Bourbon

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

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.”

Bar Review: Whiskey Cake (again)

~ Bill Thornley ~ 1 Comment

If you read my blog regularly you have probably already read about Whiskey Cake in Plano, TX. They have several hundred whiskies behind the bar. I was in Dallas last week (more specifically in Plano) on business. And once again I ended up at Whiskey Cake.

Lucky for me the chalkboard Happy Hour Cocktail Special was an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned for $5.00. I couldn’t resist and I wasn’t disappointed. They do a great job with their cocktails and its fun to just sit at the bar and watch their bartenders craft a lot of drinks. I love watching someone who enjoys their craft and is good at it.

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Well now for something off the menu I had not tried. The “OMG Burger” and it was amazing….! You can tell by the picture it’s a mouthful. The menu says they start with “onions, mushrooms, and goodness on a brisket burger, beer battered onion ring, roasted criminis, muenster, grain mustard, red chili mayo, lettuce, tomato, on put it on a challah bun.”

After the Old Fashioned, OMG Burger, and watching a lot of the Home Run Contest I decided it was time to finish off dinner with a Sazerac for my night cap. I had mine with Sazerac rye whiskey, simple, peychaud’s bitters, angostura bitters, absinthe rinse. A nice drink for $9.00.

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When in the Plano-area it is worth a trying Whiskey Cake. Great menu of appetizers, a lot of good sandwiches, main dishes, and salads.   But the main reason to go if you are a bourbon or rye drinker is their selection that you won’t find in many bars. They have been listed as one of the Top 50 Bourbon Bars in the USA.

They also do special dinners and the most recent was written on the Brown paper roll on the wall. A Whistle Pig pairing dinner. I can’t wait to go back and try something else on the menu!

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Cooking with Bourbon (IE Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies with Bourbon Jam)

~ Bill Thornley ~ 1 Comment

With all this bourbon talk around my blog, Lynn keeps looking for recipes that use bourbon. She found a fantastic recipe for “Savory Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies.” We were going to the Hollywood Bowl to see the LA Philharmonic and Chicago on July 3rd (Yes, that rock group we all listened to for years!).

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Lynn made these as a appetizer for our pre-concert picnic. WOW these are amazing. Lynn has made cheese pretzels for our annual Kentucky Derby Party for as long as i can remember. Well these have made the list for next year’s party (is it time to retire cheese pretzels??), and just about any time we need a quick, easy, delicious appetizer.

When you first bite into them you taste the sweetness of the tomato jam kicked up with just enough spice from the bourbon. The cheese cookies are crispy with a subtle corn flavor that adds to the surprise as to how delicious, savory and perfect for any party.

The recipe is from The Flavor Bender. They have a fun website with the tagline, Flavor Bender “Because it’s OK to play with your food.”

These Cookies are perfect for a picnic or a formal party. We tried them with bourbon (of course), wine, and champagne. They work with all of them and hold them in under intense scrutiny. There were 85 at the picnic we attended and everyone was raving about them.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Thumbprint Cookies with Bourbon Tomato Jam

Ingredients:

Cookies
8oz / 225g unsalted butter, softened
3.5oz / 100g white cheddar cheese, grated
3.5oz / 100g monterey jack cheese, grated
1 deseeded jalapeno, finely chopped
1 large rosemary sprig, leaves only, finely chopped
½ tsp kosher salt
0.9oz / 25g white sugar
1 small egg
6.7oz / 190g AP flour
5.3oz / 150g semolina

Bourbon and Tomato Jam
1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved
5.3oz / 150g sugar
5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Up to 1 tbsp chilli flakes/crushed red pepper (optional – but recommended)
1 large clove of garlic minced (about 1 tsp minced garlic)
2 oz diced white/yellow sweet onion
A pinch of cumin
½ tsp kosher salt
3 tbsp bourbon

Directions:

  1. Chop the grated cheese roughly and mix it with the rosemary and jalapeno. Alternatively, you can grate the cheese using your food processor, and add the deseeded jalapeno and rosemary leaves, and process finely. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, place the softened the butter, sugar and salt and cream it together using a whisk/spatula or wooden spoon. Add the cheese-herb mix and mix it through using a spatula or wooden spoon.
  3. Add the egg and mix it in until well incorporated in the dough.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and semolina together. Add this in two batches to the butter-cheese mix and mix it to form a dough. You may need to use your hands (well-floured) to bring the dough together. Cover and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes until the oven has preheated.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line two cookie trays with parchment paper.
  6. Make 1 ½ inch round dough balls and place them on the cookie tray with about 2 inches of space between each (about 14 cookies per tray).
  7. Create a deep well/imprint in each dough ball using a moistened thumb/finger.
    Fill each well generously with bourbon tomato jam (recipe below).
  8. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Switch the position of the two trays in your oven half way through baking (please see note). The cookies should be golden on the bottom and light-golden on top.
  9. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly. Serve.

Bourbon Tomato Jam

  1. Mix all the ingredients except for the bourbon in a saucepan. Bring the mix to a boil on medium-heat, while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once the mix has come to a boil, increase the heat to keep it at a boil.
  2. Let the mixture boil while stirring and gently crushing the tomatoes with a spoon as they soften. After about 5 minutes of cooking time, add the bourbon and mix through.
  3. The mixture should keep cooking until the liquid has become syrupy and thick. The time depends on the heat of your stove, and how much liquid is present in the tomatoes. The end product will resemble preserves with tomato pieces in it.
    These can be stored in mason jars until needed (makes enough for 1 ½ batches of these cookies).

A Very Bourbon Father’s Day

~ Bill Thornley ~ Leave a comment

Every bourbon lover dreams of Bourbon gifts. There really is an unlimited list of things you can get a bourbon lover for Father’s Day, or any occasion. Whether it’s bourbon, glasses, barware, clothes, and decorating accessories just to name a few.

I hit the jackpot this year as our kids and my wife all got me bourbon related gifts! I got a set of Glencairn tasting glasses from the Army Navy Country Club where our son is a member. (I also got a tie from Army Navy, and being a tie guy I just loved that as well.) Glencairn tasting glasses have been on my wish list for a while and it’s fun to have a personal set!

Our daughter gave me letterpress coasters that have a Mint Julep recipe on them. They are both fun and practical. Now I can stop stealing coasters when I am in bourbon bars! Seriously, they will be fun to use when guest are over for a cocktail or tasting. The coasters are from Haute Papier. They sell some fun sets with all different drink recipes on them, but given my love for the Kentucky Derby our daughter had a custom set made with just the Mint Julep recipe.

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My new coasters with my new tasting glasses!

I also got a Nike Dri-Fit Golf shirt with “The Bourbon Review” embroidered on it. There are a lot of shirts out there with Bourbon themes. The shirt is from Bourbon Outfitters. They have most anything you would want related to Bourbon gifts.

A lot of distilleries offer a great selection of gifts. If you know your bourbon lover’s favorite brand, go to their website for ideas.

Lastly, I splurged and bought myself a bottle of Jefferson’s Reserve Groth Reserve Cask Finish Bourbon at High-Time Wine Cellars a few weeks ago. Bourbon is always a great gift for any bourbon lover. Picking a bourbon is a little like picking a horse to bet on at the races. Some go for the confirmation or silks (The Package), some use the racing form and past performances (Reputation), and some people go for the odds (Price and Value).

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Whatever method you use your gift will be appreciated. No matter the occasion or reason for the gift, any bourbon lover will love a bourbon gift. A belated Happy Father’s Day to all those Bourbon Dads out there!

Bar Review: Thoroughbred Club (Charleston, SC)

~ Bill Thornley ~ 1 Comment

I always do my bourbon research before traveling – whether it’s asking friends for recommendations or turning to the internet. Thoroughbred Club in the Belmond Place Hotel was suggested as a top place to visit in Charleston by the Charleston City Paper.

After walking all over Charleston while we were there for Memorial Day Weekend and dodging rain drops with weary feet we stopped for a drink at the Thoroughbred Club.

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Its dark interior with horse racing memorabilia on the walls was just the ticket for me. The atmosphere was warm and inviting.

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Their bourbon list is not as deep as some but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. They have a nice selection of bourbons, whiskey, spirits, beer, and wine. Head bartender Mouzon Taylor has developed a reputation for pairing bourbons with food, and he mixes up some splendid bourbon cocktails.

I had an Old Fashioned. This trip was kind of like our Florida Keys trip a few years ago where every stop included Key Lime Pie. We tried a lot of Old Fashions in Charleston and the one I had at the Thoroughbred Club was very good.

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Lynn had a “Mouzon’s Mash.” It’s a silky blend of bourbon, fresh peaches, mint, lemon, and simple syrup created by Mouzon’s peach-farmer grandfather.

The staff was very friendly and helpful. You also get an amazing complimentary trio of a nut and snack mix. One cup had spicy, one regular, and one sweet. They have a very nice menu to compliment the bar selection. We did not try any food as we still had more ground to cover that afternoon. The reviews I have read are very positive and everything we saw looked good.

The bar was very full and lively, we look forward to returning to eat and try a few more of their cocktails.

By the way, I’ve found some of the best places for bourbon restaurant advice and other travel tips are Garden & Gun, Southern Living, and the New York Times travel section (they have some great 36 hour itineraries). Check them out before your next trip to bourbon country!