By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov.
When a famed Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill restaurant in Oakland, California, implemented its winemaker’s dinner program, a Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series special event earlier this month immediately became a standout. Food and wine pairings that promote local winemaking are a staple of California dining culture, but matching local produce-based dishes with whiskey is quite different.
First of all, Jack Daniel’s isn’t Californian. Secondly, a higher alcohol content requires a heartier fare with abundance of animal fat, which is a challenge to any local chef expected to feed us with lean proteins, and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Thirdly, the majority of restaurant goers in sunny California are quite knowledgeable in Napa and Sonoma wines, but not so much in whiskeys, considered endemic to colder climes of Midwestern states.
And yet, the Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series dinner was a success, and a great educational opportunity for the Lake Chalet patrons who secured their tickets to this limited-attendance event. Thanks to Tammy Hagans, Jack Daniel’s Ambassador, Northern California; Toni M. Brown, Brown-Forman Market Manager; Dustin Durham, Chalet Restaurant Group Marketing & Events Manager; and Ray Wirtz, Lake Chalet Executive Chef with his kitchen team, the four-course meal, paired with award-winning Jack Daniel’s whiskeys became a highlight of the winter holiday season for everyone present.
Craft cocktails, served alongside the tasting shots, started with a welcome drink, Lynchburg 75 (Jack Bonded, apricot liqueur, lemon juice, sparkling wine) and proceeded to a Tennessee Prospector (Jack Triple Mash, Montenegro Amaro, Combier Pamplemousse liqueur, grapefruit bitters) paired with the first course—Persimmon and Arugula Salad with pomegranate seeds, toasted pepitas, citrus vinaigrette, and Point Reyes blue cheese croutons. The Canuck cocktail (Jack Bonded Rye, lemon juice, Chambord, Cointreau) accompanied the second course, Lobster Poutine with tater tots, lobster bisque, smoked Gouda, fresh chive, and lobster claw meat.
A perfectly balanced, Imperfect Manhattan (Jack Bonded, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, Angostura bitters) found its match in English-cut Creekstone Rib Roast with herbed au jus, horseradish shavings, and broccoli-cheddar Wellington, while a Pear Hot Toddy (Jack Triple Mash, lemon juice, pear agave syrup, topped with hot water) appeared for a sweet finale alongside a Mull-Spiced Brioche Bread Pudding with candied ginger, raisins, and bourbon caramel.
The elegantly served shots for Jack Daniel’s Bonded Series Tasting included four highly acclaimed whiskeys: Bonded, Bonded Rye, Old No. 7, and Triple Mash. Detailed tasting notes, distributed among the event participants, contained a remarkable quote from the company: “Grains, limestone cave spring water, copper column stills, charcoal mellowing, and handmade American Oak barrels are what makes Jack Daniel’s unique, craft whiskey and known as a complete distillery.”
Thoroughly impressed by the Lake Chalet Jack Daniel’s happening, this reporter felt compelled to continue educating myself, and found out quite a few intriguing details about the world’s best-selling American whiskey.
Established in 1866 by Jasper “Jack” Newton Daniel in Lynchburg, Tennessee, and historically called, “Tennessee Whiskey,” Jack Daniel’s is still made there, at the place of its initial production, following the original method, and keeping with the distillery’s tradition to the very last detail.
Smooth and slightly spicy, with pleasant smoky notes and sweet finish, Jack Daniel’s is charcoal-mellowed. This charcoal filtering is known as the “Lincoln County Process.” Then the spirit is aged in the American White Oak barrels made without any glue or nails. Each barrel is held together by the precise pressure of the 33 separate wooden staves.
The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was implemented to stop the previously existing arbitrary distillers’ ways of blending, flavoring, and coloring spirits without any guidance or standards. From then on, the American government would guarantee that the spirits would be made under its supervision, by one distiller at a single distillery in one season, and aged in a federally bonded warehouses for at least four years, then bottled at precisely 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume). Since the Act, a label on a bottle must identify the distillery where the spirit was distilled and, if different, where it was bottled.
According to Daniel’s biographer, the origin of the “Old No. 7” name was the number assigned to Daniel’s distillery for government registration. He was forced to change the registration number when the federal government redrew the district, and he became Number 16 in district 5 instead of No. 7 in district 4, but the firm’s signature whiskey, with mash bill of 80% corn, 8% rye, and 12% malted barley, and charcoal mellowed through 10 feet of sugar maple, remains the epitome of the brand, with aroma of caramel and banana, taste of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak, and clean creamy finish.
Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill is located at 1520 Lakeside Drive in Oakland, California. Call (510) 208-LAKE (5253) or visit www.TheLakeChalet.com.
Upcoming 2024 Special Events at Lake Chalet: Sonoma Cutrer Wine Dinner on January 18, Orin Swift Wine Dinner on February 22, and Honig Wine Dinner on March 21.
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