Whisky Advocate Spring 2023

Nearly all whiskies are blends, one way or another. Even single malts are blends of different whiskies, provided they’re all malts from the same distillery. But then we have the single barrel, this delightful outlier of the crowd. Its entire story is tied to the whisky that went into the barrel and stayed there until it reached maturity—that’s it, with no blending or other manicuring to make it conform to some preordained taste profile. In a single barrel expression from a brand you know, you’ll recognize flavors that made you love the whisky to begin with. But single barrels create their unique take on that style, allowing whisky lovers to explore the flavor realm in new and unusual ways. There’s also a certain sense of uncut individualism in single barrel…

Even though Jon Lillejord has been a whisky drinker since his college days, it wasn’t until fairly recently that he began delving a little deeper. “It’s been in the last five years or so that I’ve expanded my collection—Whisky Advocate has certainly enhanced my interest in trying new whiskies to add to my options at home,” he says. His home bar includes 50 bottles on the shelf that run the gamut of styles. Three more very nice bottles now join the ranks, as Lillejord is the 2022 Top 20 Sweepstakes winner. Lillejord will receive the top three whiskies of 2022: Jack Daniel’s Bonded, Redbreast Kentucky Oak Edition, and Barrell Vantage. All three are welcome additions, as he’s particularly partial to bourbon, Irish, and Tennessee whiskeys. And while he already has a…

#BOTTLEKILL Dear Whisky Advocate, I wanted to write to you in response to [Jonny McCormick’s] #BottleKill column in the Fall issue. First, I must confess that I neither knew this was happening, nor did I realize it had gotten so out of hand. Having been off social media for a few years, I was completely ignorant to the fact that people were posting these types of pictures. I probably wouldn’t be too offended had I known, but you bring up a great point about social media grandstanding. Secondly, and the main reason for my response, I think I’m not all that different from the folks you are describing in the article. I too enjoy the act of finishing a bottle, albeit for different reasons than social media. It gives me a small moment…

Since 1875, the first Saturday in May has been reserved for one of the world’s premier bucket list events, the Kentucky Derby. But while it is famously known as the “most exciting two minutes in sports,” the surrounding party stretches across the entire weekend, with plenty of pomp and circumstance, fancy dress, special events, and food and drink, both inside and outside Louisville’s Churchill Downs racetrack. “The Derby lasts far longer than two minutes, and the city becomes a hive of activity,” said Brian Ruede, COO of Quint Events, which runs Derby Experiences, the official hospitality and ticket package provider for Churchill Downs and ticketed weekend events. “During the week leading up to the race, Louisville lights up with festivals, parades, sporting contests, and shows.” Many locals attend every year and have…

If you associate iced tea cocktails only with Long Island, it’s time to try something more sophisticated. Combining iced tea with whisky works for two reasons, says Stacie Stewart, beverage director at Nami in Louisville. “The first is that the tannins in tea provide enough structure to add depth to a drink that could otherwise be overpowered by such a strongly flavored spirit. The second is that the subtler notes of whiskies that are often hard to discern on their own can be amplified with the herbaceous flavors and aromas of the tea pairing.” Different teas pair best with different styles of whisky. “Sweeter and lighter teas can play well with spice in a whisky, while bitter black teas can balance out sweetness in a whisky,” explains Ivan Papic, beverage director…

Leather is often used as an aroma descriptor in whisky. It might be the smell of new leather that makes you think of the burnished calfskin of handmade dress shoes, the soft, supple grain of an expensive bag, or the stitched leather upholstery of a luxury car interior. The aromas in your glass might also suggest worn leather, reminding you of a football or a wallet. Leather is also found as a flavor note, even though that might seem an unusual proposition for something we don’t actually consume. But we can still appreciate the flavors, as our taste buds may have been put to work when we absent-mindedly chewed on a leather bracelet or clamped a leather glove between our teeth while reaching into a pocket. The smell of leather isn’t…