The 2026 Esquire Spirit Awards

17 min readHere at Esquire, we’re not shy about our love of a good, stiff drink. Perhaps that’s why we’ve been so distressed by the data that has been published over the past few years claiming young people don’t imbibe like they used to. Mercifully, that myth has been busted. A recent report from the IWSR has shown that 74 percent of Gen Z adults are enjoying alcohol, up from 66 percent just a few years back. (Did anyone even consider that maybe most of them weren’t 21 yet?)When they’re not drinking canned cocktails—and they shouldn’t be, in our opinion—they’re reaching for spirits over beer and wine. That’s something we can get behind. So let’s celebrate with a drink, shall we?We’re lucky to be alive at a fruitful time in booze history, when there’s no shortage of delightful options from the bottom to the top shelf. Choice, however, is the enemy of decision. Therefore, we rounded up the best spirits of 2026 to make your drinking life easier. Esquire contributors tasted hundreds—if not thousands—of gins, whiskeys, tequilas, mezcals, vodkas, and more this year, eventually narrowing down our favorites to three top choices across 12 categories. The 36 bottles on our definitive list below aren’t just good. We believe they’re enticing enough to convince the remaining 26 percent of Zoomers to take a sip.Michael CarnevaleOur favorite spirits of 2026 can be mixed into cocktails, sure—but make sure you savor them neat first.Glengoyne Mizunara OakGlengoyneGlengoyne is best known for its sherry-cask-matured whisky, but more recently the Highland distillery has been using other types of barrels. The latest example is this exceptional 16-year-old single malt aged for a decade in sherry-seasoned wood, which imparts a base of rich dried fruit and spiced cake flavors, before aging for its final six years in virgin Japanese mizunara oak to imbue delicate notes of incense, cinnamon, and toasted nuts. This is a very limited release, but it’s one that is well worth hunting down.Shop Total WineBunnahabhain An Cuan Garbh No. 1 White Port Cask FinishBunnahabhainBunnahabhain is located on Islay, the island region of Scotland that’s famous for its intensely peated whiskies from distilleries like Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Bunnahabhain, however, mostly makes unpeated single malt, and such is the case with the new addition to the Westering Home Collection, An Cuan Garbh. (In case you’re not fluent, that means “the rough sea” in Gaelic). After spending 15 years aging in oak, the whisky was placed into Portuguese white port barrels and bottled at a high proof. All that results in subtle saline, vanilla, and citrus notes that intermingle with ripe fruit, spice, and botanical flavors.Shop Cask CartelThe GlenAllachie 1990GlenAllachieA 35-year-old single malt from the GlenAllachie already sounds like a winner. Now, what if it were aged in four different types of wood and bottled at cask strength? Even better. This 1990 vintage was initially matured for about 35 years in ex-bourbon barrels before undergoing a three-to-six-year secondary maturation in four other types of barrels: virgin American oak, oloroso sherry, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and, the heart of the blend, virgin mizunara. Cask strength here equates to just over 100 proof, a very approachable strength that allows notes of tropical fruit, vanilla bean, dark chocolate, and floral baking spice to shine in every sip.Shop FlaviarEl Tesoro Mundial Collection Yamazaki EditionEl TesoroFor each installment of its ongoing Mundial Collection, El Tesoro takes its ultra-premium tequilas and finishes them in different barrels sourced from world-renowned whisky makers. The fourth and most recent release is the distillery’s best to date. It ages an earthy, mineral-forward añejo in ex-wine and sherry casks that formerly contained precious 12-year-old Japanese single malt from Yamazaki. The payoff is rich in body and brimming with incense and cedar-box sophistication. It won’t be on shelves for much longer; the limited-edition run consists of just 30,000 bottles in total.Shop Total WineCazcanes Nuestras Raíces Edición Especial 2026CazcanesCazcanes has firmly established itself as the craft darling of the tequila world. This annual high-proof offering proves why. It’s a bright and herbal elixir, nosing with fresh-cut grass, mint, and roasted poblano peppers. On the tongue it exhibits the unbridled essence of the agave at its core: cayenne spice, rain-soaked soil, and a pinch of salt. This is how tequila ought to taste—even though it’s technically not a tequila at all. Third-generation distiller Humberto Alvarado employs handcrafted methods that predate modern regulatory statutes, so he’s forced to call it “Destilado de Agave” as a result. We call it freaking awesome.Shop Cask CartelEspolòn Extra AñejoEspolonLongstanding fans of the brand will remember that Espolòn discontinued its original Extra Añejo label a decade ago due to an industry-wide agave shortage. Now it’s back and better than before. The original was an oak-laden behemoth. This one is an elegant and nuanced affair that benefits from time spent in French chardonnay casks. Pear-fruit aromas jump out of this one before a sip reveals slightly spiced orchard and slate that soothes the palate. Only the faintest thread of oak arrives in a firm finish, accompanied by a tickle of toffee.Shop FlaviarRussell’s Reserve 13 Year OldRussell's ReserveThis year’s release of Russell’s Reserve 13 is a special one. It marks the 45th anniversary of master distiller Eddie Russell’s tenure at the Wild Turkey Distillery. This age-statement bourbon was first released in 2021 and has consistently been at the top of the category over the years, even beating out its elder 15-year-old sibling. The 2026 edition was another stunner, a barrel-proof (121.2) bourbon that sits comfortably in the pocket of extended maturation. The palate is full, complex, and assertive, with classic notes of maple, vanilla, oak, and spice, ending on a long exit ramp of warming heat as your sip fades out.Shop FlaviarSeelbach’s Private Reserve ClassicSeelbach'sHey, proof hounds: Not every bourbon has to be super hot. On the contrary, sometimes low ABV is actually better. Case in point? This new Kentucky bourbon from independent bottler and whiskey purveyor Seelbach’s. The nearly eight-year-old whiskey clocks in at 99 proof, which is not thin or diluted by any means but also far from the face-melting barrel-proof bottles that litter the bourbon market. Private Reserve Classic is very versatile and can be used for sipping or mixing, with notes of caramel, stone fruit, and oak spice that delight on the palate. At about $40 per bottle, it’s one of the best deals you can find—especially given its age statement and strength.Shop Seelbach'sElijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel BourbonElijah CraigHeaven Hill’s Elijah Craig label is best known for its flagship bourbon, an affordable and dependable bar staple. But the brand also keeps some excellent high-end single-barrel expressions up its sleeve. That includes the elusive but always fantastic 18-year, which was just released in a new batch. The 2026 release is outstanding. The 90 proof bourbon teeters on the edge of becoming overly oaky without crossing the line, making it a superlative example of extra-mature bourbon, with notes of leather, tobacco, white pepper, and malted chocolate on the palate, which are rounded out with a flash of heat on the finish.Shop Total WineVago Ensamble En Barro Joven AncestralMezcal VagoMost mezcals on the market today highlight a specific variety of agave, most commonly the espadín subspecies. But the “ensamble” style invites all sorts of agave to the party, and a vibrant soiree often ensues. Vago gets in on the action every year with an annual release of Ensamble En Barro. It varies drastically in flavor from one year to the next, and that’s the point. The latest liquid is a symphony of wet clay, aloe, potted cactus, and pipe tobacco. If that’s not enough to pique your interest, just wait until the finish arrives; it nods to pumpkin spice latte!Shop Cask CartelCinco Sentidos Mole Poblano5 SentidosIf you’re searching for a savory mezcal, make a meal out of this. It’s an umami-rich potion that noses with roasted chestnut and dry-aged Wagyu. A sturdy body holds smoldering-rosemary and toasted-sesame-seed curiosities. The unique flavor profile is the result of actual chicken and mole being introduced during final distillation. Vapors of the spirit pass through a cheesecloth filled with the ingredients traditional to a Oaxacan banquet. What condenses into the bottle is worthy of significant celebration.Shop Cask CartelAgua Mágica Aldo Sohm ReposadoAgua MágicaIf there’s a more sophisticated rendering of mezcal on the market today, we have yet to sip it. This limited release is the result of a unique partnership between Don Rogelio, a fifth generation master mezcalero, and Aldo Sohm, one of the most revered sommeliers in the world. The agave at the heart of the collaboration was wild-fermented in open-air pine vats, double-distilled in rustic copper pots, and then aged for eight months in Austrian wine barrels, hand-selected by Sohm. The cooperage mellows the underlying vegetal funk of the 88 proof spirit, encouraging a smattering of sun-dried tomato and fresh green bell pepper to wash over the palate. Sip it slow like a red wine from a storied vintage.Learn MoreLasso Motel x James Dean 13 Year Rye WhiskeyLasso MotelLasso Motel’s new rye whiskey was released in collaboration with the James Dean estate—another celebrity affiliation that really does not matter in the least. What does matter is that it’s a 13-year-old rye whiskey produced at MGP, the Indiana distillery known for making excellent whiskey for many other brands. It would be difficult, but not impossible, to screw up a rye like this, which is made from the classic MGP recipe: 95 percent rye grain and 5 percent malted barley bottled at 112 proof. Black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg notes lead the palate, and after more than a decade in barrels the whiskey is softened by custard, oak, and stone-fruit notes. This is a solid sipper, but definitely consider using it to upgrade your next Manhattan to diamond status.Shop Seelbach'sRittenhouse Rye U.S. 250th Anniversary EditionRittenhouseRittenhouse has long been a bartender’s favorite because it’s an affordable bottled-in-bond rye that is strong enough and flavorful enough to use in any whiskey cocktail you can think of. But this summer’s 250th Anniversary Edition makes that workhorse whiskey even better. This version is a Kentucky-style rye made with just the legally required amount of rye grain (51 percent) that amplifies everything you love about regular Rittenhouse. It’s aged for a full decade and bottled without chill filtration, and those extra six years in barrels unlock a whole new world of flavors that carry this whiskey into “best of” territory.Shop Cask CartelFrey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut RyeFrey RanchNevada’s Frey Ranch is one of the best craft distilleries in the country. The farm-to-bottle operation added this barrel-proof rye whiskey to its lineup as a permanent addition this past spring, and that’s a very good thing for everyone. Aged for six years and bottled at 124.62 proof, the whiskey is made from a mash bill of 100 percent Canadian winter rye, which is grown on-site at the Frey Ranch farm in the shadow of the Sierras. Expect big spice, fruit, and oak flavors, with a burst of florality and, of course, some cinnamon hot spice on the finish given its higher-than-average ABV.Shop Frey RanchHoliday Vodka Italian Vodka Holiday VodkaLess than a year since it launched, this Italian import is already a cult smash. The secret to its success is ingredient sourcing: 100 percent soft organic wheat from Piedmonte. It’s a delicate pour, whispering with spring floral blooms. On the palate it’s crisp and clean, departing with sweet and spicy echoes of marzipan and fresh-cracked peppercorn in alternating waves. This vodka is rounded and poised to assist with martini upgrades.Shop HolidayGrey Goose Berry Rouge Grey GooseWe all know and love Grey Goose, the modern classic that put premium vodka on the map. But precisely because it is such a classic of the category, the brand has been reluctant to indulge in flavored expressions. However, when it does, it invariably comes correct. This year’s Berry Rouge is the latest testimony. It’s a fresh and vibrant addition to the portfolio crafted with real Mediterranean-sourced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. The nose does much of the heavy lifting here, revealing those aforementioned ingredients with aromatic intensity. The sip is far subtler in its sweetness yet quite eager to work its way into your next cosmo.Shop Total WineChopin Family Reserve Chopin VodkaWho says vodka can’t be for sipping? Certainly not this prize-winning Polish producer. Each year, Chopin delivers to shelves a scant supply of this precious, satin-bodied spirit. It affects a subtle starchy sweetness, owed to the young potatoes from which it is distilled—harvested at the peak of summer. To enhance its smoothness and viscosity, the crystal-clear decoction is rested for two full years in half-century-old oak barrels. Stir over ice and strain and it’s practically a martini unto itself. But add the slightest bit of Dolin Blanc vermouth and it becomes a revelatory rendering.Shop Total WineKentucke County 12 Year OldKentucke CountyKentucke County—not a typo, that’s the original spelling from 1776—is the latest from 15 Stars, a whiskey brand focused on sourcing and blending. The 12-year expression is an unusual mix of bourbon and whiskey “distilled from a bourbon mash bill,” meaning it can’t be called bourbon because it was not initially aged in new charred oak as required by law. Instead, it spent seven years in used barrels and then a final five in virgin oak. The whiskey is delicious, starting off with a creamy mouthfeel and notes of vanilla, brown sugar, honey, and leather, ending with a lingering sweetness on the finish that never becomes saccharine.Shop FlaviarNew Riff DuetNew RiffNew Riff is one of the best new-school Kentucky distilleries of the past decade. Its focus is mostly on bottled-in-bond whiskey, which means that the liquid has to be at least four years old and bottled at exactly 100 proof. But the team also likes to experiment, and the latest example is a collaboration with local brewery Rhinegeist. Duet is made from an unusual mash bill—57 percent malted barley, 37 percent raw barley, and 6 percent rye—and it’s aged in new American oak and sherry casks before spending time in a foeder, a large barrel used to ferment and age beer. That’s a lot of different maturation steps, but the end result is a unique and delicious sipper with notes of biscuit, dark chocolate, and stone fruit.Shop New RiffHigh West Prisoner’s Share 2026High WestThis annual release from Utah distillery High West is one of its best, and the 2026 version does not disappoint. It’s a blend of bourbon and rye made from different mash bills, some of which is sourced from other distilleries and some of which is produced in-house in the Utah mountains. The components were finished for six months to two years in Prisoner Red Blend wine barrels, imbuing the whiskey with notes of spice, dried and fresh fruit, and some tannic structure. Wine-barrel finishes can sometimes go overboard, but this is an artful example of how to do it right.Shop FlaviarQuattro Gatti Olive Grove GinQuattro GattiGin making is a family affair for the Mordants, who craft this ultra-premium liquid at their own Old World villa in the Umbrian countryside—on a micro still they lovingly refer to as “Carlino.” It’s more than just homespun passion that pours into the liquid, however. It’s bucketloads of sun-soaked olives plucked from the immediate surroundings. In fact, Olive Grove incorporates myriad embodiments of its eponymous plant, including leaves and fresh-pressed virgin oil. These additions are immediately evident in the nose, singing out with the allure of freshly baked bruschetta. The palate doesn’t ignore the juniper, though. This is a very sturdy, soulful gin at its heart, pairing resin and cypress pine needles with artichoke and citrus zest.Shop Quattro GattiRoku Gin Minori Select Edition ROKU GINFor all the enduring hoopla surrounding Japanese whisky, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the country fashions some pretty spectacular gin as well. As such, Roku is one of the best everyday gins on the market, but parent brand Suntory isn’t content simply resting on those laurels. Since 2024, it’s been trotting out a parade of special editions to highlight seasonally focused fruits and botanicals. The Minori Select Edition adds white peach and ume plum to its list of roku botanicals—roku means “six” in Japanese—that anchor the flagship. Don’t expect a fruit bomb here, though. The sweetness is refined and merges hand in glove with the yuzu and Japanese tea underpinnings of this standout artisanal assemblage.Shop Total WineThe Boatyard Double Gin Boatyard DistilleryThe Boatyard Gin is built different from your typical juniper-based spirit—in a number of key ways. For starters, it’s structured atop an organically produced wheat spirit that’s macerated with sweet gale, a boggy shrub grown on the distillery’s family-owned farm. An outsize portion of dried juniper berries are also added during that 18-hour maceration—which is de rigueur for the category, to be clear. But founder and master distiller Joe McGirr introduces even more of a botanical blast through the use of a special vapor chamber crammed tight with even more juniper. The process gives the Double Gin its name and imbues the 92 proof liquid with piney, sap-like aromas. Here’s as tonic friendly a gin as there ever was.Shop Total WineAccord StoneAccord StoneThe blended Irish whiskey category is dominated by names like Bushmills and Jameson. Those are fine, but this year newcomer Accord Stone released a blend that surpassed those well-known brands by a mile. The whiskey is a combination of 85 percent 12-year-old single-grain whiskey aged in oloroso sherry casks and 15 percent seven-year-old single malt aged in bourbon barrels. The blend was bottled with natural color at 100 proof. The marriage of these two components reveals a layered sipper with equal parts fruit and spice notes. Sure, Accord Stone might be pricier than its competition, but it’s also a lot better.Shop Total WineBoann PX Cask FinishBoann DistilleryThis release is a single-pot-still whiskey, which is arguably the most Irish of all Irish whiskey styles: distilled on a pot still at one distillery from a mash bill of malted and unmalted barley. But the maturation process is what really makes it shine. The whiskey spent three and a half years in oloroso sherry hogsheads from Spain and then was finished in vintage Pedro Ximénez chestnut and oak casks from Malaga in Andalusia. This is a great cask-finished Irish whiskey, with those two different sherry styles bringing a balance of sweet and dry notes to the palate.Shop Cask CartelThe Donn Single Malt Craft Irish WhiskeyThis fantastic single malt from Craft Irish Whiskey is proof that older doesn’t necessarily mean better, a truism for both whiskey and people. The most mature component in this bottle is only about seven years old, but the variety of casks the liquid was aged in reveals an intricate range of flavors. Its initial maturation was in ex-bourbon barrels, after which subsequent casks of different sizes were used including tawny port, toasted virgin Hungarian oak, and different styles of Pedro Ximénez sherry. The whiskey is rich in both color and flavor, with huge notes of dark chocolate, ripe berries, vanilla custard, and oak spice and just a hint of bitter licorice and baking spice rounding out every sip.Learn MorePaul John Christmas Edition 2025Paul JohnFor nearly a decade now, India’s premier single malt purveyor has been ringing in the holiday season with this decadent treat. But it hardly has to be Christmastime in order to celebrate. Indeed, if you’re a fan of sherried whiskey, the 2025 edition is the gift that keeps on giving. An already richly spiced base malt was finished for two years in a combination of oloroso and PX casks before being vatted and aged together for another full year in oak. The copper-colored end product is velvety in mouthfeel, yielding serious toffee and nutmeg to the palate. The finish is festive with raisins, dates, and stewed plum.Shop Cask CartelSullivans Cove 25th Anniversary Sullivans CoveTasmania touts itself the whiskey-making capital of the Southern Hemisphere. It’s a well-earned title considering that the island—barely the size of West Virginia—supports more than 70 distilleries. Sullivans Cove stands tall above the rest, not just in terms of international recognition—it was named the world’s best whiskey at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards—but in terms of aged stock as well. This offering is the oldest Australian whiskey release ever. And among the rarest too: There are only 349 bottles of this eminently robust 95.6 proof spice bomb in total. The spice in question is most easily identifiable as tobacco leaf. But there’s also a minty intrigue to the nose and a lavender-like florality to the finish. Even if you can’t get your hands on this impossibly allocated release, seek out any expression from Sullivans Cove and you’re surely in for a good day, mate.Shop Wine SearcherNikka From the Barrel Extra Marriage Nikka WhiskyTo commemorate the 40th anniversary of its game-changing take on Japanese whisky, Nikka unveiled this limited-time variant of From the Barrel. Extra Marriage integrates grain and malt components—predominantly sourced from the storied Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries—into a finishing cask for twice as long as the original flagship. The idea is to accentuate all of the vibrant wood sugars and spice flourishes that can be wrested from high-end staves. Here that means manuka honey, toasted coconut, and clove-studded pineapple. It all dances gracefully atop the gently smoldered essence of Yoichi’s renowned wood-fired distillate.Shop Total WineLouis XIII Black PearlLOUIS XIIIWhen it comes to cognac, Louis XIII represents the pinnacle of luxury, but this new release takes that concept to another level. Black Pearl is a special blend put together by cellar master Baptiste Loiseau that comes housed in a “bespoke cooling cellar”—basically a high-tech, minimalist mini fridge that keeps the cognac at exactly 55.4 degrees, the same temperature you’d find in the the Louis XIII Le Grollet maturation cellar. Of course, the liquid has to be as impressive as the packaging for it to matter, and that is the case here. Rich notes of baking spice, leather, citrus, and dark chocolate pop on every sip.Learn MoreStarlight 25th Anniversary Huber EstateStarlight DistilleryAmerican brandy often doesn’t get the respect it deserves, which is why an outstanding release like this is worth highlighting. This 25th Anniversary brand comes from Indiana craft distillery Starlight Distillery. It was distilled from a blend of different grape varietals in 2005 and aged in a French oak cask for more than 20 years. The result is superb. The oak notes are subtle despite that very lengthy maturation, allowing the fruity, spicy, semisweet character of the spirit to make itself known.Learn MoreHine 1975HINEHine might not be as well-known as some of the bigger houses in the Cognac region, but this 1975 vintage is proof of just how good the spirits produced there are. It was aged for a half century in lightly toasted French oak casks, allowing the palate to expand and develop while still somehow remaining delicate even after all those years. There are two versions available, Timeless Poetry and the even more expensive Timeless Ritual, each with increasingly fancy packaging and accoutrements. But the cognac itself is the star of the show here, and it stands with the best releases of 2026.Learn MoreHampden 15 Year HampdenHampden is pretty much the Pappy van Winkle of rum. The inimitably crafted liquid with scant allocation has a cultish following. But in all its 273-year history, the Jamaican house of “hogo” has never released a liquid quite like this. Aged for a decade and a half in ex-bourbon barrels, it extracts generous portions of wood spice to lasso the edges of overripened tropical fruit, which otherwise flow ceaselessly from nose to finish. There’s a reason you rarely see Jamaican rums of this age. In a climate this hot and humid, the angel’s share is hyper-accelerated. It intensifies flavor but also depletes supply; less than a quarter of the liquid that went into this barrel remained by the time of disgorgment. We’re thankful if our drams can hold even a few precious drops.Shop Cask CartelAppleton Estate Hearts Collection 1999 Appleton EstateThe Hearts Collection is among the most revered series in all of rum. Each expression consists of 100 percent pot-still Jamaican rum belonging to a specific vintage; the cream of the Nassau Valley crop as ordained by Appleton Estate’s legendary master blender, Joy Spence. The latest addition just hit shelves this week, and we cannot stop dreaming of it. The 26-year-old delicacy goes big on banana bread, dark-roast coffee, and maple syrup in its electrifying bouquet. Then it doubles down on the decadence with brown sugar and candied pecan on the palate. A splash of tropical citrus-inspired acidity keeps things bright and buoyed in the finish.Shop CaskersThe Last Drop 25-Year-Old Trinidad Rum from the Caroni DistilleryThe Last Drop DistillersThe Last Drop is a Sazerac-owned independent bottler committed to bringing spirit fans something they’ve never tasted before and will never see again. The lion’s share of that has been confined to whiskey, tequila, and cognac. But its third official foray into rum is no less laudable than the rest. Bearing an astonishing quarter century’s worth of wooden wisdom, the marmalade-hued hooch is a kaleidoscopic revelation of papaya, grilled pineapple, vanilla pods, and orchids. And it truly is a non-replicable masterpiece: The Caroni Distillery in Trinidad, from which it was salvaged, shuttered permanently in 2003.Learn More