The American Whiskey Rebellion

Its hard to miss the veritable explosion of American whiskies popping up on the shelves of your neighborhood spirits shops and watering holes lately.

Even casual observers have probably spotted a dozen new labels of native browns, while enthusiasts are eagerly licking their lips at the scores of new options available. ‘There are so many, in fact, that some aficionados are suffering from fatigue. Eager to dig deep into the varied offerings of the new American whiskey landscape, we recently sampled over 100 bottles from across various categories to find those worthy of closer attention—and a healthy pour.

“Given the growth of interest in American whiskey and proliferation of craft distilleries, as well as new products by large distilleries, it's clear were in a golden age of whiskies,” David Ozgo, Chief Economist for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), tells us. “Were enjoying a greater variety and higher quality than ever before.’ According to Ozgo, over 2,000 craft distilleries have opened across America in the last decade, everywhere from the frozen void of upstate New York to the tropical climes of South Florida, and the impressive elevations of the Rockies to the scrubby desert brush of the American West. Overall, sales of super-premium whiskey offerings have ballooned 136% from 2013 to 2018.

Three categories / trends in particular stand out: American Single Malts, the wild world of Innovations, and Bottled in Bond [see sidebar p. 22]. Among the burgeoning number of options, including different cask finishes, mash bills, single barrels, and more, these are the bottles that we think should be on your radar.

AMERICAN SINGLE MALTS