10 Best Whiskeys Of 2026 (So Far)

It's the best time of year to drink whiskey. As temperatures cool, the harvest season sets in, football and hockey take over the airwaves, and refreshing gin and tonics and vodka sodas give way to barrel-aged, warm-you-from-the-inside-out whiskey. In a time when many consumers are easing their consumption of alcohol, whiskey remains one of the most popular spirit categories. 

This time of year, many producers release new expressions to match the season and build momentum for holiday sales. Many options are limited releases and feature unique grains and finishing techniques as innovation becomes standard practice. From well-established, historic producers to energetic startups, unique production helps their whiskey stand out in a crowded field, as the top whiskey trends of 2026 indicate. 

To determine the best whiskies released in 2026, I considered the large field of options from this year, with many of the best released in the past few weeks. I intentionally left out the best bourbons of 2026, as I covered these in a separate feature. In compiling the list, I drew upon my knowledge and training as a Certified Sommelier, whiskey drinker, and spirits reviewer.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer. Prices are as of the date of publication for standard 750-milliliter bottles, unless noted, and may vary based on region.

Whistle Pig never stops engaging us with its experimental creations. The Vermont distillery, known for premium rye, continues to push boundaries, delivering premium-quality whiskey with whimsical descriptors and playfully witty names. The distillery's latest offering is Whistle Pig Boss Hog XIII: Golden Pharaoh Rye whiskey, a single barrel rye that evokes the flavors of Ancient Egypt in each enticing sip. 

Available in late September 2026, this year's annual release comes from a recipe inspired by an African tiger nut cake recipe carved into the wall of a historic 3,000-year-old tomb. The straight rye whiskey ages first in new American oak, then finishes in casks seasoned with Egyptian black honey and tiger nuts. Egyptian black honey is often described as a type of honey, but it's not honey at all. It is made from sugarcane and is similar to molasses, with complex flavors of berries, herbs, and sweet syrup. Tiger nuts are tubers with creamy flavors of almonds, coconut, and rice pudding. Combining these flavors with the natural spiciness of rye creates a distinctive taste that is unusual yet very delicious. 

Coming in between 102.6 – 105.6 proof, the rye opens with aromas of roasted almond, warm baking spice, caramelized brown sugar, maple, and vanilla. The flavor mirrors these characteristics, melding with molasses, black pepper, and toffee notes. While the taste is unique, Whistle Pig's classic rye flavor remains at The Boss Hog's heart, delivering a satisfying experience. The limited-edition bottling is available for $599.99 at select retailers nationwide.

Celebrity ownership and endorsements with liquor companies are nothing new. And while there are some impressive celebrity-backed liquor brands, many make me run the other way because they taste like money went into celebrity marketing instead of production. That is not the case with Laphroaig Willem by Willem Dafoe. Perhaps it is because Laphroaig's quality and history are undeniable with peated Scotch fans. Laphroaig has been producing Scotch in Islay since 1815. Or perhaps, because there is no one quite like Willem Dafoe. 

Multi-layered, complex, intense, and iconic, the Academy Award-nominated actor is much like 14-year-old single malt. Dafoe helped select the blend as a "Friend of Laphroaig," a relationship that began in 2025. While bold, it also has softness, as the finish in former Oloroso sherry casks mellows the peaty and smoky intensity that is signature Islay and Laphroaig. Bottled at 53.7% alcohol by volume, the Scotch opens with smoky brininess mellowed by dried fruit, toasted spice, and roasted nuts. While the peaty smokiness is at the forefront, it doesn't overpower as the caramelized, sugary fruitiness from the Oloroso sherry casks keeps the palate balanced and tones down the smoke's strength. Available through select retailers for $156 a bottle, this is one Scotch with a celebrity tie worth trying.

Angel Envy's whiskies rarely disappoint, and its latest release is no exception. Available beginning in October 2026, Angel's Envy Cellar Collection Volume 6 is a straight rye whiskey made from a 95% rye mashbill and is aged for eight to 11 years. The finest barrels within Angel Envy's whiskey archives begin this rye's story. The producer then finishes the whiskey in a mix of ex-peach brandy barrels and toasted oak barrels. The rye in peach brandy casks rested for up to 23 months, while the remaining portion spent six months to one year in toasted oak.

The combination creates a unique selection, blending textures, aromas, and flavors, showing why distilleries choose to finish whiskey in different types of casks. This is not a flavored whiskey; nothing artificial contributes to the luxurious taste of this rye. The peach brandy barrels lend stone fruit, citrus, and wildflower honey notes, while the toasted oak barrels enhance the rye's earthy spiciness with warm spice, vanilla, oak, coffee, and caramel notes. The rye's natural spiciness keeps the fruity sweetness in check. Bottled at 106.4 proof and available nationwide in limited release for $199.99, the new release coats the palate with an unctuous viscosity, finishing long with notes of orchard fruit and spice lingering in the background.

Jack Daniel's has had a busy year with several new releases coming online, including its American Single Malt Whiskey and an Aged Series of 10, 12, and 14-year-old whiskies. We greatly enjoyed the single malt and found the 14-year-old whiskey to be the best of the aged series releases. However, its new Single Barrel Special Release: Coy Hill Rye is exceptional. 

Jack Daniel's is known for producing smooth, soft Tennessee whiskey thanks to the Lincoln County Process, which filters its whiskey through sugar maple charcoal. It's the step that differentiates Kentucky bourbon from Tennessee whiskey. While Jack's Black Label filters through 10 feet of charcoal, the new rye filters through 3 feet, helping create a soft, smooth, and supple palate, even with its barrel-proof alcohol content being high, ranging from 128.7 to 148.5 proof. The whiskey aged on floors one through 13 of the Coy Hill barrelhouse for 10 years. What has emerged is a spicy, oaky, and toasty rye with layers of fresh orchard fruit, orange marmalade, pepper, caramel, and licorice, complemented by toasted baking spice, vanilla, and rye bread.

While the alcohol is high, it doesn't come across as hot or unbalanced. There is texture and length, opening smooth and finishing long. It pairs well with meat, such as low-and-slow smoked brisket or a grilled ribeye. The well-balanced, bold flavor and high alcohol will enhance the richness of the meat dishes. The limited-release edition is available nationwide for $89.99 for a 700-milliliter bottle. 

In 1826, James Allardice began building the Boynsmill House along the River Burn in the Scottish Highlands. Here, he would begin Glendronach Distillery. Since its start, the producer has made a name for itself by expertly maturing its whisky in ex-sherry casks, delivering full-bodied flavor and rich, almost unctuous character. To celebrate its 200th anniversary, the producer has released Glendronach Boynsmill House Edition Highland Single Malt Scotch incorporating its classic style of aging in former sherry casks. 

However, this release offers much more than what we typically find with Glendronach. This 14-year-old single malt Scotch blends whisky matured in a mix of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, along with a few casks of whisky aged in barrels that formerly held claret wine – the English used the term claret to refer to red Bordeaux wines. While the sherry casks lend nuttiness with sweet caramel and orchard fruits, claret casks add red-fruit flavors of black cherries, plums, and raisins, along with toasty and spicy notes. At 46.8% alcohol by volume, it tastes reminiscent of an authentic British fruit cake, finishing long with creamy caramel and roasted nut flavors. 

Using claret casks nods to the hospitality Allardice showed his guests. He was known to pour claret at his gatherings at Boynsmill House. The new release is available nationwide for $125.

Earlier this fall, the historic Ardbeg Distillery in Scotland's Islay community released Ardbeg Trudenish 15-year-old Scotch. With a light-hay color, Ardbeg's new release has a pronounced taste and aroma, revealing a rich, creamy, slightly smoky, and earthy palate. This comes from the influence of Islay's peat moss, which is used during the malting of the grain — a defining characteristic of Scotch from the region. Ardbeg ages this single malt in a mix of ex-bourbon barrels, new charred oak, and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 years, creating a well-rounded palate with texture, body, and balance. Layers of earth, oak, and pine resin mingle with vanilla, green apple, roasted nuts, and orange peel in the non-chill filtered Scotch. The finish is long and soft, with some gentle smokiness softened by the time it spent the cask. 

Released in September 2026, the whisky is inspired by the ancient settlement of Trudernish on Islay's Enchanted Cape. Legend says the island village's well never freezes. This whisky is bottled at 48.8% alcohol by volume, and it's priced at $89.99.

On a Northern Nevada ranch, not far from the Sierra Mountains, the Freys have farmed the land for five generations, focusing on the production of high-quality grains. For most of its 165-year legacy, Frey Ranch sold grains from its 1,500 acres to outside buyers, but in the early 2000s, co-founders Colby and Ashley Frey decided to change that. Instead of selling grains, they began distilling them, creating Frey Ranch Whiskey Farm and producing grain-to-glass whiskey. Every step of the production process happens on the farm. 

This fall, the Freys and master distiller Russell Wedlake are releasing Frey Ranch Harvester Series: Third Harvest American Whiskey. For this release, the team partnered with master blender Nancy Fraley to create a whiskey featuring top-quality grains from Frey Ranch. The release includes a variety of classic whiskey grains, along with triticale, a hybrid between wheat and rye. The mashbill includes 26.6% triticale that delivers rye's hearty pepperiness and the soft, bready sweetness of wheat, all resulting in complexity and roundness on the palate. 

This 61.70% alcohol by volume whiskey is full-bodied, rich, and well-rounded. The blend of barrels aged five to eight years delivers a textured palate of dried orange peel, caramel, graham cracker, stewed apples, pepper, and spice. At $299.99, the whiskey is available to the distillery's whiskey club members or through its tasting room. A select few bottles will also be sold via a lottery opening November 16, 2026.

Thursday Boot Company celebrates New York and its deep connection to the New York City community with its latest liquor collaboration with Pollinator Spirits and PM Spirits. Thursday Boot Company Limited Edition Rye is a small production with 150 bottles. This rye whiskey is crafted in collaboration with Claire Marin, founder and distiller of Pollinator Spirits, at her distillery in the Western Catskill Mountains. 

Yes, a producer of shoes, bags, and belts is also behind one of the year's best whiskies. The founders of Thursday Boot Company built their business doing shoe fittings in New York City bars before they had a brick-and-mortar location. The new whiskey pays homage to the circle of supporters they found in their early days and the craftsmanship the companies brings to each product. 

The 100-proof rye begins with a blend of organic New York-grown grains, including 67% rye, 20% corn, and 13% malted barley. Distilled and cut with mountain well water in 2019, the whiskey was then aged in new American oak barrels until its release in October 2026. Notes of warm baking spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice mingle with roasted nuts, dried orange peel, dried figs, wildflower honey, and earth. There is weight and texture; delicious if sipped neat, but with enough body to stand out in cocktails, such as a classic Manhattan. The limited-release rye is available for the suggested retail price of $79.99 at select retailers.

Looking at the bottle of Lagavulin 11-year-old Sweet Peat Islay Single Malt Scotch, you would never guess this whiskey has aged for 11 years — instead of deep amber, it has a light straw yellow color. This is due to the barrel that gives the whiskey its color and imparts flavors such as spices, vanilla, and roasted nuts. While American bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels, which lend a deep mahogany amber color, Scotch doesn't have this specific type of barrel-aging requirement. It only has to mature in oak barrels for a minimum of three years, often using former bourbon barrels. These used barrels do not impart the intense amber color that new barrels do. 

Instead, Scotch often has a light yellow color, as does this Lagavulin's February 2026 Sweet Peat release, the distillery's first permanent release in almost a decade. Still, although the color is light, the flavor tells a different story, delivering a pronounced, well-rounded palate. Aromas of earth and smoke mingle with vanilla, wild herbs, toasted spice, chocolate, and caramel, followed by a rich, balanced palate of similar flavors. A hint of briny saline comes through in the finish. 

Aged for 11 years in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 86 proof, the sweetness mellows the peaty smokiness. There is an approachability that especially those new to Scotch may enjoy. This Scotch is available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $69.99.

A fine line determines when a barrel-aged whiskey reaches its optimal flavor while maturing in oak. Late last year, the historic Scotch producer Benriach determined that the right time for its newly released Shades of Smoke single malt Scotch was 31 years. The producer is known for using a range of casks to age its whisky, including ex-bourbon, sherry, and rum barrels, as well as new oak. Each cask delivers unique flavor profiles and textures to shape the character of its whisky. 

Available in the U.S. in June 2026 for a suggested retail price of $925, 31-year-old Benriach Shades of Smoke Single Malt Scotch was distilled in 1994 and barrel-aged at Benriach's Speyside distillery in Scotland. While the whisky has a smoky character — the producer is known for its smoky peated expressions – the extensive barrel aging lends caramelized sweetness that creates a creamy, syrupy palate that is soft and supple. Chocolate, toffee, dried figs, cherries, and oranges mingle with toasty smokiness and a touch of hibiscus flower. The palate is rich, and the finish is long, delivering a whisky that is best enjoyed neat.  

The expression's evocative label design includes artwork created in partnership with digital artist Stefano Contiero. The design draws inspiration from tasting the whisky with Benraich master blender Rachel Barrie. It features colorful clouds of smoke that you can almost see moving.

Whiskey consumption has risen over the past decade, and while the business is changing, the forecast for whiskey sales in America remains bright. The driver of the industry's growth is the consumers' demand for quality and transparency, favoring high-end, premium selections and unique expressions from craft distilleries.

In creating this list of the best new whiskies of the year, I reflected on the dozens of whiskies released this year, many of which featured unique finishing techniques and mashbills. I narrowed the list to those I believe are best to feature in this review, based on samples I have taste-tested and options that have been well received in the industry, earning exceptional reviews from qualified critics whose opinions I trust. In conducting my taste tests, I used the training, knowledge, and expertise I've gained over 20 years industry experience as a Certified Sommelier, spirits reviewer, and overall whiskey lover. While I have noted the price of each selection, the cost was not a factor in determining the included selections.