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18 | M A C O N M A G A Z I N E D E C E M B E R / J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 In the spirit THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS HERE. Chances are, there is a bourbon lover on your gift list. Consider one of these options as the perfect gift. All three of these whiskies come from the Medley family. This family has been making whiskey since before Prohibition, with a few dierent hiatuses. There are eight generations of master distillers in this family, which had their own distillery until 1992. Now, they source their whiskey, and most people say that Heaven Hill is the distillery that is making these whiskies. They all have the same mash bill of 77 percent corn, 10 percent rye and 13 percent malted barley, and continue to use the Medley's secret family yeast strand. There are three dierent expressions here. The latter two have an age statement, which as you know, is becoming a little rare these days. The lineup from this group is the Wathen's single barrel, Medley's Private Stock 10-year, and the Old Medley 12-year. I enjoy each of these whiskies and like the subtle dierences that they oer. The single barrel truly reminds me of a Maker's Mark style whiskey that has a little bit of a burn, which is balanced by a sweet bourbon characteristic. When drinking this one, I would suggest a splash of water, or some ice, as this helps to bring out more of the flavors of the whiskey. The Medley Private Stock 10-year is inspired by the family's 1873 brand that Charles Medley's great-great-grandfather used to make. The family sold o this brand in the late 1930s and not much was done about it until now. This whiskey is very tasty with a little bit of spice. It's definitely a sipper, and will be perfect by itself or with some rocks. The final expression is their 12-year, which I'd recommend drinking neat or on the rocks. This bourbon is a hint sweeter and has caramel notes on the palate. Hopefully, this will help you make that gift purchase for your boss, neighbor, father, or just for yourself, a little bit easier this holiday season. -RICHIE JONES, OWNER OF DOWNTOWN GRILL AND PARTNER IN PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN 'TIS THE SEASON! IT'S THE TIME OF YEAR for family get-togethers, dinner parties and drop-in cocktail KRXUV,I\RXDUHKRVWLQJRU attending a holiday party, blow the socks off your family and friends with something out of the box – craft beer cocktails. Craft beer cocktails combine two of my favorite things: craft beer and spirits. While they are a somewhat recent phenomenon – other than the old-school boiler maker – craft beer cocktails are gaining popularity in many metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and even Atlanta. They are not overly complicated to create and, other than a few specialty ingredients, you probably already have the basics in your home bar. The idea is to bring something unique to the party that will have your friends raving over your craftiness. Here are a few of my favorite craft beer cocktail recipes. :,76(1'6285¢ This sunshine-bright cocktail contains bourbon, lemon juice, orange marmalade, bitters and a ZKLWHDOH,WVEDVLFDOO\DZKLVN\ sour with a beer thrown in. The invention of the Weissen Sour is often attributed to Kevin Diedrich of Jasper's Corner Tap and Kitchen in San Francisco, Calif. )HDWXUHG%HHU¢:KLWHDOH:KLWH ales are best paired with lighter fare: salads, chicken and mild yet peppery cheeses like pepper jack or feta. These ales tend to have ABVs that fall within 4 percent and 7 percent. We recommend either White Rabbit from Piedmont Brewery & Kitchen Local buzz