Barrel and Bloom

Peaches are still the word on the street—and for good reason. They’re in peak season, and I’m clearly riding the wave. After sipping on that Penelope Peach Old Fashioned and reminiscing about the days when I dabbled in homemade apple moonshine, a hairbrained (but genius) idea hit me:

Why not make my own peach Old Fashioneds from scratch?

But before I could start muddling and mixing, I needed the right base—a solid peach-infused bourbon to build around.

My flavor profile usually leans toward bold: hot, spicy bourbons, sometimes even a rye for that extra bite in my Old Fashioneds. This time, I had a bit of Knob Creek left over—a strong, reliable bourbon that I consider a perfect well cocktail base. Not fancy, but it plays well with others.

My Process (So Far):

I started by grabbing some ripe, juicy peaches. (Pro tip: Sometimes that means letting them sit a few days after you bring them home. Peak softness = peak flavor.)

Then, yes—you’ll want to peel your peaches. Nobody wants fuzz in their bourbon.

Once peeled and sliced, I tossed the peaches into a mason jar, poured in the Knob Creek until they were fully submerged, sealed it up, and popped it in the fridge.

And now—we wait.

What’s Next?

I’ll be posting weekly updates to track the infusion process and find that perfect sweet spot: the moment when the peaches and bourbon become one. Once it hits, you can bet I’ll be building a homemade peach Old Fashioned recipe around it.