Whiskey, Rye and a Bottle of Bourbon

While faux chic and pretentious trendsetters would have us believe that red liquors are out and anything white — including distillery altered cognacs and silver tequilas, is in, the cocktail landscape is not nearly as monolithic as it appears. There is a whiskey resurgence going on, and the first liquor is retaking its rightful place. 

On Monday, March 7, Bulleit 95 Straight Rye Whiskey moved into the spotlight and took center stage at Door 44 in Atlanta's Midtown area, affectionately known as the "Betty Ford" corridor, not just because of the number of bars, but also because of the frequency with which the A-listers (attorneys, architects and accountants) visit them. While cocktail connoiseurs mingled on the patio with complimentary cigars and Bulleit Whiskey cocktails, the crowd inside the speakeasy-style bar reminiscent of the days of flappers and Prohibition, listened to jazz and watched the mixologists face-off on massive video screens.

But the evening's real stars were the Scofflaw-inspired cocktails prepared by expert bartenders who kept this very special bourbon coming all night long.

I sampled a number of the potent concoctions and here are my top picks:

The Scofflaw

1 ounce Bulleit 95 Straight Rye Whiskey

1 ounce dry vermnouth

.75 ounce grenadine

.5 oz lemon juice

1 dash of orange bitters.

Kentucky Red Eye

2 ounces bacon-infused Bulleit Rye

1/8 ounce brown sugar coffee syrup

2 dashes whiskey barrel bitters

1 dash Peychaud's bitters

1 pinch salt

Spring and Branch Cup

1 ounce Bulleit 95 Straight Rye

2 barspoons rhubarb jam

1 lemon wedge

1 cucumber slice

3/4 ounces Martnia Bianco

1 sprig of thyme

And for the more adventurous (I just couldn't handle the raw egg) ...

Minted Rattlesnake Fizz

2 ounces Bulleit 95 Sraight Rye Whiskey

1 ounce simple syrup

.75 ounce lemon 

1 egg white

1 dash absinthe

mint

caraway seeds