Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1062077
M O N T H / M O N T H Y E A R M A C O N M A G A Z I N E | 2 5 D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 9 M A C O N M A G A Z I N E | 3 9 In the Spirit IN MANY OF THE DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND BOURBON BLOGS, I've noticed a big trend that seems to be a hot topic: store picks of different whiskeys. A store pick is when either a liquor store or a restaurant buys an entire barrel of a brand after choosing between multiple options and picking their favorite. What makes these unique is that some are cut with water to make them a lower octane, while others are barreled at cask strength and are the true expression of what the whiskey was meant to be. Bourbon fans enjoy these unique expressions because they truly are one of a kind. They will have subtle differences from the normal bottle of a brand, and be unique based upon the age and where the whiskey was stored in the rack house. Today we are talking about a store pick of Knob Creek. As many of you know, Knob Creek's main product always has been a nine-year expression. This bottle is a 14-year aged whiskey selected by two local retailers, Johnny of Vineville Beverage and Jay of Carriage Hills. They went through a few different samples and chose this as their favorite. This whiskey's nose has some aromas of caramel and oak. Upon the first sip, you can tell that it is at a higher proof than the regular Knob Creek. It does taste a little hot, but after adding a splash of water or a cube of ice, it mellows out very nicely. The higher proof makes it a prime candidate for an Old Fashion or a Manhattan, as the sweetness of these drinks will be well balanced with the full proof of this whiskey. The reason that I like store picks around holiday time is that you can get the bourbon aficionado on your list a bottle that he or she has probably never had – and they will thank you for it. The best part? Hopefully, they will open it up and share it with you. – RICHIE JONES IS THE OWNER OF DOWNTOWN GRILL AND CO-OWNER OF CIRCA AND PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN.