For those of you who don't know, bourbon is uniquely American. Unlike other popular whiskeys such as scotch, from Scotland, and various Crown Royal products, from Canada, bourbon is an American made whiskey. The world of whiskey is actually a pretty complicated one and most people don't fully understand what makes whiskeys different. There are many different types of whiskeys and countless variations of such types that could fill a book, and have. Today I'm talking specifically about bourbon.
Now there are some people who know a little more than others about whiskey, but still don't know much. These people tend to think that because bourbons come predominately from Kentucky that in order for a whiskey to be considered a bourbon, it must be made in Kentucky. This is false. For a whiskey to be deemed bourbon, it must contain 51 percent corn in the mashbill, with the remainder being made up of barley, wheat, or rye. It also has to be matured in new, charred white-oak barrels for no less than 2 years. This is what constitutes a bourbon and therefor can be made anywhere. It just so happens that the limestone soil in Kentucky yields rich crops of corn and the water source is fresh and plentiful. It is no consequence that surrounding states such as Tennessee enjoy the same resources and also produce similar whiskeys. As an aside, Jack Daniels is uniquely named a Tennessee Whiskey and is not a bourbon. As our tour guide repeated continuously on our tour of the Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburge, they like to do things a little different down in the holler. Now, although it doesn't have to be made in Kentucky to be a bourbon, the name "bourbon" is derived from Bourbon County in Kentucky and about 95 percent of all bourbon is made in its "home state".
I could go on all day about how bourbon is made but that's not the point of this post. So now that you know a little bit about the spirit, I'll list my top 5 favorite bourbons (in no particular rank or order) for you to stock up your fall bar and try yourself.
1. Woodford Reserve
I wanted to start with Woodford because it is something that many bourbon drinkers would recognize but not the most obvious choice to some. The Woodford distillery is located in "bluegrass" horsebreeding country and produces one of the fastest growing bourbons in the country. The smallest distillery operating in Kentucky triple distills its bourbon, giving it a very clean finish and helping fully develop the fragrant and fruity flavors. Woodford Reserve Distiller Select is the most popular bourbon from the distillery that also offers 3 Master's Collection variations, all four of which have earned countless awards by the most prestigious wine and food experts. Woodford Reserve, like many of the bourbons I'll mention, is prefect neat (by itself) but is also a good mixing whiskey if you aren't use to drinking it straight. It has a complex flavor with burnt sugar on the palate and a peppery oak in the finish.
2. Booker's
Booker's is one of 5 bourbons I sampled at a whiskey tasting at Diamondback's here in Waco. A representative from the Jim Beam distillery supplied the whiskey and the Diamondback's kitchen paired a food course to match the flavors of each. Booker's was my second favorite from the evening. It comes from the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, Kentucky and unlike at the Woodford factory, is one of many products that are produced there. Although Booker's is produced at a large distillery, it is uniquely different and has a smaller exclusive feel. This is because it is bottled unfiltered and undiluted to maintain its natural barrel flavors. It is part of the small batch collection of the distillery, meaning they are made in limited quantities and are a mix of the barrels from the upper and lower racks of the barrel house. It is a very robust, traditional and classy bourbon, aged between 6 and 8 years. Each bottle is labeled with a hand-written inscription of proof, age and batch number.
3. Maker's Mark
Everyone recognizes the red wax top. Whether you're a seasoned bourbon drinker or just have ever walked into a liquor store, you recognize Maker's Mark. If there is brand more synonymous with the quintessential bourbon, this is it. Maker's Mark is the oldest working distillery in the country that remains in its original location in Loretto, KY. Maker's is a more mellow whiskey using corn, malted barley and red winter wheat. It is distilled twice in copper pot stills and isn't aged for any specific amount of time. The whiskey is tasted no less than five times throughout the maturation process and when the master distiller thinks it's ready, it's poured. After it's poured, the bottled is topped then dipped in the signature red wax. Maker's Mark is medium body with spice and vanilla notes, perfect to drink on ice with a cigar.
4. Blanton's
Blanton's is hands down my favorite bourbon. I love it so much that after years of Makers's Mark being the drink of my fraternal family, I switched it to Blanton's. One, because too many other families in the fraternity claimed Maker's Mark as their drink and two, because it is just that much better. Even before you open the bottle you can already tell you have a great product in your hands. In some cases an extravagant bottle falsely advertises the contents, not in this case. The unique bottle design and metal horse cork stopper were what attracted me to it on the shelf. The label with hand written proof, date dumped, and warehouse, rick, barrel and bottle number (the bottle sitting on my desk right now is number 180) are what lead me to buy it. Unlike the bourbons already mentioned, Blanton's is a single barrel bourbon. This means that the whiskey is poured straight from the barrel to the bottle with no mixing, cutting, or filtering. Each barrel is going to have slightly different characteristics, giving Blanton's an inconsistency that is anything but disappointing. Single barrel bourbons are made in the smallest quantities and the process only dates back to 1984. Blanton's is a full bodied whiskey with a noticeably sweeter palate. The finish is long and creamy and stays with you. I wouldn't drink this fine bourbon any other way than neat.
5. Knob Creek Single Barrel
Many are familiar with the original Knob Creek. The original is a classic small batch bourbon that is perfect for mint juleps in the spring and is part of the same small batch collection as Booker's. This however, is the single barrel version of Knob Creek. It goes through a very similar process as Blanton's and was my favorite bourbon from the Diamondback's bourbon tasting I spoke of in the Booker's section. This is a very new bourbon and has only been on the shelves for a few months. This is a very good single barrel bourbon and I would certainly recommend it.
All 5 of these bourbons are more complex, fine whiskeys that are meant to be purchased in smaller quantities, drank over longer periods of time, and not ruined with mixers. Woodford and Maker's are often used to make cocktails and certainly make a better whiskey drink that well liquor, but I also have a few suggestions for mixing whiskeys. My two favorite bourbons for mixing purposes are the classic Jim Beam and Old Charter and if you're really looking to save some money, Ezra Brooks is a damn fine bourbon for only $20 a half gallon. Hell, it even has a cork stopper.
No comments:
Post a Comment