Whiskeys primed for hot weather drinking are not all that different than what you’d drink come the fall or winter — but certain flavor profiles, proof levels and finishes do pair better with nights spent on the porch, patio or in the woods. These fives whiskeys, all new to 2018, are surefire picks for a whiskey-drinking summer.
WhistlePig FarmStock Rye Crop No. 002
Vermont distillery WhistlePig caters to a very specific drinker — it only produces ryes, and its primary focus lies with pushing whiskey terroir. It claims that, upon drinking both bottles of its FarmStock line (of which this is the second), Vermont’s waters, soil, wood and air can be tasted. No. 002 also happens to be the product of a rather intense crowdsourcing campaign, where the brand asked upward of 500 bartenders and drinkers what they wanted next. The answer was a blended rye — part 2-year, part 6-year and part 10-year. At 86 proof, it’s not going to blow your doors off when sipped in the summer heat, and it mixes just fine as well. A bottle will run you just north of $70.
