Dragon's Milk Bottled in Bond Bourbon

Dragon's Milk Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a straight bourbon bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof) in line with the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. Under that law, the whiskey comes from a single distillation season at a single distillery and ages at least four years in a bonded warehouse. The label tells you about the process and the strength, and it gives you a good idea of how the bourbon will behave in the glass. Bourbon at this proof usually shows a corn-forward sweetness with caramel, vanilla and toasted oak from the new charred barrels the style requires. Expect some baking spice from the rye or wheat in the mash bill, and a little char on the finish. The extra alcohol tends to carry these flavors further than an 80-proof pour, so the nose is often fuller and the palate firmer and a little hotter. Neither the producer details nor the reference text give a mash bill or specific tasting notes for this bottle, so treat those as what to expect from the category, not as a measured profile. For neat sipping, a Glencairn glass concentrates the aromas, and it helps to nose it gently with your mouth slightly open so the alcohol doesn't overwhelm the rest. If the first sip feels tight, add a few drops of water. At 100 proof, a little dilution often loosens the grain and vanilla notes without flattening the oak. A single large cube in a rocks glass is a good alternative. It chills the pour slowly, so the sweetness stays intact and the heat softens as the ice melts. Bonded strength also suits cocktails, because the whiskey keeps its character after sugar, bitters, citrus or vermouth go in. In an Old Fashioned, the spirit holds up to a sugar cube, a couple of dashes of Angostura and an orange peel without getting lost. A Manhattan with sweet vermouth and bitters is a good test of how the oak and spice stand up to the herbal sweetness. In a Whiskey Sour, 100 proof stays present against lemon and syrup, and a Highball with soda and a lemon twist stretches the bottle into a long, dry drink where the caramel and corn still show. Serve the stirred drinks in a chilled coupe or over a large cube in a rocks glass, and the sour over fresh ice.