11 of the Best American Whiskeys Released So Far in 2025 Worth Hunting Down
The Best American Whiskeys of 2025, so far.
In 2025’s opening months, U.S. distillers have delivered bold proofs, rare finishes and milestone age statements. We’ve compiled a list of the best 11 American whiskeys released in 2025 so far that are worth tracking down, sorted from great to spectacular.
The rankings: These bottles are sorted from worst to best based on their Raided Score®, a score on the 50-100 scale granted to a bottle by Bottle Raiders. The Raided Score® is calculated by averaging the ratings from trusted critics across the internet, alongside Bottle Raiders’ own in-house score.
11. Garrison Brothers Lady Bird
(Photo: Garrison Brothers)
Read Our Review | Find it at Total Wine
ABV: 57%
Suggested Retail Price: $179.99
Why It Stands Out: Named for former first lady Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson, this honey‑infused bourbon is aged 4-5 years in new oak before spending eight months steeped in honey and then three years in French Cognac XO casks. On the nose, you’ll find warm honeycomb and toasted almond layered with leather and tobacco leaf. The palate offers thick, syrupy honey sweetness that meets savory notes of tobacco and spice — think clove, cinnamon and a whisper of black pepper. It closes on a firm tannic backbone, with hazelnut and dried fruit lingering long after the honey fades.
10. Lost Lantern Opulent Orchard Straight Rye
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ABV: 57.45%
Suggested Retail Price: $100 (410 bottles available)
Why It Stands Out: This blend of three 7‑year‑old New York Distilling Co. ryes is finished in American apple brandy barrels, giving it a uniquely bright fruit‑cask character. The nose bursts with caramel‑apple drizzle, crème brûlée and light custard, underpinned by a spine of cinnamon and nutmeg. On the palate, the rye spice comes forward — think pepper, clove and allspice — balanced by toffee, apple, marzipan and dark‑chocolate shards. The finish is long and warming, weaving in tobacco, oak, tannin and a final echo of granny‑smith sharpness.
9. Booker’s 2025‑01 ‘Barry’s Batch’
(Photo: Beam)
Read Our Review | Find it at Total Wine
ABV: 62.85%
Suggested Retail Price: $99.99
Why It Stands Out: A classic Beam heavy hitter aged for seven years, two months and four days, Barry’s Batch is uncut and unfiltered for maximum intensity. Named for former Beam Chairman and CEO Barry Berish, who spent over 40 years at Beam and played a key role in the company’s history, this bourbon layers creamy butterscotch and French vanilla over cornbread and fresh‑cut oak on the nose. The palate floods with deep Luxardo‑cherry syrup, blackberry reduction and fudge‑brownie notes, all undercut by a firm backbone of tobacco and rustic barrel char. It finishes on cracked black pepper, ash and walnut — perfect for those who prize raw, unbridled bourbon heat.
8. Old Forester 1924 10‑Year‑Old Bourbon
(Photo: Old Forester)
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ABV: 50%
Suggested Retail Price: $119.99
Why It Stands Out: Reviving a mashbill Old Forester used when it sourced barrels from a neighboring distillery in 1924, this release shifts to a 79/11/10 corn‑rye‑barley formula. The nose arrives sweetly — with butterscotch, vanilla bean and honeyed oak — before revealing leathery tannins and subtle tobacco. The mid‑palate stays dry, offering cornbread, almond brittle and a flash of baking spice. It closes on a brisk, crisp finish: white pepper, toasted almond and a last glimpse of cocoa powder.
7. Jack Daniel’s 12‑Year‑Old Tennessee Whiskey Batch 3
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ABV: 53.5% ABV
Suggested Retail Price: $94.99
Why It Stands Out: This third batch marries JD’s charcoal‑mellowed character with a dozen years of oak influence. Aromas of cherry, cinnamon rolls, dark chocolate and cookie butter open the glass, followed by bananas foster and mocha. The palate is rich and viscous: Cornbread sweetness meets espresso grounds, praline and nougat, all wrapped in soft oak. The finish is long and nuanced: crème brûlée, stewed cherries, mint‑chip coolness and a perfect level of oaky goodness.
6. Maker’s Mark The Keepers Release
(Photo: Maker’s Mark)
Read Our Review | Find it at a Total Wine
ABV: 54.6%
Suggested Retail Price: $74.99
Why It Stands Out: Crafted in tribute to the warehouse team that hand‑turns barrels, this bourbon is finished in a barrel made with 10 custom‑toasted oak staves. The aroma is soft and sweet — praline, pancake batter and cherry cola — with a subtle weave of cinnamon and almond butter. The palate stays silky: maple‑syrup pancakes, browned butter, fresh‑baked bread and toasted marshmallow, with just enough tannin to balance. The finish drifts into powdered sugar, waffle cone, vanilla madeleines and a pinch of baking spice. This is classic Maker’s, and it’s lovely stuff.
5. High West Bourye 2025
(Photo: High West)
Read Our Review | Find it at Total Wine
ABV: 46%
Suggested Retail Price: $124.99
Why It Stands Out: High West’s signature blend of 10‑year‑old bourbons and ryes marries sweetness with spice in perfect equilibrium. On the nose, buttery cinnamon rolls and clove dance with orange peel and blackberry compote. The palate treats you to creme brûlée and butterscotch alongside leather‑tannin and subtle peppercorn heat. Its medium finish offers ripe cherry, tobacco and a gentle oak warmth that invites another sip.
4. Stranahan’s Founder’s Release Aged 12 Years
(Photo: Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey)
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ABV: 60% ABV
Suggested Retail Price: $199.99
Why It Stands Out: Celebrating two decades of Colorado single malt, this expression blends predominantly 12‑year‑old new‑oak-aged whiskey with a fraction finished in former bourbon and blonde‑ale barrels. The nose is powerful: sourdough bread, fresh blackberry and white chocolate meld with oak and spice. The palate is bold yet refined — pecan‑pie richness, praline sweetness and a Dr. Pepper‑like cherry‑cola nuance. The epic finish veers earthy and umami, with hints of mushroom, tobacco and faint citrus zest.
3. Bomberger’s PFG Kentucky Straight Bourbon
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ABV: 50.1%
Suggested Retail Price: $139.99
Why It Stands Out: A new release from the lauded Michter’s Distillery, Precision Fine Grain Kentucky Straight Bourbon sources French oak staves air‑dried 40 months along the Charente river, then toasted and charred to tight specifications. The result is a gorgeously perfumed nose: powdered sugar, crème brûlée, almond, cherry and a whisper of gingerbread. On the palate, expect dense cake batter, candied ginger and white pepper, underpinned by toasted-oak warmth. Its finish leans into spice — cinnamon, clove and nutmeg — before closing with tobacco, peach and dried cranberry.
2. Jack Daniel’s 14‑Year‑Old Tennessee Whiskey
Read Our Review | Find it at Total Wine
ABV: 63.15%
Suggested Retail Price: $149.99
Why It Stands Out: JD’s oldest age‑statement since Prohibition, this 14‑year‑old matches maturity with intensity. The nose is lush: Luxardo cherry syrup, gingerbread spice, dark chocolate shavings and brûléed sugar, followed by a banana‑bread batter note that’s more in line with the typical Jack profile. The palate opens hot — chili powder and cinnamon — then evolves into black cherry, hazelnut and coffee grounds. Its very long finish journeys from tobacco and ash to cinnamon and serrano pepper, arriving at a final, glorious flourish of cherry, cake batter and banana taffy.
1. Woodford Reserve Distillery Series Chocolate Whisper Redux
(Photo: Woodford Reserve)
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ABV: 69.7% ABV
Suggested Retail Price: $99.99 (per 375-milliliter bottle)
Why It Stands Out: Woodford’s highest-proof bottling ever, this 12‑year‑old bourbon bursts from the glass with peaches and cream, tangerine zest and browned butter. Adding water unfolds layers of cinnamon‑gingerbread spice, meringue‑frosting sweetness and soft oak. On the palate, dark chocolate reigns — espresso‑bean bitterness, cherry‑syrup warmth and mesquite smoke swirl through robust tannin. The finish is epic: leather, tobacco, cedar and walnut mingle with a kiss of mesquite ash. This bourbon is a masterclass in power, complexity and balance. It’s powerful and bold and — once dialed down a touch with a few drops of water — sweet, nuanced and a total delight.
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