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Now that our palettes were prepped, it was time to get serious. Out came our first snifter glass with the spicy finishing Bulleit 10 Year, served with a jumbo bacon-wrapped shrimp atop a cake of deep-fried cheddar grits. Following that was the still spicy, but smoother Michter’s 10 Year, along with a rare to mid-rare, and super tender beef Wellington, that was stuffed with smoked pork belly.
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It was then time for the stars of the show to make an appearance. The Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year — served before a decadent bourbon chocolate soufflé with caramel sauce — was the highest proofed liquor we had (107) and it sure had a boozy bite and lingering spicy finish that you could feel from your throat to your nose, and possibly your watery eyes. Finally, out came the Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year for comparison. The 12 follows the same recipe as the 10, but everyone at the table remarked on how different it tasted. It was less assertive than the 10, and had a caramelly sweet smell, went down easier, and finished clean.
If you’re interested, Smokehouse Tailgate Grill in Mamaroneck is planning to host one of these on the first Tuesday of each month. Dinners will be kept to three courses, three bourbon tastes, and one “welcome” cocktail. They’ll typically be $60-$70 — Tuesday night was the exception because of the Van Winkle brand. Stay tuned to their Facebook Page to stay apprised of all things bourbon dinner related.
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