American Whisky Pairings?

[Lawrence]

Which Bourbon's should be paired together?

A.H. Hirsch 16yo 1974 45.8%
Baker's 7yo 43.5%
Bulleit 45%
Fighting Cock 6yo 51.5%
Gentleman Jack 40%
George Dickel N°12 43%
Johnny Drum 12yo 43%
Johnny Drum 15yo 50%
Kentucky Crown 16yo 53.5%
Kentucky Vintage 45%
Noah's Mill 57.15%
Rebel Yell 40%
Rowan's Creek 50.05%
Vintage Bourbon 1983 43%
Virginia Gentleman 45%
Wild Turkey 8yo 43.4%
Woodford Reserve 45.2%

[Admiral]

Mr Picky is absent, but I'm sure he'd quickly want to point out that George Dickel No. 12 and Gentlement Jack aren't bourbons!

It's an interesting question though...what makes the best pairings? Is it two whiskies that differ so much that the contrast is the feature?

Or is it two that are so similar in flavour profile that the feature is being able to compare & critique two whiskies on a level playing field?

Cheers,
Admiral

[Lawrence]

Point taken and I've amended the title/subject to avoid the Picky wrath......

[Ed]

Hello All,
It is an interesting question. I can't really help with the specific whiskies since I have only drunk one of those on your list. I can pass on a few suggestions though.

One interesting way to pair American whiskies is to compare different products from the same distillery, perhaps different ages of the same spirit or barrels that have been selected for different taste profiles. Alternatively, you can compare different distilleries. This will allow you to compare different mash bills among other things.

You might want to add a few more types of whiskey to your list. Some straight ryes like Wild Turkey Rye 8 yo 50.5% abv or a straight corn. Pairing Platte Valley Straight Corn 3 yo 40% with a number of bourbons was very interesting. It helped me to pick out the corn flavors in the bourbon and also the effect of the new charred barrel on the bourbon as straight corn whiskey is aged in used cooperage, if it is aged at all. There is a straight corn whiskey called Georgia Moon that is unaged. It comes in a Mason Jar. I wish I could get a hold of some of that! Old Charter Straight Bourbon (There are several ages, etc.) is also good for that as I understand that it has a very high corn content in its mash bill.

Here is a link to a Straight Bourbon page that lists many bourbons and the distilleries from which they come. I think that some of the "distillers" really buy bulk whiskey or have whiskey made for them to their specifications. I wish I could steer you to a similar page listing mash bills.
http://www.straightbourbon.com/brands.p ... e=bottling

Ed

[Laphroaig]

This is not the easiest thing to do.

It's been my experience that Rye's as well as Rye formula bourbons can sometimes smash the palate and leave Wheat formula or lighter rye formulas tasting dull and muted.

I'd separate Wheated whiskies from Rye / formula working with wheats first (if you plan to switch between wheat vs. rye in the same tasting). The number of wheat formula whiskies on the market is significantly smaller anyway.

[Deactivated Member]

Mr. Picky don't know squat about bourbon. He has had explained to him several times the difference between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey and understood it each time and promptly forgot it. Nevertheless, he strongly supports the right of those who care about such things to be picky about them.

[Lawrence]

Yes, it's much like the right to keep and arm bears.......

[bjorn]

Pairing Platte Valley Straight Corn 3 yo 40% with a number of bourbons was very interesting. It helped me to pick out the corn flavors in the bourbon and also the effect of the new charred barrel on the bourbon as straight corn whiskey is aged in used cooperage, if it is aged at all. There is a straight corn whiskey called Georgia Moon that is unaged. It comes in a Mason Jar. I wish I could get a hold of some of that!

I plan to get a jar of Georgia Moon to review for the school newspaper's parody issue, I'll tell you how it goes down

[Ed]

Hello Bjorn,
Looking forward to your impressions. Coincidentally, I just saw and bought a bottle, er, jar, of Georgia Moon today! Drinking some now in fact. Interesting. More later.
Ed