As part of my ongoing, occasional series on Bourbon several weeks ago I had a conversation with Joy Perrine. If you’re in Louisville, either live here or visiting, and you enjoy cocktails a trip to Jack’s Lounge to see Joy’s direct influence in action is called for. She isn’t behind the bar every night of the week but her position as bar manager means her creations and knowledge are in residence.

If you aren’t familiar with Joy I’ll just say she’s a bartending legend in this town, a mixologist of the highest order. She’s a 42 year veteran of the spirits industry and her recipes are referenced, quoted and adapted near and far.Though I’ve heard all of her creations and concoctions are interesting and tasty it’s her bourbon work that I wanted to talk about. She first came to my attention in February when someone, I’m sorry I
can’t recall who, mentioned her Woodford Reserve strawberries. Infused bourbon served in actual strawberries for a dessert/cocktail combination. Intriguing.

Many of Perrine’s bourbon cocktails use infused bourbons. While flavored and infused vodkas and rums have been all the rage for quite sometime infused bourbons are rather under the radar. I asked Perrine how she came to start working with infused bourbons. For several years she worked on the Caribbean island of St. Croix and was exposed to a host of infused rums. That exposure planted the seed for her bourbon cocktail innovation.

According to Perrine bourbon is a prime candidate for infusion because it has characteristics of molasses, vanilla, brown sugar and others. When done properly infusions highlight those characteristics and really “pull out the flavors in bourbon.” Combining fine bourbon with fresh seasonal ingredients, say strawberries, creates a new creation that is greater than the sum of its parts.

I asked Joy for advice on what cocktails a new bourbon drinker might want to sample or experiment with. She said it depends on “whether or not the person likes sweet drinks.” If you don’t like sweet drinks she suggests you start with a bourbon on the rocks. The simplicity allows you to really experience the bourbon so you can try various bourbons and find the right one for you. If straight bourbon is too much for you try bourbon and water.

If you do like sweet drinks she suggests an Old Fashion. Perrine actually calls the Old Fashion her favorite bourbon cocktail. She says there is limitless variety in what can be done with an old fashion.

During our conversation Joy described many of the infusions (strawberry, blackberry, blueberry) she’s made and many of the cocktails she’s created (chocolate julep, Blueberry Manhattan). The most interesting to me was a bourjito.

Taking the best elements of both a mojito and a mint julep as
inspiration she created a new
cocktail. The bourjito is a very smooth, very refreshing cocktail
combining Woodford Reserve bourbon, brown sugar simple syrup, lemon and
a touch of mint. Brown sugar simple syrup? Brilliant. Lemon instead of lime? Perrine says lime is too bitter to work well with bourbon. Only a touch of mint? Yes, just a hint and it works perfectly. It doesn’t overpower the bourbon.

This cocktail is very, very tasty and very refreshing. If I didn’t already think Perrine was a genius, which I did, sipping this cocktail totally solidified it. I don’t normally fawn over non-traditional cocktails (truthfully, I drink whiskey sours most) but this one was so tasty I can’t help but be a little bit in love with it.

As I mentioned Joy works with a lot of seasonal ingredients. So cocktails you find on the menu at Jack’s for Derby might not be there in July but I’m confident whatever bourbon based drink you order will leave you satisfied.

Thanks very much to Joy Perrine for taking the time to chat with me about bourbon and her infused bourbons and her original bourbon cocktails. She was absolutely great to chat with and I highly recommend you head to Jack’s Lounge to sample the evidence of her handiwork yourself. And also? Jack’s Lounge is a very grown up bar. Dark wood, leather seats, very comfortable. It’s perfect for drinks with a business associate or pre-dinner cocktails. Sometimes, not always but sometimes, I really like feeling like an adult and a visit to Jack’s Lounge makes me feel that way.

Jack’s Lounge
122 Sears Avenue
Louisville, KY
897-9721