Must-Stop Liquor Stores in Maryland (DC Metro Area)?

[silverc]

I will be in the DC Metro Area soon and thought I'd venture to Maryland for some bourbon hunting. Are there any must-stop stores around 495, particularly on the north side (Bethesda, Silver Spring, Greenbelt, etc?). I won't have time to go all the way into DC, and will be on the outskirts.

I'm looking for stuff I can't find locally in Virginia like ECBP, 4R PS recipes, SAOS SB or 10 year, Old Forester SB, Old Fitz, etc...... basically some of the good stuff you can't find in VA.

Thanks for the help!

[Harry in WashDC]

Maryland's liquor laws are peculiar - it leaves liquor control up to the counties, so there's no easy way to answer your question short of writing county-by-county pamphlets.

BUT, on the North side on I-495, you are likely to be passing through Montgomery County (Potomac River to about East of Silver Spring) and Prince Georges County (East of SS to US 1 or I-95 or thereabouts). Check out these websites for rules and stores. They are a little clunky but they'll save you HOURS of driving around trying to find stores. The Montgomery County site lets you search inventories on individual stores, all of which are county stores. I don't know much about PG County which allows private ownership of stores - haven't lived there since the 1970s, and most of what I want I can find in WashDC or Mont.Co. or close-in Virginia.

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlc/

http://www.liquorstoresearch.com/liquor-store/md/county/prince-georges.html

Edited August 9, 2015 by Harry in WashDC
spelling dammit

[dmarkle]

Maryland's liquor laws are peculiar - it leaves liquor control up to the counties, so there's no easy way to answer your question short of writing county-by-county pamphlets.

BUT, on the North side on I-495, you are likely to be passing through Montgomery County (Potomac River to about East of Silver Spring) and Prince Georges County (East of SS to US 1 or I-95 or thereabouts). Check out these websites for rules and stores. They are a little clunky but they'll save you HOURS of driving around trying to find stores. The Montgomery County site lets you search inventories on individual stores, all of which are county stores. I don't know much about PG County which allows private ownership of stores - haven't lived there since the 1970s, and most of what I want I can find in WashDC or Mont.Co. or close-in Virginia.

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dlc/

http://www.liquorstoresearch.com/liquor-store/md/county/prince-georges.html

Definitely don't forget to check out the weekly and monthly specials. I have found few good bourbons on the special list, but many good scotches of late.

[Workman]

If you can venture all the way into DC, there is a nice liquor store in Glover Park, named Pearsons (on Wisconsin Ave), that has two private selection Four Roses on the shelf. They were on sale last weekend at 59 bucks a bottle, but the retail was 69, I think.

[Harry in WashDC]

If you can venture all the way into DC, there is a nice liquor store in Glover Park, named Pearsons (on Wisconsin Ave), that has two private selection Four Roses on the shelf. They were on sale last weekend at 59 bucks a bottle, but the retail was 69, I think.

Yup. Got one of each @ $60 - OBSK & OBSQ BPs. If you shop at Pearson's, be sure you know the "typical" prices of "specials". More than once, I've seen a semi-rare (like, say, OWA) on an upper shelf only to find out the markup was double the expected price. I passed, knowing the OWA was available elsewhere, but I know a guy who didn't want to make the 15 mile trip to the other seller so he bought it.

IN SUM - Be a smart and informed shopper. Your "No, thanks" today may mean better prices tomorrow. Or not.