Try Tombstone Distillery for National Bourbon Day

State of play: Tombstone — now Elgin Winery and Distillery — used a mash bill with 36% rye, higher even than many other high-rye bourbons on the market, and about on par with Four Roses, which is one of my favorite labels.

• The high rye content gave it a delicious spiciness to complement its sweetness.
• It's 59.5% alcohol, so I added a couple drops of water to bring out some of the flavor.
• I'm always on the lookout for a good local bourbon, so it made a strong addition to my collection.

Zoom in: It's not bourbon, but since I'm talking about local whiskey, I figured I'd throw out one more recommendation if you're looking for something unique.

• I recently picked up a bottle of Blue Ridge 100% blue corn whiskey from Tempe's Adventurous Stills.
• The flavor is a bit more mellow than other blue corn whiskies I've had, which I thought struck a perfect balance.