Tom Fischer with his whiskeys.
Tom Fischer has one of those jobs that sounds fabulous but is no doubt exhausting in real life. As proprietor of Bourbon Blog, he travels the world making contacts with the distillers and distributors of rare spirits in order to match them up with well-heeled consumers who will enjoy those spirits. I caught up with him at the recent International Restaurant Show, where he was running a workshop called “Why Whiskey?” for folks looking to add a Whiskey Program to their venues.
Over 90 minutes we tasted 8 whiskeys, none of which costs less than $100 at retail which means you are going to be paying close to $20 for your pour at the bar. I tend to Islay single malts which are laid up for 20 years or more. These were all younger, some as young as 2 ½ years, and featured some imaginative aging strategies including a bourbon that is aged on a boat so the waves rock the whisky in the barrel and give it more contact with the charred surface of the wood (Jefferson’s Ocean) and another that spends time in barrels used to age maple syrup (Hudson Maple Cask Rye). Every one was a treat to sample and contemplate.
My whisky samples and scoresheet
I learned that you should move your nose left and right while evaluating the initial aroma, like a dog investigating a fresh scat; our scent sensitivity differs slightly from nostril to nostril. Then hold the first sip in your mouth for the same number of seconds as the age of the bottle in years, swilling it to hit all the taste and olfactory sensors; this is called the “Kentucky chew”. Now power that baby down the gullet, and repeat.
Before leaving, I asked Tom what he recommended in a cheap everyday bourbon. He did not hesitate: Four Roses. I picked up a bottle to compare to my usual, Evan Williams. The flavor profiles were close together though Williams has a raw note I happen to like. Can’t go wrong with either, while you are saving up for the good stuff.
I recently tried some Evan Williams 1783 and thought it was very good for the price. I have been enjoying Angel’s Envy this winter. Probably more frequently than I should.
I’ve tried the 1783 as well and didn’t feel it was worth the upcharge vs their standard stuff. Need to seek out Angel’s Envy!
Thank you for explaining how to enjoy drinking a good sipping Bourbon. I have been a Bourbon drinker since 1970. I used to prefer my father’s favorite Wild Turkey but now Buffalo Trace is at the top of my list. I usually sip Evan Williams because it is a great taste for the price.
Ah, yes. I can picture you among your oxen, them enjoying their silage while you sip a bourbon made from the same yellow grain.
I remember when I could buy Pappy 20 year for$80 at that place on South Broadway. People are idiots to pay for it now.
Purdy’s? You enter your name and a sweepstakes and if you “win” you pay $1K or so for a bottle of Pappy’s. I cannot conceive of such a thing. I am an Islay drinker, as I mentioned, and have occasionally paid over $75 for a special bottle and regretted it nearly every time. The best Islay I ever bought (and the K&L whisky expert concurred) was a private cask of a 2005 Cao Ila that cost $50. There were only a couple hundred bottles of which I had five (though one was swiped by a teenager) and now it is gone forever.
It was in that strip where Roma used to be.
Before my time. Is this the place where Subway and Cork & Cask can be found now?