There’s a lot going on in the Whiskey scene in America in 2023. American single malt is growing at a breakneck pace, bourbon and rye are ever-expanding, and blended American whiskey is finally getting its due (thanks to people finally taking it seriously). There isn’t a corner of the country — or a single state — where you can’t find a decent pour of local whiskey these days.

Yes, Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee make the lion’s share of all American whiskeys (and it’s not even f*cking close). But states like Washington, Texas, California, New York, Virginia, and so many more are absolutely bursting with amazing local whiskey that’s certainly worth seeking out.

Today, I’m going to name my #1 favorite pour of whiskey from each of the 50 states in this big ol’ country of ours. There are a few parameters at play here though:

• The vast majority of these whiskeys are hyper-regional and will not be available nationwide. That’s kind of the whole point.
• New and small whiskey scenes — think Hawai’i, Nebraska, New Hampshire, etc. — aren’t going to have bottles that even begin to compete with Kentucky, Indiana, or Tennessee. But that’s not the point either. This is about the best of what exists, sometimes in places where whiskey isn’t that big (yet).
• Price isn’t a consideration. There are $30 bottles on this list and $5,000 bottles. Some whiskey regions aren’t big or old enough to warrant high prices. Some (like Kentucky) are.
• Yes, I’m biting the bullet and picking only one whiskey from Kentucky even though I can easily list 100 you should try. Ironically, the Kentucky pick was the easiest decision on this list.
• This is the best of what I have tasted. As a professional whiskey writer, judge, and consultant, I’m lucky enough to taste a lot (I’m already into 1,000 pours this year). But even I have blind spots. There could be local whiskeys that are so new I haven’t even heard of them yet.
• Maybe most importantly, each of these whiskeys must be made with whiskey produced in their home state. That means a local bottler using MGP of Indiana juice in, say, Kanasa or Nevada, or California will not qualify as a Kansas, Nevada, or California whiskey even if the brand is marketed as one. The whiskeys on this list have to be fermented, distilled, and aged in their home state. I am making an exception for whiskeys with partial out-of-state whiskey in a blend. Still, this rule removes a massive swath of blender-created-bottles from the mix.

Finally, there is no ranking here. We all know in our hearts that Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee would dominate anyway. Instead, I recommend using this list more as a travel companion. If you find yourself in a certain state or region, use this list to find the whiskey to seek out locally. Visit the distilleries, talk to the team, enjoy a flight, and leave with a great bottle of hooch. Let’s dive in!

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Alabama — Dettling Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 55.4% (Varies)

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

This Alabama whiskey is all about that grain-to-glass experience. What really stands out, though, is that this whiskey aged for only four years yet has a deep profile. The whiskey takes on a dark hew thanks to it being stored at the top of the rickhouse in hot and balmy Alabama. The results are bottled from a single one of those barrels without any cutting or fussing.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one starts with cornbread that’s been baked in lard in a cast-iron skillet with an almost burnt crust, plenty of salted butter, and a dollop of honey that’s been cut with orange oils.

Palate: The palate takes that cornbread, crumbles it up, and mixes in fresh cracked Tellicherry black peppercorns, dried roses, a touch of cedar, and a mild echo of orange-laced tobacco leaves.

Finish: Finally, the sip layers in a wintry spice combo that leans toward cinnamon sticks soaked in mulled wine and apple cider that leads towards a soft finish with a dried mint that’s… almost menthol tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This was getting some serious hype in 2021 and then kind of fell off the radar in 2022. That’s a shame as this is excellent whiskey and one that’s definitely worth seeking out in 2023.

Alaska — Port Chilkoot Wrack Line Rye A Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $40

The Whiskey:

This 70% Alaskan rye focuses on organic grains, double distilling, and aging for three years in newly charred American oak. Those barrels expand and contract during warm summers and severe Alaskan winters before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a brightness to the spice on the nose, kind of like peaches stewed in cinnamon and nutmeg with plenty of syrup.

Palate: The palate is light yet full of floral notes, oaky vanilla, and peppery rye spices.

Finish: That line of stonefruit sweetness comes in late which leads to a spicy warm finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a good standard rye. I’d use it more for mixing Manhattans or old fashioneds than as a sipper though.

Arizona — Lost Lantern Single Distillery Series Mega Mesquite Whiskey Del Bac Arizona Single Malt

ABV: 60%

Average Price: $100

The Whisky:

This Arizona malt is made from a mash (recipe) of 60% malted barley and 40% mesquite-smoked malted barley — mesquite smoke basically being the Southwest’s answer to peat. The whiskey was left to age in 15-gallon barrels (the average barrel size is 53 gallons) with a good char and a touch of toasting. Three barrels were then chosen for this cask-strength bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Classic BBQ smoke and fat mingles with burnt sugars and savoriness over dark orange and winter spice.

Palate: The richness of the palate is built with soft vanilla, smoked BBQ fats, dark pepper, and a soft sense of orange creaminess.

Finish: The end fades pretty quickly through smoked meats, sweet burnt sugars, and soft wintry orange spice.

Bottom Line:

Only 180 bottles were made. That’s rare. Overall, this is a unique whiskey that’s worth trying that will get into Del Bac and Arizona single malts. But if you can’t find this exact bottle, anything from Del Bac will be a solid choice.

Arkansas — Rock Town Single Barrel Cask Strength Arkansas Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: Varies

Average Price: $72

The Whiskey:

Rock Town is all about using Arkansas ingredients to make Arkansas whiskey. The mash is made with local corn and wheat that’s grown right outside of Little Rock (82% corn, 95 wheat, and 8% malted barley). Every step of the process happens on site from the milling of the grains to the aging of the juice. After four years, barrels are hand-selected for single-barrel bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a hint of minerality on the nose next to fresh honey, dark cherries, peaches, pie crust, and a touch of maple syrup.

Palate: The palate has a sense of tangerine next to bran muffins with a whisper of green grass and vanilla wafers.

Finish: The end is full of soft toffee and mild woody spiciness with a clear vanilla-orange foundation.

Bottom Line:

This is a pretty well-developed local whiskey. Overall, this is a solid cocktail bourbon that’s worth seeking out if you’re local.

California — Old Potrero Single Barrel Reserve Straight Rye Whiskey (S1B45)

ABV: 65.16%

Average Price: $86

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is a bit of a throwback with a West Coast vibe. The juice is 100 percent rye whiskey made at Hotaling & Co. in Potrero Hill, one of San Francisco’s most iconic spots for booze. As of this year, the spirit is being distilled on the waterfront in San Francisco but still carries that Anchor Brewing heritage. With that move, the bottle also got a brand new design that leans into San Francisco’s sea-faring history.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Molasses heavy bran muffins mingle with dry cinnamon sticks, Granny Smith apple skins, and Red Hots next to rum-raisin and a twinge of an old oak stave and craft grain porridge with a caramelized edge.

Palate: The palate leans into ginger snaps with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg next to vanilla pudding right out of the cup and a dry sense of cedar kindling.

Finish: The end holds onto the dry woodiness with a layer of salted caramel raisins, sweet porridge, and vanilla candy on the very end.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice, crafty rye whiskey. It’s well-balanced and gives you the best of the crafty and classic vibes. Overall, use this is fruit-forward cocktails and on the rocks sipping.

Colorado — Stranahan’s Diamond Peak Colorado Single Malt Whiskey Extra Anejo Tequila Cask 2023

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $78

The Whisky:

The second Diamond Peak release of 2023 is a 100% Colorado malt. The whiskey barrels were five to eight years old (all-new American oak) that was batched and re-barrelled into Jose Cuervo’s Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo Tequila for two more years of resting. Finally, those barrels were batched, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This pops with a deep pink peppercorn next to floral honey (think wildflowers and mountain sage) next to soft salted toffee rolled in roasted almond and dipped in lush vanilla caramel.

Palate: That wild sage and lush toffee drive the palate toward a sense of old cedar planks, deep and dark berry leather, and a lush sense of vanilla over salted caramel and marzipan.

Finish: That creamy and lush vibe drives the end with more salted caramel, marzipan, and vanilla cream with a hint of honey-soaked dates and salted cinnamon candies with a whisper of rose-hued tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is a “wow” for me. It’s so delicate yet deep AF — you really cannot go wrong if you’re looking for an easy sipper that takes you on a long malted journey.

Connecticut — Litchfield Distillery 5-Year Double-Barreled Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

Litchfield is one of those local Connecticut craft distilleries that do a little bit of everything. Their Double-Barreled 5-year-old is a highwater mark of the operation. The juice is made from locally grown Connecticut grains. That whiskey is then aged for a few years. Finally, it’s proofed with local water and re-barreled to add an extra layer of woody depth to the bourbon.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The sip starts with an almost vinous note that goes into sweet caramel and spice.

Palate: There’s a clear vanilla essence through the woody oak.

Finish: The aged-grape flavors come in again with a slight sweetness before a warm, woody, and spicy finale.

Bottom Line:

This is a solid and easy-drinking whiskey. It’s definitely worth ordering a pour if you’re in, say, New Haven and looking for something local.

Delaware — Dogfish Head Let’s Get Lost American Single Malt Whiskey

ABV: 51%

Average Price: $64

The Whiskey:

All whiskey starts off as beer so it makes a lot of sense when brewers start distilling. Industry darling, Dogfish Head, did just that with this expression. The base is 100% barley with a mix of Pale Malt, Crystal Malt, Coffee Kiln Malt, and applewood smoke Malt. That mash is fermented with Dogfish Head’s own ale yeast before distillation, aging, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Orange and honey mingle with a salted nuttiness next to vanilla pudding and a touch of dry cherry tobacco.

Palate: The palate has a touch of that fruity yeast next to a slight chili-choco vibe that leads back to the tobacco with a cinnamon Red Hot edge.

Finish: The finish really leans into the dryness of the chili-chocolate’s bitter end — to the point of conjuring an espresso bean next to a touch of smoked cedar.

Bottom Line:

This is a very solid and beloved award-winning American Single Malt. There’s a nice depth to it. I’d usually pour this over some rocks and enjoy it slowly after an IPA.

Florida — St. Augustine Distillery Port Finished Bourbon

ABV: 51%

Average Price: $80

The Whiskey:

This Floridian bourbon rests for three years in new American oak, giving it a classic base. Then the booze goes into port casks from San Sebastian Winery next door to the distillery for up to six months (depending on the Florida heat). The end result is a unique bourbon that’s both enticing and refined.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a touch of woodiness but the star of the show is the red berries that are both tart and sweet next to a dusting of winter spices.

Palate: Vanilla and hints of mint show up on the palate with white pepper, mild florals, and a little bit of ripe cherry.

Finish: The end leans into oak, dark chocolate bitterness, and a whisper of ripe red berries with a touch of clove.

Bottom Line:

This is another great cocktail bourbon that I’d argue works really well as a food-pairing whiskey. The subtle yet sharp woody spice and berries with that mild floral edge add a nice depth to a meal or as a digestif in a cocktail afterward.

Georgia — ASW Distillery Space Hide Commemorative Scotch Trooper Single Malt Whiskey

ABV: 58%

Average Price: $149

The Whiskey:

Ameireaganach is a very bespoke Georgian distiller that leans into specialty malts (kind of like a super niche craft beer brewer). This bottle is made with a mash bill (recipe) of 76% Speyside distilling malt and 24% applewood smoked malt. That single malt then goes into new oak barrels for a few years before re-barrelling into sherry barrels for a final spell.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of oatmeal loaded with brown butter, raisins, and wet brown sugar with a hint of summer squash next to mild malted crackers with this distant whisper of spicy-sweet tang that’s kissed with smoke.

Palate: The fresh new oak shines through the malted oatmeal with a deep and moist vanilla cake frosted with bourbon buttercream, drizzled with salted caramel, and dusted with dark cacao powder with a twist of brandied cherry and mild espresso-laced tobacco.

Finish: The fresh wood has a light wet cedar vibe on the back end with more brown sugar and this dark lurking sense of umami-forward Bachan’s BBQ sauce.

Bottom Line:

This is a wild ride of a whiskey. It’s also a very limited release (225 bottles only) so you’ll need to snag one now or forever hold your peace. If you can’t get one, then I highly recommend looking into any of the other whiskeys from ASW. They’re white-hot in Georgia right now.

Hawai’i — Ko’olau Old Pali Road Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $75

The Whisky:

Ko’olau’s Old Pali Road is a special whiskey. The spirit is made from local Hawaiian-grown corn and mineral water straight from a volcanic spring. Then the booze is aged for a short spell before being blended with five-year-old mainland whiskey to create a balanced elixir.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of banana fruit and dried plums upfront on the nose with a layer of creamy winter spices.

Palate: Vanilla cookies and winter spice kick around on the palate with a light sense of banana bread and pineapple upside-down cake.

Finish: The end leans into the winter spice, vanilla, and banana with a very short finish.

Bottom Line:

This is perfectly fine and worth mixing cocktails with if you’re in Hawai’i. I am intrigued to see how it will tasted when they release expressions that have aged longer.

Idaho — Grand Teton Private Stock Straight Corn Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $80

The Whisky:

This high-altitude whiskey is made with 100 percent Idaho-grown corn. That corn is mashed with pure Rocky Mountain water, which is also used to proof the juice before bottling. But first, the whiskey spends 6.5 years resting in oak before single barrels are picked for a bottling run.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Maple syrup and clove-studded oranges lead on the nose with rum raisin, mild sour butter, and a hint of old cellar beams.

Palate: The palate is lush with a warm sense of mulled wine spices and sour cherry next to cinnamon buttered toast and soft yet sweet corn muffins.

Finish: The end has a smooth vanilla base with a hint of date and black tea next to buttery cornmeal with a hint of brown sugar.

Bottom Line:

This is a pretty damn good corn whiskey. It’s great with a single rock or a few drops of water to really let it bloom in the glass, but you’ll want to focus on cocktails at the end of the day.

Illinois — FEW Bottled-in-Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This expression from Illinois’ FEW Spirits marks the 125th anniversary of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is made from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley. That whiskey spends four years resting before it’s proofed down to 100 proof and bottled as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a sense of vanilla cream pie with an extra thick vanilla pudding next to dry cedar bark with a touch of white moss, a touch of black licorice, and a hint of barrel smoke.

Palate: The palate leans into cherry bark with a light cherry tobacco spiciness that melds with the vanilla pudding, a pan of fresh sticky buns with plenty of cinnamon and walnuts, and a hint of black pepper and more of that dry cedar bark.

Finish: The finish has a bit of an oatmeal cookie vibe that leads back to the spicy cherry tobacco and white moss.

Bottom Line:

FEW Spirits perfected their bourbon craft with this expression and thereby made the best whiskey in Illinois.

Indiana — Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $62

The Whiskey:

This new release from Huber Farm’s Starlight Distillery (the distillery to know if you’re in the know) is made from their high-corn mash with a sweet mash method (each batch is fresh) in their old copper pot still. The whiskey is barreled in Canton barrels and left to age on the farm for four years before it’s batched (only 20 barrels) and proofed down to 100 proof for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with dark stewed cherries and spiced prune compote next to cinnamon waffles with a hint of maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

Palate: The palate is pure silk with notes of Cherry Coke next to clove-studded oranges dipped in dark chocolate with a flake of salt with whispers of apple fritters, eggnog spices, and singed cherry bark with maybe a hint of apple wood in the background.

Finish: The end has a subtle warmth thanks to wintry mulled wine spices that lead to fresh pipe tobacco kissed with dates and chocolate and packed into an old cedar box for safekeeping.

Bottom Line:

When it comes to Indiana, it’d be so easy to choose an MGP bottle — there are a million of them out there and a lot are great. This is better. This is both fresh/fun and so classic that it felt seminal. If you can get your hands on a bottle of this (click that price link!), then you’ll be in for a true bourbon treat.

Iowa — Cedar Ridge Distillery The QuintEssential American Single Malt Whiskey Batch 010

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is all about a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made with 100% 2-Row Pale Malted Barley (the same stuff used in some of the biggest craft beers) from up in Saskatchewan. The whiskey is matured in ex-bourbon barrels for an undisclosed term. That whiskey is then finished in a combination of brandy, rum, wine, port, and sherry barrels before it’s vatted. The whiskey’s blend is then made using the solera method — where the vat is never fully emptied before the next barrel is added.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is immediately full of bright fruit with a peach and pear vibe that leans into a malty banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut next to a touch of Almond Joy (but the good ones from a high-end shop).

Palate: The palate is soft and subtle with hints of spiced malted gingersnaps, light cream soda vibes (maybe a light sasparilla), and a mellow and creamy base of chocolate that’s not dark but not milky either.

Finish: The mid-palate has a nice sweetness that’s slightly apple adjacent with an apricot hint that mellows into a final note of chewy toffees with rum-raisin lurking on the very backend.

Bottom Line:

This is Cedar Ridge at its most powerful and delicious, and thereby Iowa’s premiere whiskey experience. This is just good American single malt and will get you excited about experiencing more American single malts (and Cedar Ridge’s larger whiskey line).

Kansas — Union Horse Distilling Rolling Standard Midwestern Four Grain Whiskey

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $39

The Whiskey:

This Kansas whiskey is a uniquely American whiskey expression all around. The bottle marries two American whiskey styles with four separate grains involved. It’s part American wheated bourbon and part American single malt. Locally sourced corn, wheat, rye, and barley are utilized in the mash. Then the booze is mellowed in used oak barrels from Missouri until it’s just right.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The grain-to-glass whiskey opens with classic notes of oaky vanilla, banana, cloves, and mild pepperiness.

Palate: On the palate, a maple syrup earthy sweetness cuts through along with a roasted almond fatty nature.

Finish: Dark pitted cherries come into play right before the rye kicks in with a hint of cinnamon on the mildly spicy finish.

Bottom Line:

This is good, standard American whiskey. It’s not life-changing but it makes a great cocktail. Sometimes that’s enough.

Kentucky — Michter’s US*1 Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 20 Years Old

ABV: 57.1%

Average Price: $4,889

The Whiskey:

Master Distiller Dan McKee personally selects these (at least) 20-year-old barrels from the Michter’s rickhouses based on… I guess just “pure excellence” would be the right phrase. Alongside Master of Maturation and Bourbon Hall Of Famer Andrea Wilson, McKee bottles the bourbon as-is without cutting it with water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A sense of dark cherry with deep rummy molasses, dried rose petals, old almond shells, and cedar bark mingle with a fresh pipe tobacco leaf just kissed with apple and pear essence with a hint of vanilla oils and old wintry wine spices.

Palate: The taste leans into smoldering vanilla pods with a sense of old oak staves from a dusty old cellar next to sweet cinnamon and cherry over dried sage and sharp spearmint with a clove syrup base and a dash of toasted marshmallow sweetness.

Finish: The end is full of dark cherry and woody spice with moist marzipan, burnt orange oils, and chewy fresh tobacco wrapped up in old leather and cedar bark with a hint more of that old cellar sneaking in.

Bottom Line:

This was my favorite bourbon of 2022 so, naturally, it’s going to be my pick for the best Kentucky whiskey. It’s unequivocally a classic from top to bottom and one of the best whiskeys WORLDWIDE (!) that money can buy.

Louisiana — LA1 Louisiana Whiskey

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $61

The Whiskey:

Donner-Peltier Distillers out in Thibodaux has been distilling and aging award-winning whiskey for years now. The spirit is a unique one that incorporates locally grown rice into the mash bill alongside the classic ingredients of corn, rye, and barley.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a clear sweetness from the rice that accents the corn that leads to classic hints of caramel and orchard fruit with a woody base.

Palate: A funky rye note comes in with an almost pumpernickel essence on the palate followed up by a brown sugary sweet winter spiciness.

Finish: The finish is bold and brings the peppery rye spice with notes of oaky vanilla next to buttery toasted rye bread and hints of deeply roasted cacao nibs.

Bottom Line:

This is an easy-going pour that works as well on the rocks as it does in a Sazerac (well, maybe a little better in a Sazerac).

Maine — Fifty Stone Single Malt Highland Style Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $49

The Whiskey:

This is a Scottish-style single malt made in Portland, Maine. The distillers take 100% locally grown barley and malt it with locally sourced peat and seaweed. This imbues a clear and unique smokiness you won’t find in any other single malt.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This one opens up with a clear sense of the barley via a warm scone covered in salty butter and honey before a very subtle smoked orchard fruit vibe comes in.

Palate: There’s a briny nature — like you’re about to enjoy a crab boil off a campfire right on the beach — that dominates the palate with smoked orchard fruits and even smoked honey.

Finish: Finally, you do sense the sea spray through the smokiness on the finish alongside the honey with salty butter and a faint whisper of smoked salmon chowder.

Bottom Line:

This is a great pull if you’re looking for something very unique and you’re already in Maine. That maritime vibe runs deep and gives this unique feel that’s kind of unlike anything else out there.

Maryland — Sagamore Spirit Reserve Series 8-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey

ABV: 55.7%

Average Price: $86

The Whiskey:

This newest spring reserve release from Sagamore Spirit is an eight-year-old rye made from locally-grown Maryland grains. The whiskey was batched and bottled as-is to highlight the deep maritime aging in Maryland.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with dried cherries dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with ground clove and allspice and then dipped in old vanilla syrup made with burnt pods and orange peels.

Palate: A soft cherry sweetness plays with a classic winter spice mix — think cinnamon sticks, anise, clove, orange rind, holly — next to ginger rock candy, peanut butter cookies, and a hint of rum-raisin.

Finish: That sweet/rummy dried fruit drives the finish toward clove-laced plum jam, peanut brittle, vanilla oils, and a whisper of pine resin layered into rum-raisin tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is just classic from top to bottom with a depth that’s beautiful. If you’re looking for a quintessential pour of Maryland rye whiskey, this is it.

Massachusetts — Triple Eight Distillery The Notch Nantucket Island Single Malt Whisky 15 Years Old

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $569

The Whiskey:

Like many of the single malts on this list, this hinges on the quality of the beer brewed as the base. They use the much-coveted Maris Otter barley that’s processed on-site at the brewery before being sent to the distillery to start this whisky. The hot juice is then barreled and stored next to the sea. This expression is a blend of whiskies aged in former sherry barrels, Cognac barrels, wine casks, and Sauternes barrels (a sweet French wine).

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Ripe, dried, and stewed red and black berries mingle with rich marzipan and very dark salted chocolate with a creamy base, a whisper of chili pepper, and a twinge of clove before a subtle layer of old hay bales and what feels like … summer on a farm … kicks in. It’s almost an ineffable feeling that arises from the nose of this whiskey.

Palate: Dark and woody spice barks arrive after a sense of old vanilla and nougat wafers but before dried dark berries take on a hint of tartness and almost espresso bitterness with a creamed vibe.

Finish: That creamy espresso leads back to the salted chocolate with a faint whisper of red chili pepper, cinnamon bark, and fresh allspice next to luxuriously creamy honey and berry cake.

Bottom Line:

This is an old-school single malt that even the hardest of core Scotch whiskey aficionados will drink and praise. As enticing as that is, you’re going to be hard-pressed to find this one outside of the distillery. Fear not! That just means that it’s high time for a road trip to Massachusetts!

Michigan — Journeyman Distillery Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey

ABV: 66.25%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This Michigan whiskey is 100% wheat whiskey. The grains are 100% organic and grown locally around Michigan. The whiskey then ages for an undisclosed about of time before it’s blended into a final product that looks to Irish whiskey for inspiration.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a clear sense of toffee and vanilla cake on the nose with a dash of woody winter spices, eggnog creaminess and nutmeg, and a light whisper of smudged sweetgrass.

Palate: The palate leans into the smoldering grassiness while warm dark spices add a sharpness before stewed pears and plums mingle with clove, anise, and cinnamon bark.

Finish: Next, oily vanilla pods arrive with a whisper of old leather and tobacco wrapped in dry sweetgrass on the warm and buzzing finish.

Bottom Line:

This whiskey won a ton of awards this year and last, including Best in Show/Whiskey of the Year at Fred Minnick’s Ascot Awards. Hype aside, this whiskey lives up to all those accolades as a devilishly fun sipper and one hell of a cocktail base. The distillery experience and food are worth the trip as well. So don’t sleep on getting a good meal when picking up a bottle of this.

Minnesota — Tattersall Interstate Whiskey American Single Malt Aged 4 Years

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This Minnesota whiskey uses Wisconsin malted barley — one that’s smoked with cherrywood and another that’s dark roasted. The hot juice is filled into new oak barrels for a four-year rest before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Hefty crafty graininess presents on the nose with a sweet porridge vibe cut with honey, dried red fruit, and nuts.

Palate: Dried red chilis give way to dark chocolate-covered espresso beans on the palate with a light sense of dry grain husks and chocolate malts.

Finish: Those chocolate malts drive the finish with a hint of orchard fruit on a thinnish end.

Bottom Line:

This is a fine single malt that shows promise for the future of the brand. It had a super grainy/crafty/young nose but actually did