Nick, Author at First Pour Cocktails

Redbreast Lustau Edition

Posted on March 3, 2023February 20, 2023 by Nick

Redbreast 12 led us off, and to follow it up, we’re heading to their Redbreast Lustau Edition. Similar to their Redbreast 12, it starts life being made using a mash of malted and unmalted barley that is triple distilled in copper pot stills. It’s then matured in bourbon seasoned American Oak and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts for 9-11 years. At that point, the whiskey is aged in used Lustau sherry bottles from Jerez, Spain. The result is a finished Irish whiskey with one of the most prominent producers for sherry for only $10 more than Redbreast 12.

Redbreast Lustau Edition

Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry

Smell: The nose has some heat at the front, but gives way to deep caramel, red apples (both fresh and baked), and plenty of nutty notes. Deep vinous sherry notes come through, and a tangy agrodolce caramel comes out. A toasted sugar and oak mingle with hints of white grape.

Sip: Dark leather, roasted almond, walnut, and slightly burnt creme brulee top comes through. A bitter cocoa powder slides in, before deep white floral notes edge in. The fruits are toned down here, with more dried expressions of stone fruit and plum skin.

Savor: The ending carries forward the vinous sherry notes forward, but gives way to heavy doses of white flowers and floral notes. Almonds and walnuts with some prune join in as well.

Redbreast Lustau Edition is heavily sherried and tastes like it. If you love nutty, floral notes, then there’s things to love in spades here. The nuttiness and creaminess of the body give a lot of depth. The fruit expressions are more preserved and fermented here, but the underlying character maintains the original Redbreast notes. A wonderful little sipper, if heavily sherried.

In Cocktails

In a Cameron’s Kick the nuttiness really elevates – grabbing onto the orgeat right off the bat and adding sweet almond and marzipan notes. The fruitiness sort of pops with the lime, but there’s a bit of bruleed sugar and floral notes. The finish has some floral notes and sweetness toward the end, but the nuttiness lingers.

In Review – Redbreast Lustau Edition

Redbreast Lustau Edition is a nutty Irish whiskey that balanced with a nice amount of complex floral elements. The result is something that nicely balanced, creamy, and with decent depth. If you find you’re not a fan of nuttiness in your whiskey, or sherry finishes, than this one might not be your starting point. However, if you like what Redbreast 12 has to offer, you might find the $10 price difference is worth paying.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Posted on March 1, 2023February 20, 2023 by Nick

Thanks to explosion of popularity driven by Pappy Van Winkle, all things Buffalo Trace became scarce. This didn’t just impact rare and high end products like the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, but also impacted everything from the under branded Hancocks to the dusty Weller Special Reserve on the bottom shelf. Not spared from this desire to taste the distillate was Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Lest you think this is just some trendy fad, Buffalo Trace Bourbon had fans like Death & Co recommending their product for your home cocktails well before the current hype.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Sight: A deep copper

Smell: Big notes of caramel and cherries come floating out from the op. Red strawberry licorice and notes of oak slowly waft out. Slight notes of ester or banana come in before getting big pops of brown sugar, molasses, and a touch of vanilla.

Sip: The sip starts out easy to drink and moderate bodied. There’s a good amount of brown sugar, vanilla, and caramel that lead things off. Cherries come in big and bold here, with a mix of preserved and fresh notes. There’s a lot of other nice fruity notes in here as well, ranging as light as strawberries to as dark plum. There’s a slight uptick toward tannin near the end and a little clove or tobacco note.

Savor: The ending is smooth, not particularly aggressive, instead lingering with nice caramel, spice, and red cherries.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon is iconic and easy going. The flavor profile is quintessential bourbon layering spice, sugar notes, and fruitiness. The result is a great bourbon that’s doesn’t make you work hard to find the fun in it. Experts will find it isn’t the most complex bourbon in the world, but the quality is exceptional in the mid $20 range, and is easily enjoyable on it’s own.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Buffalo Trace Bourbon is graceful, smooth, and elegant. The resulting Manhattan is caramel laden, fruit forward, and at times almost funky or full of banana notes. The vanilla of the vermouth and herbal notes balance this, giving it a sweet and creamy character. The angostura even gets space to shine, showing off clove and spices in spade. As Manhattans go, it’s beautiful and inviting if not the most complex or extreme.

In Review – Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Buffalo Trace Bourbon is easy going and perfectly priced at an MSRP of $25. While the availability can be low, it’s worth a pick up if you find a bottle on sale. The result is a bourbon that’s perfect for both enthusiasts and new drinkers. It also has an advantage of being both firm in cocktails, but elegant enough to allow other flavors through. Overall, this is an easy recommendation for starting your home bar or keeping around for guests.

The Classics: Vieux Carre

Posted on February 27, 2023February 26, 2023 by Nick

The Vieux Carre is New Orleans in a glass. It represents an amazing fusion of cultural elements that were impact America in the 1930’s. Sweet Vermouth from Italy meet Rye from America with a French influence of cognac and Benedictine. Adding in the bitters from Angostura (the Caribbean) with Peychaud’s bitters (the Caribbean / New Orleans), and you end up with an amazing cocktail that builds to more than the sum of it’s parts.

Vieux Carre

1 oz

Rye

1 oz

Cognac

1 oz

Sweet Vermouth

¼ oz

Benedictine

1 Dash

Angostura Bitters

1 Dashes

Peychaud Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into a double rocks glass with a large cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.

The Vieux Carre is one of those deep, layered, broody sorts of classic cocktails. There’s a subtle sweetness here, but the primary notes are herbal touches over spice with lots of complex caramel and preserved fruit elements. There’s an almost honey like richness that texturally runs through. There are hints of unique elements from both the rye and cognac that keep you coming back for another sip.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Vieux Carre has a lot going on, and really revels in the interaction of it’s elements. From that stand point, mixing good quality ingredients will help to build various flavor profiles that can make the Vieux Carre exciting to try using different spirits and modifiers.

Rye – While this can work either way, we went with the more caramel and spice side of rye, using Rittenhouse. Thanks to the sweetness of the Cognac and the sweet vermouth this could work with a more herbal earthy rye as well like Wild Turkey 101 or George Dickel Rye.
Cognac – We recommend using H by Hine or Pierre Ferrand 1840 or Ambre for cocktails as they add a significant amount of cognac flavor depth without breaking the bank. If you don’t want to pay for cognac, feel free to substitute a brandy, such as Lustau Brandy de Jerez Solera Reserva .
Sweet Vermouth – We utilized the more vanilla forward Carpano Antica here (which is our go to), but you can modify some of the flavors present by using a more caramel forward Cocchi or a fruit forward vermouth like Lustau.
Benedictine – Due to the herbal notes and honeyed sweetness that go into this brandy based liqueur, we don’t recommend swapping this for anything else. Similar to certain other classics, this is both a specific liqueur and a brand recommendation.
Angostura Bitters – These are the classic bitters for most cocktails, and we recommend you keep a bottle on hand. You can find them at Amazon (although most of the time you should be able to find them locally cheaper)
Peychaud Bitters – These are the standard for any Sazerac. You can purchase them at most well appointed liquor stores or through Amazon*.

* – This link is an affiliate link which may result in us getting a partial commission from the sale. In 2022 we made $13.34 from affiliate links and made $1.36 so far in 2023, while we’ve spent well over $200 on just webhosting. Help us keep the lights on if you like our content, and please use our links!

Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey

Posted on February 24, 2023February 13, 2023 by Nick

Welcome to the start of our Irish Whiskey Month! It’s no secret that the last whiskeys I’ve written about here have been less than thrilling to try, and so this year, we’re going up market starting with Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey. Distilled by Middleton, Redbreast 12 is made using a mash of malted and unmalted barley that is triple distilled in copper pot stills. It’s then matured in bourbon seasoned American Oak and Oloroso Sherry seasoned Spanish oak butts. The result is a whiskey that retails for over double our previous bottles, so is it worth it?

Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey

Sight: Deep Copper

Smell: Caramel, fresh green apples, marzipan, and red licorice come cascading out in droves. The nose is fruity, with candied raspberry coming forth, and then gets complimented with nuttiness, hints of spice, toasty oak, and a slight hint of alcohol.

Sip: Bright, explosive apple, peach, and creamy candies jump out. Plum, cinnamon, and bursts of spices aren’t far behind. The mouth feel is light, laced with vanilla, and loaded with nuanced creamy, fruity notes.

Savor: The ending has more baked apple, spice, and oak elements. A leather and apple skin note lingers.

Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey is frankly nothing short of explosively lovely. The bursts of fruity flavors are clean, clear, and pop brightly. The creaminess of the underlying nectar is just as pleasant, making it smooth and enticing. While the finish isn’t the most complex, what it does, it does particularly clearly and with a robust character. Sipping it is simply a pleasure.

In Cocktails

In A Cameron’s Kick Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey delivers the same creamy candy and apple notes. The bright lemon laces with vanilla and subtle peach and stone fruit notes. There’s a beautiful cinnamon and deep red plum skin element that runs over the finish. The subtle nuttiness compliments this all the way through, and there’s a light charred pineapple touch. Overall, it’s a delicious and robust Cameron’s Kick.

In Review – Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey

Redbreast 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey is delightfully simple, yet thoroughly detailed in it’s approach. The result is an Irish whiskey that delivers a great neat experience while also simultaneously working well in a cocktail. That brings us to the price. Approaching $70 in some places, Redbreast 12 isn’t cheap, and it may cause you to think twice. That said, compared to all the of the more entry level Irish Whiskey’s I’ve tasted, there is more than double the value here. For that reason, if you have the means, I encourage you try to a bottle of Redbreast (especially at closer to $60 where it can show up from time to time).

If you want to try it without committing, consider trying their Family Collection pack, where you can get 3 50ml bottles representing the Redbreast 12, the Lustau Edition, and Redbreast 15.

Angel’s Envy Bourbon

Posted on February 22, 2023February 14, 2023 by Nick

While A Midwinter Night’s Dram (MWND) might be one of the most sought after whiskey releases that is finished with Port, it’s far from the only offerings on the market. The best part is, a fair number of them don’t cost anywhere near the exorbitant $130 a bottle that MWND commands. Now while they’re all not rye, that doesn’t mean they’re not reasonable bourbons for great prices. Amongst them is Angel’s Envy Bourbon which typically retails for under $50. So does it taste as good as the bottle looks?

Angel’s Envy Bourbon

Age: No Age Statement (NAS)
Proof: 86 (43% A.B.V.)
Finishing: Port Wine Barrels

Sight: A pretty burnished hue.

Smell: Vanilla, bright fresh cherries, nuts, toffee, and figs all jump out at the start of the nose. More notes of raspberries and other red fruit join in with a slightly vinous quality. A touch of oak and baked, jammy berries with vanilla pastry creme follow up. A touch of hard cut oak runs through.

Sip: Red cherries and vinous notes mixed with oak come out at the start too. There’s a bit of sweetness and creamy vanilla that kick up, before being slathered in red plums and jammy raspberries. Touches of baking spice coming in to with just a hint of wood char.

Savor: The ending has a nice vanilla and berry finish. A bit of tobacco and toasty oak comes through as it ends.

Angel’s Envy Bourbon is dessert like in it’s flavors, and pleasantly mixed between fruit and vanilla. The lower proof keeps it easy to drink, but it doesn’t slouch either. The flavors are decently layered too, and each sip reveals a little more of the effects of finishing. The result is an enjoyable, port finished bourbon that’s easy on the palate any time, but especially after dinner.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan the jammy sweetness and berry notes of both the Angel’s Envy Bourbon and the vermouth come to the forefront. The cherry notes really run the gamut from fresh to baked to dried. Caramel and vanilla notes come in with spice and cigar box, and give it another dimension with a light marshmallow char on the end. Overall, it’s a sweeter than average Manhattan, and it shows that the application of Angel’s Envy in other places may require some tempering to adjust for the sweetness.

In Review – Angel’s Envy Bourbon

Angel’s Envy Bourbon is polished and refined port wine finished bourbon. The flavors are clean, clear, and concise with a significant amount of both bourbon and port flavors. As a result, it works well in cocktails as well but may add some port wine notes that you might not want or expect them. Overall though, it is delicious and a bottle we recommend. While this bottle is a great offering to keep for guests after dinner, it might be a strange choice to be the only bourbon behind your home bar, so think of if as an expansion.

The Classics: Gin & Tonic

Posted on February 20, 2023February 14, 2023 by Nick

Quinine, the compound that gives tonic water its distinct taste, has been used as an antimalarial since the 19th century. To improve the palatability, it was mixed with various things including tonic water, fortified wine, or gin. This trend eventually gave way to commercial tonic water being mixed with gin toward the 1940’s. This two ingredient drink maybe simple, but the flavor profile has stood the test of time.

Gin & Tonic

2 oz

Gin

4 oz

Tonic Water

Build in a highball or collins. Add a few ice cubes and add gin. Stir a few times to chill. Add tonic water. Stir once. Add ice to fill, and garnish with a lime wedge.

The Gin & Tonic is refreshing, sweet and bitter, and bright. The tonic’s quinine is the distinctive element here, and pairs wonderfully with the herbs and spices of the gin. The carbonation gives it a nice pop of levity, and the subtle sweetness of the tonic keeps things in balance.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Gin & Tonic is a simple cocktail, so the use of ingredients that are quality and that you enjoy are tantamount to success. From a drink construction standpoint, the only thing to keep in mind is that you should not stir this drink excessively. Doing so will remove the carbonation.

Gin – While London dry gin is traditional here, any gin will do. Use contemporary gins for more unique spices or citrus (Aviation, Bluecoat), or keep it traditional with London Dry (Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire).
Tonic – While most main stream brands (Canada Dry, Polar, your local grocery store, etc) will show a very classic quinine profile, more modern tonic waters off unique twists and provide new, exciting flavors.

H by Hine VSOP Cognac

Posted on February 17, 2023February 1, 2023 by Nick

Hine provides one of the most over the top descriptions for H by Hine I’ve seen in nearly 15 years of writing about wine and liquor:

H by Hine is whimsical. If it were a young man, it would have the keen eye of Dick Diver in Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night. Adventurous, lively and elegant, it is the ideal sidekick for daring cocktails and a flamboyant soloist when served neat with a dash of cold tonic. Expressive yet discreet, its notes of iris, fresh apricot, acacia and white pepper chime with its sprightly and joyful demeanour. Feels like Coachella in a bottle.

That’s a heck of billing to live up to, and we’ve already established our like of Lustau’s Brandy de Jerez as a budget offering and Pierre Ferrand’s 1840 as an entry cognac. So does it live up to it’s Coachella’s billing?

H by Hine VSOP Cognac

Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry

Smell: There’s a slight heat to the nose that gives way to juicy, fermenting grapes. A raisin like sweetness laced with dates and figs comes to the forefront. It wraps in caramel and a bit of white pepper. Slight dried cranberry and fresh bright berries join in.

Sip: The body has a solid weight with a good amount of fig and caramel. The grape notes persist with a bit of raisining. There’s a rather consistent flavor throughout with a bit of oak. The slight oak gives a little white pepper, vanilla, and touch of ginger.

Savor: The ending carries forward the touches of spiced ginger and pepper with a nice hint of vanilla and pepper!

H by Hine VSOP is well balanced and gives off solid flavors of caramel, raisin, and fresh fig. As an easy sipper, it works nice as cognac, giving off the flavor profile you’d expect without paying a fortune for it. The subtleness is nice, and inviting, without being too soft to enjoy.

In Cocktails

In a Sidecar, vanilla and raisin come forward with a touch of oak before giving way to bright lemon and sweet orange. The vanilla and body are smooth and give a silkiness. There’s an interesting almost leather or cigar box note as well. Other stone fruit starts to emerge with dried apricot and peach preserves. There’s also something nice about the brightness and sweetness, which is well controlled by H by Hine VSOP and balances the drink.

In Review – H by Hine VSOP Cognac

H by Hine VSOP Cognac is well balanced and has all the right notes for cognac. While it isn’t the most exciting cognac, it also delivers all the flavors you’d expect at a very reasonable price point. As it works as both a sipper and a cocktail cognac, this is an easy recommendation around $40 for your home bar. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for something well made.

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2

Posted on February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 by Nick

Late last year, we covered the first OHLQ pick of Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon. We gave it high praise for the amazing caramel and vanilla backbone that was layered beautifully with spice, tea, and notes of fruit. At $35 it was nothing short of absolutely stellar. So can Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2 double down on the amazing path blazed by the first pick?

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2 has a 53.5% A.B.V. (107 Proof). It’s barrel number was 7390043, and the barrel was filled 5/10/16. I purchased the bottle in October of 2021, shortly after it’s release. OHLQ provided a generic description of Ezra Brook Distiller’s Collection Bourbon, “…expect a taste profile consisting of notes of oak and black pepper, balanced with cinnamon, caramel, and vanilla.” They also provided next to zero information per barrel beyond the following description:

Description: Hints of pepper spice throughout with a long finish.

Sight: Tawny

Smell: Pops of cherry, caramel, and vanilla float out in a healthy burst. There’s a nuttiness between peanut and hazelnut that joins in and gives nice earthiness. Black pepper and spice join in with a hint of heat.

Sip: The start is more middling in it’s weight. The sweetness on the nose quickly dissipates on the palate, leaving caramel and pulling in notes of black tea, nuts, pepper, and spices. There are some elements of dried cherries, dark chocolate, and stone fruit skins. There is a decent pop of heat from time to time. By the end, things are quite dry.

Savor: The finish drives in more black pepper, bitter spicing, hints of oak, and just a touch of fruit. The finish lingers, leaning heavily into spice and

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection – OHLQ Selection #2 is a decently complex bottle, especially for the price. The nose is significantly sweeter than the palate gives way to. The peppery notes are nice, and the oak is very prominent here. The nuttiness is also more in line with their Ezra Brooks 99. Overall, this represents a significant step up as a sipper from their 99 (being passable to good), but falls well short of the first selection.

In Cocktails

This sequel bottle of Ezra Brooks is quite good as a Manhattan. Somehow the caramel and vanilla really win out here, while the body provides a robust base. The cherry notes and a good amount of berry and plum elements manage to come to the forefront. Toward the backend, the pepper, tea, and oak really kick in and drive things forward. The finish is clean, with just a moderate amount of tannin and a hint of dark chocolate. Unlike enjoying it neat, it really shines again in a cocktail.

In Review – Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2

Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbon – OHLQ Selection #2 is not quite it’s predecessor, but it’s a darn good facsimile to it. The neat experience is still lacking, but where this bottle shines is in cocktails. Similar to the first pick, it somehow makes a drink more than the sum of its parts. As a result, these Distiller’s Collection bottles are a reasonable way to make a cocktail special, without paying a huge price.

Having had two Ezra Brooks Distiller’s Collection Bourbons, we recommend trying one of these if you see one for a price in the mid 30’s and enjoy drinking Manhattans or other bourbon based cocktails.

The Classics: Hotel Nacional Special

Posted on February 13, 2023August 27, 2023 by Nick

While the exact date of creation of the Hotel Nacional Special is subject to debate, the drink is created to Will P. Taylor, who created the drink at the Nacional bar in Cuba. He’s notable for also being the last manager of the Old Waldorf Astoria’s before prohibition. Among the credits that The Gentlemen’s Companion give him credit for are the Tropical Daiquiri and the Santiago de Cuba Mint Julep, both of which probably require a bit more explanation, but sound delicious. So how does this very close relative of the Daiquiri taste?

Hotel Nacional Special

2 oz

Aged Rum

1 oz

Pineapple Juice

½ oz

Lime Juice

½ oz

Simple Syrup

¼ oz

Apricot Liqueur

Combine all ingredients in a shaking tin vessel. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.

The Hotel Nacional Special does this amazing apricot – pineapple daiquiri riff that celebrates the brightness of the fruit while giving the rum the room to the do the heavy background notes. The result is a drink that balances caramelized grilled fruit notes with hints of ester and molasses with bright fresh fruit flavors. The subtle preserved apricot note adds a great background note here that gives just enough mystique that you want to keep sipping it. Overall, this one feels like it can span the seasons while being refreshing.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

Depending on who you attribute the original publication of this drink to, you get some fairly considerable variation. In Bar La Florida Cocktails, the recipe doesn’t actually contain simple or lime. In other recipes, the second volume of the Gentleman’s Companion, the lime is included, but the simple is omitted. While we recommend you try omitting the simple if you find it sweet, we think the use of both lime and simple offer the most well rounded interpretation of the Hotel Nacional Special.

Rum – The original recipe in the Gentleman’s Companion calls out pre-prohibition Carta de Oro Bacardi, which is an aged rum. We recommend not using Bacardi Gold, but instead using something aged like Bacardi 8 or Doorly’s X.O.
Apricot Liqueur – We used Giffard’s Abricot du Roussillon here and highly recommend it. If you can’t find it, Marie Brizzard’s Apry might be a good substitute (but turn down the simple)
Pineapple Juice – Our default standard is Dole’s small cans. They’re cheaper so you can use them without throwing out a lot of pineapple juice. Amazon will sell you this enormous quantity*, but you can likely find them cheaper in your local grocery.
Lime Juice – For best results, use fresh squeezed.
Simple Syrup – We used a traditional 1:1 water to sugar simple.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Nick

Sometimes you get lured in by the concept or the bottle. When I first started my spirits journey, I admittedly started in scotch. My grandfather drank it, my father would drink it, and so I wanted to drink it as well. As a result, I started with Johnnie Walker Black, but this gave way to Lagavulin 16 and other smokier offerings. Exploring available options, I eventually went on to work with a professor as my college to develop a Whiskeys of the World independent study. Among the sections we created, was Japanese Whiskey, and where I first encountered Hibiki Japanese Harmony.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Sight: Deep Gold

Smell: The nose is laced with lighter wood tones (perhaps this is what they’re referencing as sandalwood) with elements of rose and lychee. There are touches of tangerine, rosemary, and light honey. That floral background goes with just a hint of vanillin, and a little bit of heat. That floralness almost gives off a bit of extra fruit.

Sip: The mouthfeel is smooth, soft, and round with a very silky texture. The flavors of lychee, rose, white chocolate, and a perfumed -incense like wood come through in spades. There’s a creaminess that almost has a little orange and honey in it.

Savor: The end carries forward the rose, some jasmine, honey, and a hint of oak. The finish lingers with an oaky, perfumy tone that’s delicately seductive.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is subtle, soft, and gentle. It entices you with a beautiful delicacy, while still providing full flavor at a relatively low proof. The warmth of the wood and intricate floral tones are a winding trip across the palate. The touches of oak and honey on the finish make for something that lingers pleasantly without being aggressive. Overall, it’s a beautiful whiskey that wants you to muse about it’s beauty rather than pounce on it.

In Cocktails

In a highball the smoothness manages to persist with some lighter floral notes (still rose forward) and lots of gentle toasted wood notes. It loses a bit of the depth, but still manages some subtle candied orange people and white chocolate notes. The overall impression is an easy going drink, that has some complexity, but not a lot of depth.

In Review – Hibiki Japanese Harmony

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a beautiful whiskey to enjoy neat that really shines with a softness and pleasant mix of floral flavors. It’s easy to like, has a good depth of flavor, and only really faulters at the price. Long ago, this whiskey used to be somewhere closer to the $80-90 price point. In the state of Ohio, at the time of writing this, it’s up to $125. This whiskey is really nice, but it’s not really $100+ a bottle nice. That said, it still can be found in that price point. If you find that you like lighter scotch or Japanese whiskey, than this is one that deserves some consideration.

Maker’s Mark: Marshmallow Krispy Treat – OHLQ Exclusive 2022

Posted on February 8, 2023January 25, 2023 by Nick

In addition to Maker’s Mark’s annual wood finishing series bottles (FAE-01 / FAE-02), they also have a fairly substantial presence on the shelves as private selections (or store picks). The picks are made up of combinations of finishing staves to impart different flavors on 5 – 7 year old Maker’s Mark Cask Strength. The finished Maker’s Mark Cask Strength then aged for an additional 9 weeks in temperature controlled conditions. For this selection, the Ohio Liquor team has named the combination Maker’s Mark: Marshmallow Krispy Treat.

Be aware, these combinations get reused by other private selections with different names, so double check your stave profiles to avoid duplicates or find your favorites.

Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat

OHLQ described Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat as follows:

Aromas of vanilla and oak, with a confectionary profile of marshmallow, freshly-baked bread, candy, and hints of pear.

Stave Profile:
- 5 Baked American Pure
- 3 Seared French Cuvee
- 2 Maker’s Mark 46
Proof: 111.3 (ABV 55.65%)
Age: NAS

Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry

Smell: Beautiful notes of a roasting campfire and vanilla start things off. The vanilla laces with a pleasant icing sugar / marshmallow interior. There’s a nice baked pie crust element, and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. There is a slight amount of poached pear.

Sip: The start is slightly hot, but picks up with plenty of roasted oak, vanilla, and toasted marshmallow notes. The heat has a little bit more of that pear note, and a bit of yeastiness. There’s a hint of red hot spice. That vanilla really is slightly drier but picks up a good amount of toasted marshmallow exterior and even more oak.

Savor: The ending has a yeasty, graham cracker like note laced with toasted marshmallow and roasted oak. The finish has a bit more heat and then carries forward with more icing sugar and hints of spice.

Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat is full of luxurious vanilla-marshmallow flavors and a touch of heat. This doesn’t quite ever break out of this lane from the smell through the body. Depending on how you interpret very consistent, clear flavors this is either really great, or really boring. As a sipper goes, it’s tasty, maybe better for after dinner or by the fire, and not overwhelmingly complex.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat is a decidedly dry despite the sweet aromas. The pear that showed up around the edges comes forward with a touch of the wine notes from the vermouth with plenty of spice from the bitters and oak. There are pleasant aromatic vanilla elements that come into play as well, with a bit of caramel. The finish is roasted marshmallow exterior mixed with vanilla extract. It’s an interesting, if slightly dry Manhattan.

In Review – Maker’s Mark Marshmallow Krispy Treat

In my experience Maker’s Mark picks have a very high floor and a generally low ceiling when it comes to impressiveness. This pick falls closer to that high floor than the low ceiling, showing a solid and enjoyable pick that delivers more in branding than complexity. That doesn’t make this a bad bottle of whiskey by any means, but it is sitting at $70, which is a fair amount of money. Like most picks, you won’t know unless you buy, and while I wouldn’t necessarily seek out this exact pick, Maker’s Mark picks remain a good buy for a dependable store pick for a unique taste of their product.

If you just want the power of the pick, than consider Maker’s Mark Cask Strength at less than half the cost, or their Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength for around the same price.

Valentine’s Day 2023: L-O-V-E

Posted on February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 by Nick

One of my favorite parts of crafting new cocktails is the process, and how inspiration can be found seemingly anywhere. The original cocktail I had been planning for Valentine’s Day was based on Elvis’ Song, Burning Love, but while attempting to refine it, my wife had a brilliant idea that pushed the original cocktail into the background [don’t worry, it’ll likely show up for 2024]. What if we took the song L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole, and instead repurposed the letters to be drink ingredients?

We scoured our bar thinking of what ingredients would work, and make something palatable. After some deliberation, and with the idea that cocktails should taste good, we expanded the idea to be ingredients or brands. While this helps, some letters are still harder than others, we ended up with the following items:

Lemon Juice
Orgeat
Violette [Creme de]
Empress Gin

L-O-V-E

2 oz

Empress Gin

¼ oz

Creme de Violette

½ oz

Small Hand Food’s Orgeat

½ oz

Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a flower.

L-O-V-E is bright, floral, balanced, and perfumed. The floral notes never get overwhelming, with the herbal notes of the gin providing a solid canvas for the violette to stretch it’s legs. The Orgeat adds just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle nutty note, while the lemon tightens up any rough edges, and allows everything in the drink to show itself with elegance. It’s a delicate drink that has a more bark from it’s nose than actual bite. The fact that it’s a visual knockout just makes you want to drink it.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

This drink is one of those subtle exercises in balance which means you’re going to want to be careful about substitutions. Empress for example, is going to be critical to maintain the color and provide some of the earthy notes. Small Hand Foods is specifically called out here, because it isn’t cherry candy sweet like fake orgeat. If you swap either of these two ingredients, this drink can end up somewhere else entirely.

Finally, the floral garnish is really any floral garnish you have on hand. We have these tiny dried roses we’ve used in other drinks that can be found at our local Asian market for tea. If you don’t have these, consider edible orchids that can be found in your local grocery store, or hibiscus flowers.

Lemon Juice – As always, use fresh squeezed for the best results.
Small Hand Foods Orgeat – We’ve specifically called out the very natural Small Hand Foods Orgeat here because of the subtle nutty influence and controlled sweetness it adds. You can use something like Monin or Ferrara here, but be aware that they’re going to change the flavor with a cherry lean, and that you’ll want to reduce volume to ¼ to control for this.
Creme de Violette – If you make an occasional Aviation, you’re probably assuming that this bottle will last forever. If you want to get through it a bit faster, this is a great option. We used Giffard Creme de Violette here, but use whatever you have on hand.
Empress Gin – We used it because it starts with E, has a purple color, and is a little earthier than many gins. We recommend you use it for color, but you can substitute a different gin. Be aware, this may cause a substantial increase in gin notes, and a change in color. If you do this, consider a modern gin first, like Bluecoat or Aviation.