The 10 BEST Bourbon & Rye Whiskeys of 2023 (SHOCKING BLIND RANKINGS)
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- Опубліковано 20 гру 2023
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📽 📽 IN THIS WEEK'S VIDEO:
We discuss the 10 best bourbons and ryes we were able to get in 2023 as well as a few bottles we missed out on and some honorable mentions that just missed the cut.
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Go to sponsr.is/zbiotics_stuff_1223 or scan the QR code and get 15% off your first order of ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic by using our code STUFF at checkout. Thanks to ZBiotics for sponsoring today’s video!
You got me… I ordered today. Thanks for the recommendation!
This is a good list. You nailed it. We have a lot of whiskeys in common on our top 10s.
Cheers buddies 🥃
What a list! Truly impressed by this one!
Thanks again guys
Great list all!! Kudos to a great year! Merry Christmas 🎄
An incredible year indeed! Merry Christmas to you and your family Kurt!
EH Taylor Single Barrel or Barrel Proof, Wild Turkey Rare Breed, Old Forester 1920, Elijah Craig BP A123, Old Forester 1910, Maker's Mark 46 Cask, Peerless double oak, Weller Antique 107, Elijah Craig C922 or C923 or C919, Russell's Single Barrel, Pappy Van Winkle 15 year
Incredible lineup! Cheers Sharon!
Great stuff! I absolutely love the JDSBBP Rye offerings - I have a handful of different ones that are all stellar (for my palette). I truly believe they nailed the mashbill with the 70% rye component - absolutely brilliant.
Two of my favorites this year have been Green River and Emerald Giant.
Great list, c923 is my top bourbon of the year as well.
My greatest joy of the holiday season was picking up my son from college in PA for winter break, and stopping in the state wine and spirits store next to campus to ask if they had any ECBP C923 after having no luck in NJ. They produced a bottle out of the rear storeroom for me and the checkout clerk couldn’t believe there was still one back there.
Score! Congrats and Happy Holidays!
Great video
Great picks 👍
Second time through your video. I am looking for the best ryes for our tasting group. Thanks and Happy Holidays you all.
If your group likes higher proof and higher flavor, you’d be hard pressed to go wrong with Jack Daniel’s Barrel Proof Rye!
OMG! The Elijah Craig C923 is SO GOOD!! Especially at retail and possibly just above retail. I just picked up a backup bottle. Really nice list. 👏🏼🥃
Great list. The Swagg Jr really was outstanding. I've still got a bit left, may have to try it in a blind against some of these other ones. Cheers guys!
Hands down my 2 favorites were EC C923 and JDSiBBP Rye
I took a picture of my TV screen at about 13 mins in with your new color palette and used it as my hue lighting system palette. So not to sound too geeky, I have the color palette of your environment as my lighting system while I'm watching your videos and drinking whiskey that you're reviewing. It's a great way to spend the evening or at least 22 minutes.
That's awesome to hear! I dig the nerdiness. Cheers and thanks for watching!
I really appreciate the 2x multiplier on the taste, feel like far to many whiskey reviews get caught up on the nose not the taste. W ith Erin for the High Road Rye especially considering the price. I got it for $35 and it is awesome. I also got a WT 12 this year as well and as much as I wanted to love it...I didn't. It is good, but not great. Got to try the WT 8 year and actually preferred it. Have not seen the JD Rye barrel proof readily around, see the standard JD barrel proof a bunch, not not the rye quite as much. Hope to come across one soon. Great picks across the board, hope that 2024 brings more great finds. Cheers.
I'll start by saying that I'm generally more of a Scotch drinker, but I do drink American whiskeys some of the time. My top 3 (tasted) for 2023 would be: Bardstown Origin Series Wheated Bottled-In-Bond, Weller Antique 107 British Bourbon Society Barrel #092 and J.T. Meleck Bourbon Society of Baton Rouge Pick. Of those, I've only got a bottle of the 107. For 'casual'/session drinking I was pleased to get J.T.S. Brown 6 year old and MB Roland Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.
The top 5 bourbons that I bought were Maker's Mark Celler Aged, ECBP C923, Larceny C923, Bomberger's 2023 and Shenk's 2023.
What an unexpected list. I might have to try some of the those ryes. Usually not my favorite. I loved the controversy early in the video 😂. My favorite this year was ECBP C923, mostly because it was the only limited release I could get my hands on.
Glad I was able to actually get some of these this year, though I was too slow on the draw (and I also think too low on the Patreon tiers) to get the NBC "Swagg Jr." pick.
Feeling the need for some JD SiBBP Rye tonight after work--I got one that is just a hair shy of hazmat at 139.7 proof, and it's calling my name!
New Nashville Barrel S&W pick coming up at the end of January and we’re going to try to top Swagg Jr!
My favorite of the year was RR Camp Nelson F
Great video. I just noticed Erin resembles the actress from Outlander that plays Claire. Lol. Happy Holidays guys
Not sure how NBC ages but they are for sure doing something right. Some of the best picks I've had.
Josh, I would like to sincerely thank you for your dedication to science! I like watching these videos but unfortunately I don't see very many of these where I live. I was happy to see Rare Breed (which I multiples of), I have seen Barrel but I've never tried it. But then out came the #1 pick and I had to pause to look...so close - I have the ECBP C922 (purchased it the first and only time I've seen it). That makes up for the lack of the others...
C922 is a great batch!
My best bottle was Driftless Glen Single Barrel Rye. I like your list.
Driftless Glen is so good!
Yes!! This video makes me extremely happy!! Of the bottles I was able to acquire this year, here’s my top 5…
1. Swagg Jr
2. Swagg Jr
3. Swagg Jr
4. Swagg Jr
5. EC C923
😁🥃
We can get behind this list. 😎
So I took a break from bourbon videos for a while (maybe 6 months?) and I missed you guys!
I had never tried Rare Breed because I had been refusing to spend more than $45 on a bottle, and around here it was 55-60. Since then, got a bottle for $50 when I passed thru KY, and of course, I liked it. But I found a place near Savannah (actually up in SC) that sells it for $42! So I got a couple more bottles. Hooray! (I like sweeter over spicier).
thanks for always putting out informative and entertaining videos! merry christmas!
Welcome back Joseph and Merry Christmas!
Cheers🥃
Great list had a tragedy today went to the store picked up a Ohio Nashville barrel pick and when I got home the bag it was in tore and the bottle broke on my sidewalk. So I’ll have to wait till next week and try again. I will say it smelled fantastic. Picked up some other bottles that I’m going to try soon. A Bardstown bib and a James Pepper Ohio pick rye. Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.. Enjoy!!
Man down! Hurts the heart to hear that story!
I have a Nashville Barrel six years old that tastes much older than that. The bottle would compete well in most any blind. I know they are single barrels, so maybe I got a special bottle, but I’m sold on buying another in the future.
I had one bad bottle of JD SBBP RYE and made it into a Freezer door old fashion. Now, I have a new bottle that is 139.2 proof and it's amazing. I went back and got backup is so good. That's a Great list. I wish I could get that Nashville Swagg. My favorite are 13th Colony Double Oak then Elijah Craig C923 and JD SBBP RYE 139.2 proof. A Stagg would come in next. I'm yet to try 22A which releases this year.
Hard Truth in my homestate of Indiana ... great choice
old fashioned with JD SBBP Rye is so good....
WT 12 is soooooo good! I wish it was available for retail (60 bucks) on the states instead of the nearly 200 bucks but oh well...
Hahaha, love the Chappelle show reference.
Great video!! I’ll be in Nashville the week of January 22nd for work. I know I’ll be hitting up Southern Collective, they did a barrel pick with our bourbon heads group. Hopefully I can get to Nashville Barrel as well. Do they have your pick, and if not, what do you recommend. Thanks again!
All our Nashville Barrel picks have sold out the same day they released but they have a ton of different single barrels there. Let them know the type of pours you like most and they can steer you in the right direction, let you try bottles on the tasting bar that you can purchase in the gift shop, or you can even thieve from barrels yourself and bottle whichever you like best.
I found some c923 at a local museum. Unfortunately, I had to have it as my birthday is September 23
It's not a Bourbon, but my favorite whiskey I had this year was an Indian single malt called, Rampur Double Cask.
I did get my first Stagg this year as well, and that was probably my favorite Bourbon.
Rampur Double Cask is so good!
Frey Ranch in some capacity will hopefully be part of my 2024 list. It just missed my list this year. Looking for number 10 next year. 9 is really good. It was a last minute purchase for me in 2023 and made my list as well. Not sure about 8. Just like your 10 I will look for 7 next year. 6 was my runner up to my runner up rye of the year, but my runner up was still a Barrell product. Could not get my hands on your 5. Missed it by an hour at Total Wine. Have not had your 4, but looking to get my hands on it in 2024. I'm not a rye fan, but love number 3! I like what your number 2 brand is doing. Just like Frey Ranch I hope they are part of my 2024 list. Number 1 made my top 5, but not top honors. Fantastic list! Well done. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. My whisk(e)y promiscuous list comes out Friday and my "allocated" list comes out Jan. 5th.
Cannot wait to see your lists Peter! They’re a lot of fun to put together for sure and we can ensure you get to try a few of the things you haven’t yet tried as well. 😉
I don't have the budget to experiment much, so I won't even try to do a top 10 or even a top 5. But whiskies which I tried for the first time this year, and really impressed me, include:
Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof
Sagamore Spirit rye
Four Roses Small Batch
Old Grand-Dad 114
Knob Creek Single Barrel (this was a store pick)
Balcones True Blue corn whisky (ditto)
11:04 That's a pint bottle, so I don't consider it a sample. 🙂 I bought the same size bottle of Knob Creek 7 year rye the other day.
13:13 Earlier this year I had a sample of the 10 year, and it's excellent. I've not had the chance to try the 12, but I bet it's good.
We got some big time bottles this year so this video made sense but next year we plan to do a video over your metrics of the pours in 2024 that impressed us the most rather than bottles we got (as we don’t anticipate getting any heavy hitters next year because we’re focusing on budget next year).
Robert,
Looks more like a half-pint bottle to me. Half pint is 200ml (which is only four drinks). Pint is 375.
I managed to score an ECBP B523 and it just seemed like a non stop spice bomb with very little sweetness to speak of. I wish I could have had one of the C923 this year, but I did manage to grab a bottle of Larceny C923 and that stuff is so good, just caramelized red fruits, caramel and brown sugar sweetness. My local total wine had a few cases of it. If they still have some after the holidays I'm going to back it up.
We haven’t yet grabbed an ECBP B523 or any Larceny Barrel Proofs but plan to pick up both soon.
@stuffandwhiskey The production run for ECBP B523 was huge compared to C923. It's a caramel bomb and a little bit one note, but a great deal for the price. It's still got that Milky Way/Snickers thing going. It does need a little bit of air though.
You seemed pretty stoked on the Barrel blended bourbon. On that note you need to try Pursuit United Bourbon Batch #7CC if possible
Great show. Did you see Nashville Barrel #4 Fred Minnick!
Yep! They’re turning out some amazing whiskey!
Yes they do!
Hi, Josh and Erin.
If I'm not mistaken I saw in a comment somewhere that, in 2024, you plan to do less heavy hitters and more budget. Did I get this right? Have you spoken in any of your videos about plans for the channel in 2024?
We always try to maintain a healthy balance but we do have some budget-specific content planned for 2024. Our New Year’s video out on January 2nd will go into more detail. 😉
Just curious ... do y'all still like Stellum Rye? I know that used to be one of your faves and "go to".
Great video once again 😊!
Yep we love Stellum! The Barrell team just knocked it out of the park on Barrell Batch 4 this year as the standout offering from the brand.
Great list! I have not tried the JD BPSB Rye but I have the regular proof BPSB Rye and enjoy it. Also I can not find the C923 in my area, is the B523 worth the get instead? Or just hunt harder for the C923?
Try to find the C923. The A123 would be a good secondary goal. B523 was the consensus 3rd place this year.
C923 is on another level and the only one we feel could contend for best of the year, but every ECBP is worth the retail asking price in our book.
@@stuffandwhiskey thanks for the reply!
Just discovered you two, nice vibe, interesting picks. Any thoughts on the Dickel 15? That’s my fave under $100 pick. Y’all in Nashville? I’ll look you up in your Patreon…cheers!
Thanks for the kind words Chris! Yep we’re in Nashville. We’ve had some awesome Dickel 15 year barrel picks around town. Where else can you get that age statement for that price? Of course they’re not all great because it depends on the palate picking that barrel, but some are downright awesome!
Have you tried Overholt 10 year rye, or the Michter's toasted rye?
Negative to Old Overholt 10 but check this past Monday’s video. 😉
Those jack single barrel BP rye's are still allocated in my market 😢 currently have 3 of the Tennessee whiskeys open, lol!
How can i get my hands on a swagg jr? Thanks, cheers!
They released a year ago and there were only 190 bottles, so they’re long gone unfortunately. The beauty of single barrels is that they’re truly rare, but the bad part is that they’re truly rare. 😆 That said, we’ll be back at Nashville Barrel at the end of the month to do another pick and they know we’re trying to top Swagg Jr. Can’t wait to do another barrel pick there. Those will be available to our Patreon members after the pick.
I got a couple of bottle of ECBP C923 about two months ago. TBH, my first sip was brutally hot. And I haven't had an ECBP that I didn't love - even the B522 and B523 that seemed to get so many complaints. It took an hour to acclimate myself of C923. I took maybe 5 micro sips about every 10 minutes until I finally got to a point where I could really taste her in full. She was amazing when I warmed up to her, but I never had to work so hard for a tasting note.
We’ve noticed that our bottle has opened up dramatically with air time over a few weeks and months since being opened.
I recently got a bottle of ECBP C923 and was afraid of the same thing. I remember my first impression of the C919, which I thought I would never get through the bottle because of how proof it was. So on this one, the first pour we were outside and I let it air out in my glass for 10-15 minutes. It blew me away at how drinkable it was. I never got a burn! The stuff is amazing
Are you seeing the JDBP Rye available around town? I have probably been to 5-10 stores south of town over the last few months and have never seen it on the shelf. One place had it in the back but for 100. Love the 127 proofer I have (traded for)
Also, I have yet to find an NBC barrel bourbon I didn’t like. Newest I opened is the Ironman pick. Wish I could of grabbed one of yours
100% agree on NBC. They're all varying levels of good to great, with some being absolutely extraordinary. We've got Ironman as well and really enjoy it. Very, very good barrel!
On JDBP rye, it's all over other parts of the state but the Nashville area is lagging behind on stock. Hoping we finally get it in soon and it'll be in stock pretty much indefinitely once it hits.
Question- how many of those 14 distill their own and how many are sourced?
10 of the 15 mentioned distilled their own and 5 are sourced (and most of those were rebarreled, finished, or blended in some way). Quite frankly we don’t really care if things are sourced or not-we just care about whether the whiskey tastes good-but know it’s an important thing for some folks.
You need to try our Louisiana JT Meleck rice whiskey
It's outstanding!
We’ve tried a pick and liked it a lot!
Is the Nashville Pick still available?
No it released earlier this year and sold out same day. Our next Nashville Barrel pick will be happening at the end of this January and will release shortly thereafter.
How did larceny b or c do? I had Green River high rye, larceny c batch and knob Creek 10yr store pick as my top bottles. I passed on the fomo
Great question. Larceny Barrel Proof is almost nonexistent in our market so never has the opportunity to grab one, and as we’re not the biggest wheated bourbon fans (we prefer ECBP and didn’t love the older Larceny BP batches we tried) we didn’t go hunting any of them either. Based on the reviews this year that may have been a mistake, but likely not for our palates given how we feel about wheaters.
@stuffandwhiskey you really need to try it. Doesn't have that wheated "funk" that some do. It's quickly become one of my go-to's and I'm finding it everywhere. But I'm North Nashville to Clarksville
Would you be so kind as to share the first three of the laser code on you ECBP C923? I am hearing that A22 and A23 have different profiles like there may be a difference in the batch at those serial numbers.
Have an A22 and A23 bottle and there’s little to no difference. The one here is an A22. I believe these laser code differences are overblown personally.
@@stuffandwhiskey Good to know thanks for the reply.
ECBP C923 is proving impossible to find. Hopefully I'll find a bottle at some point.... anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!
Merry Christmas and may your holidays be filled with stumbling upon a couple of bottles of C923!
@@stuffandwhiskey haha thanks 🤞
WHISKEY CHEERS 🍻
There's something in EC BPs that I don't like as much. I think its a heavy oak. I had a HHill BiB last night and actually preferred it. So full flavored but not quite as oaky I guess. Im probably in the minority but just thought id share.
If we all loved the exact same thing then there wouldn’t be as much variety in products and the world would be pretty boring. Gotta lean into what you love and trust your palate preferences. Cheers!
I wish I had bought 2 ECBP C923s. After the first drop here in NJ - poof! Gone!
It’s definitely backup-worthy!
As someone with less than half your subscribers (so ignore if you want), I would love to see a brighter key light or more ISO on your camera. Just a bit brighter video would be welcome. Otherwise, great stuff. Solid rankings.
Josh here. We’ve purposefully steered away from the bright, high key UA-cam look based on personal preference. We wanted a speakeasy-inspired vibe to our studio, a relaxed feel to our content, and a cinematic visual touch overall.
We dialed in our exposure and color grade to look perfect on a television alongside our favorite movies and tv shows.
We know this is a little against the grain for typical UA-cam content, and means mobile devices may need a quick brightness adjustment compared to a lot of high key UA-cam content (especially if you’re watching in bright/direct light), but it’s just our preference and keeps us from looking like bright glowing aliens on television sets for our non-mobile viewers who can’t so easily adjust their brightness.
BTW just checked your channel and love that Skyquest!
@@stuffandwhiskey Fair enough. Always do you what suits you. 🤜🏼🤛🏼
ECBP C923 still hasn't shown up in central Florida 😡😢. I'm gonna have to take a trip north to find some....if y'all know a place in GA....😂
It’s rare we’d say this but that bottle might actually be worth a special trip!
ROAD TRIP!!!😂
Im quite shocked, c923 always comes last when I blind it with 2019 and 2020 batches..
2019 and 2020 had some great batches. We’ve blinded C923 against the 2020 batches and did prefer C923 but it was a flip of the coin based on personal profile preferences.
No you cant find c923 wit resonble price
Be nice to Erin!😊
Always. Easy to be nice to each other when you love and respect each other.
Must be nice to get an unopened bottle of 13th colony and still be able to review it. Perks be huh!
It only took 20-30+ hours of work every week on the channel nonstop for over two years straight to make it happen, but yeah, it’s definitely nice they both “fell into our lap” so to speak. 😉
Jokes aside, we were definitely very fortunate and grateful that 13th Colony sent us a sample and that we were lucky enough to get a bottle that we could save to open and share with dear friends over this Christmas season. Cheers and Happy Holidays!
@@stuffandwhiskey merry Christmas!
The Mouth of the South has spoken!
My day = made! 😂
EC barrel proof: except batch A124 is complete swill. Worst bottle of bourbon we have.
We tried A124 and didn’t care for it ourselves. Overly hot and nutty.
Jack 12 is my whiskey of the year. Wasnt really a whole lot worth raving about this year though. Couple of ecbps, the jack bp rye, and a couple others but definitely a down year imo.
Not sure I am enjoying this channel anymore when Erin doesn’t get to contribute!
Not sure we understand this comment at all.
Our channel has been, and always will be, me (Josh) as the whiskey nerd and Erin as the more relatable social sipper. A 15-bottle blind to determine a Top 10 ranking for best bottles of the year is very much a whiskey nerd thing to do, and something Erin has no interest in doing (she even said so in this video), so this was already a video more slanted to my half of the channel. If it’s whiskey nerd stuff it’s me. If it’s blind sipping for fun and social interaction then it’s her. Two years strong with that format and nothing has changed.
Her favorites for the year were represented and she had input and commentary on almost every bottle mentioned. Not sure what else you’d want.
Erin is not going to participate in-nor will I ever expect her to participate in-something she doesn’t want to do. She’d sooner quit the channel altogether than appease a comment like this out of some expectation to participate in something she has no interest in participating in.