Poached pears, peaches, and other soft cooked fruit aromas, along with sweeter notes of honey and brown sugar. The mouthfeel is soft and gently sweet, with pear tart, baked apple, ginger, cinnamon, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate and spice, with water bringing out alluring spice and sweet fruit. The finish offers melon, vanilla bean, burnt brown sugar, and gingerbread cookies. (8,400 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Baked apples and caramel candies float above a dark, almost burnt smokiness on the nose. The autumnal aromas take the lead while maple sugar, vanilla cream, and sweet malt sing backup. On the palate, caramel apples, mint ice cream, and a prominent maltiness shine through, backed with some new oak, raspberry syrup, and a breakfast-cereal graininess. The lengthy finish delivers grilled apples, cinnamon spice, and a whisper of char.

Reviewed by: Shane English (Spring 2022)

From its distinctive triangular bottle, the nose boasts green apple, creamy vanilla, short bread, fragrant dry spices, zested orange, white florals, and a hint of pear and white grape. The palate is smooth and scrumptious, opening with delicious apple and vanilla sponge sweetness, briefly interrupted by pepper and cloves, with satisfying notes of chocolate, dried fruit, and citrus peel to follow. It’s time to reacquaint your palate with this classic.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

Steel yourself for a spicy encounter of cinnamon, cardamom, and seasoned oak spices, combining effortlessly with notes of walnut, vanilla, tropical fruits, blossom honey, and water biscuit. The flavors approach the cask-strength spicy summit with toffee, dried fruit, and apricot, followed by green melon, malted barley, and chocolate on the other side. Perfectly decent, but it occupies more familiar virgin oak territory than its contemporaries.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

Sweet toffee, whole lemon, rose-scented air freshener, black pepper, charred oak, crème anglaise, green apple, and a hint of spearmint. The palate is sweet too, showcasing an array of barley notes, caramel, cinnamon, and chocolate, developing more malty characteristics that draw in cocoa and notes of peppermint. The finish is gentle with cocoa with a soft oakiness.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

A triple-distilled creation from master blender Noel Sweeney, best known for his work at Cooley Distillery, this hits the nose with bold roasted spices, cooked apple, cola, raisin, leather, wax polish, dry roasted nuts, and a whiff of dates. The flavors gently ramp up, beginning with soft ginger spices and root beer, through to baked orange, Bramley apple, cherry gummy bears, and fresh fig territory. More to come, we hope. (Minnesota only)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

Fragrant aromas of fresh fruit and caraway on the nose, with dried banana, buttered corn, black currant, raspberry coulis, and preserves being jarred for winter, along with an earthy warehouse note. Smooth and sweet on the palate, with hints of orange peel, candied orange, cocoa, and root beer. The finish is long and pleasurable, if perhaps a bit less complex than the palate, ending with a reprise of lovely earthiness balancing the fruit.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

An easy-to-love combination of honey, ground almond, meringue, fudge, nutmeg, Horlicks, and vanilla ice cream on the nose. This really hits its stride the longer you savor it, beginning with apple juice, brown sugar, nutty fudge, and spices—cinnamon, pepper, clove, and chile—then serves up notes of apple pie with a sweet pastry crust, becoming appetizingly malty and ending with Penderyn’s characteristically dry finish. (U.S. exclusive, 1,207 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

This is a total fruit bomb, with cranberries, cherry tart, wild strawberries, underripe blueberries, berry cobbler, fruit snacks, and lemon pound cake on the nose. That fruit carries through to the palate, but it becomes less one-note, and vanilla frosting, honey, hints of graham cracker, and maple syrup abound. The finish is sweet and balanced, a lovely marriage of berries, fresh lemon juice, dark chocolate, and a whisper of oak char. (4,200 bottles)

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Spring 2022)

Very malt-forward, with the grain aromas pleasant and sweet, accompanied by whiffs of pine nuts and pepper spice. The palate is malty and well-textured, though it seems young, and offers notes of candied watermelon, poached pears, and red apple slices. Lots of maltiness on the finish as well, with chocolate spice and vibrant fresh fruit notes of apple and peach. A pleasant whiskey that perhaps needs a bit more maturity.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Orange, vanilla, and sweet licorice candies meld with spice cabinet, herb-garden freshness, and a hint of lemon peel, against earthy, aromatic grain and oak. Dark chocolate, allspice, cocoa, and whipped cream on the palate, along with roasted almonds and a bit of lemon. The finish is long, smooth, and well-textured, offering notes of chocolate malt, nutmeg, and chocolate-covered almonds. A spiced chocolate bakery profile, with the sweetness kept in balance.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

The annual sherry-finished rye release from Iowa’s Templeton Distillery. Sweet notes of honey, butterscotch, and raisins meld with buttered peanuts, grape, and orange oil on the nose. The palate is very creamy and filled with flavors of sweet grain, candied strawberries, milk chocolate, and a sprinkling of allspice. The finish is long, rich, well-balanced, and packed with berries and dark fruit notes. Sweetness and spice partner to good effect.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Very fresh and fragrant, with scents of lime grove, fresh dill, and a whiff of new oak, plus citrus and black pepper. It’s a hot one, but water quells it and brings out flavors of black coffee and chocolate, spiced with chile pepper and coriander powder. A young taste profile and a finish without much length, but offering more tasty notes of spiced chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee on the finish. (3,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Rich, layered, and packed with signature notes from the range, the nose brings forth honey, caramel, sweet apple, poached pear, smoked orange peel, and baked citrus notes. The core flavors riff between citrus, runny caramels, gingersnap, and vanilla, but there are punchy spices, pear, and nutty almond notes too. The finish encircles ginger, orange peel, and hints of chocolate.—JM

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)

Ripe fruits and cooked peaches on the nose, a hint of pipe tobacco, earth, and ash, with notes of smoke and barrel char. The palate is smooth and well-balanced, with sweet tobacco, leather, and stone fruit. The finish is lengthy and spiced, with more barrel char and leather, honey, ripe fruit, and a hint of smoke. Needs time to mellow in the glass, and then becomes complex and engaging. (13,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Spring 2022)

Orange zest, stewed pears, and sliced watermelon spar with apple pie a la mode and chocolate syrup on the nose. The palate is rich and seesaws between crisp apple tartness and lightly ashy oak. The whiskey’s heat is noticeable, and water draws out spice, bitter orange, and additional burnt oak. The finish is vibrant but short, with high-cacao dark chocolate, vanilla latte, and burnt oak—this whiskey’s calling card. (22,500 bottles)

Reviewed by: Shane English (Spring 2022)

This is a bit shy on the nose at first, yielding a mild mustiness that calls to mind meandering up and down the aisles of an antique shop. After spending more time with it, fruit comes forward: strawberry syrup, cherry-dipped soft serve, tart ripe raspberries, and orange peel. Light fruit leads the palate, with raspberry jam and dark chocolate-covered bing cherries comple mented by Big Red gum. The finish trails off to bitter espresso. (48,000 bottles) Best Values

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Spring 2022)

Floral with a perfumed bouquet, the nose picks out creamy rice pudding, ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, fresh oak, caramel, and cotton candy. With a focus on fruity sweetness, vanilla fudge, and green apple notes, this peaks with clove-led spices and Red Vines, showing its high strength. As the sweetness wanes, it ends with red apple and vanilla on a short dry finish.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Spring 2022)