BOOZEMAKERS
A Gentleman's Lifestyle
In-depth spirit reviews, intimate maker interviews, expert guides, and stories celebrating the craft behind the world's finest drinks.
The BoozeMakers 100
The 100best spirits we've ever tasted — bourbon, whiskey, scotch, tequila, and more — ranked by our editorial scores. The list brands want to be on.
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Interviews
Grit, Loyalty, and a 92-Point Blanco: Michael Mauti & Christian Hackenberg on Building Whiteout Tequila
Two former Penn State football players built an additive-free, tahona-crushed tequila we scored 92/100 — and insist it was never meant to be an athlete's bottle. Michael Mauti and Christian Hackenberg on the liquid, the White Out, and why 'the jersey can open a door but can't build the company.'
From an Arizona Ranch to "Bourbon of the Year": Blake Johns on Smokeye Hill, Blue Corn, and the ASCOT Upset
Blake Johns launched Smokeye Hill on the same day it won ASCOT “Bourbon of the Year” — beating bottles like George T. Stagg in a blind panel before his website was even live. He walks us through the blue-corn mashbill, the Indiana-to-Colorado “three-state question,” holding price under $100, and which bottle to hand a bourbon-curious dad first.
Saturday Neon on Building the Fan-Cave Beacon: Marc Schaer on LED vs Glass Neon, NFL Licensing, and Why a Bills Sign Outsells Everything
Saturday Neon CEO Marc Schaer started the company with a college friend from CU Boulder, propping a single Buffs sign against a truck at tailgates. Now they're licensed by the NFL, NHL, and nearly 100 NCAA programs. He explains the LED-vs-glass-neon question, what a fan cave actually needs to feel like a fan cave, and why the Bills sign is their #1 NFL seller.
Bourbon & Whiskey Trail Guides
Every Distillery, Every State, Every Pour.
The deepest spirits-tourism guides on the internet. Built around real itineraries, real distilleries, and the inside knowledge most official trail websites won’t tell you.
Buying Guides & Best-Of Rankings
Our pillar guides — every bottle scored and ranked, with an honest call on which famous names you're overpaying for.
Top 10 Cigars for Beginners (That Actually Taste Good)
The 10 best cigars for first-timers — mild-to-medium sticks with great flavor, forgiving construction, and zero intimidation factor. From Connecticut Shade to Nicaraguan, every palate covered.
Best Cigar Lighters (2026): Torch Lighters Tested & Ranked
Butane torch, never fluid. The best cigar lighters for 2026 — from a $10 everyday pocket torch to a buy-it-for-life Xikar, chosen for flame quality and reliability.
Best Premium Bourbon Over $100: 7 Bottles Worth the Splurge
The $100+ bourbon tier separates casual drinkers from serious enthusiasts. It's where extended aging, limited releases, and exceptional craftsmanship meet allocation games and hype-driven pricing. We tested dozens of luxury bottles to find which ones justify the expense.
The 10 Best Rums of 2026: Five We Scored, Five on the Bench
Five rums we scored in full reviews, from Mount Gay XO to Smith & Cross, plus five more on our tasting bench. Real scores, honest picks, and the sugar question most lists skip.
The 10 Best Scotch Whiskies of 2026: Ranked by the Glass, Not the Price Tag
We scored 12 single malts and blends and ranked the 10 best of 2026, from Lagavulin 16 to Macallan 12. The surprise nobody markets: the $45 bottles kept beating the prestige names.
Best Bourbon Under $30: 10 Bottles That Punch Above Their Price
The sub-$30 bourbon tier is where you'll find the best value in American whiskey—bottles that deliver complexity, character, and quality without the premium markup. After tasting 35 bourbons in this price range, these 10 stand out as exceptional daily pours.
Best Bourbon Under $50: 10 Bottles Worth Every Penny
The $30-50 bracket is bourbon's sweet spot—where craft meets value without the hype tax. We blind-tasted 42 bottles to find the 10 that prove you don't need a second mortgage to drink exceptionally well.
Best Bourbon Under $100: 10 Premium Bottles That Deliver
The $50-100 bourbon tier is where craft meets value. We tested 38 premium bottles to find the 10 that actually justify their price tags—from cask strength bruisers to port-finished smoothness.
Best Peated Scotch (2026): 5 Smoky Single Malts, Gentle to Heavy
Five peated single malts we have fully reviewed, from Orkney, Skye and Islay, in order of smoke. On November 9 prices the gentle starter bottles cost more than the heaviest Islay malt.
Best Islay Scotch Whisky (2026): 10 Single Malts Ranked
Ten single malts from Islay, ranked from the heaviest peat to unpeated Bunnahabhain, with a sourced table of peat levels and prices. Five of the ten link to our full reviews.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Bourbons of 2026
Over 100 bottles blind-tasted and scored. These three earned the podium.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Whiskeys of 2026
Scotch, rye, and world whiskeys — blind-tasted and ranked.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Tequilas of 2026
From blanco to extra añejo — the finest agave spirits ranked.
The Definitive Ranking
Best Cigars of 2026
Premium cigars rated by construction, flavor, and value.
Latest Booze News
Best Tequila for Margaritas (2026): 5 Blancos From $1.58 a Drink
Five blanco tequilas we have fully reviewed, in order of what the tequila in one margarita costs at November 9, 2026 prices, plus the pour that keeps a 96-proof bottle from making every drink 20% stronger.
Don Julio 1942 Alternatives: Two Aged Tequilas We Scored Higher
The Don Julio 1942 alternatives we've reviewed: one younger and $106 cheaper, one older and better, with scores, aging and ReserveBar prices on November 9, 2026.
Clase Azul Reposado Alternatives: A 92-Point Reposado for $86 Less
The Clase Azul Reposado alternatives we've reviewed, with scores, aging and ReserveBar prices on November 9, 2026, plus what each costs per pour.
Lagavulin 16 Alternatives: Ardbeg 10 Scores 2 Points Lower for $38 Less
Five Lagavulin 16 alternatives we've reviewed, with each bottle's score, proof and ReserveBar price on November 9, 2026, and what each costs per pour.
Buffalo Trace Alternatives: Wild Turkey 101 Scored 8 Points Higher for $6 Less
Five Buffalo Trace alternatives we've reviewed, with each bottle's score, proof and ReserveBar price on November 9, 2026, and what each costs per pour.
The Best Armagnac of 2026: One We Scored 95, Nine on the Bench, and the Price per Guaranteed Year
The age on an Armagnac label is its youngest spirit, so we priced ten bottles per guaranteed year. One we scored 95/100; nine more are on the bench, with real prices from October 26, 2026.
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