VOLUME 5 NUMBER 2, SPRING 2023

In this special spring edition of Bourbon+, we are highlighting the great state of Tennessee. Gracing our cover are three whiskey powerhouses: Our Guest Editor Fawn Weaver of Uncle Nearest, Melvin Keebler of Jack Daniel’s, and Nicole Austin of George Dickel. We visit with each of them and learn how they are making award-winning spirits that give back to their communities. And speaking of giving back, the Whiskey House in Nashville is aiming to raise half a million dollars this year in charitable funds through their massive whiskey collection and tasting events.

Once you read this issue, you’ll be itching to hit the Tennessee Whiskey Trail and perhaps traverse a Great Smoky Mountain trail or swimming hole, so we’ve got your road map laid out, complete with itineraries for how to spend 24 hours in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville—not to mention three Tennessee- and whiskey-themed playlists to serve as soundtracks for your travels.

You’re sure to work up an appetite along the way, so we’ve turned to top local chefs for their creative culinary spins on collards, catfish, succotash, and gravy (the chocolate variety). Plus we do deep dives on how to pair whiskey with Nashville Hot Chicken and the history and particulars of Lynchburg Lemonade. And if that is not your cocktail of choice, there are endless options to be found in our roundup of the 25 hottest bars across the state of Tennessee. Add your favorite to your road-trip checklist. For our “Young Spirits” department, we decided to highlight a dozen distilleries that are new to the scene, from one housed in a haunted old state penitentiary to one jangling with live music in the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel.

And if we travel into our country’s most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains, you’ll also discover the most visited distillery in the world: Ole Smoky Moonshine. We dug into the allure of this once illegal hooch and how it’s become a mainstream best-seller. While we’re on the subject of breaking the law, let’s talk about changing the law and how a group of folks thirsty for local whiskey fought Prohibition-era laws to create jobs and bring delicious local whiskey to Tennessee. One of the players in that battle runs Chattanooga Whiskey. We visit their Experimental Distillery as well as Leiper’s Fork.

If we’ve learned anything in making this issue, it’s that Tennessee is brimming with exciting adventures, good eats, and exceptional spirits, which are rivaled only by their wonderful people. Enjoy!

Cover photo by Heather Durham

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 1, WINTER 2023

Pull up a barstool and peruse our Winter 2023 Bourbon+ menu, full of freshly sourced and highly prized ingredients: Like the rare umami found only in the previously soaked staves of used barrels—flavor notes that contain whispers from macerated Valencia oranges from Spain or echoes of Port aged in the ancient villages of the Douro River Valley. Used barrels are quickly reaching Beluga caviar status in distilling circles for their finishing excellence. Equally elusive yet available to us all is the soul-stirring succor of the campfire—when paired with a dram, there’s nothing quite like it. 

Also on the menu: The Up to Date cocktail. This concoction is made with staples of the bar well: whiskey, sherry, orange liqueur, and aromatic bitters.
And the resulting flavor places it squarely in the classic category. Another classic in these pages was lost to the ebb and flow of trends but has once more washed ashore: Genever. It’s the godfather of gin, whiskey, and vodka and its ability to shapeshift between the best qualities of those three are what make it so captivating. 

If you’re in the headspace for a night off the juice—Steve Coomes has curated a collection of tasty mocktails. However, if your current vibe is escapism, specifically into the embrace of a “cosy wee bar” in Scotland, then tuck into a tipple of Scotch at the Curly Coo Bar in Stirlingshire. Bar owner Mandy Silver serves up sips of world-class whisky with wit and charm in her award-winning watering hole.

Speaking of accolades, Kaveh Zamanian of Rabbit Hole Distillery was a 2022 inductee into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, honored for his exceptional spirits, paradigm-bending distillery architecture, and dynamic brand. Another remarkable label in these pages, Wilderness Trail has unlocked a door to a sustainable whiskey-production future. Cow dung inspired their light-bulb moment, then they adapted ultrafiltration science to process their stillage waste. Tattersall Distilling is also committed to the sustainability game. They’re shooting for carbon neutrality and more. 

Now that you’ve seen the menu, your appetite whetted, you’re surely ready to dig in! 

Cover photograph provided by Rabbit Hole Distillery

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 3, SUMMER 2023

Make a splash this summer with peachy bourbon-infused recipes, whiskey tiki cocktails, and intel on an ancient rice spirit that hails from the subtropical rainforests and beaches of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands: awamori. It dates back about 600 years to the Silk Road and harnesses the fascinating properties of black koji mold. On the more traditional side of the culinary spectrum, cookbook author, Bourbon+ contributor, and Memphis native Jennifer Chandler shares some delicious dishes from her Southern table—all featuring ripe summer peaches and bourbon. Bartender Laura Newman gives us the history and evolution of the Port Light cocktail; while, G. Clay Whittaker takes a humorous and insightful dive into the whiskey-spiked tiki world. Then, we revisit the dark days of Prohibition to learn how American tricksters side-stepped the law for a tipple of hooch.

Next, we travel, enjoying a spirit lover’s tour of Mexico City with all the tacos, cocktails, culture, and fun you can squeeze into a day. Stateside, in New York City, we visit three top-notch whiskey bars that will make you want to dog-ear the page in anticipation of your next trip to the Big Apple. In Kirby, Wyoming (population 78), a young start-up distillery is already making waves: Wyoming Whiskey’s story includes valuable lessons, friendships built alongside esteemed industry experts, and, of course, great whiskey.

In the science and innovation sector, we consider the potential impacts of a recent study released from scientists in Glasgow, Scotland, which posits that swirling gold nanoparticles into whiskey can reveal how much flavor the liquor has extracted from the wood. And at Eureka! Ranch outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, inventor, innovator, and marketing mastermind Doug Hall has developed what can only be described as the “flux capacitor” of whiskey-making, used to create custom whiskies to perfectly match the palates of individual consumers—a big, disruptive idea that could certainly shake up the industry. Heaven Hill’s Bernie Lubbers gives us a glimpse into the life of a brand ambassador, and it’s not as easy as it seems.

If you’re making a trek to Bourbon Country any time soon, check out our list of 10 things to do in Bourbon Country that have nothing to do with bourbon. Spirits writer Tom Johnson compiled that list, as well as an update on the emerging bespoke ice industry. Turns out all those jumbo cubes are big business. Speaking of big, we’ve partnered with the world’s first virtual bourbon club—Big Bourbon Club—to debut a new column curated by the group’s founder and to collaborate on events and perks for bourbon aficionados. This issue is simply overflowing with whiskey goodness. Cheers!

Cover photo by Justin Fox Burks

VOLUME 5 NUMBER 4, FALL 2023

The leaves are changing colors, the air is cooling off, and the opportunity to enjoy your favorite spirits in a different way awaits. It’s time to curl up on the couch with your favorite blanket or sit out on the porch in the crisp, fall air. Savor the spirit of the season with a bourbon spiked soup, or—if adventure is what you’re craving—take a trip to Hye, Texas to visit the Garrison Brothers Distillery. As the oldest legal bourbon distillery in Texas, this brand’s spirits lineup has garnered an impressive array of awards and proved that Texas bourbon is not only legal, it’s also delicious.

After that, meet the spirits industry’s adventurous risk taker and inventive pioneer, Trey Zoeller of Jefferson’s Bourbon. As the brand’s founder and chief strategist, Zoeller is among the most prominent personalities in Kentucky bourbon today. Then, learn about the heritage grains that are reclaiming their place in the mash bills of American whiskey and the sweet historical allure of mead, an alcoholic, fermented honey beverage that has begun to find its footing in the modern imbibing world over the past several years. Next, get into the holiday spirit with the godfather of holiday pop-up bars that has grown exponentially since its inception nearly a decade ago. With more than 100 participating bars in 30-plus US cities, Miracle Pop-Up has become a highly anticipated annual event you won’t want to miss.

After that, jump into the pages of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None and appreciate the comfort, camaraderie, and escape from the outside world that is uniquely shared over spirits. Check out BIG Bourbon Club’s 2023-2024 calendar of events and download the BIG app to ensure you never miss out on a tour, tasting, or presentation. Come along as Brad Japhe takes us for spirits and safari sunsets in Africa, where a drink is only as good as the experience surrounding it. Learn about the African Sundowner tradition, a happy hour in which unrivaled relaxation meets unparalleled excitement. Then, break the rules of street eats in the city by taking a chance on new sidewalk pairings, such as falafel and American single malt.

Step into a day in the life of Dan McKee, whose passion and love of whiskey making has taken him from a third-shift still operator at James B. Beam Distilling Co. to Executive Vice President & Master Distiller at Michter’s Distillery. Get the inside scoop—or inside taste, better yet—on what the mixologists at Garrison Brother’s, Michter’s, and Jefferson’s Bourbon are drinking. And finally, learn about the rollercoaster that is the history of American whiskey in Texas and how an 1870s editorial pleading Texans to “not charge all the villainy in Texas to whisky” has continued to be relevant for over 100 years. This issue encapsulates the spirit of the people and places that make the spirits we love so special. Enjoy!

Cover photo by Justin Fox Burks