Some bourbon bottles tell you exactly what's inside. Others tell you a story. In this episode, we go behind the label to explore the real stories behind some of your favorite whiskey. How much of what you're paying for is whiskey, and how much is marketing?

Everyone is chasing allocated bottles, lottery winners, and impossible-to-find unicorns. Meanwhile, some of the best bourbon on the shelf is getting completely overlooked. In this episode , we break down 10 bourbons and rye whiskeys that deserve far more attention than they get. These are bottles you can actually find, actually afford, and actually enjoy without standing in line or paying secondary prices.

Some bourbons are great. Some are legendary. And some have become more famous than they are flavorful. In this episode, we tackle some of the most overhyped bourbons on the market. To be clear: overrated doesn't mean bad. In many cases, these are excellent bourbons. The question is whether the whiskey in the glass justifies the price, scarcity, and reputation surrounding the bottle.

The $60-$100 bourbon shelf can be a dangerous place for your wallet. This is the range where distilleries promise more age, more proof, more complexity, and a better overall experience—but too often you're paying for fancy packaging, marketing stories, or hype.

Six bourbons—three mid-tier and three top-shelf—go head-to-head. With no labels and no price tags to influence us, we must rely solely on the liquid in the glass to crown a winner. Will big names like Booker's, KY Peerless Double Oaked and Calumet 15 Year dominate, or can a value hero like Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, Old Forester 1910 or 1792 Full Proof cause an upset?

Somewhere between bourbon, cigar smoke, and questionable life decisions… somebody handed us a Chicago Handshake. Filmed on the spot during pre-race festivities at the Indianapolis 500 surrounded by friends from Chicago, this might be the most Midwest thing Stave & Slide has ever done. Malört still tastes like grapefruit peel, burnt herbs, and a triple dog dare you simply can't refuse but instantly regret.

In this episode, we break down the Buffalo Trace lineup and separate real quality from inflated pricing. From Blanton’s to Eagle Rare 10 Year and Weller Special Reserve, we look at what these bottles actually deliver—and when they stop making sense.

In Episode 5 of our French Herbal Liqueur Series, we’re mixing up something smoky, citrusy, and seriously bold: The Green Eyed Monster. This cocktail is our own riff on The Green Monster from The Bourbon Bartender—but with a few flavorful upgrades.

In this episode of our French Herbal Liqueur Series, we take on a modern classic: the Greenpoint Cocktail. Created in 2006 at Milk & Honey in New York City by bartender Michael McIlroy, this Manhattan variation is named after the Greenpoint neighborhood in Brooklyn and adds a French herbal twist to the traditional rye cocktail formula.

In this special episode, we celebrate Women’s History Month by shining a spotlight on the trailblazing women who have shaped—and continue to shape—the world of bourbon. From historic icons to modern innovators, these women have left a lasting legacy on whiskey culture and the bourbon industry. A special tasting is included.

Tiki Time Episode 2…The Eastern Sour. We’re back with Sandbar Scotty to once again dip our toes into the world of bourbon based tiki drinks!

In honor of a great classic American Christmas film....Dan has put together a decadent cocktail inspired by the scene in which Ralphie says "THE" word. Kick back, relax, and enjoy The Oh Fudge!

When people talk Tiki, the first thing to come to mind is probably rum not bourbon. In this new Tiki Time series, we'll explore the complex world of Tiki drinks with bourbon featuring our special guest host Sandbar Scottie! So come along on this island adventure, and enjoy a bit of the tropics for the holidays!

As we gather with friends and family for the Christmas season, here are three delightful cocktails you can easily add to your home cocktail menus.

Another original for the last of our fall flavors series as we prepare to dive into the Christmas season. The Big Apple is an apple pie infused riff on the classic Manhattan.

We're bringing you three delicious cocktails to compliment your Thanksgiving. We'll start the day with a pumpkin spice old fashioned. Perfect for sipping while the turkey is cooking.

Colder days are coming, so bundle up with our latest fall cocktail, the Autumn Sweater.

As veterans ourselves, we created a special cocktail to toast our fellow brothers and sisters in arms that we're calling The Fall In. The all too familiar command each of us first heard as we stepped off our buses and onto the footprints at basic training is now a delicious cocktail to honor your service.

We're back with another delicious autumn cocktail! Once again we're bringing you an original from one of our favorites, the late and legendary Sasha Petroske.

This Halloween at Stave & Slide we're giving you both tricks and treats with two bourbon based cocktails perfect for your haunted get together. We're using some ingredients (tricks) we've never tried before to bring you two unique drinks.

We decided to extend whiskey sour season into the cooler weather with these unique variations that are heavy on autumn flavors.

We're closing out our Elijah Craig Old Fashioned week series by taking in back to our roots with our original Stave & Slide Old Fashioned...with a twist.

The Oaxaca Old Fashioned is a modern twist on the classic Old Fashioned, created in 2007 by bartender Phil Ward at Death & Company, a renowned cocktail bar in New York City.

We're pushing the boundaries of Old Fashioned Week and, for the first time, we are completely deviating from whiskey! Stave & Slide is channeling our inner pirate and mixing up a Rum Old Fashioned!

This installment of our Old Fashioned Week celebration focuses on one of our favorite fall flavors...apple!

We're bringing the flavors of coffee and bourbon together once again as part of our celebration of Old Fashioned Week.

The fifth annual Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week runs from October 11th to October 20th 2024. It serves as a great way to commemorate the importance of the Old Fashioned in cocktail lore and as a fundraiser For the Southern Smoke Foundation.

We end our series with two very different sours, beginning with a modern twist on a classic born out of one of NYC’s most famous speakeasies, Milk & Honey. Then it's on down to the Big Easy for our most unique sour yet, a “New Orleans Style” sour.

We continue our journey through the world of whiskey sours with two variations that include what many consider a unique ingredient...raw egg whites. Raw egg is actually a fairly common ingredient used in a variety of cocktails and provides a soft, creamy mouth feel and dulls the "sharp edges" of the base spirit while enhancing the flavor profiles. Don't worry, modern pasteurizing as greatly reduced the risk of consuming contaminated eggs. We promise you don't want to miss out on these!

We've put together a short series covering the whiskey sour from it's roots as described by Jerry Thomas to the modern version of a traditional sour and through each of the common variations we see today. Chapter One focuses on the Jerry Thomas version as described in The Bartender's Guide and compares it to today's version of a traditional sour. These classic cocktails are filled with fresh citrus for a refreshing sip anytime.

A product of the craft cocktail renaissance of the mid 1990s and early 2000s, The Revolver marries bourbon with notes of coffee and orange with a subtle but notable sweetness. An easy cocktail to make at home for yourself, or to quickly turn out or a number of guests to enjoy.