Elijah Craig

Our friends at Whisky Advocate magazine have been hard at "work," tasting hundreds upon hundreds of the best whiskies to compile their annual list of the cream of the barrel-aged crop. The top twenty list has finally been revealed and taking top honors this year is Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B517, with a score of 94 and a really easy-on-the-wallet price of $60.

The entry-level small batch Kentucky straight bourbon from Elijah Craig will run you $30, while the range-topping 23-year-old varietal will set you back $200, but the Barrel Proof, “the middle child, boasts a few new developments that are notable for enthusiasts. After Small Batch dropped its age statement last year, Barrel Proof assumed the 12 year old mantle,” says Whisky Advocate. Plus, batched numbers and labeling makes tracking precisely where your bottle came from, which is neat.

Coming in second is Glenmorangie’s Astar release, back from the Scottish distiller after a five-year hiatus. The single malt from the Highlands spends plenty of time soaking in custom toasted casks from the Ozarks in Missouri, after they’ve spent four years with American bourbons. The resulting scotch is “voluptuous and sweet.”

Placing third is Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Decades, a $150 bottle of straight bourbon with a “delightful earthiness, and when earth meets sweet in whiskey, it’s a beautiful thing.” Check out the full list of the top ten over here, and drop back next week when whiskies 11-20 are revealed. And peruse our best gifts for the whiskey lover in your life (even if that’s actually you).

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The Top Whisky of 2017 is Only $60

The top 20 whiskies of the year have been revealed