As a whiskey critic, spirits judge, and industry insider, I’m always asked what my favorite whisk(e)y is. It’s a tough question because it often depends on what season it is, where I am in the world, and my mood that particular day. I’m traveling through this world and tasting new whiskeys like everyone else and that means that my opinions change, re-change, and un-change all the time.
To underscore the idea that “best whiskey” is a permutable and ever-changing phrase — at best! — a small bottler in Kentucky (literally a father and son team), which has been releasing some amazing bourbons and ryes over the past couple of years, just made big news. The brand, 15 STARS, has been atop my best-of lists for a while now and they were just crowned with the “best whiskey” of 2023 by the esteemed New York World Spirits Competition. I was very excited to see that result as I often cite their whiskeys among my favorites (again, depending on the day, mood, etc.) when asked for something new and bespoke.
Okay, so the 15 STARS American rye narrowly beat out the stiff competition and won the coveted “Best Whiskey” this year in New York… what does that mean exactly?
Since I was a head judge, let me break it down. The pour had to survive four double-blind tastings to achieve that crown. That’s four panels of judges ranging from whiskey experts to the world’s leading bartenders to industry insiders who make the world go round behind the scenes. I can also attest that this rye whiskey from a tiny bottler in Kentucky beat out an amazing and huge array of top-shelf, household-name whisk(e)ys this year. No easy feat.
So how does it taste? Let’s dive into the best whiskey of the year from the 2023 New York World Spirits Competition!
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15 STARS Fine Aged Rye First West A Select Blend of Straight Rye Whiskeys
ABV: 52.5%
Average Price: $89
The Whiskey:
This new release from 15 STARS is a blend of six, seven, and eight-year-old ryes from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. That blend informs the name “First West” as those states were considered the “West” during the early days of the United States in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a deep winter spice — clove, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg — next to Earl Grey tea, dried cranberry, dried cherry, and a dash of sour plum next to faint notes of dry grassy fall leaves and orchard barks with a whisper of roasting herbs.
Palate: Apricot jam over buttermilk scones dusted with cinnamon leads to dry oolong tea leaves, sweet smudging sage, creamed honey, and a touch of ginger tobacco just kissed with dark chocolate sauce cut with cardamon and clove.
Finish: That sharp gingery tobacco drives the finish with a bitter chocolate underbelly toward lush cherrywood and sour plum sauce with a hint more of those opening winter spices, dry fall leaves, and old cellar floors.
Bottom Line:
This is just a solid all-around sipping whiskey with great depth. Add a little ice or drop of water to really open up the earthiness toward creamy eggnog spice and mulled cider and wines with a soft fruit cake vibe.
Where To Buy:
Currently, this bottle is available on Seelbachs.com. Don’t expect that to last. You have maybe hours to actually snag a bottle. After that, you’ll need to look out for the next batch to drop.
Source: https://uproxx.com/life/best-whiskey-in-the-world-nywsc-2023/
