Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 12 cup tube or Bundt pan.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the butter for toasting the pecans. Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet or even a saucepan over medium-low heat until the milk solids on the bottom are a dark chocolate brown and the butter smells nutty. Be careful not to get it to the burned stage. It can go from browned to burned quickly. So, keep an eye on the butter. It is better if it takes it’s time and not brown too quickly.

Let cool briefly and then transfer all of the butter to a shallow bowl and place in the freezer to cool until just congealed. (You want the butter to be somewhat solid for creaming with the sugar.) do not clean the skillet.

With the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the pecans. Toast them over medium heat until the pecans are fragrant and toasted. Nuts burn easily, so don’t walk away.

When the nuts are toasted set-aside, spread out the rest on a plate or tray to cool. Reserve 1/2 a cup for the topping.

Combine flour, salt, and soda in a small bowl and set aside.

Cream the chilled butter, sugar, brown sugar and the bourbon for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. The point here is to melt the sugar crystals into the butter.

Add the sour cream and beat well.

Add with the eggs one at a time alternately with ½ cups scoops of flour, beating after each addition. Ending with the final egg.

Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla, beat well to combine.

With a spatula, fold in the toasted pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan against the counter to get rid of any big bubbles and place it into the preheated oven. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes and invert onto a rack to cool completely.