Every year at VinePair HQ, we taste through hundreds (if not thousands) of whiskeys, and plenty are impressive. Some of them are more than impressive, wowing us with their complex flavors and skillful balance. But this year, one specific bottle distinguished itself from the rest and proved worthy of the title of VinePair’s best whiskey of the year: Old Potrero California Cellar Series #3: Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer Finish.
Founded in San Francisco in 1993, Old Potrero is the oldest American craft whiskey brand, and yet it flies under the radar, even for some whiskey lovers. Among the impressive rye bottlings produced at the Bay Area distillery are those in the California Cellar Series, which Old Potrero officially launched in the fall of 2024.
In a celebration of the brand’s hometown, each bottle in the series is made in collaboration with a renowned Californian producer. The collection currently has four expressions in total — ryes finished in Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon American oak barrels, Sonoma Portworks Petite Sirah port barrels, and Almanac Beer Co. imperial stout barrels, though it’s the Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer Finish that captivated our palates this year.
Made from Old Potrero’s standard 100 percent rye mash bill, California Cellar Series #3: Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer Finish first spends five years and eight months maturing in toasted oak barrels. After its primary maturation, the whiskey is moved into Gewürztraminer barrels from Sonoma’s Gundlach Bundschu Winery to finish for an additional 14 months. The end result is nothing short of spectacular.
Rather than covering up the lush rye spice, the sweetness from the white wine finish uplifts the herbal bite, providing complementary fruit notes. It’s easily one of the most perfumed spirits we sampled this year, with prominent citrus and lychee aromas that carry over onto the palate.
The rye is bottled at a sturdy 57.3 percent ABV, though is never domineering on the palate, instead offering decadent notes of crème brûlée and pineapple. It’s a whiskey that leans on the sweeter side without ever veering into saccharine territory, finishing with complex and spicy herbal rye notes. It’s masterful and even more impressive when you remember that it goes for just $80.
All of the California Cellar Series are limited-edition expressions, and only about 1,200 bottles of Gundlach Bundschu Gewürztraminer Finish were released when the spirit dropped in July 2025. That said, it might not be too much of a challenge to hunt down a bottle considering Old Potrero’s perpetually underrated status. (It also appears that limited stock is available for pre-order on Old Potrero’s website.)
There were certainly other rye whiskeys that wowed us this year — and one Scotch expression that nearly knocked our socks off. But Old Potrero California Cellar Series Gewürztraminer Finish kept us coming back for more. It’s the first time in VinePair history that an American rye has nabbed the title of highest-rated whiskey and highest-rated spirit.
So while it might be a bit of extra effort to track a bottle down, we promise the juice is worth the squeeze for a taste of one of the most complex spirits we’ve ever sampled.
The article Why This American Rye Is VinePair’s Best Whiskey of 2025 appeared first on VinePair.