June
September 5, 2023
Creative costumes, horror flicks, thrills and chills — there’s a lot to love about Halloween. However, when it comes to spirits, we know where to find the good stuff, and, no, it’s not in your neighborhood cemetery. Instead, head to your bar cart this holiday and host not just any old Halloween party but a Halloween spirits-tasting party.
Keep reading for a little spooky inspiration, tips on how to pair your favorite Halloween candy with your favorite bourbons, and more.
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July 12, 2023
If you are a bourbon or whiskey enthusiast, you've likely noticed that whiskey collecting has become a hot hobby. This has led to higher prices and harder-to-find bottles that just a few years ago were populating shelves across the country. You might even do some whiskey collecting yourself.
So, we want to ask (and maybe provide an answer to), "Should I collect or drink my whiskey?" Let's have some fun.
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June 20, 2023
Kentucky bourbon whiskey, straight rye whiskey, and whiskey whiskey–there are many variations of everyone’s favorite brown spirit available in every liquor store and bar in the country. But have you ever stopped and really considered the differences? This advanced guide to bourbon, whiskey, and rye will teach you everything you need to know to drink like a pro.
And, even if you already know the basics, we hope you’ll learn something new and appreciate what’s in your glass even more.
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June 27, 2018
In what is surely the biggest bourbon story of its time, the esteemed maker of Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks, David Nicholson, and Blood Oath bourbons has opened a distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, better known as the Bourbon Capital of the World. Called Lux Row Distillers, the sprawling, 18,000-square-foot facility is the latest — and greatest, if we do say so ourselves — destination along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
For those who love Kentucky bourbon, making a pilgrimage seems imperative. Here are five reasons why you should plan a visit to Lux Row Distillers:
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June 22, 2018
Ice seems like the simplest, most basic accessory for bourbon. You turn on the tap, fill the ice tray, put it in the freezer, and take it out when you want to chill your whiskey. Easy, right?
Wrong. Over the past few years, mixologists have led us through an ice exploration. Turns out, there is a “right” kind, and it can make or break your whiskey drink. This is why we put together an ice primer. May your bourbon never suffer another ice faux pas again.
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June 22, 2018
Before we get started, let’s state the obvious: When it comes to Lux Row Distillers bourbon — Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks, David Nicholson, Blood Oath — there’s no wrong way to drink it. We won’t even judge if you want to drink it straight from the bottle — responsibly, of course. (We’re looking at you, Rebel Yellers.)
But bourbon is a complex beast, with many facets to unlock, depending on how you choose to sip.
Here are the three best ways:
Neat
The simplest method, “neat” means bourbon on its own, unadorned. A clear, short glass is best, to showcase the whiskey’s amber color. About two ounces — or two “fingers” — is the just-right pour.
After you pour, tilt the glass and watch as the bourbon forms a slow trail. Savor the aroma as it curls towards you. The first sip explodes with complexity, with years of aging and blending crossing your tongue, leaving a radiant warmth in their wake.
Blood Oath Pact No. 4 is the perfect candidate for sipping neat. As a blend of three bourbons, including one that’s been aged for 12 years, it’s a multilayered whiskey that begs to be measured on its own merits.
Water
With a splash of room-temperature water, the flavors of the bourbon become more discernable. A few drops will do, but you can adjust to taste.
Bottled or filtered water is preferred, as tap has compounds that can affect the flavor. But tap water won’t ruin your drink.
Lightly diluted, the drink retains all of the profound flavors of spice and charred oak, but in a buoyant manner that floats over your palate. Whiskey with water also makes the best pairing with food.
A spritz of water does a world of good in Ezra Brooks’ Kentucky sour mash. At 90 proof, this straight bourbon has a spicy profile that mellows ever-so-slightly when diluted, allowing you to better discern its notes of cinnamon and chocolate.
Ice
Ice and whiskey: When the two meet, it’s a mystical moment. The herbal notes fade, and the bourbon’s masculine qualities arise. The first sip is cold, yes, but then it heats up, allowing the whiskey’s sundry flavors — raisin, butterscotch, honey — to unfold.
A regular ice cube is fine, but you might take your cue from the pros and get a single large cube. It melts more slowly, for a drink that’s chilled but not watered down.
In the Lux Row Distillers family of bourbons, the storied David Nicholson 1843 begs for a dose of ice. This award-winning wheated bourbon boasts a touch of heat and spice that bends and yields to the icy chill, before unzipping its full potential.
Category: Whiskey Education
June 19, 2018
When it comes to whiskey, there’s only one question: What’s not to love? It has taste, stature, distinction, and legacy. It summons flavors we know — caramel, toffee, wheat — then craftily showcases them in a new way.
That said, we have distilled it (see what we did there?) to the top five reasons we love whiskey in all its forms.
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