Ammunition Strabourbon Whiskey

Ammunition Strabourbon Whiskey is a bourbon from Esplanda, so the grain bill should be corn-led, aged in new charred oak, and bottled as a straight American whiskey. The listing gives no proof, age statement, mash bill or tasting notes. What follows describes the profile the style usually has. It is not a measured profile of this bottle. Bourbon of this kind typically opens with caramel and vanilla from the charred oak, over a warm corn sweetness that sits somewhere between brown sugar and toasted cereal. A second layer of baking spice often follows, with cinnamon, a little clove and sometimes a light pepper note from the rye or malted barley in the mash. The finish tends to carry toasted oak and a faint char. Pour a small measure and nose it before tasting. The sweeter aromas come through first, and the oak and spice show up as the glass sits. Neat is the best place to start, in a Glencairn if you have one. The tapered rim holds the aromas and lets you tell what the whiskey smells like before you taste it. If the first sip reads as hot or tight, add a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the alcohol's grip and usually brings out more vanilla and fruit. A single large cube in a rocks glass suits slower sipping, because it chills the whiskey with little dilution. Expect the sweetness to tighten and the oak to come forward as it cools. The corn-forward sweetness of bourbon suits the classic cocktails. In an Old Fashioned, stir two ounces with a sugar cube or a teaspoon of simple syrup and two or three dashes of Angostura bitters over ice, then express an orange peel over the top. In a Manhattan, use two ounces of bourbon, one ounce of sweet vermouth and a couple of dashes of bitters. Stir it well and serve it up with a cherry. For a Whiskey Sour, shake two ounces with three-quarters of an ounce each of fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. A dry shake first, or a small egg white, gives a silkier texture. As a highball, pour one part bourbon over ice and top with two to three parts ginger ale or soda water, with a lemon wedge. This is the lightest way to use it, and it keeps the vanilla and spice noticeable without the weight of a stirred drink. Until you know how this bottle behaves, taste it neat before mixing so you can judge whether it needs the extra sweetness of an Old Fashioned or the acidity of a sour.