Whiskey Roundup — Week of March 22–28, 2026
March 22, 2026
Whiskey Roundup — Week of March 22–28, 2026
Your weekly dispatch from the Backyard Whiskey Club.
Spring has officially arrived, and the whiskey world showed up with a full slate to match the season. Booker’s kicked off its 2026 batch releases with a New Orleans-inspired pour, the World Whiskies Awards dished out major Irish honors, and a small Scottish island distillery made history with an oak cask no one has tried before. From Kentucky bonfires to Islay-adjacent peat, this was a week that had something for every kind of whiskey drinker.
This Week’s Headlines
- Booker’s “Big Easy” Batch 2026 arrives at $99.99, the first Booker’s of the year — aged 7+ years, bottled at 129.1 proof with a New Orleans soul
- World Whiskies Awards names Teeling’s Alex Chasko Master Distiller of the Year and Midleton Distillery of the Year in the Irish categories
- Isle of Raasay “The Chinkapin” is believed to be the first Scotch whisky ever fully matured in Chinkapin oak casks — a genuine first in single malt history
- Garrison Brothers Lady Bird 2026 announced: 7,000 bottles of the honey-infused, cognac cask-finished Texas bourbon, available starting April 4 in Hye
- Scotch Whisky tariff update: the SWA reports the ongoing 10% U.S. tariff is costing the Scotch industry roughly €4 million per week
New & Notable Releases
Bourbon
The headline bourbon of the week is Booker’s “Big Easy” Batch 2026, the first Booker’s release of the year and a tribute to the spirit of New Orleans. Aged 7 years, 2 months, and 15 days across five production dates and five warehouses, it’s bottled at a characteristic Booker’s wallop of 129.1 proof (64.55% ABV). The Big Easy theme fits — this is a whiskey built for celebration, not contemplation. SRP is $99.99 for a 750ml, and availability is limited across the U.S. If you’ve been sleeping on the Booker’s annual series, this is a good year to wake up.
Heaven Hill also moved this week with the release of the Heritage Collection 22-Year-Old, the oldest expression in the series since its 2022 debut. At $319.99, it’s a collector’s-tier bottle, but Heaven Hill’s reputation for honoring its oldest stocks is well-earned — Kentucky Straight Bourbon with over two decades in the barrel is increasingly rare, and this one is going to go fast in the allocated markets.
Michter’s 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon (47.2% ABV) also began shipping this month, with barrels personally selected by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. Michter’s continues to be one of the most consistent mid-to-premium bourbon brands on the shelf.
Rye
New Riff Distilling launched the Silver Grove 6-Year Straight Rye, the oldest expression in their Silver Grove series and a serious statement from the Northern Kentucky distillery. The mash bill is 95% rye / 5% malted barley — a classic high-rye build that lets the grain do the talking. Currently available exclusively at New Riff’s gift shop for $59.99. If you’re not making the drive to Newport, follow them for when it broadens out.
High West Distillery also reloaded the shelves this week with the Bourye 2026, the annual return of their fan-favorite bourbon/rye blend. High West has been blending in Park City, Utah since before blending was cool, and Bourye remains one of the best gateway bottles for anyone curious about the intersection of bourbon and rye character.
Scotch
The Scotch story of the week — maybe the month — is Isle of Raasay’s “The Chinkapin”, a single malt believed to be the first Scotch whisky ever fully matured in Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) casks. Chinkapin oak is used in some American whiskey production, but no one has fully matured a Scotch in it before. Isle of Raasay has been one of the most adventurous new distilleries in Scotland since it opened in 2017, and this is the kind of release that cements that reputation. If you can get your hands on a bottle, do it.
The Dalmore continues its expansion with two new Select Edition expressions: the 2007 (18-year-old, 46.7% ABV, SRP $550) and the 2010 (15-year-old, 49.1% ABV, SRP $250), both distributed in the U.S. by Spirit of Gallo. These are textbook Dalmore — rich, sherried, and built for sipping slowly.
Glenmorangie also announced The Thirty, bottled at 43% ABV and launching by the end of the month via glenmorangie.com, the Tain distillery visitor centre, and London Heathrow. Thirty-year-old Glenmorangie is a rare and serious dram — details on the price and wider availability are still coming in.
Irish & Japanese
The World Whiskies Awards Irish results dominated this week’s spirits news. Teeling Whiskey’s head distiller Alex Chasko was named Master Distiller of the Year, a well-deserved recognition for someone who has quietly pushed Irish whiskey’s creative envelope for years. Midleton Distillery took home Distillery of the Year, and Killowen Distillery was honored as Production Team of the Year. The global finals dinner happens March 25 — more category winners to come.
On the event side, Cork Whiskey Fest 2026 runs March 27–29, with the brand expo moving to Cork City Hall and all masterclasses along Oliver Plunkett Street. If you’re in Ireland this weekend, there’s nowhere better to be.
Also worth flagging: Kavalan (Taiwan) launched its first-ever age statement expression, the Kavalan 15 Years Old, serving as the foundation of a revised core range. Kavalan has been winning global blind tastings for over a decade — this is a significant step in establishing their long-term identity.
Craft & Limited Editions
Kings County Distillery in Brooklyn is celebrating a milestone: the distillery’s one millionth bottle of bourbon. To mark it, they’ve hand-numbered 500 bottles of their flagship 4-year-old bourbon, available for purchase starting March 30 on the distillery’s website. It’s a modest, honest celebration from a distillery that has been a craft bourbon anchor since 2010. Worth grabbing one if you want something with a story.
Texas Distillery Spotlight
Garrison Brothers — Lady Bird is Back
Garrison Brothers Distillery in Hye, Texas announced the 2026 Lady Bird Bourbon this week, and it’s the kind of release that reminds you why Texas whiskey has earned serious attention. Lady Bird is a honey-infused, cognac cask-finished Texas Straight Bourbon — the honey integrated during finishing, not as a flavoring additive — resulting in something that straddles the line between dessert and sipper in the best possible way.
This year’s release totals 7,000 bottles, with a limited Lady Bird Cask Strength Single Barrel edition releasing alongside it. The first 2,000 bottles go on sale Saturday, April 4 at 8 a.m. at the distillery in Hye, Texas. If you’ve driven out to the Hill Country for a Garrison Brothers release before, you know the drill — get there early, bring friends, and plan to stay a while.
Garrison Brothers has been making 100% estate-grown Texas Straight Bourbon since 2010, and Dan Garrison’s team continues to be one of the most recognizable voices in American whiskey. Lady Bird is their most distinctive annual release, and 2026 looks like a strong vintage.
What We’re Pouring This Week
Booker’s Big Easy is the easy pour this week — if you can find a bottle, pour it neat and give it 10 minutes to open up before you make any judgments at 129 proof. For something more accessible, New Riff Silver Grove 6-Year Rye is a genuine sleeper — tight, grain-forward, and well-priced at $59.99 if you can get to Newport. And if you’ve been on the fence about exploring craft Scotch, the Isle of Raasay Chinkapin is a legitimate once-in-a-long-while opportunity to taste whisky history in the making.
On the Horizon
Keep your calendar open for April 4 if you’re anywhere near Hye, Texas — Garrison Brothers’ Lady Bird 2026 is the Texas whiskey event of the spring. The World Whiskies Awards Global Dinner on March 25 will announce the remaining world-category winners, so check back next week for the full breakdown. And if there’s a Glenmorangie The Thirty hitting your local market in the next few weeks, that’s one worth putting on a wishlist now.
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” — Epictetus. The bottles worth opening aren’t getting better by staying corked. Pour something great this week.