Blood Oath Bourbon

Blood Oath is the brand name on this bourbon. The listing gives no age, proof, mash bill or release details, so the character described here is what a bourbon of this kind typically offers, not a measured profile of this bottle. Check the label for the proof and any batch or release information before comparing it with other bottles. Bourbon is American whiskey made from a grain mix of at least 51 percent corn and aged in new, charred oak. That combination explains most of what you can expect in the glass. Corn and char usually bring caramel, vanilla and toasted oak. Rye or malted barley in the grain bill usually adds baking spice, a little pepper and a drier finish. Nosing it first will show how much sweetness and spice this particular bottle has. For a first pour, try it neat in a Glencairn glass. The tapered bowl gathers the aroma and lets you separate the oak and vanilla from any spice. If the alcohol feels sharp on the nose or palate, add a few drops of room-temperature water. A small amount of water often loosens the sweeter, fruitier notes without flattening the spirit. A rocks glass with one large cube suits slower sipping, since less surface area means slower dilution and a steadier chill. Very cold serving mutes the oak and vanilla, so go easy on the ice if you want to taste them. In cocktails, bourbon with a sweet and oaky profile does well in an Old Fashioned. Use a sugar cube or a teaspoon of simple syrup, two or three dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange peel expressed over the top. It also works in a Manhattan, stirred with sweet vermouth and garnished with a cherry. For a Whiskey Sour, shake 2 ounces of bourbon with three-quarters of an ounce each of fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. A highball of bourbon and cold soda water over ice is lighter, and a lemon wedge keeps it crisp. For food, smoked brisket, grilled pork and pecan pie all suit the caramel and char that bourbon typically carries.