The Best Summer 2024 Whisky Releases

The Best Summer 2024 Whisky Releases

UPROXX recently tasted and ranked the best bourbons of 2024 (so far), highlighting some heavy hitters. However, the whiskey world is ever-evolving, and in the weeks since that ranking was published, numerous brand-new bourbons have hit the market, potentially contenders for the top honor of best bourbon of 2024. Whether someone is looking for something to sip by the pool or searching for those rare unicorns that will continue to impress through the end of the year, there are recommendations for every occasion in the middle of the calendar year. This guide is a choose-your-own-adventure story starring the reader and their wallet. Whichever path is chosen, this guide is the perfect map for getting there. Think of it like a summer road trip, but one filled with stops at local liquor stores and the best bars instead of tourist traps and cheesy attractions. In other words, this is a journey worth taking. Now, buckle up and come along for the ride. Here are the 10 best new bourbons to buy this summer!

2XO Kiawah Blend

The Kiawah Blend, crafted by Master Blender Dixon Dedman, marks the latest addition to the 2XO series. Introduced during a live interview in January, this release represents the fourth installment in the brand’s Icon Series and was officially launched in April 2024. Buy it now!

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bottled in Bond Bourbon

Angel’s Envy caused a stir in the whiskey community with the announcement of their debut of an unfinished bourbon. This Bottled in Bond release, bottled at cask strength without dilution, precisely at 100 proof, has piqued curiosity. Master Blender Owen Martin achieved this by combining barrels proofed between 98-99 with two overproof barrels, striking a perfect balance for a unique and intriguing expression. Buy it now!

Bardstown Collection Jim Beam 20 Year Old

The Bardstown Collection, now in its third year, gathers distilleries from Kentucky's Bourbon Capital to showcase the region's rich heritage. Jim Beam's contribution to the 2024 collection is particularly special: it marks the release of their oldest straight bourbon in history, highlighting a milestone in the distillery's storied legacy.

Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength Batch 036

A multi-mashbill blend was crafted by combining full-bodied barrels with black cherry notes and oak-forward barrels with a nutty flavor profile. Younger barrels with stone fruit and peppery highlights were then added, followed by older barrels with milk chocolate, cinnamon, and pecan notes. The result is an elegant bourbon with an opulent finish. The blend components include Indiana bourbons aged 7.5, 8, and 10 years, Tennessee bourbons aged 8 and 15 years, and a 9-year-old Kentucky bourbon, with a derived mash bill of 79% corn, 16% rye, and 5% malted barley. Buy it now!

Bhakta 2014 Armagnac Cask Finish Bourbon Whiskey

Bhakta, an intriguing brand created by former WhistlePig founder Raj Bhakta, showcases his eccentricity by blending well-aged whiskey with his vast reserves of Armagnac and brandies. This particular release features 10-year-old bourbon distilled in Indiana, finished in Armagnac casks, creating a unique and captivating flavor profile. Buy it now!

Green River Full Proof Bourbon

This blend of 5, 6, and 7-year bourbons, with a mash bill of 70% local corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley, is bottled at 117.3 proof. It boasts a rich, golden-amber color and a lingering, rich mouthfeel. The tasting notes highlight warming spice, vanilla, caramel, chocolate-coated peppermints, cinnamon, dried cherry, and light leather. Seelbach's notes describe a rich and warming nose with cranberry, cherry, fresh cider with mulling spices, thick caramel sauce, toasted vanilla, cocoa powder, and leather. The palate offers brown sugar, honey, and leather upfront, followed by dried cherry, s’mores, and baking spices. The long, trailing finish features tobacco leaf, baking spices, dark fruits, cocoa powder, honey grahams, and balanced toasted oak. Buy it now!

Ol’ New Riff Bourbon Whiskey

Ol' New Riff is the latest lineup from New Riff Distillery, offering both a bourbon and a rye. Bottled in bond and non-chill filtered, the bourbon features a unique mash bill of 60% heirloom corn, 26% balboa rye, and 14% two-row malted barley.

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 2024 VVS Release

The third installment in Old Fitzgerald's Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series, this exceptional release lives up to its "Very Very Special" designation. A 100-proof wheated bourbon, it has been meticulously aged for an impressive 13 years, embodying the essence of craftsmanship and tradition synonymous with the Old Fitzgerald legacy. Buy it now!

Russell’s Reserve 15-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Russell’s Reserve 15-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the latest limited release from Wild Turkey’s Russell’s Reserve lineup. This new 15-year expression surpasses the previous 13-year pinnacle, adding two years of maturity and nearly 3 proof points while remaining non-chill filtered. Buy it now!

Weller Millennium

Buffalo Trace Distillery, the third oldest operating distillery in the world with roots dating back to 1773, has been perfecting its craft since the early days of Kentucky's frontier. Despite changing hands numerous times, it has always remained a bastion for authentic American whiskey. At the turn of the millennium, during a transformative period, the distillation team honored W.L. Weller by setting aside some of the first whiskeys distilled in the new millennium. Weller Millennium is a blend of vintage straight bourbon and wheat whiskeys distilled in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2006. This blend showcases the softness imparted by wheat, resulting in a smoother, sweeter, and more approachable whiskey. The marriage of these exceptional spirits creates a harmonious and balanced final product that is greater than the sum of its parts. Buy it now!