Staff Editor
Alexander Stein of Pernod Ricard has combined a Texas Bourbon with habanero from the Black Forest to create “Horse with No Name” a distinct and unique new take on a finished bourbon. (And their website is amazing) After the bourbon from Fireston & Robertson Distillery matures for three years it is flavored with a distillate of Black Forest Habaneros. According to LaneReport, it “combines the best of two worlds: The fragrant oak aroma of Bourbon, with its floral accompaniments of vanilla and coconut, and a hint of the elegant, fruity sweetness of Black Forest Habanero heat.”
“Horse with No Name once again offers our customers an intriguing new spirit, which is sure to become a talking point with consumers at the bar, as well as an original brand identity that we will be activating across the on-trade in the coming months,” said Ian Peart, Pernod Ricard’s UK commercial director.
It All Starts With The Bourbon
Stein’s partnership with the Fireston & Robertson Distillery seems a natural one. The Texan whiskey craftsmen worked with him to create a bourbon based on corn, winter wheat, and barley with a twist: an individual yeast strang from the pecan nut is used for fermentation according to Whisky.com. The bourbon is then aged for three years in charred white oak barrels. The aging process adds body, color, and sweet toasty flavors to the bourbon, breaking down the lignin, lipids, and tannins of the wood and infusing vanilla, spice, oak, coconut, and floral flavors.
Then the Habanero Comes In.
Surprisingly reports tell that the heat of the habanero is completely absent even though the aroma of the intense peppers is still present, what remains after distillation is the fruity spiciness along with floral notes.
Tasting Notes
Whisky Consultants provided excellent tasting notes for “Horse With No Name” describing the Nose as “Aniseed and gingerbread, rye bread, glue, and chili/tabasco” Hmmm.. spicy licorice anyone? The Palate; “The mouthfeel is smoother than we’ve expected, very creamy even. It has flavors of vanilla, honey, buttered corn, tiramisu, and a hint of metal.” and the Finish as “A smooth finish with sun-dried tomatoes, espresso, sweet chili, fresh leaves, and Italian spices.”
Despite being from a European maker, a Texas Bourbon married to Habanero distillate seems like the most Texan pairing ever. The only way to increase the level of TEXAS here would be to pair it with a 72oz.steak cooked to perfection and a bottle of Lone Star. Notes from other reviews are comparable and equally describe an incredibly complex flavor profile for the unexpected combination of habanero distillate and a beautiful Texas bourbon that shouldn’t be missed.
