Ampersand Aureus has been crowned the “Taste Master” for American whiskies at the prestigious 2026 Global Spirits Masters.
Ampersand Aureus
A little less than a month ago we reported the results of the 2026 Scotch Whisky Masters…Along with why the results of that particular competition are so impactful. You can review it all here. In short, it is part of a larger panel called the Global Spirits Masters – a revered collection of judges from the UK who convene several times a year to blindly evaluate and assess the top products on shelf at any given moment.
Yes, these top tasters are predominantly from Greater London. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t experts in the realm of American whiskey. Indeed, their elevated palates are exposed to hundreds of whiskies from every corner of the globe as a matter of professional necessity. It’s a rigorous job, but somebody’s got to do it!
So let’s take a closer look at what they canonized as the “Taste Master” for American whiskies in 2026. That is, the highest ranking liquid above anything else entered within any specific category. This is going to be a fun one to uncork, because most everyday bourbon drinkers are unlikely to have heard of the brand. And virtually no one has tasted this particular expression because it hasn’t even been officially released yet: Ampersand Aureus from Foley Family Wines & Spirits.
First a bit of background on the producer: Ampersand was introduced late last year through the brilliant craftsmanship of master distiller Chip Tate. He became a modern legend through his time spent in Texas, establishing the Balcones whiskey brand. For this project, he was tapped by the Foley Family – the same brood responsible for a number of beloved wine brands, another award-winning bourbon label called Charles Goodnight, a stunning Relais & Châteauxproperty in New Zealand, and the Vegas Golden Knights NHL hockey team.
Ampersand is just part of Tate’s purview as the Foley Family’s head of whiskey innovation. But with this particular expression, he has taken a high-rye bourbon from the now-defunct Peach Street Distilling in Palisade, Colorado, and finished the juice in orange wine casks, which he hand-selected in Spain. The stated age of the final product is not revealed on the label, but that finishing process is confirmed to be more than a year-and-half in length.
That’s a lot of exposure to a sweet, fortified wine and it results in a splendidly rich sort of bourbon. As you’d expect there are strong elements of orange marmalade and citrus peel in the palate. But there are plenty of additional, unexpected, pleasantries to the 121.8-proof spirit, as well. It noses with a salted caramel unctuousness and ultimately yields dark, stewed fruit as it slowly and stubbornly recedes upon each sip.
It’s easy to understand the appeal. Finding it, however, is another matter altogether. As we stated above, Aureus is still not on shelves as of this printing. The company’s website offers nothing more than “coming soon,” underneath its Shop Now page. It is set to retail for $75 whenever the day finally arrives.
In the meantime, there are several other Ampersand expressions which also go a long way in showcasing Tate’s talent. Many of them defy easy categorization. A couple are already sold out. And all of them are laudable in their own way, including the Vinea: 75% Kentucky Straight Rye blended with 25% Cognac-aged grain spirit.
Still, there’s a case to be made for Aureus being the best of the bunch. The American Whiskey Masters are here to make that case. You just have to continually check back on the brand’s website to be ready the moment the bottle goes live…Because it certainly won’t last long.
Photo illustration: Brad Japhe
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