This past year, a few great bottles made us sit up and take notice. These were the bottles we couldn’t stop thinking about. We posted them on social media, poured them for others and nicked them to take home for our own collection.
Many of these have big, bold profiles: a sunny passion-fruit liqueur that makes tropical cocktails shine; a mezcal bursting with spicy-sweet mole flavors; a small-batch bourbon from an independent bottler that, true to its name, soars with spice.
Sure, we also appreciate the quiet beauty of nuanced, subtle spirits, and plenty of those bottles fill out the list, too. But looking back, 2023 was the year that a weary world finally seemed to spring back to life. Bars and restaurants boomed. Robust-flavored cocktails like the Hugo Spritz and the Espresso Martini flourished. New bottlings rolled out at a furious clip.
Compiled from the hundreds of bottles we’ve had the opportunity to review over the past 12 months, this list represents a wide and exciting range. Pricing spans from $750 (for a stunning limited-edition Irish whiskey—watch your back, Scotch) to a $20 best-buy organic vodka. We hope you’ll find here memorable bottles you’ll want to share, too. — Kara Newman
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WE Recommend
Dalmore
The Dalmore 18 Years Old (Scotland; E&J Gallo Spirits, Healdsburg, CA). Look for an amber hue and rich caramel aroma. The palate echoes big, rich caramel tones, followed by dusty cocoa powder and hints of black licorice and clove. The long, lip-smacking finish offers oak, cocoa and leather.
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