I have, more than once, considered writing a sort of summary of my year in whisky. I routinely fail to do so for one reason or another. This year, my friend over at Whiskey One put together a nice list of his favorite whiskies for the year, finally inspiring me to do the same.

I think one of the biggest reasons I’ve failed to do anything like this in the past is that I’ve over-complicated the task, thinking that a long and detailed introduction is needed, finding myself unable to settle on a methodology, and worrying over whether it’s appropriate to include whiskies released in earlier years. Enough indecision and complexity–I’m going to keep things simple!

Below is a list of 12 whiskies that have excited me in 2024. These are whiskies that I tried and enjoyed this year: some may be from 2024, while some may not. Since my review process can be quite complicated as well, many of these whiskies probably haven’t been formally reviewed on this site. Are these really my “end-all and be-all” whiskies for the year? Maybe, maybe not, but they’re the whiskies that, looking back over the year that was, I’m thinking of.

In earlier years, you probably would have seen Scotch all the way down, and no American whiskey in sight. Scotch remains my go to, something that is unlikely to ever change, but I’ve had a lot more bourbon and other American whiskey in recent times, and that is reflected in my list for 2024.

Lastly: why 12? Well, there are 12 months in a year, so if you like, you can think of these as representing my whisky of the month for each month of 2024 (although that’s not quite how I think of it).

In no particular order….

1. Ardbeg Hypernova

Ardbeg releases a fair number of gimmicky, expensive, limited edition whiskies; almost always, my most immediate reaction is usually indifference. I still end up with a fair number of them, eventually. My wife and I came across this bottle at Liquor World in Durango, CO, on a weekend trip. My main objective was to pick up some Laws while in Colorado, but my wife was seduced by this. Online reviews from enthusiasts have been a bit lackluster (although Jim Murray loved the stuff; you can say what you want about the guy, but let’s face it–he knows a shit ton more than the amateur crowd), so I didn’t know what to expect. Suffice it to say, I’m with Murray on this one.

2. Wilderness Trail Wheated Single Barrel Bourbon

I’d been curious about Wilderness Trail for awhile. My wife’s cousins wanted to have a get-together at a local bowling alley, and the only remotely interesting thing to drink at their bar was one of these. I had some, fell in love, and immediately went to pick up a bottle at my local liquor store (Jubilation); I actually ended up with a bottle of their more standard bourbon with rye, rather than wheat on the mashbill, which I enjoy as well, but I had to go back for the wheater; it’s been one of the most interesting whiskey experiences of the year for me.

3. Wilderness Trail Jubilation Barrel Selection Kentucky Straight Bourbon

The kid at Jubilation tried to sell me on this the first time I went there for Wilderness Trail. I had my heart set on another expression, but after sampling that and other essays from the distillery, I headed back for this. I liked it so much that I ended up buying a second bottle for myself (not something I often do!), and another for a friend.

4. Laws San Luis Valley Rye

My man Whiskey One has a soft spot for Colorado’s Laws Whiskey House, so much so that I’ve been very curious to try their whiskey. Their products aren’t available in Albuquerque, but my wife and I enjoy weekend trips to Durango. The same trip when we also ended up with some Ardbeg Hypernova, I picked up several Laws expressions, including this one. The Four Grain bourbon left me a little cold, quite frankly, but this rye blew me away. I do like aggressive ryes, but this one won me over with a subtler take on the style. Lovely stuff.

5. Auchroisk 20 Year Old (2010 Diageo Special Releases)

My wife bought me this for Christmas quite a few years ago on a “20 year old” kick. I’ve always liked it fine enough, but a pour this fall hit me in a whole new way. Not the thing if you’re itching to get your socks blown off with a huge hit of peat or an active sherry cask, but a lovely, subtle whisky in a lighter style.

6. Balmenach 21 Year Old – 2001 (Old Malt Cask)

Edinburgh’s Royal Mile Whiskies always ships to the US, but it’s typically a wee bit costly. The last several years they’ve offered free shipping on orders over a certain amount, and it’s been hard for me not to take advantage, given that they have a formidable selection. On this year’s bender, I found this intriguing Balmenach for only around $150, so I grabbed a bottle. Ordinarily, I don’t open bottles right away, however, this one was leaking ever so slightly when it came (the fault of Hunter Laing, not Royal Mile, judging from the dodgy cork) so I used that as an excuse to open it almost right away. Good lord, what a brilliant first dram!

7. Glasgow 1770 (Peated)

Peated Lowland whisky? It’s not the 2000s anymore, kids–the region is booming, and not a few of the new distilleries in the region have been experimenting with peated expressions, including the recently opened Glasgow distillery. Pedro Ximenez sherry can be a cloying–and overwhelming–influence on whisky. This charming young expression does a fine job marrying smokiness with the powerful fruitiness of the sherry. Lovely.

8. Ardnahoe 5 Year Old (Inaugural Release)

Hunter Laing’s Ardnahoe is–for now–Islay’s newest distillery (at least as long as you discount the reimagined Port Ellen!). Where most distillers bottle new spirit the moment it’s legal at 3 years old, Ardnahoe waited 5 long years for their inaugural expression, a complex, uncompromising whisky that promises great things for the future.

9. Ballindalloch 2015 (Bourbon Cask)

Amidst the general boom in new Scottish distilleries, the nation’s premier whisky region (Speyside) has been relatively quiet. There are a handful of exceptions, including Ballindalloch. Another immensely charming young whisky that shows huge potential from the distillery.

10. Garrison Brothers Small Batch Bourbon

I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz around this Texas distillery for awhile now–based on this expression, it’s entirely justified, and I’m excited to try more–when I can afford it! Most of the expressions I can find locally are north of $100.

11. Glen Moray 2014 – Warehouse 1, Oloroso Cask

Glen Moray is something of an unloved, unheralded distillery, long billed as a supermarket single malt. Things have lately been moving in a promising direction, with higher age statement expressions being unchillfiltered, natural color, and north of 46% abv; the Warehouse 1 range is likewise integrity presentation and largely cask strength. This Oloroso sherry matured 2014 vintage is a banger of a whisky, showing what this neglected distillery can do.

12. Knockando 18 (1996)

Americans mostly wouldn’t know a Knockando from a Knochdhu, largely thanks to Diageo’s decision to completely neglect the American market with this Speysider. I’ve had this 18 year old unopened on my shelf for close to a decade; I finally popped it open lately, and was immediately impressed with this precise, elegant, perfumed whisky–very fine stuff, and Speyside vein that has fallen a bit out of favor.