Derby Week American Whiskey and Kentucky Bourbon Picks

Last weekend was the Kentucky Derby.

How do I know this? Every restaurant I went into on Saturday had it on their TVs. How much do I know about it? Not much.

My husband asked me which horse I would bet on (if I bet, which I don't), and I replied, "The brown one."

Other things that come to my mind with the Kentucky Derby? Dan Fogelberg's song, Run for the Roses (yes, I'm an Easy Listening dweeb), Jerry Seinfeld's standup routine about horse racing, "Oat baaaaag, I get my oat bag now. Oat bag time for me!"

There's all the fancy hats, mint juleps, derby pie (yum!!), and of course, Kentucky bourbon.

Now you have my attention (that's not surprising).

Trivia, Bourbon-style

The whiskey tradition in Kentucky is long and rich with history.

There's an interesting timeline on Tiki-Toki: The History of Kentucky Bourbon detailing some of the highlights of the whiskey industry in Kentucky.

I was surprised to learn that, according to Tiki-Toki, the earliest known mention of charring the inside of a whiskey barrel came from a letter from a Lexington grocer to a distiller in 1826. I wonder how he thought up that idea?

Also, the term "brand-name" came from the practice in the 1830s of distillers burning the names of the distilleries onto the barrelhead. When the barrels were displayed in bars, the branded names were visible to the customers. Neat! (The things you learn from the Interweb.)

This site has lots of other interesting tidbits about bourbon history…I encourage you to go peek.

Sampling American whiskey

My favorite Whisky Wednesday spot, Gordon's DTX, recently had a tasting featuring American whiskey, so I was able to sample some interesting expressions. I found some surprises that I loved and some drams were just ok (just being honest here, folks).

This is another aspect of this world of whisky that I enjoy - everybody can have a different opinion and no one's taste is wrong because it's so personal.

Gordon's Favorite American Whiskey Picks

at Gordon's DTX, March 26, 2017

Enjoying whiskey at home

I love how the Jefferson's Reserve just blew me away, and I ended up purchasing (and enjoying!) the Gordon's Private Barrel Widow Jane.

My daughters gave me an early Mother's Day present…Glencairn scotch glasses! I put them to good use and immediately noticed the difference from the straight sided low-ball glass I had been using at home. The nose of the drink really came through, intensifying it considerably.

These glasses are a nice, thoughtful, and useful gift. Thanks, girls!

Final Thoughts

I'd love to hear your experiences with Kentucky bourbon, American whiskeys, any trivia tidbits you'd like to share, or your thoughts on the Kentucky Derby.

And do you bake with bourbon? I make a killer Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie…just in time for Derby Week!