TheAgitator.com
Bourbon Treats
Wednesday, November 28th, 2007The New York Times does a nice review of your humble Agitator’s favorite spirit, all-American bourbon. They seem to have neglected my favorite brand and variety, Woodford Reserve. I do like Knob Creek and Virginia Gentleman, too, though I’ve never cared much for Wild Turkey. Oddly, my old stand-by Maker’s Mark has been giving me awful headaches of late, so I’ve stopped drinking it. It’s only Maker’s that does it, and it’s not a hangover situation. Just a couple of glasses do the trick. Bourbon’s not as aggressively filtered as other spirits are, so you’re always risking a rough morning if you get drunk on the stuff.
But it’s great that aged bourbon is finally getting some cred.
Interesting bit of history: Alcohol prohibition nearly killed high-end aged bourbon, though not in the way you might think. One of few ways to get alcohol during Prohibition was by way of a doctor’s prescription for some manufactured ailment. Given its uniquely American heritage (and that importing Irish or Scotch whiskey was of course illegal), bourbon became the spirit of choice for medical scripts. Over the 13 years of Prohibition, the few remaining legally operating distilleries were nearly emptied of their stock, leaving little very little bourbon in the barrels for aging. Scotch and Irish whiskey of course were still being aged and produced overseas, and had high-end, complex vintages ready for import once Prohibition was repealed. After the 21st Amendment, the bourbon industry essentially had to start over, and spent the next several decades trying to catch up. It has only recently finally started to produce the smooth, structured complexities of a good Scotch (though I’m sure most Scotch snobs will insist that even the finest bourbon will never approach a decent single malt).
You can find bourbon tastings in most decent-sized cities, now. Here in D.C., the Distilled Spirits Council sponsors an annual fund-raiser for George Washington’s Mt. Vernon estate where they invite the country’s top bourbon distillers to Virginia to recreate ol’ GW’s best bourbon recipe. I’ve been to the event a few times, but I’ve never tried the stuff. I hear it’s awful, as you might expect any 1700s brew would be.
Nice pick – Woodford Reserve is also my favorite. I can’t believe it wouldn’t have been included.
I like the story about how prohibition gave birth to the modern day concept of a cocktail. Bathtub gin and moonshine, etc. were so nasty and hard to drink compared to the professionally distilled liquors that people had to start cutting it with juices and other mixers. “Mmm, this tastes much better! I hope we don’t go blind!”
New Years a couple years ago, some friends and I had been drinking scotch for several hours when we ran out (we had gone through a couple bottles). We turned to the next best thing – a handle of Jim Beam. You know how they say after a while they all taste the same? No way. Switching from scotch to bourbon was a very difficult transition even after drinking all day. I like both, but they’re very different, and you really have to have some hair on your chest to drink bourbon straight up.
My wife, also a bourbon snob, likes most of those you listed, but her favorite by far is Ridgemont Reserve 1792. The trouble is finding it in my part of the country. Ever try that one?
Best bang-for-your-buck bourbon…Jim Beam. I’m more of an Irish whiskey guy, but you can’t beat a handle of Beam when you need a bottle to pass around a group of friends.
And welcome back to the blog comment world Radley…Although I gotta admit I kinda liked the style of no comments…
I invented a cocktail with Maker’s Mark, in part because I am too wimpy to drink bourbon straight up and in part because I thought it would be fun to have my own drink. It is called The Falcon and it is delicious: equal parts Pepsi Holiday Spice and Orange Juice, with a shot or two of Maker’s. It looks like watery barf, though, which will probably keep it in the minor leagues of cocktails.
Of course, they no longer make Pepsi Holiday Spice (imagine that), so now I have to make a “Bald Falcon” with regular old Coke in for the Pepsi Holiday Spice.
You can also make a Lean Bald Falcon (Diet Coke), a Spicy Bald Falcon (Dr. Pepper), a Spicy Lean Rocky Bald Falcon (Diet Dr. Pepper, with ice), and on and on. It becomes a pretty fun party game to come up with names – for example the Bony Thick Spicy Creamy Fruity Lean Rocky Bald Falcon, made with Diet Berries-and-Cream Dr. Pepper, pulpy orange juice with calcium, and ice.
Good call on the Woodford Reserve. It’s very rare to find it anywhere they serve liquor, in Dallas, so I’ve had to make friends with the GMs of the places I like and get them to special order it for me. Usually, they get a bottle, people like it and buy it, and then the place keeps buying it because it has a higher margin. Taste + Education = Profit!
As for drinking it straight up, I usually will drink bourbon on the rocks (put water in the glass and I’ll stab your eyeball with a rusty spoon), but when I’m truly looking to savor the bourbon, it must be unmolested.
Booker’s + Basil Hayden’s, baby!
(but I have many more bourbons to explore)
glad comments are back.. hopefully the new system will weed out the dickheads
No offense intended, but you, sir, should be dragged through the effluent of the rear end of Kentucky’s other fine product. The idea of mixing a good straight bourbon with anything other than a bit of water is not to be tolerated be decent folks! Go, and take your concoctions with you.
sirhcton
Woodford Reserve is indeed excellent, but I’ve got to put in a good word for Booker’s. If you haven’t had it, I heartily recommend it.
I’ll second Ryan’s recommendation of Basil Hayden’s, too.
And if you can afford it, the Black Maple Hill stuff is all grand, too.
Add in a plug for blantons. Not quite as smooth as Woodford, but a GREAT aged bourbon nonetheless.
I’ve got to disagree with you on the Turkey. It is one of the few that I can drink alone on rocks (along with WR, Makers, and Blantons). Don’t ever try to do this though with anything less than Makers (Jack, Jim, Rite Aide Store brand, etc.).
Woodford is excellent stuff…especially with a nice cigar. Radley, far beit from me to tell you what to do, but give Wild Turkey Rare Breed a try. It’s pretty strong stuff, but IMHO, much smoother than the regular bird.
Try Van Winkle, the 12-year. 90 proof, smooth as silk, best bourbon I’ve ever tasted.
I am particular to Woodford. It is awesome, though Knob Creek is my second.
2nd on the Van Winkles…makes Woodford and all of the like (Bulliett, Eagle’s Eyrie, Old Grand Dad 114, Bookers, etc) seem like Old Crow. Flavor still develops after almost 30 seconds after the first sip. Want to try thier 20 year, but I think I smoke too much to truly appreciate the difference…that and it is $75 a bottle around my parts.
Wild Turkey. neat or rocks. Also, take Mr. Monkey’s advice and try Rare Breed, or one of the aged versions of WT.
I wish there were more choices in the straight Rye category. I prefer it because it’s not as sweet as Bourbon.
I’m confused — I thought like the whole Champagne thing that real Bourbon only comes from Bourbon County Kentucky? what’s up with Virginia “Bourbon”??
Also too, the article makes good mention of elijah craig. More good stuff there, for a cheaper aged choice (12 year I believe)
A couple years ago my sweetie bought me a bottle of Elijah Craig for Christmas that had its “put in the barrel” date on it. It was about 25 years old. It was awesome. By dint of extreme self-control I managed to make it last til almost the end of January.
Gotta add my “not sure about it” to the comments thing. I already spent a lot of time here. :-)
Jack Daniels is not Bourbon, it is Sour Mash Whiskey made in TN.
Elijah Craig is the best Bourbon for drinking straight. Makers Mark is not smooth compared Elijah Craig. Havn’t had every bourbon but EC is my Favorite.
Great Boubon deserves to be drinken straight.
Read more about Straight Bourbon at:
http://www.straightbourbon.com/articles/ccname.html