Bourbon Tasting at Castro’s Lounge

Last full day of tasting in Whiskey Week, and it was a beauty! I only recently came to appreciate well made bourbons.  If you, like me, perceived them as sort of one step above moonshine a) you’re not alone and b) it’s time to reconsider.

So, bourbon then.  It is a grain distillate, made from corn (and possibly other grains), and particularly prevalent in the American South, especially Kentucky.  There are a few types of American whiskey, including sour mash, blended grain, wheat malt, rye, and, of course, bourbon.  Bourbon has interesting rules about it: Each batch has to be aged in brand-new charred oak barrels (many other forms of whiskey are made in bourbon barrels for this reason).  It must contain at least 51% corn.  It can only be distilled to 80% alcohol, and must be no more than 62.5% when it is racked into the barrel for ageing.  It must be bottled at minimum of 40% though higher is quite common.  And here’s the strange one (to me at least): There is no requirement on ageing.  Indeed, there are apparently bourbons sold in the USA that have only been in a barrel for a few months!

Because of the rule about having to use only fresh oak barrels, in the south, and again particularly in Kentucky, the art of the cooper (the barrel maker)  is alive and well.  Whereas there are (I think) currently three active coopers in Ontario, in Kentucky, you either are a cooper, or know one.

So, I’m not the only one to take a shine to bourbon recently. Many a bar is now stocking an impressive list, and the LCBO is bringing in a range of expressions for the demanding masses.  And you can call me a homer, but I can’t think of a better place to sip a glass of bourbon than my local bar, Castro’s Lounge.  Over the past year, through LCBO purchases and working with importers, Anthony and Stephen have been selling some truly excellent bourbons.  I picked a few to try that are fairly easy to find, and spent a lovely afternoon feeling like a southern gent.  Check out Castro’s at http://www.CastrosLounge.com.

Wild Turkey 81 Proof

A bourbon that is made with a good quantity of rye in the mash, Wild Turkey 81 Proof is orange with traces of brown in the centre.  The nose shows vanilla and charred oak.  There is orange peel, some spices and a bit of toast.  Taste is immediately sweet, with hints of unrefined sugar, more smokey charred oak, white pepper and vanilla.  There are whispers of orange and cantaloupe, and a touch of leather.  Finish has the classic heat associated with bourbon, and a clean slightly sweet linger.

Wild Turkey 81 Proof at the LCBO

Eagle Rare Single Barrel

Made by the Buffalo Trace distillery, Eagle Rare is amber with traces of gold on the edges.  On the nose, there is confectioner’s sugar, coconut, cedar, vanilla and hayfield.  It is very sweet on the front of the palate, starting like confectioners sugar and finishing with hints of cotton candy.  It is a little fruity with more lovely vanilla notes.  I’m tasting coconut, banana and pears.  The oak is nearly gone, just those traces of vanilla to show it’s still there.  The finish is herbal and a little grassy, with that cotton candy sweetness and a pleasing alcohol heat. Really nice stuff.

Eagle Rare Single Barrel at the LCBO

Knob Creek

This is one of four bourbons made by Jim Beam, geared towards the higher-end market.  One of it’s siblings, Basil Hayden, is currently available at Vintages.  Knob Creek is a higher-proof (50% abv) whiskey aged 9 years in it’s barrel.  Because of it’s long maturation in charred oak, it pours a lovely copper brown.  The oak and vanilla that are characteristic of bourbon are very notable on the nose, as are oranges, burnt sugar, a touch of lemon and hints of mint and black tea.  There is still a good woody profile on the palate, with a caramel sweetness.  There is more lemon, and now green apples, and still a hint of mint.  The finish is very hot, fitting the abv; caramel sweet with a fruity note that is almost cherries; it sort of reminds me of FunDip. A solid bourbon.

Here’s a fun story about this expression:  One night, at Castro’s, I was drinking with one of the owners, Stephen.  We were in our cups, and he called to the bartender, Romilly, for shots.  He asked for B-52s, “The original shot!”, but was reminded we didn’t have two of the three ingredients any more (as most of our liqueres ran dry, we chose not to replace them).  So I suggested a round of B-53s.  Romilly shrugged and poured us each a shot of Knob Creek.  It was magic.  Best fancy shooter ever.

Knob Creek Bourbon at the LCBO

Bulleit

Bulleit is a Bourbon, owned by Diageo and made at the Kirin Four Roses Distillery.  You should be recalling, at this point, what John Hall and I discussed about the dominance of a few major internationals in the spirit industry.   It is aged for at least six years, which puts it in the upper-middle range for aged bourbons, and its tawny orange/brown confirms its age.  The nose is heavily vanilla, with clear pops of oak and leather.  The taste is oaky and nearly vinous.  On the front of the palate, there’s a fruity sweetness that reminds me of those strawberry hard candies that seem ubiquitous with side tables, doilies and little cut-glass dishes.  There’s an astringency that cuts the initial sweetness and resolves into a fairly dry hot finish.  Even though it’s only 45% abv, it’s quite hot.  Sort of a classic in my mind for bourbon.  There’s these little traces of smoke that show up from time to time from the extended ageing, but it’s mostly sweet, boozy and hot, with nice vanilla/oak flavours.  A brash bourbon, but a good one.

Bulleit Bourbon at the LCBO

So this whole week you’ve been like “I really really don’t drink spirits….”

Well, I would say tough up, but I try to stay friendly around here.  Why not consider a cocktail?  I’m no mixologist, but I’ll give you a recipe for a lovely summertime bourbon-based drink that you might even have the ingredients for already.

Mint Julep

The drink of choice at the Kentucky Derby, these drinks are lovely any time when it’s hot out (or you wish it was).  It’s basically cold sweetened bourbon, with some mint of aroma.  Despite having only four ingredients, there are nearly infinite variations on how to make these.  Do you muddle the mint and sugar?  Use a syrup? This is how I make them.  I omit the classic tin julep cup, and instead use chilled (like an hour in the freezer) rock glasses.  Okay?

• 1.5 oz Good Bourbon.  Try it with the Bulleit mentioned above.
• 0.5 oz simple syrup. Literally, just half water half sugar.  I use “raw” sugar in mine.  You can make it in a pot to speed up dissolving, but it will need to be chilled to make the drink. This is to taste, so play with it.
• 1-2 sprigs of mint. Depending on how minty your mint is.  Don’t muddle it, just add it as you add the ice.  It will bruise when you stir the drink.
• Enough crushed ice to fill the glass.  I like it chunky, not slushy.

So, ice and mint in glass.  Pour in your simple syrup.  Pour in your bourbon.  Mix.  Drink.  Repeat.  Be careful, they go down pretty easy, and it’s still bourbon…..

Fin

And that is that for the whiskeys of whiskey week.  I hope you’ve had fun.  I also hope you’re thinking about whiskey differently, whether you drink it regularly or have never tried it.  I’ll be posting a wrap-up of the week, hopefully tomorrow, then we’re back to beer.  And there are worse places to be than drinking great beer!