Local Three has one of the most expansive bourbon lists I’ve seen in Atlanta. I’m a budding bourbon enthusiast, as is my friend Gus, so we met up last week to see what trouble we could find.
There were dozens of bourbons I had never heard of, making for a difficult decision, so we decided to inquire if they offered flights or simply some suggestions. We were directed to Kevin Ryan, the young beverage director, who said he is in the process of creating a selection of official flights, but he’d be happy to put something together for us ad hoc.
They ended up being great. Kevin picked six bourbons of various styles and prices, and gave us half ounce pours of each, just enough for a couple tastes of each bourbon. The interesting array ranged from simple and sweet, to harsh and smoky, bitter and biting, and intriguing and pretty. There is so much to be learned from side by side tasting – for me, the comparison makes it so much easier to define the qualities of a particular drink and form an opinion.
I was happy with the $25 price tag we were each charged, which is more than fair as the bourbons ranged from $8-$20 for a two ounce pour, and one must take into account the considerable time Kevin spent with us.
Local Three had not quite won me over with their food alone, but this beverage experience earns them a spot in the rotation.
