When it comes to alcohol, whiskey is one of the most popular spirits. It's featured prominently in many cultures throughout the world and is both famous and infamous. The type of barley distinguishes the whiskey as well as the time it spends aging in barrels.
It's often paired with sugar to give it a more easy-to-swallow taste. Even different variations, such as Rye or Scotch, use production techniques different from those used for bourbon or Tennessee whiskey.
Crown Royal
Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky made from a grain mixture that has been blended and then charcoal filtered. It is a medium-bodied, yellow-brown spirit ready to drink at 90-proof alcohol by volume. Crown Royal comes in several different varieties, including an 80-proof blend called Crown Royal Reserve. You can also enjoy Crown Royal Special Reserve, which has been aged longer and comes at 100-proof alcohol by volume.
Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whisky
Jack Daniel's Tennessee whisky is a whiskey made from a mash of malted barley and corn. It also has the added flavoring of clover honey and roasted barley. The charcoal filtered process means no neutral grain spirit is added, so the resulting whiskey is unadulterated with seasonings or coloring matter. On the nose, you can smell roasted grain and fruit. You can also taste notes of honey and dark fruit.
William Larue Weller
William Larue Weller is a bourbon whiskey that is smooth and oaky with a sweet vanilla flavor. It was created by the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky and featured rye grain undertones. Bottled at 107 proof alcohol by volume, this whiskey is best when sipped neat but mixes easily into cocktails.
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a bourbon whiskey bottled by the Beam Suntory company. It's named after the man who founded it though he had nothing to do with distilling it, distiller and politician James B Beam. The company also owns Maker's Mark, Basil Hayden's, and Knob Creek and is one of the most recognized names in the alcohol industry. The flavor of Jim Beam is sweet and spicy, with hints of citrus.
Beam's 8 Star
Beam's 8 Star also comes from the Jim Beam company and aged for an impressive 12 years. It is a small-batch whiskey made with a high rye mash bill, which gives it a unique and wonderfully smooth flavor that's best enjoyed neat or on the rocks. You'll get flavors of caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and ripe fruits when tasting this whiskey.
Knob Creek
Knob Creek is a high rye bourbon that has been aged for nine years. It's amber in color and bottled at 100-proof alcohol by volume. It's named after a stream that once ran near the distillery, where it was made and considered a manly whiskey. The company behind it, Beam Suntory, also owns Jim Beam, Maker's Mark and many more popular whiskey brands.
Pikesville Rye Whiskey
Pikesville Rye is a small-batch whiskey made in the style of moonshine, which comes from the Grand Teton Distillery located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It has a smooth, sweet, and spicy flavor with significant hints of vanilla and fruit on the nose.
George Dickel Rye Whiskey
George Dickel is another American whiskey aged in oak barrels charred to rid them of their woody flavor. It is a small-batch whiskey and comes at 99-proof alcohol by volume. Oakiness comes through on the nose while you get hints of vanilla and citrus on the palate.
Spring Bank
Spring Bank is a blended whiskey created by the Springbank distillery in Scotland. It means that it has been made from whiskey mash made at the distillery to blend to create a new product. It's bottled at 40% alcohol by volume and can be enjoyed straight or with soda water or ginger ale. The taste is smooth and fruity, with hints of honey and spice on the nose.
Paul John Single Malt
Paul John is a single malt whiskey that comes from India. It's made with malted and unmalted barley and aged in oak barrels before bottling at 46% alcohol by volume. It's been created by Master Blender Dilip Chhabria and has won multiple awards, such as the USI Best Scotch Whisky Award. The taste is full of fruit, spice, and vanilla, with orange peel coming through the nose.
Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond
Old Fitzgerald comes from the Heaven Hill distillery in Kentucky, the oldest independent family-owned distillery in the US. It was made in 1895 and was named after a friend of the founder. This whiskey has matured for at least four years, and if the bond is stamped on it, it means that it was bottled at 100-proof alcohol by volume.
Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker is a blended whiskey bottle with a royal warrant which means that it has been made by distillers who have been given the royal guarantee of approval by Queen Elizabeth II. Many of the wineries associated with Johnnie Walker make other whiskies, but the Johnnie Walker brand wholly owns only Vintage and Black Label. The taste is smooth, sweet, and smoky, with citrus fruit notes on the nose.
Bell's Single Barrel
Bell's Single Barrel is a single-barrel bourbon whiskey from Bell's distillery in Michigan. It contains no coloring but has been aged for at least four years and can be enjoyed neat or with ice. The taste is smooth and fruity, with caramel, vanilla, and fruit notes on the nose.
Knappogue
Knappogue is a single malt whiskey that comes from Tullamore Dew. It's made in Ireland and aged for at least 12 years. The taste is sweet and rich, with hints of fruit and spice on the nose. The color is dark, but it's bottled at 46% alcohol by volume, so you can still enjoy it neat or with ice.
Fighting Cock
Fighting Cock is a single-cask bourbon whisky that Limestone Branch Distillery created in Kentucky. The distillery is named after the fighting cock that pirates once used to announce the eyes of their ship. They took the name from the distinctive design on a few bottles.
Whiskey is an essential part of Southern culture, and it's easier to find than you'd think, so you'll be able to try a variety of whiskeys from all over the US. Try some delicious bourbon whiskey or a smooth Irish single malt whiskey to suit your tastes, and get the party started! While you're drinking, keep an eye out for the hidden gems in this list that might surprise you while they give you a taste of what's available across the country.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional consultation or advice related to your health or finances. No reference to an identifiable individual or company is intended as an endorsement thereof. Some or all of this article may have been generated using artificial intelligence, and it may contain certain inaccuracies or unreliable information. Readers should not rely on this article for information and should consult with professionals for personal advice.