The Top Whiskeys Reviewed In November

Launched in 2015, Barrell Whiskey Batch 001 is the first non-bourbon released by Connecticut-based Barrell Craft Spirits. It's distilled in Indiana from a mashbill of corn, rye, and barley (50% 7-year old and 50% 8-year old whiskeys), then aged in Kentucky using ex-bourbon barrels. After 7 to 8 years in the barrels, the whiskey is blended and bottled at 122.5 proof. This whiskey is neither charcoal nor chill-filtered.

Aberfeldy 16 Year is part of the Last Great Malts of Scotland collection from John Dewar & Sons. Built in 1898 by the Dewar family themselves, Aberfeldy is known as "the golden dram" for it's water source, the Pitilie Burn, which was believed to be rich in alluvial gold deposits. After finishing in Oloroso sherry casks, it is bottled at 40% ABV.

White River Distilling is based in Gassville, Arkansas and was co-founded by Brian Fulker and Tyler Teeple. This product is a blend of corn, barley, and sugar. The distillate is then infused with oak for under a year.

White River Distilling is based in Gassville, Arkansas and was co-founded by Brian Fulker and Tyler Teeple. This whiskey is a blend of corn, barley, and sugar (the latter ingredient making this not technically a whiskey). They ferment the mash for seven to ten days, then distill the product twice in a reflux still.

This Canadian single malt is produced at Glenora Distilley in Cape Brenton, Nova Scotia. With warehouses situated near an apple orchard and the nearby MacLellan's Brook as its water source, the distillery is also a tourist attraction, operating a bed & breakfast, pub, and gift shop on the property. Glen Breton Rare "Battle of the Glen" 15 Year is a special edition bottling released in 2010 to mark the end of the distillery's 9 year legal battle with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). The lawsuit was a trademark dispute involving the use of the word "glen." After aging 15 years in American white oak, this whisky was bottled at 43% ABV. (Note: Not currently available in the US.)

This bottling is an independent release with the whisky designed for the famed Lui Bar of Melbourne, 55 floors above the city street in the Rialto Tower. It is part of the New World Project line-up from the New World Whisky Distillery. Though only a limited 341 bottles were released, some have found their way into the hands of other patrons, and the whisky has been used by many as a cocktail base. The whisky itself is matured in 200-liter former Old Corio port barrels. Non-chill filtered and uncolored, this whisky was first bottled in November of 2014, after maturing for an unspecified number of years.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 005 is a straight bourbon sourced from Tennessee. Its mash bill is comprised of 70% corn, 26% rye, and 4% malted barley. After aging 8 years and 3 months in charred American oak, this cask strength whiskey is bottled at 124.7 proof.

Tim Ferris is the founder of Blue Ridge Distilling Co. and the man behind Defiant American Single Malt Whisky. Inspired by his limitless adventures in the ocean as a salvage diver, he set out to do the same on land as a distiller. This whiskey is distilled from 100% malted "two-row premium brewer's barley" and aged for up to 6 months in stainless tanks using toasted, American oak spirals instead of oak barrels (which means it is technically not an American single malt). It's bottled at 41% ABV.

This Pacific Northwest whiskey from Parliament Distillery in Sumner, Washington is aged in quarter barrels for a rapid aging process. The complete mashbill is unknown, but there is some rye and it does boast a high ratio of Washington-grown malted barley. The whiskey is aged under four years and is bottled by hand at 45% ABV.

Ten High Whiskey has been around since the 1930s. Until 2009, Ten High was a straight bourbon whiskey. It is now a bourbon blend containing straight bourbon blended with a neutral spirit. It's bottled at 40% ABV by Barton Distilling Company (part of the Sazerac Company).