Category: Food

Technically it’s always whiskey-sipping season in my house. But there is something extra cozy about the December chill that sparks the spirit of giving whiskey, too. The glint of colorful lights on a big ice cube rattling through a tumbler of amber elixir. The toasty vanilla perfume of barrel char, the punchy spice of distilled rye, a whiff of peat smoke from a faraway land. A great bottle that captures this kind of magic is the definition of a win-win gift because, hopefully, whoever receives it will be in the cheerful mood to crack it open right there and share! That’s just good manners.

That is exactly what I did recently when I gathered a group of thirsty friends, neighbors, and spirit nerds for an afternoon tasting to determine the stars for my annual holiday bottle list. This year we sniffed, sipped, and selected 14 winners from a competitive collection of 33 bottles from across the world, including intriguing entries from two countries not yet known for whiskey — Mexico and Korea — as well as a pleasant surprise from a music icon more famous for her Billboard hits than her high-rye mashbill. All of these bottles are currently available retail in Pennsylvania and South Jersey, and they suit a wide range of tastes and price points, from a half-dozen sub-$50 values to a handful of triple-digit splurges.

One noticeable trend is the continued swing toward high-proof spirits, and in particular, whiskeys categorized as bottled-in-bond. This legal designation was created in 1897 to certify purity — with no additives other than water — and that the whiskey in question is produced by one distillery, aged no fewer than four years, and bottled at 100 proof. While the Bottled in Bond Act was launched as an integrity initiative when late 19th-century rectifiers were adding ingredients like creosote and wintergreen to their booze, the reasons for the current resurgence is unfortunately economic.

America’s craft industry is in the midst of a major implosion, with nearly 25% of America’s craft distillers closing over the past year due to a variety of reasons, from a rise in legalized cannabis and GLP-1 drugs that have cut into liquor consumption to the double-whammy of rising costs and plummeting exports due to tariffs. The net effect, says Rob Cassell of New Liberty Distillery in Northeast Philly, has been a wave of distillers unloading their more expensive aged inventory as the industry consolidates. That’s concerning for whiskey fans.

The flip side is that I also happen to be a fan of the 100-proof category, which offers more punch (and, often, more flavor) than standard bottlings typically in the 80- to 90-proof range. So I was happy to do my part and support the cause, putting several of these intriguing bottles on my annual tasting table and now passing them along as recommendations. While the industry confronts the sobering facts of its new reality, we can at least drink well.

Scotch

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie

The eye-catching teal blue bottle is only one sign this whisky is different. Bruichladdich, a once-fallow Victorian-era distillery, was revived in 2001 by emissaries of the French wine industry with a modern aesthetic and a focus on locally grown barley, which always comprises at least a portion of the mashbill. It’s one of the only distilleries on Islay (the smoke-shrouded home of Laphraoig) that makes some of its whiskies without peat-smoked malts. (Some of its bottles, like Octomore and Port Charlotte, are actually quite peaty). The Laddie is its signature elegant bottling. It smells of lemon and honey on the nose, then coats your palate with a fresh, clean flavor that evokes a breezy field of grain, then blooms into the fruity flavor of a Bosc pear glazed in salted dark caramel. Remarkably smooth for a 100-proof dram. Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie, 100 proof, 750ml, on sale in Pennsylvania in December ($3 off) for $54.99 (PLCB Item # 000096308)

Dewar’s Blended Scotch 19-year-old, Champions Edition Oakmont label

My dear late mother-in-law was a devoted Dewar’s drinker, and what’s fascinating is that even in its fancied-up form, such as this 19-year-old collectible for the U.S. Open Golf Championship, the traditional sweet side notes of this classic blended Scotch hold true: bananas and chocolate, tanged with citrus and baking spice. That profile reads deeper and more resonant in this slightly higher-octane edition (86 proof vs. the usual 80), which also has the added notes of apple brandy from the Calvados barrels used for aging. Apparently, because this 2025 golf tournament was held at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh, Dewar’s wanted to honor Pennsylvania’s long affinity for the fruit, and it landed with my judges. “Smells like Mott’s apple sauce!” said one after a big sniff, while another, who added a splash of water, noted it took on a lovely butterscotch finish. Dewar’s Blended Scotch 19-year-old, The Champions Edition Oakmont label, 86 proof, 750ml, $79.99 (PLCB item #100047823)

The Glendronach 15-year-old Sherry Cask

This 15-year-old Highland malt looks and smells like burnished old copper, and delivers a decadent fruitcake of deliciousness on the palate — fudgy chocolate, bitter oranges, toasty walnuts, candied cherries, and figs, all wrapped up in a minty finishing puff of pipe smoke. Aged in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, which accounts for the nutty and dark caramel notes, this 92-proof dram is both smooth and brawny, so a small splash of water only lengthens the flavors rather than dilutes them. A worthy splurge for the single-malt collector in your life. The Glendronach 15-Year-Old Sherry Cask, 92 proof, 700ml, $114 (PLCB Item #100043250)

Asian whiskeys

Ki One Korean Single Malt Whisky

The single most fascinating whisky in this year’s tasting came from Ki One, South Korea’s first single-malt distillery, founded in 2020 by Korean American Bryan Do, who quit his job as a Microsoft exec to pursue his passion for spirits. He and master distiller Andrew Shand, who’s worked in both Scotland (Glenlivet) and Japan (Nikka), wanted to create a whisky that spoke to Korea’s love of spice, achieved largely through the choice of casks and the fast-aging properties of the region’s heat. This “Batch 1” edition aged in virgin American oak gets there beautifully, with deep caramel color and tropical fruit notes on the front — bananas, passion fruit, green Gage plums — along with a sweetness that phases into a tingly finish with a peppery, fermented tang reminiscent of gochujang. Not for everyone, considering the price, but well-made and utterly unique. Ki One Korean Single-Malt Whisky, 80 proof, 700 ml, $124.99 at Benash Liquors & Wines, 2405 NJ-38, Cherry Hill, N.J., 856-667-3539, benashliquors.com

Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve

Any good Japanese whiskey under $100 is worth a second look, but especially one from the Yamazaki, Japan’s pioneering single-malt distillery built in 1923. The Distiller’s Reserve is Yamazaki’s entry-level bottling, but it’s still a gloriously smooth and complex sipper that will convey much of what makes the brand so coveted. The use of Japanese mizunara oak casks, along with American and Spanish wood, lends a subtle incense-scented component to the mix. Each sip is like a lovely pastry of beguiling flavors, with spiced stone fruit and caramel-vanilla on the nose segueing to strawberries and toasted coconut on the palate, shaded by a soft backdrop of peated malt. This is the kind of whiskey that coats your teeth in the best way. Its aromatics are also lovely when they sparkle atop the icy fizz of a luxury highball. The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve, 86 proof, 750ml, $94.99 (PLCB Item #100051645)

Mexican whiskey

Prieto y Prieta

When I think of Mexico, I naturally think of agave spirits, but Mexico’s deep relationship to corn is also inspiring, so why not whiskey? This unique, brassy-colored whiskey de maiz shows what can be done with four heirloom varieties of corn from Oaxaca, and the results are intriguing. Caramel corn, grilled corn husks, and cinnamon are the most obvious aromas that hit you first, but what makes this whiskey so cool are the intensely earthy flavors that emerge on the palate, evoking mushrooms, green peppercorns, and a soft hibiscus tang. Your first instinct might be to add a splash of water to this 86-proof spirit, but that only seemed to dilute the character of its best traits. The label, featuring ears of corn with gilded kernels, will look pretty on any bar cart. Prieto y Prieta Mexican Whisky, $49.99, 86 proof, 750ml, at Benash Liquors & Wines

American whiskey

SirDavis American Whiskey

On the subject of beautiful packaging, the tall, fluted shoulders of SirDavis’ bottle — topped with a cut crystal-style stopper and embossed with a bronze horse — stood out like an oversized bottle of luxury perfume. The soigné Western-themed look made sense once I told the tasting team this American whiskey was created by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in collaboration with Moët Hennessy in the midst of her Cowboy Carter glory. I did not reveal that fact, however, until after we sipped. And this brilliant copper-hued spirit rose on its own merits. It wore its high-rye spice proud, lending some needed backbone to the pretty flavors of barley malt that followed with toffee-caramel sweetness, baking spice, and a raisiny finish thanks to Pedro Ximenez barrels.

Celebrity bottles almost always fall flat. But Queen Bey is no ordinary celeb. She also has whiskey roots, paying tribute here to her great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, a Prohibition-era moonshiner for whom SirDavis is named. Not really a profound whiskey, but given the pedigree, far better than it has to be. SirDavis American Whiskey, 88 proof, 750ml, $98, available online at sirdavis.com

Bourbon

Old Forester Straight Bourbon 1870

This version of Old Forester is made to the original mashbill and shines like a copper penny in the glass. It’s an easy drinker that shows the brand’s classic chocolate-and-cherry notes, but also floral aromas, citrus, and baking spice. Old Forester aficionados will debate which bottling of its age-dated series is best (I’m still partial to the chocolate-cake goodness of the 1920 label), but this bottle — a stellar sub-$50 value that’s perfect over a big ice cube or two — satisfies every time. Old Forester Straight Bourbon 1870, 90 proof, 750ml, $44.99, (PLCB Item # 9882)

Widow Jane Baby Jane Bourbon

The “Baby Jane” edition from Brooklyn’s Widow Jane is the first bourbon that includes whiskey made at its Red Hook distillery in New York. Named for the proprietary Baby Jane breed of heirloom corn that lends this bourbon both creamy and spicy notes, it’s blended with sourced whiskey from Kentucky and limestone mineral water from the abandoned Widow Jane mine in Rosendale, N.Y. (the distillery’s namesake). The nose offers a bright combo of sweet corn and crushed red apple skins, while the flavors channel the advertised duo of sweetness and spice — think strawberry shortcake topped with lots of whipped cream, plus several grinds of black pepper and sea salt. One taster found the name “too creepy,” but the rich texture and balance of this small-batch whiskey, at just under $50, is a worthy gift to give or receive. Widow Jane Baby Jane Bourbon, 91 proof, 750ml, $49.99 (PLCB item # 35053)

Still Austin “The Musician” Straight Bourbon

This relatively new distillery from Texas’ Hill Country impressed the tasting panel last year with a rye (“The Artist”) that landed on our final list for its combination of character and value. No surprise Still Austin’s straight bourbon earns another recommendation. This also features a relatively high rye mashbill (25%) among its all-Texas grain, which lends some peppery spark to the honeyed, toasty nose of this deep amber juice. More fruit and nuts rise on the palate, shaded by a finish tobacco, baking spice, and tea. Overall, it’s impressively smooth for a young whiskey (aged just two years) that clocks in just shy of 100 proof. Still Austin “The Musician” Straight Bourbon, 98.4 proof, 750ml, $42.99 at Total Wine (Cherry Hill), $44.99 (PLCB Item #52349)

Old Grand-Dad Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond 7-year-old

The seven-year-old Bottled-in-Bond expression of Old Grand-Dad is a relatively limited seasonal release for this standby bourbon brand. It’s also a step up in character over the basic bargain label associated with Old Grand-Dad, which was founded in 1840 by the grandson of whiskey legend Basil Hayden Sr., also the namesake Jim Beam’s popular (and much more expensive) small-batch whiskey. This 2018 edition is somewhat restrained on the nose, but the initial flavors of grainy graham cracker sweetness open up into a zingy plume of caraway and pepper spice, with a lingering lime-zest acidity that flashes and lingers on the tongue. Those savory elements step forward even more with a splash of water. This would make a fantastic julep. The panel also gave a collective “Wow!” of surprise when I revealed the price: This thrifty Old Grand-Dad rings in just under $40. Old Grand-Dad Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond 7-year-old, 100 Proof, 750ml, $39.99, (PLCB Item # 100050572)

Angel’s Envy Bottled in Bond Bourbon

This is the first bottled-in-bond edition from Angel’s Envy, which also happens to be its first cask-strength spirit, a six-year-old whiskey that is decadent and rich from first sniff to final sip. Its nose of vanilla custard and caramelized Demerara sugar led one taster to declare it “the crème brûlée of bourbons!” On the palate, the dessert notes take a different and fruity turn — like chocolate-covered apricots — that just keep going. Don’t be tempted to add water. Despite the high proof (actually relatively low for a cask-strength), this whiskey is perfect as is. Angel’s Envy Bottled in Bond Bourbon, 100 proof, 750ml, $64.99 (PLCB Item #53715)

Proof and Wood Straight Bourbon “The Representative”

I never thought about Congress in terms of whiskey until I encountered this series of Washington-themed spirits from Proof and Wood, which ages whiskeys according to political terms in office, from the “Senator” (six years) all the way up to the Presidential Dram (eight years). The “Representative,” aged “at least two Congressional terms,” is a four-year-old powerhouse distilled in 2020 that blends sweetness and spice with impressive balance considering it’s bottled at 114.8-proof cask strength. (When diluted to 80 proof, the same mashbill becomes Proof and Wood’s Deadwood bourbon.) It’s eminently sippable as is, but a splash of water accentuates the buttery sweetness and also teases forward some of its more interesting notes — sassafras, licorice, and an herbal bitterness reminiscent of amaro. It’s delicious on its own terms, but for a cask-strength whiskey at $50, it’s an absolute deal. Proof and Wood Straight Bourbon “The Representative”, 114.8 proof, 750ml, $49.99 Benash Liquors & Wines

Willett Pot Still Reserve Small Batch Bourbon

Despite its slightly elevated heat at 94 proof, this straight bourbon from Bardstown, Kentucky, is an easy sipper that rides the smooth caramel notes of a mashbill that’s mostly corn and wheat, giving off the elegant tang of a moist lemon cake soaked in vanilla syrup. An herbal whiff and salty wave rise just enough to keep the finish peppery and interesting. (“I’d love this in a Manhattan!” opined one judge.) The elegant bottle — shaped like a long-necked pot still — is a major selling point on its own for gift-giving in the $50 range. Even better, this whiskey comes in 50-milliliter minis that makes it perfect for stuffing your stockings with the magic of bourbon, too. Willett Pot Still Reserve, Small Batch Bourbon, 94 proof, 750ml, $46 at Total Wine; 50 ml for $9.49 at Total; $54.99, 750ml in Pennsylvania (PLCB Item #: 30489)