This is how modern-day Orange County works: for years, I would stare at a bottle of a whiskey called High West located on the liquor shelf at Memphis at the Santora (which, sadly, is closing–oh, how my liver aches for it…or maybe it's all the drinking?). The bottle never quite made it into my hands, given I was too in love with Maker's, Woodford Reserve, Templeton Rye and the like. Flash-forward to last year, when Tiffany, a Chicana amiga of my chica and I, decided to move to Utah with her man, who's a distiller for…High West. CRAZY!
Last month, the chica went to visit Tiffany in Park City, where the High West distillery is located. She regaled me with tales of its tours, and brought back a couple of bottles as a birthday present. The first one I cracked open was High West's Son of Bourye.
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Soo-ee, is it strong–and at 92 proof, it best better be. A blend of bourbons and ryes (hence, the portmanteau), Son of Bourye immediately jumps out with clean, lightning-quick notes that are the beneficiary of its youth and taper to a spicy finish. I'm glad I had it like this instead of a cocktail at Memphis, because Son of Bourye is best neat or on the rocks. And this is how modern-day Orange County works: while Memphis is no more and High West is in Utah, you can score yourself some bottles at Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, which also stocks its older siblings. And as for those siblings? Many, many reports to come after I'm done with the Bourye, which is so good I'm buing extra-long Q-Tips just to soak up every last drop in the bottle.
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