We all want a top shelf that wows. But without a solid center shelf of $40-and-under bottles that you can pour without a second thought, you just have a trophy case instead of something you actually live with. These solid everyday must-haves make the stuff special just that, special, and not the bottle you run out of after a few weeks of after-work drams. That doesn’t mean buying obvious big name brands. Recently, in an effort to steer young, price-conscious drinkers away from their White Claw, distillers of mid-range whiskeys have sparked a renaissance worthy of more adoration. Although there have been values that have exceeded their price for years, such as Rittenhouse and Buffalo Trace, these new bottles of old styles or revived innovations offer a real delight and could keep those high-end bottles dusty for a little longer. . Also, a little more whiskey and a little less fortified seltzer is probably a good thing.
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Japanese Dewar barb
$25 (40% ABV)
Take a honeyed scotch like Dewar’s and age it in Japanese mizunara barrels and you get what the label says: smooth. Try it as a highball or a drink that’s just complex enough.
Shop at Reservebar
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old bathtub
$23 (50% ABV)
Once Beam’s original flagship whisky, this unfiltered, strong-tasting yet highly drinkable goodness is now available nationwide for the price of a fancy cocktail.
Shop at Drizly
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Manufacturer’s mark 101
$39 (50.5% ABV)
Wheat bourbons like Maker’s are known for their smoothness, but as you increase the proof up to 101 it becomes a more robust player with more vanilla and spice.
Shop at Drizly
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Ezra Brooks 99
$25 (49.5% ABV)
A typical bourbon with vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and a hint of peanuts. It’s not unlike a candy bar, in a good way.
Shop at Drizly
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Glasgow Blend Box Compass
$38 (43% ABV)
Snobs may scoff at mixes, but this one will convince them otherwise. About 62 percent is single malt, sure, but it’s the shrewd sherry and smoky playfulness that make this a standout wine.
Shop at Reservebar
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Grand Jones Bourbon
$40 (43% ABV)
From Manhattan’s first (legal) distillery since Prohibition, this is a lighter, smoother whiskey, with just a hint of spice and oak.
Shop at Reservebar
This article appears in the Winter ’20/’21 issue of Esquire. Subscribe here.
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