I’ve never heard of Redemption High Rye Bourbon Whiskey before, but they have been popping up all over the place recently. Even at the trendy bars in downtown Austin, Texas the spirit is on the shelves and ready to be served. So when I saw a bottle on the shelf I decided to give it a spin — I like high rye content whiskies, and this one has a higher rye content than anything else I’ve tried. Could it be the new go-to spirit?

While a scotch whisky snob may prefer Lagavulin or Glenmorangie on a cheaper night, the fact remains that Glenlivet is the #1 most popular scotch whisky in the United States. Almost universally available and consumed in prodigious quantities, but how good actually is it?

While the red label may be the best selling scotch whisky in the world, the black label is their “premium” version and actually bears an age statement unlike the red version. But is there enough of a difference that it makes up for the increased price tag?

Here it is, the most popular scotch whisky in the world. But is it any good?

Scotland may have been the birthplace of whiskey, but Ireland just a short boat ride away thinks they may have done it better. Leading the charge is Jameson, the most popular Irish whiskey in the world.

There are a few brands of Kentucky straight bourbon that can reliably be found behind a bar, and Jim Beam’s white label is one of those brands. Produced since 1795 it remains one of the more popular bourbons sold around the world.

There can be only one king of whiskey and this is it, the #1 top selling American whiskey in the world: Jack Daniels. 12.5 million cases sold in 2018 (not including “ready to drink” varieties). Immortalized in song and so beloved by Frank Sanatra that he was buried with a bottle it is one of the most famous things that Tennessee produces. But is it any good?

The Kentucky Mule is probably my favorite summertime drink here in Austin, Texas. It’s a great mix of competing flavors: cool ice versus warm bourbon, sweet ginger beer versus tangy lime juice, it’s got a lot of things going on. But for those who want to throw in just a little more complexity and maybe a little bit of fire thankfully Still Austin Whiskey Co’s Mother Pepper Whiskey offers the perfect solution.

I realize that I’ve been taking about some local Austin whiskey recently and haven’t even touched some of the more recognizable brands. Today I’d like to talk about one of my favorite affordable and reliable bourbons: Woodford Reserve.