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49 Articles

The Spice of Life

It’s a great time to be a whisky drinker—okay, sometimes it’s harder to find those special releases than it used to be, mainly because whisky has become so incredibly popular. But it’s still a fabulous era, because quality across the board has never been higher. When it comes to variety, that’s an even better story. Name any whisky style, and you’ll find a wider array of choices nowadays than at any time in memory. All this is particularly true of rye whiskey, which is our focus for this issue. As rye’s popularity dwindled during the decades after Prohibition, by the late 20th century there were scarcely any ryes on the market at all—let alone any talk of a selection. But rye’s revival has inspired a new generation of distillers, and the…

The Spice of Life

For Jeff Lewis, buying a bottle of whisky but not opening it is a hard concept to swallow, so it’s safe to say that the bottles he scored as a result of winning Whisky Advocate’s 2021 Top 20 sweepstakes won’t stay sealed for long. “I typically have five to six varieties open at any given time,” he says. “[My wife Zoe and I] have read the tasting notes of each of the Top 3 whiskies, and they all sound amazing—we’ll definitely be opening them.” Along with a bottle of the 2021 Whisky of the Year, Lagavulin 11 year old Offerman Edition: Guinness Cask Finish, Harris will be receiving a bottle of Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Release: FAE-01 and Teeling Blackpitts, supplementing his shelves with single malt scotch, Kentucky bourbon,…

Dear Whisky Advocate…

WHISKY TIME TRAVEL Dear Whisky Advocate, I read with great interest and delight Jonny McCormick’s recent Tasting Lesson [Fall 2021] regarding the triggering of memories and special moments through the aromas of whisky as it relates to the biochemical similarities of aromatic compounds found in old books, leather, and wood. My own “Ratatouille moment” came through a dram of Lagavulin 16 offered to me by my old friend and guitar teacher on a stormy night while trying to work out a Doc Watson finger pick piece. The moment I lifted the glass to my nose, I was immediately transported back to the varnish and oil-soaked workbench of my great grandfather. It was a powerful and pleasant moment triggered by the congeners unlocked by the pouring of the peaty whisky, and I have…

History…and Whisky Galore!

Whether looking for a no-nonsense shot-and-beer bar or a fancy joint with a miles-deep whisky menu, a weekend in Philadelphia will provide. The city is eminently walkable, too. From any Center City hotel there are dozens of options for food, drinks, and attractions in one of America’s most historic cities. A walk down Broad Street—downtown Philadelphia’s main north-south drag—offers views of the city’s late-19th century City Hall, the Civil War-era Union League (now a private club), and the city’s leading arts venues, like the Kimmel Center and the Academy of Music. And just blocks east or west of Broad Street are some of the city’s best places to eat and drink. Staying in Center City is the best option for a mostly walkable trip, with convenient public transit that gives you…

History…and Whisky Galore!

As the Mint Julep—a combination of bourbon, sugar, mint, and ice—and the cocktails below prove, adding mint easily molds whisky into a spring beverage. “Mint lifts whisky up and enables it to be a lighter beverage than it normally plays,” says Tony Burgesen, bartender at The Bower in New Orleans. “Mint’s subtle sweetness melds effortlessly into the caramel and vanilla notes of most whisky, while the refreshing coolness of mint plays with the higher notes of whisky, like white pepper and grass.” The Cloverleaf Created by Bennett Hofer, bartender, Union Horse Bar, Lenexa, Kansas “Named after the racing pattern of a barrel race, this cocktail will take your taste buds for a ride,” Hofer says. “First the fresh and bright citrus notes activate your senses. Then the fresh mint combined with Chartreuse adds…

Rooting for Flavor

Root beer is a familiar flavor, and is frequently cited as a tasting note for bourbons and ryes. It has positive associations for most people who enjoy its sweet, smooth, spicy flavors, and evokes memories of root beer floats from our childhoods, of wiping the creamy foam away from our lips and playfully testing the buoyancy of that shrinking scoop of ice cream in the glass with our jabbing straws. The reason why root beer works as such a generous descriptor for whiskey is the spectrum of flavor across root beer types. Easily confused with sarsaparilla, which is traditionally made from the sarsaparilla vine, root beer was originally made from the roots of the sassafras plant. This contains a natural compound called safrole, or 4–allyl–1,2–methylenedioxy–benzene, which has a chemical structure found…

Rooting for Flavor

Pair Salmon With a Dram

Smoked salmon from Scotland is revered the world over, but it may surprise some to learn that Scottish salmon is a different species from those popular in the Pacific northwest. The Atlantic salmon is Scotland’s variety, while those fished in the Pacific include chinook, chum, coho, pink, and sockeye. Experts have their opinions on which are the best, but a more important consideration is whether the salmon was farmed or caught in the wild—the consensus being that wild-caught is best. chinook or sockeye, and the mildest taste found in farmed Atlantic salmon. Either way, a rich scotch single malt makes an ideal partner, with my wild-caught Atlantic fillet benefiting greatly from the accompanying richness and soft spiciness of Aberlour 12 year old. Now shift the fish from the stovetop to the…

Pair Salmon With a Dram

Teatime for Cocktails

From floral jasmine and earthy matcha to spiced chai and smoky lapsang souchong, tea is as variable and flavorful as whisky—and when you mix the two together, delicious things happen. “Versatile ingredients like tea really enhance my cocktail repertoire,” says Katie Auth, bartender at Raines Law Room and Joyface in New York City. “Tea’s acidity, bitterness, and tannic qualities can elevate other components in a drink.” Whisky-based Hot Toddies—a mixture of the spirit with hot tea, honey, and lemon—are classic, but cold tea also mixes well with whisky in cocktails. “Cold tea can be used on its own in such drinks as a whisky Highball, or you can make a tea syrup, which is an excellent way to integrate tea into a cold cocktail,” Auth says. “Simply mix together hot strong-brewed…

Teatime for Cocktails

Touching All the Bases with Whisky

In 2021, Adam Frazier added an MLB All-Star appearance to his resume and a few choice bottles of bourbon to his bar. “My collection’s kind of gotten out of control,” the second baseman says. “I think we’re up to 60 or 70 just from the season.” That’s in part because Frazier racked up accolades and alcohol at the same time, with Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton awarding bottles based on player performance. For example, Frazier got a bottle of Old Fitzgerald—Shelton’s favorite—for being named the starting second baseman for the National League All-Star team, while a bottle of Weller Special Reserve entered his collection with “0-2 to 4-2” scrawled across it in silver marker. Frazier, who finished the season with a .305 batting average, had turned an 0-2 count into a…

Touching All the Bases with Whisky

Spirit of Northern Italy

Grappa is often called brandy, but it really isn’t. A traditional spirit from northern Italy, it’s the invention of thrifty farmers who long ago began fermenting and distilling pomace—the skins, stems, seeds, and residual pulp left over after grapes have been pressed for winemaking. Over the generations, this simple agricultural product has been elevated to a higher plane—often to luxury status. While it’s difficult to know exactly when grappa was first distilled, Francesca Nonino, a sixth-generation distiller whose family makes Italy’s most famous grappa label, Nonino, dates it back to 15th century northeastern Italy. “Pomace was just considered the leftovers from winemaking and had very little value, but farmers who preferred not to waste anything understood its value—because it contains sugar and can be fermented and distilled,” she says. “Distilling at…

Spirit of Northern Italy

Five Grappas to Try

Capovilla Grappa di Ribolla Gialla Gravner, 51%, $120 Made from the pomace of 100% ribolla gialla grapes from Italian winemaker Josko Gravner, this grappa rests for several years in steel vats. A Japanese whisky enthusiast may be drawn to its aromas of sweet flowers, herbs, and grapes, and its fruity, vegetal, and herbaceous palate with warm, spicy notes on the finish. Nardini Grappa Riserva 3 year old, 40%, $44 This grappa is made from the pomace of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir, and friulano grapes from the Alpine foothills of the Friuli region of Italy. Aged in Slavonian oak barrels, it has flavors of almond, cherry, and vanilla, plus toasty notes from the oak and hints of spice, mint, and cocoa that may appeal to a rye or high-rye bourbon drinker. Nonino Vendemmia Riserva,…

Five Grappas to Try

Mix It Up in Derby City

When talk turns to the country’s best bourbon bars, Louisville definitely shines—especially during Kentucky Derby week. While favorites like Proof on Main, The Silver Dollar, and Bourbon’s Bistro are sure bets, these recent arrivals are well worth a wager. Hell or High Water Hell or High Water is a speakeasy located beneath the bustle of Main St., a few blocks from Louisville’s Whiskey Row. Enter through a hidden door and descend the narrow staircase to a softly lit cellar enclave, splashed out with red velvet booth seating and art deco style. While the bottle list is deep, cocktails are the best route. Menus are updated seasonally, and split between Hell (stronger, spirit-forward) and High Water (bright and refreshing). Recent offerings include Cardamum’s the Word, made with barrel-pick Russell’s Reserve bourbon, rum blanc, cardamom…

Mix It Up in Derby City

Charcuterie Delights

The French may have popularized charcuterie as we know it today—and gave it the name, which comes from their words for flesh (chair) and cooked (cuit)—but salting and smoking meats to preserve them dates back to at least ancient Rome. “Since there was only so much pork loin, beef rib eye, and tenderloin to go around, Romans would chop, mince, and grind all parts of the animal and stuff the innards with this meat, plus salt and spices, and then roast them over an open fire,” says Kevin Ouzts, owner, executive chef, and charcutier of The Spotted Trotter in Atlanta. While wine and cheese make a natural pairing, whisky and charcuterie are just as delicious together. The flavors you’ll find on a charcuterie board are similar to those of many whiskies—including…

Charcuterie Delights

Pair It With Whisky

Ardbeg Corryvreckan The salt and smoke of this single malt would stand up to the bite of the pork peperoncini while amplifying its saltiness. GlenDronach 12 year old Matured in Pedro Ximénez and oloroso casks, this scotch will heighten the creaminess of the ham while providing some spice to enhance its naturally rich flavor profile. W.L. Weller Special Reserve This wheated bourbon will complement the wine notes of the Calabrian salami and allow the garlic and spiced meat to shine while providing a backbone of muted oak and honey to help temper some of the spice. Hibiki Harmony This Japanese blend will tone down some of the spice of the black pepper sorghum salami while balancing the sour notes with honey and white chocolate. Four Roses Single Barrel This high-rye bourbon will contrast the creaminess and richness of the…

Make Your Own Charcuterie Board

Have the Right Tools “Always have the right cheese knife for the cheese you’re serving. Nothing is more annoying than trying to cut a thick, soft ripened cheese with a butter knife and having it stick all over,” Ouzts says. This goes for all of the items on the board: Make sure the serving utensil—whether it’s a sharp knife for hard cheese, a small spoon for condiments, or tongs for pickles—are functional and up to the specific task. As for the board itself, that’s up to you: Wooden cutting boards are popular, but anything food-safe works. Start Early You can put together your board several hours or even a day ahead of your gathering, but not before that; otherwise the items will all start to take on the flavors of one another. Keep…

Make Your Own Charcuterie Board

Crate and Barrel Monogrammed Serving Board $50 Composed of white marble and mango wood; 12.25”L x 6.75”W crateandbarrel.com Lynn & Liana Designs Large Acacia $100 Pictured in ocean vibes, other colors available; 20”L x 10 W“ lynnliana.com Williams Sonoma Olivewood Rectangular $70-$150 Available in three sizes ranging from 20” to 28” long. williams-sonoma.com Brooklyn Slate Board with Handles $65 Comes with padded feet and soapstone chalk for labeling; 18”L x 12”W brooklynslate.com…

Have Drams Will Travel

When heading out to a place suitable for whisky, taking some along in an insulated canteen can be a handy idea—particularly during the warmer months. We’ve selected five of the best such canteens for keeping your neat pour or cocktail at just the right temperature. Check out our picks—all light, sturdy, and stylish—for sharing a dram or cocktail away from home. Keith Titanium Ti3060 Mess Kit $159 Lightweight and durable, this canteen is made from grade 1 titanium, comes with a carrying pouch, and is dishwasher safe. amazon.com BrüMate Fifth 25 oz. $35 This glass-free vessel is triple-insulated, making it ideal for keeping your favorite whisky cocktail chilled while hanging out by the pool. brumate.com Corkcicle Origins 25 oz. $40 Count on a chilled drink for up to 25 hours or a warm cocktail for up…

Have Drams Will Travel

Above and Beyond the Glass

If not for a weekly family dinner with the in-laws, the Bellingham Bourbon Society (BBS) might never have formed. The Bellingham, Washington-based whiskey club was born from that very tradition—every week, co-founder Devin Wolf would sit down for Sunday supper with his wife’s family, and soon enough, a dram was added to the evening’s proceedings. “[Those whiskey tastings] quickly became part of our family dinner routine, and the idea [for a club] blossomed from there,” says Wolf. “My in-laws and I found a common interest in whiskey, and the BBS came about from our talks on Sunday nights.” Wolf and the society’s other co-founders—his three brothers-in-law and father-in-law—were regularly meeting to taste whiskey as early as 2013, but BBS’s first formal tasting took place in 2017 and the club began meeting…

Above and Beyond the Glass

The Cryptowhisky World

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or digital certificates of ownership, became a hot property across many goods in 2021, and it didn’t take long for whisky to join the fray. With such remarkable growth in whisky investment over the last decade, can the trade in whisky NFTs open up new horizons? Trailblazers envisage a world where collectors need only exchange tokens of ownership representing rare whiskies rather than physical bottles. This would save the need to ship bottles, with the added reassurance that the technology behind the token guarantees the whisky’s authenticity and provenance. “Our goal at BlockBar is to attract a multitude of consumers, from whisky enthusiasts to newfound collectors, while also tapping into an audience of crypto experts and those buying their first NFT,” says BlockBar co-founder Dov Falic, whose company…

The Cryptowhisky World

Race Day Drinks

The Mint Julep is synonymous with the Kentucky Derby. On the first Saturday in May, Kentuckians everywhere feel it’s only proper to have a Mint Julep in hand while belting out “My Old Kentucky Home” before horses and jockeys parade onto the track. At Churchill Downs, more than 120,000 Mint Juleps are served over the course of the day. There’s even a $1,000 version served in a collectible silver julep cup, sponsored annually by Woodford Reserve to benefit charity. While the Mint Julep has been served at every Kentucky Derby since the first one in 1875—the first official souvenir glass was offered at the 1939 Derby after fans absconded with many unofficial glasses the prior year—the drink’s origins are much older. “The Julep is basically a specific type of cordial,” says…

Race Day Drinks

Maple Flavors Hit Whiskey’s Sweet Spot

Whiskey can naturally have the flavor or texture of syrup, but distillers are now adding a touch of additional sweetness to their bourbons and ryes. Take the approachability of flavored whiskey, remove the added sugar, up the proof, toss in an element of craft collaboration, and you have syrup-finished whiskey. Iron Fish Distillery in Michigan has embraced maple flavors, inspired by the state’s robust maple syruping activity. “Our vision from the very beginning was to incorporate maple in a variety of product extensions that embraced the heritage of Northern Michigan,” says co-founder Richard Anderson. Taconic Distillery in New York’s Hudson Valley takes a similar approach, working with a nearby syrup producer for its Double Barrel Maple bourbon. Tuthilltown Spirits Distillery, also in the Hudson Valley, has offered a maple syrup-finished whiskey since…

Maple Flavors Hit Whiskey’s Sweet Spot

Maple Syrup Finishes That Stick the Landing

Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Cask Proof Maple Finished 60%/Varies, $90 What’s Inside: 100% rye whiskey finished for about a year in Catoctin barrels once filled with certified-organic maple syrup from Mill Gap Farms in Virginia. Distillery 291 M Colorado Rye 63.45%/Varies, $105 What’s Inside: Aspen wood stave-finished rye whiskey that receives a 4-month secondary finish in Distllery 291 whiskey barrels that previously held maple syrup from Lincoln Country Reserve in Wisconsin. Hudson Short Stack 46%, $55 What’s Inside: Rye whiskey finished up to 6 months in Hudson whiskey barrels that were then used by Woods Vermont Syrup Company to age maple syrup. Kosher certified. Iron Fish Bourbon Finished in Maple Syrup Barrels 43%, $45 What’s Inside: Bourbon finished for 6 months to a year in maple syrup barrels from Griner Family Sugar Bush in Michigan. Taconic Distillery Double Barrel Maple Bourbon 45%, $50 What’s…

Whisky at the 19th Hole

A bucket-list round of golf deserves an equally exceptional post-round pour. Yet, when it comes to whisky collections, America’s most exemplary golf resorts are not all created equal. Here’s a look at five esteemed golf clubs and resorts with exceptional whisky lists. The Winery Bar at The American Club Resort Kohler, Wis. The Winery Bar doesn’t specialize in what its name suggests. Yes, you can order more than two dozen wines by the glass, and The Immigrant Restaurant, recipient of Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence, which is adjacent to the bar, offers an extensive wine list by the bottle. But when you’re seated in one of the 10 chairs at the bar, the headliner is whisky—with a collection of nearly 300. “It’s such an exciting time to be a whisky drinker,”…

Whisky at the 19th Hole

An Irish Infatuation

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…

An Irish Infatuation

Matthew Kelley Irish Whiskey Super-Fan

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…

Rules for Rye Collectors

Booming cocktail sales, a shortage of mature rye whiskey, and the user-friendliness of online auctions have combined to generate significant interest in rye as a collectible. Niche rye barrel picks have now become trophy whiskeys worth tens of thousands of dollars on the secondary market. When building a rye whiskey collection, categorize your prospective purchases into the following four groups. •Pre-Prohibition era bottlings. These include Old Monongahela ryes and other 19th century relics. They periodically turn up at auction, but are less suitable for the novice collector because they can attract fairly high bids and are often in poor condition. Antique whiskeys can also be an easy target for fraudsters to fake or refill with modern distillate. Do your research diligently before you buy. •Single barrels and limited editions. These can range…

Rules for Rye Collectors

Craft’s Gift to the World

In the early days of craft whiskey distilling, it was common for aspiring distillers to set themselves in opposition to the big players. All sorts of wild claims were made. Craft spirits will be so much better, they predicted, and the spirits giants will die practically overnight. It hasn’t happened, because the premise was never true. What the big distillers lacked in the whiskey space was innovation and creativity, not quality. Innovation usually meant novel packaging, a slightly non-standard bottling proof or age claim, or yet another tedious round of forgettable cocktail recipes. At first, the craft folks struggled to make good on even their most basic promises. Too often, we were sold overpriced liquid that was rough, unaged, or underaged and needed all the creativity of the emerging craft mixology community…

Craft’s Gift to the World

Influenced by the “Norm”

Whenever Norm Peterson stepped through the doorway on NBC’s “Cheers” and proclaimed “Afternoon, everybody,” his fellow barflies would holler back “Norrrmmm!” in perfect unison. Perfect, that is, apart from Diane (Shelley Long), who was always a beat behind. As Norm, played by actor George Wendt, flapped out of his raincoat and strode across the floor, he would snap back a droll rejoinder to Coach’s inquiry about the world with brilliant comic timing, claim his usual bar stool, and raise a glass of cold suds to his lips. You now might feel the urge to stream a supercut of Norm Peterson making his entrance before we carry on. S’okay, I get it. When you drink with company, it’s often norms—the common noun, if not the name—that shape our drinking behavior. If you…

Influenced by the “Norm”

It’s a brilliant movie, about a trio of Englishmen on a road trip to scatter an old pal’s ashes in the sea. It’s also a tour de geezer for a bunch of the best actors of an aging generation, so go downloading. The title is a play on the deceased’s final request and the Brit version of what we refer to as “last call” in the U.S. The movie called to mind the worst last call I’ve ever suffered, along with the oddest liquor law. ‘Twas the Saturday after Thanksgiving in Seattle during the Johnson administration—Lyndon, not Andrew—and I was standing behind two old pals on barstools in a boite we’d never frequented before. We were talking about the Sunday dryness of the town and how the locals had just voted…

The Pleasures of RYE

TO UNDERSTAND rye whiskey’s remarkable revival, one first needs to understand the modern renaissance of the cocktail—because both have followed the same curve. As America moved through the latter half of the 20th century, rye had become about as unfashionable as the top hat and cane. In the mists of childhood Christmases past, I can recall rye as a drink favored by my great-aunt Mary, who always requested it—rye being her shorthand for a Manhattan. The rye in the home liquor cabinet was Old Overholt, the workhorse of rye’s wilderness years. My dear old auntie certainly knew how to appreciate rye, but she was part of an aging, dwindling generation of devotees. It was a bleak time for rye whiskey, and years would pass before its revival would show even a…

The Pleasures of RYE

The Spectrum of Rye, From Low to High

RYE CONTENT 51% Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond 50% • $28 51% Pikesville 55% • $50 51% Elijah Craig 47% • $30 53% Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select 45.2% • $35 56% Wilderness Trail Settlers Select 51.5% • $62 65% Old Forester 50% • $23 70% Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel 47% • $46 70% FEW Spirits 46.5% • $40 80% Finger Lakes McKenzie 45% • $43 95% Tincup 45% • $30 95% Redemption Pre-Prohibition Rye Revival 46% • $30 95% Hudson Do the Rye Thing 46% • $40 95% Bulleit 95 45% • $25 100% Old Potrero 6 Year Old 48.5% • $65 100% Coalition Barrel Proof 54.4% • $130…

The Spectrum of Rye, From Low to High

A Road Map for Rye

From mainstream to farmto-glass expressions, the world of rye whiskey presents a wealth of choices. It’s a far cry from a decade ago, when rye drinkers’ options were limited to only a handful of labels. And despite its reputation as a wildly spicy spirit, rye comes in all sorts of flavor profiles—from boldly spiced to sweet and mellow. We’ve created this guide for whiskey lovers to navigate rye’s tasty terrain. Under $30 Old Forester 50% • $23 RYE IN MASHBILL 65% WA RATING 88 Fruity, nutty, cinnamon, orange, ginger, pecan, rich chocolate, and chile pepper Bulleit 95 45% • $25 RYE IN MASHBILL 95% WA RATING 88 Sweet vanilla, honey, tropical fruit, citrus, peppery spices, caraway, and licorice George Dickel 45% • $25 RYE IN MASHBILL Not disclosed WA RATING 90 Lemon drops, candied orange slices, deeper berry notes, spice,…

A Road Map for Rye

The New Rye Cocktails

The 21st century’s cocktail culture has had a fellow traveler—rye whiskey. In fact, it can be argued that rye, with its bold flavors that stand up so well in mixed drinks, has been the catalyst for the entire cocktail boom. In any case, rye mixology certainly encapsulates America’s ongoing whiskey renaissance, from its very beginnings to the current day. “When I grew up in the business there were not many choices [for rye],” says Mike Vacheresse, who has been bartending for over three decades and is the current owner of Travel Bar in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. Today, with eager mixologists whipping up new recipes for cocktail classics of a bygone era, the call has gone out for all sorts of rye whiskeys. Most American distillers are now making rye,…

The New Rye Cocktails

5 New Rye Cocktails to Try

Feeling Single, Seeing Double Mike Vacheresse, Travel Bar, Brooklyn Serves 1 2 oz. cherry-infused Stellum rye (or other 95% rye; recipe below)1 cherry liqueur-infused ice cube (recipe below) Shake cherry-infused rye with ice, then strain into a coupe. Place one skewered cherry liqueur-infused ice cube into glass. Cherry-Infused Rye 4 oz. dried cherries1 750 ml bottle Stellum rye (or other 95% rye) Soak 4 ounces of dried cherries with a full bottle of rye in a sealed glass container at room temperature for 2 weeks. Remove cherries and reserve for ice (see below). Strain and bottle cherry-infused rye and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. Cherry-Infused Ice Cubes 4 oz. rye-infused dried cherries½ oz. Rapa Giovanni cherry liqueurWater to fill ice cube trays Place one rye-soaked cherry in each one-inch square of a silicone ice cube tray.…

5 New Rye Cocktails to Try

The Roots of American Rye

Danko, Abruzzi, and Rosen may sound like a law firm, or a not so hip 70s rock band. But you’ll hear the names being bandied about at small distilleries around the U.S. They are heirloom varietals of rye—grains that had all but disappeared from American farming until about a decade ago, when craft distillers began seeking out local farmers to grow them. Their aim is to restore long-vanished rye whiskey styles, and these forgotten rye strains may be their key to success. It hasn’t been an easy endeavor, but distillers believe the resulting differences make it all worthwhile. Farmers mainly use rye as a cover crop—planting it in the fall and plowing it under in the spring or summer, for the purpose of keeping the soil in place during winter. Larger…

The Roots of American Rye

LIVING LA VIDA LOCAL

Frey Ranch Bottled in Bond 50% • $60 WA SCORE 93 RYE TYPE Prima RYE SOURCE Frey Ranch’s own farm in Fallon, Nevada MASHBILL 100% rye Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Cask Strength 60% • $90 WA SCORE 92 RYE TYPE Ryman, Haslett, and Brasetto RYE SOURCE Leesburg, Virginia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania MASHBILL 100% rye Hudson Do The Rye Thing 46% • $40 WA SCORE 90 RYE TYPE Not specified winter rye RYE SOURCE Hudson Valley, N.Y. MASHBILL 95% rye, 5% malted barley Dad’s Hat 47.5% • $55 WA SCORE 88 RYE TYPE Danko and Prima RYE SOURCE Meadowbrook Farms, Riegelsville, Pa. MASHBILL 80% rye, 5% malted rye, and 15% malted barley Leopold Bros. Three Chamber Bottled in Bond 50% • $250 WA SCORE 88 RYE TYPE Abruzzi RYE SOURCE A farm “in a little town up the road” from the distillery, according to distiller Todd Leopold, in Longmont, Colo. MASHBILL 80% Abruzzi rye, 20%…

LIVING LA VIDA LOCAL

Pennsylvania is the cradle of American whiskey making, ruling the American landscape in the 19th century with many hundreds of distilleries. Like Kentucky, the Keystone State had a mix of large and small producers, many of them started by farmer-distillers. But unlike Kentucky, very few of them were making bourbon. Rye was king in Pennsylvania, especially in the Monongahela (muh-non-ga-HEY-luh) River valley in the southwestern part of the state. Revolutionary War veteran John Large started distilling rye whiskey on the Monongahela (Mon) tributary of Peters Creek in 1796—and brought in his son Jonathan as well. Jonathan was succeeded by his son Henry, and the Large family distillery became renowned for its high-quality rye, eventually winning 10 gold medals at expositions from Paris in 1900 to Rio de Janeiro in 1923. Large…

12 WHISKIES YOU FORGOT YOU LOVE

Rediscovering a forgotten whisky can be like finding a lost love. Remember how delighted and Rdazzled you were by all those great drams when you first started exploring whisky? Those early block builders are often forgotten—eclipsed by the perpetual seduction of new discoveries. Our advice: don’t always be so quick to move on. Take a moment to rediscover your whisky-loving roots, and find some time for the whiskies you forgot you love. SINGLE MALT SCOTCH Glenfiddich 12 year old • 40% • $55 Launched in 1999, Glenfiddich sells around 10.5 million bottles of this 12 year old Speyside single malt every year. “The distillery process continues to be exactly the same as it was decades ago, with traditional mash tuns, wooden washbacks, and unusually small stills,” says Glenfiddich malt master Brian Kinsman. Matured…

12 WHISKIES YOU FORGOT YOU LOVE

TENNESSEE In the Limelight

Less than a decade ago, a tour of Tennessee’s whiskey distilleries would have taken you to Jack Daniel, George Dickel (now Cascade Hollow), and family-owned Prichard’s, and that would have been it. Tennessee distilling remained within this small circle of three until the mid-2000s—despite the state being home to the world’s biggest-selling American whiskey, Jack Daniel’s, and laying claim to distilling roots dating back to 1771. The reason for this oddity can be summed up in one word: temperance. Just prior to the Civil War, Tennessee was producing enough whiskey for the Confederate government to place a wartime ban on production in order to maintain grain supplies. In the post-war years, the temperance movement gathered steam, and by the time Prohibition was enacted in 1920, some 33 states already were enforcing…

TENNESSEE In the Limelight

THE NASHVILLE WHISKEY SCENE

Tennessee's capital city of Nashville boasts a lively craft whiskey scene, robustly supported by its acclaimed music, barbecue, and bar venues. At the edge of the city’s Watkins Park neighborhood is Nelson’s Green Brier, housed in the former Marathon Automobile factory. Here, past meets present: The Nelson’s Green Brier name first appeared back in 1870, when Charles Nelson began distilling whiskey in the town of Greenbrier, 25 miles north of Nashville. Nelson’s distillery shut down in 1909, and today his descendants Andy and Charlie are bringing back the family business, opening the modern iteration of Nelson’s Green Brier in 2009 and making whiskey in-house since 2014. While waiting for its whiskey to age, the company has released sourced Indiana bourbon under the Belle Meade name. The revived Green Brier label, which…

THE NASHVILLE WHISKEY SCENE

The Lincoln County Process

If not for Lincoln County—a 571 square-mile rural area on the border of Alabama—Tennessee whiskey might be indistinguishable, at least by technical standards, from bourbon. Both whiskey types share the same basic rules: the mash needs to be at least 51% corn, distilled to a maximum of 80% ABV, aged in new charred American oak, have a barrel entry ABV maximum of 62.5%, and bottled at a minimum of 40%. Yet even with all those similarities, some tasters point to clear differences, with Tennessee whiskeys often considered softer and mellower in flavor. One reason is the Lincoln County Process, which is integral to Tennessee’s signature style. This method first materialized (at least by name—its actual history goes back thousands of years) in Tennessee during the mid-1800s and was then known as…

The Lincoln County Process

12 TENNESSEE WHISKEYS TO TRY

95 George Dickel 15 year old Single Barrel (No. L2029-5k-1010), 52.3%, $60 Corn, peanuts, brown-sugar oatmeal, and maple candy. Add a little water and orange peel and Luxardo cherry appear, creating an instant Old Fashioned. 93 Jack Daniel’s 10 year old, 48.5%, $70 Sweet cherry notes and wood spice swirl around the nose and palate, integrating with baking spice, brown sugar, candied orange, and melted butterscotch. No. 4 in our 2021 Top 20. 92 Benjamin Prichard’s, 40%, $45 The nose reflects bright aromas including caramel, cinnamon, and oak, with sweet caramel corn, soft cinnamon, and black pepper on the palate. 9O Corsair Dark Rye Rye Malt, 42.5%, $42 Silky-smooth with a light sweetness of crème brûlée, yellow birthday cake, burnt walnuts, and a touch of earthiness. 9O Peg Leg Porker 8 year old Bourbon, 46.35%, $85 A candied nose…

12 TENNESSEE WHISKEYS TO TRY

A WHISKY LOVER’S SPRING FEAST

Springtime may have arrived, but that doesn’t mean that memories of winter have vanished: In much of the country, cooler nights still remind us of the season that just passed. It’s a time of year that still calls for comforting, richer foods, even as we look toward summertime’s bounty of fresh vegetables and lighter fare. With this in mind, we enlisted the expertise of executive chef Matt Bernero, executive pastry chef Carla Henriques, and bar manager Adam Montgomerie of Hawksmoor, the New York City outpost of the beloved London original, to create a menu that pairs with a range of whiskies. This trio created a meat-focused menu because, as Mongomerie explains, “The depth in flavor and character achieved by aging whisky and beef makes for a natural marriage between the two.”…

A WHISKY LOVER’S SPRING FEAST

The scotch section of this issue’s Buying Guide is replete with ultra-aged gems, though nearly all are extremely limited and carry rarified prices to match. One fun exception is Cutty Sark 12 year old, reviewed as part our 12 Whiskies You Forgot You Loved feature story. This Cutty expression scored 90 points, and carries a bargain price of $27. The cherry picking becomes a bit easier in the American whiskey sections, with bourbon offering 15 whiskeys at 90+, some at quite reasonable prices. The 90+ ryes in the group also plentiful, with 14 selections in all and some being even better bargains. Ireland was a good spot for ferreting out value, notably with The Whistler’s two 90+-point releases coming in at $40. But Irish whiskey also channels its luxury side here,…

WHISKY ADVOCATE SELECTIONS

Best Values Whiskies with solid scores, modest prices, and wide availability. BLENDED IRISH 92 The Whistler Imperial Stout Cask Finish (Batch 002), 43%, $40 Deploying sherry casks seasoned with O’Hara’s Brewery’s stout, this delivers a delightful balance of fresh fruit and chocolate notes, with aromas of sweet vanilla, malt, coffee, orange, and melon. Charming sherry and light berry notes initially, a beautiful slow-paced development from the stout influence ensues, as the texture thickens satisfyingly with citrus, gentle spices, vine fruit, ginger nuts, crystalized pineapple, malty chocolate, and mocha. (3,000 bottles for the U.S.)—JM BLENDED SCOTCH 90 Cutty Sark 12 year old, 40%, $27 Returning this stalwart, the first new Cutty Sark since La Martiniquaise took charge of the ship, seemed a safe bet, but they’ve done it so well. Apricot, golden sultana, caramel, honeydew melon, honey, and…

WHISKY ADVOCATE SELECTIONS

ABOUT THE BUYING GUIDE

The Buying Guide provides ratings of whiskies from around the world with an emphasis on new releases available for purchase in the U.S. Complete tasting notes are provided for all whiskies scoring 84 points or more (on the Whisky Advocate 100-point scale). Lower-scoring whiskies are included at the discretion of the editors, and some may appear exclusively on whiskyadvocate.com. RATINGS AND PRICES Ratings are to provide a relative comparison of quality with reference to both directly competing products and whiskies in general. Price is not a consideration when arriving at ratings. Prices shown reflect the suggested retail price or a representative retail price. Actual retail prices may vary. Whiskies sold in the U.S. have prices marked in dollars; any whisky priced in other currency is not presently available in the U.S. FEATURED WHISKIES Groups of…

FOCUS ON Dalmore Decades

No stranger to luxury, Dalmore released one of the highest-priced collections of the year with its No. 5 Collection, which includes expressions with ages spanning five decades. Worldwide, only 15 numbered sets were released. The launch included a single No. 6 Collection that included a sixth bottle—Dalmore 1951—that sold for $899,305 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, plus a non-fungible token (NFT) of the four-bottle No. 4 Collection, which sold for $137,000 on BlockBar. Beyond simply being a masterclass in oloroso sherry maturation, handpicked vintage port casks and select wine barrels have been deployed to enhance the depth of flavor, while each bottle is tied to an important moment in the distillery’s history. 95 The Dalmore Decades 53 year old “Expertly Composed Spirit” 1967, 42.5%, $275,000/5 bottle set One to study intensely; the aromas…

FOCUS ON Dalmore Decades

Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach Kylebeg Wood

Seven oaks were felled in Kylebeg Wood in 2015 for the virgin Irish oak hogsheads used in this fourth Dair Ghaelach release, part of a project dating back to 2008 uniting themes of biodiversity, sustainability, and traceability around Irish oak. Whiskeys matured for 13 to 25 years in first-fill and refill American oak bourbon barrels were finished in these lightly toasted Irish oak casks for 15 months, the open structure of the wood readily adding color and flavor to the single pot still whiskeys. Across the release, we found a spectrum of whiskey aromas but a consistency of caramel, fruit, and toffee flavors on the palate, with subtle differences in sweetness and spice. 92 Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaleach Kylebeg Wood (Tree 5), 56%, $340 A delicious nose of heather honey, baked…

Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaelach Kylebeg Wood

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