The 9 Best Whiskeys We Tasted in April 2024
April was a busy month for more reasons than one for us. Not only did we taste plenty of whiskeys from all over the globe, but we were also busy interviewing celebrities, celebrating Earth Day and merging 0ur liquor websites into one new home, Bottle Raiders!
Although our Bottle Raiders site features the largest database of spirits reviews and liquor content for whiskey, gin, tequila and rum in one place, we still know how much folks love their whiskey — and rest assured, our monthly whiskey roundups aren’t going anywhere.
The following nine whiskeys we tasted in April 2024 were stellar with a capital “S,” and we thought they were worth an extra special shout-out.
The 9 Best Whiskeys We Tasted in April 2024, Ranked
9. Aberfeldy 25 Year 125th Anniversary Edition
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The Aberfeldy whisky brand hails from the Scottish Highlands, and this release dropped in November in celebration of the brand’s 125th anniversary. Aberfeldy was founded in 1898 by than John Dewar — yeah, that Dewar. This whisky clocks in at 46% ABV, and costs a pretty penny with a starting price of $500. The expression is finished in first-fill Oloroso sherry casks.
If you like roller coasters, this scotch will appeal to you. With a potent nose of white grape, freshly chopped lumber, orchard fruit and plenty of sherried funk, you can tell this scotch is going to be a wild one at first whiff. The palate has a slight bitterness, but in an attractive way. It evens out with more of that orchard fruit and raisin bread. The whisky finishes on a savory note, with plenty of lingering lactic funk.
If you’re a sour beer-lover, this scotch might be right up your alley.
8. 2XO American Oak Bourbon
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2XO Whiskey is helmed by one of Kentucky’s iconic whiskey blenders, Dixon Dedman. This brand’s calling card is double-oaking its whiskeys — hence the name “2XO,” which means “two times the oak.” This whiskey was initially released in September and was designed to be an “everyday expression,” marking a first for the brand.
For this release, Dedman took 8- to 10-foot charred oak “chains” and steeped them in bourbon aged between five and six years for double the oak, double the fun. The bourbon hosts a 46% ABV and a suggested retail price of $49.99, making it a compelling option for a Monday through Friday drinker.
This American Oak-imbued bourbon has a nose full of sweet cream, cracked pepper and a surprising twist of tropical fruit. On the palate, picture light oak, pepper and a handful of baking spice. This whiskey is lighter-bodied, making it a great warm-weather option, and it finishes creamy and sweet with corn and vanilla bean.
7. Blackadder The Legendary 32 Year “Wardhead” Blended Malt Scotch
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Before we get into the review of this whisky, we should take some time to discuss what the term “Wardhead” means. Whiskybase reports that the word “Wardhead” is used by independent bottlers like Blackadder when they’re not allowed to use the name of the distillery they are sourcing from.
Though the family-run, independent bottler is sworn to secrecy about where this 32-year-old scotch is sourced from, we have our guesses. This whisky hosts an ABV of 47.8% and a price north of $200 if you can score a bottle.
At first whiff, picture aromas of baked pear, cinnamon and vanilla cream. The pour is chock full of spices interlaced with a creamy sweetness and tobacco before it concludes with more pear, honey and toffee. Despite that extended age statement, this scotch whisky is fairly light on the oak, making it an easy-drinking experience if one can get past some of the spice up front.
If you want to know where we think the whisky is sourced from for our No. 7 pick, you’ll have to read our review.
6. Kilkerran Cask Strength 8 Year Old Sherry Cask Matured
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The Campbelltown-based scotch brand, Kilkerran, is a sister brand of the well-known Springbank Distillery. This single malt scotch spent eight years aging in sherry casks and hosts an ABV of 58.1%. You can typically find a bottle of this 8-year-old scotch for around $100 to $200.
The sherry heavily influences the pour on this single malt, with a nose chock full of forest berries, nuts and a touch of peat. The palate is rich, and the berry throughline continues right until the whisky’s conclusion. With plenty of good smoke and nutty qualities, this scotch whisky finishes with strawberries, sulfur and a bit of pepper.
If you’re a fan of sherry-cask-aged scotches, this offering from Kilkerran is a must-try whisky from Kilkerran and is one of its stronger offerings.
5. Longrow Red 15 Year Pinot Noir Cask
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There must be something in the water in Campbelltown, as this offering from Longrow is another whisky from that region of Scotland that made our list this month. Longrow is one of the region’s “lost” distilleries that dates back to the 1970s and was known for its oily and potent scotch whiskies. This whisky is made at the legendary Springbank distillery.
This 15-year-old single malt from 2022 hosts an ABV of 51.4%, and a bottle typically costs north of $200. This peated scotch spent 11 years aging in ex-bourbon casks, then spent four years aging in Pinot Noir casks from New Zealand. The red wine character is beautifully balanced with the peat and smoke in this whisky.
The nose is driven by peat, with soft caramel and a slight vinous quality from those Pinot Noir casks. The palate is pleasantly sweet, with malt and red berries like currants and cherries. This whisky finishes with plenty of minerality, smoke and one last pop of Pinot Noir. The red wine is well integrated with big smoke and sweet malt.
4. Whiskey JYPSI Explorer
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Whiskey JYPSI is the brand founded by “Springsteen” singer, Eric Church. The country music star founded Outsiders Spirits with entrepreneur Raj Alva and released the first JYPSI whiskey back in May 2023. The inaugural whiskey was well received by Bottle Raiders, and out of the myriad amount of celebrity whiskeys out there, we believe this one is actually worth tasting.
JYPSI Explorer is liquid proof that the folks over at Outsiders Spirits know what they’re doing, and this release hosts a relatively affordable suggested retail price of $69.99.
JYPSI Explorer is a blend of a low-rye bourbon distilled in Kentucky and a high-rye bourbon made in Indiana — both are six years of age. The whiskey has a total mashbill of 66% corn, 30% rye and 4% malted barley and was bottled at 103 proof. Explorer was finished in a barrel with American oak staves from the Appalachian Mountains and French oak staves from the Forest of Tronçais.
With a nose of honey, buttercream and cinnamon, this whiskey hosts a pleasantly structured mouthfeel with flavors of baked apples dusted with cinnamon. A decadent pour that leads with loads of baking spice and segues into a lingering finish with toffee and caramel.
If you want to watch our spirits critic, Jay West, share his thoughts on this latest release from Eric Church’s spirits brand, check out the video below:
3. Glendronach Single Cask 2003 11 Year Old Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon #4121
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This whisky is from the Speyside distillery, Glendronach. If you love sherried scotch whiskies, look no further than The GlenDronach, as sherry cask aging is this brand’s calling card.
Distilled in March 2003 and bottled in July 2014 after aging for 11 years in Pedro Ximenez puncheons, this whisky is bottled at 57.1% ABV and can be purchased from around $100-$200. Pedro Ximenez is a decadent and luscious type of sherry often enjoyed as an after-dinner drink. Significantly fruitier than its oxidative Oloroso counterpart, and more rich in body than a Fino Sherry, the Pedro Ximenez puncheons imbued this single malt with plenty of dessert-driven and berry qualities.
This whisky has aromas of freshly baked raisin bread, sticky toffee and blackberry reduction. The pour is richly layered and opulent, striking the perfect balance of dessert and berries. With a lengthy finish chock full of cream, pepper and a whiff of sulfur, this whisky epitomizes what GlenDronach is known for sherry, structure and decadence.
2. WhistlePig The Badönkådonk 25 Year Old Single Malt
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WhistlePig’s audaciously named offering is a 25-year-old single malt whisky that was distilled in Canada — almost certainly by Glenora.
Last year the Vermont whiskey brand released a 21-year-old single malt named The Béhôlden, and the brand cheekily claimed the name was meant to serve as a way of “taunting the Scots.” This year, WhistlePig’s single malt is older and hosts a distinctive finishing process that hearkens to California wine country. The whisky was finished in a combination of WhistlePig rye whiskey barrels and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from none other than Napa Valley’s Silver Oak winery.
The Badönkådonk costs a pretty penny with a suggested retail price of $1,999 and has a mind-bogglingly rich nose with baking spice, cola and coffee. The palate is viscous with oak and spice. The Cabernet Sauvignon shines through, and those lucky enough to get a taste of this well-aged single malt from WhistlePig will be treated to notes of blackberry, black pepper and tobacco.
WhistlePig’s Badonkadonk finishes in a layered and complicated way, with fig, old parchment and tobacco.
1. 2017 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye
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The No. 1 one spot on our Best Whiskeys of April 2024 list goes to this Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye from the 2017 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. Though it will be tricky to find as Buffalo Trace Antique Collection whiskeys often are due to their high demand, it’s worth the hunt. 2017 was an incredible year for the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, and this rye whiskey is a winner through and through.
This 6-year-old barrel proof rye hosts a proof of 126.2, and if you’re able to find a bottle in the marketplace it will probably cost you well north of $200. The whiskey was distilled from rye from Minnesota, corn from Kentucky and North Dakota malted barley.
A dessert lover’s dream, this bold and punchy rye hosts a rich fragrance of maple, brown butter and cinnamon. The palate bursts forth with brown sugar, syrup and maple. With a long, tobacco-driven finish drizzled with maple, this beast of a rye is absolutely stunning.
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