14 Overlooked Whiskeys You Need To Try In 2026

As whiskey drinkers, we're generally spoiled for choice. Along with historic brands, there are also plenty of exciting smaller distillers to discover. Yet, with such an abundance of choice, some whiskeys struggle to get the love they deserve. There can be a few reasons for this. Some struggle to gain attention against more iconic rivals, whereas other newer bottles can be dismissed as just another manufacturer. Other bottles just get lost in the noise. It's these types of whiskeys I wanted to unearth here to highlight some that should be on your radar.

As a whiskey expert, I've long seen how quality and recognition often don't go hand in hand. This is why I love being able to use my tasting experience to elevate some bottles that deserve it. As someone who has spent years exploring bourbon, Scotch, Irish whiskey, rye, and experimental bottles, I feel well placed to recommend whiskeys to suit any palate. These aren't novelty picks chosen for the sake of being different. They are great whiskeys that deserve more spotlight in 2026.

Whiskey can take many years to slowly develop in the barrel into something people truly appreciate. Likewise, it feels as though any new distillery needs decades of solid output to gain respect. Wilderness Trail is on that journey. Having launched in 2012, it has steadily established a solid reputation, including being chosen as one of the best alternatives to Woodford Reserve by our experts. Yet, I still feel the brand sits outside of the mainstream conversation.

What makes the distillery genuinely interesting is its dedication to the sweet mash process, something that's still relatively rare in modern bourbon production. Essentially, that means starting each fermentation with fresh ingredients, which leads its wheated bottled-in-bond bourbon to have a clean taste that elegantly showcases those famous bourbon flavors. Its sweetness mainly comes from rich caramel notes, but you'll get to enjoy others, such as toasted bread and orchard fruits. The whiskey has a soft and gentle nature, with a lovely mouthfeel. It makes it dangerously easy to drink and deserves to be discovered by a wider audience.

As with the Wilderness Trail, it can be hard for any brand to break out from being loved by whiskey enthusiasts into having wider appeal. As with Kentucky whiskey, any Irish producer needs to contend with going against the iconic names. The Sexton not only deserves your time, but it's also one of the best affordable whiskey finds beyond those big brands. 

On the surface, it feels as though this bottle ticks all the boxes with its striking packaging and solid craftsmanship. But perhaps that works against it. The black hexagonal bottle with gothic branding may come across as gimmicky. Yet, the whiskey is excellent. 

Made from 100% malted barley and triple distilled, it has a rich flavor with an intriguing aroma that includes nuts and dark chocolate. The depth on both the nose and palate perhaps comes in part from it being aged in oloroso sherry casks. It helps to give it the sweetness you get from dried fruit, along with baking spices, oak, and some citrus zest. When you add that to a lovely honey running throughout the tasting notes, it adds to an impressive combination. It's a polished and affordable whiskey that shows why it's always important to look beyond the big names.

For New Riff, I could echo many of the sentiments we've just looked at with the Wilderness Trail. New Riff is even a little younger, having been established in 2014, and I think it's one of the best up-and-coming bourbon distilleries to look out for. Its Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey expression is a great example of modern craft bourbon done well. I've seen it happen a few times where a modern craft distillery will release rushed and immature whiskey. New Riff seems intent on doing things the right way and taking the time to make sure the whiskey is right.

What you get here is a high-rye bottled-in-bond bourbon that's ideal for those who enjoy their whiskey a little more bold and spicy. However, those robust notes are backed by a rich sweetness. You can expect plenty of caramel here along with a vanilla cream. That spice comes in the form of black pepper, clove, and cinnamon. With a touch of dark fruits and toasted oak, it has impressive depth. 

There's so much competition in the bourbon market that it can be hard for anything new to stand out. I think New Riff's reputation will steadily increase and eventually break out into wider appeal.

If you think about Tennessee whiskey, one brand will come into your mind, and it's not George Dickel. While Jack Daniel's is synonymous with the state, it's far from the only great brand from Tennessee. George Dickel leads the rest of the pack, and it produces some fine whiskey. If you're a fan of Jack Daniel's, that may be in part due to the Lincoln County process, which is the charcoal filtering that Tennessee whiskey needs to go through. This helps to make the whiskey soft and mellow, especially when it's also aged for eight years, like this bottle.

That aging gives it a deep level of tasting notes, especially with the sweetness of caramel and vanilla. There are fresh fruits here in the form of baked apple and a bright cherry, but they're contrasted with the earthier notes of oak and cinnamon. These flavors are underpinned by a soft mineral flavor to create an overall impressive tasting experience, where all of these flavors are well balanced. 

George Dickel will never be bigger than Jack Daniel's, but it doesn't deserve to be overlooked. If you want to explore Tennessee whiskey beyond JD, this expression is a great starting point.

Islay is an island on the coast of Scotland that's relatively small in size, but its impact on Scotch whisky is vast. Known as the home of peated single malts, it hosts legendary names such as Lagavulin, Laphroaig, and Ardbeg. With such iconic rivals, it's understandable why Caol Ila can be overlooked. Instead, the distillery sits quietly in the background, producing some of the most elegant smoky whiskies you could wish to drink. What's impressive with this 12-year-old bottle is the balance. You don't get hit with a wall of earthy flavors. Instead, it delivers classic Islay notes in a much gentler way.

You still get peat smoke on the palate, but it's far from overpowering. There are also more mellow iodine and briny notes than you'd get with its bolder island rivals. Vanilla and honey are the most dominant of the softer flavors, and you'll also get to enjoy a little citrus and pepper. It's this subtlety that may be why Caol Ila gets overlooked. 

Many Islay whiskies are big, brash, and bold. If you wanted something more tamed, your inclination may be to look to mainland Scotland. The reality is that Islay has a lot more to offer than pure peat power, with the Caol Ila 12-Year being one of the best examples.

When looking at the best Scotch whiskies under $50, I highlighted The Glenlivet 12-Year, a justifiably famous single malt. While that is a great whisky, there are so many more that have similar quality but without the same widespread appeal. The Tomatin 12-Year feels like one of those whiskies that could easily have mass appeal if it had millions of dollars to spend on marketing. Instead, Tomatin has an understated approach that can make it easy to overlook. If you enjoy Scotch that's a little more fruity than most, you'll probably love this.

That fruitiness isn't just on the nose, as it also beautifully develops in the palate, in no doubt influenced by the whisky being finished in sherry casks. What's unique here is how you get bright and almost exotic flavors, such as pear and mango. You'll enjoy that with layers of honey and apple before a warming wave of spice washes over your taste buds. A creamy texture gives it an added layer of richness and allows the soft character of the whisky to shine.

Rye whiskey is an interesting market. I often see limited editions, barrel-proof releases, and well-known brands releasing a rye expression almost as an afterthought. In contrast, rye is all that Pikesville does, and it does it extremely well. While it may not be the most famous, this is why it almost reached the top spot in my ranking of Heaven Hill brands. I feel like the perfect rye whiskey is one that delivers plenty of power but does so in a way that still makes it perfectly drinkable. It's a balance that Pikesville finds here.

Aged for six years, it has an oily mouthfeel that gives it a level of richness that can be hard to find with rye. That supports the lovely sweetness you get with vanilla, before you get a wave of that rye spice. Clove is the first spice you're able to pick out, but you can also find some cinnamon and pepper. With a little dark cherry and toasted oak, it adds up to a brilliant tasting experience. 

Rye whiskeys don't have to be extreme or experimental to be enjoyed. Pikesville seems a little undervalued for the same thing that makes it great. It's a reliable whiskey that showcases the nuance of rye instead of just highlighting its raw power.

Scotch takes a long time to mature, and a mere five years in the barrel is nothing to shout about. Or, at least, that's what people may have thought before Ardbeg released the Wee Beastie. "Wee" is a Scottish term for anything that's small, and "Beastie" is just a playful alteration of the word beast. It means that Ardbeg has cheekily leant into this little beast of a whisky not having the aging that many would expect. If the Caol Ila is a skilled lockpicker, this dram from Ardbeg simply blasts through the door.

It's a whisky that brings chaos and raw energy. It feels like it shouldn't work, but it just does. This is why it's one of the most underrated Scotch whiskies out there. The lack of aging is simply a part of its personality, as it hits you with big bonfire smoke notes before also delivering iodine and black pepper. Yet, there's still a little nuance here with some vanilla, citrus, and dark chocolate.

It's an aggressive single-malt Scotch, but that makes it great at being able to explore how an impressive whisky can still be delivered despite a lack of time in the barrel. In truth, it's an acquired taste, but not a bottle to be overlooked.

This is a bottle that can be lost in Old Forester's own, albeit impressive, lineup. With many brands, it's clear to see the progression of whiskey price and quality. With Old Forester, it's a little more difficult, as it's hard to differentiate between them. The 86- and 100-proof bottles make sense, but then you get the 1870, 1897, 1910, 1920, and 1924 expressions. For a whiskey lover who enjoys a little research, this is a very minor obstacle. But it could perhaps mean a few of those expressions get overlooked, and I think the 1897 Bottled In Bond Whisky is the perfect example of that.

It's named after the year the Bottled-in-Bond Act came into force, which was meant to ensure high-quality standards. This whiskey pays homage to that with excellent craftsmanship. On the palate, it shows itself with rich caramel and brown sugar. There's a boldness here of dark fruits, especially cherry, alongside earthy notes of nuts and toasted oak. It makes the whiskey feel substantial without being overly aggressive. Still, in 2026, it remains one of the best examples of bottled-in-bond bourbon, but without getting quite the level of love it deserves.

Everything is rising sharply in price these days, so you'd expect value for money to be even more greatly appreciated than it already is. However, a low price can sometimes work against a product, as people presume it equals low quality. That may be an issue with the Evan Williams range, but especially its own bottled-in-bond expression. The reality is that this bourbon massively overdelivers for the money, making it one of the most underrated bourbons out there. Produced by Heaven Hill, it follows the same strict standards for all the bonded bourbon we've looked at so far, including being made by one distillery, in one season, and aged for a minimum of four years.

The flavor profile here is classic Kentucky. You get a delicious caramel and vanilla, along with brown sugar and toasted oak. There are a few unique notes here in the form of peanuts and a hint of apple. The spice mainly comes in the form of cinnamon and black pepper. Those notes aren't the deepest here, but it still has remarkable richness and body for the price. 

In many ways, it seems Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond is too easy, too accessible. But if you're on the hunt for an everyday bourbon in 2026, it's not to be overlooked.

The 1792 Full Proof is a good example of a great bourbon hiding in plain sight. It has a richness and power that belie its affordable price tag. It's bottled at its original entry proof of 125, so it's not for the faint-hearted. The aroma here is sumptuous, as it has an impressive array of both fruits and sweetness, along with a little toasted oak. The texture is quite thick for a bourbon, and as you taste it, you'll first get to enjoy caramel and dark toffee.

The higher proof amplifies its spicier notes as they develop into cinnamon and nutmeg, giving it a lovely warmth. A bit of time, or even a splash of water, can help to reveal a touch of dark chocolate. This bourbon has a little bite to it, but many will appreciate that intensity. It may be overlooked as it sits in that middle ground between an everyday bourbon and more premium bottles. Yet, in terms of quality for the price, it's another bourbon worth exploring in 2026.

Of all the whiskeys in this list, this may be the most overlooked of them all. While the Celtic nations of Scotland and Ireland have a rich whisky history, Wales often isn't in the picture. Penderyn is a distillery working hard to change that. I've found the quality of Welsh whisky has increased over the last decade or so to a point where there are some solid options available. Penderyn has grown steadily since it was launched in 2004, and it now operates distilleries at three separate sites in the north and south of the country, as well as its original location in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.

Penderyn Legend showcases the delicate nature of its whisky, which is apparent in the single-malt spirit's light straw-like coloring. The aroma is lovely, as it opens up with a fairly strong vanilla and honey before you get touches of citrus and apple, along with soft floral notes. There's a creamy malt on the palate, and caramel emerges, along with dried fruit. The whisky is a little dry and ends with a flood of warmth to a pleasant finish. 

Many of the bottles we've looked at here get overlooked due to a crowded market. If anything, Penderyn gets overlooked due to such a sparse market. Penderyn, and Welsh whisky as a whole, deserve more recognition.

Japanese whiskies have a well-earned reputation. It's a competitive market, and Nikka has some stiff competition from the likes of Hibiki and The Yamazaki. But if you're interested in this area of the whisky world, then Nikka Coffey Malt shouldn't be overlooked. It is, perhaps, the name that could put people off here, but it's a misnomer. A Coffey still is another name for a column still, which is where the name comes from here. It's rare for such a still to be used for 100% malted barley, but this makes this expression all the more intriguing.

The result is a whisky with an unusually creamy texture and rich, dessert-like character. That approach gives the whisky a style that feels very different from the lighter, more restrained profile many people expect from Japanese whisky. You also get a few unique tasting notes in the form of banana bread, custard, and coconut. When added to the velvety mouthfeel I touched on above, these notes makes it feel luxurious. This Nikka expression is not your stereotypical clean Japanese whisky, which is exactly why it shouldn't be overlooked.

I'll level with you: I'm extremely wary of any whiskey that comes across as a little gimmicky. In that respect, I'd fully understand if a bourbon drinker would dismiss this bottle before giving it a chance. It's the type of project whiskey I usually roll my eyes at. And yet, it works. It's a Kentucky bourbon that leans on Japanese blending techniques. Furthermore, it's a collaboration between Fred B. Noe from Jim Beam and Shinji Fukuyo from Suntory, with Legent quietly proving that innovation and quality are not mutually exclusive.

Sherry and red wine casks are used in the finishing process, which gives this bottle an interesting range of notes. The most unique of those comes from grape, raisin, cherry, and leather. It also excels in the classic bourbon notes but brings a wine-like dryness and sweetness. Despite these vast influences, the whiskey still feels well-rounded. It would be easy to overlook Legent, presuming it to be too experimental or heavily marketed. Yet, as with all of these whiskeys, the proof is in the tasting.