The Best New Release Spirits Of 2020

As lockdowns continue in many parts of the US, spirits fans are continuing to build out their home bars. And top-tier producers are giving them no shortage of new product with which to stock those shelves. Here’s a look at the best bottles so far this season. Click on the links if you want to find out how you can get your hands on them. Some might not last very long. So don’t snooze on them.

^{WhistlePig — HomeStock ($73)}

This brand new release—shipping out this month—was crowdsourced virtually during a live, home-blending competition. The winning recipe is a combination of 45% rye, 30% wheat, and 25% barley. It offers a fruity nose with baking spice and toffee emerging on the palate. “This was such a fun concept as it quickly mobilized over a 1,000 people to try and blend three unique whiskies that have never been sold by WhistlePig before,” according to CEO Jeff Kozak. “The rye was familiar but the wheat and barley was something most consumers have never equated to WhistlePig.”

^{Widow Jane — Lucky Thirteen ($90)}

A whiskey geeks dream come true, the latest release out of Red Hook, Brooklyn’s only craft distillery offers a variable ABV from bottle to bottle. This is a feature, not a flaw: the result of head distillery Lisa Wicker combing through some of her favorite 13-year-old barrels and coming away with ones that demonstrated singular exceptionality. Wicker compares the liquid—ranging from 91% to 99% in alcohol—to hearing a favorite song played live on different nights: “A great touring band may play the same set of songs every night, but those songs will sound a little bit different from night to night,” says Wicker. “The beauty is in the variance, and this whiskey’s no different.” 

^{Crystal Head Vodka — Pride Bottle ($50)}

The only vodka on the list is a noteworthy corn-derived expression out of Newfoundland, Canada. Legendary comedian Dan Aykroyd is responsible for this popular liquid which is filtered through layers of Herkimer Diamonds, resulting in a spirit of unparalleled smoothness and clarity. The brand just unveiled this limited edition packaging to celebrate LGBT Pride. “Crystal Head prides itself on being an active part of the LGBTQ+ community,” Aykroyd tells Forbes. “We continue to support Pride not only from the profits of this bottle, but with continuous efforts throughout the year.”

^{Abasolo — El Whisky de México ($40)}

If you don’t know about Mexican whisky, now’s a fine time to start your education. This newest offering demonstrates the country’s unique approach to the category. During production, master distiller Ivan Saldaña employs the age old process of nixtamalization, wherein corn is soaked in an alkalized bath, introducing enhanced tonalities to the fermentation tank. Distilled from non-GMO corn—a native variety known as cacahuazintle—the liquid sings of roasted vegetal aromas, ultimately delivering black tea, honey, and spice in a protracted finish.

^{Teeling — 28 Year Old Vintage Reserve Single Malt ($600)}

This one was literally just announced this weekend to coincide with World Whisky Day. It’s a marriage of liquids laid down in both bourbon and Sauternes wine casks back in 1991. The dual maturation results in an edge of dark fruit notes to round out the faint echoes of smokiness at its core; a small portion of peated malt was initially used during distillation. Only 4,000 total bottles will be released in Ireland, but you can get one shipped internationally through this site.

^{Nomad — Outland Whisky ($43)}

Distilled in Scotland and aged in the sherry bodegas of southwestern Spain, Nomad is a new concept in whisky. Scotch is frequently aged in sherry casks. Nothing groundbreaking there. But this one turns that convention on its head—bringing the liquid to the barrels, rather than vice versa. In this brilliant sipping spirit, you’ll taste the softness of malt and grain whiskies—aged between 5 to 8 years—enlivened by the vivacity of the cooperage, brimming with the dark fruit notes of Spain’s legendary fortified wine.

^{Colonel E.H. Taylor — 18 Year Old Marriage ($70)}

An luscious blend of three mashbills—two rye bourbon and one wheated bourbon—this is the oldest age statement yet from this revered line of American whiskies. The label’s namesake, Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr., helped establish the Bottled In Bond Act of 1987, safeguarding the sanctity of Kentucky’s beloved spirit. This one is quite simply the most soulful bourbon release of the year, alive with notes of baking spice and candied walnuts. Your only issue is finding it. It’s a collector’s dream. So reach out to your local bottleshop in advance of its early June release.

^{Frapin — Collector’s Edition Blend ($155)}

This year has been a busy one for the famed cognac house out of southern France. Frapin has already released three new bottles, including its $3500 Plume—aged for upwards of 60 years. Since only 100 gold-capped carafes of that stunner made it to American shores, you ought to settle instead for this 24 year old beauty. It’s a single cask offering selected by their cellar master, built upon grapes from a single vineyard in the 1994 harvest. Big, bold, with nutty notes and a slightly spiced, leathery finish—it’s all wrapped up in an almost supernaturally smooth elegance.