Just in time for the new year, Watch Hill Whiskey announced the release of not one, but two unique whiskeys. The popular brand, known for its rare whiskey releases, is starting 2026 off on the right foot with a new bourbon and a rye whiskey. The latter is a collaboration with a well-known Louisville chef.
The new whiskey releases
The new whiskey releases are Exceptional Series Batch 03, a rare, aged bourbon, and Chef Series Batch 01, a new annual rye whiskey made in collaboration with Executive Chef Michael Crouch.
The third release in Watch Hill Whiskey’s signature line, Exceptional Series Batch 03, is a blend of hand-picked barrels of 18-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons. The result is a 128-proof whiskey known for its balanced, rich flavor profile.
“Our Exceptional Series is reserved for bourbon that truly earns that word, and Batch 03 absolutely does,” Tommy Craggs, Co-Founder of Watch Hill Proper, says. “We don’t release a whiskey unless it surpasses our highest expectations, and the combination of these three 18-year barrels is something profoundly special.”
Chef Series Batch 01 is a new, annual rye whiskey, a blend of 12-year-old rye whiskeys hand-picked by Chef Michael Crouch. The result is a complex, memorable 130.4-proof whiskey.
“Rye whiskey has always spoken to me, the spice, the complexity, the way it evolves with time,” Chef Michael J. Crouch says.
“To have a whiskey that represents my palate and carries my name is truly humbling, and this first batch is everything I hoped it would be: bold, refined, and built on years of patience.”
Where can I buy them?
Both Chef Series Batch 01 and Exceptional Series Batch 03 are available in extremely limited quantities at Watch Hill Whiskey in Prospect, Kentucky. Chef Series Batch 01 is currently available for $249 per bottle, and Exceptional Series Batch 03 will be available beginning January 6, 2026, for $449 per bottle.
