20 Best Whiskey To Drink Straight For Beginners (2023 Updated)

There is no way the juice in this bottle is only aged “greater than two years” as stated on the label. It’s complex and distinctive. The nose is sweet with caramel, toffee, butterscotch and a hint of ethanol.

The palette is creamy with an amazing mouth feel, rich, sweet with raisins, caramel chews, and some salty/peppery notes all combine with the presence of malt. The finish is where the allspice or cinnamon kicks in but gets taken by the sweetness.

A light pepper note lingers on the backend. Medium length but enjoyable finish. Amazing stuff considering I don’t prefer malted bourbon but gave this a chance and I’m glad I did! Will always have a bottle in my bar!!.

Sam, Will, Emma, and Ethan were crazy awesome. These are the nicest people giving you the most informative tour of the Bourbon distilling process. I am visiting from Florida and this is the absolute highlight of my vacation so far.

This is a MUST visit when in Chattanooga. My wife and I loved it, and we aren’t even big drinkers. The history, science, and artistry of the presentation were really fascinating.

I enjoy this bourbon as a change of pace. It is definitely different than many of the other bourbons I own and drink regularly. I feel like it almost tastes lightly port finished as it has a lot of fruity sweetness.

The high proof helps to balance that out a bit. I think if you are looking for something a bit different or like your bourbon sweet I would definitely buy. I am going to purchase a second bottle as I think it is worth having in your bar.

Considering the price of many “craft” bourbons I think this one is priced right as well.

Tried this under my “2 and 2” rule: 2oz of whisky over two small ice cubes. Nose is initially fruity, pear-like, almost tending toward peaches, with a whiff of grain spirits. As the ice begins to melt, vanilla becomes more apparent.

Palette is at first strongly spicy/peppery, followed by BOLD oak. Again, as it becomes more diluted, sweetness is more noticeable, but it is a distinctly corn sweetness, rather than a malt sweetness.

Not what I was expecting, but a fascinating whisky, perfect for a contemplative treat, especially if paired with a mild cigar. Would rate this 4. 5 out 5, but since TW doesn’t allow half-stars, and since this is baseball season, the tie goes to the runner: 5 stars.

This is Woodford Reserve’s foray into American malt whiskeys, started as an experiment in 2018, and I think it’s a great first attempt. The nose is sweet without being cloying, and the palette is balanced between corn and oak flavors.

I recommend it to anyone who’s exploring the malt scene; there are certainly less impressive examples out there, and at this price point it’s a solid bottle of whiskey.

For any of you whiskey drinkers who have never tried a really good Irish whiskey, I have to point out that Red Breast’s 15 year old whiskey was released last year in limited circulation (due to a small batch) and will probably be quite a few years before we can enjoy it again.

It was first introduced in 2006, the second edition came in 2010, the third in 2014. It’s from the Midleton distillery in Midleton, Co Cork. This is an exceptional whiskey, from its complex honey taste to a gorgeous palate, the finish is so satisfying.

We have an extensive sipping whiskey collection & this is among the best you can get at any price, in our opinion. If you miss the 15; try the 12, which is still a terrific value for money. Redbreast 15 (46%) is richer, earthier, and stronger than its 12-year-old sibling (40%).

Here in So California, the 12-year-old runs approx. $40-50, while the 15 costs $75 – 100. The Whisky Advocate prefers the 12 over the 15, but that was the 2010 edition & we are currently sipping the 2104 edition; not exactly the same, due to the variables of a small batch.

These premium whiskies are not bottled every year, so when you see buy. Clearly nectar from heaven. Slainté !.

Jim beam rye made with the pre-prohibition era recipe. This is perfect for making a good old fashioned. It’s dryer than a regular bourbon which is the way it’s supposed to be because of the ingredients in the drink.

It’s a bit pricier than the regular Jim beam so I don’t get it all the time but it’s well worth it. If you love the old fashioned drink, try making it with this. A+.

I have bought this rye several times now. It is good, especially for the price. My favorite is Crown Royal rye but it is too expensive and Canadian Club, which Total Wine used to carry but doesn’t anymore.

The Jim Beam has a good, mellow flavor that I like either on the rocks or in a mixed drink.

Jim Beam Rye has a clear amber appearance, and the aroma is of subdued rye spice, water, and assorted grains. The flavor is of mild rye spice, cereal grains, and a bit of sweetness. Jim Beam Rye has a medium body and a short-to-long finish.

RJT.

Whisky wouldn’t be my first choice of alcoholic drink, as I find there is often a really nasty after-burn in the back of the throat. This one, however, is completely different. It smells amazing, rich and biscuitty, and is lovely and smooth, no burn at all.

My husband enjoyed it on the rocks (the bigger the ice cube the better as they melt slower and so don’t dilute it too much) and I made an amazing Manhattan cocktail by mixing 2 parts of it to one part of red vermouth and a dash of bitters.

Definitely recommended!! It comes in a beautiful teal coloured box as well so easy to wrap if you’re wanting to give it as a gift.

A friend of mine turned me on to this about 40 years ago, and it has been my drink of choice ever since, with ‘upgrades’ to 15, 18, 25, and 40 year old now in my home bar. One of my grandfathers used to drink Canadian Club exclusively, since he was Canadian.

One holiday season, I brought over a bottle of 12 YO as a gift. He was reluctant to try it, and we cajoled him to make the stretch. He took a sip, then another one. He looked at me, and with a wave of his hand said, “Smooth!”.

It became his drink of choice from that point.

Being drinking GLENLIVET SMS since my drinking legal age,this is my choice of Single malt for all occasions ,great variety,prices,quality standards and best never changing the original first impression taste.

I love must of all great single malts and never my little bar being without Glenlivet. My father gave my very first dram of single malt and it was a Glenlevit classic 12 years old bottle,back on June 1969 celebrating the landing of mankind on the moon.

I don’t like Scotch! You hear that more times than you’d ever imagine. Most of the time, someone had something that was way beyond their palate’s experience and hasn’t been presented with the right Scotch.

When I worked retail, I used to love it when folks would tell me they hated Scotch. I’d ask them what they didn’t enjoy, and it was either the smokiness or that it felt like they were chewing on Band-aids.

I’d offer them a sample of something that didn’t fit that bill, and they’d wind up walking away happy (with a bottle of Scotch in hand). I’d converted them!My first whisky was Dewar’s White Label, which is a blended Scotch made from 40 different malts.

It may not have been the best starting point, but it was dirt cheap and I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I can tell you, given the chance to do it all over again, I would have started with something else.

I certainly wouldn’t pony it up as an introductory whisky to anyone. I mention Dewar’s White Label because its biggest component malt comes from the Aberfeldy Distillery in the central Scottish Highlands.

The distillery is owned by John Dewar Sons and has been in operation since 1896. It was shuttered briefly during World Wars I and II, but for the most part, this is a Dewar’s workhorse. Aberfeldy sources its water from the fabled Pitilie Burn, known for its gold deposits.

It is also the only distillery that pulls water from this river. Known as the ‘Golden Dram’, the distillery’s water source is the famous Pitilie Burn, renowned locally for its water quality and famed for its deposits of alluvial gold.

Time-honoured techniques, such as longer fermentation, conjure rare honeyed notes – key to the signature sweetness of Aberfeldy’s malts. – John Dewar’s SonsToday’s review is of Alberfeldy’s 12-year, the core expression of the distillery.

This 100% barley single-malt is aged in ex-Bourbon and ex-sherry casks. The distillery claims they lose more than a third of each cask to the angels. Bottled at 40% ABV (or 80°), you can expect to pay about $40.

00 for a 750ml, making this a low-barrier of entry single malt Scotch. One thing that stood out was a claim on the label that this is Limited Bottling No. 2905. After doing some research, this is akin to finding a bottle of Old Grand-Dad 114 and seeing Lot 1 on it.

You may think you’ve snagged something special, but it appears every label is printed with the same number. So, now that we’ve explored the background, how about exploring the whisky itself? It is time to #DrinkCurious.

Appearance: In my Glencairn glass, this single malt presented as a darker gold in color. There is nothing on the bottle that suggests this is naturally-colored, and there’s no reason to think it doesn’t have the caramel coloring Scotch may legally possess.

It created a thin rim that generated fast legs to race back to the pool of liquid sunshine. Nose: I could smell the honey across the room. When I brought the glass closer to my face, citrus and raisin were easy to pick out.

The milk chocolate, on the other hand, took more effort. When I breathed in the vapor through my lips, orange and vanilla coated my mouth. Palate: Considering the 40% ABV, the mouthfeel was full-bodied and creamy and was a nice surprise.

The whisky itself was simple to drink. On the front, I tasted vanilla and milk chocolate. The middle consisted of citrus, peach, and cocoa powder. Almond and oak rounded out the back. Finish: My first sip suggested a medium-short finish, however, subsequent ones morphed it to medium-long.

Similar to the palate, the finish was simple and offered honey, milk chocolate, and light pepper. Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Dewar’s White Label this is not. What this is is a nice way to introduce folks to Scotch, especially if they say they don’t like Scotch.

There’s nothing complicated about it, there’s no astringent (Band-aid) quality, there’s no peat smokiness. If you’re seeking a very easy sipper, one that would work well on a hot, humid, summer afternoon, Aberfeldy 12 will fit that bill.

If you only prefer complex or smoky whiskies, this one’s not for you. The price is certainly fair. Taking all of that into account, I’m conveying a Bottle rating for Aberfeldy 12. Cheers! My Simple, Easy to Understand Rating SystemBottle = Buy ItBar = Try ItBust = Leave It.

i always try to compare within the price range and not even within 12 year single malts. and even there it falls a bit short. it’s not bad. it’s just not good either. it’s thinner than i usually like and the flavors that are there are not overly impressive.

compass box artist blend is $3 more expensive and while it’s a blended scotch it’s way better. for $10 more you can get a highland park 12. what this scotch reminds me of is ballantines finest. which is a $17 blended scotch with a large grain content.

this is better than ballantines but it’s eerily similar. they say this is a huge component of dewars blends but i will say this. dewars 12 at $22 is much much better.

This scotch is certainly not for the experienced. However, it is decent for the price. It has the typical 12 yr aged front of the mouth taste, but on the back end (after swallowing) has more of a bourbon taste.

Again, for the price, it’s decent. But, for a couple bucks extra, you could get something more on-the-money. Glenfiddich, and their higher-priced comparator, Macallan offer more typical single-malt experiences.

I’m not much of a rye drinker but I wanted to get something special for my son-in-law who is visiting. This is an extremely expensive whiskey but well worth it for special occasions. It’s very smooth, has a very nice nose and tastes well.

I would have liked something with a higher proof content for the price but it’s a very enjoyable drink. I expect to have the bottle for a long time since the only time we will drink it is when he visits or for some other extraordinary events.

But I recommend it and find it to be a tasty whiskey.

I wouldn’t say this is anywhere near the price but it is a very nice rye whiskey. Deep dark flavors, like the grassiness you get in the 10 but darker, earthier maybe, vanilla, deep caramel, subtle sweetness, not that sweet, dry, dark fruits, but thin.

The finish is there with that rye spice, it does stay for a quick while. I just think I wanted more. Especially for that price point. There’s so much more for that price that I would rather get, I can’t justify the price unless you are a DIEHARD rye fan.

I enjoyed the 10 just as much, maybe even got more out of it. The 12 is cheaper, and much better in my opinion, worth the price.

I tried this whiskey twice before buying a bottle for myself. There was a shortage of this 15yr for about 5 months in my area as they restocked. This new iteration did not live up to the previous one.

I’d dare say the previous batch was my favorite whiskey I’ve ever had and this is just not the same. At this price the previous iteration was Definitely worth it. But now, I wouldn’t say so.

Opened Eagle Rare with great expectations since Buffalo Trace was so wonderful. Eagle Rare is wildly different than Buffalo Trace. Eagle Rare, Smells(aroma) of deeply charred wood almost like charcoal and tastes like it smells.

It has a long and lingering flavor which lasts an hour or more. It may work well in cocktails but not for sipping. My opinion…and I am not an expert. I will stay with Buffalo Trace.

This is the best whiskey I have tasted. Much better than Buffalo Trace which is my favorite because of taste and price. Eagle Rare occasionally comes to the liquor stores in Pennsylvania but it’s immediately sold out.

The price is around $50 which I believe should be the price for this whiskey. I purchased it just to try it since I couldn’t get it from my liquor store. I normally don’t spend more than $60 for a bottle.

This Bourbon is truly “Rare. ” The Kentucky River reveals itself with plentiful pure limestone water and rich river bottom loam for growing exceptional grains that create that “Eagle Rare” experience with every sip.

Experience “Eagle Rare” 10 year old Bourbon and taste this legendary spirit!!! Only then you will truly understand what makes this blend so wonderful, enjoy!!!.

So I’ve been a huge fan of Makers Mark since I was given my first bottle when I got home from my first deployment from Iraq. It was the USMC Camp pendleton addition one, Since then it’s been my go to whenever I’m out with friends.

I personally drink a “Maker’s stone sour” which is obviously a Markers sour but with a splash of orange juice. Please try it if you haven’t! I’ve now been to the distillery twice! Both times have been awesome! Anyways can’t wait for my barrel to be done so I can come back and get some from it!.

Cheers p. s. thanks for the Xmas gifts every year! Yall are awesome!.

is a bourbon that goes down smooth and easy. It’s not one that is so strong it’s hard to enjoy. It’s made with soft red winter wheat as opposed to rye. And, of course the iconic red wax seal on the bottle they’re famous for! They have a free ambassador program on their website.

You not only get an ambassador kit in the mail but, something even cooler, IMO. All new Ambassadors are assigned a barrel of Maker’s Mark. Your name will be engraved on a placard which will be affixed to a newly filled barrel.

Once your barrel has finished aging, one-of-a-kind Ambassador bottles from that batch will be available for purchase with your name on the label. One of my favorites is making a Whiskey Sour. recipe is below! #MakersMark #Ambassador #WhiskeySour #Influenster Whiskey Sour Recipe 2 parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon 1/2 part simple syrup 1 part lemon juice Add Maker’s Mark, lemon juice and simple syrup to an ice-filled shaker.

Give it a good shake. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon peel and a cherry. 🍒 🍋.

Big fan of Makers Mark, especially 46 and the yearly high-proof exclusive, not to mention wheater bourbons in general. I will say that drinking this neat (how I usually drink bourbon) did not impress me very much and it drank like a much hotter regular Makers Mark.

However, one hot Arizona day I added one large sphere of ice and it really opened up the flavor profile. Now I always add a bit of water or some slow melting ice to this to broaden the taste and my enjoyment.

Notes of baking spices, vanilla, and cherry. Medium length finish. 4/5 stars because for it to have a perfect score I would rather have to not add anything to it. Also, the proof is 108. 7 rather than 110 as pictured on the thumbnail.

And one last nit-pick is it has a screw top rather than a cork top.

Everybody’s palate is different, and in the world of bourbon, it’s so true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Having read numerous glowing reviews about The Statesman I decided to give it a try.

Upon opening, there’s an immediate astringent note on the nose. After pouring 1. 5oz into a Glencairn and letting it open up for a few minutes, there were some very pleasant dark red fruit, leather and slight vanilla notes, although with a significant amount of alcohol as well on the nose.

Tasting this juice wasn’t an altogether bad experience, but I had to get past that initial wall of alcohol on the front. As the sip finished, however, the flavor was very much leather and light vanilla.

the fruit was there but way in the background. and the mouthfeel was oily but not unpleasant. A few weeks after opening, I decided to try it again, this time on the rocks, and was pleasantly surprised at how much better it tasted the second time around.

I got more fruit during the second tasting and the alcohol was a bit more tame as was expected. All in all, I’m glad that I picked it up. I’m hoping to pick up a 1920 in the coming weeks and see what that’s about.

Happy sipping!.

TBH I had no clue what I was buying. I like Old Foresters line up so I grabbed it went. Didn’t even know it was made for a movie, until I got home and googled it. Taste like it wasn’t ready to be bottled yet.

Could use more aging, light color, citrus, some spice, a bit leathery. No deep flavors to be found. I like bold oak, smokey, Carmel, vanilla. Not to be found here. Probably ages on the lower levels of the barrel house.

I’ll stick with the 1920.

Even at 95 proof Statesman is very approachable. Woody nose. This is ‘sippen wisky’. Take a sip and wait for the warmth. Great in the cooler weather.

Not a whiskey for sipping – it needs to be mixed, with something sweet. This does not even taste like a rye. It lacks the spicy tang of a decent ry whiskey and delivers a sharp and thin taste instead.

Might be OK in a jug of Manhattan’s mixed for a wedding or something but then there are better choices for that. Disappointing, even at this price. Better to spend a few buck more and get something decent.

I recently bought a bottle of Old Oberholt. my favorite rye. at a local liquor store. On the way out of the store, I noticed the label was slightly different. When I got it home, I opened it, and instead of those nice warm rye aromas, there was this highly chemical raw alcohol smell.

make that stink. and later when I tasted it, it was worse than 6 month old skunk urine. I thought. ah ha, someone put a counterfeit bottle on the shelf. I went to. finally. their web site, and discovered to my dismay.

that a)Old Overholt as a company is no more. and b) indeed the new owner has decided to change the formula and the way it is distilled. If the company ever reads this, I would say. NO WAY. go back to what was a winning formulation and don’t mess with it.

BAD KITTY!!!!.

Listen to me I’ve bartended a long time and I know when a whiskey deserves to be purchased. One sniff of this stuff and it’s game over. They have managed to pack pure MAGIC into this stuff it is incredibly rich and beautifully elegant.

Must own.

Tried this particular whiskey at the Kavalan distillery when I was in Taiwan several years ago. So glad to be able to find this here in the states.

This is a stunningly enjoyable whisky. If you want to enjoy the “liquor of the gods” this is it.

I love cinnamon whiskey! I shoot it by itself or make Jell-O shots out of them with cream soda! Jim bean fire is a very smooth whiskey with a nice cinnamon flavor. If you don’t like cinnamon then this isn’t for you! I absolutely plan on buying this again!.

A little young tasting, even though whiskey tends to age faster in the Texas heat. Pleasant honey cornbread flavor with considerable spice and some woody notes on the finish, but this one could spend a little more time in the barrel to bring out its best qualities and temper the burn of the high alcohol content.

Not a bad whiskey overall, just has some room for improvement. Did like that it’s from the Austin area – Manor actually – made me a little nostalgic for my former hometown. Wish there was a maybe option for recommendation – it would depend on whether the friend likes spicy high-proof whiskey.

It’s a young bourbon created by a new distillery. Remember that when you try it because it’s already got legs to stand on. I don’t always taste all the various notes, like BBQ, I like it or I don’t. I really like this.

Pleasant and smooth at a lower proof. Smells great and really flows smooth over the palate. Fades a bit quick but I just take another sip! I can’t wait till they start getting some older barrels out.

I think it will make a great cocktail but I’m stuck on drinking it neat. Still Austin is another great Texas bourbon.

I’d never heard of this bourbon before I bought it. I was in-store looking for something new before and was lucky enough to be nearby when someone was doing a whiskey tasting outside of the normal schedule.

They let me join in and I tried the bigger brother of this (115 proof) and loved it, but thought it was too much for the people I was sharing with. The employee showed me they had a 95 proof version, so I grabbed that to try at home.

Everyone I’ve had try it so far loves it.

I may be biasist about this. But I love a good whisky on the rocks. Or with cola. Depending how I feel on the day. This has a strong oak taste to it. But I like it. I’m very old school with my selections but at the same time I can have electric drinks that are out there such as “baby blue dragon vodka”.

This is definently a gentleman’s drinks. Think, cigar, whisky on ice, that strong oak, slight bitter taste, with dark lights and pool table. If you can Imagen that in a drink, you’ve got it. Haha. But my #1 whisky choice.

Always. Jappanese whisky is also good too!.

I didn’t actually buy this for me, but for my daddy-o who will be 92 in a few days. He used to drink Canadian Club when I was a lot younger, so when he asked for me to pick up some whiskey for him, I saw this at Total Wine and bought it for him.

Was he ever pleased!! So now I’ve had two bottles delivered so that when one is finished, I’ll have one on hand to take to Dad. BTW, I was talking to my Northern Irish friend, she said that Canadian Club is considered a very good whiskey in NI!! I just wonder if they keep the ‘e’ in whiskey when they write about it! ;).

One of the best classic cocktails of all is the Manhattan, but and MUST be made with Rye Whisky so Canadian Club is idea. Never ever Bourbon or Jack Daniels, (which are excellent in different drinks).

Martini Rosso, Angustura, ice and a cherry. YUM.

I give it a 4, cause I’ve never found a “perfect” drink. As you have read, this is NOT a wheated bourbon, BUT a wheated whiskey! As I’ve said not all bourbon is whiskey. but all whiskey IS bourbon ! By rules or act, USA says bourbon has to be at LEAST 51% Corn, the rest what ever grains.

SO, this is more than 51% wheat, & the rest other grains. SO, it’s not a bourbon. Makers Mark, the entire line is a wheated bourbon. Larceny is a wheated bourbon. BUT. this & Woodford Reserve Wheat, is a wheated whiskey !! And this age stated, 7 yr.

old Bernheim is a very good wheated whiskey !! Equal to Makers #46 (6-1/3 yr. old) vanilla, caramel, cherry notes. This 7 yr. old has caramel, vanilla, & toffee/cocoa baking spices kinda notes. You can’t go wrong with either.

M. M. #46 or Bernheim 7yr. Those 2 are the best !!!!!!!!.

The big mistake is to compare this whiskey to a “wheater” bourbon. There is very little corn in this Bernheim, which disqualifies it as a bourbon. Very nice and honey-sweet, a little bitterness. Almost fruity.

Great length, especially with a few drops of water. A great alternative for when you want a whiskey, but not in the mood for a heavy-handed bourbon, or a rye. Word of caution: pairing any whiskey with a cheese platter and then pan the product is certainly not the way to add credibility to a tasting.

I tried a bottle last month. I enjoyed the winter wheat and barley cereal flavors–this is a very mild whiskey, so for fans of high rye style bourbons, this may not be your whiskey. In my opinion it’s lightly sweet and elegant.

Super smooth too. However, as with many recently well reviewed spirits–my last bottle was $24. 99 and now I see TW has jumped the price up to $29. 99. and at that price it only makes sense if you want to have something different around.

You could achieve similar results with others for a bit less.

If I could rate the review any lower than one I would! Ok! I order a bottle of Blantons Bourbon which would normally cost approximately $59. 99. I expected to pay more due to the demand of the product.

So, I paid over $200. 00 for a bottle that I thought I was going to get by Thanksgiving. Well, that fell through. I called several times and spoke with one of your representatives and was promised that it was on its way by LSO.

They explained that they only ship out the Thursday after making the order. I ordered it on November 20, 2021. That Thursday would have been the 25th. Ok! I get that it was Thanksgiving day. But, what about shipping it out on the next day the 26th? After making several call to your company and Budget bottle promising that it had indeed been shipped by LSO.

Well, I called LSO and gave them my tracking number and the lady at LSO says that they have never taken possession of the item!!!!. smh:( WOW! Is this the way that you always do business? No Thank you! I will also report it to BBB.

VERY DISAPPOINTED!.

My husband was thrilled when he opened it. He’s wanted to try it for a while but he doesn’t usually spend that much on his bourbon. He opened it right away to try and thought it was very tasty! I do want to let you know,though,that it was leaking when we got it.

It was wrapped very well, but there was a divot in the cork and don’t know if that was responsible for the leak. We didn’t lose very much of the bourbon, but didn’t know if the corks were checked at all before using.

I will certainly order from you again,I have a few family members that love there bourbon! Thank you Kathy Gee.

I had never ordered any spirits online before, but I wanted to give a bottle of Blanton’s bourbon as a gift. This bourbon could not be found locally, so I ordered a bottle from Bourbon Central. I am so glad I did.

Not only was it in stock, but it was shipped quickly. I was sent regular updates on the shipment progress, and it arrive quickly. The bottle was packed very well. I will not hesitate to purchase from Bourbon Central again and will recommend this company to family and friends.

C. G.