It's New Year's Eve, the last day of 2025, so if you're reading this that means you made it. Congratulations! That also means that it's time for a slew of "best of" lists, each naming what people believe to be the top spirits that were released over the course of the past year. Nothing wrong with that at all, but we decided to do something a little bit different this year, and list what we think were the most interesting spirits of 2025, from whiskey to tequila to rum. Yes, "interesting" is kind an open-ended descriptor, but we're talking about unusual and innovative spirits that stand out for the way they were produced and, of course, how they taste. Check out the list below, give them all a try, and happy New Year!

El Tesoro Mundial: Yamazaki Edition

One of the most interesting, not to mention delicious, spirits of the year was not a whiskey at all—it was a tequila from esteemed distillery El Tesoro. This was the latest edition in the Mundial series, which consists of tequilas that were aged in barrels previously used to mature whiskey from one of the other distilleries owned by parent company Suntory Global Spirits. In this case, tequila produced at La Altena spent a full year in barrels that came from House of Suntory’s famed Yamazaki distillery (sherry and red wine to be exact), and the result is a tequila that you will want to revisit again and again. 

The Laddie Rye

When you think scotch whisky, you probably think of single malt, right? That makes sense, but one distillery that is always pushing the boundaries of how the category is perceived is Islay’s Bruichladdich. The latest release is The Laddie Rye, a rye whisky made from a mashbill of 55 percent rye and 45 percent malted barley. It’s bottled at 50 percent ABV after aging in a combination of ex-bourbon barrels, toasted virgin oak, and Crianza wine casks. Technically this qualifies as a single grain scotch whisky, but it’s still a fantastic and very different new release that defies expectations.

Widow Jane The Vaults 2025

Widow Jane is a Brooklyn distillery that makes some young bourbon in-house, and also sources and blends barrels of much older whiskey into some very good releases. Case in point is The Vaults series, and the 2025 release was an interesting one due to the type of finishing barrels used. This is a 15-year-old bourbon that was given a secondary maturation in what the distillery calls Mythological Oak. What that really means is Greek oak harvested from forests around the city of Amfilochia that was air seasoned for up to two years. The result is a rich, deep, and complex bourbon that also sounds like it was matured in a warehouse in Asgard.

Milam & Greene Provisions

Why did this 80-proof bourbon make the list? That’s because it’s actually a really good 80-proof bourbon, something that is few and far between these days, at least to the palate of most seasoned whiskey drinkers. This is a blend of Kentucky and Texas bourbon that was all in Milam & Greene’s home state, and bottled at the minimum 40 percent ABV. The whiskey’s complexity belies its low strength, making this a bottle worth seeking out, even if you prefer barrel-proof bourbon.

Bomberger’s PFG

Whiskey fans love Michter’s because of its core lineup of solid bourbon and rye, barrel-proof whiskeys, and age statement (10, 20, and 25-year-old) expressions. But Bomberger’s PFG, part of the Legacy Series along with Shenk’s Homestead and the original Bomberger’s Declaration, is something completely different. The bourbon was aged in new charred oak, then put into French oak barrels that were toasted and charred using a proprietary "PFG" (precision fine grain) process. This is a rich, spicy, woody bourbon that stands out from the pack. 

Remus Bourbon Master Distiller Experimental Series

This is one of those “happy accident” releases, an expression that should always be taken with a grain of salt. Produced at Indiana distillery MGP as part of its Ross & Squibb lineup, this bourbon is said to be from a 2015 barrel experiment—it was aged for nine years in lightly charred, heavily toasted Seguin Moreau casks made from staves that were seasoned for a full two years. The whiskey was bottled at 107 proof, and has a pronounced oaky profile along with notes of spice, fruit, and burnt caramel on the palate.

WhistlePig Boss Hog XII: Feather and Flame

We’ve covered this release before, but it’s worth mentioning again. The latest edition of WhistlePig’s annual, collectible Boss Hog series was one of its most unique to date. This is a single barrel rye whiskey that was finished in casks which were seasoned with a version of pulque that was made at the Vermont distillery from chocolate and chilis. The whiskey is complex and markedly spicy, and stands out even among WhistlePig’s many experiments.

St. George American Single Malt Whiskey Lot 25

St. George Spirits is one of the OGs of American craft distilling, and its American single malt is an early example of this now officially recognized category. This new release harkens back to the early days—to celebrate the distillery’s 25th year, the whiskey was made from a mashbill of malted barley roasted to various levels, including some quite heavily so, and aged in a variety of casks, with used bourbon and rye, French oak apple brandy, rum, and California wine in the mix. The whiskey in the blend ranges in age from five to 13 years old, and overall it’s a solid example of the roots and progression of the ASM style. 

Mount Gay Single Estate 25_04 

Here’s another non-whiskey entry on this list—Barbados distillery Mount Gay’s fourth rum in its Single Estate series. The rum was made from molasses made entirely from sugar cane grown on the Mount Gay estate. Master Blender Trudiann Branker blended together two pot still distillates matured for five years in American oak. It was bottled at 110 proof with no chill filtration or color added. If you’re a whiskey drinker looking to get into rum, give this bottle a try.