Exploring new whiskies is among the joys that we’re able to experience regularly as whisky lovers. But there’s something to be said for familiar favorites—those bottles that first sparked your passion for whisky, or have stayed faithfully in your home bar since the very first sip. For a look at these old reliables, check out this list, which highlights some of those still-great first loves.
Elsewhere, the dog days of summer are delivering a handful of new whiskies, including three different styles of Irish whiskey from Jameson and W.D. O’Connell. The Dalmore has added a new aged single malt within its Principal Collection, High West is re-introducing its Campfire blended whiskey, and Bruichladdich takes another deep dive into Islay terroir with its latest release of Islay Barley. Read on for full details.
The Dalmore 14 year old
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Highland)
Age: 14 year old
ABV: 43.8%
Price: $90
Release: September 2022
Availability: Nationwide
Need to know:
The Dalmore is adding this 14 year old single malt to its core collection of whiskies. It is aged in bourbon barrels, then 40-60% of the liquid is transferred to Pedro Ximénez sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass in Jerez, Spain for approximately 2 years while the balance remains in bourbon barrels. The two parcels are then blended.
Whisky Advocate says:
This 14 year old marks the second addition to The Dalmore’s core line of whiskies this year, after it introduced a 21 year old in May. For those looking to take a step up from the 12 year old or the 12 year Sherry Cask Select (88 points), they now have a whisky that is slightly older at a marginally higher price point. Look for a review of this whisky in the upcoming Fall issue Buying Guide.
High West Campfire
Style: Blended whiskey
Origin: Multiple (Scotland, Indiana, and Utah)
Age: Not stated
ABV: 46%
Price: $80
Release: August 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
High West is bringing back its Campfire expression, a blend of whiskies ranging in age from 4 to 15 years. The blend for this iteration is as follows: straight rye from MGP (95% rye, 5% barley malt),
straight bourbon from MGP (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley malt), High West’s own whiskey (80% rye, 20% malted rye), and blended malt scotch from an undisclosed source. The final mix will be different from year to year. High West has also changed the label artwork and altered some names within its core lineup—such as American Prairie, which is now simply known as High West bourbon.
Whisky Advocate says:
Few blends are as inventive as Campfire, which has the rare distinction of blending together whiskies from multiple continents. Campfire landed at No. 14 on our 2017 Top 20 list, though this new iteration is slightly different. We are curious to compare it to previous batches.
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013
Style: Single malt
Origin: Scotland (Islay)
Age: 8 year old
ABV: 50%
Price: $75
Release: August 2022
Availability: Limited
Need to know:
This single malt is made from 100% Islay-grown concerto barley. Distilled in 2013, 75% of the whisky was aged in first-fill American whiskey barrels, with the remaining 25% aged in European wine casks that once held Ribera del Duero, Syrah, and Pauillac wines.
Whisky Advocate says:
Islay Barley 2013 is the eighth edition of the distillery’s single vintage, unpeated single malt that aims to explore Islay terroir. This particular bottling features the harvest from the 2012 growing season; the crop was raised across seven farms on the island, all of which are named on the bottle. Growing barley on Islay is a challenge due to the island’s rains, storms, and plentiful migratory geese. In 2004 Bruichladdich partnered with one local farmer to grow barley locally. Today it has partnerships with 19 farmers, which contribute about 50% of Bruichladdich’s production needs.
Jameson 18 year old
Style: Blend
Origin: Ireland
Age: 18 year old
ABV: 46%
Price: $185
Release: Global rollout from June 2022
Availability: Nationwide
Need to know:
This liquid and packaging update for Jameson 18 year old raises the ABV from 40% to 46% and removes the use of chill-filtration. With sustainability in mind, the new lightweight packaging is fully recyclable and almost half the weight of the previous edition.
Whisky Advocate says:
Reducing packaging weight and using recyclable materials is a renewed effort to reduce the environmental impact of whiskey shipping, so expect to see more of your whiskey favorites sporting a trimmer look. Jameson 18 year old is currently the oldest age statement Irish blended whiskey available in the U.S. Its previous 40% ABV version scored 92 points. Jameson master distiller Kevin O’Gorman increased the ABV to heighten the signature flavors of the whiskey and provide greater balance and depth. The whiskey from Midleton Distillery is a triple distilled blend of two styles of single pot still whiskey and a single grain whiskey, which are blended then married in a first-fill bourbon cask for at least 6 months. Bottle owners can scan a QR code on the new box to access a virtual guided tasting with O’Gorman.
W.D. O’Connell Bill Phil Peated Series
Style: Single malt
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
ABV: 47.5%
Price: $80
Release: Available now
Availability: Ongoing annual batch release available in CA, CO, DC, DE, and MD
W.D. O’Connell Bourbon & Rye Series 10 year old
Style: Single grain
Origin: Ireland
Age: Not stated
ABV: 48%
Price: $80
Release: Available now
Availability: Ongoing batch release available in CA, CO, DC, DE, and MD
Need to know:
W.D. O’Connell has released a triple distilled peated single malt Irish whiskey matured in first-fill bourbon barrels and a 10 year old single grain Irish whiskey matured in bourbon barrels and finished in rye casks.
Whisky Advocate says:
Daithí O’Connell founded independent bottler W.D. O’Connell Whiskey Merchants in 2019. The company’s headquarters in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, includes a warehouse, bottling line, and blending facilities, from where the company has established a range of batch released and single cask whiskeys. Blacksmith William Phillip O’Connell, great grandfather of the founder, inspired the Bill Phil series for his expertise in making turf-cutting tools. Adding to the growing choice of peated Irish whiskeys, the malt was heavily peated to 55 PPM, like Teeling Blackpitts, No. 3 in the Whisky Advocate Top 20 in 2021, which helped to preserve the smoky flavors during triple distillation. O’Connell procured the peated single malt whiskey from Great Northern Distillery, which was established in 2015 by John Teeling, the former owner of Cooley & Kilbeggan Distilleries.
