Chattanooga Burbon Whisk

Listed as Chattanooga Bourbon Whiskey (the product name appears as "Burbon Whisk"), this is a bourbon, so it follows the legal framework for the style. That means a mash bill of at least 51 percent corn, aged in new charred oak. We have no proof, ABV or mash bill for this bottle, so what follows describes what bourbons like it usually do, not a measured profile. Expect a corn-driven sweetness with vanilla and caramel from the charred barrel, a layer of toasted oak, and a little baking spice from the rye or wheat in the grain bill. For a first pour, try it neat to see where it sits on the sweet-to-spicy range. Then add a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the tighter oak and spice notes and brings the grain and vanilla forward, which is useful with any bourbon whose strength you haven't tasted yet. A single large ice cube in a rocks glass is the better route if you like it cold. It slows dilution and softens the alcohol's edge, but chilling also mutes aroma, so you'll lose some of the nose. Bourbon's sweetness suits stirred drinks. In an Old Fashioned, a sugar cube or about a quarter ounce of simple syrup, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel let the caramel and vanilla carry the drink. A Manhattan with sweet vermouth and bitters leans on the oak and spice, and a bourbon that is sweeter than rye makes a rounder version. For a Whiskey Sour, shake two ounces with three-quarters of an ounce each of lemon juice and simple syrup, and add egg white if you want a silkier texture. As a highball, pour one part bourbon over ice and top with two to three parts cold soda water or ginger ale, then add a lemon wedge. This is the most direct way to taste how the whiskey behaves in a mixed drink. For glassware, use a Glencairn or similar tulip-shaped glass when you want to nose it. The narrowed rim concentrates the vanilla, oak and grain aromas. A rocks glass is better for slower sipping over ice, and it's the right vessel for an Old Fashioned. If you're pairing food, bourbon's sweetness and char go well with smoked or grilled meats, aged cheddar, pecans and dark chocolate.