Maker's 46 Haunted Old Fashioned: Whisk(e)y Wednesday

by Sydney Blanchard

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. As a kid I excitedly planned my costumes months in advance and reveled in all things scary and creepy as a teenager. 

Now, I'm just trying to get a little buzz going and eat some Halloween Oreos while watching Hocus Pocus on my couch. 

Maker's must have read my mind, because they came up with this very spooky, pumpkin-y Old Fashioned recipe that's perfect for sipping at home while handing out candy to trick-or-treaters or at your annual Halloween bash.

Check it out, and report back your findings.

Maker’s 46 Haunted Old Fashioned

Created by Arley Marks of #ArleyMarksDrinks and Dimes

Maker's 46 pumpkin inspired Old Fashioned

4 parts Maker’s 46
1 ½ parts pumpkin syrup*
8 dashes angostura bitter
8 dashes orange bitters
4 orange peels, squeeze oil from zest into tin

Shake all ingredients with orange peels and then strain into pumpkin filled with fresh ice. Add orange peels for decoration and top with a splash of soda water. Garnish with a handful of candy corn & enjoy as a Halloween snack and a drink in one!





*Pumpkin Syrup: Remove seeds from a whole pumpkin and cut into slices that can be juiced. (A small pumpkin will yield approx. 1 cup of juice.) In a saucepan over low heat, combine 1 cup pumpkin juice and 1 cup organic evaporated cane sugar with 2 whole cinnamon sticks. Heat until sugar is dissolved, let cool before using. Alternatively: buy natural pumpkin syrup.

Maker's Mark Hurricane Cocktail to Celebrate Besh Big Easy: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

Congrats to Chef John Besh! 

On October 9 and 10 in Kentucky, Maker's Mark Distillery is honoring the New Orleans native with a Maker's Mark TasteMaker Award and celebrating the release of his fourth cookbook, Besh Big Easy! It's always great to see Louisiana chefs recognized across the country.

The cover of Chef John Besh's new cookbook, Besh Big Easy

Since we can't be there to participate in the festivities in person, we'll be enjoying this Maker's Mark Hurricane in the privacy of our own office. 

Cheers to Chef John Besh and his latest venture, Besh Big Easy!

Maker's Mark Hurricane

Maker's Mark Hurricane cocktail

2 parts Maker's Mark Bourbon

2 parts passion fruit juice

1 part fresh orange juice

1 part fresh lime juice

1 part real pomegranate grenadine

1 orange slice, for garnish

1 maraschino cherry, for garnish

Combine bourbon, passion fruit syrup, citrus juices and grenadine. Shake and strain into an old-fashioned or high-ball over crushed ice. Garnish with orange slice and cherry. 

Basil Hayden's Classic Manhattan: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

Basil Hayden's Classic Manhattan

Ah, National Bourbon Heritage Month. It came, and it went, so fleetingly. Nothing lasts forever. 

It's our last week to celebrate, and we're doing so with Basil Hayden's Bourbon. The family recipe for this craft bourbon dates back to 1796. Master Distiller Basil Hayden Sr. set out to create a one-of-a-kind bourbon recipe that utilized twice as much rye as traditional bourbons. The result is a spicy bourbon that's great on its own or mixed in a cocktail.

In anticipation of Team Bite and Booze's upcoming trip to New York, here's a recipe for Basil Hayden's Classic Manhattan, developed by Louisville-based mixologist Damien Cooke. Any recipe including Luxardo cherries automatically wins in my book.

Basil Hayden’s Classic Manhattan

2 parts Basil Hayden's Bourbon
¾ parts Carpano Antica Vermouth
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Luxardo Maraschino Cherries (for garnish)

Combine ingredients in a mixing tin with ice and stir.
Strain into a martini glass.
Garnish with three cherries on a cocktail skewer.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Smash: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

It's National Bourbon Heritage Month, and some NOLA bartenders are taking notice by mixing up some specialty cocktails to celebrate this September.

What better way to start off National Bourbon Heritage Month than with a Buffalo Trace Bourbon Smash by the mixologists at Emeril's?

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Smash at Emeril's in New Orleans

Try out this refreshing bourbon cocktail this month to get you in the mood for citrus season!

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Smash

Wedge of satsuma or orange
1 ounce Buffalo Trace Bourbon
¾ ounce Grand Marnier
½ ounce Cherry Heering
½ ounce Falernum (liqueur/syrup with a sweetened combination of flavors including almond, ginger, clove, lime, vanilla, and allspice)
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
Satsuma or orange wheel for garnish

Muddle the citrus wedge in a cocktail shaker then add the remaining ingredients except the citrus wheel. Add ice, shake and pour into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a citrus wheel.

Things I Learned from Bourbon Curious: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

In Fred Minnick's "Bourbon Curious" there's something for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned bourbon drinker or a whiskey novice, there's a lot to be discovered in this "simple tasting guide for the savvy drinker."

I definitely fall into the whiskey novice category. Just scanning this book, I learned new things about the history and legends surrounding whiskey. For this Whiskey Wednesday, I've compiled a list of facts from the book that stuck out to me.

This post is best read with a whiskey in hand. Enjoy, and happy drinking!

1. There's a misconception that bourbon must be two years old. Bourbon itself has no age requirement, but to be labeled straight bourbon it must be two years old. 

Flappers drinking bootleg alcohol. Photo from newyorker.tumblr.com.

2. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States, not just Kentucky.

Bourbons can be made anywhere on this map. Map from holidaymapq.com.

3. The spelling of whisk(e)y is a matter of preference. American and Irish whiskeys use the "e," and Scotch, Canadian, and Japanese whiskies usually don't.

There are more differences than just one letter. Graphic by danmurphys.com.au.

4. Secret bourbon societies exist on the web, on Facebook, and in the dusty basements of bars. The members of these societies happily refer to themselves as whiskey geeks.

A secret drinking cub at Oxford University in the 19th century. Photo from tailer.com.

5. Early Americans made what would qualify as bourbon and called it "corn brandy."

Early Americans harvesting corn. Photo from farmgirlbloggers.com.

6. There are two competing theories as to the name of "bourbon." We'll never definitively know the truth, but some claim it is named after Bourbon County in Kentucky, while others claim it's namesake is Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Photo from onebigphoto.com.

7. The Bottle-in-Bond Act of 1897 gave women career opportunities. Women became chief bottle operators because they were known to break fewer bottles.

Vintage postcard. Photo from bad-postcards.tumblr.com.

8. U.S. brothels were major whiskey retailers in the 1800s.

The Brothel Scene from A Rake's Progress by William Hogarth, 1735. Photo from Wikipedia.

9. In order for whiskey to be called bourbon, it must be stored in new charred oak containers.

Different levels of char produce different effects in the aging process. Photo from australianbartender.com.au.

10. Tabasco is one of the largest companies purchasing used bourbon barrels. Tabasco ages its product in Kentucky bourbon barrels for at least three years.

Peppers growing on Avery Island in Louisiana. Photo from tabasco.com.

Curious George: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

The Curious George at Lock & Key Whiskey Bar in Baton Rouge

An old fashioned made with Scotch? Oh yeah, Lock & Key went there.

The Curious George, appropriately named, is one of several amped up versions of the class cocktail on the menu at Lock & Key.

Three simple ingredients come together to make for a solid, stiff drink:

Monkey Shoulder Scotch
Bitters
House-made Ginger Syrup

This particular blended scotch has a little smoke game going on, which is great, because smokiness is something I love.

I’ve even had a drink served to me at Restaurant Cotton in Monroe in a dome full of smoke: epic.

The ginger syrup gives the drink a snappy element. It’s sharp, sweet, and fragrant. I would definitely recommend you try this and all of the different off-the-wall old fashioneds Lock & Key has on their menu!

Elder-Fashioned: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

St. Germain.

The Elder-Fashioned at Lock & Key Whiskey Bar in Baton Rouge

It’s showing up everywhere: in gin cocktails, in champagne flutes, and now in your old fashioned.

St. Germain is an elderflower liqueur that’s sweet with subtle flavors resembling fragrant fruits like pear and peach.

Lock & Key Whiskey Bar has a way of mixing things you wouldn’t normally place in certain cocktails and having them seamlessly work together, and the Elder-Fashioned is no exception.

Made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, aromatic bitters, and soda in addition to the St. Germain; the Elder-Fashioned is an interesting twist on a classic.

St. Germain is very sweet, so the hearty Buffalo Trace Bourbon rounds out the flavors well. The soda is another ingredient you wouldn’t typically see in an old fashioned.

For me, the soda creates some wiggle room in order for all of the flavors to come through with a little added effervescence. Otherwise, I think it would simply taste like super sweet bourbon.

See? Lock & Key is keeping you from drinking overly syrupy cocktails six days a week!

Humbling Old-Fashioned: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

I'm a sucker for a pretty cocktail, especially one with fancy garnishes. It just makes me feel very adult and very sophisticated. I've only been legally allowed to drink for two years, so ordering alcoholic beverages is still a novelty to me.

Humbling Old-Fashioned at Lock & Key

I'm new to the whiskey cocktail game, and I'm easily impressed, I'll admit it. It doesn't take much to get me excited.

Recently at Lock & Key I ordered the Humbling Old-Fashioned and boy was I ever excited.

This three-ingredient whiskey cocktail tastes more complex than it actually is (it's got three main ingredients).

Buffalo Trace bourbon, Hum Hibiscus liqueur, and agave nectar combine to make this sweet, murky cocktail.

But don't think fruity, think floral.

The hibiscus liqueur tastes like springtime, and it really comes through in this twist on the old fashioned.

I'd put it on shaved ice and call it a snow ball any day.

I'm really excited to try all of Lock & Key's variations on the old fashioned.

Who Dat Rye: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

The Who Dat Rye at Lock & Key Whiskey Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

While there are some whiskey cocktails designed for the faint of heart at Lock and Key, there are several pages of the menu dedicated to those who embrace the stuff.

The Who Dat Rye featuring Wild Turkey Rye, Luxardo Cherry Liqueur, bitters, and Herbsaint rinse is bold, but refreshing.

It’s got a strong whiskey taste and the liqourice-y zing of Herbsaint quickly follows. Some may shy away from the strong flavor that so many classic southern drinks share, but I crave them.

A fun twist to this cocktail that something like the Sazerac doesn’t have is the Luxardo cherry liqueur.

If you don’t know what a Luxardo cherry is, it’s those really dark cherries popping up on bamboo skewers in drinks everywhere. It’s the OG maraschino cherry.

The benefit of adding the cherry liqueur is that it takes the edge off of all of the other strong flavors and makes the Who Dat Rye a chilled, sip-worthy cocktail to enjoy on a hot Louisiana evening after work.

Kentucky Campfire: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

It's no secret. I have a pretty bad sweet tooth. My dentist can't keep me away from candy, despite my ever-increasing number of fillings. It's a real problem.

It can probably go without saying that I love dessert-y drinks. I can't really do fruity drinks, but I will always opt for a sugary, boozy concoction.

Kentucky Campfire at Lock and Key Whiskey Bar

That's why I ordered the Kentucky Campfire the last time I was at Lock & Key.

The combination of house-made peanut butter simple syrup, bourbon, hazelnut liquor, Creme de Cacao, and hickory pecan bitters results in a cocktail that tastes exactly as you'd expect it to: warm, peanut butter boozy deliciousness.

Jay and Blair said they'd prefer this as a shot, and I'll admit, its strength and its sweetness would make it fun to shoot, but for me it works really well as a cocktail.

Heck, I'd pair this with a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Visiting the Donner-Peltier Distillery: Whisk(e)y Wednesday present by Lock & Key

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Team Bite and Booze took a trip to Thibodaux, Louisiana, recently. In my mind, there’s only one reason for me to be in Thibodaux, and that’s to visit my favorite spirit manufacturer in the state.

It felt a lot like a “long-time listener, first-time caller” situation for me.

I fell in love with the Donner-Peltier Distillery shortly after I started working for Jay. I tried their full line of products at the time (pre-LA1 Whiskey) and the rest is history.

Barrels of LA1 Whiskey aging in the Donner-Peltier warehouse

My job is to support local businesses and products, and I can’t think of a better way to drink local than to drink alcohol that uses Louisiana rice as an adjunct in their gin, vodka, and LA1 Whiskey distilling processes.

Adding Louisiana rice into the mix gives their products a different, more flavorful taste. It’s something that’s unique and sustainable (they use the broken grains from rice mills that would otherwise be thrown away).

Located next to a sugar cane field, the Donner-Peltier Distillery welcomes visitors to tour their facilities, have a few cocktails, and learn about the different processes that allow them to create their line of LA1 Whiskey, Rougaroux rums, and Oryza gin and vodka. Visitors can also check out the warehouse where LA1 Whiskey is aged.

If you’re lucky and not a lightweight like our Content Sheriff/Warden of the Web, Sydney Blanchard, you’ll get to taste some whiskey straight out of the barrel!

While there are other Louisiana whiskeys available, LA1 is the first aged whiskey to be produced in Louisiana since prohibition.

Currently, the whiskey is highly allocated and can sometimes be found in bars around Baton Rouge.

The easiest way to get your hands on a bottle is to follow the distillery on Facebook and Twitter. When a new batch is ready to bottle, they’ll let you know so you can call the distillery and reserve a bottle to pick up at their tasting room.

Donner-Peltier is currently working on expanding their space for more barrels to age, thus filling our hearts and bellies with more whiskey in the near future.

For more information about tours, tasting room hours, and their award-winning products visit dpdspirits.com.

Sweet-T-Sway: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

Sweet-T-Sway at Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

Somehow, despite the fact that I've worked with Bite and Booze for 6 months now, I've managed to miss out on team trips to one of Jay's favorite watering holes, Lock & Key. When Blair asked if I wanted to grab a whiskey cocktail after work last week, I agreed, even though whiskey cocktails are generally not my thing.

Blair pointed me to a section of the menu called "Whiskey Doubters," and from there I landed on the Sweet-T-Sway.

Much to my delight, I couldn't even taste the Sam Houston whiskey in this concoction (sorry, whiskey lovers).

But the sweet tea combined with pomegranate liqueur and muddled mint served over crushed ice was perfectly refreshing and brought to mind a mint julep.

Maybe if I try each cocktail on the Whiskey Doubters menu I'll eventually become a Whiskey Believer.

If Lock & Key keeps slinging creative, hand-crafted whiskey cocktails like the Sweet-T-Sway, I'll be converted in no time.

For all you Whiskey Doubters out there, I highly recommend trying the Sweet-T-Sway.

Introducing "Free Booze Friday": Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

Pappy, Stephen, and Lorraine pose with host Jay Ducote on the set of
Free Booze Friday

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

At the Bite and Booze headquarters, we receive a lot of free alcohol (including whiskey) in the mail. Brewers, distillers, and winemakers (well, their PR people, mostly) constantly send us a barrage of booze. So much, in fact, that we now have a legitimate bar in our office.

The question of what to do with all this booze kept coming up, so Jay and Tommy (from tommysTV) came up with an answer: a web series where Jay would act as host and bartender, serving free booze to puppets with big personalities crafted by Baton Rouge puppeteer Clay Achee. 

And thus, Free Booze Friday was born.

You can find a safe trailer here.

But for a little Whisk(e)y Wednesday fun, here's a somewhat NSFW teaser trailer. You may notice that some of this series was filmed at the Lock & Key Whiskey Bar. Beausoleil Restaurant and Bar served as our other backdrop. 

You may be asking yourself, "Why?"

But our answer to that is, "Why not?"

Why the heck not?

Geek Nation will be hosting each bi-weekly episode (there are 12 this season), so check out their website to stay up to date.

You can also like and follow Free Booze Friday on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

And tune in to learn a little bit about all sorts of interesting wines, beers, spirits, liqueurs, and, of course, whiskeys.

Irish Mule: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

The Irish Mule at Lock & Key

There comes a time on every trip to a cocktail bar that a patron glimpses at a menu and sees some sort of play on a Moscow Mule. The normally potent but refreshing vodka drink features lime and ginger beer. Fortunately, those flavors go with all sorts of spirits. Take for example, Irish Whiskey.

Lock & Key's Irish Mule features Tullamore DEW Irish Whiskey, an excellent choice for those of you who want to drink some quality Irish elixir. Add to that a squeeze of lime, orange bitters, and some ginger beer, and you've got quite a spin on the mule in every amazing way.

This drink could be suitable ever for people who aren't the biggest whiskey fans out there. The Irish variety is smooth and subtle in the cocktail, so you really won't miss the vodka. That being said, this is also a great drink for you if you enjoy whiskey and just want a little twist on a mule. Bottoms up!

Touch of Smoke and Fruit Flight: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

The Touch of Smoke and Fruit Flight at Lock & Key

A lot of posts that I've made about the whiskey and whisky at Lock & Key has featured reviews of individual bottles of booze or an insight into the cocktail menu at the bar. This week, however, we'll examine a whiskey flight at Lock & Key, and why they present a terrific way to consume the water of life.

The Touch of Smoke and Fruit Flight ($23) provides a tasting of three single malt Scotches that are nicely balanced but complex enough for any Scotch drinker to appreciate. Typically the Dalwhinnie 15 is included in this flight, but since Lock & Key was out of stock on my most recent visit, they replaced it with the Aberfeldy 12 Highland Single Malt. I didn't complain. The Aberfeldy had a nice peat flavor without overwhelming smoke. A hint of mint and splash of pear were also there.

The Cragganmore 12 from Speyside presented a lovely balance of fruit and smoke, as advertised. This is a nice sipping Scotch to be sure. The Clynelish 14 from coastal Highlands may have been my favorite of the bunch. It carried the most smoke upfront and then finished a little more fruity.

All in all this flight impressed, and getting three pours for $23 is a great way to enjoy different flavors while at a whiskey bar with the kind of selection that Lock & Key has. I highly recommend it!

1804 Old Fashioned: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

1804 Old Fashioned at Lock & Key

There are a plethora of fantastic cocktails on the menu at Lock & Key and lately they haven't been shy about introducing new ones. Or in some cases, really old ones.

Take, for example, the 1804 Old Fashioned. This recipe actually dates back to the early 1800s when it was simply known as a cocktail. It includes Angostura bitters, a sugar cube, 1792 small batch bourbon, and a twist of lemon rind.

Notice that there are no muddled oranges or cherries. That's how you know it really is old school!

You can find this Old Fashioned along with many other varieties at the Lock & Key Whiskey Bar. You can of course also find lots of other whiskey (and whisky for those that care about the "e") based cocktails, too.

LA1 is back, but it won't last long! Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

LA1 right on the bottling line

It is Whisk(e)y Wednesday, and that means a weekly blog post about this amazing elixir.

It is also Wine Wednesday. It isn't as often celebrated at Bite and Booze, but today is special with the launch of Jay D's Blanc Du Bois!

But back to whiskey... it is time to get excited for another batch of LA1 Whiskey from the Donner-Peltier Distillery.

The Thibodaux distillery, also known for their Rougaroux rums and Oryza vodka and gin, has a limited amount of LA1 available. If you are interested, call the distillery at 985-446-0002 to place your order.

It usually doesn't last very long when the whiskey is released, and because it is so popular, hardly any gets released to bars and retailers. So why not make a little trip to Thibodaux to grab some and see the distillery?!

Hopefully Lock & Key can get a couple bottles. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

LA1 won a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Spirit awards. It is also the first aged whiskey legally distilled in Louisiana since prohibition.

High West Whiskey Son of Bourye: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

High West Whiskey Son off Bourye

The High West Whiskey Son of Bourye presents a blend of straight bourbon and rye whiskeys to create an extremely satisfactory elixir. At 46% ABV, the whiskey from Utah packs a good punch. The booze comes through on the nose along with vanilla and candy corn. On the tongue we picked up flavors like spiced caramel, white pepper, and a slight smoke. On the finish it stings a little with the spiciness from the rye. Pepper, hay, and a hint of mint at the end coat your tongue on the way down.

The whiskey is very complex with the nose, taste, and finish all providing different flavors. The one knock that I'd give the whiskey is that those flavors don't come together in as balanced of a way as I'd like. The flavors are distinct and complex, but not quite all woven together in harmony. At $9 a pour at Lock & Key, this whiskey actually get a great "bang for the buck" score. It is undoubtedly worth the money for anyone who wants to give it a try!

High West Whiskey Son of Bourye
Average Score: 84.67

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by the Lock & Key Whiskey Bar. Lock & Key has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and other whisk(e)ys available for on premise consumption. This WW feature was scored by Jay Ducote from Bite and Booze, Arthur Lauck from Lock & Key, and Eric Ducote from BR Beer Scene. Using our own proprietary scoring system, whiskeys are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, Balance and Complexity, and "Bang for the Buck" which should encompass the whiskey's overall value. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y (though not undrinkable, you'd let somebody buy you one) while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss, anything above 80 is rather extraordinary, and anything above 90 is world class.

The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask: Whisk(e)y Wednedsay presented by Lock & Key

The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask

Whisk(e)y Wednesday gets back to scoring this week as we take a good long sip of The Balvenie 14 year Caribbean Cask single malt Scotch. This whisky is aged most of its life in used bourbon barrels but then finished at the end inside some Caribbean rum barrels. Brilliant.

The nose is soft and easy with hints of sweet honeysuckle, slight citrus, and minimal peat. Oak and raw sugar come forward with some vanilla as well. On the tongue you get a salty sensation and trickle of molasses. It tastes like a salt and sugar brine with a touch of lemon. There's a waft of smoke as well that didn't come through on the nose. The whisky finishes with a slight burn at the back of the mouth and then a smooth passage to the stomach. It then disappears like a pirate plundered any residuals. It goes too fast, really, and leaves you with nothing but a sensation of apple juice and a memory of what used to be.

The Scotch is remarkably balanced but not complex. It is mellow and delightful, packing one, albeit fantastic, note but perhaps leaving the seasoned Scotch drinker wanting a little bit more. Though, for those looking for a smooth, drinkable Scotch that isn't aggressively smoky or peaty, this is a great choice. At $17 a pour, The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask is not the best deal at Lock & Key, but it is isn't a bad value for the quality of the whisky. A score of 81.33 puts it into the Top 20 leader board for Whisk(e)y Wednesday. That's saying something, for sure.

The Balvenie 14 Caribbean Cask
Average Score: 81.33

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by the Lock & Key Whiskey Bar. Lock & Key has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and other whisk(e)ys available for on premise consumption. This WW feature was scored by Jay Ducote from Bite and Booze, Arthur Lauck from Lock & Key, and Eric Ducote from BR Beer Scene. Using our own proprietary scoring system, whiskeys are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, Balance and Complexity, and "Bang for the Buck" which should encompass the whiskey's overall value. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y (though not undrinkable, you'd let somebody buy you one) while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss, anything above 80 is rather extraordinary, and anything above 90 is world class.

The Grandstand Julep and the Derby: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

The Grandstand Julep

As the 141st annual Kentucky Derby approaches this Saturday, the Wild Turkey family is excited to transport everybody to one of their favorite events of the year. Whether at Churchill Downs or in your living room, Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell encourage you to enjoy the most exciting two minutes in sports with the most classic of Kentucky Bourbon cocktails – the Mint Julep.

This take on the Julep was inspired by the daring fashion of the Kentucky Derby and will deliver an unexpected twist to your guests when hosting a Derby party. With the use of bright flavors like grapefruit and lemon and a little Cynar®, an artichoke liqueur, Wild Turkey has taken this classic drink to a whole new level.

Bourbon is a personal passion at Wild Turkey. They have the only pair of father and son Master Distillers in Kentucky who bring their combined 95 years of experience at the distillery to every aspect of crafting our whiskey. Also, they use only the deepest char no. 4 barrels that achieves a depth of flavor rich with vanilla and caramel, with notes of honey, brown sugar, and a hint of tobacco.

The recipe for this refreshing Bourbon-forward drink calls for our premium Wild Turkey® 101 Bourbon, fresh fruit juice, lots of fresh mint from the garden and a little bit of time to sit down, sip up and enjoy.

Grandstand Julep

Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Cynar®
¾ oz. Wild Turkey 101® Bourbon
½ oz. Simple Syrup
½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
½ oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
12 Mint Leaves
2 oz. Soda Water
2 Dashes Fee Brother’s Grapefruit Bitters

Directions:
In a Julep cup or rocks glass add mint and all ingredients except soda water and bitters. Gently muddle, add ice then soda and top with bitters.