I have never found a time in which a good drink while preparing food or dessert did not couple well. However, there have been times when actually mixing the two did not create an even more pleasurable experience. Enter my favorite desert: the cheesecake, and a favorite bourbon: Elijah Craig, what better pair could there be? The creamy goodness with a subtle tart from the cheesecake coupled with the earthy tones of Elijah Craig creates an almost seemingly symbiotic relationship.

First I need to premise with a big thank you to Emma Christensen from thekitchn.com for a great cheesecake recipe that allowed me to mix it up a bit and still come out with an amazing desert.

What You Need

Ingredients
For the cheesecake:
2 pounds cream cheese

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (optional, I like 1 teaspoon to bring a little tarter out in the aftertaste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (this is a must!It is a great transition to the bourbon taste)
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk

2-3 oz of Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey.

For the crust:
12-15 whole graham cracker rectangles (enough to be between 1 ½ and 2 cups, I like a thin crust so 1 ½ for my taste)

½ oz of Elijah Craig
5 tablespoons butter, plus extra to grease the pan

9-inch or 10-inch springform pan or equivalent pan type
Aluminum foil if you use springform pan.
Food processor or blender
Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
Spatula
Roasting pan or other dish big enough to hold the cake pan

Gigger, preferable one with both 1 oz and ½ oz sides

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and warm the cream cheese: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
2. Rub the pan with butter: Use your fingers to rub a small pat of butter all over the bottom and sides of the pan.
3. Wrap the pan in foil (skip this if not using springform): Cut two large pieces of foil and lay them on your work surface in a cross. Set the springform pan in the middle and fold the edges of the foil up around the sides of the pan.
4. Prepare the crust: Crush the graham crackers until they form fine crumbs — you should have 1 1/2 to 2 cups. Melt 5 tablespoons of butter and mix this and ½ ounce of Elijah Craig into the graham cracker crumbs. The mixture should look like wet sand and hold together in a clump when you press it in your fist. Transfer it into the pan and press it evenly around bottom.
5. Bake the crust: Place the crust in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes.
6. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and salt: Combine the warmed cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in the bowl.Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture is creamy, like thick frosting, and no lumps of cream cheese remain.
7. Mix in the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla: Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla to the bowl and beat on low speed until combined and creamy.
8. Mix in the eggs and yolk one at a time: With the mixer on low speed, beat in the eggs and the yolk one at a time.
9. Add 2 ounces of Elijah Craig and stir a few times by hand: Stir the whole batter a few times by hand, being sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl, to make sure everything is incorporated. The finished batter should be thick, creamy, and silky.
10. Pour the batter over the cooled crust: Check to make sure the crust and the sides of the pan are cool to the touch. Pour the batter over the crust and spread it into an even layer throughout the pan.
11. Transfer the pan to the water bath: Transfer the pan to a dish big enough to hold it. Bring a few cups of water to a boil and pour the water into the roasting pan. Fill the pan to about an inch, or just below the lowest edge of foil.
12. Bake the cheesecake: Bake the cheesecake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Depending on the size cake pan you use will decide how long it takes to bake all the way through. The cheesecake is done when the outer two to three inches look slightly puffed and set, but the inner circle still jiggles when you gently shake the pan.
13. Cool the cheesecake in the oven: Turn off the oven and crack the door open for an hour before taking it out.
14. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and cool the cake completely: Run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides then let the cheesecake cool completely on the rack.
15. Chill the cheesecake for four hours in the refrigerator: Chill the cheesecake, uncovered, for at least four hours, preferably longer to allow it to set properly.

For original cheesecake recipe from visit: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-perfect-cheesecake-recipe-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchen-110760.