American Whiskey
American whiskey comprises a huge swath of sub-categories, and most of the whiskeys you’ll encounter fall into one of these. Bourbon (distinguished by its 51%-or-greater corn mashbill) is undoubtedly the largest of these, with Rye (at least 51% rye) arguably second. Tennessee Whiskey (a subset of Bourbon, made in Tennessee and charcoal mellowed) is another major, with Wheat Whiskey, Corn Whiskey, and Malt Whiskey all having their adherents. White whiskey (unaged whiskey) is another segment growing in size. Other categories, including Blended Whiskey, Light Whiskey, and Spirit Whiskey can also be found occupying this broad catch-all category.
Top American Whiskey Categories:
Bourbon
Tennessee Whiskey
Rye
Wheat Whiskey
American Single Malt
Blanco, Texas-based Milam & Greene Whiskey has launched a whole new series of whiskeys called Unabridged, another blended bourbon that has been designed not just by CEO Heather Greene but also by Noah Rothbaum and David Wondrich, well-known whiskey nerds and writers. Per the company, “The three tasted numerous whiskey samples and ultimately created a…
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Ready for the third Larceny Barrel Proof for 2022? C922 has arrived, and we’re ready to dive in. The wheated bourbon’s nose is agreeable but initially indistinct, as if it’s being experienced through a coffee filter. A splash of water really helps bring it to life, where notes of peanut brittle, some coffee bean, and…
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Here’s a fun fact: The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey is the first Australian whiskey that is legally labelled as “straight,” following the strict distillation and maturation rules required of American whiskeys. The whiskey is made form 100% unmalted rye grown on a single farm in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia, said to be…
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The fall bourbon releases are upon us. Where did 2022 go!? As usual, the Remus Repeal Reserve is one of the earliest out of the gate. This limited edition bourbon is brought to us by Ross & Squibb Distillery, formerly MGP (although it’s probably still OK to call them MGP). Remus Repeal Reserve VI marks…
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The 22nd edition of Old Forester’s classic Birthday Bourbon is upon us. This year marked a shift in the way Birthday Bourbon is sold. Rather than being sold at the distillery, it was offered via a lottery that was held during the last week of August. I also had to hunt high and low to…
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We recounted the story behind Jacob’s Pardon in our review of their two 15-year-old whiskeys and 8-year-old Small Batch American Whiskey Recipe #1. Today we are trying the second release of the younger offering. For Recipe #2, Master Blender (and well-known spirits writer) Paul Pacult took a very different approach. The earlier release included MGP…
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Here’s a more budget-friendly whiskey offering from the folks behind Michigan’s Fox & Oden. At a stated minimum of just three years old, this is a considerably younger bourbon than that brand, but it relies on the same high rye, MGP-distilled mashbills. The name is said to be inspired by “generations of American aviators” while…
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King of Kentucky returns just in time for the beginning of Big Bourbon Season (aka “autumn”) and like its 2019 sibling, arrives aged 15 years. The mashbill remains the same (79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley), but the good news is they’ve increased the output from 2700 bottles in 2021 to 3500 this…
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It seems like Barrell Craft Spirits just can’t stop making premium blends, no matter how hard they try. Last year, Barrell launched their Stellum Spirits line which offered a cask strength bourbon and rye designed to be simpler blends at a more wallet-friendly price point than their batch releases. The goal here seemed to…
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Fox & Oden is a new non-distilling producer that hails from Holland, Michigan, but that’s all I’m really able to tell you about the brand. At present, a bourbon and single malt are advertised on the website, although we also have in our possession both a double-oaked bourbon and a straight rye for consideration that…
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