The Best New Whiskeys to Drink This March 

Irish Whiskey | 46% ABV | No Age Statement
The fifth iteration of this Midleton distillery’s Iberian series sees the whiskey undergo an additional maturation in Moscatel wine casks from the hills of Málaga, Spain, with the liquid finished in those casks for 16 months after an initial aging in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks. Triple distilled and made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, this one is floral, fruity, malty and touched by wisps of vanilla and honeycomb.

Rye | 55.7% ABV | No Age Statement
This limited-edition, barrel-proof Tennessee Rye whiskey is made with the classic JD rye mash bill (70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley) that undergoes an extra maturation/finish in Southern-style table syrup barrels. There’s a slight molasses-y sweetness here, a fair amount of toasted rye, baking spices and some wood spice. It feels like a rye that’s actually more for bourbon or Tennessee whiskey fans.

Rye | 50% ABV | Aged 5 Years
Fincasa founder Michael Martinez wants to raise greater awareness of Caribbean/Latin American culture in whiskey, primarily by sourcing ryes from MGP and adding additional maturation in origin-specific, ex-rum barrels. Last month, we tried the brand’s third release (a rye aged for five years and finished for about 13 months in ex-Puerto Rican rum casks. This time, it’s a rye aged for a minimum of five years and finished for six to 12 months in ex-Barbados rum casks (although our bottle confusingly states the initial maturation as three years). Whatever the case, the modest rye notes here are balanced with hints of maple, apple, caramel and a hint of coffee.

Bourbon | 50% ABV | Aged 6 Years
The first and oldest legal whiskey distillery in Texas — and the distillery I believe makes the best bourbon outside of Kentucky — just released its first-ever Bottled-in-Bond expression. That means it follows the rules of the 1897 U.S. consumer protection law that provides a government-backed guarantee of whiskey produced to a certain standard; bottled-in-bond whiskey is made from one distilling season, one distiller, one distillery, aged in bonded storage and bottled at 100 proof. I’m used to Garrison Brothers releases hovering around the 120 proof range, so this was an interesting experiment. Admittedly, it loses some heat and oak, but you’re left with a fruity, flavorful and still spicy bourbon that’s full of brown sugar, maple, tobacco, sarsaparilla, vanilla and baking spices.

Rye | 53.5% ABV | Aged 2 Years
Established in 2016, Stoll and Wolfe honors Pennsylvania’s rye whiskey past and present with this new 100% rye, which features a mash bill of 20% malted rye and 80% Rosen Rye, a “lost” variety of winter rye the brand has been able to revive and use in limited quantities. Aged for 34 months, this is admittedly a young rye, but it showcases a rich, oily mouthfeel and notes of toasted rye, citrus, baking spices, vanilla, biscuit and cherry cola. It has spice and a dry finish, but it’s also bright and surprisingly robust in its youth.

Bourbon/Rye Blend | 41.75% ABV | No Age Statement
The 15th expression in the Texas distillery’s Experimental Series, this limited-edition release blends TX Straight Bourbon Rye Whiskey and bourbon whiskey finished for three years in Vino de Naranja (aka Spanish orange wine) casks. Only 1,500 bottles of this whiskey are available for purchase at the distillery’s Whiskey Ranch. That jammy orange note is fairly prevalent here, along with hints of barrel char, vanilla, tobacco and caramel.

American Single Malt | 47.3% ABV | Aged 12 Years
Not necessarily a “new” release, the Colorado ASM distillery has now made its 12-year-old expression available nationwide. The oldest straight American Single Malt whiskey ever released (according to the brand), Mountain Angel is aged in new American charred oak barrels, distilled and matured at more than a mile high in the heart of the Rocky Mountains and finished in Port casks. One key note is that several barrels experienced more than 80% angels’ share loss, which may contribute to the palate. There’s plenty of oak spice, along with caramel, biscuit, red berries, blackberry, ginger, lemon and vanilla.

Bourbon | 62% ABV | Aged 5 Years
Hailing from the first legal distillery in Wyoming, this single-barrel expression was selected “from the top one or two barrels” in the distillery’s Kirby, WY rickhouses. Featuring a mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley (all locally sourced), the Barrel Strength expression features notes of cinnamon, graham cracker, roasted corn, caramel, cloves and a little nuttiness.

Bourbon | 60.5% ABV | No Age Statement
Well, this was a pleasant surprise. Two years ago, singer Chris Stapleton and Buffalo Trace Distillery debuted Traveller, a perfectly solid 90-proof bourbon that was fine. It did the job! The new full-proof release, however, is legitimately great. There’s a nice punch of caramel on the nose, and the palate offers notes of vanilla, graham cracker, cherry and toasted oak. A serious upgrade, and all for just $40+. 

Irish Whiskey | 40% ABV | Aged 4 Years
I haven’t always been a fan of Proper No Twelve, but an extra-aged release a few months back swayed me a bit. And as the third-largest Irish whiskey brand in the United States, I need to keep up with them as they move into a post-celebrity period. A blend of single malt and grain whiskey and aged for a minimum of four years in level 3 heavily charred bourbon barrels (and some second-fill bourbon barrels), Black Reserve is definitely aiming to capture American whiskey fans. It’s full of caramel, barrel char and vanilla while offering Irish whiskey’s maltier and fruitier notes. For this price, it’s a pretty solid bottle for whiskey fans on either side of the ocean.

Bourbon | 54.5 % ABV | Aged 30 Years
The oldest expression ever to emerge from the rickhouses of the iconic Stitzel-Weller Distillery, this very limited release was drawn from 42 barrels laid down in 1993 and hand-selected by Nicole Austin, Diageo’s director of American whiskey liquid development and capabilities. I’m not usually into extra-aged bourbons, but there’s an interesting backstory here. During maturation but before Diageo acquired Stitzel-Weller Distillery, semi-empty barrels were consolidated to maintain full contact with the wood, which the brand suggests “[preserves] balance and prevents over-oaking despite evaporation.” There’s a lot of oak and clove on the nose, but the palate offers a more balanced note of oak, blackberry, brown sugar, ginger, vanilla, caramel and cherry.

RTD | 20% ABV | No Age Statement
I like to include one whisk(e)y adjacent product each month, so let’s go with this new ready-to-drink bottled cocktail from On the Rocks, which has done well with other whiskey collaborations. While it’s not my favorite cocktail in general, this is a tart and solid representation of a Whiskey Sour, bursting with caramel, orange, cherry and nutmeg.