The Best New Whiskeys to Drink This September 

American Single Malt | 125 Proof | Aged 1-3 Years

This innovative Minneapolis-based distillery just released the third iteration of its annual Founder’s Reserve bottle. The pale ale malted barley mash is matured in new, charred, slow-growth Minnesota white oak and bottled at cask strength. FR3 is full of vanilla, caramel apple, brown sugar, a hint of smoke, sarsaparilla and even some tropical notes. Delicious.

Bourbon | 117.4 Proof | Aged 6-8 Years

I’m admittedly a bit behind here, as “B” (the second of three yearly barrel-proof releases from this wheated bourbon brand) came out just before summer and “C” is due this month. No matter, as all of them are worth hunting down, especially for those who like Larceny but find the core releases a little lacking in kick. Coming in at 58.7% ABV, this uncut, small-batch release (68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley) offers plenty of caramelized brown sugar on the nose and palate, along with hints of candied cherry, butterscotch and cloves, accompanied by a rich mouthfeel.

Bourbon | 112.6 Proof | Aged 5 Years

Our favorite inexpensive bourbon brand (average bottle price is $35 to $44) just released its first barrel-proof, small-batch whiskey. Bottled without chill filtration, this has a classic bourbon profile, full of vanilla, caramel, oak spice, tobacco, cherry and walnut. Limited to just 2,100 bottles, it’s still only $44.

Rye | 100 Proof | Aged 8+ Years

A previous Double Gold winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the newest expression in Lock, Stock & Barrel Vatted collection is Batch 2024, released earlier this spring. The brand applies traditional Scottish blending practices to American rye; here, that means a 100-proof blend crafted with rye whiskeys sourced from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Alberta, Canada. There are expected notes here (dill, toasted rye, eucalyptus), but it’s softer than expected and herbal with underlying hints of maple, cloves and dried fruit.

Bourbon | 100 Proof | Aged 4 Years

A limited-edition release from the Utah distillery, this 100-proof bourbon features a mash bill of 36% rye and 64% non-GMO yellow corn. Distilled at a single distillery in a single year during a six-month season, the liquid here features a relatively classic high-rye bourbon profile with notes of butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, cherry menthol, graham cracker, milk chocolate and a modest oak spice. Note: A bottled-in-bond rye from the brand has also been recently released. 

American Whiskey | 122.5 Proof | Aged 11+ Years

The 19th edition of Heaven Hill’s annual release (named after the company’s late master distiller emeritus) is a blend of three mash bills drawn from multiple rickhouses. It includes a 15-year-old wheated bourbon, an 11-year-old corn whiskey and a 12-year-old whiskey made from just malt and rye. Non-chill-filtered, this is a lovely combination of caramel, biscuit, oak spice, cherry, cocoa and (at least for me) a hint of ginger.

Japanese Single Malt | 96 Proof | Aged 25 Years

The oldest 100% Mizunara-cask aged Yamazaki expression from The House of Suntory, this 25-year-old release meets the official Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association (JSMLA) standards for authentic Japanese whisky, being fully distilled, matured and bottled in Japan. Encased in a handcrafted box that was assembled using a traditional Japanese nail-free “locking” method, this single malt is exquisite on the nose, full of sandalwood, malt and honey notes. On the palate, a wonderful, juicy burst of citrus becomes more pronounced, with hints of incense, nutmeg and orange marmalade.

Bourbon | 107 Proof | Aged 6 Years

A perennial Double Gold winner, this annual limited-edition release from Texas’s first legal bourbon distillery is a four-year-old bourbon finished for two years in tawny Port casks. It’s developed from a sweet mash of number-one food-grade corn, soft red winter wheat and barley that’s all sourced from Texas, and it’s later proofed with rainwater harvested from the distillery’s 68-acre ranch. It’s a treat, as always, like a fine dessert: Notes of raspberry, chocolate and caramel dominate with a rich mouthfeel.

Bourbon | 91 Proof | Aged 10 Years

It’s no surprise that the Red Hook, Brooklyn-based distillery would release a NY-only bottling celebrating all the boroughs. Curated by a group of seven New York bartenders, this blend of 10-year-old bourbons — from five barrels, a nod to the city’s five boroughs — was selected to “best represent New York City with its distinct flavors, aromas and intensity.” Non-chill-filtered and proofed with Widow Jane’s own mineral water (sourced from the Rosendale mines of New York), this is a classic bourbon (vanilla, caramel, oak spice) with a bit of nuttiness and coffee on the palate. Fun fact: The bottle’s cork top features an inset metal token designed in the style of the subway token that was used until 1995.

Bourbon | 103.2 Proof | No Age Statement

A bourbon finished in former gin barrels sounds a little dodgy at first, but the unexpected combination works. The second barrel-finished whiskey for Blue Run, this is a Kentucky straight bourbon finished in Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin barrels, which held gin for about seven to 12 months. You’ll find some floral and pine notes on the nose and hints of caramel, lemon zest and honey (no surprise, given the barrels are from Barr Hill) on the palate. The real standout is the knockout bottle design, which features an iridescent effect and a violet viceroy butterfly medallion.

American Whiskey | 92 Proof | Aged 10 Years

I’m a sucker for double oak anything, so I’m excited by Chicken Cock extending the age of their Double Oak release by two years (it was previously an eight-year release). This is Kentucky whiskey re-barreled for an extra year in new American oak from West Virginia. This one is full of butterscotch, sandalwood, orange zest, milk chocolate, dark berries and coconut.

Bourbon | 92 Proof | Aged 6 Years

Here’s something a little different: a six-year-old Tennessee bourbon (which has undergone the usual TN whiskey charcoal mellowing process, aka the Lincoln County Process) finished with whole-roasted Arabica coffee beans using a refined cold extraction method. The press release was very clear that this is not a liqueur or a flavored whiskey — I think of it more like Brugal’s similarly-minded Brugal Colección Visionaria, Edición 01, which gets its coffee flavor from infused barrels. There’s a fair amount of coffee on the nose, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think it was a coffee liqueur. On the palate, I found vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, cherry, a hint of citrus and dark-roast coffee. It’s more dry than sweet and really intriguing (I made an excellent Old Fashioned with this as a base and a black cherry syrup from Filthy).