Top Distilleries That Are Pushing Whisky Envelope

Unexpected drams and destination distilleries are pushing the definition of what makes whisky whisky

- Hugh Garvey

It’s time to stop being so binary about whisky. While scotch and bourbon offer varying degrees of caramel, citrusy, rich, oaked, smoky, and sublime flavors, to simply sip rare single malts and Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve is to cut yourself off from a literal world of whisky. Around the globe, boundaries and borders are being crossed. With Scottish brands breaking rules, renegade distillers on the Continent making terroir-specific spirits, and Japanese artisans paying tribute to Scotland, we are living in the golden age of the golden spirit.