A Spirited Cheese Pairing Part 2

Maker’s Mark is one of my favorite spirits for a few different reasons. First, I really love the variety of flavors I get whenever I take a sip. Second, I had the pleasure of visiting the Maker’s Mark distillery in Kentucky last year and was blown away. I was given a full tour of the distillery, got to walk through the barrel rooms to see barrels upon barrels of Maker’s being aged to perfection, and even got to hand-dip my own bottle into the coveted red wax. Like the Bulleit, some things just taste better when you know the rich and colorful history behind them.

This bourbon is sweet and floral on the nose, but tastes of smoke and char. Wet cereal, corn on the grill. The wheat is a very present flavor as well, giving it a round and rich quality and a creamy mouthfeel. There is some spice as well, a gentle kick of heat in the back of the throat.

Cheese: Tarentaise

This raw milk cheese is slightly spicy and went really well with the smoky and spicy notes of the Maker’s. It’s complex and really rich, and enhanced the flavors of grilled corn and smoked wood.