High West Distillery is making a major change to one of its core whiskeys, Double Rye. Previously a blend of 2 year old rye from Indiana’s MGP Distillery and 16 year old rye from Kentucky’s Barton 1792 Distillery, Double Rye will now include a portion of High West’s own rye, made in Utah. The exact proportion of whiskeys isn’t being disclosed, but master distiller Brendan Coyle says the house-made whiskey is a minority of the blend and ranges in age from 4 to 7 years old. “We have some fairly complex, intricate blending recipes; the High West component that is...

Tomorrow is the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the biggest day in horse-racing and a pretty great excuse to pull out your favorite bourbon for a Mint Julep or two —or even to throw a whole party centered around the most exciting two minutes in sports.

But if that’s not your thing, there’s plenty more to get excited about this week, with new releases from Maker’s Mark , Jefferson’s , and even Bob Dylan . In fact, the acclaimed folk musician and Nobel Prize winner is rolling out a brand new line of bourbon, whiskey, and rye called Heaven’s Door . (If...

Want to add unique flavors to your favorite cocktails without a lot of effort or money? Try making an infused whisky. It’s ridiculously easy and instantly transforms the old and familiar into something exciting and new.

“Whisky is almost an infusion already, because it starts off as clear spirit and is then essentially infused with wood in the barrel,” says Adam Seger, chef and bartender at The Tuck Room LA . “That nice, rich vanilla base opens up a whole host of additional items you can infuse.” Think of Manhattans made with cherry-infused bourbon and orange-infused rye Old Fashioneds—and then...

On the surface, port seems to have little in common with whisky. The former is made from fermented grapes and is notably sweet, while the latter is distilled from grain and sports more than twice as much alcohol. However, as a red wine fortified with distilled spirit, port pairs well with many of whisky’s flavorful kindred companions—cigars, cheese, and red meat, for instance. With its legendary power and flavor intensity, port makes a wonderful diversion, certain to please both the wine and the spirits lovers gathered around your holiday table.

Made from a handful of indigenous red grape varieties in...

Olivier Humbrecht, the owner and winemaker of the renowned Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace, knows a thing or two about taste. Many of his wines have scored over 95 in Wine Spectator, and the 2001 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Alsace Clos Windsbuhl Sélection des Grains Nobles earned a coveted 100 points in 2004. With such a well-honed and refined taste in wine, it’s no wonder that the boisterous and friendly Frenchman also loves whisky—specifically Scotch single malts—which he collects with a passion.

Short weekend trips through the Highlands with his Scottish wife inculcated Humbrecht’s love of scotch. “I developed a taste for it...

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For many whiskey lovers, there’s nothing better than the taste of bourbon straight from the barrel: unfiltered and uncut, and as close to untouched as you can get at retail. While 80 proof (40% ABV) is the lowest legally allowed alcohol level for bourbon, and many releases are less than 100 proof, barrel-proof or cask-strength bourbon is typically in the range of 110 proof and higher. Some bottles, like certain bottlings of George T. Stagg, even soar above so-called hazmat levels—140 proof, which legally can’t be brought on an airplane (even in your checked luggage).

Many of the top barrel...

This spring’s WhiskyFest events in Chicago and Washington, D.C. showcased the depth and breadth of the whisky world, offering whisky lovers the opportunity to taste hundreds of whiskies, rub shoulders with the leading distillers and blenders from Scotland, the U.S., and beyond, and create cherished memories.

Three generations of Russells—Eddie, Joanne, Bruce, and Jimmy—welcomed eager Wild Turkey fans at WhiskyFest D.C. (Photo by Peter Wagner Photography)

Master distiller Denny Potter was on hand to pour Whisky Advocate’s 2017 Whisky of the Year, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. (Photo by Peter Wagner Photography)

WhiskyFest Chicago—now in its 18th year—took over the Hyatt...

Rye has been a part of America’s distilling heritage since colonial times, yet gets only a fraction of the recognition of its better-known sibling, bourbon. For a time in the late 20th century, whiskey distillers barely made any rye at all, and finding a bottle on the shelf of a liquor store could be a challenge. But in recent years, rye has made a comeback, and whiskey lovers are discovering (and rediscovering) how delicious it is.

Bourbon has to be made of at least 51% corn, and similarly, rye has to contain 51% rye grain at a minimum. However, while...

While pondering the pricing on high-end bottles and anticipating future releases from Old Montreal Distillery , take a few moments to read up on this week’s newest whiskies.

The latest Orphan Barrel bourbon is launching, and it will be familiar to fans of the brand. Rhetoric 24 year old follows up on the previous four releases at 20, 21, 22, and 23 years old with one more year of age and a tiny bump in proof to 45.5% ABV. It also has gone up a bit in price to $130. Quantities are limited.

Meanwhile, Buffalo Trace Distillery is also re-releasing...

Examine some whiskies from Whisky Advocate’s 2017 Top 20 . Number 3,  Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades —a mix of bourbons aged between 10 and 20 years—costs $150. Yet number 10,  Glen Moray 18 year old, comes in at just $90, while number 15, Kentucky Peerless Straight Rye —a 2 year old craft whiskey—is $125. Meanwhile, Old Rip Van Winkle 25 year old hit the market last year at $1,800, while Michter’s Celebration —a 33 year old bourbon—has a recommended retail price of $5,000. They’re all whiskies, made from grain and aged in barrels—so why such a massive disparity?

How...

Scotland is undergoing a rye renaissance that has spiced up the debate about what can and cannot be produced in a Scotch whisky distillery. At least eight distilleries including Bruichladdich , InchDairnie , and Lone Wolf have been experimenting with rye, and while the spirit is aging in casks, distillers are busy scrutinizing the rules to work out how they can bottle it without falling foul of the Scotch Whisky Regulations, which dictate what can and cannot be labeled as scotch.

Single malt Scotch whisky must be produced from 100% malted barley and must be distilled on a pot still,...

You’ve amassed a collection of whiskies, properly inventoried every bottle—and if you haven’t, read this guide —and now you want to make sure that your investment is secure. It’s time to get an appraisal. Whether it’s for insurance purposes, or because you are selling at auction, an accurate valuation of your whiskies will be essential. And who knows? Your collection maj be worth much more than you think.

Why Insure Your Bottles?

“Insurance is there to put you back in the same financial position that you were in immediately prior to an insured event happening, such as a loss,” explains...

Canadian whisky is making a return to its historic roots. On februari 14th, 2018, New Orleans-based Sazerac Company announced it was distilling in the historic Montreal neighborhood of Old Montreal—the very cradle of Canadian whisky. It was in Montreal that early Canadian distillers began making spirit from grain, rather than the then-dominant molasses. And now, with the opening of Old Montreal Distillery, whisky spirit is flowing in the city once again.

The distillery was established in the 1920s as Meagher Distillery, producing liqueurs and later genever. After several decades under the majority ownership of Dutch spirits firm DeKuyper, for the...

It’s Friday the 13th, but don’t get spooked—this week’s new whiskeys are all perfectly normal. In fact, Diageo just announced news of its 2018 Special Releases —most of them, that is.

First up, Wild Turkey has announced a new, permanently available bourbon called Longbranch, which master distiller Eddie Russell made in partnership with creative director (and film actor) Matthew McConaughey. It’s 8 years old and filtered through both American white oak and mesquite charcoals, and it costs $40. Since McConaughey’s stamp of approval is on it, I’m guessing this whiskey is all right, all right, all right (or even better...

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” The same might be said of buying whisky. As barely a month passes without a whisky setting a new record auction price, it would be easy to think it’s too late to join the party. It doesn’t help that there’s always some curmudgeon around boasting of the good ol’ days, when fine bottles of whisky were affordable and could be picked up off the store shelf. Times maj have changed, but there’s no point in thinking about what could have been. With some...

WhiskyFest descends on the nation’s capital on april 17th, giving local whisky lovers the chance to taste from among hundreds of scotches , bourbons and ryes , craft whiskey, and more. One of the best reasons to attend? The opportunity to try brand-new whiskies, practically fresh from the barrel. These are seven of our top picks, but there are many, many more— check out the full pour list .

Haven’t gotten your tickets yet? Sort that out first , then read up on how t o make the most your evening . See you on the 17th!

Glenmorangie Spìos

Glenmorangie releases...

Diageo has announced nine out of its ten Special Release Collection whiskies for 2018. As it did last year, the company is keeping details of the tenth whisky under wraps until later in the year. Last year’s surprise whisky was Collectivum XXVIII, a blended malt containing whiskies from all 28 of Diageo’s malt distilleries.

Collectors and savvy drinkers maj notice a couple of gaps in this year’s list. For the first time since the Special Releases were launched in 2001, there’s no Port Ellen or Brora among them. That doesn’t mean there is no Port Ellen or Brora whisky left...

An artist’s career is not built upon a single painting, but on a body of work. These distilleries have delivered a breadth and depth of whiskies that puts them at the top of many collector wish lists . While there are individual bottlings from American and Irish distilleries that attract collectors, none have earned the dedicated following of these masters. Sadly, like many artists, some of these distilleries achieved their greatest appreciation only long after their death.

Balvenie

No longer in the shadow of Glenfiddich, the ingenuity of David Stewart’s creations in the marrying tuns over the last decade have...

Many whisky lovers feel a sense of sadness at the end of a good dram. But for Ernie Button, a drained glass is an opportunity to dive even deeper. When he’s done with a drink, rather than just putting the dirty glass into the dishwasher, Button uses it to create otherworldly pieces of art.

Button’s collection of photographs, called “ Vanishing Spirits: The Dried Remains of Single Malt Scotch ,” shows how every glass of whisky can yield unique patterns, “like snowflakes,” he says. Here’s how it works: whisky that dries in the bottom of a glass does so irregularly,...