American Whiskey Magazine

The word ‘milestone’ is one that has seemed to glue together the past 11 months of my life; positively and negatively in equal measure. As a new mother, I’ve been eagle-eyed looking out for the first smiles, signs of crawling, and the first steps — often at the expense of my sanity, because these things will inevitably start happening later than your friend’s child prodigy of the same age. I’ve concluded that it isn’t possible for that not to worry you a little bit, and that is okay because our differences are what make us special. The latter statement is a mindset that I have chosen to adopt in my return to the working world, and is something that seems to perfectly encapsulate what you are about to read in…

SPONSORED BY GLENCAIRN CRYSTAL Whisky Live London will return for its 25th-anniversary edition on Friday 28 to Saturday March 29, 2025. The flagship whiskey-tasting event will be held once again at the Fireworks Factory at Woolwich Works, London. Attendees to the event will have the chance to sample an unlimited array of drams from exhibiting distilleries — from limited-edition releases to rare and exceptional whiskeys. Attendees can also visit the World Whiskies Awards 2025 stand, which offers all ticket holders the chance to taste whiskeys from around the world. Premium Experience ticket holders will also have two tokens to redeem at the World Whiskies Awards Premium Stand, which includes rare and limited entries, and award-winners. The Premium Experience adds other luxuries to the event, including an invitation to the exclusive…

As I sit here typing this, I have no idea who the winners of the World Whiskies Awards 2025 are. That’s what I love so much about chairing this competition on the US side of the pond: sometimes we get well-deserving surprise winners. Last year, Lone Elm in Texas won World’s Best Wheat Whiskey, while Texas’ Ironroot Republic won World’s Best Corn Whiskey. A state with just over a decade of distilling history had two World’s Best winners. Colorado also did exceedingly well with Breckenridge’s Best Finished Bourbon and Laws Whiskey House’s Best Small Batch Bourbon. Kentucky still had strong straight bourbon winners — Four Roses won Best Single Barrel Bourbon, while 1792 won World’s Best Bourbon. But it has been truly inspirational to see so many distilleries with a…

Before Texas-raised siblings Kyle and Andrea Kinsel opened the Betty in the spring of 2024, they envisioned opening an impactful venue to channel Austin, Texas’ ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ energy with an innovative drink program. Located in downtown Austin, the Betty’s aesthetic nods at the charm of vintage speakeasies of yesteryear without compromising its commitment to delivering equally appealing modern acoustics. The expansive 4,200-square-foot open design concept features an LED big-screen TV and state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems. There’s also a private speakeasy with its own dedicated bar and a large patio area ideal for intimate celebrations. As soon as you step through the velvet curtain, you’re immersed into a plush yet approachable atmosphere where the music complements the décor, drinks, and ambiance — and vice versa. Although…

Minden Mill Distilling has released its first matured whiskeys: a bourbon, a rye, and an American single malt. California-based Foley Family Wines began operating the distillery, formerly known as Bently Heritage, in 2023. Located in the desert climate in Nevada, Minden Mill operates farming on nearby land, which includes a malting facility, earning it the distinction of producing estate-grown, grain-to-glass whiskeys. In order to be called ‘estate-grown’, a minimum of 85 per cent of the raw materials used in the process must come from land controlled by the distillery and the entire process from growing to bottling must also be controlled by the distillery. This law was passed in Nevada in 2019 and is one of just a handful of such laws in the United States, though the push for…

Hidden in an alley in a Northern suburb of Chicago is a tiny but award-winning distillery named for a famous Prohibitionist, Frances Elizabeth Willard — FEW Spirits. Founded in 2011 by Paul Hletko, FEW has won the World Whiskies Awards Best American Flavored Whiskey for Cold Cut, Best American Blended Whiskey for American Whiskey, and Hletko won Icons of Whisky’s American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year in 2024. In recent years, Hletko has secured partnerships with several top musical acts, including Alice in Chains, the Flaming Lips, and, most recently, the Smashing Pumpkins. “Music has always been a huge part of my personal life” “Music has always been a huge part of my personal life, and it was a pretty substantial part of my professional life for a while,…