Best American Whiskey of 2023: 5 Biggest Shockers
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- Опубліковано 1 січ 2024
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I was not shocked but very pleasantly surprised to see Colkegan CS make it at number 12! As a New Mexican who grew up drinking scotch, I keep a bottle of that on hand to show my friends how good the local fare is. (They also did an anniversary bottle that was distillery only and it was a world-beater.). Thanks for all the great work and the wonderful list.
Thank you. I look forward to your annual list. 😊
I really enjoyed watching the top 100. I actually found a bottle of your #2 sitting on a shelf in Mississippi, and had to pick it up. I was surprised, because I didn't like Larceny small batch at all, but i am enjoying the BP.
The minute you ranked your list, I ran out and bought the Larceny C923 which I could still find. Excellent bourbon! I was so focused on finding ECBP C523 that I overlooked Larceny. Thank you!
Blind tastings are a tough gig. It's like word cup soccer. The pitch, the crowd, home team all make a difference. In case of tastings, what you ate in the morning, the night before, was you haven't tasted in a while, everything adds up. On the plus side the result is fantastic illumination on many easy(er) to find bottles that should make the whisk(e)y enthusiast crowd excited! Cheers!
as a huge Larceny BP fan, I'm both stoked it did so well and concerned the price is gonna skyrocket haha
You had a nice review of Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast. I was surprised it didn’t make the top 100 this year but did last year.
I love your list and I feel like my palate enjoys similar Whiskey to yours. The first time I questioned it when I saw your review on how much you like Journeyman Corsetts Whips & Whiskey and I bought it and was very disappointed. It's not terrible but its not great in my opinion. But now seeing how you ranked it, its all good. I have had bourbons/rye's I liked at first and later came back to and didn't enjoy at all. Our palates change over time. Keep up the great reviews.
Takeaway:
1. This is why we blind.
2. Receptors (nasal and glossal) get saturated. (Ex: Blanton’s followed by SFTB tastes very different than Blanton’s After SFTB). Thus, our physiology disproportionally favors higher proof whiskies) especially after 99 pours…
3. Variability in all of these year end lists highlights the subjective nature of these tastings. A composite of several lists (from different palates) may better guide future purchases. We love ranking things; but a tier system (based on a composite ) addresses the limitations of these numerical scores which ultimately are subjective.
Well said. Insightful. You're a writer.
Re run the blind with your 1st-5th and 95th-100th. Bet 99 and 100 land in the top 5
Ah well said!!!
Great show! Thanks for sharing…love the everyday showing up! 🤠🇺🇸🇨🇱🥃
I was glad to see the Larceny BPs score so well. IMO they deserve the sort of hype Elijah BPs were getting all year. Cheers and keep up the nice work!🥃✌️
I was expecting the ECBP to rank higher than the LBP, but only because of the number of blind tastings on UA-cam, which seemed to rank ECBP so highly. But I personally like my LBP C923 better than my ECBP (barcode A233..).
LOL on the bar code parenthetical!!!
@@KK4DFAlso, we should keep in mind that Fred is sensitive to oak. (I am not). Oak needs to present just right for his palate. On that day, he was feeling the wheat quite well. Those Larceny expressions are actually quite excellent.
I think the Larceny BPs have been better than ECBPs for the last two years or so. ECBP C923 was my favorite of the six releases this year though.
The biggest surprise for me was seeing the Nashville Barrel Co. Small Batch in your top 5. I have that bottle at a different proof and absolutely love it but never expected it to be on your list. I have a store near me that sells several NBC products and every bottle I've purchased has been amazing.
That NY#2 single barrel is incredible. I think it's a Total Wine pick. Wonderful whiskey.
I'm not knocking the outcome but I have to believe after 100.
There has to be palette fatigue that clouds the judgment.
Let's face it. He must be drunk after 30 and completely plowed after 50 👍🤣🥃
thanks for this video! always a fan! Buuuuut... go with a different tag line this year my man, that is quite similar to Jason C's. But still just as true.
Thanks for all your hard work Fred. Makes me feel good about my budget bottles WT Rare Breed, OF 100 and I just tried my 1st Michter's, the US 1 last week and LOVE it.
Awesome job Fred, I was also surprised by the cellar aged
I have not been able to get my hands on a bottle yet but I was surprised to see where the Cellar Aged fell. I remember your video and how much you liked it. It’s final standing in your top 100 hasn’t changed my desire to get my hands on a bottle though.
Loved the live stream. I picked up the larceny C after the stream, I have t got a chance to enjoy it, I just haven't been enjoying neat the last couple weeks. But I agree with the placement of corsets, I can't get past the black licorice. Green river is going to be a staple from now on. And the only one I was bummed to not see was bardstown origin white label.
Bought a bottle of the NBC and love it!
I dumb lucked into EC B523 not knowing what it was but it was the front of the row, last one, rest were A so I grabbed it figuring EC is pretty good generally. I was blown away, definitely a great barrel proof.
Same
Solid List 👍
Do you feel that if you did it again on a different date that the results would have been widely different, moderately different or basically the same? i do believe that even for professional tasters such as yourself that blinds results can change depending on day, mindset and other such factors. Thanks Fred.
I’ve noticed in blind tastings that for a given bourbon certain notes can pop out that would not be there if drinking it alone. I tried Green River with Blantons and a couple others and got a very bitter note on Green River not there or noticeable if drinking on its own.
I've had 4 bottles, 1 of the three had that note. The other 3 crushed Blantons
Michters has become a favorite of mine in the last year or so, as the price has dropped in NYC and Woodford Reserve has crept up. It makes me feel that something has to be really special to warrant spending much more.
Find Barrell 35. You will love it.
@@Besokool I just picked up my bottle, didn’t need much convincing. In the spirit of Club Marzipan’s #1 New Year’s resolution, I’ll open it in a few weeks when I’ll be getting together with a bourbon loving friend.
Awesome! Come back and let us know what you think. Cheers.😎
Love the ballcap.
I got a bottle of Larceny BP A923 from my kids for Christmas.
Would you consider doing separate categories, bourbon, rye, single malt, etc.?
Personally there are days I like bourbon, days I like rye and days in like single malt. It would be interesting to be able to differentiate the categories to allow good brands to shine and to go up against their direct competitors. I also think that would also help eliminate “cross contamination” ie the flavors you pull from a bourbon sheet subbing a single malt or rye vs after drinking a bourbon.
Just my two cents. Glad I picked up the Larceny’s this year!
i have done that in the past and was ok with it. but in effect, I am picking best in show and this is how it's done in competition and how i am comfortable doing it.
Are you tasting freshly opened whisky or bottles that have already been opened. I find varying amounts of oxidation with the whiskys I’ve had. Some get better some get worse. Could this contribute to the rankings variations that you were shocked by. And I would love to see you revisit some that you originally liked or disliked and see how they have changed with oxidation. Thanks Fred! Really enjoy the podcasts
Great question. All were opened within the last month before the tasting, all with tight closures and in proper storage. I have been resting since the tasting but i plan to go back to taste mm and a few others as soon as i am back.
The JD 10, 12, and double barrel rye were shockers given how well you reviewed them. Im sure they were all still amazing though.
I guess the best take away (so far) - my local store has both Larceny expressions at $70. He has plenty of both, and has no intention to raise the price. Also very curious about Milam and Greene. I don't remember if you were tasting Unabridged vol. 1, or 2. Most reviews prefer 2 by a significant margin. Hopefully you can clarify. Thanks for everything Fred, and Happy New Year to you and your family.
pretty sure it was 2 but I am away right now from my notes and bottle. so i will confirm when i get back home
@@FredMinnick Sure thing. No rush, let us know whenever you get a chance. Thanks Fred.😎
@@FredMinnick Did you get a moment to check the bottle? Want to make sure to grab the better expression. Thank you sir!
Thank you for undertaking the task of 100 bourbons in one sitting. It created a great reference point to consider what bourbons to look out for. Cheers!
What does NOT surprise me is most of the top 25 is cask strength. In fact, only 4 of the top 15 are less than 60% ABV. Palate cleansing or not, tasting 100 whiskies in a row is destined to turn into a beauty contest. As a former pro brewer of 12 years, I've seen similar trends in beer comps.
In a smaller comp, they may consolidate the stout categories, and a well made Russian Imperial Stout will almost always take a gold over say a perfect oatmeal stout. In big comps, like GABF, some brewers add more hops to a particular keg or increase IBUs on a certain batch for an IPA entry or enter an IPA into the Strong Pale category because going bigger judges better when palates are fatigued.
I get that you're a pro and you took steps to mitigate palate fatigue (I actually *really* enjoyed the short time I tuned in, and you happened to be going through your food/cleanse routine), but in my mind, bigger, bolder whiskies are always going to trend high in a session like this. FWIW, I love that some of the everyday whiskies had good showings.
This is their most brewed and canned offering, not quite a flagship beer but it’s brewed like every two months. I like the thinner mouthfeel for me it makes it more crushable. Cheers, Dude! 🍻
There are 2 different batches of Ecbp c923, A and B batch code etching. Which batch was in top 100 tasting? Thanks in advance.
yeah, that came to my attention after the tasting. when i get back from vacation, I plan to look at the bottle and post the code
@@FredMinnick thank you kindly
MM Cellar was the big surprise to me. I haven't seen or tasted it but I thought you would have it higher. That's the way it goes sometimes.
1) Thanks for the heads-up on the James E Pepper. Not fantastic for the price... fantastic period. Reminds me of those Sugar Daddy lollipops from when I was a kid. 2) Thanks for not having Russell's Reserve 13 Year in the Top 100. I've never been so disappointed in a bourbon as I was in this year's Batch 4...
Without explanation, I have grabbed old Forrester 100 as an everyday sipper and cocktail mixer. I can't explain it in bourbon words but it just feels right and punches way above its price point.
I was fortunate enough to score a bottle of Cellar Aged. When i first tasted it i thought it was incredible. The second pour i wasnt overly impressed. The thrid time i was reminded of William LaRue Weller. The cellar aged is a solid product that if produced in great numbers could shift the market share away from Weller. I hope that cellar aged will be released every year.
Anyone who’s had the Larceny C923 in a flight or amongst other bourbons knows it reveals some special notes that it doesn’t reveal sipped on its own. I agree with the C923 placing. What I’m lost on is the Sagamore 8 year batch 2a… I just don’t see a scenario where it’s not in the top 50 let alone 100. Its truly a special bottle for 2023
Thanks Minnick for explaining the obvious. Hence, affordable shelf-bourbon is just as good as those- OVERHYPED, OVERPRICED, SCARCE, INCONSISTENT, and OVERRATED Bourbons out there.
I try to say it often, but you don't gotta spend a ton of money for good bourbon
I was there for all 5 hours! That First Flight was stacked!
I would love to see a top 100 American whiskey list by the ASCOT crew including yourself.
Pretty sure that's coming soon.
I've been drinking bourbon for over 50 years. Not a connoisseur by any any means, but I was drinking Jim Beam and Black Jack, Ezra Brooks long before the craft bourbon fad hit. I have gone through the "wine" tasting/appreciation trip, the craft beer trip, and now getting interested in the bourbon trip. My observations in all these realms is that it is easy to become a wine snob, beer snob or bourbon snob, but there is definitely a point of diminishing returns. This point has to be determined by the individual spending the money. It is easy to get caught up in the $$$$ has to be better than the $. Bottom line, you can spend any amount of money you want on a top tier product, but there is likely a much less expensive option that is almost as good (or in some cases much better). Maybe my palate is just not mature or developed, but if I can find a decent bourbon in the $15 - $20 range, I will be happy. And I have found that bottle in Very Old Barton 86 proof. Now maybe if I took a bourbon appreciation course or was exposed to some of the higher ranked bourbons I would change my perspective. I am open to that experience.
^^ OG right there
I still think it's too much to blind no matter what you experience level. I did get the Barrel batch 35 after your ratings and it is incredible.
Love that 35! Did you taste the New Year '24 expression? Also a banger. Close to Vantage to my palate. Top notch whiskey. Cheers...
@@Besokool I'm a big fan of Vantage and actually prefer it to batch 35.
@@jeffnuzzYes sir, love that Vantage as well. If you get a chance, pick up the '24 New Year expression. You will love it.
That Jefferson tropic tho!
I can't tell from the audio or transcript which of the everyday bourbons came in at 42 (everyday, 90 proof, but audio cut off by editing, I think. Anyone know?
Rare Breed. Green River. Old Forester 100. And michter’s us1
Thank you, Sir!@@FredMinnick
I didn't see the JDSBBP Rye. I think they are phenomenal. Just my opinion tho.
Today you could love one brand....tomorrow maybe another?...after years of tasting and chasing, I truly wonder if it depends on how your day went....what you ate...everyone's palette is different...plain and simple..love your videos, keep em coming!!!
Environment and day of situation are key to one’s palate. Without a doubt!!
Great list. Glad to see the antique collection stuff being beat out. Very few times have I been blown away by any of them. A favorite of mine is Rare Breed.
I can definitely believe that the Larceny’s came in so highly ranked…. That C923 batch wins every blind I put it in…. That’s why we blind… no bias…
Loved this year's Top 100 and the Finally. Oklahoma rules, Baby!
Go Pokes!
I've been collecting bourbon since 1991 and what I've noticed lately is that the big distilleries that should be hitting it good or at least better all the way across the board are not doing very well on more than usual I seem to wonder if it's barrels? I've always wondered if the old dusties from the '70s and '80s that I open from time to time even the standard old granddad Evan Williams cabin stills they all seem very different I know that many were older statements they weren't pushing as much bourbon then but I feel that there was a time back then where we were finishing up on most of our old growth White oaks if that's what you could call them Friends of mine have told me they have cut back quite a bit on what it used to be in the day using science as being 100-year-olds trees only and leaving your slaves outside 4 years before using? But I would think it would have a lot to do with age of the tree The old growth trees had to put out better barrels just my opinion lol thanks for the videos I've watched them from time to time when I get time
Trust me, no palate fatigue when you cleanse with the smell of your own farts between each taste. I'm a professional!!
WOW! That is ALOT of Bourbon Whiskey to be tasting, 100 different expressions! I wish I had that type of Palate to be able to do that in my videos!
I've tasted a lot of bourbons this yr... I'm shocked ER17 wasn't on this list. Probably one if not the best pour I've had this yr.
it was on list .. finished 37
No Fred, Vodka sucks was the best tagline on bourbontube😂
Still Austin CS is good but don't sleep on "The Musician". It's a great value, loaded with flavor.
Where was Woodford batch proof 124.7? Maybe.
I think it’s one of the best this year 😊
you have a great palate then
finished No 7 on my top 100
Cellar Aged would have been better if it didn’t age in a cellar. The original one you tasted years ago was aged in a standard rickhouse right?
I was a little shocked by the poor (pour) performance of MMCA.
I know mine got better with some pours take out.
I am “one of those” that thought Larceny BP B523 was better than c923.
I could only find B523 and it is very good, happy to have it.
While I liked both, I bought a back up of b523, so I agree! The challenge now is to decide when to Crack it open lol. Do I wait years or just go for it!
Stagg jr for me this year batch 23b, 22a were way below the benchmark set by previous batches. Batch 10,12,14, were really good and now I’m thinking they are bottling more younger and off flavoured barrels that does not really provide the taste/ experience I had. Surprisingly they made top 8,10 list which I don’t really agree.
I’ve only had 17 and 23B. 17 is way better than 23B. I’ve taken a couple pours off the 23B. Once it gets some air and time I am curious if it will compare better next time.
Love that you carved out the top ShOcKing moments from the top 100.
You should consider recording a video of the top sH0ckING whiskey moments of 2023 too!
i assume you are spitting these out when you taste 100-300 in one day. But even then I would think you'd be hammered
Makers cellar aged probably would have done alot better if they actually aged it 12yrs instead of 6 and then halting the aging for another 6 with the cold cellar temps
I feel better about your top 100 than I do my Aggies.
Imagine getting flamed so much on your list that you have to try to have an explanation 😂
Yup
I think mmca didnt score as well because u didnt swallow. Its a different experience when u just taste and not swallow. You are missing on how the whiskey is going down the throat.
Not surprised about MM Cellar Aged ranking fairly low in the list. It falls flat for me each time I taste it.
I like the beard look
funny
i was telling my kids i wanted to shave it and they went batshit crazy on me
guess i will keep it
Costco Whiskey : Blanton's Single Barrel $46.99 wheelchair larry
Another wild shocker is that WLW is always at the top of your list and wasn't even on the top 100 this year🧐
Yeah, mentioned it on my initial review of it, but WLW was a huge letdown. But that’s just me. I am sure many loved it
@@FredMinnick thats right, I do recall now you saying that in the initial review. Wild that it was that far below the mark this year
4:50 you cut the name of the bourbon out
I had to rewind too. He definitely cut it out.
42: Green River, 90 Proof, $35.00
Where was Knob creek 12?
That's an ongoing release. The blind was only whiskey released in '23. Fred is very favorable to KC 12.
Rare breed isn’t an ongoing release? You sure about that requirement?
@@adams8424 Interesting. That's very true, and I could definitely be wrong.
Fred said he added some regular releases to the 100
correct. Winners of the 2023 Blind Bourbon events and my personal high scores in the ASCOTs received automatic entry, which is how the everyday products got in there
Is it possible that you had a bias towards seeking out the Makers CA to do well and were searching for stand out wheaters when you stumbled across the 2 Larceny BPs and subsequently over ranked them thinking they might be the Makers CA? Any Human faced with 100 samples in a row is still human. Can we train AI to evaluate Bourbon?😊
So you tasted 100 and could get it down to a top 5?
Production could have been improved, especially given their experience and how much they presumably charged.
production by whom?
WT Generations not initially being in the top 100 then placing 24th is a shocker.
yeah that could have been a shocker on this list for sure
Why no Van Winkles or Pappy’s in the top 100 test???
As you say it’s your palate and if you did it again in a week it would most likely be completely different results. Hope you have a wonderful New Year. Enjoy!!
Lookin slim and handsome Freddie
Professional or amateur, I can’t fathom tasting 100 in a 5 hour sampling. Yes I know Minnick is not consuming every sip, but you can’t judge finish without some going down the hatch. Like some have stated, the order in which tasting occurs determines outcome. Re shuffle the order and you get completely different results. Palates are different from day to day, so a different date for this event would have completely changed the results also. Lastly, I find myself hating the movies the movie critics like the most and enjoying some they give rotten tomatoes. Same with bourbon. Doesn’t matter the rating or brand,,,just matters if you enjoy it!
i get it
and i am same way on movies!
appreciate the feedback! cheers!
I've tasted 20 odd whiskeys and gone blind many a time. Thankfully those days are long in the past.
So let's consider this. MM Cellar Aged finished 84 after you, before your tasting, had found it to be so deliciously good. Then, after the tasting, you tasted it again and found it to be "absolutely amazing." One can't help but wonder; is there any value at all to this top 100 tasting and ranking? Or is it purely entertainment? I'm beginning to think it is the latter.
All i can tell is this is how spirits competitions do it. You can make your own determination on its merit, but my goal has always been to be transparent and show what it’s like, which is why i also film and release my ASCOT Awards. Thanks for watching/ commenting. Cheers!
Wanted Green River to win, happy it didn't
Half of this Fred Minnick video was about how awesome Fred Minnick is!
New setup, new chair. Who dis?
Go Pokes!!
makers cellar aged is overhyped. not surprised at all
If you are taking suggestions for tag lines I would suggest: Bowling Balls are like Bourbon. You can use either to get off if you try hard enough.
Why don't you take your top 10 from the 100 that you ranked, and re-blind them a week later to see how they hold up?
well, i gave 2 bottles to the crew that helped me.. one is gone and another the cork broke so i gotta find more bottles to do this, but i like it!
So basically you are saying your list doesn’t mean anything…
While I’m a hyuuugeeee larceny BP fan, I’m not putting it top 5 on my list. It can hold its own, but even makers toasted and knob 18 are better options
Not Shocked that MM cellar aged would rank low. MM is generally trash. The bar is set so low that when they actually put something out decent people freak the fuck out and think it's amazing. Just put it next to a Stagg Jr or a RR13. Which is what i do with everything i think is good.
i thnk your palete was off that night
No it wasn't.... Everyone I respect with a good palate agrees with his list including myself
ohhh well if felipe says so lol
@@filipealmeida7301
9:02 Michter’s Cellar aged?
I think you mean Maker’s Cellar aged..
must have had my vacation packing on my mind in that moment!
Where is the list vs having to listen to nonstop talk?
The maker's cellar aged review was when I stopped taking you seriously as a reviewer. That stuff sucked and you went bonkers over it. Ridiculous.
It's just one man's palate. He doesn't expect everyone / anyone to experience whiskey the same way. There's no rules in this - drink what you enjoy.
Agreed so dramatic and over the top
While I agree... It's absolutely over hyped. Minnick's still the best whiskey reviewer of all time. I can tell because he's the only one that had larceny barrel proof in the top 10.
That's how you know he's good. Most people put so much trash in their top 10. I had to unfollow so many ppl I assumed were good
Ok, if you taste xyz and think its great, then blind...after 99 pours, its less than exciting...
With all do respect, maybe 100 at once is too much.
appreciate the feedback
cheers!
Fred your list and credibility are going out the window with the list this year. Time to change the format. No one who has had whisky thinks larceny is worth more then 64 bucks its sold for and not it is not in the top 100 whiskies of the year. IMO it’s just average.
Are we honestly pretending if you blinded larceny BP against WLW or GTS, larceny would win?
Agreed.
What a silly comment. Why would you assume it wouldn't win in a blind?
Larceny BP this year have been amazing. It's not surprising to me that one would beat some BTAC in a blind. Not in everyone's blind, but in some.
It's not expensive or limited so it can't possibly be better? C'mon.
🥔🥔🥔🥔
I think the best American whiskey is scotch.
it's okay to be wrong :D
Imagine drinking 43 - 46% abv whiskey all the time hahaha
@@kamahhlI have standards. Min 46% 😂
As I have delved into Scotch... I find I appreciate the differences and unique flavors but prefer I Bourbon.
Colkegan at #12 is basically 'Scotch' but made by a Scotsman in Santa Fe... yum.