I really need someone to stop me naming my own blog posts.
Hello everybody! Time keeps marching, doesn’t it? Still stuck at home, now a little over 15k into NaNoWriMo, recovering from Election Week here in America. I think now more than at any other time we all deserve a drink. This week I’m turning to bourbon (and one bourbon-derived whiskey but we’ll get there).
Why bourbon? Well, one: it’s delicious. Bourbon is probably my most drunk spirit, back and forth with gin depending on mood. Two: it’s American (yes, anywhere in American can make bourbon, sorry Kentucky), and we need a little bit of that these days. Three: I happen to currently have a lot of it on hand… While I was in North Carolina, I had a not-terribly long drive to the bourbon heartland, something which I took advantage of. Drinking some of those bottles I collected on that trip reminds me of a time where I could actually, you know, take trips. For these reasons, I have a healthy supply of bourbon ready to go. It’s comforting, it’s nostalgic now, and it’s American forever.
A couple notes. The first is that the bottles of bourbon that were included in the picture with this post that were not tasted were my EH Taylor Small Batch and Baker’s (because they weren’t open), and my bottle of Maker’s Mark Private Select Bill Samuels Jr. because it’s been open for a little too long and it’s super special to me.
Please drink responsibly.
Another note: none of this stuff is sponsored or like… advertisements disguised as blogging. A- I’m nowhere near important enough for people to ask me yet and B- that stuff feels so weird and forced. Bleh. All this is literally my pulling bottles off my home bar and tasting them (over the course of a coupled days because, again, RESPONSIBILITY).
· St. Augustine Florida Straight Bourbon
o What is it? Exactly as the name describes, Florida bourbon! Distilled by the St. Augustine distillery, bottled at 88 proof.
o Why do I have it? This is a bottle leftover from my trip to Florida in January. The St. Augustine distillery is a fun visit, and it’s a rather tempting gift store.
o What’s it like? Noticeably woody bourbon. The nose is big on oak, spice, and a little bit of sweetness. Noticeable grain, and a little fruit. The palate is sweet, but only just. Not cloying. Dark sugar, caramel, a little fruit, and a little tobacco. Tannin and pepper on the finish.
o What do I use it for? It’s a nostalgic sipper, bringing back memories of college. Sometimes I give it to guests to experience new things.
· Wild Turkey 101
o What is it? Wild Turkey’s flagship- I think I can say that. This is the bottle I think of, at least. High char, high rye, high proof. I was told they wanted to make a bold whiskey, and here we are.
o Why do I have it? I won’t lie and tell you that I keep a bottle of this on hand more often than not. It’s whiskey when it’s needed. That’s an underrated thing. Also my tour guide at the distillery was phenomenal. Bubba, this is for you.
o What’s it like? This is rich and spicy. The proof certainly comes through on the those, but after that you get some lovely nutmeg and clove backed up by rich caramel and a little butter. Full palate, with a healthy sweetness and some fruit. You certainly feel this one going down.
o What do I use it for? I call this my flask bourbon. The extra proof and boldness make it good for when you can’t do much more than take a swallow of something.
· Maker’s Mark 46
o What is it? NOT technically a bourbon. It’s a bourbon whiskey that gets finished with charred French Oak staves.
o Why do I have it? Because I don’t like Maker’s Mark. Honestly, I don’t. This however, I do enjoy.
o What’s it like? Take that Maker’s thin sweetness, and give it some backbone. The nose has an overall layer of sweet corn, a little graininess, and then sweet vanilla and oak spice. The palate is honeyed and a little buttery. Then you get the wood, the vanilla and cinnamon, and the hit of drying tannin. (…I like this one).
o What do I use it for? This is my go-to for old fashioned. The extra wood and spice help tremendously in the cocktail, but that Maker’s sweetness keeps everything nice and balanced.
· Four Roses Small Batch Select
o What is it? The newest permanent release to the Four Roses lineup. Four Roses has a rather… intricate… system for its yeasts, ageing, and blending that plenty others have nerded about. Of the 10 possibly recipes, this bottling uses 6, aged for at least 6 years.
o Why do I have it? It’s… delicious. Four Roses Small Batch was for a long time my go-to bourbon, and then they released this. It was also the first Kentucky distillery I visited. Sometime ask me about the time I was mistaken for being a member of the Japanese consulate on my visit there.
o What’s it like? I actually wrote a rather in-depth review of this one on my Instagram!
o What do I use it for? This is my go-to sipping bourbon, very rarely made into an old fashioned to treat myself. The high price has limited how much I purchase it, but I do make sure to have it.
· Maker’s Mark Cask Strength
o What is it? As described. A cask-strength (in this case- 110.4), bottling of the Maker’s formula.
o Why do I have it? Remember that I don’t like Maker’s Mark? It’s mainly for it being a little too sweet and a little too thin. This fixes that. I also bought it out of curiosity, hoping for just that.
o What’s it like? Fiery and assertive. Definitely get the proof on the nose. Once that fades, there’s a cornbread like sweetness, some caramel, spice, and honey. The palate is coating, spicey, with a backbone of honeyed sweetness. It’s a smooth burn, but definitely a burn.
o What do I use it for? I wrote somewhere before about eggnog and Maker’s. This is a good winter bourbon, for that and other reasons. Very warming.
· Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
o What is it? An attempt by Old Forester to recapture the spirit of it being one of the few distilleries kept open through Prohibition. It’s proofed (115) and blended to pay homage to the recipe at the time.
o Why do I have it? It changed my mind about a cocktail I didn’t like, and came highly recommended from a friend.
o What’s it like? High-octane dark chocolate covered cherries in bourbon form! I mean, really, the nose is so fruity backed by dark chocolate and a little vanilla and oak spice. The palate is explosive, rich, and transitions from sweet fruit back to oaky spice and noticeable, drying tannin.
o What do I use it for? This was the bourbon that turned me on to Manhattans, after a lengthy stretch of not enjoying them. It has the fruit that blends nicely with sweet vermouth and enough oomph to not become flabby.
· Blanton’s Single Barrel
o What is it? Come on. It’s Blanton’s. “The Original Single Barrel Bourbon.” It’s kind of a cult thing.
o Why do I have it? Basically for the reasons above. If I can find it (lord is that getting harder), then I grab a bottle. Or two.
o What’s it like? After the last couple, surprisingly delicate. Honey and some florals on the nose, a little fruit, mild vanilla and wood. Almost a kind of biscuity character. The palate is sweet and complex, a little dried orange and more honey, with enough dryness to keep it balance.
o What do I use it for? Sipping, and for special guests.
· Wild Turkey Rare Breed
o What is it? A barrel-strength incarnation of Wild Turkey.
o Why do I have it? It came recommended, and the price wasn’t too dear.
o What’s it like? Oily and bold. Noticeable ethanol on the nose, followed by cherry and a faint vanilla and spice. The palate is the oily part, very coating, bigger on fruit than the regular 101. The spice on the back is appreciated.
o What do I use it for? I’ll be honest, for what I like about this I’m more likely to reach for the 101 or my Old Forester. It sits in a weird void quality and price wise compared to the others I have.
· Four Roses Single Barrel
o What is it? As advertised. It’s a single-barrel expression of Four Roses. I think they always use the OBSV recipe for the single barrel except under special releases… but don’t quote me. That means a focus on rye and ‘delicate fruit.’
o Why do I have it? This exact bottle I purchased at the distillery! It’s lately been my lake bourbon, squirreled away in the back of the cabin for when the fishing’s a bust or if it’s raining and I need to write. It’s also, for its money, incredible.
o What’s it like? Well, the rye is readily apparent and that’s why I love this bourbon. The nose is spice and wood, a little musty, showing a little fruit and caramel. The palate really shows the rye; starting faintly sweet before transitioning to herbal, menthol-y notes and a great dry feeling.
o What do I use it for? A special-occasion sipper, or a mood-booster.