By Richard Thomas Although the world’s whisk(e)y boom has brought more choices than enthusiasts have ever had, the heightened demand has also led some prices to rise. It’s a fundamental market mechanism taught in macroeconomics: when supply and demand are out of balance, prices will change until the balance is restored. Thankfully, plenty of good, affordable whisk(e)ys are still out ...

By Richard Thomas A classic of phraseology works pretty well when applied to bourbon: while not all the best bourbons are single barrels, all single barrels are among the best. This is especially true if your price point is $150 or less. Pappy Van Winkle, George T. Stagg and Michter’s Celebration aren’t single barrels, but nor are those reasonably priced ...

By Richard Thomas Although the gap has narrowed some these last couple of years, it is still a truism that Scotch whiskies are more expensive than comparable bourbon whiskies, especially if you live in the U.S. A central proof in that statement is where the key price points for the core, premium expressions of these respective whiskeys lie. Nearly all ...

By Richard Thomas Samuel Adams Summer Ale and Basil Hayden Bourbon Here are two drinks that compliment and pair together very well. At 80 proof, Basil Hayden is one of the lightest premium bourbons. As an American Pale Wheat Ale, Sam Adams Summer Ale is also on the light side of its category. Basil Hayden comes from Beam’s high rye ...

By Richard Thomas American whiskeys are particularly well-suited to sweltering weather thanks to a combination of two elements. One is the sweet flavors drawn from aging in new American oak. Another is their generally higher bottle strength. While whisk(e)y around the world shares an almost universal minimum of 40% ABV, most sit in a range of 40 to 46%. For ...