American whiskey isn’t just about bourbon and rye anymore, although we will be talking about quite a few of them in this article. The variety and style within American whiskey can be truly baffling, and while American single malt is still a newly defined category, it offers a real point of difference for whiskey drinkers.
Below is a personal selection of high-scoring American whiskeys from the IWSC 2026 that, if I saw them on the shelf, would be an instant buy.
Warfield Gently Peated American Single Malt, 50%, $64.99 / £48 – Spirit Gold, 97 points
This distillery is speaking my language when it comes to balance and flavor. Combining locally grown Idaho barley with heavily peated barley imported from Scotland, the final result isn’t an ashtray bomb soaked in iodine. Instead, it is a restrained and balanced flavor profile that should remind you of the subtle smokiness found in some Scottish whiskeys, alongside Warfield’s own distillery character of chocolate, honey, and sweet malted barley.
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If I could get my hands on this in the UK, it would be an instant buy. For the time being, a small sample will have to do.
Redemption Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 46%, $33 / £26 – Spirit Gold, 95 points
A bourbon with a 21% rye kick behind it, what more could you want? If aromas and flavors of honey, vanilla, and coconut excite you, but you also want a hefty hit of lemon, cinnamon, and allspice in the background, then this is the bourbon for you.
My first experience of Redemption bourbon was in a wonderful whiskey bar in Liverpool called Van Winkle. As a fan of Wild Turkey and Old Grand-Dad, this made total sense to me. Even though it is hard to find in the UK, and trying to beat Wild Turkey on price is a dangerous game, if I could have this as a house pour it would be a top contender.
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READ THE STORYBelle Meade Bourbon Cask Strength Reserve, 54.2%, $58.99 / £45 – Spirit Gold, 95 points
A rather potent blend of straight bourbon whiskeys, put together by the folks at Belle Meade, but this time at cask strength.
This is another high-rye bourbon, with only five barrels per batch and ages ranging from 7 to 11 years old across the different releases. What I’ve tried from Belle Meade in the past has always leaned on stone fruits, notably some wonderful cherry notes, as well as a bucket full of caramel.
That is also the case with the cask strength variation. It is heavy and dense with cherries and cherry liqueur, with loads of vanilla, caramel, and toffee. Honestly, it reminds me of the smell of a Snickers chocolate bar.
O.H. Ingram Flagship Bourbon Batch 5, 58.25%, $79.99 / £60 – Spirit Gold, 95 points
A blend of only eight high-rye bourbon barrels, with a mash bill of 36% rye, 60% corn, and 4% malted barley.
This brand was something I hadn’t come across before, so when someone handed me a sample of this, I have to say it really struck a chord. This is one of the richest and most decadent bottles of bourbon I’ve tried in a long time.
It is heavy with freshly baked apple pie, thick vanilla ice cream, butterscotch, and caramelized brown sugar. The palate is dense and rich, with milk chocolate and more butterscotch, while the rye comes across as a nice earthy contrast to the creaminess. The finish is all cinnamon, buttery pastry, more caramelized sugar, and Irish coffee. Simply wonderful.
Smokeye Hill 5 Year Old Barrel Proof Blended Rye Whiskey, 65.6%, $99 / £74 – Spirit Gold, 95 points
Variety of influence is what this blended rye is all about. Putting the absolutely massive ABV to one side, we have a distillate aged in regular-sized and slightly smaller new American oak barrels, with multiple different char levels involved.
Aged for at least five years and bottled at 65.6% ABV, this is an exemplary style of blended rye whiskey. The nose is like rye meets sherry: lots of nutty sweetness, with lemon oil and date notes, along with some excellent nutmeg.
The palate is bold and sweet, with melted toffee, honey, and baked lemons, all backed up by a decent crack of black pepper. The finish is rich with more honey, freshly cut oak, Earl Grey tea, and gentle spiciness. A must-find if you can.
Frey Ranch Distillery Farm Strength Uncut 6 Year Old Rye Whiskey, 60%+, $79.99 / £60 – Spirit Silver, 93 points
A 100% winter cereal rye bottled at 60% ABV or above, this is what Frey Ranch has built its reputation on, along with its wonderful bourbon releases.
The bottle comes with the heaviest stopper I’ve ever held, and thankfully, the flavor backs it up. There is lots of zingy grapefruit and orange zest, with toasted nuts and whipped honey.
Taste-wise, it is fully loaded with butter and spice. You get a real battle on the tongue between layered, buttered pastry notes and full-blown, dominant spiciness, which pulls through with lots of fresh oak and dark chocolate. Outstanding.
Mary Dowling Winter Wheat Bourbon, 45.5%, $50 / £40 – Spirit Silver, 92 points
Now, wheat is something I haven’t really spoken about much, which is odd for me, but here we are. This bourbon contains 65% corn, 25% winter wheat, and 10% malted barley, and is matured in level three charred barrels.
The taste is wonderful, loaded with cherries, cocoa, toasted nuts, and sweet espresso coffee. However, the story of Mary Dowling is as interesting as the whiskey itself.
She was the first female distiller to move her entire production to Mexico to evade the dry laws spreading through the country. She was targeted by the government, and her buildings were raided in Lawrenceburg, a city where she had become the wealthiest woman and one of the strongest civic leaders in the area, championing better health and welfare services.
All of that while also creating a relatively unknown whiskey legacy. I feel that is something we need to change.
Which IWSC 2026 American Whiskey Would You Pick?
This year’s IWSC results show just how much there is to explore in American whiskey right now. Yes, bourbon and rye are still doing a lot of heavy lifting, but peated American single malt, winter wheat bourbon, farm-strength rye, and high-proof blends are all bringing something different to the table.
These are the bottles that stood out to me, either because I’ve tried them, want to track them down, or think they offer something genuinely exciting. Now I want to know what you think. Which American whiskey from the IWSC 2026 would be your top pick? Let us know in the comments.
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