Bluecoat Gin becomes 'official'

William M. Dowd photo

When I was a newspaper editor for more than 40 years, the joke used to be that too many people didn't think anything was official until they read it in The New York Times.

In today's Times food section, Florence Fabricant refers to "A new gin from Philadelphia, Bluecoat ... ." So, I guess it's official.

There is one problem with that pronouncement. I first wrote about Bluecoat 36 months ago, when it really was new.

Bluecoat is a formidable entry in the resurgent gin category, packaged in a beautiful blue, embossed bottle with a wooden stopper that give it an old-fashioned, enticing appearance.

I gave it the usual gin taste test -- straight and in a traditional martini. It passed with flying colors in both ways, and a follow-up tasting with several other people met with uniformly high marks.

Bluecoat is a 94-proof concoction with the distinctive, earthy gin flavor of organic juniper berries, but noticeably balanced with notes of citrus, spice and florals. Its smoothness is evident, thanks to batch distillation that requires very slow heating of the pot, allowing for maximum separation of alcohols and removal of impurities. That is particularly apparent in the straight-taste trial, and also aids in the mixing with Noilly Pratt dry vermouth for a superb martini.

Suggested retail price: $28 for the 750ml bottle.

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A true Irish liquor cabinet

From the UK Press Association:

Irish diplomats in Saudi Arabia smuggled in alcohol concealed as furniture to dodge the Islamic state's drink ban, official files show.

Department of Foreign Affairs papers from 1977-78 show the embassy in Jeddah used an Italian company to secretly ship in cases of wine and whiskey.

The then-ambassador Eamon O'Tuathail insisted cargo documents be marked "preserves or furniture" to throw police off the scent, as Saudi officers were posted on security outside his home and office.

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Craft distilling guru goes between the covers

As the American craft distilling field gathers momentum, it is developing not only its own flavors, but its own literature and human catalysts.

Take Bill Owens. A craft distiller as well as being the founder of the American Distilling Institute, he has just published a pair of glossy paperback books on the craft -- "The Art of Distilling Whiskey and Other Spirits" (Quarry Books, $24.99), written with Alan Dikty, and "Modern Moonshine Techniques" (White Mule Press).

(Full disclosure: I had nothing to do with the latter book, although I did contribute -- at no fee -- the cover photo.)

"The Art ..." is the glossier of the two books, chock full of Owens' color photos as well as distiller profiles, explanations of a variety of liqueurs, the machinery used in the distilling process and the science behind the art.

"Modern Moonshine Techniques" is more of a how-to book, with a variety of historic woodcuts, sketches explaining such things as how to build such devices as a mash tun, a corn cooker and different types of stills.

In addition to his distilling expertise, in 1989 Owens opened Bison Brewing in Berkeley, CA. It was the nation's first brewpub. He also was publisher of American Brewer and BEER magazines.

Dikty is the author of "The Buying Guide to Spirits," and manages Allied Beverage Tanks Inc., a company that builds craft breweries and distilleries.

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What will they think of next? (Jan. 2010 edition)

• I'm releasing the first edition of this feature for 2010 a few days early so you can go through it to select some New Year's Eve cocktails. For that reason, the offering is double the usual trio of suggestions. They've been culled from the monthly recipes shared throughout 2009. I'm leading off with one of my own creations. Tipple, tastefully and carefully, into the new year.

DOWD'S MARTEANI

2 oz. Arizona Green Tea w/honey and ginseng
2 oz. all-grain vodka (Blue Ice, Beldevere, etc.)
4 drops Angostura Bitters
Splash of Galliano or Strega
2 orange slices
1 mint leaf

In a metal cocktail shaker, combine tea and vodka. Add bitters and splash of Galliano liqueur, or the more herbal Strega if you prefer, plus a handful of ice cubes. Stir briskly, then strain quickly into a frosted martini glass. Twist the juice from an orange slice into the drink and let it meander through the solution on its own. Garnish with an orange slice and a mint leaf for color.

ABSOLUTLY ROCKING

Brit bartender Gianluigi Bosco created this drink to win the Flair Bartending category in the World Cocktail Championships in Berlin. The spelling of the drink is an homage to Absolut Vodka, one of the event sponsors. His flair: He wore a big felt hat and juggled apple juice and vodka bottles to the tune of “My Sharona” sung by The Knack. Go here for a video of him in action, sans hat.

3 parts Absolut vodka
⅓ part mango juice
⅓ part apple juice
2 drops vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Lime, apple and red currants for garnish

Shake all ingredients with fresh ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish.

TRIPLE ORANGE MARGARITA

Ronaldo P. Colli, mixologist at the Americano restaurant in San Francisco, was asked by the makers of Gran Gala Triple Orange Liqueur to come up with a seasonal margarita showcasing their product.

1 1/2 ounces ultra premium tequila
3/4 ounce Gran Gala Triple Orange
1 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 ounce agave nectar
1 lime wheel
1 orange peel

Pour Gran Gala, tequila, orange juice, lime juice, agave nectar and orange peel into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass filled with ice. Strain into a chilled margarita glass if you prefer your margarita up. Garnish with a lime wheel and the same orange peel on top of the cocktail. Salted rim is traditional, but optional.

(Agave nectar is a natural sweetener. Adjust according to desired sweetness. Available at gourmet stores or from online retailers.)

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.

WARD 8

This concoction, sort of a variant on the whiskey sour (see that recipe below), was dreamed up in Boston at the Locke-Ober restaurant bar in 1898, according to the most persuasive version of the story. Ward 8 was the section of the city that consistently delivered a winning margin of votes to the powerful Democratic political leader Martin M. Lomasney, who reigned for a half-century. The drink supposedly was created to honor him.

There are variations on the drink, using bourbon or rye or blended whiskey, and using lemon juice or lime juice or no juice. This is the original version re-introduced to legal drinkers at the Locke-Ober after Prohibition was repealed.

2 ounces rye whiskey
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grenadine
Maraschino cherry

Shake the whiskey, lemon juice, orange juice and grenadine with ice. Strain over ice into a chilled Collins glass or Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry. (Originally, the drink was decorated with a small paper Massachusetts flag.)


THE LAST WORD

This is an old classic that long ago fell out of favor. Now, however, it's making a comeback, particularly on the Seattle bar scene, according to a story in the Seattle Times. The most popular bartender making it apparently is Murray Stenson at Zig Zag Café. Besides its taste, its price is a big drawing card: $4.75.

½ ounce gin
½ ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce green Chartreuse
½ ounce maraschino liqueur

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Shut up and drink it.

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Bruce Willis a diehard Belvedere man

John McClane, actor Bruce Willis's action hero character in the "Diehard" movie trilogy, took a lot of chances. But, he could always forget about them once the director yelled "Cut!"

Willis's newest character also is taking a chance. It's his real-life role as a spokesman for Belvedere, the French wine and spirits maker that is having a financial dip.

He has signed a four-year "strategic agreement" that allows the company to use his image for advertising purposes in exchange for giving him a 3.3% share of its capital as part of a long-term investment, as reported in The Wall Street Journal.

It's a particularly interesting arrangement in that Belvedere, the world's No. 7 vodka producer, is operating under bankruptcy protation while it restructures a $760 million debt.

Belvedere, however, has a better prognosis for improving its financial situation since it introduced the bargain-brand Sobieski to its U.S. pipeline.

In the fall of 2007, Sobieski -- a quality spirit packaged in a plastic bottle that helps cut its cost to the below-$20 range --i was ranked the No. 1 premium vodka by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) in a blind tasting of 108 vodkas, the largest review of vodkas in its history, and earned both a gold medal and Best Buy Award.

Go here for one of my reports on Sobieski, and look for a live link to my tasting notes as well.

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Why a $5.79 case of vodka costs $61.92

Shannan Bowen of the Wilmington (NC) Star News has traced a bottle of Aristocrat Supreme 80-proof vodka –- the state's top-selling brand of liquor -– from its distillery in Bardstown, KY, to when it is purchased at a government-run N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control store.

Her story details how the initial cost/value of the vodka skyrockets as it goes through the various layers of government-mandated steps before reaching the consumer.

"The state's ABC Commission sets prices on liquor uniformly throughout the state, as governed by state statute," Bowen writes. "And, on every delivered case of spirituous liquor approved for sale, there is an 80.8% markup from the distiller's price, in addition to other charges."

You can get the full story by clicking here.

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Do's and don'ts for holiday partying

'Tis the time of year when inhibitions go out the window.

Office parties, gatherings of friends, family feasts, New Year's Eve ... Ah, how the drinks do flow.

Unfortunately, too many occasional drinkers tend to overdo in such circumstances, to the regret of not only themselves, but those around them who are (a) embarassed, (b) annoyed and/or (c) disgusted by their behavior.

Simply telling people to drink responsibly won't avoid all such negative experiences. But, armed with a little knowledge of one's own alcohol capacity and how well you metabolize what you drink, you and those near you will get through holiday partying in a dignified, enjoyable way.

A few don'ts:

(1.) Don't "do" shots. Spirits are not for "doing." They are for slow enjoying. The only reason to do shots is to get drunk, which mature adults try to avoid.

(2.) Don't assume mixed cocktails are much less potent than straight whiskies, rums or vodkas. Many mixers -- red or white vermouth, for example, in Manhattans, Rob Roys, Martinis, etc.; various liqueurs in other recipes -- have a significant alcohol content on their own, so drinking too many cocktails made with them still lets the impact mount.

(3.) Don't be fooled by how easy a drink goes down. Fruit juices and liqueurs add color and flavor, but they also mask temporarily how much alcohol you're ingesting.

(4.) Don't use diet sodas as mixers. You need sugar in cocktails since it helps metabolize alcohol. Using diet sodas results in a higher concentration of alcohol in your bloodstream.

A few do's:

(1.) Do bear in mind that drinking whiskey can result in a worse hangover than drinking vodka. That is according to recently-released research by scientists at Brown University. They say the reason may be because of the number of molecules called "congeners" which whiskey contains compared to vodka (Their study was just published in "Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.")

(2.) Do order water. In my family, we have a running joke that if you're given water when you ask for something to drink, you should inform the server "I'm thirsty, not dirty." However, alternating alcoholic drinks with glasses of water makes sense on several levels. You'll stay hydrated, important since alcohol tends to dehydrate you and creates a hangover; you'll satisfy the desire to have a beverage without loading up on alcohol.

(3.) Do avoid topping off your drinks. Get a refill only when you've finished so you can keep track of how much you're drinking, something that's easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of a party.

(4.) Do stay aware of calories. A piña colada has about the same number as a Big Mac. A straight shot of alcohol has about 90 calories but mix it with orange juice or pineapple juice, for example, and the calorie count climbs to 150.

There are, of course, one major do and one major don't to keep in mind at all times. Do have a designated driver and don't drink and drive. Even if you ignore the other do's and don'ts, following those two will help you have a safe, happy holiday season.

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Israeli firm corrals a chunk of Drinks Americas

It's difficult to think of, oh, say Willie Nelson, as Israeli. Or Donald Trump. Or Kid Rock.

But, in the global alcoholic beverage industry, ownership makes for strange bedfellows.

Drinks Americas Holdings Ltd. has sold a chunk of its brands portfolio to its partner, H. Pixel International Trade Ltd. of Israel.

The deal reportedly calls for a $3 million total payment over the next 15 years.

Drinks Americas concentrates on high-profile names in developing, marketing and distributing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic premium beverages. Among its holdings are Willie Nelson's Old Whiskey River Bourbon, Trump Super Premium Vodka and Kid Rock's BADASS Beer and Aguila Tequila.

It also owns such other labels as Olifant Vodka and Rheingold Beer. The company has a working partnership with Universal Music's Interscope, Geffen and A&M Records to develop and launch beverages.

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Glenfiddich 50 in very short supply

William M. Dowd photo illustration

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

This is almost not worth mentioning, simply because the domestic supply is virtually non-existent. However, in the interest of keeping up with the good life ...

Glenfiddich has announced the U.S. debut of its Glenfiddich 50 Year Old expression, but it will be in extremely limited supply -- "a tiny handful" of bottles, the company says. If you really want to get your hands on a bottle, you can always join in the bidding at a charity auction where precisely one bottle will be sold off.

"For half a century, two casks of whiskey have aged undisturbed in Glenfiddich’s Warehouse 8, under the tender care of the industry’s most experienced malt master, David Stewart," says a company press release.

"Beginning in December, the results of Stewart's extreme patience will be available exclusively at just three U.S. hotels. American drinkers can bid for a single bottle of the fabled hooch at a charity auction held concurrently at New York’s Mandarin Oriental hotel, the Peninsula hotel in Los Angeles and Miami’s Fontainebleau hotel Monday. These establishments will be the sole locations where the whisky will be available by the glass, at least until the next batch -- started in 1960 -- is released in 2010."

Auction proceeds will go to Friends of Scotland, the charity founded by Sean Connery to benefit war veterans. Call (646) 356-8350 if you're a serious bidder.

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What will they think of next? (December edition)

• This month's trio of cocktail recipes takes aim at holiday entertaining needs. To hit that target, I'm republishing a lineup of recipes introduced last Deceember but regularly requested by readers since then.

CONQUISTADOR

Ryan Duvenage won the 2008 International Bartending Association World Championships qualifying spot from South Africa. This is one of the two original cocktails he created en route to the title.

50ml Havana Club Anejo Reserva
12.5ml Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
10ml Monin Raspberry
10ml Monin Blackberry
10ml Balsamic Vinegar
2 dashes Peychauds Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail or champagne glass. Garnish with an orange twist and a nasturtium flower.

GOLDEN CADILLAC
The International Bartenders Association, which turned 59 this year, has a list of "official" cocktails. This is one of the after-dinner ones.

2 parts Liquore Galliano
2 parts Créme de cacao (white)
2 parts fresh cream

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake briskly for few seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

IN-LAW HOUSE RULES COCKTAIL

This cocktail was inspired by the in-laws of owner Chris Ojeda for The Edison restaurant and lounge in Los Angeles. It's a hot toddy-ish recipe you can make to sedate your family after holiday dinners. There, I said it.

2½ ounces applejack bonded or applejack
3 ounces of hot water
½ ounce mulling spiced syrup*
Slice of a baked apple**
Lemon peel (expressed in the drink)
Star anise
Grated nutmeg

In toddy glass or mug place the baked apple slice in the bottom and slightly muddle to break up. Pour the applejack, mulling spiced syrup and water and stir. Add the star anise and grated nutmeg for garnish.

(* Mulling spices syrup: Make simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water) and let the spice steep like you would a tea over a low heat. Turn off heat and let them steep for 30 minutes and strain out. Mulling spices are available at most grocery stores or health food stores.)

(** Bake an apple for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.)

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Canned tequila cocktails hitting U.S.

We live in a world in which convenience is the key to marketing most things. Even cocktails in a can.

The latest thing in the RTD (ready to drink) niche comes from El Jimador which is sending its New Mix canned tequila cocktails to the U.S. market.

El Jimador, made by Casa Herradura and owned by Brown-Forman of Louisville, KY, is the top-selling tequila RTD in Mexico. This month it is being made available in California, with a nationwide rollout of the product targeted by next spring.

The product line includes the Paloma, the most popular tequila cocktail in Mexico, the Margarita and the Spicy Mango Margarita. Each cocktail comes in a 12-ounce can at 5% alcohol by volume (10 proof), and is sold by the can or in a four-pack.

El Jimador New Mix was introduced to the Mexican market in 1997. The can being sold in the U.S. has a slightly different design that emphasizes the El Jimador brand name more prominently.

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