Above the fold, American whiskey is bourbon, bourbon, bourbon these days—but we’re of the opinion the top stories (and spirits) require a little more reading to find. From apex-reaching single malts to paradigm-shifting distilleries way outside of Kentucky, there’s a lot of great whiskey on the market and coming soon.
Whether you’re in the mood for something different after a tooth-and-nail fight for the biggest names in Kentucky bourbon, or just looking to get ahead of the market on the next great must-drink bottles, we put together a list of the brands to keep an eye on in 2021 and beyond.
10 American Whiskey Brands to Watch
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1. Chattanooga Distillery
While Chattanooga has been making solid whiskey for many years, they caught attention in 2020 for the release of its 99 Rye. It’s a unique recipe using the notoriously difficult-to-work-with malted rye. That bottle turned heads, and if the rest of Tennessee’s distillers didn’t take notice, it’s on them if they get lapped by this exciting underdog.
As much as we’d love to tell you 99 Rye is where it’s at, the bottle to buy right now is its long-awaited Bottled in Bond. This 4-year-old whiskey is surprisingly fruity with jammy, silky textures that suggest honey and baked goods. When these guys turn out a 7-year-old whiskey, the world is going to hear about it.
This Seattle, Washington, single malt distillery has long been one of our favorites. But in the last 18 months, Westland has doubled down on the core elements that make its whiskies so delicious. Massive investments in experimental barley research are just the tip of a mountain of initiatives meant to further diversify the flavors coming out of its blending lab.
Though many of the things we’re most excited about are far off, Westland has taken the unprecedented step of looking at the core line of products that made it what it is today, and simply saying, “We can do better.” The result is one newly reformulated “Flagship” single malt: a wholly new blend of peated, sherried, and other malts. This whiskey is greater than the sum of its parts—and at the sum of its MSRP, it’s also a steal.
A Polish family making Florida whiskey is the sort of chaotic energy the whiskey world desperately needs in 2021, and these folks have it by the barrel. Kozuba’s vodka-making origins led into whiskey-making in 2014, and though the production is small, the quality is high.
Case in point: our recommended bottle, High Wheat Rye Whiskey, a now 6-year rye whiskey, made with 65 percent rye and 35 percent wheat. It’s a highly unusual mashbill—typically, the only times you’ll see wheat and rye together are as part of a four-grain bourbon recipe. This two-grain recipe confounds the mind. It’s flavorful, it makes excellent use of the characters of both grains, as if to sternly ask all of these multi-generation American whiskey makers why they need corn at all. We can only hope there’s more to come.
Wyoming whiskey had a notoriously rough start when it released too-young whiskey to an underwhelmed market in the state. But an aggressive buyback of the less-than-impressive bourbon cleared the slate, it seems every drop coming out of that whiskey house since then is delicious.
The single barrels are great, the Outryder bourbon-rye mashup is tasty, but now that the distillery is able to produce older stock reliably, we’re getting to see some really great bottles. The notable recent release was a fundraising effort for the national parks. One-of-a-kind bottles raised $120 million, but the parallel release of a limited-edition small batch of 5-year-old whiskey shows the polished spirit they’re capable of now: cedary and creamy with hints of vanilla, tea and just a dash of nutmeg.
What to Drink Now: Wyoming National Parks Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon, $50; wyomingwhiskey.com
Master distiller Owen Martin has been tinkering away with every aspect of Stranahan’s for a few years now. He was at the helm when Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 10 Year was released last year, and was also first to admit that, over the next few years, the Stranahan’s single malt we know is going to go through some big changes.
One of those changes has to do with the average age of the spirit itself. The brand has reached a degree of maturity, and Martin is confident there’s ample stock to see some cool projects through to the end. Right now, they’re being released as distillery exclusives—delicious stuff like this season’s Caribbean Rum Cask. We’re not allowed to share the other things to expect soon, but rest assured you can comfortably sip on Mountain Angel until then. It’s nuanced, subtle, and brooding, with layers of tobacco and molasses.
What to Drink Now: Mountain Angel 10 Year Single Malt Whiskey, $130; stranahans.com
Laws Whiskey House is another example of a growing community of incredible Colorado whiskey makers. Its first barrel hit 10 years of age earlier this summer, but its dedication to small, grain-forward batches of terroir-focused whiskey isn’t going anywhere just because they hit double digits.
What is going somewhere are the younger age statements you may have seen (and tasted) in the past. Two has become four, four has become six, and with that comes across-the-board finesse for some already delicious stuff. Releases come at too fast a clip for us to pick one we’re excited for now, but if you haven’t ventured into the world of Laws recently, its spicy, nutty, and lively Saint Luis Valley Straight Rye is a great (re)introduction.
What to Drink Now: Laws Saint Luis Valley Straight Rye, $75; lawswhiskeyhouse.com
Lost Lantern is a major first for American whiskey: a private labelling brand from husband and wife team Adam Polonski and Nora Ganley-Roper. They’ve spent the last few years traveling the country to visit the distilleries you’re not paying enough attention to, and selecting some of the hands-down most delicious casks, for exclusive bottling.
Chances are, by the time you read this you’ve missed out on most of the stuff they bottle. But with new batches coming every year, the Lost Lantern brand is a buy-on-sight pick for us. More importantly (and lest you assume they’re just picking single barrels), Nora and Adam produce a profoundly delicious, unique blend called American Vatted. It’s committee-blended by the dynamic duo and the distillers of the whiskey components in question. Depending on the batch, that might include the likes of Balcones, Copperworks, Santa Fe Spirits, Triple Eight, Westward, Virginia Distillery Co., all mingled to perfection by a dozen expert palates.
What to Drink Now: Lost Lantern American Vatted Malt Whiskey, $120; lostlanternwhiskey.com
If you had told us that Nevada was capable of making one of the best bourbons on the market in 2010, we’d have been skeptical, but when we first got our hands on a sample in 2020, there was little room for argument.
The four-grain, farm-to-glass brand is the product of the Frey family’s own grain farming and distilling efforts. As if their signature bourbon wasn’t delicious and well-rounded enough on its own, they’ve now started cranking out a limited number of single barrels. These have the complexity and character to stand up against anything we’ve seen coming out of Kentucky recently.
What to Drink Now: Frey Ranch Single Barrel Bourbon, $85; freyranch.com
This absolute unknown bourbon bottler wowed in competition this year when it took the top prize for its quirky 13-and-a-half-year bourbon. But with the eyes of the whiskey world upon them now, they’ve already secured some awards for the next project out of the gate: Blue Run Rye.
Blue Run Rye debuts next month, but the sourced Kentucky rye whiskey is already approaching perfection. Early samples showed a honey graham fruit tart character with finessed support struts of vanilla cream and butterscotch under a mellow spice. It took a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition earlier this year—overshadowed by the standout performance of one of its bourbons, but delicious nevertheless.
Former whiskey authority Heather Greene crossed lines to become a whiskey maker a few years ago. As the second name on the Milam and Greene label, she’s been a sort of spearhead for some new innovations with the Texas-based hybrid distiller/sourced brand. Greene is actually one of three parents for the brand, including entrepreneur Marsha Milam and Kentucky distiller Marlene Holmes, who handles the non-Texas part of the Kentucky-Texas equation. Twenty years ago a hybrid multi-state blend would’ve been heresy; today it’s just smart whiskey making.
Many of their bottles have been solid, but the latest release—a 13-year-old sourced bourbon batch for the new “Castle Hill” series—delivers a ton of citrus and chocolate notes, and real nuance despite a bold-ish 108 proof point. Greene, as CEO, will definitely continue to deliver interesting concoctions. Once you’ve proven playing by the rules is for amateurs, doing whatever makes good whiskey is as easy to do as this whiskey is easy to drink.
There’s no doubt when the weather turns colder as we settle into winter, stouts take center stage. And while we enjoy all its iterations: standard stout, imperial stout, and robust barrel-aged stouts, we think this malty, chocolate-filled beer’s close cousin deserves a little respect as well. Of course, we’re talking about the oft-overlooked porter. And the best porters, oh buddy, they’ll have you rethinking your seasonal bevvie of choice.
For those uninitiated, the porter style had its genesis in England like many other iconic beer styles. It first appeared in the 1700s and is (you guessed it) named after porters—individuals tasked with transporting luggage.
A confusing origin story
“Stout is the direct descendant of porter. In the 1700s, it was common to use the word ‘stout’ to refer to a bolder, higher-alcohol version of any beer style, much in the same way we use the word ‘imperial’ today,” says Zach Fowle, advanced cicerone and head of marketing for Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. in Phoenix, AZ. “Porter was the most popular beer of the day, and over time, “stout porter” became a popular variant. But by the late 1800s, demand for regular porters evaporated, and stout porter shortened simply to stout.”
But more has changed between the 1800s and today than just our penchant for wearing top hats. “Today, most brewers seem to market beers as either stout or porter based on vibes, rather than on any notable stylistic differences,” he says.
Specifically, porters are known for their dark, almost pitch-black color and rich, sweet flavor profile. If you were to drink a porter and a stout side by side, you might even have difficulty discerning the differences between the two.
Stout versus porter is an enduring topic of discussion in the brewing industry. “While there’s no debating the porter came first—and stout used to be called stout porter, so it was a stronger version of a porter—the lines have become very blurred over the years,” says Rob Lightner, co-founder of East Brother Brewing in Richmond, CA.
“I would venture that even among professionals, a blind taste test would often yield inconclusive results,” says Lightner.
The difference between porters and stouts
Porters tend to be on the milder, more chocolatey end of the spectrum, Lightner says, whereas stouts are typically a little stronger and more roasty. Of course, this isn’t a hard and fast rule
Fowle agrees, “Porters tend to be fruitier, sweeter, and less bitter than stouts, with cocoa and caramel flavors in balance with dark malt bitterness. And stouts are usually hoppier, drier, maltier, and more coffee-forward—and may even have a touch of acidity.”
Whether or not they fit neatly into boxes, one thing’s for sure: both make for incredible cold-weather brews.
“As the nights grow longer, drinking a light, summery beer just doesn’t seem right,” says Fowle. “Porter is the perfect style for the transition to winter: warming and toasty yet not too heavy, with flavors of coffee, chocolate, and pie crust that correspond with autumn weather and holidays.”
It’s the perfect time to broaden your repretoire. Sweet, robust, warming, and well-suited to the season, here are the best porters to drink now.
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1. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
There are few porters more well-respected than Deschutes’ iconic Black Butte Porter. It’s brewed with Cascade and Tettnang hops as well as 2-row, Chocolate, Crystal, and Carapils malts as well as wheat. This 5.5% ABV year-round offering is great for cold-weather drinking because of its mix of roasted malts, coffee, and chocolate. It’s a robust, subtly sweet beer perfect for imbibing on a crisp fall night.
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
Marius Bugge
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
Marius Bugge
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Marius Bugge
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
Marius Bugge
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Marius Bugge
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top. Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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If you haven’t picked up a jump rope since elementary school, you’re missing out on a fantastic cardio workout. Not only will you burn a ton of calories in a short amount of time—200 to 300 calories in 15 minutes—but jump ropes can also improve your coordination and agility. Better yet, jumping rope doesn’t require much space, so it’s easy to do at home, and it’s often more mentally stimulating than jogging or swimming.
Choosing a Jump Rope
When deciding which jump rope is best for you, it’s important to determine what your goals are. While lightweight speed ropes are popular for cardio-focused training, weighted or drag ropes will be best for those focused on strength training.
No matter what your training goals are, we’ve got you covered with this roundup of 10 jump ropes from top brands including Crossrope, TRX, Rogue, and more.
The Best Jump Ropes of 2022
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