Current Faves

Looking for recommendations?

This page is meant to serve as a quick reference for two areas of whiskey—new or recent faves, and perennial faves.

Whose faves? My faves! And perhaps they’ll be yours as well.

Cheers!

NEW & RECENT FAVES
updated 6/24/26

Some of these might be limited releases, others new additions to the standard worldwide whisk(e)y portfolio. All are currently open on my home shelf, and most are currently to be found somewhere somehow.

This list is updated as new bottles land on my personal faves radar. Notes are brief, with a 🔗 to more detailed notes when available.

☟

Echo 8-Year Double Oaked Kentucky Bourbon (2026)
Seelbach’s has long been among the great online retailers of interesting craft whiskey. It was inevitable they would get into non-distiller producing themselves. One of their latest releases in that regard caught my eye immediately. In an effort to approximate the denser, richer, dustier pre-Prohibition bourbon profiles, they took 8-year Wild Turkey bourbon and finished it for a time in barrels made with 72-month air-dried oak staves. Then they proofed the barrels down slowly for six months, allowing the whiskey time to gradually integrate and soften. I cracked my bottle the day it arrived. Rich black cherry, oak, tangy caramel. Dark and dense, with a slight cough syrup vibe. Recognizably Wild Turkey yet transformed into something much more candy and with a bitter oaky outline. I’d call it a winner. 109.5 proof. Seelbach’s. $100

Elijah Craig 15 Year Single Barrel Bourbon (2026)
I’m leary of posting the latest pricy FOMO inducer here but I think this one is worth the hype. At least barrel #158 is. I’ve read some people on the social meds reporting the single barrel they picked up was meh. But the one I got is everything I always hoped the Elijah Craig 18 to be—packed with sweet and savory old school Kentucky bourbon goodness. Single barrel brands can be a crap shoot but this one paid off. 108 proof. Heaven Hill Distillery. $150 🔗

Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye – Single Barrel (2026)
I’ve been noticing Hard Truth Distilling Company raising eyebrows on the whiskey social meds lately, and this single barrel was indeed selected by a handful of organized whiskey influencers. They picked a good one. Cinnamon and rye spice vie for prominence on the nose, backed up with black pepper, nutmeg, and oak spice. On the palate it’s syrupy, quite peppery both in taste and heat, with syrupy apricot, chocolate, cherry, and nice bitter wood tannins. The finish shimmers brightly from the ABV, with a minty quality, leaving apricot and slick chocolate syrup. Very good. Too hot, I would say, benefitting from a splash of water. But this is quality stuff. 119.5 Proof. Hard Truth Distilling Company. $80

Komagatake Japanese Single Malt (2025)
Japanese whisky is known for subtle nuance, high prices, and false advertising. The latter comes from years of scammy blenders mixing imported scotch and labeling it as “Japanese.” In recent years a number of distilleries have pushed against that trend. The Mars Komagatake flagship release is proudly 100% Japanese, bottled without artificial color or chill filtration. With notes like peaches, green melon, vanilla syrup, saltwater taffy, sea salt, malty milk chocolate fudge, and wildflower honey, and offered at a decent price all things world whisky considered, this may be my new go-to Japanese whisky. 90 Proof. Mars Komagatake Distillery. $80 🔗

Maclean’s Nose Blended Scotch Whisky
Ardnamurchan Distillery is doing its part to make blended scotch whisky cool again. Their very affordable Maclean’s Nose is made up of 70% malt and 30% grain whisky, and could very well pass for a ~5-year single malt. On a thick foundation of complex vanilla, the blend layers on maritime salt and sandy notes, peach, beach wood, and subtle smoke. It’s delightful neat, and makes an excellent base for a Penicillin or other scotch cocktail. 92 proof. Ardnamurchan Distillery. $35 🔗

PERENNIAL FAVES

These are generally readily found (depending on your region) and range in price from bargains to “special occasion” pours. Any of these make a good place to start, or a good standard for the home shelf.

☟

Campbeltown Loch Blended Malt – Springbank, $80

Eagle Rare Bourbon – Buffalo Trace, $50 🔗

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon – Heaven Hill, $35 🔗

Four Roses Small Batch Select – Four Roses, $60 🔗

Home Base Bourbon – Home Base Spirits, $60 🔗

Kilchoman Sanaig Single Malt Scotch – Kilchoman, $70-$100 🔗

Laphroaig 10 Year Sherry Oak Finish Single Malt Scotch – Laphroaig, $90 🔗

Maclean’s Nose Blended Scotch Whisky – Ardnamurchan Distillery, $35 🔗

Maker’s Mark No. 46 Wheated Bourbon – Maker’s Mark, $40

Nikka “From The Barrel” Blended Whisky – Nikka, $75

Old Forester 1920 Bourbon – Old Forester, $60 🔗

Old Forester Rye – Old Forester, $25

Port Charlotte 10 Year Heavily Peated Single Malt Scotch – Bruichladdich, $60. 🔗

Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength Irish Whiskey – Midleton Distillery, $100 🔗

Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond Rye – Heaven Hill, $30 🔗

Rubicon Rye – Dry Diggings, $80 🔗

Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Bourbon – Wild Turkey, $50 🔗

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye – Wild Turkey, $70 🔗

Uncle Nearest 1856 Tennessee Whisky – Uncle Nearest, $60 🔗

Westward Single Malt Whiskey (literally anything they make) – Westward, $60-$100 🔗

Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon – Wild Turkey, $25 🔗

Woodinville Port Cask Finished Bourbon – Woodinville Whiskey Co., $50 🔗