The Top Whiskeys From October

Out of all of the whiskeys our Tasting Table reviewed in October, these 10 took home the top marks!
Oct 31, 2016
  • 10
    82
    Spicy
    Clark & Chesterfield is produced by New England Sweetwater Farm and Distillery in Winchester, New Hampshire. This is the unaged expression of their whiskey, distilled entirely from malted barley. Note: This is not technically an American Single Malt as that category must be aged in new, charred barrels.
  • 9
    83
    Fruity & Sweet
    Barrell Bourbon Batch 007 was released in 2016 by independent bottler and non-distiller producer, Barrell Craft Spirits. The mash bill is comprised of 70% corn, 25% rye, 5% malted barley. It's sourced from Tennessee, where it has aged 5 years in char #4 new American white oak barrels. Bottled at cask strength of 122.4 proof in limited quantities.
  • 8
    88
    Rich & Full Bodied
    This Taiwanese single malt is aged in a mix of both new American oak barrels and refill whisky barrels. It is bottled at 46% ABV and carries no age-statement. Note: This is not currently available in the US.
  • 7
    72
    Sweet
    Short Mountain Distillery is a throwback to the traditions of making unaged whiskey in the backwoods of Tennessee. Founded by the Kaufman brothers, they enlisted local experts Rocky Estes and Ronald Dawson to help them produce spirits from their homegrown Cannon County farm. The Moonshine Select uses 30% corn and 70% cane in its mash. This one undergoes only one distillation before bottling. This is sold only at their distillery.
  • 6
    87
    Spicy & Rich
    Barrell Bourbon Batch 006 is sourced from the same (undisclosed) Tennessee distillery for Barrell Bourbon Batch 005, but aged in lower areas of the rick house. Its mash bill is comprised of 70% corn, 26% rye, and 4% malted barley. After aging 8 years and 6 months in charred American white oak, this cask strength whiskey is bottled at 122.9 proof.
  • 5
    85
    Rich
    Dark Northern Rye Whiskey is distilled in Seattle, Washington from Dark Northern rye that was first introduced to Washington in the 1800's. It is still grown today by local farmers in Skagit Valley, Washington and Willamette Valley, Oregon. Though it carries no age statement, as a straight rye it is aged a minimum of two years. This is sold exclusively at the Fremont Mischief Distillery in Seattle.
  • 4
    85
    Oily & Spicy
    This baseball-themed distillery bottles their Classic American Whiskey in a baseball shaped bottle. The mashbill is predominately corn, rye and malted barley. The whiskey is aged for 10 months in used bourbon barrels.
  • 3
    50
    Herbal & Oily
    Distilled from barley grown in the Rogue Valley of Oregon, and distilled and aged in Medford, Oregon, this whiskey is the first of many planned future whiskey releases from Immortal Spirits. Aged for two months in Oregon oak barrels, it is best to imagine this release as similar to en primeur Bordeaux wines. Essentially, this is an early preview of whiskey they plan to further age.
  • 2
    77
    Sweet
    Holland, Michigan's Coppercraft Distillery is the brain child of Walter Catton, Mark Fellwock and Jenney Grant. Their High Wheat whiskey is made with 95% red wheat and 5% malted barley. It's "lightly" aged several months in new oak. Note pricing is for 375 ml sized bottles.
  • 1
    70
    Rich
    Holland, Michigan's Coppercraft Distillery is the brain child of Walter Catton, Mark Fellwock and Jenney Grant. The corn whiskey is made with 100% corn. Instead of releasing a completely unaged corn whiskey as is the rage these days, it's "lightly" aged several months in ex-bourbon barrels to give it a shot of color and flavor. Note, pricing is for 375 ml bottles.