Whisk(e)y…With an ‘E’

Hi, friends.  I’m giddy you stopped by!  I hope everyone is enjoying a lovely weekend.

As promised a couple of weeks ago, I have a special guest blogger here today.  Technically this was supposed to happen last weekend, but unfortunately, my guest was in a car accident that totaled his beautiful convertible. Ugh!  No worries, though, because aside from a few cuts and a little soreness, he’s feeling A-OK.  And that’s a very good thing because I happen to be in love with this guy!

Readers, today I’m turning things over to my sweet husband, Mr. C, who is going to share with you a little bit about the whisk(e)y education we received on our recent anniversary getaway.  Enjoy.

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Whisky Ball Recipe

Last week I mentioned that I had a special guest blogger lined up for this week, but due to unforeseen circumstances (tell you about it later), I had to mix things up a bit. So…we are going to cook today instead!

If you stopped by last week, then you know that Mr. C and I recently took a trip to Lexington, Kentucky, to celebrate our anniversary. During our visit, we toured three different bourbon distilleries (Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, and Woodford Reserve). Each of the tours concluded with a tasting, and they gave us a bourbon ball made with whiskey from that particular distillery. All were delicious, but Mr. C and I both agreed that the bourbon balls at Buffalo Trace were AH-MAZING. I did a little poking around on the internet when we got back and found a recipe that is supposed to be very similar to the candies invented in 1938 by Ruth Booe, the founder of Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory in Frankfort, KY. That is the candy company that today makes the bourbon balls for purchase at Buffalo Trace. Perfect!

Because I write a blog about Scotland and not about Kentucky, I decided to give these a try using Scotch rather than bourbon (whisky with a “y” as opposed to whiskey with an “ey”). Mr. C suggested that I use BenRiach 10-year-old (a Speyside Scotch), which I discovered was an excellent choice given that it is aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, lending it the perfect sweet flavor.

Who’s ready to cook?  Let’s give it a go!

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Kentucky or Scotland?-Striking Similarities

Mr. C and I just spent a really fun week vacationing in Lexington, Kentucky, in celebration of our 24th wedding anniversary. Bourbon (whiskey with an ‘e’) is what took us to the area. Lexington – if you are not aware – is known as the horse capital of the world, and Kentucky is where bourbon began.

Over the week, we took in-depth tours of three of the most famous distilleries in the country (Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, and Woodford Reserve). We ate some delicious meals, drank (and purchased) a little a lot of phenomenal bourbon, and put a WHOLE lot of miles on the convertible driving down some of the prettiest country roads in America.

I knew Kentucky was going to be pretty, but I think what took me most by surprise was the way that central Kentucky reminded me so much of Scotland! The beautiful, rolling green hills called to mind scenic drives we took through East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

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