Arizona in line for new distillery

By the end of the year, the number of Arizona cities with distilleries should double.

Of course, that's not a difficult target to reach. At the moment, Flagstaff is the only one.

However, the Kingman Airport Industrial Park -- marked in map at right -- has auctioned off a two-acre parcel of land for $130,680 to a Nevada couple who said they plan to construct a distillery there.

The sole bidder for the property was PJ Patt Investments LLC, owned by John and Deborah Patt of Boulder City, NV. Bob Riley, the Industrial Park's director of economic development, told the Kingman Daily Miner the Patts have purchased a German-manufactured still similar to the one used by the Flagstaff-based High Spirits Distillery, manufacturer of a prickly pear-flavored vodka that debuted in December 2005. (Go here for my original story on High Spirits.)

He said the Patts intend to manufacture vodkas and specialty brandies, with the potential for tourism somewhere down the line.

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Organic liqueur line makes its debut

The move to create and sell "organic" alcoholic beverages marches on.

The latest is something called Thatcher's Organic Artisan Liqueurs. They come from Dave Racicot, former marketing VP for Campari/SKYY Spirits. The eight expressions, all U.S.D.A. Certified:

• Cucumber
• Elderflower
• Apple spice ginger
• Pomegranate
• Tres chili
• Dark chocolate
• Chipotle
• Blueberry

To complete the "green" theme, the liqueurs are packaged in lightweight, recyclable glass bottles bearing labels are made from recycled materials.

So far, only vendors in California and Illinois are handling the liqueurs, which sell for about $23 a bottle.

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Brooklyn Brewery founder now wants a distillery

Brooklyn, the historic and storied New York City borough, may be home to more than beermaking if Tom Potter (right) is successful.

Potter, who helped start the Brooklyn Brewery more than two decades ago, now wants to create Brooklyn's first distillery since Prohibition. He's trying to raise $600,000 in capital to rent space in the Williamsburg, Gowanus or Red Hook neighborhoods by this summer.

The Daily News reports that the business will be called the New York Distillery Company, and that the renowned designer and artist Milton Glaser has been retained to create the visual image of the as-yet-unnamed product line.

"There's this long-term trend towards locally made beverage products. I saw it in the beer industry 20 years ago and that same movement is starting ... for distilled spirits," Potter told the Daily News.

He said he got the idea to make his own gin and whiskey after touring distilleries on the West Coast.

"I'm optimistic. These are very challenging times to try to raise money, but traditional alcohol is recession-resistant: In good times people drink, and in bad times people drink," Potter said. " ... I hope to get 10,000 cases out there within the next few years. They'll probably retail between $25 and $45 a bottle."

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Prohibition is in the p.i.n.k.

Prohibition Beverage Inc. has acquired The p.i.n.k. Spirits Company.

In 2006, p.i.n.k. released the first ultra-premium vodka infused with both caffeine and guarana, pricing it at $40 for the 750ml bottle.

It is distributed in 41 states and five countries. The p.i.n.k. Spirits Company received the Beverage Information Group's "Rising Star" Growth Brand Award in both 2008 and this year. It also was chosen as one of the "Top 50 Spirits" and one of "The 12 Most Fascinating Vodkas" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and swept the Beverage Dynamics Marketing and Promotions Awards in 2006, 2007, and 2008 by taking home 23 awards.

p.i.n.k. now also makes tequila, rum, white whiskey, sake and gin.

Prohibition Beverage Inc., a Philadelphia-based company, is focused on spirit brands that target premium market segments.

[Go here for my original story on the creation of p.i.n.k. vodka.]

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Scotch the muse for Virginia distillers

• From VirginiaBusiness.com

From the snowcapped heights of Ben Nevis to the enduring insights of poet Robert Burns, Scotland’s charms have captured the hearts of many men.

Chris Allgood is among them. A native of Yorkshire in England, he has devoted decades to sampling and learning about fine Scotch whisky. Now the seeds of that passion are bearing fruit in Nelson County, VA.

Allgood and two business partners -- Brian Gray and Joe Hungate -- are developing a distillery and barley fields on about 95 acres in a spot off U.S. 29 called Eades Hollow. Their dream is to produce a line of single-malt whiskies, but you’ll find the Eades name on “anticipation” double malts already on shelves in Virginia and six other states.

[Go here for the full story.]

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A bar, a beer and a boar

Miss that address? It's Taste for Travel.org. Just go there and scroll down to find the story.

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Beefeater 24 gets bicoastal launch

New York and San Francisco will get the honors when Pernod Ricard USA debuts its Beefeater 24 gin in the U.S.

The new gin is crafted with 12 botanicals, including a blend of teas along with extracts of grapefruit, bitter almond, orris root and Seville orange peel. It takes its name from the 24-hour steeping process.

Tim Murphy, vice president of Beefeater, said in a press statement, "The gin category continues to show momentum and offers excellent future growth opportunities, making this an ideal time for us to launch this super-premium expression."

After the bicoastal launch, Pernod Ricard plans to quickly make Beefeater 24 available nationwide.

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Astronomy can be so tasty

• From The Sun of London:

The centre of our Milky Way galaxy tastes of raspberries, say astronomers -- and smells of rum.

Scientists searching for life’s chemical building blocks found a molecule responsible for the fruit flavour. The ethyl formate also has a whiff of the Caribbean drink.

Astronomer Arnaud Belloche said: “It does happen to give raspberries their flavour -- but there are many other molecules that are needed to make space raspberries.”

The researchers had trained a 30-metre radio telescope on Sagittarius B2, a star-forming dust cloud at the heart of our galaxy.

Dr. Belloche, based in Bonn, Germany, added: “We’ve identified around 50 molecules in our survey, and two of those had not been seen before.”

He revealed the results at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science at the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield.

They follow claims, made in October last year, that space smells of fried steak and welding.

NASA astronauts reported the scents on their space suits.

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Bar Bets: Flipping an egg in a tequila glass

If you don't think an egg can be flipped in a glass without touching either the egg or the glass, guess again.

Go here to learn how to do it.

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Burnett's flavored vodka line unveils No. 19

Anyone who thinks the Burnett's Flavored Vodka portfolio of 70-proof vodkas has reached its maximum has another think coming.

The Heaven Hill Distilleries brand has introduced its 19th flavor -- Pink Lemonade.

It joins a line that already included blueberry, cherry, citrus, coconut, cranberry, espresso, grape, lime, mango, orange, peach, pomegranate, raspberry, sour apple, strawberry, sweet tea, vanilla and watermelon.

"We feel we have responded with some unique introductions like Sweet Tea and Pink Lemonade that do not necessarily conform to a standard fruit lineup," said Reid Hafer, senior brand manager.

Burnett's line includes the flagship vodka, the flavored vodkas, gin and rums.

Parent company Heaven Hill, headuqartered in Bardstown, KY, is the nation's largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world's second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon.

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Presenting, the worst in drinks

Apparently the guys at Men's Health magazine actually are interested in something other than abs -- their own and the viewing of other men's.

They've come up with a batch of lists of "worst" things to eat and drink. A very subjective list, too be sure, but they use calorie, salt and fat content statistics to back up many of their contentions.

Here's the breakdown of drinks categories:

20. Worst Light Beer
19. Worst "Healthy" Drink
18. Worst Soda
17. Worst Beer
16. Worst Lemonade
15. Worst Tea-Like Substance
14. Worst Energy Drink
13. Worst Iced Tea
12. Worst Juice Imposter
11. Worst Chocolate Milk
10. Worst Chai Tea Drink
9. Worst Kid's Hot Beverage
8. Worst Summer Cocktail
7. Worst Coffee Alternative
6. Worst Hot Coffee
5. Worst Blended Fruit Drink
4. Worst Frozen Coffee Drink
3. Worst Smoothie
2. Worst Milkshake
1. The Worst Drink in America

I can't leave you in suspense over the "worst drink." It's the Baskin-Robbins Large Heath Bar Shake. It contains 2,310 calories and 108 grams of fat (64 of them saturated). That breaks down to 66 teaspoons of sugar. You would have to eat 11 Heath Bars to equal the number of calories found in one shake.

Go here to get the magazine's take on various drink comparisons, health foods, best and worst meals at chain restaurants, and lots more on the nutrition scene.

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Rumors of vodka's death are greatly exaggerated

Too often access to a major pulpit gives people the opportunity to say really preposterous things that somehow become "conventional wisdom."

A perfect example is drinks writer Eric Felten's latest sweeping pronouncement in The Wall Street Journal. To wit:

"It's now official (and not a moment too soon):
"Vodka is passé."

Poppycock. Pish-tosh. And, patooie, say I.

I assumed when I saw his introductory sentence that Felten was going to go on with a bit of tongue-in-cheek commentary, or debunk someone else's silly comment. That was not to be the case.

He cites as proof of his statement, and the "official"-ness of it, that "Cocktails '09" -- the new edition of Food & Wine magazine's annual drinks book -- shows far fewer cocktail recipes using vodka than in the four previous editions.

Hardly empirical evidence of the passing of so large a contender from the spirits field. Indeed, the overwhelming leader in sales worldwide among clear spirits remains strong.

Thus, I suspect Mr. Felten was merely being fanciful as a way to get into a book review. Unfortunately, because of the stature of his newspaper, his comment has created quite a stir of debate in the blogosphere. In reality, vodka remains the hottest of the haute among all libations, and for many reasons.

Vodka is one of the simplest spirits to make, usually as a neutral grain spirit although one can make it with potatoes, grapes, pineapple, grasses and all other manner of organic matter. By technical definition it should be odorless, colorless and tasteless. By experience, most of us know that is not true. The many permutations of vodka provide us with notes and hints and whispers of such things as pepper, florals, cream, soft fruits and the like without anything in particular being done to it. It's just part of the chemistry -- that of the vodka interacting with that of the imbiber.

As with any market niche, there are many facets that go into being a success. With vodka it was filtration -- through charcoal, through linen, through bamboo thatches, through stainless steel mesh, through silk, through crystal and jewels -- that took out the impurities and made it more and more palatable. And then it was packaging, with some gorgeously designed decanters created especially to attract the eye of both shopkeepers, who provided shelf space, and consumers, who provided money.

Vodka passé? No, Virginia, there is no decline. There is only innovation piled upon innovation.

Just a few months ago I was presenting a workshop for the staff at the sister restaurants Yono's and DP: An American Brasserie in Albany, NY, a fairly sophisticated waitstaff that its employers feared was getting lost in the rampaging flood of new vodkas, ryes, tequilas, et al.

As part of my preparation for the workshop, I had gone back over my notes and drawn up a list of new vodkas on the market -- just the ones I'd personally written about -- in the preceding 12 months. It was startlingly long. Not just new flavors and infusions from popular brands, but such innovations as a UK "health drink" product that is an 8-proof (no typographical error -- eight proof) line of vodka-based drinks also containing water, natural flavorings and 25% fruit juice.

Most people know all about Smirnoff, Grey Goose, Stolichnaya, etc., but not nearly as much as some names added to the list in recent periods. Names that are either new to the world or at least to the U.S. market --

• Firefly
• Silver Mustang
• Blue Ice
• LiV
• Cirrus
• Ciroc
• Bak
• Belvedere IX
• Patron (nothing to do with the Patron tequila line)
• DQ
• Dragon Bleu
• Khortyts
• Double Cross
• Orze
• Czysta de Luxe
• Sobieski
• Akvinta
• Permafrost
• Ocean
• Belvedere Intense
• Alexandar
• p.i.n.k.
• Pinky
• 02
• Tyrells
• Boyd & Blair
• Cold River
• Snow Queen
• Bu-Tay
• Prairie
• CapRock
• Chinggis Khaan
• Spudka
• Sub Rosa
• Saaga 1763
• Purus
• Bee
• St. Julian
• Beauport
• 360
• Crystal Skull
• Firestarter
• Jazz
• Pshenychna
• Debowa
• Han
• Boomerang
• Blavod Black
• Natt
• Diamond Standard
• Baojing 168
• Sonnema VodkaHerb
• Kai
• Shpilka
• Christiania
• X-Rated

Need I go on?

This list doesn't even take into account literally hundreds of new flavors and other hundreds of artisinal vodkas distilled in boutique operations and extremely limited in both volume and distribution. They abound worldwide.

Vodka passé? Non. Vodka au courant!

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Wine & Spirits Wholesalers CEO to be honored

The World Association of the Alcohol Beverage Industries Inc. (WAABI) has selected the recipient of this year's UNITY Award.

Craig Wolf, president and CEO of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), will be honored at an award dinner on Monday, July 27, at the Hilton Alexandria in Old Town Alexandria, VA, part of the WAABI’s 65th anniversary Leadership Conference being held there July 25-28.

This year's conference will focus on tax threats to the industry, new tactics against drunk driving, and other matters of concern to the alcohol beverage industry.

WSWA was created just one year prior to WAABI, in 1943, and today represents 330wine and spirits wholesalers and brokers doing business in all 50 states. As CEO, Wolf manages the day to day operation of the influential trade association. WSWA supports legislation, regulation and public policies at state and federal levels to promote the responsible distribution of beverage alcohol and the prevention of underage access.

Craig joined WSWA as general counsel in 2000 and was named president in 2006. Prior to that he was counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee and Chairman Orin Hatch (R-UT). He has also served as a prosecutor at the state and federal levels.

WAABI, organized in 1944, has several thousand members in chapters nationwide.

Registration for the WAABI conference is $350, which includes several meals as well as the UNITY Dinner. Registration forms and details are available online. Other information is available from Executive Director Jill Hawkins at (513) 675-3443.

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Rare Scotches hit U.S. market

William M. Dowd photo illustration

• This is part of "Gotta Have ...", a series of occasional postings on unusual products.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine has launched a pair of oldies it hopes U.S. consumers will think are goodies.

They are Laphroaig 25 Year Old and Ardmore 30 Year Old single malt Scotch whiskies, just now hitting the domestic market. Each has a suggested retail price of $499.99 per bottle.

Says Stacey Simmons, brand manager for Laphroaig and Ardmore. “The rarity and exclusivity of [these whiskies] is perfect for those who are looking to add to their collections or simply enjoy a rewarding single malt experience.”

Laphroaig 25 Year Old has been aged in Oloroso sherry and American oak casks, and was bottled last year at 51.2% alcohol by volume (102.4 proof).

Ardmore 30 Year Old has been aged in ex-bourbon barrels and handmade quarter casks. Only 1,428 bottles, each individually numbered, are available.

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Young Scotch for a younger market

• From The Scotsman:

Traditionalists may not like it, but it's a case of young whisky galore.

Distilleries are bringing out a new range of youthful malts in a bid to attract a younger generation of drinkers.

Advances in the technology used to make whisky mean that the world-famous water of life can be matured faster and sold earlier.

Although the consensus among experts until recently has been that malts matured for less than 10 years were not of high enough quality, some distilleries are now bringing out products as young as four years.

Ardbeg distillery on Islay has already sold thousands of bottles from its range of Very Young (six years) at £28 ($42 US), Still Young (eight) at £29 ($44 US) and Almost There (nine) at £29.99 ($45 US), with names deliberately targeted at a younger audience. But some distilleries and independent bottlers, such as Glen Garioch, are bringing out versions for less than £20 ($30).

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the country's leading authority on malts, has been so impressed by some of the new products that it is considering a special tasting for members.

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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Brown-Forman, Bacardi merger possibility reported

There's no official word on the possibility, but the Sunday Telegraph today said Brown-Forman Corp has hired investment bankers to look at a possible merger with rival Bacardi.

The British newspaper said Brown-Forman had hired Lazard to advise it on options ranging from selling individual brands to a merger with Bacardi.

"Brown-Forman and Bacardi are medium-sized, family-controlled businesses that fit well together," the newspaper quoted an unnamed drinks industry insider as saying.

Brown-Forman, headquartered in Louisville, KY, has an extensive brand portfolio that includes Jack Daniel's, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist and Old Times whiskies; Finlandia vodka; Don Eduardo and Herradura tequilas; Fetzer, Sonoma-Cutrer and Michel Picard wines, and, Tuaca, Chambord and Southern Comfort liqueurs.

Bacardi Ltd., headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, has about 200 products. Among them are Bacardi rum; Bosford, Bombay and Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose and 42 Below vodka; Cazadores tequila; Noilly Pratt vermouth; Dewar's, DWilliam Lawson's, Aberfeldy, Glen Deveron and Craigallachie Scotch whiskies, and B&B and Benedictine liqueurs.

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A celebri-quote: Miley Cyrus

• Teen singer/actress Miley Cyrus ("Hannah Montana") takes Hollywood to task for its role in the increase in underage drinking. The now-16-year-old made this comment in an interview with Glamour magazine.

"At one of my very first awards shows I ever did, there was a bottle of vodka in my gift bag. ... No one cared that they were giving this to a 12-year-old."

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Fastest cocktail shaker in the world

Record-setting bartender Chris Raph, right, nears the end.

The next time someone breaks the Guinness Book of World Records mark for making the most cocktails in an hour, don't be surprised if they are immediately rushed to the hospital for carpal tunnel surgery.

Last year, Las Vegas-based Bobby Gleason, better known as Bobby G, broke the four-year-old world record held by the UK's Paul Martin by 74, whipping up 253 different drinks in 60 minutes.

Then, Matthias Knorr cracked that record in Munich, Germany, by 136, mixing 389 cocktails in an hour.

Now, even that number has been surpassed -- by 273!

The new record-holder is Chris Raph, a bartender at The Shout House -- a "dueling piano bar" in downtown Minneapolis. The 31-year-old cranked out an astonishing 662 drinks Thursday night in the presence of several hundred cheering onlookers plus Carlos Martinez, an adjudicator for Guinness who had flown in from New York for the event and examined each drink.

Most of the drinks were simple two- or three-ingredients concoctions.

I spoke with Gleason this morning to get his take on the escalating number of cocktails being authenticated by Guinness.

"Well, records are made to be broken. But, when I did it (at the 2008 Nightclub & Bar Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas) I was told each cocktail had to have at least three ingredients," the Jim Beam Brands master mixologist told me.

Gleason said he used 12 base spirits and three different DeKuyper cordials and liqueurs in his record-setting performance.

"As soon as I had combined all the base spirits with a DeKuyper product, I switched to another one and started all over again. You just have to keep it organized and stay focused."

[Go here for a YouTube video of Raph's record-breaking performance.]

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There's something intoxicating in the air

If you happen to find yourself in London between now and April 25, you can get the effects of a good stiff drink while being able to honestly say you didn't have a drop.

What's the gimmick? It's a temporary bar dubbed Alcoholic Architecture. It is offering a cloud of breathable gin and tonic to its patrons for about $7 an hour.

The "bar" creates an intoxicating vapor using an ultrasonic humidifier system. Patrons put on protective suits and "drink" in the air.

The cocktail mist is made using gin, tonic water and the same technology as Anthony Gormley’s Blind Light at the Hayward Gallery. The interior of the bar is decorated to look like the inside of a cocktail with giant limes and straws.

Harry Parr, partner of Bompas & Parr which created the bar, told the media, "I’m interested in states of matter. Here we’ve vaporised a cocktail. In the future I would like to make a liquid banqueting table.

"In the 1905 Gondola Banquet the Savoy Hotel was flooded and the meal was eaten on a floating gondola surrounded by live swans with dessert presented on the back of a baby elephant. That would be the ultimate meal."

Alcoholic Architecture is open today through April 18th and 23-25 at 2 Ganton Street, Newburgh Quarter, London, W1F 7QL.

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JD Single Barrel gets redesign

If you see a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey that doesn't look quite the way you remember it, don't be surprised.

A new bottle design has been introduced and will hit the domestic market in May.

“The updated package reflects the brand’s ultra premium nature while recognizing the authenticity and masculinity of Jack Daniel’s,” said Mark Grindstaff, Jack Daniel’s US Brand Marketing Director. “The bottle design improves visibility, making it easier to see on the shelf and behind the bar, and better communicates the status of the brand. We believe it will attract a sophisticated, discerning consumer.”

Each bottle is hand-labeled with its rick, barrel number and individual bottling date -- signifying the distinct taste profile of the whiskey from a single barrel. The bottle has a thick glass base and wide shoulders, giving it a “cut crystal” appearance.

The redesigned label has a black background with gold font. A raised, scripted signature of Jack Daniel is blown into the glass and appears across the front, bleeding onto the side of the bottle. The bottle retains the fluting around the neck and wood cork stopper. A coin is encased in the top of each wooden stopper.

Inside, the whiskey remains a 94-proof single barrel Tennessee Whiskey. It first came on the market in February 1997.

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Campus drinking program under way

The International Institute for Alcohol Awareness (IIAA) today launched Be WISE, a program aimed at curbing underage and problem drinking on college and university campuses.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc. is funding the program. It involves all members of the college community in a collective effort to tackle the unique challenges of alcohol abuse in their communities, according to a statement released by the program founder.

The program calls on university administration officials, faculty, parents, students, retailers and law enforcement to mobilize together to eliminate underage and problem drinking.

The statement went on to say, "Be WISE provides relevant, action-oriented, evidence-based tools for each member of the community in addressing alcohol abuse. IIAA conducted extensive research on programs that have been effective in college communities, culminating in the launch of a best practices toolkit and Web site."

The University of Louisville is the first to officially implement Be WISE. The program launched today at an educational summit held in Frankfort, KY, along with 19 Kentucky colleges and universities. The summit was facilitated by IIAA, Beam Global Spirits & Wine and the Kentucky Network for Collegiate Substance Abuse Prevention. Its agenda was to address how colleges and universities can work together in finding the best solutions to address alcohol abuse. Policymakers, public health experts and college and university representatives participated in the conference.

“Community-based solutions are essential if we are to successfully address underage and problem drinking on campus,” said Jim Copple, IIAA president. “It is only through integrated and innovative partnerships like Be WISE that communities, law enforcement officials, public health experts, parents, students and retailers can work in partnership to achieve a safer environment.”

“While we sometimes find ourselves on the opposite side of issues with alcohol companies, we found a willing partner in the fight against underage drinking in Beam Global,” Copple said. “Strategic partnerships are essential if we are to make headway in the battle to prevent underage drinking. Deciding to partner with Beam Global was easy based on the company’s track record in developing innovative ways to address issues such as drunk driving and setting the strictest standards on the placement of alcohol advertising.”

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Mexican spirits competition set

The word is out from the Polished Palate company. Its 3rd annual Spirits of Mexico Tasting Competition will take place in San Diego on September 10 and 11.

"While there are other judging platforms," says Polished Palate owner Dori Bryant, this event "is the first and only such recognized competition for agave spirits in the United States."

The first Polished Palate competition drew 61 brands for judging. Last year's drew 70.

Once again, Jack Robertiello and Robert Plotkin will serve as competition co-hosts. Robertiello, editor of Drinks Inc., just hosted the Polished Palate International Rum Tasting Competition in Tampa, FL. Plotkin is the founder of BarMedia, a publishing company producing texts and training manuals. He has written 15 books on beverage management and mixology.

[Go here for the report on last year's competition.]

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A good guide to good rums

Robert A. Burr has made a nice living telling people what's available and where to get it, whether it's in the world of Coral Gables, FL, social events, diving in various hotspots or -- the one that most interests me -- the world of rum.

Burr and his wife, Robin, have been creating guides for some years. Now, joined by son Robert V., they have one of the best guides to rum I've seen on the market.

It is cleverly named "Robert Burr's Rum Guide" so if son overthrows father's business empire he doesn't have to re-name the guide.

The 50-page glossy pamphlet contains plenty of advertising, but it also offers an introduction by noted rum expert Ed Hamilton as well as recipes for about a dozen classic rum cocktails and thumbnail descriptions of their origin, several illustrated feature stories and, perhaps best of all, capsule descriptions of a whole host of rums by category:

• White or clear rum
• Gold or pale rum
• Dark or black rum
• Premium aged rum
• Cachaça
• Flavored, spiced rums and liqueurs

And, says the elder Burr, "We're updating it twice a year to include more rums and tasting notes."

This is an excellent pocket guide for the beginner and the experienced rum appreciator alike. And, for a mere $2, it also is a bargain buy.

To contact the Burrs at their Gifted Rums site about ordering the guides, call (305) 443-7973 or e-mail Robert V. at rvb@giftedrums.com.

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Moonshine legend ends it all in jail

The death of Marvin “Popcorn” Sutton, a nationally-known moonshiner, is being labelled a suicide.

Sutton, 61, built a three-decade reputation as one of the South’s top makers of illegal whiskey. He was the subject of several documentaries and wrote an autobiography titled “Me and My Likker.”

He had been incarcerated in Cooke County, TN, and briefly released while awaiting his transfer to a federal prison to serve an 18-month sentence for illegally making whiskey and possessing a firearm as a felon, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

[Go here for my original report on Sutton's legal woes.]

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Ciao, y'all, Campari's here

A Kentucky icon has been purchased by Italy's Gruppo Campari for an estimated $575 million in cash.

Gruppo Campari has signed an agreement to acquire Pernod Ricard's bourbon whiskey brand Wild Turkey, which includes the Wild Turkey brands, American Honey liqueur, distillery facilities in Kentucky and the aged liquid and finished product inventory. The transaction is subject to antitrust approvals, is expected to close prior to June 30, 2009 and the consideration will be paid for in cash.

Campari now has more than $1.1 billion invested in U.S. assets. It purchased SKYY Vodka in 2002 and both Cabo Wabo and X-Rated in 2007.

Bob Kunze-Concewitz, Gruppo Campari's CEO, said in a statement, said: "With Wild Turkey, Campari adds a brand of strategic relevance to its portfolio and further enhances its premium offering. This acquisition is another key step in the building of a leading player in the global spirits industry. In addition, Campari expands its presence in key international markets such as Australia, where the acquisition provides the foundation for establishing its own distribution platform, and Japan."

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Vodka 'health drink' unveiled in UK

Forget all those electrolyte- and vitamin-laced health drinks. England's Pure Food and Beverage Company Ltd. has unveiled a line of vodka-based drink it says is for health-conscious guests frequenting high-end bars and clubs in the UK.

What the drinks have is vodka, water, natural flavorings and 25% fruit juice in three bottled varieties -- mango and passion fruit, pomegranate and blueberry and vina grape and lime, all with just 4% alcohol by volume (8 proof).

What they don't have is preservatives, artificial ingredients, stabilizers or sweeteners.

Emily Bellusci, managing director for Infusion Drinks, said: “ ... This premium product identifies and caters for consumers leading a cosmopolitan, modern and contemporary lifestyle. People want to feel good when they are out and about. With this in mind, we created Infusion drinks to fit in with this trendy and chic standard of living.”

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Mmmm, peel-and-lick vodka samples

Scratch-and-sniff. Pour-and-chug. Oh, the many combinations.

How about peel-and-lick vodka samples?

That's the latest gimmick in introducing new spirits flavors, in this case Finlandia Tangerine Fusion, perhaps as a way to make up competitive ground on the recent launch of Absolut Mango Vodka.

The only hook is that the flavored Finlandia will not be available until May and then only in duty free shops at first. Finlandia's line of fruit-flavored vodkas already includes lime, mango and grapefruit.

The peel-and-lick sample resembles a mouthwash tab. It actually contains no alcohol. The marketing gimmick comes from First Flavor which has signed such companies as Campbell's, Welch's and Skyy as clients.

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Kosher drinks are on the rise

• From the Los Angeles Times

How about a margarita with that matzo ball?

Until recently, syrupy sweet wine was a staple of the Passover Seder, the ritual meal that celebrates the liberation of the ancient Israelites from slavery in Egypt. But now Jews who observe the stringent food restrictions of the holiday have climbed a culinary Mount Sinai to find more kosher alcoholic choices than ever before, including a premium vodka, a $200 Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon from the famous To Kalon vineyard in Napa Valley, and even specially prepared pure agave tequila from Mexico.

The offerings are part of what "Kosher by Design" cookbook author and food maven Susie Fishbein calls a "renaissance" in kosher foods and drinks in America.

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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Introducing world's peatiest whisky

Now, here's a claim you don't hear very often: World's peatiest whisky.

That's the claim for Octomore, a limited expression from the the Bruichladdich distillery on Islay, which also produces the world's strongest single malt Scotch whisky ever made, at 90% alcohol by volume (180 proof).

Octomore is distilled from barley peated to 131 parts per million, which makes it three times peatier than any other whisky ever produced.

The folks at Bruichladdich (pronounced brook-laddie) call Octomore "an iron fist in a velvet glove."

Only 6,000 numbered bottles were produced at natural cask strength of 63.5% ABV (127 proof). It is delivered in a matte black bottle and container sleeve to match.

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Tales of the Cocktail will feature DeVito

For a guy who made the tabloids by appearing on TV's "The View" a couple of years ago apparently tipsy from too many limoncellos, actor/producer Danny DeVito has been making the most of an opportunity.

The New Jersey native, who first came to national acclaim in the TV series "Taxi," has been the frontman for Danny DeVito's Premium Limoncello, a liqueur made from the zest of organic lemons from Sorrento, Italy, as well as sugar, water and alcohol to create a 60-proof drink.

Now, he's been announced as a featured attendee for the 7th annual Tales of the Cocktail, the cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans that is set for July 8-12 this year.

The event will feature more than 100 events, including such things as a Seven Deadly Sins theme party, On the Fly Bartender competition, USBG Caipirinha Competition, Spirited lunch on Moonshine, The Great Whisk(e)y debate, and the Tales of the Cocktail Spirit Awards. Dinner pairings, cocktail parties, tastings and demonstrations fill the schedule.

DeVito, by the way, will be back on the FX channel's "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" this season.

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Artist-jockey designs Woodford derby bottle

Woodford Reserve comes up with a new design each year for its commemorative Kentucky Derby bottle. This year, the small-batch bourbon has utilized the artwork of retired jockey Tom Chapman.

“Much as we try, it’s impossible to express in words the intensity of racing from a jockey’s perspective,” Chapman said.

“My goal is to capture it with a paint brush and canvas, often using unique angles and vibrant colors to set the tone. But no painting can truly capture the vibrancy and intensity of the Kentucky Derby.”

The image depicts the mood of the Derby as two jockeys in brightly-colored silks concentrate on the race, with the historic Twin Spires of Louisville’s Churchill Downs racetrack in the background. Chapman’s signature adorns the neck band of the bottle, and an attached tag bears information about the artist and product.

The limited edition liter-size bottle of 90.4-proof bourbon will be available later this month nationwide.

Chapman won more than 2,500 races and rode in the Kentucky Derby. He paints in oils, varying from realism to impressionism, and his work is represented in galleries and racetracks across the country.

Woodford Reserve Bourbon is the “Official Bourbon of Kentucky Derby 135” and has served as the official bourbon for the past 11 years.

It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 2, and has become one of thoroughbred racing’s premier events.

Woodford Reserve is produced in Versailles, KY, by Brown-Forman Corp.


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A bar, a beer and a boar

William M. Dowd photos

IN THE RAIN FOREST, St. Croix -- As rain forests go, this isn't much of one.

We're bumping along a rutted one-lane road, or what passes for one on an island with no particularly good roads of any kind and a lot of deserted shells of buildings. Typical of the other face of the Caribbean, the one the tourists aren't meant to see. The rundown homes, peeling paint, piles of rusted-out barrels and other metal debris; the scrawny goats and chickens that meander about, poking into corners for something to eat, and competing for walking space along the roads with uniformed school children looking bright-eyed despite the obvious poverty.

We'd been put on the trail of a particular drink called a "Mama Juana," apparently something very special on this American Virgin Island. Go into the rain forest, we'd been told. Look for The Domino Club. That's where you'll find it. And look for the beer-swilling pigs while you're at it.

The 15-acre western part of the island is dotted with all sorts of trees -- kapok, mahogany, turpentine -- as well as scraggly vines and ferns. The occasional banana quit, hummingbird or yellow warbler darts through the thick vegetation.

This spot north of the capital city of Frederiksted is privately owned, although no one stops the public from wandering through it, especially on a variety of narrow trails that snake through the underbrush.

Just when it seems we might have taken a wrong turn, suddenly we are there.

Our driver pulls off the tight road and our little group scrambles out, anxious for a Mama Juana or two. But first, we have to visit the wild, beer-swilling pigs.

A couple of accuracy alerts. For one, according to the strictest botanical definition, this isn't technically a rain forest, we're told, although no one seems to be able to supply that definition. For another, the pigs we were there to visit actually are boars. And for a third, we are told these particular boars are domesticated and have inherited their jobs from a previous generation of once-wild ones that drank real beer. The current creatures drink only O'Doul's non-alcoholic brew, a nod to animal rights groups.

Jacqueline, a stout, blonde-haired woman of indeterminate age, lines us up in front of the high-walled enclosure where she says the pigs live.

"Here's the drill," she says, mustering up all the charm of a Marine drill instructor. "Three dollars each for admission, a dollar a can for the beer, an extra five dollars if you want to shoot any video. Now, how many of you are coming in?"

We dutifully pay our money, then walk through the doorway, immediately spotting a pair of boars behind cement pen walls. They'd just stepped in from their larger outside pen. They are thirsty and bang against the walls.

"Don't let their tusks scare you," Jacqueline says. "Their teeth don't start till way back in their mouth, so you can place a can of beer in their mouth and they'll bite down on it without hurting you."

Several timid feints and the first of our group successfully "feeds" a beer to a boar. It clamps its powerful jaws on the can, crushing it and releasing the foaming brew. He guzzles the beer, spits out the can and looks around for more. His penmate does the same.

The process goes smoothly through most of two six-packs, until one of our group gets a little sloppy, or one of the boars does. A crushed can explodes its contents onto our companion's shirt front, soaking him to the skin. That's the end of the boar fest, and we head across a small clearing to the Mount Pellier Hut of The Domino Club.

We commandeer a rickety table in the thatched three-room hut. The place is dominated by a long bar in a dark part of the structure peopled by a couple who look as if they've been seated there for a very long time. Jacqueline, it turns out, also is the head bartender and in charge of the only other obvious employee.

The Domino Club is a structure that looks as if, in case a shot is fired and the authorities are called, it can be packed away and disappear in seven minutes flat.

We order Mama Juanas, then think to ask what is in the drink. Rum, honey and herbs, we're told. What kind of rum? What kinds of herbs? Just herbs, is the answer. Special herbs. And, don't chug the shots, Jacqueline warns.

We hoist, toast and -- despite the instructions -- chug. God almighty. This is vile stuff, is my first thought. I'll never need cough medicine again, is my second. The potion should be called Mama-don't-wanna.

Our driver is getting impatient. We don't mind, clambering back into the van and rattling off into what's left of this not-quite-a-rainforest, curiosity quenched, even if our thirst isn't. But, there is a nice bar back at the hotel that serves any kind of cocktail you can think of.

Aah, civilization.



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Margarita-in-a-Box coming in May

Sauza Tequila has unveiled Margarita-in-a-Box, the first boxed margarita cocktail made with real tequila.

The blend of lime juice, Sauza Blanco Tequila, triple sec and margarita mix will be sold in containers the company says will keep it fresh for up to six weeks after opening when refrigerated.

The new product will be available beginning in May in a 1.75 litre size, at 19.9 proof for a suggested retail price of $17.99.

Sauza is the No. 2 premium tequila in the world, behind Jose Cuervo. It is owned by Beam Global Spirits & Wine.

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Indiana mulls doubling alcohol tax

The Indiana State Legislature is considering doubling the excise tax on alcohol.

If the proposal passes and becomes law, it would make the state's tax rate 34% higher than the national average.

As is the case in numerous other states considering, or already implementing, increased taxes on alcoholic beverages, the idea is to help the state bring in more revenue to offset shortages in the current economic malaise.

Opponents of the increase say it would result in a loss of jobs in the hospitality industry.

Ben Jenkins, communications director for the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) said, “A tax on alcohol is a tax on the entire hospitality industry. It's already struggling. It will affect businesses and there will be job cuts.”

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SF World Spirits awards run gamut

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is a major event that each year gives numerous distillers a chance to get bragging rights for a year's worth of sales pushes.

This year, more than 450 distillers and importers submitted spirits from 21 countries.

The "Best in Show" awards:

• Distillery of the Year: The Glenlivet Distillery, Banffshire, Scotland
• Importer of the Year: Beam Global Spirits & Wine
• White: Linie Aquavit, Norway, $25
• Brown: Parker's Heritage Collection Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Kentucky, $$200
• Brandy: Père Magloire Calvados XO, Normandy, France, $75
• Liqueur: Coole Swan Cream Liqueur, Ireland, $30
• Platinum Award: Marquis de Montesquiou 1906 Vintage Armagnac, Eauze, France, $6,917
• Platinum Award: Marquis de Montesquiou Vintage Armagnac, Cuvee Pierre deMontesquiou Comte d'Artagnan, Eauze, France, $2,516

The Best In Category Awards:

• Vodka: Dry Fly Vodka, Washington, US, $30
• Flavored Vodka: Binboa Satsuma Vodka, Turkey, $19
• Gin: Bluecoat Gin, Philadelphia, $26
• Rum: Angostura Rum, 1824, Tobago, Trinidad
• Cachaça: Weber Haus Silver Cachaça, Brazil, $40
• Tequila: El Tesoro Platinum Tequila, Mexico, $38
• Reposado Tequila: Blue Head Tequila Reposado Tequila, Mexico, $40
• Añejo Tequila: Sol de Mexico Añejo Tequila, Mexico, $55
• Extra Añejo Tequila: Casa Noble Añejo Tequila, Single Barrel, Mexico, $105
• Flavored Tequila: Gran Centenario Rosangel Tequila, Hibiscus Infused, Mexico, $37
• Mescal: Los Osuna Reposado Mescal, Mexico, $38
• Rye: Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve Rye, Kentucky, $30
• Irish Whiskey: Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Ireland, $40
• Other Whiskey: Suntory Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky, 18 Year Old, Japan, $100
• Blended Scotch: Buchanan's Special Reserve 18 Year Old Scotch, Scotland, $32
• Single Malt Scotch: Port Ellen 29 Year Old Single Malt Scotch, Islay, Scotland, $400
• Cognac: (Tie) Courvoisier Cognac, Exclusif, Jarnac, France, $50; Hardy CognacNoces D'Or, D'Albatre / Rosebud, Cognac, France, $1,800
• Armagnac: Marquis de Montesquiou Cuvée Louis I Vintage Armagnac, Eauze, France, $755
• Pisco: Estirpe Pervana Pisco, Gran Amauta de Acholado, Ica, Peru, $23
• Fruit Liqueur: Leopold Bros. New England Cranberry Liqueur, US, $35

[Go here for results by medal and brand.]

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Peruvian rum takes world competition's top honor

William M. Dowd photo

YBOR CITY, FL -- A Peruvian rum can claim the title of world's best for the next year after winning the best-in-show award at the 4th annual Polished Palate International Rum Competition held in this historic Tampa neighborhood.

Ron Millonario Solera 15 Reserva Especial received a score of 90 or better from each of the judges to win the first-ever designation.

Dori Bryant, president of The Polished Palate, which organizes a variety of spirits competitions and events, said, “It is obvious that rum’s star has already risen. The amazing quality and the significant number of new producers joining the competition including those from Peru, Mexico, Africa, Panama and the U.S. bodes well for the industry. This year’s events were a great success, and I look forward to 2010.”

The competition, held March 26-27 at the historic Ritz complex, featured an international panel of judges who sampled, evaluated and compared 53 (51 of them sugar cane based) of the finest rums, rhums and other spirits to select this year’s honor roll.

The competition was part of the three-day International Rum Festival that included a variety of public events, podcasts, seminars and live entertainment venues. A silent auction benefitted The Sky Ranch Foundation, which has been helping troubled teens for 40 years.

The judging panel was headed by Jack Robertiello, wine and spirits writer and consultant with Drinks Ink of New York; yours truly, representing Dowd On Drinks of Troy, NY; Rick Crossland, recently retired senior vice president of the Bahama Breeze Restaurants chain; Terry Jones, vice president of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits of Florida; Ian Williams, author and correspondent, representing Rum Pundit.com, from Roscoe, NY; Arturo Sighinolfi, director of mixology and education, Southern Wine & Spirits, Florida; Chris Sherman, food critic, Florida Trend magazine, and Delon Cunningham, owner of Carrollwood Fine Wine & Spirits, Tampa.

This year’s event featured 12 categories. The medalists (bold type denotes "Best of Category." Not all categories received such an award):

• WHITE RUM

Gold: Carta Vieja Extra Claro Rum (Panama)
New Grove Plantation Rum (Mauritius)

Silver: Diplomatico White Rum (Venezuela)
Sunset Light Rum (St. Vincent & The Grenadines)

Bronze: Bacardi Superior (Puerto Rico)
Maui Platinum (Hawaii)
Sergeant Classick Silver Rum (California)
Tommy Bahama White Sand (Barbados)

• DARK RUM

Gold: Khukri Rum (Nepal)
Maui Dark (Hawaii)

Silver: One Barrel Rum (Belize)
Tommy Bahama Golden Sun (Barbados)

Bronze: Rogue Dark Rum (Oregon)

• GOLD RUM

Gold: Sunset Captain Bligh Rum (St. Vincent & The Grenadines)

Silver: Bacardi Gold (Puerto Rico)
Sergeant Classick Gold Rum (California)

Bronze: Carta Viejo Claro (Panama)
The Old Mill Gold Rum (US Virgin Islands)

• RUM AGED UP TO 8 YEARS

Gold: Ron Peruano 8 Year Old (Peru)
Diplomatico Reserva (Venezuela)
Ron Barcelo Grand Anejo (Dominican Republic)

Silver: Bacardi Select (Puerto Rico)
Carta Viejo Anejo (Panama)
Mount Gay Eclipse (Barbados)
Prichard’s Private Stock (Tennessee)
Ron Barcelo Imperial (Dominican Republic)
Ron Botran 8 Year Old (Guatemala)
Ron Medellín 3 Year Old (Colombia)
Ron Viejo de Caldas 3 Year Old (Colombia)
Ron Viejo de Caldas 8 Year Old (Colombia)

Bronze: Ron Barcelo Anejo (Dominican Republic)
Ron Medellín 8 Year Old (Colombia)

• RUM AGED 9-15 YEARS

Gold: Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum (Venezuela)
Mount Gay Extra Old (Bahamas)
Ron Botran 12 Year Old (Guatemala)

Silver: Ron Medellín 12 Year Old (Colombia)

• RUM AGED 15+ YEARS

Gold: Ron Millonario Solera 15 Reserva Especial (Peru) BEST IN SHOW

• OVERPROOOF RUM

Gold: Braddah Kimo’s Extreme 155 Rum (Hawaii)

Bronze: Sunset Very Strong (St. Vincent & The Grenadines)

• AGUADIENTE

Gold: Antioqueno (Colombia)

Silver: Cristal (Colombia)

• FLAVORED RUM

Gold: Prichard’s Key Lime (Tennessee)

Silver: New Grove Orange Bliss (Mauritius)

Bronze: New Grove Lime (Mauritius)

• RUM LIQUEURS

Gold: Mauricia Tamarind Liqueur (Mauritius)

Silver: Empire Limonela (Florida)

Bronze: Empire Lemonela (Florida)

• SPICED RUM

Gold: None

Silver: Kilo Kai Spiced Rum (Curacao, Netherland Antilles)

Bronze: Horne Spiced Rum (US Virgin Islands)
Rogue Hazelnut Spice Rum (Oregon)

• OTHER SPIRITS

Gold: Ocucaje Pisco (Peru)
T&W Grappa Di Muscatto (Florida)

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What will they think of next? (April edition)

This month I'm looking at cocktails and punches that can be served up to large gatherings, something we'll need as we finally head into the warm months when we tend to host more cookouts and other such parties.

• CHENNAI SUPER KINGS

When it comes to punches, you have to have something from India, where the concoction originated. ("Punch" comes from the Indian word for five, thus five ingredients are needed.) This recipe is named for a cricket team in the Indian Premier League. It comes from the Leela Kempinski resort hotel.

2 parts light rum
1 part dark rum
1 part Galliano
Dash of lime juice
Orange juice to top up

Squeeze the lime juice into a shaker with ice. Add remaining ingredients and shake well. Strain into a goblet with some crushed ice, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

• FISH HOUSE PUNCH

The origin, if not the name, of this concoction dates to as early as 1732. It is the official drink of what purports to be the oldest club in America, the Schuylkill Fishing Company, founded by Philadelphians with a love of fishing.

2 parts dark Jamaica rum
1 part cognac
½ part peach-flavored brandy
1 part fresh lemon juice
1 to 1½ parts (to taste) simple syrup
2 parts (more or less, to taste) water

Stir with ice and serve in a punch cup. If you make it in bulk, do so in a sizable punchbowl with a large block of ice. You may decorate the punch with thin slices of lemon.

• THE PAINKILLER

This luscious concoction comes, via the pages of Wine Enthusiast, from the island of Jost Van Dyke, in the British Virgin Islands. It was dreamed up at the Soggy Dollar Bar. It also is popular on tourist-rich Tortola -- using the locally-made Pusser's Rum, especially during the 4-6 p.m. happy hour at the Bananakeet Café.

2 ounces Pusser's dark rum
1 ounce cream of coconut
4 ounces pineapple juice
1 oounce orange juice

Blend rum with juices and coconut and serve over the rocks. Top with freshly grated nutmeg.

[Go here for my archive of monthly cocktail recipe collections.]

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