The 2023 Top 100 American whiskeys were blind tasted and ranked December 20. The live tasting aired on YouTube.

Criteria / How They Were Chosen

• Tasted by me between November 2022 and November 2023.

• Blind Bourbon winners receive automatic bids into Top 100.

• High Scores and Best in Show from ASCOTs earn automatic bids.

• Must have at least 500 bottles. (Eliminates single barrels)

• The whiskey excites me.

Here are the rankings:

1: Buffalo Trace Prohibition: Old Stagg, 132.4 Proof, $1,000

2: Larceny C923, 126.4 Proof, $60.00

3: Larceny A123, 125.8 Proof, $59.00

4: Nashville Barrel Company Cask Batch, 123.7 Proof, $75.00

5: Nelson Bros. 15 Year Rye, 108.4 Proof, $300.00

6: Barrell Batch 35,  117.5 proof, $85.00

7: Woodford Reserve Batch Proof, 124.7 proof, $130.00

8: Stagg Jr. 22A, 132.2 Proof, $70.00

9: Elijah Craig C923, 133 Proof, $70.00

10: 291 All Rye, 132.6 Proof, $115.00

11: Stagg Jr. 23B, 127.8 Proof, $70.00

12: Colkegan Cask Strength Single Malt,  118 proof, $80.00

13: Elijah Craig B523, 124.2 Proof, $70.00

14: Balcones Cataleja Single Malt,   118 proof,  $125.00

15: George T. Stagg from Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, 135 Proof, $125.00

16: Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, 112 Proof, $200.00

17: Milam & Greene Unabridged Bourbon, 117 Proof, $95.00

18: McTavish Bottled in Bond,  100 Proof, $75.00

19: Bernheim Barrel Proof A223,  118.8 proof, $65.00

20: K.LUKE Batch 6,  119.8 Proof, $110.00

21: Milam & Greene: Castle Hills, 114.5 Proof, $150.00

22: Rabbit Hole Founder’s Collection Dareringer, 102.1 Proof, $295.00

23: Wilderness Trail 8 Year Wheated, 100 Proof, $88.00

24: Wild Turkey Generations, 120.8 Proof, $500.00

25: Woodinville Straight Bourbon Finished with Applewood Staves, 100 Proof, $100.00

26: Jefferson’s Tropics, 104 Proof, $100.00

27: James E Pepper Decanter, 105.4 Proof, $65.00

28: Boulder Cask Strength, $75.99

29: Jack Daniel’s Twice Barreled Rye,  100 Proof, $75.00

30: Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Rye, 114.4 Proof, $270.00

31: EH Taylor Barrel Proof,  131.1 Proof $80.00

32: Buffalo Trace Prohibition: Spiritis Frumenti, 110 Proof, $200.00

33: Booker’s 2023-4, 127.8 proof $90.00

34: Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Cognac, 108 Proof, $100.00

35: Jack Daniel’s 12 Year, 107 Proof, $80.00

36: Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata, 118.1 Proof, $259.00

37: Eagle Rare 17 Year, 101 Proof, $125.00

38: BBC Discovery 11, 118.1 proof, $139.99

39: Barrell Rye 4,  115.7 proof, $85.00

40: Monk’s Road Fifth District Series 8 Years Old Toasted Barrel, 100 Proof, $99.00

41: Eric Church’s JYPSI Whiskey, 115 Proof, $199.99

42: Green River, 90 Proof, $35.00

43: Wild Turkey Masters Keep Voyage, 106 Proof, $275.00

44: Redwood Empire Bottled in Bond Rye Rocket Top,  100 Proof, $90.00

45: Kentucky Peerless High Rye Bourbon,  110.5 Proof, $150.00

46: Blackwood Toasted Rye, 112.6 Proof, $159.99

47: Three Chord: Goodbye June, 120 Proof, $70.00

48: Pursuit United Blend of Straight Rye Batch 8CD, 108 Proof, $75.00

49: Southern Star Paragon Bottled in Bond Wheated, 100 Proof, $60.00

50: Cold Zero American Whiskey,  92 Proof, $40.00

51: Tattersall 5 Year Bottled in Bond Rye, 100 Proof, $50.00

52: Michter’s US 1 Bourbon, 91.4 Proof, $40.00

53: Four Gate Whiskey Company Batch 19 – The Kelvin Collaboration IIII, 111.7 Proof, $220

54: Barrell Craft Spirits Private Release Bourbon CSX8

55: Wild Turkey: Rare Breed, 116.88 Proof, $60

56: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, 96 Proof, $170.00

57: New Riff Kentucky Single Malt, 113.8 Proof, $70.00

58: Kentucky Senator 8 Year, 107 Proof, $135.00

59: Knob Creek 18 Year, 100 Proof, $170.00

60: OH Ingram River Aged Flagship 2023 Bourbon, 102 Proof, $99.00

61: Old Forester 100, 100 Proof, $26.00

62: Parker’s Heritage 10 Year Rye, 128.8 Proof, $180.00

63: Willett Black Bottle Bourbon 8 Year,  108 proof, $299.00

64: MB Roland Rye Batch 11, 110 Proof, $55.00

65: AD Laws Bottled in Bond 8 Year Bourbon, 100 Proof, $80.00

66: Little Book 7, 118.1 Proof, $150.00

67: Chattanooga Cask 111, 111 Proof, $45.00

68: Highline Triple Rye, 97 Proof, $65.00

69: BBC Discovery 10, 114.24 Proof, $139.99

70: New Riff Yellow Leaming Straight Bourbon, 100 Proof, $56.00

71: Blood Oath Pact 9,  98.6 Proof, $130.00

72: Hemingway Rye 2023 Signature, 102 Proof, $80.00

73: Penelope Rose Cask Finish, 94 Proof, $80.00

74: Old Line American Single Malt Double Oak Madeira Cask, 100 Proof, $65.00

75: Remus Gatsby, 98.1 Proof, $200.00

76: Clyde May’s 6 Year, 110 Proof, $60.00

77: Old Man Winter Batch 2, 109.8 proof, $158.00

78: Penelope 9 Year Cask Strength, 109 Proof $65.00

79: Brothers Bond Cask Strength Bourbon, 114.08 Proof, $80.00

80: Uncle Nearest 1856, 100 Proof, $59.00

81: Buzzard’s Roost Toasted Rye Batch 3, 105 Proof, $75.00

82: Still Austin Cask Strength, 118 Proof, $50.00

83: Frey Ranch 100% Malted Corn, 110 Proof, $59.00

84: Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged, 115.7 Proof, $150.00

85: Leopold Brothers 6 Year Bottled in Bond Rye Batch 47, 100 Proof, $250.00

86: Thomas H. Handy, 124.9 Proof, $125.00

87: Driftless Glenn Bourbon Batch 42, 96 Proof, $40.00

88: Southern Distilling Company’s Hunting Creek Straight Rye, 100 Proof, $50.00

89: Smoke Wagon Uncut 180B, 113.96 Proof, $79.00

90: Michter’s Rye Toasted, 109.2 Proof, $120.00

91: New Riff Blue Clarage Ky Straight Bourbon, 100 Proof, $56.00

92: High West Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 11 Scene 1, 98.6 Proof, $150.00

93: Jack Daniels 10 Year Batch 02, 97 Proof, $70.00

94: Spirits of French Lick Hindostan Falls, 100 Proof, $50.00

95: Boot Hill Batch 15 High Wheat Kansas Bourbon, 90 Proof, $45.00

96: Copper and Kings Brandy Finish Bourbon, 111.1 Proof, $65.00

97: Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat Bottled in Bond, 100 proof, $60.00

98: J. Rieger & Co. Kansas City Whiskey, 92 Proof, $54.00

99: Journeyman Corsetts Whips & Whiskey Wheat Whiskey, 117 Proof, $60.00

100: K.LUKE Whiskey Company Batch 4, 117.7 Proof,  $80.00

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