Autumn is a wonderful time of year to be a fan of alcohol in all its forms. There’s something for every palate. If you enjoy single-malt whisky, bourbon, rye whiskey, dark rum, or any other aged liquor, you’ll enjoy the warming effect of a nice, neat glass on an unseasonably cool evening.
Fall is an exciting time for beer drinkers, too. If pumpkin spice is your jam, there are countless pumpkin beers available. It’s the start of stout and porter season and you can even get into barrel-aged offerings, if you’re so inclined. To add to that, there are myriad hard ciders from sweet to dry and every flavor in between.
But that’s enough talk about the proverbial cornucopia of fall drinks—it’s time to actually find some to add to your autumn and winter table. Here are all the whiskeys, beers, and hard ciders you’ll be drinking from now through the winter months.
Single Malt Scotch | Aberlour A’Bunadh
If you’re only going to drink one warming, nuanced single-malt Scotch whisky this fall, make it Aberlour A’Bunadh. This beloved, cask-strength whisky is matured completely in Spanish oak Oloroso sherry casks. The result is a memorable spirit that begins with a nose of candied nuts, orange zest, caramel, and sweet sherry. Sipping it reveals flavors like orange peel, dried cherries, dark chocolate, vanilla, oak, and sherry sweetness. The finish is a warming mix of sweetness and spice that is sure to warm your bones on the coldest fall nights.
Buy: $117.99
Bourbon | Frey Ranch Farm Strength Uncut
The “Farm Strength” in this whiskey’s name refers to the fact that this cask-strength bourbon can range anywhere from 60-66 percent ABV. This award-winning whiskey has a mash bill of 66.6 percent corn, 12 percent barley, 11.4 percent winter rye, and 10 percent soft winter wheat. All the grains were grown on Frey Ranch in Nevada, and this double-distilled bourbon is uncut and unfiltered. The result is a sublime sipping whiskey that begins with a nose of caramelized sugar, oak, vanilla, and wintry spices. Drinking it brings forth notes of candied orange peels, butterscotch, stone fruit, vanilla beans, dried cherry, and a gentle kiss of smoke.
Buy: $72.99
Rye Whiskey | George Dickel
If your only experience with Tennessee-made whiskey is Jack Daniel’s, you need to broaden your horizons. Tullahoma’s George Dickel is an excellent brand to try as well. While you can’t go wrong with its other expressions, its George Dickel Rye Whiskey is absolutely outstanding (especially during the autumn months). Made with a mash bill of 95 percent rye and five percent malted barley, it’s finished using the same charcoal mellowing style of the distillery’s other whiskeys. The result is a complex whiskey that starts with a nose of candied orange peels, pecans, vanilla, peppery rye, and lightly herbal aromas. The palate continues this trend with hints of maple candy, dried cherries, peppery rye, vanilla beans, cinnamon, and herbal, earthy flavors.
Buy: $22.99
Dark Rum | The Real McCoy 12 Year
If you’re looking for a great aged sipping rum for the fall months, look no further than The Real McCoy 12 Year. Named for famous Prohibition-era rum-runner and bootlegger Bill McCoy, this popular expression is a blend of rums with its youngest maturing for at least twelve full years. The result is a surprisingly balanced, mellow rum perfect for slow sipping. If you take a moment to nose it, you’ll be greeted with aromas of dark chocolate, butterscotch, oak, and earthy, herbal scents. The palate is a warming mix of candied orange peels, pipe tobacco, caramel, vanilla, oak, and spices.
Buy: $61.99
Stout | Deschutes Obsidian
This 6.4 percent ABV stout might be available all year long, but it’s perfectly suited for fall weather. Brewed with two-row base malt, roasted barley, chocolate malt, Carapils malt, Munich malt, and Crystal malt, it gets its hop presence from the use of Delta and Northern Brewer hops. The result is an indulgent, rich, surprisingly balanced stout that features notes of roasted barley, dark chocolate, caramel, coffee, and gentle floral hops at the very end.
Buy: $10.99
Porter | Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald
If you know anything about Great Lakes history, or you’re a fan of Gordon Lightfoot, you’ve likely heard of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald cargo ship. This porter, brewed with two-row base malts, Crystal 77 malts, chocolate malts, and roasted barley hops (as well as Cascade, Willamette, and Northern Brewer) was named for the tragic sinking in November 1975. This award-winning beer is known for its mix of sweet chocolate, bitter roasted barley, coffee, and gentle floral hop flavors.
Buy: $10.99
Pumpkin Beer | Troegs Master of Pumpkins
Besides West Coast IPAs, there are very few beer styles more divisive than pumpkin beers. Either you look forward to them each fall, or you can’t stand them. For the former, there are many great options. This includes Troegs Master of Pumpkins. This ale brewed with pumpkins and spices is best enjoyed while you crank Metallica at a volume of 11. If so, not only will you be rocking out, but you’ll enjoy notes of nutmegs, cinnamon, sweet pumpkin, toasted vanilla beans, and sticky toffee.
Buy: $14.49
Hard Cider | Schilling Excelsior Imperial Apple Pie
There are hard ciders for fans of dry, wine-like drinks and for those who prefer sweeter, sometimes flavored alcohol beverages. There are also some well-balanced ciders that land right in the middle. If you’re in the latter group, there are plenty of options available, including Schilling Excelsior Imperial Apple Pie. This 8.4 percent ABV hard cider is made with a blend of apple pie spices and European heirloom bittersharp apples. The result is semisweet, spiced, memorable hard cider that’s as close to apple pie in a pint glass as you can get.
Buy: $12.99
