Gary

Managing apostle and whiskey enthusiast

Recipe: Bourbon Balls

/ / Gary's Blog, Recipes

Recipe for Bourbon Balls

I absolutely love bourbon balls!  They are a bit of work, and being a two day affair require some advanced planning.  Because of that, I often make a double-batch (winding up with closer to 60) and just make them once a year around the holidays.  The bourbon flavor also intensifies with age (you can absolutely eat them the day of, but they’ll be much better two weeks later).

Ingredients

1 cup of crushed pecans
Package of pecan halves (12 oz)
5-8 tablespoons of bourbon*
1/2 cup butter (softened)
16 oz powdered sugar (plus a bit extra)
10 oz semisweet chocolate
10 oz dark chocolate
Toothpicks (ok – less ingredient than tool, but make sure you’ve got them on-hand!

* As to the choice of bourbon, for years I used Old Grand-Dad 114, as I wanted a higher proof and intense flavor. I’ve used Evan Williams bottled-in-bond, and can’t say I could tell a big difference. My recommendation: use whatever you’ve got and that you enjoy drinking, but don’t waste your expensive stuff. If you keep Evan Williams black label laying around, I’m sure that will do just fine.

1. Fill a small jar with crushed pecans, leaving a bit of room at the top. Pour bourbon over until the pecan pieces are completely covered. Seal jar and allow to soak at a MINIMUM overnight, but ideally a week or more (honestly, I’ve left a jar like this for over a year with no ill effects; not that they soak up much more after the first few days, but simply for convenience).

2. Mix the butter and sugar thoroughly. Strain the soaked pecans (the bourbon can be saved for the next round!) and stir the pecans into the butter/sugar mixture. It should be slightly stiff; if it is overly wet – add in more powdered sugar.

3. Using a spoon, scoop out a small amount (like a quarter-diameter in size) and form into a ball. Insert a toothpick about half-way into the ball (NOT through it), and set in a tray (I use a 8 x 13 cake pan) with toothpick at a bit of an angle (just so you can cover the tray later). Repeat with the rest of the mixture (will make about 25 balls, give/take based on the size). Cover tray and refrigerate overnight.

4. Setup a double-boiler and melt both chocolates in the top. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Go through the package of pecan halves and select the best (complete ‘halves’), setting aside 25 (or however many balls your formed, plus a couple extra in case of breakage) on a plate near the tray.  Broken pecan halves can be set aside and later crushed (and soaked in bourbon for the next batch; one reason mine wind up soaking for a year! This is where any bourbon strained from the soaking nuts can be used again too!)

5. Remove the balls from the refrigerator, setting near (but not next to) the double-boiler. Using the toothpick, remove one ball at a time, submerge completely (but quickly) in the chocolate to coat, turning the ball while the excess falls away. Set onto the wax paper covered tray, and try to work the toothpick loose (sometimes a turn or two will do the trick; if not, use a pecan halve to hold the ball while gently pulling the toothpick out). Place a pecan halve over the top where the toothpick was. Repeat with the remainder of the balls. Note that as the chocolate volume in the double-boiler is reduced, you may need a spatula to work the chocolate around the balls to cover them.

6. Store the bourbon balls on a tray in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens (usually an hour or so). Store in a container in the refrigerator until serving.

Below is an image showing (a double-batch) in production.  Another tip I learned is to put a couple of cookie sheets into the freezer the night before, and rotate them (being cool helps keep the chocolate from spreading too far when they’re placed on the wax paper).

Like most recipes, I borrowed from various sources and have tweaked it.  If you’re not a fan of dark chocolate, just use all semisweet.  Or if you’re a big fan of dark chocolate, use all of that.  I like the 50/50 mix.  I’ve tried peanut butter chips, but wasn’t as happy with that (the balls didn’t harden in the same way, and they melted more easily).  I’ve also tried rye whiskey rather than bourbon, thinking that might bring a nice spicy kick to the party.  It didn’t (they weren’t “bad”, but bourbon and chocolate just have this synergy for some reason; Alton Brown could probably explain it).  Most importantly, enjoy!

Cheers!
Gary

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Loch Lomond 12 Yr Old Single Malt

/ / Highland, Review, Scottish Whisky / ,

Loch Lomond 12 Yr Old Single Malt
46% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distiller Says
THIS EXQUISITE 12 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT HAS A DEEP FRUITY CHARACTER OF PEACH AND PEAR
LAYERED WITH A VANILLA SWEETNESS AND THE CHARACTERISTIC HINTS OF PEAT AND SMOKE FOUND
IN LOCH LOMOND WHISKIES. AGED IN THREE TYPES OF CASK – BOURBON, REFILL AND RE-CHARGED –
THESE WHISKIES ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER DELIVERING A PERFECTLY BALANCED SINGLE MALT
UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF MICHAEL HENRY OUR MASTER DISTILLER.

NOSE: Crisp green apple, ripe pear and refreshing citrus lemon with background notes of golden cereal.
TASTE: Orchard fruits and lemon meringue. The deep fruity character of pear lead into citrus lemon, vanilla meringue and light biscuit sweetness.
FINISH: Medium length with gentle wood smoke and a lingering peaty tang.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Sweet malt, apricots, not-quite-ripe/tart peaches with orange marmalade on toast; dried cut-grass with a hint of peat.
Palate:  Sweet entry of peach and pear with raisin bread; sharpens into a pepper spice note over peat and a hint of something vegetal.
Finish:  Short, wet with a bit of spice at the end.
Comments:  I hadn’t seen this in Georgia yet, and for the price felt it was worth taking a chance. Glad I did – this is a satisfying, tasty dram – not too complicated, but a sit back, relax and enjoy kind of pour. At $35 a bottle (where I found it in Pennsylvania), a great value too! I’d had tried Loch Lomond Original while in Scotland a few years back, and rather enjoyed it – so hoping they will start showing up with more regularity here in the states.
Rating: Stands Out; Great Value

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The Ileach Peaty Islay Single Malt

/ / Islay, Review, Scottish Whisky /

The Ileach Peaty Islay Single Malt
40% ABV
$35
Website

What the Bottler Says
For centuries the stormy waters of the Atlantic Ocean has not only shaped the character of the people of Islay but also the character of their famous whiskies. In many ways this fine malt mirrors the character of Islay people – strong yet gentle, warm yet mellow, but with a maturity beyond its years. Robust peaty, with that unmistakable breath of the seashore, The Ileach is “a true man from Islay”

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Earthy smoky peat and salty ocean Breeze
Palate: Pungent peat smoke, chewy sweet malt, pepper, tar and a touch of iodine
Finish: Long and warming. Smoky ashes of the peat fire

What Gary Says
Nose:  Bright peat, medicinal, seaweed, earthy, subtly sweet, charred oak, notes of rubber.
Palate:  Sweet, young malt, honey, hint of vanilla, bit of pepper with earthy oak notes, thin.
Finish:  Short and drying.
Comments:  This is a mystery single malt – allegedly from the same source throughout (the reason I used the 50 mL picture is because this is what the bottle I bought looked like; in case anyone knows of variations based on labels). It has a pretty nice nose for a young malt, and by the nose I thought maybe Laphroaig. The palate was a bit of a step back though – thin and not as nice as the nose. I bought this mini as I’d never heard of/seen the label before, and it was inexpensive. For the price, there are other single malt bottlers I’ve tried and enjoyed more for less.
Rating: Average

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Maker’s Mark Private Select – Tower Wine & Spirits 2018

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Maker’s Mark Private Select

Exclusive Oak Stave Selection – Tower Wine & Spirits
55.25% ABV
$70
Website

What the Distiller Says

At Maker’s Mark, our wood-finishing series was created to explore new, unique expressions of our signature whisky. Beginning as fully matured Maker’s Mark® at cask strength, Private Select is created by adding 10 custom wood finishing staves to each barrel. It’s then aged in our limestone cellar to extract a unique, flavorful taste profile. Participants in this special barrel program get their say in the selection of these wooden staves. The finishing staves can be any combination of five flavor profiles chosen especially for this program. With 1,001 possible stave combinations, each expression of Private Select has a customized finish and taste profile that is unique, yet undeniably Maker’s®. Maker’s Mark Private Select® is available in select markets and also at our distillery.

Below are the notes on the different staves
The Maker’s 46® stave: The one that started this whole experiment. It delivers notes of dried fruit, vanilla and spice that you may be familiar with if you’ve tried Maker’s 46.
The Baked American Pure stave: Baked American Pure is American oak that’s slowly toasted. It adds notes of brown sugar, vanilla, caramel and spice.
The Seared French Cuvée stave: Seared French Cuvée is a French oak stave that’s cooked with infrared heat. It imparts toasty notes of oak and caramel.
The Roasted French Mocha stave: Roasted French Mocha is French oak cooked on high in a convection oven. It adds pleasant traces of char, maple and cacao.
The Toasted French Spice stave: Toasted French Spice is a French oak stave, cooked at both high and low temperatures in a convection oven. This stave has a flavor profile of smoke, coumarin and spice.

The finishing with the additional staves is typically 9 weeks.

This specific barrel’s stave selections were:
Baked American Pure 2: 3
Seared French Cuvée: 1
Maker’s 46: 1
Roasted French Mocha: 4
Toasted French Spice: 1

What Gary Says

Nose:  On the sharp side, nutty caramel corn with cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla; subtle wood and leather notes; bit of water brings out more spice notes (reminds me more of a rye mashbill bourbon in terms of spice pop).
Palate:  Bright/sharp and sweet, vanilla wafers with caramel drizzled, shaved chocolate and toffee with a dusting of cinnamon; bit of water actually thickens the mouthfeel, tones down the sharp edges, amplifying the caramel and bringing subtle fruity notes.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying, with just a hint of pepper spice.
Comments:  This particular bottling has more of an edge and kick than standard Maker’s Mark – which you might expect with the higher proof alone. The finishing staves do add a really nice spicy character that I don’t pull out of Maker’s Mark typically. For the longest time, Maker’s Mark was a one label producer, which was the exception. But since coming out with Maker’s 46 just a few years back, they’ve stepped up their game with not only the cask strength, but these private selections. Most distilleries have a private barrel program, and while true that each barrel is unique – if you pull a barrel of say Buffalo Trace (for illustrative purposes only, not to single them out)- that barrel was destined to be part of a batch of Buffalo Trace, so in many cases it isn’t going to be too far from that brand profile. The 1,001 stave combinations really provides purchasers the chance to get something even more unique than the typical private barrel selection. While I applaud this innovation, I do wish they offered some aging “tiers”. I get logistically they need to have some predictability, but I can’t help but think what the same stave combination would do with say 12 weeks versus 9. I dunno – maybe they experimented and found too fewer than 9 and you’re not really getting much, and much over there it changes the profile from being “Maker’s Mark finished with” to something entirely different. Either way, if you’re a fan of Maker’s Mark, I wouldn’t shy away from trying one if you have the chance.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky /

Compass Box The Story of the Spaniard
Batch TS 2018-A (June 2018)
43% ABV
$70
Website

What the Producer Says

THE STORY OF THE SPANIARD
BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

A showcase of malt whiskies aged in Spanish wine casks.
The newest addition to our range, we plan to produce this malt whisky once or twice per year, depending on our ability to source the quality of Spanish wine casks we require.

A long time ago, a friend and I journeyed through the South of Spain, stopping by every little village bar we could. They were tiny little bars filled with heavy smoke, serving beers and liquors I had never heard of.

In one place, an elderly man took it upon himself to teach us about the local Sherry wines. They captured my imagination with their nutty, saline character and tremendous spectrum of style. Years later, when I discovered Scotch whisky, I was reacquainted with Sherry through whiskies aged in former Sherry casks, which are known for the rich, deep flavours they provide. I’ve been drawn to this style of whisky ever since.

Inspired by an eponymously named bespoke whisky we recently created for a bar in New York City called The Spaniard, we decided to explore this style further to create a malt whisky blend with its core whiskies aged in Spanish Sherry and Spanish red wine casks. We’ve named it THE STORY OF THE SPANIARD as a nod to my chance encounter with that elderly gentleman in the South of Spain, all those years ago.

In this, our first release, 48% of the whiskies have been aged in ex-Sherry casks and 25% in ex-Spanish red wine casks. We may change the type of casks from year to year based on availability and experimentation, but Spanish casks – either Sherry wine casks or Sherry-style wine casks – will always play the key role.

BOTTLING DETAILS
Batch TS 2018-A (June 2018).
Bottled at 43%. Not chill-filtered.
Natural colour.

FLAVOUR DESCRIPTORS
Full, soft and sumptuous on the palate with notes of citrus peel, red wine and spices. The finish is long, with hints of rich vanilla panna cotta, ripe berries and cherries.

DISTILLERY SOURCING
Made entirely of Highland single malt whiskies from distilleries in and around the villages of Doune, Longmorn, Alness and Aberlour.

RECOMMENDATIONS
This is a whisky ideal for late evening sipping, served on its own or with a large ice cube or splash of water. Serve in a wine glass as a nod to the Spanish wine cask maturation!

WOOD
Whiskies aged in a mixture of American, European and French oak cask types, some of which previously held Spanish Sherry or red wine.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Musky sherry sweetness, mincemeat pie with dates and figs, worn leather with lingering smoke.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, rich dark fruits (figs, dates, sultanas, plums) with toasted orange zest, honey, allspice, pepper spice and a hint of clove.
Finish:  Long with a rich, creamy texture and trailing fruit notes.
Comments: Damn you John Glaser and team over at Compass Box! I’m not sure how they do it, but they’ve got me dialed in. This is simply a lovely, delicious dram. I like sherry, but not necessarily ‘sherry bombs’. This is right in my wheelhouse where you can’t miss the sherry influence, but that’s just one member of the band; this isn’t a solo act by any means. When I think of balance in terms of whiskey, it means avoiding one flavor or note dominating, and Compass Box does this exceptionally well. This is a nicely balanced whisky, with sherry sweetness but also spice and smoke. For the proof, this has a lot of flavor, and a lovely texture to it. I had the good fortune to try this before I bought one, but if you’re a fan of most of Compass Box’s other offerings, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick one up blind.
Rating: Must Try

NOTE:  Their web-site has downloads with the breakdown (image below), as well as a link to request more information.  Per their request, I won’t publish the additional details here they they will provide to anyone who inquires – but they are happy to provide them if you inquire.  We here at Whisk(e)y Apostle are BIG fans of their transparency (oh – and their whisky is pretty great too 🙂 )

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