Taconic Distillery Dutchess Private Reserve Bourbon (750ml)

Bourbon from New York's Hudson River Region, this straight bourbon whiskey comes from Taconic Distillery, whose home ground in the Dutchess County countryside lends the Private Reserve its name. It sits squarely in the American bourbon tradition, distilled and aged upstate rather than in the more familiar Kentucky heartland.

Expect the warm backbone that defines the category, with the rounded sweetness of corn and the gentle grip of oak that comes from time in the barrel. Straight bourbon rewards slow sipping, so pour it neat or over a single large cube, and let it open up. It also holds its own in an Old Fashioned when you want the spirit to carry the drink.