Whisky Advocate is known as one of the premier arbiters of quality brown liquor. (You can tell how serious they are by the way they spell “whiskey” in their name.)
Each year they release a list of the Top 20 whiskies among the hundreds they sample. To be considered as a Top 20 contender, a whisky must have received at least 90 points out of 100 on their initial tasting — but I also appreciate that they consider availability among the criteria for their rankings. If a spirit is exceedingly rare or really expensive, Whisky Advocate docks it some points as it isn’t readily available to the general drinking public.
After choosing the eligible whiskies, the magazine presents them in flights to blind panels of international judges to pick the 20 best and rank them. Despite the European spelling of whisky, half of the top 10 choices were made in America, including three that contained at least a percentage of whiskey distilled in Tennessee.
I’m also proud to note that if you’re a regular and longtime reader of this column, I turned you on to all three of them in advance of this list coming out. Checking in at No. 10 is a delightful surprise, Nelson Bros. Reserve, the new flagship brand from Nashville-based Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. Scoring a 93 from the tasting panel, this lovely bourbon is a blend of whiskeys from Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana. The elevated proof of 107.8 really shows off the grains (especially the high rye content) without drinking too hot. In my initial product review, I described it as “exhibiting delicate cherry and molasses aromas, sweet and slightly pungent” and called it “an upscale Rolo.” Glad to know Whisky Advocate liked it too!
The No. 3 whiskey on the list also features a blend of three straight bourbons from Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana. It’s the Barrell Vantage, a 114-plus-proof whiskey that earned at score of 95 from Whisky Advocate. What sets Barrell Vantage apart is the fact that each of the three component whiskeys was finished in different types of virgin oak barrels: Mizunara, French and toasted American oak casks. In my review here on Bites, I called it “a remarkable bourbon, deeply complex and dimensional thanks to the combinations of woods and char levels.” Hmm, maybe those Whiskey Advocate folks should ring me up when they’re looking for judges in 2023.
I’ll admit that I haven’t had the chance to taste the No. 1 overall winner, Jack Daniel’s Bonded, though I did write about it when it was first released as what they call a “travelers’ exclusive” offering, meaning that it was only available at duty-free shops prior to a wider domestic release this year. Like all bottled-in-bond whiskeys, this is a 100-proof product that scored 97 points from the tasting panel. They described it as “a fresh, vibrant whiskey. It’s also one with lots of character, offering a host of flavors that marry well.” The difference between the 2018 product and this award-winner is the distillery specifically chose barrels for their bolder profiles that showcased more oak notes. The earlier product did indeed qualify as bottled-in-bond at 100 proof and selected from a specific distilling season, but Jack Daniel's production capacity is so large that a single day could produce enough whiskey for a special bottling. The 2022 product is even more consciously chosen and presented.
At the bargain MSRP of $30, it’s definitely one worth seeking out, although once a whiskey receives acclaim like this, it usually becomes pretty scarce.
Outside of the top 10, another Tennessee-based product that I loved came in 11th place — Sweetens Cove Kennessee Toasted Sugar Maplewood Finished. It received a 93 from Whisky Advocate. Kennessee is a blend of Tennessee and Kentucky bourbons released at 110.7 proof. My first impression of this unique blend noted that the nose “offers lots of vanilla and a hint of orange blossom on initial nosing” and that “the first sip demonstrates those same spicy notes as the aroma, but with a hint of black pepper.” As Sweetens Cove’s most affordable offering at around $60 a bottle, it’s a great introduction to their product line.
Congratulations to each of the Tennessee-affiliated winners!
