2023 Year in Review

 It was a banner year

Over 267 whiskies sampled, 200 of which were new.  To put this in perspective, this represents over 25% of all the whiskies I've ever tried.  This took place in 100+ different tastings in one trip to Scotland, one Whisky Convention, multiple whisky club meetings and tastings at the local Cadenhead’s.  These whiskies came from 111 distilleries, 24 of which were new.  How did all of this new whiskies and samples affect my ratings?!?  Turns out, not as much as I expected...

My favorite distilleries are the same

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Yeah, so… no real change in my top distilleries.  All of these new whiskies and new distilleries and only one of the new distilleries I tried this year cracked the top 50.  18 of my top 20 remained in the top 20.  Aberfeldy, Aberlour, Aultmore, Glencadam, Invergordon, Linkwood and Royal Lochnagar remain the stalwarts.  I've tried multiple whiskies from each of these distilleries but does not include distilleries from which I only tried one whisky.  This leads to an interesting finding.

Do I like grain whiskies more than single malt?

Carsebridge, Woody Creek, North British Distilliery, Cameronbridge, Strathclyde and Widow Jane are my top six rated distilleries and Invergordon comes in 8^th just after Aultmore.  These are all distilleries that make predominantly, if not exclusively, grain whiskies.  But, with the exception of Invergordon and Aultmore I have only tried one whisky from each and a single data point does not a trend make!

When I look at individual whiskies, grain whiskies have an average score of 45 while single malts weigh in with an average of 54.  Whew, crisis averted.  So why are grain whisky distilleries on top?  Most likely they are skewed because most of the whiskies I tried from each are over 25 years old.  I will make it a priority to try more from each of these distilleries in 2024 to sort this out.

My favorite whiskies of 2023

Now for the hard part, recommending whiskies to seasoned connoisseurs.  Let me start with a set of great whiskies I am not recommending:  Glengoyne 30; Glengoyne 25; and Balvenie 30.  Of course 25+ year old whiskies costing over 600 are good!  These were absolutely amazing whiskies, stupidly drinkable and simultaneously complex.  It annoys me when I am listening to a podcast or reading an add for a new whisky that sounds great until you get to the fine print stating it is a “limited release” (I won’t find one) and retailing for some silly amount (if I do find one I can’t afford it.)  What was the point of the advertisement on me? None.

Here are some affordable and available whiskies I recommend trying: 

 Woody Creek Straight Rye – In two separate flights over a year apart this one came out on top both times.  Woody Creek is a small distillery from Colorado so you may not be able to find this one in all areas but it retails for about $50.  I see there is also a new Wililam H. Macy 10 year-old version which is definitely on my too try list not only due to it being an older version of the Straight Rye but also because I very much enjoyed another 10 year rye, the Templeton 10 yr single barrel, this year.

Redbreast 12 Cask Strength – Also tried this one in two separate flights and it came out on top both times.  This is everything you like about Redbreast 12, but stronger.  What more do I need to say?

Oban Distiller’s Edition – Specifically the 2021 Release. This bottle really grew on me over the year.  A sweeter fruitier version of the standard Oban 14 year old, it drinks a bit stronger than the 43%.  Interestingly the Distillier’s Edition and the 14 year old have the same score in my ratings but the edge goes to the Distiller’s Edition because it rose from a 67/100 to 83/100 this year while the 14 marginally decreased.  If you like Oban D.E., try Inchmurrin Madeira Cask Finish if you can find a bottle.  In a blind tasting I could not tell the difference between the two and the Inchmurrin was a fraction of the cost.

Whisky of the Year – Cassiopeia I

Despite my earlier rant, there is no way around giving this single cask, now impossible to find whisky my whisky of the year award.  This 11 year old Craigellachie is aged in an Oloroso Hogshead and is simply my favorite of all time.  It ticks all the boxes for me.  Sweet fruits on the nose and a bit of apricot tang on the palate mixed in with a healthy dose of grain and oak.  The heavy sherry influence marries nicely with the funk of the Craigellachie.  Not an easy whisky but I can sip on this one all day.

When I cracked open a bottle this summer to celebrate my daughter turning 11, I was a bit worried.  It was my favorite whisky last year, would it still be?  Yes, yes it was.  It was my favorite whisky in 2022 and now again in 2023, but unfortunately this love will be fleeting as there are a limited number of bottles.

That concludes a short summary of my whisky journey in 2023.  What were your favorite finds of the year?  Reach out @whiskyranked on X, Instagram, and the WhiskyCast Community!