Category: Whisky Weekend

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength (2022 Edition), Booker’s 2022-03 “Kentucky Tea Batch,” & More [New Releases]

Plus, three new single malts from Balvenie, a barrel strength bourbon from Wyoming Whiskey, and a Texas-influenced Old Forester bourbon.

The post Angel’s Envy Cask Strength (2022 Edition), Booker’s 2022-03 “Kentucky Tea Batch,” & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Last Friday, we kicked off the fall WhiskyFest season with WhiskyFest San Francisco, where throngs of whisky lovers came together to enjoy over 400 different whiskies. And last night, the fun continued with WhiskyFest New York, an event that drew even more fans and had plenty of top-tier whisky names in attendance. If you’ve missed out on these events, or want to get in on some superb sipping once more, WhiskyFest Las Vegas is on December 2nd at Resorts World Las Vegas; for now, tickets are still available.

In new whisky this week, there are plenty of limited releases coming out ahead of the holiday season. Angel’s Envy returns with the 11th edition of its cask strength port wine barrel-finished straight bourbon, Booker’s has released its third whiskey of 2022, and Balvenie adds three new rarefied single malts to its Stories lineup. Read on for full details.

The post Angel’s Envy Cask Strength (2022 Edition), Booker’s 2022-03 “Kentucky Tea Batch,” & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Aberfeldy 18 year old Tuscan Red Wine Cask, Kentucky Peerless Absinthe Barrel Finished, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Aberfeldy 18 year old Tuscan Red Wine Cask, Kentucky Peerless Absinthe Barrel Finished, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Charred Oak Cask, Ardbeg Hypernova, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Lagavulin Offerman Edition: Charred Oak Cask, Ardbeg Hypernova, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Hibiki Blossom Harmony, Knob Creek 18 Year Old, & More [New Releases]

Plus, two High West A Midwinter’s Dram expressions, a red wine cask finish for Basil Hayden’s signature bourbon, and more new whiskies.

The post Hibiki Blossom Harmony, Knob Creek 18 Year Old, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Fall is in full swing, and so are new whisky launches. In a burst of good news for Pappy fans, the 2022 Van Winkle lineup has been announced, and with it the word that more bottles than usual are available this year. Does that mean it’ll be easier to get your hands on one ahead of the holiday season? Not necessarily, but here’s to staying optimistic.

The Van Winkle whiskeys aren’t the only specialty releases making their debut this week. There are two new whiskies from Hibiki—a cherrywood-finished blend and a 30 year old whisky—both of which are highly limited. Knob Creek, meanwhile, has introduced a rarity of its own, an 18 year old bourbon that marks its oldest release to date, and High West has unveiled the 10th edition of A Midwinter Night’s Dram, along with a distillery-exclusive special to commemorate the 10th anniversary. From Scotland, Glendronach has debuted Grandeur Batch 11—aged for 28 years—while Gordon & Macphail is offering three new ultra-limited, ultra-aged bottlings. Read on for full details.

The post Hibiki Blossom Harmony, Knob Creek 18 Year Old, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series BRT, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Unforgotten, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series BRT, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Blackened x Wes Henderson, Glenfiddich 12 year old Sherry Cask Finish, & More [New Releases]

Plus, a Redemption rye made using a method inspired by French winemaking, a New Liberty bourbon crafted from local ingredients, and more.

The post Blackened x Wes Henderson, Glenfiddich 12 year old Sherry Cask Finish, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Good news for stateside scotch lovers: The pound recently fell to its lowest position against the dollar in 37 years (dropping below $1.14 at times), meaning that whisky aficionados can benefit from substantial savings at retail, in duty-free, and the auction market abroad. In UK travel retail, savings can soar as high as 59%; a 1-liter bottle of Caol Ila 12 year old, for example, will set you back just $39 at Heathrow, compared to $97 in U.S. stores. If you’re visiting the UK in the near future, it will be well worth it to do some whisky shopping—either in duty free or local stores—to score some whisky at prices below U.S. retail prices. 

Meanwhile, there’s plenty on offer among this week’s new releases. Metallica’s Blackened has collaborated with Angel’s Envy co-founder Wes Henderson on a port cask-finished bourbon, Glenfiddich has added a sherry cask-finished single malt to its core range, and Dewar’s has reintroduced its flagship 12 year old blended scotch. Read on for full details.

The post Blackened x Wes Henderson, Glenfiddich 12 year old Sherry Cask Finish, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Dewar’s 8 year old French Smooth, Woodford Reserve Honey Barrel Finish & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Dewar’s 8 year old French Smooth, Woodford Reserve Honey Barrel Finish & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Luxury Glenfiddich, Dickel Bottled In Bond, Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition, & More [New Releases]

New releases include expressions from Sagamore Spirit, Bardstown Bourbon Co, Five Trail, and Rogue Spirits.

The post Luxury Glenfiddich, Dickel Bottled In Bond, Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

While aromas of cinnamon spice, powdered sugar, honey, and the like can certainly be appealing to the nose, sometimes whisky smells straight up like a barnyard—and that’s not a bad thing. The scents that tell a story of life on a farm are unusual and intriguing, conjuring up images of hay bales, weathered planks, dried corn, and more. We dive into what sort of whiskies deliver such barn-adjacent scents here, and offer up three bottles in particular that are certainly worth trying for yourself, whether you are a barnyard fan or not.

This week in new whisky, there’s plenty to enjoy. Glenfiddich has launched an entirely new line of luxury single malts, George Dickel 13 year old is the latest release in its Bottled in Bond Series, Kentucky Owl is back with the second edition of its International Collaboration Series, and Sagamore Spirit has a new añejo mezcal cask-finished rye. Read on for more details.

The post Luxury Glenfiddich, Dickel Bottled In Bond, Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1998, Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C, & More [New Releases]

Plus, WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof bourbon, Dubliner Steelers Select, and a trio of whiskies from Filmland Spirits.

The post Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1998, Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

If you are on the hunt for a new whisky to try, new releases are a great starting point, but sometimes discovery can come from unexpected places. Take Nordic whiskies for example. Distillers in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland are crafting whiskies that capture Nordic climates and traditions—including smoking with sheep-dung—and adding to the ever-expanding category of world whisky. Read all about the growing Nordic whisky scene in our feature looking at the region.

As for this week’s new releases, Glenmorangie has unveiled its Grand Vintage Malt 1998, a portion of which comes from 23 year old single malt aged in virgin oak barrels. Wild Turkey announced a new addition under its Russell’s Reserve label that examines the impact of warehouse location. And WhistlePig added to its PiggyBack line with a 100 proof bourbon. Read on for full details.

The post Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1998, Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse Camp Nelson C, & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Barrell Vantage, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch (2022 Release), & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.

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.

The post Barrell Vantage, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch (2022 Release), & More [New Releases] appeared first on Whisky Advocate.