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Danielson leaves Churchill Downs for exec chef post at Dant Crossing and Log Still Distillery

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The micro-niche of distillery restaurants just got a little bigger, but much more significant.

Longtime Churchill Downs executive chef, David Danielson, was chosen to head up food and beverage operations at Dant Crossing and Log Still Distillery in Gethsemane, Ky. The young bourbon tourism hot spot’s assets include three separate cushy bed-and-breakfast facilities, The Amp (a 2,000-seat amphitheater), The Legacy (a 20,000 square-foot wedding and events center), plus a tasting room and cocktail bar. A full-service casual restaurant, 47 & Poplar, and distillery that will produce about 7,000 barrels per year, are under construction.

Danielson’s hire marks the latest shot fired in the escalating war of distillery foodservice, and it’s a big one—Howitzer big. Danielson’s résumé spans 35 years and includes everything from work in fine dining restaurants to four stints overseeing foodservice at Olympics events in Beijing, Sochi, Vancouver and Rio De Janeiro. During his 11-year stay at Churchill Downs, he led the elevation of foodservice at the historic track to standards expected by well-heeled patrons in its many private suites—no mean feat at a place feeding more than 300,000 people during Derby Week.

Danielson said he enjoyed the detailed, big-picture planning required to cook on a massive scale at the famed horse track. But in the past few years, he’s longed for direct guest contact and everyday cooking.

Chef David Danielson and Tim Laird, showing off their 2019 food and drink book, “Bourbon Country Cookbook.”

“It’s a lot of fun putting together large those events like the Derby,” said Danielson, a native of Chicago who said he’s smitten with the Bluegrass State. “But when I also was (chef-owner at) the Old Stone Inn a couple of years ago, that personal connection with guests—that actual being in the kitchen and cooking hands-on every day—I realized I missed it. I look forward to the smaller scale at the distillery.”

When 47 & Poplar opens, it’ll make the fifth full-service distillery eatery. Its predecessors are James B. Beam (The Kitchen Table), Bardstown Bourbon Co. (Kitchen and Bar), Maker’s Mark (Star Hill Provisions) Barrel House Distillery (Elkhorn Tavern) and Copper & Kings Distillery (Alex&nder). Heaven Hill’s Five Brothers Bar includes a restaurant that has yet to open. Smaller cafés are operated at Buffalo Trace Distillery (Firehouse Sandwich Shop) and Woodford Reserve (Glenn’s Creek Café).

Outside of Kentucky Hard Truth Distillery (Nashville, Ind.), has a large restaurant operation (The Restaurant at Hard Truth), while Lula Distillery (New Orleans), Sagamore Spirits (Ray Street Tavern in Baltimore) and Western Reserve (The Distillery, Lakewood, Ohio) have smaller eateries.

For distilleries, foodservice means experience building through tourism, which turns liquor fans into whole brand friends. Distillery restaurants add to that full-orbed experience.

“Making bourbon is definitely important, but what we really want to do is create a whole new guest experience here,” said Wally Dant, founder and majority owner of the distillery and Dant Crossing, in a 2021 interview. “You hear it said over and over: people want experiences. That’s our vision for this place.”

Danielson said serving food on a scale smaller than Churchill Downs doesn’t reduce the intensity of the job. With such varied venues comes complexity in creating multiple menus and new production and service strategies. Food served in the restaurant won’t be the same served at The Amp, but in every case, Danielson said, they won’t be items found elsewhere.

“We’ve got an opportunity to come up with some great dishes and concession items and tie them to some of our beverages and signature cocktails,” he said. “You’ll not see those in a stadium or arena. … The amphitheater is an intimate venue that will allow us to do some very cool things. We want to tie so many things together to create new experiences for our guests.”

2021 Maker’s Mark CommUNITY Batch is a bottle you want this holiday season

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For the second year running, Maker’s Mark has partnered with the LEE Initiative to release its second CommUNITY Batch Bourbon. Born of Maker’s Private Selection custom barrel program, this bottle features a mingling of 40 specific Private Selection recipes created by 40 whiskey groups from across the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

This isn’t a small batch of 40 barrels of the same bourbon, each barrel featured unique combinations of five Maker’s finishing staves which yielded 40 unique expressions of Maker’s cask strength bourbon. It’s Maker’s Mark like you’ve never had it—and may never will unless you get buy some soon.

One hundred percent of the proceeds to support the hospitality industry, which continues to struggle amid the ongoing pandemic. This helps the people who operate the restaurants and bars we all frequent, the hotels where we rest our heads and so many other high-touch segments of the hospitality business. Last year’s CommUNITY Batch raised $2.2 million! This is a great way to give back and get a great bottle of bourbon—and some excellent food with your first bottle—if you act now.

Read further for the full story, but if you’re ready to buy, click here to reserve your bottle(s). Move quickly, because these won’t last!

If you’re interested, here are my tasting notes on this gem.

Sipped neat: This is a powerful pour that punches well above it’s already stout 108.2 proof. Spice explodes dead center on the palate before peeling off in every direction. I’m not a cigar smoker, but I’m betting this liquid is exactly what such sorts would choose to square off with a stogie. The finish is lean and appealingly crisp.

On the rocks: Poured over a large ice sphere, the spice holds up well against the slow dilution. By the time it’s nicely chilled, though, it’s lost much of its character.

In an old-fashioned: As a decadent old fashioned, it’s a rock star, plain and simple. I use ginger simple, three dashes of Angostura bitters and three dashes of Angostura orange bitters; stir to chill; expressed orange peel for garnish and you’re done.

Here’s the full news release …

The LEE Initiative Partners with Maker’s Mark® to Release Second Annual “CommUNITY Batch” Bourbon with 100% of Proceeds Supporting the Hospitality Industry  

Launching on Giving Tuesday, Latest CommUNITY Batch Bourbon Combines Private Selection Recipes of 40+ Whisky Clubs from Across the Country  

LOUISVILLE, Ky (November 18, 2020) – The LEE Initiative, in partnership with Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, today announced the launch of the second-annual limited-edition “CommUNITY Batch,” a special release bourbon created exclusively to support spirits industry trade and hospitality partners across the country. The distinguished bourbon expression was created by blending Maker’s Mark Private Selection barrels from over 40 whisky clubs from across the United States and one in the United Kingdom. Similar to the 2020 bottling, which was originally created to support COVID-19 relief for the hospitality industry, this limited time offering will be made exclusively available at select events and opportunities across the country, with 100% of bottle proceeds benefiting The LEE Initiative in its mission to support trade and hospitality partners around the country and create a more diverse and equitable restaurant industry. Information for specific events, which commence on #GivingTuesday (November 30, 2021), and details on the bourbon can be found at www.LEEInitiative.org.  

The Spirit of CommUNITY  

Off the heels of the 2020 CommUNITY Batch offering that generated over $2 million for restaurant relief and more, the 2021 offering will continue supporting the bar and restaurant community in a time of sustained unprecedented need. As the country’s interest in whisky has continued to grow, Whisky Clubs have become integral to the ever- growing spirits community as platforms to share thoughts, opinions, experiences, and support for likeminded individuals in the space. The 2021 bottling was created by some of these passionate people with exceptional palates. By combining the stave profiles of their Private Selection barrels, this limited release reflects the remarkable strength – and distinct taste profile – of each community. The result is an exquisite expression that is truly made by the community, for the community.  

“Our second bottling of CommUNITY Batch Bourbon with Maker’s Mark is monumental because like any community, it takes time to build trust, loyalty and kinship,” said Edward Lee, James Beard Award Winning author, restaurateur, chef and founder of the LEE Initiative. “We have that with Maker’s Mark, and we are building that relationship with our many supporters who love to follow our evolving programs at The LEE Initiative while drinking amazing bourbon along the journey.”  

Giving Back on #GivingTuesday and Beyond  

Beginning on #GivingTuesday (November 30, 2021), the Maker’s Mark CommUNITY Batch Bourbon will be available via The LEE Initiative events in select cities where Maker’s Mark Private Selection partners are located. For interested individuals 21 years or older, suggested donations begin at $70.00 and vary by event, with additional details available at LEEInitiative.org.  

“It’s been an honor and privilege to work alongside Chef Lee, Lindsey Ofcacek and their team on various philanthropic efforts, including opening 19 relief kitchen across the country amidst the pandemic,” said Rob Samuels, Chief Distillery Officer of Maker’s Mark. “At Maker’s Mark, we treasure the bonds we’ve made with trade and hospitality partners who love to share our bourbon as much as we do, which is especially true of the Whisky Clubs who participated in creating the 2021 CommUNITY Batch. Together with this whisky-loving community, we are proud to support The LEE Initiative and look forward to continuing our partnership to benefit and champion the industry.”  

How We Made It: A One-of-a-kind Limited Release  

To create the CommUNITY Batch, Maker’s Mark tapped 40 whisky clubs across the country who are equally passionate about whisky and the hospitality industry. Lending their expert palates, these aficionados specially crafted and shared their Maker’s Mark Private Selection bourbon recipes to create this truly one-of-a-kind limited release.  

  • First, Maker’s Mark created individual barrels of Private Selection Bourbon by taking fully-matured cask strength Maker’s Mark and finishing it with each partner’s unique combination of ten barrel staves for an additional nine weeks in the Maker’s Mark Cellar.  
  • Once finished, the whisky from the barrels was blended and filled back into the barrels to rest for an additional five weeks to allow the subtle nuances of the custom bourbon to properly integrate.  
  • The resulting characteristics of the 2021 CommUNITY Batch include:  
  • StaveContributions:P2(18%),CU(22%),46(17%),Mn(28%)andSP(15%) 
  • Proof:107.7 

Tasting notes: Notes of cherry and subtle wood spice. Rich and balanced. Not too sweet, not too spicy. Even in tone. Pleasant and long finish where the subtle spice notes linger.  

Like bourbon and Bardstown? You’ll like this new book I wrote on both

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The bourbon boom has been good to Kentucky, but especially to Nelson County., home to more than a third of the state’s whiskey production. As bourbon’s popularity has soared, the quaint city of Bardstown (pop. 13,500) has witnessed a tourism explosion.

Or, perhaps better put, it’s enduring one. Bardstown has loved and welcomed tourists for nearly a century, but this decade-long crush of the whiskey-loving commonweal has created growing pains.

  • Traffic is becoming so heavy that plans are afoot for a new bypass around the town.
  • Overnight accommodations have been in short supply for years despite an explosion in Airbnb options.
  • Modern restaurants and bars are in short supply, especially those catering to high-end spirits and cocktail drinkers visiting area distilleries.
  • Not long ago, parking spots were so plentiful in its Historic District that civic leaders removed street meters. Now that supply is tight again, the town is considering building a parking garage to create space.

All good problems to have, right? True enough. But real solutions can’t come quickly enough, visitors and locals say.

Meantime, distilleries are radically overhauling their tourism components with bars, restaurants and deep-dive interactive experiences. In 2018, Bardstown Bourbon Co. came right out of the gate with a restaurant, bar and vintage whiskey library. Willet Distillery spent three years overhauling its visitor experience to create The Bar at Willett and recruited culinary talent from top Southern restaurants to staff its kitchen. Maker’s Mark Distillery, just 25 minutes away in Loretto, opened its own bar and restaurant, Star Hill Provisions, and new food and bar options are in the works at Barton 1792 Distillery, Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center, and Jim Beam Distillery nearby.

Sound exciting? It is. So thrilling, in fact, that a London publisher asked two Nelson County civic leaders to write a book about it titled, “The Rebirth of Bourbon: Building a Tourism Economy in Small-Town USA.” Problem was, both leaders were too busy doing the work that’s furthering the bourbon boom to bang out the book themselves.

The pair, Kim Huston (president of the Nelson County Economic Development Association) and Mike Mangeot (executive director of the Bardstown Nelson County Tourism Commission) were asked by Emerald Publishing to write a book that would study Bardstown’s whiskey-fueled growth and compare it to the tourism boom that began in the California Wine Country in the 1980s.

Though they told the publisher they’d do it, they knew neither hand the time to research and write it. And that was the truth. Huston was helping land bourbon distilleries and support businesses in Nelson County while Mangeot was working to improve the area’s tourism response to the ever-unfolding craziness.

“We need someone else to do this book,” Huston told me on a conference call with Mangeot. “Would you like to partner on it?”

Of course, I did, and I started a month later.

This would be the fifth book I’d written, but it was the only one that came with experts to advise me and provide guidance interview sources. When the interviews were done, I’d chatted with 54 people, many of whose doors were opened by Mangeot and Huston. They also did full manuscript edits of the book—twice. Tedious work, but invaluable to me. This was a team effort. And if you know Huston and Mangeot, you know that’s good.

To the credit of Bardstown locals, only one person declined to talk. The others were as helpful as you’d expect: friendly, forthcoming with facts and detailed stories, and funny. Always funny. Sometimes flat-out funny as hell. Talking to them was a pleasure.

If you’re a Kentuckian, this is a book you’d love because it contains multiple historic stories unfolding in real time. The book looks backward and forward simultaneously in an effort to align conflate both views in a present-day perspective.

It contains interviews with some of the bourbon industry’s best-known personalities who told me more tales than I could squish into this tome’s pages. I also spoke with local legends—restaurant and hotel operators, politicians, historians, etc.—whose words will tell you so much more about this incredible town than you’ve likely ever known unless you live in Bardstown.

“The Rebirth of Bourbon: Building a Tourism Economy in Small-Town USA” reads more like a collection of feature stories and essays than a point A to point B novel. That means it’s perfect for readers who like to pick up a book and put it down without losing the story arc. While talking a whole, whole lot about bourbon, it also dabbles in the business of Bardstown, too, which is educational—and frankly some of the most interesting parts for me. The city may be small, but it’s complex in so many ways. Trust me.

Want to buy our book? We’d love for you to. Click here if you want a copy—or several—and detail whether you’d like your copies personalized. (The price on my website, is well below Amazon’s price. Just saying.)

I’m confident you’ll enjoy this look into one of Kentucky’s most amazing cities.

Coronavirus is a dreadful challenge, but it has its upside

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Chef Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen.

There’s a lot to hate about this coronavirus lockdown, but there’s also a lot to like.

You may disagree with me, but it’s true. Despite the virus ravaging the bodies of many and slamming the brakes on the economy, like all tragic events, it’s giving humans abundant chances to prove their goodness toward others and themselves. It’s also given us a chance to get a bit more grounded and enjoy life’s small pleasures. Some of the positives I see in this mess …

It’s cool that medical professionals of every level—not just doctors—are now recognized for their genuine value. Same for truckdrivers, grocery store workers and produce and meat processors who make life-sustaining food available to us. Who’d have thought people would take the time to thank to produce stackers for showing up to work at the supermarket? Want to find some heroes around town? Visit a nursing home when all this is over and ask some caregivers about this year’s adventures on the inside.

I’m blown away at the drive, vision and passion for feeding people demonstrated by chef José Andrés. Here we have one of the most talented chefs and restaurateurs in the world who’s all but walked away from his main operations to create World Central Kitchen. The non-profit not only feeds hungry people following catastrophic tragedies, it feeds them well. This isn’t MRE stuff, it’s good wholesome food made by hundreds of volunteer chefs. (Check out this 60 Minutes Overtime story on his work.) Given his heavy Spanish accent and the speed at which he thinks and speaks, my one interview with him years ago was like riding a rollercoaster blindfolded. I never knew where he was going with his comments, but I didn’t want him to stop talking.

I’m not at all surprised by the generosity shown by so many local restaurateurs. Though always operating on razor-thin margins and working long hours, these operators somehow find the time and food to prepare many meals for free. That’s heart and head teaming up to put food in stomachs. Love on them anyway you can right now. They need the emotional and financial support.

Like many, I’m appreciating nature more than ever. I’m blown away by the azaleas and flowering trees in my neighborhood; the intricacy, texture and color of their flowers and the bees busily at work within them. It confirms to me that no human creation can top the beauty of God’s self-renewing Earth.

I’ve enjoyed watching people applaud Gov. Andy Beshear’s efforts to keep us informed. That most Kentuckians agree their governor is doing a good job in a difficult time is practically miraculous. I’m not sure when that last happened. (Sadly, if history is any indication, the amity won’t last.)

I love seeing so many people walking and biking—especially the little kids wearing outsized helmets while furiously pedaling their teeny bikes. I hope they’ll continue that physical activity when things return to normal. Heaven knows we all need it to shed the weight we’ve gained.

Which reminds me … I saw this funny on Facebook: “How y’all summer body lookin’? Mine be lookin’ like I have a great personality.” That’s what I want out of social media these days. More humor and fewer self-appointed epidemiologists and political analysts. And in the spirit of that wish, here’s one more: “My dog is looking at me like, ‘See? This is why I chew the furniture.’” I hear you, Rover!

The mint julep! Some love them, some hate them. All might love them if made correctly. Photo by Steve Coomes

That I enjoy cooking more than ever is one of two root causes of my “great personality” body. I’ve made dozens of pizzas for family, friends and condo neighbors over the last several, weeks, but that’s depleted my 50-pound stash of bread flour by only about half. Now I need to get serious about bread baking. My past loaves, while tasty when blandished with butter, might score a D at a culinary school or awarded the yet-to-be-used black ribbon at the state fair. I want to make some A+ stuff like some friends are doing at home.

At least my smoked meats achieved a B- in March. That happened after my used smoker was stolen by some fool who only got the top two pieces. (He surely knows by now Weber doesn’t sell the bottom part separately.) When I replaced it with a new one of the same type, the most helpful piece that came out of the box was the owner’s manual. No kidding. For $446, I learned in 5 minutes what I’d been doing wrong for the past year. Pricey lesson, but delicious long-term results.

I love the fact that my wife works at home every other week. We work at opposite ends of our condo, out of sight and speaking range, but it’s still nice knowing someone else is there to interrupt needlessly and shatter the boredom of working alone.

And speaking of my wife, she’s applauding my improved cocktail-making skills. Hell or High Water Speakeasy got me out of my eight-cocktail rotation when it sent local media a make-at-home list of recipes. Now gin gimlets, real daquiris and a different twist on the Gold Rush are in the rotation. Yeah, I know any real bartender reading this is mumbling, “Easy stuff, boy, easy stuff!” Trust me, I’ll resume buying the fun ones from you when Warden Beshear pardons us all from corona prison.

And speaking of adult beverages, one last Facebook funny: “Adulthood has shown me that you don’t need fun to have alcohol.” A lot of truth in that, but also a sound warning: consume responsibly, people. Lots of livers out there celebrating the postponement of the Kentucky Derby for good reason. Meantime, make a real mint julep and enjoy what Churchill Downs will never serve you.

Patience is a virtue hard-earned while filing for unemployment

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Last Friday, I filed for unemployment for the first time. I’ve earned taxable income since I was an 11-year-old paper boy, so with a large part of my writing work on hiatus until the economy rebounds, I wanted and needed to withdraw some of what I’d paid in over those 44 years.

Two days after I filed, the state denied my claim by saying I “do not have sufficient wages to establish a regular income.” Not true of course, and I have my e-filed 2019 tax paperwork to prove it. But as the taxes I paid in came with the struggle of work, getting some of them back would come with the struggle to remain patient. Knowing the phone queue at the Kentucky Career Center (which manages unemployment insurance) would be long, I began the fun by dialing in at 7 a.m. on April 21. The drill went like this:

The Robo-agent estimated the initial wait for a real agent would be a Domino’s-like promise of 30 minutes or less. When “she” returned 10 minutes later to say, “Average wait time is less than 3 minutes. Thank you for waiting for the next available agent,” I was all, “Yesssss!”

Numbers appearing in rejection letter do not reflect reality, even in the worst of times. Photo by Steve Coomes

And then “noooo!” About 20 minutes and at least two “3-minute promises later,” the digital dame returned and revised my potential wait time to an airline-like delay of “greater than 2 hours. Press 1 to receive a callback from an agent or press 2 to remain in the queue.”

You bet I pressed 2, hunkered down to wait some more and made a few Facebook posts to kill time. While there, a friend PM’ed me to say she’s been at this wait-and-see with KCC game for a solid month, which wasn’t the news I was hoping for. But then Robo-harpy chimed in to announce, “Average wait time is less than 15 minutes. Press 1 to receive a callback from an agent or press 2 to remain in the queue.”

While this mind-numbing affair is underway, all on hold get to listen to arguably the world’s worst phone-hold song. Notice, I didn’t say “music” because that could be inferred as songs, and since the KCC DJ isn’t that creative, I didn’t want to mislead anyone. To get a sense of how bad said tune is, imagine discount shopping store music. All you need to generate a Kmart in the ‘70s flashback is the aroma of faux-buttered popcorn and the noise of stressed mothers threatening their children “if they don’t put those damn toys down!” You follow me now?

At about the 90-minute mark in the call, “Lee” picks up and asks how he can help. Though he was friendly and eager, he figured out quickly that my dispute was “not something I can handle at tier 1,” which—with no offense toward him directly—likely means he’s doing little more than making address corrections. So, he sends me to “tier 2,” where he’s certain “someone will be able handle your issue.”

Back on hold and listening to that dreadful tune, a ray of hope flashed when Robo-witch broke through to say, “Average wait time is 3 minutes.” Yeah, right Robo-tease, you promised me that at least a dozen times back at tier 1. And then, as if she knew my thoughts, she said 5 minutes later, “Average wait time is greater than 2 hours. Press 1 to receive a callback from an agent or press 2 to remain in the queue.”

Having heard from others that those who press 1 never hear back from an agent, I pressed 2. Again.

While holding, I actually accomplished about 30 minutes of work before Robo-harpy came back to say, “Average wait time is less than 20 minutes. To receive a callback from an agent, press 1. To remain in the queue, press 2.”

I press 2, of course … for what surely is the fiftieth time, before hearing 10 minutes later, “Average wait time is greater than 2 hours. Press 1 to receive a callback from an agent or press 2 to remain in the queue.”

“Well,” I think, “now sounds like a good time for a bathroom break.” But when I get to the bathroom and begin loosening the waist string of my, ahem, athletic pants, Robo-scoundrel returned to say, “Average wait time is less than 3 minutes.” Seriously? You’re in a rush now? Luckily, “she” wasn’t, so I completed my mission and returned to my desk … to wait … and listen to a new song, surely Kmart’s Greatest Hit No. 2, which is a work of some matchbook musician’s faux-Mellotron keyboard musings.

Finally, at the three-hour, 20-minute mark, a human voice comes on to ask, “How can I help you today?” Yeah, no lie, a fully human voice with warmth, inflection, modulation ‘n’ stuff. As I explain my issue, she said—with palpable sympathy—”Oh, hon, I wish I could help you with that, but I’m going to have to give you to a specialist.”

Specialist? This isn’t brain surgery!

“But the last guy who said he was a tier 1 person,” I protested, “said the people at tier 2 could help with this!”

“I promise I’d help you if I could, but they’re working on training us all to do that and it’s taking some time,” she replied. “I have a whole list of people here in front of me, and I’m going to hand you over to Denise King, so hold just a minute, please.”

Then came the silence … that brief interlude I thought signaled my passage around Kmart’s Greatest Hit No. 2 and right to Denise King’s desk phone.

But it wasn’t. Immediately following the silence I heard, “beep, beep, beep” … the dreaded trio of beeps heard when someone hangs up on you.

“No, freaking way!” I thought. “She hung up!” By accident, I’m sure, but it was over. She had no way of getting back to me.

Three hours and 23 minutes’ of waiting. For nothing.

At least when I start this whole mess over tomorrow at 7 a.m., I’ll know to ask for Denise King.

Ignore the stats, you’re not drinking too much

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear gives daily 5 p.m. updates on the state’s COVID-19 news.

Are you thinking what I’ve been thinking, that we’re all drinking too much alcohol since this whole stay-at-home-order came down?

I know your thoughts because I’ve heard you share them—from proper social distances, of course—and I’ve read them on social media. Many claim they’re drinking lots more than usual because of the ennui creeping into their lives and leaving them less to do while waiting out the coronavirus crisis. That the commute from work to our favorite watering hole is the 100 feet from spare bedrooms-cum-offices to our living room bars hasn’t helped. When so many businesses aren’t doing a bit of business, it’s become 5 o’clock everywhere. So why not crack open that big Bordeaux, baby, and celebrate … Wednesday?

Here’s some news that supports your notions of overconsumption: Nielsen researchers say alcohol sales spiked sharply in March. According to a Newsweek article, in the week ended March 21, wine sales were up 66 percent—and that’s over the prior week’s 28 percent jump. And proving that wine drinkers care increasingly less about fussy corks, 3-liter box wine sales jumped 60 percent in the week ended March 14, and 140 percent in the following week. Five-liter boxes rose a comparably modest 60 percent.

Looks like Chateau Cardboard is finally getting some respect!

The increases for trendy hard seltzers were up an astonishing 456 percent for the week ended March 21, while spirits sales delivered a 400 percent boost during the second half of March. Surely some of those increases were triggered in the wake of the cancelled NCAA tournament always played during the period. Looks like #marchsadness is for everyone except booze producers!

While COVID-19 is dreadfully serious business, many I know are concerned about the “COVID-5,” i.e. the five pounds they’ve gained since “Stay-at-home-people!” orders rained down from the pulpit of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. In fact, he’s likely responsible for some of the waistline expansion since drinkers started tuning in to his 5 p.m. daily media updates now cleverly called “Beers with Beshear” and “Bourbon with Beshear.” I’d like to add the equally fitting descriptors, “Gimlets with the Gov.,” “BBQ with Beshear” and “Candy with Andy.” (See the meal planning in that sequence there? Cocktails + protein + dessert. COVID-5 is real!)

Silliness aside, here’s the good news: All those booze buying stats … they’re about purchasing, not consumption. Phew! You’ll drink to that, right?

Just as there have been runs on toilet paper and hand sanitizer, ‘Muricans have rushed to load up on their favorite tipples. But instead of guzzling those purchases, they’re shelving them.

Experts quoted in the Newsweek piece said the adult beverage buying binge is more about “pantry stocking” than liver poisoning. In summary, the author wrote, “double and triple digits gains are obviously not sustainable and likely will only last a few weeks.”

So, again, why do so many believe they’re drinking more?

Perhaps we’re more aware of how much we’re drinking when doing so at home. We’re making the drinks that drain the bottles that pile up in the recycling bin. Then we’re washing the glasses that held them and making the ice to restart the whole delicious process. It’s not like being at a restaurant where you order a drink, drain the glass and a server removes the evidence. “Stay at home, dammit” drinking happens without the interruptions of waiting for friends to buy the next round. Just as at a bar, there may be dreadful lighting and horrible music playing in the background at home, but there are no lines at your liquor cabinets or bathrooms. You just walk up, gaze at the selection, grab a bottle and a glass and set to.

On Friday nights at home with my wife, we commonly have two cocktails. But two weeks ago, when Gov. 5 p.m. Update insisted we wash our hands to a sandpaper finish, we drank three each. That seemed like a bit much until I considered how late we stayed up and the gravity of that night’s news coming in. We, like so many couples, launched into all the “What if …?” discussions of whether jobs would be lost, how much business would decline or whether vacations would be cancelled … and had another, our third over a span of 4 hours.

The next day, I told my wife that this early bit of extra consumption would die down quickly—not only in our home, but across the country. In fact, while editing this commentary, new Nielsen numbers arrived showing alcohol purchases nationwide are already descending from their dizzying mid-March heights. Numbers are still well overheated compared to last year, but clearly sales are cooling off.

Here’s the socio-cultural reality: Most drinkers who aren’t addicted to alcohol don’t regularly overconsume it. They drink because they like the taste and they probably enjoy the slight and brief buzz. Plus, they drink most often with others. They’re what the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous calls “social drinkers.”

These days, they’re called socially distanced drinkers, which, frankly, is increasingly boring. I enjoy a quiet drink with my wife, but we really enjoy cocktails with friends or in restaurants and bars. We aren’t the only ones who miss that fraternization. And since it’s clear we’ll remain in COVID-19 confinement for some time, I’m confident we’ll find other things to do than drink too much. After all, we still have to venture out to hunt down toilet paper and hand sanitizer, tasks best done stone sober.

Old but so good: Four Roses 2019 LESB dazzles

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Four batches of mingled Four Roses bourbon in line, and the final result, the 2019 Limited Edition Small Batch, at the top.

I’ve heard more than a few prominent master distillers say they don’t like bourbon aged much past 9 years. They say it gets too bitter, oaky, tannic, etc., that the bloom of youth—those terrific fruit notes our noses and palates crave—disappear; that at that age, the barrel becomes a sarcophagus for the whiskey, no longer a benefactor.

Well, folks, if that’s the case, then my palate is screwed up. Royally. And Exhibit A for this sarcastically sad state is the 2019 Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch. This is a mingling of four bourbons drawing on four of its 10 mashbills. The youngest (an OESV) is 11 years old, the oldest (OBSV) is 21, and in the middle are two 15-year selections, an OESK and an OESV.

That’s geezer whiskey by many people’s standards, a bottle that should have an ornamental cane hanging from its neck. Yes, it’s aged all right, but trust me, it’s a whiskey for the ages.

A whopping total of three press folk journeyed to Four Roses’ aging and bottling site in Cox’s Creek, between Clermont (Jim Beam) and Bardstown last week. There, we tasted barrel strength expressions of each age and recipe chosen by master distiller Brent Elliott for this year’s release. For those who assuming, “Oh, surely the 21-year-old was an oak bomb,” you’re wrong. And I was among you, initially, until I tasted it.

Brent Elliott, master distiller, Four Roses Bourbon.

It was robust to be sure, but its complexity wasn’t overwhelming or off-putting. In fact, if you can imagine it, the 21-year-old deserves the lion’s share of credit for surprisingly soft and expansive finish.

Here’s how the whole mingling broke down in terms of share:

  • 21-year was 8 percent
  • 15-year OESK was 25 percent
  • 15-year OESV was 40 percent
  • 11-year was 27 percent

“We wanted balance and something vibrant,” Elliott said. “We didn’t want any astringent oak, which you’d think you’d get from a 21-year-old bourbon, but that wasn’t the case at all.”

Vibrant is right, along with notes of green apple, hard-candy fruit, and almost-cherry syrup mid-palate notes. Oak takes a sturdy stand at the rear, but it’s barely drying, highly complex and slips in a hint of bitter chocolate. The whole brings a solid dose of allspice and caramel. Even at 112.6 proof, you want to roll it around to access every nook and cranny of your mouth and explore new flavors and textures. It’s spicy, but not prickly, merely tingly.

When Four Roses began this special bottling in 2009, only 2,800 were released. It didn’t take long before release numbers doubled, then tripled, and lines outside its two gift shops began forming at 4 a.m.

“For the 2019 release, we’ll have 13,440 bottles for U.S. markets,” Elliott said. “Three-thousand bottles will go overseas.”

If I’ve made you interested in this bottle, here’s hoping you get one. But even with that record release number, they’ll be hard to find. If you find one, I hope you get it at the suggested retail price of $140. There’ll be no shortage of retailers willing to double that price and no shortage of people willing to splurge on it.

If you can get one, get it, and keep it. This one is a dandy.

Pu shows fusion, pairing chops with Taiwanese and American whiskey dinner

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I don’t write much about Louisville restaurants much anymore, but when invited to a Taiwanese dinner paired with American whiskey, I’m not saying no. I knew this was too good to pass up.

Ming Pu, executive chef at The 502 Bar & Bistro in Prospect knows a thing or two about both subjects. When war between tiny Taiwan and super power China appeared imminent in the 1990s, Pu’s family emigrated from Taiwan to Vancouver, B.C., and later to Louisville. Finding little in the way of Taiwanese food in the Derby City, the family made do with facsimiles of ingredients easily found here.

The 63C soy egg with Berkshire pork belly and sushi rice. Photo by Steve Coomes

Staples found in southern food, Pu said, overlap many of those found in Taiwanese food, leaving the two somewhat easy to fuse.

“The only thing about Taiwanese food that’s hard to duplicate is it uses lots of seafood, especially shellfish,” said Pu, adding that true Taiwanese food combines the influences China’s Fujian province and Japanese cuisines. “But it also uses lots of pork and chicken, rice, and other things easy to find here.”

Like many young American chefs, Pu has developed a taste for American whiskey, yet unlike many of his peers, he’s pairing them with food. It was natural, therefore, that he’d make a mashup of his native cuisine and his adopted nation’s spirits.

“I think it surprises people to think they’d go well together, but they really do,” he said.

And they really did when we enjoyed a five course meal and pairing last week at the restaurant. Two of the drinks were cocktails, while the others were straight whiskey pairings that got along exceptionally well with the bites. I love whiskey with food, and this confirmed why. It also made me wonder why it’s not done more often.

Whiskey Nerd Alert: I’ve done a lot of large-scale food and spirits pairings, but no spirit I’ve worked with so far can rival Michter’s for its ability to complement, contrast and elevate the food to which it’s matched.

I have no facts to explain why, but I lean toward crediting these obvious differences: Michter’s enters all its whiskeys into the barrel at 103 proof, 22 proof lower than the industry standard. A greater volume of water at the beginning of the aging sees more wood sugars dissolved into the whiskey. Secondly, outside of barrel-strength releases, most Michter’s whiskeys are bottled in the mid-80 to mid-90 proof range helping create a sweeter and softer profile than many bourbons, ryes and American whiskeys in general. Experience, not any hard science, tells me this must play at least some role in making them so receptive to food.

Twelve-hour beef broth and Creekstone Farms ribeye. Photo by Steve Coomes

Nuff said, on to the meal.

Course 1: Taiwanese tapas paired with a Michter’s US-1 Rye Manhattan. Bite 1 included a pan-seared turnip cake (delicious, believe me) served with a rich, dark soy glaze accented with anise. Bite 2 was salted cucumber strips accented with garlic chips and cilantro; a refreshing combo.

Course 2: Yan Su Ji (Taiwanese fried chicken) with Bourbon Barrel Soy Sauce and Thai basil oil paired with Michter’s Toasted Barrel Bourbon. This was an airline breast of chicken marinated in Chinese five spice powder, Bourbon Barrel Soy Sauce, breaded with potato flour and fried. Absolutely delicious. The whiskey pairing illuminated the whole so well that I was tempted to buy a second pour.

Course 3: Berkshire pork belly, scallion oil, 63C Soy Egg, sushi rice and crispy shallots, paired with Michter’s Unblended American Whiskey. This dish was the star of the food portion of the show. The pork belly was diced, topped with the rice (that dissolved into cream in my mouth), then more diced belly and then the egg. The name “63C” is a nod to the temperature, in Celcius, at which the egg is cooked sous vide for about an hour–the final step in a multistep cooking process. The result is a firm white with a gelatinous-creamy texture; delicious and visually beautiful. The whiskey pairing was perfect. (One more Michter’s nod: the Unblended American is the distillery’s lowest proof spirit, but it’s the most versatile pairing whiskey in the lot. Don’t get hung up on its 83.4 proof; there’s plenty of flavor there.)

Pardon the interruption: At this point in the meal, I noticed many in the group of 60 or so substituting wine pairings for their whiskey offerings. We’re in Bourbon Country, people, not the Wine Country! Drink local and see how incredible it tastes! You don’t know what you missed! Rant over.

Course 4: “Niu Rou Tang,” 12-hour beef broth, Creekstone Farms Beef ribeye, heirloom carrots, Taiwanese fines herb, pickled mustard greens, paired with Michter’s 10 Year Straight Bourbon. Complex and delicious, so much so that my wife and I requested spoons for the broth. Underpinned with the Michter’s 10, the dish was amazing.

Course 5: Milk Tea Panna Cotta paired with “Taiwanese Revolver” cocktail of oolong tea-infused Michter’s Toasted Barrel Rye, Tia Maria and orange bitters. By creating this cocktail, Pu showed his chops on the liquid side of the menu. It was amazing on its own, but it was sublime with the chilly panna cotta.

Pu’s dream is to own a Taiwanese restaurant in Louisville someday, and if what he served that night is any indication of what we might see on his menu, then I’m excited for him and the city. His food is flavorful, unique, balanced and respectful of subtleties and nuances of their many ingredients. When you pair dishes like those with whiskey, their flavors practically dance together. 

French Lick’s Wheater and Lee Sinclair bourbons now in Louisville market

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As if America’s whiskey boom isn’t exciting enough, upstart distillery growth is driving incredible innovation in an industry long accustomed to making pretty similar tasting products. Some of the finest spirits from said smaller distillers I’ve had in the U.S. are being made in French Lick, Ind., at the Spirits of French Lick. About three years old, the distillery is an offshoot of the well-known (in these parts, anyway) French Lick Winery. If you’ve never made the short drive to visit this amazing little town, go there and try these spirits.

Lee Sinclair Four Grain Bourbon by Spirits of French Lick.

But to the real news. A pair of French Lick spirits are now trickling into the Louisville market: the Lee Sinclair Four Grain Bourbon (90 proof) and The Wheater (90 proof), also a bourbon (but instead of using traditional rye grain as its flavoring element, it uses wheat). These whiskeys are making their way to shelves first at large River City Distribution accounts such as Kroger, Target and Wal-Mart, then eventually at local restaurants and bars.

I’ve had the good fortune of tasting these and several other spirits made by head distiller Alan Bishop, who learned the art and dark science of distilling at home, and refined that knowledge on a larger scale as an assistant distiller at Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. He took those spirits smarts a step further with a multi-still operation at French Lick, where he has created lines of vodka, rum, gin (his Old Tom expression is excellent), aquavit, eau de vie, bourbon and rye whiskey.

These spirits are grain forward, accentuating the cereal grain source materials in ways large distilleries often don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love big distillers’ whiskeys, but until you taste the grain nuance found in whiskeys such as those I’ve sipped at smaller distilleries like French Lick, Few Spirits (Chicago), Journeyman Distillery (Three Oaks, Mich.), Catoctin Creek (Purcellville, Va.), KO Distilling (Manassas, Va.), Copper Fox (Sperryville, Va.), Virginia Distilling Co. (Lovingston, Va.) and so many more, you’ll not understand what I mean.

So keep an eye (and your wallet) out for the Lee Sinclair Four Grain and The Wheater Bourbons. Get them, and then drink them with adventurous spirits fans who will appreciate the noticeable differences. These are delicious sipping whiskeys, so have some good nibbles at hand (cured ham, chocolate, cheese, etc.) to elevate those flavors.

Copper & Kings releases 2 new gins created for cocktails

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LOUISVILLE, Ky.–Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. announced the release of a pair of copper pot-distilled American luxury gins: The History Of Lovers (a rose bouquet-forward pink gin) and The Ninth (a bold, juicy, blood orange gin finished in Destillaré Orange Curaçao barrels).

“We make extraordinary gin, for grown-ups with sophisticated palates,” Copper & Kings founder, Joe Heron, said in a news release. Unlike most all gins, C&K gins are brandy-based spirits made on copper pot-stills, not grain-neutral spirits distilled above 190 proof on column stills.  “(W)e look to layer and retain complex flavors and sophisticated aromas, without using artificial flavors or colors. These are authentic, luxury, natural distilled gins.”

According to the release, The History Of Lovers ($35, 750ml) is a 90-proof gin distilled to retain the intense floral aromatics of rose flowers. Crushed whole juniper berries mixed with rose hips, rose water, honey, sweet orange, tangerine, lime and pink grapefruit peels, alongside jasmine and lavender petals, coriander, pink peppercorns and licorice root are macerated in apple brandy low-wine, then redistilled together with vapor distilled rose hips, pink grapefruit peels, and lavender in the gin basket. A flash post-distillation maceration of rose hips, hibiscus tincture and strawberry juice concentrate is added for color and perfume.

C&K master distiller Brandon O’Daniel described the gin as “smooth, balanced and refreshing with beautifully integrated rose bouquet and zesty, crisp gin botanicals. It’s as delicious as it is attractive to the eye. Technically it was very challenging–we almost became perfumers in the process.”

The Ninth ($35, 750ml), a self-described symphony in orange, is a 90-proof  juicy blood orange distilled gin. The name is a sly nod to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, music from the famed Stanley Kubrick film, “A Clockwork Orange.”

Double distilled crushed whole juniper berries together with orange blossom honey and Seville bitter orange peels, sweet orange and grapefruit peels, coriander, cardamom, and grains of paradise are macerated in apple brandy low-wine, then redistilled together with vapor distilled Seville blood orange peels, sweet orange peels and jasmine in the gin basket. They are then finished in C&K Destillaré Intense Orange Curaçao barrels for added complexity and depth.

“We wanted something unique, transportive and fabled, a Mediterranean beach in a bottle,” O’Daniel said. “It’s a bold, sun soaked warm orange gin. Juicy, orange flesh, marmalade, crisp and not sweet with a touch of tart. Hints of exotic spice. It’s extra smooth from the honey and barrel polish, with accessible balance. Rich, lightly creamy and viscous.”

The gins are recommended for refreshing gin & tonics, fresh, crisp spritzers, unique Negronis, and delicious cocktail smashes. Both are available across Copper & Kings national distribution footprint and at its Butchertown distillery.