Mexico City is home to over 20 million people, making it one of the world’s most populated urban locales. Nearly four million out-of-towners visit the Mexican capital every year—among them agave and cocktail enthusiasts primed for a trip unlike any other. Ciudad de México (CDMX) is sprawlingly huge, densely populated, and bursting with life on virtually every corner. In other words, you’ll want to plan ahead before arriving. That’s especially true for drink fans in a city dotted everywhere with world-class bars of all shapes and vibes—from low-key cocktail joints to high-octane mezcal shrines, with all the nearby al pastor tacos required to keep you upright for the duration.
When night falls in CDMX, the street that separates Roma Sur from Roma Norte buzzes in neon. Street lights reveal buildings colored in pastels. Imbibers hop from bar to bar, engaging with friends new and old, fueling up for the evening with the help of wrinkled sidewalk vendors, and gaining momentum as the night unfolds. This scene happens in neighborhoods across Mexico City, from Roma and Condesa to Polanco, the historic city center, and beyond.
In total, there are over 7,000 bars located across the city, making it a feat for even the most seasoned traveler to suss out the finest spaces. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best bars Mexico City has to offer. We’ve separated them into groupings: cocktail shrines; historic must-stops; tequila and mezcal dens; singular vibes; hotel bars. Regardless of what sort of watering hole you’re thirsty for in CDMX, now you’re covered. Salud!
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Westland Distillery Garryana Single Malt Edition 7 is trickling into the global market this month and, as with past expressions, it’s one you’ll want to snag if you’re able to find it. Garryana is always a unique tasting experience, whether it’s been the 2021 edition created using brandy and cognac casks, or the 2018 edition, which used a combination of second-use American oak barrels and port to go alongside the special Garryana stocks.
This year’s edition focuses even more closely on the local flavors and terroir of the Pacific Northwest—the Garryana barrels have been blended in combination with Washington State Syrah casks and cabernet sauvignon casks to add silky, wine-finished character to this batch.
Matt Hofmann, Westland co-founder, says “rich and savory Garryana oak interacts with sturdy Washington wine casks, resulting in a mix of spice and savory fruit.”
The Seattle-based Westland distillery has always prided itself on using local and regional ingredients. That started with the provenance of its barley, but for many years it’s also extended to the wood used in making some special barrels for the distillery’s limited casks.
Garryana oak (also called Garry oak) is a native species of tree somewhat closely related to the American white oak used in bourbon aging. Unlike white oak, however, Garryana is rare, grows slowly in knotty, tangled shapes, and is an overall difficult wood to fashion barrels out of.
Westland does it anyway—and rest assured the juice is worth the squeeze. The flavors those barrels impart to the whiskey inside are often spicy, earthy, nutty and intense, compared with the relatively mellow, sweet flavors of white oak.
That spice is gorgeous in this whiskey. It starts as clove and sandalwood dryness before building toward toasty, nutty flavors. There are hints of molasses and currant—earthy and raisiny with intense dark chocolate notes on the finish.
One thing you’ll want to note: This release of Garryana reduces the bottle size from 750ml to 700ml for the second time in Garryana’s history. The switch began after new regulations (which had required wine and spirits to be sold in 750ml bottles) allowed the slightly smaller packaging to be used domestically and imported internationally.
While 50ml represents about a 6.5 percent reduction in total volume, the $150 SRP is still an easy buy, especially for fans of the growing American single malt category. And with just 6,900 bottles in the market this year, it’s a relatively small release.
But there’s reason to find it anyway—particularly if you’re a fan of the brand (you should be) or you enjoy wine finishes. Hoffman and his team have steadily improved on an already great portfolio from day one of Westland’s existence. Another limited edition—Solum—is slated for debut later this year.
In the meantime, Garryana Edition 7 can be procured from liquor stores and whiskey specialists, as well as Westland’s online storefront, which can also help you track down some previous releases. That’s assuming you don’t want to make an impromptu trip to Washington State. Who’s up for a road trip?
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While the Negroni was born in Florence, it came into its own in Milan, the birthplace of Campari. As such, finding the best Negronis in Milan can be a bit overwhelming—but we love a challenge.
While the origins of the Negroni remain uncertain, the most widely accepted story claims it was first mixed in Florence in 1919 at Caffè Casoni at the request of Pascal Olivier Count de Negroni, who by all accounts was a real person and, at one point, a rodeo cowboy in America. As the story goes, the Count wanted his usual Americano, but with more of a kick, so he requested that the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, replace the traditional cocktail’s soda water with gin. The bartender added an orange peel instead of lemon, which is used for an Americano, and the Negroni was born.
The Negroni falls under the category of an aperitif (or aperitivo). Typically sipped before a meal to stimulate the appetite, aperitifs are lower-ABV libations that comprise vermouth, bitters, liqueur, and spirits that lend an herbal, bitter, or floral quality. The cocktail can be dry or fizzy. In the case of the Negroni, it’s equal parts gin, Campari, and vermouth rosso (semi-sweet red vermouth). The flavor profile is a little sweet and fruity with a backbone of licorice. Of course you can find riffs on the classic; some swap gin for mezcal, aquavit, or prosecco (Negroni sbagliato).
Rather than guide you on a typical tour of the city, we’ve gathered some of our favorite places to enjoy the best Negronis in Milan. Just remember to pace yourself…
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He adds: “When I lead a tour, I always offer a sample of Halftone Aquavit, and the reaction is often one of amazement. Ours leans into the caraway, and when people make the connection to rye bread, they absolutely love it. It’s often a flavor they’ve never tasted in a spirit, and it leaves a lasting impression.”
Concocting New Cocktails With Aquavit
Even in aquavit’s native Scandinavia, there’s been a noticeable uptick. Erk Potur, owner of Himkok—tapped as one of the world’s 50 best bars, which makes its own variety—has witnessed the change. “Around the time of our opening in 2015, Norwegians were not used to ordering aquavit-based cocktails.”
First they had to make an aquavit that was well-suited to cocktails, but that also had a foothold in the Norwegian tradition. Then they had to convince guests to try said aquavit cocktails, which ironically was much easier with international visitors.
“That’s understandable because the products on the market were mostly used for traditional food pairings,” Potur explains.
But aquavit has been through a mini revolution in the last 10 years with Norwegian craft distilleries constantly pushing the envelope.
“Simply looking at the sales from our bar shows the interest in aquavit is big and increasing, likely because guests have more options now than before,” Potur adds.
Aquavit, spirit experts believe, has the potential to be the next mezcal—but in a different sense. While mezcal’s smoky backbone tends to dominate in a cocktail, aquavit has more subtle nuance. Thompson is partial to pairing it with gin, but adds that it works beautifully with Cognac or even rye. “It would make one hell of a brown derby with rye, a paloma riff, or anything with grapefruit,” he says.
For cocktail aficionados, he recommends using a split base with your choice of spirit and some sort of fruit component, like lemon or grapefruit for citrus, as well as apples, cherries, or pears.
What do French fries, oysters, and dirty martinis all have in common? Aside from being timelessly delicious, they strike the perfect balance of salinity. The latter, of course, is a mainstay at cocktail bars, stirred with aplomb with vodka or gin, vermouth, and briny olive juice. But there’s a brazen new riff coming in hot for 2023: the pickle martini.
Pickle juice has been biding its time at your local dive, enjoying notoriety as a fun weekend classic that’s a bit less deserving of a pinkie waggle. Enter the pickleback shot, a boozy, salty pairing of whiskey and pickle juice. Sticking to picklebacks is (so they say) one of the best methods for avoiding a next-day hangover, due to the pickle brine’s high-electrolyte content. That’s all the more reason to give its classier cousin, the pickle martini, a chance.
Rise of the Pickle Martini
Looking at cocktail trends over the past couple years, it’s not difficult to see why the pickle martini would become a hit—as the wave of ‘90s and ‘00s nostalgia has reigned supreme. Martinis, in particular, have been thrust back into the spotlight with the re-popularization of favorites such as the espresso martini and the passion fruit-packed pornstar martini.
Pickles, too, have been on an upward trajectory, finding themselves infused into everything from ice cream and potato chips to Mountain Dew. Yelp has even projected pickle-flavored products to be among the top trends of 2023. With all that hype, the briny pickle martini can now be found on a growing number of cocktail menus, particularly in cities like New York.
Taste it in spritz form at New York’s Chez Zou by way of a pickle spritz, consisting of a house-made pickle brine, verjus, Dolin Vermouth de Chambry, and Moet and Chandon. Manhattan-based bar The Belfry offers a classic pickle martini with vodka and a spicy, sour brine. At San Francisco’s ABV, you can find it combined with smoky mezcal, orange juice, lime, and beer in the restaurant’s La Botana cocktail.
“The application of pickles has been trending in many forms, and it’s about time it became a part of cocktail menus outside of the classic pickleback shot,” says Selina Ardan, beverage director at the aptly named Maison Pickle in Manhattan. “We’ve used a variety of different house-made brines in different cocktails, from margaritas to martinis to frozen painkillers. I’m sure the trend will continue as the pickle category expands with new brines and items that can be pickled.”
Choosing Your Brine
Maison Pickle’s signature Maison Martini* calls upon Fords Gin and a house-made Hot Sour Brine. Ardan encourages those trying a pickle cocktail, whether at home or at the bar, to pay attention to how a brine can completely change the flavor profile of your cocktail. That means if you tried a pickled beverage that wasn’t to your liking, that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t for you.
“It’s all about personal taste preferences and matching the characters of a pickle brine with the botanicals in the gin and other ingredients,” says Ardan. “I always recommend a 50/50 style base—equal parts gin and vermouth—so the brine can shine through and isn’t overpowered by the gin.”
Depending on your taste preference, you can go for a tangy, slightly sweet option like canned cocktail brine by Gordy’s, the original pickle-liciousVan Holten’s (crafted over a century ago), or go new age and sip on a probiotic-infused LiveBrine.
Some Like It Hot
For Mark Gibson, the owner of The Wren and Bua in New York City, a spicy brine is the key to a great pickle martini. Trends be damned, Gibson has had a pickle martini on his cocktail menu at Bua for over a decade now, which calls upon a house-made spicy pickle brine to add a kick of flavor in each sip.
Gibson also encourages those attempting to pickle their martinis at home to avoid skimping on the good stuff. “Like anything, the results are a product of the quality of your ingredients,” he says. Use the best-tasting pickle juice you can get.
“Personally, I don’t think the standard store-brand pickle juice has enough punch,” he says. “We use tons of McClure’s Spicy Dill pickles for grilled cheeses and the brine is perfect for martinis.” Of course you can always make your own, too.
Another hot tip? Gibson suggests adding pickle brine into other savory cocktails like bloody Marys.
Try Different Types of Pickles
Setting aside your standard pickle, there are endless ways to incorporate brine into your cocktails at home that invite even more use of the imagination. Cocktail bars have already begun to pick up on this, creating inventive new cocktails with anything from pickled pearl onions to pickled mushrooms. At Little Donkey in Cambridge, MA, just across the river from Boston, chef Ken Oringer has created multiple iterations of a pickled martini—the latest of which features pickled red cabbage.
Oringer pickles his own red cabbage in-house with coriander, juniper, and clove, which can easily be done at home with nearly any vegetable. All you need is vinegar for pickling liquid, your vegetable of choice, and botanicals. The end result is a vibrant red martini with bright acidity that cuts through the high-alcohol content.
*Recipe: How to Make the Maison Pickle Martini
Ingredients
2 oz Fords Gin
2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
¼ oz hot sour brine (house-made)
3 dashes Bittermen’s Orange Citrate
Method
Add all your ingredients to a cocktail glass full of ice.
Stir thoroughly, for at least 30 seconds.
Strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a pickled pepper, or whatever pickles you’re loving at the moment.
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As the saying goes, you wouldn’t put a bumper sticker on a Bentley, so why serve the best whiskey in a subpar glass? (That’s our saying, anyway.) A good set of whiskey glasses should be part of any connoisseur’s arsenal for several reasons—many of which extend past aesthetic sensibilities. Sure, crystal whiskey glasses and custom whiskey glasses are striking, but there’s an equal measure of form and function to consider when buying a set, especially if you’re in the market for whiskey tasting glasses.
If you want to drink whiskey like a pro, you need the Glencairn Whisky Glass Set. When you visit a distillery for a tour and tasting, there’s a good chance you’ll be holding a Glencairn; it’s the definitive tasting glass and our Best Overall pick. But there are quite a few other styles that can enhance your experience, too.
We’ve laid out all our favorites below, making your experience as easy as “add to cart,” then “add to glass.”
11 Best Whiskey Glasses to Buy
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Master blenders love the Glencairn Whisky Glass Set. The shape of the glasses enhance the liquid’s bouquet, bringing out its more complex aromas. Glencairn’s wide bottom bowl is perfect for swirling whiskey in, allowing you to appreciate the liquid’s unique color and glance at its “legs,” which signal the whiskey’s viscosity, as it settles into the bottom of the vessel. Despite the fact these are crystal whiskey glasses, Glencairns are fairly hardy and technically dishwasher-safe, though we recommend washing by hand for longevity’s sake.
If you’re seeking a whiskey glasses set on a budget, you can’t beat KANARS Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses. The set of four tumblers comes in a quality box for under $40. The old fashioned whiskey glasses are perfect for everyday use, and are among our top whiskey gifts when paired with a bottle of Scotch or bourbon. Crafted from lead-free crystal, they have a thick and durable design that feels quality in-hand, with a heavy weighted base and minimal hatching that doesn’t distract from the liquid inside. We love that they’re dishwasher-safe and virtually impossible to break.
Waterford has been operating since 1783, and still makes some of the best glassware out there. Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashion glasses are high-quality but won’t break the bank. Crafted from crystal with a classic pattern, they’re hand wash-only, but that’s a small price to pay for quality. At 11 ounces, the tumblers are perfect for serving your favorite whiskey cocktails. There’s a reason why Waterford whiskey glasses are a mainstay on wedding registries.
Those familiar with Death & Co cocktail bars will instantly recognize Koto Single Old Fashioned Glass. “We love these glasses, because, in addition to being visually beautiful, they tick the boxes for what we’re looking for in a well-made rocks glass,” says Tyson Buhler, the director of food and beverage for Gin & Luck, the hospitality company that owns Death & Co. “The heavy bottom gives the glass weight to feel substantial in your hand while still having a fine lip, which allows the drinker to better experience the texture of a great spirit.” These glasses are dishwasher-safe and made from lead-free crystal.
Much like Glencairn, the NEAT Elite Glass was crafted specifically as a tasting glass—meant to amplify the aromas and flavor characteristics of whatever whiskey you’re sipping. Heavier than Glencairn and mouth-blown from lead-free crystal, the NEAT Elite Glass is also wider than your traditional tasting glass and holds around four ounces of liquid. The name itself stands for Nationally Engineered Aroma Technology, so it’s no surprise it’s used as the official glassware of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Like Waterford, Riedel is one of the oldest and most respected names in the glassware game, with over 260 years of experience under its belt. This Austrian company is the go-to for everything from Champagne flutes to decanters to whiskey glasses, so it’s no surprise there’s a single malt offering. That’s where the elegant Riedel Vinum Single Malt Glasses come in. They’re specially designed for sipping single malt whisky, thanks to a slightly out-turned lip that directs the aged spirit onto the tip of the tongue. Designed in collaboration with Scotch experts back in 1992, the tasting glasses have a delicate stemmed base.
We love the elegant simplicity of Nude’s. The ever-so-slightly curved base brings subtle dimension to the glass design. The 15-ounce capacity makes the glass perfect for whiskey cocktails served with ice, especially for something like a whiskey fizz, as the tall, thin design retains carbonation longer. These lead-free crystal whiskey glasses are thin but durable. And, like the other whiskey glasses on this list, they’re technically dishwasher-safe, but we suggest hand washing when possible.
[$52, set of 4; ]
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Shopping for a wedding present, anniversary, or holiday? Alcohol gifts are a unanimous crowd-pleaser for those who imbibe. And the by Richard Brendon certainly makes an impression. While intricate, it’s not overdone, and exudes quiet luxury atop any bar cart or bar. The crystal whiskey glasses are first blown by craftsmen in the Czech Republic, who then cut the tight diamond design around each base by hand. If you really feel like splurging, there’s also a matching decanter. You know the drill; hand-wash only.
Handcrafted in Louisville, Clayton & Crume Leather Rocks Glass Set includes bespoke full-grain leather sleeves, featuring handsome contrast stitching and solid brass rivets. What makes them perfect for gifting is the ability to either laser-etch or handstamp initials onto the sleeves, making the personalized whiskey glasses a genuinely custom item. The glasses themselves are minimalist double old fashioned glasses that hold 12 ounces and are dishwasher-safe. This is the perfect college graduation gift if you’re hunting down custom whiskey glasses.
If you’re not the type to seek glasses with cut-crystal flourishes, Riedel O Wine Tumblr Whisky H2O Glasses are for you. They have a larger beverage capacity at over 15 ounces, making them ideal for serving your whiskey on the rocks or in a cocktail. Made of unleaded crystal, they’re dishwasher-safe and budget-friendly.
Satisfying a passion for both whiskey and rugged nature, Whiskey Peaks Whiskey Glasses reflect the topographic silhouettes of mountains around the world. Take your pick of iconic peaks such as Half Dome, Whitney, Matterhorn, Kilimanjaro, Everest, and more, which are reflected in the shape at the bottom of the double-walled rocks glasses. We love that they’re eye-catching, but not overdone, and that they’re incredibly light and crafted from lead-free, hand-blown glass.
“There are many great styles of glassware for serving whiskey, but the best way to narrow down the selection is to consider the purpose,” says Ryan Welliver, the national brand ambassador for The Macallan. The whiskey glass you select is every bit as important to the overall experience as the whiskey itself.
A great whiskey glass can do wonders for enhancing the aromas and nuanced flavors you get from each sip. The best complement your personal style—whether that skews more minimalist or classic.
Welliver recommends a tulip-shaped glass for nosing and tasting a neat pour, as it allows for the optimal experience. When it comes to your typical tumbler, those are best for serving whiskey on the rocks or enjoying a cocktail.
As Welliver explained, different glasses serve distinct purposes, so you shouldn’t feel limited to stocking your shelves with only one type. In fact, we suggest picking out one glass you prefer for tasting, one for serving your pours on the rocks, and one for tall cocktails.
Tumblers are among the most versatile types of whiskey glasses. Pour a whiskey on the rocks or stir up a cocktail.
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Types of Whiskey Glasses
1. Tumbler
Best use: enjoying whiskey neat, on the rocks, and in cocktails
Also known as an old fashioned glass or a lowball, the tumbler is arguably the most popular glassware associated with whiskey. Its widened rim allows you to easily appreciate the aroma of the spirit—if served neat or on the rocks—and is also great for serving cocktails. The best whiskey glasses in this category have some heft and feel substantial in your hand, whether from the weight or the quality of the glass (that’s especially the case for crystal whiskey glasses). They’re also suitable to being hand cut, should you want custom whiskey glasses, personalized whiskey glasses, and/or engraved whiskey glasses.
2. Highball
Best use: enjoying cocktails with lots of ice
Similar in design to a tumbler, but more narrow and much taller, highballs are great for serving cocktails that require a lot of ice, such as your classic whiskey and ginger ale, and are great for retaining bubbles. Highball glasses typically have a thick base to prevent your beverage from sliding or tipping over while sitting on a surface.
3. Tulip
Best use: nosing and tasting whiskey
“The tulip glass draws its inspiration from the copita, the classic Spanish glass traditionally used for tasting sherry,” Welliver says. “Its elongated stem ensures the hand of the drinker, along with any potential unwanted odors, remains at a safe distance from the nose. At the same time, its distinctive bowl shape focuses the aromas thanks to the slightly tapered rim. If needed, the glass can be easily held to gently warm the spirit.”
4. Glencairn
Best use: nosing and tasting whiskey
Glencairn whisky glasses are similar in design to a tulip glass, but shorter, thicker, and do away with the stem. Originally introduced in Scotland, the Glencairn’s first purpose was for distillers to be able to sample their whiskies straight from the barrel. Now, it’s considered the gold standard for nosing and tasting, thanks to a wide bowl and tulip shape designed specifically to enhance the aromas of your brown spirit of choice.
5. Snifter
Best use: nosing and tasting whiskey
A snifter has a shorter stem compared to the tulip tasting glass. It’s wide at the bottom and tapers to a narrower opening, making it perfect for tasting brandy, Cognac, and certain liqueurs. It’s prized for its ability to concentrate the aromas of whatever you’re sipping.
Nosing and tasting glasses are designed to help you get the very essence of the spirit you’re sipping.
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How to Sip Your Whiskey Neat
“When having a neat pour of something like The Macallan, we recommend a tulip-shaped glass for nosing and tasting as it allows for the optimal experience to discover whichever expression you may be serving,” says Welliver.
Step 1
Pour yourself a dram of your favorite expression—around one-eighth of a fluid ounce.
Step 2
Take the glass and hold it just under your chin. This allows your nose to get familiar with the subtle aromas that are rising off the top of the whisky without being masked by the alcohol vapors.
Step 3
Bring the glass closer to your nose but keep your lips slightly parted. This will allow the whiskey notes to travel down your throat and give you a greater chance of picking up the subtle scents often masked by the alcohol.
Step 4
Coat the inside of your glass with a thin layer of whiskey by gently tilting it around, then holding it flat again, which will reveal the legs and tears of the whisky. This indicates the alcohol content and viscosity. The tears are the drops that slowly slide down the glass and the legs are the ones that have already reached the bottom. The higher the alcohol content, the thinner the tear, but a whiskey with a higher viscosity, like The Macallan, will show a thicker, fuller tear.
Step 5
Take two sips. The first one primes your palate and gets you used to the alcohol by volume (ABV) of the spirit. For your second sip of whiskey, chew it three to four times. Chewing allows the liquid to be distributed around your mouth and introduces it to the different flavor receptors. Your mouth will water, and the added saliva helps reduce the ABV, so you can taste more of the nuanced flavors that may have been hiding behind the alcohol.
When you think of the best whiskey, what’s at the top of your list—or, I guess I should ask, atop your bar? If you’re like most American whiskey lovers, you’ve got a healthy amount of bourbon and maybe a few bottles of rye. If your taste skews international, perhaps you’re well-versed in Scotch, Japanese whisky, and Irish whiskey. But there’s probably one type you’re overlooking: the best Canadian whiskies.
“Americans don’t know much about Canadian whisky,” says Noah Rothbaum, author of The Art of American Whiskey and the upcoming The Whiskey Bible. “But in the last few years, the perceptions of drinkers, bartenders, and connoisseurs have changed, and we’ve had to totally rethink Canadian whisky.”
The craft spirits revolution hit Canada later than it did the U.S., but it’s since taken hold—inspiring the emergence of new brands and renewed interest in longstanding ones. At last, imbibers are getting up to speed with what industry insiders have known for decades: the nation that gave us basketball, Wayne Gretzky, and Neil Young, can make a damn good bottle of whisky.
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Best Overall Canadian Whisky: Canadian Club 15-Year-Old Sherry Cask Invitation Series
Canadian Club 15-Year-Old Sherry Cask Invitation Series
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“This is new and my clear favorite,” De Kergommeaux says about Canadian Club 15-Year-Old Sherry Cask Invitation Series. It’s Canadian Club 12-Year that’s undergone a second aging in oloroso sherry casks for an added layer of complexity. Bottled at 42 percent ABV, it’s low enough to enjoy with just a single big cube. It’s obtainable both in terms of availability and price, and a whisky worthy of sipping and appreciating on its own as much as any fine bourbon or Scotch. I was totally blown away by craft expressions from Found North, one of which is on this list, but the lower price, wider availability, and nod from De Kergommeaux nudged this newly released whisky into the top spot.
Best Crown Royal Canadian Whisky: Crown Royal Barley Edition
Crown Royal Barley Edition
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While De Kergommeaux is also a big fan of Crown Royal 18, he singled out Crown Royal Barley Edition as particularly excellent. The 100 percent barley Canadian whisky uses a mix of malted and unmalted barley, which gives it a distinctive mouthfeel and flavor. Enjoy this one neat or on the rocks.
Best Canadian Whisky to Gift: Pendleton Whisky Director’s Reserve
Pendleton Whisky Director’s Reserve
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Pendleton Whisky Director’s Reserve is aged 20 years in American oak, then cut with glacier-fed water from Mount Hood in Oregon. Thanks to its rustic wooden box, the bottle’s leather neck, and a cork topped with a bronze cowboy, this is the best Canadian whisky for gifting. At 40 percent ABV, it’s a very easy sipper.
Best Rare Canadian Whisky: Found North Batch 007 18-Year-Old Cask Strength
Found North Batch 007 18-Year-Old Cask Strength
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For die-hard whisky fans, I strongly suggest hunting down a batch of Found North. And if you can get your hands on any of its limited batches, snap it up. Found North Batch 007 18-Year-Old Cask Strength sits at 62.2 percent ABV, so it can handle dilution from ice. It’s a mix of 83 percent corn, 12 percent rye, and 1 percent barley, aged in Madeira casks. Flavor-wise, it’ll take you places not even the best bourbon or Scotch has taken you before.
Best Single-Barrel Canadian Whisky: Caribou Crossing Single Barrel
Caribou Crossing Single Barrel
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Caribou Crossing Single Barrel is the first single-barrel whisky produced in Canada since the 19th century. While the age and blend are not stated, the single barrel gives every batch—which is bottled twice a year—its own subtly different personality. It’s distilled at Old Montreal Distillery and bottled at Buffalo Trace. At 40 percent ABV, it’s an easy one to sip neat, and doesn’t require dilution to tame it.
Best Canadian Rye: Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye
Alberta Premium Cask Strength 100% Rye
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Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye is distilled in Calgary and made of 100 percent prairie rye and Rocky Mountain water. This is a clear and elegant example of Canadian terroir in a glass, bottled at a range of 65.1 to 66.1 percent ABV. While we have some favorite bourbons for old fashioneds, this is a stellar Canadian whisky for a Manhattan.
More Canadian Whiskies We Love
Best Canadian-Ish Whiskey: Fraser & Thompson
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Fraser & Thompson is a North American whiskey, as it’s a mix of 92 percent Canadian whisky and 8 percent bourbon. It’s owned by Canadian singer Michael Bublé, and bottled at Heaven Hill in Kentucky. It’s approachable, affordable, and as smooth as Bublé’s baritone.
Best Splurge Canadian Whisky: Lock, Stock, and Barrel 21-Year
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Lock, Stock, and Barrel 21-Year sourced this 100 percent rye whiskey from Canada. It was double distilled in copper pots and barreled in 1999, then cold-weather matured. It’s bottled at a potent 55.5 percent ABV, and is astonishingly rich, viscous, and complex, offering just enough sweetness to make the 111 proof go down easy. That said, its spicy notes ricochet off the palate and let you know with every sip this is something special.
Best Value Canadian Whisky: Pendleton Whisky Midnight
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Pendleton Whisky Midnight is partly aged in ex-American brandy barrels for added richness. It’s smooth and full-bodied, with notes of baking spice like nutmeg and cinnamon, black pepper, dark berries, dried fruits, apple, and vanilla. The proof is amped up to 90, which brings a bit of heat, but also helps to augment the character of this lovely and assertive whisky. Even so, it’s still a smooth sipper you can enjoy on its own or in a cocktail.
Best Elementally Aged Canadian Whisky: Bearface Matsutake 01
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Bearface Matsutake 01 was “elementally aged” inside ex-wine and ex-sherry casks housed within shipping containers in the Canadian wilderness. Making a batch of whisky go on its own season of Alone yields a smoother, more complex sipper than you’d expect for the price point.
Best Canadian Whisky for Newbies: Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve
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Canadian Whiskey expert Davin De Kergommeaux, who just released a new edition of his definitive book, Canadian Whisky, called Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve one of “the most enjoyable Canadian whiskies to introduce whisky lovers to the category.” Rich, complex, and balanced, it’s finished for up to two years in Canadian oak casks, which impart spicier wood notes than American oak. Bottled at 40 percent ABV, it’s enjoyable neat.
Best Cask-Finished Canadian Whisky: Pike Creek 10-Year-Old Rum Barrel Finished
After a 10-year aging process during which oak casks experience frigid Canadian winters and scalding summers, Pike Creek 10-Year-Old is treated to a finish in ex-rum casks. The typical spicy Canadian whisky flavors are balanced by the rum’s dried fruit and vanilla influence, culminating in a smooth but interesting sipper. Try it in an old fashioned or just on the rocks.
Why You Should Trust Me
I’ve been writing about bars, cocktails, and spirits for 16 years—and, before that, I bartended for more than a decade at Hollywood’s legendary Chateau Marmont Hotel. In one way or another, I’ve been employed in the realm of booze since the turn of the millennium.
Despite all that experience, while working on this piece, I realized I possessed some of the same glaring blind spots about Canadian whisky that many Americans do. So, I reached out to one of the top spirits experts in the world, as well as the top Canadian whisky expert to put this list together, factoring in their recommendations and embarking on a lot of tastings of blends, ryes, and barleys.
The biggest asterisk on this list is that many great craft Canadian whiskies are not available in the U.S., so some great bottles are excluded due to a lack of accessibility. Moreover, there’s a slight bias in this list to more high-end connoisseur’s whiskies because that’s the side of the category that felt the least understood by whisky lovers in the U.S. There are more affordable whiskies, such as Windsor Canadian and Canadian Hunter Rye, that were also recommended by our experts.
What We Look for in the Best Canadian Whisky
To understand what makes Canadian whisky unique, I spoke to Davin de Kergommeaux, who’s book, Canadian Whisky: The Essential Portable Expert, dropped in March 2024. He’s been writing about whisky for more than a quarter of a century and is the founder of the Canadian Whisky Awards.
Canadian whisky has a reputation for being light in flavor, although De Kergommeaux says that tastings reveal a broad range of flavor profiles ranging from “austere and elegant to bold, muscular, and brazen,” and that what really matters for Canadian whisky is “balance, subtlety, and complexity.”
The flavor profile of good Canadian whisky has its own personality. “At first sip, Canadian whisky is often quite sweet, much like bourbon, though with less vanilla and more oak caramels,” De Kergommeaux says. “Then comes a spicy, peppery blast, often accompanied by floral tones and baking spices and, finally, a cleansing pithiness like the white of grapefruit skin.”
These are the basic touchstones of Canadian whisky, which blenders then add hundreds of subtler notes to. “Less expensive Canadian whiskies also show these three flavor markers,” says De Kergommeaux, but “if you pay just a little bit more, you experience a much fuller range of flavors.
What Is Canadian Whisky?
Most Canadian whisky is made from corn, wheat, and rye, just like bourbon, De Kergommeaux says. With bourbon in the U.S., distillers mix these grains together in a mash bill, then distill them. Canadian distillers, by contrast, mash, ferment, and distill each of these grains separately, then blend the mature whiskeys together.
“This practice allows distillers to maximize the flavor of each grain,” says De Kergommeaux. “For example, corn matures best in heavily charred barrels, while rye is much tastier when matured in toasted barrels.” He says that distillers make strongly flavored single-grain whiskies, then blend these with lighter corn whiskey matured in re-used barrels, therefore giving it a more neutral flavor as the canvas on which the stronger-flavored whiskeys can be painted.
The appreciation of 100 percent Canadian rye in the U.S. is what jumpstarted Canada’s craft spirits movement. The more we bought it and bottled it (for WhistlePig, for example), the more Canadians realized what they had was something special.
You might hear people refer to Canadian whisky as “rye,” even when it only has a small amount of rye grain. De Kergommeaux says the reason for this is simple: In the early days of whisky-making in Canada, most whisky was made from wheat, and European immigrants who knew rye-grain spirits from home suggested that Canadian whisky makers add a bit of rye to their mashes to improve the somewhat bland flavor of wheat whisky—especially since most whisky in those days was not aged. People buying whisky and wanting that flavor would specify “rye” and the name stuck.
If you’re a whiskey drinker and the finer offerings from our friendly neighbor to the north have eluded you until now, it’s time to change that. While a common misconception is that all Canadian whiskies are blended (and, yes, many good ones up there are blends) they don’t all fall under that category.
So what makes a Canadian whisky, aside from the fact that it can only be produced in Canada? Geography aside, Canadian whisky must be made from a mashed and distilled cereal grain, aged in wood for a minimum of three years, and be no less than 80 proof (or 40 percent ABV). That’s basically it. There are no over-the-top rules when it comes to Canada.
“Canadian whisky allows for greater creativity and diversity of expressions than any other whisky appellations,” says Andres Faustinelli, master blender at Bearface Whisky. “Beyond ensuring the whisky is aged for at least three years in wood, there are no real restrictions or boundaries. It’s a playbook for innovation.”
Regarding the blends
Now back to the blends. Over the years, a number of fairly low-proof, very young, sometimes additive-filled whiskies produced in Canada have been enough to give any country’s whisky a bad rep—but several high-quality, award-winning, flavorful whiskies up here are now taking center stage.
“For decades, the flexibility of Canadian whisky has been downplayed by the larger players to reduce cost and cut corners in terms of quality,” notes Faustinelli. “But it you want to experience new possibilities in whisky—like new types of casks, new approaches to aging, or crazy ingredients, Canadian whisky is the way to go.”
Here are 10 great bottles to try—all of which give Canadian whisky the fine reputation it deserves.
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The unmatched joy of New Year’s Eve lies both in its spontaneity and its predictability. Sure, there are traditions synonymous with the celebration that we’ve come to expect each and every year, but that doesn’t mean we don’t look forward to them.
Case in point: the all-important champagne toast. As the clock nears its midnight chime, folks around the world count down the last 10 seconds of the year. Kisses are doled out, confetti is thrown, and glasses of bubbly are joyously clinked.
Champagne has seemingly always been the sip of choice for the occasion. But just like other types of wine, each bottle of champagne and sparkling has their own best-use case (and price point). Some higher-priced bottles might work perfectly for a small shindig, while you might want to explore more affordable options for a large party.
Choosing the Right Bottle for You
Price aside, quality is found in consistency, says Lieven DeGeyndt, founder of Champagne and sparkling wine subscription service Sparkle-ist.
“Higher-quality bubbles will be as good, if not better, after the bottle has been open a little while,” DeGeyndt says. “Lower-quality bubbles may begin to taste sweet or new flavors that were not present at first may start to appear and can be a little strong. To put it another way: Do you find it easily drinkable, or do you end up sipping it?”
To avoid picking a dud for your NYE celebrations, DeGeyndt suggests seeking out a vintage bottle. Look for a specific year listed on the label as this is often an indicator of better quality. He also emphasizes that Champagne isn’t always the be-all, end-all. You’re often going to get better quality and taste by buying a high-quality sparkling wine. Think a crémant or cava, instead of a lower-priced Champagne.
“For $20-$35 you can find real value—quality bottles that are accessible, fun, and punch above their weight for sheer deliciousness in a glass,” DeGeyndt adds.
So, regardless of what your New Year’s Eve celebration looks like, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the best Champagne and sparkling wine to sip as the ball drops. Please note: Prices are approximate and may vary depending on where you purchase.
Best Champagne and Sparkling Wine to Pop This New Year’s Eve
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When you think about Australian whisky, what do you think about? Actually, do you even think about Australian whisky? Even though the Aussies have been making it for about 150 years, with more than 100 distilleries currently operating, this category really hasn’t gotten much attention in the U.S. And, until recently, there haven’t been many brands to sample on liquor store shelves, aside from the random expensive bottle from Tasmanian distillery Sullivans Cove. But that’s all been changing over the past few years. One distillery is gaining more attention than the rest (deservedly so): Starward.
Whisky and red wine casks: a match made in heaven
Starward was founded in Melbourne 15 years ago by David Vitale. Its two core expressions were the first to gain traction stateside: Nova and Two-Fold. What ties these, and all the Starward whiskies together, is the fact they’re matured in Australian red wine casks. This could be viewed as an obvious synergistic step in the production process given that Australia is known for its wine, particularly reds.
Two-Fold is a “double grain whisky,” meaning it’s a blend of wheat and barley spirit, both of which are aged in red wine barrels including shiraz, cabernet, and pinot noir. Nova, on the other hand, is a more straight-forward single malt that undergoes a similar maturation process. About that maturation: These are relatively young whiskies at about three years old, but according to the distillery, the climate in Melbourne leads to accelerated aging because of the temperature fluctuations and humidity, which boosts interaction between whisky and wood.
Welcome the new kid on the block: Starward Vitalis
Recently, Starward upped its game with the brand-new Vitalis release. It’s a single malt that’s meant to celebrate the distillery’s 15 years of whisky making. It also comes with an elevated price tag of $150, which is a bold ask considering the relative newcomer status of Aussie whisky. What separates this single malt from the others is the age (four to 10 years old), and the types of barrels the whisky was matured in (tawny, bourbon, apera, and rum).
