Shake, strain, rocks, twist.
This is the sixth in a series on Bourbon by Zach Pearson. Read them all: Bourbon, Bourbon After the Act, Bourbon: What it is ... and isn't, Making Bourbon, Who Makes My Bourbon, Producer Capsules., Finding the Good Stuff, Tasting the Good Stuff, Neat, Mashbills, Geeky Information and Resources.
Distilling at what is now Buffalo Trace in Frankfort probably began in the 1850’s, but Edmund Haynes Taylor (yes, there’s an E.H. Taylor line) bought whatever was there and renamed it the “Old Fire Copper” distillery (OFC) in 1870. After an 1872 expansion, George T. Stagg (yep, there’s a BT label named after him as well) bought the place in 1878 only to have it struck by lightning and burn to the ground merely four years later. The 16 year old Albert Blanton (you guessed it – more whiskey named for him) started there in 1897 and was promoted to Superintendent in 1900. As Prohibition was winding down, the Schenley company bought the distillery, now named after Mr. Stagg in the wave of consolidation that saw distributors and marketers own distilleries.
In 1983, the plant was sold to some investors who were focused on the Japanese market under the name Age International. Though other companies will argue this point, what is now these investors did come up with Blanton’s. the first “single barrel” Bourbon in 1984.
This is our most sold drink on the list.
Is there a specific reason for shaking this rather than stirring?
Tried as original, subbed out agave for orgeat. Muddled a slice of blood orange and like it better this way.
Curated to include Ehrmann's Elixir de Poivre cordial in the notes. I made the cordial using twice as much szechuan peppercorn as called for. It worked very well in this drink, and if anything I might increase the szechuan pepper again to try to capture some of its numbing essence (which was not apparent in the cocktail.) The cocktail was very good and my wife soon requested another. She is not usually a fan of mezcal drinks, so this was high praise.
This is a good drink, but needs more acid in my opinion. I tried the recipe as written and then added some lemon juice which I think really helped. I do suggest trying it as written though because I know many of my friends would have really loved it as-is.