On December 1st, spirits expert, bestselling author and podcast host Fred Minnick announced his annual unranked list of the year’s Top 100 whiskeys. On December 20th, he held a blind tasting for all 100 whiskeys to determine the rankings, with Buffalo Trace Prohibition: Old Stagg, 132.4 Proof taking home the No. 1 spot on the highly anticipated list.
Larceny impressed with its two Top 100 entries following with Larceny C923 126.4 coming in at No. 2 and Larceny A123, 125.8 Proof claiming the No. 3 spot. Nashville Barrel Company inches up from the No. 19 spot on Minnick’s 2022 list to No. 4 on the 2023 list with its Cask Batch, 123.7 Proof, while Nelson Bros. 15 Year Rye, 108.4 Proof claimed the No. 5 spot for the year.
Watch Minnick’s full blind tasting, here:
Minnick’s annual Top 100 list is the March Madness of whiskey, and all spirits involved were selected from more than 800 American whiskeys tasted by Minnick throughout 2023 via San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the American Spirits Council of Tasters, Blind Bourbon events, YouTube reviews and more. The top 100 was chosen under the following criteria:
- Tasted by Minnick 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 caught the attention of Minnick this year.
Here is the official ranked list of 2023’s Top 100 whiskeys:
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 & Green: 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 Daniels 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
Minnick recently announced his second annual Super Bowl week event with Fred Minnick & Friends’ Big Game Bourbon, happening Wednesday, February 7th (5-9 PM PST) at the Foundation Room in Las Vegas. The event will feature blind tastings, a special live recording of The Fred Minnick Show, appearances from athletes and celebrities, a silent auction and much more, with proceeds benefitting Las Vegas veterans via Forgotten Not Gone. For more information, visit eventbrite.com/e/fred-minnick-friends-big-game-bourbon-registration-773355405837
For more information on Fred Minnick, visit fredminnick.com.
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