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Scottsdale AZ bourbon


BigSkyDrams
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I’m going to Scottsdale, AZ this weekend for a bachelor party. Never been before. I would like to pick up a couple nice bottles to enjoy at the house we’re renting, and also hope to sample something special when we’re bar hopping. So, just wanted to put a couple questions out to the community:

 

1. Any LS recommendations for Scottsdale area? Looks like the grocery store offerings are pretty basic. Will I have to go to a non-chain type store to find good selection?

 

2. Any bars known particularly for their whiskey selection? I think most of our night life will be in Old Town Scottsdale if that helps.

 

Any input will be greatly appreciated and put to good use. Thanks!

Edited by BigSkyDrams
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I live down in Gilbert (30 mins from Scottsdale) so I usually shop around here.

 

One of my favorite LS (GCM liquor) in Gilbert, has picks of 1792 full proof that's actually really good... they also have a BT (my fiancées favorite pour) and eagle rare store pick.

 

I've come across a couple more recently that were kind of "meh" so I don't even want to bring those up.

 

You should stop into Liquor Express in Tempe (there are a few other shops around it too)... Liquor Express is actually my favorite store (it's just a little farther than GCM for me). 

 

Liquor Express has a delicious Elijah Craig small batch pick (10 years, I think) and an Old Forester Single Barrel pick that's the best of any OF SiB I've ever had.

 

The people in the shop are awesome and the prices are usually decent. Definitely a family owned LS that I will continue to support and send people to.

 

Maybe @Bnrhodes3 would know of some better LS's to go up near Scottsdale.

 

As far as where to go for a great selection of whiskey to drink, I would definitely recommend: 

- White Chocolate Grill

- Tarbell's

- Pizza Pub People

- 6 Degrees Urban Kitchen

 

If you don't mind cigar smoke and want a good selection:

- Fox cigar bar

- Magnum's Cigar Wine & Liquor (up in North Phoenix though)

 

Let me know what you decide to go with and if you're down in the SE Gilbert area, give me a shout and I'll have you over for a pour or two :D

 

Cheers!

Edited by Bourbon Fanatic
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@Bourbon Fanatic thanks for info, I’ll check those out and see if I can fit any into the itinerary!  It’s my first time down there so I don’t know the geography much yet, but I fly into Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, and it looks like I could probably stop off at Liqour Express on the way up to Scottsdale. 

 

I appreciate the invite as well. If I get the chance, I’ll take you up on it!

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2 hours ago, BigSkyDrams said:

@Bourbon Fanatic thanks for info, I’ll check those out and see if I can fit any into the itinerary!  It’s my first time down there so I don’t know the geography much yet, but I fly into Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport, and it looks like I could probably stop off at Liqour Express on the way up to Scottsdale. 

 

I appreciate the invite as well. If I get the chance, I’ll take you up on it!

Holy cow! Phoenix Mesa gateway is literally 1 mile from my house. I just heard an airplane go over me lol!

 

I totally just remembered the fiancée and I planned a trip up to Sedona this weekend. You can always message me before your flight out if you want a preflight drink (assuming I'm home from Sedona).

 

Cheers!

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Hey! I will echo most of what Jordan (@Bourbon Fanatic) said.

 

If you want a bar with a good selection, White Chocolate Grill is 10 miles directly north from Old Town Scottsdale. They have everything - all of BTAC, PVW (including the 25yr), Booker's Rye, 4Rs AY and LEs, PHs, etc. They have really good food too (when I was there last week, they had a special that was a whiskey mushroom soup made with Weller lol). Since that isn't really bar-hopping distance, it might be a nice place to go for a dinner or something before the bar hop. 

 

As for stores in that area, you can sometimes find some pretty nice bottles at the AJ's Fine Foods grocery stores (slightly marked up though). If you have a membership (supposedly don't need one for liquor), Costco in that area can have good selections of some semi-hard-to-find things at good prices (ECBP, MWND, Little Book), and great prices on some easier to find things. I don't know of any independent LSs in that area though. Kyle (and his parents) at Liquor Express in Tempe are great people though, with one of the nicest  independent stores I've seen in the area, along with a crazy beer selection if you are in to craft beer. 

 

The only thing warning to watch out for - Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction starts on Saturday, and with it comes an influx of over $2 billion in buying power to the Scottsdale area (wealthy car collects tend to like their whiskey). So there is a chance the traffic may be a bit heavier that weekend. 

 

If there are any other questions or anything, I'm sure either one of us could try to help.

 

Cheers!

-Ben

 

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1 hour ago, Bnrhodes3 said:

The only thing warning to watch out for - Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction starts on Saturday, and with it comes an influx of over $2 billion in buying power to the Scottsdale area (wealthy car collects tend to like their whiskey). So there is a chance the traffic may be a bit heavier that weekend. 

Maybe he's part of that group and the bachelor party thing is just a cover. ;)

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8 hours ago, Bourbon Fanatic said:

Holy cow! Phoenix Mesa gateway is literally 1 mile from my house. I just heard an airplane go over me lol!

 

I totally just remembered the fiancée and I planned a trip up to Sedona this weekend. You can always message me before your flight out if you want a preflight drink (assuming I'm home from Sedona).

 

Cheers!

Unfortunately, my flight out is early Monday morning, so it looks like that will be unlikely. Thanks again for the invite though.

 

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@Bnrhodes3 thanks for the tips. That White Chocolate Grill sounds awesome! I’ll see if I can talk the rest of the guys into that for our dinner spot one night. 

 

From the looks of it, I think I’ll just hit Liquor Express after my arrival. Nothing wrong with making the first stop of a trip the liquor store, right? :D

 

I get in mid-day Friday, so hopefully I can get what I need before the auction attendees clean house. 

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4 hours ago, DCFan said:

Maybe he's part of that group and the bachelor party thing is just a cover. ;)

If I were part of that group, I would probably use it as a cover for the bachelor party weekend. My wife is ... less than enthusiastic about it.

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5 hours ago, BigSkyDrams said:

@Bnrhodes3 thanks for the tips. That White Chocolate Grill sounds awesome! I’ll see if I can talk the rest of the guys into that for our dinner spot one night. 

 

From the looks of it, I think I’ll just hit Liquor Express after my arrival. Nothing wrong with making the first stop of a trip the liquor store, right? :D

 

I get in mid-day Friday, so hopefully I can get what I need before the auction attendees clean house. 

My pleasure!

 

The White Chocolate Grill was what I was referring to for heavy traffic (Kyle, at Liquor Express, is who made me aware of the yearly influx haha). If you do think you can talk them in to it, check out there website for a reservation. 

 

Let us know what you find!

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Well the bourbon side of the trip didn’t go quite as I’d hoped but the rest of it was amazing.

 

I picked up a Baby Saz and Knob Creek SiB from a nearby gas station/LS... nothing too special but I’d never had the SiB KC before and thoroughly enjoyed it. Also went through a couple bottles of the basic Woodford between the group. Ended up eating in two nights because we got hooked up with a chef to come to the house, so I didn’t make it to any of the recommended bars. Did pop in the Liquor Express on Sunday and was really impressed with their selection, but since I knew I wouldn’t be finishing another fifth, I just grabbed some beer.

 

All in all, it’s a cool place to visit, and now I know I can get inexpensive direct flights from Montana, so I just may have to come back down with the wife next winter.

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