I love great whiskey or whisky for that matter. One of the things I love about whiskies besides the way they taste, is the history behind them.

For some reason the story behind the brand matters.

For some reason the story behind the brand matters. That being said, the story doesn’t always have to tell the tale of a 200 year old brand that’s recipe was unearthed in a time capsule that was buried by James Madison. These days a brand can be distilled in one place, aged in another, and then bottled somewhere else. What matters to me is that it tastes good! Just because you’re running your own still and aging your own product and then bottling it by hand doesn’t mean it’s going to taste good.

Brands like James E. Pepper, Compass Box, High West, and Michter’s all have great back stories and all taste great! I say a great “back story” because the story behind the brand doesn’t always have to antique in nature. It does however have to authentic. Today’s consumers are a lot savvier than they used to be. Today’s whiskey drinker is looking for a cool “startup” story like High West and Compass Box or a look back into history with brands like James E. Pepper and Michter’s. All of these brands have two things in common. They have great histories and they taste great too! The perfect storm!

James E. Pepper “1776” Straight Rye – 100 Proof

Gold Medal San Francisco Spirits Competition

100 Proof – Not Chill-Filtered – Over 90% Rye in the Mash Bill
Complex & Flavorful; notes of mint, cloves, eucalyptus, chocolate & honey

Compass Box Great King Street Artist’s Blend Scotch Whisky

Rich, round, fruity. Artist’s Blend is a tribute to a time when blenders used an artistry, creativity and craft to make this combination of flavourful single malt whiskies and delicate single grain whiskies one of the world’s most famous drinks.

High West – Double Rye!

Thanks to its balance of cinnamon, anise, and honey, High West Double Rye! stands on its own in cocktails, but is great served neat, with a little water, or on the rocks. Its spirited flavor fortifies classic cocktails like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned. We recommend it for most occasions – sipping it in solitude by a campfire, savoring with favorite old friends, or sharing it with a good-looking stranger. See our “Cocktails” section for cocktails that our friends have helped us out with.

90 Points: John Hansell, Malt Advocate Magazine
93 Points (Exceptional): Beverage Testing Institute

Michter’s Us 1
Kentucky Straight Rye

Renowned for rye – America’s oldest whiskey variety – since the earliest days of our history, we take the production of Michter’s US1 Rye extremely seriously. Our Michter’s US1 Rye is made from select American rye grain that is sheared to maximize the extraction of flavor from the grain. Ideal neat or in cocktails, every bottle of Michter’s US1 Rye comes from a single barrel – a unique attribute reflecting our extraordinary commitment to offering Kentucky Straight Rye whiskey of the absolute highest quality at every level of the Michter’s range.

Contributed by: Brandon Bartlett – Director of Spirits – Wine Warehouse