11 Great Fall Whiskey Releases You Should Try (2025)

11 bourbons and whiskeys that should be on your shortlist

Much like Linus in “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” I never lose faith year after year that the Great Fall Whiskey Release will bestow some amazing amber unicorns upon us to enjoy, savor, and chase down.

Since September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, many brands wait until the fall to release their best products of the year. And as you can imagine, the market gets inundated with top-tier whiskeys that people spend the rest of the year scouring the earth for one bottle — or just one taste.

Remember to keep the faith, and the Great Whiskey Pumpkin just might reward you. Below are 11 bottles I’ve been fortunate to try this season that are worth their weight in gold.

King of Kentucky

127 Proof | $399

Details: Sexy and 17, my little bourbon King! One of the hardest bourbon unicorns to find each year, this one is truly worth the effort — and I know I say this year after year. This is the eighth iteration of the King of Kentucky and is one of the oldest at 17 years (a super-premium 18-year was released in 2022 in addition to a 15-year). Because Brown-Forman heat-cycles their warehouses where these barrels age, the angels get a generous share — leaving little in the barrel after a dozen years or so. That’s why the King is always limited, rare, and damn tasty. Long live the King!

Tasting Notes: It’s eating bananas foster inside a rickhouse on the nose all day long, with that oak really standing tall due to the older age. The vintage banana note continues over to the palate, where intriguing notes of toffee, baked cherries, and sweet tobacco collide. It definitely does not drink like a high-proof whiskey, even though my sample was 127. The finish is long and sweet with a subtle hint of graham cracker pie crust. What can I say, this bourbon is indeed sexy.

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2025

109 Proof | $249

Details: Like the brilliant colors of autumn leaves, the return of Four Roses’ Limited Edition Small Batch is a timeless sign that fall is here. A medley of older barrels, this year’s bourbon features four different batches (aged 13 and 19 years) and three different recipes (OBSV, OBSK, and OESV for all you Four Roses fanatics). Much like the King, you can count on this one to be a solid pour year after year, and it’s fun to see what Master Distiller Brent Elliott comes up with as he samples through the numerous rickhouses. I’d like to be a fly on his whiskey thief while he selects this one.

Tasting Notes: On the nose, I get nutmeg and apricot with a slight hint of butterscotch pudding. That creaminess carries over to the palate, where I also get green apple, citrus, baked cherries, buttery caramel, and some black-pepper heat. The finish is tingly and pleasant, with hints of brown sugar and baking spices.

Heaven Hill Master Distillers Unity

107 Proof | $225

Details: To celebrate the opening of the $200 million Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, the company released this legacy bourbon to honor its past and present master distillers. It features the last remaining barrel produced at the original Heaven Hill Distillery that sadly burnt down in 1996. The 34-year bourbon was made by industry legend Parker Beam. The rest of the blend features barrels aged 6-14 that were made by former distillers like Beam and Denny Potter, as well as current Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll. That’s a whole lotta history in one bottle!

Tasting Notes: This bourbon wafts with notes of cherry crisp and vanilla bean ice cream. There’s also a nice oaky tobacco note from the aged bourbons as well. And on the palate, I get a stellar specimen of fine Kentucky bourbon. It’s got the sweetness of toasted marshmallow and caramel, the heat of cinnamon and black pepper, and the earthiness of pecans and oak. The finish is a slippery slope of simple syrup and citrus zest. I could spend days trying to dissect the layers here, and I still wouldn’t come close to describing all the nuances. Bravo!

Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025

112.9 Proof | $175

Details: I thought last year’s Cellar Aged was incredible, but this year’s actually tops it. A blend of 11-, 13- and 14-year-old Maker’s barrels that were aged normally in a rickhouse for about six years and then moved to the cellar on the distillery’s campus, this is the brand’s oldest release. After the barrels are moved into the cellar, aging slows down a bit due to the calm and cool temperatures, allowing oxidation to erase some of the barrel’s tannins. In other words, science happens and great bourbon emerges!

Tasting Notes: This is a magical carpet ride of rich caramel and gooey toasted marshmallow. The nose is a pleasant with baked apple and modjeska notes. On the palate, a nice layer of milk chocolate fudge and butterscotch surfaces, with sprinkles of vanilla, dark fruit, and even some citrus. The finish is long and delightful, with hints of marshmallow cream and toffee.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Heritage Barrel Tennessee Whiskey

100 Proof | $69.99

Details: Before now, the Jack Daniel’s Heritage Barrel had only been released twice in limited runs in 2018 and 2019, but now the Tennessee distillery says it’ll be a permanent expression. Whether that means you’ll be able to find it in stores or not remains to be seen, but it’s definitely worth picking up a bottle if you come across one. Not only does the whiskey age for at least 7 years in high-toasted/low-charred barrels, but the barrel entry proof is an industry low 100. I’m a big fan of low barrel entry proof, and this bourbon is a shining example that it truly makes a difference.

Tasting Notes: First of all, this whiskey is viscous and buttery, a characteristic of low barrel entry proof. I’m already in love. The nose is bright with notes of red candy apple, burnt sugar, vanilla, and oak. On the palate, I get graham crackers, caramelized sugar, a hint of that Jack banana that’s always present, and a mild spicy note. Some of that spice lingers in the finish, and the sweetness carries through as well, making me salivate for another sip. This just might be my go-to fall whiskey, perfect to sip by the firepit on cool evenings.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish

109.3 Proof | $99.99

Details: Following the huge success of their last Distillery Reserve Series (the Cathedral French Oak), Bardstown Bourbon Co. has launched the Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish. It’s a blend of 14- to 18-year-old bourbons (from Kentucky and Tennessee) and one 9-year rye whiskey (from Indiana) that was then finished for 28 months in six, 66-gallon barrels made of rare Japanese mizunara oak. Of course they aren’t the first to use mizunara oak and hopefully won’t be the last, because this is delicious!

Tasting Notes: Enticing with a reddish-amber color, the whiskey is a perfect balance of sweet notes like caramel apple and brown sugar with savory notes like coconut and tobacco. This might sound strange, but I even taste a little country ham note on the finish. These bottles are 375ml, but they’re definitely worth the $100 price tag if you can find it.

Frey Ranch Harvester Series: Second Harvest

122.44 Proof | $249.99

Details: Estate distilling is becoming a new buzz word in the whiskey industry, and Nevada’s Frey Ranch is one of the distilleries leading the charge. If you think about it, back in the 1800s and early 1900s, every distillery could be classified as estate distilling. But now, obviously, not many grow their own grains. This premium release is the second in the Frey Ranch Harvester Series and is a blend put together by distillery founders Colby and Ashley Frey, Master Distiller Russell Wedlake, and renowned Master Blender Nancy Fraley. It’s predominantly a wheat whiskey, although it has some four grain bourbon and single malt whiskey in it as well. The packaging is also something to marvel — it comes tucked inside a steel container that resembles a grain silo.

Tasting Notes: With all those whiskeys gettin’ down on the farm, this is a marvelous example of the future of blending in the industry. On the nose, I get bright fruit notes like green apple and cherry. I detect some subtle mint and citrus zest as well. On the palate, I get a warm, buttery mouthfeel with flavors of milk chocolate, shortbread, sweet oak, and more of that citrus. The finish is sultry and creamy, with a lasting note of candied pecans.

Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey

91.2 Proof | $110

Details: This annual release from Michter’s is part of their Legacy Series, which also includes Bomberger’s. Shenk’s is always bottled at a lower proof, which allows the flavor nuances to shine, in my opinion. This year’s release features fully matured whiskey (heavy on the rye) that was then finished in toasted French oak barrels sourced from the Vosges region of France. Let’s face it, anything Michter’s puts out there is liquid gold, and this is no different.

Tasting Notes: On the nose, I get honey and sandalwood, with some pear and vanilla bean as well. And on the palate, that French oak surfaces with some toasted almond and baking spices, followed by mild toffee and graham cracker notes. I’m shocked there’s not a lot of spice or heat here, even on the finish, but instead it’s a warm, refreshing hug from Mom on Christmas morning.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon

92 Proof | $199.99

Details: The annual Birthday Bourbon release is highly anticipated by fans of Old Forester, and this on brings some new dimensions to the table. First off, the 12-year-old bourbon is sweet mash, meaning they distilled the bourbon without any setback from a previous batch (which would make it sour mash). Secondly, it was proofed down to 92, which is considerably low for this release, the 25th in the series. Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo selected 210 barrels to be a part of this year’s expression.

Tasting Notes: Because of the lower proof, on the nose, I get a tea-and-crumpet kind of note, as well as some baked cherry and cinnamon. The palate truly shines with bright red apple, vanilla, and sweet oak, along with the familiar baking spices and a citrus zest. It’s still got a kick at 92 proof, so don’t let that keep you away from celebrating this Birthday Bourbon. The finish is medium but full of brown sugar and cinnamon toast.

Angel’s Envy Peated Cask Rye

100 Proof | $54.99

Details: This little gem dropped during the week of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, so it may have gotten overshadowed, but it’s worth a taste. Released as a Distillery Series bottle (you can only get it at the Louisville-based distillery), this finished whiskey is a testament to the innovation Master Distiller Owen Martin brings from his craft distilling days (Stranahan’s, Rock Town). In this one, he took 6-year-old rye whiskey and aged it an additional year in single-malt peated scotch casks from Islay. The result is a mild smoky spice bomb that even a non-peat-lover like me can enjoy.

Tasting Notes: On the nose, I get a hint of a wood barbecue meat smoker, but it’s definitely not overpowering or off-putting. Below that is a nutty earthiness and vanilla ice cream. On the palate, I get fun candy notes — like hard cinnamon candy and Twizzlers — along with subtle smoke, tobacco, and toffee. It’s easy to detect the peat if you’re looking for it, but if I hadn’t told you what the whiskey was finished in, you might never guess. The finish is buttery and salty, like caramel sea salt candy. I’d love to see what this does in an Old Fashioned.

Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Beacon

118 Proof | $300

Details: I couldn’t not include the new Master’s Keep Beacon, the last in the Master’s Keep series, they say, and also the highest proof of the 10 expressions. I’m not sure why they’re ending it and if they’ll replace it with a new limited-edition Turkey tater, so I guess we’ll see. The Beacon is a blend of a 10-year barrels selected by Associate Master Blender Bruce Russell and 16-year barrels picked by Master Distiller Eddie Russell. Bruce’s barrels were some of the first he helped make when he joined his dad and grandpa (Jimmy) at Wild Turkey in 2015. And Eddie’s barrels are some of the last remaining of those made at the old distillery in 2007 and 2008, before it was renovated and expanded in 2011.

Tasting Notes: All I can say is wow. The nose on this is incredible, with so much red apple and oak that it made me envision an orchard nestled inside a rickhouse. There’s an interesting sweetness to the oak, too. On the palate, I get more of that soft oak — likely from the 16-year-old — along with a Fig Newtons note, baking spices, and baked cherries. That Wild Turkey funkiness is here, too, of course, and that’s a plus in my book. There’s also a vintage quality that surprised me, but it’s well-balanced by rich toffee and black pepper. The finish is a long and winding road of mulled wine, vanilla bean, and citrus notes. Don’t ask, just enjoy. Wow.

11 Great Fall Whiskey Releases You Should Try (2025)

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