GNV TO THE SEA - Four Roses: A Very Special Single Barrel

In a Shot:  During a private invitation to Gerry and Victoria's house, I am given a very unique Bourbon with a very special sentiment.

It's amazing who you come across in this business, simply by standing still.  It amazes me every time how people like Yoko will suddenly give me a bottle of Tombo Sochu (Delicious Japanese vodka) or when Jen gave me that bottle of Awamori (Lovingly called Snake Juice, spirit aged in a process using poisonous snakes).  Some of the most fascinating treats from them, I thank you for your love and support.  Then there are those who are home bread and homeward bound.  They present me not only with things from this country, but things that are only exclusive to regional aspects of our land.  It doesn't happen all the time, but every once in a while, something ironic/iconic like this happens.

A very exclusive, extremely unique and quite honestly personal dram, presented by a man who invited me into his house for a final sit down and drink before leaving under his guiding wing in his restaurant we all know has, since this post, locked it's doors indefinitely;  I present to you, the Four Roses Single Barrel Tasting Notes:

Drinking from a bottle Gerry Hebert gave me, sold exclusively at Schneider's of Capitol Hill (Fine wines & spirits) hand selected and bottled from Warehouse DS, with a 35% rye Mashbill / delicate fruity yeast:  February 18th 2011 (the month and day my wife Mary and I were married and held a reception in Gerry's restaurant only three years prior).  Aged 8 Years and 9 Months settling in at 100 proof.  A bottle (Number 2-4K) whom I'm sure Four Roses and quite possibly the Heberts had NO idea sang such poetry in our hearts and hearts.  So to you both, this Next Rounds on Me!

First glance the dram appears a burnt copper in color.

Strong ethanol at first reminding me of a hospital.  But allowing it to oxidise, simply nosing it over a span of ten minutes there are evolutionary changes.  With time to breath; Toasty oak and tart raspberry (Definitely found through the small amount of rye present and as affected by the choice of yeast), there are notes of dried dark red fruits and even canned peaches.  The mouth is coated with a warming hard candy flavor.  It takes it's time to finish, allowing it's spine tingling warmth to overwhelm the entire palate, though it sharply stings the sweet area of your taste buds.   A dusting of Hershey's milk chocolate and butter are overlapped by the expected flavors of caramel and an extra creamy vanilla.  Over time, the heat dissipates and the drink becomes remarkably smooth for a dram packing 50% ABV.

I've conducted this tasting under my usual circumstance.  A washed face, washed hands, blown nose with crackers eaten prior to the experience and lots of water  in between each section of the tasting.  This is my very formal way of creating my dossier of each drink I consume, but with Gerry and his wife Victoria, the experience was far more casual.

We enjoyed this dram prior to Gerry getting a knee surgery.  The man ate the most insane dinner and dessert that night, as if he would never be allowed to eat again, ever.  His plan was to polish off this entire bottle of single barrel by the stroke of midnight, after which if he consumed anything, would develop into a cocoon and hatch the next day a terrible Gremlin.  We sat in his living room listening to old tunes on the radio, Gerry was capable of calling out each and every band within the first 4 seconds of each song playing and we spoke about Cape May and the longevity of our relationships.  We spoke about folks in Cameron Station, Alexandria VA, a community that "rose" out off a military base that became it's own township, if you will.  We, the people of Food Matters became it's central hub.  It was experiences such as this and the times my wife and I spent at "GNV's" beach house in Cape May or the catering's to Gerry's office, or that time I went to the Masonic temple and Gerry was attempting to buy a trip (all for charity mind you) to some island or boat trip somewhere and he was up against one of America's homeland security top execs and lost "Hoping she simply just ran out of money!" from all the other bids she won.

It has been great times and Gerry's energy is something in his age, I strive for in the next five years!  He's been a father figure to me and a breath of fresh air.  I hope I've done him proud and I thank him for all that he's ever done for me.  Let this small tasting be my sentiment to him and Victoria, who helped mold me into the community supporter I am today.  I hope to make my mark as strong as I did in your community in the next place, wherever that may be.  Blessings and good times.  I say, thank you.

Cheers and with Love,

Johnny Cocktail

My FEWCumber Coolers at Food Matters

In a Shot:  A recap on the drink that caught the attention of few and ended up winning the hearts of many over four years and possibly counting.

“I think pickles are cucumbers that sold out. They sold their soul to the devil, and the devil is dill...”

- Annonymous 

 

I think whoever wrote this, clearly walked through a life of tunnel vision.  There is nothing more satisfying than the vinegary crunch of a damn fine pickle.  I agree that at some point, there simply isn't a more refreshing or practically advancing produce than the cucumber.  It is a fascinating being.  It originated in India, like a lot of our best ingredients and has the misconception of being a vegetable like the tomato.  Botanically speaking, if it grows with seeds within itself and from a flower, it is technically a fruit.  Please, reserve your arguments for the true hearted.  I consider it by fact a fruit and by practice one of my vegetables, so let's not get so hasty here.  Perhaps it was just the way I was raised!

Getting back to the point at hand though, THIS GUY WAS BIASED!!!!  The combination of fresh dill and cucumber prior to pickling is something of matchmaker game shows.  It is currently trendy, it was meant to be for this generation and those who witness it, when done right, applaud!  I came across such an inspiration from a Mixologist named Scottie in Rehoboth beach with my recently married wife, Mary, during one of several honey moons blessed to us from this amazing community, Cameron Station, Alexandria, during our courtship.  Thanks again to Carla B. and more importantly during this viral infestation, Pat S. and her family for leading us to their beach house!  The day I came home, the idea of using cucumbers and dill had to take place!  With that, eventually came a cocktail that comprised of Grey Goose vodka, fresh dill muddled into kosher salt, fresh lime juice as well as juiced cucumbers and a syrup made from raw cucumbers, I had created the summer/spring cocktail anthem without even truly knowing it!  I thank the Przystawik family for guiding me on the culinary process, sharing the true strengths of salt and acid.  Because of them, I consider that an integral part to my original balance and utilise it to make everything I consider, thus far.

"The beauty of this drink is that you not only get one of your daily vegetables, it's the fact that it helps to make your skin look better; and after two or three, it makes everybody else look better too!"

- Johnny Cocktail

Every month at Food Matters, their menu changed and with that, so did the cocktail.  None more requested nor remembered was this particular concoction though.  I had people asking me for recipes and calling me a saint or a doctor and on certain days that never included Sundays, a God.  I had no choice, but to bring it back, but I told everybody that I would change it so I could let my creative juices flow.  It became the flagship of my stable of cocktails.  In five years being at Food Matters, I created in some form, five of these fresh elixirs.  The first, now down in history with vodka and dill.  I once recreated it guest bartending for Hook restaurant in Georgetown, DC utilising Hendrick's Gin, a match far more superior in my humble opinion.

"It is the destiny of mint to be crushed."
- Waverley Lewis Root

Next year, I created a cucumber Mojito switching out the said herbs and spirit with rum and mint.  It was here, I tried making the drinks peeling the cucumber skin for both the juice and the syrup.  The outcome was far more brighter, light and cleaner.  It is now the staple when making these drinks.  This combination, strangely gave off a side effect flavor of jolly rancher sour apple hard candies!  One of my personal favorites.

 

 

"Miss Ainslie gathered a bit of rosemary, crushing it between her white fingers. 'See,' she said, 'some of us are like that, it takes a blow to find the sweetness in our souls.'"
Lavender and Old Lace
-Myrtle Reed (1874–1911)

 

For Catoctin Creek Distilleries of Loudon County I recreated the drink showcasing their Mosby's all natural and organic rye spirit with Rosemary, a drink the master distiller's described as a favorite and nicknamed themselves as the  "Cool Hand Cuke".  The major difference with this beverage is that the drink was served over rocks and should have a large sprig of rosemary next to the straw so that when one goes to sip it, it has that fresh Rosemary  wafting into your nostrils! 

“Some writers say the leaves are used for seasoning, but this statement seems odd, as all the green parts of the plant exhale a very strong odor of the wood-bug, whence the Greek name of the plant.”
— Vilmorin-Andrieux (on cilantro), from The Vegetable Garden (1885)

Let me quickly state that there simply are no descent quotes out there regarding Cilantro!  Moving on.  When the word got out that Food Matters was coming to a close, I selfishly thought about my cocktail specials and how I wouldn't be able to showcase them.  And so I figured I'd end this off where it blew up.  With cilantro fresh and in season, I created the Cucumber Cooler # 4.  A drink, yet again comprising of cucumber juice and syrup with lime.  This time the show stoppers are silver tequila, freshly muddled cilantro and a cilantro salt.  Consider it a perfect spin on the Margarita.  From this point on, now that I've covered all the basic clear spirits and my most favorite herbs (not to mention the temporary lack of a restaurant vessel) the future of #5 is mystic and challenging.  Wish me luck!

 

My 12th grade English teacher, Mrs. Pennington, once addressed the entire class reviewing papers stating "Boys and girls, one day, John Shope is going to write....SOMETHING."  Funny how it turned out to be a blog and a cocktail menu!  I want to thank every single person, whether faced or not who ever bought my Cucumber Cooler or ANY of my drinks; You made me unique and I knew I was doing something great because of the words you said and the memories you created.  I say this, I don't plan on stopping now so look out for Johnny Cocktail, I've got a feeling that this is only the beginning!

I know I say it more times than necessary but once again, thanks for all of the love and support.

Cheers to Adan Aparicio for all of the drawings he produced at Food Matters for the Cocktail Program.

 

Cheers!

Reflection. My Time at Food Matters

Funny, one of the very first cocktails I ever put together, The Reflection, an after dinner drink that consisted of clear Sambuca and Stolichnaya Vanil served in a small port glass, has a bit of irony by today's standards.  I'm still using Stoli to make great cocktails (Such as the current Seasoned Strawberry Sangria).  It's funny how full circle things can be and it's in this reflective mode I remember my roots.

But I've come a long way from the simple blendings of store bought mixers, liquors and juices.  Food Matters showed me an entire culinary world in the art of cocktail making utilising whatever is in season, at it's peak of freshness to concoct some of the best drinks I've ever had any where in the DMV area.  Almost "Chef-Tending", I factored in layers and balance to making cocktails much like Chef's Tom & Christy Przystawik look at creating a great dish.  There needed to be salt, acid, sweetness, bitterness and the perfect level of heat from the alcohol and it was important to be able to taste every ingredient that went into the drink or else it did not serve a purpose.   Food Matters taught me that cocktails didn't have to be constricted to the confines of commercial ideals.  Because of them, I've made drinks with strawberry infused balsamic vinegar, fresh dill muddled kosher salt, black peppercorn simple syrup, sweet sorghum, roasted cardamom, orange blossom water, wine, beer and sherry.  I've made amazing drinks using fresh eggs and from vegetables like beets, cucumbers, carrots, celery and peppers.  I've used just about every fruit, spice and herb under the sun and took on speciality tasks such as creating my own barrel aged whiskies, salts, sugars, syrups, home made lemoncello's, infused whiskies, home made sparkling waters, ginger beers and other mixes.  They've given me the greatest method to producing the best Sangria's and Eggnog's money can buy.  They really took a chance on someone like me but gave me one of the greatest opportunities in my life, for this I am forever grateful.

Reflection.  I remember the first time Christy made a mint iced tea for me just because or when Chef Tom asked me to try a sauce or other project he'd be working on.  To better ourselves, I remember doing boot camp every morning before sunrise with Chef or that time we put a bottle of Tennessee whiskey up in a contest to see who could lose more weight in one month.  The day when he turned forty and I gave him a Miller High Life big boy and a card wishing him "to have a good 40".  I'll forever remember their daughter Amelie, because she was the very first child I ever picked up and held.  Food Matters is the reason I can say things like "Ayrshire, Wegmeyer and Hollin are some of my favorite local farms!"  I'll take with me the countless (Free, mind you) wine classes Christy gave me and other staff members.  Because of her, AOC's like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, regions like Chile, Uruguay, Oregon and grapes like Gavi, Torrontes, Tempranillo and Tanat create wines that I can truly say I love over your traditional Chardonnay or Cab (These two are very good grapes, just massive commercial success drives me to find the next thing).  I was taught that real men eat quiche and you can still be bad ass but enjoy a South African Rose.  I love sparkling Mascato, raspberry Merlots, Tanat and Monastrell dessert wines, things I would never consider to drink until  I learned how to appreciate them for what they are.

Names like David Powell, Rachel Martin, Doug Fabbioli, Bill Butcher, Rick Wasmund, Joe Dangler and Scott/Becky Harris are not only in my Rolodex because of what transpired here at Food Matters, but I can even consider them as friends.  I am fans of their wine, their beer and their whisky from here on out and are among my favorites of each respected category.  Thank you for the chance to meet, eat, drink and work with these people.

And thanks for getting Mary and I through the Great Urban Race.  Calling Chef on reconnasaince and getting tip offs from Dad made that race all the more exciting!

Reflection.

So many things in Cameron Station consolidate it as such a remarkable neighborhood.  They've impacted me so hard, that I had to ask for some of them to come be apart of my wedding and reception.  A reception where Mary and I shared a beautiful evening at Food Matters amongst friends and family.  I thank all of those who participated in that event and the contributors to our three honey moon getaways.  Gerry & Victoria for making Cape May New Jersey a go to location for Mary for the rest of our lives.  You are more generous and lucky to have had that space and to have shared it with so many people.  Truly, you are some of the most spectacular people I will ever know.  Anyone who bought a framed picture during the Art in The Parks.  How the staff blasted me with silly pet names like Johnny Bravo/Bannana, Tween Hands or the now Canadian residing guest Tim gave me DQ (short for Dancing Queen; long story, ask me about it sometime).  Nance and Adan, thank you for making the signs supporting my cocktails, you both always made a coolest picture displays, it made this place homely and personal.  It made people want to drink my cocktails.  I appreciate the books given to me from Peter, Ellen, Christy, Nance and Sam.  I thank Wolf for the first few years bartending always being there on those nights where it would be just the two of us shooting the mess for hours on end.  Good times!  Sheryl for helping me win just about every "sell the most of this product" contests by buying out more than your share and getting everyone involved, that and your over the top generosity.  I will always remember you.  Everyone who brought me a clip from a magazine, website or news paper regarding drinks and drinking, knowing it would inspire me one way or another.  Sheryl, Yoko, Brad, Michael / Michelle, Jen, Wolf, Harry, Cliff / Kitty, Addie, Lenore, Niel, Clara & John, Mary, Carla, Cassandra, Jim, big Mark, Brett & Mark, Eva, Nance, Giovanni, Daniel, David, Stevie, Luca, Tom, Christy, Gerry, Victoria and everybody else who ever contributed a bottle or sample towards The Next Rounds on Me.  And to Barbie and Jeff for hiring Mary and I to do all your promotional and retirement parties.

Reflection.  Mary, I love you so much and I thank you for showing me this place, your time here was invaluable and truly made Food Matters the well oiled machine it became and you simply always threw the greatest events.  You made things like Oscar night and the Derby real parties that people just HAD to come to, things that most people would simply over look in my opinion.  You are the best.  To this day you make every day feel special no matter what's going on in the world.  I love you.  To all the families who hired me to do private events and tastings, thank you.  Christy and Tom for all their pot lucks, bowling and house parties, you have always been so gracious.  The amazing Joe, for giving me a magic gig when that was hot on my to do list, that and for teaching me how to make it snow, a great Christmas gift to Mary and one for the books.  Carla for all your continuous support for Mary and Wish Craft, you are such an awesome person and forever giving, I wish there was more than a sash from Middleburg to give you.  Michael and Michelle for the computer, the IPhone and the Nano Adapter.  Remy and Jackie for that video and photo shoot during my Catoctin Creek Cocktail Event.  Cliff and Kitty for hanging out on Rolling Thunder that afternoon and for reintroducing me to Travis, a past life friend of whom neither of us could remember until I saw him. 

Patrick and David, during the blizzard when you shovelled my car out of the streets so I could get home.  Thank you Gwen for teaching me how to handle flowers, it's really come in handy!  Nance for fixing my house, mainly installing that toilet and the slip cover (That and Bourbon Pie).  Chocolate Smoovies prior to being on the menu were exclusive to my house parties right?  To her and Atena as well for making yard sales one of the funnest activities in the summers of Cameron Station.  Phil for all the hot CD's he would always bring me.  Rob & Shara for the Riedel glasses we simply were never supposed to have as we continued to break each piece of that set one by one!  Tom and Gerry both for all the great cigars.  Brandon and Bryce for the video games.  Bill for all of those Market Watches, it's like my favorite magazine now!  I think Ann from the Grooming Lounge in Tysons thanks us too as half her clients live in that neighborhood and were either introduced by me or people with good taste ironically request her exclusively.  Such a riot!

To the crew that was the direct cause and affect of every day there, I don't have enough words.  The days when Alicia, Atena, Nance, Mary, Giovanni, Acacia, Bryce, Mauricio and myself were the ONLY people there making a miracle out of a means, I enjoyed those times at Food Matters most of all.  I went to the hospital when both of Gio's kids were born, Nance ventured off with Mary and I countless times and Atena's house parties were some of the most famous, until Bryce had a going away party or a game night.  Phil helped to remind me that there were only 18 seats at the bar and sometimes I had to do "Less talkie talkie, more workie workie", though no matter how much we needed it, if Eggnog was needed, he wasn't the one to ask upon as he would scream to the kitchen "I DON'T MAKE NO EGGNOG!".  Our latest bartender, Paul, I can't help but say, because of you, I will never look at Grand Marnier or Vanilla Vodka the same.  Thanks for sharing the same passion as me, I hope you keep that with you.  Kaitlyn for always being a bubbly person and someone legitimately fun to be around.  Keep playing around with the drinks, learn as much as you can and don't stop creating.  To think girls like Kate and Christy's sister Brooke used to bartend here!  Those were awesome times!  That first kitchen click; Oscar, Vicki and Russ set the tone for the place and created the atmosphere for what Food Matters became.  Folks like Ana, Marilu, Liz, Kat, Stevie, Bill, David and Daniel who just stuck around that made the place what it is.  Particularly, Bill for his self humbling nature (he walked outside in a carrot suit for Earth Day and was the butt of so many jokes, but he gave himself to that role and we love him for it).  Stevie was a work horse, but the countless Top Golf nights brought clarity in working friendships.  The spontaneous sessions between Daniel, David and myself brought sanity and reason to some of the most hectic nights and working out with the newest and last crew, Adan, Karina, Eva, Scott and Claire, has rejuvinated me into believeing that I can do absolutely anything if I simply put my mind to it.  Thank you for being here, you are all the best.  All of you made it what it was though, don't think for a second becomes names like Alex, Hannah, Blake, Abby, Luca, Sean, Tamer, Davey, Sammy, Aubrey, Eugene, Paul (BOH), Phil 2, Carlos, (understand that this list would seriously go ON and ON and ON) weren't mentioned due to being forgotten or level of importance, but the fact that this list is so long to stay individual, though let's say, I gave it my all to do my best and you have all, at some point, touched my life.

Reflection.
 

I want to single out Addie too, she's like a mother to me and has always brightened each day with her always promised high energy, wit and sharpness.  I love her so much and she's always been so great to me and my family, I will miss her possibly  most of all.  Thanks for your lucky number, when Mary and I went to Las Vegas, you paid us out big at a roulette table!  She always kept my bar stools straight and perfectly spaced for service and I always enjoyed betting a dollar on games with her, she was always going to go for New England, I can tell you that!  She LOVES creamy clam chowder and is able to eat it at the heat of liquid fire and it still could possibly be cold. 

I'll never forget her one liners.  Her car doesn't know how to make left turns and it doesn't ever travel very far.  The fact that the only Mexican food she likes is Margaritas and that her favorite wine is "red and wet".  Some nights, Addie has dessert.  The only dessert she's ever had at Food Matters came in a flute shaped glass with bubbles.  "I only have one beer once a year on Oktoberfest!"  The fact that regardless of what she's been drinking, whatever glass she is holding is the "first one today" and sometimes my Bloody Mary's would be "I don't know....PICKY!" - She always told me not to spend my money, "I can't afford it", to live in my means and one day she's going to own the apartment I live in because of all the rent she pays through her nightly tips.  "AHH JEEZ!" - She always likes to tease and speak her mind.  Every night she'd ask me "What are you going to eat tonight John?"  Whatever my answer, she would puff her cheeks up with air to make a fat face.  Unless I told her I was having salad, then she'd stare at my stomach and say "I don't know John, sounds like a pretty good idea to me!" - Such a brat!  I love her to death and aim to remain forever in touch, she is absolutely the greatest and Cameron Station/Food Matters was very lucky to have her around, she made the place a restaurant on the corner of a neighborhood all more real.  It felt like home because of her.

Reflection.  To everyone else who graced my life while working at Food Matters, thank you.  Thank you for your generosity, your patience, your love and your support.  In almost five years, there is really too much to cover in one post this size already, but you've all touched my life, help mold me into the character I am today and really took me in to your hearts and homes.  Thank you, thank you and thank you again.  This has been life changing and a huge blessing for me.  Continue to look for me on The Next Rounds on Me, Twitter and Facebook.  I'm sure I'll be somewhere shaking things up.

Passion, Laughter & Love

cheers!

My First Professional Bourbon Tasting (With in depth notes and photos)

In a Shot:  Johnny Cocktail took on a task to produce, set up and perform a professional 101 Bourbon tasting mid November, 2010 at Food Matters, Alexandria and did so with a sold out room!

Blogging is the new big thing.  Many people have gone on to become celebrities or authors while some have had their blogs printed in magazines or turned into movies.  Still yet others get to travel new directions, discover themselves or find perks in other ways with blogs.  As the current mixologist, bartender and manager of the restaurant Food Matters, my blog delivered a new possibility.  Late one night after taking care of a particularly daunting job, I chatted with the owner, Christy, and we started talking about good drink.  We started talking about all the tastings I've conducted at my house, with friends and family or have participated in on a larger scale as a taster.

It was here where she started saying "I want to get in on that!" and I suggested doing one at her house some time.  She responded by asking me "Why don't you do one here?" - The restaurant's major focus is local and seasonal and she felt that it was both time and place to do a Bourbon tasting.  The next dinner she hosted, she spoke with guests attending the event and with their help in conversation, set up a Bourbon tasting.  Christy suggested a Bourbon 101 tasting, so that's exactly what I did.

It took place in their fabulous private dining room at six o' clock with a full audience of twenty two people.  Mostly regulars, family and friends along side a few new faces and the owners themselves, I took on a wild ride to finally land on both my feet and in that room with five bourbons chosen for their "class 101" nature and began to tell the story of what bourbon is, where did bourbon come from, how to taste bourbon and then paired it with foods and told several stories along the way!

Owner of Food Matters Christy Przystawik introduced me to the room as the manager and creator of the cocktails of the month and said many kind words of my four year relationship coming to this moment.  Chef Tom Przystawik showcased pork bbq and sticky toffee desserts with aged cheeses and spiced nuts for bourbon food pairing options.

The tasting went off without a hitch!  There were a lot of laughs and a lot of questions answered and left everyone hanging in for more.  I had one guest interact and read to the group at one point while others started knocking glasses over (not because of drunkard wildness, rather I put so many glasses on the table that it was bound to happen).  I answered a lot of questions and left everyone with lots of personal stories of distillery tours, tastings and fun facts about bourbon and the whiskies themselves.  There was a touching toast by my father at the ending of the tasting.  One gentleman that happened  to sit in on the tasting, one Michael G. is the very reason this bourbon blog is even being produced this month so extra hats off to him and his wife Michealle for being such spectacular people!

Now, a break down of the tasting.  I promise to bore you all with another post filled long and high with the complete tasting notes so you can read the whole lot of what you missed during the festivities (that and the fact that a lot of the stuff simply didn't get out of my mouth so in short, it's all of our faults we don't remember it all!)

When tasting bourbon it is recommended to start with the lightest in alcohol and work your way up to the stronger ones where the heat could numb your palate.  I of course rebelled against this and put the strongest bourbon half way through the tasting, specifically because I enjoy the final two so much and with food and water to cut against it, I wanted to show case the last two as a finale.

I chose Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon for  a few reasons.  One, it's story of how the distillery came to be is as sweet as the drink it showcases.  It was once the most popular bourbon in our country, but disappeared off the face of our maps and was infamously remembered by aficionados as rot gut.  Four Roses has come back with a far higher quality product line and it's small batch bourbon deserves to be recognised.

The next bourbon on the list, John J. Bowman Single Barrel "Pioneer Spirit" debunks the argument that bourbons can only be made in Kentucky or that Kentucky is the only state that can state it's name on a label of Bourbon.  John J. Bowman's Virginia Bourbon hails from A. Smith Bowman's distillery, also remembered fondly by many as the producer of bottom shelf plastic bottled spirits and Virginia Gentlemen.  I will post a separate blog about the private tour I took with Joe Dangler, the Master Distiller at A. Smith Bowman's distillery.  It was on this tour that I bought the first legally sold bottle of bourbon at their distillery courtesy of recently adapted ABC law.   

I chose to pour Bookers Barrel Proof Small Batch Bourbon for two reasons.  First, it is the first bourbon to be marketed as a 'small batch' bourbon.  Because of Booker's, the bourbon industry as we know it has exploded with literally hundreds of high end, superior quality whiskies, many of which are delivered to us from small family distilleries with as little as 2 or three employees.  The second reason is it was also the first bourbon to be bottled 'barrel proof' meaning literally, the whiskey ages in a barrel (in this case between 6 and 8 years) and then gets bottled without being filtered or cut with water thus being a far higher proof than traditional bourbons.  So in turn, I also chose this bourbon for the cask strength scotch drinkers out there giving them a chance to try something that may be more up to their personal tastes.

Blanton's Single Barrel is smooth, smokey, sweet and just golly gosh darn good!  Aside from that, it was also the first bourbon to be labelled as a single barrel.  The maker worked at the distillery for 55 years and thus it's the man's life work.  A true expression of bourbon.

Finally, Van Winkle's 12 Year Reserve Wheated Bourbon was chosen for several reasons.  A lot of people don't know that bourbon can be aged the way a single malt scotch can.  I also wanted to have a bourbon that used wheat instead of rye as it's small grain to showcase the difference in style.  Not to mention that this family owned whiskey has improved generation after generation from son to son.  Mostly, however, I chose Van Winkle's 12 Year specifically because it is beautiful.  It's soft, delicate palate fills you up with creme brulee desserts and is overall an experience to enjoy.

When we finished tasting things and using the water droppers to break open the undertones of quality bourbon and enjoyed all the food, post toastings and celebrations, I gave everybody a copy of The Bourbon Review as a thank you for supporting my first endeavor and look forward to many more to follow!  More from this tasting will come in the next entry.  Thank you again for your love, support and the opportunity to do tastings such as this and expect MANY more to come!

Cheers!