We know our readers are probably still recovering from Thanksgiving, and quite possibly getting their Black Friday shopping on, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t write about some of the incredible whiskeys that dropped this week.
Though other industries might be slowing down, the holidays are a time when whiskey goes full speed ahead. This week, brrands far and wide have churnned out innovative releases.
This week’s lineup includes groundbreaking releases from India, milestone releases from craft distilleries in the Midwest, and more! Read on for the best whiskeys that dropped the week of November 28.
Barrel No. 1 by Cardinal Spirits
Bloomington, Indiana’s own craft distillery, Cardinal Spirits, released the oldest whiskey within its stocks to honor its 10-year anniversary. Yet this whiskey’s age statement marks a milestone not just for the distillery, but for Bloomington as a whole: it’s the oldest whiskey to emerge from Bloomington, Indiana, to date. Needless to say, The Bloomingtonian reported on the release on Nov. 22.
The whiskey is an American single malt, and Cardinal Spirits calls it Barrel No. 1. Cardinal Spirits shares that it was the first whiskey barrel after it opened for business. This whiskey features a mashbill of unsmoked malted barley.
The craft distillery shares that it has maple, cinnamon and citrus flavors, with a lingering finish.
Cask Strength: Heather by Highland Park
Robb Report shared on Nov. 24 that Orkney’s Highland Park just launched the sixth whisky within its Cask Strength Series, and this dram pays homage to an important flower that grows on this Scottish island: heather. Yet there’s a greater significance to this purple flower in that it actually influences the characteristics of the peat that Highland Park uses while smoking the barley for its whiskies.
The brand’s Cask Strength Series launched in 2020, and the liquid spent time aging in first-fill European and American sherry-seasoned oak cask before the team bottled it at 63.6% ABV. The whisky features vanilla, citrus, and caramel aromas, coupled with black pepper with floral qualities underneath, according to Robb Report Whiskey Critic, Jonah Flicker.
It has a suggested price of $80.
Unabridged by Milam and Greene
Fred Minnick reported on Nov. 24 that Milam and Greene dropped the fourth edition of Unabridged. Unabridged is a liquid showcase that demonstrates just exactly how Texas heat influences a whiskey. This release involves the team at Milan and Greene selecting different barrels and aging them in different climates before marrying them in the Texas heat. The whiskey costs $94.99.
This particular whiskey features 8% of 10-year Kentucky Bourbon, 10% 9-yr Tennessee Bourbon, 40% 8-year Kentucky Bourbon, 23% 7-year Kentucky Bourbon, 4% 6-year Texas Straight Bourbon with Malted Rye, and 15% 5-year Kentucky Bourbon with malted rye. This whiskey clocks in at 118.4 proof.
Milam and Greene shares that this “dangerously drinkable” whiskey has all the creaminess of a Kentucky bourbon, coupled with the mellow finish of a Tennessee whiskey. The “Texas” element imbues it with character and plenty of spice.
Sherry Finish Malted Rye by New Riff Distilling
Fred Minnick reported on Nov. 21 that New Riff Distilling unveiled two seasonal offerings: Winter Whiskey and Sherry Finish Malted Rye. New Riff’s claim to fame stems from its signature sour mashed whiskeys that the team distills in copper stills.
Winter whiskey is a bourbon composed of malted oats and chocolate malt. Its mashbill consists of 65% corn, 20% malted oats, 7% pale malt, 5% steel cut raw oats and 3% chocolate malt. The bottled-in-bond whiskey clocks in at 100 proof, per regulations and spent 4 years aging. The brand’s Sherry Finish Malted Rye underwent a secondary aging process in Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
New Riff Master Distiller Brian Sprance said that New Riff isn’t “known for finishing,” which is why the brand’s Sherry Finish Malted Rye stands out. The brand’s Winter Whiskey hosts a suggested price of $59.99 and its Sherry Finish Malted Rye costs approximately $69.99.
Pure Malt Whisky by Seven Islands
The Spirits Business reported on Nov. 21 that an “Indo-Scottish style” malt whisky from Tilaknagar just dropped. Tilaknagar owns other major Indian whiskies like Imperial Blue.
The 42.8% whisky costs approximately $59. The brand shares that Seven Islands Pure Malt features a tropical aroma, with a full-bodied palate. The finish possesses a slight kiss of smoke.
According to The Spirits Business, Tilaknagar chose to blend four single malts for the release. Two of them are from the Himalayan foothills and the Vindhya Range, whereas the other two come from Speyside and the Lowlands.
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