How to Buy Whiskey and Moonshine You’ll Actually Like – Dare We Say Love (5 Tips to Get the Good Stuff)

It can be overwhelming to buy whiskey and moonshine… luckily we’ve got generations of experience to help you get a REAL good drink and ways to spot the fakers.

The liquor store is overwhelming and you’re asking all the questions we all are:

• How do you know what's the real deal?

• At what price point can you ensure you’re not getting some watered-down crap?

• Should you pay attention to the seal and the label quality?

• Will you get a free lollipop at the check out?

We’re giving it to you strait and can help you know how to shop/drink/enjoy whiskey and moonshine.

Follow our tips and we’ll be sure your hard-earned cash doesn’t go to waste on a nice-looking bottle full of crap 💩.

Use these 5 tips to find good-quality whiskey and moonshine you’ll like:

1. Check for the “ingredients.”

Here’s the God-honest truth: if you see the words “neutral grain spirits” it ain’t it, y’all.

Check the label (especially for moonshine.) A lot of big moonshine dealers are just selling neutral grain spirits they buy in bulk that can be turned into basically any alcohol. 🤢

Water, flavor, and this neutral grain spirit is a cheap, bulk-based product that helps get liquor out quicker, but sacrifices detail and quality control.

If you want real deal moonshine, you’re looking for 100% corn mash that’s been distilled using stills - because that’s what moonshine actually is!!!

And the sad truth about whiskey is that it only has to be 5% whiskey to be labeled as whiskey, so beware of watered-down quality and check the label.

Now y’all probably already know how we feel about this big business low-quality liquor crap…but in case you need any reassurance, our moonshine contains no “neutral grain spirits” and our whiskey is actually 100% whiskey.

QUICK READ: Don’t settle for “neutral grain spirits” bought in bulk, it’s practically a generic vodka they can label as whatever they want. You can do better.

2. Trust yourself more than the incentivized liquor store workers.

The folks at the liquor store are going home with a flat-screen tv sometimes if they push certain products to customers like you. It’s a bummer, but it’s true.

They’re wrongly motivated advice can’t be your true determining factor in finding good whiskey/moonshine. You have to shop and sip to find what you like.

Here are some easy ways to try more whiskey/shine:

• Ask any GDM bartender for a sample / order a flight

• Get some buddies to each buy different bottles and have a night to sample a variety of flavors and spirits side-by-side.

• Buy Mini-Bottles of shine/whiskey

We always encourage people to do their own research, try a few different things, and see what they like - you may be surprised.

3. Notice where you feel the burn 🔥.

This isn’t necessarily a shopping tip, but a drinking tip. Either way, you need to know how to spot a good shine. If it’s high-quality moonshine and whiskey, when you drink it you’ll feel it in your chest (and your heart ♥).

Low-quality liquor burns in the nose and throat.

A good quality liquor will start with a slow burn in the chest and branch out to warm you all over. It should feel a bit like a medicinal burn.

4. Flavor isn’t bad, but bad flavors are (and water).

Flavored moonshine is an amazing cocktail tool for making custom and creative drinks - you just gotta make sure it’s stuff you want in your body.

There’s a time for a McDonlad’s french fry that you know isn’t real, and there’s a time for wanting to mix a drink with actual “ingredients” - you feel me?

The label should tell you everything you need to know. You’re looking for “natural flavor”.

Other flavors are ultimately just sugar syrup and artificial flavoring and are probably going to leave you feeling gross.

Plus, look for liquor made with “all-natural spring water” for a crisper, cleaner taste.

These small changes make a big difference.

5. Try craft whiskey/ moonshine makers.

Passion fuels a lot of excellence, and the big boys in the business started out with passion but scale and quality are hard to maintain perfectly.

When you buy from someone making something real that they’ve poured their heart into, you’ll taste something that’s gonna stand out - not some marketing bullshit.

Though craft makers don’t have the large-scale name recognition, more time and effort has gone into the details of each bottle than bulk-produced liquor.

Ask your liquor store worker which bottles are small batch or smaller partners - and let that help inform some of your buying decisiongs.

The fun with craft is there’s a story too. And in our opinion, that’s where you’re gonna find the best booze.

See the GDM story and meet an outlaw named Mimm.

The world is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated and whiskey and moonshine are perfect for your favorite life moments.

Don’t be afraid to make a mistake, you can always pour it for people and look generous later.

There’s a lot to try, and we hope you have fun finding whiskey/moonshine you like. If you feel lost, you may be drunk. If you have questions, our bartenders will help you find your way and can hook you up with something you’re sure to love.

Now, we hope you find yourself ready to:

1. Check your bottle for ingredients

2. Be wary of the liquor store worker’s advice

3. Burn notice - watch where your fire hits

4. Only natural flavors

5. Craft whiskey/moonshine is less of an underdog than you may realize. Go try it.
   

You’ve got our tips.

Drink good shine. Drink good whiskey.

Click any Mimm’s recipe to see how you can make our favorite cocktails at home.