Why Whiskey Flights Are Showing Up on More Small-Town Menus

August 22, 2026 · Bar, grill and good times in Ephrata

CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Whiskey flights are showing up on more small-town menus because they let a curious drinker try several whiskeys in small pours instead of committing to a full glass of one. Most flights run 3 to 4 pours of about three-quarters of an ounce to one ounce each. That's enough to actually taste the differences between a bourbon, a rye, and a scotch without overdoing it or spending as much as three full drinks would cost.

The part people miss: not every flight is built the same

A flight is only as good as the thought behind it. A bar can slap three random bottles on a board and call it a flight, or it can build one around a theme, like three bourbons at different price points, or a side-by-side of bourbon, rye, and wheated whiskey so you can taste how the grain changes the flavor. The second kind teaches you something. The first kind is just three small pours.

Price is another thing to watch. Because pours are small, a flight can look cheap on paper but actually carry a higher markup per ounce than a regular drink. That's not a scam, it's just how the math works when a bar is pouring from an open bottle for one customer instead of by the full glass. A fair flight price is usually close to what you'd pay for one and a half to two regular pours of similar whiskeys, not more.

Part of why these are catching on outside big cities is simple. Bourbon and American whiskey sales have grown steadily for over a decade, and that interest doesn't stop at city limits. People in small towns watch the same shows, follow the same bottle releases, and want the same chance to compare a $20 pour to a $40 pour before deciding what they actually like. A flight is a low-risk way to do that, especially somewhere you're already stopping in for dinner or to watch a game.

What to actually do when you see one on the menu

If you're curious but new to this, here's how to get the most out of it:

• Ask the bartender what the flight is built around. A good one can explain the theme in one sentence.
• Taste from lightest to strongest, or from what you know to what you don't, so your palate isn't wrecked by the heaviest pour first.
• Ask for a small water or a plain cracker between pours. It resets your taste buds and isn't a strange request.
• Order food with it. Whiskey flights pair fine with a burger or wings, and eating slows you down, which is the point when you're trying four pours instead of one drink.
• Don't be afraid to ask what to order next based on what you liked. That's the whole reason to try a flight before you commit to a full glass.

If you're driving, remember that four small pours of whiskey still add up to real alcohol, even if each glass looks tiny. Treat it like ordering a few drinks, because that's what it is.

Around Ephrata and Grant County, a whiskey flight is an easy fit for a place that's already doing craft cocktails and running the game on every screen. At 12 Hawks, it's one more way to sit down for dinner, catch the score, and try something new without ordering a full drink you're not sure about.

Related: If you're new to whiskey, our guide to pairing whiskey with bar food covers what actually works together and what to skip.