Top 20

Top 20

The Most Exciting Whiskies of 2018

Our Top 20 is a selection of whiskies worthy of your attention. The list includes great values that might otherwise be overlooked, whiskies that are best in class for their style, and highly accomplished bottles you should be looking for. Most importantly, each of these whiskies generates excitement and marks a highlight across a year of tasting.
Nikka From the Barrel

Score: 94
51.4% $65
Japan

Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye

Score: 94
59.8% $70
Kentucky

Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Heritage Barrel

Score: 93
50% $65
Tennessee

Port Charlotte 10 year old

Score: 93
50% $65
Scotland (Islay)

Crown Royal Noble Collection 13 year old Blenders' Mash

Score: 92
45% $60
Canada

Armorik Double Maturation

Score: 93
46% $60
France

Laphroaig 10 year old Cask Strength (Batch 010)

Score: 93
58% $70
Scotland (Islay)

GlenDronach 15 year old Revival

Score: 92
46% $90
Scotland (Highlands)

1792 Bottled in Bond

Score: 92
50% $36
Kentucky

Belle Meade Cask Strength Reserve (Batch No. 5)

Score: 92
56.8% $60
Indiana

Little Book Chapter 2 “Noe Simple Task”

Score: 93
59.4% $100
Multiple (Canada, Kentucky)

Forty Creek Unity

Score: 92
43% $75
Canada

Virginia Distillery Co. Cider Cask Finished (Batch 3)

Score: 92
46% $65
Multiple (Virginia, Scotland)

High West Double Rye! (Batch 18A23)

Score: 91
46% $35
Multiple (Indiana, Utah)

Kilchoman Loch Gorm 2018

Score: 91
46% $110
Scotland (Islay)

Green Spot Chateau Montelena

Score: 91
46% $100
Ireland

Penderyn Celt

Score: 91
43% $60
Wales

Glendalough 13 year old Mizunara Cask

Score: 91
46% $120
Ireland

West Cork Glengarriff Series Peat Charred Cask

Score: 90
43% $45
Ireland

Sierra Norte Single Barrel Yellow

Score: 90
45% $50
Mexico

About The Whisky Advocate TOP 20

Each year, Whisky Advocate Buying Guide reviewers collectively sample hundreds of whiskies. These include rare and extremely limited releases, as well as new and emerging labels that will find their way to shelves across the nation. To determine our Top 20, we begin by looking only at whiskies that rated “outstanding” (90 points or higher on Whisky Advocate’s 100-point scale). However, the Top 20 is not simply a collection of our highest-rated whiskies, because many of those are so limited they would be impossible for most readers to locate or purchase. Therefore, in addition to quality (based on score), our selection also prioritizes value (based on price) and availability.

An important step in gauging the true merit of these whiskies is blind tasting review by a panel of international reviewers. The review panel tasted the eligible whiskies in a series of blind tasting flights to arrive at the final list. The panel did not know the identity of the whiskies being tasted—not their producer, country of origin, age, nor price. The average rating from the blind tasting panel supersedes the original Buying Guide rating. The individual reviewer rating will remain noted in the Buying Guide for the record. The final decision for placement considers average score, price, and availability.

Subscribe to Whisky Advocate Newsletter

Explore our whisky newsletters covering the latest news, ratings, cocktails, and more!

Cocktail Club - Whisky Advocate's Cocktail Club newsletter is for whisky lovers and cocktail enthusiasts alike. Enjoy classic and unique cocktail recipes, videos, and more.

Whisky Notes - Whisky Advocate's WhiskyNotes newsletter keeps you in the loop on the latest whisky releases, ratings, and more!

By signing up you agree to receive Whisky Advocate promotions. You may unsubscribe at any time.