I've been trying out various kinds of Scotch and Irish Whiskey and am looking to expand my horizons and try other kinds of Whiskey without investing in an entire bottle of something.  

What are some good bars for this in NoVa?

I've already found:

- O'Sullivan's in downtown Herndon
- Old Brogue in Great Falls

What else is out there?

Go to every bar you can find,ask for Booker's. If they have it sit down and drink as much as you can. It is great stuff and the batch I am drinking at the moment is 129.1 proof.

I regret I can't remember any of the places where I have seen a well-stocked bar (besides my basement ), but with Christmas season approaching, one thing you can do is watch for special deals. Sometimes for the holidays you can pick up "sets" that contain a maker's full range, including older stuff at an attractive price. And, each of them is 50ml so you don't have a whole bottle. You'll probably also find the "Classic Malts of Scotland" (a marketing scheme with six member distilleries) in a gift pack. Also at ABC shops the minis are sometimes (oddly) priced at or less than the price of a fifth (per 50ml). You can only get so far with that strategy, but if you're just starting out it's a pretty good way to go. By the time you start going to establishments and paying a premium to have your whiskeys served, you'll at least have an idea of whether you like Islays, Highlands, Irish Whiskey, etc.

I haven't been to a DC liquor store in years, but there's no state alcohol monopoly there so you may be able to find a much wider range in minis and sets. I know with beer there's a lot of stuff that's just not available in VA, and it's not because it's not made or imported. It's a strange and random pattern in which only parts of some brewers' lineups are available in VA.

Booker's BTW, is a very good bourbon. Friends and I generally considered it one to end the evening with rather than as a session drink, because at that proof, you can only drink so much.

Which makes it very economical.

LOL true, but I lean towards a 3 churchill evening rather than say, 1/2 a robusto followed by a face full of lawn.