Photo: Christian Ender (Getty Images)
Fall is the perfect time to get in that last camping trip, hike, or walk in the woods. It’s also the heart of tailgating season. All of these settings are only made better with the addition of a swig or two of your favorite bourbon, rye, Scotch, aged rum, or even tequila. Since walking through the woods or a crowded parking lot with a big bottle of booze might look a little strange, this is why we need flasks, and spirits to go in them.
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If you enjoy a nice, warming alcoholic beverage on those nippy fall days, you need to buy yourself a great, high-quality flask. Your friends and family will thank you when they’re sipping on their favorite spirit while they root for the home team.
Once you have a flask, you have to figure out which spirit to fill it with. Lucky for you, bartenders are on the case. We asked them to tell us what their most flask-worthy spirits.
George Dickel Recipe #12
“This answer changes for me as I tend to have ‘seasons’ with flask spirits. My current selection would be George Dickel Recipe #12. This is a great sippin’ whiskey and it’s approachable enough to share with those who inquire because they always do.” – Ben Rouse, bar lead at Henley in Nashville
Widow Jane Bourbon
“If I were to just sip something from a flask, I would say go toward bourbon. Widow Jane bourbon has sweet cherry notes and hints of toffee on the nose. It goes down very smooth by itself.” – Nick Rini, head bartender at Refinery Rooftop in New York City
Deep Eddy Ruby
“What’s the best bottle to add to put in a flask? Deep Eddy Ruby Red in the summer, an Irish whiskey or Scotch in the winter.” – Chloe Doyle, taproom manager at Independence Brewing Company in Austin, Texas
Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey
“I like Tullamore DEW Irish whiskey in my flask. Irish whiskey has a mellow sweetness that makes it approachable for even novice drinkers.” – Mariel Burns, head bartender at Trademark Taste + Grind in New York City
Lagavulin Distillers Edition
“The best bottle to add to a flask would be a bottle of Lagavulin Distillers Edition. It is the perfect sipper this time of year.” – Ross Lewis, bar manager at Mahina & Sun’s in Honolulu, Hawaii
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The Macallan 12 Year
“One of our most popular bottles is the Macallan 12 Year. Guests will drink it neat or with one big ice cube and sip on it. Most often, we ask if they want a second round and they typically say yes!” – Margaret Salas, bartender at Grain and Cane in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
“I have two that I have tried with great success on many backpacking excursions and at several galas, the first being Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey. Its mash is all charred Rocky Mountain barley so it has a lot of rich and toasty roasted grain character with a lot going on in terms of flavor complexity and its finish. I’ve enjoyed this whiskey on many trails and at many campfires. The spirit of the Rockies shines through, and there’s just something mountainous about it – definitely one to keep handy. The other has to be Green Chartreuse because, in my opinion, it’s just a good human quality to be the guy with a little Green on you.” – Jeremy Williams, lead mixologist at Lumber Baron Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Maker’s Mark
“I don’t carry a flask as much as I did in college, but when I do it would probably be filled with the classic Makers Mark Bourbon.” – Marc McBride, Bar Manager at Reata Restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas
Zaya Rum
“My flask is a constant rotation of marginally higher-end products. Zaya Rum, Del Maguey Chichicapa, and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof have passed through recently, and are all spectacular for drinking on their own. Otherwise, I’ll fill mine with whatever bourbon or aged rum is around the house, usually to take to the movies and spike my cherry coke.” – Michael Diehl, head bartender at Drexler’s in New York City
