15 Best Whiskeys To Sip This Winter, According To Bartenders

Happy frigid season, whiskey lovers! 'Tis the time to imbibe on the soul-warming spirit that never fails to turn a cold night into a cozy one. Whether you consider yourself a seasoned whiskey expert well-versed on etiquette rules to follow during tastings, or you're just drinking bourbon as a beginner, chances are high you're enjoying some spiced, oaky, comforting whiskey right about now. Or, at least, you wish you were. 

Decision fatigue got you down? We get it — walking into a liquor store without knowing your stuff can be intimidating, and of course, not all whiskeys are created equal. If you're having trouble figuring out what bottle (or bottles) to buy for your bar cart, you're in the right place. We caught up with a few experts in the whiskey business to gather their take on which bottles would be best enjoyed this winter, and the following list is full of bottles that are cheap and easy to find, as well as some you might have to hunt down. All, however, would be excellent choices for a cold-weather nightcap. 

Fans of Irish whiskey will undoubtedly be familiar with Redbreast, which produces some of the best Irish whiskies in the world. Everything that goes into the distilling process is sourced intentionally, from its water (which comes straight from the Dungourney River) to its barley (which comes from local farms in the Munster region). Redbreast is an obvious choice for Irish whiskey fans, and a wise one, according to more than one of our experts. 

Chris Walster, Whiskey and Beer Connoisseur at The Cask Connoisseur, recommends a bottle of Redbreast 27 as a rare spirit to keep your eyes peeled for. "Matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, it offers a stunning depth of flavour: rich dried fruits, toasted nuts, delicate spices, and subtle oak notes. The finish is long and luxurious, making it a show-stopping addition to any serious collection," he said. Dale Dcruz, Director of Food & Beverage at Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa, recommends Redbreast 12 as a more accessible alternative. He says it has "a classic winter profile," with notes of dried fruit and baking spice. 

Another big name in the whisky biz is Maker's Mark, aka the bottle with the iconic red wax drip. Maker's Mark has quite the lineup under its belt, and if you're familiar with the brand, you may already have a favorite bottle or two picked out. But if you've managed to go years without getting some Maker's Mark on your bar cart, its 46 or Cask Strength bottles would be a great place to start, especially if you're looking for a cozy winter sipper. 

Dale Dcruz says of Maker's Mark 46, "Those extra French oak staves bring vanilla, clove, and caramel," all particularly warming notes during a winter's evening. Chris Walster recommends Maker's Mark Cask Strength Bourbon as a "slightly smoother but still warming drink," praising it for having notes of "vanilla, warm pastry-like sweetness and a creamy texture." If you want a bottle that'll warm you up without having as much of a bite at the end, its Cask Strength might be the one for you. 

Another famed name in the whiskey game is Wild Turkey, whose roots go all the way back to 1855(though it wasn't called Wild Turkey until 1940). All of its bourbon whiskeys are aged for at least five years before being bottled, and it gets its water straight from the Kentucky River. Wild Turkey's whiskey bourbons are pretty well-regarded in the spirits world, and two of its bottles that were recommended by our experts are Wild Turkey 101 and Wild Turkey Rare Breed. 

Dale Dcruz recommends Wild Turkey 101 as a classic bottle that can be scored at a good value. He praises its warm spice and classic profile — if you're a newbie to the whiskey world and want something to sip on this winter, 101 would provide a good entry point. On the other hand, Chris Walster recommends Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon if you need something stronger to sip on particularly cold nights. He says the spirit is "known for deep caramel, toasted oak, and baking-spice notes (brown sugar, orange peel, a bit of pepper)." 

Elijah Craig's award-winning Barrel Proof Bourbon is about as pure as a bourbon can get — it's bottled straight from the barrel, without being cut or chill filtered. These bottles are over 100-proof and boast rich, warming notes with a spiced finish. It's everything you could want in a winter sipper; or at least, that's what Chris Walster would suggest. 

Walster calls Elijah Craig's Barrel Proof Bourbon very complex and bold, lauding its "strong oak, dark-caramel, vanilla and spice" notes. A bottle of its barrel-proof bourbon should be relatively easy to get your hands on, but if you want to be on the lookout for something a bit more unique, Walster says to keep your eyes peeled for one batch in particular: Batch A925. He waxes poetic about the bourbon, once again praising its complexity: "On the palate, flavours of licorice, chocolate, and stewed fruits mingle with lighter notes of French toast and sweet lemon, accented by cinnamon, clove, and rye spice." After hearing him talk about it, frankly, it's a bottle we need in our liquor cabinet immediately. 

The Macallan's repertoire is full of single-malt scotch whiskies, and the company traces its roots all the way back to its namesake The Macallan Estate back in 1543. The Macallan pays particular attention to the casks in which its whiskies are aged, and has a say in all parts of the cask-making process, from felling the individual trees to drying and seasoning the casks. All of this results in a scotch whiskey that Chris Walster is eager to recommend to whiskey drinkers. 

In particular, The Macallan's 12-year-old 110-proof is a bottle to be on the lookout for if you're already familiar with the brand's oeuvre. He says the bottle might be a bit hard to find, but that it's "Well worth searching out, and offers extremely good value for money." He also suggests it should be at the top of the list for those who are already fans of The Macallan's 12-year-old, calling this bottle a "Macallan 12 year sherry cask on steroids."

Ah, the famed buffalo-laden bottle. Buffalo Trace is another big player in the Kentucky bourbon game, as evidenced by its centuries-long history as a distillery in the Bluegrass State (though it's only held its name since 1999). You'll find many different brands at the distillery itself, but the bottle that Chris Walster and Dale Dcruz would like to highlight carries the distillery's namesake.

Indeed, its trademark bottle of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (which has a history spanning 200 years and has won 139 awards) belongs in every connoisseur's and newbie's collection. Dcruz lauds its classic notes of "caramel, toffee, [and] gentle spice," while Walster says this bottle is one of the best value bourbons on the market, great for any level of whiskey drinker. He says the spirit has a "Balanced sweetness (vanilla, caramel) with enough depth to appreciate more complex bourbon-type flavours as you get used to whiskey."

Evan Williams is a staple name in the bourbon industry, and it's more than earned its stellar reputation. You may have any number of the brand's straight or flavored bourbon whiskeys already in your possession, but the one we're highlighting today is its Bottled-in-Bond expression, which meets all the Bottled-in-Bond requirements: It comes from one distillery, is made over the course of just one season, aged for at least four years, and always bottled at 100-proof. 

Chris Walster suggests it offers a very accessible entry point to the bourbon world, saying, "This is a classic budget bourbon that punches above its price. It gives nice sweet-and-spicy notes (vanilla, oak, light caramel), making it a solid 'first bourbon' candidate." The bottle is recommended by Dale Dcruz as well for having "Solid structure and a bit of heat." Dcruz also says this bottle works very well in whiskey cocktails.

Now, onto some entries that aren't necessarily household names in the whiskey world, beginning with Kavalan, a Taiwanese distillery that's been around since 2005. Kavalan is Taiwan's prime producer of single-malt whisky, and the unique natural surroundings of the area (including melt-off from Snow Mountain, high heat and humidity levels, and plenty of sea and mountain air) give these whiskies their unique character. 

Kavalan's Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky is aged in Oloroso Sherry Casks, and the dark-colored whisky is particularly holiday-appropriate if you want something to sip on while listening to tales of Old Saint Nick. Dale Dcruz says the bottle "genuinely feels like Christmas cake," and as such, it gives off a winter appeal that goes unmatched in other bottles. If you want something appropriate for holiday sipping rather than just cold nights in general, be on the lookout for this offering from Kavalan, and consider seeking it out even if it doesn't seem readily available at your local liquor stores. 

If you're after a bottle that's worthy of sitting front and center on your bar cart, look no further than the undeniably aesthetic appeal of Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Bourbon. The distillery calls Northern California home (shocking, I know), and it names its whiskies after many famous Redwood trees. It's probably also unsurprising to discover that Redwood Empire partners with both the Save the Redwoods League and Trees for the Future. 

Redwood Empire's Pipe Dream Bourbon Whiskey is one such bottle named after a tree — the 14th-tallest tree in the world, actually. The company itself has a few recommended cocktails in which to enjoy the whiskey, but it's also perfectly acceptable to enjoy it straight. Sarah Rueda, Assistant Food and Beverage Manager at Layla at MacArthur Place, recommends this whiskey as one that particularly gives off winter/holiday vibes. She says the bottle is "a standout this season; the rich caramel and oak notes make it feel like it was designed for the cooler winter months."

If you're at all interested in American Single Malt whiskies, you should take Minden Mill for a spin. The distillery calls Nevada home, and its Master Distiller even studied under American Single Malt's creator, so there's no doubting this is the real deal. The company says that its desert surroundings cultivate whiskies that are savory and nutty, and according to Lucas Huff, U.S. Spirits Ambassador for Foley Family Wines & Spirits, the brand's rye whiskey is a great one to sip on this winter. 

Huff suggests this bottle is a great whiskey for the price. He says it "has notes of candied orange peel, and a hit of that beautiful rye spice with great length on the finish." He also suggests it works well both solo or in cocktails, so if you're looking for a dual-purpose bottle to stock this season, Minden Mill's would be a good choice. 

Yet another producer of Irish whiskey to make this list is Killowen. Killowen takes pride in its distinctly Irish products, and it makes more than just whiskey — also in its lineup are gin, rum, coffee liqueur, and poitín. Of particular interest for this piece, though, is obviously its whiskey; more specifically, its Rum & Raisin Irish Whiskey, a 110-proof single malt whiskey finished in dark rum casks and PX sherry butts. 

This bottle is a personal favorite of Lucas Huff, who loves its "hints of cinnamon and great depth." But if you can't find the Rum & Raisin bottle near you (or if it simply just doesn't sound up your alley), Huff suggests you'd do well picking up any of its expressions, saying, "The distillery also offers smaller releases and each new pour never [ceases] to amaze me." Should you see its Bonded Experimental Series or Barántúil, feel free to grab either of those as well. 

Another bottle worth sitting at the front and center of your bar cart comes from Two Stacks, a bonding and blending establishment that partners with some of the top distilleries across Ireland. The result is a best-of-the-best repertoire that runs the gamut of everything whiskey can become, including a canned Irish cream liqueur, an expression aged in raspberry brandy casks, and an enviable peated single malt stout expression. 

Sarah Rueda, however, would recommend its Double Barrel expressions of Irish whiskey for its "easy spice and a soft, comforting finish that works beautifully in holiday cocktails." She says this bottle has more honeyed notes, which suggests it may be well-suited to those who want a slightly sweeter, smoother profile in a whiskey. That said, Two Stacks has an extensive range of spirits under its belt, and the brand as a whole is worth trying for anyone wanting to expand their horizons a bit. 

The Old Forester label holds the coveted title of having created the first bottled bourbon on the market in 1870. The bourbon in question was christened Old Forester, and the rest, as they say, is history. The original expression was 90 proof, but it was increased to 100 proof 37 years later, to comply with the Bottled in Bond Act. You can call its 86 bottle the OG — it even withstood Prohibition, and remains relatively unchanged since 1870. 

This bottle was recommended by more than one of our experts — Chris Walster, Dale Dcruz, and Joseph l. Paire III, Executive Chef at Claremont Resort and Club, all applaud the bottle as one well-suited for wintertime sipping. Paire says the bottle is accessible and versatile, amenable both to sipping and being used in cocktails. Walster echoes that sentiment, and Dcruz further expands on its particularly wintry profile, praising its "touch of holiday spice and orange peel."

Wish your whiskey had wings? Then reach for none other than a bottle from Angel's Envy, a distillery housed in Louisville, Kentucky. The label takes particular pride in its secondary finishing method, which uses two different barrels during the aging process to create a more complex flavor profile. This leads to whiskeys finished in Caribbean rum casks, port wine barrels, cider casks, and more, making for particularly unique bottles. 

If you want an easy entry point to the brand, hunt down a bottle of its Cask Strength Bourbon, particularly its 2024 bottle finished in Ruby and Tawny Port barrels. Dale Dcruz enjoys the "Deep fruit and chocolate notes with undeniable holiday warmth" that this bottle exudes, suggesting it's ideal for a nightcap around the holiday season. If you want a sweet, spicy glass to enjoy this season, you won't go wrong with this one. 

Lastly, let's turn our attention to Lagavulin, a label boasting a range of single malt Scotch whiskies that have garnered well-deserved attention in the whisky world. Headed up by the legendary Iain McArthur until 2023, the distillery is now in the capable hands of his successors and has even drawn the partnership of celeb Nick Offerman, who loves the brand's smoky appeal. In fact, you can now find some "Offerman Edition" bottles available from Lagavulin. 

But it's not the Offerman bottles we're highlighting today — rather, Chris Walster thinks you should hunt down a bottle of Lagavulin 16-Year-Old when in search of a wintertime whiskey. He loves the Islay dram, saying it boasts "peat smoke, brine and sea-spray character paired with underlying notes of dried fruit, vanilla, spice and a long warming finish." As such, for Walster, it's "a favourite for cold nights or Christmas-time sippings," and is not one to pass up this season.