Thursday, December 22, 2011
Drinks Whiskey and Chocolate? What's Not To Like About Prichard's Double Chocolate Bourbon
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Thu, Dec 22, 2011 at 5:55 AM
In the end, that wonderful product was fleeting, and Corsair has moved on to some other really exciting projects which I'll tell you more about soon. However, Scott Witherow and his crowd of mad scientists at Olive and Sinclair have partnered with another nearby distillery to create another incarnation of this choco/whiskey hybrid. Prichard's Distillery in Kelso, Tenn., is best known for their specialty rums and they have just recently moved into the whiskey business. Starting with their Double Barreled Whiskey, which is distilled and initially aged by another distillery and then finished in new charred oak barrels in Kelso, Prichard's has now progressed to making their own Tennessee Whiskey, a fine 5-year-old spirit.
Continuing with their quest for innovation, Prichard's has now created a 90 proof Double Chocolate Bourbon. Although the exact process remains a secret, it's clear that Prichard's was seeking the essence of the cocoa bean rather than the buttery chocolate creaminess that you might expect out of say, a Godiva liqueur. Don't expect to make any chocotinis with Prichard's, thankfully.
Instead, the innate vanilla, nutmeg and brown sugar flavors and aromas that are already apparent in Prichard's whiskey are subtly complemented by the hints of cocoa on the nose and on the tongue. Really, the chocolate character is most noticeable in the aromas hovering over the glass after taking a sip instead overpowering the flavor of the actual whiskey. This is a drink best enjoyed neat, so the warming effect of your hands on the glass and some gentle swirling can stir up the aromas of Olive and Sinclair's contribution to the party. Damn, now I'm making myself hungry (and thirsty) just by typing this.
This product is brand-new and was just released to liquor stores this week, so I'm not even exactly sure of the retail price yet, but I imagine you could probably trade a portrait of U.S. Grant for a bottle. (That's a $50 bill.) I do know that the man himself, Phil Prichard, was at Frugal MacDoogal's yesterday signing bottles, so they're sure to have a few if you want to pick some up for the holidays.
Comments (9)
Showing 1-9 of 9
Follow-up: I dropped by Frugal's yesterday to shake Phil's hand and buy a signed bottle and they had already sold out of five cases(!) at $55.00/bottle. So you'd better bring a Lincoln along with that Grant. They did promise that they would be restocking today, so hopefully you'll still be able to find Double Chocolate around the market this week.
On Phil's recommendation, I made a Double Chocolate Manhattan with some orange bitters and both sweet and dry vermouth (that makes it a Perfect Manhattan, BTW), and it was an outstanding cocktail. OK, I might have made more than one...
like
dislike5 week countdown till the barrel-aged Manhattans are ready - Prichard's Double Chocolate Bourbon barrel with Prichard's TN Rye Manhattan
I was under the impression that Bourbon had to be made in KY. Whiskey made in TN was to be labeled Tennessee Whiskey.
It can only be called Tennessee whiskey if it's charcoal filtered, hence why Jack and Dickel tend to be sweeter in comparison to most bourbons. Bourbons, well, read the link... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_whiskey
BooRad is correct. Tennessee Whiskey does require the charcoal filtering. Bourbon is not geography based. There are bourbons from the Northwest and New York. The requirements for bourbon revolve around corn content, length of oak aging and specific limitations of alcohol content during the barreling and bottling process.
I don't know for certain, but I'm pretty sure that Prichard's Double Barrel is actually born in the Bluegrass state and finishes its life in Tennessee. Or more accurately, in my belly.
Based on direct experience this morning, I can attest that this chocolate bourbon is wonderful in coffee - the heat releases a wonderful dark cocoa aroma. Cheers and thanks to Chris for the recommendation.
