Bourbon AND Bourbon Bar Review: Bourbon House and Pinhook Bourbon

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

When you are Bourbon Bill, and in New Orleans, you end up in a bourbon bar on Bourbon Street (Note: I did not go at night time!).

If you have been reading my blog you know that some historians give New Orleans credit for coining the term “bourbon.” When they would ship their whiskey down the Ohio River from Kentucky, specifically much of it from Bourbon County, the barrels were marked bourbon. New Orleans residents starting asking for that “bourbon” whiskey. They liked it better than other whiskey they were importing.

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Wee walked from our hotel in the French Quarter to 144 Bourbon Street and Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House. The food looks outstanding and it has gotten great reviews. But we didn’t go there to eat.

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We went there for the incredible bourbon selection. As you can see by the picture of the list on the wall, it is quite extensive.

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Lynn immediately ordered a Manhattan. Her Manhattan made with Blanton’s was excellent. I tried a sip but I had to spend some time looking at the list. I looked and looked for something I had not tired. Then I spotted 2 bottles on one of the back bar shelves. They had racehorses with jockeys on them on the labels. I had to find out what bourbon was in those bottles. It turned out to be Pinhook Bourbon.

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First think to note about Pinhook Bourbon is the name. A “Pinhooker” is an individual who buys a young racehorse with the express purpose of reselling the horse for profit. They do this through some training, fixing some flaw to enhance its value. The term is also used for speculators in tobacco, produce, or today even yard sales. Derived from the Spanish verb “pintar,” to paint or ripen.

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Now back to the bourbon. Pinhook is crafted from a mash of 75% corn, 20% rye and 5% malted barley. It has been aged at least 6 years in American oak and bottled at 90 proof. The 20% rye helps make it very smooth. It has hints of vanilla, salted caramel, and finishes with the warm taste of toasted nuts. If you can find it, buy a bottle. They only produce about 5,000 bottles each year. The bottles labels showcase a horse owned with by Bourbon Lane Stable LLC.

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Having enjoyed sitting at the bar at Bourbon House and talking with other bourbon lovers was a kick. What a great atmosphere, wonderful selection, and, as I said before the food looks amazing. Plan to spend more time than we did and enjoy a Pinhook bourbon with some of their authentic southern seafood.

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Bar Review: The Post at Lamar Park (Corpus Christi, Texas)

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

While visiting our son, Burch, and his wife, Sara, in Corpus Christi a few weeks ago, they took us to a great spot called “The Post.” It’s a fun bar and restaurant in what was a United States Post Office in Corpus. AND, they have an excellent whiskey selection!

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Lynn had a Manhattan, and I had an Old Fashioned. Burch had a Texas Mule. All were excellent and you have quite a selection of Bourbon and Rye to select from for your drink.

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They have a fun “Classic Cocktails” section on the menu which includes the drinks we had plus a Mint Julep, Sazarac, Boulevardier, and more. If you don’t want whiskey (but who doesn’t!?), they have a good selection of beer and wine.

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After we ordered the drinks we went right into the Nosh, Graze, and Grub sections of the menu. Wow, what a fantastic selection. We were all hungry and ready to graze. We love to eat appetizers and small plates. We ordered the crispy brussels sprouts with house-cured bacon. What a great way to start, they were really good and everything is better with BACON. Next we had the “3 Little Piggies.” The 3 little piggies is just that, three 12 hour smoked pork shanks, with a sweet bourbon glaze. They are good sized pork shanks but 3 disappeared very quickly. I could go back and order 2 orders of those just for me. I am getting hungry just writing about them! The “Street Tacos” were next and equally good, I just love tacos from anywhere. We also had “The Hot Mess”– American aged cheddar, aged gouda and goat cheese, served on house made bread, grilled to perfection and served with a tomato basil dipping sauce. We added the Dr Pepper glazed ham to it. WOW, I better hop a plane and get back there. I am not done yet. We ended our meal with the “Beef Tenderloin Sandwich” with parmesan fries.

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But, if you know me, dinner is never the end of the meal — we had to have dessert. Dessert was a fantastic “Whiskey Cake” and 4 spoons. It was demolished in a very short order.

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If you ever find yourself in Corpus or North Padre Island, go to the National Sea Shore National Park, and eat at The Post at Lamar Park. What a great experience, classic drinks and whiskey, excellent food, and a fun atmosphere to enjoy friends or watch your favorite game. I have to use a post office cliché, “Don’t mail it in,” go and experience The Post in person.

Catoctin Creek Distillery (Purcellville, Virginia)

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

While in Northern Virginia a couple weeks ago, we decided to visit Catoctin Creek Distillery in Purcellville in the heart of Loudoun County. Virginia was the birthplace of American Whiskey so it we had to go visit! Right in the heart of Purcellville in an old automobile dealership is Catoctin Creek Distillery.

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It is a very inviting setting with the tasting room in the old showroom part of the building. They have set up the room with a horseshoe shaped bar and tables to accommodate lots of visitors. I have to admit I had not heard of them until we did some research prior to our visit. I know a lot more now and suggest you look them up.

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The distillery lives where the shop used to be located. This isn’t the distillery’s first home and, with the growth they have experienced, probably won’t be their last. The distillery was founded in 2009 by Becky and Scott Harris. They have set up a first class operation with 2 stills. They use the larger still for making their Rye and whisky (I have dropped the “e” from whiskey as have they in respect to their Scottish heritage). The smaller still is used for making their gin and other distilled products.

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They use locally sourced grain and materials. Their products include: Roundstone Rye, Roundstone Rye 92, and Roundstone Rye Cask Strength. The Roundstonne line has built their reputation for their outstanding quality. Their Rabble Rouser Rye is a lower proof and very vivacious. Mosby’s Spirit is an unaged whisky with a refined taste for a white whiskey. They have their Watershed Gin which is packs a punch of flavor and really grab’s you with its intensity. Their product line then goes to their 1757 Virginia Brandy and their fruit brandies. With a line up like this it is obvious why they run their stills almost every day.

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They make the award winning Roundstone Rye, which I thought was outstanding.

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I had a whisky flight in the tasting room. In the tasting room they have a few old rye bottles on display that pay homage to the old ryes. Their rye is in that tradition and a must have for any serious bar keep, collector who wants likes to mix drinks, or serve to a serious whisky drinker neat, or on the rocks.

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Lynn and our son-in-law Carter had cocktail flights (our daughter Taylor was busy getting ready for a friend’s wedding). As much as I enjoyed my whiskey flight after seeing their cocktail flights I was jealous. They change the cocktail flights seasonally. If you take a look at the “Enjoy” tab on their website there are lots of very creative cocktails.

I can’t say enough about their friendly and helpful staff. They made us feel at home, and gave a very relaxed honest tour. It is well worth the drive to enjoy an afternoon of fun and learn about whisky. Go enjoy, have some cocktails, and a bite while learning about Catoctin Creek, and Virginia spirits.

Bar Review: King Street Oyster Bar (Leesburg, Virginia)

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Serendipity is sometimes the best part of a trip.  We have gone on vacations without hotel reservations or knowing where our travels might lead us.  On our recent  trip to Virginia we landed at Dulles and before heading to our hotel wanted to explore the area a little bit. We landed in Leesburg.

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In Leesburg we did a little shopping before dinner and saw a cute place called King Street Oyster Bar.  It’s a small restaurant and bar set up in an old storefront right downtown, and, it turns out, had only been open a couple of months.  Lynn likes to get good shellfish when she is on the east coast and this looked like a fun place to start.  Me, well, I was looking for a bourbon drink!

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We sat right in the front window and decided to drink and graze.  They have a fun menu with a good selection for anyone.  We started with a “New York Sour.”  It was made with the bourbon of your choice,  lemon juice, simple syrup, and topped with red wine.  It was really good and very different.  They have a good bourbon and whiskey selection and a very friendly staff to help with you with your choice.  And great happy hour prices on drinks and oysters.

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Speaking of selection, the apps and food options were terrific.  We started with the “Bleu Cheese Chips” which are potato chips (looked home made?) topped with basil aioli, marinated tomatoes, and warm bleu cheese.  You can see by the picture it’s a meal itself.

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For dinner, Lynn then had 2 varieties of raw oysters followed by “King Street Oysters” – which were grilled oysters with blue crab, Tasso ham, and roasted corn.  I am so sorry I didn’t get a picture, they tasted and looked amazing.  I also had fish and chips, which were very good.


If you are looking for a little history, some fun shopping, and a taste of Virginia near Dulles Airport, try King Street Oyster House.  The patrons and staff were all very friendly.  We were so glad we stopped in and I am sure you will be pleased as well.

Bourbon Bill is on Vacation!

~ Bill Thornley ~ 1 Comment

Bourbon Bill would like to apologize to all my faithful readers. We are on vacation… again. Although I am gathering a lot of material for future blogs, I am having far too much fun to write. Hang in there, lots of great stops on our travels to share!

As you saw in my last blog, we were in Washington State for a wedding. The following weekend we headed to Northern Virginia for Stacey & Benji’s weeding. Great weekend, glad I took notes! Got to spend time with Taylor and Carter, see other friends while eating and drinking in some fun places.

Just left the Houston Airport where we had a refreshing, “Honey Bee” at Pappas Burger. The Honey Bee was made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, Texas Silver Star Honey bourbon, fresh lime juice and blackberries. Garnished with a lime wedge and huge blackberry. It hit the spot along with a juicy half pound bacon cheeseburger. Headed to Corpus Christi to see my son, Burch, and his wife, Sara.

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Stay tuned for blogs from Virginia, Texas, and exciting Bourbon news!

Bourbon Bill

Distillery Tour: Woodinville Whiskey Co. (Woodinville, Washington)

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Lynn and I were in Washington for a wedding a couple weeks ago and while there toured Woodinville Whiskey Co., a bourbon distillery. You say bourbon has to be made in Kentucky. Well, as I’ve talked about before – it doesn’t! Yes, Bourbon can come from anywhere in the USA.

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We met our friends Tim and Susan at Woodinville Whiskey Company. It’s a small craft distillery that was established in 2010. It’s a really attractive building close to Chateau Ste. Michelle and across the street from Columbia Winery. We took the tour which gave an informative introduction for those who don’t know much about whiskey, bourbon, or distilled spirits.

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Woodinville Whiskey Co. is a small, well designed, and efficient distillery that makes a very good product. All their grain comes from a contracted farm in Quincy, Washington. They can control the quality and supply this way. They also age their barrels on the farm. Quincy is in eastern Washington and a much better environment to age the bourbon because they get the climate and temperature swings you need to get the bourbon in and out of the oak in those barrels. That helps to enhance the flavor.

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They have a very fun tasting room with a friendly knowledgeable staff. Kaytlyn greeted us as we walked in the door and helped us with our tasting and got us on a tour.   You get to taste their Rye, Whisky, Bourbon, and Vodka. In addition to that, you get to taste what turned out to be one of my favorites – their Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup. Wow, what a great maple syrup! I saw they had a gift pack with a bottle of their bourbon, 2 bottles of maple syrup, and 2 logo Glencairn glasses (I could not resist the gift pack).

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After tasting we had lunch in The Hollywood Tavern which has been in that same spot since 1947, and is next door to the distillery. It has inside dining and a fire pit on the patio. The food is amazing. They have a good selection of wine and beer. It hit the spot on an overcast cool day.

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I highly recommend you visit Woodinville Whiskey Co. You can’t buy their product outside of Washington State. If you are in Seattle it’s worth the time to see Woodinville. You can also tour some of the surrounding wineries. It makes for a great weekend!

Bar Review: The Whiskey House (San Diego)

~ Bill Thornley ~ 1 Comment

Last weekend, we drove down to San Diego for a Padres game with our good friends Ray and Jeannine, who own Highland Valley Vineyards (they make some incredible red wines at HVV, and well worth a Sunday afternoon to visit their vineyard). They promised that after the game we would stop in the Whiskey House in San Diego. I knew it was going to be a killer experience when I looked in the door and all the walls were covered with lighted shelves and whiskey, after whiskey, after whiskey!

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They had so many whiskeys I was in awe. They claim to have over 1,400 whiskeys, and I am not going to dispute that claim. WOW I was in “Bourbon Heaven.” Lynn, Jeannine, and Ray had ordered craft cocktails and they were all good. Lynn had an Old Fashioned, and Jeannine a Manhattan. I was just memorized by the list; I had to try bourbon that I had not experienced previously.   The list is huge! Many seemed very reasonable but $299 for a pour of Pappy seemed a little steep.

From their website:

The Whiskey House features over 1,400 whiskeys, craft cocktails, 20 international draft beers, an eclectic wine list and a delectable menu of house made fare. We specialize in house made sausages, fresh ground burgers, exotic cheeses, and charcuterie and downtown’s newest breakfast café, just next door… The Lazy Hippo, offering healthy breakfast items and savory favorites, along with fresh squeezed juices and smoothies.

By the time we got there after a long but successful Padres game the clock was about to turn to AM so we did not try any food but it looked really good. This will be a regular stop for me when in San Diego. The atmosphere is very dark, warm, and inviting. There are is kinds of seating from bar stools, tables, to sofas so you can enjoy your favorite spirit in a relaxed environment.

The next day we took in the races at Del Mar and on Saturday we saw California Chrome win the Pacific Classic. What a great weekend of baseball, whiskey, wineries, horses and good friends. When in San Diego you must put this on your to-do list!

Bourbon Review: Starlight Distillery’s “Carl T” Bourbon (Borden, Indiana)

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Growing up in Jeffersonville, Indiana my parents would go to Huber’s Farm to pick peaches. When Lynn and I would go back to Indiana to visit my parents they would take us, and later our kids, to Huber’s for the farm experience. I received a package in the mail this week from my college roommate, Jeff, and his wife Sandy. It was a bottle of Starlight Distillery’s Carl T Bourbon. Yes, bourbon can come from Indiana. (If you thought that was a misprint then you didn’t read my blog a couple weeks ago about bourbon and what makes it “bourbon.”) This bourbon is from Borden, Indiana.

So what do peaches have to do with this? Starlight Distillery’s Carl T Bourbon is appropriately named after the grandfather of 6th generation co-owners Greg and Ted Huber. The Huber’s felt it only fitting to title this signature blend after their 4th generation grandfather “Carl T” who had a love for bourbon.

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This signature blend of bourbon is comprised of 58% corn, 27% rye, and 15% malted barley. Distilled in Huber’s 80 gallon copper pot still from Germany and then transferred to 53 gallon charred, American White Oak barrels from three different cooperage companies and four different barrel styles, continue to add quality and complexity to this signature blend.

They have been offering their Bourbon for a couple of years now. It has been aged for 2 years and is bottled at 95 proof. The color is a light amber. This is a result of the bourbon only being in the barrel for 2 years. I bought a bottle of the “Port Finished 1792” this week. When you set them side by side the 1792 is a deep mahogany color as a result of more aging and the Port barrel finishing.

This bourbon could use a little more time in the barrel. Upon opening the bottle you immediately get the aroma of a higher proof bourbon. The first sip had some bite and it opened up as is sat a while. For me it is not a sipping bourbon but everyone’s taste is different. I tried it a second time with one small ice cube and it opened up more. Give it a try, however it may be hard to find unless you are in Indiana. If you are near Borden stop by for a tour and a bottle.

Aged: 2 years
Proof: 95 proof
Color: Light Amber
Aroma: Vanilla, solvent, pear
Taste: Pepper, a little vanilla
Price: $34.99

Mount Gay Rum (Barbados)

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Back with a review of another rum distillery from our trip to Barbados. I promise Lynn and I relaxed and sat on the beach during our trip to Barbados. But we also packed in some great activities! In addition to our visit to St. Nicholas Abbey (read my review here), we also stopped by Mount Gay Rum’s distillery.

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There are three tours to choose from: their Signature Rum Tour, the Interactive Cocktail Tour, and Bajan Buffet Lunch Tour. We decided to just take the Signature tour. It was most informative, you saw a short film, and did a lot of tasting.

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On the tour you get to try everything but the 1703. Rum, like whiskey, is affected by the time in the barrel. That was something the English learned as they shipped it to England and the rum rocked back and forth for weeks in the barrels on board the ship. They offer a complete selection of rum. They offer the Silver, Eclipse, Black Label, XO, and 1703 Old Cask Selection. We bought a bottle of the Silver to make mojitos when we got back to California, and a bottle of the XO for sipping. Surprisingly, sipping Rum is not much different than whiskey, or bourbon.

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After the tour we got a table on the patio and had a wonderful Mt Gay Silver Rum mojito. They were cooking french fries and they smelled great and I can tell you they were great with a mojito. All the food looked really good but we were not hungry.  The Interactive Cocktail Tour took place in the bar right next to us and out on the patio, so we watched it for a bit while we sipped our mojitos. The class looked like a lot of fun and after watching it I would recommend it.

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A little bit about Mount Gay rum, which I knew nothing about before our visit (mostly pulled from their website)… The Mount Gay Rum story begins in 1703. George Washington spent 6 weeks in Barbados when he was 19 years old. He visited some of the Rum Distilleries and no doubt probably visited Mt Gay. Rum, originally called “Kill-Devil” by the Barbadians who first distilled it, is truly a product of the island with their abundance of molasses combined with their thirst for alcohol lead to this unique discovery in the production of spirits. Sir John Gay was a respected leader and businessman who worked tirelessly in service of the island of Barbados. A friend of Sir John Gay’s, John Sober, inherited a then-unknown distillery and had asked for Sir John’s help in managing it. Sir John Gay took quickly to the business of making rum. He refined the distillation process and began producing a noticeably superior product that we know today as Mount Gay Rum.

Sailing vessels carried exotic trade from the colonies and introduced Caribbean flavors to Europe and the Americas. This period of shipping was an important part of Mount Gay’s Heritage. The Mount Gay Rum Red Cap is a symbol of accomplishment in the sailing community. It can only be worn by sailors who have raced in a Mount Gay sponsored regatta where, upon completion of the course, they are awarded the cap. You can’t buy one in the gift shop, you have to earn it.

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I have never really been a rum drinker and enjoyed my re-introduction to the spirit. I enjoyed our time in Barbados and learning about rum. I will be drinking more rum in the future.

What makes it “Bourbon”?

~ Bill Thornley ~ 3 Comments

Barrels

This debate will go as long as there are whiskey aficionados in the room. I believe it takes its name from Bourbon County, located in central Kentucky. There are those who think it comes from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It’s all in whom, or what, you want to believe.

Bourbon County was formed from Fayette County in 1785 which was still a part of Virginia. It was named to honor the French Royal Family (Kentucky was once part of Virginia – another nugget of information you may not have remembered from grade school). Many cities, counties, streets, and places in Kentucky are named for the French. They love the Fleur de Lis as much as New Orleans.

Bourbon County was the major shipping point for distilled spirits heading down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans. Barrels shipped from its ports were stamped with the county’s name. The story I heard when we toured Old Pogue Distillery was when they got to New Orleans the fine folks there liked the whiskey a little better that had “Bourbon” stamped on the end of the barrels. Kentucky whiskey soon became Bourbon.

Another interesting nugget of this whole shipping on the lazy river is the rocking of the barrels on the trip and the length of the voyage. As the barrels rock they give the bourbon a chance to spend more time mixing with the oak char. When we toured the Rum Distilleries in Barbados last week they talked about how the long sea voyage to England did such a great job of aging the Rum. They would ship off barrels of clear rum and by the time it got to the Mother Land it was an amber color and smooth. This story may sound a little familiar. Jefferson’s Bourbon is making bourbon they call “Ocean Aged” (read my review from February here). Trey Zoeller, Master Blender at Jefferson Bourbon, had an idea to try it and it’s a fantastic bourbon.

It was not the case many years ago, but today most bourbon barrels have a second life in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Caribbean, to be used with another distilled spirit. By law you can only use a bourbon barrel once. Here is the final lesson for today. What makes it Bourbon?

It all boils down to 3 rules to make it a bourbon. To use that term on the bottle the bourbon must:

  1. Be at least 51 percent of the grain used in making the whiskey must be corn (most distillers use 65 to 75 percent corn).
  2. Age for a minimum of two years in new, white oak barrels that have been charred. There are different degrees of char.
  3. Having nothing added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness, or alter the color.

Enjoy the ride whether it is across the ocean, down the river, or to your local store to pick up a bottle “of that Bourbon Whiskey.”