10 limited-edition American whiskeys to give (or buy for yourself) for the holidays

As the winter holidays approach, so does the opportunity to purchase exceptional bottles of American whiskey, many of which only hit the market this time of year. Here, we highlight 10 great bourbons, ryes and single malts that will likely make you agree with the lyrics of Andy Williams’ timeless song – that it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

William Larue Weller Bourbon

Every year around this time, Buffalo Trace releases its Antique Collection – a set of five whiskey labels, each very limited, usually with considerable age, and always a representation of the distillery’s most venerable Kentucky stocks. Most years, William Larue Weller The label ($150) shines as the most divine bourbon in the bunch, and this year is no exception. Sporting its signature wheat mash and bottled at 125.8, the more than 12-year-old whiskey brings faint tobacco and ripe fruit sweetness to the nose, but drinks like liquid honey. More specifically, it marries caramel and coffee on the palate and follows those flavors with a lively spice that is representative of the spirit’s more than ten years of maturation in charred oak.

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye

In recent years, when Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection has included the release of both rye labels, the 18-Year Sazerac has turned heads more strongly. As for the lineup Thomas H. Handy Sazerac ($150), well… as they say, always the bridesmaid, never the bride. This year, however, Thomas H. Handy is the one wearing white. Created in honor of the New Orleans bartender who first created the Sazerac cocktail, this strong rye (127.2 proof) brings out a prominent note of black pepper on the nose, but packs mild flavors of baking spices on the palate – more mostly soft notes of cinnamon and bolder hints of all spice and cloves. Thanks to a wonderful coating viscosity, all those flavors linger on the finish too.

Booker 2024 “The Reserves” Bourbon

Until recently, Booker’s Bourbon has focused solely on creating four distinct batches that are released throughout the year. However, in 2024, the brand took a new path, creating “The Reserves”, a special annual release that is produced in more limited quantities and touches a select number of old casks aging in the parent company’s many warehouses. brand, James. B. Beam distillation. The inaugural publication in that series, Bookers 2024 ‘The Reserves’ ($130) is a blend of eight bourbons that have been matured for eight to 14 years and together create a layered and complex spirit. Reserves delivers notes of baking spice, vanilla, and cherry cola, and while those flavors and aromas are common to bourbon, they’re especially rich and deep inside this bottle. Such is the trademark of extraordinary aging.

Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Bourbon

Known for creating special blends of multiple bourbons that are created from up to 10 different recipes, Four Roses used a handful of them to create 2024 Limited Edition Bourbon ($220). This particular whiskey, which combines four very mature bourbons between 12 and 20 years old, presents wonderful aromas of caramel apples and toffee, however, in an interesting twist, the flavors this drink places in the category of tropical fruits . offering mainly strong mango character. Better yet, there’s a herbal layer that adds a touch of delicious character to this whiskey, which also finishes a little dry. Those last two components give this limited edition real staying power, turning what could have been a sugar bomb into a contemplative sip.

Rabbit Hole Boxergrail Rye Collection

The latest release in Rabbit Hole Distillery’s lineup of limited-edition, cask-strength expressions, Boxergrail Founder’s Rye Collection ($300) offers evidence of what a few extra years can do. While the previous limited edition Boxergrail 6 Year Old Whiskey (the flagship release for the 2020 Founder’s Collection) featured a nose of butterscotch, citrus, and mint, all of which transitioned into flavors of caramel, vanilla, black pepper, and some spice. herbaceous in taste; Here, the 8-year-old Boxergrrail smells rich with cinnamon, anise and brown sugar and delivers a complex flavor profile defined by balanced notes of ginger, tobacco and blood orange.

Westland Garryana 9th Edition Single Malt

Located just outside Seattle, Westland has dedicated all of its 10 years of distilling malt whiskey because, as Master Distiller Matt Hofmann explains, the region is the most ideal place in the world – outside the UK – to grow barley. For most of this existence, the distillery has also experimented with barrel maturation and finishing using wood species that are native to the Pacific Northwest. Recently, Westland published its ninth edition of Garryana American Single Malt ($150), which marries American malts matured in three different types of casks: ex-bourbon, ex-Oloroso sherry and Garryana oak. The mouthfeel of the whiskey has a creamy color, which complements the aromas and flavors of burnt marshmallow, mocha, ground cloves and fresh cinnamon.

Castle & Key Experimental Series Orange Rye Wine

For those not in the know, Castle & Key is a relatively new distillery that has taken up residence in the remodeled (and, in some places, restored) premises of a historic Kentucky distillery outside of Lexington that formerly belonged to one of the ancestors of bourbon, the colonel. Edmund Haynes (EH) Taylor, Jr. While the label is mostly focused on traditional bourbons and ryes (with an equally delicious array of gins), the distillery team is just as committed to experimentation. Therefore, the label has just come out Castle & Key Experimental Series Orange Rye Wine ($70). Bottled (115.8 proof), this classic rye is enhanced by an 11-month finish in barrels that previously held a sweet, fortified Spanish wine. The end result is a whiskey that offers aromas of cocoa nibs, burnt orange peel and thyme; then delivers bold flavors that swirl between orange blossom, ripe cherries, rich honey and baking spices.

Bhakta 2014 Bourbon

In the years since WhistlePig founder Raj Bhakta sold the Vermont whiskey brand, he has created a new eponymous label, one that is mostly used on aged Armagnac. Recently, Bhakta collaborated with WhistlePig’s former master blender to create a distinctly American spirit. Born out of those efforts, Bhakta 2014 Bourbon ($149) is a 9-year-old, bottled cask-strength (105.4 proof) bourbon that benefits from a secondary cask finish in French oak barrels that previously held a 1973 vintage of Armagnac- award-winning. The end result is a smooth and sophisticated American whiskey that offers notes of spiced cakes, red berries and maple syrup, all of which are offset by a deep charred oak presence.

Lost Lantern Westland Peated American Single Malt

In recent years, Lost Lantern has attracted a lot of attention from the whiskey industry. As the first independent distributor dedicated to American whiskey on a national scale, the label has balanced its efforts between creating unique blends and acquiring and bottling fascinating casks from craft distilleries located across the country. One of his latest releases in the latter category, Lost Lantern Westland Peated American Single Malt ($150) showcases a Pacific Northwest whiskey made from heavily peated barley and aged for 9.99 years. (Lost Lantern chose to bottle this whiskey one day shy of its 10th year in cask because Westland itself has yet to release a single 10-year single malt. Despite such a respectful limitation, this bottle of Lost Lantern still represents the oldest Westland single malt released to date.) As for its taste, the very limited whiskey (only 185 bottles were produced) offers pleasant aromas of smoke and apples of Burn and drink like a s’mores marshmallow fresh off the fire.

Old Father Bourbon 16 Year Old

If the distillery’s marketing is to be believed, 2024 represents the one and only time whiskey enthusiasts will find it. Old grandfather of 16 years ($195) on store shelves. The brand’s history dates back to 1882 and is a nod to distiller Basil Hayden Sr., who was named Old Grand-Dad by succeeding generations of whiskey makers. Fast forward to the modern era and the brand’s popularity until now has largely been rooted in cocktails, as the distillery’s incredibly stable expression, Old Grand-Dad 114, brings a strong backbone to whiskey-based libations. With the 16-year-old bottled at 100 proof, bourbon enthusiasts who prefer uncomplicated regular pours now have something to cheer about. Predictably bodied, this mature whiskey pours a deep copper hue and delivers aromas and flavors ranging from leather and tobacco to caramel, vanilla and lingering roasting spices.