Best Whiskey for Your Home Office or Library

[social_warfare]A home office or library shouldn’t feel utilitarian. To class things up and add a sense of luxury, you need a bottle or two of excellent whiskey.

What’s the best whiskey for your home office or library? You’ll need a bit of whiskey knowledge to make the right choice. After all, you don’t want bottom-shelf whiskey in your decanter.

The best whiskey for your home office or library also depends on your personal preference. There are many different types of whiskey, and you can get good quality at a number of different price points. It’s all about knowing what you like, and what to look for.

This guide will help you decide what’s the best whiskey for your home office or library. Read on to learn more — and get your rocks glass ready!

Types of Whiskey

Before you can choose the best whiskey for your home office or library, you’ll need to know about the different types and the drinking experience of each one. Here’s a quick guide to the major kinds of whiskey you should know about.

What is Whiskey?

We all know that whiskey is a brown liquor — but what really sets it apart from other types of liquor?

Whiskey is a liquor distilled from fermented grain mash. It has a brown color and a distinct taste because it’s usually aged in wooden casks.

Within this broad category, there are many different kinds of whiskey, and each one offers a unique flavor profile. Let’s take a closer look.

Bourbon

Bourbon whiskey is distilled from a grain mix that is at least 51 percent corn. The rest of the mixture can use rye, malted barley, wheat, or malted rye grain.

Bourbon is always aged and stored in casks made of charred oak, and it can’t have any additives.

What does bourbon taste like? It tends to be sweeter than other types of whiskey, but the charred oak barrels also give a hint of smokiness.

Tennessee

Tennessee whiskey is very similar to bourbon, but it’s made exclusively in Tennessee.

This type of whiskey is also made using a distinct filtering process, called the Lincoln County Process. In this process, distillers filter the whiskey through charcoal before it’s put into casks.

The flavor profile of Tennessee whiskey is pretty much the same as bourbon, although most manufacturers don’t refer to the product as bourbon.

Scotch

Scotch is whiskey made in Scotland. While distillers make bourbon from mostly corn, malted barley is the main ingredient in Scotch. Scotch is also usually distilled twice.

Scotch tends to have an intense, smoky “bite,” which some people find off-putting but others love. People may describe scotch as tasting like smoke, fire, dirt, leather, or even rubber. This taste occurs because the barley gets exposed to peat smoke during the drying process.

Canadian

Canadian whiskey tends to taste light and smooth, making it a popular choice for people who are just getting started with whiskey.

Although it’s most often made from corn, it can also be made from a variety of different grains.

Rye

Rye whiskey is distilled from a grain mixture that’s at least 51 percent rye.

Rye is a kind of grass that’s closely related to barley. It gives whiskey a spicy flavor that’s more intense than bourbon or Canadian whiskey.

Irish

Irish whiskey is triple-distilled and made from mostly barley, giving it a much smoother taste than Scotch.

Irish whiskey is required to be aged in wooden casks in Ireland for at least three years. This whiskey has a very smooth taste, but it’s not too sweet.

Japanese

Japanese whiskey is one of the trendiest liquor choices right now.

The styles of Japanese whiskeys vary, but they are known for their high quality, and often have a smoky taste that’s similar to Scotch.

White Whiskey

White whiskey, sometimes called moonshine, is whiskey without the process of aging in wooden cask. It’s made from corn that’s distilled quickly and not aged at all.

Some people don’t consider this whiskey, but it is sometimes sold as whiskey in stores. This liquor tends to be super-strong, and doesn’t have as much of that distinctive “whiskey” taste.

How to Choose the Best Whiskey for Your Home Office or Library

Within these broad whiskey categories, there are countless different subsets and brands to choose from. How can you choose the best whiskey for your home office or library?

If you’re not sure of your preferences, we’d recommend trying a whiskey tasting so you can sample a variety of different whiskeys. Some types, like Scotch, can take some getting used to, so don’t write something off just because you don’t like it on the first try.

Once you have an idea of what you like, you’ll want to consider what sort of impression you want to give. The best whiskey for your home office or library will convey the right feeling for the space.

What Does Your Whiskey Say About You?

Do you plan to invite guests over, and want to impress them? A trendy Japanese whiskey will show that you’re worldly and hip, while offering a flavor profile that most people like.

For a quirky, think-outside-the-box vibe, a white whiskey shows that you’re not afraid to do your own thing.

If you want to keep things simple, a traditional bourbon shows you don’t need fancy stuff to be happy. Or, to show you’re an experienced whiskey drinker with style, Scotch is the way to go — it’s something people who are new to whiskey don’t choose.

If you want easy drinking, you might choose a smooth Canadian or Irish whiskey — perfect when you just need to unwind at the end of the day. To show you have a little more edge, rye whiskey is the way to go.

You might also want to consider the appearance. Many top-shelf whiskeys come in great-looking bottles that you’ll love to display. However, if you don’t like a bottle, you should invest in a cool decanter to store your whiskey in.

Ready to Take Your Whiskey to the Next Level?

Once you’ve decided on the best whiskey for your home office or library, you don’t have to stop there.

Take it to the next level with the perfect accessories. Or, get even bolder and try making your own whiskey — we have everything you need to get started.