What does “value” mean to you? Importance? Utility? Those definitions certainly have a place. But when you’re talking about bourbon whiskey it’s a little more direct. It just comes down to quality-compared-to-price.
Is the juice worth the squeeze? Or is it worth even more?
In a whiskey world full of bottle lotteries, aftermarket auctions, and insane markups, “value” might be the most important word there is. But it’s not always easy to ascertain.
“How corn heavy is the mash bill?” asks Dan Marlowe, mixologist at Modena in Washington, DC. “What is the intended use — sipping or cocktails? What’s the proof? There’s a lot to consider.”
The gather opinions on the best value bourbons, we went to the folks who spend their days mixing up drinks behind the bar. We asked some well-known bartenders to tell us the favorite bottles, dollar for dollar.