Beyond the wings, chips, and beer - every Super Bowl party deserves a bourbon twist. We've put together our starters for your bourbon special teams squad.
For a Crowd, Put in "The Handle" ($20 - $30)
If you're going to be serving a crowd, then you need to bring in your specialist for short yardage situations. You're going to need a handle - a super-sized 1.75 liter packed with corn and oak. Pour-for-dollar, you'll get the most out of Jim Beam or Evan Williams. If you’re unsure of which your crowd will enjoy, it won’t break the budget to grab one of each - and you’ll have two solid defenders anchoring your line. If you're looking for a smidge more versatility that would be a smooth sipper neat, on ice, or in a cocktail, upgrade your handle for just a few dollars more to Jim Beam Black or Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond.
Longbranch
($32 - $35)
With Texas Tech alumnus and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the big game, you just gotta have a bourbon with a Texas twist. Longbranch small batch bourbon begins with the traditional Wild Turkey mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. After aging, it is filtered through, first - American White Oak, before being filtered a second time through Texas Mesquite charcoal imparting light notes of smoky sweetness. The result product, bottled at 90 proof, is a lovely, lighter and softer Wild Turkey expression. There are vanilla and light wood notes, as well as honey, light citrus, and even a fleeting mesquite smokiness present.
Cedar Ridge ($30 - $35)
After celebrating Texas and Patrick Mahomes, fair and balanced indicates we highlight an Iowa bourbon for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. An alumnus of Iowa State University, we drafted Cedar Ridge Bourbon - the first licensed distiller in the State of Iowa since Prohibition. While not reviewed by me yet, this 6-time Gold Medal winner has been catching my eye on the shelf and whiskey magazines. This four-year-old bourbon begins with a mash bill of 74% Iowa-grown corn, 14% rye, and 12% malted barley, and the resulting spirit is bottled at 86 proof. Expect corn to be the highlighted note, along with oak, spice and lighter notes of fruit preserves.
Green River Wheated
($28 - $32)
Our last pick rounding out our special teams squad comes from the Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky - Green River Wheated. Highlighting good things that can happen when teams add to an already solid roster, Bardstown Bourbon Company purchased this distillery and brands in 2022. Packaged in an attractive horseshoe shaped bottle this bourbon has been aged for over 5 years from a mash bill of 70% locally-sourced corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted 2 and 6 row barley. This bourbon has scored well in a recent wheated-bourbon blind tasting, where it highlighted notes of maple syrup, candy corn, peaches, and honey balanced with spice and oak char.
Statesman ($50 - $55)
While not a football-themed bourbon, we're highlighting this bourbon that was developed and referenced in the Kingsman comedy spy franchise. The movie included scenes of the Statesman Distillery - ones that only existed in the world of CGI-automation - much like today's Super Bowl commercials. Like all the Old Forester bourbons, Statesman bourbon begins with the signature mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. It is then aged on the highest and hottest floors of the warehouses. This “hot spot” in the rickhouse causes the bourbon to age quicker and create more evaporation or angels’ share. In the glass, you'll find loads of vanilla and caramel balanced with a blitzing rush of spice and cinnamon.