Evan Williams Single Barrel

Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Kentucky Straight Bourbon WhiskeyEvan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon is the first and only vintage-dated Single Barrel Bourbon. Like a fine wine, each bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon contains a vintage date telling the exact day it was put in an oak barrel to age. Every year, a new vintage of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is released to critical acclaim. The 1990 Vintage was the first Bourbon to be awarded "Whiskey of the Year" by The Spirit Journal. The 1991 Vintage was awarded "Domestic Whiskey of the Year" by The Malt Advocate and "Spirit of the Year" by Wine & Spirits. Most recently, the 1992 Vintage was named "Spirit of the Year" by Food & Wine and "Best Bottling of 2001" by Wine Enthusiast.

Penderyn Scotch (Welsh)...Long Time Coming

The distillery is located in the village of Penderyn, in the southern reaches of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The water used for the whisky is pumped from a spring under the distillery. The barley-wash mash that gets distilled comes from Brains Brewery in nearby Cardiff.It's a delightful comeback story, but the whisky still has to be good. And it is. It goes through three to four years of aging in barrels that once stored bourbon and six months of finishing in Madeira casks. Penderyn's taste is cleaner and slightly more mineral than its competitors to the north and west. The undertones, no doubt helped by the Madeira finishing, are closer to toffee, dried fruit, and light wood, with a hint of spice. Its lightness makes it ideal for drinking straight up.Single-malt sales have been climbing for the past decade, and established distillers of both single-malt and blended whiskies have been creating a dizzying number of versions to justify higher prices and satisfy more demanding palates. Penderyn, available in 16 states for about $70 per bottle, has an advantage: It's truly one of a kind, complete with a history lesson only a Welshman could properly teach.

CHOPIN vodka 'Another of the 10 Best Vodkas'

Country of origin: Poland Distilled from: Potatoes Distillation: Distilled four times Flavor profile: Odorless with a very subdued flavor profile. Round and full in the mouth Cool bottle rating: 8/10 Most overblown promotional puffery: "Chopin is an authentic experience in the Polish tradition." Price: $32

BORU Vodka 'Another of the 10 Best Vodkas'

Country of origin: Ireland Distilled from: A variety of grain Distillation: Quadruple distilled, charcoal filtered Flavor profile: Subtle, very smooth with a round, full mouth feel Cool bottle rating: 6/10 Most overblown promotional puffery: Mercifully free of flowery rhetoric though what an 11th-century Irish king, after whom it is named, has to do with vodka I don't know. Price: $18