<p>It's New Year's Eve, the last day of 2025, so if you're reading this that means you made it. Congratulations! That also means that it's time for a slew of "best of" lists, each naming what people believe to be the top spirits that were released over the course of the past year. Nothing wrong with that at all, but we decided to do something a little bit different this year, and list what we think were the most interesting spirits of 2025, from whiskey to tequila to rum. Yes, "interesting" is kind an open-ended descriptor, but we're talking about unusual and innovative spirits that stand out for the way they were produced and, of course, how they taste. Check out the list below, give them all a try, and happy New Year!</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">El Tesoro Mundial: Yamazaki Edition</h3>
<p dir="ltr">One of the most interesting, not to mention delicious, spirits of the year was not a whiskey at all&mdash;it was a tequila from esteemed distillery El Tesoro. This was the latest edition in the Mundial series, which consists of tequilas that were aged in barrels previously used to mature whiskey from one of the other distilleries owned by parent company Suntory Global Spirits. In this case, tequila produced at La Altena spent a full year in barrels that came from House of Suntory&rsquo;s famed Yamazaki distillery (sherry and red wine to be exact), and the result is a tequila that you will want to revisit again and again.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">The Laddie Rye</h3>
<p dir="ltr">When you think scotch whisky, you probably think of single malt, right? That makes sense, but one distillery that is always pushing the boundaries of how the category is perceived is Islay&rsquo;s Bruichladdich. The latest release is The Laddie Rye, a rye whisky made from a mashbill of 55 percent rye and 45 percent malted barley. It&rsquo;s bottled at 50 percent ABV after aging in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels, toasted virgin oak, and Crianza wine casks. Technically this qualifies as a single grain scotch whisky, but it&rsquo;s still a fantastic and very different new release that defies expectations.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Widow Jane The Vaults 2025</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Widow Jane is a Brooklyn distillery that makes some young bourbon in-house, and also sources and blends barrels of much older whiskey into some very good releases. Case in point is The Vaults series, and the 2025 release was an interesting one due to the type of finishing barrels used. This is a 15-year-old bourbon that was given a secondary maturation in what the distillery calls Mythological Oak. What that really means is Greek oak harvested from forests around the city of Amfilochia that was air seasoned for up to two years. The result is a rich, deep, and complex bourbon that also sounds like it was matured in a warehouse in Asgard.</p>
<h3>Milam &amp; Greene Provisions</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Why did this 80-proof bourbon make the list? That&rsquo;s because it&rsquo;s actually a really good 80-proof bourbon, something that is few and far between these days, at least to the palate of most seasoned whiskey drinkers. This is a blend of Kentucky and Texas bourbon that was all in Milam &amp; Greene&rsquo;s home state, and bottled at the minimum 40 percent ABV. The whiskey&rsquo;s complexity belies its low strength, making this a bottle worth seeking out, even if you prefer barrel-proof bourbon.<strong><br></strong></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Bomberger&rsquo;s PFG</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Whiskey fans love Michter&rsquo;s because of its core lineup of solid bourbon and rye, barrel-proof whiskeys, and age statement (10, 20, and 25-year-old) expressions. But Bomberger&rsquo;s PFG, part of the Legacy Series along with Shenk&rsquo;s Homestead and the original Bomberger&rsquo;s Declaration, is something completely different. The bourbon was aged in new charred oak, then put into French oak barrels that were toasted and charred using a proprietary "PFG" (precision fine grain) process. This is a rich, spicy, woody bourbon that stands out from the pack.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Remus Bourbon Master Distiller Experimental Series</h3>
<p dir="ltr">This is one of those &ldquo;happy accident&rdquo; releases, an expression that should always be taken with a grain of salt. Produced at Indiana distillery MGP as part of its Ross &amp; Squibb lineup, this bourbon is said to be from a 2015 barrel experiment&mdash;it was aged for nine years in lightly charred, heavily toasted Seguin Moreau casks made from staves that were seasoned for a full two years. The whiskey was bottled at 107 proof, and has a pronounced oaky profile along with notes of spice, fruit, and burnt caramel on the palate.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">WhistlePig Boss Hog XII: Feather and Flame</h3>
<p dir="ltr">We&rsquo;ve covered this release before, but it&rsquo;s worth mentioning again. The latest edition of WhistlePig&rsquo;s annual, collectible Boss Hog series was one of its most unique to date. This is a single barrel rye whiskey that was finished in casks which were seasoned with a version of pulque that was made at the Vermont distillery from chocolate and chilis. The whiskey is complex and markedly spicy, and stands out even among WhistlePig&rsquo;s many experiments.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">St. George American Single Malt Whiskey Lot 25</h3>
<p dir="ltr">St. George Spirits is one of the OGs of American craft distilling, and its American single malt is an early example of this now officially recognized category. This new release harkens back to the early days&mdash;to celebrate the distillery&rsquo;s 25th year, the whiskey was made from a mashbill of malted barley roasted to various levels, including some quite heavily so, and aged in a variety of casks, with used bourbon and rye, French oak apple brandy, rum, and California wine in the mix. The whiskey in the blend ranges in age from five to 13 years old, and overall it&rsquo;s a solid example of the roots and progression of the ASM style.<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Mount Gay Single Estate 25_04&nbsp;</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Here&rsquo;s another non-whiskey entry on this list&mdash;Barbados distillery Mount Gay&rsquo;s fourth rum in its Single Estate series. The rum was made from molasses made entirely from sugar cane grown on the Mount Gay estate. Master Blender Trudiann Branker blended together two pot still distillates matured for five years in American oak. It was bottled at 110 proof with no chill filtration or color added. If you&rsquo;re a whiskey drinker looking to get into rum, give this bottle a try.</p>

The Most Interesting Spirits of The Year

<p dir="ltr">What&rsquo;s happening in wine and whiskey this week:</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">This Week&rsquo;s Unicorn Review Stories</h3>
<p dir="ltr">🍷 It&rsquo;s the holidays, and that means it&rsquo;s time for bubbly&mdash;but instead of Prosecco or Champagne this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/cava-wine-holidays">give Cava a try</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">🥃 Terroir has long been a part of the wine conversation, but some tequila brands and producers are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/tequila-terroir">going all in on the concept as well</a>.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">New Bottle Releases</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Chattanooga 2025 Vault Series</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This is the third annual release of the Vault Series from Tennessee craft distillery Chattanooga Whiskey. This year it includes three different experimental cask finishes&mdash;apricot brandy, tequila, and Sauternes. These were all previously available as much shorter cask finishes, but these new whiskeys were left to mature for a few years in each specific barrel type. 123-132 proof; SRP $47</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Rare Character Hurst Knoll</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This small brand is known for releasing some very collectible barrel-proof whiskeys, but this new expression is much more attainable and approachable (not to mention affordable). Hurst Knoll is a seven-year-old, 101-proof rye whiskey that is designed for mixing into cocktails, but would not be a bad choice to sip on either. 101 proof; SRP $60</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Foursquare Mark XXIX: Mandamus</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Barbados distillery Foursquare is one of the best in the business, releasing rum under its own label and producing for various independent bottlers. This new rum is a blend of pot and column-distilled spirit that was aged for 16 years&mdash;10 in ex-bourbon barrels and six in port pipes&mdash;before being bottled at high proof with no sugar or coloring added. 114 proof; SRP $160</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Whiskey Pick of the Week</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Kings County Empire Rye</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Kings County was the first distillery to operate in Brooklyn when it started making whiskey back in 2010. Since then, the distillery has come a long way, getting a great deal of acclaim in the craft distilling world (and beyond) and expanding its lineup to include some very interesting whiskeys, some of which are bottled at extremely high proof. The latest release arrived last summer&mdash;Empire County Rye, a new member of the core portfolio.</p>
<p><strong><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/4a64a9cd-535e-4f0b-8fb5-a1529a02bc83.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Empire Rye"><br></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The qualifications for Empire Rye, a category that was established in 2017, are as follows: the whiskey must be made from at least 75 percent grains grown in New York State, meet the qualifications of straight rye whiskey, and be distilled in New York. Empire Rye, obviously, meets all of those. It&rsquo;s made from 80 percent Danko rye grown in New York, and 20 percent English malted barley, and bottled at 90 proof after being aged for a minimum of three years.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This is a very unique rye whiskey, and very different from what you might expect if you&rsquo;re used to Kentucky style "just-legal" rye or MGP&rsquo;s 95/5 rye. There&rsquo;s a great deal of chocolate on the palate, along with big notes of fruit and spice that balance out flavors of nutmeg, vanilla, and some oak. This leans towards the younger side, for obvious reasons, but it&rsquo;s a really good example of the path that Kings County has embarked upon over the past 15 years, and a great rye to use in your next Manhattan. 101 proof; SRP $69</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Wine Pick of the Week</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Racines NV Sta. Rita Hills Grande Reserve</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Imagine this&mdash;the dream team of Etienne de Montille and his winemaker Brian Sieve, of the great Volnay (Burgundy) house Domaine de Montille, teaming up with the scion of the Champagne Pierre Peters, Rodolphe Peters. Their California project, Racines, in the Sta. Rita Hills, is very much hitting its stride, especially now, bolstered by M. Peters&rsquo; contribution&mdash;a sumptuous sparkling wine program.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/46e8f62c-6e3f-47ab-b8ac-ae34b0b328dc.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Racines Grand Reserve"></p>
<p dir="ltr">This Grande Reserve NV, 100% Chardonnay, draws from four vineyards (Wenzlau, Sanford &amp; Benedict, La Rinconada, and Bentrock). It is an elegant affair, reminiscent of the Champagnes of the Peters house, which always show a grand, golden fruit richness, tethered to an almost wispy salinity&mdash;one of the terroir hallmarks of the Sta. Rita Hills. Add it to the bottles you&rsquo;ll be pouring for the holidays. SRP $65</p>

The Week in Wine and Whiskey: December 26

<p dir="ltr">The spirits industry is currently facing some significant challenges, as people are drinking less and tariffs are wreaking havoc upon the export market. Still, the agave spirits category has shown some resilience, even outpacing whiskey and vodka sales here in America in recent years. While many of the most popular mass-produced brands use additives and modern production methods to make their tequila, others focus on traditional practices&mdash;and a small number are taking cues from the wine world and attempting to highlight terroir.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But what exactly does terroir mean when it comes to spirits? Head bartender at <a href="https://www.almanacphilly.com/">Almanac</a> in Philadelphia, Rob Scott, describes it as how a specific geographic area imparts flavor into the final product, referring to things like soil composition, water levels, and even sun exposure. &ldquo;It's almost as if you get to take a little part of a region and capture it in the bottle,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tequila can only be produced from Blue Weber agave grown in five authorized states: Jalisco (the birthplace of tequila), Guanajuato, Michoac&aacute;n, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. Terroir-driven tequila highlights each area's soil, climate, altitude, and farming practices, allowing consumers to appreciate it in the way that wine drinkers traditionally do.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Terroir in Distilled Spirits</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://ochotequila.com/">Tequila Ocho</a> demonstrates that terroir exists in distilled spirits through its single-estate and vintage practices, harvesting agave from a single field rather than multiple fields and allowing the distinct flavors of the location and climate to shine. The brand uses only three ingredients&mdash;agave, water, and wild yeast. Its first vintage, El Vergel 2007, was released in 2008, and 46 others have been produced since then.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Master distiller Carlos Camarena co-founded Tequila Ocho with the late Tomas Estes, an avid promoter of agave spirits. As a fifth-generation agave farmer and third-generation tequilero, Camarena comes from a family deeply rooted in the spirit. His great-grandfather is said to have brought blue agave to the Highlands of Jalisco, and today the family has several brands under its control, including Ocho, <a href="https://g4tequilas.com/">G4</a>, and <a href="https://www.eltesorotequila.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22239690224&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADsRx_76APtvcKoyrJRBZVkm0VKWY&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAubrJBhCbARIsAHIdxD9-rnept7_utu4Yv0pYsglVhtbBJ_2RikOMybuMobQHMjkbR8Z4ddsaAvTQEALw_wcB">El Tesoro</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;At Ocho, each vintage comes from a single field, harvested only once, allowing drinkers to taste the differences from one place to another and from one year to the next,&rdquo; says Fany Camarena, commercial director for Tequila Ocho. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a way of celebrating the agave&rsquo;s origin and showing that tequila can be as expressive and complex as any other artisanal spirit.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Location Matters</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://loco-tequila.com/">Loco Tequila</a> also has a terroir-focused approach to its luxury tequila, planting, harvesting, and producing on its nearly 250 acres of land and on the recently acquired Hacienda La Providencia.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;All of the agave used in the creation of Loco Tequila is estate-grown, so every sip reflects an unusually specific expression of the three-mile radius that surrounds Hacienda La Providencia,&rdquo; said Alberto Navarro, CEO and maestro tequilero of Loco Tequila and author of <em>Larousse del Tequila</em>. &ldquo;These soils are quite rich in iron and silica, which impart a bold and pleasant minerality to our flavor profile.&rdquo;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Navarro acknowledges that the tequila&rsquo;s water source, a deep well fed by underground rivers that flow nearly 40 miles from Bosque de la Primavera near Guadalajara, naturally purifies the water and offers notes of limestone. However, it's the agaves, which take roughly six to eight years to mature before harvest, that play the biggest role in the flavor.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;We only harvest Loco Tequila agave when it reaches super-concentrated sugar levels up to 40 degrees Brix, which is far above the industry standard of 23&ndash;26 degrees,&rdquo; Navarro said. &ldquo;Then we harvest them one-by-one, leaving behind any agave that are not ready for harvest, or that don&rsquo;t meet our quality standards, a method known as entresaque, to create complex and richly flavored tequilas.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Not All Agaves Are The Same</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Fernando P&eacute;rez Ontiveros, founder of<a href="https://laeliatequila.com/"> Laelia Tequila</a>, explains that the tequila-producing region of Jalisco is divided into two main growing areas&mdash;the highlands (Los Altos) and the lowlands (El Valle). Both produce Blue Weber agave, but each area offers very different flavor profiles.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;At Laelia, everything starts with our land and our agave, which is grown in the lowlands of Jalisco,&rdquo; said Ontiveros. &ldquo;Our agave fields sit at a lower elevation, where warmer temperatures and rich, sandy soil create the perfect environment for agaves that grow faster and develop bright, vibrant flavors. This unique environment gives our tequila a distinctive character, with a fruitier and more herbaceous profile compared to agave from the highlands.&rdquo;</p>
<p dir="ltr">Located in the highlands of Jalisco,<a href="https://mijenta-tequila.com/"> Mijenta Tequila&rsquo;s</a> lineup is typically only made from agave grown in the region. ​However, for its latest expression, Maestra Selection No. 2, agaves from across all five Mexican tequila-producing regions were used to incorporate new flavors specific to each area.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;Sourced from single estates in each of those five territories, the agaves for this release were distilled separately and then blended to create a final profile that is rich and complex,&rdquo; said Ana Mar&iacute;a Romero, maestra tequilera at Mijenta Tequila (she also recently began working with Casa Mexico). &ldquo;Through the lens of terroir, this release was an opportunity for me to highlight the other states in Mexico that have their own unique traditions when it comes to tequila. By creating the distillates separately and bringing them together, the final blend truly embodies the beauty of Mexico.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Finding the Right Process</h3>
<p dir="ltr">William Brooks, global brand ambassador for<a href="https://www.herradura.com/"> Tequila Herradura</a>, agrees that the source of the agave is important to each tequila's flavor profile, but fermentation plays a big part as well.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;Tequila Herradura utilizes open-air fermentation,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There are 16 varieties of fruit and citrus trees around the distillery to create the yeast that converts our agave juice into alcohol. For an un-aged tequila, fermentation can be the largest contributor to flavor outside of the agave itself, allowing the natural terroir at the distillery to influence the flavors of the tequila.&rdquo;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.volcan.com/">Volcan de mi Tierra</a> attributes its balanced, agave-forward profile to the specific methods it uses to cook the agave from each region. Lowland agave is slowly cooked in traditional brick ovens and crushed with a tahona stone. This large volcanic stone wheel is traditionally pulled by an animal or a tractor (some now powered by electric motors), separating agave juice from the pulp to produce more complex, earthy flavors. Highland agaves, on the other hand, are cooked in autoclaves, crushed in a roller mill, and fermented in stainless steel vats with rum yeast to enhance tropical aromas and floral notes.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s drinkers question what&rsquo;s in their glass,&rdquo; said Carlos Pechieu, general manager and CCO at Volcan. &ldquo;The future belongs to those who create with purpose and transparency.&rdquo;</p>
<p dir="ltr">The producers who are making tequila with terroir in mind may have their own processes and methods, but one thing remains the same&mdash;it&rsquo;s all about place. Each honors the land by focusing on soil composition, microclimate, and altitude at each location, lending an expression flavored heavily by its place.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;I believe the agave spirits category will continue to grow,&rdquo; said Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a &ldquo;Chema&rdquo; Dond&eacute;, beverage director for New York City&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thebedford.nyc/stone-street">The Bedford Stone Street</a> and <a href="https://mexi.nyc/">Mexi Stone Street</a>. &ldquo;People are craving authenticity. Tequila that honors its terroir tells a story rooted in culture, agriculture, and time, and guests can taste it. Terroir-driven tequila isn&rsquo;t a trend, it&rsquo;s a return to what tequila truly is.&rdquo;</p>

Terroir is Not Just for Wine Anymore—Some Tequila Brands are Going All In on the Concept

<p dir="ltr">What&rsquo;s happening in wine and whiskey this week:</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">This Week&rsquo;s Unicorn Review Stories</h3>
<p dir="ltr">🍷 Are you familiar with Georgian wine?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/georgian-wine-aging">Here&rsquo;s a guide</a> to the wines from this country that has a long tradition of producing some very ageable bottles.</p>
<p dir="ltr">🥃 Nairobi, Kenya is coming into its own as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/nairobi-cocktail-scene">thriving and exciting cocktail destination</a>, as local bartenders create innovative drinks with African spirits made with indigenous ingredients.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">New Bottle Releases</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Old Forester 117 Series: Prohibition Era Still Proof</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The latest release in Old Forester&rsquo;s 117 Series is a high-proof tribute to the dark days of the Noble Experiment. Prohibition Era Still Proof is a 130-proof bourbon bottled at the strength that Old Forester was distilled to during the era, when the distillery was one of the few that was granted a medicinal license during Prohibition. 130 proof; SRP $65</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Blade and Bow 30-Year-Old</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This 30-year&ndash;old is one of the oldest American whiskeys released by Diageo. This bourbon was distilled in 1993, and while the source is not revealed, it was aged for a time at the long shuttered Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Some barrels that were nearly empty had to be consolidated to prevent the whiskey from becoming overly oaky while it aged. 109 proof; SRP $1,200</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Lock Stock &amp; Barrel 25</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This is the oldest rye whiskey currently on the market. Lock Stock &amp; Barrel sources its whiskey from Alberta Distillers in Canada, where it was aged for a quarter century in American oak before bottling. This 100 percent rye strikes a nice balance between spice and fruit notes, and has some pleasantly warming heat on the finish as you sip. 111 proof; SRP $1,000</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Whiskey Pick of the Week</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Glenmorangie 25 Years Old - The Altus</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">So many writers describe Dr. Bill Lumsden, director of distilling at Glenmorangie, as the &ldquo;Willy Wonka of whisky.&rdquo; But I won&rsquo;t do that here, because it&rsquo;s become a lazy cliche that is way overused. That being said, the man is known for creating whimsical whisky experiments that are often not seen anywhere else, and are frequently based on specific flavor and scent combinations like ice cream, the forest, and spice. To be fair, that does kind of remind you of the Roald Dahl character from <em>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</em>&hellip; But I said I won&rsquo;t do it, so I&rsquo;m sticking to it.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/76736857-e293-42ab-ab7a-cd743028a795.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Altus Key Visual"></p>
<p dir="ltr">Of course, some of the best Glenmorangie whiskies are also the simplest ones, the age statement expressions&mdash;although even these often employ a variety of cask finishes that make them stand out. The newest is The Altus, a 25-year-old single malt that is pretty fantastic. It spent most of its time maturing in bourbon barrels, but of course given Lumsden&rsquo;s predilections these are not just any bourbon barrels. They are &ldquo;designer bourbon casks," according to the distillery, that were made from slow-growth American oak trees. Also, a bit of the whisky was finished in Malmsey Madeira casks, a reference to the 1995 release that Glenmorangie claims to be the very first Madeira-finished whisky.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The result is a really tasty single malt that, even at a quarter century old, doesn&rsquo;t lean into heavy tropical fruit notes, as is sometimes the case. That&rsquo;s a good thing&mdash;instead, the whisky is full of vanilla, honey, spice, and fruit notes, but stone fruit and apple instead of mango or pineapple. There&rsquo;s also a bit of smoke lingering in the background, but presumably there&rsquo;s no peat involved here so that&rsquo;s due to the long time spent in oak and combination of flavors. The end result is very delicate, very complex, and very delicious.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So no, this whisky isn&rsquo;t some fantastical expression that pushes the boundaries of creativity, but that&rsquo;s not the point. It&rsquo;s just a really good (and rather expensive) whisky that further solidifies why Glenmorangie is a consistently excellent distillery.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Wine Pick of the Week</h3>
<p dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s the holidays, in case you weren&rsquo;t paying attention, and that means it&rsquo;s the time of year to bust out the special occasion wines. This is not the only time I drink Cabernet Sauvignon, but it is a crowd pleaser and deeply satisfying on cold nights.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Here are two wines from opposite ends of the Cabernet spectrum. The Minus Tide will feel exotic, redolent of the pine-covered ridges of Mendocino County where it comes from; cool, but not so cool that Cabernet comes off fully ripe and exotic. The Nickel &amp; Nickel, on the other hand, is more classic Napa, but beautifully refined and delineated.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Minus Tide 2022 Yorkville Highlands Vine View Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Minus Tide, a Mendocino winery founded by Brad Jonas, Miriam Jonas, and Kyle Jeffrey, is named for the low tides of the Pacific Coast which reveal the sea&rsquo;s treasures. Their focus, not surprisingly, is on cool climate sources, and they&rsquo;ve placed their emphasis on the cool coastal vineyard sources for Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, and highly perfumed Syrah. This Cabernet comes from the Yorkville Highlands, one of those appellations based on elevation&mdash;vineyards must be planted between 850 and 2,500 feet. If you&rsquo;ve driven on that windy road on the way to Boonville and the Anderson Valley, you&rsquo;ve passed through the Yorkville Highlands, and yes, they&rsquo;re as wild as they sound.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/00f6436a-080b-4184-987f-09eb94c08b8c.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Minus Tide Wine"></p>
<p dir="ltr">These vines, planted in 2012, are at 1,500 feet, and there&rsquo;s a wildness here too. You&rsquo;re not wrong to imagine an alpine feel to the wine, with scents of pine frond, sea salt, fresh herbs&mdash;all of which, one can imagine, course through the ocean breezes here as they pass over the vines. The fruit is blue&mdash;think blueberry, cassis, maybe a lighter note of plum&mdash;but the non-fruit notes will make you come back to the glass, a delicate weave of flavors both succulent and firm, an almost Christmasy savor to the tannins here. Suggested pairing: lamb.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Nickel &amp; Nickel John C Sullenger Vineyard 2023 Napa Valley Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon ($100)</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">You may know Nickel &amp; Nickel as having sprung from the family that brought you Far Niente, a Napa institution founded by Gil Nickel in 1979. When Nickel &amp; Nickel debuted in 1997, it seemed like a sign that the Nickel Family had no intention of resting on their laurels. This brand, with an entirely separate winery, was founded to pursue solely single vineyard bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/611eb828-30c7-4244-896c-6c422c41454a.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Far Niente"></p>
<p dir="ltr">This bottling, made by Joe Harden, is named for the man whose farmstead where the winery is now located, in the heart of Oakville and a stone&rsquo;s throw from Opus One and To-Kalon. It is a classic wine in its restraint, leading with a dark wave of black and blue fruit and a hint of purple flowers, dusty and deeply focused, more about concentration than extraction. The flavors are grounded by coffee-like, cocoa nib depth of flavor, with melty tannins and a long, slightly leafy finish. Suggested pairing: herbed roast.</p>

The Week in Wine and Whiskey: December 19

<p dir="ltr">When most people think of Kenya, their minds immediately go to safaris and the country&rsquo;s stunning wildlife, often overlooking the vivacious energy of Nairobi, the country&rsquo;s bustling capital. One of the highlights of the city is its emerging cocktail scene, fueled by cutting-edge bars that are embracing African ingredients and local spirits like Kenyan Original and Procera Gin.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In particular, Procera stands out for its use of fresh instead of dried juniper berries, as well as African botanicals and indigenous ingredients.&nbsp;&ldquo;There's a reason why Nairobi is called &lsquo;the city under the sun,&rsquo;" says Will Ekisa, Kenya brand manager for Procera Gin. &ldquo;Procera Gin significantly contributes to the uniqueness of our cocktail scene. Crafted exclusively with African botanicals, it allows for the creation of drinks that truly embody the richness of the African continent with creativity and passion.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Kenya's Bars Are Ready for the Spotlight</h3>
<p dir="ltr">In September, Nairobi's cocktail scene and local talent gained international recognition during the inaugural Kenya Bartender Week, which included cocktail promotions at 41 bars, special events, and seminars led by industry leaders. Conceived of by Shamim Ehsani, co-founder of Tribe Hotels Group, and Richie Barrow, group general manager of Food and Beverage, the goal was to boost cocktail tourism by highlighting the city's dynamic bar community.</p>
<p dir="ltr">&ldquo;When we were presented with the opportunity to be a part of a global Bartender Week movement, we immediately saw this as an opportunity to bring our community together, to inspire one another, to celebrate the efforts of our industry,&rdquo; said Ehsani. &ldquo;Kenya Bartender Week gave a sense of community to the industry, to know that they were a part of a global movement."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ehsani is eager to expand the program in the future to include more bars from locations across the country, and to encourage guest shifts and takeovers from bars around the continent. Both Barrow and Ehsani are pleased with how the first Bartender Week unfolded, as the bartenders of Nairobi showed their exceptional talent in crafting cocktails. &ldquo;Most bartenders in Kenya don't have formal mixology training,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Many draw their inspiration from online sources and social media. Consequently, Kenyan bartenders are less focused on the classics and have leap-frogged to more creative cocktail creations.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Cocktail Evolution</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Ehsani is also the owner of Hero Bar, a world-famous comic book and superhero-themed speakeasy and restaurant. It&rsquo;s not only ranked #69 on The World&rsquo;s 50 Best Bars list, but it also received a special recognition this year for being the &ldquo;Best Bar in Africa.&rdquo; This bar has made a significant impact among bartenders, as many consider Hero to be the pioneer of Nairobi's craft cocktail movement.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the past, bars focused on overly sweet and colorful cocktails like a Long Island Iced Tea or Cosmopolitan. Hero helped to show them that there is more to cocktails than sweet drinks with umbrellas by introducing sophisticated drinks that drew inspiration from global trends.&nbsp;&ldquo;The cocktail scene before focused on super sweet basic cocktails,&rdquo; said Moe Riungu, head bartender at Hero Bar. &ldquo;We were the first bar with a lab and to do international travels for cocktails and drinks. So, we are like the pioneers. It started in Nairobi and then went to other cities.&rdquo;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Pushing the Envelope</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Nairobi&rsquo;s bar scene extends well beyond this acclaimed bar, however. The city is home to a&nbsp; community of young, innovative bartenders who are pushing boundaries and exploring the latest ideas, creating adventurous menus with an experimental approach to cocktails. Among them is The Living Room, a female-owned creative space and cocktail bar, and Beit e Selam (the name means "house of peace" in Amharic), a restaurant and bar with a cosmopolitan garden ambiance. Then there&rsquo;s Revolver Bar, a trailblazing speakeasy renowned for its impressive scotch collection and whiskey-based concoctions.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The bars in Nairobi set themselves apart by crafting cocktails with local or African ingredients. For instance, every cocktail at Hero features an indigenous component, and many other bars across the city and country have followed suit. Ekisa believes that bartenders are enthusiastic about using homegrown ingredients and incorporating traditional brews, syrups, shrubs, and spices to eloquently tell the story of Kenya's 42 diverse cultures.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Although relatively new, the cocktail scene has blossomed over the past five years, showcasing its increasingly imaginative libations thanks to Kenyan bartenders who craft cocktails that tell stories and honor their African roots.&nbsp; As Nairobi's cocktail bars and Kenya Bartender Week gain international recognition, local bartenders are hopeful about attracting more brands and international bartenders to visit, bringing new techniques and products to elevate their craft.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr">With its burgeoning reputation on the rise, Nairobi's cocktail scene can now rival any global destination, enticing visitors and turning the city into a destination where tourists will seek out the dynamic drinks culture rather than its famous safaris.</p>

Looking for a Thriving Cocktail Scene? Consider Visiting Nairobi, Kenya

<p dir="ltr">What&rsquo;s happening in wine and whiskey this week:</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">This Week&rsquo;s Unicorn Review Stories</h3>
<p dir="ltr">🍷 We put together a <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/holiday-wine-gift-guide">gift guide for the wine drinkers</a> in your life, ranging from gadgets to glasses to books to some magnum bottles to bring to a holiday dinner.</p>
<p dir="ltr">🥃 Whiskey drinkers, we got you covered as well&mdash;check out our <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/whiskey-gift-guide">gift guide for every type of whiskey fan</a>, from newbies to seasoned collectors, those looking to splurge and those on a budget, and fans of whiskey categories from around the world.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">New Bottle Releases</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Angel&rsquo;s Envy 10 Cask Strength</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Louisville distillery Angel&rsquo;s Envy released its first ever age-statement, cask-strength bourbon this fall. The cask-strength expression is always a popular release, and this year was truly something special. The whiskey was distilled in 2014 and 2015 and aged in new charred oak barrels before getting a three-year finish in port casks. 122.6 proof; SRP $250</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Jack Daniel&rsquo;s Distillery Series #16</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">The latest in Jack Daniel&rsquo;s distillery-exclusive series was conceived of by barrel maturation manager and master taster Byron Copeland. This is a rye whiskey made from a mashbill of 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley that was initially aged in new charred oak and then finished for a full three years in barrels previously used to age table syrup. That might sound like an overly sweet whiskey, but the rye spice complements the effects of the secondary maturation, resulting in something unique and very tasty. 111.4 proof; SRP $45&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Tennessee Collective</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Twelve distilleries that are part of the Tennessee Whiskey Trail came together for this special release, each contributing a barrel that were ultimately blended together at Sugarlands Distilling Co. Participating distilleries include Jack Daniel&rsquo;s, Leiper&rsquo;s Fork, and Ole Smoky. Not all of the whiskey was legally defined Tennessee whiskey, however, so this release is categorized as American whiskey. 119.6 proof; SRP $80<strong><br></strong></p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Whiskey Pick of the Week</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Stranahan&rsquo;s Snowflake</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Every year, Denver distillery Stranahan&rsquo;s releases its Snowflake expression, a special whiskey that changes with every iteration but always has one consistent component. The base of this whiskey is American single malt made at the Colorado distillery, which has been around for over 20 years. Devoted fans line up a few days before the release (which was last weekend), camping out in the parking lot and having a sort of tailgating party the night before that usually lasts till the early hours of the morning. Then the doors open and people can finally snag a bottle or two, and Snowflake usually sells out within a few hours.&nbsp;</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/aa94f60f-d6ac-4142-812d-5108c9bb2b7d.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Stranahan's Snowflake Windom Peak Horizontal"></p>
<p dir="ltr">This year&rsquo;s release, Batch 28, is called Windom Peak, and it was put together by head blender Justin Aden (it&rsquo;s his third time at the helm). Aden started with a base of Stranahan&rsquo;s American single malt aged between six and nine years that was finished in a variety of casks resulting in a blend of whiskey aged between eight and 13 years&mdash;extra a&ntilde;ejo tequila, peach brandy, applejack, white port, orange wine, and in a first for Stranahan&rsquo;s, rhum agricole (meaning rum made in a few specific countries from sugarcane juice instead of molasses). The majority of the blend was finished in the tequila casks, which came from one of parent company Proximo&rsquo;s family of brands (Cuervo, 1800, etc.), and it was bottled at 94 proof.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The new Snowflake is a really fantastic American single malt, although some might argue that the amount of cask finishes employed overpowers the original character of the whiskey. There&rsquo;s a case to be made there, but the fact is that this whiskey is just really delicious, with a nice balance of fruit, spice, and sweet notes. Layers of flavor unfold as you sip&mdash;despite the large amount of tequila cask-finished whiskey in the mix, this is not some earthy agave bomb. The palate is delicate and complex, and the core vanilla, oak, and dark chocolate notes are augmented rather than obscured.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So will you be able to try this year&rsquo;s Snowflake for yourself? If you didn&rsquo;t make the event, your best bet is to find a bottle a bottle on the secondary market or at <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/auction/242ddcf7-641d-498d-9476-a47e7f71da0e/lot/1328867c-8834-4836-b44b-220e41c9f5fe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">auction. A</a>nd even though you might have to pay a bit more than the SRP of $120, you won&rsquo;t be disappointed.</p>

The Week in Wine and Whiskey: December 12

<h3 dir="ltr">For the Whiskey Newbie - Eagle Rare</h3>
<p dir="ltr">If someone is new to whiskey, first of all&mdash;welcome, we hope this is a lifetime membership. But when it comes to a holiday gift, you don&rsquo;t want to overwhelm them with a high-proof bottle that is inundated with intense flavors. Instead, give them something that is a bit more accessible and approachable&mdash;and that doesn&rsquo;t have to mean some weak sauce, 80-proof, basic bourbon. <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Eagle+Rare&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eagle Rare</a> fits the bill here, a Buffalo Trace release that is about as classic as you can get in terms of flavor, with rich notes of vanilla, butterscotch, maple, and brown sugar leading the palate. It&rsquo;s bottled at 90 proof, which means more flavor (less dilution), but is nowhere near barrel-proof. Buffalo Trace also recently released a <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Eagle+Rare+12+year&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12-year-old version</a> of Eagle Rare, but that one is perhaps better left to collectors and more seasoned whiskey fans.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">For the Seasoned Collector - King of Kentucky</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Whiskey collectors are well acquainted with all of the usual allocated suspects, from BTAC to Birthday Bourbon. One that is sometimes overlooked, but definitely deserves a spotlight, is <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=King+of+Kentucky&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">King of Kentucky</a>. Once a subpar blended whiskey, Brown-Forman revived this brand in 2018 after a few decades of dormancy, and what a return it was. King of Kentucky is now an annual release, made from the same mashbill as Old Forester 1924 and bottled as a barrel-proof, single barrel expression. The latest was a batch of 63 barrels selected by master distiller emeritus Chris Morris that were aged for 17 years and bottled between 124 and 135 proof. Each bottle will vary depending on which barrel it comes from, but overall this is a bourbon that will make any serious collector very happy.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">For the Home Mixologist - Penelope Bourbon</h3>
<p dir="ltr">When Penelope was founded in 2018, it was another new whiskey brand that sourced from MGP. But it proved to be such a success that a few years ago it was actually acquired by that Indiana distillery. This is a great option for home bartenders, with a solid and affordable <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Penelope+Bourbon&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">core lineup</a> that can be used in any number of cocktails. The flagship expression is the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Penelope+Bourbon+Four+Grain&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Grain</a>, made from a mashbill of corn, rye, wheat, and barley, and bottled at the minimum 80 proof. That and the higher-proof Wheated bourbon play well with other ingredients in a drink, but some of the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Penelope+Bourbon+cask+finish&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cask finishes</a> and limited releases are fun to play around with as well&mdash;try the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Penelope+Toasted+Rye&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toasted Rye</a> in a Manhattan, or give the 105-proof <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Penelope+Tokaji+Cask+Finish" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tokaji Cask Finish</a> a spin in an Old Fashioned. And, of course, encourage any aspiring mixologist to sip these whiskeys neat as well.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">For the Adventurous - Bardstown Bourbon Company</h3>
<p dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s easy to get into a familiar pattern as a whiskey drinker, always turning to comfortable old standbys to whet your thirst. There&rsquo;s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it&rsquo;s also fun to try something new and unusual, because you might just stumble upon something exciting that really wakes up your palate. <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Bardstown+Bourbon+Company&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bardstown Bourbon Company</a> is the perfect distillery to consider for gifts for the adventurous drinker, those who are open to interesting cask finishes and blends. <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Bardstown+Discovery+Series&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The </a><a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Bardstown+Discovery+Series&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Discovery Series</a> consists of purposeful blends of well-aged bourbon sourced from different distilleries that are compiled with exacting precision. <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Bardstown+Collaborative+Series&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Collaborative Series</a>, on the other hand, gives these sourced blends unique cask finishes, like a rye whiskey finished in Indian single malt barrels, a blend of bourbon and rye finished in Amaro Nonino casks, as well as some of the best wine finishes in the industry.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Holiday Gift - High West A Midwinter Night&rsquo;s Dram</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Utah&rsquo;s High West sources whiskey from MGP and other distilleries, and it also produces its own whiskey in its distillery just outside of Park City. High West is known for a few special annual releases, including one that is perfect for the holiday season&mdash;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=High+West+A+Midwinter+Night%E2%80%99s+Dram&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Midwinter Night&rsquo;s Dram</a>. The latest edition is Act 13, and it&rsquo;s a fantastic new release that is built for sipping, as the name suggests, on a cold winter night. It&rsquo;s a blend of 95/5 rye from MGP and 80 percent rye/20 percent malted rye made at High West that is finished in ruby and tawny port barrels. That secondary maturation balances spicy rye notes with dried fruit and juicy tannic flavors, making this a great bottle to share by the fire.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Under $100 - Jack Daniel&rsquo;s Single Barrel</h3>
<p dir="ltr">If you haven&rsquo;t been paying attention, Jack Daniel&rsquo;s has been releasing some truly excellent whiskey over the past few years. We&rsquo;re talking whiskey that goes well beyond Old No. 7, including new age statements, American single malt, innovative cask finishes, and some of the best and most affordable single barrel expressions you can find. For less than $100 per bottle, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Jack+Daniel%E2%80%99s+Single+Barrel&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jack Daniel's Single Barrel</a> makes a great gift, offering a chance to explore how unique each barrel aging in the distillery&rsquo;s warehouses is, and just how good this Tennessee whiskey can be when bottled at a higher proof. There are several different&nbsp; Single Barrel iterations to choose from, including <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Jack+Daniel%E2%80%99s+barrel+proof&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">barrel-proof</a>, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Jack+Daniel%E2%80%99s+rye+whiskey&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rye whiskey</a>, and the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Jack+Daniel%E2%80%99s+Heritage+Barrel&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heritage Barrel release</a> that is aged in heavily toasted and flash-charred barrels.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Splurge - Willett</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Willett just launched a very affordable new whiskey, the new <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=willett+Family+Estate+Small+Batch+Bourbon&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon</a>. But this beloved distillery and producer has a range of releases that are really designed for whiskey fans who are willing to splurge on a bottle (or two), with prices often ranging into the thousands of dollars. So is it worth it? That depends on your devotion to the whiskey and how deep your pockets are. But if you&rsquo;re looking for a splurge-worthy gift for that special whiskey lover this year, check out the distillery&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=willett+single+barrel&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">single barrel expressions</a> aged up to 18 years, and the many different <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=willett+private+barrel&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">private barrel picks</a> that are available on the secondary market or at auction.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Bourbon - Wild Turkey</h3>
<p dir="ltr">It&rsquo;s hard to argue against Wild Turkey being one of the very best bourbons on the market. The distillery has a wide range of products, from the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Wild+Turkey+8+Year+%27101%27+Bourbon&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">classic 101</a>, to the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Russell%E2%80%99s+Reserve&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">smaller batch Russell&rsquo;s Reserve lineup</a>, to the highly collectible <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=wild+turkey+Master%E2%80%99s+Keep&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Master&rsquo;s Keep series</a>. The final entry in that series was a true standout&mdash;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=wild+turkey+Beacon&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beacon</a> is a blend of two bourbons selected by Bruce and Eddie Russell, a 10-year-old and a 16-year-old, bottled at 118 proof and packed with flavor. If you&rsquo;re not looking to spend quite that much on a gift, consider the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Russell%E2%80%99s+Reserve&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russell&rsquo;s Reserve lineup</a> which includes single barrel and age statement bourbons that are some of the best value in American whiskey today.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Rye - Sazerac Full Proof</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Buffalo Trace gave its flagship Sazerac Rye a few significant upgrades over the past few months, a development that many did not see coming. First, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Sazerac+Rye+90+proof&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the classic 90-proof whiskey</a> was released as a <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Sazerac+%27100+Proof%27+Rye&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100-proof version</a>, and while it was not bottled-in-bond this change put it in direct competition with brands like Old Overholt and Rittenhouse, which offer rye whiskey at that strength for a similar price. Then most recently <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Sazerac+Full+Proof&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sazerac Full Proof</a> arrived, a 125-proof whiskey that&rsquo;s bottled at the strength it goes into the barrel (not at cask-strength, it should be noted). This is a bold and brash new whiskey, and one that would make a great gift for fans of Buffalo Trace who are also partial to rye whiskey.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Japanese - Hibiki</h3>
<p dir="ltr">The Japanese whisky craze may have calmed down a bit compared to the heights it reached a few years ago. But this category is still in demand, particularly when it comes to age statement expressions from major distilleries like Suntory. Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki are the best known names in Japanese whisky, and while the former two single malts are, of course, fantastic, Hibiki should not be ignored. If you are willing to drop a few hundred bucks, the <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Hibiki+21+year&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">21-year-old version</a> of this spectacular blended whisky, which combines malt and grain from Suntory&rsquo;s three distilleries, would make a great gift. But no pressure&mdash;if your budget isn&rsquo;t quite that high, the non-age statement <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Hibiki+Harmony&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hibiki Harmony</a> would do quite nicely as well.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Barrel-Proof - WhistlePig The Boss Hog</h3>
<p dir="ltr">WhistlePig&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=WhistlePig+The+Boss+Hog&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annual Boss Hog release</a> has become a highly collectible American whiskey, with each bottle varying in significant ways. The core identity of this release is as follows: it's rye whiskey that is usually cask finished in some pretty unusual types of barrels, and bottled as a single barrel release at cask strength (thankfully never entering into hazmat territory). The most recent Boss Hog release, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=WhistlePig+Feather+%26+Flame&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Feather &amp; Flame</a>, received a Mexican-inspired secondary maturation in barrels seasoned with chocolate and spice-flavored pulque. Consider this edition, or any of the previous 11, for your friends and family who enjoy their whiskey at barrel proof&mdash;and are open to trying something a bit unusual.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Whiskey Collection - BTAC</h3>
<p dir="ltr">Every fall, the annual, allocated whiskey releases start to roll in&mdash;we&rsquo;re talking Pappy, Birthday Bourbon, and the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, among a few others. That last set has become one of the most popular and difficult to get over the years, but don&rsquo;t let that stop you&mdash;after all, the hunt is part of the fun, right? The 2025 edition included the five core expressions&mdash;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=George+T.+Stagg+BTAC&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George T. Stagg</a>, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=William+Larue+Weller+BTAC&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">William Larue Weller</a>, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Thomas+H.+Handy+BTAC&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thomas H. Handy</a>, <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Eagle+Rare+17+BTAC&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eagle Rare 17</a>, and <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Sazerac+18+Year+Rye+BTAC&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sazerac Rye 18</a>. All of these change from year to year as far as exact age and proof, but generally speaking are either older or much stronger versions of what the distillery usually bottles. This year, a new member was added to the BTAC lineup&mdash;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=E.H.+Taylor+BTAC&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E.H. Taylor, Jr. Bottled in Bond</a>, a 15-year-old BIB bourbon made from the same mashbill as regular Taylor. That makes this year&rsquo;s BTAC a great gift idea, whether you want to get one bottle or shoot for the whole set.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Best Single Malt Scotch - Bowmore 15 Year Old Sherry Oak Cask</h3>
<p dir="ltr">If you&rsquo;re looking for a gift for someone who loves sherry bomb single malts and isn't afraid of a little smoke, look no further than the new <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Bowmore+15+Year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bowmore 15 Year Old Sherry Oak Cask</a>. The Islay distillery launched <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/search?term=Bowmore+single+malt&amp;state=LIVE%26UPCOMING&amp;sortBy=number_asc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this new range</a> just a few weeks ago, with age statements ranging between 12 and 21 years as a new version of Bowmore that is more intensely sherried (12 and 15 are available now, the 18 and 21 come out in early 2026). That means that this 15-year-old whisky, which is finished in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez barrels, has a higher sherry cask component than the core range. That doesn&rsquo;t obscure Bowmore&rsquo;s signature light peatiness, however, it complements and highlights it, making this a great option for the scotch whisky drinker on your list.</p>

The Unicorn Review Holiday Whiskey Gift Guide

<p dir="ltr">What&rsquo;s happening in wine and whiskey this week:</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">This Week&rsquo;s Unicorn Review Stories</h3>
<p dir="ltr">🍷 Oregon has come into its own as a sparkling wine region. These are <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/oregon-sparkling-wine">some of the best producers to check out</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr">🥃 Redemption and Proof and Wood founder Dave Schmier has a lot of thoughts about how people have looked at sourcing whiskey over the years. <a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/dave-schmier-interview-whiskey">We spoke to him to find out more</a>.</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">New Bottle Releases</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Smokehead 15</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ian Macleod Distillers launched this new single malt earlier this fall. It&rsquo;s an Islay whisky distilled at an undisclosed facility that was aged for 15 years before bottling, the oldest to date from the brand. The whisky is bottled at 43 percent ABV and has notes of vanilla, citrus, botanicals, and of course a healthy dose of peat smoke on the palate. 86 proof; SRP $70</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Johnnie Walker 52</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This is the oldest whisky to date from Johnnie Walker (and one of the most expensive), and it just became available here in the U.S. a few months ago in a run of only 30 bottles. Aged for more than half a century, this blend includes malt and grain components from some of Diageo&rsquo;s ghost distilleries that closed long ago. 82.4 proof; SRP $25,000</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Whiskey Del Bac Normandie</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This Arizona single malt is an annual limited release. The whiskey is initially aged in new charred oak barrels and then finished in casks that were previously used to mature Calvados, a French apple brandy. There&rsquo;s a subtle dose of smoke in each sip, the result of the barley having been smoked with mesquite wood to give it a thoroughly Southwest flavor that goes wonderfully with the apple and citrus notes on the palate. 97 proof; SRP $90</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Whiskey Pick of the Week</h3>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Woodinville 100% Rye Aged 8 Years</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">There is a lot of good whiskey being made in all corners of the country, but some of the best has been quietly coming out of the town of Woodinville, a small suburb of Seattle. Woodinville Whiskey released its first bourbon almost a decade ago, and since then has been steadily making bourbon and rye, along with some cask-finished expressions, that can stand with the best from Kentucky. The distillery was acquired by Moet Hennessy in 2017, so technically it&rsquo;s not a craft distillery anymore, but it continues to make whiskey on a pretty small scale compared to the big operations in Kentucky and Tennessee.</p>
<p><strong><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/07b94f5b-9b1f-42fd-8798-2844608881fc.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Woodinville"><br></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">This new whiskey is the oldest rye release to date from the distillery, an eight-year-old expression made from a mashbill of 100 percent rye grain. While whiskey production takes place in Woodinville, from milling to mashing to distilling, it&rsquo;s aged in the town of Quincy which is located in Central Washington where the climate is more suitable for barrel maturation. The result is a really tasty but unique rye whiskey, and one that is very different from what you might expect if you&rsquo;ve mostly been drinking either Kentucky-style &ldquo;just legal&rdquo; rye or 95-percent rye produced at MGP in Indiana.</p>
<p dir="ltr">At 100 proof, there is some heat as you sip, but we&rsquo;re not talking barrel-proof here, so it&rsquo;s not going to cause any palate fatigue. This is a rich and complex rye whiskey that is not very sweet, which you&rsquo;d expect given that there is no corn at all in the mashbill. The rye spice is immediate, with notes of licorice, menthol, caramel, and molasses that pop up on the front and back ends of the palate. This is definitely a sipping whiskey, but it&rsquo;s also one that works quite well in a drink like a Manhattan&mdash;the fact that this rye is much drier than others means it works well with the sweet vermouth and bitters. If you&rsquo;re not a rye fan, this whiskey might be a bit perplexing, but if you&rsquo;re a diehard fan of the fruity, spicy joys of this American whiskey category, you&rsquo;re in for a treat. (SRP $130)</p>
<h3 dir="ltr">Unicorn Wine Pick of the Week</h3>
<p><strong>Autumnal Chardonnays from Oregon</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">All of my friends have been talking about the weather in LA this week. The requisite haze (more fog than smog) has lifted, and the air is crisp leaving the mountains etched against piercing blue skies like diamonds in the lambent wintry light.</p>
<p dir="ltr">And it&rsquo;s cold&mdash;not the sort of cold other parts of the country are experiencing, but cold enough to see your breath at night, and to blast the furnace for an hour in the morning. The oven&rsquo;s fired up; I&rsquo;m back to roasting poultry and root vegetables, celery root and squashes and yam slices dusted with paprika. And I&rsquo;m opening autumnal whites. This week, the focus was on Oregon Chardonnay, and I have two wines to recommend.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The first is a debut called Atomique&sup3; from the Eola Hills, a collaboration between Felipe Ramirez, Pedro Parra, and Ian Lombard (Jean-Marc Roulot, of Domaine Roulot, consults). The team (Parra prefers the word &ldquo;cast&rdquo;) came together through the force of nature that was Mark Tarlov, founder of Rose and Arrow and Chapter 24 wineries in Oregon, who passed away in 2021.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I could and probably will write a long story on Tarlov one day soon&mdash;or perhaps a book. There was no one like him in the wine industry. One of the things he did best was draw together talent, and he was remarkably persuasive even to Burgundy legends like Roulot (he worked with Dominique Lafon and Louis-Michel Liger Belair as well). Ramirez too was working in Burgundy, as was Chilean terroir specialist Parra. Tarlov compelled all of them to come to Oregon.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ken Pahlow of Walter Scott worked for Tarlov for a winery he founded called Evening Land, and was lucky enough to spend time at the shoulder of Dominique Lafon through that winery&rsquo;s early years. He took those early experiences to the brand he founded with his wife Erica Landon, Walter Scott. (I wrote about Walter Scott earlier this year. You can read the profile&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unicornauctions.com/unicorn-review/oregon-wine-collecting">here.</a>)</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://atomique3.com/">Atomique&sup3;</a> 2021 Le Basalt&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://atomique3.com/">Atomique&sup3;</a> 2021 Le Basalt is one such wine (it has a sold-out counterpart with a soil-inflected name as well called Le Sedimentaire). As the name implies, it comes from a vineyard with basalt dominant soils called Eola Springs. Ramirez, the boots-on-the-ground winemaker, has made a thrillingly savory wine, showing a nutty, leesy savor in advance of a lush attack. The finish is all French, remarkably firm and enveloping, lifted by a pure, adrenaline-like hit of acidity and a mineral tinge that lasts, rendering the wine agreeably ageable.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><a href="https://www.walterscottwines.com/">Walter Scott</a> 2022 Mt. Pisgah of Polk County, Willamette Valley, &ldquo;Lucille&rdquo; Chardonnay</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><img src="https://directus-11-4sui.onrender.com/assets/30ce156e-77fb-464d-9284-5e2da6b177b2.jpg?width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Lucille"></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon draw from old plantings at Freedom Hill Vineyard, which lies just outside of the Eola Hills and is a venerated old vine site (it&rsquo;s named for their daughter Lucy). Pahlow and Landon are known for vivid, savory Chardonnays made in a bracing, reductive style. Vestiges of that are found here, overlaying scents of lemon blossom, terse apple, and appleskin flavors. It&rsquo;s all framed with a healthy rasher of new oak that feels integrated even as it assures a long cellar life for this wine.</p>

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The Week in Wine and Whiskey: December 26

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