Ever wanted to taste a 51 year old whisky—for free? You maj get your chance, as Craigellachie is touring several cities with a pop-up bar where they’ll pour gratis drams of their new 51 year old whisky . If you aren’t lucky enough to live in one of those places, however, there are still plenty of new whiskies to anticipate (though you’ll have to pay for them).

Johnnie Walker’s upscale John Walker & Sons line has unveiled the fifth and final release in its Private Collection. John Walker & Sons 28 year old Midnight Blend includes whiskies from Caol Ila,...

Dave Pickerell, former Maker’s Mark master distiller and the creative force behind such whiskey brands as WhistlePig , Metallica’s Blackened , and Hillrock Estate , passed away on november 1, 2018 in San Francisco. He was 62.

With his signature wide-brimmed hat, huge smile, and warm embraces, Pickerell was both a beloved and a legendary figure in American whiskey. A 1978 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he played football, he later went on to earn a master’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Louisville. That expertise led him to a position at...

Purchasing and bottling whisky made at another distillery is a long-standing practice, although it often leads to confusion. Only a company that has distilled the whisky itself can use the term “distilled by” on its label, but phrases like “produced by” are allowed if the whisky has been purchased by a third party. Many producers choose to disclose additional information about their whisky’s sources, but not everyone is completely upfront. How important is it to know who made the whisky in the bottle? Whisky Advocate’s editors debate.

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The French are the world’s greatest consumers of whisky, as well as the only producers of cognac, an aged spirit distilled from grapes rather than grain. When mature whisky finds its way into a used cognac cask, it’s often referred to as “cognac-finished.” While the partnership can sometimes result in two distinct flavors duking it out, a few talented master blenders have been successful in striking the perfect balance, resulting in a growing selection of opulent whiskies.

Few blenders are more qualified to explain the intricacies of cognac casks as a finishing vessel than Patrick Léger. He is both cellar...

The whisky world has been shaken by the sad news of the death of Dave Pickerell , one of the pre-eminent distillers of American whiskey who helped shape dozens of brands over the course of his career. He will be sorely missed, yet his influence will continue to be felt as long as the whiskeys he helped create are enjoyed by drinkers. We certainly will continue to raise our glasses to him.

Speaking of which—there are many new whiskies to fill your glass with this week. Canadian Club is releasing its oldest whisky to date at 41 years old. The...

All around the country, upstart distillers big and small are finding new ways to create great whiskey, even when time, scale, and tradition are all arrayed against them. Whether working in the forest, the field, or the laboratory, they’re breaking old rules, reviving even older traditions, and applying techniques that have never been attempted before. Not every experiment succeeds, but those that do offer us a glimpse of the future of whiskey. These visionaries maj have different ideas about where whiskey is headed, but they share a will to venture wherever their passion leads. Here’s a look at a few...

Have you ever picked up a bottle of whisky and noticed the liquid inside is hazy? Or dropped ice into a glass of whisky only to see it turn cloudy? Fear not, this isn’t faulty product. It’s whisky that is non-chill filtered, and it’s coveted by enthusiasts.

Unless it’s chill filtered, any bottle of whisky that’s diluted with water or allowed to sit undisturbed at room temperature for a couple of hours will develop a haze, says former Four Roses master distiller Jim Rutledge. “The haze will ultimately turn to ugly, nasty looking solids in the bottle,” he says.

In...

To taste most super-aged whisky, especially scotch, requires a big wallet or special connections. Even then, many very old whiskies are bought as collectibles, regarded as investments and destined to remain unopened forever. You maj have seen these pricey bottles locked behind glass or at the tippy-top of an extravagant bar and wondered: what does a whisky that old taste like? Well, Craigellachie is giving you a shot to find out with its new 51 year old single malt, which is launching alongside a program that will allow drinkers to have a taste for free.

The Speyside producer announced this...

It’s your wedding day! You’ve curated the perfect menu, meticulously planned the seating chart and flower arrangements, and pored over playlists to pick your first dance song—and now it’s time to add in some whisky. You could leave the choice up to the venue, but unless you’re required to go with a pre-set bar package, you’re better off doing this part of the work yourself.

When planning my own wedding, I was offered a choice of two packages: a few bottom to mid-shelf well whiskies, or a premium selection that seemed designed to gouge my budget. (Think a $700 upcharge...

The biggest American whiskey in the world, Jack Daniel’s , is rolling out a series of exclusive whiskeys. The Tennessee Tasters’ Selection offers unusual and creative whiskeys for sale mainly at the distillery in Lynchburg. The first two releases, High Angels’ Share Barrels and Hickory Finish, are available now, with the next release, Reunion Barrel, coming in early 2019. Each 375-ml. bottle is $40; batches are around 24,000 bottles, with several batches released each year.

More of an Irish whiskey fan? Your ship has come in. Four new whiskeys from the Emerald Isle are making their way to store shelves,...