If you’re new to the whiskey world, you might think the same bottles of bourbon, rye, single malt Scotch, and Irish whiskey are always on the shelf. Well, you wouldn’t technically be wrong. If you casually stroll around your local liquor store, you’ll see some of the same bottles again and again. But, the best whiskey releases of 2022 comprise special drops and limited-edition expressions that only get released one or more times throughout the year in small batches.
This means you can grab a bottle of regular Maker’s Mark any time you want. But, you’ll have to wait (or really search) for a bottle of its Wood Finishing Series. The same goes for many other iconic brands.
David Nasar, restaurant manager at the New Orleans Marriott has a few bottles he looks forward to, but he’s just glad some of his favorites are more readily available after a few difficult years.
“Personally, in 2022, I’m grateful that things are getting back to normal,” he said. “Some bottlings are still a bit hard to find. But, overall, most of our favorite brands are coming in on schedule. Over the past two long years, it’s no secret that supply chain issues have made things rather difficult compared to pre-pandemic times. These days are getting a little bit brighter for whiskey lovers like myself.”
Jim Wrigley, beverage manager at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa in the Cayman Islands adds that the most exciting thing about these special releases is there are so many to choose from.
“The world of whiskeys has seen some great, interesting releases this year. And, of course, there have been some weird and wonderful cask finishes such as ice wine, kooky beer barrels, and myriad wine casks.”
Nasar and Wrigley aren’t the only bartenders who look forward to special releases. We asked a handful of well-known experts and bartenders to pick the best whiskey releases of 2022 so far. Keep reading to see them all and try to find ’em before they’re gone.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!