Johnny Drum Private Stock

Johnny Drum Private Stock is a Kentucky bourbon bottled at 50.5% ABV, which works out to 101 proof. That is noticeably above the 40% to 43% of many everyday bourbons, so it carries more weight on the palate and holds its flavor when diluted by ice or a splash of water. The distributor describes it as small-batch, with a balance of sweetness and spice. The listing gives no age statement or mash bill, so those details are left out here. Bourbons at this strength usually open with caramel, vanilla and toasted oak, followed by baking spice such as cinnamon or clove, and a warm, lingering finish. Expect the alcohol to show up as heat in the mid-palate rather than on the nose. The higher proof also makes it easy to tell how the spirit changes as it sits in the glass. Treat these notes as typical of the style rather than a measured profile of this bottle. For sipping, pour it neat at cool room temperature, roughly 60 to 68°F. Chilling it much below that mutes the sweetness and oak. A Glencairn or tulip-shaped nosing glass gathers the aroma best. A rocks glass with one large cube suits slower drinking. Adding a few drops of water to a neat pour often opens up the vanilla and spice at this strength. In cocktails, the proof stands up well in an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan, where lower-proof bourbon can get lost behind bitters and sweet vermouth. At the table, the sweetness and oak pair with smoked brisket, barbecue ribs, grilled pork chops and aged cheddar. For dessert, try pecan pie, dark chocolate or bread pudding, where the caramel notes echo the food.