Shelf bourbons

Arjun Malhotra

@latekickarj

8Items

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My little playbook of bourbons I keep coming back to in London – bottles you can actually find here without needing a scouting network the size of the Champions League. Mix of easy weeknight sippers, “don’t share this with the whole squad” special-occasion stuff, and a couple of nerdy picks for when you feel like over-analysing a dram like it’s xG charts. Nothing too unicorn, all gettable with a bit of effort and a decent whisky shop (or a friendly bar manager).

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Shelf bourbons — 8 items
Name	Style	ABV	Typical price in London	Best for	My take
1Buffalo Trace	Straight bourbon	40%	£28–£35 a bottle	Weeknight sipper and first pour of the night	4-4-2 of bourbon: classic, balanced, does everything pretty well without showboating. If a bar has only one bourbon, I secretly hope it’s this.
2Four Roses Small Batch	Small batch bourbon	45%	£38–£45 a bottle	Sharing with mixed-experience whisky mates	Flexible midfielder. Enough floral and fruit notes to keep the nerds happy, smooth enough that your non-whisky mate doesn’t feel two-footed on the first sip.
3Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon	Straight bourbon	43.2%	£32–£40 a bottle	House Old Fashioned and Manhattans	Set-piece specialist. In a neat glass it’s fine, but mix it and suddenly you’re wondering why you ever used anything else for an Old Fashioned.
4Eagle Rare 10 Year	Aged single barrel style bourbon	45%	£55–£70 a bottle	Slow weekend sipping	Feels like watching a 2–1 away win in silence after the final whistle. Calm, a bit contemplative, loads of toffee and orange peel if you actually pay attention.
5Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey	High-rye bourbon	45%	£28–£35 a bottle	Whisky sours and backyard barbecue nights	Presses high, lives on the wings. Spicy, dryish, very mixable. I rarely sip it neat, but it’s my go-to when someone says, “Make something fun with bourbon.”
6Elijah Craig Small Batch	Small batch, oak-forward bourbon	47%	£42–£50 a bottle	Neat pours after a long day	Big lad at centre-back. Lots of oak, toast, vanilla, bit of smoke round the edges. Not subtle, but sometimes you just want to feel like you’re drinking actual wood.
7Knob Creek 9 Year	Aged small batch bourbon	50%	£45–£55 a bottle	One-and-done late-night dram	This is extra time in a glass. Rich, heavy, proper flavour bomb. You don’t need more than one, and if you do, you probably weren’t checking the scoreboard.
8Russell’s Reserve 10 Year	Age-stated bourbon	45%	£45–£55 a bottle	Slow chats and overthinking life choices	Bit like that veteran playmaker who still sees passes no one else spots. Layers of vanilla, cherry, spice – not the loudest, but seriously rewarding if you give it time.

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