It’s been nearly 20 years since bourbon’s modern-day revival kicked off, driven by the craft cocktail movement and a wave of new distilleries in states beyond Kentucky. But in the past couple of years, drinker interest in bourbon has changed.
“Interest in bourbon right now is still high, [but] it has plateaued somewhat,” says Zach Rouillard, the spirits department manager and consultant at Surdyk’s in Minneapolis. “We’re not seeing the same growth that we have for the past 15 years, especially for $100+ bourbons.” A surplus in distillery inventory reflects this softening demand, with a record-breaking 16.1 million barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky’s bonded warehouses in 2024.
Erich Von Landsberg, the general manager at Hal’s “The Steakhouse” Nashville, says the secondary market appears to be cooling after several years of rising prices, “making some harder-to-find bottles more accessible to bourbon enthusiasts.”
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One of the biggest bright spots in bourbon sales is exclusivity, and not just with the dusty finds that whiskey hunters used to search for. “We just spent more money on bourbon in the last week than we’ve ever spent in a single week, in my entire 30 years of business,” says Bill Thomas, the owner of Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, D.C., where bourbon is the largest and most in-demand whiskey category. Thomas is putting much of that budget into private barrels. “People are still big fans of full-bodied, single-barrel, cask-strength whiskey,” he says, noting that exclusivity is a draw as well.
“I think guests are becoming more curious about what makes one bourbon different from another, rather than just chasing the biggest names or most allocated bottles,” says Kyle Jackson, the beverage director of The Argyle and Markette in New York City.
SevenFifty Daily asked bartenders and retailers across the U.S. which under-the-radar bourbons they’re most excited to pour and stock right now. (All bourbons are listed with suggested retail price per bottle.)
New Riff Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Newport, Kentucky; $39.99
Selected by Zach Rouillard, spirits department manager and consultant, Surdyk’s, Minneapolis
Surdyk’s has sold wine and spirits in Minneapolis since 1934, and Zach Rouillard, the spirits department manager and consultant, has worked there for 22 years. “We’ve been carrying this whiskey for a few years and sales were initially pretty slow,” he says. “I had to hand sell it a lot.” Over the past year, sales picked up across all seven New Riff expressions the store stocks, led by the Bottled in Bond.
Rouillard says its 100 proof holds up in a classic Manhattan, and its high-rye mash bill works in a Sazerac. “Many customers I talk to want something different than the major brands but still affordable and delicious, and here you have it,” he says.
Still Austin ‘The Musician’ Bourbon, Austin, Texas; $39.99
Selected by Jennifer Yim, master mixologist, Bellagio, Las Vegas
Master mixologist Jennifer Yim likes to introduce the Bellagio’s guests to bourbon through lighter, refreshing highballs. “Bourbon doesn’t always have to be big, bold, and spirit-forward,” she says. “It can be bright, refreshing, elegant, and incredibly layered.”
Yim picks up toasted coconut, pineapple, and s’mores on the nose of Still Austin‘s ‘The Musician,’ followed by cinnamon, brown butter, and almonds. She recommends the Texas bourbon in a Boulevardier, where its richness balances the bittersweet flavors, or in a Whiskey Sour, where citrus brings out its tropical and spiced notes. “It’s a wonderful bourbon to introduce to guests who love discovering something a little different,” she says.
WhistlePig ‘PiggyBack’ Bourbon, Shoreham, Vermont; $49.99
Selected by Kyle Bobkowski, bar manager, Ace Eat Serve, Denver
Ace Eat Serve pairs pan-Asian food with a ping-pong hall in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood and stocks about 20 bourbons. Bar manager Kyle Bobkowski says most drinkers now seek both value and quality. “Bourbon drinkers are much more well-studied on the styles and the distilleries than they ever have been,” he says.
WhistlePig built its name on rye, but Bobkowski calls its PiggyBack “an incredibly tasty bourbon.” He uses the high-corn, 100-proof whiskey in an Old Fashioned or a Whiskey Sour with egg white, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Ace pours it for $12, a price that stands out next to the distillery’s specialty bottles that retail for $500 or more. “Our connoisseur bourbon drinkers know they’re getting an excellent whiskey for a good value,” Bobkowski says.
Brough Brothers Bourbon, Louisville, Kentucky; $27.99
Selected by German Cruz, beverage director, Red Rooster Harlem, New York City
Guests at Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster on Lenox Avenue increasingly want to know the stories behind what they drink, beverage director German Cruz says. “Heritage, craftsmanship, authenticity, and meaningful connections are becoming important parts of the whiskey experience,” he says. Cruz says there’s room to celebrate established whiskey houses while also shining a light on brands like Fort Mosé, Greenwood Whiskey, and Brough Brothers.
Three Louisville-born brothers founded Brough Brothers, which the Kentucky Distillers’ Association recognized as the state’s first African American-owned, licensed, and operating distillery in 2021. Cruz sees its bourbon working in a classic Old Fashioned or in a guided tasting that introduces guests to both the whiskey and its founders. “What excites me is seeing Black entrepreneurs build their own legacies within an industry that has historically overlooked many of their contributions,” he says. “Brough Brothers represents family, determination, and the next generation of American bourbon.”
Weller 12 Year, Frankfort, Kentucky; $49.95
Selected by Corey Hurlstone, service manager, Baleine and The Pheasant, Dennis, Massachusetts
Most bourbon at Hurlstone’s restaurants goes into cocktails, led by Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and Whiskey Sours. “Guests who order bourbon neat or on the rocks tend to be looking for a higher-end or highly allocated bottle,” says Hurlstone.
The Pheasant carries Weller 12 Year. Hurlstone notes that Weller is often credited as the first to make Kentucky Straight Bourbon with wheat instead of rye, and that the 12 Year’s longer aging gives it a smooth, long, oaky finish. Most guests order it neat or on the rocks, though he says it would make a fantastic Old Fashioned. “This is a bourbon for people who really appreciate bourbon,” Hurlstone says.
Garrison Brothers ‘Balmorhea,’ Hye, Texas; $179.99
Selected by Tommy Techamoon, lead bartender, Bayou & Bottle, Houston
Bayou & Bottle, the bourbon bar inside the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, carries more than 200 whiskies, and every bartender is a Certified Bourbon Steward. “For our guests in Houston, the Texas connection is a major part of its appeal,” says Tommy Techamoon, the lead bartender. He uses Garrison Brothers‘ Balmorhea to talk about Texas whiskey, the state’s climate, aging, and how the results differ from the traditional Kentucky profile.
Garrison Brothers ages Balmorhea in two barrels and bottles it at 115 proof. Techamoon pours it mostly neat or on the rocks for experienced bourbon drinkers who want something bigger and more distinctive, though its intensity also carries spirit-forward cocktails. At $54 a pour, it sits firmly in the bar’s premium tier. “That price also means the guest is usually looking for something more than just a drink,” Techamoon says. “They want a bottle with a story, provenance, and a memorable experience.”
High Wire Distilling ‘Jimmy Red’ Double Oak Bourbon, Charleston, South Carolina; $89.99
Selected by Bill Thomas, owner, Jack Rose Dining Saloon, Washington, D.C.
High Wire Distilling in Charleston, South Carolina, makes its flagship bourbon entirely from Jimmy Red, an heirloom corn, and finishes it in a second set of new barrels for the Double Oak. Bill Thomas, the owner of Jack Rose Dining Saloon, picks up burnt caramel, cinnamon, and spice alongside well-balanced oak. “Solid mid-palate finish, great for drinking this time of year,” he says.
Bourbon is the largest whiskey category at Jack Rose and the one with the highest demand, Thomas says. The bar pours the Double Oak for $12 an ounce, which he calls “very good drinking value.”
Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Louisville, Kentucky; $195
Selected by Kyle Jackson, beverage director, The Argyle and Markette, New York City
Kyle Jackson runs the beverage program at Markette, a Chelsea restaurant serving modern European food with Caribbean influences, and at The Argyle, the cocktail lounge downstairs. He lists Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon as an underrated pick not because it’s unknown, but because “it tends to take a backseat to their 10 Year Rye, which gets so much attention.”
Michter’s releases the single-barrel bourbon once a year at 94.4 proof, after aging it past the 10-year mark. Jackson picks up dark toffee, caramel, and mature oak, and says it “never feels overly sweet or heavy.” Guests at The Argyle who already know the reputation of Michter’s or their 10-Year Rye are willing to try it despite the price, he says. The cost keeps it out of the regular cocktail program, though he says it makes an Old Fashioned that’s “out of this world.” Still, “there’s so much character in the whiskey already that you really don’t need to do much to it,” Jackson says.
Chattermark Distillers Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Boston; $52
Selected by Andy Cartin, master of bourbon and cofounder, jm Curley and BCB3 Hospitality, Boston
Chattermark Distillers, a veteran-owned distillery in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood, makes its Straight Bourbon from corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley grown on New England family farms. “No shortcuts here,” says master of bourbon Andy Cartin. “This distillery is one to watch out for as their whiskeys are just hitting six years.”
Cartin cofounded jm Curley, a Downtown Crossing bar that hides a steakhouse, Bogie’s Place, in the back. He drinks the bourbon neat and says its 94 proof will feel familiar to fans of Elijah Craig. “Boston folks love to support locals, so the addition to the bar was well received,” he says.
Dispatch
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Nickolaus Hines is a journalist who writes about beer, spirits, food, and travel. He’s the food and drinks editor at Matador Network and has written about drinks for Liquor.com, Men’s Health, October, Hop Culture, Supercall, and VinePair.
