Whiskey Roundup — Week of April 12–18, 2026
April 12, 2026
Whiskey Roundup — Week of April 12–18, 2026
Your weekly dispatch from the Backyard Whiskey Club.
This week the whiskey world is buzzing with big moves — both in the glass and the boardroom. Angel’s Envy drops a landmark dual cask strength release, Garrison Brothers’ beloved Lady Bird heads to shelves nationwide, and a nine-figure acquisition deal could reshape American bourbon for years to come. Pour something worthy and settle in.
This Week’s Headlines
- Angel’s Envy drops its first-ever age-stated rye alongside its annual cask strength bourbon — both hitting shelves April 17
- Garrison Brothers’ 2026 Lady Bird arrives nationwide this week after selling out fast at the distillery on April 4
- E&J Gallo agrees to purchase Four Roses Bourbon from Japan’s Kirin for up to $775 million in a seismic industry deal
- Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman confirm merger talks that could challenge Diageo’s dominance of the global spirits market
New & Notable Releases
Bourbon
Angel’s Envy 2026 Cask Strength Bourbon lands April 17 as part of the brand’s first-ever dual cask strength release. This annual fan favorite returns in its signature Port barrel-finished form at full cask strength — expect the rich dried fruit and vanilla character Angel’s Envy is known for, concentrated to a sharp point. Pair it with the news below for full context.
Michter’s Legacy Series is also releasing its 2026 editions this month — the Shenk’s Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey ($110) and Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon ($120). These honor Michter’s Pennsylvania roots: Shenk’s brings rye-forward caramel bread pudding notes, while Bomberger’s uses a mix of Chinquapin and Hungarian oak for a distinctive finishing touch. Allocation-level items worth hunting.
Knob Creek Blender’s Edition 01 rounds out the bourbon news as a 10-year-old expression bottled at 106 proof, built specifically to highlight the sweeter end of the Knob Creek flavor spectrum. For fans who find the standard release a touch austere, this one sounds like a welcome twist.
Rye
The headline rye release this week is the Angel’s Envy 10-Year Cask Strength Rye — a genuine milestone, as it’s the brand’s first age-stated rye whiskey ever. Distilled in 2013 and 2015, aged in new charred American oak, then double matured in Caribbean rum casks, it comes in at 111.6 proof. Only about 10,800 bottles are available in the U.S. at a suggested $269.99 per 750ml. It releases April 17 alongside the cask strength bourbon — expect this one to move fast.
High West 2026 Bourye also arrived this week — the cult-favorite marriage of straight bourbon and straight rye, drawn from barrels aged between 10 and 19 years, bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV). If you’ve been waiting for this year’s allocation to hit your local shop, now’s the time to check in.
Scotch
Deanston turned heads with a new limited single malt that’s been quietly developing for 17 years — 15 in ex-bourbon casks, followed by two years finishing in ex-vino de naranja casks sourced from Spain’s Andalucia region. Bottled at 53.6% ABV, this is the kind of unusual finishing cask that serious Scotch fans love to chase down.
The Glasgow Distillery launched a new Small Batch Series featuring three wine-influenced expressions: the Glasgow 1770 White Port Cask Finish, Amarone Cask Finish, and Passito di Caluso Cask Finish, all available now at 62 GBP per 700ml bottle. For those who enjoy seeing how Italian wine casks interact with Scottish new make spirit, this trio is worth a look.
Irish & Japanese
Chichibu’s sought-after 10-Year-Old came back into stock at The Whisky Exchange this week — a landmark age statement from one of Japan’s most celebrated craft distilleries. If you’ve been on the hunt, check the site now before it vanishes again.
Suntory Ao World Whisky got renewed attention this week with a fresh review from The Whiskey Wash. A genuinely unique concept, Ao is a blend of whisky from five countries — Japan, Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., and Canada — all drawn from Beam Suntory-owned distilleries. It’s not a traditional single malt story, but it’s a fascinating sip for those curious about cross-continental blending.
Craft & Limited Editions
Scotland’s Aberargie Distillery, a new independent producer in Perthshire, launched its debut single malt in late March/early April, expected to showcase orchard fruit and barley-forward character. Worth watching as a distillery in its earliest chapters — these founding releases often become collector’s items down the road.
Texas Distillery Spotlight
Garrison Brothers — Lady Bird 2026
Out in Hye, Texas, Garrison Brothers kicked off their biggest release of the spring on April 4, when the first 2,000 bottles of Lady Bird 2026 went out the door starting at 8 a.m. The honey-infused, cognac-finished Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey is one of the most distinctive bottles in the state’s whiskey portfolio — and this year adds a limited Lady Bird Cask Strength Single Barrel alongside the standard expression.
The nationwide rollout brings 7,000 total bottles to market, with Garrison Brothers’ online store releasing its allocation on April 13. If you’re reading this in time, it’s worth checking the site today. This release also supports wildflower conservation efforts in Texas, which fits the Lady Bird legacy perfectly. Whether you can snag a bottle or not, this one is worth tasting if you spot it at a bar — cognac finishing on Texas straight bourbon is a combination unlike anything coming out of Kentucky.
What We’re Pouring This Week
Two bottles are worth prioritizing this week if you can find them: the Angel’s Envy 10-Year Cask Strength Rye for something genuinely new and historic from a beloved brand, and the Garrison Brothers Lady Bird if you want to stay loyal to Texas soil. For everyday sipping that won’t break the bank, the Knob Creek Blender’s Edition 01 sounds like the kind of approachable-but-thoughtful pour that belongs on a Sunday porch. And keep an eye on the Deanston 17-Year — anytime a Scotch distillery reaches into Spanish wine country for a finish, something interesting tends to happen.
On the Horizon
The E&J Gallo / Four Roses acquisition (pending regulatory approval) and ongoing Pernod Ricard / Brown-Forman merger talks are the two industry storylines worth watching closely in the coming weeks — both deals could meaningfully shift how major bourbon and Scotch brands are positioned and distributed. Closer to home, Whiskey Riot Austin arrives April 25 with 150+ spirits and local brands including Balcones, Garrison Brothers, Still Austin, and Milam & Greene — a great chance to taste the Texas lineup side by side.
Seneca wrote that “the whole future lies in uncertainty; live immediately.” Good whiskey asks the same of us — not collection, not speculation, but presence. Open the bottle. Pour a dram. That’s the whole point.