10 Best Whiskeys We Tasted in November 2025

Every month, we sift through loads of new releases — and older expressions that are new to us — and highlight the whiskeys that stand out the most. November 2025 was no exception, delivering a mix of rich bourbons, punchy rye and innovative single malts. From ultra-aged American classics to high-altitude Scottish experimentation, this month’s lineup showcases the best the whiskey world has to offer.

As always, these whiskeys are ranked by The Daily Pour’s Critics’ Score — our proprietary metric that aggregates our house rating with scores from the most trusted whiskey critics across the internet. In the case of a tie, we break it first by our house score, then by the number of aggregated reviews and finally alphabetically, when necessary. This ensures the rankings reflect both broad critical acclaim and our own tasting expertise.

Here’s November 2025’s list, ranked 10 to 1.

10. Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon Batch C925

Heaven Hill’s September batch of Larceny Barrel Proof delivers exactly what fans want from this wheated cask-strength line: big, friendly flavor at a fair price. Aged 6-8 years and bottled at 59.8% ABV, Batch C925 leans hard into dessert-mode aromatics with apple pie, flaky crust and sweet cream.

The palate doubles down with a bold caramel-apple profile, layered with brown sugar, cinnamon and custard. It’s not the most complex bourbon in the world, but it’s a liquid caramel apple, making it a delicious standout.

The finish brings toasted oak, crème brûlée and crisp green apple. Overall, this is a flat-out tasty batch — a simple but irresistible apple bomb found at around $65.

Click here to read our full review.

9. Hardin’s Creek Warehouse R “The Mushroom”

The Warehouse R entry in Beam’s 2025 Hardin’s Creek trio was aged in a single-story warehouse. The resulting bourbon is the softest and sweetest of the bunch. “The Mushroom” offers a rich, fluffy nose of banana bread, brown sugar, rice pudding and gentle oak spice.

Its palate leans dessert-first: chopped peanuts, molasses, cherry and maple, all accented by a light ashy note. The finish builds on that cherry character, joined by cinnamon, syrupy sweetness, ash and oak.

Click here to read our full review.

8. Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 12 Year

(Photo: Stranahan’s)

Denver single malt house Stranahan’s returns with another high-altitude heavy hitter. Aged 12 years in Denver with more than 80% angels’ share loss, this American single malt leans jammy and tannic, with port finishing that meshes naturally with the malt. The nose opens with salted caramel and deep dark fruits — cherry, fig and plum.

The palate follows suit: prunes, boysenberry, light oak and a hint of earth and tobacco toward the back. It’s rich and dark without feeling heavy, offering a balanced mix of jammy sweetness and drying structure.

The finish brings blackberry, raspberry, tobacco and gentle tannin. A red-wine drinker’s whiskey, Mountain Angel 12 is yet another distinctive and rewarding bottles from the consistently awesome Strahanan’s, one of America’s leading single malt distilleries.

Click here to read our full review.

7. Hardin’s Creek Warehouse G “The Owl”

Warehouse G, aged in a nine-story warehouse, brings arguably the most layered profile of the three Hardin’s Creek releases. The nose blends browned butter, almond croissant, orange zest, dried raspberries and Beam’s signature nutty funk.

The palate is rich and textured, with French toast in maple syrup, hazelnut, custard, cherry and a backbone of bitter tannin. It’s expressive, complex and shows how higher warehouse tiers create additional heat and concentration.

The finish amps up the intensity with fudge, espresso, peanut brittle, cinnamon and lingering tannin. While all three warehouses shine, “The Owl” takes the top spot among them on pure drinkability and depth in our opinion, but the overall Critics’ Score has one ahead of it. Speaking of…

Click here to read our full review.

6. Hardin’s Creek Warehouse W “The Beaver”

Aged in the five-story Warehouse W, “The Beaver” offers a decadent, oak-rich expression that sits stylistically between the other two Hardin’s Creek releases. The nose is gorgeous, with plum, blackberry, sassafras, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and buttery French toast.

The palate is silky and dessert-tilted, recalling well-aged Knob Creek with butterscotch pudding, buttercream, oak, black cherry, spice and tobacco. It’s bold but polished, with a pleasing combination of age, sweetness and structure.

The finish brings back that French-toast note along with barrel char, tannin, cookie dough, cherry and banana cream pie. This decadent, flavor-first bourbon shows Beam blending at its strongest.

Click here to read our full review.

5. Bruichladdich The Laddie Rye 7 Year Old

(Photo: Bruichladdich)

Bruichladdich’s foray into rye is one of the most unexpected releases of the year — an unheard of Scottish rye whisky distilled from 55% Islay-grown rye and 45% unpeated barley. Aged seven years in bourbon and new oak, it’s bottled at 50% ABV. The nose immediately reads as a hybrid of scotch and rye: honeyed scones, sea-salt butter cinnamon and pepper.

On the palate, the whiskey is warm, bready and gently sweet, offering cinnamon, vanilla, honey and a nutty layer of walnuts and cashews. It walks a line between American rye spice and the softer grain character typical of unpeated scotch malt.

The finish stays balanced and comforting with black pepper, cinnamon, buttered sourdough and chocolate-covered walnuts. This is a delicate, thoughtful, highly drinkable riff on rye — and a compelling argument for more Scottish experimentation.

Click here to read our full review.

4. Sazerac Rye Full Proof

(Photo: Sazerac)

Sazerac’s new 125-proof Full Proof rye arrives as a permanent line extension — and at $39.99, it’s one of the year’s best values. The nose is luscious and spice-driven: molasses, pie crust, brûléed sugar, marshmallow fluff, candied ginger and orange peel.

The palate explodes with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cocoa, gingerbread, barrel char and a bright brûléed banana note. It’s dense, warm and surprisingly refined for the price and proof.

The finish stays lively with brown sugar, pepper, espresso, clove and charred peaches. Simply put, this is a monster of a rye that overdelivers in every meaningful way, from complexity to cocktail utility.

Click here to read our full review.

3. Knob Creek 21 Year Bourbon

(Photo: Knob Creek)

Knob Creek’s 21 Year Old release is unabashedly oak-driven, but it’s far more balanced than many expected. The nose is sweet and rich, with Bavarian cream, maple donuts, caramel, cherry, blueberries, cinnamon and tobacco.

Its palate blends butterscotch, heavy oak, cinnamon, gingerbread, licorice and a big cherry note, supported by moderate viscosity. Fans of mature bourbon will find a lot to love, while those wary of oak might be pleasantly surprised by the nuance on display.

The finish carries oak and tannin, followed by cinnamon, mint, peanut brittle, dark chocolate and watermelon candies. This bold, deeply aged bourbon lives up to the hype.

Click here to read our full review.

2. Remus Gatsby Reserve 15 Year (2025)

(Photo: Remus Bourbon)

The 2025 Remus Gatsby Reserve is all about spice and elegance. Orange blossom, candied ginger, cinnamon and banana cream dominate the nose, setting up a classic bourbon profile with extra polish.

The palate is sumptuous; gingerbread, clove, cinnamon, cola, caramel and orange peel arrive alongside inviting warmth and remarkable drinkability for a 15-year bourbon at cask strength — albeit a very low cask strength (102.8 proof).

The finish brings cola, sassafras, coconut, cocoa powder, orange zest and candied ginger. It’s dangerously drinkable, refined and endlessly sippable — one of the year’s most enjoyable bourbons.

Click here to read our full review.

1. Abraham Bowman Oak Series: Hungarian Oak

Bowman’s latest Oak Series release is a standout: a 12-year bourbon aged entirely in Hungarian oak and bottled at 115 proof. The nose is confectionary and complex, with maple, sweet cream, cherry, fondant, gingersnap, cinnamon and soft oak.

The palate is silky and layered, moving through toasted oak, cherry cola, frangipane, caramelized sugars, clove, anise, mint, tobacco, lemon curd, cinnamon and leather. It’s distinctive, refined and unlike anything else released this year.

The finish is buttery and medium-long, closing with anise, drying tannin, leather, maple, walnuts, sassafras, cream and cigar wrapper. This beautiful, unique expression doesn’t quite take “bourbon of the year” but comfortably sits in the tier just below — and earns November’s No. 1 spot.

Click here to read our full review.