10 Upcoming Bourbon Releases To Watch For In The Second Half Of 2026

Tasting Table already covered the best new bourbons of 2026 in the first half of the year, but there are still six more months to go. For bourbon fans, the second half of the year can be the most exciting. Forget the return of football, autumn leaves, or decorative gourd season — many of the industry's biggest annual limited editions hit store shelves between late summer and the holidays. Below, you'll find a list of the most exciting.  

You'll notice that, although Kentucky still reigns supreme as the bourbon capital of the world, there's plenty of non-Kentucky brown water worth giving a shot (pun intended). These days, good bourbon comes from all parts of the country — from deep in the heart of Texas to the western mountains of Utah. What unites all of the bottles on this list is their unique production methods, careful barrel selection, and the compelling story behind every one. 

Collectors, casual sippers, and whiskey hunters will have plenty of bottles to keep them busy this fall. From legendary unicorns like Pappy Van Winkle to milestone anniversary releases, here are some of the most anticipated bourbons to watch out for. After all, 2026 was predicted to be a great year to buy good bottles, and you're only halfway through.

Over the past few years, the Jim Beam brand has been breathing new life into several of its overlooked "value" brands, with Old Grand-Dad among those receiving a much-welcomed makeover. This is one of the most affordable rye-forward bourbons coming out this year (around $40), and the bonded edition is also on our list of best bourbons for beginners.

This bourbon bottle's shape alone will delight whiskey drinkers and bowling enthusiasts alike. The 10-year-old, 100-proof bourbon is inspired by the iconic bowling pin-shaped decanters that founder Jim Beam once gave out as gifts. The vintage-inspired packaging doesn't come cheap (around $100), but one can only hope this encourages more whiskey brands to dig deep into nostalgia and delight us with more novelty-shaped bottles.

As the first whiskey distillery established in Texas and the best bourbon brand in the state, Garrison Brothers is known for its big, bold bourbons. This one is aged for eight years in rare French Limousin oak casks, which are famously used for high-end Cognacs, and adds layers of dark fruit and spice to the 101-proof liquor. Only 3,000 bottles were made this year, so you'll either need to buy it at the distillery for a whopping $350 or pray you're first in line at select retailers. 

If you're going to put "birthday" in the name, it better be worth celebrating, and this limited-edition bourbon is. Produced to honor founder George Garvin Brown's birthday, each edition of this whiskey is crafted from a unique group of barrels specifically selected for that year's release. While no one can predict what 2026 will bring, last year's edition used a sweet mash production and was made up of 210 different barrels. You'll want to enter the online sweepstakes through Old Forester's website or head directly to the Kentucky distillery to snag one for $200.

Four Roses is famous for producing 10 distinct bourbon recipes using two mash bills and five proprietary yeast strains. For this vintage, their master distiller blends certain recipes, often featuring older barrels, to showcase the brand's signature floral, fruity, and spice-forward character. Each year's blend differs, so you'll never know which recipe made the final cut until it's out. Expect to pay around $250 for this barrel-strength, complex bourbon.

This is already one of Brown-Forman's most prestigious bourbons, but it carries even greater drama this year thanks to three small-batch releases tied to America's 250th birthday. The revived brand has earned a reputation for exceptionally old, barrel-strength whiskey released in very limited quantities at a very high price of $399. And, randomly, comedian Jim Gaffigan is promoting it, who tried King of Kentucky for the first time while on tour with Jerry Seinfeld.

This is one of Heaven Hill's most respected limited-release series, and the milestone 20th anniversary is sure to attract plenty of attention. Named after legendary master distiller Parker Beam, the collection likes to show off experimental mash bills, unusual aging techniques, and just really, really old whiskey. It ranked highly on our list of every Heaven Hill whiskey, but it's also worth noting that getting your hands on a bottle can be difficult. Past years' releases have ranged between $100 and $200, but are expected to increase.

The name alone lets you know this bottle is all about drama and celebrating the upcoming cold months. This seasonal whiskey from Utah is built on a foundation of rye whiskey finished in port barrels and has become synonymous with fall and winter drinking. It certainly sounds like something Santa would enjoy neat, with his cookies next to a roaring fireplace. Expect to pay around $150 if you buy it directly from their site.

In case the name didn't give it away, this limited release is designed to pair with premium cigars. The mash bill is a unique blend of blue, red, and white corn bourbon that can stand up to your Cuban and Honduran stogies. Available primarily through the Still Austin distillery and select retailers for $150, it's an extremely limited offering that might have you booking a plane ticket to Texas's capital city to snag one. 

You can't really finish out the year without mentioning ol' Pappy. For collectors and connoisseurs, tracking down the annual Pappy lineup is often the highlight of the bourbon calendar. The collection includes the 10-, 12-, 15-, 20-, and 23-year-old bourbons, all produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Per usual, demand continues to outpace supply, with lotteries and retail allocations becoming the primary way to grab bottles at retail prices. And in case you were wondering, the Pappy prices are just as expensive as ever.