It’s short work week here at The Whiskey Lifestyle HQ but we wanted to show our thanks to you our readers by giving you a list of whiskeys that you should enjoy this Thanksgiving. Whether you’re a newbie or aficionado, these 12 whiskeys will both give you and keep you in the holiday “spirit.” Also, be sure to take advantage of our Black Friday Sale.
Michter’s Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon – The Louisville-based distillery brought back this expression after three years by taking their bourbon and then aging it for an additional period in a second custom barrels that are 18-month air dried wood and then toasted.
Four Roses Single Barrel D.I.Y.1 Cooper’s Hammer – Four Roses combines its five proprietary yeast strains with two separate mashbills to produce 10 distinct Bourbon recipes. A limited number of barrels from the 10 recipes present themselves to their Master Distiller, xx. After a private tasting, a selection of barrels are bottled in limited quantities of 250 or less. Bourbon connoisseur OJ Lima and 58 Wine & Liquor teamed to select their own barrel for the first D.I.Y. release.
Remus Repeal Reserve Series II – Crafted in honor of Prohibition Repeal Day (Dec. 5), this limited release features a medley of two mashbills from 2007 and 2008. The nose shows maple with vanilla, caramel, toasted oak and bold spice, with tastes of vanilla, brown spice, smoke and maple on the finish.
Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old – Master distillers and premier whiskey makers Jimmy and Eddie Russell have brought nearly 100 years of combined experience to craft this. Bottled at 90 proof, this hand selected small batch bourbon has caramel and vanilla notes and a smooth finish.
FEW American Whiskey – Distilled in Evanston, IL, this is a blend of their Bourbon and Rye, along with an experimental cherrywood-smoked Malt Whiskey. The result is sweet, spicy and tart all at the same time.
WhistlePig Rye’s Boss Hog V – Sadly, the Vermont-based distillery recently lost their Master Distiller, Dave Pickerell. His legacy lives on via the most recent Boss Hog expression — The Spirit of Mauve is a 13 Year Straight Rye Whiskey finished in Calvados casks.
Heaven’s Door 10 Year Old Straight Bourbon – Released just last week from the Bob Dylan-fronted distillery, its is mellowed right after coming off the still using charcoal columns from aged Tennessee sugar maple trees, traditionally known as the “Lincoln County Process.” The lower rye mash bill lets the best of ten years of barrel aging to shine, highlighting the smooth notes of vanilla and hints of toasted almonds. More on this next week.
Powers Three Swallow – It’s not all about American whiskies, this Irish spirit is a modern representation of what the original Single Pot Still style that Powers used hundreds of years ago. Crafted from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, then triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills, it is then matured in American bourbon barrels before finishing in aged sherry casks.
Uncle Nearest – Bring a little history to the table with this Tennessee Whiskey. Using local grains and the aforementioned Lincoln County Process, the same one that Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States, helped perfect over 160 years ago.
Laphroaig 10 – This is the first scotch on our list because Thanksgiving is American holiday, but when we first tasted its bold, smokiness followed by a hint of seaweed and sweetness., we knew we had to include.
Highland Park 12 Year Old Viking Honor – The second scotch on our list apparently is perfect for beer drinker. Highland Park partnered with the Minnesota Vikings for the 2018 season, where they served samples from their 30 foot Viking longship. And even if you’re boycotting the league like some of us are, you can still enjoy its balanced, malty tones and the subtle floral smoke.
Knob Creek Twice Barreled Rye – The newest expression in their extensive rye portfolio, it presents the rich and savory notes signature of the brand’s classic rye, amplified by oak and warm spice notes with a touch of sweetness from the secondary barreling process.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Please drink responsibly.
