Whiskey Roundup — Week of May 3–9, 2026
May 3, 2026
Whiskey Roundup — Week of May 3–9, 2026
Your weekly dispatch from the Backyard Whiskey Club.
It’s been a week that proves the whiskey world never stands still. From a seismic acquisition that reshuffles the bourbon landscape to a tariff win that Scotch lovers have been waiting years for, May is hitting hard right out of the gate. Add in some genuinely exciting limited releases from both sides of the Atlantic — and a couple of Texas stories worth following — and you’ve got plenty to keep the glass full and the conversation going.
This Week’s Headlines
- Gallo buys Four Roses: E & J Gallo agreed to acquire Four Roses Bourbon from Japan’s Kirin for up to $775 million, one of the biggest bourbon deals in years
- Scotch tariff lifted: The 10% U.S. tariff on Scotch whisky has been removed, opening the door to renewed import growth after a 15% decline in U.S. imports since April 2025
- New Riff wins World’s Best Bourbon: The $40 bottle took top honors at the 2026 World Whiskies Awards — proof that great whiskey doesn’t have to break the bank
- A. Smith Bowman rye lottery opens Monday: The 11-year Abraham Bowman Special Release #26 goes into lottery on May 4 — grab your spot before May 11
New & Notable Releases
Bourbon
15 STARS Kentucke County made a splashy entrance this week with a limited-edition line honoring America’s 250th anniversary. The brand debuted two expressions — a 12-year-old American Whiskey and a 6-year-old Straight Bourbon Whiskey — both presented in commemorative, collectible bottles that nod to bourbon’s historical birthplace in Kentucke County. It’s a patriotic release timed perfectly for the sesquicentennial celebrations ramping up across the country this year. Worth tracking down if you want something with a story on the shelf.
On the acquisition front, E & J Gallo’s move to purchase Four Roses from Kirin for up to $775 million signals a major bet on the premium bourbon category. Four Roses moves roughly 1 million cases globally and 425,000 in the U.S. alone, so this isn’t a boutique play — it’s Gallo buying itself a serious foothold in American whiskey. Whether the house style changes under new ownership remains the big question.
Rye
A. Smith Bowman’s Abraham Bowman Special Release #26 is the rye release of the week. Distilled in 2015 and aged 11 years in Warehouse A — the coolest storage space at the Fredericksburg distillery — this expression is bottled at elevated proof and draws inspiration from the very first Abraham Bowman release back in 2010. At $79.99, it’s fair for an 11-year limited-edition rye. The online lottery opens Monday, May 4, at noon EST and closes May 11. Don’t sleep on it.
Also noteworthy: Angel’s Envy dropped its first-ever age-stated Cask Strength Straight Rye earlier this spring. At 111.6 proof and aged 10 years in both oak and Caribbean rum casks, this is an ambitious departure from their standard rye profile. Derby season may have come and gone, but bottles are still showing up on secondary and at specialty retailers.
Scotch
Big news for Scotch fans: the 10% U.S. tariff on Scotch whisky has been lifted. Scottish exports to the U.S. declined roughly 15% since the tariff was implemented in April 2025, so this is meaningful relief for distilleries that depend on the American market. Expect importers to push more inventory stateside over the coming months.
On the bottle side, Isle of Raasay’s Hungarian Oak Edition is turning heads among single malt fans. Bottled at 50% ABV with 8,000 bottles produced, it’s available from the distillery website and select UK specialist retailers at £80. Raasay has been one of the most interesting young distilleries in Scotland, and this expression showcases what their coastal spirit can do with non-traditional cask influence.
Irish & Japanese
Midleton Very Rare 2026 Vintage has arrived — the 43rd annual installment of this storied Irish series. It remains one of the few expressions where the master distiller hand-selects every single cask, and the 2026 vintage maintains that tradition of premium single-pot-still craft.
From Japan, whisky enthusiasts should know about Mars Komagatake’s 2017/7 Year Old Sumo Series #5 — a single-cask bourbon-matured release from the Central Alps distillery, with only 168 bottles produced. It’s a specialist’s find, available through The Whisky Exchange, but if you follow Komagatake’s trajectory it’s a serious bottle.
Craft & Limited Editions
Wigle Whiskey out of Pittsburgh dropped its 2026 Runner of Steel Bourbon — a 5-year Pennsylvania Straight Bourbon bottled at 92 proof and crafted specifically to honor the city’s annual marathon tradition. It’s a charming regional release and a nice example of the kind of place-based storytelling craft distilleries do best.
Texas Distillery Spotlight
A late-breaking Texas story worth highlighting: Koopers Whiskey in Ledbetter debuted its 10-Year-Old Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in a Buffalo Trace Barrel this week, available exclusively at the distillery tasting room. Ledbetter sits in Lee County, east of Austin, and Koopers has been quietly building an impressive portfolio in a corner of Texas that doesn’t get nearly enough whiskey tourism attention. A rye finished in a Buffalo Trace barrel is a distinctive move — expect bourbon oak influence layered over rye spice — and the 10-year age statement at a Texas distillery represents serious commitment to the craft. If you’re doing a Texas whiskey road trip, Koopers deserves a stop.
Garrison Brothers also continues to make noise with their Bottled-in-Bond release from February now fully hitting retail shelves across 40 states. At $99.99 and 100 proof, this six-year-old Texas straight bourbon proofed down with Hill Country rainwater is one of the more compelling expressions Garrison has put out. If you haven’t tracked one down yet, now’s the time.
What We’re Pouring This Week
Two bottles are earning extra pours in the backyard right now. The Garrison Brothers Bottled-in-Bond is the obvious pick if you want to drink the Texas moment — it’s a milestone release at a fair price that punches well above its entry-level sibling. For the rye-curious, Angel’s Envy 10-Year Cask Strength Rye is worth hunting; that rum cask influence at cask strength is genuinely different from anything else on the shelf. And if you want to feel like a savvy buyer, pick up a bottle of New Riff Bottled-in-Bond — the World’s Best Bourbon title at $40 is still one of the best deals in American whiskey.
On the Horizon
Keep an eye on the Abraham Bowman #26 lottery results week of May 11 — if you entered, start checking your inbox. The Gallo/Four Roses deal will take months to close, but watch for any staff or sourcing announcements as both parties begin integrating. And with the Scotch tariff lifted, expect a wave of new import announcements from distilleries that have been sitting on U.S.-bound inventory.
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” — Epictetus. In whiskey terms: enjoy what’s on the shelf today. Tomorrow it may be allocated.