Whiskey, from the editors of liquor.com, includes a guide to all types of whiskey including bourbon, scotch, rye, Irish, Canadian, and Japanese. The issue features over 50 cocktail recipes, bartender tips, lists of essential bar tools, and recommendations from the experts on top bottles for stocking your home bar.
FROM THE EDITORS
Liquor.com Whiskey
ESSENTIAL BARWARE • Ready to kick those plastic Solo cups to the curb? Introducing the four types of glasses and the six essential tools you need to make just about any type of cocktail at home.
ALL ABOUT ICE • Clear ice is the goal—here’s what to look for when shopping for ice molds online.
GLASSWARE • The right glass can change your whole drinking experience. Some are designed to highlight the spirit, while others are versatile enough for cocktails, neat pours, and more. Here are the best glasses to add to your collection.
DECANTERS • Ask any expert, and they’ll tell you that there’s an art to shopping for the perfect spirits decanter. We asked freelance journalist and whiskey expert Clay Whittaker to break it down. “A decanter is meant to be displayed, so it should represent your style,” he says. “But, it should also be functional—your decanter should be easy to pour from, and you should consider how difficult it will be to clean or dust.” Where glass is concerned, safety is also a factor. Aside from durability, Whittaker says, you’ll want to make sure that the decanter, if made from crystal, is lead-free. “Leaded crystal will leach lead into alcohol over time,” he says. Here are a few of our favorites.
ESSENTIAL BOTTLES • Build a bottle list from scratch for your home bar with tips and tasting notes from our pros.
SUBSCRIPTION BOXES • Of all the spirits categories, it’s hard to think of one that marries regional history and geographical specificity with obsessive enthusiasm and international appeal quite like whiskey. Whether we’re talking Scotch, Irish, Japanese, or bourbon, the category is vast, diverse, and even a bit intimidating. One of the best ways to sort through all the hype and noise, however, is by signing up for a whiskey subscription. These curated services provide access to varied and unique whiskeys at regular intervals.
MUST READS • We’ve paged through stacks of books to give you the essential reads on the wide world of whiskey.
SIMPLE SYRUP
BOURBON • Whether savored neat or mixed into an Old Fashioned or Mint Julep, bourbon may be the spirit most often associated with the United States. The primarily corn-based whiskey is the stuff of songs, legends, and plenty of classic cocktails.
MANHATTAN VS. OLD FASHIONED: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
WHISKEY SOUR
MAN O' WAR
6 RULES FOR DRINKING BOURBON • With so many bottles fooding the market, the backbar has turned into a crowded land-scape, one that could easily overwhelm the average drinker. Here are some rules for picking, sipping, and mixing America’s favorite spirit.
GOLD RUSH
MINT JULEP
BOTTLES
BOURBON VS. TENNESSEE WHISKEY: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? • Bourbon and Tennes-see whiskey are often confused for one another in the minds of many consumers—there’s-even debate in the whiskey world as to whether Tennes-see whiskey can be considered bourbon. However, despite nearly identical production processes, the classic American whiskey styles do have some key differences. Here’s everything you need to know when comparing the two.
WHAT IS BOURBON?
TYPES OF BOURBON
RYE WHISKEY • Rye can be made anywhere in the world, but to be labeled rye in the U.S. it must be made of a fermented mash of at least 51% rye grain, distilled to no more than 80% ABV, and proofed down to enter the barrel at no more than 62.5% ABV. It must be matured in new charred-oak containers, and bottled...