Whiskey's world is widening. Bourbon and Scotch remain foundational, but rye, American single malt, regional distillers, world whiskies, uncommon grains, creative blends and cask finishes are giving guests more paths into the category—and bars and restaurants more ways to build a program with a point of view.
Craig Blair, master distiller and blender at TX Whiskey's TX Whiskey Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas, identified curiosity as the defining trend, as guests want to learn more.
“Whiskey drinkers are becoming more interested in different styles, mash bills, finishes, proofs and, importantly, the story behind the whiskey,” Blair said. “We're also seeing whiskey become more approachable through cocktails, flights and smaller pours.”
That new, wide world of whiskey creates opportunity for owners and operators, but a wall of expensive bottles is not a strategy.
Fifteen expert interviews conducted by Bar & Restaurant News point instead to thoughtful curation, purposeful innovation, clear menus and well-trained teams that can translate the category without turning a drink order into a test.
The goal is not merely to stock the wide world of whiskey. It is to give each bottle a role and each guest an inviting place to begin.
Curiosity Expands the Map
Regional identity is giving operators a story guests can taste when it comes to whiskey. Texas heat and temperature swings affect barrel interaction differently than the climate in Kentucky or Tennessee, Blair said, while interest is also building around different grains, mash bills and thoughtful blending.
“Consumers are starting to realize that whiskey isn't just about the age statement, it's about where it was made, how it was made and how the environment shaped it,” Blair explained.
Ryan Norwood, master distiller at Sagamore Whiskey in Baltimore, pointed to a broader curiosity about American whiskey, maturation and regional expressions, including Maryland-style whiskey. Lachlan Perks, president and co-owner of Ghostwood Distilling Co. in Belgrade, Mont., singled out rye as the largest shift he’s seeing.
American single malt now gives that exploration a formally defined U.S. category.
John Record, lead bartender at LUMA at SkyBeach Resort in St. Petersburg, Fla., said that recognition lends American single malt an identity and credibility alongside established styles.
“For operators, it creates an opportunity to introduce guests to a distinctly American expression of malt whiskey while offering something new to experienced bourbon and Scotch drinkers,” Record said. “I see significant potential for the category because it combines familiarity with discovery, craftsmanship, and regional expression.”
Norwood advised operators to carry a few well-chosen bottles of American single malt rather than rebuilding a list around it, while Chef Erik Niel of Easy Bistro & Bar, Main Street Meats and Little Coyote in Chattanooga, Tenn., expects the style to resonate first with a relatively small group that understands the category. “It's great for whiskey nerds, because it's really something that domestic producers can be proud of,” he explained. “That said, it's going to take a long time for it to find resonance outside of a select group of people who really understand what it is.”
At Rickhouse, the bar and restaurant at K. Spoetzl Brewery & Distillery from Shiner in Texas, Manager Travis Robinson also sees creative uses of rye gaining ground. More broadly, he said today's guests look beyond traditional expressions to new grains, production methods, regional styles and flavor profiles.
“People want a good story beyond the price tag,” Robinson said. “They’re more able to be informed and it’s easier than ever to quickly look up the story on bourbons: How it’s made, why it’s made and the history attached to the brand.”
Innovation Must Earn the Second Pour
That curiosity from guests has encouraged producers to explore cask finishes, rare woods, unusual grains, blending techniques and limited releases. Yet experts repeatedly drew a line between meaningful innovation and novelty created for a label.
“I think the most meaningful innovation starts with the liquid, not the marketing,” Blair said. “I would encourage owners and operators to look for whiskey that gives their guests something to talk about—whether that's a unique finish, an interesting grain, a great blend or a strong regional story. Innovation should be intentional. Being different isn't enough; it needs to make the whiskey better.”
Zak Lindahl, beverage director at The National, Autograph Collection in downtown Oklahoma City, is watching cask finishes closely. “There are a lot of interesting finishes being used right now, and some are creating genuinely different whiskeys,” he said. “At the same time, operators should make sure they’re buying something because it tastes good, not just because the finish sounds interesting on paper.”
For Seth Watson, founder and CEO of Atlanta’s Distillery of Modern Art, the test is whether staff can explain how a whiskey production choice—cask finishes, unusual grains, blending techniques, etc.—changes the flavor, and whether guests can recognize it in the glass.
“All of those techniques can create meaningful experiences, but innovation should be judged in the glass,” said Watson, whose Distillery of Modern Art offers a multitude of experiences under one roof, including a distillery, an art gallery, an event space and a cocktail lounge. “A finish is valuable when it adds balance, structure or a compelling new dimension not merely another line on the label. The same applies to unusual grains and blending methods. Operators should ask a simple question: Can the staff explain what this choice contributes to the flavor? If the answer is clear and guests can recognize it when they taste the whiskey, the innovation has substance. Limited availability alone does not necessarily make a bottle interesting.”
Jake LaRowe, bar manager at Tam O'Shanter, a century-old Los Angeles steakhouse with more than 700 whiskies available, believes cask finishing and rare woods are producing some of today's most interesting whiskies. He sees limited bottles, backed by staff training and producer tastings, as experiences guests cannot necessarily repeat. “Operators should lean into this: Get those new limited bottles, train your staff on them, and have a rep come in for a tasting or dinner,” he said. “Guests are looking for experiences, and trying something that will one day be gone forever is a great way to do that.”
At Millie Leigh's, a Southern-inspired restaurant in Midland, Texas, Beverage Manager Hugo Duffaut also called cask finishes transformative and sees potential in wine and spirits casks, in-house barrel programs and distillery reserves. “Whiskey has become a symbol of status and recognition, but what's really striking is that restaurants and bars are now offering whiskey selections that rival or even exceed their wine programs,” Duffaut said.
Curate a Point of View—Not a Bottle Museum
Most operations do not need hundreds of labels to express the whiskey category's breadth, though. A concise program can cover major styles, price points and flavor experiences, then rotate distinctive bottles that give regulars a reason to return.
“I’d rather have 30 well-selected whiskeys than 100 bottles that don’t have a purpose,” Lindahl said. “Start with the major categories and price points, then add a few bottles that give the list some personality.”
Nelson Rodriguez, food and beverage manager at Novotel Miami Brickell—a stylish hotel in Miami—similarly favors purposeful selections. “The best whiskey programs are curated rather than enormous, offering a purposeful range of styles and flavor profiles that gives guests a clear path through the category,” he said. “Menus should feel approachable by focusing on flavor and experience while still offering enough depth to engage whiskey enthusiasts.”
Goran Remes, corporate director of beverage at boutique brand Arlo Hotels recommended that operators build from approachable wheated bourbons and sweeter expressions into spicier ryes, American single malts and Scotch. Organizing a menu by flavor rather than simply listing labels can make it easier to navigate. “A strong whiskey selection doesn’t necessarily need to be a large one. The goal should be to offer enough variety to showcase the breadth of the category without overwhelming guests.”
Watson advised operators to build around contrasts rather than accumulating labels. “A concise program might represent several clear experiences: a welcoming classic, a grain-forward whiskey, a malt-driven expression, something fruit-forward, something richer or more oak-driven and one adventurous pour,” he explained. “Every bottle should have a purpose whether it serves a particular cocktail, price point, flavor preference or educational moment. Flights can then turn those contrasts into a guided experience. A well-trained team with 20 intentional bottles will usually create more engagement than an overwhelming wall of 200 bottles with no clear path through it.”
Even a famously deep list needs structure. At Tam O’Shanter, LaRowe recommends operators consider a core of bottles but with room for flexibility. “Start with a core list, then add a number of bottles that aren't set,” he shared. “You have your well, you have your standard calls, premiums and top shelves, but you also have 10 to 15 bottles that you only order one or two of, and you train your staff to talk about those bottles. Try to make sure the bottles aren't common things people see all over the place; get one-offs and single casks.”
Niel—a two-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Southeast—offered a different model for building a whiskey selection that feels distinctive and current without becoming overly large, expensive or difficult for guests to navigate. “The easiest way is to pick one or two producers and go deep with them—maybe one legacy distiller and one newer distiller that’s been around for the last 10 years or so,” he said. “You try to feature their products as fully as possible, so that you have one story with multiple layers and angles.”
Duffaut uses a 70/20/10 framework with Millie Leigh’s whiskey offerings. “Seventy percent are the most popular, accessible bottles that sell easily and your guests already know,” he shared. “Twenty percent are the high-end and special editions for the passionate guests. The last 10 percent are your fun, experimental bottles that give you room to explore. This method offers something for everyone without overwhelming, while making training easier, keeping your team engaged—especially with that 10 percent—and helping you narrow down the exclusive selections based on what your guests respond to.”
“Do You Prefer…?”
When it comes to a successful whiskey program, staff can make a big difference with guiding and educating guests.
“Train bartenders to start with simple, flavor-driven questions such as, ‘Do you prefer something smooth, spicy, smoky or slightly sweet?’” Remes advised. “This takes the pressure off guests who may not know specific regions, styles or brands. Clear menu descriptions, smaller pours and tasting flights can also make the category feel more accessible, while a knowledgeable team can offer deeper guidance and recommendations for more experienced whiskey drinkers.”
Josh Esquivel, bartender at The Piano Bar at The Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla., takes an even more stripped-down approach when advising guests or making whiskey feel approachable. “Simplifying the experience of whiskey drinking itself, removing the explanation of the odyssey of a brand's backstory lifts the cloud of confusion surrounding whiskey drinking,” he said. “Focusing on how the drink tastes and makes you feel should be the priority.”
That simplicity should not come at the expense of enthusiasts. Menus can provide short flavor cues, with trained employees ready to offer deeper production information when invited. Bartenders also can recommend smaller pours, guided flights and tastings that reduce the financial and psychological risk of ordering something unfamiliar.
Watson said he begins with flavor rather than terminology when making whiskey approachable for guests. “Asking whether a guest enjoys bright and fruit-forward, soft and sweet, spicy, smoky or rich and oak-driven is much more inviting than testing their whiskey knowledge,” he explained, noting that menus can use brief flavor cues, while staff can offer an additional layer of detail when a guest wants it. “The goal is not to simplify whiskey until it loses meaning,” he added. “It is to give each guest an appropriate doorway into the category.”
Education can become programming in its own right. Ghostwood has partnered with bars and restaurants on paid tastings focused on increasing guests' knowledge, and Tam O'Shanter offers introductory, advanced and blind tastings.
“Establish tastings that focus on educating the consumer versus simply tasting [a] particular brand,” Perks suggested. He noted that Ghostwood Whiskey events are similar to wine tastings.
LaRowe pointed out that beginner events can build a following and create demand for more advanced whiskey sessions.
Niel's restaurants used rotating flights of their barrel picks. A barrel-pick program allows an operator to taste samples at a distillery and purchase a single barrel for exclusive use.
“Featuring flights of our barrel picks at Easy and Main Street Meats has opened the door to conversation about whiskey ten times over with our guests,” Niel said. “Having the rotating flights weekly is one of the key ways we've found to get people to try new and fun stuff.”
The National also has found success with flights. “Whiskey flights have performed well for us because guests can try several different styles without committing to a full pour of each,” Lindahl said. “It also gives our staff an easy way to talk through the differences between the whiskeys. People tend to enjoy finding out which one they actually prefer.”
How Cocktails Create an On Ramp
For many guests, the most persuasive whiskey education arrives in a glass they already recognize.
“Cocktails are where most people start with whiskey; it's the Old Fashioned,” LaRowe said. “The Old Fashioned is probably responsible for getting more people into whiskey than any other single thing.” Its simple structure also allows bars to swap bourbon for rye, Scotch or another base and vary the sweet component.
Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Whiskey Sours and highballs repeatedly surfaced as approachable formats, per the experts that Bar & Restaurant News connected with. At Rickhouse, the Brown Derby combines bourbon, ruby red grapefruit and honey syrup. At TX Whiskey Ranch, Bar Manager Justus Moran starts reluctant whiskey drinkers with a Whiskey Sour or Old Fashioned, then asks which they prefer and why. “This way you can judge if the guests like the more spirit-forward variety or something a little more complex,” Moran said. “You also need to make cocktails that not only taste good with your spirit, but pair well with it as well. For example, our Pecan Old Fashioned here at the Ranch is the perfect pairing due to the yeast strain we use here, and the oak flavor notes you get from our bourbon.”
Classic does not have to mean predictable, though. Esquivel said Paper Planes, Boulevardiers and Manhattans are returning as guests seek balance and cocktails that let the spirit show. His Paper Plane at The Piano Bar is recognizable across the room by its pink-orange color, lemon peel and Nick & Nora glass.
At Arlo Hotels, a smoked drink made with WhistlePig Piggy Back 6 Year Rye, maple syrup, black sesame and coffee bitters arrives in a cocktail smoking box. “It performed particularly well because the experience went beyond the cocktail itself,” Remes said. “The aroma, tableside presentation and visual impact made the drink feel special and gave guests something memorable to talk about.”
Operators should connect any theater to the concept and the liquid rather than let presentation cover a weak drink. Duffaut pointed to butter-washed whiskey and a whiskey-and-tea cocktail as examples that connect flavor with Southern and Texas identity.
Tom Lasher-Walker—operating partner and head bartender at The Scapegoat, a 30-seat cocktail bar in Miami Beach's South of Fifth neighborhood—considers familiar cocktails essential to closing the knowledge gap with whiskey.
“One of the key aspects for operators to make whiskey both more approachable whilst still engaging whiskey enthusiasts is through education and understanding. A well-curated cocktail menu that consumers find easy to understand and bartenders and operators find easy to explain is the key to this. The application of whiskey to drinks that are also familiar—like a Whiskey Sour, Tom Collins or Old Fashioned—also helps bridge that gap. And if the juice is good enough, then it’ll do the talking in a mixed drink, and can help break down barriers in terms of how whiskey can be consumed from a guest’s point of view.”
What Has Staying Power
The whiskey world will continue to broaden, but not every unusual finish or limited edition will survive a more selective market. Operators can watch American single malt, rye, regional identity, grain diversity, purposeful finishing and sophisticated blending while remaining disciplined about what they buy.
“I think quality, authenticity, regional identity and purposeful experimentation all have staying power,” Norwood said. “I’m more skeptical of anything that’s getting attention simply because it’s new. Finishes, unusual grains and limited releases can be great, but none of them automatically make better whiskey.”
Lasher-Walker expects reliable producers to withstand difficult conditions better than an attractively packaged but younger and less consistent whiskey.
“Even though innovation has done a lot to bring whiskey to a wider audience over the last couple of decades, it’s the distilleries and brands who have the most consistency in their products that will survive the tough times as whiskey consumption declines,” Lasher-Walker said. “Even though the packaging for a $50 bottle of three- or four-year-old whiskey might look enticing, is it going to beat out the quality and consistency of a less sexy but more reliable six-year-old Maker’s Mark that’s almost half the price? Whiskey is still seen as something that can be consumed often but as health-conscious and younger aged drinkers come to the table, the growing trend in the white spirits category is an issue that whiskey distillers and blenders should brace themselves for.”
For operators, the strategy may be a focus on the glass and the guest: Buy whiskey with a purpose or one that staff can easily talk about, train the team to translate it, and create an easy first step into discovery.
“Ultimately, consumers are becoming more educated and selective, so substance will outlast novelty,” Record concluded.