Peter Morrell helps you discover perfectly distilled drams from Kentucky, USA

If you’re looking for a special bottle of something to gift or share with a loved one this Christmas, ‘tis the season to turn to whiskey. This selection of premium, handcrafted whiskeys distilled in the heartland of Kentucky, USA are guaranteed to hit the mark when it comes to cosying up round the fireplace, mixing up a winning cocktail at a Christmas party or making someone very happy come Christmas Day morning.

Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (70cl), 40% ABV – £29, Ocado

The perfect go-to bourbon for those that like a whiskey-based cocktail as much as sipping straight-up or on the rocks, Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is distilled at Lux Row Distillers located at the heart of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I have been sampling this whiskey and it is exceptionally good.

On the nose there are strong corn notes, and the aromas of vanilla that stay with you as the whiskey moved into the mouth, and persists into the finished.

On the palate there are complex flavours of honey and maple syrup with an underrpinning sweetness. There are hints of oak with more pronounced charring, and moving towards the finish there is an earthy character. The finish is very strong with warming spices and cereal.

This is a very good example of a bourbon, it’s smooth, complex and an ideal Christmas gift.

Double gold medal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2018, Ezra Brooks Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is indeed a spirit to be celebrated.

Here are some other recommedations of good quality Kentucky whiskeys.

Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey (70cl, 45% ABV) – £30.70, Master of Malt

Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey is the ideal choice for easy-sipping, everyday enjoyment. 51% rye, 45% corn, 4% malt and 100% genuine, Ezra Brooks Straight Rye Whiskey has hints of chocolate, leather, vanilla and spicy grains balanced by slightly sweet and oaky tones. It’s also charcoal filtered for a smooth, mellow finish.

Winner of the Gold Medal, San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 2017 and Gold Medal, Global Masters Spirits Competition, 2017, this Straight Rye Whiskey is ideal on the rocks or enjoyed in classic cocktails.

Minor Case Rye Whiskey (70cl), 45% ABV – £58, Oddbins

This straight rye whiskey is finished in cream sherry casks for an unforgettable flavour with hints of butterscotch and dried fruit. Minor Case is a nod to its namesake, Minor Case Beam, great-grandfather to Stephen Beam who founded Kentucky’s renowned Limestone Branch Distillery. An exceptional distiller, Minor Case was making whiskey long before prohibition started 100 years ago, and his legacy lives on through Stephen Beam’s passion for crafting only the finest whiskey.

Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon (70cl), 46.5% ABV – £52, Ocado

A smooth, skilfully selected Kentucky straight bourbon, Yellowstone Select is a masterful fusion of flavours from seventh-generation master distiller Stephen Beam – descendant of the legendary Beam and Dant whiskey families. Yellowstone Select features a blend of 4-year-old and 7-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons, each chosen to provide this exclusive whiskey with a taste that celebrates his family’s deep distilling roots.