Between tariffs on Scotch and prices in the secondary (resell) Bourbon market, gifting whiskey is more expensive than ever, but the traditional spirit – particularly perfect for winter – is still a strong category, be it bourbon, rye, American whiskey or their international cousins. We found high-quality buys at price points under $100, so there is a bottle for every whiskey lover on your list.
$20s: Larceny Small Batch Bourbon. Fans of wheated Bourbon will tell you this is one of the best. Smooth, easy to like, and perfect for an Old Fashioned.
$30s: Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage. This is likely the best dollar-for-dollar deal on the list, and it’s reaching a point of popularity such that it will be hard to find in 2021. Get it now.
$40s: Belle Meade Sour Mash Whiskey. This little beauty comes from Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery, and the story behind it is as good as the whiskey.
$50s: Tahwahkaro Four Grain Whiskey. We tasted all the Texas whiskey available, and this one stood out from the pack by a wide margin. If this is where Texas whiskey is headed, we’re there for the ride.
$60s: King’s County Bourbon. From the Navy Yard in Brooklyn – yes, that Brooklyn – comes one of the best lines of whiskey to arrive in Oklahoma in the past couple of years.
$70s: Whistle Pig 10-year Rye. There is a solid consensus among whiskey drinkers that this is the best of the Whistle Pig if the metric is quality-to-price ratio. It’s the one to try if you’ve not had the others.
$80s: Barrell Cask Strength Blended Whiskey. These guys are blenders, not distillers, but just like Champagne negociants, they’re very good at picking the best available and blending it beautifully.
$90s: The Matsui Sakura Cask. Beautiful is the best word for this single-malt Japanese whiskey that gets time in cherry wood. Subtle, elegant, lovely – those work, too.
