There are certain things my peers and I do not question.
Jessica Burgess
Clearly Unedited
For instance, we know that beer tastes good.
That wine tastes good.
That liquor tastes good when disguised within drinks that are named things like "Colorado Bulldog" and "Pink Squirrel."
But what does not taste good is a big glass of amber liquid that smells like ethyl and tastes roughly the same. It is what old men drink while they smoke cigars and discuss "the hunt." It is called bourbon, and I had always believed it was not fit for the young and hip to drink.
Recently, though, my booze beliefs were challenged.
Jim Beam, the company responsible for many morning-after prayers for death, has a collection of "small-batch" bourbons that, according to a press release, are the perfect tipple for young and awesome people.
So when the company invited me to a tasting, I decided to go, escorted by my friend David.
Over the course of our friendship, David has gained my respect with his copious knowledge and enjoyment of beer and wine – and the occasional frozen drink when no one is looking. But he also loves bourbon, in a special kind of way that involves swishing it around in the glass before he is allowed to drink it.
"Taste this!" he has been known to shriek at company, thrusting a snifter of booze in our direction. "It is barrel-aged, and it is 16 YEARS OLD!"
At the rather crowded tasting, each place was set with four glasses containing a splash of bourbon. I wondered if I would be beaten by an angry mob if I hauled out a Coke to use as a mixer.
The highlight of the evening was a lecture from Jim Beam's great-grandson, Fred Noe, on the proper way to taste bourbon, which I will share with you.
Step one: Examine the color and viscosity. I regarded the contents of my first glass and decided it resembled watery apple juice. I glanced over at David, who was staring at his as raptly as a 13-year-old getting his first eyeful of Playboy. I looked at mine again. Still apple juice.
Step two: Stick your nose comically deep into the glass and inhale. (I am paraphrasing, but only a little bit.) I sniffed. Blargh.
Step three: Take a tiny little drink then smack your lips loudly. I took a sip, then, offended by the taste, slugged the rest like a shot. But everyone else was still smacking happily.
It was a very informative tasting, and I am now willing to admit bourbon is not necessarily only for elderly males wearing smoking jackets.
But it's mostly for them. They'd look kind of silly ordering Pink Squirrels.
Jessica had to wash the taste of bourbon from her mouth with a Shiner Bock. E-mail her at jburgess@quickdfw.com.
