This post is a tribute to one of our favourite places to eat and drink. In London we discovered that following the smell of smoked meat often leads to a decent selection of whiskey. And nowhere is this truer than at Red’s True BBQ. Red’s have outlets in Nottingham, London, Leeds and Manchester.

Just to get it out of the way, Red’s True BBQ is the best smokehouse I’ve been to anywhere in the world. And I’ve had BBQ in Texas. But what’s really exciting is the opportunities they offer to the whiskey drinker. First off, there’s the selection. There’s over twenty on their list, and not all the ones you’re used to seeing either. However, it quickly becomes clear that the bourbon of choice in Red’s is Wild Turkey 81, although the 101 and the Rare Breed are also on the list.

Wild Turkey is a bourbon I’ve grown to like better every time I’ve tried it. It’s got a very powerful tobacco-leaf side to it, but it’s also rich in sweet caramel notes, rich wood and a firm, chewy mouthfeel. My favourite is the Rare Breed, which is a ‘barrel strength’ bourbon of about 55% ABV. The nose has leather, toasted almonds, dried fruit and demarrera sugar, and the taste is a well balanced chorus of caramel and oak, with hints of spiced orange, plum and clove.

Red’s is also one of the few places to offer Balcones Brimstone, the troublemaker from a family of Texas bourbons which celebrates the fact that the whiskey itself is smoked. It hits your nose with leather, charcoal and bacon salt, and the taste is just loaded with smoke and char. I saw a review that described the taste as ‘liquid Frazzles burps’. That’s a little crass, but they’re not far wrong. The taste lingers in your mouth for a long time, so if you’re going to include the Brimstone as part of a whiskey tasting experience, leave it until last! It’s enjoyable, and must be tried, but no amount of water will cleanse your palate afterwards.

And while you’re there, try a few of the alternative ways to enjoy a shot of Wild Turkey. Like maybe a Bourbon Bacon Blitz milkshake, with bits of actual bacon in the blender and a stick of crispy peppered bacon sticking out the top? (Pictured at bottom)

Or maybe their take on the classic Manhatten cocktail, with bourbon, vermouth, and chilli-chocolate bitters infused with bourbon oak?

Or best of all, try a ‘bone luge‘. Vegetarians may wish to avert their eyes, but this crazy concept involves pouring a shot of bourbon down the cavity of a cow’s cooked shinbone (marrow and all) into your mouth. It’s a messy affair, but the fusion of sweet bourbon and salty, meaty goodness is something you should experience in this life.

Another whiskey I enjoyed here – which isn’t a bourbon – was the Mellow Corn straight whiskey. What makes a ‘corn whiskey’ is that the mashbill is at least 80% corn, as opposed to bourbon which only has a to be a minimum 51% corn. It’s a light coloured spirit with a delicate and fruity nose, like toffee, elderflower and grape, but surprises you with a punchy and bold taste on your palate. Hints of treacle and chocolate abound.