Gravy, Yorkies and a Kentucky Guest: The Sunday Roast Bourbon Test
There is a moment, about halfway through a Sunday roast, when the table goes quiet. Not a bad quiet. A focused quiet. The Yorkshire puddings are still warm, the gravy is behaving itself, and someone has just remembered that a bottle of Buffalo Trace has been sitting in the corner since Friday’s prize draw like a very patient guest.
The obvious question is: does bourbon belong anywhere near a roast dinner? The less obvious question is: how do we turn the answer into a scoring card and an argument that lasts until pudding? Welcome to the Sunday Roast Bourbon Test.
The rules of the test
This is not a sommelier situation. There are no spittoons, no tasting notes about “wet stone” and absolutely no one is allowed to say “on the palate” without being fined 50p. The setup is simple: a roast, a bottle, small measures and a scorecard. Everyone gets a 25ml pour — that’s a small measure, not a challenge — and a glass of water. Nobody is expected to finish anything. The point is to taste, argue and then get back to the roast potatoes before they go cold.
If you want to be fancy, use a tumbler rather than a shot glass. If you want to be honest, use whatever is clean. The test is about flavour, not glassware.
The scoring card
The card is deliberately unserious. Everyone scores each pairing out of ten, with marks awarded for flavour, comedy value and whether it makes you want a second Yorkshire pudding.
| Category | What you’re scoring | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| The Nose | Does it smell like a good idea or a mistake? | 10 |
| The Gravy Interface | How does it cope with a mouthful of roast and gravy? | 10 |
| The Yorkie Question | Does it improve or ruin the pudding? | 10 |
| The Argument | How much did you enjoy defending your score? | 10 |
| The Second Helping | Would you do it again next Sunday? | 10 |
Total it up, add a bonus point for anyone who mentions Kentucky without doing a terrible accent, and subtract a point for anyone who says “it’s a bit strong” before actually tasting it.
Pairing verdicts: the roast-by-roast rundown
Roast chicken
This is the friendliest pairing of the lot. Chicken is mild, the gravy is savoury, and a small measure of bourbon brings a bit of vanilla and spice to the party without shouting over the top. The verdict: surprisingly civilised. The Yorkshire pudding, however, remains undecided. It has never been asked to share the plate with a Kentucky straight bourbon before and it is handling the news with quiet dignity.
Roast beef
Beef has more backbone, which means it can take a bit more bourbon. The caramel notes in the spirit and the deep savoury gravy make a decent argument for each other. The trick is not to sip and chew at the same time — that way lies confusion. Take a bite, swallow, then a small sip. The verdict: a proper Sunday standoff, and the beef wins on points.
Nut roast
Controversial, but the nut roast has a secret weapon: it loves a bit of sweetness. A small measure alongside a nut roast with cranberry or redcurrant is not the disaster your uncle predicted. It’s not a classic pairing, but it’s interesting enough to score a respectable seven and start a twenty-minute debate about whether “interesting” is a compliment.
The Yorkshire pudding
Let’s be clear: nobody is pouring bourbon into a Yorkshire pudding. That’s not a pairing, that’s a crime scene. The Yorkie’s role is to be eaten between sips, like a savoury palate cleanser. If you take a bite of Yorkie, then a small sip of bourbon, you get a weird but oddly pleasant contrast: crisp, savoury batter against sweet, spicy spirit. Score it honestly. The Yorkie deserves that much.
Gravy
Gravy is the wild card. A mouthful of proper gravy and then a sip of bourbon is either a revelation or a reminder that some things should remain separate. Most people land somewhere in the middle: not bad, not brilliant, and definitely not something to do in front of the vicar. Give it a six and move on.
Serving small measures without the lecture
The responsible-drinking bit is not complicated. Use 25ml measures. Put water on the table. Eat something substantial before you taste. Don’t turn the scoring card into a drinking game. And if someone says they’re not drinking, the correct response is “more roast for you” — not a debate.
The Sunday Roast Bourbon Test is a tasting, not a session. The bottle can stay on the table for the argument and then go back in the cupboard. The roast is the main event. The bourbon is a guest, and a good guest knows when to leave.
The final verdict
Would we do it again? Yes, but only with a proper roast and a proper scoring card. The chicken is the safest bet, the beef is the most interesting, the nut roast is the dark horse, and the Yorkshire pudding remains the undisputed champion of the plate. The bourbon doesn’t need to win. It just needs to survive the gravy.
And if the winner of Friday’s draw decides to bring the bottle to Sunday lunch, make sure they bring the scoring card too. Arguments are better with a system.
