It goes without saying that we at The Whiskey Lifestyle take our home bar setups pretty seriously. Like the art on your walls and the car you drive, the liquor you stock helps tell the story of who you are and how you see yourself. See also: Your suit. Whether you wear one daily for work or just pull it out for weddings every few months, it is the standard against which all your other wardrobe choices should be measured.
We feel the same way about whiskey: It is the foundation bottle around which your whole bar can be stocked. If you’ve found your way here (well done, by the way), we’ll go ahead and assume you’re not looking for justification regarding that bottle of Jack Daniels you buy every two weeks. No, you’re looking for something more refined—something to set you apart from the Calvin Klein clones and Hugo Boss bros—in a glass.
The good news is you don’t have to be living at the level of champagne wishes and caviar dreams to drink like a goddamn sophisticate. Whether you’re spending $200 or more than $2000 on your suit, building a wardrobe or investing in basics, we’ve got an expertly-chosen whiskey you can proudly display on your bar.
IF YOUR SUIT IS: Express Men (or Topman, Zara, etc.), $100 to $300
STOCK YOUR BAR WITH: Corner Creek Bourbon, $25 – $35
If you’re shopping for suits at fast fashion establishments and probably only spending between $150 and $300, it’s safe to say you’re probably just starting your professional life, and probably not living alone. With roommates, limited funds and the metabolism of your early 20s all in play, don’t waste your hard-earned disposable income on an 18-year scotch your buddy Kevin will inevitably mix with Coke at 4 a.m. next Saturday.
Keep a bottle of Corner Creek Bourbon on the bar. This is a whiskey that tastes great on its own, but won’t shame you to see your girlfriend mix it with a ginger ale. We consider this to be the ‘workhorse’ of bourbon, one so good that it might even change Kevin’s mind about drinking his late-night whiskey neat.
IF YOUR SUIT IS: The J.Crew ‘Ludlow’ suit in navy wool, $650
STOCK YOUR BAR WITH: Willet Family Estate Rye, $45 – $60
A classic starter suit you can wear year-round? What’s not to like about that? J.Crew changed the game when they debuted their Ludlow suit a few years back, and you can now find it in a range of fabrications and colors, but the navy Italian wool is timeless and incredibly versatile. It’ll set you back a cool $650, but that’s okay because you’re at the point where you’re investing in the wardrobe you’ll have for the next ten years at least. You live on your own, and when your buddies come over, you should be able to offer them a smooth-drinking whiskey on the rocks or throw together an Old Fashioned on the fly.
Your move here is a bottle of Willet Family Estate Rye. This rye is the perfect balance of pepper and spice—it stands well on its own but also shines in simple classic cocktails like the aforementioned Old Fashioned or a Manhattan. Buy it now, thank us later.
IF YOUR SUIT IS: The Bonobos Foundation Linen suit, $450
STOCK YOUR BAR WITH: Balcones Texas Single Malt, $80-$95
Bonobos’ collection of foundation cotton and linen suits are in that sweet spot of pricing that’s not cheap but not bank-breaking expensive, either. At about $450, this is the summer wedding suit you add to your rotation once you’ve got the standard navy wool on lock. It goes without saying (at least to us) that if you own more than one suit, you should have more than one bottle of liquor—and most definitely more than one whiskey—on your bar.
To add a little diversity to the game, we suggest Balcones Texas Single Malt. American single malts are an increasingly popular genre of whiskey these days, and on the top of our list of people who do it right are Balcones. This Waco, Texas-based distillery brings what we’d call ‘BIG Texas flavor’ to this delicious offering, and it’s one that will set your home bar apart from the pack.
IF YOUR SUIT IS : SuitSupply’s grey wool ‘JORT’ suit, $999
STOCK YOUR BAR WITH: Charbay III, $400-$500
If you’re spending just south of $1000 on a grey patch-pocket Italian wool suit with flat-front cuffed trousers, it’s safe to say you’re not fucking around. Your bar shouldn’t be either. With a taste level this obvious—you need a whiskey with a little bravado. Along with a standard high-quality bourbon and a nice scotch you can sip on, invest in a bottle of Charbay III.
This rare release from the good people at Charbay is extremely unique. It all started in 1999 with a micro-brewed pilsner from Northern California, 20,000 gallons of which was hand-distilled to produce just 24 barrels. This, the third release, was aged for six years in French Oak and another eight years in neutral vessels. Yeah. This whiskey is more complex than a Robert Frost poem.
IF YOUR SUIT IS: Gucci, Canali, Zegna, or bespoke, $2000 and up
STOCK YOUR BAR WITH: Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon, $75-$95
If you’re buying suits from Savile Row establishments or getting a custom fit from Canali, Zenga and the like, congratulations and welcome to the big leagues. Custom suiting and a perfectly tailored fit aren’t about being a showoff, so don’t even think about stocking your bar with the most expensive bottle at your local liquor store just because you can. You’re about subtle elegance, my friend. You like the kind of perfection that walks up behind you and taps you lightly on the shoulder before wordlessly shaking your hand, silently signaling a mutual understanding and unbreakable bond.
If we could bottle up that feeling and pour it into a glass, we’d go with Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon. We don’t want to describe this one too much, but let’s just say it’s smoother than a Sade song. Trust.
Much like your best suit, your whiskey of choice is a calling card, and one that can change, elevate and evolve right alongside your wardrobe. Don’t be afraid to try something new, take a few risks and for God’s sake… Hide the good stuff from Kevin.
Creative Credit: Griffin Moore and Ryan Mcelwain
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