477. Whiskey of the Year 2025: The Top 5 Countdown

It's the most anticipated episode of the year! Jim and Todd return to the Bourbon Road bar to ring in the New Year and unveil their 2025 Whiskey of the Year. After a marathon year of reviewing nearly 200 different spirits—including 121 bourbons, 29 ryes, and 24 single malts—the hosts have crunched the data and narrowed the field down to five elite contenders. The "Top 5" lineup represents the absolute best pours of 2025, featuring heavy hitters from some of America's most iconic distilleries. The hosts revisit the Woodford Reserve Chocolate Malt Whisper Redux, a 139.4-proof "happy accident" that stunned them with notes of fudgesicle and dark chocolate. They also pour the Jack Daniel's 12-Year-Old (Batch 3), a 107-proof expression that finally won Jim over with its rich profile of dark wood, fruit sweetness, and ripe banana. Also making the cut is the Knob Creek 21 Year Old, the oldest release to date from Jim Beam. At 100 proof, it defied expectations with a velvety texture and complex notes of toasted coconut and dark cherry. The heavyweights continue with the Russell's Reserve 13-Year Old (2025 Release), a barrel-proof bourbon praised for its "concentrated goodness" of salted caramel and brown sugar. Rounding out the finalists is the Wild Turkey Master's Keep Beacon, a 118-proof standout that the hosts describe as the "perfect turkey," bursting with burnt orange and toffee. In addition to the main countdown, Jim and Todd announce their 2025 Craft Distillery of the Year. Tune in to hear the debates, the tasting notes, and the final reveal of which bottle takes home the title of Whiskey of the Year! Be sure to check out our private Facebook group, "The Bourbon Roadies" for a great group of bourbon loving people. You will be welcomed with open arms!