25 Most Exciting New Whiskeys of 2023

1. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series

Bardstown has spent several years creating stunning releases by sourcing and blending whiskeys from some of America’s best brands. Now, the Kentucky-based company is releasing its first “estate-distilled” collection, created from start to finish at its own facility deep in bourbon country. The collection arrives with three bottlings.

Origin Series Bourbon (96 proof) is a 6-year-old whiskey with a mashbill of 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and 4 percent malted barley. Notes of vanilla, nutmeg, and honey mingle here with some spice and black pepper, thanks to its high rye content.

[$44.99; bardstownbourbon.com]

Origin Series Rye (96 proof), also aged for six years, features a mash bill of 95 percent rye and 5 percent malate barley that's finished in hybrid American oak and cherry wood barrels for up to six months. The whiskey offers notes of ripe cherry and toasted oak with highlights of white flower, dill, and cinnamon.

[$69.99; bardstownbourbon.com]

Wheated Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon (100 proof) is made with a mash bill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. This authentic, six-year-old expression delivers flavors of baked peach with cream and cocoa alongside hints of lemon, stone fruit, and toffee.

[$49.99; bardstownbourbon.com]

2. Benriach The Sixteen

Benriach continues to rebuild one of the finest whisky brands in Scotland. And with the return of The Sixteen, the Speyside distillery adds another unique and impressive release to its core lineup. Featuring a touch of peated whisky within the unpeated spirit, this whisky offers citrus notes alongside classic orchard fruit, developing into flavors of rich barley sugars and heathery peat.

The Sixteen is three cask-matured for at least 16 years in bourbon barrels, sherry casks, and bespoke virgin oak casks (a rarity in the single-malt Scotch whisky industry) that are generally reserved for bourbons.

[$218; benriachdistillery.com]

3. Bruichladdich Regeneration Project Islay Single Grain Scotch Whisky

In an effort to combat the growing cost of agro-chemicals, avoid monoculture, reduce input, and diversify crops, Bruichladdich worked with long-standing farming partner Andrew Jones to introduce rye to his fields. Rye can bring huge benefits as a rotational crop, which not only reduces the need for artificial fertilizer but also improves soil health and structure. Until this project, rye had never been grown on Islay before, but the results of Bruichladdich Regeneration Project Islay Single Grain Scotch Whisky (a.k.a., Bruichladdich Islay Rye) may find it working itself into crop rotations more often.

Golden syrup in color, the nose offers waves of licorice, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg, followed by maritime notes, delicate citrus, and honey. The palate balances a soft texture alongside rye’s spicy, peppery heat, and the sweetness of marzipan, vanilla, and chocolate. All of these complement the spice of the rye and the citrus green fruit notes of the Islay-grown barley. Notes of vanilla custard and pastry complete the experience.

[$156; bruichladdich.com]

4. Compass Box Delos

For the second release in Compass Box’s Extinct Blends Quartet—which features whiskies inspired by flavors of the past—the producer looked to reimagine its iconic extinct blend, Asyla, a cornerstone of the brand until its retirement in 2018. To do this, the whisky makers turned to older stocks, focusing on capturing Asyla’s vibrancy and soothing sweetness. The result is Delos.

Named after a Greek island strewn with mosaics and ruined ancient temples—and said to be the birthplace of the god Apollo—Delos signifies Asyla’s beauty and serenity as a whisky. The blend uses a mix of malt and grain from some of Compass Box’s rarest stocks, including whisky from Glen Elgin, Imperial, and Miltonduff distilleries—all aged in American oak barrels.

The result offers a sweet yet mellow medley of ripe pear, pineapple, orange, and vanilla notes, while the maturity of the grain whisky gradually builds to reveal guava, heather honey, and chai spices.

[$331; compassboxwhisky.com]

5. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Release 2023, A123

The first release of Elijah Craig barrel proof of 2023, A123, from Heaven Hill Distillery features a mash bill of 78 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and 10 percent rye. Each batch of Barrel Proof contains an uncut selection of 12-year-old bourbon bottled straight from the barrel, which means each batch varies by proof with this year’s coming in at 125.6 Proof (62.8 percent ABV).

Elijah Craig A123's release is the 31st in the brand’s Barrel Proof series, dating back a decade. On the nose, it offers caramel and toasted oak alongside fruit notes of apple and orange. The palate delivers rich vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch as well as black pepper and cinnamon at the back of the palate. The finish showcases all flavors, lingering as it cools.

[$88; elijahcraig.com]

6. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe 2023

Located about an hour outside of Austin, Garrison Brothers became the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas when it opened in 2006. Similar to Pappy Van Winkle, the company makes its annual Guadalupe release from a mash bill of corn, red winter wheat, and malted barley. The Texas straight bourbon whiskey ages four years in 30-gallon barrels, then spends an additional two years in decades-old tawny Port casks.

The 2023 edition is bottled at 107 proof (53.5 percent ABV) and delivers notes of berries, plums, strawberry, biscuits, chocolate, and honey. The distillery recommends enjoying this one after dinner—preferably paired with your favorite dessert.

[$150; garrisonbros.com]

7. Glen Grant 21-Year-Old

Glen Grant started 2023 by expanding its permanent collection with the brand's oldest expression yet—a 21-Year-Old. To create the spirit, master distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE hand-selected a combination of oloroso sherry butts, hogshead, and ex-bourbon barrels, bringing to life an intense, fruity character.

Bottled at 46 percent, the 21-Year-Old is married in small batches to preserve the integrity of the refined flavors. The resulting character offers a tropical flair, beginning with aromas of sweet ripe peaches, toffee, and raisins. The palate finds more tropical fruits, including coconut and creamy butter, leading to a long finish of caramelized crème brûlée.

[$414; glengrant.com]

8. Glenfiddich Grand Yozakura

Glenfiddich is celebrating spring 2023 with the release of Grand Yozakura, the first-ever single malt Scotch whisky to be finished in rare Japanese awamori casks. The whisky sits within Glenfiddich’s Grand Series, a collection of single malts characterized by experimental cask finishing. It honors Hanami, the annual cherry blossom festival when Japan appreciates the temporal beauty of nature through the sakura (cherry blossoms).

Bottled at 45.1 percent ABV, the 29-year-old Scotch whisky matured at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown was finished in oak casks that previously matured awamori, the oldest distilled spirit in Japan, creating an incredibly unique finish. Awamori is made using long-grain Indica rice and is traditionally stored in clay pots, with only a small proportion matured in oak casks, adding to the rarity of this liquid.

[$2,200; glenfiddich.com]

9. Heaven Hill 20-Year-Old Kentucky Corn Whiskey

Heaven Hill’s Heritage Collection started the 2023 limited-release calendar off with a nod to one of the distillery’s most popular bargain whiskeys, Mellow Corn. This Heritage Collection release, however, is in a totally different orbit. Aged for 20 years and comprising 80 percent corn, 12 percent malted barley, and 8 percent rye for a little spice, Heaven Hill describes this 20-year-old whiskey as having a nose of toasted corn and spices as well as notes of oak and walnuts, wood spices, and hints of corn sweetness on the palate.

Arriving at 115 proof, the Heaven Hill 20-Year-old Kentucky Corn Whiskey came from just 110 barrels filled in October 2002. A typical bourbon barrel contains 53 gallons when it’s filled, and can lose around 6 percent of its contents to evaporation each year, meaning this whiskey should be particularly rare. Don’t expect to see another batch like this for at least the next few years.

[$290; heavenhilldistillery.com]

10. Heaven’s Door Bootleg Series Volume IV

For the fourth release in Bob Dylan’s whiskey portfolio, Heaven’s Door expanded into the wheated bourbon world. An 11-Year-Old wheated bourbon finished in Islay Scotch casks, Heaven’s Door Bootleg Series Volume IV was bottled at 111 proof (55.5 percent ABV).

On the nose, the whiskey features aromas of toasted marshmallow, sandalwood, sugar plums, marzipan, and creamed corn. The palate offers flavors of winter campfire, mesquite barbecue, leather, piped tobacco, cedar, and bone marrow. The ceramic bottle it arrives in features Lighthouse in Maine, 2017 by Bob Dylan inside a handmade leather journal.

[$499; heavensdoor.com]

11. Highland Park 54-Year-Old

This year, Orkney-based distillery Highland Park is celebrating its 225th anniversary. To commemorate those two-and-a-quarter centuries of delicious Scotch, the whisky maker launched its oldest release yet, Highland Park 54 Year Old. Originally laid down in 1968, the distillery created its 54-Year-Old by combining four refill butts and six refill hogsheads in 2008, then poured it into first-fill European sherry butts, where the liquid matured for an additional 14 years.

On the nose, the whisky offers notes of lychee and camphor alongside oak and delicate peat. The palate delivers warm spices, crushed cumin, coriander seeds, rose, and jasmine with a hint of kiwi fruit and pistachio. The finish finds sweet fenugreek and heathery peat smoke. It's priced at a somewhat staggering £39,000 (about $47,000) and just 225 bottles will be made available.

[$47,000; highlandparkwhisky.com]

12. Method and Madness Rye and Malt Irish Whiskey

Method and Madness comes from Irish Distillers—the folks behind Jameson, Midleton Very Rare, Redbreast, and basically most of the big names in Irish whiskey. It opened its doors in 2005 with a mission to further support the resurgence of Irish whiskey. Basically, the distillery creates a bunch of idiosyncratic whiskeys that, while lacking mass appeal, push the boundaries of what one might expect of bottlings from the Emerald Isle. Unsurprisingly, it's been tough to find stateside—until the brand finally decided to send 5,000 bottles of its Rye and Malt Irish whiskey across the Atlantic earlier this year.

Inspired by the desire to create whiskey that honors tradition while celebrating the new and extraordinary, Method and Madness Rye and Malt is a distillate-driven Irish whiskey, bursting with floral notes and a spicy character. The nose offers aromas of lemon balm, floral lavender, and clove spice. The palate finds white pepper, chili flakes, and toasted wood, followed by fading fruits, lingering spice, cereal malt, and barley on the finish.

[$107; midletondistillerycollection.com]

13. Midleton Very Rare 2023

For almost 40 years, Midleton Very Rare has been creating some of Ireland’s best whiskey via its eponymous annual release, and its 2023 edition continues the tradition. Matured in lightly charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels, Midleton Very Rare 2023 Vintage Release delivers decadent flavors and a tantalizing aroma.

The nose opens with an intricate medley of fruits, including nectarines, ripe melon, green apple, and apricot, followed by freshly peeled ginger and crushed peppercorns working in tandem with aromas of dried flowers and golden syrup. The luscious palate begins with notes of succulent fruits and a distinctive creaminess, followed by pot still spices, which add depth and intrigue as they weave among the floral grain qualities lingering throughout. The charred oak’s influence continues to build over time creating additional complexity as the wood-derived spices complement the ever-present fruits of candied orange and dried apricot.

[$250; midletonveryrare.com]

14. Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey Rum Cask Finish

The latest addition to Old Elk’s Cask Finish Series is a rye whiskey finished in Barbados rum casks. The series is based on the brand’s core products, including its High-Malt Bourbon and Rye Whiskey, where the base spirit of each product is aged five to six years, then rested in secondary finishes and bottled at barrel proof.

At 50.5 percent ABV, Old Elk Straight Rye Whiskey Rum Cask Finish is finished in 14-year-old rum barrels for two to five months, offering a harmonious balance of richness and complexity. It features aromas of allspice and a bold, complex flavor profile ending with tobacco and overripe pineapple. The mash bill contains 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley.

[$110; oldelk.com]

15. Old Forester 117 Series: Warehouse H

The sixth edition in its 117 Series, Old Forester Warehouse H is the second bottling to celebrate one of the distillery’s warehouses. Warehouse H is symbolic of Old Forester’s growth after WWII, with construction on the brick warehouse beginning in 1946. The four-story, eight-chamber warehouse was designed to be heat cycled in the winter months when temperatures dropped below 60 degrees and the maturation process ceased. Warehouse H is unusual in its heat cycling profile with the first floor sometimes hitting the highest temperatures.

Bottled at 49 percent ABV, Old Forester 117 Series: Warehouse H offers aromas of soft caramel, lemon custard, and graham cracker atop notes of roasted malt and fresh cedar. The palate delivers delicate lemon meringue pie drizzled with subtle caramel and custard swirls, rounded out with a touch of nuttiness. A trace of medium-bodied warm citrus custard tart lingers on the finish.

[$456; oldforester.com]

16. Westland Distillery Garryana Single Malt Edition 7

Seattle-based Westland distillery prides itself on using local and regional ingredients, and that's especially true with the release of Garryana Single Malt Edition 7. The name Garryana comes from quercus garryana—commonly known as Garry oak or Oregon white oak—one of three barrel types used for the initial aging of this whiskey. The latest release is finished in casks that previously held Washington State syrah and cabernet sauvignon.

Made from a mash bill featuring Washington Select Pale Malt, Munich Malt, Extra Special Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt, and Brown Malt, the Garryana Single Malt Edition 7 begins with notes of clove and sandalwood dryness before building toward toasty, nutty flavors. The palate finds additional hints of molasses, currant, and raisin, before dark chocolate explodes on the finish.

[$150; westlanddistillery.com]

17. WhistlePig The Béhôlden 21-Year-Old North American Single Malt

While American single malt might not be an everyday whiskey type like bourbon, rye, or Scotch at the moment, it’s certainly catching on with the most innovative brands in whiskey. Earlier this year, WhistlePig made possibly the biggest splash in the style yet with the release of its 21-Year-Old “North American” Single Malt, dubbed The Béhôlden.

While not technically an American single malt, since it was made at an unnamed distillery in Canada, the whiskey was still produced using 100 percent malted barley, the basis for the style. Bottled at 46 percent ABV and aged for 21 years in American oak ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a four-week-long finish in ex-WhistlePig Rye barrels, the whiskey’s sweet fruit aromas lead into notes of cinnamon. The palate finds golden raisin, graham cracker, and black cherry, followed by a finish filled with maple and praline, and a hint of smoke.

[$1,590; whistlepigwhiskey.com]

18. Ardbeg BizarreBQ

Hitting shelves in late spring is Ardbeg’s first-ever limited-edition barbecue-inspired whisky, Ardbeg BizarreBQ. It comes from whisky aged in double-charred oak casks, Pedro Ximénez sherry casks, and the distillery’s unique "barbecued" casks that have been extra-charred on an old-fashioned brazier.

Bottled at 50.9 percent ABV, the resulting Scotch offers puffs of charcoal and soot on the nose alongside smoky wood and aromatic herbs and spices, followed by treacle toffee, hickory smoked ham, and cinnamon-dusted espresso. The palate features spice and warming smoke along with chili oil, cured leather, and clove. The finish delivers a massive, hot aftertaste, which lingers on with grilled artichoke, black olives, and a sooty note.

[$TBD; ardbeg.com]

19. Barrell Bourbon New Year 2023

"When it comes to whiskey—American whiskey, in particular—I'm always excited with whatever Barrell Craft Spirits is releasing," says Will Krepop, beverage director at Wiggle Room in New York City, NY. The distillery really pushes the boundaries of bourbon by experimenting with blending and maturation. Its seasonal batch releases, coined "New Years," are always worth keeping an eye on. "Last year’s Batch 32 release was one of the best whiskeys of the year.” The 2023 cask-strength expression was aged in American white oak barrels and clocks in at slightly over 113 proof.

[$85; barrellbourbon.com]

20. Widow Jane The Vaults Limited 2022 Aged 14 Years

“Since opening in the spring of 2021, our program has focused on local New York spirits and brands such as Widow Jane," says Frank Caiafa, bar director at Beast & Butterflies at M Social Times Square in New York City, NY. The Vaults is a special annual release that, since 2019, has come out in time for the holidays. "The first one was a 14-year-old, 99-proof bourbon finished in eight-year, air-seasoned American oak casks, and the last two years have been blends of 15- to 17-year-old bourbons." 

The 2022 edition is a blend of Tennessee and Indiana bourbon that's blended and finished in New York, then re-barreled in wood from the Missouri Ozarks. On the nose, oak campfire and worn leather awaken your senses. Sweet tobacco, vanilla, and sarsaparilla bloom on your palate with a finish of unsweetened cinnamon and cocoa powder.

[$249; widowjane.com]

21. Kilchoman 100% Islay Barley Single Malt Scotch

This year marks the 12th edition of Kilchoman's 100% Islay Barley. "This is true farm distilling and very rare to find these days," says Adam Montgomerie, bar manager at Hawksmoor in New York City, NY. "[Distillers at] Kilchoman grow the barley themselves, then malt, mash ferment, distill, and mature on-site, making a truly terroir-driven whisky."

The single-malt Scotch whisky was matured in 29 bourbon barrels and six oloroso sherry butts for a minimum of eight years yielding a spirit with signature peat smoke on the nose offset by honey, caramel, and citrus. The spirit has an oily mouthfeel boasting flavors of green fruits, raisin, toffee, and subtle spice.

[kilchomandistillery.com]

22. Michter’s 10-Year-Old Bourbon

“Michter's 10-Year Bourbon was slated for 2022 but pushed back a year for further maturation," says Shawn Miller, beverage director at Forsythia in Philadelphia, PA. Master distiller, Dan Mckee, and master of maturation, Andrea Wilson, are following in the footsteps of their predecessor, Willie ‘Dr. No’ Pratt, who was given his nickname for never releasing anything before its time. Michter's earthy, woodsy, rustic notes paired with sweet corn are enhanced with increased depth through age.

[$185; michters.com]

23. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon

“Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bourbon is a limited-time offer released annually—usually around November—so it's one we're waiting to put in the lounge for 2023," says Vernice Reyes, bartender at Pivat Cigar Lounge in Rancho Mirage, CA. "Popular, high-proof, bold, and flavorful, this whiskey is worth the wait.”

[angelsenvy.com]

24. High West A Midwinter Night’s Dram

“High West A Midwinter Night’s Dram is a very exclusive whiskey finished in port barrels," says Sean Wirtemburg, bartender at Driftlight Lounge in Tampa, FL. "There's Act (a.k.a. Year) and then a series of Scenes (a.k.a. Releases from that year throughout).” In 2022, High West released non-chill-filtered Act 10—typified by jammy notes of dark fruit like blackberries and plums with warming rye spice—and Encore, a super-limited bottling that marries white port-finished Rendezvous Rye with a blend of ruby and tawny. We have high hopes for the next act. 

[highwest.com]

25. Leopold Brothers Three Chambers Rye

“The Three Chamber Still project was one of the most groundbreaking things to happen to the rye whiskey category in centuries," says Jason Snopkoski, owner of Drinks For Days in Denver, CO. The first two releases rewrote the book on what rye could taste like in the modern era and it's only going to get better with each release.” 

[leopoldbros.com]