What a year!

When I look back on the 2022 American whiskey scene, I saw so much promise from craft distillers such as Frey Ranch, Boulder Spirits and JT Malek, while the once ugly word “blend” became a stalwart in American whiskey. New blenders like K. Luke and Nassif enter the market with blends worthy of every whiskey lover’s attention.

As I assessed the more than 800 American whiskeys tasted in competitions — San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the American Spirits Council of Tasters — at Blind Bourbon events, YouTube reviews and random tastes on my own time, I factored in aroma, taste and finish, as well as asking the question: “Does this product add something important to the American whiskey scene?” I suppose, you could put the latter in another question: Does it excite me?

This year, I had two rice whiskeys on the list, several blend of straights and a plethora of craft whiskeys that rarely get attention. Throughout the year, I spend a great deal of time seeking the next great distillery and blender in hopes that my discovery leads to somebody else enjoying it. Whether it’s Spirits of French Lick or Pacific Coast, craft brands have found their standing in the mass sea of liquor store shelves and they’ve won my palate for good. If somebody is anti-craft, my list is not for you.

The Tasting Criteria

After selecting the Top 100, it all comes down to the tasting. In the first round, I assess the aroma, taste and finish, scoring on a scale of 100. The top tier move onto the next round, where they are scored again. I averaged their scores of the two rounds and move the Top 15 to the finals. I then tasted the 15 again, scoring once more, and ranked them based on their combined average score of the three tastings. All the while, I do not know what I am tasting and do my best to make sure my palate does not become fatigued. The winner had the highest average of the entire tasting.

I aired my first round and finals on my YouTube channel, doing my best to simulate what it’s like to work as a professional taster in competition. But I can never stress this enough: I am one taster. And while I tasted the finalists three times, I could taste them next week with different results. We all have different palates and many factors go into how we taste in a certain moment. And here are the best of 2022, according to my palate.

Top 100 RANKED

Note: Prices reflect MSRP. Check your local retailer for actual pricing.

In preparation for the Top 100 blind tasting, a team confirmed the actual bottles from Fred’s list were in stock. Most of these bottles were provided by distillers. And after an inventory check, the pouring team learned a bottle was missing and somebody drove a bottle down from Nashville just in time for the tasting. Fred also had to get pours from local bars. Once all the whiskey was accounted for, they labeled the bottles for 10 flights of 10 and then poured the bottles into samplers that Fred could pour while tasting and not know what he was tasting. The were random and the bottles covered up.

100. Spirits of French Lick – William Dalton BIB, 100 proof, $59 SRP

99. Wyoming Whiskey National Parks 5 Years, Batch 2, 105 proof, $70

98. Frey Ranch Quad Malt, 90 proof, $59

97. Barrell Vantage, 114.44 proof, $79.99

96. Middle West Barry Batch, 96 proof, $49.99

95. JT Melek Rice Whiskey, 96 proof, $48.99

94. Barrell Grey Bourbon, 100.6 proof, $249.99

93. Leopold Brothers Three Chamber Rye proof, 100 proof, $250

92. Old Line Spirits American Single Malt 5 Year BIB, 100 proof, $75

91. Pursuit United Batch 7CC, 108 proof, $65

90. Starlight Huber’s Double Oak, 109.2 proof, $65

89. Doc Swinson’s,Exploratory La Mente, 114 proof, $91.58

88. Dueling Grounds 4 year Bottled in Bond Linkumpinch, 100 proof, $58.99

87. Peg Leg Porker 8 Year rye, 105 proof, $64.99

86. Liberty Pole Rye Whiskey, 92 proof, $45

85. Angel’s Envy Cask Strength, 119.8 proof, $89.99

84. Penelope Cask Strength 4 Grain Batch 12 proof, 113.9, $65

83. Starlight Huber’s Bottled in Bond, 100 proof, $65

82. Barrell Gold Seagrass, 128.12 proof, $499.99

81. AD Laws 8 Year Colorado Bottled in Bond Bourbon, 100 proof, $74.99

80. Pacific Coast Spirits, California Blue Corn Whiskey, 94 proof, $90

79. Nelson’s Green Brier-Nelson Bros Classic, 91 proof, $37

78. Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, 95.6 proof, $120

77. Pinhook 7 Year Bourbon War, 115 proof, $78

76. Kentucky Senator 7 Year, 107 proof, $119.99

75. Maker’s Mark BRT-02, 109.4 proof, $59.99

74. Driftless Glen Small Batch, 96 proof, $44.95

73. Old WM. Tarr 7 Year, 114 proof, $79.95

72. K. Luke Batch 1, 122.6 proof, $115

71. Woodinville Whiskey Co. Straight Rye, 90, $39.99

70. Brother’s Bond Cask Strength, 115.8, $97.99

69. Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Batch 3, 115.2 proof, $69.99

68. Bradshaw Bourbon Batch 7, 103.8 proof, $39.99

67. Larceny B522, 123.8 proof, $69.99

66. Smoke Wagon Malted Straight Rye Batch 4, 119 proof, $79.99

65. Kentucky Peerless Small Batch Reserve (Frazier History Museum Collab), 111.5 proof, $199.99

64. Maker’s BRT-01, 109.4 proof, $59.99

63. Jack Daniels Triple Mash, 100 proof, $34.99

62. Remus Repeal Reserve VI, 100, $99.99

61. Green River, 90 proof, $35.99

60. Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey 1856, 100 proof, $49.99

59. Jefferson’s Ocean New York Edition Batch 1, 98 proof, $99

58. Cedar Ridge – Port Finish Rye  001, 105 proof, $50

57. 2X0 Phoenix Blend, 104 proof, $99

56. Chattanooga Bottled in Bond Batch 22I15R, 100 proof, $50

55. Old Potrero Straight Rye 6 Year 100% Malted, 97 proof, $65

54. Redwood Empire Grizzly Bourbon Bottled in Bond Batch 2, 100 proof, $99.99

53. Elijah Craig Barrell Proof B522, 121, $59.99

52. MB Roland Still and Barrel Proof Batch #18, 109.8 proof, $49.99

51. New Riff 4Roostook Malted Rye, 100 proof, $59.99

50. Kiamichi 5 Year Rye, 108 proof, $149.99

49. Atelier Vie, Riz BIB Louisiana Rice Whiskey, 100 proof, $100

48. Doc Swinson’s Blender’s Cut, 115 proof, $50

47. Garrison Brothers Guadalupe, 107 proof, $299.99

46. 15 Stars 14-year Kentucky Straight Bourbon, 103 proof, $279

45. Smoke Wagon Bottled in Bond Rye, 100 proof, $69.99

44. Four Gate 8 Year Rye Port Finish, 112.2 proof, $199

43. Willett 8 Year Back Bottle, Wheated Bourbon, 108 proof, $250

42. 291 Colorado Rye, Aspen and Maple Syrup Barrels, 119.2 proof, $109

41. Ben Holladay Bourbon, 100 proof, $59.99

40. Blade & Bow 22 Year, 92 proof, $450

39. Kiamichi 8 Year, 110 proof, $249.99

38. Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Cask Strength Batch 1, 116.8 proof, $70

37. Redwood Empire Rocket Top bottled in bond rye Batch 2, 100 proof, $70

36. Balcones Distilling Peated Sauternes, 119 proof, $99.99

35. Sagamore Spirit – Bottled In Bond 5 year, 100 proof, $59.99

34. Thomas Handy – BTAC, 130.9 proof, $99.99

33. Elijah Craig A122, 120.8 proof, $59.99

32. Barrell Seagrass Rye (Green lLabel), 120.2 proof, $89

31. Prideful Goat 6 Year Rye, 114.2 proof, $64.99

30. Stellum Equinox Blend 1, 117.26 proof, $100

29. Russell’s Reserve Rickhouse, 112.4 proof, $249

28. Bulleit Cask Strength 2022, 123.4 proof, $59.99

27. Prideful Goat 15 Year Bourbon, 113.8 proof, $164.99

26. Hemingway Rye 1st Edition, 100 proof, $149

Top 25

25. Nassif Family Blended Rye, 110.86 proof, $44.99

24. K. Luke Batch 2, 119.1 proof, $115

23. Rabbit Hole Nevallier 16-year finished in French Oak, 115.8 proof, $895

22. Booker’s 2022-2 The Lumberyard Batch, 124.8 proof, $90

21. Smooth Ambler – Contradiction Rye, 105 proof, $39.99

20. Bardstown Ferculum, 102.4 proof, $199.99

19. Nashville Barrel Straight Bourbon, 121.2 proof, $79.99

18. Elijah Craig Barrell Proof C922, 124.8 proof, $60

17. Larceny Barrel Proof C922, 126.6, $60

16. Smoke Wagon Uncut & Unfiltered Batch 163-6, 114.66 proof, $100

15. Sweetens Cove Speyside Finish, 114 proof, $200

14. Doc Swinson’s Tawny Port Finish Bourbon, 114.9 proof, $79.99

13. Old Fitzgerald 17 Year, 100 proof, $199.99

12. Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Batch 9, 112.5 proof, $139.99

11. Pacific Coast Spirits American Single Malt Cask Strength, 114 proof, $90

10. Boulder Spirits Colorado Straight Bourbon 5 Year, 133.8 proof, $70

9. Old Ezra 7 Year Full Proof Rye, 114 proof, $79.99

8. Four Roses LE Small Batch, 109 proof, $179.99

7. Stagg (formerly Stagg Jr.), 131 proof, $99

6. Booker’s 2022-03, Kentucky Tea Batch, 126.5 proof, $90

5. Michter’s 20, 114 proof, $1,200

4. Old Fitzgerald 19 year, 100 proof, $240

3. George T. Stagg (BTAC), 138.7 proof, $99

2. Jack Daniel’s Small Batch Coy Hill, 153.2 proof, $55

1. William LaRue Weller (BTAC), 124.7 proof, $99

Always a formidable opponent in a spirits competition or an individual blind tasting, the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection had three contenders in Fred Minnick’s Top 100: William LaRue Weller, George Stagg and Thomas H. Handy. Weller took first, while Handy placed 34th and Stagg third. Interestingly, when Fred tasted the BTAC previously, he preferred Stagg over Weller. But he did say, he wondered how they would do against each other in a blind tasting.

The first tasting of this year’s BTAC.

Disclosures: Fred Minnick is business partners on the Bourbon Pursuit podcast with the owners of Pursuit United, but is not affiliated their spirits brands. Read disclosures.