Entertaining tip #1: Welcome your guests with a distinctive cocktail that sets the tone for what’s to come. One that refreshes and tantalizes the tastebuds, but not too strong because you want your guests still upright for dessert.
Leading off with a Bourbon Mai Tai presented by Chef Ouita Michel, Chef-in-Residence at Woodford Reserve, at a private luncheon and bourbon tasting during a visit to the Woodford Reserve Distillery – my second trip with friends Gwen and Roger Pratesi of On The Road culinary adventures, and one that will live long in my memory!
The Bourbon Mai Tai is an exhilarating cocktail that is super simple to prepare and perfect for your holiday soiree or any time of year really.
Bourbon Mai Tai:
1 ounce Woodford Reserve bourbon
1 ounce each cranberry juice and orange juice
1/2 ounce maple syrup
Add all the ingredients to a shaker. Stir or shake to blend. Pour into a glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange slice.
Our group relaxed and sipped on this lovely cocktail while basking in the autumnal sunlight of a balmy Kentucky day drinking in the beauty surrounding us and digesting all the information and history laid before us by our terrific white-maned sage of a guide during our tour of the historic Woodford Reserve distillery and grounds.
One of Kentucky’s oldest and smallest distilleries, the present day Woodford Reserve Distillery is built on history, sitting on Kentucky’s oldest distilling site where Elijah Pepper began crafting whiskey in 1812.
Key takeaway from the tour – the five essential sources of flavor in bourbon: Water – the pure iron-free, limestone-filtered water of Kentucky is vital; Grains – known as the mash bill, bourbon must have a minimum of 51% corn, with the remainder being rye, wheat, malted barley, or some combination of these, Woodford Reserve’s mash is 72% corn (sweet), 18% rye (spicy) and 10% barley (nutty); the Distillation process – Woodford Reserve is crafted in copper pot stills;
Fermentation – traditional yeast fermenting for 6-7 days (twice as long as most brands); and the Maturation (aging) process – Woodford Reserve is unique in that they craft, toast and char all their own barrels.
From this pre-Prohibition process comes America’s native spirit which purists say can only be savored “neat”, but Michael Veach, Louisville, Kentucky’s bourbon historian and author of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage, believes there is no wrong way to drink bourbon. Dilute it with water, mix it with ginger ale, or stir in a liqueur or two and call it something fancy like “The Revolver”. According to Veach, makers of America’s native spirit are just as pleased to see their product served up with a maraschino cherry as they are watching it poured straight into a shot glass. {Source: Smithsonian.com}
Following our tour of the distillery we convened to one of the many historical buildings on the Woodford Reserve estate to partake in a bourbon tasting and a fabulous lunch prepared by Bluegrass Horse Country native Chef Ouita Michel.
The Flavor Wheel consisted of classic and unexpected pairings (such as miso) to tantalize our tastebuds and expand our palate during the bourbon tasting.
Chef Ouita and her indispensable chef de cuisine prepared an inspired luncheon brimming with fresh local produce and a modern Southern flair:
1st Course: Smoked Lobster, Asian pear, shredded jicama and Napa cabbage, dried apricot, Woodford lime vinaigrette and toasted hazelnuts.
Entrée: Stonecross Farm fresh pork belly Bulgogi-style – marinated, slow cooked then pan seared, Soba noodles, broth and bok choy.
Dessert: Crepes filled with sweetened mascarpone with lemon and orange, sautéed in sorghum butter with fresh apples, flamed in Woodford Reserve bourbon.
Champagne cocktails are a classic holiday aperitif – and for good reason. There is nothing that announces a celebration better than champagne, and the bold addition of bourbon makes this Bourbon Champagne Cocktail a star, and one that even the guys will love! It seems like an unlikely combination – you just have to try it! The amazing bourbon-soaked cherries put maraschino cherries to shame and, trust me, you won’t be able to resist nibbling on a few while you’re mixing cocktails.
- 2 ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon
- 2 Tablespoons Woodford Reserve Bourbon Vanilla Simple Syrup
- 2 dashes Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters
- Prosecco or Sparkling Wine
- Add Bourbon Vanilla Simple Syrup and Spiced Cherry Bitters to a chilled champagne flute. Add 2 ounces Woodford Reserve bourbon and mix well. Fill with Prosecco or sparkling wine. Garnish with a Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherry
And then there’s the Whiskey Buck. Think of a Moscow Mule but with bourbon for that warming touch that we crave in the cooler months. Ginger and citrus syrup adds a touch of spice and brightness along with slivers of lemon and lime, it’s an elegant retro drink evocative of the “Mad Men”era.
Whiskey Buck
For Ginger Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Heat water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and ginger and steep for a few minutes. Strain through cheesecloth to remove the ginger pulp. Cool mixture.
Makes 1 cup of ginger syrup, enough for several cocktails.
For the Whiskey Buck:
Old Fashioned glass (also known as a rocks glass or lowball glass)
crushed or pellet ice
2 oz. Woodford Reserve or your favorite bourbon
top with ginger syrup
Garnish with slivers of lime and lemon peel
Enjoy! And please drink responsibly.
Coming up next: Hanukkah cocktails AND Homemade Eggnog.
Happy Holidays!!
Thirsty for more? You might also like:
Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Tasting Dinner and an Orange Blossom Special
“Eat Your Bourbon” Pumpkin Risotto
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