HOW TO BUY WHISKEY: 5 CRUCIAL FACTS CONSIDER
Shopping for that perfect bottle of whiskey, but don’t have any idea of what to look for or don’t quite understand how to buy whiskey the right way?
If you’re headed to the store, save yourself some time from aimlessly browsing and shop with confidence with our tips below.
Today, we’re helping you uncover 5 easy-to-remember tips when shopping for that perfect bottle of whiskey.
1 – THE AGE OF THE WHISKEY
A whiskey’s age ultimately plays a role in the quality of whiskey you purchase. Think about it.
Many of the well-known whiskey brands tend to be distilled for only a couple of years in order to be labeled whiskey.
Oftentimes this means there’s a certain maturity that the whiskey has yet to hit in the aging process. Of course, you could still drink the product, but our goal is to help you go a step further in your whiskey journey.
For instance, we recently highlighted a Whiskey called Clyde May’s, which is delicious. This whiskey is aged 6 to 7 years in oak barrels. This aging process allows for the whiskey to truly mature in taste and acquires some of the rich taste from the wood.
Read our feature on the famous Alabama Style Whiskey – Clyde May’s Here
2 – KEY ACCOLADES OR AWARDS
The second tip is to check out the awards or recognition that whiskey has earned for a product. We’re true believers that a brand’s product alone should be able to speak for itself.
If a whiskey variant hasn’t won any accolades, that’s a clear indicator that either brand is way too new to judge or won’t be worth spending your hard-earned cash on.
3 – THE LOOK OF THE BOTTLE
The third tip that we use for buying a solid bottle of whiskey is based purely on the product packaging and visual experience.
Does the bottle have a good silhouette? Does it look modern and cool? Does it look like it has a robust history? Does the bottle feel luxurious?
The look of the bottle has a huge effect on the overall perceived value of the product especially when it comes to selecting a spirit for your personal bar cart.
4- THE DISTILLER’S HISTORY
Our fourth tip is to consider the whiskey maker’s history.
Nowadays, the conglomerates of the world have so much power to create a new basic spirit and market them as “bespoke” even though they don’t have any depth. That’s why it’s important to dive deep into a whiskey’s history to ensure that it offers a vast experience.
5- THE FLAVOR PROFILES
Last, but certainly not least, is to consider a whiskey’s flavor profiles. This tip is extremely important when figuring out how to buy whiskey.
Unfortunately, some brands out there fall flat when compared to others as it relates to taste.
You want to find a brand that offers a smooth tasting experience, but also consists of various tasting notes. It’s typically normal to have various layers of flavors in a single whiskey blend.
The starting flavors that you first experience should move into a mid-taste experience and then wraps with what’s called a “finish”.
All of which should effortlessly blend together to offer a great taste.
If you haven’t graduated onto more complex whiskeys since your college days, there’s no time like the present.
A RECOMMENDATION OF ONE SOLID WHISKEY CHOICE
One whiskey brand that comes to mind that meets all of the above criteria would be Clyde May’s Alabama Whiskey.
Specifically Clyde May’s Cask Strength variation and the Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey aka “the original”.
Check out our recent story that introduces you to the essential whiskey you should add to your bar cart here. [Link back to post once live]
NOW YOU’RE READY TO SHOP FOR THAT PERFECT BOTTLE OF WHISKEY WITH CONFIDENCE
Think you might scoop up a bottle of Clyde May’s Whiskey?
Snap a pic or take a video, and be sure to tag us at @MANedgedMAG to show us your shopping journey.
Enjoy!
MAN’edged Magazine