Uncle Charlies French Toast Whiskey

Uncle Charlie's French Toast Whiskey is a flavored whiskey from Kentucky, bottled at 35% ABV (70 proof). That is lower than a standard 40% bottling, so it sits closer to a liqueur in weight. It is built around a breakfast theme, with maple and cinnamon as the lead flavors and a soft, sweet profile. It isn't a traditional bourbon or rye, so expect the oak, char and grain of an aged straight whiskey to take a back seat to the dessert-style flavoring. Served neat, it shows its character most clearly. Pour about an ounce or two into a rocks glass and let it sit for a minute. Flavored whiskeys like this tend to give off their sweetest, spiciest aromas at cool room temperature. A Glencairn works if you want to concentrate the cinnamon and syrup notes on the nose, but a small rocks glass suits sipping better, since this isn't a spirit to analyze for long. Over a large ice cube it turns lighter and less sweet, which is useful if the neat pour reads as too sugary. A few drops of water will open it up, though at this strength there is less need than with a cask-strength bourbon. In cocktails, treat it as a flavor-forward modifier rather than a base whiskey. In an Old Fashioned, skip the sugar cube, since the bottle already supplies the sweetness. Use a couple of dashes of Angostura or orange bitters and an orange peel to keep the drink from going cloying. A Whiskey Sour needs extra lemon juice to balance the maple. Mixed with cold-brew coffee, hot coffee or a splash of cream, it echoes a breakfast-style drink. A simple highball with ginger beer or cola gives a spiced, easy-drinking long drink. For food, it goes naturally with waffles, pancakes, bread pudding, vanilla ice cream or a stack of actual French toast. It also works as a shot or a chilled pour alongside brunch dishes.