2025 shaped up to be a tough year for the bourbon business and beyond. News of major brands filing for bankruptcy, layoffs, tariffs and trade wars made headlines at every turn. Yet 2025 also had some bright spots — incredible whiskey releases.
We’ve curated a list of our favorite whiskey releases that made headlines this year and were heavily hyped. From major brands, these offerings are proof that, regardless of challenges, distillers everywhere will continue to hone their craft and drop incredible drams year-round.
The 5 Best Whiskeys That Were Released In 2025
Bardstown Bourbon Company Cathedral French Oak Distillery Reserve
There’s something incredibly hopeful about the story behind Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Cathedral French Oak Distillery Reserve release. This 110.1 proof bourbon dropped in February 2025, and it was finished for 14 months in 300 year old French oak from the Berce Forest, which were harvested to help rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral that burned down in a fire in 2019.
For Bardstown Bourbon’s Catehdral, the brand took a blend of bourbons between 9 and 18 years old, then finished them for 14 months. According to Bardstown Bourbon, this whiskey has aromas of maple, cinnamon and baked cherries, interlaced with vanilla cream and rose petal. Toasted oak, coupled with créme brûlée lead to a lingering finish.
This story behind this blended bourbon honors France’s heritage, and symbolizes resilience. It costs $99 from the brand — though it sold out quickly. Wine-Searcher reports that it has an average price of $1,725, which isn’t exactly cheap by any means.
Jack Daniel’s Tanyard Hill
In October, Food & Wine released Jack Daniel’s Tanyard Hill, a whiskey aged in the brand’s “hidden gem” warehouse at the location it takes its name from. Like its hazmat-proof predecessor, Tanyard Hill is a site on the Jack Daniel’s campus that is subject to high elevation, subjecting the liquid in the rickhouse to extreme climactic shifts.
This whiskey varies in proof, but the heat on this rye whiskey swings as high as 148.8, meaning you definitely cannot carry a bottle with you on a plane. For this particular whiskey release, Jack Daniel’s used a mashbill of 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley. The whiskey, like all of Jack Daniel’s releases, underwent the brand’s signature sugar maple charcoal filtering process.
According to Jack Daniel’s, this release is big, bold, candied mint coupled with tobacco and clove on the finish. Wine-Searcher reports that the average price of a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tanyard Hill costs approximately $775.
Knob Creek 21 Year Old
In October, Beam-owned Knob Creek unveiled what would be its oldest whiskey to date, a 21-year-old bourbon that also happens to be the oldest whiskey to ever drop from the brand. 21-year age statements are a relatively rare find, and even storied unicorn brands like Pappy Van Winkle focus more on 20 and 23-year age statements instead.
With a hefty price of $249.99 for a 750 ml bottle, Knob Creek’s whiskey clocks in at 100 proof, and according to James B. Beam Distilling Co., this bourbon posesses carmelized sugar, smoke and oak on the palate, with a nice bit char layered throughout.
We were fortunate enough to taste this expression and were completely gobsmacked by its gorgeous layers of peanut butter, parchment, and subtlety instead of harshness. With extended-age bourbons like this, one can sometimes find heavy tannins, but not for this beauty. If you want to check out our review in greater depth, you can read it here.
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025
Maker’s Mark dropped the 2025 edition of its Cellar Aged whiskey in August with plenty of hype behind it. For decades, fans of the brand notorious for releasing younger whiskeys, had begged Maker’s to drop an extended-age release. Yet the brand was a bit hesitant to hop on the aged whiskey bandwagon.
Eventually, Maker’s Mark finally gave the people what they wanted and dropped its first extended-age release in September 2023. The release dazzled critics, and each year’s Cellar Aged expression continues to do exactly that. This whiskey has an average price of $199 according to Wine-Searcher.
Maker’s Mark notes the departure from what one would expect involving extended-age releases. This blend of whiskeys includes a 14-year bourbon and is surprisingly high-toned and youthful. Expect aromas of orchard fruit, creamy fudge, and orange zest.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Beacon
Wild Turkey finished its Master’s Keep Series in September, with the final release of Beacon. Beacon is a blend of 16- and 10-year-old bourbons, and it was made in collaboration with Master Distiller Eddie Russell and Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell.
This release is significant because Wild Turkey distilled the 16-year-old bourbon between 2007 and 2008 before it spent time maturing to perfection at the distillery. It was one of the last few barrels to be moved from the old facilities and is a testament to when Eddie Russell was learning the ropes of distilling.
We were fortunate enough to taste this last release within the Master’s Keep series, and it sure made an impression. This spicy and decadent whiskey has plenty of candied ginger, toffee and pipe tobacco. If you want to read our full review, you can check it out here.
Wine-Searcher reports an average price of $548 for this release.
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