20110930

Major distilling industry figure dies

Owsley Brown II
• From The New York Times

Owsley Brown II, who expanded his family’s Kentucky liquor company to reach a global market for its brands, among them Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Southern Comfort and Finlandia vodka, died on Monday in Louisville, KY. He was 69.

Matthew Barzun, a son-in-law, said the cause was complications of pneumonia.

Mr. Brown was a former chief executive of Brown-Forman, the company founded in Louisville in 1870 by his great-grandfather George Garvin Brown. The company’s first brand, Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, was America’s first bottled bourbon and remains one of Brown-Forman’s strongest sellers.

Mr. Brown worked his way up the ranks of the family business, becoming chief executive in 1993. Two years later, he added the title of chairman.

Besides expanding into foreign markets under Mr. Brown’s leadership, Brown-Forman also introduced a number of new products. In 1995, it released Tropical Freezes, which the company calls the first blended freezer cocktails. The drink, which comes in a foil package, was another big seller. In 2002, Brown-Forman joined with Miller Brewing to produce Jack Daniel’s Hard Cola.

But he resisted calls for merging Brown-Forman with another company. Speaking in June, he said mergers could “breed arrogance and complacency, and even a sense of entitlement.”

“One thing seems clear to me,” he said, “pursuing size for its own sake is a very poor choice.”

[Go here for the remainder of the obituary.]


To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

What will you be drinking during 'Prohibition'?

Drawing from 'Barrels & Drams'
By now, you've probably made at least a preliminary decision on what to drink while you view Ken Burns' documentary series "Prohibition," scheduled to be shown this Sunday through Tuesday on public television.

What? You haven't? Tsk, tsk.

Well, when you do, consider these points:

1. The drink probably should be American in origin since we were alone in enacting Prohibition. Kind of a harmless thumbing-your-nose-at-authority decision.

2. As a backup, a Canadian blended whisky would be OK since much of that made its way across the border during that period.

3. A weak beer, in honor of the low-alcohol "near beer" that was the only legal brew then (3.2% alcohol by volume or less), would be proper, if not all that enjoyable.

If it doesn't seem that I'm taking this whole thing seriously, I'm not. If we still were under Prohibition it would be a serious matter, but we're not. From the distance of history, it's more of an offbeat topic to be consumed with a smile.

Actually, I had my interest in that era ramped up while doing research for essays to include in my just-released anthology "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots" (Sterling Epicure Books, NYC, 224 pages, $18.95 hardcover).

I included four separate essays in the chapter called "The Great Experiment." One, by Pulitzer Prize-winner Daniel Okrent, makes the case that although the common view is that illicit whiskey-making during Prohibition was most common below the Mason-Dixon Line "it was not just a southern phenomenon.

"A single wholesale grocer in Rockford, IL, took delivery of two to three railroad carloads of corn sugar [used to make whiskey] every week. Prohibition officials announced that they had seized 35,200 illegal stills and distilleries in 1929, plus 26 million gallons of mash, but judging from the amount of liquor washing over the country by that point, it was as if they had plucked a few blades of grass from a golf course."

The other essays concern the finding of a sunken boat full of iconic gangster Al Capone's illicit liquor in Illinois, a French-Canadian immigrant family's moonshine activities in Vermont, and an oral history from a Maryland man well versed in the secretive sales and distribution of spirits.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110929

A. Smith Bowman master distiller retiring

Joe Dangler
FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- Joe Dangler, a longtime fixture at A. Smith Bowman Distillery, will retire as master distiller on Saturday.

Dangler has spent 33 years at A. Smith Bowman, starting as bottling plant superintendent in 1978 then being promoted to assistant plant superintendent and next plant superintendent. The board of directors then elected Dangler vice president, production, where he remained until assuming the role of master distiller in 2003.

Under Dangler, Virginia Gentleman Bourbon won a double gold and was named "Best American Whiskey" at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2003.

A. Smith Bowman's distilling roots to before Prohibition. The original distillery was located on Sunset Hills Farm, the Bowman family homestead in Fairfax County. It was moved in 1988 and is now located in Spotsylvania County, 60 miles from the original location.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110922

Infused alcohols now OK in California

One more vestige of Prohibition has been erased, this time in California.

Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 32, which removes the ban on infusing alcohol with fruits, vegetables, herbs or spices.

That's a plus for the hospitality industry in which infused wines and spirits and even beers have been continually growing in popularity.

The ban had long been winked at, until the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began warning some California cocktail hotspots that they were breaking the law. In response, State Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, late last year introduced the bill to amend the law.

"In San Francisco and other cities where tourism is critical to the local economy, restaurant owners have been asked to stop serving infused cocktails in the name of an outdated law written decades ago," Leno said in a statement.

"This Prohibition-era statute did nothing more than punish California restaurants and small businesses that are using culinary innovations to survive in this difficult economy."

Frank Coleman, senior vice president of the trade group Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), said, "More than anything else, it’s similar to developments around the country where cocktail culture has outpaced the legacy of Prohibition laws that exist."

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Malt Advocate changes name, content

The Malt Advocate is no more.

John Hansell's 20-year-old magazine (right) and the younger companion website has re-branded itself as The Whisky Advocate.

"We changed the name to more accurately reflect what we are all about: whisky," Hansell says. "After years of considering a name change, we felt now was the time to make it happen ... "

Hansell said redesigns of the print and online venues includes broader reporting, more writers and new looks.

You can get a peek at the website here.  

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110921

Absolut testing vodka-wine hybrid

In a conversation the other day with a former newsroom colleague, he informed me an acquaintance was hard at work on a new hobby -- blending wines and spirits together to come up with "something new ... Yeah, i know, it sounds kind of low rent."

Not necessarily. He might want to apply for employment at Absolut.

The Swedish distiller is quietly testing Tune, a "sparkling fusion" of vodka and white wine in a limited trial run in Australia this month. It's a 60%-40% blend of Absolut vodka and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc wine from Brancott Estate in New Zealand.

An Absolut spokesperson described the product as having "fresh tropical fruits with a balanced sweetness through the front- and mid-palate which is brought to life through the bubbles ... with a persistent medium strength Absolut vodka flavor and balanced sweetness leading on to a dry finish."

No word yet on how consumers are greeting the test product. To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

World's most expensive Scotch

OK, we get it. Things are getting more expensive, thanks to the global economic dip. But, $193,734 for a bottle of Scotch whiskey?

True, it's not just any bottle of whiskey. In this case it's "whisky" and it's a Dalmore 62, of which only a dozen bottles were released in 2002.

This makes it the world's most expensive whisky at £125,000, or $193K, and it's on sale at Singapore's Changi Airport. An unidentified 62-year-old Chinese businessman has agreed to pay that amount and already has put an $80,000 down payment, setting a world record.

As The Guardian of London comments, "Back in 2002 a bottle went for what then seemed an insane £22,000 and in 2005 someone bought a bottle at a hotel bar for £32,000 and drank almost all of it. But that was nothing. The lure of owning what no one else can now buy despite an immensely naff bottle which features a platinum stag's head is seemingly worth over £100,000 more than it was 10 years ago." To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Canadian Club celebrates 'Boardwalk Empire'

Star Steve Buscemi (left) in nightclub scene.
The second season of HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" series debuts at 9 p.m. this Sunday, and Canadian Club has come up with a special package to go with the event.

It consists of a limited edition 750ml bottle of their six-year-old Canadian whisky and a silver flask with the “Boardwalk Empire” logo etched onto it. Suggested retail price is $13.99.

In addition, the Windsor, Ontario, distiller -- whose whisky was secretly smuggled across the border to Detroit during Prohibition, the period in which "Boardwalk Empire" is set -- has come up with several cocktail recipes.  

THE REAL McCOY
1½ parts Canadian Club 6 Year Old
4 parts club soda
Add ingredients over ice in a rocks glass. Stir.

BELLE FEMME
1½ parts Canadian Club 6 Year Old
1½ parts Dubonnet Rouge
Orange peel for garnish
Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a small wheel of orange peel.

THE BOSS
1 part Harvey’s Bristol Cream
2 parts Canadian Club 6 Year Old
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Shake Harvey’s Bristol Cream, Canadian Club and bitters with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a lowball glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry.
 
To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110920

Sazerac releases another Canadian blend

Photo: Davin de Kergommeaux/ CanadianWhisky.org
The Sazerac Company has unveiled its third new Canadian whisky product in less than two years.

R&R Reserve now joins a pair of spirits released early last year, Caribou Crossing Single Barrel and Royal Canadian Small Batch.

The new brand is an extension of Sazerac’s Rich & Rare brand, which the distiller says "has posted the largest case growth of any U.S. bottled Canadian Whisky brand over the past three years."

R&R Reserve is a blend of reserve barrel whiskies from Sazerac’s stock in Canada of more than 200,000 barrels of Canadian whisky.

“We wanted to introduce a product that had nice depth and complexity and felt like some of the great Canadian Whiskies of 20 and 30 years ago,” said Drew Mayville, Sazerac’s master blender.

R&R Reserve retails for between $9.99 and $13.99 for a 750ml bottle.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110919

Tuaca unveils 'perfect chill' bottle

In cooking, feeding the eye before the palate is always a good idea. In selling spirits, more and more companies are subscribing to that theory as the competition for consumer attention increases.

The latest is Tuaca Liqueur, which is launching a limited-edition package featuring a thermochromatic ink printed on the bottle to showcase the perfect chilled serving temperature.

The new bottle will be available beginning October 1.

The label features a sketch of the Tuaca lion, designed by California celebrity tattoo artist Corey Miller. It turns from silver to blue as the bottle is chilled in a freezer or on ice, enhancing the flavor of the vanilla-citrus liqueur. As the bottle resumes to room temperature, the original light silver color returns.

Tracey Johnson, Tuaca brand manager, says, "The label was designed with not only the consumer in mind, but also on-premise bars and restaurants, as it will indicate the perfect temperature to serve Tuaca chilled or when combined with other ingredients ... ."

The Tuaca Perfect Chill Bottle will retail for $21.99 for a 750ml.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110915

Looking forward to the past in a punch bowl

During the Dutch Golden Age, a tremendous outpouring of creativity pushed the borders of 17th-century art, philosophy and science. Rembrandt, Vermeer and Steen emerged to lead the Dutch Masters, a school of influential painters.

Benedict Spinoza developed his pantheistic philosophy that everything in existence is part of an all-encompassing God. The visiting French philosopher/mathematician Rene Descartes did most of his defining work in providing a philosophical framework for the natural sciences while living in Holland.

The scientists Van Leewenhoek and Hugens pioneered in cell biology and the microscope, working in the city of Delft, where local craftsmen developed the famous pottery ceramics style as an evolution of Chinese porcelain being imported at the time.

But not all the outpouring of energy went to high-blown intellectual pursuits. The needs of the spirit and the stomach were tended to as well.

One particular drink was punch, in the past a perfectly acceptable drink but today largely out of fashion. However, that can be slightly alleviated by taking notice of National Punch Day, which falls this year on Thursday, September 22.

Punch originated as a drink in what we once called the Far East -- 16th-century India in particular -- which is where the Dutch, and later the English, merchant sailors were exposed to it. The Dutch settlers introduced the drink to the New World, and because it was an English staple that particular drink of choice was reinforced when the Brits hit these shores.

However, most of us became aware of it at family holiday gatherings or at college keggers where a fruit juice mixture or ginger ale was spiked with whatever the local scamps could afford to invigorate the communal bowl.

In the mid-18th-century, entertaining took on a much more innovative feel. The ubiquitous punch bowls were filled with every manner of concoction, some going well beyond the five basic ingredients of punch (the name is derivative of the Hindi word panch, for five -- alcohol, water, sugar, juice and spice).

One particularly memorable recipe was for something called "Norfolk Punch No. 1.” The recipe: "20 quarts of French brandy, peels of 30 lemons and 30 oranges, 30 quarts of cold water, 15 pounds of double refined sugar, the juice of the oranges and 24 of the lemons. Mix well and strain into a very clean barrel that has held spirits and put in 2 quarts of new milk. Store and then bung it closed.'”

Of course, not every recipe was so intricate. A mid-1700s recipe for something called “Cherry Bounce” required just “5 pints of mashed cherries combined with 1 quart of dark rum, and then sweetened to taste with brown sugar.”

As with nearly any drink, there were personal touches, too, such as the suggestion that, “One may give it a delicious softness by the addition of a pint of calves-foot jelly.''

And, as in all things alcoholic, the absence of moderation in punch consumption could cause problems. For example, research at the Albany (NY) Institute of History & Art uncovered a report, on a March 1801 funeral for one Volckert Petrus Douw supplied refreshments for mourners who “imbibed so freely of the delicious concoction ... with spices in a keg” that they had to be transported home on ox-sleds.

Punch today usually is reserved for festive occasions. Recipes are as numerous as toadstools after a rainy spell. Some, I'm sure, are delightful, but many I've sampled are, to put it charitably, hideous.

Here's the recipe my wife uses for a successful punch. She's been serving it for more than 20 years to soothe irascible in-laws during interminable sleepover visits, which makes it good enough for me. By the way, it not only tastes great, it contains five basic ingredients, the basis of all true punches.

OPEN HOUSE PUNCH
(Makes 32 servings)

1 (750-milliliter) bottle Southern Comfort
¾ cup fresh lemon juice
6-ounce can frozen lemonade
6-ounce can frozen orange juice
3 quarts lemon-lime soda
Red food coloring (optional)

Chill the soda and soften the frozen lemonade and orange juice. Mix Southern Comfort and lemon juice in a punch bowl. Spoon in the softened concentrates and add the soda.

Add several drops of red food dye and stir. Float a ring or block of ice (you can suspend maraschino cherries in the ice for eye appeal) in the mixture.

Garnish with orange and lemon slices.


Here’s another, dreamed up by the makers of Ketel One vodka and Zacapa rum.

PASSPORT PUNCH
(Makes 30 servings)

1 (750 ml) bottle Ketel One Oranje Flavored Vodka
½ 750 ml bottle Zacapa 23 Rum
½ 750 ml bottle Tanqueray 10 Gin
15 ounces fresh lime juice
15 ounces orgeat
Dash of grenadine
Grated cinnamon

Combine vodka, rum, gin, lime juice, orgeat and grenadine in a large punch bowl. Stir until evenly mixed. Ladle into a small rocks glass with ice and garnish with cinnamon.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Spike TV renews 'Bar Rescue' series

Bar renovator Jon Taffer
Gordon Ramsey had a great idea for "reality" programming when he came up with "Kitchen Nightmares." Take a failing restaurant business, give it a good shake, and, in most instances, make it a success.

The trouble is, Gordon Ramsey. The volatile, foul-mouthed celebrity chef relies too much on screams, insults, put-downs and manufactured drama to push his show along. Luckily, there is an alternative: "Restaurant Impossible," hosted by a pumped-up Brit named Robert Irvine.

While he is forceful with the owners and staff of the failing restaurants, he is rarely demeaning to them, and never foul mouthed. He's much more entertaining, his show more realistic -- except for the cliche of made-up pressure concerning deadlines -- and you don't feel as if you need a shower when you're finished watching an episode.

Now, along comes Jon Taffer (right) with "Bar Rescue." The show, which has just been picked up by Spike TV for a 10-episode second season, started off well for a cable show and has steadily gained audience. Last Sunday, against televised NFL competition, it drew 1.3 million viewers, nearly doubling the July 17 premiere viewership of 742,000.

"Bar Rescue" is a bit of a misnomer. What Taffer, a noted New York hospitality industry guru, deals with is full-service eating-and-drinking establishments. And, his shows deal with the food as well as the drinks, along with service, decor and marketing. His on-camera persona is alternately gruff, encouraging, teaching and, ultimately, decisive. Another altogether satisfactory alternative to Ramsay.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110914

Craft distiller restoring PA rye luster

BRISTOL, PA -- Pennsylvania is arguably the cradle of American whiskey making. The only problem with its hold on that honor is that it hadn't been producing any of the legal variety since National Distillers moved its Old Overholt production to Kentucky after Prohibition.

Now, a craft distiller in this Bucks County community is seeking to reclaim some of the luster by rolling out its first Dad's Hat Pennsylvania Rye this fall.

The new Mountain Laurel Spirits craft distillery, founded in June by chemical engineer Herman Mihalich, is located at the Grundy Mill factory complex. He is employing a 500-gallon German artisan distillation system and 1,200-gallon fermentation tanks to produce spirits from a recipe created with the help of Michigan State’s University’s engineering department.

The whiskey is modeled after Monongahela rye, an iconic style that originated in colonial times near the Monongahela River in the southwestern corner of the state. Through research and actually digging up a bottle of long-out-of-production Sam Thompson Old Monongahela Rye, Mihalich believes he’s zeroed in on an authentic spirit.

"We’re trying to use history as a guide to create a true Pennsylvania rye whiskey,” he told Grub Street, "and at the same time update it so it's palatable for everybody to drink."

Mihalich is awaiting label approval from the federal government. He is hoping to bring his unaged white rye spirit on the market first, then have a barrel-aged rye ready for shipping in spring 2012. The Dad's Hat name is an homage to Mihalich's father, who regularly wore one.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Four Roses releases bourbon blend

Four Roses Distillery is marking Kentucky Bourbon Heritage Month with the release of a small batch blend of four of its 10 recipes.

The release of Four Roses 2011 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon is being made this week during the run of the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

It is a blend of recipes coded OBSK and OESQ, both aged 13 years; recipe OESV, aged 12 years; and OESK, aged 11 years.

Four Roses will produce about 3,500 bottles of the barrel strength, non-chill filtered bourbon to U.S. markets where Four Roses is currently available.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

UK distiller, brewer make a new drink

NORFOLK, England -- Those frugal folks at St. George's Distillery, home of The English Whisky Co., are putting some used material to good use.

They've teamed up with St. Peters's Brewery to create The Saints Whisky Beer, made using the same peated malt that is used at the distillery.

Once the beer is fermented, a portion of Chapter 9 Whisky is added to it, resulting in a peated beer with smoky overtones.

Andrew Nelstrop, managing director of the English Whisky Co., the first English distillery in the country for more than a century, said, "With St. Peter’s penetration in worldwide export markets, we are hoping this product will also introduce consumers to the English Whisky co. and our range of whisky products both abroad as well as in the UK."

The beer has an ABV of 4.8% and is packaged in the distinctive St. Peter’s oval bottles. It will initially be sold on-premises only in the UK, although available from both companies' websites.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110910

Cocktail of the week: Black Cherry Mule

This is the latest entry in an every-Saturday feature. To provide it, I comb through all sorts of sources -- my own archives, bar books, readers' suggestions, distillers' ideas -- even press releases from breathless PR people seeking to get their clients' products mentioned. If you have a favorite recipe to share, don't hesitate to send it along.

Looking for something a little out of the ordinary? Something refreshing, but with a bit of a kick? Then you'll probably enjoy the Black Cherry Mule.

Ingredients:

2 ounces Belvedere vodka 
6 fresh cherries 
Dash of simple syrup 
Dash of fresh lime juice 
Dash of Peychaud bitters

Muddle all ingredients thoroughly. Then, shake and strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with a float of ginger beer and garnish with a while fresh cherry.  

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110904

Spirited art for the people

The Russian artist Yuri Gorbachev has been honored by having his work displayed in the Louvre in Paris and the White House in Washington, DC. However, his latest project is a bit more plebian.

Stolichnaya recently released a series of limited edition bottles of its vodka at Gatwick and Heathrow airports in London. The artwork was designed by Gorbachev.

He said of the design “It incorporates the four elements -- earth, air, water and fire -- that join together to make Stoli one of the world’s most distinctive vodkas. Earth and water feed the grain, which gains strength from the clean air, while fire represents the passionate spirit of Stoli.”

Vicki Gilmour of Blackjack Promotions, the agency handling the product rollout, said, said: "Our staff commented on receiving great feedback from the many passengers who sampled the cocktails, and if this wasn’t proof enough the ... bottles sold above target for the first month."

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

20110901

Buffalo Trace Antique Collection due out

Buffalo Trace Distillery has announced the release this month of its 2011 Antique Collection, featuring five limited-release whiskeys of various ages, recipes and proofs.

The collection:

• Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old
• George T. Stagg
• William Larue Weller
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye

The Antique Collection, introduced more than a decade ago, will be available in limited quantities starting in late September. Suggested retail price is $70 each Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company in Frankfort, KY.

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.

Cornwall's first single malt in 300 years

• From Harpers Wine and Spirits Trade Reviews

CORNWALL, England -- Two Cornish drinks producers have teamed up to create what they claim is the first whiskey to be produced in Cornwall in over 300 years and the oldest whiskey to be launched in England for more than a century.

The limited edition Hicks & Healey Cornish Single Malt 7 Year Old Whiskey is the brainchild of St. Austell Brewery and Healey's Cyder Farm.

Made with Maris Otter barley grown in Trerulefoot, southeast Cornwall, and spring water, the wash was mixed at St. Austell Brewery's traditional Victorian brewhouse, before being transferred to Healey's Farm and passed through a double distillation in a traditional copper pot still. The best cut was then collected and filled into American bourbon charred casks.

"It's taken 300 years to craft Cornwall's first premium whiskey and seven years to age it," said David Healey from Healey's Cyder Farm. "In Cornwall we like to take our time in order to get things right -- and it's well worth the wait."

"We are all delighted with the results which help consolidate Cornwall's position as a leader in the UK drinks sector," added James Staughton, St. Austell Brewery's managing director and great-great grandson of the brewery's founder Walter Hicks.

The whiskey has been bottled unfiltered at a cask strength of 61.3% abv. It is available in 50cl bottles in a wooden presentation box with two glasses, priced at £150 (US$243).

To Dowd's Wine Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Brews Notebook latest entry.
To Dowd's Tasting Notes latest entry.
Back to Dowd's Guides home page.