Halloween is on Monday, which means it’s time to unwrap some candy, open up some whisky, and find your favorite pairing. We put together this list of whiskies that showcase popular candy notes, though we also have a guide to pairing a variety of candy types with a wide range of whisky. Start by matching flavors, searching for whiskies that have notes of chocolate, nuts, cookies, and caramel, and grabbing a Snickers, Twix, or other candy to go with it.
As for new whiskies this week, there are plenty of treats to choose from. Buffalo Trace has unveiled this year’s Antique Collection, which includes the return of George T. Stagg. Glenmorangie adds to its Tale series with a woodland-inspired single malt, while The Macallan adds to the Harmony Collection with a pair of whiskies inspired by coffee. Nikka meanwhile, extends its Discovery Series with two new single malts devoted to yeast. Read on for full details.
George T. Stagg (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022 Release)
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 15 year old
ABV: 69.35%
Price: $99
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
While Buffalo Trace opted against releasing George T. Stagg within the Antique Collection last year, these 2007 Stagg barrels—which were all aged in warehouse K—met the mark this year. At 69.35% abv, this is the highest proof Stagg bourbon since 2016.
William Larue Weller (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022 Release)
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 12 year old
ABV: 62.35%
Price: $99
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
This wheater was distilled in the spring of 2010, and the barrels were aged in three warehouses: C, K, and N.
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022 Release)
Style: Straight rye
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 6 year old
ABV: 65.45%
Price: $99
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
Distilled in the spring of 2016, this uncut, unfiltered rye was matured in warehouses I, L, and M. Its 130.9 proof is the highest registered for Thomas H. Handy since 2012.
Eagle Rare 17 year old (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022 Release)
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 17 year old
ABV: 51.5%
Price: $99
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
This whiskey was distilled in the spring of 2005, then aged in warehouses H, K, and L.
Sazerac Rye 18 year old (Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2022 Release)
Style: Straight rye
Origin: Kentucky
Age: 18 year old
ABV: 45%
Price: $99
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
The barrels for this rye were filled in spring of 2003 and 2004, and matured in warehouses K, M, and P.
Whisky Advocate says:
The full Buffalo Trace Antique Collection lineup will begin hitting shelves in early-to-mid November. Unless you’re among the lucky ones who has access to a retail lottery, be prepared to pay far more than the $99 suggested retail price (and that’s if you can even get your hands on one of these extremely collectible bottles).
Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Highland)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 46%
Price: $103
Release: October 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
The third release in Glenmorangie’s Tale series, this whisky was made with malt that has been flavored by adding juniper berries, birch bark, and heather flowers to the peat fire. It was aged in a variety of bourbon casks, and the bottle comes in a colorful box designed by Thai artist Pomme Chan. Glenmorangie director of whisky creation Dr. Bill Lumsden conceptualized this whisky roughly a dozen years ago, after taking a stroll through the woods, noting the colorful and aromatic leaves, trees, and botanicals around him.
Whisky Advocate says:
Dr. Bill Lumsden is known for pushing the boundaries of scotch whisky, and his experiments have led to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) asking him to explain his methods on more than one occasion to ensure compliance with the SWA regulations. Whether it was when his pioneering use of finishing began to explore non-oak cask finishing, or when he decided to use dark roasted malts in Glenmorangie Signet and Ardbeg Ardcore, he is adept at maneuvering within the regulations to find new flavors. Lumsden and his team spent two years researching different natural materials for this expression; trying to discover which of them gave off heat and flavor when they burned. Proving to the SWA that there is a historical precedence of these techniques in scotch whisky has been key to Lumsden being able to bring out these new expressions. Glenmorangie archivist Iain Russell discovered evidence that the distillery would have used fuels other than peat in the past, such as heather, bog myrtle, and birch, to dry the malted barley. Flavoring malt with heather has been tried at Balvenie Distillery before, while in Sweden, Mackmyra Distillery adds juniper twigs to its peat fires during kilning.
While this new whisky may share some ingredients with botanical gins, Lumsden says it was never his intention to mirror other spirits. “Gin wasn’t in my thought process at all,” he notes. “I was just thinking about some of the materials that I would find around the distillery.”
The Tale series replaced the Glenmorangie Private Edition series, and have scored favorably with our tasting panel, with A Tale of Cake netting 93 points, and A Tale of Winter scoring 90 points. We are curious to try this new expression, and see how those botanicals translate to whisky flavors.
Macallan Harmony Collection Inspired by Intense Arabica
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 44%
Price: $185
Release: October 2022 in global markets; November 2022 in the U.S.
Availability: Limited
Macallan Harmony Collection Smooth Arabica
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 40%
Price: $185
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited; Travel Retail Exclusive
Need to know:
Macallan is adding to its Harmony Collection with two new whiskies, each inspired by the Ethiopian Arabica coffee bean. Intense Arabica is meant to evoke sweet yet strong espresso coffee, while Smooth Arabica is reminiscent of a gently spiced and soft americano. The whiskies were aged in a combination of American and European oak casks and are meant to be paired with coffee, the thought being that both coffee and whisky are common after-dinner drinks. As with previous Harmony Collection releases, the packaging uses recycled materials, in this case, coffee bean husks that would have otherwise been discarded.
Whisky Advocate says:
Coffee and whisky make a natural pair either in the classic Irish coffee or in more modern iterations, where whiskies are infused or combined with coffee. There are as well coffees aged in whisky barrels, and natural coffee flavors in whisky that you can train your palate to detect.
Last year’s Harmony Collection release, Rich Cacao, focused on the shared attributes between whisky and chocolate. That whisky scored 88 points.
Nikka Yoichi Aromatic Yeast
Style: Single malt
Origin: Japan
Age: Not stated
ABV: 48%
Price: $275
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited, 2,640 bottles, at select retailers and reservebar.com
Nikka Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast
Style: Single malt
Origin: Japan
Age: Not stated
ABV: 47%
Price: $275
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited, 2,640 bottles, at select retailers and reservebar.com
Need to know:
This is the second edition in the Nikka Discovery Series, which is an annual release that highlights a component of Nikka’s whisky-making at its two distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo. This year’s focus is on the variety of Nikka’s yeast cultures and the aromas generated through fermentation. Yoichi Aromatic Yeast brings out floral notes, while Miyagikyo Aromatic Yeast coaxes fruity aromas of peach and apricot, according to the distillery’s notes.
Whisky Advocate says:
The inaugural bottlings in the Nikka Discovery series were unveiled last November. Next year will be the third and final release of the series, which will then be followed a commemorative whisky to honor the company’s 90th Anniversary in 2024. No word yet on what the anniversary whisky will be.
Glenlivet The Sample Room 21 year old
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: 21 year old
ABV: 43%
Price: $280
Release: October 2022
Availability: Limited
Glenlivet The Sample Room 25 year old
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: 25 year old
ABV: 43%
Price: $650
Release: October 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
These are re-releases of Glenlivet 21 and 25 year old, which along with the 18 year old form Glenlivet’s The Sample Room collection. The “triple finished” 21 year old is finished in three different cask types—first-fill oloroso sherry butts, Tronçais oak cognac casks, and vintage colheita port casks, all aiming to create additional layers of depth. Previously the 21 year old was aged in bourbon barrels and oloroso sherry butts. The 25 year old, meanwhile, is finished in two different barrel types—first-fill PX sherry casks and Tronçais oak cask. It was previously finished in oloroso sherry butts.
Whisky Advocate says:
Aiming to break out of the mainstream, Glenlivet created The Sample Room as a separate unit to explore creative ways to enhance the brand’s core expressions. First unveiled this summer in the UK, the new 21 and 25 year are now making their way stateside. It’s also part of a broader move in the whisky world of whisky makers to become more sophisticated on the finishing side. The whiskies have also gotten a packaging revamp, with enhanced embossing and slight changes to the color scheme.
WhistlePig The Boss Hog IX: Siren’s Song
Style: Straight rye
Origin: Canada
Age: Not stated
ABV: 51.3%-53.1%
Price: $600
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
As with previous The Boss Hog releases, this whiskey is a single barrel offering bottled at proof, and distinct from anything else WhistlePig has done before. Unlike earlier iterations, however, Siren’s Song was finished in casks made by WhistlePig at their Vermont farm, in this case Greek fig nectar barrels and farm-scratch tentura casks (an herbal Greek liqueur that the distillery made from clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel, and honey).
Whisky Advocate says:
This edition of The Boss Hog was inspired by the nine Greek Muses, with one on each bottle by way of a bespoke pewter topper (the most limited bottling of the nine features Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy). In pursuit of this release, the makers at WhistlePig visited Greece last summer to source ingredients and visit an original tentura distillery, where they then learned how to make the liqueur. In the wake of the release, WhistlePig will honor modern-day women who inspire its whiskey makers today.
Balvenie Sixty (Distilled in 1962)
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Speyside)
Age: 60 year old
ABV: 42.4%
Price: $145,000
Release: 2023
Availability: 71 bottles globally
Need to know:
Released in honor of Balvenie malt master David Stewart’s 60th anniversary with the distillery and the industry’s longest-serving malt master, Sixty was barreled the year Stewart started with the company as a stock clerk in 1962. This single cask—selected by Kelsey McKechnie, Stewart’s understudy for the last four years—marks Balvenie’s oldest whisky released to date.
The hand-blown crystal bottle is presented in a glass, brass, and gold case. The bottle represents the current/sixth decade labeled with a quote from McKechnie, while the tubular case consists of five layers of glass, each signifying a decade of Stewart’s career, etched with memories.
Whisky Advocate says:
A 60-year career is certainly something to celebrate. When Stewart started at the distillery, blended scotch was the mainstay. In 1964 Balvenie took a leap and bottled a single malt. As the lineup expanded, he began to explore finishing aged whisky in different types of barrels, like rum, port, sherry, and more. While finishing is a far more common practice today, at that time it was not a major part of the scotch distiller’s repertoire, to say the least. Stewart is credited as one of the pioneers of bringing finished whiskies front and center.
Balvenie is one of the most collectible distilleries, and it’s likely we’ll see this bottling at auction in the future. Congratulations, David Stewart!
Bulleit Barrel Strength
Style: Straight bourbon
Origin: Kentucky
Age: Not stated
ABV: Varies, 60%-62.5%
Price: $60
Release: October 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
The barrels used in Bulleit Barrel Strength were emptied and combined into a single batch, and, unlike Bulleit’s flagship whiskey, water was not added at any point, lending to a darker hue and flavor profile. While the proof varies, bottles will generally fall between 60%-62.5% ABV.
Whisky Advocate says:
Bulleit first released Barrel Strength bourbon back in 2016 to a limited audience (it was a Kentucky exclusive). This time around, the whiskey is available across the U.S., which should excite Bulleit fans.
St. George 40th Anniversary Edition
Style: American single malt
Origin: California
Age: Not stated
ABV: 48%
Price: $500
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited; 1,982 bottles
Need to know:
St. George Spirits is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a commemorative single malt whiskey. Master distiller Lance Winters and head distiller and blender Dave Smith sampled over 600 casks for this release, selecting just 14 for the final product, including California sauternes-style and umeshu (plum wine) casks, which serve as a tribute to St. George’s Baller single malt whiskey. The barrels selected range in age from 4 to 13 years old, including some of the earliest casks the distillery laid in 1997 that were moved to stainless steel tanks in 2010. The distillery is also holding an in-person event on November 12th where bottles can be purchased and will be donating $40,000 to the STEPUP Foundation, a non-profit that provides spirits industry training to underserved and underrepresented people.
Whisky Advocate says:
St. George Spirits was founded by Jörg Rupf in 1982, at a time when craft distilling was hardly a thing. Rupf began making eau de vie, but in the years since, Winters and Smith have built a portfolio that reflects their inventiveness and commitment to quality, including Terroir gin, Green Chile vodka, Spiced Pear liqueur, and a range of American single malt whiskeys. Whiskey lovers local to the area can taste all of these spirits and more tonight at WhiskyFest San Francisco, where Smith will be in attendance and pouring this 40th Anniversary Edition during the VIP hour.
The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No. 4
Style: Single malt
Origin: England
Age: Not stated
ABV: 52%
Price: $95
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited; California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Washington D.C.
The Lakes Whiskymaker’s Reserve No. 5
Style: Single malt
Origin: England
Age: Not stated
ABV: 52%
Price: $95/700 ml
Release: November 2022
Availability: Limited; California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Washington D.C.
Need to know:
The Lakes Distillery is releasing its debut English whiskies in the U.S. with the latest editions of The Whiskymaker’s Reserve series. The series launched in 2019, and these latest two expressions were composed from stocks matured in oloroso, Pedro Ximénez, and red wine casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Paul Currie, co-founder of Arran Distillery, co-founded The Lakes Distillery in 2011, with distilling beginning in late 2014. Situated in the northwest of England within the beautiful Lake District National Park, the distillery is housed in restored mid-19th century dairy farm buildings. During the renovations, the quatrefoil, representing faith, hope, luck, and love, was discovered in the stonework and adopted as a logo. The Lakes whiskymaker Dhavall Gandhi shows a preference for sherry cask maturation, developing light, fruity, and elegant whiskies, and has won plaudits in England for his graceful expressions.
Old Dominick
Style: Tennessee whiskey
Origin: Tennessee
Age: 4 year old
ABV: 42.5%
Price: $35
Release: November 1st
Availability: 12,000 bottles; at Old Dominick Distillery and via olddominick.com
Need to know:
Old Dominick is releasing what it says is the first straight Tennessee whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Memphis since Prohibition. A mashbill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley was used to produce this blend of 4 and 5 year old whiskey, along with a bottled in bond expression ($70), the first in the distillery’s series of new releases.
Whisky Advocate says:
Old Dominick’s first whiskey, Huling Station, is a sourced product and will continue to be offered. According to Old Dominick’s distiller Alex Castle, it will remain a sourced whiskey in the distillery’s lineup and she has plans to, “develop it further.” Castle is Tennessee’s first female distiller since Prohibition. She previously worked at Alltech as part of the startup of Town Branch Distillery and Wild Turkey, but made the move in 2015 to join Old Dominick. She will be holding a bottle signing for this release at the distillery on October 29th from 12 to 3 p.m.
