While it sounds like fun and (drinking) games, ranking the year’s best bourbons is actually a pretty tall task. That’s especially true for 2025, a year that saw producers big and small release fantastic whiskeys as they worked to combat slowing sales growth and a semi–stagnant market for aged spirits.

From the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection to the James B. Beam Distilling Co. Private Barrel Club, here are the top bourbon, whiskey releases of 2025.

A recent trend in Americans giving up drinking is hitting the alcohol industry hard. You've likely heard the news that more and more citizens of the United States (especially the younger demographic) are drinking less alcohol.

One year after the Bourbon Street truck attack, Fort Myers victims’ lawsuit enters discovery after surviving motions to dismiss.

The inaugural Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction and Celebration will be Feb. 13-15 and include three days of exclusive events, including an auction of barrels of rare bourbons and luxury lots from Brown-Forman, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery and more.

Every year, Spec's offers discounts on some special batches of bourbon for connoisseurs, collectors and people looking to make some money on the secondary market. Monday, Bourbon Day 2025 returns to the store at 2410 Smith Street with more bottles of bourbon to offer ahead of the new year.

Ypsilanti Bourbon Fest will celebrate its fifth year on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at the Michigan Firehouse Museum, 110 W. Cross St. The indoor event will feature two sessions at the museum. Session one runs from 4 to 6:30 p.m., while session two takes place from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

Jim Beam said the decision to pause bourbon making at its Clermont location in 2026 will give the company time to invest in improvements at the distillery. The bottling and warehouse at the site will remain open, along with the James B. Beam Distilling Co. visitors center and restaurant.

In the world of whiskey, plenty of bottles get labeled as "cigar blends." Most of them take a straightforward path: finish the spirit in some exotic barrel to pick up flavors that play nice with smok