Chattermark Straight Bourbon

Chattermark Straight Bourbon is a Kentucky-made whiskey bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof). The "straight" designation means it follows the American standard for the category. That standard requires a mash bill of at least 51% corn and maturation in new, charred oak containers. Nothing is added except water to reach bottling strength. The listing doesn't give an age statement, mash bill or tasting notes, so what follows is what straight bourbons at this strength usually show. Treat it as a guide, not a measured profile of this bottle. Expect a corn-led sweetness. In this style that tends to read as caramel, brown sugar and vanilla. The new charred oak usually adds toasted wood, a little baking spice and a light char at the edges. Whether it also brings rye spice, nuttiness or dried fruit depends on the mash bill, which we can't confirm here. At 45% the spirit has enough body to carry those flavors without the sharp alcohol heat of higher-proof bottlings, and it is still easy to pour neat. For sipping, start neat in a Glencairn. The tapered bowl gathers the vanilla and oak aromas, and you can judge the nose before the first taste. If the alcohol feels forward, add a few drops of room-temperature water. That loosens the whiskey and often brings out sweeter, fruitier notes. A single large cube in a rocks glass is a good second option. It chills the pour and dilutes it slowly, which softens the spice and lets the caramel and oak come through. The wide mouth of a rocks glass is also the natural fit for an Old Fashioned. In cocktails, 45% is a useful strength. In an Old Fashioned, use two ounces of bourbon with a sugar cube or a small spoon of rich syrup, two dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange peel. The bourbon's corn sweetness means you can go light on the sugar. In a Manhattan, pair it with sweet vermouth in a 2:1 ratio and finish with a cherry. A Whiskey Sour of two ounces bourbon, three-quarters of an ounce fresh lemon juice and a little simple syrup stays balanced because the whiskey holds up against the acid. For a highball, pour over ice and top with ginger beer or soda water in a tall glass, with a lemon wedge to lift the oak.