The Sweet Treat That Pairs Perfectly With Drinking Bourbon

The world of flavor notes in regards to spirit-crafting is a fascinating one. Take bourbon, for example. The strong American whiskey is made with grains, water, and yeast. But by the time it's fermented, distilled, and aged, it can contain flavor notes of the most decadent desserts. In fact, pairing your bourbon with something sweet can be a mouthwatering experience. For more insight on the topic, we spoke to Chris Blatner, executive bourbon steward and the founder of Urban Bourbonist on Instagram. "Bourbon isn't just there to sit next to your dessert," Blatner told The Takeout. "It can enhance it." When we asked for an example, Blatner said he's a big believer in peanut butter cups, calling it "one of the all-time classic pairings."

"The fat and salt from the peanut butter can amp up the mouthfeel of bourbon, bringing out some of its creaminess," Blatner said. "The chocolate links up with the whiskey's oak, spice, and brown sugar flavors. And if the bourbon has some nutty or cocoa flavors... the pairing becomes seamless." After a description like that, we're positively jumping out of our chairs to taste these two together. But before we head to the local liquor store, Blatner had some thoughts on the kind of chocolate that would make this pairing really shine.

When it comes to chocolate peanut butter cups, there are a lot of choices; not just in brands, but in the kind of chocolate they're made with. You can find milk, dark, or even white chocolate-coated peanut butter cups (although wonderfully pink ruby chocolate is much more rare). According to Blatner, the type of chocolate used to cover the peanut butter definitely matters. 

"Milk chocolate softens the bourbon and plays more into its sweeter notes," Blatner said. "Dark chocolate leans into the whiskey's spice, oak, and bitterness which creates more contrast and depth. White chocolate is tricky, I'm not a fan. It's usually way too sweet for most pairings unless the bourbon is really spicy or high-proof enough to cut through it."

As far as the best brand to kick off your bourbon and peanut butter cup experiment, Blatner admits, "It's really hard not to say Reese's." (Fun fact: The Reese's brand was actually named for a real person.) "I am going in a different direction," Blatner continued. "Try Russel's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon with a Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. Russel's has some rich vanilla, toasted nut, and spice notes that compliment the peanut butter while the higher proof stands up to the slightly bitter chocolate. The Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Cup isn't too sweet, so it won't drown out the bourbon, it matches up pretty perfectly."