Must-Try Port Finished Whiskeys

Aged initially in American oak, they are subsequently finished in Ruby Port, Tawny Port, and Vintage Port casks. Tricky business aging whisky in a tropical climate, let alone double maturing.

St. Augustine, a Florida distillery, released this Port Finished Bourbon in the winter of 2016. After aging in standard new, charred American oak barrels, it was finished in port wine barrels from San Sebastian Winery before being bottled at 51% ABV.

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban is part of the brand's Extra Matured single malts with the first 10 years spent in ex-bourbon American oak barrels. It finishes its maturation in ruby port pipes for two additional years. Quinta refers to the estates in Portugal where the port wine is made and Ruban is Gaelic for ruby, the style of port wine utilized here. Note: In summer 2019, Quinta Ruban has increased its age statement from 12 to 14 years. Additionally, the packaging has changed from black to green. For that product, please search for that listing.

The 2018 edition of High West A Midwinter Night's Dram is the first in the series to feature a parcel of the distillery's self-distilled whiskey. The release builds upon High West Rendezvous Rye, which is a blend of straight rye whiskeys aged between four and seven years old including 95% rye from MGP, and an 80% rye 20% malted barley made by High West. For Midwinter, the blend is further finished in port casks made from French oak.

Though the Cask Finish line of single malts from Arran lack an age statement, the whisky does age for 8 years, more or less, in ex-bourbon casks before then aging in the wine cask, in this case, it is port. They are all bottled at 100 proof and are un-chill-filtered and not peated.

This single malt Irish whiskey is aged in used bourbon barrels before being placed in port wine casks for an additional 6-8 months. The whiskey is produced much like a single malt Scotch would as it is double, not triple distilled. This 10 year old was distilled at the Cooley Distillery.

This whisky is made from 100% malted barley which includes whisky sourced from Scotland and the Virginia distillery's own whisky distilled from a malt mash. The finishing casks formerly held port-style wine produced in Virginia. Bottled at 92 proof, this is the distillery's flagship whisky.

Woodinville Straight Bourbon Port Cask is made by taking straight bourbon which aged for five years and finishing it in former tawny port barrels for an additional six months. Bottled at 90 proof. Limited availability at the distillery and select retailers in Washington State.

This cask strength Kentucky straight bourbon is aged for up to 7 years. The barrels are hand-selected and blended before finishing its maturation in port wine casks. First released in 2012, Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bourbon 2018 Edition is available as of October 1, 2018. This year's batch is bottled at 124 proof.

The Portwood 21 Year is aged initially in American ex-bourbon barrels before finishing their aging in Port pipes. A pipe is the name of the oak container and holds 500-600 liters where an American oak barrel is only about 120 liters. The port finishing will give the whisky a pinkish hue.