Confectionery sugar, sweet banana slices, vanilla frosting, raisin bread, and pound cake on a very inviting nose. The palate delivers spice, dark fruits, and a rich sweetness that fades slightly on the back palate. Water brings out barrel char, coffee grounds, bitter chocolate, and a hint of black pepper. Lots of spice on the finish, with a great balance of bright fruit and rich chocolate. Smooth, complex, and enjoyable overall. (8,400 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2022)

Dry peppery spice and ample woody notes at the onset, with peppermint aromas building against a background of nuttiness, waxy leaves, and herbal notes. Licorice, orange peel, and ground pepper are overcome by a deluge of clove, bitter herbs, and woodiness, then the creamy mouthfeel erupts amid notes of menthol, clove, and unsweetened chocolate. This is the choice for the accustomed single pot still drinker who prefers Powers to Redbreast.

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2022)

There’s something pleasantly herbaceous about the nose, with English breakfast tea, sage, and a whisper of spearmint right up front. Spending more time with the glass yields other flavors: delicate fruit and Ghirardelli raspberry-chocolate squares. The palate delivers more earthiness, as well as spicy black pepper, menthol, and ripe, tangy red fruit. The finish is divine, offering up a dollop of cocoa powder that leaves you wanting more.

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Fall 2022)

Lots of vanilla, pralines, and vanilla frosting on the nose, anchored by pleasant hints of musty oak. The palate is beautifully sweet and rich, with honeyed-almond nuttiness and lots of heat. It fills out well with a bit of water, bringing out bakery notes of vanilla pastry and apple pie a la mode. Good length on the finish, offering milk chocolate, baking spice, poached pears, and more spice with a hint of jalapeño pepper. (360 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2022)

Up front, honeyed oats, raisins, and floral perfume spar with Smarties and Pixie Stix, all underpinned by vanilla pound cake and frangipane. Water draws out powdered sugar, sweetened dough, and toasted vanilla. The cognac staves shine on the palate, introducing grape and berry flavors that teeter from sweet to tart. Orchard fruits and a soft grainy sweetness round out the sip before the whiskey wraps up with a long peppery finish. (150 bottles)

Reviewed by: Shane English (Fall 2022)

Inspired by winemakers, Talnua introduced charred virgin oak staves into the bourbon barrels for the duration of maturation: This is new territory for single pot still whiskey. The nose has vanilla ice cream, floral notes, fudge, candied peel, lemon zest, and dry wood spices. A fruity, sweet, easy sipper with apple, pear, vanilla, honey, cinnamon toffee, and creamy malt. The spicy finish offers vanilla pod, mouth-coating oils, and charred oak. (Colorado only)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2022)

On the nose, Wyoming Whiskey’s celebration of Yellowstone is complex and balanced, offering raisins, figs, and cinnamon-dusted vanilla cookies, all supported by roasted nuts and toasted oak. The palate is expansive, ranging from sweet vanilla desserts, more dried fruit, and candied nuts, to savory flavors like lemon pepper, red pepper flake, and bright jalapeño. There’s tannic oak on the long finish but it’s balanced by cherries, cinnamon, and vanilla milkshake.

Reviewed by: Shane English (Fall 2022)

Dried fig, smoked plum, burnt wood, and licorice gum, with dry woodsmoke and aromas of unsweetened plain chocolate. Delicious, rich chocolate notes on the palate, with bourbon biscuit, plum pudding, dark vanilla, cigar smoke, pepper, and clove, plus some herbal and peppermint notes among the PX sherry oak influence. The finish winds through cocoa powder, spice, chicory, and bitter herb stalks. (6,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2022)

Lime, cut grass, citrusy sweetness, lemon tart, and lemon drops create an unusual profile, perhaps due to the introduction of peat smoked oak into the finishing process. The palate is smooth, slightly candied but not overly sweet, with chile spice that doesn’t go overboard, along with vanilla and more citrus. A smoky note veers to barrel char on the back palate and precedes a tasty finish—light, lemony, and well-textured. (60,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2022)

Blueberry pancakes, French toast, and waffles with syrup support aromas of banana, cinnamon, and jelly donuts. The fruity confectionary notes continue on the palate but the spice is amped up and peppery, with a rich mouthfeel. The sweetness is tempered with custard-filled pastries drizzled with raspberry syrup. The finish is of moderate length and a touch hot, but nicely balances spiced oak, chocolate croissant, and berries. (100,000 bottles)

Reviewed by: Shane English (Fall 2022)

This bourbon from Missouri is spicy, with green herbs and dried hay adding complexity to the peppery nose. Basil and thyme sing lead, with a sweet and earthy herbaceousness adding complementary harmony. There’s also subtle candied fruits, strawberry hard candies, and cinnamon. The palate is bready, with toffee, semi-sweet chocolate, and plenty of oak. The wood steals the show on the finish, lasting long and fading gracefully.

Reviewed by: Shane English (Fall 2022)

This is a dark, brooding glass of whisky with aromas of rum-drizzled pecans, oiled wood, leather boots, peppered rib-eye steaks, old library books, and fine spices. A complex palate of baked apple, golden syrup, leather, chocolate brownie, dried fig, roast beef, pepper, dark toffee, praline, and Brazil nut, with a long finish of mouth-coating dark ripe fruit, oak, and savory spices. A late night pleasure for rare occasions. (Annual release of 350 bottles)

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2022)

Fruity flavors unite! Zesty lemon meshes with bing cherries, mandarin orange, red berries, strawberry frosting, and watermelon juice, resulting in a playful and enticing nose. If you thought the nose was fruit-forward, just wait until you take a sip; raspberry coulis, strawberry syrup, and maraschino cherries burst through. The heat from this one may very well singe your eyebrows, so consider adding water or big ice to mellow the spiciness out.

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Fall 2022)

Sweet breakfast notes of cinnamon bun, vanilla yogurt, rice pudding, and Special K with freeze-dried strawberries on the nose. With water, peanuts and vanilla bean. The palate is fruity and well-spiced, with good depth of flavor; chicory coffee, peanut butter chips, and with water, chocolate-covered peanuts. A flavorful but short finish brings hay, straw, cocoa, and spice. This shows personality and consistency, perhaps grain-forward at times but not without dimension. (3,500 bottles)

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2022)

A lively nose features spearmint, lemon zest, Red Hots, bread pudding, and orange peel. With water, notes of caramel flan and rosemary emerge. On the palate, a creamy texture conveys spiced apple slices, chocolate-covered almonds, vanilla frosting, and peppermint. There’s more chocolate on the finish alongside blackberry jam and licorice. Well-balanced and approachable, with notes of mint, fruit, spice, and chocolate throughout.

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2022)

McConnell’s aims to restore distilling to Belfast one day, and this second release helps to support the cause. There’s red grape, cherry, black currant, red apple, fig, aniseed, fresh mint, and herbal aromas. Though the texture on the initial sip feels light, it fills out nicely as it works up impressive sherry notes, whipping up the spices and showing off raisin, bramble, black cherry, clove, and ginger spices. (12,000 bottles) Best Value

Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick (Fall 2022)

Aged for 4 years in American oak and finished for 4 years in Limousin oak. The nose is dark and brooding, with notes of strawberry jam, cherry-cheese Danish, honey throat lozenge, antique furniture, and burnt sugar. A syrupy and chewy palate brings wet walnuts, spearmint gum, blackberry preserves, and bitter coffee. The finish is woody, with honey, fruit, and spicy cinnamon. It’s busy and potentially divisive but shows maturity.

Reviewed by: Ted Simmons (Fall 2022)

Fruity and fresh, there’s a whole lot to parse out on the nose, starting with citrus zest, Asian pear, cantaloupe, and banana peel. A drizzle of honey is a precursor to a palate that beautifully balances sweet with spice; fruit gummies and strawberry frosting mingle with black pepper and library books. The mid-length finish delivers much of the same, with pronounced notes of fruit syrup. Best Value

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Fall 2022)