Although I don't consider myself a bourbon expert, I have been a fan of this spirit since my college days. Back then, my friends and I would gather around to watch Saturday football games on TV, play cards, and sip on some Jim Beam mixed with ginger ale. It was a simpler time, and our tastes were less sophisticated, but those memories remain some of my fondest.In recent years, bourbon has gained a lot of popularity, resulting in the emergence of new distilleries. This, in turn, has given me the opportunity to explore many labels that have been around for decades.
I like to keep a decent collection of about ten to fifteen different bourbons on hand. This gives me plenty of options for mixing, on the rocks, or sipping neat. One of my inspirations for collecting bourbons is my friend Ed, who has an impressive collection of 62 different brands. We counted them last Thursday night. I don't have a bar big enough to accommodate that kind of hobby, but I'm glad to have him as a friend in many ways. I not only get to admire his stocked shelves, but I also get to taste a wide range of distillers' products. It's good to have friends.
Along with Ed’s collection, a few years ago, a trip to Louisville added to my bourbon background. Definitely worth the journey to explore the roots of the bourbon experience. The distillery tours are gaining a lot of attention and reservations are pretty much required anymore to get a tour or even a paid tasting. A designated driver is a must and helps make the experience that much easier to enjoy.
There is a lot to learn about the process of bourbon making. History has its own aura and you can see the passion for bourbon runs deep in the horse country of Kentucky. With stops at Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses, and Old Forester you could see they all have their own stories in creating their spirits.
While on one of the tours it was mentioned about making your own blended bourbon. I had heard of the idea once before at another tasting but dismissed it as something complicated and a process only for distillers. This intrigued me and I had to find out more. As it turns out, (with the concept of a distillery blending their own spirits), you can blend the bourbons you already carry at home. So instead of a vessel of one brand, you can mix your own favorites across several labels. A simple decanter can be used to combine some of your favorite brands into a more personal blend. If you like Knob Creek, but find the proof kind of high, which I do, you can cut it with Basil Hayden. Two excellent bourbons brought together giving you a new taste.
I prefer the randomness and ease of simply taking the last few shots out of any bottle and adding them to the decanter. This way, the blend is always changing over time, and I never seem to run out. The Infinity Bottle is easy to manage. I use the blend for mixing, ****tails, on the rocks, and some for sipping neat. It's like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get. When all else fails, Jim Beam and ginger ale are still a great go-to when I play cards.
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