Jameson is a good one. I think Makers Mark is another solid first whiskey. Personally I didn’t like the barley flavor in Jameson when I first drank it, but that might be other’s favorite part.

Because there is so much variety in whiskey, there isn’t a “best first whiskey”. You could make an argument for “best first Irish whiskey”, “best first bourbon”, “best first scotch” etc, but even then I don’t think there’s a “best” since there’s so much variety even in those categories.

It depends on what kinds of flavors the drinker typically likes. What kind of drinks do you usually like?

Wild turkey 101

You had Evan Williams - did you like it? What about it did you like or not like? Do you want to keep with that sweet corn and caramel flavors > try bourbon. If you want something with more spice > try rye. If you want more of a malty or bready flavor > try a blended scotch.

All that to say, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this. The more you can tell us about what you like and don’t like, the better we can tailor recommendations.

If you want a nicer Evan Williams, try looking for the single barrel version. You can also try Four Roses or Elijah Craig if you want to dig deeper into the bourbon world.

I’m not super familiar with Irish whiskeys, but I do know that Tullamore Dew is a popular one

I would personally recommend Rebel 80 proof as a good starter bourbon. Sweet, soft, nice caramel flavor, and very cheap. I recently had my brother – who has never tried any whiskey neat before – give it a try and he actually said it was “nice” and it didn’t burn at all. A couple others to try are Old Forester 86 proof or Benchmark Top Floor. All very affordable easy sippers that also have higher proof versions when you’re ready to step up a bit.