Our Top Rated Whiskeys From September

The Gibson brand is well-known in Canada but its roots actually began in pre-Prohibition America, as a Pennsylvania rye whiskey, before production eventually moved across the border. Gibson's Finest 18 Year is made by blending together grain (corn) whisky, with rye and malted barley. Each component is distilled in either a column or pot still and maturation is spent in both ex-bourbon and new oak barrels. Although bottlings still currently exist in the market, it is likely no longer in production.

Released in March 2016, The Ice Edition (soon to be followed by the Fire Edition) hearkens back to Orkney's Norse roots. In Norse mythology, the world of ice (Niflheim) and the world of fire (Muspellsheim) were the first realms of the Vikings' universe. The Ice Edition is primarily aged in ex-bourbon casks, breaking from the distillery's tradition of sherry-maturation. Aged for seventeen years, and bottled at 53.9% ABV. Only 30,000 bottles will be released.

High West Valley Tan was originally made with a predominately oat mash bill, but was switched to a majority wheat mash bill by edition 3, also including oat and malted barley. The move was based on a historical reference from explorer Sir Richard Burton to Utah whiskey made from wheat. It's distilled by High West themselves, as opposed to their sourced expressions. Non-chill-filtered, with no additives or flavorings, it's bottled at 43.5% ABV, and is a blend of whiskeys between three and six years old. Limited availability.

Port Charlotte PC11 Eòrna Na h-Alba (Gaelic for "Scottish barley") is a heavily-peated Islay single malt (40ppm) that has matured for 11 years. This limited edition Travel Retail Exclusive from Bruichladdich Distillery was released in 2013 and bottled cask strength at 59.5% ABV. It's the 7th expression in the distillery's Port Charlotte PC series, an annual release of cask strength bottlings that began with the five-year-old PC5 Evolution.

This bourbon hails from Rock Town Distillery in Arkansas. It is distilled from a mash bill of 82% corn, 9% wheat and 9% malted barley with the corn and wheat grown in Arkansas. After aging 3 years in full-size new, charred American oak barrels (from a cooperage also in-state), it is bottled at 46% ABV.

Mike Sherlock and his wife, Patti built Fremont Mischief Distillery facing part of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle, Washington. Designed with wood panels and dark metal crows, its steampunk-y vibe is reflective of Mike's past life as a ship yard owner and commercial fisherman. John Jacob Rye Whiskey is named after Patti's grandfather as it's based on his recipe of 90% PacificNorthwest rye blended with 10% malted barley. The mash is distilled in pot stills, then oak aged. The color is light to medium amber.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection is named after the Gaelic word for "natural." This non-chill-filtered single malt is bottled at cask strength from first fill American white oak casks. It is also non chill-filtered.

Grass Widow Bourbon comes from Two James Spirits, the first distillery to open in Detroit, Michigan since prohibition. With the help of distiller David Pickerell, Grass Widow, named for a regional pre-Prohibition whiskey brand, is a sourced high-rye bourbon mash bill (36% rye, 60% corn, 4% barley) blend that was aged in new oak, then given a finish in ex-Madeira casks.

Wild Oak Whisky is a bourbon-style whisky distilled by 66 Gilead Distillery at their 80-acre farm in Prince Edward County, Ontario. It is distilled from 51% corn, 30% rye, and a mixture of wheat and peated barley. It is aged in new, charred oak casks and non-chill filtered. Note: This is not currently available in the US.

Geoff Dillon went local for Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers’ first whisky release. The rye is made from a 100% Ontario Rye Grain mashbill of 10% malted rye and 90% unmalted rye. All of it grown just down the street from the distillery. The spirit was then aged in local Ontario oak barrels for 41 months producing a run of 1,107 bottles. The entire batch sold out quicker than Radiohead concert tickets but fear not, Batch 2 is on the way.