As news breaks that Kentucky Owl maj be getting its own distillery , there are plenty of new whiskies to look for this week. Woodford Reserve is releasing its annual Master’s Collection special edition. This year, it’s a bourbon that features a high-malt mashbill : 30% malted barley, all of it smoked over cherry wood to lend the finished whiskey a nutty and slightly smoky flavor.

Meanwhile, Islay’s Kilchoman Distillery is rolling out two new single malts. The 2009 vintage follows up previous years’ vintage releases and clocks in around 8 years old. It includes whiskies aged in both bourbon...

The District of Columbia might be best known for hard-nosed politics and massive protests, but the hard-working men and women of the nation’s capital can at least agree on one thing: the need to unwind with a whiskey. Already home to one of the world’s best whiskey bars, Jack Rose Dining Saloon , D.C. now offers a thriving craft distilling culture, with several making the good stuff right in the heart of the city.

There are half a dozen whiskey-producing distilleries in the nation’s capital, and that’s just in D.C. proper—no need to hit the beltway or figure out the...

T he potato chip is one of those happy accidents of the culinary world. The story goes that chef George Crum was cooking his haute cuisine one evening in 1853 at Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York. Fashionably, Crum offered french fried potatoes on the menu. When a guest sent them back to the kitchen, not once but twice, proclaiming they were cut too thick, Crum had enough. He sliced and fried the potatoes thin and crisp in a fit of rebellion. As it turned out, the crispy potatoes were a hit and became a specialty known as...

Should you add water to your whisky? Some scientists say adding water yields a more flavorful whisky, but the amount is a personal choice. Legendary bourbon distiller Pappy Van Winkle believed 50% ABV (100 proof) was the ideal alcohol concentration for whiskey. He resisted selling anything at lower proof because, he said, “I see no sense in shipping water all the way around the country.”

Van Winkle recognized, of course, that some people liked additional water with his whiskey, so he suggested adding the whiskey to the water instead. “That way you make a poor thing better rather than a...

If you’re in the market for special-edition whiskies, this week brings a lot of choice. The Buffalo Trace Antique Collection was announced earlier this week , but there are many more whisky riches to be had.

Glenfiddich is launching two limited single malts: Glenfiddich Winter Storm, the latest in its Experimental Series , is 21 years old and finished in ice wine casks from Canada. There are 7,800 bottles available. In addition, Glenfiddich’s new 1973 Rare Collection Cask No. 7585 is 40 years old, aged entirely in refill American oak, and costs $6,000. There are only 98 bottles available, all...

WhiskyFest San Francisco on oktober 6th is fast approaching, and if you’re a whisky lover in the Bay Area, it’s the perfect way to kick off the fall whisky-drinking season in earnest.

With over 400 whiskies being poured, WhiskyFest has something for everyone (and if you want to quench your thirst with scotch, we’ve got you covered ). But if you’re a bourbon fanatic or just want to see what all the fuss is about, take a look below for the Whisky Advocate editorial team’s top bourbon (and rye) picks at WhiskyFest San Francisco. All of these pours are available...

Whisky auctions can open the door to a world of whiskies you never dreamed you would taste. While auctions maj seem daunting at first, once you familiarize yourself with the process—from reserve prices to buyer’s premiums—you’ll be bidding like a pro in no time. Use this guide to get started at both online and live auctions. Good luck!

Get Familiar With What’s Out There

Whisky auctions have flourished online over the past decade, though the major name legacy auction houses still host the impressive spectacle of the auctioneer cajoling bids before bringing the gavel thumping down with aplomb. Online auctions...

FEW Spirits founder and former president of the American Craft Spirits Association Paul Hletko sat down with senior whisky specialist Adam Polonski to discuss what’s going on with craft whiskey these days, and what he thinks the future holds....

Bourbon powerhouse Buffalo Trace Distillery has announced the lineup for its 2017 Antique Collection . The hotly anticipated release includes three bourbons and two ryes, all with a suggested retail price of $90 a bottle. Of course, fans of the Antique Collection know that the actual retail price often comes in well above what the distillery suggests—with secondary market pricing climbing much higher year after year. Buffalo Trace doesn’t disclose how many bottles are available of each whiskey, but there are never enough to satisfy demand. The bottles will hit shelves in oktober.

What to do if you want to...

Whisky tourism continues to grow in popularity, from Scotland to Bourbon Country and beyond. But recently, people aren’t coming just for the whisky. Distilleries have become cultural destinations, and many are showcasing collections of art well beyond that which can be found in liquid form. From sculpture to watercolors, drawings to glass, there’s a wealth of visual splendors to enjoy alongside a dram.

The best tours for lovers of both whisky and art

Handle the Glass with Care at Maker’s Mark

Maker’s Mark was the first bourbon distillery to welcome visitors in 1968—a bold move for the era. Today, the...

Sci-fi and whisky never looked so good together. Johnnie Walker has announced a special edition Black Label, celebrating the upcoming release of  Blade Runner 2049 . The futuristic bottle resembles that depicted in the original  Blade Runner , which has long been a visual and conceptual reference point for the genre at large. Between this,  Old Forester Statesman , and GlenDronach Kingsman , it’s a great time to be a whisky-loving cinephile.

Yamazaki is rolling out a splashy new whisky too, though this one is more out of reach for everyday drinking. Three years after it was last available—and four...

My Whisky Obsession celebrates the weird and wonderful ways people express their passion for whisky.

Photographer Brett Ferencz is better known by his online handle: Scotch Trooper. It’s also the title of his blog and Instagram , designed to welcome two distinct but equally nerdy subgroups: whisky drinkers and Star Wars fans. In Ferencz’s fantasy world, Stormtrooper figurines struggle to uncork outsized bottles of Balvenie , rappel down the side of a Jack Daniel’s bottle on kite string, and unsuccessfully attempt to stir cocktails with spoons twice their height. Ferencz draws upon his 100-strong collection of action figures and his...

WhiskyFest San Francisco will be bigger than ever this year, with over 90 tables pouring more than 400 different whiskies . With so much choice, narrowing down your top picks is a must. (Read our advice about how to have an amazing WhiskyFest experience , including how to strategize your personal pour list.)

Is scotch your game? Then don’t miss these six special pours, all available to WhiskyFest attendees with a general admission ticket. (A few tickets are still available— buy yours before they’re all gone!)

Six Scotches You Have to Taste at WhiskyFest San Francisco

Bladnoch

One of only...

There’s nothing new about vermouth in cocktails. You maj even have a bottle or two yourself at home to mix up Manhattans, the whisky-vermouth pairing that people are most familiar with. But vermouth can be used far beyond that perennial classic. For example, if you’re looking for a lower-proof drink, a vermouth-based whisky cocktail can satisfy your craving while keeping your alcohol consumption in check. To that end, some bartenders are experimenting with “reverse” cocktails, which switch the ratio of whisky to vermouth. For example, a reverse Manhattan would be 2 parts vermouth and 1 part whisky.

But vermouth and...

“This maj be a simple cocktail,” says ...

“This cocktail has big chocolate and whisky flavor up front, with a good, crisp ending,” says Chris Ayabe, assistant manager at...

Mixologist Ewan Henderson of Glasgow, Scotland created this scotch cocktail, explaining that “the dried fruits and sweet spice of the scotch lend a rich depth that comes through when using watermelon juice.”...

Rafael Del Busto, head bartender at...

Alan Lam, beverage director of...

A balanced and refreshing variation of the Brown Derby makes this a perfect summer drink. “The mellow, smooth rye whiskey compliments the vermouth. Basil adds a fresh, herbaceous quality, and the black pepper gives a subtle touch of spice to round it out,” say Alan Lam, beverage director of...