My Wandering Eye: Appleton Estate Rare Blend, Aged 12 Years

June 13, 2017 Eric Burke

My wandering eye is a series reacting to the crazy rising prices in the bourbon world. We’ve reached a place where even average products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. If I’m going be asked to drop $40 to $70 on a mid-range bourbon, I might as well see what else I can get for that money. See if another spirits category offers something that is downright tasty in that price range. The goal isn’t to find cheap spirits, but to maximize the quality, I’m getting at a particular price point.

Inspired by my review of Fred Minnick's Rum Curious, I decided to let my eye wander through the liquor store again. This time though, I went armed with the knowledge provided in Fred's book. I had an idea as to what I was looking for and what I might be able to find. Since I am a whiskey drinker, I thought I'd try one of the non-sugared rum styles. After reading in Rum Curious that Jamaica and Barbadoes do not allow sugar in their rums, I went looking for that. I cross referenced that with Fred's thoughts on the various whiskeys. I made a list and then I headed to the store.

The first one that I saw from the list, well the first one in my price range, was the 12-year-old expression of Appleton Estate. I'd had other, less expensive, expressions from Appleton Estate and enjoyed them so that is the one I walked out with.

Appleton Estate Rare Blend, Aged 12 Years

Purchase Info: $31.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Viking Liquor Barrel, Prior Lake, MN

Details: 12 years old. 43% ABV

Nose: Very rich and sweet with a nice thick mouthfeel. Strong molasses, caramel custard, banana, ginger spice and old wood.

Mouth: Sweet with a hint of the spice to come. Banana, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and oak.

Finish: This is where the spice really kicks in. Lingering ginger and molasses with banana bread and cinnamon coming in after.

Thoughts: Oh, remember the good old days when you could get a 12-year-old bourbon for around $30? Or an 18-year-old for $45? Well, that ship has sailed and it ain't coming back anytime soon. In the meantime, let's hop on a different ship and sail on out to find some rum. A 12-year-old for $32? And it's good? Sign me up. I like this one quite a bit.

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My Wandering Eye: Rum Curious by Fred Minnick

June 6, 2017 Eric Burke

Disclaimer: Fred Minnick is my friend. In my statement of ethics, I promised to disclose when I am reviewing one of my friend’s products and to only review them when it was truly something I really liked. This is one of those times.

It's been about a year and a half since my eye first started to wander around the liquor store. In that time Bourbon prices have just gotten more insane. And though I could continue blindly searching through the liquor store and hoping I find something amazing, I'd rather search for a little clarity and guidance instead.

Enter my friend, Fred Minnick. I've reviewed plenty of his books on the site before, but they have always been about bourbon. This time around, Fred has tackled another spirit which just so happens to line up with the My Wandering Eye... series: Rum.

Rum is a spirit that intrigues me. It can be, and is, made almost anywhere in the world. Each country has different and unique regulations, and almost none of them are required to be on the label. Rum can have sugar added post-distillation, or not. Rum can be made using molasses, sugarcane juice, or sugar syrup (US manufacturers have even gotten away with using Beet sugar or Sorghum, in violation of the labeling laws). Sometimes barrels that are evaporating in the Carribean heat can be used to top off other barrels, and sometimes they can't. Truly, the biggest problem is not that there are no regulations, its that there are a lot of regulations. And many they conflict with one another.

And that's where Fred Minnick enters the picture. I'm sure that there have been books on Rum before this one. But I don't know that there has ever been one that is more suited to helping the Bourbon drinker gain an informed entry into the world of Rum. Rum Curious offers an overview of Rum's history, a look into the many rules and regulations, tasting notes, cocktail recipes and even an appendix full of producer production notes. All to help you decide what type of Rum you want and then to help you find that Rum and make an informed purchasing decision.

I almost always buy spirits books in hardcover, and this time was no exception. This time though, I think I might also buy an electronic copy of so I can have a searchable version along when I visit the Rum aisle in the liquor store.

I like this book a lot. It makes me want to explore Rum further. Which I guess, may be kinda the point.

Colonial Spirits: a Toast to Our Drunken History

December 6, 2016 Eric Burke

I bought the book Colonial Spirits knowing nothing about it, or it's author. I saw the title and thought it sounded like a fun read. Until I did a little internet searching, I did not know who Steven Grasse was. I did not know that he used to run an ad agency. I did not know that he is the creative force behind Root, Snap and other delightful sounding drinks that I haven't ever had before. But, I am a history buff, and I am a fan of drinks. These topics often intersect in Colonial American history. So it sounded like a good bet that I would like this one.

But there is a problem. The book takes the idea of "Drunken History" a little too seriously. I like the history. I like the recipes (even if it did say to shake a Sazerac). But the book is loud, brash and feels a bit too likely to scream "'Murica!" at me. It reads a lot like a drunk man is telling you stories in the oh-so-confident way that only a slightly inebriated person can manage.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. But, we've all been around drunk people. They can be fun, but then without warning, they can be quite emotional. They can be brash and loud until they become quiet and morose. Sometimes they pick fights and wonder why people are picking on them. In other words, drunk people can be really fun until they are not. My problem with this book is that it was written in the voice of the fun drunk person and I kept waiting for it to turn into the emotional, mean one. I get that this is more about me than the book.

The book is worth a read, and the cocktails are worth a try. My favorite (and the one pictured in the photo above) was one called the New Amsterdam. It's a take on a Manhattan with Cherry Bounce instead of whiskey and both dry and sweet vermouth to go along with orange bitters. It's sweet but quite delicious.

Hey, have I told you about BourbonGuyGifts.com? It is one of the ways you can support the blog and still get something back. I hand-craft items from barrel bungs, barrel staves and more to make coat racks, candle holders, tasting journals, drink coasters and more. Check it out, won't you?

Bar Review: The Silver Dollar, Louisville, KY

November 22, 2016 Eric Burke

A shot of my glass on the bar of the Silver Dollar.

I don't usually review bars. Partly because I live in suburban Minnesota and there are few really good bourbon bars near enough for me to frequent them without a half hour to forty-five-minute drive afterward. So when I'm at home, I tend to have my bourbon in my home.

When I travel, on the other hand, I go out more. Seriously why wouldn't you? That's part of the reason you are away from home in the first place, to not to do what you do at home.

When I visit most places in the country, I tend to find a brewery taproom to settle down in or at least a bar with a good selection of local things on tap. But when I go to Kentucky, it's all about the bourbon. I try to hit at least one new place every time I'm there. But there is one place I visit every single time.

My friend Fred introduced me to the Silver Dollar on one of my February road trips to someplace without snow. I was passing through Louisville on my to someplace theoretically warmer than Minnesota, and we made plans to meet for supper and a drink. The weather outside was cold and rainy, but inside, the warm and friendly atmosphere made me immediately feel welcome as I waited for everyone to arrive. This is the kind of place that has big Christmas lights on the walls and where the music comes from a vinyl record.

I was impressed by that first visit, and when my wife and I found ourself back in Louisville on my birthday, it was the first place I thought of to get supper. Smoked brisket and creamy mac and cheese. Mmmmm. Add in a glass or two of bourbon from one of their privately selected barrels, and it made for a perfect birthday meal.

I've gone back every time I've been to Louisville since. Sometimes more than once. When I have it, the food is always good, and I always search out a private barrel selection for my glass. They often have more than one barrel of whatever they've got. I always ask the bartender which they prefer, and I've never been disappointed when I followed their advice.

I can't recommend this place highly enough. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you need to remedy that on your next trip to Louisville.

The Silver Dollar can be found online at http://www.whiskeybythedrink.com/

My Wandering Eye: Chateau de Laubade Armagnac, 1976

November 15, 2016 Eric Burke

In case you’re new to the "My Wandering Eye..." series, let me recap. Bourbon prices are creeping up. So much so that even mediocre products have hit the range where they compete price-wise with other types of aged spirits. A $50 750 ml bottle of Cognac or Armagnac doesn’t sound outrageous next to a $50 Old Forester 1870 or a $50 375 mL of the Jim Beam Harvest collection. As a response to this, my eye has started wandering down other aisles of the liquor store. Sometimes I save money. Sometimes I spend the same amount. And other times...

I recently turned 40. Forty is a pretty big birthday. One of the milestones where you take stock of your life and make sure it is where you want it to be. I remember a couple quotes from a terminally ill Steve Jobs.

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?"

and

"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

After taking stock of my life, I realized that though my life is pretty good right now, there were a few things I wanted to accomplish yet. If my life ended today, I wouldn't be doing all of the things I want to do.

I recently lost one of my biggest clients. On my birthday, they were found guilty of fraud and are no longer allowed to do business in the state of Minnesota. It's kind of a big deal for my bottom line, but it has allowed me to take stock of where I'm at and realize that though I love being creative, design is only one facet of it. There is so much more that I want to do.

To that end, in addition to my design business, I'm starting a new business venture (details to come soon). I've taken on a freelance writing gig. Basically, I'm in the process of making my freelance design business just one of many ways I make money and express my creativity.

It's a scary and yet satisfying time. It's scary because I've been doing one thing professionally for the last decade and doing anything else is a little uncomfortable. It's scary because I am flexing different parts of my mental muscles so that I might do and create new things. And yet that last one is also the most satisfying part of it all. In the end, I may have to go back to design full time. I may have to pound the pavement and hustle up new clients. Who knows? The future has yet to be written, and I'm just going to do what I love so that I make sure that I am living my life doing what it is that I'd want to do should any particular day end up being my last. At forty, I figure that my story is only half written. It's time to start making sure the second half is the more satisfying one.

In the spirit of the milestone that a round number birthday is, I decided that I wanted to buy myself something special. Due to the previous examples of the "My Wandering Eye..." series, I knew that I was really starting to enjoy brandy. So when I saw an Armagnac on the shelf at one of my local liquor stores distilled the year I was born? Well, I had to get it.

Chateau de Laubade Armagnac, 1976

Purchase info: $159.99 for a 750 mL bottle, Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: Distilled in 1976, blended and bottled November 2015. Bas Armagnac.

Nose: Caramel and brown sugar, ripe fruit, herbal notes and rich leather.

Mouth: Caramel, brown sugar, mint, dried fruit, leather, and oak.

Finish: Sweet caramel coats your throat before making room for a very slight warmth and some lingering oak and herbal notes.

Thoughts: This is a fantastic drink. Worthy of celebrating a milestone. Sweet, fruity and a real treat for the bourbon lover.

Not Whiskey, But Tangential: A Selection From BourbonBarrel Foods.

November 1, 2016 Eric Burke

I’ve lived most of my life in Minnesconsin. It’s my name for a region that encompasses a good sized portion of both Minnesota and Wisconsin. Having lived on both sides of the imaginary line that runs down the center of the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, I know from experience that the culture of both is essentially the same. They both celebrate deer hunting in the Fall and fishing pretty much any time of year. They both call a casserole a “hotdish.” They both have a weird fondness for Jello with other foodstuffs inserted into it. And farming, both dairy and corn, is a major industry. I guess the major point of difference is whether the football teams you root for wear green and yellow and red and white or purple and yellow and maroon and gold.

Historically, in both places, the food has been bland and tended to be either white or transparent. I don’t think it was until I started to travel to St. Paul as a teenager that I realized that food should have spices. The fanciest we got was to sprinkle a little garlic salt on the venison when Mom wasn’t looking.

I think this might be why I like to cook so much. I love flavor. I love to see how various ingredients play and meld and sometimes create something new. It’s the reason I love bourbon too. It is seldom that you will describe a bourbon's flavor as delicate.

It was with all this in mind that, while at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, I stopped by the Bourbon Barrel Foods booth. I like bourbon, good things tend to come from barrels, and I like foods. I was curious to see what sort of concoctions came from a combination of the three.

Initially, I grabbed a container of Bourbon Smoked Pepper and the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Smoked Chef’s Spice Blend. Both were wonderfully rich and smokey. I use the black pepper to season eggs for breakfast, and I love the Chef’s Spice Blend on every meat I cook on the grill. Hamburgers, chicken, steak, you name it, it works on all of them. It even tastes good on potatoes. Really some killer stuff.

I liked that Bourbon Smoked Chef’s Spice Blend so much that I soon used it up. Luckily they also sell on their website. So I popped another container of the spice blend in my cart and went looking at the rest of the items they offered.

Woodford Reserve Bourbon Smoked Lemon Pepper
This uses the Bourbon Smoked Pepper, lemon peel, onion, garlic and various other spices. It’s tasty enough. I tried it on chicken and fish, but I suppose it would work on anything you might want lemon pepper flavored.

Bourbon Smoked Sugar
Beautifully smoky on the nose and mouth. Once I purchased this, I had a hard time deciding how I was going to use this. I wouldn’t want that kind of smoke flavor on my morning oatmeal. And though it might taste good in a cookie, I didn’t buy it in a package big enough to use that way. Eventually, I came up with the perfect use for it, though. Simple syrup for an Old Fashioned. It adds just a hint of smoke and complexity to the drink.

Bourbon Smoked Garlic Salt
I can see the salt crystals. I can see the dried garlic. I can certainly smell the garlic, but I don’t get any overt smoke on this one. That said it is still one of the better garlic salts I’ve used. Unfortunately, I use only a bare minimum of salt in my cooking, and I use garlic salt even less. Good thing I only sprung for the .75 ounce container. I have a feeling this one will stick around for a while.

These folks are creating some excellent stuff. I’m enjoying almost all of them and will certainly be looking for more. Thankfully it looks like some of their products are available in Minnesota. Apparently, I’m not the only Minnesconsin resident that has woken up to the fact that it is ok to have flavorful food.

But Always Fine Bourbon: Pappy Van Winkle and the Story of Old Fitzgerald by Sally Van Winkle Campbell

October 20, 2016 Eric Burke

Last night, I finished a book that had been on my wish list for years. Literally years. For some reason I never got around to buying it even though I had heard very good things about it. But when we were introduced to the author at the Kentucky BourbonFest and saw that she was selling her books, we figured that it was just about time to finally pick it up.

This is not a history of bourbon. This is a history of one family and their bourbon. A pretty famous bourbon family at that. This is the story of Pappy Van Winkle and his brand, Old Fitzgerald. And it is written by someone with pretty good access to the family and their archives, because she is family. As the granddaughter of the famous Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle (and daughter to J.P. Van Winkle Jr., and sister to Julian Van Winkle III who produces Pappy the drink) Sally Van Winkle Campbell is probably uniquely qualified to write this story.

And what a story it is! Written in a very conversational style, this book starts in 1893 as Pappy is first starting work at W. L. Weller. It then steps back and tells you about the Wellers, the Stitzels and the some of the other major characters in the story before heading back to Pappy and stories of his time with the company. The book details his rise through the company, the struggles of Prohibition and the way he ran his company afterward.

The book regales you with story after story. Each entertaining enough that if you aren’t careful, you’ll do as I did and find yourself still awake long after you should be sleeping. The book ends well after Pappy and his company were both gone, touching on the creation of the bourbon named for the man before taking it’s leave of you.

This is a great book for any bourbon lover or anyone who just wants a glimpse into a bit of the history and the life of a very colorful man. Go buy it, you won’t regret it.

Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, And Rebirth of an American Whiskey by Fred Minnick

October 18, 2016 Eric Burke

Disclaimer: Fred Minnick is a friend and in my statement of ethics I promised to disclose when I am reviewing one of my friend’s products and to only review them when it was truly something I really liked. This is one of those times.

Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, And Rebirth of an American Whiskey by Fred Minnick

I’m sitting here tonight, drinking from a freshly made batch of Cherry Bounce and trying to think of what to say about Fred Minnick’s newest book. I could say it is great, informative and well-written. But one could say that those things should go without saying for a Fred Minnick book. Fred is one of my favorite authors. I’m lucky to count myself among his friends.

This is a book that is geared toward the bourbon geek or the wannabe geek. The person who really wants to dig in to the details of bourbon’s history. The one who wants to read about tax policy and government oversight. Who wants to explore the various “candidates” for the title of Father of Bourbon and see if one rings truer than the others. This is a book for people who love bourbon and want to know more.

Most books about bourbon love to talk about where and when it came from. Everyone wants to get into the gory details of Prohibition. This is a book that spends as much time discussing the 1940s until today as it does the 100 years previous. It doesn’t matter if you kno nothing about bourbon or live online in bourbon forums, you’ll probably learn something in this book. I know I did. This is a book that really does follow it’s subtitle, chronicling the “Rise, Fall, and Rebirth” of our favorite spirit.

This is not a book content to rehash old legends. I find that refreshing. And speaking of refreshing, that glass of Cherry Bounce is empty. And if you'll excuse me, I think I need another.

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Appleton Estate Rare Blend, Aged 12 Years

Chateau de Laubade Armagnac, 1976