We Awarded 127 Bottles in the 2026 Men's Journal Whiskey Awards. Here Are the Pours That Raise the Bar

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It's a spirited world and options only seem to deepen year after year. In the last 10 to 15 years, whiskey has exploded in popularity, with increases in new distilleries, record sales, collector frenzies, and celebrity endorsements.

Imbibers have a daunting array of options—not just in liquor stores, but via memberships and newsletters, too. You can now drink bourbon that’s aged entirely on the ocean, top-rated ryes, and Japanese single malts that beat out Scotch in blind taste tests. 

Certain whiskey trends have also become more prevalent. There are bottled-in-bond expressions, unique cask finishes, and small batch releases. To help you discern the great from good, we tested hundreds of bottles across eight categories, including bourbon, Scotch, rye, Irish whiskey, Canadian whisky, Japanese whisky, cheap whiskey, and best whiskey bars. Find our favorites of 2026.

Best Bourbon of 2026

Chances are, if you're reading Men's Journal, you like bourbon. Well, we like bourbon, too—a lot. Our best bourbons round-up is a what's-what of all the best brown liquor made in the U.S. 

Best Bourbon at a Glance

• Best Overall Bourbon: Michter's 10 Year Old Bourbon
• Best Splurge Bourbon: Michter's 20 Year Old
• Best Value Bourbon: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
• Best Bourbon for Cocktails: Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• Best New Release: Knob Creek 21 Year Old
• Best Bourbon for an Old-Fashioned: Old Grand-Dad 114 Proof
• Best Small Batch Bourbon: Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
• Best Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon: Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch
• Best Bourbon From Outside Kentucky: George Dickel 8 Year Old
• Best High Rye Bourbon: Wilderness Trail High Rye
• Best Whiskey to Sip on a Trip: Jefferson's Ocean Whiskey
• Best Wheated Bourbon: W.L. Weller Special Reserve

Best Scotch Whisky of 2026

Scotch is While we didn't forget the classics, our best Scotch picks of the year will surprise even veteran whisky sippers.

Best Scotch at a Glance

• Best Overall Scotch: Ardbeg Ten
• Best Scotch for Cocktails: Compass Box The Peat Monster
• Best Luxury Blended Scotch Whisky: Johnnie Walker Blue Label
• Best Crowd-Pleasing Scotch: The Macallan Double Cask 18 Years Old
• Best Isle of Skye Scotch Whisky: Talisker 18 
• Best Scotch Whisky You Haven’t Heard Of, Until Now: Longmorn 18 Year
• Best Scotch Whisky for People who Don’t Like Scotch: Oban 14
• Best Cask-Strength Scotch: Octomore 16.3
• Best Speyside Scotch: Mortlach 20 Years Old
• Best Speyside Classic Scotch Whisky: Glenfiddich 12
• Best Affordable Campbeltown Scotch Whisky: Glen Scotia 10
• Best Affordable Highland Single Malt: Loch Lomond Original
• Best Scotch Whisky for Winter Sipping: Lagavulin 16
• Best Scotch Under $100: GlenGrant 15 Years Old
• Best Scotch Whisky for Gifting: Isle of Harris Hearach
• Best Peaty Scotch: Ardbeg Uigeadail
• Best Scotch Whisky Fit for a King: Laphroaig 10
• Best Port-Cask Finished Scotch: The Dalmore Port Wood
• Best Sherry Bomb Scotch: GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 12

Best Rye Whiskey of 2026

While bourbon and Scotch may hog the spotlight, rye deserves your attention and respect. It was the first whiskey that distillers made in the United States. Even George Washington made rye when he left the White House. Check out our list of the best rye whiskeys and start sipping.

Best Rye at a Glance

• Overall Best Rye Whiskey: Old Overholt Extra Aged Cask Strength 11 Year
• Best Single Barrel Rye Whiskey: Michter’s US1 Kentucky Straight Rye
• Best Budget Rye Whiskey: Rittenhouse Rye
• Best Rye Whiskey Splurge: WhistlePig The Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame
• Best Craft Rye Whiskey: Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye
• Best Cask Strength Rye Whiskey: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye
• Best Rye Whiskey to Drink Straight: High West A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 13
• Best Age Statement Rye: Sagamore Spirit 10 Year Old
• Best High Rye: Still Austin Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey
• Best Low Rye: Pikesville Rye
• Best World Rye Whiskey: The Laddie Rye
• Best Rye Whiskey for a Manhattan: Sazerac 100 Proof
• Best Rye Whiskey for an Old-Fashioned:Knob Creek Rye
• Best Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey: J. Rieger & Co. Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
• Best Vintage Series Rye Whiskey: Pinhook Vertical Series Rye

Best Cheap Whiskey

While the rarest and ultra-premium whiskeys now generate the most buzz and coverage, there is still a selection of wonderful and modestly priced bottles on store shelves. In fact, the picks on our best cheap whiskeys list are better then many more expensive options.

Best Cheap Whiskey at a Glance

• Best OverallCheap Whiskey: Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• Best Cheap Rye Whiskey: Old Overholt Bonded Rye
• Editor's Choice Cheap Whiskey: Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
• Best Corn Whiskey: Mellow Corn
• Best Everyday Rye: A.Overholt Rye
• Best Bottom-Shelf Whiskey: Evan Williams Bourbon
• Best Affordable Scotch Single Malt: Glenfarclas 10
• Best Cheap Scotch: Johnnie Walker Black Label
• Best Affordable Irish Single Malt: Bushmills 10
• Best Cheap Blended Irish Whiskey: John L. Sullivan
• Best Small-Batch Bourbon: Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon
• Most Affordable Cheap Whiskey: Old Forester 86 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Best Barrel-Strength Rye: Sazerac Rye Full Proof
• Best Cinnamon Bomb Cheap Whiskey: Old Grand-Dad 100 Bourbon
• Best Entry-Level Japanese Whisky: Toki Black Japanese Whisky
• Best Spicy Cheap Whiskey: Larceny Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Best Cheap Blended American Whiskey: Fraser & Thompson Whiskey

Best Whiskey Bars of 2026

While most watering holes stock at least a few different kinds of whiskey, there is also a separate category of establishments that have vast collections of bottles from around the world. These are the best whiskey bars in America worth traveling to.

Best Whiskey Bars at a Glance

• Best Overall Whiskey Bar: Jack Rose Dining Saloon (Washington, DC)
• Best Sophisticated Whiskey Bar: Brandy Library (New York, NY)
• Best Dive Whiskey Bar: Delilah’s (Chicago, IL)
• Best Speakeasy Whiskey Bar: Dot Dot Dot (Charlotte, NC)
• Best Whiskey Cocktail Bar: CURE (New Orleans, LA)
• Best Laid-Back Whiskey Bar: Barrel Proof (Nashville, TN)
• Best-Looking Whiskey Bar: Canon (Seattle, WA)
• Best Place to Spend the Evening Listening to Music: Flatiron Room (New York, NY)
• Best Place for a Shot & a Beer: Nickel City (Austin, TX)
• Best Place for an Irish Coffee Best: The Buena Vista Cafe (San Francisco, CA)
• Place to Drink Whiskey and Spend the Night: Blackberry Farm (Walland, TN)

Best Irish Whiskey of 2026

You've, no doubt, had Jameson, but have you ever tried Redbreast 18 or Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt? If not, you should give these Irish whiskies a try as well as the rest of the expressions on our list of the best Irish whiskeys.

Best Irish Whiskey at a Glance

• Best Irish Whiskey Overall: Redbreast 18 Year Old
• Best Single Malt Irish Whiskey: Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt 
• Best Irish Rye Whiskey: Powers Irish Rye
• Best Irish Whiskey Splurge: Midleton Very Rare 2025
• Best Small Batch Irish Whiskey: Killowen Rum & Raisin 
• Best Peated Irish Whiskey: Two Stacks Smoke & Mirrors
• Best Cask-Finished Irish Whiskey: Glendalough Pot Still 
• Best Pot Still Irish Whiskey: Teeling Pot Still
• Best Irish Whiskey for Irish Coffee: Slane Triple Casked
• Most Novel Cask Finish Irish Whiskey: Method and Madness Single Pot Still i
• Best Cask Strength Irish Whiskey: Natterjack Cask Strength
• Best Jameson Irish Whiskey:  Jameson 18 Year Old 
• Best All-Purpose Irish Whisky: Tullamore Dew
• The Best Double Oak Irish Whiskey:Clonakilty Double Oak
• The Best Marsala Cask Finish Irish Whiskey: Drumshanbo Marsala Cask

Best Canadian Whisky of 2026

The most popular Canadian whisky contain the same ingredients as bourbon—corn, malted barley, and rye—but Canadian distillers mash, ferment, and distill each grains separately. They then blend the matured whiskeys together, creating a wholly unique flavor. We picked our favorite bottles from across the country.

Best Canadian Whisky at a Glance

• Overall Best Canadian Whisky: Crown Royal Reserve Aged 12 Years
• Best New Canadian Whisky: Crown Royal Marquis
• Best Canadian Whisky for Sipping on the Rocks: Canadian Club Invitation Series 18 Year Old High Proof
• Best Canadian Whisky for Highballs: Canadian Club 12 Year
• Best Canadian Whisky to Gift: Pendleton Whisky Director’s Reserve
• Best Canadian Whisky to Drink Neat: J.P. Wiser’s 18 Year Old
• Best Single-Barrel Canadian Whisky: Caribou Crossing Single Barrel
• Best Canadian Whisky for Cocktails: Shelter Point Ripple Rock Single Malt
• Best Canadian Rye: Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye
• The Best Peated Canadian Whisky: Macaloney’s Peat Project
• Best Canadian Single Malt: Crown Royal Single Malt
• Best Canadian-ish Whiskey: Fraser & Thompson
• Best Value Canadian Whisky: Pendleton Whisky Midnight
• Best Elementally Aged Canadian Whisky: Bearface Matsutake 01
• Best Canadian Whisky for Newbies: Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve
• Best Cask-Finished Canadian Whisky: Pike Creek 10-Year-Old Rum Barrel Finished

Best Japanese Whisky of 2026

The rarest Japanese whiskies may be harder to find than the best bourbons or Irish whiskeys. But don't worry, our guide covers these so-called unicorns as well as widely available bottles.

Best Japanese Whisky at a Glance

• Overall Best Japanese Whisky: Yamazaki 12-Year
• Best Japanese Whisky for an Old-Fashioned: Nikka Coffey Grain
• Best New Japanese Whisky: Hatozaki Omakase 15 Small Batch
• Best New Single Malt Japanese Whisky: Fuji Single Malt
• Best Budget Japanese Whisky: Suntory Whisky Toki
• Best Value Japanese Single Malt Whisky: Kanosuke Single Malt
• Best Blended Japanese Whisky: Nikka From The Barrel
• Best Japanese Whisky You’ve Never Heard Of: White Oak Single Malt Akashi
• Best Approachable Japanese Whiskey: Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still
• Best Peated Japanese Whisky: Hakushu 12
• Best Limited-Edition Japanese Whisky: Fuji 50th Anniversary Single Malt
• Best Pure Malt Japanese Whisky: Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
• Best Heavily Peated Japanese Whisky: Mars Tsunuki Peated
• Best Elegant Japanese Whisky: Hibiki Harmony
• Best Sherry Cask Japanese Whisky: Fukano 12-Year-Old Single Sherry Cask
• Best Splurge Japanese Whisky: Hibiki 21 Year
• Best Single-Grain Japanese Whisky: Shibui 18-Year-Old Sherry Cask Single Grain

How We Chose the Best Whiskeys of 2026

Our network of liquor experts picked our favorite whiskeys in eight categories, everything from best bourbons to best whiskey bars.

While our writers and editor are experts in their own right, they also interviewed bartenders, restaurant owners, liquor distributors, contest judges, and other thought leaders in the industry. As a result, the 2026 Men’s Journal Whiskey Awards are authoritative, trustworthy, and downright exciting to explore.

The results are highly curated lists of bottles that stand above their competitors in multiple characteristics. We can’t wait for you to dig in.

Related: Our Spirits Experts Tasted and Rated Hundreds of Bottles. These Are the Best Spirits to Sip, Mix, and Savor Right Now

Why You Should Trust Us

Men’s Journal Spirits Editor, Noah Rothabum, is one of the world’s leading authorities on cocktails and spirits, as well as a Kentucky Colonel, James Beard Award winner, and fellow of the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits at the University of Kentucky.

He worked with our top spirits contributors and experts to determine what criteria to judge each subcategory of whiskey—using a combined decades of experience reviewing hundreds of spirits.

Men’s Journal has covered spirits since our inception in 1992. Our editors and writers boast decades of experience in the liquor business. We taste, test, savor, and review every last sip of the best (and worst) beers, wines, whiskeys, and everything in between—all to serve our audience with informed takes and refined opinions.