Whiskey is thriving all throughout America and new bars are popping up in every state. Whiskey distilleries are keeping busy producing small-batch bourbons and much more!
American whiskey is here to stay for a long, long time. What makes a whiskey American is its blend of rye, corn, barley, and wheat. The majority used charred oak barrels for aging, but some distilleries have their own quirks.
Bourbon can only be made in the US, but rye can be produced elsewhere. However, when rye is produced outside of the US, it’s no longer considered American whiskey.
American whiskey doesn’t just revolve around bourbon and rye -- there are also plenty of new whiskey styles from modern microdistilleries. And why not try a sip of sweeter, friendlier, and more affordable American scotch varieties?
Attend our upcoming whiskey event and get a discount on regular ticket prices! Use code DWF! Click below!
Here’s Social Scene’s list of our top 10 American whiskeys! Check it out below -- cheers!
1. Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
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Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon comes from the Sazerac Company and is part of the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Collection. The name comes from Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr.’s legacy as the founding father of the bourbon industry.
The drink gives you a palate of sweet caramel corn with butterscotch flavors. There are also hints of licorice in the blend and a soft aftertaste. You are then left with subtle tobacco and spicy flavors for the finish.
2. Ironroot Harbinger Bourbon
Ironroot Republic Distillery, 3111 Loy Lake Rd, Denison, TX 75020
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Ironroot Harbinger Bourbon is the flagship bourbon of Ironroot Republic Distillery. It is over-proof, non-chilled filtered sipping bourbon that carries the soul of Ironroot.
This whiskey is aged for up to 7 years and has a fresh and complex nose. The aroma gives you the complexity of red fruits, orange marmalade, and maple syrup. The palate has baking spices and red fruit amongst the rich, dark sugary taste. The finish is medium rich, leaving you with a reminder of how delicious it was.
3. Uncle Nearest 1820 Nearest Green™ Single Barrel Edition
3125 US-231 North, Shelbyville, TN 37160
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The Uncle Nearest 1820 Nearest Green™ Single Barrel Edition is aged for a minimum of 11 years. Its cask strength is above 108 and each bottle is approved and hand-picked by whiskey masters.
This rare barrel is truly worth the wait. It is exceptionally rare for any premium whiskey from Uncle Nearest to come from a single barrel, so each bottle is considered exquisite and one of a kind.
4. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength, Port Finish
Angel's Envy Distillery, 500 E Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
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Angel’s Envy Cask Strength, Port Finish is matured in port wine casks and blended in small batches (8 to 12 barrels). It takes 6 years for the blend to age before it’s finished in ruby port wine casks.
This bourbon has a nose of maple syrup, raisins, subtle vanilla, and toasted nuts. The taste gives you maple syrup as well, along with vanilla, bitter chocolate, and ripe fruit. Expect a clean sweetness with Madeira hints that lingers for a while before fading out.
Attend our upcoming whiskey event and get a discount on regular ticket prices! Use code DWF! Click below!
5. Peerless Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company, 120 N 10th St, Louisville, KY 40202
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The Peerless Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is barreled at 107 proof and made with a complex sweet mash that contributes to its sweet flavor. After a process of no-chill filtering, it’s put in a bottle designed to catch anyone’s attention.
One look at this fine bourbon and you already know that it’s special. It’s hand-crafted from grain to bottle, and the distillery makes sure to take its time. The result is an authentic bourbon that you can’t find anywhere else.
6. Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon
Four Roses Distillery, 1224 Bonds Mill Road, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
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The Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon is mellow and well-balanced. It can be enjoyed straight, on the rocks, or mixed into your favorite cocktails. This drink has been masterfully selected and matured to attain its peak flavor.
Expect a nose of sweet oak, mellow spice, caramel, and rich fruit. The palate opens up with ripened red berries and dried spice, staying on the mellow side while maintaining the richness and perfect balance of the flavors. You are then treated to a pleasant, smooth, soft, and long finish.
7. Master’s Keep Wild Turkey Cornerstone Rye
Wild Turkey® Distilling, 1417 Versailles Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
A high-end bottle that all serious rye lovers should own (Photo from Wild Turkey’s Facebook page)
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Master’s Keep Wild Turkey Cornerstone Rye is part of Wild Turkey’s rye bottle series. The barrels are aged between 9 and 11 years in order to produce a rye with a luxurious, vibrant flavor.
The nose has a very sweet and rustic aroma with green apple, oaky pine, orange rind, lemon zest, and honey scents. The taste gives you cinnamon roll and green apple sweetness followed by heavy oak, mint, and burnt butterscotch blends. It has a hard and dry finish complemented by rye spice, black pepper, cocoa, and clove hints.
8. Old Forester 2019 Birthday Bourbon
Old Forester Distilling Company, 119 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202
A unique, multidimensional bourbon (Photo from Old Forester’s Facebook page)
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The Old Forester 2019 Birthday Bourbon has one of the highest proofs to date for this type of expression. It’s bottled from 11-year barrels at 105 proof and is specially selected for the birthday bourbon’s unique character.
Its aroma is dominated by toffee and butterscotch, but you can still smell hints of cornbread and sweet melon. For the palate, expect blackcurrant and rich oak spice. There are also plenty of warm notes with caramel cake, light maple, and floral hints. The finish gives you a long peppermint tea flavor with honey sweetness and Szechuan peppercorn.
9. W.L. Weller 12-Year: The Original Wheated Bourbon
Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
A beautifully colored and top-notch wheated bourbon (Photo from Old Forester’s Facebook page)
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W.L. Weller 12-Year: The Original Wheated Bourbon is aged for 12 years, longer than other wheated bourbons. This means that the liquor is smoother, more balanced, and more easy-going, and holds a deep and mesmerizing bronze hue.
You are treated to aromas of corn, toasty vanilla, almond, creamed corn, and lanolin. The taste is heavily wheated and moderately sweet but definitely layered perfectly. The long finish is intense, smooth, and oaky.
Attend our upcoming whiskey event and get a discount on regular ticket prices! Use code DWF! Click below!
10. King’s County Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon
Kings County Distillery, 299 Sands St, Brooklyn, NY 11205
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The King’s County Bottled in Bond Straight Bourbon comes from 80% New York State organic corn and 20% English malted barley. It is distilled twice in copper pot stills and matured in new charred oak barrels.
Expect a drink that’s filled with holiday spice and vanilla. You’ll also encounter a dominant caramel flavor as you continue sipping. This is considered to be one of the best non-Kentucky bourbons.
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References:
https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2019/08/top-10-award-winning-american-whiskeys/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/fredminnick/2019/12/21/best-american-whiskey-a-taste-off/
https://www.insidehook.com/article/booze/favorite-bourbon-2019-peerless
https://www.fatherly.com/gear/best-whiskies-2019/
https://hiconsumption.com/best-bourbon-whiskey/
Grechelle Magbanua
Professional Content Writer
Social Scene
