Potomac Wines & Spirits

As someone who has been curating a bourbon collection for years, I can confidently say that Potomac Wines and Spirits is one of the best retailers in the region for hard-to-find and limited-release bourbons. Their selection demonstrates a deep understanding of what bourbon aficionados are searching for. The staff is equally impressive, they’re not only knowledgeable but also well-connected in the world of fine spirits, making them an invaluable resource for those hunting for the next addition to their collection. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your journey into premium bourbons, Potomac Wines and Spirits should be at the top of your list.

The owner likes to look at PoCs like they are from a different planet. Not even a hello, just a look of obvious distaste until you ready to fork over your hard earned freedom bucks, but he sure will bend over backwards and conversate with anyone a lighter shade though. Selection is the same as any place else, and that's where I'm going to go from now on. Cheers. This review was based on numerous visits, and nothing changed.

Attention people; they might have sold us fake raki, be careful please!!!!( we have not had it tested yet). We purchased 7 bottles of Raki(5 … and 2 tekirdag gold series bottles). The first 6 bottles were taken from the shelf in the store, the seventh one was brought to us from the back storage by the staff since they had only 6 raki on the shelf. We are guessing that One bottle of rakis was not authentic out of 7 bottles (probably the one brought out from back storage). We called the store to let them know about the fake raki situation and ask them check their products on the shelves, but the response we got was terrifying. They refused to check their bottles in the store and they said there is no way they could be fake, because they buy it directly from Turkey. They blamed us for being paranoid about it and they hang up the phone on us. They also asked us to bring the fake bottle back for a refund but we are more worried about people’s health and life rather than $35. We will eventually take it back to prove it is not authentic raki and bottle but we are 1 hour 40 minutes away from their location and it may take couple of weeks to go back there. After drinking the first bottle of the rakia, we opened the second bottle last night. On the other hand, we could not even drink one sip from it because of the sharp, heavy, terrible smell and taste. We all spit out after tried because it was burning our tongues. After smelling, tasting and comparing with other bottles, we realized some differences among the authentic bottles and the probable fake bottle. The fake bottle we are guessing for: 1- there is no serial number, production or expiration dates on the fake bottle unlike all authentic bottles have all those numbers. ( later on we could see some numbers on the cap with the day light very lightly and crookedly typed unliked the original bottles have it even and clear). 2- the fake bottle is missing the plastic speed pourer unlike the authentic bottle. 3- the sticker on the fake bottle is in faded color, not as vivid black color as compared to authentic bottles. 4- on the fake raki; the taste is terrible, extremely bitter, very sharp and smells terrible. There is no way you can drink it, 3 of us had to spit out our first sips since it s burning your tongue. 5- the sticker of the fake raki bottle is placed crooked and had bubbles on it. 6- the fake bottle had double sticker on it. Whoever did it, did not stick it perfectly so you can see the sticker under the top one. We still have not reported it but we will do it tomorrow since it is past 4 pm because of the aggressive and unfriendly approach of the store owner or manager. We are including 2 of the receipts on the photos.

Great selection of east European beer and spirits! Purchased various Serbian and Croatian spirits for an enthusiast’s liquor collection. Gabe was very down-to-earth and helpful. NOTE: Parking was a pain, as to be expected in downtown DC. I used a nearby parking garage and paid $15 for less than an hour’s worth of parking.

They have great selection of Eastern European and Balkan spirits and wine. Very helpful and friendly staff

I was able to find exactly what I was searching for at this amazing store! The customer service was top-notch, and they had a fantastic selection of items. Just a friendly reminder to check their website or give them a call before heading over. I'll be returning to the store later, and I plan on taking more photos to share with everyone. Stay tuned!

They hide shipping cost. Shipping cost have to be calculated before customer leave his billing info, email and phone number, if not you will get lot of spam. Good luck in dirty business.

The customer service was rude and lacked enthusiasm, making for a very disappointing first experience.

Came in looking for two specific bourbons, asked and was pleasantly surprised that they had both. Reasonable/fair market values as well. Great liquor store.

Came inside so my fiancée could buy a small bottle of bourbon for the weekend and roamed around looking at the wares while he spoke to the guys inside to get what he wanted. They had a fairly decent selection here and were located on a busy street around tons of other shops and restaurants so it's a convenient stop if you're nearby shopping or dining already. It was cold but not too crowded on a Friday at around 5pm (traffic was bad outside but not in the store) and the two guys working behind the counter were nice and helpful showing my fiancée to what he was looking for and answering his pricing questions. Saw some of the usual faves inside so this would hit the spot if you're in need.

Came here after a tip from our server at a Ramen noodle shop the night before. I was looking for a specific Japanese whiskey for a son-in-law after enjoying it at the restaurant. The owner immediately asked if we were sent from the restaurant as he received a text the night before. He kept the Nikki whisky in the back and brought them out then explain them to us. Perfect gifts for Christmas . Thank you.

I went into this store one time to purchase a bottle of wine. The second I walked through the door I was being followed so closely that when I stopped the guy ran into me. There are definitely racist. The store was very small and there were many other Caucasian people around The only person that was being followed was me and of course I'm African American. I told this creep to stop following me around and he simply replied I work here. So to my fellow people of African descent and all of our allies please steer clear. Don't give them your business. We have to stop letting people like this win. I would not even give them one start. The one stars only there because I could not post the rest of this review without it.

This is a great family-run shop! I come here for all of my bourbon needs, but they seem to have a great selection of all wine and spirits. Most of their regular shelf-available products are fairly priced, at or below MSRP (unless they have to work with more difficult distributors who charge higher margins). The store employees are knowledgeable and have great recommendations. Their online catalogue is up-to-date, but I do wish they were on social media so it's easier to keep up with the new products they're getting.

My go to shop whenever I need a hard to find liquors for my cocktails. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff and a selection that can't be matched! Highly recommended!

Stopped by spontaneously on the search for some different spirits than can be found in the ABC store as I live on the VA side of the river. The shop is small, but full of a little bit of everything (wine, beer, spirits). Their customer service is fantastic and I will definitely be back. It is in a touristy area of DC (M street), but definitely worth the trip. Prices are reasonable as well. Not what I was expecting for the area they are in. Street parking only, but isn't too bad if you park just off the main M street.

I did not intend to purchase anything when intending to visit here. I wanted to compare prices to other places I usually purchase booze from. The store is rather small and compact. This store reminded me of liquor stores back in NYC due to good finds and barely any room to move around. There was a large variety of genres of alcohol to choose from. The abundance of inventory was hard liquor though. Second place was the stock of wine. Surprisingly, there was minimal stock of beer. But it is a liquor store so it makes sense too. As I was browsing, I was offered assistance by two different employees. I declined since I was only browsing and not looking for anything in particular. The employee at the counter was talking with two customers who were purchasing many items and having them shipped. I didn't even think of the possibility of having items shipped! We were driving this trip so I would have purchased and taken it with me if I had found something. The staff appeared very knowledgeable about everything the customers inquired about. I chuckled when they were talking about rums in Miami and I felt them look at me lol. I was highly impressed with the uniqueness of selection here and will definitely stop in again when I am in town. The prices seemed very reasonable as well. I did not see anything that was cheap-both financially and quality wise.

Great selection and fast delivery! The website is very organized and easy to work with. I order some Bulgarian brandy and got everything for less than a week. I highly recommend

These guys know their stuff and are my go to for hard to find liquors. They carry wine also although that isn't my thing so won't go into it here. On separate occasions I've needed Underberg (a German aperitif) and Unicum (a Hungarian staple). Both time I came by to ask if they carried these, I was met with "pretty sure we do, let me get it from downstairs" and they did. Their basement is a magical place of every liquor known to man apparently. In the case of the Unicum, they said that they were working on getting some of the original formula which is no longer exported to the United States. I was looking for the newer formula anyway so it worked out, but I'm impressed that they were going through the effort to stock a liquor with a limited customer base. To top it all off, they are very affordable. They could charge an arm and a leg given their location and the variety of liquors stocked. Another star for them if I could give them 6 stars. Affordable anything in DC, particularly M St in Georgetown is a a rarity.

This store is one of the few places in DC that sells not only McClintock Reserve gin, but the entire line of McClintock Distillery products. Sweet! Saves me a trip to Frederick! I learned that one of the guys working there knows one of the founders of the McClintock Distillery; his son and that same founder went to high school together. Small world. This store is small and packed to the gills with wines and spirits from all over the world. There were so many bottles that I had never seen before and I wish I had more time to inquire and explore. Service was prompt. The guy behind the counter seemed quite knowledgeable and was able to answer my questions, as well as the questions of all of the other customers that inquired of him during my visit.

Have lived in Georgetown ten years. This is by far, the best liquor store in the area. They have a fantastic selection, great prices, and a very helpful staff that will climb shelves to help you find things. Plenty of chilled wines and beers if you're stopping by on the way to a party.

I'm. It sure why I "4-Starred" this as I know I meant 5. Sorry Josh. :) Still love this place. I stop in when I can.

This place is great. Fantastic selection of wine at any price/taste point. Everyone on the staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable of their offerings and able you help you pick out a winner or 7 winners. Considering their prime location in Georgetown and their in depth wine and liquor knowledge...their prices are GREAT!!!! I hear their online ordering is also great and speedy and has an equally huge selection of hard to find great value wines and liquor. However I live close by so I haven't taken advantage of the easy shipping yet. My wife (Hispanic decent) loves there rare tequila selection and all of the "trinkets" especially the Dia de Muertos bottles and glasses

I've been here a couple of times, when I lived in DC and in visits to the area. While I was in town for a conference, I popped in because I was tired of spending $13 for a glass of wine. And behold they had my favorite Frog's Leap sauvignon blanc *and ON SALE.* A Leo season miracle, friends! But even if you don't get a Leo season miracle, this place has an amazing selection even if you don't consider its small size. Always a gem, and the folks who work there know their stuff. Don't stay thirsty, buy a bottle or two of delicious wines here.

This is my go to place for rare and special spirits. This small store has a very good variety of excellent spirits; and what they don't have in stock they are one of the few places that will go out of their way to get it for you. They are also very knowledgeable, so when you are felling adventurous, go ahead and ask Steve for a recommendation, you will be happily rewarded. Weather is a nice Irish or Japanese single malt, the best rums from different countries and more this is the best place to find it.

One of only two liquor stores in the district worth going to. They know their stuff, and their prices are fair. Of they don't have it, they can get it (or it's backordered). I'm a tough customer, and I have never been disappointed.

Staff is extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They even gave recipe suggestions.

Really stand out selection on Rums. Probably one of the best I have seen in the past few years in the area. A really nice assortment of Amaro and Akauvit. Found the Kah Repasado that I have been searching for after years of being turned down in my shops. Great customer interaction. This crew really knows their stuff and seem to enjoy what they do. Excited to come back.

My online purchase experiences with Potomac Wines continue to be outstanding. I make a habit of checking their website regularly for hard to find spirits and am often pleasantly surprised at what is available there. This isnt the cheapest place in the world - but then I dont expect it to be - and the selection and excellent order fulfilment more than make up for paying something extra in my view. I am a four time happy buyer and will be back.

I always find various Greek alcoholic beverages there. Very helpful staff. Great shop to finding hard to get gems. Can't recommend them enough!

I needed to find a sour cherry palinka from Hungary and no other liquor stores in DC had the slightest clue what I was talking about when I called. I could tell the difference as soon as I called this store, not only did they have a few different options they were able to drop some knowledge about each. I was super pleased to get the palinka at an affordable price and was also impressed by the scotch selection they had. Great spirits store, I don't even mind having to walk 20 min from foggy bottom metro to get here.

Gave and his team at Potomac Wines are top notch. I went in for the first time to grab an order I place on Groupon, only to find myself greeted by knowledgeable, and very helpful staff; keyword, greeted. I inquired about a tasty wine that I liked, thinking they probably wouldn't have it, ha! They had it and at the best price that I've ever found-sold! Keep up the great work Gabe! Unmatched Customer service always prevails.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!! I first came here 2-3 years ago when a friend frequented here to get some Glenmorangie deals, and was telling me all about it. So I stopped by, and now it's my favorite place. I'm not much of a drinker, but my husband enjoys scotch and he loves to try all those different ones in addition to a few of his go-to. Josh always helps me pick out something based on my "I have no idea what I'm doing but here is what i think hubby wants and likes" descriptions and gives the appropriate recommendations, and it always works out so well, like 99% of the time!! Also, the price here is very reasonable, according to hubby (since I'm not really familiar with the pricing, so I can't make the judgement), which is surprising, as you'd think that a store at such a nice location at Georgetown might be over-priced, but it is not. If you are in D.C. area, this has to be your go-to!!!

Awesome experience and top notch customer service! wish I could give them more stars! I called from another state and spoke with Josh to see if they carried a particular bottle of champagne. They did, I told him I needed it delivered to a nearby hotel and he offered to run it over to them after my purchase. He had this done within 15 minutes of my purchase. In fact, he moved so fast, that I called back and ordered another and he delivered that one too! Plus he sent the receipts immediately, I am very happy with how easy they made it!

I placed an online order for a half dozen bottles of Silver Oak and received it the next day. Perfectly packaged. Fair price. Will use them from now on. Highly recommend.

Incredible customer service. I ordered a bottle of Irish whiskey online for my nieces husband on Sunday. It was delivered to their home in Alexandria VA on Monday! They corrected a mistake I made while ordering seamlessly. I would HIGHLY recommend this store!

I used these guys for my pre-wedding cocktail party and Josh was hands-down one of the nicest people I have ever done business with. He helped find the canned cocktails I wanted and quickly and efficiently ordered my favorite wine. The party was a hit thanks to him. Oh, and did I mention I tried to tip him and he refused and said he was just appreciative of my business. Who is this guy? If you are having an event -- wedding, party, etc -- you need to call these people. You will not be disappointed. I promise.

I checked out the site on line, I had a few questions about high end Whiskey and Wines. I called and spoke to first Gabe he answered my questions patiently then I went on line and ordered... easy easy! After I ordered I called next day and spoke to a man named Josh with a few more questions and he was equally helpful. My order arrived very carefully packed in foam and tape on necks within two days unharmed and on time! Impressive to say the least, my new go to. Should be yours as well. I will stop in when I ever make it to D.C. and I bet I will spend why too much... just saying!

I miss this place so much. Shopped here for five years while I lived in DC and recently moved to Santa Monica. The whole family, Steve, Josh and Gabe know more about spirits than anyone I've ever met. So much fun talking to them. Really great prices. Shop here!

Wow. I thought places like these had gone extinct !! Unbelievable professional service. Excellent pricing too. I look forward to returning.

They have great prices. They were out of a particular champagne I wanted. The guy said, he would have it the following week, and true to his word, they did. He recommended another champagne, we purchased that as well. It was very good too.

These guys are fantastic!! Although I had difficulty with my order, they were pleasant and professional everytime I called asking for help. They also gave me a refund when something happened to the order and it was never received. They had absolutely done their part and the loss want their fault, so it was beyond amazing for them to continue to help me and give me the refund. A lesser company wouldn't have done so. I would absolutely give them my business again and hope I can make it in person to the store! Thank you a million times over.

These guys are awesome! I ordered 5 bottles of higher end rum, and they took the time to pack them extra well, and they shipped them right away. I would definitely recommend these guys to anyone!

My better half and I stop in to PW&S religously to grab a split of bubbly to ease our crowd anxiety or warming bottle of bourbon. It is always always the highlight of our shopping trip. This is not just because of the fine spirits (very competitive in pricing I might add) but for the knowledgeable and friendly owners that are always there. I highly recommend stopping in.

After a long day of toddler parenting followed by intense studying, I was walking back home realizing I needed a glass of wine to unwind... I walk into the shop, and ask for the French wine section (of course...) and I see all these high priced ones...after a few min the owner/attending person asked me if I needed help, and I said: "I had a long day, I need a cheap easily drinkable Bordeaux to unwind". Here comes a French guy, he gives me an 8$ bottle of wine, I was just happy to talk to him en français :) FF 30min, I take a sip of the wine and it is perfect!!! Just what I needed! Thank you!!!! I am right now sitting home and enjoying some really good red wine, while studying further! Thank you, you guys made my day/night!

Seems to be a decent selection of wine at reasonable prices (especially when compared to the Dean & Deluca nearby). I was browsing very casually, looking for beers from Unibroue and just any bottle of wine when I saw a chardonnay from Maipe, an Argentinian label. I was excited. I've never had the chard from Maipe, but I am absolutely in love with their malbec--I've written about it extensively on my wine blog (http://vinicultured.com/2008/01/20/mmm-mmm-malbec/)--but I couldn't find it anywhere on either coast. So, when I saw the familiar cat logo I rapidly scanned the rest of the shelves for a Maipe malbec. No luck. I took up a bottle of the chardonnay to the counter and asked the first guy, who was on the phone, if they happened to have the Maipe malbec in stock. He said he didn't know, and that I should ask the wine manager. The wine manager came over soon enough and I asked him, clearly, "Would you happen to have the malbec from Maipe?" pointing at the bottle. He looked at me with disdain before stating: "THAT'S a chardonnay, not a malbec." It took me two seconds to comprehend what he told me; then I realized he might have misheard me or, perhaps, took one look at me--Asian-American kid, early- to mid-twenties, holding a bottle of chardonnay and asking for malbec (which isn't even that obscure of a grape anymore!)--and assumed I didn't know a red from a white. So I said, "No, I'm looking for the MALBEC from Maipe, NOT a chardonnay." To which he looked embarrassed and said that they didn't have any in stock. He then tried to direct my attention to some malbecs they did have in the store, but by that point I was quite done with Potomac Wines and Spirits. I'll stick with the Wine Specialist (Foggy Bottom) or Bell Liquor and Wine Shoppe (Dupont Circle)--people who don't make snap decisions about your knowledge based on appearance.

Needed Peruvian wines for a Peruvian themed dinner party here in Key West. Called on Tuesday morning, they shipped it FedEx ground that day, and wine arrived by noon on Friday, perfect to chill it for tonight's dinner. Awesome service, will be using them in the future!

For a quick trip that required a few cans of Red Bull for a pre-NYE party recharge, I stopped into Potomac Wines and Spirits. Honestly, I was in awe at the stocks that were available - but the one drawback? I came in on a holiday that coincides with lots of drinking and thus encountered the obligatory "lots of customers". The one thing this shop is not geared for is a tremendous amount of patronage and you quickly end up "nut to butt" as you attempt to slide through the aisle. Normally I would avoid a place like this after that experience but since it was NYE and the Vino Vixen recommended it, I'm going to have to try it again another day.

The GF and I spent our Saturday afternoon walking around G-town after our lunch. One of our objectives for the afternoon was to scope out the various liquor stores for price and selection. Potomac Wines and Spirits was the best of the handful of stores we checked out in terms of selection. From liquor to wine, Potomac Wines and Spirits really impressed me. The staff was knowledgeable and helpful. Prices, while not necessarily the cheapest for everything we were looking for, they were definitely competitive. I'm a big fan of being able to find what I'm looking for at one place and not having to run all over town or having to pay too much of a premium for the convenience of one-stop shopping. I'm a big fan of this place. I'll be back.

Stop #2 in the looksee of liquor stores in Georgetown. This is a small little store, but they sure do pack in a lot. Price wise - they were good I thought, perhaps not the cheapest we found, but still good. This was probably one of the better stores we went to. Not only did they have a large supply of liquor, but they also had a very good selection of wines. A potential one-stop-shop (something I'm a fan of!)

Steve is the man. He's the owner - the guy with the mustache who's babbling on the phone in Portuguese. Looks like a beer man - but, could beat the snot out of Robert Parker in a wine showdown. He knows his vino. But, more importantly - he sells that vino cheaper than ANYONE (even Total Beverage). Tell him the Vino Vixen sent you and to give you an extra smokin' deal on a wine he needs to move. Your wine cellar will thank me.

I had 8 items on my list and the employees helped me grab everything and I was in and out of there in less than 5 minutes! I had parked across the street and they even offered to help me carry out my items. I will definitely be back.

Consistently impressed by this local business. The owners and staff are always happy to help with wine or liquor recommendations. They usually have what I'm looking for, but if not they'll work with me to find something similar at whatever price point I'm working with for the occasion. I find the prices competitive with Trader Joes, but vastly improved collection of quality wines and champagnes. Definitely a better bet than most other DC liquor stores. Shame on me for shopping elsewhere for so many years. Cheers!

Excellent place for Kosher wines (and other wines as well...), offering some of the best Israeli boutique wines not only the regular ones .. in a much better pricing .. I compared them to Kosher Mart, the Ella valley wine was cheaper at the PWS in about $20 ! The guys are friendly (always) and helpful.. not only in carrying boxes but also in giving some good and HONEST recommendations. I like the small size of the place because it means I'm paying for the wine not for the rent..

This place is great. I met a really nice guy who worked there. We talked for a long time about wines. Man is he cultured or what!! His name is Josh! He led me to some wonderful crisp pinot grigio. He makes funny jokes which can be a bit uplifting. He just has It! I will be going to josh for the rest of my time in DC. He is the best in the west and the beast in the east! Thanks for being cool and funny and different.

Fantastic selection. Saw some very unique things and asked. Armenian and eastern European liquors Brandy's and such. It was just scratching the surface. Their selection is fantastic and staff seems very knowledgeable.

This is my go-to shop in Georgetown. First--and most important--is that they are very reasonably priced compared to nearby Dixie and Dean & Deluca. Still pricey because of the location, but the best in the area in my experience. They always have some sort of special deal going on, and are more than happy to pass along any discounts from their distributors. For fancy parties with nice liquor and champagne, you will find prices to be consistently lower than anything nearby. Wines are always comparable to wine.com prices. Second, they have a great selection. The staff is always knowledgeable, and more than happy to show you some great buys and give you discounts when buying in bulk. I am especially a fan of their wine selection. (For example: they have Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, which I always have trouble finding outside of CA). The guy who runs the place is friendly, if not a little gruff. I wouldn't call the service excellent, but I am consistently satisfied.

OUTSTANDING selection of hard to find goodies at very reasonable prices (particularly for the neighborhood). The staff are friendly, and they really know their business! Cheers guys!