Best of 2017—Whisky Awards and More
It’s a bit of a tradition among whisky reviewers to publish a “best of” list at the end of the year. 2017 marked the beginning of my adventures in writing about whisky here on the Mule, so I figured it would be fun to put together a quick list of some of my favorite whiskies that I drank this year.
Before I jump into my 2017 whisky awards, a few rules about my list… I’m only including bottles that were either released this year or were regularly available on the shelf this year. So even though the highest rating I gave to a whisky was for my bottle of 23 year old Mortlach, I bought that bottle in 2016 (and it was bottled even earlier than that), so it, as well as several other bottles I reviewed, is not eligible.
I also want to make clear that these awards are based solely on the whiskies I have actually experienced this year, and apart from samples given to me by friends and family, I pay for all of my whisky personally. I have never been sent a sample by a distillery or distributor, therefore I haven’t tried every whisky available. Not even close. So I’m sure I’ve missed some pretty terrific drams that I simply didn’t have the opportunity to try. Nonetheless, I have tried quite a few different whiskies over the course of the last 12 months from all over the globe, so I think I have experienced enough to make these awards a worthwhile exercise.
And while I’m doing my best of 2017, I figured why limit this to just whisky? So I’m throwing in a few other random categories, such as my favorite TV show of the year and a few other things. Why not?
Here we go with the first annual Meade Mule Whisky Awards!
Best Everyday Bourbon
Henry McKenna Single Barrel
If you walk into a liquor store with $40 in your pocket and want a great bottle of bourbon, then you can’t beat a bottle of Henry McKenna. It’s one of the few age-stated bourbons still readily available in virtually every liquor store in the US.
Best Limited Edition Bourbon
Four Roses Al Young 50th Anniversary
I haven’t had the opportunity to try very many of the limited release bourbons this year, but of the ones I did, Four Roses Al Young was the clear standout. Although it was a little uptight when I first opened the bottle, after some time it opened up into a wonderfully balanced, complex sipper, featuring a distinct note of gourmet caramel.
Best Rye
Barrell Rye Batch 001
The first batch of Barrell Rye is one of the best ryes I’ve ever had. Maybe the very best. So many different flavors on the nose and palate. It’s a truly unique whisky.
Best Everyday Single Malt
Ben Nevis 10
This one might be a bit of a surprise, since my review of it wasn’t exactly glowing (although it wasn’t at all negative either), but the more I drink Ben Nevis 10 year old, the more I like it. It’s a whisky I could drink every day of the year and not get tired of it, which I can’t say about many malts, even the ones I love.
Best Limited Edition Single Malt
Balvenie Peat Week (2002 Vintage)
I’m often skeptical of limited edition whiskies, even though I bought quite of few of them this year. There were plenty of good ones too… Laphroaig Cairdeas, Ardbeg Kelpie, Glenmorangie Bacalta, and more. But to me, the clear standout of any single malt scotch that was a special release this year is the Balvenie Peat Week. Just the right amount of peat balanced by Balvenie’s signature honey style of Speyside whisky, I wish I had bought a few more bottles of this one before it sold out.
Overall Best Whisky 2017 (Any Category)
Amrut Spectrum 004
I’ve had plenty of great whisky in 2017, but the moment I first sipped Amrut Spectrum 004, I knew it was the best whisky of the year. Incredibly complex, chock-full of exotic spices, a terrific balance of oak and fruit, and with an absolute killer of a nose, this Indian single malt is a masterpiece. If you can find a bottle at MSRP (which is around $150), it’s well worth the price tag.
OK, enough whisky, on to some more random things.
Best TV Show
Samurai Jack
This one was tough. There were several terrific TV shows this year that I loved, such as Twin Peaks, Better Call Saul, The Young Pope, The Punisher, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Tick (seriously!), and Stranger Things. This might have been the best year in the history of television. But the show that truly stands out for me, that I’ve watched over and over, and that truly affected me on an artistic and emotional level, was the long awaited final season of Samurai Jack. After a 13 year hiatus, Jack’s return was everything I hoped it would be and more. The end of the show affected me in a way that only a very few number of great stories ever have.
Best Movie
Blade Runner 2049
This one isn’t even close—Blade Runner 2049 was by far the best movie I saw this year. It might be the best movie I’ve seen all decade. If you enjoy sci-fi, skip the new Star Wars (which was probably the worst movie of the year), and go watch Blade Runner, which is now available on iTunes and other digital platforms.
Best Podcast
Waking Up with Sam Harris
I listen to a lot of podcasts, but the one that clearly stands out in terms of adding value to my life is Sam Harris’ Waking Up. Featuring a wide and diverse range of topics and guests, Harris always offers thought-provoking discourse.
Best YouTube Channel (Whisky-Related)
Aqvavitae
I watch quite a few different whisky reviewers on YouTube. While Ralfy is the undisputed king of whisky on YouTube (and I do love him), this year saw another terrific and informative Scotsman come onto the scene—Aqvavitae (Roy). Although he doesn’t post as prolifically as some of the other YouTubers, Roy provides videos of incredible quality. If you’ve ever wondered how to pronounce the names of your favorite distilleries, be sure to watch his two guides on how to pronounce scotch whisky. Honorable mention in this category to the Scotch Test Dummies, who really stepped up the quality of their reviews over the last year or so and are putting out great, fun reviews. Also be sure to check out The Malted Man Cave, another newcomer who is providing quite good and informative content (and, for the sake of full disclosure, also happens to be my cousin).
OK, that’s it for this year’s awards. I tasted a lot of great whisky this year—here’s to hoping that 2018 offers more fantastic drams.
Sláinte!
