VinePair

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Fionna Gemzon, bar manager, None of the Above , St. For every $280 of secondary-market Blanton’s, you can get four $70 bottles that will blow you away. There is definitely a sweet spot that differs from whiskey to whiskey, and everyone’s palate is different. When it’s bourbon, that age is even less.

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Bartender Bartending Whiskey Bar Manager 116

VinePair

JANUARY 18, 2024

This Heaven Hill bourbon follows a similar blueprint to their more famed Old Fitzgerald — it is a wheated bourbon, and in terms of availability, approachability, and price point, Larceny is definitely underrated. They’re all quality whisk(e)ys that haven’t needed a heavy marketing presence to stay on back bars. Bottled at a hefty 57.15

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Bartender Bartending Whiskey Head Bartender 126

A Bar Above

MARCH 1, 2024

As a new bar manager, there are certain terms and vocabulary that you need to be familiar with so you can communicate effectively with your team. We’ll quickly cover what the term par is and how it applies to the bar and restaurant world, and then we’ll discuss one of its most important applications: the par sheet.

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Inventory Bar Barback Barback 130

VinePair

MARCH 19, 2024

It’s the rare home bar cart that has extra space for a constant influx of new bottles, though. That’s why we asked bartenders from across the country to share the new Scotch whiskies — some new to the industry, and some new to them — that have earned a coveted spot on their bars. I’d say Oban 14. Anselm , Washington, D.C.

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Bartender Bartending Bar Bar Management 105

VinePair

JULY 2, 2024

A big reason why Scotch shines with this aura is price: High-end bottles can famously fetch hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and this can color perception of the category as being too exclusive. As a bonus, these bottles will also impress your pals if you choose to share. Here’s the thing, though. It’s still Scotch, after all.

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Bartender Bartending Bar Management Bar Manager 98

VinePair

JUNE 25, 2024

Whatever the reason, they compel the imbiber to reach for a singular bottle to match the moment’s zeitgeist. If you visit their distillery, you can volunteer to help hand-dip the bottles in their iconic wax tops. One of my favorite bottles of bourbon to reach for has consistently been Chattanooga Cask 111.

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Bartender Bartending Head Bartender Whiskey 111

VinePair

APRIL 4, 2024

Fortunately, bold bottles built on brine and Band-Aid notes don’t fully represent the peated Scotch category. While it definitely has Islay personality, it is also blended with other single-malt whisky and has a sherry finish, so it’s rounded out a bit. Charles Friedrichs, bar manager, The Jones Assembly , Oklahoma City, Okla. “I

Bartender 111

Bartender Bartending Bar Manager Bar Management 111

VinePair

JUNE 11, 2024

The Kentucky whiskey can conjure up images of distillery tours, afternoon cocktails on the porch, or even just some eventful ragers — the last of which usually calls for more affordable bottles. Dale Kaiser, mixologist and bar manager, Valette , Healdsburg, Calif.

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Bartender Bartending Head Bartender Whiskey 116

VinePair

AUGUST 27, 2024

Scanning a bottle shop or menu for something other than your tried-and-true wine can be intimidating. But while it may be tempting to turn to an old favorite, venturing off the beaten path and diving into the unknown may lead to discovering your new darling bottle. Producers like Lenkey, Movia, Bongiraud are amazing.”

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Sommelier Wine Hospitality Bottling 124

VinePair

JULY 9, 2024

But as exciting as a fresh, shiny expression of tequila can be, there’s nothing as reliable as the familiar standby that always has a spot on your bar. Shane Mstroine, bartender/bar manager, Table 45 , Cleveland “I’m gonna go a little more niche with Fuentesca’s 2018 Huertas Las Antenas Blanco.

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Tequila Bartender Bartending Head Bartender 105

VinePair

MARCH 26, 2024

If your home bar shows a conspicuous absence of rum despite an affinity for Daiquiris, then you’ve come to the right place. Seeking the best rums for cocktails, we asked bartenders around the world for their go-to bottles behind the bar. Fionna Gemzon, bar manager, None of the Above , St. Volcanique.

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Rum Bartender Bartending Head Bartender 105

VinePair

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

The service lives up to its three Michelin star ranking, the room itself is iconic, and the backbar is chock-full of unicorn bottles. The kicker: while you can make a reservation for the bar, they even hold space for walk-ins. It all began when Sebastian built a cocktail featuring chef Brock’s barley miso for the menu at EMP.

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Bar Simple Syrup Highball Head Bartender 105

Spiritz

AUGUST 13, 2024

While the primary aspect of any bar is to dish out the most innovative cocktails using different kinds of ingredients and placing strong emphasis on quality, another factor that is now being incorporated is that of implementing sustainable practices. The one primary thing that is transforming the cocktail industry is technology.

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Infusions Aperitif Muddling Bartender 64

VinePair

JULY 16, 2024

Whether it’s a new expression from an old, trusted brand or a label you’ve never heard of, you’re likely going to encounter something that recently rolled out every time you visit your local bottle shop. With each new bottle that emerges, the question must be asked: “Why should I buy it?” the manager gave me a bottle of La Luna Mezcal.

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Bartender Bartending Bar Gin 122

VinePair

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

See Recipe Autumn Sparkler To get a hefty meal prepped for your nearest and dearest, a nice sessionable cocktail is definitely in order — preferably one with a bit of bubbles. With a bit of lemon juice and hot water to make it, well, hot, the Rum Hot Toddy is sweet, spicy, bright, and definitely delicious.

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Simple Syrup Bitters Gin Brandy 98

Chilled Magazine

DECEMBER 10, 2024

It’s definitely not your everyday vibe, but this is every day at the Palm Court, where above and beyond is just the beginning of the experience. We recently visited and indulged in an hour of roundtable conversation with Palm Court Bar Manager Dovid Hirsch and Nick Bathurst, Director of Food and Beverage.

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Bar Concierge Hospitality Signature Cocktails 241

VinePair

APRIL 3, 2025

Its not just because theyre surrounded by whiskey bottles every time they step behind the stick. As such, their words hold weight, whether theyre selecting a specific bottle or a style within the broader whiskey category. Vadim Morozov, executive assistant manager of food, beverage, and culinary services, Casa don Alonso , St.

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Bartender Bartending Whiskey Bar Manager 112

VinePair

MARCH 24, 2025

Every visit to your local bottle shop comes with the possibility of discovering something new to add to your home back bar. Bar professionals ask this same question whenever a brand rep swings by their space and introduces them to a bevy of new bottles to populate their back bar. Louis New Riff Single Barrel.

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Bartender Bartending Bar Whiskey 116

VinePair

DECEMBER 3, 2024

It can also make certain labels exorbitantly priced: Some Pinot Noirs hailing from Burgundy, for instance, can set you back more than $10,000 a bottle. During this journey, they’re likely to discover a cost-effective bottle so exquisite and complex, they may be compelled to triple-check its price tag in disbelief.

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Wine Sommelier Bottling Bar Manager 111

VinePair

JANUARY 28, 2025

Given there are so many options to consider, theres bound to be more than a few excellent bottles that fly under the radar. These bottles could be a new label with a tiny marketing budget, an underhyped special release, or even a longstanding product that doesnt get as much love as it should. Specifically, the single malts from St.

Bartender 111

Bartender Bartending Whiskey Speed Rack 111

VinePair

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

And we also serve my personal favorite, and the secret best deal on the menu, which is the Fiat a shot of Jameson served with a bottle of Moretti Italian lager as a backer. It’s only $8, which is, shhhh, cheaper than we charge for both a shot of Jameson or a bottle of Moretti on their own.

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Bartender Bartending Head Bartender Shooter 95

VinePair

MARCH 13, 2025

Its not necessarily a bad thing there are tons (and tons) of phenomenal bottles worth checking out in each of these categories. The riservas and even the classic bottlings can also age incredibly well, and at their modest price point, offer amazing value. For variety and value, sherry is definitely underrated.

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Wine Sommelier Bottling Hospitality 116

The Cocktail Lovers

MARCH 28, 2025

NEW MENUS Destination Athens for the recently launched menu at Avra , the gorgeous bar at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel. Cleverly, bar manager Manon Kapfer has tapped into the number four and run with it, producing four menus a year, each of which highlight the same four local ingredients as they change throughout the seasons.

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Signature Cocktails Gin Bar Management Bar Manager 63

VinePair

MARCH 21, 2025

Our sous chef, Leaha Brewer, prepares a 20 percent saline solution, which we keep in a dasher bottle alongside our bitters and tinctures. We love to experiment in our bar lab, working with different types of salts to explore their unique properties and minerality. Saline isnt just an afterthought its a tool for precision and depth.

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Bartender Bartending Tinctures Speed Rack 96