By Kevin Gibson

With the holiday season upon us and 2023 slowly winding down, Fred Minnick is in the final furlong of naming his Whiskey of the Year Top 100.

The annual list, which is usually announced in early December prior to a final taste-off to determine Fred’s ultimate top 10 and Whiskey of the Year, is compiled through extensive tastings Fred does throughout the year.

Of course, a person can only get to so many, especially with so many good whiskeys being launched into the market on a regular basis. With that said, Fred is catching up as the list builds. Will your favorite make the list? We’ll know soon. Meanwhile, check out some of the Fred Minnick tastings that will help determine which bourbons and whiskeys make the cut and which don’t.

Here are a few of the recent potential contenders for the list — and once again, these won’t necessarily make the top 100.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2023

Fred acknowledged being late to the party on this annual bourbon, but he did like it. Will it make the list? We’ll find out soon.

High West Midwinter Night’s Dram Review: Act 11, Scene 1

This is another strong contender for the final list. Fred lets out an exclamation when he first tastes it in the video.

Wild Turkey Generations

Surely this guy will make the Whiskey of the Year list, right?

George T. Stagg 2023

Pretty much the only time Stagg didn’t make it was a couple of years ago when Buffalo Trace didn’t release any. We will see in December if the streak remains alive.

2023 King of Kentucky, Barrel 22

This one made the hair on the back of Fred’s neck stand up. Is that a good sign?

Stay tuned to FredMinnick.com for the official announcement of the Whiskey of the Year 2023 Top 100 list.