Inspired by his love of bourbon...

Put down that beer! Too often our favorite spirit gets cast aside in favor of a cold brew or a white wine when the heat is on. But bourbon, our great American whiskey, is also one of the most versatile spirits at the table, according to celebrity chef, author, restaurateur, and whiskey lover Edward Lee .

Lee has created a summer menu that pairs perfectly with our love of bourbon. At his standout restaurants in Louisville, Ky. ( MilkWood , 610 Magnolia , The Wine Studio , Whiskey Dry ) and the Washington, D.C. area ( Succotash ), Lee gets...

As any good bartender knows, the ice you use for cocktails should never be an afterthought. Ice not only chills your drink, it dilutes the alcohol, and using low-quality water or the wrong size cubes can ruin an otherwise carefully crafted cocktail.

But H2O isn’t the only way to go. You can create boozy ice balls to keep your cocktail cold without diluting it as much—plus you get to enjoy two drinks in one.

“Adding spiked ice cubes to cocktails lends additional alcohol and flavor to the base of the beverage,” explains Allen Lancaster, cocktail artisan at The Bar at...

 ...

This Saturday, Whisky Advocate is in the running for “Best Spirits & Cocktail Publication” at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in New Orleans. The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. Central Time; follow along on Facebook Live , and wish us luck! No matter who wins, we will be toasting with a good dram—and suggest you do the same.

Balvenie’s new 50 year old single malt would be quite the celebratory pour indeed, and at $38,000 a bottle, it’s definitely for very special occasions only. As you might imagine, the whisky is extremely limited—just 110 bottles are for sale,...

Chef Edward Lee devised this hot wings recipe specifically to pair with the classic Bourbon & Ginger cocktail. Being carbonated, the cocktail has the same palate-cleansing quality that makes beer a natural partner with fatty wings. Plus, the sweetness from the bourbon and the hint of spice from the ginger beer complement the heat of the wings. As a bonus, this cocktail lacks the filling heaviness of a high-test beer. So why aren’t you pairing all your wings with a Bourbon & Ginger?

Pair it With: A Bourbon & Ginger

The post Spice Rubbed Chicken Wings appeared first on Whisky...

Chef Edward Lee believes...

Jefferson Oatts, beverage manager of...

In Pour This, Pair That, Whisky Advocate asks professional chefs to share a recipe designed for a specific type of whisky. Learn why these food and whisky combinations work—and try them yourself at home!

Although a decade ago it barely drew attention, Japanese whisky has gone from niche drink to juggernaut. And no wonder: the elegant, balanced characteristics found in many Japanese brands not only offer enough stylistic variation to find a wide range of fans, but also make the whisky perfectly suited to enjoying alone or, better yet, at the table.

“Japanese whiskey is all about harmony, where flavor,...

 ...

Between forests, mountains, and a wide river, Japan’s mars Shinshu Distillery in Nagano is making whisky at full capacity again after taking a short break—for nineteen years. In 1989, a tax reform forced Japan’s distillers to nearly double whisky prices. Many small Japanese distilleries either reduced their production or closed down entirely. While it seems hard to imagine today, there was so little demand for whisky that in 1992 mars Shinshu abandoned whisky completely in favor of brandy. The now legendary Karuizawa and Hanyu Distilleries were able to hang on until the turn of the millennium.

Now, mars Shinshu is...

What defines Japanese whisky other than being popular and expensive? For one, balance. Few Japanese whiskies dominate or overpower; rather, the spirit’s characteristic style strives for a harmony of flavors. While an official definition for Japanese whisky has yet to be agreed upon, the prevailing notion is that elegance and mastery are achieved through balance. These craft distillers are certainly contributing to the growing category with just that in mind.

mars Shinshu

Komagatake Rindo Nature of Shinshu —88 points, $190 This fragrantly floral young whisky was aged in Japanese wine casks. Its texture is light and rather sweet, with a...

 ...

In 1968, Congress authorized the U.S. Metric Study in an effort to analyze whether the country should adopt the internationally accepted standard system of measurement. By 1975, Congress had passed the Metric Conversion Act and a U.S. Metric Board was created to help with the transition. For a few years, the U.S. measured lengths, weights, and temperatures using liters, kilograms, and Celsius, until the system was nixed in the fall of 1982. We would stick with our feet and pounds and Fahrenheit!

With one notable exception, that is. The spirits industry switched to metric units in 1979 and has used...

This week’s newest whiskies are all for the bourbon, rye, and scotch lovers.

First up, Basil Hayden’s is rolling out a limited-edition whiskey. Two by Two is a blend of two straight ryes (aged 5 and 7 years) and two straight bourbons (aged 6 and 13 years), both made in Kentucky and blended together. The whiskey costs $45 and will be available for a limited time.

Meanwhile, Heaven Hill has announced a 27 year old bourbon that will go on sale this fall. Less than 3,000 bottles of this whiskey will be available at a price of $399. Bourbon history...

Part of being a luxury hotel is stocking a respectable whisky selection, but only a handful go the extra mile to woo whisky lovers with curated lists of rarities, private barrels, tasting programs, specialty whisky cocktails, food pairings, and more. Whisky regions like Ireland, Japan, and Kentucky play host to some great whisky hotels, but don’t discount Wisconsin, Beverly Hills, and Boston. Whisky fans appear in every corner of the globe and so do the hotels that cater to them.

21c Museum Hotel —Louisville, Kentucky Louisville’s hippest hotel focuses on art and whiskey and succeeds at both, with just 91...

Lots of new whiskies are hitting stores this week, including a galactic bourbon, limited-edition Canadian whisky, and more.

Straight off the Starship Enterprise comes James T. Kirk bourbon, named for the ship’s fearless leader. The sourced whiskey is 10 years old, distilled in Tennessee, and will be featured at San Diego Comic Con next month. It’s available for pre-order now for $60, with bottles shipping in the fall, at jamestkirkbourbon.com .

Back down on earth, Crown Royal has unveiled the 2018 release in its Noble Collection, a 13 year old version of the recently released Blenders’ Mash. The whisky was...

Created by...

Created by Ted Kilgore at...

Created by Abigail Gullo at...