Whisky Brands Directory
Discover the stories, heritage, and craftsmanship behind the world's finest whisky brands. From historic bourbon distilleries to innovative craft producers, explore our comprehensive guide to whisky makers.
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Bourbon Brands
American bourbon whiskey brands, primarily from Kentucky, offering everything from budget-friendly classics to ultra-premium expressions.
Jim Beam
Beam Suntory
One of the world's best-selling bourbon brands with over 200 years of distilling heritage. Jim Beam offers a range of bourbon expressions from the classic White Label to premium small batch varieties.
Maker's Mark
Beam Suntory
Iconic wheated bourbon known for its signature red wax seal. Maker's Mark uses wheat instead of rye in its mash bill, creating a softer, sweeter bourbon with less spice.
Buffalo Trace
Sazerac Company
Highly acclaimed bourbon offering exceptional quality at an accessible price point. Buffalo Trace Distillery produces some of the most sought-after bourbons including Pappy Van Winkle and Eagle Rare.
Wild Turkey
Campari Group
Known for higher proof expressions and bold, full-flavored bourbon. Wild Turkey maintains traditional production methods and offers excellent value across its range.
Woodford Reserve
Brown-Forman Corporation
Premium small batch bourbon that's triple-distilled in copper pot stills. Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby and known for its refined, balanced character.
Old Forester
Brown-Forman Corporation
America's first bottled bourbon, established in 1870. Old Forester has never stopped producing bourbon, even during Prohibition when it was sold for medicinal purposes.
Four Roses
Kirin Holdings Company
Unique among bourbon producers, Four Roses uses 10 distinct bourbon recipes (combinations of 5 yeast strains and 2 mash bills) to create complex, floral bourbons.
Evan Williams
Heaven Hill Distillery
Second largest-selling bourbon in the United States. Named after Evan Williams, who established Kentucky's first commercial distillery on the banks of the Ohio River in 1783.
Elijah Craig
Heaven Hill Distillery
Named after the Baptist minister credited with being the 'Father of Bourbon.' Elijah Craig Small Batch is a consistently excellent bourbon with a loyal following.
Knob Creek
Beam Suntory
Part of Jim Beam's Small Batch Collection, Knob Creek is aged for 9 years and bottled at 100 proof, delivering bold, full-flavored bourbon.
Basil Hayden's
Beam Suntory
High-rye bourbon with a lighter, spicier profile. Named after a Maryland Catholic who emigrated to Kentucky and became a master distiller, establishing a distillery in 1796.
Bulleit
Diageo
Distinctive high-rye bourbon with 68% corn and 28% rye mash bill. Bulleit's frontier-inspired branding and spicy character have made it a favorite among bartenders and craft cocktail enthusiasts.
Pappy Van Winkle
Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
Legendary ultra-premium bourbon produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Pappy Van Winkle is among the most sought-after and allocated bourbons in the world, with limited annual releases.
Eagle Rare
Sazerac Company
Ten-year aged bourbon from Buffalo Trace offering exceptional quality and complexity. Eagle Rare has gained cult status for delivering premium bourbon character at a mid-range price.
Blanton's
Sazerac Company
The first single barrel bourbon ever produced, introduced in 1984. Each bottle features a collectible horse and jockey stopper, with eight different letters spelling 'BLANTONS.'
1792 Bourbon
Sazerac Company
Named after the year Kentucky became a state. 1792 produces a range of small batch bourbons at the historic Barton 1792 Distillery.
Garrison Brothers
Independent
First legal bourbon distillery in Texas. Garrison Brothers produces small batch bourbon using Texas corn, wheat, and barley aged in the intense Texas heat.
Kings County Distillery
Independent
NYC's oldest operating whiskey distillery since Prohibition. Located in Brooklyn, Kings County produces bourbon, moonshine, and flavored whiskeys using New York grains.
Scotch Whisky Brands
Single malt and blended scotch whisky from Scotland's diverse regions, from smooth Speyside to smoky Islay expressions.
Johnnie Walker
Diageo
The world's best-selling scotch whisky, known for its color-coded range from Red Label to Blue Label. Johnnie Walker blends whiskies from across Scotland to create consistent, high-quality expressions.
Glenlivet
Pernod Ricard
The best-selling single malt scotch in the United States. Glenlivet pioneered legal distilling in Scotland and is known for smooth, fruity, approachable single malts.
Glenfiddich
William Grant & Sons
World's most awarded single malt scotch whisky and a pioneer of single malt marketing. Family-owned and operated since 1887.
The Macallan
Edrington Group
Luxury single malt scotch renowned for sherry cask maturation. The Macallan is one of the most prestigious and collectible scotch brands in the world.
Laphroaig
Beam Suntory
Intensely peated Islay single malt with medicinal, smoky character. Laphroaig divides opinion but has a devoted cult following who love its bold, uncompromising style.
Highland Park
Edrington Group
From the Orkney Islands, Highland Park balances sweet honey notes with gentle peat smoke. One of the few distilleries that still malts its own barley using traditional floor maltings.
Chivas Regal
Pernod Ricard
Premium blended scotch known for smooth, rich character. Chivas Regal was a pioneer in aged blended scotch, with the 12-year-old expression setting quality standards.
Ballantine's
Pernod Ricard
Third best-selling scotch whisky worldwide. Ballantine's offers a range of blended scotch from the accessible Finest to aged premium expressions.
Glenmorangie
LVMH (Moët Hennessy)
Pioneer of cask finishing techniques, Glenmorangie uses Scotland's tallest stills to create elegant, complex Highland single malts. Known for innovative wood management.
Balvenie
William Grant & Sons
Handcrafted single malt using traditional methods including floor malting. The Balvenie is one of the few distilleries growing its own barley and employing a coppersmith and team of coopers.
Irish Whiskey Brands
Triple-distilled Irish whiskeys known for their smoothness, from global bestsellers to premium pot still expressions.
Jameson
Pernod Ricard (Irish Distillers)
The world's best-selling Irish whiskey with 77% market share in the US. Triple-distilled for exceptional smoothness, Jameson is the quintessential Irish whiskey.
Tullamore Dew
William Grant & Sons
Second best-selling Irish whiskey globally. Triple-distilled and blended from three spirits: pot still, malt, and grain whiskey.
Bushmills
Proximo Spirits
The oldest licensed distillery in Ireland, granted its license in 1608. Located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, Bushmills produces both blended and single malt Irish whiskeys.
Redbreast
Pernod Ricard (Irish Distillers)
Premium single pot still Irish whiskey matured in sherry casks. Redbreast represents the pinnacle of traditional Irish pot still whiskey production.
Proper No. Twelve
Proximo Spirits
Founded by UFC champion Conor McGregor. Named after the Crumlin neighborhood of Dublin (Dublin 12) where McGregor grew up.
Teeling
Bacardi
First new distillery in Dublin in 125 years, opened in 2015. Teeling focuses on innovative cask finishes and non-chill filtered whiskeys.
Japanese Whisky Brands
Award-winning Japanese whiskies from Suntory, Nikka, and emerging distilleries, blending tradition with innovation.
Suntory Toki
Suntory Holdings
Designed specifically for highballs, Toki blends whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries. Accessible and versatile Japanese whisky.
Yamazaki
Suntory Holdings
Japan's first and oldest malt whisky distillery, established in 1923. Yamazaki single malts are highly regarded and have won numerous international awards.
Hibiki
Suntory Holdings
Best-selling individual Japanese whisky brand globally. Hibiki represents the art of blending, using whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries.
Hakushu
Suntory Holdings
Forest distillery producing fresh, herbal single malts. Located in the Southern Japanese Alps at high altitude, Hakushu uses pristine mountain water.
Nikka From The Barrel
Asahi Group Holdings
Rich, complex blended whisky bottled at 51.4% ABV. Nikka From The Barrel marries malt and grain whiskies for bold, concentrated flavor.
Canadian Whisky Brands
Smooth Canadian whiskies from classic brands to innovative craft distillers, known for their approachable character.
Crown Royal
Diageo
Top-selling Canadian whisky with over $1 billion annual revenue. Created in 1939 to honor King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, packaged in iconic purple bags.
Canadian Club
Beam Suntory
Pre-Prohibition favorite known simply as 'C.C.' Founded in 1858, Canadian Club was one of the few brands to survive Prohibition by being smuggled from Canada.
Forty Creek
Campari Group
Small batch Canadian whisky with innovative blending approach. Forty Creek distills and ages corn, rye, and barley separately before blending.
American Craft & Artisan Whiskey
Innovative American craft distilleries producing single malt, bourbon, rye, and experimental whiskeys with local ingredients.
Stranahan's
Proximo Spirits
#1 selling American single malt whiskey. Founded in 2004, Stranahan's pioneered the American single malt category using Rocky Mountain water and locally-sourced barley.
Balcones Distillery
Diageo
Award-winning Texas craft distillery acquired by Diageo in 2022. Balcones produces innovative American single malt and bourbon using Texas ingredients and climate.
Westland Distillery
Rémy Cointreau
Pacific Northwest single malt whiskey focused on terroir and local ingredients. Westland uses Washington-grown barley and is a leader in American single malt production.
High West Distillery
Constellation Brands
First legal distillery in Utah since Prohibition. High West specializes in rye whiskey and innovative blends, operating a distillery at 7,000 feet elevation.
WhistlePig
Independent
Premium rye whiskey specialist focusing on high-proof, aged rye expressions. WhistlePig operates a farm distillery in Vermont and is known for innovative finishes.
Sagamore Spirit
Independent
Reviving Maryland's rye whiskey tradition. Sagamore Spirit uses spring-fed water from the Sagamore Farm estate and focuses on premium rye whiskey production.
About Whisky Brands
What's the difference between bourbon and scotch brands?
Bourbon brands are American (mostly Kentucky) and must be made from at least 51% corn, resulting in sweeter, vanilla-forward whiskey. Scotch brands are from Scotland, made from malted barley, with flavors ranging from fruity and smooth (Speyside) to smoky and peaty (Islay).
Which whisky brands are best for beginners?
Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark, and Jim Beam are excellent bourbon starting points. For scotch, try Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. Irish whiskey brands like Jameson and Tullamore Dew are very approachable due to triple distillation.
What are craft whiskey brands?
Craft whiskey brands are typically smaller, independent distilleries that focus on small-batch production, local ingredients, and innovative techniques. Examples include Stranahan's (Colorado), Balcones (Texas), and WhistlePig (Vermont).
Which companies own the most whisky brands?
Major spirits conglomerates dominate: Diageo (Johnnie Walker, Bulleit, Crown Royal), Beam Suntory (Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Laphroaig), Pernod Ricard (Glenlivet, Jameson, Chivas), Brown-Forman (Woodford Reserve, Old Forester), and Sazerac (Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Pappy Van Winkle).