The Best New Whiskeys to Drink This April 

Rye | 53% ABV | Aged 10 Years
The Vertical Series follows a limited amount of whiskey (sourced from MGP, aged at Castle & Key) as it ages. Blended from 25 barrels, each unfiltered cask here features a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. The 10-year is interesting because it’s following the well-honored 9 Year Rye (released last year), which won Rye of the Year at the Ascots and Best American Rye at the IWSC. I was also a big fan and noted a strong sarsaparilla note in that release, but each year seems to bring out interesting new flavors. This time, there’s plenty of brown sugar, cloves and oak spice on the nose, followed by toasted oak, caramel, orange peel, lemon, cinnamon, dates and almond butter on the palate. Thankfully, that beloved hint of sarsaparilla is present here, too.

Bourbon | 64.55% ABV | Aged 7 Years
The first release of 2026’s Booker’s Collection — bourbons released at barrel strength and bottled uncut and unfiltered, all overseen by distiller Fred Noe in honor of his dad Booker — is made up of five separate production dates that were stored in five different warehouses. An homage to New Orleans (a favorite city of Booker Noe), this spicy bourbon is nutty, herbaceous and full of gingerbread, caramel and vanilla notes.

Irish Whiskey | 43% ABV | Aged 4+ Years
Released last summer, I was only recently able to try this Irish grain whiskey from Two Stacks, a newer blender that made its name by packaging some of its offerings in a 100ml “Dram in a Can” (in addition to 700ml bottles). For those who equate Irish whiskey with pot stills and barley, it’s interesting to taste a whiskey from this traditional but rarely used category. Technically, Irish grain whiskey is produced from a mash bill that can contain a maximum of 30% malted barley, with the remainder made up of unmalted cereal grains (barley, oats, wheat or corn). It’s also continuously distilled in a column still. This one is 94% corn and 6% malted barley, and it’s double-aged, first in ex-bourbon barrels and then for one to three years in Oloroso sherry casks. It’s creamy and full of dark fruits, vanilla and some tropical notes.

Bourbon | 54% ABV | Aged 15 Years
The 15-year-old expression joins the distillery’s single barrel lineup as a higher-proof offering. Interestingly, that 54% ABV is a subtle nod to May 4, 1964, the date U.S. Congress officially recognized bourbon as a distinct product of the United States. While not all extra-aged bourbons are to my liking (eight to 12 years is a sweet spot), Elijah Craig does single barrels particularly well (the 18-year-old single barrel has a Double Gold from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition), and this one offers a nice balance of wood spice, caramel, ginger and cloves.

Blended Grain Scotch | 46% ABV | No Age Statement
When Hedonism launched in 2000, it was the world’s first blended grain Scotch whisky and one of the first whisky bottles to place a woman at the center of its visual identify. For the past few years, Compass Box has released a new, limited-edition Hedonism (13,218 bottles worldwide) that honors that tradition. Australian artist Emma Hack created the label design, and actress Karen Gillan served as her muse. As for the whisky, it’s a blend of 30-year-old from Strathclyde Distillery and whiskies ranging from 20 to 24 years old from Port Dundas (including some aged in ex-sherry barrels) and Cameronbridge Distillery, along with some “historic blended grain parcels.” This is a lovely, fruity, malty expression with hints of cherry, raisins, roasted coffee, butterscotch and milk chocolate. 

Wheat Whiskey | 56.5% ABV | No Age Statement
The first wheat whiskey from Remus (the in-house brand at Indiana’s Ross & Squibb, home to the giant contract distiller MGP), this expression is finished in a combination of Tawny Port, White Port, Oloroso sherry and Ruby Port casks. Aged roughly eight or nine years (there’s no age statement but it was distilled in 2017), the oak spice and fruit-forward nature of the secondary maturation barrels complement each other nicely. You’ll find hints of milk chocolate, cloves, berries and pralines. It’s a little less decadent but more approachable than last year’s inaugural release and at a really good price point.

Scotch | 43% ABV | Aged 11 Years
The first new permanent addition to the core Lagavulin portfolio in nearly a decade, Sweet Peat is an 11-year-old Islay single malt aged in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks. Yes, it’s still smoky, but this one is far more approachable than the usual Lagavulin pour, with notes of caramel, malt, apple, vanilla and dark chocolate lurking within the sweet smoke.

Light Whiskey | 67.9% ABV | Aged 1+ Year
“Light whiskey” was an attempt to combat the growing passion for vodka in the 1960s, as it offers a lighter flavor profile and higher distillation proof. While it never really caught on, there are good examples in the category, and Austin Craft Spirits has gone all in on the style. Utilizing locally-grown grains, Austin 121 is the “hazmat” version of the distillery’s core release. I actually tried the 101, 111 and 121 variations — which somewhat correspond to the proof — and I believe the “hazmat” version will appeal most to whiskey drinkers. Even at just a year old, this is an intriguing liquid, offering unexpected notes of sandalwood, milk chocolate, butterscotch and barrel spice. It doesn’t taste young and it’s pretty approachable, given the high ABV.

Scotch | 46.7% – 49.1% ABV | Aged 15-18 Years
The Dalmore is a Highlands single malt distillery that specializes in multi-cask maturation. Their Select Editions take place after a yearly cask assessment and “celebrate those rare moments when certain casks reveal a distinctive facet of our house style.” These limited-edition 15- and 18-year-old expressions explore the flavors of freshly-baked patisserie. The younger expression (the standout) is full of malt, berries, vanilla, chocolate and ginger, while the 2007 is a bit more sherry-forward though still fruity and sweet.

Bourbon | 55.6% ABV | Aged 7+ Years
I don’t smoke cigars, but I do like a cigar blend. Barrell’s attempt is a blend of straight bourbon whiskeys aged 7.5 to 18 years (sourced from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana) that were then finished in Madeira, Armagnac, rum and Hungarian oak casks. There’s a lot of dark fruit on the nose, while the caramel, honeycomb, toffee, cinnamon, pistachio and red berries take hold on the palate, which also offers a bit of earthiness and a slight umami note. There’s something complex and new to find with each sip.

Blended Scotch | 43% ABV | No Age Statement
A new permanent addition to the Johnnie Walker portfolio, Black Cask was created to bridge the gap between bourbon drinkers and Scotch fans. That means this one built on the “brightest, specially-selected whiskies” from the Johnnie Walker Black Label (including those from Cameronbridge, Glen Elgin and Roseisle) and aged exclusively in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels. I really like Scotch that’s exclusively aged in ex-bourbon casks, and this one offers a nice blend of malt, smoke, lemon zest and creme brûlée with a creamy mouthfeel.

Bourbon | 45.2% ABV | No Age Statement
Part of Woodford Reserve’s more experimental Distillery Series, this limited-edition expression is pretty straightforward: fully matured Woodford Reserve Bourbon finished in Cabernet Sauvignon French oak barrels. If you like a classic bourbon profile (vanilla, baking spices, etc.) with the dark fruit notes ramped up, this is a juicy (and delicious) example.