Fans of the hot stuff rejoice. Heaven Hill Distilleries is now making Tabasco brand Spicy Tequila. The new brand launches this month in five markets and sells for $21.99. The product website includes recipes for margaritas, versions of a Sea Breeze and a Tequila Sunrise and even a mojito with the spicy liquor. It would probably be great in a Bloody Maria and maybe a fun shot but I'm not so sure about mixing the Tabasco and the fruit juices behind the bar.
I wavered on this post for a while but decided that although it's an inexpensive wine the fact that it is something new to Spain's wine market outweighs its less-than-luxurious price tag. So here it is -- a wine that may be appropriate for pregnant mothers, bad drunks, and the religiously-restricted. Miguel Torres recently launched Natureo which is Spain's first wine with only 0.5% alcohol! Sure we have heard of or tasted Martinelli's sparkling cider (a favorite in my family for the youngsters at holiday gatherings). But Natureo sounds a little more interesting to me -- it is a white wine made from the Muscat grape which may mean it is more of a sweet wine. The sales are limited to their own country for the time being and cost about $10 per bottle but I think it isn't such a bad idea. At least it is more akin to the real thing than sparkling apple juice.
Mekhong is a golden spirt that has been available in Thailand since 1941 ad is now ready to compete for attention on the world stage. International Beverage Holdings Ltd.,is importing from Thailand and selling it in the U.S. Mekhong, named for Thailand's Mekhong River is made mostly from sugar cane and rice and infused with a blend of Thai herbs and spices. The Mekhong recipe was developed to complement the taste and flavor of Thai food and has hints of ginger, honey, toffee, vanilla, floral, herbs and citrus.
The most popular Mekhong cocktails are the Sabai Sabai, the Thai welcome drink, which seeks to compete with mojitos and margaritas in the U.S. Sabai Sabai calls for 1.5 shots of Mekhong, 1.5 shots fresh squeezed lemon juice, .75 shot simple sugar syrup, a finger pinch of sweet Thai basil and club soda. More Mekhong recipes and its history is available at the Mekhong website, The Spirit of Thailand.The importers are hoping that Mekhong might be the next cachaca.
Maestro Dobel, just launched this month, is the first ever diamond tequila. What does that mean? Apparently it means that it's incredibly clear, incredibly strong, and incredibly expensive. It's a blend of 3 different types of tequila, and in keeping with the diamond theme the creators of Maestro Dobel measure its superiority according to 4 C's: clarity, complexity, crispness, and craftsmanship.
For a while it seemed that vodka flavors were stuck on the sweet. We saw just about every fruit under the sun get an infused vodka of it's own while the few savory flavors like Absolut Peppar became harder and harder to find. But lately thing seem to be shifting. Recently Square One came out with a cucumber vodka and now Three Olives has launched a tomato vodka. The vodka includes the tastes of tomatoes, pepper, horseradish and spices.
I haven't tasted it yet but the Intoxicologist tried it out and found that while it has heavy tomato flavor but is a flat and lacks proper support from the other infused flavors. If you love tomatoes though, this might be the one for you to try out.
For the last few years wine has been steadily gaining on beer but it looks like that trend has ended. A recent Gallup poll revealed that U.S. adults now prefer beer by a double-digit margin over wine. As you can see from the chart above, wine briefly surged above beer in 2005 but has since slipped further from favor. Beer still is not as widely preferred today as it was in the early 1990s but wine's popularity is now at 31% down from a high of 39%.The poll revealed that it's mostly among Americans between the ages of 30 and 49 that have switched back to referring beer. The drinking preferences of younger adults have remained stable in recent years, with 18- to 29-year-olds still showing a wide preference for beer and drinking liquor more often than wine. The survey doesn't ask where the people drink but I suspect the younger drinkers are indulging in their cocktails out in bars more than the more mature drinkers.
Wine remains the preferred beverage of older drinkers. Sixty-two percent of Americans say they drink alcohol and the average drinker reports having consumed 3.8 alcoholic drinks in the past week. Daily drinking is more common among Americans of higher socioeconomic status: 41% of drinkers with incomes of $75,000 or greater say they have had a drink in the past 24 hours, compared with 36% of middle-income respondents (those with household incomes between $30,000 and $74,999) and just 23% of those residing in lower-income households (with incomes of less than $30,000).
More and more spirits also doing charitable work. England's Whitley Neill Gin has created "The Whitley Neill Top of the Tree Challenge" cocktail competition to raise money for UK-based charity, Tree Aid, which supports African communities. UK bartenders will be creating cocktails involving the gin and at least one other ingredient which has derived from a tree. The cocktails will be available until August 1 and the bars will donate money from each cocktail sold to the Whitley Neill Planting Project in Africa.
Whitley Neill Gin already donates five per cent of the proceeds of each bottle sold to Tree Aid. Tree Aid focuses on the poorest sub-Sahel villages where 90 per cent of the population depends on trees including the Baobab, which is a signature botanical in Whitley Neill. The gin was launched in 2005 and is produced in small batches in an antique copper pot still and contains two African botanicals, baobab fruit and Cape gooseberries. It sells for around $30.
The new Diamond Standard vodka takes a concept I first saw with Diva vodka, a step further, using just diamonds rather than all precious stones to filter their vodka. Their process uses over 600 cut diamonds of up to one carat in size. The grain used is from Poland. The bottle is produced by Saver Glass and is made of perfume bottle grade glass with a 25mm Swarovski Xillion Chaton crystal as its centerpiece embedded within its neckline. The vodka is now being test marketed and sold in Massachusetts with plans to expand into New York and New Jersey and has a retail price of $100.
There has been a surge of newgins on the market but what about the other half of the summer essential G&T? Now there is a new premium tonic water, Q Tonic. Q Tonic has no high fructose corn syrup and has 60% fewer calories than regular tonic water. The brand uses hand-picked quinine from the Peruvian Andes and is sweetened with organic agave. The tonic water has been launched in selected restaurants and retail outlets around the country and online. It generally costs around $10 for a pack of four bottles.
With the passing of Memorial Day, gin and tonic season officially begins, a different option from the usual suspects is No. 209 gin which is made by Distillery 209 in San Francisco. Instead of relying on juniper, this gin has notes of citrus and cardamom. No. 209 also includes bergamot, using the whole peel for a fresh citrusy taste. Quoted in the Globe and Mail, Arne Hillesland, technical director and master distiller at Distillery 209 says: "It's not a big, giant Christmas tree of a gin." This begs the question, when does gin stop being gin and start being just another flavored spirit? The word gin is a derivation of a word referring to juniper. N0. 209 does contain juniper, it just brings up the levels of the other flavors traditionally used in gin. It can be found for around $30. The No. 209 website includes a variety of cocktails that are not traditional options for gin including a basil gimlet, several mojitos and a recipe for making a huge batch (30 cocktails) of the 209 Sno Kone which includes the gin, frozen orange juice concentrate, frozen lemonade concentrate and sugar frozen into a slushy concoction.
Liqueurs from LOFT Liqueurs appear to have it going on from all angles: they come in decadent and unique flavors (i.e. Lavender, Lemongrass, and Spicy Ginger), they're handcrafted in small batches, and they're the first liqueurs in the country to be 100% certified organic.
Just two years ago LOFT Liqueurs was started by two women, Lisa Averbuch and Sabrina Moreno-Dolan, and was originally born through Lisa's experimentation with a random limoncello recipe. Besides the 3 standard flavors LOFT is looking to expand, starting with seasonal flavors like Tangerine and Blueberry. Look for LOFT Liqueurs in restaurants in California and you can buy them online here for $29.99/bottle.
I've tried the O2 sparkling vodka but I'm intrigued by the new Camitz vodka because it's topped with a champagne stopper (the O2 has a screwcap and was only mildy fizzy). The Camitz Vodka comes from Sweden and is made from water from the underground springs of Töllsjo and grains from the fields of Västergötland near the distillery. The vodka is distilled five times before carbonation.I haven't tried it yet but The Strong Buzz reports that it delivers a satisfying pop when opened and has a nice fizz with a bit of acidity and needs to be chilled before serving. It sells for $45 and will soon be appearing in key markets in New York, Florida, Nevada and California.
When you are young, extreme drinking often consists of testing just how much you consume. When you get a little older, there is a shift from quantity to quality and for the daring, esotericism. An article by Jason Wilson in the Washington Post led me an amazing source for the truly unusual potent potables. Eric Seed runs the Minnesota-based Haus Alpenz, a distributor that specializes in the kinds of liquors that seem like they went out of production years ago.
Seed's selections are deliciously eclectic. Some seem fairly tame such as the Purkhart Pear Williams Brandy and the Blume Marillen Apricot Eau-de-Vie while other such as the Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur and the red Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur of the Alps are strangers to the most people in the States. The Haus Alpenz website also includes recipes on how to use things such as the Batavia Arrack which was used in punches in pre-prohibition America. And liqueurs such as the Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette are like drinking the past. Their websites lists the places to go to discover these unique tastes.
The news that absinthe would finally be available in the U.S. was greeted with great enthusiasm by those who had been denied the experience but after the hype dies down will the "green fairy" have legs? The San Francisco Chronicle covers the rise of the spirit and of Lance Winters, the distiller behind St. George Spirits, the first American distillery to legally sell a bottle of absinthe in the United States, after the 1912 ban was lifted. Winters s a hot property right now with everyone wanting him and his pale green liqueur. He sold out of 3,600 bottles in the first six hours the spirit was available at $75 a pop.
The drink, which has a licorice-heavy taste that is similar to ouzo is popular now due to the novelty and the high alcohol content (and the cute little absinthe glasses make it pretty fun too). But after everyone tries it once will there be a large continuing market for the drink? The distilled wisdom from the article seems to be that it is a hot trend now bu one that will fade. Even Winters believes that the interest in absinthe will wane although he believes that his St. George Absinthe Verte will have a niche fan base. Its association with Victorian writers and artists continues to lend it romantic infamy.
There is some danger of the absinthe market getting flooded. There are a couple of brands currently being sold in the U.S. now and many more in the pipeline including Marilyn Manson's Mansinthe. As with any hot trend everyone wants in and then once the market fades in a year or two some of the new labels will disappear too but absinthe will always have its fans and a place on the bar shelf.
Gallo is a name that typically resonates with the wine industry but they are branching out to embrace a new alcoholic beverage -- gin. Their new venture, New Amsterdam Straight Gin, is said to be smooth enough to sip on its own but certainly perfect for a martini or G&T. Its manufacturing facility is in Modesto where the rest of E. & J. Gallo's complex is located. Aiming for the 25-49 year old market with a premium brand that will cost between $13-$14 per bottle, Gallo's gin isn't the first time a wine company has tackled the liquor market. All gins are flavored with juniper berries but I think the twist of citrus flavor added to New Amsterdam Straight Gin sounds delicious!
Fans of the hot stuff rejoice. Heaven Hill Distilleries is now making Tabasco brand Spicy Tequila. The new brand launches this month in five markets and sells for $21.99. The product website includes recipes for margaritas, versions of a Sea Breeze and a Tequila Sunrise and even a mojito with the spicy liquor. It would probably be great in a Bloody Maria and maybe a fun shot but I'm not so sure about mixing the Tabasco and the fruit juices behind the bar.
Mekhong is a golden spirt that has been available in Thailand since 1941 ad is now ready to compete for attention on the world stage. International Beverage Holdings Ltd.,is importing from Thailand and selling it in the U.S. Mekhong, named for Thailand's Mekhong River is made mostly from sugar cane and rice and infused with a blend of Thai herbs and spices. The Mekhong recipe was developed to complement the taste and flavor of Thai food and has hints of ginger, honey, toffee, vanilla, floral, herbs and citrus.
For a while it seemed that vodka flavors were stuck on the sweet. We saw just about every fruit under the sun get an infused vodka of it's own while the few savory flavors like Absolut Peppar became harder and harder to find. But lately thing seem to be shifting. Recently Square One came out with a cucumber vodka and now Three Olives has launched a tomato vodka. The vodka includes the tastes of tomatoes, pepper, horseradish and spices.
More and more spirits also doing charitable work. England's Whitley Neill Gin has created "The Whitley Neill Top of the Tree Challenge" cocktail competition to raise money for UK-based charity, Tree Aid, which supports African communities. UK bartenders will be creating cocktails involving the gin and at least one other ingredient which has derived from a tree. The cocktails will be available until August 1 and the bars will donate money from each cocktail sold to the Whitley Neill Planting Project in Africa.
The new Diamond Standard vodka takes a concept I first saw with Diva vodka, a step further, using just diamonds rather than all precious stones to filter their vodka. Their process uses over 600 cut diamonds of up to one carat in size. The grain used is from Poland. The bottle is produced by Saver Glass and is made of perfume bottle grade glass with a 25mm Swarovski Xillion Chaton crystal as its centerpiece embedded within its neckline. The vodka is now being test marketed and sold in Massachusetts with plans to expand into New York and New Jersey and has a retail price of $100.
There has been a surge of new gins on the market but what about the other half of the summer essential G&T? Now there is a new premium tonic water, Q Tonic. Q Tonic has no high fructose corn syrup and has 60% fewer calories than regular tonic water. The brand uses hand-picked quinine from the Peruvian Andes and is sweetened with organic agave. The tonic water has been launched in selected restaurants and retail outlets around the country and online. It generally costs around $10 for a pack of four bottles.
With the passing of Memorial Day, gin and tonic season officially begins, a different option from the usual suspects is No. 209 gin which is made by Distillery 209 in San Francisco. Instead of relying on juniper, this gin has notes of citrus and cardamom. No. 209 also includes bergamot, using the whole peel for a fresh citrusy taste. Quoted in the Globe and Mail, Arne Hillesland, technical director and master distiller at Distillery 209 says: "It's not a big, giant Christmas tree of a gin." This begs the question, when does gin stop being gin and start being just another flavored spirit? The word gin is a derivation of a word referring to juniper. N0. 209 does contain juniper, it just brings up the levels of the other flavors traditionally used in gin. It can be found for around $30. The No. 209 website includes a variety of cocktails that are not traditional options for gin including a basil gimlet, several mojitos and a recipe for making a huge batch (30 cocktails) of the 209 Sno Kone which includes the gin, frozen orange juice concentrate, frozen lemonade concentrate and sugar frozen into a slushy concoction.
Liqueurs from LOFT Liqueurs appear to have it going on from all angles: they come in decadent and unique flavors (i.e. Lavender, Lemongrass, and Spicy Ginger), they're handcrafted in small batches, and they're the first liqueurs in the country to be 100% certified organic.
When you are young, extreme drinking often consists of testing just how much you consume. When you get a little older, there is a shift from quantity to quality and for the daring, esotericism. An article by Jason Wilson in the Washington Post led me an amazing source for the truly unusual potent potables. Eric Seed runs the Minnesota-based Haus Alpenz, a distributor that specializes in the kinds of liquors that seem like they went out of production years ago. 
Gallo is a name that typically resonates with the wine industry but they are branching out to embrace a new alcoholic beverage -- gin. Their new venture, New Amsterdam Straight Gin, is said to be smooth enough to sip on its own but certainly perfect for a martini or G&T. Its manufacturing facility is in Modesto where the rest of E. & J. Gallo's complex is located. Aiming for the 25-49 year old market with a premium brand that will cost between $13-$14 per bottle, Gallo's gin isn't the first time a wine company has tackled the liquor market. All gins are flavored with juniper berries but I think the twist of citrus flavor added to New Amsterdam Straight Gin sounds delicious!
