The Best Whiskeys to Stock Your Bar

Whether you’re a whiskey enthusiast looking for something new and different, or you’re brand new to the spirit and unsure where to start, whiskey recommendations are always a great thing. Here at Taster’s Club, we can help you stock your home bar with high-quality bottles that offer diversity and a balance between tradition and innovation. Read on to discover the best whiskeys in your future, and don’t forget to check out our Stock the Bar Club when you’re ready to try them.

Best Bourbon Whiskey: Lucky Seven “The Jokester” 6-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey

This San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal-winning straight Kentucky bourbon whiskey is aged for six years. The warm copper-colored spirit is nicely complex and balanced and bottled at 95 proof.

Tasting notes

You’ll get aromas of dried cranberry and cherry, baking spice and vanilla cordial. On the palate will be a rich and deep creme brûlée and rum-raisin profile, along with baking spices and pecans. The bourbon whiskey finishes bright and spicy with berries and toasted sugar.

Why we recommend it

Constantly looking for high-quality aged Kentucky bourbon, Lucky Seven blends only the finest ingredients they can get their hands on. Often, they even get first dibs at some of the best premium-aged and rarest bourbons and release them as limited editions. “The Jokester” is no exception.

Best Scotch Whiskey: Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet 14-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The fresh air, natural environment, and pure spring water nearby the Tomintoul distillery contribute to the mellow, smooth character of this award-winning single malt whiskey from the Highlands Scotch region. Aged 14 years, this naturally hay-colored single malt is bottled at 46% ABV without chill-filtration, which adds discernible character.

Tasting notes

On the nose, this smooth-bodied spirit is crisp, round, clean and sweet. You’ll smell:

• butterscotch,
• toffee,
• honey,
• vanilla,
• ginger, and
• cream.

This will be followed by grass, green apples and gooseberries. Then, you’ll taste rich notes of fruit like pear and apple, citrus, vanilla, baking, toasted almonds, malt, cereals, ginger and peppery spice. Finally, the whiskey finishes warm and toasty with roasted hazelnut, mocha and grassy layers.

Why we recommend it

This international award-winning single malt gives complex and exquisite aromas and flavors, resulting not only from its filtering process but also from its maturation in ex-bourbon oak wood casks which are expertly chosen.

Best American Whiskey: Rogue Spirits Rolling Thunder Cask Strength Stout American Whiskey

Tasting notes

On the nose, you’ll get coffee, dark cocoa, spiced baked apple, sea air and a bit of smoke. Take a sip, and you’ll experience toffee, dark cocoa, vanilla, cola and dried fruit. Grain, cola and coffee will linger on the finish.

Why we recommend it

Since the distillery’s barrel aging room overlooks the Pacific Ocean and a commercial fishing fleet in Yaquina Bay, a bit of salt air seeps into the barrels each day. This helps the spirits age gracefully and sets Rogue’s whiskeys, just like this limited edition five-time award-winning American whiskey, apart from others.

We love that the combination of new Oregon Oak barrels and stout-saturated Oregon Oak barrels allows the Oregon Oak’s spice and citrus, the original whiskey’s flavor, and the deep, dark notes of the stout to blend well.

Best World Whiskey: Kavalan Distillery Select Single Malt Whisky

Tasting notes

This pure, creamy, full-bodied whiskey features Kavalan’s signature fruity sweetness. The casks it matures in hold flavors of toffee, butterscotch and vanilla that result in a long finish.

Why we recommend it

Released in 2008 and Kavlan’s first expression, the distillery has reason to be proud. They’ve earned dozens of international whiskey awards and titles, beating out famous, traditional Scottish, American and Japanese brands.

Best Blended Whiskey: Murray & McDavid Òrdha Meas 13-Year-Old Blended Scotch Whisky

The Òrdha Meas 13-Year-Old blended Scotch whisky is made with a single malt and single grain whisky blend from all of Scotland’s whisky regions that give it a harmonious, graceful character. Before being blended, each whisky was aged for a minimum of 10 years in bourbon barrels, then matured for another few years in sherry casks.

Tasting notes

From this glowing amber, creamy, soft-bodied blended whisky, you’ll get succulent, sweet smells of apricot, cherry, pear, honey and baked goods. Flavor notes include clove, red currant, caramel, vanilla, toasted oat and soft oak. The drink finishes elegantly with refined, sweet, orchard fruit and subtle oak spice.

Why we recommend it

Murray McDavid knows their blends. They use the best malt and grain whisky distilleries across Scotland because they know that blended whiskeys can rival or even surpass single malts. It’s all about ingredients’ quality, and the Òrdha Meas is chock full of it.

Best Cask Strength Whiskey: Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye Whiskey

Tasting notes

In this full-bodied blend, you’ll get cinnamon along with a bit of vanilla and clove on the nose. The blend tastes of dark chocolate along with intense brown sugar and black pepper, and a hint of honey. The drink finishes layered and long.

Why we recommend it

We love that this whiskey takes the traditional distillation techniques from Maryland on a new path to define cask-strength rye. This fully-aged release is full of flavor and color that connects us to the state’s deep distillation roots. As well, Sagamore Spirits is committed to local farmers, the community and the environment: Through their sustainable grain program, they pre-purchase grains, which reduces the farmers’ financial risk and expenses.

Best Single Malt Whiskey: Copperworks Distilling Co. Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey

Though single-cask whiskeys are often known and marketed as the pinnacle of whiskey, distillers are also able to mix 2-8 casks for unique cask-strength releases, which this one especially for Taster’s Club certainly is. Created from 4 casks of Copperworks’ Pale Malt recipe (which is basically a pale ale without hops, this release was aged for 38 months in new American Oak casks and bottled at 55% ABV. 

The nose opens with cedar, coffee cake, streusel, and citrus pith. Flavors include ginger snap, orange zest, and mango rind, leading to a bright finish of melon, walnuts, and leather. 

Tasting notes

This rich, balanced mahogany whiskey smells of cedar, streusel, and citrus and tastes of gingersnap, orange and mango. It finishes brightly with melon, leather and walnuts.

Why we recommend it

Copperworks really stands out. As a leader in the American single malt whiskey category, they care deeply about the environment and their community — to the point that their distillation process lets them re-circulate the same 500 gallons of water per batch and move about 70,000 gallons of water per day. Plus, they source almost all of their grain locally in Washington, from small farmers who don’t use irrigation or run-off methods.

The distillery is unique, too. Their founders’ extensive brewing backgrounds mean that all spirits come from un-hopped beer. What does this mean? Flavors that simply aren’t found in traditionally-brewed and fermented whiskey. 

There you have it — a roundup of our best whiskeys. With a list this diverse, there’s something for every taste and preference. But, one thing remains true across the board — you can’t go wrong with any of these top-notch, flavorful picks. For an easy and quick way to get them on your shelf, check out our Stock the Bar Club.