I’m a whiskey noob who usually just drink a lot of beer and would like to open my palette to whiskey bourbon. Any suggestions for a good beginner whiskey that’s not super harsh

38 comments

  1. Monkey Shoulder is a great scotch

    Elijah Craig is a solid bourbon, though Jack Daniels is probably the more mellow/sweeter entry if you really want something “smooth.”

    Just remember, fireball isn’t whiskey haha

  4. I’d recommend starting with a wheated bourbon since they’re usually a little bit sweeter and smoother without being flavored. Maker’s Mark and Larceny are both pretty good and readily available. If you want something a little nicer, Maker’s 46 or 1792 sweet wheat are both quite good.

  6. My go to casual bourbon is Bulleit. Nothing fancy, not too pricy, but solidly made.

  7. Balvenie 12 & Glenlivet 12 are always great starts for scotch, not too big on bourbon, that’s just me though..

  8. Buffalo Trace is what I always recommend for noobs trying to get into bourbon. It’s got a good balance of flavor, smoothness, and price point.

    Scotch is more complicated since regional differences tend to be significantly different. Johnny Walker Black is a good starting point since it’s a blend, but I would keep an open mind for other bottles if you want to taste the regional differences.

  11. I keep Jameson on the counter.
    If I ever get another tooth ache, no matter how *Painful it’s gone in 4-11 seconds with a swish of Jameson.

  12. Whiskey is a broad category but only whiskey made in Kentucky according to a certain process can be called bourbon. So technically Jack Daniels isn’t bourbon. I’d buy some airplane size bottles and see what you like. Personally I like Jim Beam which also comes in at a good price point but you aren’t going to go wrong with the other bourbons mentioned.

  15. I’d like to suggest for you a Johnnie Walker Red Label. In my opinion, it’s a nice and smooth, easy to drink whiskey. Also, price wise it’s middle range.

  16. The Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey bottle is very easy to down. It’s not that complex unlike other bottles. It mixes well, and u can drink it straight.

  17. Eagle Rare is a great entry level bourbon. It’s higher quality than a lot of other stuff in its price range but still pretty affordable. It is pretty sweet as well which is an attractive quality to most Bourbon newbies. I recommend it in a glass with a single large ice cube.

    In terms of Scotch look at the Speysides as they tend to be lighter on the smoke and peat. My go to would be either Balvenie double wood or Oban 14. Both are high quality Scotches that are very drinkable and not too expensive. I like a pour with about half a teaspoon of water added to mellow it out just a touch.

  18. Smell. If you can find someone with a good collection, or an empty bar/pub that’s willing, try to use your nose. Try what smells best.

  19. For beginners, you can never go wrong with Red Label, Jameson or Jim Beam. In case of scotch, slowly advance to 12yo, 18yo and then move on to single malt. Cheers!

  20. Woodford is a personal favorite for me. Elijah Craig, Knob Creek, and Russell’s are good bourbons. These are all fun too because you can kind of experiment with different bitters and old fashioned mixes and find a style/flavor profile you like!

  21. Welp, you can’t go wrong with the classics, start with some Jim Beam, it’s moderately priced and has a good flavor profile, great utilitarian brand to make cocktails, after that go with some Wild Turkey 101, a bit stronger but also a larger flavor profile, from here you can try some Jack Daniel’s and Four Roses , Old Grand Dad, all with pretty good flavor profiles, after you try these you can begin to check out higher price Whiskeys and Scotches.

  22. If you don’t reach down to the lowest shelf, no liquor will be super harsh. To be on the safe(-er) side, avoid higher alcohol content, although there are many fantastic liquors that are both high alcohol and smooth.

    For bourbon, my default go to (“house burbon”) is Woodford Reserve, they’re all very oaky, and vanilla-sweet. If you can afford it, the Double Oaked variety is best. If you want something more “spicy” or herby, try Elijah Craig or 1792.

    For scotch, a Highland or Speyside origins (it’ll be written somewhere on the label) are the smoothest and least smoky and harsh. They smell very fruity, almost like a white wine (Gewurtz, etc). There are many that are reasonably priced, Glen Garioch 12 year was a very surprising find for me and super tasty, but probably difficult to find, but Aberlour 12 year should be well stocked. Aberfeldy 12 is also good, and the Aberfeldy 16 is a straight upgrade in every way.

  23. Woodford Reserve is a good starter one that’s not too expensive. Rye’s also tends to be very approachable. I think Basil Hayden is a good middle of the road.

    You can also get a taste for it with classic cocktails like a Whiskey Old Fashion or Manhattan.

  24. Jameson is my go to, but I really have come to appreciate a good Rye like Bulleit or Knob Creek

    I also like scotch, but price of McCallan and Oban makes it a special occasion only purchase

  25. If you don’t love strong whiskey, or don’t have a real discerning taste yet you could try Seagrams VO. It’s very mild Canadian whiskey. It’s a good, inexpensive intro to whiskey.

    Jack Daniel’s is essentially a bourbon. But it’s charcoal mellowed technically making it a Tennessee whisky. Also pretty easy drinking.

  29. There is no such thing as a beginner whiskey.

    It completely depends on your tastebuds and how you like things. It can even vary from bottle to bottle.

  31. Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey will generally be less harsh than American whiskey. If “harshness” is your sticking point, start there. Some good choices to get started:

    1. Teeling Small Batch (Irish)

    2. Knappogue Castle 12 (Irish)

    3. Powers Gold Label (Irish)

    4. Bunnahabhain 12 (Scotch)

    5. Glenmorangie 10 (Scotch)

    6. Ardbeg 10 (Scotch – it’s peated, so this will give you the smoke)

    These are good “starters”, as you learn what you like, you can move up the age ranges. If you like the Irish whiskeys and are willing to splurge a bit, Redbreast 15 and the Spot whiskeys (Yellow Spot, Green Spot, Red Spot, Blue Spot, etc) are all excellent.

    If you’re dead set on American whiskey, here’s some starters, taking into account availability and price (taters gonna tater):

    1. Maker’s Mark

    2. Elijah Craig Small Batch

    3. Wild Turkey 101 (spiciest one on the list, but I have to include it)

    4. Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve

    5. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond

    6. Woodford Reserve Double Oaked

    I left Buffalo Trace products off the list because they’re usually hard to find anywhere, and if you do find them, they’re usually marked up unless you live in a control state.

  32. For beginners, it is recommended to start with a lighter and more approachable whiskey or bourbon with a lower alcohol content, such as:

    Buffalo Trace

    Evan Williams Black Label

    Four Roses

    Maker’s Mark

    Jameson Irish Whiskey

    Glenlivet 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

  34. For a bourbon, I would recommend Angel’s Envy. It is VERY easy to drink as far as bourbons go and is quite delicious. I recommend it to all non-bourbon drinkers looking to try.

    If you are looking for something that tastes more like a standard bourbon… I recommend one called Early Times…. But it can be hard to find outside Kentucky.

    I also recommend two scotches to try: Balvenie 14yr Caribbean Cask and Glenfiddich 15yr Solera Reserve. Try bourbons first though.

    If you want to wade in the easiest… Get into bourbons by ordering an Old Fashioned cocktail. Make scotches easier by ordering them with ginger ale.

    I’m actually the opposite of you… I’ve always enjoyed cocktails and hard liquor myself and hated beer. I’m just now finding beers that I like and am falling in love with them.

  35. Recovered alcoholic here, I’ve drank a lot of different whiskeys here’s a few that are all really accessible to those new to whiskey:

    Bullet, rye- my daily drinker

    Glen Livet, 12 yr, single malt- good introductory scotch

    Blanton’s, 6 yr, single barrel- go to bourbon

    Balvenie, 15 yr, single barrel, sherry oak cask- go to scotch

    Dalmore 18 yr, single malt, white oak cask- special occasion scotch

  36. Sorry, they all taste like shit and the price is the only thing that makes the brain perceive the taste differently.

    Give it to a child or a cat or dog to just smell and they will wince. It’s posh poison.

  37. a lot of people gave some good suggestions – I wanted to add something different – tips on drinking whiskey enjoyably.

    First is the ‘3 sip rule’ – this is similar for any liquid -whiskey, wine, beer, anything. Take a small sip and instantly swallow it. This ‘primes’ your palate. Take a big smell/whiff, maybe even two. Possibly become a bit of a mouth breather for a ‘smell’ as well (since your mouth is coated with the whiskey). Next take another slip, swish it for a second or so then swallow. Then another big smell and another sip – swishing it for a bit longer. The 3 sips here should take about 15-30seconds total and only consume maybe a tablespoon worth of the liquid (maybe a bit more for wines and beer). The goal is to try to identify some pleasant to you flavors, then on the next sip see what they remind you of. this helps you figure out what do you (and don’t) like so someone might be able to give you better recommendations in the future based on your palate. And now that you’ve ‘tired’ the whiskey, you can drink it normally after that.

    Next – most whiskey is designed to be drank ‘neat’ – or straight, plain, no ice, room temp. But I highly recommend to not start there. you can start “on the rocks” (or over ice) where the melting ice will dilute the whiskey and the cold will dull the burn a bit. Once you get used to that – try it cold – put the bottle in the freezer and then pour it cold (maybe pour half drinks more often so it doesnt warm up too quickly on you). The cold will still help dull the burn a bit, but doesnt dilute the flavor. After that, moving to neat isn’t too hard as you will get lazy and either let the whiskey get to room temp or just forget to get it cold – or get excited to try something new and not want to wait for it to chill.

    Lastly – the best way to drink a whiskey is how you enjoy it. There’s no wrong way. As long as you are enjoying it, then you are doing it right. If you only want to make a whiskey coke – then tell others to fuck off and drink it like that. It’s your money and your choice. Drink how you like it.

    Also – whiskey mixed drinks are commonly “4:1” – 4 parts mixer to 1 part whiskey. This is the same for gin (since this spirits focus more on the flavor of the spirit). Rum and vodka are 6:1 (since the flavor matter less for these spirits). Just some nice info if you ever want to get into making different drinks.

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