Rankings
Explore our annual whiskey rankings, featuring every bottle we reviewed and scored. Each year stands on its own, making it easy to see how new releases, returning favorites, and standout pours compare.
Click any bottle for its detailed review, or browse all of our Reviews for more American whiskey.
10 - OUTSTANDING
9 - EXCELLENT
8 - VERY GOOD
7 - GOOD
6 - ABOVE AVERAGE
5 - AVERAGE
4 - BELOW AVERAGE
3 - POOR
2 - VERY POOR
1 - UNDRINKABLE
2026
10 → Russell’s Reserve Single Rickhouse CN-D
9.5 → Little Book Chapter 10 “All the Wiser”
9.0 → Still Austin Tanager Cigar Blend (2025)
9.0 → Barrell 12 Year Toasted American Oak Finished
9.0 → Old Overholt 11 Year Cask Strength Rye (2026)
9.0 → Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye*
9.0 → Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye / A126
9.0 → Booker’s Bourbon / Batch 2026-02
9.0 → Rittenhouse 10-year 250th Anniversary
8.5 → Bardstown Bourbon Co. Cascadia
8.5 → Star Hill Farm Wheat Whisky (2026)
8.5 → Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Rye*
8.5 → Bardstown Bourbon Co. Lochs of Jura
8.5 → Maker’s Mark Stewards Release
8.5 → Bardstown Bourbon Co. 2026 Discovery
8.5 → Blood Oath Pact 12
8.5 → Barrell Bourbon / Batch 38
8.0 → Green River Toasted Double Oak
8.0 → 13th Colony Barrel Symphony Composition No. 1
8.0 → Templeton Rye 13 Year*
8.0 → Peerless Toasted Rye*
8.0 → OGD 114 Single Barrel
8.0 → 13th Colony Cask Strength Rye / Batch 2
8.0 → Redwood Empire Haystack Needle Rye
8.0 → Green River Honey Bourbon Cocktail*
7.5 → Green River Full Proof Wheated
7.5 → Silver Springs Sweet Mash Rye*
7.5 → Copper & Cask Double Oak Bourbon WS-12
7.5 → Augusta Small Batch Bourbon
7.5 → Redwood Empire Pipe Dream Toasted
7.5 → 13th Colony Maple Finished Rye
7.0 → Bardstown Bourbon BIB*
7.0 → Elijah Craig 15 Year Single Barrel*
7.0 → Garrison Brothers Small Batch*
7.0 → Castle & Key Experimental Rye*
7.0 → Penelope Architects of Golf / Hole 01
7.0 → Peg Leg Porker Spirit of America
6.5 → Knob Creek Blender’s Edition 01
6.5 → Old Grand-Dad 7 Year Bottled In Bond *
6.5 → Duck Club High Brass
6.5 → Bernhiem 20th Anniversary Wheat Whiskey
6.5 → Evan Williams America 250 Single Barrel
6.0 → Blue Note Wheated Bourbon
*Excluded from Whiskey of the Year awards. While this bottle was tasted this year, its original release occurred in a prior year or it's a single barrel. To qualify, bottles must be released between December 2025 and November 2026.