Dowd's Spirits Notebook

Celebri-quote: Pat Sajak

2012-01-27T14:05:00.001-08:00

The game show host

• TV game show host Pat Sajak admitted in an interview with ESPN2 that he and longtime eye candy Vanna White used to knock back numerous drinks during breaks in taping their "Wheel of Fortune" show.

"Our dinner breaks would be 2½ hours long while they drove in new cars and boats and gazebos and stuff. So, at NBC in Burbank we had a place called Los Arcos across the street, and they served great margaritas.

"So, Vanna and I would go across and have two or three or six and then come and do the last shows and have trouble recognizing the alphabet."

[Go here for an archive of celebri-quotes.]

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Happy 4709, now get your dragon on

2012-01-23T16:14:00.000-08:00

Today is the start of the Asian lunar new year 4709, celebrated in China, Japan, Korean and Vietnam -- and by Asian Americans -- in anticipation of the coming spring.

Considering the surprisingly mild winter we're experiencing, looking ahead to spring seems rather simple.

During the 15-day celebration, we'll be seeing many dinner and drink specials at our local Asian restaurants. Chain-wise, P.F. Chang's will be handing out its version of hóng bāo, red envelopes traditionally containing money, but this time containing gift certificates.

Chang's also is also offering a promotional Dragon Punch cocktail featuring Chinese beer, vodka infused with dragon fruit and sriracha, a Thai hot sauce.

Here are a few more Asian cocktails you can easily whip up to join in the fun.

RED LOTUS
From About.com/cocktails

1½ ounce vodka
1½ ounce Lichido (lychee) liqueur
1 ounce cranberry juice

Pour the vodka, Lichido and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with lotus flower or several peeled lychees on a skewer.

BEIJING BELLINI
From China 1 Antique Restaurant & Lounge, NYC

3 parts Champagne or dry Italian prosecco
1 part lychee wine or liquor
1 lychee nut dropped to bottom of glass

Served in a tall champagne flute. You also can blend peeled lychee nuts in their own sweet juice and use with the bubbly.

CHINESE MARY

From Bar None.com

1 ½ vodka
3 ounce sweet-and-sour sauce
Dash of lemon juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 drops soy sauce
3 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
Pineapple (juice or pulp)

Make like a Bloody Mary, improvising with ingredients until you find your preferred taste and texture. It may be helpful to Ken add extra vodka to thin out the sauce. Heated, this mixture also makes a good sauce for various foods.

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Plymouth repackages its iconic lineup of gins

2012-01-21T13:28:00.000-08:00

The redesigned Plymouth lineup.

Plymouth, a perennial gold medal gin, takes extreme pride in its secret two-centuries-old recipe and its iconic Black Friars Distillery it has been using since the 1700s. But, now and then some things do change.

Pernod Ricard, the French owner of Plymouth, has just introduced new packaging for the Plymouth gin brand and is repositioning it above Beefeater 24 in the super premium-plus niche.

What generally is known about Plymouth's recipe is that it uses seven botanicals, with juniper berries and sweet orange peel as its two dominant items. It is bottled at 41.2% ABV (82.4 proof). However, in a private luncheon gin tasting several years ago, Plymouth master distiller Sean Harrison told me the other botanicals are angelica root, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, lemon peel and orris root. No revelations about proportions, though.

Closeup of the label.

Design Bridge, a brand design agency, told Design Week magazine it developed the new designs after exploring the Black Friar's Distillery, in Plymouth, and the bottle's squatter shape and tinted glass have been influenced by historic designs for Plymouth Gin. The oval label harkens to an earlier version, and it is brightened up by a touch of copper.

The new look is definitely new to the U.S., Japanese and other markets after a quiet rollout over the past few months in Spain and Australia.

When his feet are dry, time to buy.

Plymouth gin is protected by a European Union "protected geographical indication" that means it can be made only in Devon, England. No one else can claim the name.

Plymouth's heritage has given it a special place in British hearts and lore. When German bombs destroyed part of its Black Friars distillery during World War II, the Admiralty sent out a message to the British fleet which used Plymouth as its official gin. British officers on the Mediterranean island of Malta reacted, so the story goes, by offering any gunners who destroyed an enemy ship or plane a bottle of Plymouth Gin.

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Glenora named Canada's top distillery

2012-01-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

VICTORIA, BC -- A distillery that endured years of legal battles with the Scotch Whisky Association over such things as its very name has emerged with top honors in the 2nd annual Canadian Whisky Awards revealed Thursday.

Glenora Distillery, which has been in operation for about two decades, won "Distillery of the Year" honors. (Go here for the background on the maker of Glen Breton whisky and its travails with the SWA.)

Masterson's Rye, a Canadian whisky sold only in the United States, was awarded a gold medal, along with Gibson's Finest Rare 18 year old, Wiser's Legacy, Wiser's Small Batch, and Forty Creek-John's Private Cask No. 1.

John's Private Cask was tops in three categories -- Whisky of the Year, Best New Whisky, and Connoisseur Whisky of the Year.

Awards of Excellence also went to Highwood Distillers of High River, Alberta, for White Owl Whisky, Brown-Forman Corporation for Collingwood whisky, and Beam Inc. for Canadian Club. A full list of award winners is available online.

Masterson's Rye, released in the U.S. last summer, is made by Alberta Distillers Limited for the Sonoma, CA, firm. It will be made available in Canada sometime this year.

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1st Sirah-finished Irish whiskey comes to U.S.

2012-01-21T12:23:00.001-08:00

A special U.S. market-only project teams up Concannon Vineyards of California and Cooley Distillery of Ireland to introduce a product being shipped to vendors this week.

It's Concannon Irish Whiskey, distilled in Ireland from a barley and corn mash, matured in bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years, then finished for four months in former Concannon Petite Sirah wine barrels, shipped in from California, before blending.

"The United States is presently the largest market for Irish whiskey and growing," said John Concannon, fourth generation vintner at Concannon. "We're thrilled to offer a unique take on the category to American consumers with Concannon, a fiercely independent spirit from Ireland's sole craft distillery that shares the heritage of both cultures as so many Irish-Americans do."

Concannon Irish Whiskey will sell at a suggested retail price of $24.99 for the 750ml bottle.

Concannon Vineyards began with its first planting in 1883 near Livermore, CA. Cooley Distillery was established in 1987. It also produces Kilbeggan, The Tyrconnell, Connemara and Greenore brands. The company is in the process of being purchased by Beam Brands.

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KS liquor stores want in-store tastings

2012-01-16T12:57:00.000-08:00

• From the Topeka, KS, Capital-Journal:

TOPEKA, KS -- Liquor store clerk Shawn McKeever can taste the commercial appeal of serving customers a shot of Belgium's Corsendonk Brown Ale, Xingu Black of Brazil, Italy's Peroni or Old Speckled Hen Pub Draft from England.

It could be possible at Fleming Place Wine and Spirits, 4001 S.W. 10th, as well as at liquor stores across Kansas, if lawmakers adopt a bill introduced in the Senate allowing retailers to host in-store tastings for people interested in trying unfamiliar beers, wines or distilled spirits.

"We've talked about it," McKeever said. "We sell a lot of craft beer."

The legislation proposed by several liquor marketing associations is a byproduct of controversy that emerged after retailers started arranging tastings in direct proximity to their licensed liquor stores. It was common understanding state law blocked consumption of alcoholic beverages inside stores, so proprietors staged the events within close proximity.

Representatives of the Kansas Department of Revenue pulled the curtain on that setup. The revenue department's Alcoholic Beverage Control division issued a policy memorandum in August declaring the agency's interpretation of Kansas law prohibited samplings — free of charge or not — “in, on, or about the licensed premises.”

ABC concluded no tastings would be authorized for party or smoke shops, parking lots, sidewalks or alleys adjacent to liquor store property. The zone of prohibition extended in front, behind, above, below and to sides of stores, officials said.

R.E. "Tuck" Duncan, a Statehouse lobbyist working with organizations seeking passage of the bill, said the objective was to establish into statute the opportunity for liquor stores to host tastings in a manner reflecting events well known to wine-country enthusiasts. A Senate hearing on the bill is likely in a couple of weeks. The measure hasn't sparked an outpouring of criticism, he said.

"The prospects are very good, but being a liquor bill, I'm cautiously optimistic," Duncan said.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Very special Scotch coming to U.S.

2012-01-10T13:18:00.000-08:00

Edinburgh bartender. (W.M. Dowd photo)

It's not exactly of the magnitude of the latest "Planet of the Apes" movie, but a simian-related marketing change may please Scotch drinkers.

Monkey Shoulder Triple Malt Scotch Whisky is coming to the U.S.

I first tasted this particular boutique brand while on a pub crawl in Edinburgh, Scotland, a few years ago, where it was all the rage. (You can read my take on it on my Dowd's Tasting Notes blog.)

The peculiar name comes from a common physical condition some distillery workers got from the labor-intensive handwork necessary before distilleries became so high-tech. Use that in your next bar chat.

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Historic whiskey site in controversy

2012-01-09T11:46:00.001-08:00

Museum workers sort through artifacts.

SCOTTSDALE, PA -- West Overton Village and Museums, established as an agrarian museum, will have a new new mission when it reopens in 2013 after a renovation project.

At that time, it will refocus on the western Pennsylvania village's rye whiskey distilling history.

Meanwhile, however, a controversy has arisen over the sale by Executive Director Kelly Linn of numerous artifacts that are the property of the 18-building museum complex.

West Overton Museums operates on $80,000 a year from the Henry Clay Frick foundation and from public donations. It receives no state funds. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the American Whiskey Trail that includes museums, distilleries and visitors centers in five states.

West Overton Village is the birthplace of industrialist Frick, who spent the first 30 years of his life here. The village was founded in 1800 by Abraham Overholt, Frick's grandfather. Overholt began making rye whiskey under the name Old Overholt, which now is distilled by Jim Beam.

TribLive.com has a thorough story on the controversial sales.

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Department of Stupid Drinking

2012-01-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Jimmy Fallon and politico Rachel Maddow do bad shots.

• From the HuffingtonPost.com

Nearly everyone has had -- or at least heard of -- a pickle, but not many have encountered the Pickleback. If you happen to be one of these people, don't feel bad, neither had Jimmy Fallon. That is until Rachel Maddow introduced it to him live on his show.

A Pickleback is a shot of whisky (on the show it was Jameson) followed by a shot of pickle brine. According to Maddow, it is best to take both the whiskey and pickle brine down in one swallow. If your mouth is not quite big enough for that, you can chase the whisky with the brine. Picklebacks are used mainly with inexpensive whiskey; the brine is said to neutralize the flavor and alcohol burn of the cheap booze.

The origin of the Pickleback is unknown. Some say it was first served to patrons at the Bushwick Country Club over five years ago. Among bartenders, it is considered a hangover cure because the pickle brine replaces the electrolytes lost in the night of debauchery.

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Sweet potato blend = vodka bragging rights

2012-01-07T12:49:00.000-08:00

Distiller David Souza. (Sun-Star photo)

• From the Merced (CA) Sun-Star:

ATWATER, CA -- The only commercially distributed sweet potato vodka in the world is made in Atwater.

OK, before you get upset, yes, the Japanese spirit sochu is sometimes made from sweet potatoes. But David Souza's High Roller Vodka is something new.

Souza makes his vodka in small batches at a micro-distillery he assembled in his family's garage from a secret recipe that includes a blend of four types of sweet potatoes. The spuds are always fresh, as he and his family live and work on more than 1,000 acres of farmland.

[Go here for the full story.]

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New bag just what the doctor ordered

2012-01-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

If you like packing your own drinks while traveling, a collaboration between Barking Irons and Bombay Sapphire may be right up your alley. If you have a spare $495, that is.

The Bombay Sapphire Bar Bag was modeled after antique medical kits from the long-ago age when doctors actually made house calls.

The marriage of design and drink is apropos in that gin once was a popular medicinal spirit as well as a leisure time beverage.

Barking Irons is a New York City company that designs and sells items "dedicated to the telling of American folklore and history through unique fashion products and multimedia design."

The bag, which has a waxed-leather interior, contains a bar spoon, paring knife, muddler, ice pick, juicer, two different strainers, jigger, shaker and glass.

If you just have to have one, they're available online.

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Ever wonder about maraschino cherries?

2012-01-06T11:41:00.001-08:00

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Sobieski Vodka hits million-case level

2012-01-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

Actor Bruce Willis, Sobieskie spokesman

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL -- Sobieski Vodka hit the U.S. market with quite a splash back in 2007. In my tasting notes entry at that time, I noted "Sobieski should have a market winner on its hands."

Apparently it does. Imperial Brands Inc. today announced it sold more than one million cases of its low-priced, high-quality Sobieski Vodka in the U.S. during the 2011 fiscal year.

That's quite an achievement given the crowded vodka niche that offers a dizzying array of spirits both domestic and imported, flavored and unflavored, grain and potato, and so forth.

"Our vision from day one was bold -- to be the vodka brand to reach 1 million cases faster than any other in history," said Chester Brandes, president and chief executive officer of Imperial Brands. "Thanks to the commitment and effort of a great team at Imperial Brands, I am proud to announce that we have accomplished this ambitious objective."

The Sobieski portfolio, including three new flavors launched in October 2011 -- Espresso, Cynamon and Bizon Grass -- are available nationwide at the suggested retail price of $10.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Sobieski is produced exclusively from the Dankowski rye at the Starogard Gdanski in Poland, a distillery dating to 1846.

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'Political bourbons' in time for presidential vote

2012-01-03T13:19:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the presidential caucus in Iowa today, Heaven Hill Distilleries has released a clever marketing gimmick -- a pair of bourbons to mark the run-up to November's final national vote: Red State and Blue State bourbons.

Try as I may, I could discern no difference in taste between these two bourbons. However, that was OK with me, Both were quite nice, which is typical of products from the Bardstown, KY, distiller.

For those who may be confused by the promotion, states that tend to vote Republican in presidential elections are commonly known as "red states," and Democrat-leaning states are "blue." A nice shorthand for the political pundits and talking heads on TV.

Heaven Hill has wrapped a large marketing campaign around the idea, including Facebook pages for each of the two bourbons, carrying information and charitable giving opportunities. For every "like" on either Facebook page, Heaven Hill will donate $1 to the VFW Foundation, the charity arm of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization.

The 80 proof bourbons sell for about $15 per 750ml bottle. Go here for my tasting notes.

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Mongolian president cracks down on vodka

2011-12-28T12:04:00.000-08:00

A leading Mongolian vodka brand.

• From Bernama, the Malaysian News Agency

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia -- Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj on Wednesday revoked the licenses of 50 bars and 64 grocery stores in the country's capital to sell vodka, Xinhua news agency said citing local reports.

The licenses for the bars were canceled because of police reports, while grocery stores which sold cheap and low-quality, illegally produced vodka after midnight were also banned from selling alcohol, local reports said.

As the New Year approaches, the president's executive office urged all government organizations to fight against alcoholism and not to use vodka during new year celebrations.

"The President's Office has appealed to all news media organizations not to promote and advertise vodka. We also delivered recommendations to all ministers, the governor of Ulan Bator and speaker of parliament not to buy vodka and other alcoholic drinks with state funds," said Banzaarai Nergui, vice chairwoman of the office.

Alcoholism is rampant in Mongolia as there are 91 vodka distilleries, 12 spirit factories and 24 beer breweries working in the Central Asian country.

More than half of the crimes committed in Mongolia were committed by drunk people.

Elbegdorj started to spearhead the campaign against alcoholism last year and urged the public to drink milk instead of vodka. The president doesn't participate in any event which involves vodka consumption.

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Study: Draw one, mix one for health

2011-12-27T15:29:00.001-08:00

We've been trying to keep up with the regular stream of studies suggesting wine has all sorts of magical, mystical medicinal properties that will lead to better health, longer life, etc. Now, brews and spirits are getting some extra support.

A two-decade study published in the January issue of The Journal of Studies On Alcohol and Drugs reports on connections between the moderate consumption of all types of alcohol and increased longevity.

It also supports the findings of prior studies that wine has more beneficial effects than any other alcoholic drinks. However, in a twist that always seems to pop up in any study, researchers said that may because the people who choose wine tend to be more naturally healthy anyway. Go figure.

The study of 802 men and women ages 55 to 65. Of that number, 281 "low wine drinkers" consumed less than one-third of their alcohol intake from wine, 176 "high wine drinkers" consumed two-thirds or more as wine, and 345 abstainers. The drinkers had one to two drinks per day, and researchers followed them for 20 years.

Among the findings: Wine drinkers lived longer than abstainers, and high-wine drinkers lived longer than low-wine drinkers.

Charles Holahan, a psychologist at the University of Texas and lead author of the article, said there may be benefits for older moderate drinkers no matter what kind of alcohol they consume. But, he cautioned, "The study does not encourage initiating wine consumption as a pathway to better health."

Ya gotta love those disclaimers.

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Whiskey book in stores, online

2011-12-26T12:16:00.000-08:00

William M. Dowd
(Photo: Albany Times Union/Paul Buckowski)

Looking for an addition to your book collection or a gift for someone special? Pick up copies of my new book, "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," from the New York publisher Sterling Epicure.

The suggested retail price for the hardcover book is $18.95. You can get a copy, often at a discounted price, via such online sites as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and others, as well as numerous online booksellers in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Many independent booksellers also have it available.

Here are excerpts from several reviews:

“Bill Dowd knows an awful lot about spirits. So, too, do the estimable scribes he’s included in Barrels & Drams, an outstanding collection of writing about that most beloved and oft-quaffed fortified liquid, whiskey. Tom Wolfe, David Wondrich, Jim Murray and Daniel Okrent are among the 20-plus essayists included in this fun, conversational ride through the history of bourbon, Scotch and Irish whiskey. … And Dowd’s no slouch himself when it comes to spinning a yarn. … Already looking forward to the next edition. But for now, buy ‘Barrels & Drams’.”

– Dan Dunn, The Imbiber.com/Sirius Radio

“Whiskey enthusiasts and liquor history buffs will really enjoy this collection of stories that tell the story of whiskey’s past. … If there is one history book you want to add to your collection this year, this is the one.”

– Colleen Graham, Ask.com cocktails columnist

“The book’s small batches of information and easy-to-read format make it the quintessential bathroom compendium. But it also belongs in every tavern and home bar, within easy reach of a two-finger pour of Glenlivet. … Dowd has studded the volume with fascinating trivia and delicious history, from ancient Mesopotamia to the 1791 Whiskey Rebellion in America.”

– Paul Grondahl, Hearst News Service

“I’m having a blast reading it.”

– Drink.Think.com

"Pour a glass of your favorite brown spirit and settle in for “Barrels and Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y in Jiggers and Shots,” edited by William M. Dowd. This collection of essays introduces us to whiskey and heroes worldwide. We’re educated on what to collect, where to hide it, how to make a blend and the horror of drinking whiskey from plastic."

-- Bloomberg News

'Gin berry' being revitalized in England

2011-12-23T08:51:00.000-08:00

A typical juniper bush.

• From The Telegraph of London

Juniper bushes in England have been brought back from the brink of extinction, ensuring the fragrant berries can continue to flavour gin and tonic.

The berries of the juniper bush are not only used to flavour gin but game dishes and other foods.

However a survey by Plantlife last year found that the species was dying out with a quarter of sites supporting just one bush and most failing to produce young shrubs.

This means the juniper was in danger of dying out in the next 50 years as to get the next generation of juniper, you need good numbers of both male and female juniper bushes at each site.

The charity decided to restore suitable habitat at 30 sites on chalk downland where the species does best, giving juniper extra help at some of the sites where very few bushes remained by sowing seed or planting seedlings.

[Go here for the full story.]

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'Tis the season to use your noggin

2011-12-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

My introduction to eggnog came at about the age of 7 in the form of my grandmother's do-it-yourself kit: One egg, an 8-ounce glass, a spoonful of sugar, a little bottle of vanilla extract and a fork.

It was a special treat she'd devised for two older cousins and I, and we made a contest out of seeing who could make the best nog. The process was simple in those days before we worried about potential contamination from raw eggs. After all, it was a small farm-country town and we practically knew the hens on a first-name basis.

Crack the egg into a glass (a particularly good way of teaching kids to handle this basic kitchen chore some adults still can't master), beat it up a bit, add the sugar and beat some more till the sweetener dissolves, then add a few drops of vanilla, fill the glass with milk, and beat it some more until it got evenly gold and frothy.

Simple, direct and delicious.

Nowadays, the commonplace way to have eggnog is to buy a waxed carton of it at the market. Maybe you'll doctor it up a bit with a sprinkling of nutmeg or cinnamon, perhaps pop in a candy cane stirrer or mint leaf if it's Christmas time. But, on the whole, it's a pretty unexciting proces. That's where you get into the spirits, or vice versa. A touch of brandy, rum or cognac goes a long way to racheting eggnog up to a different level. The key is restraint.

More isn't necessarily better. Keep the alcohol additive light, adding a bit at a time until you can just taste it through the thickness of the eggnog. Remember, you can always add more; you can't take it out.

Of course, it's not mandatory to add alcohol to your nog. You can give it a boost with freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon plus a little extra vanilla extract (although that does contains a touch of alcohol). Some people even add a grind of white peppercorns.

The healthy way, if you'd prefer to make your own nog as we did but are leery of potential problems from uncooked eggs, there are several cautious routes to take.

First, of course, is to use an egg substitute. I don't vouch for the overall quality of the eggnog, but it's better than skipping the drink entirely.

Second, exercise rigorous caution when selecting your eggs. Be sure they are clean grade A or AA with no visible cracks or indentations in the shells, and that they are properly refrigerated. Also, be sure to avoid contact between the insides of the eggs and the shells.

As for ready-to-drink eggnog, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it must contain at least 1% by weight egg-yolk solids and must be pasteurized. It may also be homogenized.

Eggnog comes to us, as so many of our Christmas season traditions do, from England, where it sometimes is called egg flip. Food historians generally agree that "nog'' is an old dialect word from East Anglia that described a kind of strong ale and "noggin'' was the vessel it was drunk from.

Today's eggnog can be traced to something the English called "posset" -- eggs, milk and ale or wine. Somewhere along the way, nog and posset blended into eggnog.

Eggnog in various forms was popular here from the earliest days of the nation, and even these days December 24 is National Egg Nog Day. George Washington was known for his powerful recipe that included rum, sherry and rye whiskey. Of course, he owned a distillery at Mount Vernon that turned out one of the young country's top ryes, so its inclusion is not surprising.

Eggnog, like so many dishes and drinks, tends to pick up regional characteristics. In the American South, bourbon often is the alcohol additive. In Puerto Rico, where it is called "coquito,'' rum is the spirit of choice and coconut juice or milk also is used. In Mexico, "rompope'' has a lot of cinnamon plus rum or a grain alcohol and is sipped as a liqueur.

A version known as "Tom and Jerry'' was first popularized in early-19th century England, thanks to Pierce Egan, a well-known writer on sports and popular culture. In his book "Life of London: or Days and Nights of Jerry Hawthorne and His Elegant Friend Corinthian Tom,'' he whipped up a variation of eggnog with a healthy dose of brandy atop the usual recipe and named it for his protagonists.

Although that was nearly two centures ago, his drink keeps popping up even in today's better bartender guides. But the iconic American journalist and novelist Damon Runyan (1884-1946) had the best take on the drink in his short story "Dancing Dan's Christmas'' --"This hot Tom and Jerry is an oldtime drink that is used by one and all in this country to celebrate Christmas with, and in fact it is once so popular that many people think Christmas is invented only to furnish an excuse for hot Tom and Jerry, although of course this is by no means true.''

ALTON BROWN'S EGGNOG

This recipe from the Food Network TV personality was first presented on his "Good Eats'' show in 2005. Serves 4-5.

4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pint whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 egg whites

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until completely dissolved. Add milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Put egg whites in mixer bowl and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve.

COQUITO

This recipe for the Puerto Rican version of eggnog serves 16.

2 cups water
8 three-inch cinnamon sticks
6 large egg yolks
3 12-oz. cans evaporated milk
2 cans coconut milk
3 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
3 cups white rum

In a two-quart saucepan, heat water and cinnamon sticks to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until liquid is reduced to one cup. Remove cinnamon sticks and set liquid aside to cool to room temperature.

In a three-quart saucepan with a wire whisk, beat egg yolks and evaporated milk until well-mixed. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and coats a spoon -- about 10 munutes (do not boil). Set aside to cool slightly. When cinnamon flavored liquid has cooled, stir in coconut milk, until well mixed.

In serving bowl, combine coconut mixture, yolk mixture, sweetened condensed milk and rum. Chill well and serve.

EGGNOG COUPE DE MILIEU

This recipe, which serves 6-8, comes from the book "In the Land of Cocktails,'' by New Orleans food and drink mavens Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan.

2 medium eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
3/8 cup Southern Comfort
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grated nutmeg for garnish

Bring about an inch of water to a simmer in the bottom half of a double boiler. While the water heats, in the top half of the boiler combine the eggs, heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon. Place the top half over the simmering water and whisk until thick and frothy, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Refrigerate until chilled like custard, about two hours. When cold, whisk in the Southern Comfort and vanilla. Divide among chilled shot glasses and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

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Here's a good last-minute holiday gift

2011-12-20T12:15:00.001-08:00

William M. Dowd
(Photo: Albany Times Union/Paul Buckowski)

Here's a thought for an easy holiday gift. Pick up copies of my new book, "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," just released by the New York publisher Sterling Epicure.

The suggested retail price for the hardcover book is $18.95. You can get a copy, often at a discounted price, via such online sites as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and others, as well as numerous online booksellers in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

– Dan Dunn, The Imbiber.com/Sirius Radio

– Colleen Graham, Ask.com cocktails columnist

– Paul Grondahl, Hearst News Service

“I’m having a blast reading it.”

– Drink.Think.com

-- Bloomberg News

Lower-calorie RTDs for the holidays

2011-12-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

The holidays are a time infamous for weight gain, sometimes from all the goodies eaten, but just as often from the beverages ingested.

With that in mind, the makers of a line of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails named Ivana B Skinny -- get it, nudge, nudge? I wanna be skinny -- are pushing what they see as their lower-calorie option.

The RTDs, from importer International Spirits LLC, are wine-based. They are available in margarita, cosmopolitan and appletini flavors with 10% alcohol, all less than 100 calories per 5-ounce serving.

"We did a lot of experimenting with alcohol-based vs. wine-based drinks and found that wine makes the drinks sweeter, more flavorful and keeps the calories lower," said Tony Elward, CEO and co-owner of International Spirits. "Taste was our highest priority. We didn't stop until our taste testers told us it was the best low-calorie cocktail out there."

Ivana B Skinny cocktails are available in 16 states -- Florida, Georgia, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Maine, South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland -- and the District of Columbia.

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Don Julio introduces 'añejo claro' tequila

2011-12-16T10:53:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of an "añejo claro" tequila? The distiller Don Julio hopes to make it a commonplace term in the tequila world.

The new Don Julio 70 tequila goes through a filtration process after being barrel-aged that eliminates the brown color while leaving in its flavor notes.

"You get the smoothness of the blanco, the agave notes of the blanco, with hints of añejo and the sweetness of the añejo," according to the company.

Don Julio 70 was created in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Tequila Don Julio brand created by Julio González. The suggested retail is $70 per bottle.

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Report: Gin 'revival' is greatly exaggerated

2011-12-16T09:31:00.000-08:00

A beleaguered niche.

Uh, about that gin revival. Euromonitor International, the research firm, says that rather than the anecdotally-reported gain in gin sales, the number actually dropped 2% globally in 2011.

To make matters worse, the industry analysts are forecasting flat sales until 2016.

"The much-vaunted great leap forward is apparently yet to come," said Spiros Malandrakis, alcoholic drinks analyst at Euromonitor.

Interestingly, the majority of gin sales came in the U.S. However, after a slight uptick in 2010, sales growth slowed to 2% in the U.K., and sales in India, traditionally a major gin consumer, fell 5%.

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Another record-setting whisky sale

2011-12-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

The record-setter, for now.

This story line seems to be nearly a monthly one: Whisk(e)y sells for beaucoup bucks.

This week it was a 55-year-old bottle of Scotch sold at auction for $72,630, the most ever paid for a single malt whiskey.

The item in question was a Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve, created to honor the granddaughter of the founder of Scotland's Glenfiddich distillery. At age 110, she is believed to be the oldest living Scot.

A specialist at the Edinburgh-based Bonhams auction house told the BBC:

"It’s not often a whisky of this stature comes up at auction. ... The rarity and quality of the liquid, the exquisite bespoke packaging and the story behind its creation makes this a collectible that’s hard to value."

The record may be a fleeting one, however. Eleven more bottles of the same scotch are scheduled to be sold later this year as a fundraiser for Water Aid, the international charity.

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Beam buys Cooley, major Irish distiller

2011-12-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

The Cooley Distillery lineup.

Beam Inc. today announced the purchase of Cooley Distillery, the Irish maker of such whiskies as Kilbeggan and Connemara.

Cooley, the only remaining independent Irish whiskey distillery, will mark Beam's entrance into one of the spirits industry's fastest-growing categories. The purchase price is approximately $95 million, according to Beam.

Cooley, which also owns and produces the Tyrconnell and Greenore brands, "is one of only three sources for Irish whiskey, and the only independent player, so this transaction is a unique and compelling high-return opportunity to enter one of the industry's highest growth categories," said Matt Shattock, Beam president and CEO.

"We see the opportunity to ... expand distribution off a relatively small base in key export markets for Irish whiskey across North America and Europe."

John Teeling, Chairman and Founder of Cooley Distillery, said, "Beam understands whiskey. They have the culture, experience and global strength to enable the Cooley portfolio of brands to reach their potential in the fast growing Irish whiskey category. The renaissance in Irish whiskey, most evident in the United States, is now spreading across the world. Through Beam, our brands, built on quality, will be introduced to a host of new consumers. I am certain that the marriage between Cooley and Beam will benefit all."

Cooley's Kilbeggan Distillery, opened in 1757, is reputed to be the world's oldest distillery and produces Cooley's flagship blended Irish whiskey. Cooley's was named European Spirits Producer of the Year for an unprecedented four consecutive years (2008-2011) by the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

The Irish whiskey category grew 11.5% in 2010 to 4.86 million cases according to Impact Databank. The leading markets for Irish whiskey are the U.S., Ireland, the United Kingdom, France, South Africa and Germany.

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Old Pulteney running dry in U.S.

2011-12-14T12:53:00.001-08:00

It was only back in October that I noted whiskey guru Jim Murray had named Old Pulteney 21 Year Old the top whiskey in the world, in his definitive 2012 Whisky Bible.

So, it came as a bit of a surprise when International Beverage USA today announced the company has virtually run out of the Scotch single malt in the U.S.

"No matter how many hours we work into the night, we simply cannot make the whisky age any faster until it's fully matured to perfection," master distiller Malcolm Waring said in a statement.

International Beverage U.S. President Pat Graney said he expects the next batch to be available in the U.S. in March 2012.

"We knew Old Pulteney 21-Year-Old was a standout product, but we never dreamed it would literally run out," he said.

Consumers can stay up to date on availability of the Pulteney 21 on its Facebook page.

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Maine distiller aiding tri-state food banks

2011-12-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

Potato plants at Green Thumb Farms.

If you like Cold River vodka and/or gin, you'll love what its maker is doing.

Maine Distilleries, which gets its potatoes from Green Thumb Farms in Fryeburg, ME, operated by one of the distillery partners, plans to donate one pound of potatoes to food banks in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts for every bottle of its vodka and gin sold in those states during the first three months of 2012.

The Freeport company says the potatoes will be donated during next fall's potato harvest to the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn, ME, the New Hampshire Food Bank in Manchester, NH, and the Greater Boston Food Bank.

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Tasmanian distillery releases its first batch

2011-12-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

Checking a batch at Old Hobart.

The Land Down Under is known for its beers and wines, but it does have a whiskey industry, believe it or not.

Old Hobart Distillery, a boutique distillery that produces whiskeys and other spirits, has unveiled its Overeem Single Malt Whiskey, with single cask bottles individually numbered and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

The family-owned distillery was created in 2005 by Casey Overeem on the Australian island of Tasmania. Its first batch includes four styles: Port Matured Overeem Single Malt Whiskey; Port Matured Overeem Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength; Sherry Matured Overeem Single Malt Whiskey, and Sherry Matured Overeem Single Malt Whiskey Cask Strength.

Old Hobart has achieved highest score for an Australian whiskey in a blind tasting by the Malt Whiskey Society of Australia (MWSoA). Its whiskies can be ordered online.

The first legal distillery in Tasmania was established in 1822 when the area was known as Van Diemen’s Land. By 1824, there were 16 legal distilleries on the island, but in 1838 Governor John Franklin issued a decree prohibiting distilling. That held until the late 1990s when distilling began to return.

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Scotch Whisky Association names new chairman

2011-12-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

EDINBURGH -- Ian Curle, chief executive of The Edrington Group, makes of Famous Grouse, has been named new chairman of the Scotch Whisky Association.

Curle succeds Paul Walsh, chief executive of Diageo, who headed the trade organization for four years. One of Walsh's last acts was to announce industry export figures for the first three quarters of 2011 that show the value of exports totaled nearly 23% more than the same period a year earlier.

"The industry is enjoying a tremendous period of growth around the world," Walsh said, "making it one of the most important manufactured exports the UK produces."

Walsh will remain on the SWA council.

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Alcohol-free spirits are no 'spirits' at all

2011-11-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

Arkay also comes in cans.

A year or two ago, I received an inquiry from a woman who said she liked the taste of whiskey, but not the effects of its alcohol. How, she asked, can I find an alcohol-free whiskey?

You can't, I told her. Without alcohol, it's not whiskey. End of subject, or so I thought.

Now, the UK company ArKay is marketing what it calls the world’s first alcohol-free, whisky-flavored drink. It is in the process of being shipped to markets worldwide.

"The world`s first alcohol-free whisky-flavored drink is designed for the socialite to the construction worker," says the company. "The exceptional taste of whisky without the alcohol making a perfect beverage that anyone can consume. The design of ArKay was to allow anyone with medical conditions or with religious beliefs to drink without guilt. ArKay tastes and looks exactly like traditional whisky. It is suitable for drinking straight up, on the rocks, or with soda or your favorite mixers. "

Unlike whiskey, ArKay is made with artificial flavorings and other ingredients, but they are used in accordance with European Economic Community (EEC) regulations and within U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Both the flavor and ingredients are conformed to Halal guidelines. ArKay researched and tested its beverage for five years before release.

The never-shy Scotch Whisky Association is no fan of the product. In a statement, it said, "Such promotion is taking advantage of the high-quality reputation of the product that is whisky, which is a distilled spirit produced from natural ingredients, when it is in fact just a soft drink with artificial flavorings."

It kind of reminds me of radio the shock-jock Don Imus’s ad-lib when he was speaking of a sponsor -- Buckler, a non-alcoholic beer: "Buckler, it makes you pee just as much as beer."

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Jack Daniel's avoids extra tax bill

2011-11-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

LYNCHBURG, TN -- The folks at Jack Daniel's had a lot to be thankful for this week.

The threat of an extra tax on the distiller dissipated on Monday night when the Moore County Council voted 10-5 to reject a vote asking lawmakers to authorize a referendum on the proposal.

Had the proposal passed, it would have taxed Jack Daniel's up to $5 million annually, with the revenue going to local government.

The distillery already pays $1.5 million annually in property taxes. The company had, of course, opposed the proposal, saying Jack Daniel's already pays its fair share.

Charles Rogers, a local resident who led the effort to get more tax revenue, said the issue "is now on life support."

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Jack Daniel's helping soldiers go home for holidays

2011-11-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

A scene from the JD website video.

LYNCHBURG, TN -- The Jack Daniel's company is donating more than $100,000 to pay for plane tickets and travel funds to enable soldiers posted at Fort Campbell, KY, to go home during the December holiday season.

The distiller also is asking the public to contribute to the project that would free up soldiers who otherwise could not afford to make such a trip. Fort Campbell is located on the Kentucky-Tennessee border.

Donations can be made to the Operation Ride Home online.

The neediest soldiers eligible for plane ticket vouchers will receive up to $300 for each family member and debit cards up to $100 for each family member for gas and lodging.

Jack Daniel's is starting the fund with a donation of $101,000 in honor of the Fort- Campbell-based 101st Airborne Division, recently returned from deployment to Afghanistan.

Jennifer Powell, senior brand manager for Jack Daniel's, said the company hopes its donation will build awareness of the needs of these soldiers.

"The military does an excellent job of getting folks to the base, but sometimes the soldiers just don't have the means to get from the base to their homes," she said.

Powell said they have already identified 20 families at Fort Campbell who have a legitimate need for the travel funds. They are asking people to donate by Dec. 16.

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'Barrels & Drams' in the spotlight

2011-11-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

Dowd during interview. (TU photo by Paul Buckowski)

• Dept. of Shameless Self-Promotion: I'm featured in a profile in the Albany (NY) Times Union today. Here's the start of the story.

TROY — It may have been William M. Dowd's destiny to compile this anthology of whiskey, "Barrels & Drams."

His heritage is Irish, with shots of Scottish and Welsh mixed in.

As a boy, he was allowed the occasional sip of moonshine from his grandfather's still in Pennsylvania.

He had his first legal drink on his 18th birthday at a tavern on Long Island. He did a double-take before accepting the offer of a drink -— he chose rye and ginger —- bought by a guy at the end of the bar that happened to be his girlfriend's father.

And today, at 69, the retired newspaperman settles back at happy hour with his go-to cocktail: a Manhattan, made with Jim Beam.

It has to be Jim Beam. Dowd has a deep affinity for the popular Kentucky bourbon.

"I didn't get along much with my stepfather, except over a bourbon. He always poured Jim Beam," Dowd recalled.

There is something deeply emotional about whiskey, which as Dowd explains, is the American and Irish spelling of the spirits they distill in Scotland, Canada, Japan and India and call whisky (without the "e").

Dowd also plumbs the conviviality to be discovered in the bottom of a whiskey glass, which he conveys in a quote from the great Irish novelist James Joyce: "The light music of whiskey falling into a glass -- an agreeable interlude."

Dowd has gathered a bunch of great quotes about spirits, including this from W.C. Fields: "I always carry a bottle of whiskey in case of snakebite. I also carry a small snake."

He's also put together a glossary of terms from the spirit trade, which has a colorful lexicon all its own. Pop quiz: What does "Angels' Share" in the distilling process mean? Answer: "The amount of whiskey lost through evaporation during the aging process."

With a "Drink Responsibly" disclaimer opening, the book's small batches of information and easy-to-read format make it the quintessential bathroom compendium.

But it also belongs in every tavern and home bar, within easy reach of a two-finger pour of Glenlivet. Which, of course, brings up a great quote from American distiller Frederick Booker Noe II: "A respectable amount of bourbon to pour into a glass is about two fingers' worth. Lucky for me, I have big fingers."

Dowd has studded the volume with fascinating trivia and delicious history, from ancient Mesopotamia to the 1791 Whiskey Rebellion in America, which rocked the young republic after the nation's first excise tax was placed on whiskey production.

He's also got a discerning palate when it comes to writerly talent and includes pieces by notable wordsmiths such as Tom Wolfe and Daniel Okrent, as well as whiskey authorities Malachy Magee and Charles K. Cowdery.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Kentucky bourbon tally outnumbers its population

2011-11-23T14:01:00.000-08:00

FRANKFORT, KY -- There now are more barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky warehouses than the state has people.

That is according to the president of the Kentucky Distillers Association, who says bourbon production in the state has increased by more than 50% since 1999.

Eric Gregory told a state legislative panel that in 2010, Kentucky distilleries produced 786,000 barrels of bourbon.

“We have more than five million barrels of bourbon and other whiskies aging right now in Kentucky," he said. "Of that, 4.7 million are bourbon. And the 2011 tax-assessed value of all those barrels is $1.5 billion, which is up $24 million since 2010.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Kentucky is estimated to be 4,314,113.

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Turkey given a pardon -- and a job offer

2011-11-23T13:47:00.000-08:00

President pardons 'Liberty' the turkey at the White House.

I'm not sure what the recidivism rate is for turkeys, but the one that received a presidential pardon today has a job all lined up to keep him out of trouble.

President Barrack Obama took part in the long-running White House tradition of sparing a turkey from the Thanksgiving table with an official pardon.

In a twist on the practice, however, Wild Turkey Bourbon has offered it the chance to become the distillery's official "spokesbird."

Says Wild Turkey master distiller Jimmy Russell, "In a manner of direct speaking, we invite the President to give us the bird."

Russell took the opportunity to point out that the company's recent $50 million expansion of its Lawrenceburg, KY, faciity to 134,000 square feet provides sufficient room for the prospective employee to wander around. And, he added, "There would be no threat of future Thanksgiving-related job cuts."

However, Wild Turkey will have to compete for the bird with George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, where it is scheduled to be on display to visitors through January 6, 2012, then retire to a custom-built home on the estate.

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Lawsuit targets SkinnyGirl margarita quality

2011-11-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

Skinnygirl Margarita brand is being sued on a charge of false labeling.

A lawsuit filed by Christopher Rapcinsky and Erin Baker claims the product originally created and owned by Bethenny Frenkel of the "Real Housewives of New York" TV show does not contain the premium "100% blue agave tequila" stated on the label of the ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage.

That, say the plaintiffs, results in "a lower quality and purity tequila by-product called mixto -- essentially a mash of tequila and some unknown additives (rarely organic) which may comprise as much as 49% of the final mixed liquor."

Rapcinsky and Baker originally lodged a $10 million suit against Skinnygirl Margarita over the company's use of the term "all natural," saying the producer's claims of having no preservatives are false. The new claim is added to the original suit.

The suit does not name Frankel, acknowledging that she sold the brand to Beam Global. Beam later removed the "100% percent natural" claim from the label, using the phrase "premium Blue Agave tequila" instead.

Beam Global dismisses the case as “frivolous,” and released a statement saying, "Skinnygirl Margarita is made with premium blue agave tequila and meets the highest quality standards. We will defend our case vigorously, and we are fully confident we will prevail."

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SWA's Hewitt picked for top European post

2011-11-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

Gavin Hewitt

The European Spirits Organization (CEPS) has picked a seasoned diplomat as its new president.

Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), has been elected president of the organization that represents the spirits industry at the European level. Its membership consists of 30 national associations representing the industry in 26 countries, as well as a group of leading spirits-producing comapnies.

Hewitt, who was elected to a two-year term, is a former British ambassador to Croatia, to Finland and to Belgium.

"I'm delighted to take on this role which will help ensure the European spirits industry, including the Scotch Whisky Association, is well represented in Europe," Hewitt said. "As an industry, we work with the European Union across a whole range of areas, from encouraging trade to showing our commitment to social responsibility. The role ... complements my fulltime position as chief executive of the SWA."

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Insider research: Spirits are kicking beer's butt

2011-11-19T12:20:00.001-08:00

Frank Coleman, vice president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), passed along this article from Beer Business Daily -- and, given his affiliation, who could blame him?

Spirits Taking Us for a Ride More Than You Think

"Wine and particularly spirits have been kicking our tails. And they have done it by a systematic strategy of increasing its availability in accounts, by investing much more as a percentage of revenue than beer has in its marketing, in growing all of their price segments, in consistently and constantly coming out with new flavors, brands, and packages, and in creating a cocktail culture that appeals to a very broad base.

"That was the intuitive findings of Heineken USA (HUSA) chief Dolf van den Brink at the California Beer and Beverage Distributors annual convention yesterday.

"Dolf had sobering news for beer guys: Through HUSA's proprietary internal research, which he was good enough to share, he showed that we as an industry simply haven't kept up with wine and spirits, particularly when it comes to young Millenials, ethnics, and women. And until we rectify this disparity, it will be difficult to get beer growing no matter what the economy is doing.

"First, Dolf showed that wine and spirits' growth has come almost entirely through getting new drinkers entering the market at the 21-29 age. Over the last seven years, spirits has gained 4.1% of consumer penetration points in the 21-29 age group, coming ominously close to beer's penetration. But the really scary metric is the 2001-2011 percent change in the preferred drink:

"For Millenials, beer is down 14% and spirits is up 13%. In other words, spirits have picked up nearly all of beer's slack. It's a direct trade off.

"Beer lost drinkers in all other age groups to spirits and wine as well, but it was most pronounced in young people. Since in the past young people drink beer and then switch to wine and spirits as they get older, this doesn't bode well, since they are already starting with cocktails. And don't get me started with African Americans. Beer penetration has lost 15 points of penetration while spirits has gained 15%.

"In the general market, beer has lost 8 points while spirits has gained 6. As for gender, beer has lost 13 points for males while spirits has gained 9, and with females spirits has gained 4 points while beer has lost 4 points. This metric, as Dolf said, is very indicative of "intent to purchase" and so is very distressing to see.

"Across occasions, beer is now only the preferred drink in one occasion: pub/dining with food. In all other occasions, wine or spirits is the preferred drink. What's the world coming to?"

There's a lot more, but you get the idea.

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Kentucky Bourbon Trail big enough for both of them

2011-11-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Distances and directions here.

FRANKFORT, KY -- An agreement has been reached to solve a trademark dispute in the U.S. spirits industry.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) and Sazerac Company Inc. on Thursday announced they have reached a confidential settlement to end litigation filed in U.S. District Court in May 2010 by the KDA against Sazerac, which then countersued. They also announced they wouldn't reveal terms of the agreement.

The case was scheduled to be heard in six weeks in U.S. District Court in Louisville. That now has been rendered moot.

The essence of the KDA suit is that Sazerac allegedly violated trademarks by using the phrase "Kentucky Bourbon Trail" and logos when it used similar phrases and designs in promoting its unaffiliated Kentucky distilleries.

Sazerac countered that the KDA had abandoned the trademarks by not seeking to protect them. In the summer of 2009, former KDA member Sazerac applied for a trademark and copyright on the phrase "Buffalo Trace Distillery on the Bourbon Trail" and "Tom Moore Distillery on the Bourbon Trail."

Members of the KDA are Beam Global Spirits & Wine (Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark), Brown-Forman, Diageo North America, Four Roses, Heaven Hill and Wild Turkey. Sazerac had belonged, but resigned in December 2009.

KDA President Eric Gregory said his organization looks forward to "promoting our signature industry's rich history to visitors from around the world."

Sazerac Marketing Service Director Meredith Moody said, "Sazerac's three Kentucky distilleries -- Buffalo Trace, Barton 1792 and The Glenmore -- look forward to continue developing their distillery tours along the bourbon trail."

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DISCUS makes its holiday shopping list

2011-11-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

• Press release from the leading spirits industry organization.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Many new drinks books have recently hit the market just in time for holiday gift-giving. From distilling heritage to cocktail recipes, this year’s bookstore offers tasteful reading for every spirits enthusiast. The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) recommends the following recently released publications for the spirituous bibliophile on your gift list.

Founding Spirits: George Washington and the Beginnings of the American Whiskey Industry

(Harbour Books, August 22, 2011) by Dennis J. Pogue

Pogue, head of preservation at Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens, presents a detailed portrayal of the origins of the American whiskey industry which includes George Washington’s role as the entrepreneurial owner of one of the largest whiskey distilleries in 18th century America.

Barrels and Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y in Jiggers and Shots
(Sterling Epicure, September 6, 2011) Co-written and edited by William M. Dowd

Follow veteran journalist and spirits authority Bill Dowd down the worldwide whiskey trail with this collection of articles on the intricacies of whiskey making and the heritage of whiskies around the globe. Dowd also profiles some of the most famous figures in the whiskey industry, including Jack Daniel, George Smith and the Beam family.

Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition

(Scribner, First Edition, May 11, 2010) by Daniel Okrent

The basis for Ken Burns’ PBS series on Prohibition, Okrent’s book gives an enlightening account of the American socio-political landscape that led to the passage of the 18th Amendment, banning the sale of spirituous liquors in the United States. It details the public’s dissatisfaction with the “Noble Experiment,” the rise of organized crime, and the eventual repeal of Prohibition with the passage of the 21st Amendment.

Prohibition in Washington, D.C.: How Dry We Weren't

(The History Press, March 25, 2011) by Garrett Peck

Cocktail historian Garrett Peck chronicles the capital’s own distinct Prohibition history. The federal government intended for D.C. to be the model dry city for Prohibition, but it turned out to be anything but, as 3,000 speakeasies operated across the city. Peck leads readers through Prohibition-era Washington during a time of amateur bootleggers and hypocritical teetotalers. He also includes a walking tour of former speakeasies in the nation’s capital and 11 vintage cocktail recipes.

A collection of over 300 recipes featuring the use of spirits in the food and drink of the South, short essays and amusing tales by Eugene Walter, a pioneering food writer and champion of southern foodways and culture. Assembled and edited by Walter’s literary executor Donald Goodman and food writer Thomas Head, the book is a perfect gift for those interested in today’s booming scene in vintage and artisanal drinks.

Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide: 75th Anniversary Edition

(Wiley Hardcover, November 2011) edited by Jonathan Pogash with Rick Rodgers

Jonathan Pogash, “The Cocktail Guru,” and culinary expert Rick Rodgers have updated the indispensable little red book, Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide, to reflect the modern world of mixology. Pogash kept a collection of the most time-honored classic cocktails and added 200 cutting edge drink recipes from the world’s most well-known bartenders. The Guide includes 1,500 drink recipes as well as tips on mixology techniques and photographs that showcase the beauty of the finished cocktails.

Bloody Mary

(Thornwillow Press, 2011) by Jeffrey Pogash

Spirits industry veteran Jeffrey Pogash delves into the history and lore of the Bloody Mary, one of the world’s best loved and most complex cocktails. In this beautifully printed letterpress edition, Pogash explores some of the mysteries and misconceptions surrounding the famed libation and includes his own recipe for the “Best Bloody Mary in the World.”

These, and other fine spirits-related books, can be found in your local bookstore and by online booksellers.

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A Yamazaki 50 being released for 3rd time

2011-11-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

If you blinked twice before, try keeping your eyes open for the third release of Yamazaki 50 Years Old whiskey on December 13.

Of course, looking is all you'll be able to do if you can't come up with the million-yen asking price. That's US$12,970.

The first two times Yamazaki released a 50-year-old whiskey, the limited supply was gone in 48 hours.

The going price makes it Japan's most expensive single malt.

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Limited Macallan 60 going for $20,000

2011-11-12T14:02:00.000-08:00

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

If you have a spare $20,000 laying around, get in line for the December 1 release of a very special Scotch whisky.

That's the date for The Macallan 60 Years Old Single Malt, the latest edition of the company’s Lalique Six Pillars Collection program.

Only 400 bottles are available worldwide, and only 72 of them to be available in the U.S.

The Lalique Six Pillars Collection highlights different aspects of the making of Macallan. The current aspects is "Curiously Small Stills," referring to the small copper stills used in some distilleries in Scotland's Speyside region.

The three previous Pillar releases were "Natural Colour," "Finest Cut" and "Exceptional Oak Casks." The remaining Pillars to be produced are "Spiritual Home" and "Peerless Spirit."

The "Curiously Small Stills" expression was created from five Sherry butts. They are casks made from both American and Spanish oak, and have a large capacity of 126 gallons.

The casks were filled on November 9 and 10, 1950, and dumped earlier this year. The whisky of that era was heavily peated, compared to today's Macallan which has virtually none. The whiskey is 53.2% alcohol by volume (106.4 proof). It is packaged in a Lalique crystal decanter, placed in a lacquered presentation box.

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Newest Tennessee whiskey on target for 2012

2011-11-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

CHATTANOOGA, TN -- 1816 is a very important date in local history. Of course, you'll have to wait until 2012 to try the whiskey bearing its name.

1816 is the name of the first whiskey produced by the new Chattanooga Whiskey Company, founded by partners Joe Ledbetter and Tim Piersant.

It signifies the year John Ross established a trading post, warehouse and swing ferry on the Tennessee River, the start of what would grow to become Chattanooga,

The whiskey will be available in early 2012 in Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville, TN, and in Washington, DC, at local bars, restaurants and spirits stores, Ledbetter said.

Beore Prohibition, there were about 40 distilleries in the Chattanooga area. The partners hope ultimately to be able to distill their whiskey in the city, but that would be illegal under current law. In the meantime, they will continue producing it in nearby Marion or Sequatchie counties.

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Single double gold at NY competition

2011-11-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK -- A tough judging panel awarded only one double gold medal at the 2nd annual New York International Spirits Competition.

More than 300 spirits from more than 30 countries were entered, a 65% increase over the inaugural event. The judges were trade only -- buyers, retail store owners, restaurant/bar proprietors, distributors and importers.

Top honors:

Distell of South Africa, winner of the only Double Gold medal for its Oude Meester Souverein 18 Year Reserve ($115) also won Distiller of the Year honors. The Souverein is a blend of rare, long-matured Savalle potstill brandies.

Single Gold medal-winning spirits:

• Armagnac -- Marquis de Montesquiou VSOP, $40.

• Liqueurs -- Becherovka, price not given.

• Mezcal -- Joya Azul Mezcal, $45.99; Real Matlati Mezcal Alma de Espadin, $60.

• Tequila -- Don Julio 1942 Anejo, price not given; Dulce Vida Organic Tequila Blanco 100, $30; El Tesoro Platinum Tequila, $50; El Tesoro Reposado Tequila, $54.99.

• Vodka -- LIV Vodka, $27; Luksusowa Vodka, $14.99.

• Whiskey -- Buchanan 18yr, $76.99; Bulleit Rye, $29.99; Crown Royal $31.99.

The competition was founded by Adam Levy as the first major international spirits competition with trade-only judges. In February, he will unveil the first New York International Beer Competition and in May the 2nd annual New York International Wine Competition.

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Smirnoff gets fluffy with new flavors

2011-11-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Ye gods! Smirnoff Vodka on Wednesday introduced two new flavored vodkas -- Whipped Cream and Fluffed Marshmallow.

The company's public relations mill says the new flavors epitomize "the decadent side of sweets.

The new offerings are created from Smirnoff No. 21, and intended to be used either as sweet shots or in cocktails.

Both Whipped Cream and Fluffed Marshmallow are being made available nationwide at a suggested retail price of $12.99 per 750ml bottle.

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Vegas distiller creates 'Rumskey' combo

2011-11-10T11:01:00.000-08:00

LAS VEGAS -- What is distilled here might not stay here -- at least if a new rum-whiskey combo proves successful at local spirits shops.

Something called Rumskey, dreamed up by Las Vegas Distillery owner George Racz, will make its debut in a November 19 tasting at the distillery, 7330 Eastgate Road. Thereafter, it will be sold in local Whole Foods, Total Wine and Lee's stores as well as other selected spots.

“We were fermenting molasses" for rum "and at the same time I was making seven-grain whiskey," Racz told Las Vegas Weekly. "The idea came: Why not marry these two spirits at the beginning? So, we took both products at the mash level and put them together in the pot still and distilled them together."

The product is double distilled and comes out as a cross between moonshine and vodka, according to Racz.

"When making whiskey or rum, you try to preserve as much flavor as you can, from the grains or molasses or whatever," Racz says. "When you are making vodka, the goal is different. You don’t want to preserve the little flavor components, just bring up the alcohol content. In making Rumskey, we wanted something between those two."

If it goes well, who knows?

“This is only a small idea. We hope people will like it."

Las Vegas Distillery produces what it calls "The Las Vegas Collection" -- Nevada brand vodka, gin, moonshine whiskey and bourbon.

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Washington state voters: Quit the liquor biz

2011-11-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

The state of Washington is restocking the shelves in its liquor stores even as it has to quickly get out of the business.

That situation came about on election day this week when a ballot initiative to force the change passed with an unofficial 60% of the vote.

Thus, sometime after the first of next year, the state liquor stores, which are currently increasing inventory for holiday sales, will start to draw down their inventory and contract stores operated by individuals under agreements with the state will look for new suppliers or go out of business to meet the June deadline.

Owners of the state’s 163 contract liquor stores, most of whom signed five-year contracts with the state earlier this year, will be eligible to apply for retail licenses for their location.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Woodford Master's Collection becomes a dual effort

2011-11-09T15:22:00.000-08:00

Woodford Reserve has put a new twist on its Master's Collection, the sixth of which is scheduled for release any day now.

A pair of ryes -- bottled at 92.4 proof -- constitute the "Rare Rye Selection" in a pair of 375ml bottle. The difference in the two whiskies comes in the manner of maturation.

Although both bottles are 100% rye recipe and both are triple distilled, one has been aged in a new, charred cask, the other in an aged cask.

Says master distiller Chris Morris, "Globally, whiskey is presented in a wide range of flavor profiles. There are two distinct types, or families, of whiskey flavor -- Old World and New World. The 'Rare Rye Selection' afford you an opportunity for a side-by-side comparison."

The process in the Master's Collection is to change up one of five flavor sources -- grain, water, fermentation, distillation and maturation -- each year. Altering even one creates a new flavor profile.

Prior releases were Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish, Sweet Mash, Seasoned Oak and Maple Wood Finish.

The new release will be sold at a suggested retail price of $99.99 for the two 375ml bottle set.

[Go to Dowd's Tasting Notes for my evaluation of the two whiskies.]

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Striking gold in Upstate New York

2011-11-08T12:40:00.000-08:00


Distiller Tim Welly adjusts a valve on the new still at Hillrock Estates Distillery.

PHOTOS BY WILLIAM M. DOWD

ANCRAM, NY -- The newest distillery in New York State ran off its first batch of whiskey today, a single malt made from grain grown on Hillrock Farms, home of what will become Hillrock Estate Distillery spirits. The event came about two weeks later than planned, delayed until power was restored to this storm-ravaged area.

With master distiller Dave Pickerell guiding the operation, he and Hillrock owner Jeff Baker and distiller Tim Welly tweaked the new Pickerell-designed still to achieve the desired alcohol level that quickly resulted in a run of full-flavored white spirit that will be put into new wood barrels later in the week, thus beginning the maturation process.

As I wandered about, photographing the day's activities, I couldn't help but compare the tableau to one several weeks ago when Pickerell headed up a distilling session I attended at George Washington's rebuilt Mount Vernon, VA, distillery.

As I observed then, in the circa-1799 distillery "The air was a thick stew of humidity, dust motes, cool water, fruit flies and the occasional spark from kindling wood being stoked in the brick ovens below the copper pot stills."

Distillery owner Jeff Baker checks the process.

Here, in a state-of-the-art facility that came to fruition in less than a year from concept to equipment installation, a lonely honeybee was the only intruder.

A cool breeze wafted through the pastel-walled interior, mixing with the sweet familiar smell of fermenting grain; hoses, gaskets and metal fermentation tanks smacking of modern technology; gleaming copper and polished brass shining on the two-story still and the adjacent mash tun made to order at the Vendome Copper & Brass Works in Louisville, KY.

"Jeff told me he wanted the best design he could get," Pickerell explained, "then when it was finished he said 'Now make it pretty.' I think we did."

Despite the modern technological rendering of an age-old process, it still has all the appearances of wizardry and magic when the clear distillate trickles from the still into the receiving container.

"It is a kind of magic, isn't it?" said Pickerell. "I like to tell people I'm a modern alchemist. I turn grain into gold."

Dave Pickerell adds milled grain to the mash tun.

The distillery was the dream of Baker, an executive managing director of Savills LLC, a New York City real estate investment banking firm. In a 25-year career, he completed more than $12 billion in transactions for such clients as Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley and Price Waterhouse.

Baker obviously thinks big in all things.

He purchased this 100-acre Columbia County farm, and a nearby 100-acre plot, a decade ago and has been biding his time as the land rebounded from chemicals used by prior owners.

He now has an eye on having his farm certified organic, part of his support of the farm-to-table movement that has taken hold in the Hudson Valley.

He had a colonial-style house dismantled and transported from Washington County to be reassembled on a hilltop here (see photo below).

Plain now, but the sketch below -- taped to the doorway in photo above -- shows the tasting bar plans.

He is planning to make the distillery visitor-friendly in the foreseeable future, with the ability to host 40-person dinners, as well as offering an outdoor patio, a tasting room, and an interior replete with colonial-style lamps such as those he already has suspended over the new still.

"I'm not sure exactly when we'll open to the public," Baker said, "but we're not too far away from completing the interior rooms."

An adjacent malt house is under construction and should be completed by about year's end. That will allow Hillrock to handle its own grain malting rather than having it done off-premises as is the current arrangement. Once that is done, it will mean a fully on-premises field-to-bottle operation.

Welly, who had been cellar master at Millbrook Winery in Dutchess County before joining Hillrock this year, is head of operations and the distiller now, with Pickerell as the consultant. He's a veteran of the restaurant and wine industry in sales, distribution and as a buyer. As part of the transition to distilling, he has been working under Pickerell and right up to the last minute today was busily making notes on a yellow legal pad seldom far from his reach.

Pickerell, an industry superstar and former Maker's Mark master distiller, has a busy consulting business with craft distilleries around the country, juggling 20 of them right now. The former Army officer and West Point faculty member is the managing member and senior consultant with Oak View Consulting in Mt. Washington, KY.


The transplanted farmhouse (right) and a smaller guesthouse. (Photo from Hillrock Farm)

The only distillery I know of, anywhere, with its own tennis court.


Two fermentation bins. On left is one day's action, on right is two days'.

A closeup of the fermentation process, bubbles and all.

The malt house under construction.

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Whiskey anthology perfect for holiday gifts

2011-11-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

Bill Dowd

I selected, edited and co-wrote this collection of essays from numerous writers famous in the field, from F. Paul Pacult to David Wondrich, and such multi-field notables as Tom Wolfe to Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Okrent of The New York Times.

Through them you will discover the spread of whiskey throughout the world and how it helped build countries. Read profiles of some of the most famous giants of the industry as Jack Daniel, George Smith and the Beam family.

Plus, go behind the scenes of Prohibition to check out the legendary gangsters, small-time rumrunners, and a famous NASCAR champion who made his mark as a moonshine runner. And, you'll get insiders' looks at legitimate whiskey-making in such diverse spots as Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., South Africa, India and Japan, as well as how the infamous Whiskey Ring scandal almost brought down a U.S. presidency.

Sobieski adds 3 flavored vodkas

2011-11-03T12:55:00.001-07:00

Sobieski Vodka, the low-priced Polish vodka that made big inroads into the U.S. market, today announced the release of three new flavored versions.

Sobieski Espresso, Cynamon and Bizon Grass join other flavors in its porftolio -- Orange, Karamel, Raspberry, Cytron and Vanilia.

Sobieski flavored vodkas begin with iconic Dankowski Rye, as does the base vodka, and is made at the Starogard Gdanski distillery that dates to 1846.

The newcomers will be sold nationwide at a suggested retail price of $10.99 for the 750ml bottle.

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Beam seals 12 millionth bourbon barrel

2011-11-03T11:43:00.001-07:00

Fred Noe III seals the milestone barrel of bourbon.

CLERMONT, KY -- Jim Beam Brands reached a huge milestone on October 17, when it filled its 12 millionth barrel of bourbon since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. The commemorative white oak barrel bearing the new company logo was filled and sealed at Beam’s flagship distillery here, where it will be aged until 2015.

"After more than 216 years, Beam continues to thrive as the No. 1 bourbon producer in the world," said Frederick "Fred" Booker Noe III, Jim Beam’s great-grandson and seventh generation Beam family distiller.

“This milestone comes at a time when bourbon is growing faster than categories like vodka in the U.S., and reflects the popularity of our brands, innovations and the worldwide growth of America’s native spirit.”

Beam is the fourth largest premium spirits company in the world. Its bourbon portfolio include Jim Beam, Jim Beam Black, Red Stag by Jim Beam, Devil’s Cut, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Baker’s, Booker’s, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve, Maker’s Mark and Maker’s 46.

Exactly how much is 12 million barrels of bourbon? Noe looked into that and said the amount would:

• Yield nearly 340 million cases of Jim Beam Bourbon.

• Create more than 500 trillion bourbon cocktails.

• Fill 1,060 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

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Celebri-quote: Tom Brokaw

2011-11-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Tom Brokaw

• Former “NBC Nightly News” anchor Tom Brokaw is profiled in New York magazine. Among the questions he answered ...

Q: What’s your drink?

A: We have a Polish audio technician with whom I have worked all over the world for years. He makes a killer home-brew lemon vodka.

We have shared shots with Gorbachev, and toasted the fall of the Berlin Wall, the visit of Pope John Paul to Warsaw, the release of Nelson Mandela, and most of the historic events of the last 30 years.

I want to be buried with a milk bottle of Majik’s lemon vodka.

[Go here for the Celebri-quotes archives.]

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Want a Scotch? Pass the can

2011-11-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

If you've been longing for a nice can of Scotch whisky, your wish is about to be granted.

Scottish Spirits, a canned product of Scotland, will be available nationwide at more than 100,000 U.S. liquor stores beginning in December.

Both single-grain and blended 80 proof Scotch whisky are packaged in recyclable aluminum cans. They are distilled and matured in Scotland in oak casks for a minimum of tree years.

Scottish Spirits is using 12-ounce cans -- the equivalent of eight shots -- at a suggested retail price of $5. The company has its own distribution centers in Europe and in the U.S.

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Tennessee gets its sixth distillery

2011-11-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

An old moonshiner still is set up for viewing by visitors.

WOODBURY, TN -- Tennessee has its sixth licensed distillery now that a new Cannon County facility has opened east of Mrufreesboro.

Short Mountain Distillery has received its state and federal permits 11 months after supporters changed county law by referendum to allow distilleries.

The company will make a Tennessee sour mash white whiskey from a family recipe used for generations. It will utilize locally-grown corn that is stone milled on site.

Production is expected to begin in January, and the facility will be opened to tourists in March. The distillery is working to become USDA Certified Organic within a year.

Short Mountain Distillery is owned by the Kaufman brothers -- Billy, David and Ben. They are the great-grandchildren of Jesse Shwayder, who 100 years ago founded the iconic American brand Samsonite. Their grandfather, Louis Degen, brought Samsonite to Murfreesboro decades ago.

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New Glenmorangie 15 goes to market

2011-10-31T13:16:00.001-07:00

The new expression.

• Glenmorangie named "Distiller of the Year." Story here.

Glenmorangie today announced the release of its Nectar D'Òr 15 yr old whisky, the expansion of its Extra Matured Range, which includes Quinta Ruban.

Nectar D'Òr 15 initially is matured for at least a decade in ex-bourbon American white oak casks, then extra matured in ex-sauternes casks for five years, according to Dr. Bill Lumsden, head of whisky creation for the Scottish distiller.

The whiskey is stored in hand-selected wine barriques (59 gallon capacity barrels) to develop its flavors, and is non-chill-filtered for additional aroma.

The new product, bottled at 46% abv (92 proof) will sell for a suggested retail price of $70.

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Lasers shed light on counterfeit whisky

2011-10-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

• From BBC.com

A new method to tackle the counterfeiting of Scotch whisky using laser technology has been developed.

St. Andrews University researchers have claimed they can work out a whisky's brand, age and cask by using a ray of light the size of a human hair. They said the test could prove if a whisky is genuine or not using a sample no bigger than a teardrop.

Counterfeiting is understood to be a major problem for the drinks industry which seeks new methods of detection.

The technique involves researchers placing a tiny amount of whisky on a transparent plastic chip no bigger than a credit card. Using optical fibers the width of a hair, the whisky sample is illuminated by light using one fibee, and collected by another.
By analysing the collection of light scattered from the whisky, the researchers say they are able to diagnose the sample.

The key lies in the ability of the laser to detect the amount of alcohol contained in the sample, genuine whisky must contain at least 40%.

The method exploits both the fluorescence of whisky and the scattering of light and shift in energy when it interacts with molecules, known as its Raman signature.

[Go here for the complete story.]

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Glenmorangie named 'Distiller of the Year'

2011-10-28T14:03:00.001-07:00

The Glenmorangie portfolio.

Glenmorangie today was announced as "Distiller of the Year" winner in the annual Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards.

According to Wine Enthusiast magazine, Glenmorangie's nomination resulted from its innovation "ranging from polished classics and elegant cask-finished whiskies to its 2011 release of the luxurious Glenmorangie Pride 1981 bottling."

Glenmorangie pioneered the now widely-used techniques of extra maturation, best illustrated in its 12 years old Extra Matured Range: Lasanta (Sherry Finish), Quinta Ruban (Port Finish) and Nectar d'Or (Sauternes Finish). After spending 10 years in American white oak bourbon casks, each expression is extra-matured in wine casks for two more years.

Glenmorangie Pride 1981 is the longest extra maturation Glenmorangie has ever offered. It is matured in oak for 18 years before being aged in Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes casks for another 10 years. Presented in a Baccarat crystal decanter, it is an extremely rare, limited edition of only 1,000 bottles worldwide.

The Glenmorangie distillery was founded in 1843 in the Highlands of Scotland and has a reputation as a pioneer in whisky creation, now overseen by Dr. Bill Lumsden.

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Van Winkle supplies being refreshed

2011-10-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

If your local spirits merchant is a bit low on Van Winkle whiskies, take heart. The Frankfort, KY, distiller promises more will be on the way to "select stores" by late November.

The portfolio, made in limited batches, consists of Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon aged 10 years, available in 90 proof and 107 proof; Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon, aged 12 years; Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbons, aged 15 years, 20 years and 23 years; and Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye Whiskey, aged 13 years.

The 23 Year Old was named "Whiskey of the Year" in 2010 by Wine and Spirits magazine.

The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has an interesting history that spans four generations. It began in the late 1800s when Julian P. "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr. and a partner purchased the W.L. Weller & Sons liquor wholesale house in Louisville then merged with A.P. Stitzel’s distillery to become the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. In May 1935, Van Winkle opened a new Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville, making such brands as W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell and Cabin Still.

Julian Van Winkle Jr. took over operations when his father died at 91, but sold the distillery in 1972. The rights to all of their brands were sold to Norton Simon Inc. United Distillers, which eventually ended up with the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, sold off all of the original labels around 1999.

Julian Jr. then resurrected a pre-Prohibition label, Old Rip Van Winkle, the only one to which the Van Winkles kept the rights. He used whiskey stocks from the old distillery to supply his brand. His son, Julian III, took over in 1981 when Julian Jr. died, and his son, Preston, works with him.

In 2002, the Van Winkles began a joint venture with Buffalo Trace Distillery. All of the Van Winkles' whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace Distillery under the same family guidelines.

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Trace's Single Oak Project nears third release

2011-10-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Whiskies usually are the product of tasting by a very small inner circle. In the case of Buffalo Trace Distillery's Single Oak Project Bourbon, that circle is huge.

The favorite wheat recipe bourbons that are part of the project are aged in barrels made from wood harvested from the top half of oak trees, with barrel #61 and barrel #127 leading the way.

Nearly 1,000 whiskey fans have participated by tasting and rating online their Single Oak Project Bourbon. Drinkers in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco have submitted the most feedback, but the company says it has received reviews from people in 31 countries.

The third release in the series will go public in Niovember. Participants will be asked to explore three important variables that affect the bourbon taste: recipe, grain size, and entry proof.

Some of the bottles contain bourbon made with rye and others with wheat. The barrels themselves were made from different trees, each with varying degrees of thickness to their wood grain, from fine to average to very coarse.

"We can now finally taste the difference in whiskies at two separate entry proofs," said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. "There has been much debate about entry proof, so we’re very curious to see the results."

As with the other two releases, Buffalo Trace hopes consumers can continue to rate each whiskey they taste online. After reviewing a bottle online, consumers will be given the aging details and provenance of the barrel. They can interact with others who also reviewed the barrel and compare their reviews.

The Single Oak Project is part of research Buffalo Trace Distillery started in 1999 by selecting 96 trees with different wood grains, then dividing them into a top and bottom piece, yielding 192 unique sections. From there, staves were created from each section and were air dried for either 6 months or 12 months. After all the staves were air dried, a single barrel was created from each tree section, resulting in 192 total barrels. These barrels were given either a number three or a number four char and then filled with either wheat or rye recipe bourbon. The barrels were filled at two different proofs, 105 and 125 proof. In addition, two different warehouses were used, one with wooden ricks and one with concrete floors.

In this process, Buffalo Trace came up with a potential of 1,396 tasting combinations from these 192 barrels.

The Single Oak Project Bourbon is being released in a series every three months over the next four years until all 192 barrels have been released.

All releases will be packaged in a 375ml bottle. Suggested retail pricing per bottle is $46.35.

At the conclusion of the Single Oak Project, the Distillery plans to take the top rated barrel based on online consumer feedback, make more of that product and launch it under the Single Oak Project nameplate.

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Beam sale to Pernod-Ricard speculated

2011-10-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

• From Bloomberg News Service

Jim Beam bourbon and Skinnygirl cocktails may be enough to convince Pernod-Ricard SA and Diageo Plc to attempt the biggest spirits acquisition in six years.

Beam Inc., the liquor company formed in the breakup of Fortune Brands Inc. this year, would be worth about $59 a share in a takeover, said Goldman Sachs Group Inc. That would value the Deerfield, Illinois-based owner of Courvoisier cognac and Cruzan rum at $10.8 billion including net debt, making it the largest deal in the liquor industry since 2005, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

With bourbon sales outpacing vodka in the U.S. as drinking at home increases, Beam’s command of a third of the domestic market with Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark may lure Pernod, Europe’s second-biggest distiller, or Diageo, the world’s largest spirits company, said Davenport & Co. and Goldman Sachs. While Pernod’s $14.2 billion in debt and Diageo’s distribution of tequila and cognac brands may be hurdles to a takeover, according to GFI Group Inc., Beam is an appealing entry into the bourbon market because it isn’t family controlled like Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman Corp., said Liberum Capital Ltd.

"Beam’s bourbon play is attractive for the potential buyers," Alfredo Scialabba, a special situations analyst at GFI Group in New York, said in a telephone interview. "They have a very strong position in the U.S., which is the most profitable market, so it would be a very nice addition to one of the other global players."

Stephanie Schroeder, a spokeswoman for Paris-based Pernod, declined to comment on whether the company is interested in acquiring Beam. [Go here for the full story.]

Meanwhile, in less speculative news concerning Pernod-Ricard, Bloomberg reports that the company's "ascent to investment grade is paying off in the credit markets, where the cost of insuring the bonds of the maker of Chivas Regal whisky and Absolut vodka has fallen while that of its peers climbed amid the euro-region debt crisis." [Go here for that story.]

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Push on to hike taxes on Jack Daniel's

2011-10-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Jack Daniel's visitors center.

LYNCHBURG, TN -- The Jack Daniel's company pays nearly 60% of the price of a bottle of its whiskey in some form of tax. It also pays for about a third of Moore County's tax base.

Not enough, says one local resident who is spearheading a campaign to get the whiskey giant to pay for a few more things in the county -- such as schools, roads, brides and a water treatment plant.

Charlie Rogers says the county is "entitled" to more of the company's money.

"They created the image of this little old hamlet down here being the place where this fantastic whiskey is being made ... and the people didn't realize what was going on. They were being marketed all over the world as 'the place'."

Rogers began his push back in 2007 when he asked the town council to approve such additional taxes. The idea was dismissed then, but this year the council approved a resolution asking the state's General Assembly delegation to introduce a private act that would enable Moore County residents to at least vote on such a tax. If that is successful, the locality would have to get signatures from registered voters equal to 10% of the vote in the last presidential election tyo get a barrel tax on the ballot.

Responds Tommy Beam, general manager of the Brown-Forman-owned distiller, sees the push as a potential job killer.

"We're paying our part, our fair share," Beam said, noting that the distillery has already helped the area in several ways, including assisting with renovations at the courthouse, a swimming pool and donated land for a public park, in addition to all its taxes. "We operate as a partner with the county."

Jack Daniel's is the county's largest employer, with a work force of about 450, and also brings more than 200,000 visitors a year into the area.

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Murray guide names Old Pulteney No. 1

2011-10-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Malcom Waring

Old Pulteney, a single malt distilled in the remote town of Wick, Scotland, has been named "World Whisky of the Year" in Jim Murray's influential 2012 Whisky Bible.

The 21-year-old single malt scored a record-equalling 97.5 points out of 100 on Murray's scale. Murray tastes more than 1,200 whiskies before deciding the winner.

Master Distiller Malcom Waring told me the 21 year old is aged 66% in used bourbon casks and 33% in used sherry casks, then blended and bottled at 92 proof.

Two American bourbons were ranked 2-3 by Murray: George T. Stagg and 10-year-old Parker's Heritage Collection Wheated Mash Bill, respectively.

Old Pulteney 21 was introduced to the U.S. market in 2007. You can read my report at that time, which contains tasting notes on all the Old Pulteney whiskies, by clicking here.

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Latin flavors gaining in cocktails

2011-10-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

'Tavern keeper' Jeret Peña

• From Nation's Restaurant News

SAN ANTONIO, TX -- Latin flavors are pouring into beverages, according to experts at the "Latin Flavors, American Kitchens" conference at the Culinary Institute of America here.

Jeret Peña, the "tavern keeper" at The Esquire Tavern here, said he considers mezcal, tequila, peppers, chiles and Latin American herbs the top five Latin flavors popular in contemporary cocktails.

Rick Bayless, chef and owner of Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and XOCO in Chicago, said, "We are living in a great era of emphasis and enthusiasm about the cocktail culture. It has gotten an amazing rebirth. Where I used to ask for the wine list, I now ask for the cocktail list, because it’s exciting."

Bayless said Latin American alcoholic beverages, liqueurs and mixers also are delicious. For instance, in Mexico, many cities and regions have their own flavor traditions, such as adding ground peanuts, fruits and herbs to drinks.

"It’s all of our duties to shake the bushes and find out what’s out there," Bayless said.

[Go here for the complete story.]

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Celebri-quote: Olivia Munn

2011-10-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

In GQ magazine photo.

• The actress Olivia Munn, 31, has an unusual beverage that helps her get through physical workouts: tequila. She talked about it with Radar Online.

Q: What helps get you through a physical workout?

A: It seems weird, but I drink. I drink when I work out. I literally hate working out. My friends ask me if I want to go hiking up Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles and I'm like ... 'Why would you want to go outside? Why would you like to climb up a mountain?' I really do drink when I work out. I have to trick myself into thinking I'm doing something fun."

What does she drink most? Tequila.

[Go here for the Celebri-quotes archives.]

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Agreement on new guidelines for spirits advertising

2011-10-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

• From FoodBev.com

The advertising of spirits drinks through social networking sites, blogs, apps and user-generated content will be subject to new guidelines agreed by top spirits producers from Europe and the U.S.

The new guidelines will extend the principles of responsible spirits advertising to cover all forms of digital marketing.

In what is a first in the industry, this collaboration by the European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD) and the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) is a joint effort to provide a common and consistent approach to responsible advertising through social media.

In recognition of the fast-changing nature of digital media, the revised standards now state a clear set of principles that can be applied to current and emerging digital media, future-proofing guidelines for the marketing of spirit drinks.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Argentine ice bar a glacial project

2011-10-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

A trio of customers heads into the bar.

• From Newser.com

Well traveled tipplers should add Patagonia, Argentina, to their itineraries. A bar billed as the only one made (carved?) out of glacial ice opened there last week.

Bellying up to this bar -- whose specialty is Coke served with a bitter spirit called Fernet -- is a little more involved: You'll don a cape, gloves, and boots, explains The New York Times, and your bar-hop will be limited to 20 minutes. Which is probably a good thing, since the temp is kept at 17.6° , reports Tweet Travelers. But plenty awaits once you leave: GlacioBar is a part of the Glaciarium, a science museum that celebrates the area's myriad glaciers.

If you can't get to South America, don't fret: There are other ice bars around the world, though they're made of regular old ice.

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Recreating the past at Mount Vernon distillery

2011-10-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

Master distiller Dave Pickerell checks alcohol level.

PHOTOS BY BILL DOWD

MOUNT VERNON, VA -- The air was a thick stew of humidity, dust motes, cool water, fruit flies and the occasional spark from kindling wood being stoked in the brick ovens below the copper pot stills.

At a makeshift table, master distiller Dave Pickerell was busy checking the alcohol content of a stream of samples of what was cooking that day: apple brandy.

To be totally accurate, apple eau de vie, the new brandy that can't be called by the "B" word until it has aged at least two years in wood.

This was one of the three distilling sessions that are held each year at the re-creation of George Washington's original distillery on the grounds of his Mount Vernon estate. It was rebuilt in 2007, using the outline of the original foundation discovered during an archaeological dig as well as notes from Washington's era, of stone and wood, thus resurrecting a facility that was the nation's leading distillery until it was gutted by fire in 1814, some 15 years after Washington's death.

With Pickerell, the former master distiller for Maker's Mark and now owner of a bustling micro-distillery consulting business, leading all the work sessions since day one, Washington's distilled products have steadily been gaining in collector appeal. From unaged white spirit, such as Washington sold, to peach and now apple eau de vie as made by Washington, and the two-year-old aged rye whiskey that will be released on October 22, sellouts have been the order of the day.

[Go here for my tasting notes on the rye.]

The revival of the historic operation is a success story for the major sponsor, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), for Mount Vernon and for the distilling industry as a whole.

Maryland-grown heirloom apples.

The heirloom apples used in this year's specialty distillation are of the sort known to have been grown at Mount Vernon in Washington's era.

These particular styles -- Roxbury Russet, Hews Crab and Newtown Pippin (also known as Albemarle Pippin) -- were trucked in from a farm in Western Maryland that specializes in heirloom crops. They have similar tastes, something a distilling assistant referred to as "Granny Smith light." I couldn't avoid sampling one -- slightly tart, crisp, nearly overflowing with juice.

Over the course of three days, Pickerell and a crew of period-costumed workers would create the mash using the fruit, yeast and hot water, run the mixture through a line of five stills to extract the alcohol from the mix through the use of fire, water and a touch of alchemy.

Here at Mount Vernon, the crew works with equipment that is virtually identical to that used by James Anderson, Washington's master distiller, who toiled from sunup to sundown with an assistant distiller and six slaves, turning out up to 11,000 gallons of spirit in one year.

Part of the five-still lineup.

It is an orderly line of fairly simple copper pot stills set into brick chimneys that have a fire box at the bottom. The distilling process is very straightforward, be it with old-style equipment such as this, or the huge, computer-controlled stills at major distilleries around the globe. It goes like this:

Put the mash into the still. Crank up the heat. Because alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature than water, the two separate and the alcohol in vapor form goes through a copper tube from the top (the "onion") of the still into a cooling tank that contains a coil of tubes, know as the worm. Here, the tank is a wooden barrel; the cooling water that keeps the worm covered and thus returns the cooled alcohol to liquid form is pumped in from both hoses and wooden troughs connected to a sluiceway bringing water from the nearby creek.

The new whiskey dribbles from the still.

That cooled alcohol dribbles through the worm and out an opening at the bottom of the barrel. A good stream is about the size of a No. 2 pencil, and passes into a funnel lined with a modern coffee filter. What goes through the funnel and into a catch bucket is whiskey. The initial distillate, known as the head, is tossed back into the still for further distillation to get rid of any unwanted material that made it into the start of the run.

I dipped my fingers into a small stream of distillate and tasted, expecting a lot of heat on the palate because of the 150 proof alcohol level (that's 75% alcohol by volume). I was pleasantly surprised by the richness of taste and absence of excessive alcohol bite in this early run, one that would be distilled several more times until it reached a level of quality Pickerell deemed good enough to be barreled in toasted wood for a two-year nap.

Here are some other images from the distilling session:


The distillery on a misty afternoon. The wood trough is the sluiceway.


Member of Mount Vernon's Historic Trades group split kindling to fire the stills.

A savory rough mix of apple squeezings ready to be distilled.

Dave Pickerell is intent on watching his team carry out their tasks.

Dennis Pogue (left), VP for Preservation, chats with Steve Bashore, manager of Historic Trades, in costume.

A Historic Trades worker takes time out for a bit of New Age yoga.

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Glenglassaugh's No. 1 barrel due to be poured

2011-10-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

Barrel No. 1

PORTSOY, Aberdeenshire, Scotland -- Glenglassaugh Distillery was founded in 1875, sold off in 1892, enlarged in 1960, and mothballed in 1986.

Not an unusual story in a country that is home to a fair number of closed distilleries. However, every now and then one is brought back to life. That's the case of Glenglassaugh.

An independent group of investors took it over in 2008 and, after it was refurbished, went back on line. The first mash took place on the November 28 of that year, and the first spirit distillation on December 4 with the first cask of the new era filled two days later. Those first casks will officially become three years old and officially single malt Scotch whisky on December 16 this year.

Inside the Glenglassaugh Distillery.

The very first cask was emptied and refilled into two smaller casks -- a first fill ex-Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry hogshead and a first-fill ex-Palo Cortado sherry hogshead -- on December 16 last year. In September 16 this year the whiskies were returned to the original butt and are now marrying for a period of three months.

On December 16 that cask will be emptied into approximately 650 bottles at cask strength, natural color and with no chill filtration.

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Famous Grouse loses weight

2011-10-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Mike Rose with new lightweight bottle.

• From Edie.net

Famous Grouse scotch whisky is set to be sold in lighter packaging weighing only 340g -- a 14% weight reduction previously not thought possible in the production of premium spirit bottles.

The ground-breaking prototype, develped by Edrington, hails a technical first for the bottling industry and will be tested in a selection of Scottish supermarkets this autumn.

Edrington's director of technical services, Mike Rose, said, "We set out to prove that it was possible to produce a glass bottle under 400g which still supports premium features like engraving and embossing and can cope with the speed of our production line, which runs at up to 600 bottles per minute.

"It was a stern test for the new bottle, but it ran successfully through all of the processes without any hitches or breakages. Now that we have a prototype, tests are underway to see whether it is feasible to roll the new bottle out across our products."

He added that if the innovation was adopted by Famous Grouse, the product group would save over 2,160 tons of glass every year. And if this was rolled out across the whisky industry, it could save over 58,000 tons of glass annually.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Hangar One debuts Maine blueberry vodka

2011-10-07T12:32:00.001-07:00

ALAMEDA, CA -- Hangar One today announced the release of its seventh flavored vodka, Maine Wild Blueberry.

The vodka is distilled in small batches using fresh wild blueberries from small farms of eastern Maine, and blended with the fresh juices. Maine berries were chosen for their sweeter, stronger taste than most other blueberries.

Previous flavored vodkas from Hangar One are Mandarin Blossom, Kaffir Lime and Buddha’s Hand Citron, plus the seasonal offerings Fraser River Raspberry, Spiced Pear and Chipotle vodkas, as well as straight vodka.

Hangar One Distillers is a small independent company spirits housed in a decommissioned World War II Naval Air Station hangar on San Francisco Bay.

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Washington rye whiskey ready for market

2011-10-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

Draining cooling water from a still at Mt. Vernon (Dowd photo)

MT. VERNON, VA -- Whiskey fans and collectors may want to circle October 22 on their calendars. That's the first day for sales of the first batch of aged rye from George Washington’s reconstructed distillery.

Three hundred limited-edition bottles will be sold for $185 each beginning at 10 a.m. that Saturday. Proceeds will go toward upkeep and operation of the Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens

Washington was the largest whiskey distiller in the U.S. at the time of his death in 1799. His distillery was reconstructed from original notes and plans and opened in 2007. This whiskey was aged on-site in charred oak barrels, unlike in Washington's day when freshly-made whiskey went straight to market.

Go here for my story on opening day at the distillery.

The aged George Washington Rye Whiskey will be available at The Shops at Mount Vernon and the Distillery & Gristmill site, located three miles from the estate.

The whiskey was made from an original recipe. A group of master distillers will be making a batch of original-recipe apple brandy next week.

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DISCUS seeks fast action on trade pacts

2011-10-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON, DC –- The Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) has urged quick congressional passage of pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

Such a move would particularly have a favorable impact on bourbon and Tennessee whiskey distillers.

"The Distilled Spirits Council long has supported prompt approval of these agreements because they will bring about significant new export opportunities for U.S. spirits producers,” said Christine LoCascio, DISCUS senior vice president for international trade. "We applaud the President’s commitment to move forward with these free trade agreements."

Under the agreement with Korea, tariffs on imports of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey -- two categories that account for 68% of global U.S. spirits exports -- will be lifted on the first day the agreement enters into force. Korea’s tariffs on all other U.S. spirits will be removed over five years.

Tariffs also will be eliminated immediately on all U.S spirits exports to Panama and on U.S brandies, gins and liqueurs exports to Colombia upon entry into force of those agreements. Colombia will eliminate tariffs on all other U.S. spirits over 10 years.

LoCascio noted that since July 2011, competitors in Europe have benefitted from tariff reductions on their spirits exports to South Korea, which has placed U.S. spirits at a competitive disadvantage in that market.

“In order to begin to reverse this trend, Congress must act quickly to pass these agreements,” she said.

Global U.S. spirits exports have more than doubled over the past decade. In 2010, the value of total U.S. spirits exports exceeded $1 billion for the fourth consecutive year.

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'Diddy' goes on foul-mouthed rant

2011-10-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Diddy in rant mode.

If, at a given point in time, you were in an Atlanta nightclub and order Grey Goose vodka instead of Ciroc, puffed up mogul Diddy, or whatever the hell he calls himself this week, thinks you're a "nigga" and a "faggot."

That's what happened when Ciroc's official celebrity spokesman went on a rant, threw ice at the customer and challenged him to a fight. He was caught on video yelling, among other choice phrases, "Bitch ass niggas! Put that shit down before I come smack that purple shirt off your ass!”

Of course, he showed his softer side a moment earlier when he wished a friend "Happy birthday to my nigga."

After reading the transcript and watching the video, I was puzzled. What is a "bitch ass"? And, how does one slap a shirt of somone else's ass? Ah, the mysteries of the universe.

The rapper/entrepreneur, who variously has called himself Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy, and god knows what else, now has issued an apology, riddled with misspellings (shown in dark type). It reads:

"I'm sorry for the ignorant way I repesented myself ... I have backslid and regressed. Forgive me for my ignorance. Pray for me pls."

"I know better and I am better. I have a responibility that I promise I will live up to. And I'm more dissapointed in myself than you know."

"I will humble myself and learn."

As for the target of his tirade, Ricky Parker, says he feels "humiliated and disrespected."

Last year, Diddy released a video on You Tube with a mock apology to other vodka makers made while he was lolling in a bathtub full of soap bubbles. So, we probably can take this latest "apology" for what it is. BS.

P.S. If you really feel the need to, you can view the video here.

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Top Russian premium vodka U.S.-bound

2011-10-04T10:59:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK -- Russian Standard Vodka, the top premium seller in its homeland, today anounced the U.S. launch of Russian Standard Gold Vodka.

The vodka, made from Russian winter wheat, will be available in selected markets at a suggested retail price of $45 for the 750 ml bottle.

Russian Standard Gold debuted in Russia in 2008 and is currently launching in multiple international markets.

The Russian Standard Vodka portfolio dominates the premium segment in Russia with a 50% market share and sales of more than 2.5 million cases worldwide last year. Drinks International ranks it the fourth-fastest-growing vodka brand in the world.

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Burnett's flavored vodkas hit 25

2011-10-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

BARDSTOWN, KY -- Burnett’s flavored vodka portfolio has been bumped up to 25 varieties with the release this week of Hot Cinnamon.

The other flavors are blueberry, cherry, citrus, coconut, cranberry, espresso, fruit punch, grape, lime, limeade, mango, orange, orange cream, peach, pineapple, pink lemonade, pomegranate, raspberry, sour apple, strawberry, sweet tea, vanilla, watermelon and whipped cream.

The newcomer is being sold at a suggested retail price of $9.99 for a 750ml bottle. It also is available in 1.75 liter, 1 liter and 50 ml sizes. All are bottled at 35% alcohol by volume (70 proof).

Burnett’s is one of the brands owned by Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc. Among others are Evan Williams Bourbon, HPNOTIQ and HPNOTIQ Harmonie liqueurs, Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart rums, Christian Brothers brandies and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.

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A. Smith Bowman names master distiller

2011-10-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Cox working in costume.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- The A. Smith Bowman company today officially named a successor to master distiller Joe Dangler, who retired on October 1.

Truman Cox, who has been training under Dangler since July 1, is the new master distiller. He had been lead chemist at Buffalo Trace Distillery since 2004, but when Dangler's imminent retirement was made known early this year, he moved to Bowman.

Cox is a native of northern Indiana, grandson of a Prohibition era "gin truck" driver. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Central Florida. He started in the alcohol industry as the quality chemist for the beverage alcohol division at Grain Processing Company in Muscatine, IA. He left GPC to work at Buffalo Trace.

"I make no secret that we purchase designate from Buffalo Trace distillery and have purchased designate since fermentation was ceased in 1984," Cox said. "We distill the designate, barrel and age the distillate at our own facility. I plan on expanding our designate purchases to include some other distilleries to marry the distillates before going through my own still to come up with some unique whiskey."

[Go here for Dangler's retirement story.]

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Major distilling industry figure dies

2011-09-30T13:58:00.000-07:00

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.]

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What will you be drinking during 'Prohibition'?

2011-09-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

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.

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A. Smith Bowman master distiller retiring

2011-09-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

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.

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Infused alcohols now OK in California

2011-09-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

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."

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Malt Advocate changes name, content

2011-09-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

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.

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Absolut testing vodka-wine hybrid

2011-09-21T14:24:00.000-07:00

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."

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World's most expensive Scotch

2011-09-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

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.
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Canadian Club celebrates 'Boardwalk Empire'

2011-09-21T12:20:00.001-07:00

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.

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Sazerac releases another Canadian blend

2011-09-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

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.

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Tuaca unveils 'perfect chill' bottle

2011-09-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

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.

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Looking forward to the past in a punch bowl

2011-09-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

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.

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Spike TV renews 'Bar Rescue' series

2011-09-15T12:43:00.001-07:00

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.

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Craft distiller restoring PA rye luster

2011-09-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

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.

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Four Roses releases bourbon blend

2011-09-14T13:25:00.000-07:00

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.

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UK distiller, brewer make a new drink

2011-09-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

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.

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Cocktail of the week: Black Cherry Mule

2011-09-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

• 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.

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Spirited art for the people

2011-09-04T11:45:00.000-07:00

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."

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Buffalo Trace Antique Collection due out

2011-09-01T11:44:00.001-07:00

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 eachBuffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company in Frankfort, KY.

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Cornwall's first single malt in 300 years

2011-09-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

• 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).

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Final days for whiskey book discount

2011-08-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

My new book, "Barrels & Drams: The History of Whisk(e)y In Jiggers and Shots," will officially be released on September 6.

The retail price then will be $18.95, but you can get a hefty 33% pre-release discount from Amazon.com by going here.

It is a collection I co-wrote and edited with essays from numerous writers famous in the field, from F. Paul Pacult to David Wondrich to Tom Wolfe.

You'll discover the spread of whiskey throughout the world and how it helped build countries. Read profiles of some of the most famous giants of the industry as Jack Daniel, George Smith and the Beam family.

Plus, go behind the scenes of Prohibition to check out the legendary gangsters, small-time rumrunners, a famous NASCAR champion who made his mark as a moonshine runner. And, you'll get insiders' looks at legitimate whiskey-making in such diverse spots as Scotland, Ireland, the U.S., South Africa, India and Japan.

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Perfect weekend for a Hurricane Cocktail

2011-08-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

One of the most enduring fruity, summertime adult drink is the Hurricane Cocktail, also a favorite during Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

And, what better weekend for it than this one, what with Hurricane Irene creating concern and damage all along the Eastern Seaboard.

As with so many drinks, the precise recipe is argued, with regional preferences abounding In that spirit, I'm offering several variations.

NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC

Yields 10 drinks

10 ounces white rum
10 ounces Jamaican Dark rum
10 ounces Bacardi 151 rum
30 ounces orange juice
30 ounces pineapple juice
5 ounces grenadine syrup

Combine all ingredients and mix well in a chilled pitcher.Serve in large glasses over crushed ice with an orange slice as garnish.

O'BRIEN'S BAR VERSION

Yields 2 drinks

2 ounces light rum
2 ounces dark rum
2 ounces passion fruit juice
1 ounce orange juice
juice of a half a lime
1 tablespoon simple syrup
1 tablespoon grenadine
Orange slice and cherry for garnish

Squeeze juice from half a lime into shaker over ice. Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass (see shape above). Garnish with a cherry and an orange juice.

THE HURRICANE!

Yields 2 drinks

1 ounce vodka
¼ ounce grenadine syrup
1 ounce gin
1 ounce light rum
½ ounce 151 brand rum (dark añejo rum makes a good substitute)
1 ounce amaretto almond liqueur
1 ounce Triple Sec
grapefruit juice
pineapple juice

Pour all but the juices, in order listed, into a "hurricane" glass three-quarters filled with ice. Fill with equal parts of grapefruit and pineapple juice, and serve.

Note: Rum drinks are famous for a rum "float" on the top. A dark añejo rum such as Brugal makes a nice finishing touch.

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Absolut Orient Apple has 'secret' ingredient

2011-08-27T12:22:00.000-07:00

Just when you think the variety of infused vodkas must have topped out, along comes another.

This one is Absolut Orient Apple, now available in some U.S. markets. Most tasting results say the fruit is evident more in the aroma than in the taste. That may be because rather than an apple, the "Orient Apple" on this infusion is more commonly known as the gently flavored Asian pear.

Absolut Orient Apple is available at a suggested retail price of $20.95 for the 750ml bottle.

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Cocktail of the Week: French 75

2011-08-27T01:01:00.000-07:00

• This is the latest entry in an every-Saturday feature. To compile it, I'll be combing through all sorts of sources -- my own archives, old 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.

Mixologist Chris McMillian of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel's Library Lounge in New Orleans is known as a master of the classics.

This is one of his favorites, named after the famous French World War I artillery piece, the 75mm howitzer, also called a "French 75" ("Soixante Quinze" in French) and is a favorite New Orleans brunch drink.

Ingredients:

1½ ounces gin (preferably Bombay White Label)
1 ounce simple syrup
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
Champagne

In a pint glass, pour gin, simple syrup and lemon juice. Mix with a shaker. Use a strainer to pour the mixture into a Champagne flute and slowly top off the glass with champagne. Give the drink a brief stir and garnish with a lemon spiral.

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