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This is the logo for Examiner.com, a multi-topic Web site created by the same company that started the free-distribution Examiner newspapers in major U.S. cities.

I've been signed as the Web site's National Drinks Columnist, and I'm inviting you to join me here as well as on this site, for all the latest in beverage news and views -- spirits, wine, brews, non-alcoholic drinks.

(Bonus for those of you interested in the Upstate New York restaurant scene: I'm also Examiner.com's columnist for that topic. You can find it here.

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New MA tax hike should aid NH

• Analysis excerpted from Boston.com (and edited to clean up some very sloppy writing in the original)

Yesterday, with significant fanfare and reporters present, Governor Patrick signed into law a stimulus bill for the New Hampshire Retailers Association and e-commerce Web sites.

By increasing the Massachusetts sales tax by 25%, both Mr. Patrick and the legislature have enacted the equivalent of the Northern Massachusetts Uncompetitive Act. This ensures that those retail vacancies, that are already abundant, will continue to rise (consequently local real estate rolls and real estate tax revenues will decline).

Fortunately, New Hampshire retailers and Amazon.com will continue to thrive under this legislation. Unfortunate as it is for Massachusetts retailers, consumers will search out these lower taxed havens. No need to send jobs to China when we can send them right over the border to New Hampshire.

Let’s look at some of the tax increases and other highlights of the bill ... :

Sales tax on alcohol: Alcohol purchased from liquor stores has historically not been subject to the sales tax, as the state already imposes a hefty excise tax on these purchases. For instance, a 1.75 liter of distilled spirits already has approximately $2 of state excise tax.

A $25 purchase of spirits will now increase the states take on the sale by a whopping 78%, to $3.56. The state now is charging sales tax on the $2 of excise tax that they already charge.

In the eyes of Mr. Patrick and the legislature, double taxation is twice as good as single taxation. This increase will generate $79 million of additional taxes to the state and cost the average family some $30 annually. We can only guess the cost to the local liquor store owners and their employees. ...

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Knob Creek not the only place to run dry

By now, most whiskey drinkers have heard about the Knob Creek bourbon shortage. A lesser-known, but regionally very popular, whiskey made in Iowa is having the same problem but with a dimmer spotlight.

As the Des Moines Register reports:

"Ask Brian Duax about Iowa's best-known, least-available whiskey, and one of the first phrases to spout from his lips is 'a pain in the ass.'

"Duax, co-owner of Central City Liquors in Des Moines, said he gets an average of 30 to 35 phone calls a day inquiring about Templeton Rye, a three-year-old whiskey brand made from a Prohibition-era recipe developed by moonshining Iowa farmers. The calls come from regular retail customers and from the roughly 300 bars and restaurants that Central City supplies through its wholesale license.

"Duax's answer for most of this year has been the same: No, he doesn't have any. Nor, usually, do Duax's competitors. For some, that's starting to get annoying."

[Go here for the full story.]

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Mmmm, birch sap vodka and wine

• From Farm Focus of Atlantic Canada

As the cork is removed, hints of fruit are released, and once it's poured into a wine glass and lifted to one's lips, a semi-sweet taste with apple hints are followed.

That's according to the description for Lady of the Woods, a birch sap wine.

Craig Lewis, the brainchild behind the idea and the company Sap World, said he came up with the concept after reading an article about birch sap and its markets.

"When I read that article, something clicked," he said. "I did a bunch of research, invested $10,000, and on Baie Verte highway (Newfoundland) we ended up tapping 191 trees.

"(We) collected 500 gallons, took that to Rodrigues Winery and they produced 172 cases. We had that on the market and we sold that in three months."

[Go here for the full story.]

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Craft distillers hope thay can go home again

Local boys make good. But, it took some perseverance.

Nashville natives Darek Bell and Andrew Webber, natives of Nashville, TN, at one time wanted to start a micro-distillery called Corsair Artisan in their hometown. Trouble was, distilling was not permitted in Davidson County, or in much of the state, for that matter. So, they opened for business in Bowling Green, KY.

However, if Gov. Phil Bredesen signs into law a bill passed on June 18 by the state legislature alowing distilling in Davidson County, the Corsair boys are ready to open a second distillery.

“We started two years ago with the intention of being a Nashville venture,” Bell said. “This is our hometown. We want to let the community visit and see what we’re doing as craft distillers.”

Since launching in late 2008, Corsair has produced several unaged spirits -- gin, red absinthe, spiced rum, and vanilla bean vodka – as well as bourbon and a rye whiskey. Their gin won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, getting them off to a flying start.

The partners intend to use a Nashville distillery to increase production of Corsair’s unaged spirits and to make experimental whiskeys. Their Kentucky distillery would then be dedicated to bourbon production.

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Tie at the top in 1st NY Spirits Awards

The inaugural New York Spirits Awards were announced today. More than 250 brands from around the world were entered in the competition, held at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

In a finish unlike virtually any other spirits competition I'm aware of, two entries tied for "best in show":

• Bache-Gabrielsen Hors d’Age Cognac
• Tequila Corrido Extra Anejo

The judging panel, led by Jack Robertiello of Drinks Ink, was composed of members of the on- and off-sale community. In a blind tasting, the judges scored each brand on a 100-point system. The NYSA awarded honors at three levels. "Best of Show" was given to the brand, or in this case brands, with the highest score. The "FDR Award," named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt who was credited with the repeal of Prohibition, was awarded to the highest scoring brand in each category. And the "Best of Class" honor was given to the top scoring 20% of brands in each category.

The New York Spirits Awards was founded in 2009 by two industry veterans, Dori Bryant, President of the Polished Palate, and Adam Levy, a spirits writer. It is dedicated to finding and honoring the very best of class in the spirits industry.

FDR Awards were given to:

• Tequila Corrido Extra Anejo (agave spirits)
• Tequila Lunazul Blanco (agave Spirits, tequila blanco)
• Tequila Lunazul Reposado (agave spirits, tequila reposado)
• Bache-Gabrielsen Hors d’Age Cognac (brandy/cognac)
• Bluecoat American Dry Gin (gin)
• St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur (liqueurs)
• Mathilde Pear Liqueur (liqueurs, fruit)
• Cruzan Black Strap Rum (rum)
• Fair Trade Vodka (vodka, unflavored)
• Firefly Peach Tea Flavored Vodka (vodka, flavored)
• Stolichnaya Vodka (vodka, wheat)
• Knappogue Castle Irish Single Malt Whiskey (whiskies, all)
• Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (whisky, single malt)

The Best of Class awards, by category in alphabetical order:

• Agave Spirits: Tequila 3 Amigos Blanco Certified Organic, Tequila El Grado Blanco, Tequila Galindo Anejo, Tequila Gran Centenario Rosangel, Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol Plata, Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Extra Anejo, Tequila Lunazul Blanco, Tequila Lunazul Reposado, Metl 2012 Reserva Especial Mezcal.
• Agave Spirits, Tequila Blanco: Tequila 3 Amigos Blanco Certified Organic, Tequila El Grado Blanco, Tequila Mejor Blanco.
• Agave Spirits, Tequila Reposado: Tequila La Certeza Reposado, Tequila Mejor Reposado.
• Brandy/Cognac: Bache-Gabrielsen Classic XO Cognac, Camus Borderies XO Cognac, Camus Seraphin XO Cognac, Pierre Ferrand-Selection Des Anges, Pisco Gran Sierpe.
• Gin: Monopolowa Vienna Dry Gin, Seneca Drums Gin.
• Liqueurs: Artemisia Absinthe, Bottega Sambuca Liqueur, Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur, Drambuie Liqueur, Nature’s Own Juggernaut Liqueur, Navan Liqueur, Zwack Liqueur.
• Liqueurs/Fruit: Grand Marnier Liqueur, Limonce Liqueur.
• Rum: Bacardi 8 Rum, Bacardi Reserva Limitada Rum, Bacardi Select Rum, Beija Cachaca, Don Q Grand Anejo Puerto Rican Rum, Sergeant Classick Gold Hawaiian Rum, Sunset Captain Bligh Golden Rum, Vizcaya VXOP Rum.
• Vodka, Unflavored: Core Vodka, LiV Vodka, Sonnema Vodka Herb, Stawski Potato Vodka, U4RIK Vodka, Vintner’s Vodka.
• Vodka, Flavored: Firefly Lemon Tea Flavored Vodka, Kai Lychee Vodka, Me Oko Strawberry Vodka.
• Vodka, Wheat: Stolichnaya Elit, Taxi French Vodka.
• Whiskies, All: Ardbeg Ungeidal Single Malt Whisky, The Balvenie 21 Year Old Portwood Single Malt, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Connemara Cask Strength Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Single Barrel Bourbon, George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Glennfiddich 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, The Glenlivet 18 Year Old, The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select.
• Whiskies, Single Malt: The Balvenie 21 Year Old Portwood, Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, The Glenlivet 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky.

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Timberlake's tequila hits his home state

Entertainer Justin Timberlake's much-hyped 901 Silver Tequila is continuing its nationwide rollout by hitting store shelves this week in his native Tennessee.

The tequila, named for the Memphis telephone area code, already is available in New York, California, Nevada and Missouri.

Kevin Ruder, president of 901 Silver, said, "As we all know, the brand's namesake was conceived here and we look forward to introducing 901 to the state that inspired it."

901 Silver is produced using 100% Weber blue agave. It is produced at the Tequilera Newton e Hijos, S.A. de C.V. Distillery in Tesistan, Jalisco, Mexico. The spirit is triple distilled in small batches at 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof).

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Maine liquor tastings now legal

Consumers in Maine may now sample distilled spirits products at tastings held at liquor stores.

Gov. John Baldacci this week signed into law legislation allowing such activity effective August 17.

LD 498, sponsored by Rep. John Tuttle, authorizes an agency liquor store to conduct tastings of distilled spirits on that licensee's premises. There is a limit of 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits per person and an agency store may conduct up to 12 controlled, planned tasting events per year.

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Effen sold to Beam, which sells off Old Taylor

I was sitting at the bar of Creo, a "green" restaurant and bistro in the New York Capital Region suburb of Guilderland, this evening, dawdling over an icy cold Chopin martini before dinner and mentally perusing the shelves behind the bar.

I spotted a bottle of Effen vodka and asked myself who owned that company. I just couldn't bring it to mind. When I got home I checked my e-mails and found a press release that began this way:

"Beam Global Spirits & Wine, the premium spirits business of Fortune Brands, today announced it has acquired the Effen Vodka brand from the Sazerac Company Inc. Effen, named after the Dutch word for smooth, is a super-premium brand produced in Holland with a patented distillation process."

So much for worrying about commiting such information to memory.

Effen's current distribution is concentrated in Chicago, Southern California and major Florida markets, although it pops up in various parts of New York State and elsewhere. The product line includes black cherry and raspberry vodkas as well as the basic unflavored spirit.

As part of the transaction, Beam Global has sold the Old Taylor whiskey brand and inventory to Sazerac. Other terms of the proposed transaction were not disclosed.

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Glenlivet portfolio a taste of history

William M. Dowd photo

In the wooded hills above the Glenlivet factory complex in the Scottish Highlands, the view is of history and modernity blending as smoothly as the whisky produced by Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery.

On two marked trails, one used by distiller George Smith and one by smugglers of illicit whisky, I got a sense of the laborious work and persistence that has always gone into the making and distributing of the storied spirits of Scotland.

From enduring onerous taxes levied by the British crown to battles over operating illegal stills to internicine battles between rival smugglers and distillers has come today’s major industry that is second only to North Sea oil drilling as far as revenue is concerned.

The Glenlivet region, a valley in the Speyside area of Scotland, has for centuries been a leading producer of non-peated whiskies -- single malts and blends without that signature smoky taste of so many others.

At one time, most distillers in the region appended the name “Glenlivet” to their products. But, after King George IV became smitten with George Smith’s particular spirit and asked for some of “THE” Glenlivet whisky during a visit to the region in 1822, eventually the competition was forced to drop the appellation and Smith co-opted “The Glenlivet” as his own brand name.

To this day, even though the distillery moved to a larger facility just 500 yards or so away at one time, the same water source -- known as Josie’s Well -- and Scottish barley are used in the double-distilled process.

Today, the Glenlivet portfolio has grown under the ownership of the international corporation Pernod Ricard to include six whiskies -- the basic 12-year-old expression, a 15-year-old French oak reserve, the Nadurra (Celtic for “natural”) 16-year-old, as well as 18- and 21-year-old expressions and, for just the past eight months, the XXV, a 25-year-old. The Glenlivet Cellar Collection also has seven releases, with the 1972 expression the latest on the market.

I had the opportunity to take part in a tasting dinner, led by Glenlivet’s U.S. brand ambassador Ricky Crawford, at the Saratoga National Golf Course in Saratoga Springs, NY, at which we sampled the six whiskies.

Each sample, accompanied by various small plates created by Jason Saunders, executive chef of Prime, the restaurant at the club, was treated in the same manner, with a few drops of water added to break the surface tension, the chemical shell, of the whisky and allow it to release its full aroma and flavor profile.

Each of the whiskies starts out as the same basic creation. It is in the maturation process that the wonders of the whiskies are revealed. Older is not necessarily better; that is a matter of individual taste. But, older usually is more expensive simply because when a distiller ties up a product for a long time, money is not being made and the return on investment must be recouped at some point.

[Go here for my tasting notes on The Glenlivet portfolio.]

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Knob Creek says, 'Thanks for nothing'

Sometimes the delivery people bring more to my house than junk mail. Take today.

The UPS guy showed up with a mysterious cardboard shipping box. It bore the return address of a PR company that deals with the spirits industry, but was far too light to contain any tasting samples.

When I opened it, the first thing that stood out was an empty Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottle. The second thing was the note that accompanied it, signed by distillery president Bill Newlands. It began:

"THANKS FOR NOTHING"

Rather than being a sarcastic remark, it was actually one part thank-you, one part bragging. Maybe two.

"For the next few months," Newlands wrote, "Knob Creek Bourbon is in a unique situation -- our product is so popular that we cannot keep up with customer demand. As a result, our supply will be running low over the next few months, And, in some cases, we may experience temporary stock depletions.

"But, instead of compromising quality to meet demand, we have chosen to let the supply run low. In deference to Booker Noe and his vision for Knob Creek, we will age all our bourbon the full 9 years. The next batch will be ready in November of this year. ...

" ... Again, with all the success we've had, we've still come up empty. Thanks for helping make it happen."

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A celebri-quote: Henry Allingham

• England's Henry Allingham, 113, became the world's oldest man, according to the Guinness World Records folks, on June 19. The World War I veteran lives in the St. Dunstan's care home for blind ex–service personnel in Ovingdea, England, near the resort city of Brighton. He is the last surving founding member of the Royal Air Force. The oldest person in the world is Gertrude Baines, 115, of the U.S., according to Guinness.

Q: Several years ago, a reporter asked Allingham to what he attributed his great age.

A: Cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women.

His spokesman, Dennis Goodwin, said: "It's staggering. Henry is philosophical. He will take it in his stride, like he does everything else. ... He's getting a little bit frail now; his taste is non-existent so he can't enjoy eating or drinking. He doesn't have as much strength as before, but he is still willing. He still wants to go out."

[Go here for more celebri-quotes.]

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Cape Ann unveils its first vodka today

They're dancing in the distillery today with the launch of Ryan & Wood Distilleries' first vodka.

Beauport Vodka was released to stores today, three years after Bob Ryan bought his still and found a place to put it in Gloucester, MA, on historic Cape Ann.

Ryan and partner Dave Wood make Beauport from hand-selected grains, distilled to the usual 80 proof. It is carrying a suggested retail price of $28 for the 750ml bottle.

The name of the vodka comes from Gloucester's original name, Le Beauport. Ryan & Wood already produces Knockabout Gin and is working on a rum in their Blackburn Industrial Park facility.

Ryan is a native of Gloucester who formerly worked on the historic waterfront. Wood, a lawyer by trade, is Ryan's nephew and the "palate" of the company.

[For a report in words and images on Gloucester and the entire Cape Ann region beyond the distillery, go here.]

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Moonshine: Illegal after all these years

William M. Dowd photo

• From Forbes.com

... No state allows the distilling of spirits for recreational or commercial use without a license.

The process of making moonshine dates back to ancient times. ... Most moonshiners start out as home wine or beer makers. That's also the source of their discontent with the law: In 1979, the federal government allowed states to permit home beer and wine making. But distilling remains illegal.

[Go here for the full story.]

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A drink for the Hudson quadricentennial

We're still a very young country. I'm reminded of that any time I think of Reno, Nevada, Las Vegas's little sister that celebrated its centennial just a couple of years ago. Or, as I'm reminded by an autobiography I'm currently reading by the actor Robert Wagner in which he notes that when he was a kid Tarzana, CA, was still just the name of the ranch owned by "Tarzan of the Apes" creator Edgar Rice Burroughs rather than a city as it is today.

But, we do have some oldies that are goodies. For example, European civilization along the mighty Hudson River that runs from Lake Tear In the Clouds on the U.S. Canadian border south to New York Harbor was ushered in four centuries ago with the Dutch-financed voyage of English explorer Henry Hudson on his ship the Halfmoon. New York is in the midst of its Hudson Quadricentennial celebration even as you read this.

So, it seems only fitting that some of the better restaurant/cocktail lounges in what is known as the Capital Region are coming up with better and better cocktail lists to please the tourists who are flocking to the Albany/Saratoga area now.

I found that out when I was in downtown Albany over the weekend, dining at Dale Miller, the celebrity chef's eponymous new restaurant, and searching for something different to drink.

Hmmm. For starters maybe a Paris Hilton. No, a Smallbany Sazerac ... or, a Tokyo Rose. No, wait. A Hudson’s Halfmoon!

What better way to recognize the Quadricentennial? And, no better way to start sampling the clever signature cocktail menu. Miller, one of only about 60 Certified Master Chefs in the entire nation, has long been known for his cuisine, but he also likes a cocktail or two when work is done. To give them some buy-in to the new venture, he asked everyone who tends bar at his new digs to come up with their own cocktail recipe.

John Wiz devised the Hudson's Halfmoon, a blend of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and Liqueur Clement Creole from the island of Martinique, with a touch of ginger over a muddled slice of orange, served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass.

I found it a refreshing change from the frequently cloying specialty cocktails that seem to be in vogue these days.

The base spirit, from a Bermuda distillery that has been in operation for slightly more than two centuries, is rich, warm and dark, with lingering hints of the molasses from which it is distilled along with light notes of caramel and vanilla, almonds and allspice. It is Gosling's biggest seller and has long been the main ingredient as the Dark and Stormy, Bermuda's classic cocktail, as well as a key part of Bermuda Fish Chowder.

There is even an herbal note to the Black Label, complemented nicely by the Liqueur Clement Creole. That's an 80-proof Curacao orange liqueur that is just beginning to catch on with U.S. bartenders even though it has been available here for several years. It's in the vein of Grand Marnier and Gran Gala.

I'm anxious to try some of the other cocktails, particularly at the very reasonable $9 price for each of the 10 varieties. They include:

• Tokyo Rose: It's an Asian-influenced interpretation of the Bloody Mary, using chilled sake, ginger, wasabi, shoyu sauce and V-8 juice blended smoothly and served tall over ice.

• Smallbany Sazerac: A nod to some people's snarky nickname for Albany, but referred to by the restaurant as "Our Celtic nod to the Big Easy Classic." It's Sazerac Rye and Powers Irish Whiskey combined with a touch of Peychaud’s bitters and Herbsant, the latter a sort of absinthe but without wormwood.

• Cucumber Martini: Muddled cucumber and organic cucumber vodka blended with lemon, mint, and fine sugar. Shaken until very cold.

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Colonial distillery excavation planned

Photo courtesy of Salve Regina

An archaeological team from Salve Regina University plans to return to a historic Newport, RI, site this summer to dig for a colonial-era distillery.

The team, working with the Newport Restoration Foundation, began excavating at the Thames Street site in the summer of 2007. Thomas Richardson II, an 18th Century Newport merchant, sea captain and slave trader, also manufactured rum, using slave labor, on his waterfront property.

The team, led by Jim Garman, chairman of the local university's Cultural and Historic Preservation Department, used ground-penetrating sonar tests that indicate the possible presence of the remains of a distillery.

Rum was commonly manufactured in New England during that period as part of the triangular trade among Africa, the Caribbean and New England involving slaves, rum and molasses.

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At last, a drinkable Pomtini

COLONIE, NY -- I was meeting a group of friends for drinks and dinner at the new Blu Stone Bistro & Bar in this state capital suburb last night. As I enjoyed an icy-cold Bombay Sapphire martini, I noticed a group of young ladies — if my wife were editing this she would say I could stop right there — at the other end of the curved, 40-foot bar enjoying a cocktail I can only describe as pale copper in color.

In reply to my query, the bartendress told me it was a special recipe pomegranate martini. The sudden popularity of that particular fruit is enduring in the past few years after having been relegated to biblical passages and exotic cookbooks for eons. The fact that some people think it has health properties doesn’t hurt.

I’ve found most pomegranate cocktails too sweet for my liking. Even the Great and Powerful Oprah couldn’t win me over with her recipe using pomegranate juice, citrus vodka or tequila, Cointreau and, if one liked it, sparkling water and a squeeze of lemon. No thanks, even though foodie and chat maven Rachael Ray championed Oprah’s recipe.

At the Blu Stone the recipe calls for, roughly, two ounces of Absolut Citron Vodka, and half-ounces each of Pama — a pomegranate liqueur, Triple Sec and pineapple juice, shaken briskly over fresh ice, and strained into a chilled cocktail glass.

Luscious stuff, as several members of our group quickly decided. The pineapple taste is evident, but its sweetness is offset by the vodka and even the Pama, giving the imbiber a pleasantly fruity taste with just an edge of tropical tang.

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And the winnahhhhhh -- Glen Breton!

OK, it's over. I think it is. Then again, who knows? I never completely count out those tenacious folks at the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

Scotland's trade group, which has a history of pouncing with full legal force on any entity it thinks may be encroaching on its members' turf, had appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada for permission to proceed with its third appeal of the use of the word "glen" by a small Nova Scotia distillery. The SWA has consistently claimed the word tends to confuse consumer into thinking the single malt whisky is made in Scotland -- even though it says "Canada" on the label, a label that also bears the Canadian maple leaf.

After a protracted, nine-year-long fight, the Supreme Court now has refused permission, which would appear to be the final blow to the SWA argument. In any case, Glenora Distilleries now is clear to register its trademark Glen Breton whisky under Canada's Trade Marks Act.

Glenora President Lauchie MacLean said he has always believed that Glenora competed honorably for success in the very challenging marketplace of single malt whisky, and that he hopes the SWA and its members will accept the ruling and that there will be open communication going forward.

You can read my coverage of the battle in chronological order:

• Tempest in a glen
• Canadians backing Glen Breton with dollars
• Scotland vs. Cape Breton, Round 2
• Canada's Glen Breton loses labeling battle
• Glen Breton wins another court round
• SWA not giving up on Glen Breton
• Battle of the 'glen' continues in Canada

And, you can go here to find out the availability of Glen Breton.

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Seven Tiki introduces spiced rum

The distillers of Seven Tiki have rolled out a new spiced rum.

The Fijian product is made from Polynesian sugar cane, baked Indonesian nutmeg, Madagascar vanilla and water drawn from beneath Fiji's volcanic highlands.

It will be interesting to see what sort of impact it has on the consumer market, where Captain Morgan has what looks like a stranglehold on the spiced rum niche. When I helped judge the 4th annual Polished Palate International Rum Competition earlier this year, no entry was deemed worthy of a gold medal in that category.

The new Seven Tiki spiced rum is 35% alcohol by volume (70 proof, compared to the company's regular 80-proof rum). Initially, it is being sold in California and Florida only at a suggested retail price of $19.99 for the 750ml bottle.

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New tequila line racing to market

A new-to-the-market premium tequila is about to be unveiled.

El Grado Tequila, made from 100% blue agave, will first appear in retail stores in Texas and California, then Arizona. However, online orders are being accepted.

El Grado’s co-founder, Ashly Kubicek, along with Texas partners Page Brockman, Ben Gonzales and Ron Park found Ana María Romero, a master tequilera, author and expert taster, to help them formulate a smoother brand of ultra-premium tequila.

The team worked with distiller Cesar Gonzalez, creating a dedicated production line in Los Altos, Mexico to produce El Grado this spring. The first bottles are being readied for shipment to arrive in July and August.

El Grado's line will include blanco, reposado and añejo expressions. The reposado is rested in second-use Tennessee whiskey barrels for six months, and the añejo for a minimum of 15 months.

Retail pricing is expected between $45 and $50 for 750ml bottles. A 375ml offering will follow later this year.

To help push the new product in the market, El Grado has entered into a motor racing partnership. Last month, it teamed with Rolex Sports Car Series competitor Dempsey Racing. Dempsey’s Mazda RX-8 GT debuted in El Grado colors in time for the team’s best finish in the Rolex series (7th) in Millville, NJ, and a 10th place finish at Mazda Raceway in Laguna Seca, CA.

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Battle of the 'glen' continues in Canada

A whisky label controversy has turned into a Scotland vs. Canada legal wrangle.

Even though the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) lost a protracted legal battle to stop a small Nova Scotia distillery from selling its Glen Breton brand single malt, it now has asked the Supreme Court of Canada for permission to appeal a lower court ruling that allows Glenora Distillers to use the Glen Breton name.

Glenora vice president Bob Scott said in a release that it was disappointing to think that a trademark battle that began nine years ago will continue.

"Glenora has, by its perseverance in craft distilling and the quality of its single malt, now earned a respected position in the world. We believe that the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal was correct in approving the registration of Glen Breton as our trademark, and it must be defended."

The SWA has a long record of protectionism of Scotch whiskies and anything that might adversely affect them anywhere in the world.

It has been arguing that use of the word "Glen" might lead consumers to believe the whisky is distilled and matured in Scotland even though the label clearly says the whisky is a Canadian product and even carries a maple leaf, the Canadian symbol.

Glenora plans to battle the appeal and has filed a formal response with the Supreme Court.

The SWA's appeal was no surprise. As David Williamson of the SWA told me back in February when the lower court ruled in favor of Glen Breton, “We find it surprising that the court has allowed this confusion to be perpetuated, and we are considering an appeal."

You can read my coverage of the battle in chronological order:

• Tempest in a glen
• Canadians backing Glen Breton with dollars
• Scotland vs. Cape Breton, Round 2
• Canada's Glen Breton loses labeling battle
• Glen Breton wins another court round
• SWA not giving up on Glen Breton

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Hoosier distiller clicks with new vodka

The story goes that Stuart Hobson visited a craft distillery while traveling through northern Michigan two years ago and was inspired to get into the business himself.

Actually, he had been in the spirits business, but in a different capacity, as owner of the Fishers Liquors chain. He sold that to a competitor and used part of the proceeds to launch his own microdistillery in Indianapolis.

The result is Heartland Distillers whose new Indiana label vodka is produced from local corn. It was introduced to the market in January, and already being sold at about 300 outlets. Hobson says he plans to expand his product line to include gin, absinthe and whiskey.

The 80-proof Heartland Vodka has a suggested retail price of $25.99 for the 750ml bottle. There's an ingenious little gimmick with this bottle. A thin copper wire is wrapped around te neck of the bottle before it is dipped in melted wax to seal the package. When the consumer grips the wire and pulls it, the wax is cut and the bottle opened.

This is just one of the newer entries in the spirits niche that accounts for more than a quarter of the distilled spirits sold annually in the U.S.

Olinger Distributing Co. LLC of Indianapolis has shipped out 2,400 bottles of Indiana Vodka since February.

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What will they think of next? (June edition)

This month I've collected a trio of recipes for historic drinks of a wide variety. They're perfect for entertaining a cocktail-savvy crowd who think they've heard of everything. You'll show 'em!

• TWILIGHT COCKTAIL

This was a popular drink in the early 20th Century. This version comes from the book "173 Pre-Prohibition Cocktails," taken from the recipe collection of bartender Tom Bullock's 1917 collection.

1 1/2 ounces bourbon
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
Juice of one whole lime

Put ingredients into a shaker with fresh ice, shake well, strain into a Champagne glass, fill with seltzer or club soda and serve.

• FREE LOVE COCKTAIL

Two socially interesting movements battled for the hearts and minds of women in particular from about 1880 to 1920 -- Free Love, an early feminism push to free women from the shackles of male-dominated sexual rules, and Temperance, the anti-alcohol move that led to passage of Prohibition. This pale cocktail gained particular popularity in the U.S. in about 1890.

1/2 of an egg white
3 dashes anisette
1 1/2 ounces of gin
1 ounce of fresh cream

Pour ingredients over a shaker of fresh ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

• THE BLOODY CAESAR

This is purportedly Canada's most popular cocktail, with more than 350 million sold each year. It was created by the late Walter Chell, a bartender at the Calgary Inn (now the Westin Calgary), in 1969 to celebrate the opening of Marco's Italian restaurant and served as an aperitif. He based the drink on the flavors of spaghetti vongole (spaghetti with clams).

1 ounce vodka
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Salt, ground pepper
6 ounces Mott's Clamato Juice
Ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, stir vigorously, serve over fresh ice and garnish with a stalk of celery and a lemon wedge.

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

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LI vodkamaker adds a tasting room

Long Island Spirits Inc., which is making a big splash in the spirits field with its LiV vodka, today opened its new Distillery Shoppe and Sampling Room.

The shop is located in Baiting Hollow on the North Fork of Long Island at the beginning of that region's acclaimed wine trail. It's housed in a two-story structure, a renovated post-and-beam barn that is home to the Long Island Spirits Craft Distillery.

It overlooks 100-plus acres of potato fields -- which supply the basis of the vodka -- and vineyards, with windows that allow visitors to view the 28-foot-tall dual copper rectification columns of the stills (right).

The facility will be open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, Saturday and Sunday to 6 p.m. Tours of the production facility will be limited and available during the week by appointment only.

It is the latest expansion of the business, founded in 2006 by Richard Stabile and Daniel Pollicino. Political and local dignitaries were on hand for the opening.

Said U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, “The Distillery Shoppe and LiV Vodka Sampling Room is yet another first class addition to Long Island’s wine region and I am pleased that it will help promote Long Island’s other celebrated agricultural products such as the Long Island potato."

State Sen. Kenneth P. LaValle added, “I am pleased that the Farm Distillery Law has not only helped preserve open space, but allowed our local agricultural communities to venture into new markets that will enhance the industry and create new jobs.”

[Go here for my "Dowd's Tasting Notes" entry on LiV Vodka.]

Wisconsin nears OK for spirits samples, on-site sales

The Wisconsin State Legislature's Joint Finance Committee has proposed allowing the state's makers of spirits to provide samples and sell their wares on site.

That is a provision in the proposed state budget approved Friday by the committee. Analysts expect the budget to be approved by the full Legislature.

Wisconsin's wineries and breweries already may provide samples and make sales to people who visit their facilities.

There are three craft distillers in the state -- Great Lakes Distillery in Milwaukee, Yahara Bay Distillers in Madison, and 45th Parallel Spirits in New Richmond. Some wineries have said that if the proposal is adopted into law, they will distill wine into brandy.

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Beam distillers unleash the Red Stag

William M. Dowd photo

Funny how everything old can become new again. Take Red Stag from Jim Beam.

Not that it is truly old, but it suddenly is being mentioned a lot. Even Craig Ferguson, a/k/a/ my favorite late-night TV host, mentioned it the other day, and he's a recovering alcoholic! I've also seen mention of it pop up in various print articles, ranging from wires services to magazines and major newspapers.

The reason I refer to it as "old," is that I reviewed it earlier this year on my "Dowd's Tasting Notes" blog. That, however, was well in advance of it going to market, and I promptly forgot about it until the publicity campaign began. Now, it's all the rage because this is the month it's being released to market. As I wrote back in March:

Billed as the first Jim Beam innovation in more than a decade, this black cherry-infused bourbon joins the industry trend toward more flavored spirits. It will be on the market in June.

As a longtime bourbon drinker, I'm a bit set in my ways. I like several brands, but I started on Jim Beam way back when, and that's my go-to whiskey. But, I also find the small-batch brands -- Elijah Craig, Booker's, Basil Hayden, Baker's -- enjoyable, both straight or in cocktails, so I'm not against a little variety.

That said, it took me several tries to cozy up to this new offering. A classic Manhattan cocktail is whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and a maraschino cherry. Sometimes a little bit of the cherry juice is added for those who like their drinks on the sweeter side.

Beam says Red Stag is an "extension of the cherry infusion made popular in the Manhattan cocktail." I'd quibble a bit with that, since the cocktail's cherry is maraschino, not black cherry as is used in this new expression. They're two different tastes.

Thus, when I tried Red Stag as the primary ingredient in a Manhattan I found it far too sweet for my taste. A tasting companion expressed the same reaction. I also tried it cut half-and-half with regular Jim Beam bourbon plus the usual vermouth and bitters. It still didn't have the appeal I sought.

But, when we tried it straight, at room temperature, in a tasting glass, we both liked it. What we have here, in my view, is a nice liqueur: warm, with a bit of spice from the rye in the grain mash, with mild notes of vanilla and caramel from the oak maturation that balanced off the black cherry infusion.

Suggested retail price: $3 above Jim Beam White. So, local pricing will prevail.

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