The most important thing I’ve learned in 2017 is that taste is an argument that cannot be won. You may find your friend’s wife annoying or ugly, but you’re not likely to express that on Twitter. At some point in your life, a friend may have suggested a suitable mate for you (“You’ll love her!” or “You two were made for each other!”). But only you could truly decide for yourself.

When it comes to whiskey, we abandon this principle completely. Even though the same rules apply to food, movies, and music, we love to elevate our own opinions above the next person and insist that somehow our preferences matter (though everyone loves Neko Case and if you don’t, then you’re an idiot).

With my point firmly made, the following is my first-ever list of the best whiskeys of the year. The list contains my own opinions and categories solely. Several of these I’ve reviewed previously, so I won’t spend a lot of time discussing each one. Without further ado, allow me to present the only list that matters if you live in my house.