Whether you’re a connoisseur or a novice whiskey drinker, it’s important to look at the International categories, style categories, and flavor categories to truly experience the spirit of whiskey. Luckily, sommelier, whiskey expert, and director of Good Wine Good People Dan Belmont has you covered. Belmont curated this list of the 10 best whiskeys that you should try at least once in your lifetime.
“On this list of the 10 best whiskeys, I have some that are entry level and some that you may take your entire life to seek out. There’s a lot of fun to be had here,” Belmont said. “You could start off simple before beginning to chase down some of these rarer expressions, but each is going to give you something very distinct, which I think is exciting. And, I have a particular order that I want to share them in.”
Whiskey vs. Whisky
It’s important to note that there’s a difference between “whiskey” and “whisky” depending on the region it comes from. “Whiskey” or “whiskeys” is used for American and Irish spirits such as bourbon, rye, and Tennessee whiskey. On the other hand “whisky” or “whiskies” is used for spirits originating from Scotland, Japan, and Canada. So, when you see it spelled differently in different places, that’s why!
Whiskey, or whisky, comes in many different varieties. They all fall under the whiskey umbrella with a slight twist—and this list includes them all. “Whiskey (or whisky) is an amber-colored spirit made from a variety of fermented grains (most commonly barley, rye, wheat, or corn), distilled two or three times, aged in wooden barrels, and bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV,” according to Kelsey Vigh from Total Wine.
American Varieties
Bourbon is an American barrel-aged whiskey that’s made primarily of corn, with at least 51 percent corn in the grain blend. To be called a bourbon, the whiskey must be “aged in new charred oak barrels, have no additives or colorings, and bottled at 40%+ ABV,” writes Vigh. “Having a majority of corn in its mash bill makes it sweeter and fuller-bodied than some other types of whiskey. While Kentucky is often associated with this whiskey, don’t be fooled—it does not have to be made in the state to qualify as bourbon.”
Tennessee whiskey must be produced in the U.S. state of Tennessee, as it states in the name. “It must also go through a filtration process known as the Lincoln County Process. Before the whiskey is aged, it must be filtered through maple wood charcoal,” Vigh says.
Scottish Varieties
Scotch whisky refers to all whiskies that are made in Scotland, but there are specific regulations that it must adhere to in order to be categorized as such. “Scotch Whisky must age for a minimum of three years in wooden casks and be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV,” writes Vigh.
Single malt typically refers to scotch that is made from a single batch in a single distillery. Single malt can be produced in countries other than Scotland, however, with different regulations in different countries.
Irish Varieties
Irish whiskey must obviously be made in Ireland, and “may contain malted or unmalted barley in addition to grains such rye, wheat, and corn, aged at least three years in oak casks, and bottled at a minimum 40% ABV,” Vigh adds. “The grains are dried in ovens versus the peat fires used in making many Scotch whiskies. Irish whiskey is also usually distilled three times, whereas most Scotch is only distilled twice.”
Japanese Varieties
Finally, Japanese whisky, which is newer to the scene, is made similarly to scotch whisky, often uses malted barley as the main grain in the mashbill, must be distilled twice, and is aged in wooden casks, according to Vigh. “Historically, no well-defined rules or regulations were imposed on making Japanese whisky. However, in February 2021, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association announced new standards for labeling Japanese whisky.”
Do you prefer your whiskey neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail? Well, if cocktails are your vibe, here are The 6 Best Whiskey Cocktails You Can Easily Make At Home.
Without further ado, here are the 10 best whiskeys you should try at least once.
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1. Michter’s US 1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
“If I’m choosing American bourbon, I am recommending that you seek out Michter’s US 1 Kentucky straight bourbon, which has to have a mash bill of a minimum of 51 percent corn to be called bourbon,” according to Belmont. “American corn sits at the heart of American bourbon and it has to spend time in American oak-charred casks. So, Michter’s is just a high-quality example that is really true to the category and is small-batch.”
Michter’s has a kick to it, it’s fairly high proof, and is batched in a holding tank that’s sized to fit a maximum of 20 full barrels. There’s no margin for bleeding out imperfection, according to Belmont. “It’s nuanced, mellow, and earthy,” he says.
2. Uncle Nearest Premium Tennessee Whiskey
According to the Uncle Nearest website, the Tennessee whiskey honors the world’s first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. It was the most-awarded bourbon and American whiskey of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. So, with that track record, it’s no surprise that it made this list of the top 10 whiskeys.
Uncle Nearest is a rye whiskey with a lot of spice, pepper, and personality. In order to be categorized as a rye, the whiskey must be 51 percent rye and must be aged a minimum of two years.
“The Uncle Nearest is an uncut, unfiltered, straight rye whiskey,” says Belmont. “This is a Tennessee whiskey, but they found the rye that they use for it in New York State. New York is definitely a great place for rye. They say it was born in the north, but moved to God’s country for some well deserved rest,” he adds.
3. Ardbeg Ten Year Old Scotch Whisky
Coming out of Islay, Scotland, where you’d find peated and smoky whiskies, is the Ardbeg Ten Year Old Scotch Whisky. This island expression is definitely defined by its maritime climate.
“It’s really just the big boy. It’s known for being one of the most powerful, smokey and nuanced Island scotches out there. It’s their flagship with three top descriptors that they use: the sea spray with the iodine vibe, hari rope—which is very specific and you can picture a rope that’s been covered in tar—and immense smoky intensity,” says Belmont. “It doesn’t flaunt the peat, but the natural sweetness of the malt really comes together in balance. It is just a true benchmark example of a peated whisky and deserves a spot on this 10 best whiskeys list.”
4. Glengoyne 18 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glengoyne 18 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch whisky has both fruit notes and floral notes with an essence of dried fruit, candied fruit, tropical fruit, orchard fruit, and ripe fruit, according to Belmont. “It almost offers a maple breakfast cereal vibe that resembles a sweet, confectionery stack of pancakes. It’s full bodied, it’s round, and it’s rich with some warm baking spices and a really, really, really long finish. It’s a special drink.”
Belmont actually visited this distillery in Scotland. “The distillery has a wonderful waterfall right behind it. It’s not a very big distillery, but they make some wonderful stuff, he says. “It’s also an important sustainability pioneer within the whisky industry. I encourage you to go to their website to learn about all the different initiatives that they have. They take measures to manage water waste, go green with their packaging, and use local sourcing of ingredients. That all goes a long way, and I definitely support their initiatives.”
5. Glenfarclas 25 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glenfarclas 25 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Speyside, Scotland was born in a sixth-generation family-owned distillery.
“It’s really just a benchmark example of a Speyside whisky, of a long-aged whisky, of a long-aged sherry Speyside whisky, and is generally regarded as one of the best in the world,” says Belmont. “When you age something this long, the smoothness is just remarkable. It makes a big difference as compared to younger whiskies. The texture is really very pleasing. It’s silky smooth with incredibly rich, generous flavors. Again, it offers confectionery desert fruit flavors such as candy, nutty, dark chocolate, toffee and coffee. It’s just a wonderful complexity that really makes it kind of hard not to love this one.”
6. Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky
If you ever scan a Japanese whisky shelf, you will likely find a trademark bottle that has 24 facets going around it, which represent the Japanese seasons. This is Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whiskey, which is a blend of Japanese malt and grain whiskies from three very well regarded distilleries: Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita.
“It is a wonderful example of the care and attention that goes into Japanese blending, which honors a specificity and dedication to its blends. I think this one is bright, light, and lifted,” says Belmont. “It’s not so much of a dessert whisky—it’s actually something that kind of perks you up. It offers really lovely citrus notes with white chocolate. It’s a special example of Japanese whisky.”
If you’re going to build a list of the top 10 whiskeys and include a Japanese whiskey, Hibiki is the perfect expression to represent that category.
7. Green Spot Pot Still Irish Whiskey
Next on the list of the top 10 whiskeys is Green Spot Pot Still Irish Whiskey, which was born in a unique distillery. Mostly seen in Irish whiskey distilling, pot still distilling means that the spirit is only created in a single pot, or a single run. It is aged between seven and 10 years, and then it is matured in new refill bourbon and sherry casks.
“It’s another one that is known for its quality, for its complexity, and for its benchmark level of the Irish whiskey style. And, It’s incredibly affordable,” says Belmont.
8. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 (Black) Whiskey
Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 whiskey is probably the most controversial in the list, according to Belmont. It’s a classic and widely consumed American spirit. And, in any discussion about the top 10 whiskeys, you can’t leave out Jack. You just can’t do it.
“You can’t talk about American whiskey without mentioning Jack Daniel’s,” Belmont agrees. “It’s the preferred drink of Frank Sinatra and so many others. Now, I’m not saying it needs to be your go-to whiskey, or that it shouldn’t be. There’s a lot more complexity out there. But, Jack Daniel’s is still a family-owned-and-operated business and they’ve been doing it the same way for over a century. So, I think, you have to give credit where credit is due.”
When it comes to straight whiskey expressions, Belmont thinks the Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 is the one that people just need to make sure they’ve had. “You’ve got to try it at least once.”
The whiskey is mellowed through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal, which gives it a very smooth texture. It is then matured in handcrafted barrels that the distillery makes themselves. “It has a personality to it,” Belmont says. “The other thing that’s unique about Jack Daniel’s is that there’s not really much of a schedule to it—it’s ready when it’s ready. It’s ready when it looks, tastes, and smells like true Jack Daniel’s. So yeah, I think it definitely deserves a nod.”
9. Whiskey Del Bac Dorado Single Malt
Whiskey Del Bac Dorado Single Malt comes from the American southwest in Tucson, Arizona. It’s a single malt whiskey that’s made up of 100 percent barley. It’s malted and then smoked over a mesquite fire using mesquite wood, which is local to that area of the United States. “It’s a copper pot distilled whiskey that’s aged and bottled on site. I highly recommend it. It’s quite good,” says Belmont.
“It has very complex notes—things like tobacco and chocolate—and you get some campfire notes from it, which I think makes it the kind of whiskey you can see cowboys drinking fireside in the old West. It has a really nice textural finish, and a sweeter Caramella dessert flavor that will take you home to fall asleep under the stars.”
10. Pappy Van Winkle
Last but not least is Pappy Van Winkle. You just can’t have a list of the 10 best whiskeys without it. It’s made by the Buffalo Trace distillery, which is one of the biggest slurries in America and makes over a dozen different brands that all whiskey lovers are very familiar with. “It’s just this mythical beast. If you’re a whiskey lover, you’ve either had it or have it on your list to try very soon. If you’re going to take this list and seek these expressions on a proper whiskey quest, I think it’s a good call to try and get a little sip of Pappy at some point,” says Belmont.
“Within the Pappy family, we’re looking at six different expressions. Going from the Old Rip Van Winkle tenure to the Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 and The Family Reserve Rye 13. The proper Pappy is either the Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year, the Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year, or the Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year. Obviously, the 23-year-old is the holy grail,” he adds. “We’ve talked about what long aging times can do for a whiskey—the 23 is incredibly smooth and is just something really special. It’s the goat of whiskies. It has a lot of texture and a lot of flavor.”
Belmont says that he isn’t going to tell you what you should be tasting when you have a sip of Pappy Van Winkle, but he has some imagery for you. “Just close your eyes, take it, and savor it. Don’t stress so much about which of the Van Winkles you’re going to get your hands on. They’re all pretty special stuff.”