Distilled Thoughts
The Unsung Heroes of the Whiskey Trade: the Coopers
If we are making all this whiskey, who’s making all those barrels?
Barrel-Aged Gin Revival: A New Twist on a Southern Classic
In the heart of the American South, a trend is slowly brewing that’s taken the cocktail scene by storm – the barrel-aged gin revival. This new twist on an age-old classic is capturing the attention of mixologists and gin enthusiasts alike, bringing a depth and complexity to this beloved spirit that was previously unexplored.
Holiday Guide 2023
Introducing our exclusive Holiday Gift Guide, carefully curated to bring joy and delight to your loved ones this festive season. From thrilling adventures to cozy comforts, we’ve handpicked the perfect gifts across five distinct categories to make your holiday shopping a breeze.
Freedom and Whiskey
What does freedom look like? The definition of Freedom is, “The power to act, speak, or think as one wants without anyone interfering.” Sounds great, right? One thing to keep in mind is that freedom isn’t free and is bought and paid for by the blood shed of our American soldiers as well as those who are…
The Revival of Jimmy Red
For almost 100 years James Island, located just south of Charleston, South Carolina, was the source of a high quality white corn liquor, also known as moonshine. The source of the product was a strain of corn brought to the area around 1910 by Richard Humphries from Screven, Georgia. He claimed the corn was used by Native…
Prohibition
In order to talk about whiskey in the United States, you have to talk about the good and bad times. That’s right. Whiskey in America hasn’t always been a Happy Hour. In fact, there was a time when not only whiskey but all alcohol wasn’t even allowed on the menu of your favorite restaurant
“I’ll Have A Double!”: Holiday Party
Make your spirit festive with these recipes sure to please the palate and spread holiday cheer.
Baobab Lounge: Savannah, Georgia
Traveling to Africa is a dream of mine, but until I can make the trip, there’s a place in Georgia that can scratch that itch for at least a little while. That place is Baobab Lounge. It is tucked away in the JW Marriott, Plant Riverside District in Savannah. Baobab pays homage to the continent of…
“I’ll Have A Double!”:Tanzania
The world’s largest wildlife migration on Earth occurs in The Serengeti in Tanzania, where over 750,000 zebras and 1.2 million wildebeest cross this unique landscape to follow the growing grass. I could migrate the 7839 miles to Tanzania and see this for myself or I could walk to the next room and mix myself one of these two drinks.
“I’ll Have A Double!” – South Carolina Lowcountry
Visitors to the SC Lowcountry this weekend had the opportunity to participate in the Original Gullah Festival in Beaufort, SC. Festival goers were able to experience storytelling, dancing, the sounds of jazz, blues, reggae and African drums while the Vendor Market was filled with Arts and Crafts and the Food Court offered…
“I’ll Have A Double!” Charleston, South Carolina
Looking for something interesting & new? These two cocktails are great additions to your drinking repertoire. Simple enough to make at home, you can also find great examples of these if you happen to be in Charleston. If you’re in a city like no other, drink like it.
Bourbon America’s Spirit
All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon (more on that below), but one thing is certain, bourbon is America’s spirit, not the ghost kind. The distilled kind. I’d like to talk a little about it and how it has helped shape America. It is difficult to talk about American history without talking about whiskey.…
The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
Back in April of 2020 and amidst the height of the pandemic, a number of NC bourbon enthusiasts were brought together by my buddy Cam to establish what is now known as the NCBurbCrew. I could honestly write a full article on the group’s inception (and I might), but for now, you can just follow that hashtag on social media to find out more about it. One of the mainstays of the group, affectionally called the “Crüe,” is Daniel Spivey, who is @Tipples_And_Drams on Instagram. Daniel knows more about whiskey in his eyelashes than I’ll likely ever know. I’ve learned a ton…
The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
Last March – 2019…the year before COVID that sadly seems like a distant memory – I took a trip to Kentucky with my wife and another couple. Although it was only for three days, and there were no beaches or waves to be seen, it still ranks up there as one of my all-time favorite vacations. After all, it’s an adult Disney World of sorts. I’ve gone back and forth in my head about where to take this entry of the Ledger…do I want to go the history route, or do I want to reminisce? If you’ve read any of my previous columns, I think you know what direction we’re…
The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
“Dad, what are you doing? Why do you do that?” This is a pretty regular question from my 11-year-old daughter as I’m nosing my bourbon one nostril at a time. “Because he’s a ______,” answers my wife before I can respond (you can insert, “nerd,” “idiot,” “tool” or other descriptive noun of your choosing). No matter how much grief I get, there will be no quit in my game.