2026 is shaping up to be a major year for American whiskey.
From the return of long-dormant heritage brands to sequels of wildly sought-after allocated releases, and even some boundary-pushing age statements, there is plenty on the horizon for enthusiasts to get excited about.
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For those unfamiliar with the U.S. label approval process, every new bottling must first be submitted to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, or TTB. These label filings are made public so that other companies can flag potential trademark issues. The upside for consumers is that they offer an early glimpse at bottles that have not yet been officially announced.
The releases listed here are drawn from those TTB filings, essentially leaked previews of what we can reasonably expect to see hitting shelves sometime in 2026. Each title will take you to a BoozApp listing where you can wish list the bottle, and keep an eye on its release!
1 – Four Roses Anthology 21 Year Old
Yes, you read that right, a 21 year old expression of Four Roses. Not to be outdone by Jim Beam’s recent Knob Creek 21 year old, Japanese owner Kirin has stepped in with its own over two-decade-matured release. Since acquiring the distillery in 2002, Kirin has steadily returned Four Roses to U.S. shelves, establishing both a well-priced core range and a highly sought-after private barrel program.
In recent years, the brand has focused on single barrel bourbons typically aged between 8 and 12 years, with a handful of special releases pushing past 19 years in support of charity efforts. This new 21 year old expression now stands as the oldest aged Four Roses ever released, with the only older whiskey from the brand appearing in the 135th Small Batch release, which featured bourbon aged up to 25 years.
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As the first chapter in the new Anthology series, the rear label notes that the whiskey was distilled in 2001 and matured for 21 years. A quick bit of math suggests the spirit spent several years out of the barrel to halt the aging process. A discreet photo of the bottles at the distillery surfaced in mid-2025, indicating this release has been in the works for quite some time.
I am a long time Four Roses fan, and while this release appears to be limited to just 400 bottles, I am genuinely excited to try such a high-aged expression from the brand.
2 – Old Grand-Dad 7 Year 114 Single Barrel
In 2025, a 7 year old expression of Old Grand-Dad’s high rye recipe hit the market, offering an older and more transparent option compared to Beam’s current NAS Old Grand-Dad Bonded. Continuing the brand’s expansion, it appears they are preparing to launch a 7 year old single barrel version of the 114 proof. OGD 114 has long been one of the most reliable and affordable high proof bourbons in the U.S., typically priced between $20 and $30.
I often find the non-age-stated 114 a little unbalanced, generally preferring the Bonded expression. Many enthusiasts share this view, noting that the 114 proof often performs best as a high proof base for cocktails.
The 2024 release of the 16 year old Old Grand-Dad fell flat, but the sensibly priced 7 year Bonded expression has already begun winning over price-conscious consumers. If the 7 year single barrel is competitively priced, it could become a strong competitor to releases like Maker’s Mark’s new 7 year cask strength and might even challenge Wild Turkey’s 8 year old 101 proof.
Being a single barrel product, it is also likely to enter Beam’s barrel pick program. This would make it the first release of the high rye recipe bourbon that stores can select directly from the barrel.
3 – Elmer T. Lee 40th Anniversary & returning Store Picks
Technically these are two separate releases, but let’s cover them together. Buffalo Trace is no stranger to store picks, and in recent years the only way to select a barrel from their #2 high rye mashbill has been through Blanton’s. In 2026, however, the Elmer T. Lee label will join the Sazerac barrel select program.
Elmer T. Lee was actually offered as a store pick in the early 2000s, back when very few stores specialized in bourbon. The few bottles I’ve seen date from around 2006, and today they can fetch over a thousand dollars on the secondary market. A new wave of Elmer picks should be priced far more accessibly.
Beyond the store pick expansion, 2026 also marks the 40th anniversary of the Elmer T. Lee label. This single barrel bourbon is being released at cask strength, making it only the second #2 recipe bourbon to be released at high proof, the first being Blanton’s Straight From The Barrel.
Whilst any new Buffalo Trace product is tough to find, this 40th anniversary Elmer is shaping up to be one of the year’s most sought after bottles.
4 – 1792 15 Year Cask Strength
If you’ve been following the NDP market in recent years, you’ve likely noticed a surge of mature Kentucky bourbon hitting shelves. Brands like Calumet Farms have built their reputation using this liquid, which is widely believed to be sourced from the Barton 1792 distillery. So it is not entirely surprising that parent company Sazerac has decided to push the boundaries of its 1792 brands and bottle some of this older, well-aged whiskey itself.
Currently, the oldest official release from Barton 1792 is a 12 year old, bottled at 96.6 proof. The rumored 15 year age statement, however, is set to be released at cask strength. Curiously, the back label suggests it may come in a one-litre format, a size rarely used for 1792 products. This could indicate a duty-free focus, which would likely make it highly sought after and an excellent showcase of what Barton distillate can achieve.
5 – Eagle Rare 30 year old
Buffalo Trace has really outdone itself with this upcoming release. In 2025, the Eagle Rare brand expanded with the launch of the 12 year old, but this year they are leaping nearly two decades ahead with their next offering. Matured for an astonishing 30 years, this 101 proof bourbon is likely to be even more exclusive than both the 25 year old Eagle Rare and the brand’s equally rare O.F.C. vintages. While the O.F.C. expressions have emphasized the year of distillation, this 30 year age statement gives Buffalo Trace’s blenders maximum flexibility to craft a whiskey that fully reflects three decades of Kentucky maturation.
The Eagle Rare 25 year old launched in October 2023 with just 200 bottles at an MSRP of $10,000. With an additional five years of aging, it would not be surprising if the 30 year Eagle Rare carried an MSRP approaching $20,000. This is a bourbon the average enthusiast will likely never see, but it stands as a genuine, boundary-pushing release from one of the country’s most sought-after distilleries.
6 – Buffalo Trace Experimental 15 Year Wheated Low Entry Proof
Okay, one final Buffalo Trace highlight, and this one is a whopper. While the Eagle Rare 30 is essentially unobtainable for most people, this experimental release should actually be available at the distillery gift shop. So what makes it so special? It is 15 years old, crafted from Buffalo Trace’s wheated mashbill, and bottled at 107 proof. Those specs mirror the famous Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old almost exactly.
What truly raises the stakes, however, is the lower barrel entry proof. Buffalo Trace’s wheated mash typically enters the barrel at 114 proof, but this experimental release went in at 105 proof. That is remarkably close to the 103 proof used by Pappy Van Winkle at the original Stitzel Weller distillery.
The result is a cask strength, well-aged wheated bourbon inspired by an older style of whiskey making, one that closely echoes the traditions of Stitzel Weller. If this bottle really does hit the gift shop shelves, I have no doubt the queues will be long.
7 – Wild Turkey 16 Year Gold Foil
Here’s a fun one, a 16 year old Wild Turkey release bottled at 120 proof, paying tribute to the original “Cheesy Gold Foil” bottlings produced from the mid-1980s through the late 1990s. While the original carried a 12 year age statement, the whiskey inside was often much older, as the 1980s and 1990s were a time when warehouses were overflowing with mature stock.
Those early Gold Foil releases are among the most sought-after vintage Wild Turkey bottlings today. Many long-time Turkey fans chase specific bottling years, with rumors that some releases from around 1986 to 1988 contained a blend of both Old Boone and Wild Turkey distilled whiskey.
For the 2026 edition, the legendary Russell family has selected barrels aged for at least 16 years. As is often the case with premium Wild Turkey releases, even older barrels are likely to be included in the blend. Fan favorites like Russell’s Reserve 15 year old reportedly contained whiskey over 20 years of age, so expectations are high that this 16 year Gold Foil tribute will deliver a similarly exceptional experience.
Wild Turkey has been on an impressive run in recent years, with standout releases like Russell’s Reserve 15 year old, alongside strong showings from the Single Rickhouse, 13 year, and Generations and Master’s Keep lines. Here’s hoping this 16 year old keeps that momentum going.
8 – Black Maple Hill’s Return to its roots
The Black Maple Hill brand has long been one of the most sought-after names in the bourbon world. Launched in 2000 by California distributor CVI Brands, the label relied on whiskey sourced and bottled by KBD, now known as Willett. In the early 2000s, KBD held vast stocks of well-aged whiskey from across the country, allowing Black Maple Hill to release single barrel and small batch bottlings featuring bourbon and rye aged anywhere from 15 to 25 years.
As those mature stocks began to dry up in the late 2000s, the brand transitioned to a non-age-stated small batch product before eventually disappearing from shelves altogether.
In 2014, Black Maple Hill returned as the flagship brand of the Stein Distillery in Oregon. For the past decade, the label has focused on Oregon-produced bourbon and rye. Unfortunately, these newer releases have struggled to live up to the reputation established by the highly aged sourced whiskey of the early years, leaving many longtime fans disappointed.
That is why the appearance of new Black Maple Hill labels in late 2025 generated so much excitement. This time, the brand has been revived by the highly regarded non-distilling producer Rare Character. Much like Black Maple Hill’s original incarnation, Rare Character sources whiskey from across the country, releasing malt whiskey, bourbons, ryes, and a wide range of barrel finishes. Their high-quality single barrels have earned them a devoted following among whiskey enthusiasts.
Rare Character has already resurrected several vintage labels, including Fortuna for its core range bourbon and the historically KBD-owned Brook Hill brand. Bringing Black Maple Hill back into the fold returns the label to its sourcing roots, and in Rare Character’s hands, fans can reasonably expect well-aged, high-quality Kentucky bourbon once again.
9 – Elijah Craig 15 Year
Now this one is controversial. I think this release is fundamentally unnecessary and actually a step backward for the Elijah Craig brand, yet I still expect plenty of people to chase it in 2026. If the label is to be believed, this 15 year old is essentially just a younger version of the existing 18 year old single barrel.
The 18 year old has long been the black sheep of the Elijah Craig lineup, often criticized for being underproof and consistently over-oaked. Over the past few years, its market value has steadily declined. When I visited Heaven Hill in Bardstown, it was available for $200 USD, the official MSRP. Just a week later in downtown New York City, it was sitting on shelves for $160 and not selling. I have even seen prices around $140 shared on social media. It is hard to argue with the evidence that the Elijah Craig 18 year has struggled to find an audience.
Could a reduction in age be the fix? Possibly. Nearly every EC18 I have tried has been overly tannic, so a slightly younger, better-balanced version does have some potential. But if both the 15 and 18 year expressions are produced at the same time, the 18 year old becomes largely redundant. In that scenario, the 15 year ends up in a strange place within the lineup. For that reason, I would not be surprised to see the 18 year discontinued in 2026.
10 – Ezra Brooks 12yo Single barrel
This one is a modern whiskey drinker’s revival, as the blue wax single barrel bourbon from Ezra Brooks has earned a loyal following over the years. Originally launched around 2000, the expression was discontinued in roughly 2015, and 2026 marks its long-awaited return. The revived release is true to the original, a 12 year old single barrel bourbon bottled at 99 proof by Lux Row, which acquired the Ezra Brooks brand in the early 1990s. Since then, the brand has evolved considerably, with many of its 1990s and early 2000s bottlings produced primarily for the Japanese market.
The whiskey has long been believed to be sourced from Heaven Hill, and if history is any guide, this returning 12 year old single barrel will likely follow the same path. Lux Row broke ground on its Bardstown distillery in 2016 and filled its first barrels in 2018, so their own distillate is still too young to meet a 12 year age statement.
Recent Ezra Brooks releases, particularly the 7 year barrel strength expression, have been particularly impressive to me. However, Lux Row’s other brands have struggled to gain momentum in recent years. That makes this 12 year single barrel an especially important release, and I am hopeful it delivers the bold, classic profile fans expect, blue wax and all.
Which of these releases are you most excited for? Personally, I can’t wait to see the Wild Turkey Gold Foil hit shelves and compare it to the original releases of the 1990s!
