Whiskey Comfort with Whiskey Cake
Winter in Oklahoma is just beautiful, isn’t it? The sky is gray, the grass is brown, and sometimes millions of little shards of ice fall from the sky, melting where they land and then quickly refreezing, leaving every visible surface coated in a slippery death. Frigid wind whips around every corner, taking with it any remaining leaves that were missed from the fall raking. Faucets in the house must be kept dripping unless we want to wake to the sound of water gushing forth from busted pipes like actual money draining from our bank accounts. Beautiful.
It’s winters like these that demand coziness out of luxurious items such as flannel robes, fuzzy slippers, and fireplaces. However, if you’ve ever watched a movie or television show, you know that, even with the warmest of loungewear, true winter comfort can only be achieved with something to sip on that warms you from the inside. This is no time for a margarita or an ice-cold craft pilsner. What do you think Don Draper reached for on the coldest of New York City evenings? What about Jack Torrence when he bellied up to the bar after being snowed-in at the Overlook Hotel? That’s right: whiskey. Or is it whisky? We’ll get to that in a minute.
Now for some, this isn’t a new thing. Those with experience just grab a glass and pour in a couple ounces of the magical brown liquid and get to sipping. For others, however, this subject can be incredibly intimidating. All the cliched images of knocking back a shot and then violently inhaling to dissipate the burn tends to scare away those who could be new spirits enthusiasts. For those of you that identify with what I just said, don’t worry. We are going on this journey together, and by the end of it, you’ll feel right at home with a neat glass of nectar in your hand.
Before we get going, let’s get some terminology out of the way. Whiskey is defined as a grain-forward spirit, usually made from rye, malted barley, corn, wheat, or a combination of grains. If that spirit is from America or Ireland, then it’s generally spelled whiskey with an ‘e’; otherwise, it’s spelled whisky, but the system is somewhat arbitrary so I’ll default to the American version here to keep things as simple as possible. Bourbon and scotch are types of whiskey made in America and Scotland, respectively. Bourbon is made from mostly corn and usually features other grains like rye or wheat while scotch is generally made only from malted barley.
The first thing we need to get you started on your liquid comfort adventure is a collection of bottles to sample. Unless you have an enthusiast friend who’s willing to let you raid their whiskey shelf, this probably means you are heading to a bar, and for something like this, you’ll want to visit one with a large variety of pours and staff who really know what they are talking about. Luckily here in OKC, you won’t have to look any further than Whiskey Cake, the delicious farm-to-kitchen restaurant located near Penn Square Mall.
Whiskey Cake’s bar is extensive, hosting the state’s largest whiskey selection at over 500 unique bottles and an ever-expanding barrel selection program. With whiskeys from all over the planet, this is the perfect place to grab a seat, chat up the bartender, and start breaking down those barriers to the world of flavors.
Now it’s time for your first decision: where to start your journey? America or overseas? Malt whiskeys from Scotland, Ireland, Japan, and other countries are going to offer up very different flavor profiles and experiences than bourbons from here in America. Malt whiskeys can feel a bit lighter with notes of honey, dried fruits, and flowers whereas bourbons are going to bring big notes of vanilla, oak, and brown sugar. There’s no wrong place to start, so once you sit down, it’s up to you to decide what feels right. You can always just flip a coin.
We’ll start with worldly pours today before coming home and settling down with some bourbon. Whiskey Cake manager Robb Lindsey has a vast knowledge of the world’s whiskey and offered to utilize the bar’s extensive selection to help us pick out some tasty malts that would be great for folks new to whiskey. If starting in Scotland, Lindsey suggested steering clear of the peat bombs of Islay and keeping to the Lowland and certain Highland regions as these areas present a softer, more approachable product free from that heavy smokiness that many attribute to scotch. Glenmorangie is a fantastic example of a Highland pour with loads of honey up front and a finish of straight up sunshine. “You hear strings when you taste it,” said Lindsey, and I totally understood where he was coming from.
Next we take a trip to France, where Brenne Whisky really surprised me with its rich floral notes, welcoming creme brulee sweetness and fruity finish. This malt whisky is finished in cognac barrels, which gives it just enough depth and complexity to stay interesting while still being accessible. Kaiyo Whisky from Japan soon entered our glass, where I can assure you it didn’t stay long. This pour was light and sweet with one of the most distinct profiles I’ve ever experienced in a whisky. Mango and pineapple lept from the glass and proved a nice welcome to anyone wanting to try a Japanese malt for the first time. Finally we landed on Slane, an Irish bottle that is a blend of whiskeys finished in three different types of casks: new oak, bourbon, and sherry. This whiskey has a fantastic oily texture that you generally find in higher proof pours, yet is smooth and easy to drink with just enough of that bourbon edge shining through to get you ready for your next adventure.
With that, it’s time to return home and sample some of what America has to offer. When dipping a toe into the world of bourbon, there are a couple of things to pay attention to in order to make the experience a more pleasurable one. First is to start with lower proof bottles, somewhere in the 80-90 range. This will allow your palate to get used to the sip without burning off your tastebuds with alcohol. Second, ask for bourbons that use a lower amount of rye in the recipe (also called a mash bill) as rye tends to bring more spice and pepper character, which can result in a pour that tastes too harsh for beginners. Four Roses Small Batch is a blended bourbon that comes in at 90 proof and uses whiskeys with 20% and 35% rye. It’s soft, sweet, and a great example of a classic bourbon profile. Pendergast’s Royal Gold Bourbon from Kansas City is a port finished bourbon that brings with it brown sugar, dried fruit, and oak. Due to that port character, it can be a great transition point for any wine drinker.
If you find any of the glasses to be a bit strong, of course you can always add a drop of water to it, or even an ice cube, but I strongly encourage you to try a sip neat at first and allow that liquid to roll around your tongue so you can unlock all its characteristics. When smelling, remember to keep your lips parted and breathe through both your nose and mouth to help dissipate any alcohol fumes, and finally, just relax while you drink. Don’t worry about trying to pick out every flavor. Just enjoy the experience and let the world’s most delicious beverage warm your body and soul.
By now hopefully you are ready to give this whiskey thing a shot, and if that’s true, then the fine folks at Whiskey Cake are there to help. Not only could they pour you any of the delicious treats mentioned above, but they also offer full flights (consisting of four unique pours) which will let you try a variety of samples to see what you like the best. Something tells me that if you mention you are wanting to learn how to drink whiskey, American or otherwise, they could help you out by crafting a custom introductory flight just for you. Once you’ve been indoctrinated, you can take advantage of their rotating monthly flight specials!
Happy trails, new whiskey lover. May you enjoy the deepest level of comfort known to man.
