At Mclaughlin Distillery we make eight different bourbons and rye whiskeys, and almost every first-time customer asks the same question at the register: which one should I actually buy? If you’re searching for a local bourbon distillery near me, here’s how we’d answer that in person, based on what you already drink and who the bottle is for.

3799 Bourbon: The Best Bourbon to Start With in Pittsburgh

3799 Bourbon is named after our address on Blackburn Road, and it’s the bottle we hand people first for a reason. It sits in the middle of our range on price and tells you almost everything about how we make Pittsburgh bourbon. If you’ve never had a McLaughlin bourbon, start here.

Once you know you like it, Baby Barrel Bourbon is the natural next step. It’s aged in small-format barrels, which puts more wood in contact with less liquid and gives a deeper, rounder pour than a standard barrel would.

Cask Strength Bourbon: For Drinkers Who Want It Undiluted

Cask Strength Baby Barrel Bourbon skips the water. Most whiskey gets diluted down to a standard bottling proof; this doesn’t. It goes into the bottle at the strength it came out of the barrel, so it’s fuller and hotter, and a few drops of water will open it right up if you want to bring it down yourself.

Heritage Barrel Bourbon sits at the top of the range and is priced accordingly. It’s a single barrel we set aside rather than something we produce on a schedule.

Pittsburgh Rye Whiskey: Blackburn Rye and Devil’s Juice #5

Bourbon gets the attention, but western Pennsylvania was rye country long before Kentucky claimed bourbon as its own. Blackburn Rye is our newest release and our contribution to that history. Burlington and Devil’s Juice #5 round out our Pittsburgh whiskey lineup, and Devil’s Juice has built the bigger reputation of the two.

Flavored Whiskey: The Easier Pour for Sweeter Tastes

Not every pour has to be neat. Maple Whiskey and Toasted Applewood Whiskey get their character from real wood and sugar, not syrup added after the fact. Hot Smooches Cinnamon Whiskey tends to disappear fastest at parties, and Grandma’s Rocking Chair Whiskey is exactly as easy-drinking as the name suggests.

Bottom Line

There’s no wrong bottle here, only the wrong bottle for what you’re after tonight. Start with 3799 if you want the safe, familiar pour, push into Cask Strength or Heritage Barrel once you know you like what we do, and reach for Blackburn or Devil’s Juice if rye is more your speed. Every bottle ships in-state or nationwide, so you can buy whiskey online whenever you’re ready, no distillery visit required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some commonly asked questions to consider:

What’s the difference between bourbon and rye?

Bourbon runs on a corn-forward mash, which gives it sweetness and a rounder body. Rye leads with rye grain instead, so it comes out drier and spicier with more pepper on the finish.

What does cask strength actually mean?

It means nothing has been added to bring the proof down before bottling. You’re getting it exactly as it came out of the barrel.

Why is Baby Barrel aged differently?

Smaller barrels put more oak surface against less liquid, so the whiskey picks up barrel character faster and differently than it would in a full-size barrel.