Admit it: Sometimes you look at booze “tasting notes” and wonder where that flowery b.s. about “floral notes” and “clean finish” comes from. The references scotch, whiskey, and bourbon tasters make can be as peculiar as the drinker themselves, but not all liquor is the same and in the end, there are some that make for a better-tasting experience on many levels.
Thanks to Uproxx and the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge we’ve got a reliable list of good stuff you can use to stock a pretty kick-ass home bar. Tastings to determine these rankings happened over the course of two months and were done blind—no one could bring a brand bias into the picture.
Below are the top entries in 17 categories. For more notes on sipping, taste, smell, price, check out Uproxx and ultimate-beverage.com.
Best American: Barrell Dovetail
ABV: 62.15%
Distillery: Barrell Craft Spirits, Louisville, KY (Sourced)
Average Price: $85
Best American/Rye: Thomas H. Handy Sazerac
ABV: 63.45%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $450
Best American/Single Malt: Westland Garryana 2019 Edition 4|1
ABV: 50%
Distillery: Westland Distillery, Seattle, WA
Average Price: $150
Best Bottled-in-Bond: Henry McKenna Bottled-in-Bond 10 Years Old
ABV: 50%
Distillery: Heaven Hill Distillery, Bardstown, KY
Average Price: $50
Best Bourbon: Stagg, Jr.
ABV: 64.2%
Distillery: Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, KY (Sazerac)
Average Price: $60
Best Canadian: Heaven’s Door Bootleg Series 2019 Edition 26 Year Old
ABV: 55.75%
Distillery: Sourced in Canada
Average Price: $550
Best Flavored Whiskey: Jameson Cold Brew
ABV: 30%
Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard)
Average Price: $30
Best Irish/Blended: Jameson Bow Street Cask Strength 18 Years
ABV: 55.3%
Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork & Jameson Distillery Bow Street, Dublin (Pernod Ricard)
Average Price: $165
Best Irish/Single Malt: Teeling Single Cask
ABV: 55.1%
Distillery: Teeling Distillery, Dublin
Average Price: $110
Best Irish/Single Pot Still: Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton
ABV: 46%
Distillery: New Midleton Distillery, County Cork (Pernod Ricard)
Average Price: $100
Best Scotch/Blended: Dewar’s Double Double Aged 27 Years
ABV: 46%
Distillery: John Dewar & Sons, Aberfeldy, UK (Barcardi)
Average Price: $100
Best Scotch/Blended Malt: Wemyss Malts Peat Chimney
ABV: 46%
Distillery: Wemyss Vintage Malts, Edinburgh, UK
Average Price: $45
Best Scotch/Highland Single Malt: Oban Aged 18 Years
ABV: 43%
Distillery: Oban Distillery, Oban, UK (Diageo)
Average Price: $150
Best Scotch/Island Single Malt: Highland Park Aged 21 Years
ABV: 46%
Distillery: Highland Park, Orkney, UK
Average Price: $350
Best Scotch/Islay Single Malt: Kilchoman Sanaig
ABV: 46%
Distillery: Kilchoman Distillery, Bruichladdich, UK
Average Price: $70
Best Scotch/Speyside Single Malt: Glenrothes Aged 18 Years
ABV: 43%
Distillery: The Glenrothes Distillery, Rothes, UK
Average Price: $150
Best World Whisk(e)y: The Matsui Mizunara Cask
ABV: 48%
Distillery: Kurayoshi Distillery, Tottori Prefecture
Average Price: $90