There’s a reason it’s more common for drinkers to enjoy a neat pour of bourbon, rye, Japanese whisky, or single malt Scotch whisky than an un-aged vodka, gin, rum, or tequila. This is because aging in wood imparts various things like vanilla, oak, caramel, and various other flavors depending on the type of whisk(e)y, the wood it’s aged in, and if it’s finished in another barrel (sherry or port impart unique, rich flavors). The most important component when it comes to flavorful whisk(e)y above all else, is time.
Sure, you can’t distill whisk(e)y and then bottle it and enjoy it immediately. But like with some of the other spirits listed above, it will be clear and will only have the flavors created by the distillation process. It’s great for moonshine with its sweet corn flavor, but most fans of other whisk(e)ys would prefer their favorite expressions at least spend a few years (to a decade or longer) in wood before bottling. Unless you have a time machine, there’s no way to speed up the process. Time is the only way.
Speaking of time, if you were to visit Scotland specifically, you’d find massive barrelhouses at distilleries all over the country loaded with dust-covered barrels just waiting to be cracked open and bottled for your enjoyment. But they have to stay in their dark corner of the warehouse until they’re ready. For years and sometimes even decades.
Mixed in with these barrels are popular flagship expressions, limited-edition whiskies, and new, exciting whiskies launched every year. 2022 was (and is) no different. From some of the most well-known single malt whisky producers to some lesser-known bangers, 2022 has given us a great number of outstanding new expressions. Each of these whiskies was matured until it was ready to be bottled and eventually imbibed and (hopefully) enjoyed by you and other scotch whisky fans. Keep scrolling to see ten of our favorite new whiskies released this year.
Glen Scotia Distillery of the Year Edition Single Malt Whisky
In 2021, Glen Scotia was named Scotland’s Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards. To celebrate this success, the popular distillery selected special whiskies aged in first-fill bourbon barrels. All of which have matured for at least 22 years. Only 500 bottles of this unique, rich whisky have been made available. If you get a chance to try it, you’ll be treated to notes of honey, heather, toffee, dried fruits, and salted caramel. The finish is slightly salty, sweet, and highly memorable.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 109.6
- Price Range: $475-550
Ardbeg Ardcore Single Malt Whisky
Sometimes being part of the club is actually a really good thing. That’s the case with Ardbeg Ardcore and other committee-exclusive whiskies. The 50.5 percent version (and other releases) is only available to Ardbeg Committee Members. If you sign up or you’re already a member, you’ll enjoy this non-chill filtered, high-proof banger of a whisky. Everyone else can buy the 46 percent version. This aptly named single malt whisky is highlighted by notes of charred campfire wood, bitter chocolate, marshmallow, sticky toffee, and robust peat smoke. It’s a bold, in-your-face whisky smoky whisky fans should definitely seek out before it’s gone forever.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 92
- Price Range: $130-150
Longrow Peated 2022 Edition Single Malt Whisky
This is a truly unique single malt whisky. This eagerly awaited release is double-distilled and aggressively peated. It’s matured in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels and sherry casks. The result is sweet, smoky whisky with notes of salted caramel, ocean brine, dried fruits, sweet cherries, caramel, and bold, robust, peat smoke. The finish is briny, sweet, and effortlessly smoky. A great gateway into the world of Islay single malts.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 92
- Price Range: $70-110
The Gauldrons Sherry Cask Finish Blended Whisky
This limited-edition expression of Douglas Laing’s Campbeltown blended malt whisky was finished in Spanish sherry casks. This imparts the blend with notes of raisins, dried cherries, sticky toffee pudding, toasted marshmallows, caramel apples, nutmeg, and other wintry spices. It’s slightly smoky, sweet, and surprisingly well-priced for such a complex blended Scotch whisky. It won’t be available forever. We implore you to pick up a bottle while you still can.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 92.4
- Price Range: $60-80
Craigellachie 13-Year-Old Armagnac Cask Single Malt Whisky
Referred to as the “bad boy of Speyside” Craigellachie is a distillery that seems to make nothing but bold, complex, memorable single malt whiskies. Its Craigellachie 13-Year-Old Armagnac is no different. The first release from the distillery’s Cask Collection, this 13-year-old single malt was matured in refill and re-char ex-bourbon casks before being finished for more than a year in French Bas Armagnac casks. The result is rich whisky with notes of caramel apples, cinnamon sugar, dried fruits, toffee, and a light, gentle kiss of smoke.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 92
- Price Range: $65-85
Dewar’s 19 Year The Champions Edition Blended Whisky
Dewar’s is a well-known name in the blended Scotch whisky world. While you can’t go wrong with its classic, cheap, always flavorful White Label, if you want to try something special buy a bottle of its new release: Dewar’s 19 Year The Champions Edition Blended Whisky. This 19-year-old blend was made to pay tribute to the 2022 U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts. Extra-aged in new American oak and ex-rye barrels, it’s known for its flavors of toffee, vanilla caramel, honey, heather, and candied orange peels.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 86
- Price Range: $75-95
The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 10 Single Malt Whisky
Fans of sherried single malt Scotch whiskies know all about the quality of GlenDronach. Recently, the distillery launched its GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 10, matured in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks. The result is a rich, complex, sweet single malt with notes of wintry cooking spices, dried fruits, sweet caramel, almond cookies, and candied orange peels. It’s decadent, sweet, and definitely not to be missed.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 117.2
- Price Range: $99-110
GlenAllachie 16-Year-Old Mizunara Virgin Oak Finish Single Malt Whisky
Launched in July, GlenAllachie 16-Year-Old Mizunara Virgin Oak Finish is the second release in the distillery’s 50th-anniversary series. This 16-year-old single malt was first matured in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry wood before being finished in extremely rare Japanese Mizunara oak barrels. This creates a sweet, rich, complex single malt with flavors like toasted coconut, chocolate, toffee, brown sugar, and gentle wintry spices.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 96
- Price Range: $350-500
Bruichladdich Organic Barley 2011 Single Malt Whisky
Islay’s Bruichladdich is well-known for its out-of-this-world peat-smoked whiskies like Octomore and Port Charlotte. But the whiskies it brands under its own name aren’t peat smoked. One of the best recent releases that falls under the latter category is Bruichladdich Organic Barley 2011. Made using organic barley (hence the name), it’s highlighted by flavors like buttery caramel, fruit esters, orange peels, rich oak, vanilla beans, and just a hint of briny salinity at the very end.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 100
- Price Range: $69-99
Compass Box Ultramarine Blended Whisky
When it comes to high-quality blended Scotch whiskies, Compass Box has made quite a name for itself in the last decade plus. One of its newest expressions is set to be released in October and is called Compass Box Ultramarine Blended Whisky. The first expression from the brand’s Extinct Blends Quartet, this blend of some of the rarest malt and grain whiskies in Compass Box’s portfolio, it’s known for its palate of sweet sherry, dried fruits, vanilla, and caramel.
- Origin: Scotland
- Proof: 102
- Price Range: $350-400
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