Best store for bourbon/whiskey selection in Chicago?

[JAORobot]

any recommendations?

looking for a place that would pickup EVERY release.. Sam's seems to do that but everyone knows about them, so they sell out quickly of somethign that might be low distribution; so any places "out of the way" would be fine too!

thanks

[Mark]

Chuck Cowdery could really help here, as well as some others I'm sure. I know Binny's (http://www.binnys.com) is another good one online but they too are big. There's a guy there, think his name is Brett (I hope it isn''t Brent and he reads this!), and he is very good with knowing his bourbon so hell... Try calling there and speak with him, I'm sure he could help ya' out.

[Brewer]

Mark had it right, his name is Brett Pontini. He does know his whiskey, and if you've got the time, he sure can talk! Other than Binny's and Sam's, I don't know what's available in Chicago. Chuck's the guy for that info.

[cowdery]

I get asked this all the time. Sam's and Binny's are pretty much all you need to know. They certainly are the only package stores in town that make an effort to offer a wide selection of American whiskeys.

[MikeK]

Well if we tell you about the little out of the way place, then it will sell out quickly too!

One way that I find good whiskey shops is the "Specialty Retailers" link off of MaltAdvocate.com http://www.maltadvocate.com/html/sr.html

This magazine is more into Scotch than Bourbon, but if a shop carries a lot of Scotch, it probably carries a lot of Bourbon as well. This list works well in areas that drink a lot of Scotch, but not so useful in KY where there is much more Bourbon than Scotch on the shelves.

Mike