The Masters Spread
Three appetizers inspired by Augusta. Three cocktails built on Hooten Young Whiskey. Three cigar pairings. A world-class occasion worth slowing down for.
Toast & Light
A Hooten Young Series on Rituals Worth Slowing Down For
Masters Week isn't just a golf tournament — it's a ritual. The azaleas, the roars from Amen Corner, the green jacket. For the men who build something meaningful during the other 51 weeks, this is the one where you sit back, pour something worth pouring, and enjoy the craft of competition. We put together a spread that matches the occasion: three Southern-rooted appetizers that have earned their place at Augusta, paired with three Hooten Young cocktails and three cigar pairings that turn any living room into a clubhouse.
The Appetizers
1. The Pimento Cheese Crostini
The Augusta Standard, Elevated
No Masters spread earns its name without pimento cheese. This is the dish that Augusta built its concession stand legacy on — a $1.50 sandwich that's become one of the most iconic bites in American sports. We took the classic and moved it from white bread to a toasted crostini, because a man who builds something meaningful doesn't serve it on a paper plate.
Ingredients
8 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated
4 oz cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup mayonnaise (Duke's if you can find it)
1 jar (4 oz) diced pimentos, drained
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
Kosher salt & cracked black pepper to taste
1 baguette, sliced ½-inch thick on the bias
Olive oil for brushing
Fresh chives for garnish
Method
Combine cream cheese and mayo in a bowl and beat until smooth. Fold in the grated cheddar, pimentos, smoked paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors marry. Brush baguette slices with olive oil and toast under the broiler until golden — about 2 minutes per side. Keep your eye on them. Spoon a generous mound of pimento cheese onto each crostini. Finish with a crack of black pepper and snipped chives. Serve at room temperature.
2. Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Pecans
Sweet, Salty, Gone in Seconds
Rory McIlroy served bacon-wrapped dates at the 2026 Champions Dinner — a nod to his mother, Rosie. We took the cue and added Georgia pecans because when you're hosting in the South, you use what the land gives you. Three ingredients. No filler. The kind of appetizer that disappears before the second group tees off.
Ingredients
16 large Medjool dates, pitted
16 pecan halves, toasted
8 slices thick-cut bacon, halved crosswise
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Flaky sea salt
Toothpicks
Method
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Stuff each pitted date with a toasted pecan half. Wrap tightly with a half-slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15–18 minutes until the bacon is crisp and rendered. Brush lightly with maple syrup during the last 3 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately hit them with flaky sea salt. Let cool just enough to handle — serve warm.
3. Peach & Ricotta Flatbread
Georgia on the Table
Another nod to the 2026 Champions Dinner — McIlroy featured a peach and ricotta flatbread as one of his four appetizers, and it's easy to see why. Georgia peaches, creamy ricotta, honey, and fresh arugula on warm flatbread. It's refined without trying too hard. A crowd-pleaser that doesn't pander.
Ingredients
2 naan or flatbreads
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
2 ripe peaches, sliced thin (or thawed frozen if off-season)
2 cups baby arugula
2 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt & cracked pepper
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Balsamic glaze for drizzling
Method
Preheat oven to 425°F. Place flatbreads on a baking sheet and warm for 3–4 minutes until just crisp on the edges. Spread a generous layer of ricotta across each flatbread. Arrange peach slices on top. Return to oven for 4–5 minutes. Remove and top with arugula, a drizzle of honey, olive oil, and balsamic glaze. Finish with flaky salt, cracked pepper, and fresh thyme. Slice into strips and serve immediately.
The Cocktails
1. The Amen Corner Old Fashioned
Built on Hooten Young 12 Year American Whiskey
The 12 Year's notes of maple, vanilla, and ripe apple were made for an old fashioned — they just needed the right supporting cast. A touch of peach preserves ties it to Georgia, and a sprig of rosemary gives it the kind of aromatic depth that makes you slow down on the first sip. This is the cocktail you pour when the leader steps to the tee at 11.
Build
2 oz Hooten Young 12 Year American Whiskey
1 barspoon peach preserves
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Orange peel for garnish
Method
In a mixing glass, dissolve peach preserves with both bitters and a splash of warm water. Add Hooten Young 12 Year and stir with ice for 20–30 seconds. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Express the orange peel over the surface and drop it in. Lightly bruise the rosemary sprig between your palms and rest it across the rim.
Pairs with: Pimento Cheese Crostini — the whiskey's vanilla softens the sharp cheddar.
Cigar Pairing
Paladin Series Habano — The Habano wrapper's earthy spice and cedar notes play against the 12 Year's vanilla and apple sweetness, creating a pairing that rewards patience on both ends.
2. The Back Nine Bourbon Smash
Built on Hooten Young Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
The BiB's 100-proof backbone — all caramel, toffee, and black pepper — can stand up to the bright citrus and fresh mint in a bourbon smash without getting lost. This is a warm-weather cocktail with real weight behind it. The kind of drink that feels easy going down but reminds you it's there. Like watching a 340-yard drive that looks effortless.
Build
2 oz Hooten Young Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
¾ oz honey syrup (2:1 honey to warm water)
6–8 fresh mint leaves
Lemon wheel & mint sprig for garnish
Method
Gently muddle mint leaves with honey syrup in a shaker — press, don't shred. Add Hooten Young BiB and fresh lemon juice. Shake hard with ice for 12–15 seconds. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a mint sprig. Slap the mint once before placing — it opens up the oils.
Pairs with: Bacon-Wrapped Dates — the honey and caramel in the bourbon amplify the maple and sweetness of the dates.
Cigar Pairing
Ma Deuce — Bold enough to match the BiB's 100-proof punch. The Ma Deuce's rich, full-bodied profile and dark chocolate undertones lock in with the bourbon's toffee and black pepper finish.
3. The Clubhouse
Built on Hooten Young Rye Whiskey
The Clubhouse is the cocktail you close the tournament with. Our Hooten Young Rye — a 90-point, silver-medal spirit — brings the spice and structure that grapefruit and honey were designed to ride alongside. Bright, balanced, and built with intention. The kind of cocktail that doesn't need to announce itself because the glass is already empty.
Build
2 oz Hooten Young Rye Whiskey
0.75 oz fresh grapefruit juice
0.25 oz fresh lime juice
0.25 oz honey syrup (1:1 honey + water)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
Grapefruit wedge & mint sprig for garnish
Method
Combine Hooten Young Rye, grapefruit juice, lime juice, honey syrup, and both bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12–15 seconds. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and a fresh mint sprig.
Pairs with: Peach & Ricotta Flatbread — the grapefruit's tartness cuts through the creamy ricotta, and the rye's spice complements the honey and thyme.
Cigar Pairing
Operation Gothic Serpent 30th Anniversary — This cigar was made to pair directly with our Rye. The Gothic Serpent's complex, layered profile was developed hand-in-hand with the spirit — a deliberate pairing that honors the mission and the men behind it.
"The best traditions aren't the ones you watch. They're the ones you build at your own table."
— Toast & Light
A Hooten Young series on the rituals worth slowing down for.
