So, while I will certainly be enjoying a batch of my fantastic aged eggnog this Christmas season, I realize that not everyone has the time, storage space, or desire to create a batch of the stuff, and certainly not from the recipe I used because, let’s be serious, I mixed a bunch of stuff that probably shouldn’t be mixed into batched eggnog. Will it be delicious? Absolutely! Was it worth it?
Eh?
So, in the interest of trying to widen the scope of what people are drinking during the holidays and for my own curiosity, I am engaging it another drink mixing series!
Bourbon and Eggnog!
Why bourbon and eggnog? Why not the supposedly traditional brandy and eggnog? Why not the more popular rum and eggnog?
Well, because I like bourbon. Bourbon’s delicious. Do I need a reason? You want to try a series on rum and eggnog or brandy and eggnog, try writing your own blog about it- get off my back. My blog, my drinks!
I realize text doesn’t always carry sarcasm well, so for those of you still reading, thank you for bearing with my outbursts.
I had done something like this last year before I started blogging, but it was more for curiosity than science and in that case I was also blending a lot of things that really had no business going into eggnog.
I’ll probably do rum or brandy next year, and we’ll see how it compares to this bourbon series.
Now, a few things going into this challenge. Much like my opening series on mixing Gimlets, I’ll be using a scoring rubric. The scoring will run 5 points each for taste (the overall flavor of the mix), depth (how well the eggnog and bourbon play well together) and overall impression (the final feeling of the drink and how well it all seems to work). My emphasis in analyzing these drinks will be focused on their overall cohesion and flavor, as I think the spiked eggnog experience should provide a smooth, complete sip that still gets across the fact you’re drinking something alcoholic.
The constants of this will be the bourbons, plus one other whiskey on a technicality, which I have tasted separately and will provide notes for below as a sort of intro to this series. Every week, for the next four weeks, I will blend our lineup with a different eggnog, creating eighteen different drinks, with a 1-4 ratio bourbon-to-eggnog, a bit more than the sometimes recommended 1-5 ratio spirit-eggnog mix because… reasons.
The eggnogs I’ll use will be Hood Golden, a plain supermarket eggnog (Hannaford Brand), Oakhurst, and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze (idk about the vegan-ness of bourbon but I should at least try to offer a non-dairy option and, honestly, I’m super intrigued how it’ll mix). If any of you have a better non-dairy eggnog than that, let me know, and I might include it, too.
I’ve restricted myself to a few limits on the bourbons in question, namely in regard to price and availability. In my market, New Hampshire, all of these bourbons are under thirty dollars a bottle, and they all also came in half-bottles because a few of these I just have no interest in drinking beyond mixing them into eggnog. I could have thrown in, again, things which really have no business being mixed into eggnog, but I thought that it would kind of defeat the democratization of this kind of thing and wanted everyone possible to try and be able to complete this challenge. Also, I like my special bourbons, they’re tasty, and they’re running out which means I’ll have to go back to Kentucky soon.
Oh, the struggles.
So, below you’ll find the list and the tasting notes of the bourbons, and whiskey, I’ll be using to mix through the next four weeks. Next week I’ll post about my first go at it!
Happy Holidays, y’all.
1. Jim Beam- Ah, Jim Beam. I don’t know how much of an introduction this one needs; it’s iconic in its own right, and certainly one of the first things that springs to mind with Bourbon. The half-bottle was plastic, which is… eh? 80 Proof, too. On the nose, I get an immediate hot note of alcohol, followed by a little artificial vanilla, cinnamon, and cherry candy. The palate is thin, with minimal flavors all around, and a bit dry. The finish is best described as prickly, a little spicy, with a longer finish of something vegetal? This is a bit harsh, monotone, and very young. Maybe it will benefit when in with the nog?
2. Evan Williams- Another icon of the bourbon scene, I’d say. Also a plastic bottle, and 86 proof. More going on in the nose here, mild sweetness, a little bit of spice, but still hot. On the palate it’s medium bodied, there’s a good sweetness and present barrel spices, but a bit of a thinner note that’s jarring. Another prickly finish, but there’s good spices mixed to a kind of raw grain/corn flavor. This is also showing some youth, and it’s not super interesting, but with a bit more weight than the Beam.
3. Maker’s Mark- Want to talk success in marketing? Talk Maker’s Mark. Distinctive packaging, a loyal fanbase, and honestly a beautiful facility (I’ve visited). This one is 90 proof, and the first in a glass bottle. Off the bat I’m going to mention a bias here… although it’s complicated. I like Maker’s fine, but it’s the 46 I keep in my cabinet, for finding that a bit more interesting. This is also the bourbon that won my unofficial taste-off last year, although I’ll admit to being less than critical. The nose reminds me right away why I reach for others over Maker’s, it’s sweet- it’s so sweet. Carmel, vanilla, corn syrup, big hits of cherry, with only a small amount of dried fruit. The palate has that sweetness on the bat, with an almost buttery feeling, and only then some other notes but really lacking spice and depth. The finish has a good dryness, some warmth, but it’s really fast. This is pleasant enough to sip, but it’s just simple, and I miss the spice and depth of other bourbons. This must have done something right by the eggnog, if I remember it from last time. Maybe it’ll surprise me again?
4. Bulleit. Marketing, marketing, marketing people. Same stuff that boosts makers boosts Bulleit: loyal fans, neat bottle, lot of words being thrown out into the world. But controversy has gotten the better of the brand lately, and honestly, I can’t remember the last time I’ve tried it on its own. 90 proof, glass bottle. The nose is pleasant enough, a good balance of sweetness and spice, some cherry, and a very interesting orange rind note. The palate is another story, almost straight pepper and oak, some of that citrus, but it’s so thin and sharp. This is a kicker, not quite a sipper, and I don’t know if I like it. Maybe the nog will temper some of this spice and heat?
5. Wild Turkey 101- Yes, there’s another Wild Turkey, but the 101 is the one that really deserves the mention. Another bias here- I had a blast touring this distillery, and to be honest, it’s my darling of the budget bourbons. 101 Proof (doi), and in a glass bottle. The nose is lovely, butterscotch, nutmeg, and toffee with some corn sweetness and a nice hit of baking spices. The palate is full, with a present sweetness, but more of those spices, brown sugar, and noticeable oak. The finish is what can throw people because that 101 means something. But it’s a pleasing burn without the prickle and pop of others. The oak astringency comes through, as well. This is rich, spicy, and burning when you need it. A guilty pleasure, and maybe a good mixer?
6. Jack Daniels- YEAH, IT’S NOT A BOURBON, I KNOW. But if we’re going for budget, availability, and whisky, I kind of felt the need to mention what some call the best-selling whiskey in the world. Jack Daniels and I managed, somehow, to avoid meeting each other through college, and I’ll admit to it not being something I usually reach for. The nose… well… my notes say ‘whiskey,’ first. It’s kind of neutral, but has that banana-candy note and some black pepper through the overall ‘whiskey’-ness. The palate is likewise mild, and thin, with a little oak flavor and pepperiness. The finish has a little bitterness, but not much else. I notice ‘a little’ a lot here, and I think that’s intentional. There’s not a lot here, but maybe the nog will unlock more?
So, there are our contenders y’all! Six whiskeys going head to head over the holiday season. Let’s see who’s got what it takes to win this… idk… Nog-Off sounds inappropriate. Battle of the Blenders? Whiskeymas?
Okay, there’s not really a good name for this. Unless someone thinks of one this is Week 0 of the Whiskey-Eggnog Mixing Challenge!
Also, hey, I’ve got a book coming out in a little over a week. That’s exciting.
Happy Holidays Y’all! And, please, nog responsibly.