Anonymous wrote:
Call first
http://1000corks.com/search?sort=closest&distance=10&st=Balcones&local_mode=on

Anonymous wrote:

THE humid streets of Waco, Tex., may not have much in common with the misty glens of Scotland, home to some of the world’s best malt whiskeys.

Not much, that is, until last month, when a single-malt whiskey from the Balcones Distillery in Waco bested nine others, including storied Scottish names like the Balvenie and the Macallan, in a blind panel of British spirits experts.

It was the first time an American whiskey won the Best in Glass, a five-year-old competition to find the best whiskey released in a given year. Balcones, said Neil Ridley, one of the organizers, is everything you’d expect from a young American: brash, robust and full of flavor. “It was like putting a New World wine against an Old World chateau,” he said.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. American whiskey is all about corn and rye; malted barley, the primary grain in the Scotch variety, traditionally plays a minor role in bourbon recipes. And single malts have long been considered an exclusive province of Scotland.

But suddenly, American malted whiskeys — most of them single malts — are popping up, some to loud acclaim. “There’s been a wave this year,” said Sean Josephs, a co-owner of Char No. 4, a restaurant in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, that features a bar flush with domestic and imported whiskeys.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/dining/american-malted-whiskeys-win-acclaim.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

support the small guys. they are doing great stuff.
I like all of these:
http://www.balconesdistilling.com/singlemalt
http://www.clearcreekdistillery.com/products/whiskey/

also support DC own for gin http://greenhatgin.com/

Anonymous wrote:Caol Ila-not for the faint of heart

THE humid streets of Waco, Tex., may not have much in common with the misty glens of Scotland, home to some of the world’s best malt whiskeys.

Not much, that is, until last month, when a single-malt whiskey from the Balcones Distillery in Waco bested nine others, including storied Scottish names like the Balvenie and the Macallan, in a blind panel of British spirits experts.

It was the first time an American whiskey won the Best in Glass, a five-year-old competition to find the best whiskey released in a given year. Balcones, said Neil Ridley, one of the organizers, is everything you’d expect from a young American: brash, robust and full of flavor. “It was like putting a New World wine against an Old World chateau,” he said.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. American whiskey is all about corn and rye; malted barley, the primary grain in the Scotch variety, traditionally plays a minor role in bourbon recipes. And single malts have long been considered an exclusive province of Scotland.

But suddenly, American malted whiskeys — most of them single malts — are popping up, some to loud acclaim. “There’s been a wave this year,” said Sean Josephs, a co-owner of Char No. 4, a restaurant in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, that features a bar flush with domestic and imported whiskeys.

Anonymous wrote:Don't buy an expensive blended whiskey of any kind. It's swill. Single malt is the only thing worth shelling out major bucks. At the risk of sounding like the anti-US jackholes over on the car thread--American scotch six. Only the Scots know how to make good scotch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BTW all of these can be found at the new DC Costco, probably cheaper than your local liquor store. They also had Kirkland single malt, believe it or not. And some luxury high-dollar 25 y.o. that was $650, I think. [/quot

Oh stop bragging! Hell will freeze over before Montgomery County Costco sells alcohol.

Not bragging. I live in Montgomery County too and am as frustrated as you. Just providing helpful advice. I'll be doing my Costco-ing in DC from now on. Totally worth the weekend drive. (Unless maybe I try Frederick--that's what posters on the which-Costco-is-best thread suggest.)