Italian Stallion

Last year, Jim Beam released a line of delicious flavored bourbons.  There is Red Stag Honey, and Spiced flavored bourbons.  In Japan, however, they are sometimes hard to find in the stores especially to the black cherry version.  The honey and spiced varieties can be found at some liquor shops, while, the black cherry can be found at a select few.  One day, I went to my favorite liquor store, and I saw that they had a bottle of the Red Stag Black Cherry.  I decided to pick it up and try it at home.  I believe I made a wise decision.

Red Stag Black Cherry by Jim Beam is delicious.  The sweet cherry flavor is blended well with the bourbon to give it a sweet oak flavor.  Bourbon whisky already starts off with a sweet vanilla woody flavor due its brewing and aging process.  The burnt oak barrels that bourbon makers specially use give their whisky a distinct flavor that can only be found in bourbon.  The combination of sweet black cherry with the rich vanilla oak flavor of the bourbon is outstanding. 

In the last couple of weeks, I have been trying to use amaretto in new ways.  The Italian liqueur brings a distinct bittersweet almond taste and bouquet to most drinks.  One day, an idea conjured up in my head: what if I combined the elegant bittersweet nature of the amaretto with the Red Stag Black cherry bourbon?  I decided to give it a try.  That is how I came up the idea of the Italian Stallion.

The Italian Stallion can be prepared in two styles: on the rocks or in a shot.  Which style do you make depends on why you are serving the drink?  The Italian Stallion shot will bring the sweetness nutty taste of the amaretto with vanilla cherry wood taste to your mouth in an instant.  It is a rush of flavors that your mouth will be happy about.  On the other hand, the Italian Stallion cocktail will intertwine the distinct bouquets of the amaretto and Red Stag Black Cherry together.  The nose of the drink is rather intoxicating.    

Italian Stallion: The Shot

 

20 ml of Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon

20 ml of Amaretto

Pour the amaretto and the Red Stag Bourbon into the shot glass. 

 The two alcohols will layer in the glass giving the drink a distinctive look

Italian Stallion: The Cocktail

30 ml of Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon

30 ml of Amaretto

Fill an Old-fashioned glass with ice.  Pour the amaretto and Red Stag bourbon into the chilled glass.  Stir the cocktail gently in order to allow the aromas of the bourbon and the amaretto to live the glass.