The Best Whiskey Selection for Cocktails Under $25 and Available Everywhere

Sother Teague is a soul guru. The professional bartender is the beverage director of Amor y Amargo, an award-winning bitters-focused bar in New York City, and the author of: I'm Just Here for the Drinksa highly respected Summary of all things drinks and cocktails. Of course, such a respected spirits purveyor has an equally refined palate, honed by decades of stirring, shaking and mixing.

So, in a recent search, when Men's Magazine Ask him “What's your favorite whiskey right now?” We asked the question, remained silent and listened.

“I'm a big fan of Old Overholt Rye Whiskey,” he said. “It's the longest continuously produced rye whiskey in the world. A lot of people have never even heard of it. And I tell them you've never even heard of it, because they don't care about publicity. They don't care about making whiskey every day longer than anyone else.”

Old Overholt, now owned by the Suntory Global Spirits conglomerate, was founded in 1810 by Abraham Overholt, the son of Mennonite farmers in rural Pennsylvania. His company, A. Overholt & Co., was handed over to the family until 1919, when U.S. Treasury Secretary and businessman Andrew Mellon took it over and initiated Prohibition as a medicinal whiskey. Many brands were not lucky enough to survive in those years; thus Old Overholt remains the oldest American rye still in production.

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In 1987, manufacturing processes were moved from Pennsylvania to Kentucky; today it is held here on the Jim Beam campus. Aged for four years in new charred oak barrels, Old Overholt is a full-bodied, 86-proof rye whiskey.

“I think it's kind of bulletproof,” Teague said. “There are notes of pencil shavings and peanut shells. Like when you eat peanuts at a ball game and you put some peanut shells in your mouth. It's got that kind of vibe.”

Perhaps the best part about Old Overholt is its price. It costs just over $20 at most online retailers; this is an ideal value-quality ratio; especially if you're reviving a bunch of old fashions, which is Tague's favorite use.

If you're looking for an upgrade, Teague recommends the brand's newest product: A. Overholt.

A. Overholt is named in honor of the brand's founder, Abraham Overholt.

Courtesy Image

Made from 80 percent rye and 20 percent malted barley—no corn found—A. Overholt raises the heat to 95 degrees. Its flavor is reminiscent of brown butter, cloves, seasoned oak, and the beloved peppery spice of rye whiskey. And it's not much more expensive; online retailers sell it for under $40.

“This is Monongahela style, so [the Overholt family] originates in Broadford, Pa. “It's a spicier, more aggressive version of the whiskey I've loved for years.”

Because Overholt is owned by Suntory, it is widely available throughout the United States, which is important to Teague. As she works on recipes for her next book, she wants to make sure her cocktails are easy to replicate; No need for rare or expensive materials.

“It's no fun to read about something and then not be able to make it happen,” he said. “I reach for things that are pretty common around.”

So if you're looking for something tasty and affordable on your next trip to the liquor store, try the Overholt offering. Or maybe you can buy both; they will still cost less than a bottle of most Scotch.

Related: The 15 Best Rye Whiskeys to Flavor Your Sazerac or Manhattan

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