You probably have lukewarm feelings for something that the masses adore. There’s the wildly popular movie that left you cold. The hit song that makes you punch your presets at supersonic speed. The perpetually busy coffee shop that you think pours subpar lattes.
The whiskey world is like that. Whether you’re talking about bourbon, Irish whiskey, or single malt Scotch, you can probably name a bottle that makes you utter “meh,” even though the public loves it or the taters doggedly chase it down. If you do, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re in good company. Plenty of bartenders and bar professionals have at least one whiskey they feel is overrated. They may even have several bottles in this category if they don’t quite get the hype about a particular style or production method.
What are the whiskeys currently on the bar community’s overhyped list? We asked 12 bar professionals to find out.
The most overrated whiskeys, according to bartenders:
Pappy Van Winkle
The Bourbon Category
Weller 12
Green-apple-infused whiskey
Scotch over a certain age statement
Highly allocated bourbons over $100
Blanton’s
The entire Weller line
Ultra-high-proof bourbons
“This isn’t an indictment of the quality of the product, but I have to say the most overrated whiskey on the market is anything from Pappy Van Winkle by virtue of the price point alone. It is delicious, but it is rare that the most expensive or limited product is the “best” (whatever that means). I would also say that the culture around expensive premium whiskeys creates a false paradigm of cost equaling a measure of quality. I’d rather enjoy some of the more deluxe Michter’s any day. It’s delicious and doesn’t break the bank!” —Ben Hopkins, head bartender, Pitt’s, Brooklyn
“While this might be a hot take, bourbon is often overhyped. They lean too heavily on a corn-dominant mash bill and new oak, which masks the character of the grain and creates an overly sweet, muddled profile. It’s a great gateway whiskey, but the emphasis on sweetness often comes at the expense of complexity and nuance. The term ‘small batch’ also isn’t regulated. It’s just marketing to make [bourbon] bottles seem more exclusive. While not all bourbon brands are overhyped, the category’s explosion has flooded the market with expressions that taste remarkably similar.” —Jamal Hassan, owner, Ice Cold Co., Portland, Ore.
“Weller 12 Year has gotten a reputation for being the baby Pappy, and in doing so has raised the price above what it’s really worth. It’s a great bottle, but the demand has driven it to a point where the demand versus value is unbalanced. $160 for a bottle that MSRPs around $45 is insane. It’s unfortunate that so many brands are having this issue.” —Jonah Gibbs, bar manager, Petite Boheme, Las Vegas
“I actually understand and see some value in flavored whiskeys. That said, green apple anything really flummoxes me. I know it’s more of a consumer product, but it’s a very popular consumer product that I have a hard time figuring out how to make more palatable. I think I made a good slushy with it once, but it took more work than I expected. Then again, I think green apples in spirits is weird in general. I also think that almost any blended Scotch with an age statement over 12 [is overrated]. To be honest, this applies to almost any Scotch with an age statement over 18.” —Christina Veira, co-owner, Bar Mordecai, Toronto
“I really love rye and bourbon. No two whiskeys are alike, and they truly encompass the art of the distiller. That being said, I have yet to find a highly allocated and pricey (more than $100 per bottle) American whiskey that surpasses the quality you can find at the less-than-$50-per-bottle range is worth the per-ounce cost. Most of these costly whiskeys are made at factory distilleries in lots of tens of thousands. I’ve found that smaller craft whiskeys meet that [price point] challenge and can stand up to those expensive whiskeys in a blind tasting. I am perfectly happy to walk right by that glass case in the liquor store and walk right over to the craft whiskey shelf.” —Sean Kenyon, co-owner, Williams & Graham/Occidental, Denver
“Blanton’s Kentucky Single Barrel. Something can taste good, but still be overhyped. Such is the case with Blanton’s. When someone walks into a bar and asks for a Blanton’s Old Fashioned, I get the same feeling as when a guest orders a Margarita with Casamigos. Unfortunately, much like the latter, the idea of being seen or heard ordering Blanton’s is more often a priority for guests than how the spirit actually tastes. I do like the horse caps, though.” —Nik Sparks, general manager, Semiprecious, Denver
“It’s easy to mention the classics such as Blanton’s and Booker’s here, but man, is the Weller line overrated and overpriced. Don’t get me wrong: Weller is a great product, but the demand and the shocking high rise in its price at stores and bars is absurd. Weller 12 used to be $60 a bottle, but I was at a bar last night and saw they were selling it at $90 a shot! Instead of bourbons, maybe we should talk about bourbon buyers being overrated, since they’re the ones driving these insane prices and all this glory for these brands that just aren’t worth the cost.” —Brandon Martin, bartender, Counterpoint, San Diego
“I don’t want to call bourbon overrated, but I think it might be time for it to take a little vacation so folks can enjoy other types of whiskey. Maybe bourbon can spend a little more time in the barrel while folks pick up some Scotch, rye, or Japanese whisky. Bartenders already know and love this stuff, but the general public could use a little worldly experimentation. I’ve never met anyone who chooses to vacation or holiday in Kentucky, but I’ve seen countless stories on Instagram of folks visiting Japan, Ireland, and Scotland. Maybe poke around while you’re away and taste something different. The comforts of home (Read: McDonald’s and a bottle of Maker’s Mark) will be waiting for you when you return to the airport.” —Josh Gandee, host of the no proof Podcast, Columbus, Ohio
“‘Overrated’ is a bold word in whiskey because taste is personal. But if we’re talking about whiskey trends that sometimes get more love than they should, I’d say the obsession with ultra-high-proof bourbons can be a little overhyped. The idea that bigger ABV equals better whiskey can sometimes drown out nuance, turning what should be a layered experience into an arms race of heat and barrel char. Instead of chasing proof points, I’d rather serve something that actually tells a story in the glass like Redbreast 12-Year. It’s proof that elegance, balance, and depth can stand toe-to-toe with anything north of 120 proof. The sherry cask influence brings a complexity that doesn’t need to scream to be heard. At the end of the day, whiskey isn’t about who can handle the most fire in their glass; it’s about what actually makes you want to pour another round. And sometimes, the most compelling whiskey isn’t the loudest in the room.” —LP O’Brien, co-founder, Focus on Health and winner of Netflix’s “Drink Masters,” Washington, D.C.
“I’m always down to drink a dram, but if I’m paying, I’m gonna avoid those overpriced bourbons for sure. I understand certain bottles can be hard to come by, and that makes them worth a bunch, but I generally avoid bottles like Pappy and Blanton’s. You’re definitely paying for the availability.” —Maxwell Berlin, creative director, Quartz, Phoenix
“Blanton’s, the whiskey that everyone knows by the bottle and fancy horse topper. You probably are missing just one or two toppers in the set and keep a drawer of [the ones you have] somewhere behind the bar. This is truly the example of ‘people keep buying it just because they think it looks cool.’ [It’s got] great marketing and a great bottle design, but the one thing they really nailed is making it seem like it’s such a rare whiskey to find. The reality is that it’s bought up and overpriced, so the bar guest has to pay some inflated price for a pour. Then again, if you put Blanton’s in any other bottle and sell it for its current market price, it’ll be sitting up on the bar for a lot longer.” —Faisal Asseri, manager, Monkey Bar at Town and Country Resort, San Diego
“I think my only opinion on overrated bourbon would be Pappy Van Winkle. When I worked in New York, the finance bros could not get enough of it. But they’d drop their black card just to show off to their friends. They did not really even know much about bourbon. They were just flexing on the price point. Is it worth $5,000 a bottle online? Probably not. But if you want to treat yourself to a $100 pour at the bar, well, just be sure to tip your bartender while you’re at it.” —Maggie Mae Dale, bartender, Real Charmer, Los Angeles
*Image retrieved from ronstik via stock.adobe.com
The article We Asked 12 Bartenders: What’s the Most Overrated Whiskey? (2025) appeared first on VinePair.