The Finest Liquor Shops in America for Tequila, Bourbon and Extra

In right this moment’s hype machine–pushed panorama, it’s develop into more difficult than ever to attain a real unicorn bottle off the shop cabinets. However on the nation’s finest retailers, the place the spirits information runs deep and the fervour even deeper, it’s nonetheless doable to find under-the-radar bottles able to take up pleasure of place on your private home bar.

Whereas most liquor shops are generalist emporiums, a rising variety of impartial spirits outlets are homing in on particular niches, supreme for these seeking to dive slightly deeper into a particular class. (After all, even the specialists have a tendency to hold a collection of different bottles, so when you’re buying, say, a bottle of gin from a gin-centric store, you can even decide up some vermouth for Martinis with out making a second cease.)

In the meantime, even sure bigger retailers have developed reputations for his or her alternatives inside a specific class. What units these shops other than different big-box retailers is commonly their consideration to element within the type of tasting notes, in-store occasions or different buyer schooling alternatives, all backed by sturdy business connections that assure entry to limited-allocation bottles and unique barrel picks.

Whiskey-centric retailers, notably these centered on American whiskey, appear to dominate the specialty store recreation by a large mile—unsurprising, given the class’s skyrocketing recognition. However distributors dedicated to gin, rum, agave, amaro and extra are gaining a foothold, too. Right here’s a shortlist of retailers to hunt out to your subsequent particular bottle.

NB: Retailers are restricted by state legal guidelines and will not be capable of ship to each vacation spot.

Moreno’s Liquors | Chicago

This “casa tequilera” was based in 1977 by Mike Moreno, who envisioned a retailer that centered Mexican and Latin American spirits, beer and wine. The store now affords lots of of tequila and mezcal varieties. Osito’s, a bar within the again run by Moreno’s son, pours a lot of the identical.

Tahona Mercado | San Francisco

Small-batch producers are spotlighted at this bottle store, with mezcal given specific loving consideration. The store additionally affords a variety of agave distillates that don’t bear the mezcal designation, and Mexican spirits reminiscent of raicilla, bacanora, comiteco and pox. A “Mexicatessen” sells ready meals and pantry staples.

Off Premise | Chicago

Though Off Premise began as a broader wine and spirits retailer, “our focus is slowly transferring to brandy,” says co-founder Adam Kamin, who additionally helped conceive The Brandy Advocate, a brandy-focused e-newsletter penned by Boozehound creator Jason Wilson. Small and impartial producers stack the checklist, whether or not Cognac, Armagnac or eau de vie.

Okay&L Wine Retailers | San Francisco and Los Angeles

As their title implies, Okay&L is a wine store, however their collection of brandy (in addition to whiskey) is second to none. They provide unique barrel picks for coveted labels—reminiscent of L’Encantada Armagnac—and at any given time they’ve over 100 personal alternatives of whiskey from all around the world, together with Belgium and Japan. They provide transport to pick states.

Batch 13 | Washington, D.C.

Though it’s not strictly a gin store, this purveyor will get the nod from Natasha Bahrami, proprietor of The Gin Room bar and founding father of the Ginworld convention. “George [Grigolia, Batch 13’s owner] has every part,” Bahrami says, “particularly, an enormous collection of gins he’s very supportive of.”

Bitters & Bottles | San Francisco

Situated in South San Francisco, that is one other certainly one of Bahrami’s picks, for his or her “enormous assortment of gins” and direct-to-consumer transport. That mentioned, the low-key store additionally has followers for its rum, amaro and whiskey alternatives, in addition to its shaggy mascot, Foggy.

Common Retailer by Amor y Amargo  | New York Metropolis

Adjoining to the Amor y Amargo bar, this slip of a store makes a speciality of bitters, barware and amari—in addition to a tightly edited checklist of vermouths, liqueurs and spirits. Although their amari can’t be shipped exterior of New York, bitters, bar instruments and merch are honest recreation. 

Amaro Spirits & Wine | Brooklyn, New York

The title of this Park Slope store says all of it: aperitivi, digestivi and different herb-laden liqueurs are the principle draw right here—together with loads of choices from home makers alongside Italian mainstays.

Bin Bin Sake | Brooklyn, New York

Whereas “sake” is within the title—and there’s a lot out there at this Greenpoint bottle store—that is additionally a spot to search out shochu, Japanese whisky and extra, says Alyssa DiPasquale, proprietor of The Koji Membership, a sake bar in Boston. Bin Bin shares possession with Rule of Thirds, a lauded Japanese restaurant proper subsequent door, which additionally has in depth shochu and sake lists.

Umami Mart | Oakland, California

A favourite amongst bartenders for sake and Japan-made spirits (gin, vermouth, umeshu and extra), Umami Mart additionally hosts lessons and has a stellar collection of barware. It’s an awesome place, too, for sourcing components to include in drink-making, together with matcha and different teas, yuzu extract and diverse savory and spicy flavorings.

Kuraichi | Brooklyn, New York

Kyle Davis, bar supervisor at craft sake-maker Brooklyn Kura, favors Kuraichi, an Trade Metropolis neighbor with a “very broad collection of each crowd-pleasing and esoteric bottles,” he says. The employees additionally hosts common tastings of sake, shochu and Japanese whisky.

Astor Wines & Spirits | New York Metropolis

This sprawling retailer is beloved throughout each spirits class, however rum skilled and creator Shannon Mustipher flags its superior rum choice. Along with offering “informative and useful” tasting notes posted on-line and entry to limited-allocation bottlings, “the store has a collection of the classic and uncommon part, ought to you’ve gotten deep pockets and need so as to add a collectible to the backbar,” she notes.

Duke’s Liquor Field | Brooklyn, New York

Whereas not strictly a rum store, Mustipher provides this Greenpoint spot a vigorous nod: “I’ve seen bottles right here that aren’t in different outlets, or arrive earlier than different retailers catch on or can clear house to carry it in.” The curation of spirits at this small outpost makes it a pleasure to peruse.

Cask | San Francisco and Berkeley, California

This Bay Space purveyor focuses on small-producer and limited-edition spirits, together with subscription golf equipment for bourbon and single malt Scotch. (Agave spirits are one other sturdy focus, reflecting what the locals drink.)

Justins’ Home of Bourbon | Louisville, Kentucky

For these particularly searching for bourbon, it is smart to look to a retailer situated within the coronary heart of bourbon nation. With areas in Louisville and Lexington, this insider-y store, opened in 2018, makes a speciality of uncommon and classic finds. For Ryan LeClaire, bar supervisor at Louisville’s Expo, that is the cease “for the hard-to-find, extra uncommon American whiskeys.”

LeNell’s Beverage Boutique | Birmingham, Alabama

In case you’re a whiskey lover of a sure age, you would possibly bear in mind the unique LeNell’s in Brooklyn’s Purple Hook neighborhood (2003–2009), or maybe the Purple Hook Rye that proprietor LeNell Camacho Santa Ana (née Smothers) introduced in by the barrel when good rye whiskey was onerous to search out. Now resuscitated in Birmingham, LeNell’s The Sequel continues the whiskey legacy, however it’s additionally a stronghold for amaro, gin and extra.

Westport Whiskey & Wine | Louisville, Kentucky

One other decide from LeClaire, this bourbon nation retailer is famous for its personal alternatives unique to this location.