Did you know that Dallas has the best donuts in the country? Seriously! The Salty has been ranked the top donut shop in the nation by Zagat, Thrillist, and Business Insider. They’ve even been featured on national television and it’s easy to taste why. These are the best donuts on the planet. The Salty’s 24-hour brioche dough will ruin you for all other donuts. It’s out of this world!

Please note: this is meant to be a tasting of each donut with a sip of bourbon. I did not eat four donuts today! 

I can’t take any credit for knowing about The Salty. My friend Irene, better known as Dallas restaurant expert @chompdallas on Instagram, is a bit of a donut connoisseur and has been picking up donuts for us to enjoy in the pool most weekends this summer. Today we had a donut and whiskey tasting because, well, it’s been a hell of a week, and honestly I’ve never wanted to do anything more than I wanted to do this donut and whiskey tasting by the pool.

First up we have the Berries & Cream donut (brioche with blueberry compote, shortbread crumb, and marscapone whipped cream) with Jack Daniels. This is a great summertime donut (The Salty is very seasonal, which I love!) that really captures that summer berry flavor with mouthfuls of freshness.

Next, the Horchata Donut. This donut changed my life. The first time I had it was a spiritual experience – pastry Nirvana! I was transported. To quote Johnny Depp in one of my favorite movies, Chocolat, “I’m undone.” The 24-hour brioche dough is soaked in a horchata mixture and finished with a torched cinnamon meringue. Plus, there’s a Valrhona Chocolate cream on the bottom! I now get it every time Irene goes to The Salty because it fills me with joy. I paired that with Milam & Greene’s Distillery Edition Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This is the Texas whiskey company’s first limited edition grain to glass whiskey and it is very strong – 121.9 proof to be exact! That’ll wake you up. It tasted a bit like cinnamon and would be fantastic enjoyed fireside all winter long.

Next up is the Sea Salt Cream & Cookies Donut paired with Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch Whiskey. Part of the fun of The Salty is that they have new flavors all the time! This was my first time eating this flavor and I looked like the heart eye emoji. This 24-hour brioche donut is filled to the brim with chocolate chip cookie dough, topped with melted ice cream glaze, chunks of chocolate chip cookies, and sea salt. Cookie dough lovers like me will be obsessed this donut. This might be my favorite cookie dough experience ever!

Last but certainly not least is the limited edition flavor Veronica’s Banana Split. I don’t know who Veronica is but I sure would like to be friends with her because she came up with a hell of a donut. This is a 24-hour brioche filled with banana slices and vanilla custard with a dark chocolate cream bottom, melted ice cream glaze, topped with whipped cream, strawberry slices, hot fudge sauce, and delightful rainbow sprinkles. I paired this donut with Milam & Greene’s Triple Cask Bourbon Whiskey, my favorite whiskey of the evening. (Though I actually preferred it with the Sea Salt Cream & Cookies Donut!) It went down so smooth and tasted a bit like maple syrup. Yum!

I hope this inspired you to do your own donut and whiskey tasting with fabulous donuts near you! There’s something about setting up a little tasting for yourself that’s just so damn fun. Don’t forget to drink responsibly!

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Cheers to that,

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