Whiskey
Whiskey is a spirit produced from the distillation of grain. Debate still rages about whether the Irish Celts or Scots were the first to produce the “water of life,” but the first written recording of whiskey’s creation dates to 15th century Scotland. Origin isn’t the only debate concerning whiskey. Spelling is contentious, too. When distilled in Scotland, Canada, and Japan, it is spelled whisky without the e, while whiskey distilled in Ireland and the United States is most often, but not always, spelled with the e. Technically, whiskey is a distilled spirit produced from a fermented grain mash, distilled to no more than 190 proof, and bottled at no less than 80 proof. All whiskey, with the exception of corn whiskey and “white” whiskey, must be aged for some period of time in oak containers. Whiskey is classified by country of origin (i.e. Canadian whisky) and may be further defined by the type of grain used (i.e. rye whiskey) or the way it is produced (i.e. single malt).
Top Whiskey Posts:
The Top 10 Whiskeys of 2018
The Top 10 Whiskeys of 2017
All About Dusties: 1970s vs. 2018 Bourbon Tasted Side by Side
Top 10 Bourbons Under $20
What Grains are Used to Make Whiskey (And Why?)
From Barrel To Bottle: How Wood Aging Impacts Whiskey
Last year Old Forester began releasing its President’s Choice whiskeys to retail for the first time, at least on a limited basis. The two whiskeys — a bourbon and a rye — are now making their return to the market for 2026. The formula hasn’t changed. These are all single barrel releases, including a collection…
Founded in 2008 by Dr. Bryan Nolt in Breckenridge, Colorado, Breckenridge Distillery built its reputation around high-rye blended bourbon and the claim of being the “World’s Highest Distillery.” From the beginning, the distillery’s approach centered on marrying whiskey distilled in-house with sourced stocks, creating a portfolio that has become one of the defining names in…
It’s easy to criticize “grain-to-glass” as a designation, but by any definition, Nevada’s Frey Ranch certainly qualifies. The family owned and operated company grows its own grains, then malts, mashes, distills, ages, and bottles all whiskeys on site. They even create their own “peat” via a home-built bioreactor, which accelerates the decay of farm-sourced organic…
Drew Thorn spent more than a decade helping build Sagamore Spirit from an ambitious startup into a nationally recognized whiskey brand. As the company’s CEO, he played a pivotal role in guiding its growth and establishing its place in the modern rye whiskey market. From the beginning, Sagamore Spirit’s identity was rooted in the blending…
Bardstown Bourbon Co. has proven to be one of the more consistent producers of creative, cutting-edge American whiskeys. Nowhere in their generous portfolio is that more evident than the limited-edition Distillery Reserve Series, a thrice annual showcase of some the distillery’s boldest creations available exclusively at their Kentucky outposts and to members of their whiskey…
Northern California’s Griffo Distillery enticed us with its recent release of whiskey distilled from Lagunitas’ The Waldos beer, so we’re diving back into the distillery’s offerings with a deeper dive into some of its more mainstream, permanent releases. Let’s not sit on ceremony as we delve into a collection that spans vodka, gin, whiskey, and…
Texas-based Kooper Family Distilling recently rebranded, dropping the Family and simplifying to Koopers (no apostrophe). Sorry, fam! Labels have been revamped across the board, with Koopers branding much more prominent and consistent across the lineup. The brand is also ramping up production with all manner of special releases, one of which we look at below…
For 200 years, Fettercairn’s Highland single malts never officially graced American shores, at least via branded releases. In 2025, the brand introduced part of its core range to the U.S., with limited distribution on 24, 28, and 40 year old single malts. Now, the Whyte & Mackay-operated distillery is rolling out its 12 and 16…
Your dad has worn the same belt for 10 years and hasn’t put on a tie since the Clinton administration, so why are you going to give him one of those tired old gifts for Father’s Day once again? Take it from a dad: Booze is well-known as the international currency of fatherly love. With…
This year’s release for Ardbeg Day — marked on the final day of Islay’s Feis Ile celebration — features one of the distillery’s most evocative — and successful — aging regimens. That regimen is Marsala dolce, the sweetest style of Sicilian Marsala wine, which spans secco (dry), semisecco (semi-dry), and the sweet dolce, which is…