Jacobs Pardon 18 Year Whiskey

Jacobs Pardon's 18 Year Whiskey comes from Massachusetts, which is not a state most people associate with long-aged American whiskey. That makes it worth a look. The label gives an 18-year age statement. The details we have don't name a mashbill or style, so check the bottle for whether it is bourbon, rye or a blend before you pick a cocktail. American whiskeys held that long in oak usually show deep wood character: dark caramel, toasted vanilla, baking spice, leather and a dry, tannic finish. They tend to lean away from fresh grain and bright fruit. Expect a softer, more integrated texture than a young bottling, though heavy oak can also make the finish drier or more bitter. Treat that as the typical profile for the category, not a measured description of this bottle. A whiskey with this much time in the barrel is easiest to judge neat. Pour about an ounce and a half into a Glencairn glass. The tapered bowl concentrates the aroma, so you can pick out the oak, sweetness and spice before you taste. Rest it a minute, then add a few drops of room-temperature water. A little dilution loosens the alcohol and often brings out sweeter, rounder notes. If you prefer a rocks glass, use one large cube so the whiskey chills slowly without going watery. Very cold temperatures tend to mute the subtler oak and spice that an older whiskey is bought for. Mixing with it is a judgment call, since much of what you paid for is delicate. A spirit with this much wood is best in drinks that stay spirit-forward, and an Old Fashioned is the most natural fit. Use a bare sugar cube or a teaspoon of rich demerara syrup, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel, and skip the muddled fruit. A Manhattan with sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters also works, because the vermouth's herbal sweetness sits well against dry oak. A Whiskey Sour or a long Highball would bury most of the nuance, so save those for a younger bottle. For food, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, aged cheddar and grilled red meat all match a whiskey with firm oak and caramel notes.