The Tasting Panel magazine

December 2016

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88  /  the tasting panel  /  december 2016 I f home is where the heart is, their hearts belong to Jack. Four of Las Vegas's top female bartenders used "home" as their inspiration for crafting Jack Daniel's cocktails, all utilizing different expressions of the world's top-selling American whiskey. "It's exciting to see what these different bartenders came up with," Tecosky said. Selecting from Jack Daniel's Old No. 7, Gentleman Jack or Single Barrel Select, contestants were challenged to use local ingredients or something specific to where they grew up. "Jack is like everybody's local whiskey," he said. What was in the glass was as important as the story behind it. Although Jack Daniel's history runs more than 150 years deep, in the past two decades American and Tennessee whiskey have gained more of the respect and prominence they deserve. From its founding in 1866 through Prohibition and two World Wars, Jack Daniel's has stood the test of time, becoming a favorite of icons like Frank Sinatra (who has his own expression, Sinatra Select) and growing to include more than a dozen expressions and special editions to meet global demand, while staying true to a base recipe that works: Tennessee limestone spring water, a mash of corn, rye and barley, charcoal mellowing and handmade barrels. After judges Tecosky, Andrew Pollard and Xania Woodman selected two women to move forward, competitors chose one expression and one modifier from a "mystery hat," then had ten minutes to come up with a cocktail on the fly that used both ingredients. Herbs and Rye's Emily Yett moved on to round two, and the winner, Jessica Westergom, Lead Bartender, Sand Dollar Lounge, crafted a cocktail dubbed I Did It My Way, featuring Single Barrel Rye, brandied cherries muddled with salt, vermouth and a Luxardo cherry garnish. Despite the competition element, the camaraderie among the bartenders was apparent: "There are so few women in this industry and we all go to each other's bars," Melissa Ayers, Blind Pig, said. "I was texting Emily [Yett] right before this event!" —Becky Tsadik ◗ Ladies' Night LAS VEGAS'S TOP FEMALE MIXOLOGISTS BRING JACK DANIEL'S TENNESSEE WHISKEY HOME PHOTO: KARL LARSON Jack Daniel's Brand Ambassador Eric "ET" Tecosky at Intrigue Nightclub inside the Wynn Las Vegas.

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