This article is part of The Spill Awards 2026, covering the best in spirits, cocktails, bartenders and drinks culture. Find all of the stories here.
As part of The Spill Awards, we asked our judges to select three bottles released in 2025 that they tried and loved over the past year. From that list, we narrowed down our favorites to the following eight expressions, each of which showcased something unique or special within its spirits category.
Best American Whiskey (Non-Bourbon): Westland Whiskey Garryana American Single Malt 10th Edition
This Seattle-based distillery certainly had the most interesting drinks story of the year — nearly half of its annual limited-edition release was stolen just weeks before launch. Maybe the thieves knew what they were doing; this American Single Malt, aged in rare Quercus garryana oak native to the Pacific Northwest, is exceptional. “Garryana 10 was preceded by three editions that traded nuance for largesse — for this vatting every subtlety was saved,” explains Shane Armstrong, Westland’s master blender. “The Garry oak notes stretch out yet retain their complexity, a character only possible after 10 years in cask.” — Kirk Miller
Best Scotch: Compass Box Brûlée Royale Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Inspired by desserts, Compass Box’s latest limited release features a lot of grilled peach on the nose, alongside hints of candied caramel apple. On the palate, it’s a juicy, oily blend of toasted sugar, green apple, vanilla custard and a touch of smoke (credit the minuscule amount of Ardbeg in the blend). “I reimagined crème brûlée in whisky form with Brûlée Royale,” says Samuel Travers, the lead whiskymaker on the project. “At the heart of the recipe, I created a core of rich vanilla custard flavors, building this out with a gentle nutmeg spice and finished it off with caramelized sugar notes, mimicking the delicious burnt sugar top of a crème brûlée.” — KM
Best Single Malt: Glenrothes The 15
I actually tried and fell in love with this Speyside distillery release in 2024, but it didn’t actually hit American shelves until last year. Matured in first-fill sherry-seasoned European oak, this 15-yar expression offers notes of dark brown sugar, baked orchard fruits (primarily apple), sweet baking spices, orange peel, toasted oak and leather. It’s rich, sweet and perfectly balanced. “It’s fascinating that our very delicate spirit doesn’t get overwhelmed by the wood,” Glenrothes Master Whisky Maker Laura Rampling told me during our tasting. “It’s counter-intuitive, because it starts so light, so you think it’s going to get these woody flavors, and it absolutely doesn’t.” — KM
Best Bourbon (and Rye): Old Forester President’s Choice 2025 Bourbon and Rye
Previously only available at the Old Forester distillery in downtown Louisville, President’s Choice is one of its rarest releases, and this past summer it was made available nationwide (in very limited quantities). The bourbon and rye are “selected from matured barrels with exquisite quality and distinct characteristics.” Each President’s Choice barrel is aged between seven to nine years and bottled at 110 to 125 proof. We tried samples of both. The bourbon had notes of vanilla, tobacco, leather, caramel and honey, and was full of barrel spice and a high-ABV kick. The rye had an earthier profile and lots of toasted rye notes, with a little caramel sweetness lurking underneath. Both are exceptional versions of Old Forester’s bourbon and rye mashbills, and worthy of a spot on your shelf, if you can find ‘em. — KM
Best Tequila: El Tesoro Mundial Yamazaki
Calling this El Tesoro’s best tequila yet is a big statement to make, but it’s true. The limited-release Mundial Yamazaki Edition is a collaboration between El Tesoro’s Jenny Camarena and Shinji Fukuyo, the House of Suntory’s fifth-generation chief blender. “It’s a real privilege bringing this to you because to us, this means bringing together different stories, cultures and heritage together — House of Suntory from Japan and El Tesoro from Mexico,” Camarena told me last fall. “We both share a lot of traditions and generational processes. And for me, Shinji is a superstar.” For this expression, they used El Tesoro Añejo, which was then aged 12 months in Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese sherry and wine casks. It’s balanced yet unexpected, with notes of red berries, sandalwood, baking spices, ginger, milk chocolate, cherry and cooked agave. I’ve never tasted a tequila like this before — though, importantly, the agave notes do shine through — so I hope it becomes a permanent edition. — KM
Best Rum: Brugal Colección Visionaria Edición 02
Expanding on the cask-toasting technique they utilized in Edición 01 (casks infused with cacao), the second edition of this limited-edition release from Brugal sees virgin French oak casks infused with the aromas of rare Arabica coffee beans from the Dominican Republic, adding a cafecito flavor to the rum (along with hints of baking spices, chocolate and vanilla). “Brugal’s Colección Visionaria series was created to not only push the boundaries of rum creation, but also to celebrate ingredients and rituals that reflect the brand’s Dominican heritage,” says Jassil Villanueva Quintana, Brugal’s fifth-generation rum master and second-great granddaughter of Brugal founder Andrés Brugal. “This expression utilizes Arabica coffee, of which only 20% is exported, to create a masterfully crafted expression that honors the culture.” — KM
Best Gin: Citadelle Rouge
Citadelle already makes one of my favorite gins, so when I had the chance to taste this new expression at Tales of the Cocktail in 2025, I could barely contain my excitement. First of all, you can drink Citadelle Rouge neat, which is pretty damn impressive (if you’ve ever sipped mediocre gin at room temp, you know what I mean). Starting with the foundation of Citadelle’s 19 original botanicals, it’s then infused with cranberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackcurrant and rhubarb for a bright, tangy flavor that’s beautiful on its own or mixed into a Bramble. — Amanda Gabriele
Best Liqueur: Scarlet Fernet Amaro
Scarlet was started by veteran Japanese bartender Tatsuya “Moto” Motonaga (Bar Benfiddich, WA-SHU) after visiting more than 70 distilleries around Europe. He grows most of the botanicals for his amari on-site at Iseya Distillery in Japan, and after tasting his Scarlet Fernet at Bar Convent Brooklyn 2025, I knew I had a new favorite. The use of gentian is restricted in Japan, so Motonaga has to use other botanicals like chicory and aloe to attain that deep bitter flavor. The touch of cinnamon is a standout note. — AG
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