The 5 Best Whiskeys We Tasted in July 2023
July was a hot month, not just in terms of record-setting temperatures but also for whiskey. There are so many bottles that came across our desks over here at Whiskey Raiders, but these five spirits were too special to be ignored. The following five whiskeys were the best whiskeys we tasted in July and deserve their own special moment in the sun.
The Five Best Whiskeys We Tasted in July 2023
Rabbit Hole Tenniel
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Fewer than 1,000 crystal decanters are available of Rabbit Hole’s extremely limited release. The expression was released at a cask strength 108.8 proof and is a blend of Rabbit Hole’s Cavehill and Heigold expressions. The bourbon was finished in a No. 1 charred toasted barrel and marks the Rabbit Hole brand’s 10-year anniversary.
The story behind Rabbit Hole Distillery is a love story, according to the brand. Rabbit Hole began when Kaven Zamanian met and fell in love with his wife, Heather, who was a native of Louisville. Through his relationship with his wife, Zamanian fell hard for America’s native spirit and he left his career as a psychologist to start his own distillery.
With aromas of baking spice, graham cracker and cocoa, Rabbit Hole Tenniel is a warm and comforting bourbon. On the palate, the graham cracker continues, with a kiss of brown sugar. The finish is long and full of praline and cinnamon aromas. Priced at $650, this limited-edition offering from Rabbit Hole is definitely a splurge, with aromas that conjure up memories of trips to bakeries.
Talisker The Distillers Edition
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Released in 2021, Talisker The Distillers Edition was aged in American oak and ex-Amoroso Sherry casks. Talisker Distillery claims to be the oldest distillery on the Isle of Skye and is situated on the rugged shores of Loch Harport.
Amoroso sherry is a special sherry that is found in the Jerez region. It dates back to a time when workers from the region would pick up bottles of Oloroso sherry, an oxidative style of wine. They would ask for bottles of Oloroso with a touch of the sweeter Pedro-Ximenez sherry for their wives, to make it taste more “amoroso,” or loveable, according to the wine’s parent brand, Maestro Sierra.
The time this expression spent in the ex-Amoroso Sherry casks lent Talisker The Distillers Edition plenty of orchard fruit aromas kissed with ocean breezes. The palate is rich and viscous, even though this expression has a lower ABV of 45.8%. The finish is long and funky, with plenty of ocean air, buttercream and fruit. A bottle of Talisker The Distiller’s Edition retails for an average price of $99 according to Wine-Searcher.
Westward Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Grand Cru Sauternes Cask Finish
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Westward Whiskey specializes in the ever-increasingly popular American Single Malt category. The distillery’s aim is to craft whiskey inspired by the American Northwest. Westward believes the best flavors stem from the brewing process, according to the brand.
The Westward Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Grand Cru Sauternes Cask Finish hosts an ABV of 45% and is available for purchase from the brand’s website. This expression was finished for 14 months in Grand Cru Sauternes Casks. This whiskey was crafted for Westward’s exclusive taster’s club, so if you’re hoping to buy it, you’ll first need to join the club.
The Sauternes cask lends an opulent quality to this whiskey, which has a nose of rich toffee that interplays with a vinous character throughout. The fruity and viscous palate has aromas of plums, stewed apples and pear cobbler with a long, decadent, coffee-forward finish. Despite all the pizzaz, this whiskey is still relatively easy-drinking and incredibly balanced. The Westward Whiskey Single Barrel Selection Grand Cru Sauternes Cask Finish can be purchased directly from the brand for $99.
Old Forester 117: Bottled in Bond
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Dangerously drinkable, Old Forester 117: Bottled in Bond is the eighth release in Old Forester’s 117 Series. The Bottled in Bond expression was distilled in the spring of 2014 and is almost a decade old. Old Forester 117 Series: Bottled in Bond hosts a suggested retail price of $60, yet given the voracious demand for the product, it may fetch a much higher pricepoint on secondary markets.
According to Old Forester, the 117 Series focuses on a portion of barrels that lost a lot of whiskey to the aging process via the Angel’s Share. The concentration of flavors in the liquid that hosts a 50% ABV adds richness to the spirit.
With a nose that offers up banana bread aromas interlaced with caramel and a palate that is rich and pleasant, this is one easy-drinking whiskey. Old Forester 117: Bottled In Bond hits just the right sweet spot in terms of aging, and the extended period in oak lends the spirit just the right amount of complexity before turning it into an oak bomb.
Stagg Bourbon Batch 18
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This barrel-proof bourbon from Buffalo Trace’s Stagg line (formerly known as Stagg Jr.) is a fan favorite. With an ABV of 65.5%, this is the first batch within the Stagg Jr. line to not have the “Jr.” designation. Though the expression doesn’t have an age statement, the general consensus is that this bourbon is around 7-10 years old.
The spirit line is named after George T. Stagg, the man who was instrumental in building the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Stagg whiskeys are described by the brand as “reliable” and “no-nonsense,” like Stagg’s personality. The Stagg Bourbon Batch 18 hosts a suggested retail price of $70, according to Breaking Bourbon — though chances are if you look for it on retail shelves, it will be sold for significantly higher.
With a bold cherry-root-beer nose that echoes on the palate, this powerful whiskey also has a fun side. Stagg Bourbon Batch 18 hosts a long finish that has a distinctive, cherry-based throughline. Despite the spirit’s high proof, Batch 18 is pretty easygoing. Jay West, our in-house spirits critic, describes it as a “cherry-cola dream all the way out the door.”
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