Whiskey of the Month #5: The Bourbon Doubleheader

Well, we've done some single malts, an Irish whiskey, a wee taste of Rye and this month finds me with a couple of bourbons kicking around the liquor cabinet and I thought, why not have some fun and try not one, but two bourbons this month.

But first, some definitions- bourbon is:

made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn;
aged in new, charred-oak barrels;
distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume);
entered into the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume); and be bottled (like other whiskeys) at 80 proof or more (40% alcohol by volume).

The vast majority of bourbon is produced in- where else, Kentucky! Tennessee also has four major bourbon producers but three of the four don't call their finished product bourbon but Tennessee Whiskey instead. (There's some subtle differences between the two of them but I'll get into those when we actually sit down and sample a Tennessee Whiskey.)

Second, let's get to the main event- first up, we've got Maker's Mark:

Color: Amber

Body: Predominantly I got vanilla off of this- but there were notes of caramel as well and maybe just a touch of brown sugar.

Palate: Very well balanced on the tongue. It wasn't thick and syrupy but it wasn't too watery either.

Finish: Very pleasant going down with a gradual warmth that's not harsh at all.

Overall: At 30 bucks a pop (I needed some for a recipe so settled for a small bottle in the 15-20 range at Hy-Vee Waterfront) Maker's Mark should be better than it is. It's a solid bourbon but if I'm going to spend money on bourbon, I expect to be impressed. I wasn't. This was ho-hum, run of the mill bourbon- solid but I get the sneaking suspicion that they're trading on their brand-name more than anything else. A suspicion backed up by this news- and then there's this floating around out there. No offense to fans of the Mark, but at 30 bucks a pop, I'm not buying watered down bourbon.

Next up, The Original Jesse James- America's Outlaw Bourbon Whiskey:

Color: Butterscotch/caramel (an altogether darker shade of Amber.)

Body: The color matches the body on this one. The predominant flavor I got from this was butterscotch- but there's just a hint of the oak as well and maybe some toffee notes dancing on the back of the tongue.

Palate: Very, very light on the tongue- almost watery but not in a weak way.

Finish: There's not much burn to this one and that makes it very easy and altogether pleasant to drink.

Overall: At 20 bucks a pop this impressed me I felt like I got my money's worth and then some with this stuff. If you're looking to do a little bourbon exploration without breaking the bank, score a bottle of this stuff and enjoy.

Haven't been a big drinker of bourbon before this- but it's pretty damn tasty so far and as a far less expensive vice to have than Single Malt. If you're not in the brandy sifter/cigar type of budget area, you'd be better served by springing for a decent bottle of bourbon for your regular drinking and keeping a single malt kicking around for special occasions.

And if you still want to get your single malt on without breaking the bank, find a restaurant with a decent whiskey selection and go to town. I've dipped my toes into the glories of Glenfiddich this past month sampling their 15 year old Solara vat up at the Happy Gnome in St. Paul (excellent stuff- has a nice burst of sweetness that I enjoyed immensely) and their 18 year old at Baroncini's* this past weekend for my Mom's birthday. (Incredibly smooth stuff. Delicious- Father Cigar sprung for some of the Lagavulin which is the Islay of Islays- haven't met one to top it yet but Father Cigar mentioned this article on Bruchladdich that's worth a peek and a read if you can muscle your way past the pay wall- and I'm thinking a taste at some point in the future.)

Until next month, kids- happy drinking!

*Baroncini's is probably the best Italian Restaurant we've had in downtown Iowa City for a very long time- no offense to Giovanni's and the many fans of The Brown Bottle but the atmosphere was intimate, the food delicious and the Tiramisu was mind-blowingly good. Perfect for a romantic date night- but get reservations. Space is at a premium in this place. And it was pretty weird thinking about the fact it used to be Nemesis- a tattoo/piercing place. (I got my nipple pierced about where the table across from our booth was sitting- and some frat dudes were all like 'Dude are you getting your nipple pierced? Man, this dude is getting his nipple pierced!')