LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2019

SPIRITS  BOURBON 101

THE INVENTION OF BOURBON The first man on record to make a whiskey that meets all the criteria of modern bourbon was a Scottish chemist and physician, Dr. James Crow, around 1835, in Kentucky. It is believed that he introduced the sour- mash method into the process. His best- selling brand, Old Crow, is still available, now a part of the Jim Beam portfolio. 7.5 THERE ARE CURRENTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THOSE USED BOURBON BARRELS? MANY ARE SOLD TO SCOTTISH MI LLION BARRELS OF AGEING WHISKEY IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY

THE MINT JULEP

I first tasted a Mint Julep when I was a student at New College, Oxford, back in the day—and I was smitten. The cocktail has been served there every June 1st since 1874, thanks to a bequest from a gentleman-scholar from South Carolina called William Heyward Trapier. His recipe is still used and it is a fine one, but the best Mint Julep I know is being made right now, in Canada. Bartender Wesley Gendron is from Hamilton, Ont., but he’s currently living in Saskatoon, directing the libations at Picaro and at Bar Gusto as well as his own oyster company, Canoe Oysters. Find his recipe on page 100.

DISTILLERIES FOR AGEING SINGLE-MALT SCOTCH.

TRIED AND TRUE

Old Forester LCBO 426148, $32.95 They say the recipe hasn’t changed since 1870. Quite the bargain, this is classic bourbon— medium-bodied, spicy and sweet with a hint of orange and pep- pery rye. A versa- tile essential for any bar.

SINGLE BARREL VARIATIONS

A BOURBON LIQUEUR

DOUBLE OAKED INDEED!

Knob Creek Single Barrel

Jim Beam Red Stag Black Cherry LCBO 420083, $28.25 Flavoured bourbon is un- usual—there’s already so nose than the palate, and it’s sweetened with sugar. Serve it chilled or use it in the kitchen for sweet recipes. much going on! Here, cherry flavour is more apparent on the

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked LCBO 410852, $74.95

LCBO 255232, $63.15 It’s bottled at cask

Finishing the bourbon in a second, new, heavily toasted barrel multiplies the spicy caramel oakiness of regular Woodford Bourbon until it fills your palate like a wooden palisade. Enjoy this one on the rocks.

strength (60%), so add a few drops of water to release the aromatics—citrus, licorice and peppery rye swirling tightly around the oak spice and caramel.

38  FOOD & DRI NK SPRING 2019