisky lovers and whisky makers in the world. VIP and General Admission tickets are still available for the event, which takes place this Thursday evening, November 3rd, at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. With 400 whiskies plus other spirits to choose from, it’s a can’t-miss show. Here are five reasons why every whisky lover should attend.

Rare Whiskies During VIP Hour

Attendees will sample phenomenal whiskies throughout the evening, but VIP ticket holders are in store for something truly special, as whisky makers pour their finest and rarest bottles. VIP pours at WhiskyFest New York this year include Benromach Heritage 40 year old (2022 release), Eagle Rare 17 year old, Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select, Michter’s 20 year old, Nikka Discovery Series Aromatic Yeast, St. George Spirits 40th Anniversary, and much more.

Taste Whiskies From Around the Globe

WhiskyFest is a great opportunity to taste that rare bourbon or scotch you’ve been curious about, but it also presents the chance to taste whiskies from all parts of the globe, including emerging countries. Indian whisky will be well-represented with Paul John and Rampur on hand, plus you can discover Morris Australian single malt, Brenne French whisky, Kavalan from Taiwan, and a handful of Japanese brands like Fuji, Kikori, and Hatozaki.

Attend an Illuminating Seminar

If you want an in-depth look at some of these whiskies away from the main event area, duck into one of the 12 seminars for educational tastings that often feature exclusive whiskies. This year’s seminars are being presented by Nelson’s Green Brier, Fuji, Glen Moray, Lux Row, Heaven Hill, Widow Jane, Compass Box, Glenturret, High West, Keeper’s Heart, Dewar’s, and Jim Beam’s Legent and Little Book.

Meet The World’s Top Whisky Makers

Even if you can’t get away to attend a seminar, you can still meet some of the world’s brightest whisky-making minds on the WhiskyFest floor. This year, WhiskyFest New York has attracted some big names, including John Glaser, founder and whiskymaker at Compass Box; Matt Hofmann, founder and master distiller at Westland; Brendan Coyle, vice president and master distiller at High West; Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones; Brian Nation, master distiller for Keeper’s Heart; Caleb Kilburn master distiller at Kentucky Peerless, and many others

Bring Your Tasting Group and Test Your Palate

WhiskyFest is a great occasion to take your tasting club out of its element and put everything you’ve learned to the test. No matter how many whiskies you typically taste in a single session, WhiskyFest will expand your horizons as you sample quarter-ounce pours throughout the night. Experience a vertical tasting with brands like Laws Whiskey House, Virginia Distillery Co., and New Riff Distilling. And try to take notes—with so much to taste, you and your fellow club members will discover many different whiskies that will inspire discussion and future gatherings.

Don’t delay, buy your tickets today!

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Aberfeldy 18 year old Tuscan Red Wine Cask, Kentucky Peerless Absinthe Barrel Finished, & More [New Releases]

Plus, the latest release of Michter’s ultra-aged bourbon, a run of micro-batch whiskeys from Blue Run, and more.

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It’s mid-October, which means we’re drawing ever closer to the spookiest time of year: Halloween. This year, match your favorite sweet treat to a whisky—take Raisinets, for instance, which are a fantastic complement to George Dickel 11 year old Bottled in Bond given the lush, deep, dark fruit qualities of that whiskey. Of course, it’s not just chocolate treats that suit whisky, and this guide offers up our favorite Halloween candy-and-whisky pairings.

As for new whisky, being in the thick of fall also means that new releases continue to flood in. Aberfeldy is back with an 18 year old whisky aged in red wine casks—this one from a Tuscan winery. Kentucky Peerless brings back its absinthe-finished rye, while Michter’s returns with its 20 year old straight bourbon. Read on for full details.

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Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Charred Oak Cask, Ardbeg Hypernova, & More [New Releases]

Plus, a 32 year old whiskey from Teeling, another limited-edition cask strength rye from Alberta Premium, and more.

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Scotch lovers rejoice! Our Fall 2022 issue is on newsstands now, and inside we explore the many wonders that Scotland has to offer including golf courses, hotels, coastal adventures, and of course, loads of great whisky. The issue features over 125 whisky reviews with some stellar 30 year old single malt scotches leading the way. Additional styles earned high marks as well, and you can explore 10 high-scoring whiskies from the Buying Guide or dive into the full slate of reviews to find your next dram.

And there are even more new scotches to celebrate this week, specifically from Islay. Lagavulin unveils the latest Offerman Edition whisky, aged 11 years in shaved and re-charred oak casks. Ardbeg goes galactic with its latest release, Hypernova. And on the Irish whiskey front, Teeling has released a 32 year old single malt finished in a purple muscat cask. Read on for full details.

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Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series BRT, & More [New Releases]

Plus, new Canadian ryes from Uncle Nearest and Lot 40, and the return of Benriach Smoke Season and Malting Season.

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Change is in the air, and we aren’t just talking about the seasons. Major brands are losing some of their top whiskey makers, as distillers and blenders are leaving corporate comforts to create a legacy of their own. We spoke to Jane Bowie and Denny Potter, formerly of Maker’s Mark, and Jackie Zykan, formerly of Old Forester, about their decisions to forge their own paths and the whiskeys we can expect from them in the future.

As for whiskies you can search for now, there are plenty to choose from this week. Wild Turkey adds to its Master’s Keep line with Unforgotten, while Maker’s Mark unveils the latest release in its stave finishing series, a pair of whiskeys labeled BRT-01 and 02. As for single malt scotch, Benriach is bringing back its limited Smoke and Malting Season whiskies. We also covered the 2022 Diageo Special Releases, dubbed the “Elusive Expressions,” earlier this week. Read on for full details.

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Distillery Departures: Why Whiskey Makers Are Embracing Change

Top whiskey blenders and distillers are leaving familiar posts and betting on themselves.

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In the spring of 2020, the whisky world received a major jolt when master distiller Brian Nation announced his departure from Irish Distillers. A few months later, master distiller Jeff Arnett resigned from his role at Jack Daniel. Walking away from two of the biggest jobs in the business, both men chose the craft distilling route—Arnett helping to launch Tennessee-based Company Distilling and Nation joining O’Shaughnessy Distilling in Minneapolis.

A second wave of high-profile departures has since arrived. On June 16th, Old Forester announced that master taster Jackie Zykan would be stepping down. A few months later, on August 30th, news broke that Denny Potter and Jane Bowie would be leaving Maker’s Mark. And on September 12th, Angel’s Envy named Owen Martin, formerly of Stranahan’s, as its first new master distiller since 2013.

“The timing’s right for us, and we’ve got an incredible opportunity to go do our own thing,” says Potter of his and Bowie’s decision to leave Maker’s Mark to create their own brand. “We’ve kind of embraced it.”

Woman stands at a table with bottles of whiskey

As director of innovation at Maker’s Mark, Jane Bowie led the popular cask stave finishing series and says that a lack of creative freedom was not behind her decision to leave.

Potter had left Maker’s once before, back in 2017, to join Heaven Hill as master distiller, but returned in 2019. During his tenure at Maker’s he developed a working friendship with Bowie—one that allows them to enter this new phase as collaborators and partners. “Realizing the way our careers have developed, that you’ve got somebody that completely complements those areas where there might be gaps, it makes you feel much better about stepping off the ledge because you have somebody that makes you better,” he adds.

Bowie, meanwhile, says she wakes up still thinking about Maker’s Mark, and points to her and Potter’s combined 40 years of experience as giving them the confidence to try something new. “It was really not running away from anything,” she says, “[but] running to see, could we make our mark on this industry in a different way?” In recent years, Bowie held the title of director of innovation, working on Maker’s annual cask-finishing series. She says a lack of creative expression was not a contributing factor to her decision to leave. “I don’t have complaints about the job I got to do, or how I got to do it, at Maker’s Mark.”

For Zykan, there was a disconnect between the role she held at Old Forester and the perception of her whiskey-making contributions. “When it comes down to it, the people that are in these roles have to have a creative side to them,” she says. “Innovation is all about that. And when you’re not in an environment that fosters that, it can feel very frustrating.” Zykan points to the larger Brown-Forman portfolio, which includes Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve, saying that oftentimes, decisions were made based on industry standards and best practices rather than creative curiosities. “I was in a setting that was very risk averse,” she adds.

Woman sits on a couch with a glass of whiskey

Jackie Zykan was at Old Forester for seven years before leaving to create her own brand, Hidden Barn.

Unlike Potter and Bowie, Zykan isn’t driven by a desire to be an owner, but rather to put her skills as a blender ahead of her visibility as a woman in whiskey and use her industry experience to help craft producers gain more national exposure. Her new venture, Hidden Barn, which was first announced in July, will highlight distillers or regions she feels deserve more recognition, stepping in at a time where these smaller producers can benefit from a brighter spotlight. “It’s meant to be simple and it’s meant to be positive. I’m not here to dominate the world. I’m not here to make a million-case brand,” she says. “I just want to make beautiful blends of whiskey and give other people a chance to share in the success that I’ve had. And hopefully it brings them up too.” Her first series of whiskeys will come from Neely Family Distillery in Kentucky.

Potter and Bowie have yet to announce details on their new whiskey, but Bowie says you can expect them to fall back on what they know: “We’ll be doing what we do best, is how I would say it.” Both Maker’s Mark and Old Forester shared statements wishing their departing members well, saying that neither is close to making a decision on who will replace them.

Owen Martin’s departure from Stranahan’s for Angel’s Envy is the outlier in this recent wave, as he’s moving to a larger brand rather than seeking to create his own. Martin wasn’t available for comment at press time but said in a statement. “I look forward to bringing my knowledge of secondary cask finishing and unique perspective of European and American production techniques, as well as my expertise in product development and passion for experimentation, to the foremost secondary-finished bourbon and rye producer in the country.”

Denny Potter had left Maker’s Mark previously, in 2017 to join Heaven Hill. Now he embarks on a new journey to create a brand with Bowie.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many of us, whiskey makers included, work. Zykan sees these departures as a part of a larger cultural shift to shed previous notions about success and fulfillment. “Money is nice and exposure is nice, but there are other things that are also really valuable to me,” she says. “Those ideals are kind of falling to the wayside, and this industry is absolutely going to be a part of that. You’re seeing a lot of that happen.”

If there is any uniting principle for these departures it is control over their own destinies. Or as Potter puts it: “It’s the ability to live and die by our own decisions. Which is scary, too, right?”

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WhiskyFest Returns This Fall With a Trio of Exciting Events

Celebrate the season with unforgettable whiskies and meet the people who make them

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If the autumn leaves make you long for brown spirits, there’s no better place to sample whiskies from around the globe than WhiskyFest. The fall slate of events is quickly approaching, with whisky lists and seminar schedules still growing. Whisky lovers in San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas are in for a special evening of rare pours and insights from some of the brightest whisky-making stars from around the world.

First up is WhiskyFest San Francisco on October 28. VIP attendees are granted early access and are able to taste a number of limited releases exclusive to the VIP hour, including, Blanton’s Gold Edition, Bushmills 29 year old Pedro Ximénez Cask, Ardbeg Traigh Bhan 19 year old (Batch 4), Compass Box Ultramarine, Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheat whiskey, and more. Japanese whisky will be well-represented, with Nikka, Hibiki, Kikori, and other distillers pouring a range of styles. Meanwhile, Bay Area favorite St. George Spirits headlines a cast of craft producers that includes FEW Spirits, Balcones, and Virginia Distillery Co., among many others.

Woman takes notes as she tastes a whiskey

Advance your whisky knowledge by attending a WhiskyFest seminar. The guided tastings sometimes feature rare whiskies not available at the grand tasting. (Photo by Shannon Sturgis)

On the seminar front, attendees can do a deep dive into the world of whisky, with guided tastings led by head distillers and master blenders. Andy Nelson, co-founder and head distiller at Nelson’s Green Brier, talks about his family distillery’s reappearance on the Tennessee distilling scene after being closed for more than a century. Meanwhile, Jota Tanaka, master blender at Mt. Fuji Distillery, will be recapping the distillery’s 50 year history and pouring a special single grain cask sample, among others. More seminars are listed on the WhiskyFest website, with others still to be announced.

After San Francisco, WhiskyFest moves to New York on November 3. Typically the biggest of the WhiskyFest events, VIP pours include many of the same whiskies offered in San Francisco such as the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, Elijah Craig 18 year old, Michter’s 20 year old, and Calumet Farm 16 year old, in addition to those listed above and more. Folks looking to soak up some more in-depth whisky knowledge will have 12 seminars to choose from, including the aforementioned sessions led by Nelson and Tanaka, as well as others from High West, Dewar’s, Glen Moray, Keeper’s Heart, and Beam Suntory. Be sure to check the WhiskyFest website for updates leading up to the big day.

WhiskyFest New York will likewise have plenty of noteworthy whisky-makers in attendance. Compass Box lead whisky maker John Glaser will be in San Francisco and New York, pouring several of his artful blends like The Spice Tree, The Story of The Spaniard, and The Peat Monster. Those in New York will also have a chance to meet John Rempe, master distiller at Lux Row; Brian Nation, master distiller at Keeper’s Heart, Brendan Coyle, master distiller at High West; Caleb Kilburn, master distiller at Kentucky Peerless; Jared Himstedt, head distiller at Balcones; and many more.

WhiskyFest gives whisky lovers the chance to explore a brand they know and love, like Woodford Reserve, more fully through vertical tastings. (Photo by Shannon Sturgis)

The WhiskyFest year concludes with the first-ever event in Las Vegas on December 2. While details are still developing, we can confirm that Beam Suntory will have three seminars to choose from and will be pouring great whiskies all night including Booker’s, Little Book, and Yamazaki to name a few. All three WhiskyFest’s in fact continue to grow in scope and attendance as they draw near. Swiss single malt producer Seven Seals has signed on for San Francisco and Las Vegas; Ireland’s Hinch Distillery has signed on for San Francisco and New York; while Darren Peck, head distiller for Morris Australian single malt, will be present in San Francisco.

There is still time to purchase your tickets to all three fall WhiskyFest events, but act fast as they are selling quickly. And for those who have already purchased tickets, visit the WhiskyFest website to plan which seminars to attend, and which whiskies to go for first. Every WhiskyFest offers an abundance of whisky to discover and taste, from new expressions to full vertical flights. Come share a dram with us and see for yourself this fall.

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Dewar’s 8 year old French Smooth, Woodford Reserve Honey Barrel Finish & More [New Releases]

Plus, Milam & Greene has a literary-minded blend of straight bourbons and Kings County releases its first blended bourbon.

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Some people add to their whisky collection by tracking new releases, while others scour auction sites for rare bottlings. On September 23, Sotheby’s New York will auction what it is calling The Timeless Whisky Collection, with lots that include a complete six-bottle set of the Macallan Six Pillars Collection, and a major crop of independently bottled scotch whiskies, as well as other aged expressions from Glenfiddich, Bowmore, and others. Get the details from our auction preview, including the 10 most expensive lots by estimate.

Among this week’s new releases, Dewar’s adds to its Cask Series line with a calvados cask finish, and Woodford Reserve is offering a new honey barrel-finished bourbon as a distillery and Kentucky exclusive, while Jefferson’s has an interesting new Ocean: Aged at Sea bourbon expression made with New York City water. Read on for full details.

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Barrell Vantage, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch (2022 Release), & More [New Releases]

Plus, Buffalo Trace unveils its 2022 Heritage Collection, Little Book debuts Chapter 6, and TX Whiskey adds a finished bourbon to its Experimental Series.

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Generations ago, the U.S. whiskey landscape was rich with farm distillery rye whiskeys, but modern American producers tend to use giant suppliers to source their rye grains. The past decade has seen a growing contingent of American craft distillers move the focus back to heirloom rye grains, aiming to revive long-forgotten styles. We look at some of these distillers and the trials, tribulations, and triumphs they’ve experienced along the road to a rye renaissance in this story from our Spring 2022 issue.

For fans of American whiskey, and bourbon in particular, this week’s new releases should be tantalizing. Barrell Craft Spirits has debuted its latest finished blend of straight bourbons, Four Roses has announced details for this year’s Limited Edition Small Batch, and Michter’s is back with US*1 Toasted Barrel bourbon. Read on for full details.

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Old Forester Birthday Bourbon (2022 Release), Remus Repeal Reserve (Series VI), & More [New Releases]

Plus, Jefferson’s Ocean Aged at Sea Voyage 29 Wheated Bourbo, and a beer barrel aged 11 year old single malt from Stranahan’s.

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Food pairings can elevate any drinking experience, whether you are tasting as a group or enjoying a dram on your own. Cheese is a good choice, with a wide array of styles offering a multitude of pairing options. Get started with our guide to matching whisky and cheese and see which combination works best for you.

If you’re looking for a new whisky to crack open, we have plenty to choose from this week. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is back, this time with an online lottery; Ross & Squibb unveils the latest batch of its Remus Repeal Reserve series; and Jefferson’s adds a new wheated bourbon to its Aged at Sea series. For scotch lovers, Ardbeg is out with the fourth edition of Traigh Bhan, its 19 year old annual release. Meanwhile, for collectors, we also have all the details on the new Littlemill bottling, as the lost Lowland distillery releases its oldest whisky ever. Read on for full details.

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Meet Irish Whiskey Superfan Matthew Kelley

Kelley explores his family roots and the turbulent history of Irish whiskey through his ever-growing collection.

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Matthew Kelley would like to clarify that his son is not named Dingle. In April 2019, Kelley had plans to visit Ireland for the launch of Dingle’s first single malt. An avid Irish whiskey fan, he couldn’t wait for the trip. That same year, Kelley and his wife, Ashley, learned that they would be expecting their first child together, with the doctor’s visit that revealed the baby’s sex occurring on the same day his plane was to depart.

The two agreed to wait until he returned to South Carolina to share the news with their family, but with a sonogram image tucked inside his passport, Kelley had to tell someone. “Being impatient and wanting to share the news, 10 hours later, I’m huddled up in a pub over in Dublin, sharing this information, this news that we’re having a little boy, with some of my closest friends in Ireland,” he says. The trip turned into quite the celebration, and while he has a bottle stashed from that event to share with his son once he comes of age, the couple stopped short of using the trip as inspiration for a name. “We did not decide to name our child Dingle. We didn’t quite go that far, but it was good fun enough.”

For the Kelleys, the story represents how Irish whiskey is a true family affair. The couple collects, travels, and tastes together, and as Matthew talks of his pursuit of all things Irish whiskey, he repeatedly uses “we” when describing his relationship with it. “It’s a lot more fun to have someone to share this stuff with, than to be sitting around drinking it by yourself,” he says. “In one respect, the bottle goes twice as fast. But it makes it a lot easier to purchase whiskey when you’re both involved in the drinking of it.”

Poured Over

Kelley discovered his love of Irish whiskey in 2012, and today has a collection of between 250 and 300 bottles. His great-great-grandparents emigrated from Ireland, so the country has always held significance to him. “As I grew up, I took a very strong interest in history in general, in world history, but also history of this place where my family was from, and that intersected with my eventual interest in Irish whiskeys,” he says.

A man poses in front of fermenters and a pot still

Kelley at the Dingle Distillery in 2019.

Kelley has read about the historic fall of Irish whiskey from its days as a global powerhouse in the 19th century to its depressed state near the end of the 20th, when only three distilleries remained. He tasted and learned, seeking out experts like Irish Distillers’ blenders Kevin O’Gorman and Billy Leighton. “I found myself reaching out to people over in Ireland who have helped me along the way, both in terms of education and enjoyment of the whiskey,” he says, noting that he’s now friends with many of these sources, citing Chris Hennessy, general manager of The Dylan Whisky Bar in Kilkenny, as an example. “These friends—the pub owners, drink industry experts, people that work at distilleries, and the historians over there—have guided me on my personal journey.”

While Kelley doesn’t consider himself a complete authority on Irish whiskey, he is mindful of those who have mentored him—and of his role as something of a steward for this great Irish contribution to the world. “It’s always in the back of my mind that I want to do my best to uphold that proud tradition and that heritage,” he says.

A Window Through Time

While he has deep respect for Irish whiskey’s history, Kelley enjoys looking to the future with perhaps even more enthusiasm. The recent rise in new distilleries and the ongoing renaissance of single pot still Irish whiskey signal more great things to come, particularly as those newer whiskeys reach the 3 year aging minimum. “It seems like [it’s] never been more exciting to be into Irish whiskey, at least in my lifetime,” he says, pointing toward the revival of historic mashbills and production techniques. “That’s the most exciting thing—getting a glimpse back in history, while also using modern techniques.”

Recently, Kelley acquired a 1940 release of Green Spot, and tasted it alongside a current bottling. “Two completely different whiskeys,” he says. This dynamic is what perhaps interests him most: how the whiskeys and everything surrounding them have changed over time, and how he can gain a glimpse of yesteryear. “I am always on the lookout for historical bottles which help tell the story of Irish whiskey,” he says. “To taste some of the history from these shuttered distilleries is a rare opportunity.”

Kelley hasn’t yet explored the growing segment of Irish-style American whiskeys; COVID-19 disrupted plans to visit Colorado’s Talnua Distillery, which is making single pot still whiskey according to Irish tradition. But it interests him greatly to consider how these new arrivals will fit in with the grand scheme of Irish whiskey. “Americans in general have always felt a connection with their Irish heritage, and to now be bringing that over in the form of whiskey distillation is pretty exciting,” he says.

Kelley will continue embracing both the old and the new. “Trying and exploring things that are at the forefront of what Irish whiskey will become—that’s what keeps you moving forward,” he says. “You focus on the past while constantly exploring the future.”

Super-Fan Facts

Daily Drinker: Powers John’s Lane. “It’s such a good representation of classic Dublin pot still whiskey from the heyday of Irish distilling, and it’s generally affordable too.”
The One He Dreams of Trying: Inish Turk Beg. “It’s just one that I wished I had purchased the first time I was over in Dublin and I didn’t, and now I’m kicking myself because the price keeps going up on it.”
Three Words That Best Describe His Relationship with Irish Whiskey: History, tradition, exploration
Most Memorable Irish Whiskey Moment: Revealing the gender of his baby to his drinking mates in Dublin just hours after getting the news
Most Extreme Thing He’s Done with Irish Whiskey: Kelley combines his love of Irish whiskey and photography on his Instagram account @vaultedbarley. On a trip to Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rockies, he and his wife scaled down waterfalls to reach the riverbed. “I got the photo that I wanted, I felt good about that, but honestly, when you’re sitting back and popping open that bottle of whiskey, watching the rapids, just sitting in nature, that’s what it was all about to me. It was totally worth it.”

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