Whiskey gets confusing, and as soon as you think it’s safe, you accidentally make a Whiskey Sour out of your uncle’s 18-year-old single-malt Scotch and it all ends in tears.

So here’s to your health.

One of Whiskey's Many Uses

Bourbon:

Bourbon is the workhorse of whiskeys. Made mostly from corn, you can drink it straight or put it in just about anything else; it’s sweet, smooth and runs the gamut of prices. Likewise, many of the cocktails you’ll find in bars will be made with it. Whiskey Sours and Mint Juleps use bourbon exclusively, and Manhattans and Old Fashioneds can both be made with a bourbon base.

Notable Brands: Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve.

I Recommend: For me, it’s a toss-up between Knob Creek and Evan Williams Black Label. Knob Creek is all-around excellent. The Evan Wil­liams Black Label, while a little on the sweet side, is very mixable and a great deal for the money.

Scotch:

This is properly speaking whisky, not whiskey. Scotch whisky must be made from barley and, as the name suggests, in Scotland. It also must be aged in oak, which gives it a thick, smoky flavor; depending on the scotch, there may also be honey, vanilla or peat (think seaweed) notes.

Notable Brands: Glenlivet, Johnnie Walker, Teacher’s.

I Recommend: I won’t pretend to be an expert here. Scotch can get pricey, and a bottle of it can last a long time, especially since it’s somewhat of an acquired taste. The last one I bought was McClelland’s Islay Single-Malt, an enjoyable Scotch with a heavily peaty taste.

Rye:

Among the whiskeys, rye tends to get forgotten, both because it is generally mixed rather than sipped, and because, as a rule, the better the liquor, the fewer advertising dollars are spent making it look sexy (incidentally, this also works for beer: the manlier the commercial, the more they’re compensating). Despite this, it’s absolutely indispensable, if only for Manhattans.

Rye is determined by the percentage of rye that is used to make it, at least 51 percent, which gives it a sharper taste than bourbon and a less smoky one than scotch.

Notable Brands: Old Overholt, Jim Beam, Sazerac.

I Recommend: Rittenhouse all the way. It has a strong, punchy flavor (and a higher proof than Old Overholt), and is one of the best ryes out there, period.

Canadian Whiskey:

For years, Canadian Whiskey fought to be recognized as whiskey at all in America.

Unlike other whiskeys, the main requirement for Canadian just that it be made entirely in Canada: Although it usually contains a lot of rye, there are no real restrictions on the grains that can go in it. It’s generally considered to be lighter and smoother than other whiskeys.

Notable Brands: Crown Royal, Canadian Club.

I Recommend: Honestly, I’m not sure. I can barely remember the last time I had Canadian whiskey. But I do keep thinking that the current Canadian Club advertisements are trying to sell me Old Spice. This is not a good sign