PHOTOS: Special Sips Delight at Disney’s Vero Beach
Tucked away on the Atlantic Ocean, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort offers a tranquil getaway immersed in ecological conservation, plentiful activities, and ample chances to relax. For the adults in the group, it also provides an array of tasty beverage tasting options that really provided such a memorable experience recently.
During our three-night stay, the resort offered a bourbon tasting and martini tasting. On other nights, the resort explores margaritas and rums in a pirate-themed educational experience, appropriate for the Treasure Coast.
As with the other programming, Sunday’s Bourbon and Beyond tasting began with a bit of instruction regaring what truly seperates bourbon from the rest. Cast Member Michael took time to really focus on the differences between rye and bourbon, which mainly focus on the proportion of corn used in the distilling process.
Participants blindly sampled a bit of each and had to guess which one was which. With a smoother and oak finish, the bourbon stood out from the stronger, spicier rye both made by Old Forester.
Classic Presentations Pop with Flavor
After a bit of experimenting with watering-down the bourbon and rye samples (Pro Tip: It brings out the spirit’s nuances in a big way), the tasting moved on to a traditional Manhattan. Thought by many to be the inspiration for today’s martini, the tasting proved that shaken is definitely the way to go.
Not only does shaking cool the beverage down faster, but the larger ice cube also melts slower to amplify the cooling process. This delicious Manhattan featured Basil Hayden Bourbon and Antica Sweet Vermouth with a dash of bitters and a Luxardo cherry nestled in the bottom of the glass.
Next up, we explored a classic old-fashioned, with a recipe and presentation unique to this experience at the resort. The large ice cube specifically only makes its appearance during this specific tasting.
For this as well as the rest of the highly creative options, Makers Mark was used exclusively and packed a silky smooth finish. This presentation also introduced us to using chilled glasses to help the bourbon cool down even faster.
Smoked Bourbon Provides Woodsy Surprise
Though the entire experience brought delicious flavor, the ultimate taste came from a small jar full of smoked-on-site Makers Mark. Using a portable smoker, Michael smoked a bit of bourbon early in the tasting that steeped for 30 minutes.
A Japanese woodchip was used that added a woodsy, almost campfire smoke to the Makers. The sips, served in mini mason jars, stood out from the rest in the best possible way.
To end the tasting, the team at Disney’s Vero Beach stirred up their signature cocktail, a Vero Beach Lemonade.
At just $45 per person, this one-hour tasting really provided such a special memory and adult-friendly moment during our stay. Actually, we found popping into the Green Cabin Room even for small plates and drinks on the porch overlooking the Atlantic to be one of the best culinary options on property and cannot wait to return.