The Top Ten Spirits of 2024!

Once again, it's time for another clickbaity end-of-year awards video! This is my chance to nudge you towards some of the bottlings I was most impressed by this year, and boy howdy were there a lot.
So what's eligible? To make the Top Ten proper, I'm ruling out long-running bottlings without marked vintages, bottlings from more than a few years ago (but they don't actually have to be 2024), and bottlings where there were only a handful made (under 350, say). But for all that, there's the Honorable Disqualifieds list. Also there are some Honorable Mentions and what I'm calling the Just So You Knows. And here's what I ended up with:
HONORABLE DISQUALIFIEDS
Zind-Humbrecht 1998-2002-2003 21 Year Old Fine d’Alsace - • Hampden Great House 20...
Burrito Fiestero Mezcal Ancestral, Castilla, distilled by Juan Manuel Conde - • Death By Espadin, II: ...
McCarthy's Cask Strength Oregon Single Malt Whiskey, Ex-Rum Barrel No. 702 for Aficionados - • Fresh Peat: Port Askai...
Dad’s Hat Single Barrel Barrel Proof Pennsylvania Straight Rye Whiskey, r/Bourbon Private Selection - • 2 Pennsylvania Ryes (+...
Fiji 2001 22 Year Old Rum, Cask No. 16, bottled by Rum Artesanal - • LM&V Flag Series v. Ro...
Mortlach 2009 13 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Cask No. 317322, bottled by The Ultimate - • Mortlach and Ardnamurc...
St. George California Reserve Apple Brandy, Single Barrel No. AB-BSC-A006-154 for Binny's - • Baller US Apple Brandi...
Old Ballantruan 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky - • Mainland Peat Week, II...
Roaming Road 9 Year Old Jamaica Rum - • LM&V Flag Series v. Ro...
Richland Rum "RR20" Twentieth Anniversary Single Estate Old South Georgia Rum - • Mixed Rums: Down Islan...
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Kō Hana Cask Strength "Kila" Hawaiian Agricole Rum Aged in American Oak - • Kō Hana Rum for the 4t...
Hampden Great House Distillery Edition 2024 Old Single Jamaican Rum - • Hampden Great House 20...
Mount Gay Eclipse "Navy Strength" Barbados Rum - • Mount Gay Eclipse "Nav...
Mauritius 2017 3 Year Old Rum, bottled by Transcontinental Rum Line - • Transcontinental Rum L...
Clairin Sajous, 2020 Harvest - • Sajous Re-Review: Clai...
Père Labat Les Mangles Single Plot Rhum Agricole - • 6 Scary-Strong Unaged ...
RomDeluxe Trelawny Parish TECC, Distillation Strength Batch I (Long Pond) - • Totin' TECC For Rep: R...
Derrumbes Michoacán Mezcal Artesanal by Mezcalero Guadelupe Pérez - • Double Derrumbes: Zaca...
Gujing Gong 8 Years Baijiu - • Baijiu Week I: Little ...
JUST SO YOU KNOW
Don Q Signature Release 2009 Single Barrel Cask Strength Rum - • Don Q Signature Releas... (it's CS Puerto Rico and as I mention in Arminder's year-ender - which you should go watch, it's good • BEST Rum of 2024 & Mor... - it was a discovery)
L'Encantada Pouy 1999 23 Year Old Armagnac-Ténarèze, Lot 99Po115, No. 115 - • L'Encantada Armagnac "... (in a 3-pack but worth it)
Turning Tables NOLA Rhum Pou Moun-La from Porchjam - • 4 New Orleans Rums: Po... (NOLA cane juice for a good cause!)
Leopold Bros. Bottled In Bond Three Chamber Rye Whiskey - • Chamber Still Battle: ... (now in flasks!!)
BONUS I FORGOT TO MENTION: Green River barrel picks - • Mid-Sized New Bourbons... (They good.)
TOP TEN
10. Benchmark "Full Proof" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - • The Most Memeworthy Bo...
9. Worthy Park "Overproof" Single Estate Jamaica Rum - • Worthy Park Overproof ...
8. Clear Creek 15 Year Old Apple Brandy, Single Barrel Select No. 409 for Aficionados - • Baller US Apple Brandi...
7. Guizhou Xi Jiu Jiaocang 1988 Baijiu, 2021 Edition - • Baijiu Week II, Sauce ... and also go watch Robyn's take over at This Blog's NEAT ( • My first time tasting ... )
6. SUYO Italia Pisco, Ed. 06, 2022 harvest distilled by the Del Carpio family - • SUYO Piscos x5: Quebra...
5. Ardnahoe Inaugural Release 5 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky - • Ardnahoe Inaugural 5yo...
4. Armorik 15 Year Old Single Malt Whisky Breton, 2022 - • Two Malts from Brittan...
3. Alambique Serrano "Cartier 30" Single Origin Oaxacan Rum - • Alambique Serrano Cart...
2. Leopold Brothers Cask Strength 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Distiller's Barrel Select Finished in Three Chamber Rye Barrels - • Leopold Bros. 8yo Bour...
1. Papalin Haiti 6 Year Old Vatted Rum, Ex-Sherry Casks - • Haiti Week, II: Papali...
And finally, a really special end-of-year thanks to my Different Spirits on Patreon ( / differentspirits , the folks who've gone above and beyond in their support for the channel -
Eric Amig
Anthony
Darcy Bean
Jamie Brown
Kingsbury bushcraft
Clematis
Rob D
Liam Davitt
Joe Devine
Samuel Dose
Stephen Eckert
eon Ingmar nine
Steve Frazee
Ian Gendler
John Halliday
Alex Hurd
Trevor Jarrait
Jonathan Lestingi
Kyaru
Ariel Mserious
Jason Newquist
No Thanks
Chris Rhodes
Randy Rice
RumSquirrel
Chris Sherman
Gordon W
Zach W

[@ryanpetery859]

I just found your channel after searching for reviews of Chateau Arton Armagnac, and I'm really enjoying your in-depth videos! The American oak aged cane juice rum on your honorable mentions list made me think of something you may be interested in trying. I have a single barrel Clement aged in new american oak, and I've found that it's really spectacular in a tiki cocktail called "Last Rites". Not sure if you're into cocktails at all, but if you are, I'd recommend giving it a try. The recipe is below: 3/4 oz lime juice 1/2 oz passionfruit syrup 1/4 oz falernum 3 oz aged agricole rum shake or blend with crushed ice.

[@differentspirits4157]

Oh, I know the Last Rites very well! I honestly tend to avoid it because at the standard spec it will absolutely put me on my ass. 😂 If you're inclined towards madness a bit, find a Le Galion bottling and try a split base with about .5oz of grand arome. And thanks for watching!!

[@Budge3000]

Hey Scott- Great video as always to cap off the year. Hope you and your fam have a great 2025!!

[@differentspirits4157]

@@Budge3000 Thank you! And back at you! 🫡

[@XrayBluesman]

It’s hard for me, living in Sweden, to get a few of the bottles on your list. But I’m happy to say that I have the number one and agree. It’s my favorite thing. Love it.

[@differentspirits4157]

That Papalin is silly good. And the 4 is so good I really, really wanted to get it on here as well! As for getting things... well, I guess that's part of the nature of living on a huge planet where not everything gets easy distribution. I do try, though...

[@josephjvr6509]

thanks Scott! appreciate all the reviews. Happy new years!

[@differentspirits4157]

Thanks, and back at you!!

[@bigalmichel]

This list reminds me of how impressed I was with your review of Guizhou Xi Jiu Jiaocang. It sounds incredible. And Baijiu is SUCH a Different Spirit. I've enjoyed a few stong aroma baijius, but I'm yet to try a sauce aroma. And this one sounds like THE one to try. And I feel like my spirits journey will not be complete until I someday somehow try something from Zind Humbrecht! And one more item on my to-do list...I'm about to try the Hampden unaged 8 marks set (offered as a flight by a rum bar!) Thank you for all your great inspiration and guidance!

[@differentspirits4157]

Thanks right back at you! More Baijiu soon, and have fun with the Hampden marks. (Note: Have a BIG glass of water beside you.) I'm not sure where you're at, but in the worst case Uncle Fossil will ship Xijiu across the country for an exorbitant amount of money. 😅

[@bigalmichel]

Great lists, great year! Thank you!!

[@differentspirits4157]

Thank you!! Happy new year!

[@MrPsiman]

I couldn't agree more about the Worthy Park Overproof and I knew you were going to love it and everybody is. Great mixer and decent sipper at a great price. Have not seen a rum have so much love for an unaged cheapy. Hamilton Zombie blend is probably the other crowd favorite at a great price

[@differentspirits4157]

It's a fantastic addition to the already great pantheon of Jamaican white overproofs while also bringing a completely distinct character. It's really quite special!

[@giocciprezziosi]

Brilliant list! Cheers from Barcelona

[@differentspirits4157]

Thanks! Feliç any nou!

[@Fozzbagock]

Hey, Scott. Thanks again for all your work. Glad to have one of these on my shelf. (Cartier 30) I'll be in Chicago over 1/4 and 1/5. If you're on a shift at the shop you're at I'd love to pop in for some recommendations.

[@differentspirits4157]

Thanks! I'm out of the retail business proper for the moment, but feel free to shoot me questions here or through email.

[@Fozzbagock]

@differentspirits4157 I might be be bad at this, couldn't locate your email

[@Fozzbagock]

​@@differentspirits4157I'm really wanting to get my hands on that Papalin Haiti, any leads on that would be very appreciated

[@differentspirits4157]

Sure, [e-mail].

[@sachinkainth9508]

I'd love to see a video of your complete spirit collection.

[@differentspirits4157]

Honestly it'd just be a bunch of ugly IKEA shelves and cabinets. I dunno, maybe if I get sick for a week and need filler? 😅

[@sachinkainth9508]

@@differentspirits4157 😃I really hope you don't get sick sir, but I would definately find it interesting to see your eclectic collection of spirits. I notice that you talk about spirits that I have not seen any one else mention and seeing your collection would be super interesting, ugly IKEA shelving notwithstanding.

[@stopdrinkingpurple8774]

I also have one of SF's number one bottles, which is still unopened. I think I'll grab another one before opening the first one...

[@differentspirits4157]

Bruh. What are you doing? Pop that bad boy and make me proud!! 😁

[@hordeum-vulgare]

Scott, when we spirits nerds think we're nerding it up well enough...you encourage us to nerd it up just a bit more. Any opinion on the Papalin Haiti 4 YO at 53.1%? Go well in 2025.

[@differentspirits4157]

@@hordeum-vulgare The 4yo is terrific, I reviewed it in the same video as the 6. I'd say grab both if you can.

[@Budge3000]

Can you do a top 50 rums series? BLIND!

[@differentspirits4157]

...Wait, taste through someone else's top 50 while blinded? Or make my own and taste through blind? Or pick a top 50 blind? I need context! 😅

[@Budge3000]

@@differentspirits4157 Your own top 25-50 of your favorite all-time rums and blind them and rank your top 25-50. Do you think you can pick out a DOK from a CdiamondH to a TECA and a Grand Arome to a Caroni from a FIJI or a St. LUcia? And then all the FS stuff. Thanks in advance. Please

[@differentspirits4157]

Imma be honest, I don't think I could blind 25 in a sitting, especially not of that caliber. But 5-10? That's an idea... 🤔

[@Budge3000]

​@@differentspirits4157 That would be awesome. Spit bucket? Patreon?

[@samuelhope6817]

You sound like Jeff Goldblum

[@differentspirits4157]

How funny! One of my life goals is indeed to play a random bad guy who gets gunned down in a Death Wish movie. 😂

[@heliosf2080]

How's your liver

[@differentspirits4157]

@@heliosf2080 Doing better than my wallet if I'm honest. 💸

[@caspianberggren4195]

The liver is a rejuvenating organ. As long as you give it some time to bounce back it'll endure most of the things you throw at it.

[@stopdrinkingpurple8774]

As Instagram recently taught me, you have to eat liver before drinking, so that alcohol doesn't know which liver to attack first. Cheers!