Whiskey Goldmine

Bourbon Whiskey Cocktails: Basil Hayden’s NIne to Five Punch

WGM — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:00:58 +0000

In honor of National Boss Day, Basil Hayden’s® Super-Premium Bourbon has created a unique bourbon punch that is sure to help everyone in your office celebrate the boss in the best way possible! The Basil Hayden’s® Nine to Five Punch mixes pineapple and lemon juice with our Bourbon’s spicy finish making it the perfect end to a long day at work!

Basil Hayden’s NIne to Five Punch (created by Max Toste)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Bottle Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
5 parts Pineapple Juice
3 1/2 parts Lemon Juice
4 parts Maple Syrup
5 Dashes Bitters
33 parts Club Soda
PREPARATION:
1. Add Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon, pinapple juice, lemon juice, maple syrup and bitters in a medium punch bowl.
2. Stir ingredients until maple syrup has fully dissolved.
3. Add a few large ice cubes, sparkling water and float lemon and pineapple slices on top.

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Baker’s Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

WGM — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 23:47:25 +0000

A Small Batch Whiskey by Jim beam

By Matt Goldstein & Amy K. Haight

Named after Baker Beam, grand nephew of the legendary Jim Beam, Baker’s Bourbon is aged seven years and hand bottled at 107 proof. Embracing over six generations of distilling experience, Baker’s Bourbon utilizes a special strain of jug yeast that has been in the family for over 60 years. Aged in new American Oak barrels, Baker’s was awarded a gold medal from Wine Enthusiast and a double gold medalist at the San Francisco Spirit Awards.

Baker’s Bourbon Tasting Notes:

With scents of grain and corn and a good sweet complex aftertaste, having notes of sweet coffee, toffee, caramel, Baker’s is a light and flavorful small batch bourbon. A bit thin, but very solid, the Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon fits in very nicely with the Small Batch Collection from Jim Beam; Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s, Booker’s and Baker’s. This is an excellent bourbon. Small Batch Bourbons are made in limited quantities, and aged 6-9 years in newly charred American Oak barrels.

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Benjamin Prichard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon Whiskey is Completely Out of Control!

WGM — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:05:53 +0000

Small Independent Distillery Makes Major Splash in Whiskey and Rum

By Matt Goldstein

The small independent Benjamin Prichard’s distillery out of Kelso Tennessee is well known for their many award winning styles of rum but the wide ranging whiskey styles have also been winning awards lately. The Double Chocolate Bourbon from Prichard’s is absolutely bonkers. Scoring 90 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, the Double Chocolate Bourbon is not just a whiskey with some flavor added to mask the alcohol. This is simply an excellent whiskey with just a touch of chocolate that go together almost perfectly. The small batch hand crafted whiskey is combined with chocolate from the Olive & Sinclair Company. With all of these flavored vodkas and whiskeys hitting the shelves, the Double Chocolate Bourbon could get lost in the fray, but there is simply no comparison. The top shelf Benjamin Prichard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon Whiskey is simply the best flavored spirit we have ever had and comes with our highest recommendation. It’s an absolute must buy and is best served neat. We also recommend other whiskey’s from Prichard’s and our reviews are coming soon.

Technorati Tags: award winning, Benjamin Prichard’s distillery, bourbon whiskey, double chocolate, kelso tennessee, small batch, top shelf

Basil Hayden’s September Sour Cocktail

WGM — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:59:01 +0000

Summer may be over, but National Bourbon Heritage Month has officially arrived and it’s time to celebrate! In honor of America’s native spirit, hit the town, raise a glass of Basil Hayden’s® and encourage your friends to celebrate! Basil Hayden’s® September Sour, created by top New York mixologist Julie Reiner, is a twist on the classic bourbon cocktail, the New York Sour, combining our spicy bourbon with zesty lemon juice, orange bitters and herbal Bénédictine Liqueur. Finally, we top it off with a touch of red wine to create a cocktail that is sure to please everyone’s taste buds this month!

Basil Hayden’s September Sour (Created by Julie Reiner)
INGREDIENTS:

2 parts Basil Hayden’s® Bourbon
3/4 parts Lemon Juice
1 bar spoon Benedictine Liqueur
3/4 parts Simple Syrup
1 dash Orange BItters
1/2 part Medium Bodied Red Wine
METHOD:
Combine all ingredients into a mixing tin and shake well
Strain the liquid into a coup glass
Float red wine on top of cocktail

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Travel Channel High on Crack Smoke When Choosing DiNic’s Roast Pork as America’s Best Sandwich

WGM — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 15:20:01 +0000

We’re Pretty Sure it’s Crack Smoke

By Matt Goldstein

We know, the story is a few weeks old and yes, we’ve been pretty lazy taking a long vacation, but the Whiskey Goldmine is back and we are going to take a dump on everything in our path, especially the Travel Channel. The Travel Channel recently had a contest for America’s best sandwich and the winner was Philadelphia’s own DiNic’s roast pork sandwich. Being born and raised in Philadelphia this choice is simply mind boggling. The DiNic’s roast pork went up against a lobster roll from Maine and a po’ boy from New Orleans etc… The problem here is that DiNic’s is not even the best roast pork in Philadelphia let alone the best sandwich. Tony Luke’s in South Philly and the New Valley Tavern destroy DiNic’s roast pork, it’s not even a contest. Not to mention, the po’ boy and burger at the Khyber destroy DiNic’s as well. From the Khyber, the Village Whiskey, to Paesano’s, the DiNic’s Roast Pork is not even the best sandwich in a 10 square block radius, let alone the best sandwich in America. The Travel Channel is literally smoking crack with this pick.

Technorati Tags: burger, dinic's roast pork, Khyber, lobster roll, Maine, new orleans, new valley tavern, philadelphia, roast pork, south philly, travel channel, village whiskey

Jim Lampley’s Fight Game More of a Weak Blame Game Ignoring HBO’s Complicity

WGM — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:57:52 +0000

Lampley Blames Promoters but Ignores HBO’s Dealings When Discussing Dueling Fight Cards with Showtime

Saturday night on HBO’s the Fight Game; Jim Lampley’s opening remarks implied that boxing promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy had manipulated their fighters Julio Cesar Chavez Jr and Saul “Canelo” Alvarez into having dueling fight cards. Essentially depleting the value of each show, the two Mexican rising stars went head to head on Mexican Independence Day. Perhaps the promoters are guilty, as Top Rank and Golden Boy aren’t on the best of terms, but for Jim Lampley to blame boxing promoters for dueling fight cards is completely outrageous. HBO has made it their business to go head to head against Showtime with dueling fight cards multiple times a year for years, most recently just two weeks ago with Ward-Dawson originally set to go against Alexander-Bailey. Lucas Matthyse ended up being the main event after Bailey pulled out with an injury. Repeatedly and over and over, HBO is the most complicit factor in dueling fight cards against Showtime, not the promoters. In fact, the TV networks decide the actual fight date, not the promoters. At least Jim Lampley didn’t blame Showtime for this problem but he also didn’t waste time taking multiple shots at Showtime for not allowing HBO to use their fight footage. Lampley also took a shot at the Alvarez-Lopez fight implying Lopez was a weak opponent. Of course Lampley forgot to mention that multiple opponents were forced to pull out because of injury. Paul Williams was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. James Kirkland blew out his shoulder and Victor Ortiz broke his jaw in the Lopez fight. With a lot of spin, and a few cheap shots and blatantly ignoring the truth, this wasn’t Jim Lampley or HBO’s finest hour. Last week on The Daily Show, John Stewart coined the phrase “willfully blind cognitive dissonance” when describing Fox News’ criticism of Barack Obama. That seems pretty appropriate for the latest edition of Jim Lampley’s Fight Game.

Technorati Tags: boxing, fight game, HBO, jim lampley, julio cesar chavez jr, saul canelo alvarez, showtime

South Philly’s Birra: More Than Pizza and Beer, But Who Needs More Than Pizza and Beer?

WGM — Wed, 30 May 2012 02:29:50 +0000

By Matt Goldstein & Amy K. Haight

Nicely situated on an East Passyunk Avenue corner, Birra first catches your eye because of its outdoor seating and hip signage. But the real treasure of this South Philly pizza and craft beer joint is inside, where we found Birra’s light and airy space to be nearly as inviting as their scantily clad wait staff. Did they know that nothing makes us hungry like a hot girl with a see-through shirt? Grrrr!

Lucky for us, there was plenty on the menu to fill our bellies.

We started with a cheese plate, which came with a generous assortment of cheeses and well-paired sweet and savory accoutrements, along with tasty flatbreads and ultra-fresh baguettes sourced from local bakery Boulanger Pattisier.

We couldn’t resist ordering the Noni’s Brisket Panini, and we were not disappointed. The aforementioned fresh baguette was the perfect vehicle for the tender brisket with peppers and caramelized onions. It was served with a side of jus, but we happily didn’t need it.

Wait, did I say we started with a cheese plate? I meant to say that we started with beer. We love beer! We almost always start with beer. This time it was a Peroni draught and a Menabrea Ambrata, an Italian lager we’ve never found in an Italian restaurant or a craft beer bar.

And then there’s the pizza. Just as we almost always start with beer, we almost always have a hard time choosing between pizza offerings, and this was no exception. After a serious discussion and an empassioned vote, we decided on both the margherita and the truffle pizzas; a logical order with one selection from each of the red and white categories.

The crust was thin and light, with a crispy edge. The margherita was fresh and sweet, light on cheese with a nice layer of tomatoes. The truffle pizza was rich, creamy, and delightful. We would suggest re-naming this pizza Twelve Inches of Love, but that might bring the wrong kind of traffic to this family-friendly restaurant. The lightly fried egg in the center of the truffle pizza was our favorite moment of the meal.

We’d like to point out that both the brisket Panini and the truffle pizza were even better when we reheated them the next day. Suffice it to say we didn’t have room for dessert, but next time we’re going to order it anyway.

We’re going back as soon as the cops in South Philly forget our drunken faces.

Technorati Tags: cheese plate, cheeses, Craft Beer, flatbread, margherita, passyunk ave, pizza, restaurant, south philly, tomatoes

The Top Spirit in the World 2 Years in a Row: George T. Stagg Bourbon

WGM — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 01:00:13 +0000

American Bourbon’s Dominance Over Scotch Whisky Continues!

News Wire: FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY – For the second year in row, George T. Stagg, the iconic uncut, unfiltered bourbon released annually from Buffalo Trace Distillery, has been named the number one spirit in the world by noted spirits reviewer F. Paul Pacult. The list, compiled annually by Pacult, will be released in his June 2012 issue of The Spirit Journal. Last year, George T. Stagg was the first American Whiskey to ever be named number one in The Spirit Journal’s 13 years of tabulating. Stagg knocked off the perennial favorite Highland Park 18 Scotch Whisky for the first time ever, and this year the Stagg beat out a Northern Highlands Single Malt Scotch.

Notes Pacult about this year’s winners, “Spirits are continually getting better and more sophisticated each year. It’s no surprise to us that three of the top five spirits in the world hail from Kentucky, which right now is one of the hotbeds of distilling prowess.”

The George T. Stagg Bourbon Whiskey is part of the Antique Collection that is released each fall from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Long considered the frontrunner of the Collection, the Stagg has collected numerous awards over the years, including the 2012 Bourbon of the Year; the 2012 Second Finest Whiskey in the World from Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible; 2012 Gold Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition; 2011 Ultimate Spirits Competition Chairman’s Trophy Winner; 2011 Double Gold Winner, Best Bourbon, San Francisco World Spirits Competition; the 2010 American Whiskey of the Year from Jim Murray’s 2010 Whiskey Bible; 2009 Bourbon of the Year and Best Bourbon Aged 13-17 Years from Jim Murray’s 2009 Whiskey Bible; among others.

The 2012 version of the George T. Stagg will be released later this fall with the Antique Collection. Suggested retail pricing of the Stagg is $69.99.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications asWhisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies.

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Buffalo Trace & Elmer T. Lee Bourbon’s Both Take Double Gold Medals

WGM — Tue, 22 May 2012 01:02:25 +0000

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY – For the past year and a half the Whiskey Goldmine has been raving about the Elmer T. Lee Kentucky Straight Bourbon, even selecting it as our #1 Bourbon. Along with the Elmer T. Lee, the Buffalo Trace Bourbon, one of the best in class, have both taken Double Gold Medals at the San Francisco International Spirit Awards. The whiskeys from Buffalo Trace Distillery continue to win significant awards with the latest honors from the 12th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), held March 23-25, 2012. Top winners include:

· Double Gold Medal

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

William Larue Weller Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

· Gold Medal

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

George T. Stagg Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

· Silver Medal

Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey

Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky

Royal Canadian Small Batch Canadian Whisky

Benchmark Old No. 8 Bourbon Whiskey

Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

· Bronze Medal

Rich & Rare Reserve Canadian Whisky

“We’re always honored when our whiskeys win an award, especially something as prestigious as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “We’re especially pleased that our flagship bourbon Buffalo Trace earned a double gold.”

A record number of entries into the SFWSC – 1,215 products from 60 countries – were evaluated by 33 of the finest palates in the spirits industry. Complete results of the 2012 competition can be found at http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/results.html.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies.

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Philly Beer Week at the Iron Abbey

WGM — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 18:45:01 +0000

One of Philly’s Best Gastro Pub’s

The Iron Abbey gastro pub in Horsham PA has a stacked line up for Philly Beer Week. From the Founders Beer Dinner to rare La Chouffe tappings, the Ommegang Happy Hour and the New Holland Mad Hatter Costume Party, the Iron Abbey is a must for any Philly Beer Week enthusiasts. Don’t forget to check out the great pub food and sample platters from N’Brasa Brazilian steakhouse.

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