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By Blake
About 700 miles south of the Bourbon Trail, after you travel through winding mountain roads, dense pine forests, and miles of cotton fields, the Gulf of Mexico snuggles up to West Florida. Drive here and you will certainly find some of our most beautiful beaches, a few coveted coastal islands, and a quaint little place called Dixie County. Like many places that are too small and quirky to attract droves of tourists, one can nearly disappear from the real world and find true peace down at the end of County Road 351. In the little town of Horseshoe Beach, Dixie County’s most treasured secret, you won’t find any fancy restaurants or cute shops; no malls, no traffic lights, not even a stop sign. This is the kind of place where getting a new public access boat ramp is the single largest renovation that the town has undergone in a decade, seriously. People choose to live here because they are tired of living in a changing world and they don’t mind hot, buggy summers. To these people, Horseshoe is life’s little slice of warm, mosquito-infested heaven.
I have been going to Horseshoe for 10 years now. My childhood best friend and his family own a house in Horseshoe, which has been in his family for generations. When we were younger, we would escape to Horseshoe every chance we could get, but nowadays, it only happens about once every two years. A damn shame, I know. This year, we made the long trip from Raleigh to Dixie County for a weekend escape, during which time I realized that this place is the perfect place to write about on our blog. The bourbon culture is all about recognizing those regions of our wonderful country that seem to fade off the beaten path, which is exactly the kind of place that Horseshoe is.
A day in Horseshoe always begins with a trip to The Point where you can breathe in some fresh ocean air and gaze out at one of the most beautiful seascapes you will ever see. There is never a crowd and there is never a rush. Just you, the breeze, and the peaceful Horseshoe Bay for as long as you need it. The Point is also one of the darkest places on earth at night, revealing the thick bands of our Milky Way galaxy like fluffy clouds far up in the sky. During a new moon, if you lie on your back for a few minutes and look up, you will eventually spot a satellite drifting across the sky like a tiny little moon in orbit. But the nights at Horseshoe are full of many, many things, so forgive me for getting ahead of myself here. Back to describing a typical day…
Just as everything begins at The Point, everything eventually goes fishing during its time in Horseshoe. A short ride up the main canal or out the Old Channel will bring you into casting distance of some of the best fishing, scalloping, and marine wildlife spotting in coastal America. Ospreys stand perched on the channel markers while flocks of pelicans scoop up their next meal off the edge of an oyster bar. The sound of cold beer and cut bait echo off the nearby marsh as corks hit the water, dangling fresh bait right next to the mouths of beautiful red fish and speckled trout. About every 30 minutes a boat engine cranks up as the captain heads back out towards the sea for another drift.
But once the sun goes down and the fish have been cleaned and eaten, the back alleys, nooks, and crannies of Horseshoes begin to come alive. Loud 4X4 pickups idle down the main road, making another round at The Point and looking for familiar faces to stop and talk to. The sound of a drum set and an electric guitar reverberate up the side streets as the Steel Bridge band performs a live country rock show at the softball field. It’s right about time to pour a drink and drive the golf cart down to the sand dunes to hear some good music and watch a couple of fist fights. No need to worry about the cops since they probably play in the band anyway. Not to mention, the 35-minute drive from Cross City down to Horseshoe Beach is never worth the trip for one of the two deputies on duty during any given Saturday night. If things get out of hand, the good people of Horseshoe have their own little ways of solving the problem(s), something I hope you and I never have to find out about.
As you can probably gather, I think Horseshoe is truly a wonderful place where people can go to experience a simpler kind of life that we all have the tendency to forget all about. A trip there requires tough skin and a tolerance for bad hygiene, but it all adds up to an experience that is good for your character and necessary for the southern man’s soul. If you are ever lucky enough to find yourself driving through the side roads of this wonderful town, stop by the old marina and tell them you read about them on the Bourbon Journal.
By pruitt
This month the Bourbon Journal turns one year old, and we are vary excited about what new year brings. A lot has happened over the past year, some great bourbon has been consumed, cigars smoked, and all in good company. Some exciting things are transpiring in the bourbon world as well. With publications like the “Bourbon Review” meeting success at news stands, a growing list of new boutique small batch bourbons and ryes hitting market, and drinkeries dedicated to serving the best that America has to offer, I think 2011 is going to be a great year for bourbon and the Bourbon Journal. So stock up on your favorite small batch and join us as we bring you the flavors of 2011.
By Blake
Other than the heat, which us North Carolinians have become quite used to, Friday night’s pig pickin’ at the beer, bourbon, and barbecue festival was a wonderful experience! Once you get into the festival area, you are greeted at the gate by live bluegrass music and pretty girls serving up cold beer, at which point you turn the corner and enter a world of all you can drink and eat. Not a bad way to end a long week in my book!
As for the event Friday night, I really enjoyed the quaint atmosphere. The venue was not overcrowded, yet you never felt alone while traveling from tent to tent. Beautiful bluegrass tunes echoed across the amphitheater while the myriad of barbecue smokers filled the air with flavors of sweet hickory. The true spirit of southern tradition came alive here in Cary, a place so often criticized for its noticeable population of transient yankees. Leave it to beer, bourbon, and barbecue to serve as the great equalizer!
I was quite impressed with the selection of bourbon and beer available for tasting at the festival. Buffalo Trace showed up with their top shelf: Blantons, Eagle Rare, and Buffalo Trace bourbon. Jim Beam and Heaven Hill also had a nice showing of top shelf delights to share with the attendees. From the beer perspective, the big producers were represented, but in no way overshadowed the local breweries. I was back for a refill of the Big Boss Blanco Diablo to enjoy with my barbecue, one of my favorite beers of the evening.
In addition to the great selection of beer and bourbon, there were a few other liquors and cocktails represented at the festival. The most memorable to me were the Patron XO Cafe, which is a very smooth tequila that is mellowed with coffee, and the St. Germains Liqueur, which is a French spirit that is derived from a rare flower. The St. Germains line was by far the longest at the festival, and it was packed with ladies. I can only assume that they were after the refreshing St Germaine Cocktail, which is a real gem! I had one and loved it!
Overall, the event was well planned and very comfortable. We are headed back out on Saturday, but expect it to be much more crowded and hot. My recommendation for anyone planning to go next year is to hit up the Friday night pig pickin’ and then make a game day call whether or not to go back on Saturday.
By pruitt
As far as I am concerned, Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve (20 year old) is the holy grail of bourbon. There are more expensive bourbons out there, even some that have been aged longer, but none are more elusive. Blake, Shay (a friend of the journal), and I went to Kentucky last year to tour the Bourbon Trail with a goal of obtaining a bottle of the fabled bourbon. Previously we had been unable to find it online or in stores, and had been told supplies were very limited at the distillery. When we arrived at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, it was a rainy day but we were excited to see the tour of this award winning and innovative distillery. We called ahead and made reservations for the hardhat tour, which I highly recommend. On the hardhat tour, you will get to see every step of the distillation and aging process firsthand. From the time the grain arrives at the distillery on the truck, to single barrel bourbon being hand bottled, you get a glimpse at every facet of the bourbon production process.
After a great tour, we enjoyed a delightful tasting of the Buffalo Trace brand bourbon as well as their new Eagle Rare single barrel bourbon and the Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur. The Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace bourbon can be found at most any package store, however, the bourbon cream liqueur can only be bought on sight at the distillery. After the wonderful tasting, we were cut loose on the gift shop which had most of the brands that are owned and produced by the Buffalo Trace distillery proudly displayed. The only thing that we could not find on any of the gift shop shelves was a bottle of the acclaimed Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. When we asked a clerk she said we should check with the bartender in the back. So, in what can only be described as a less than confident manner, we anxiously walked back to the bar tender and asked for the Pappy. With no assurance in his voice, he said he would check in the back and then disappeared behind the rear entrance to the bar area for several minutes. To our delight, he returned saying they had four bottles left, all signed by the current proprietor of the Pappy Van Winkle name, Julian P. Van Winkle, IV. Of course we responded with a “We’ll take ‘em, all of ‘em”. At that moment, Blake, Shay and I each bought a bottle for ourselves and picked up the 4th for a fellow bourbon connoisseur that we knew would truly appreciate it. You could have heard a pin drop in that gift shop as the 20 or so tourists who were waiting on the next tour admired our exit. It was as if we had just cashed in a jackpot in a Mississippi casino and had the world right at our fingertips! Mission accomplished, the trip was a resounding success, highlighted by the fact that we bought the last four bottles of Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve bourbon in existence at the distillery.
We have each been saving our bottles for suitable occasions, each wondering who would be the first to open the stock. I recently bought my first house here in Raleigh and celebrated the occasion with some friends from work. We grilled some steaks and had some beers to christen the new place in style with good food, good company, and good banter. As the party thinned out and only a few of my closest friends remained (Blake, Geoff – another friend of the bourbon journal), the vibe was just right and I decided to uncork the Pappy. I have to say, this bourbon was absolutely worth the wait! Unbelievable complexity unravels on your tongue, a delicate taste that has been developed over 20 years in a barrel reveals immensely intimate flavors of Rich oak with honey and citrus notes chasing each other around in the glass. Add an ice cube and the taste continues to evolve and open up, lightening the taste profile so that you can pick up floral hints, flavors of fig, and as Blake swears, sweet tea! It just keeps giving and giving as it passionately unfolds and develops on your palette. Evolving from the first sip to the last, a truly delightful bourbon. I can see why it is as elusive as it is, and in the words of Farris Buller, “If you have the means, I highly recommend you pick one up”.
By Blake
There is no doubt that Kentucky takes the cake when it comes to American whiskey heritage. Moderate weather along with the abundance of grain and limestone filtered water make Kentucky the perfect place to distill and age whiskey. Fortunately for us, the traditions surrounding the production and enjoyment of whiskey in America have been preserved throughout the trials and tribulations of time.
One of the most recognizable brands within the mix of American whiskeys is undoubtedly Early Times. Since 1860, Early Times Kentucky Whiskey has been carefully distilled, aged and enjoyed by generations of great men and women. Despite civil war, modern industrialization, and even prohibition, the makers of Early Times Kentucky Whiskey have maintained continuous production for 150 years! It hardly seems possible, but sure enough, the Brown-Forman distilling company found a loophole during prohibition that allowed them to continue producing Early Times under a “medicinal license”. This has set the brand apart from others as it has helped to preserve the heritage, tradition, and history that goes into making every bottle.
To commemorate Early Times’ uninterrupted time-line, the Brown-Forman Distilling Company decided to release a special 150th anniversary bottling of the whiskey to the public. More than just a classic label and some antique style packaging, this commemorative bottling was produced and aged just as it was as a prohibition era medicinal product. Aged a few years longer and Bottled at 100 proof (as opposed to the standard 80 proof that Early Times is bottled at today) this whiskey has taken on its true and original form, just like it was back in the good old days.
We got our hands on a bottle to taste, partly for the purpose of writing this article and partly for the shear experience of tasting real history! I will go ahead and tell you, this whiskey is not like your typical sipping bourbon, based on today’s standards. No sir, this stuff is hard brown liquor that had one purpose: to get a man drunk as hell before the doctor started operating on him! As you can guess, it goes down pretty smooth but it lets you know what it is on the way! This whiskey reminds you of what real whiskey was like in the good old days, and also helps you to appreciate the great strides that whiskey making has made over the last 150 years. I highly recommend grabbing a bottle if you can find it in the package store, if for nothing more than just experiencing what real whiskey is supposed to taste like. After you have a sip or two of this classic whiskey, then you can graduate to your more refined sipping bourbon to polish off the sitting.
By pruitt
I met some friends at a local cigar bar in Raleigh (Havana Deluxe) to kick off a pub crawl for my friend’s bachelor party. Joe drove up from Jacksonville, NC where he lives and works as a USMC 2nd LT based at Camp Lejeune. He and about 10 other Marines stormed Raleigh like the beaches of Iwo Jima, leaving a trail of broken jaws and broken hearts in their wake. Fortunately after a long night of celebration all were present and accounted for.
When Joe told me he was at a cigar bar down town I was surprised not to have heard of it. He had, in fact, stumbled onto a hidden gem. I’m not sure how he found it, but I wouldn’t have had I not been looking for it. A very unassuming entrance with modest signage reading “Havana Deluxe” leads to a dark rich environment. The smell of supple leather and cigar smoke dominate the air. On top of a great atmosphere, they have a pretty solid bourbon selection to choose from as well. I walked in and after exchanging pleasantries with some jarheads, went straight to the humidor to grab an inexpensive cigar and then ordered a Woodford Reserve at the bar. After lighting my cigar, I sat down and took a sip of the Woodford. I had to do a double take at first because I thought I had been given the a different bourbon, but then I realized how much the cigar had changed the taste profile of the Woodfor Reserve. This time, I picked up on a rich caramel sweetness that is typically not present in Woodford Reserve. I enjoyed my Woodford considerably more than I typically do as the taste went from run of the mill to word class.
I in no way consider myself a cigar connoisseur, but I do enjoy a good stogy from time to time, especially when it is accompanying a nice glass of bourbon. When you find yourself at a cigar shop just ask the guy behind the counter to recommend something that goes well with bourbon. Typically clerks at cigars shops are pretty knowledgeable, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy a good cigar. For instance the 2008 cigar of the year was the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto which retails for about $5. When smoking, like drinking, I recommend that you simply find something you like, which does not necessarily have to be what the rest of the world claims to enjoy. It’s always a good idea to try new things but it’s also good to have a baseline to compare from. For the novice, I recommend buying 5-10 different cigars that range from mild to bold in their flavor descriptions, without spending an excessive amount of money because chances are you will not like them all. From those, find level of boldness that suits you the best and next time you are looking at cigars you will know one you like and can ask someone to make a recommend one that is similar. Then start pairing different cigars with different bourbons and see what happens. It is a great way to experience new and exciting flavors every time you drink.
For some reason cigar smoking and drinking bourbon, or dare I say Scotch, just seem to go hand in hand. I don’t know what has given us this impression. Maybe movies or photos from history, but there is some solace in knowing that some important decisions and deals have been made while partaking in these vices. So when you want to sit down with a old friend and solve the worlds problems, grab a couple of stogies from the humidor, leave the watch and the phone where you cant reach them, and keep the bottle handy.
By Blake
Here at the bourbon journal, we love to blog about the great bourbons that we drink. Some bourbons suit us better than others so they make the cut and end up with an honorable mention on our site. Just to be clear to our readers, we only write about bourbons that we drink, and we aim to drink’em all at least once! That being said, we buy our own bourbon so that we can write about it without bias or influence outside of the regular old enjoyment of it. I might mention getting our hands on a “review bottle” from time to time, but that is only when I want to taste a bourbon before it makes its debut on the store shelves. Any commercially available bourbon that I write about on this blog has been purchased, placed in a brown bag, and carried out of a store, no bells and whistles about it!
The point of this rant is to make sure that you all, my faithful readers, know that you are reading genuine material when you stop by our blog. We don’t sell out to any endorsements and we certainly don’t benefit from any corporate handouts. We love bourbon because it is a down to earth spirit that can be enjoyed by anyone. It would just be a damn shame to disrespect that in any way!
Now that I got that out of the way, I want to let you all know that we are making great progress on our bourbon reviews page. I know it seems like we have been taking our sweet time putting that together, but you should know that my co-editor and I have been busy bees with it for over a month now. Just when we think we got it all figured out, we find a new bourbon or a new idea and it just mixes things all up! It has also been quite a task deciding on the template for our forum, which I think we have pretty much nailed down now. So keep your eyes peeled for bourbon reviews to start popping up on our site soon!
By pruitt
Whether you are drinking an exclusive high end sipping bourbon or an inexpensive well bourbon, the key is to drink what you like the way you like it. That’s not to say that you can’t develop a taste for something new. Many people don’t care for caviar or oysters the first time they try them, so don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. If you usually go for the “Jim and Ginger” try a Blantons, or another bourbon on the top shelf with a little water or a couple of rocks. If you’ve read my bio then you’d know that I grew up watching my grandparents drink Yellowstone and only later did I discover that it runs about $12 a bottle (hardly a sipping bourbon). When I was over at my grandmothers house over Christmas break I saw someone had bought her a bottle of Eagle Rare, a very nice 10 year old, single barrel bourbon. I asked her if I could have a glass, to which she said “Oh, you won’t like that, it’s too harsh”. To my palate the Eagle Rare is far superior in taste and complexity, but to Grand Zoe its “to harsh”. She knows what she likes and she’s been drinking Yellowstone and water since before I was born. As long as its bourbon I don’t mind. If your “go to” drink is a well brand with a mixer that’s fine but you could hardly consider yourself a connoisseur. Take Wild Turkey for example, most people associate that name, with slugging down shots of “151″ on your 21st birthday and being sick as a dog as a result, but if you try their Rare Breed or Kentucky Spirit you are in for a completely different bourbon experience. I have been very pleased with both, Rare Breed in particular, less expensive than Kentucky Spirit, it has a light sweet flavor with hints of oak and honey. I promise, it is not the Wild Turkey you remember from college.
When it comes to the actual tasting of a high end bourbon the technique is a little different. Just as wouldn’t put ketchup on a prime cut filet mignon, you wouldn’t want to add a mixer or even too much water to a fine bourbon. Anything you do/add to a great bourbon should be about enhancing its natural flavor. My personal preference is to add about two cubes of ice. This allows me to start out with the strong rich flavors of the untainted bourbon and then as the ice melts it opens up a new taste profile. While adding water will reveal new flavors in the bourbon, adding too much water or ice will simply dilute subtle nuances. The important thing is to find what works for you. Start out straight and add a little water or ice incrementally until you get it to the point where you like it and keep in mind there is no right or wrong way to drink bourbon as long as you enjoy it.
By Blake
Nestled in the rolling hills of Versailles, Kentucky, at the Woodford Reserve distillery, we discovered a nice little gem in the Labrot and Graham repertoire, the “Master’s Collection”. Unlike the well known “Distiller’s Select” bourbon that sits on the shelf in its unmistakable flask-shaped bottle, the Master’s Collection bottle strongly resembles the trademark copper stills from which it is born and bred.
More than just a distinguishable bottle, this bourbon has become one of our favorite pleasures to enjoy on the back porch at the end of a long day! This unique bourbon is the only bourbon in the world that is distilled solely in copper pot stills. It is through this careful and time-honored process that Woodford Reserve has produced one of our most treasured bottles in the Bourbon Journal collection!
Each year, Oscar Pepper and James Crow add a new edition to the Master’s Collection. Our current bottle is from last year’s batch (2008), which was labeled “1838 Sweet Mash”, and sweet it is! Like velvet on your palette, this bourbon breathes life into your senses as it reveals its impressive taste profile. This year’s edition (2009) is called, “Four Grain” and shows much promise to be a worthy addition to our beloved collection. Rather than writing about it here, I am sure it will gain a spot in our top ten bourbon reviews that are forthcoming on the Bourbon Reviews page.
While Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select is a popular choice for many bourbon-philes, if your ready to take a step into the truly remarkable, I highly recommend you pick up a bottle of the Master’s Collection. While acquiring it may not be easy, you are sure to find that it is worth the effort of the hunt. The only package store that we could find it in is located in the heart of bourbon country, Loretto, Kentucky. Some online distributors carry a few bottles, but be prepared to discover that most are already out of stock! Your best bet may be to just head over to Versailles and buy a bottle from Mr. Crow himself.
By pruitt
I have lived in Raleigh for about a year now and it didn’t take me long to learn that when you want a good steak, there is only one place to go: The Angus Barn. While the steaks are superb, it’s the overall restaurant experience that keeps me coming back. The Angus Barn is just what it sounds like, a barn; one that just so happens to offer a dining experience unlike any other. From the moment you walk in, it’s five star service, the greeting at the door comes with a genuineness that can not be faked. Every employee carries an air of pride not common even among the epicurean elite. While this blog is about bourbon, it should be noted that the Angus Barn boasts one of the largest wine cellars east of the Mississippi, and they are just as much about quality as quantity when it comes to their wine. They have won the very prestigious and sought after Wine Spectator Award every year since 1989. If you have time I would highly recommend that you ask to go on a cellar tour…you will be glad you did!
Once you have had your fill of steak and wine, maybe even a little creme brulee and espresso if you have the appetite, no trip to the Angus Barn is complete without a trip to the Wild Turkey Lounge. The name says it all… it’s a bourbon haven. Have a seat in one of their oversized leather chairs or love seats. The room is elegantly appointed, the walls adorned with with over 600 Wild Turkey decanturs, the largest private collection in the world. The bourbon list is sufficient, Blanton’s and Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit are among my favorites on the list. There is really no better place to sit down with friends and solve the worlds problems over a glass of bourbon. So next time you find yourself in Raleigh, stop by the Angus Barn for a great steak and an unmatched experience, and be sure to wonder up the the Wild Turkey Lounge for a glass of your favorite bourbon. Don’t forget to grab a free apple, for good luck, on your way out the door (The Angus Barn spends $15,000 annually on apples for its patrons, if thats not the extra mile I don’t know what is).
This site was inspired by fellowship and good bourbon, two things that each gentleman must, at some point, ascertain a taste for! We hope that you will find what you are looking for while you enjoy your time with us. Feel free to drop us a line if you care to say hello or if you feel like something is missing.