The distillery's founder, Dave Landrum, pays homage to two important men in his life who also bear the namesake of the brand. Both named James (father and grandfather), left a positive mark on those around them by the love they showed for their communities and the passsion for life, among other things. Dave is no stranger to the food and beverage world. He is a mixologist, sommerlier and self-proclaimed spirits snob who wanted to carve his own path by creating a brand he could call his own.
Two James Spirits is deeply rooted and excited about their Corktown, Detroit community. While being environmentally conscious, they also corn and grain locally in Michigan, maintaing not only more control of the overall process, but also supporting local family farms.
To say Johnny Smoking Gun is riddled with individuality would be a huge understatement. The packaging and label are both on point and really stand out. We have always exlcaimed that you need to start with good packaging. Aged at least 2 years, this 87 proof blended whiskey is proofed down with Japanese tea. Yes, you read that right. Japanese tea. We really didn't know what to expect with this but were very eager to taste it. We popped this and tasted it neat (and later tasted it with some time in the glass).
On the nose initially were aromas of dried earth, butter cream frosting, lemon and corn casserole. We've decided after tasting this we are going to skip the casserole for the holidays this year and serve JSG! The first taste was a real eye opener (literally) with green tea, frosting, faint smoke and a treasure trove of aromas you would pick up at a Hallmark store. That may sound extreme, but we all know what that feels like. This is a tasty beast that finishes with a buttery and herbacious blend that draws you back for the next sip.
We generally never taste spirits with food. It's just not our thing for the most part. But I'm going to tell you that I had a few sips of Johnny Smoking Gun last night with beef arm roast, carrots and potatoes and the pairing was just remarkable. If you're looking for something outside of the standard whiskey or bourbon on a lower proof side, give the Two James Distillery a try with this bottle!
