It didn't set a new world record but it was pretty close. The Dalmore Oculus, a crystal decanter of a whisky blend using vintages as old as 1868 recently brought in £27,600 ($46,400) at an auction in Edinburgh. The Dalmore Oculus was selected from cask 1781, distilled in 1951, some 58 years old. Rare malts selected from vintages distilled in 1868, 1878, 1922, 1926 and 1939 as well as a bit of the 64 year old were also added.

Bonhams had put an estimate of £15,000 to 20,000 on the Oculus. Bonhams has seen a boom in whisky sales. Bloomberg News reports that the company has sold 98 percent of the lots at its whisky auctions this year. The sale also included the first section of the collection of WIllard Folsom, a collection of 3,000 bottles. The world record, £29,400 pounds was set two years ago at a sale in Glasgow for a bottle of Bowmore made by W&J Mutter's in about 1850.

This holiday season two unique luxury brands Catherine Malandrino and Cointreau, both brought to the States via France, have teamed up to deliver the ultimate gift bottle. Malandrino chose the symbol of the Statue of Liberty, arguably the best thing the French ever gave us, to mark the limited edition Cointreau bottle.

The Cointreau bottle has remained remarkably unchanged for nearly 160 years, making this one of the hottest collector's bottles of the season. Malandrino's romantic bottle remains true to the silhouette, but is dressed in stars and lace, calling to mind the signature detailed cuts and handicraft trims of her ready-to-wear collection.

Cointreau is a must to give our favorite cocktails that slight edge of "Je ne sais quoi" sweet and bitter oranges, making for the most perfect margaritas or cosmopolitans. Bring this luxury gift to your hostess this holiday season to spice up any cocktail hour.


Cointreau Cosmopolitan Recipe
2.5oz Vodka
1.5oz Cointreau
1oz Cranberry Juice
0.5oz lime juice
Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with twist of orange to bring out the flavor of Cointreau.

John Ramsay has been with The Glenrothes since 1991, and if you've bought a bottle of the single malt Speyside whiskey since 1994 you'll find his name on it. The Malt Master retired this summer, and to celebrate his tenure The Glenrothes has produced a limited edition bottle not only bearing his name, but also his blending genius.

Ramsay selected 30 casks -- second-fill American oak sherry casks from vintages ranging from 1973 to 1987 -- to create a single malt. After blending, but without being chill-filtered, the result is a whiskey with flavors of spice, mango, blood orange, vanilla, and dark chocolate, and a long, oak finish.

Only 1,400 of the 70cl, non-vintage Legacy bottles are being released worldwide. Each bottle is numbered and comes in a glass-fronted oak box, and a secret drawer at the base of the box hides a booklet by Ramsay with tasting notes. It is available now in the UK and at The Glenrothes for £699.

[Source: Lussorian]

Among the innovative new spirits we're finally finding time to catch up with is BULLDOG Gin, an ultra-premium gin handcrafted in London housed in a broad-shouldered charcoal gray bottle with deep purple hues and an iconic spiked collar.

BULLDOG is quadruple distilled, triple filtered, and infused with the taste and aromas of its twelve distinctive botanicals, including poppy, lavender, and dragon eye - a cousin of the lychee fruit often heralded as an ancient Chinese aphrodisiac.

Made from traditional copper pot stills and a painstaking distillation process, BULLDOG exudes a smooth and harmonious texture with a distinctive flavor, with notes of fruit and citrus lending a refreshingly crisp character and balanced finish.

BULLDOG has enlisted renowned mixologists Somer Perez, John Freeman, and Michael Waterhouse to create some signature cocktails using the bold spirit:

"Plumdog Millionaire" – created by John Freeman

2 oz. BULLDOG Gin
1 oz. Japanese Plum Wine
1 oz. Lavender Soda
Black Plum Half Wheel Garnish
Lavender Sugar Rim

Directions: Stir over ice, strain. Serve in a martini glass with lavender sugared rim and garnish. (Cont'd after the jump)

Proximo Spirits, Inc. and 1800 Tequila have announced the release of the second collection of limited edition Essential Artists bottles designed by 11 up and coming artists from all over the US, and one "celebrity artist" (Shepard Fairey's Studio Number One). The 11 designs were gathered from over 15,000 online submissions and were selected by 1800 Tequila. The 12th special-edition bottle is by Studio Number One a group of rising star designers headed by artist Shepard Fairey who gained global notoriety this year for his Obama "Hope" design. Artist StevOramA's design was the $10,000 Grand Prize Winner and his design has been given a starring role in the series. Other artists include Ian McGillivray, Nickelyn Reames, danyol, Leyland "Lee" DeVito, Danielle Salinas, Chad Shore, Mark Sweeney, Branden Tintiangco, Chuck Trunks, and Michelle Villasenor. To find the bottles, which retail for $24.99 each, consumers can enter their zip codes into the "Liquor Locator" on 1800Tequila.com to find the series in their area. The contest will re-launch at the end of this year, inviting artists to submit their own bottle designs for a chance at inclusion in the next series.

Trilogies are uncertain things: after a fabulous introductory act you never know which way progress will decide to turn, and it is far more common for the second and third installments to veer the way of uninspired, if not downright awful. Bowmore, the maker of full-bodied scotches on tucked among the Hebrides, has worked for 45 years to avoid that trend with its latest troika. First there was Black Bowmore in 2007, White Bowmore in 2008, and now Gold Bowmore makes the play complete.

Distilled on November 5, 1964 the 84.8% proof scotch has been matured in three bourbon casks and one Oloroso sherry cask in Bowmore's Number 1 vault, tucked below sea level. When the resulting elixirs were married, the Oloroso cask's sherry and walnut hues found their way into the mix, imbuing the final liquid with "a darker, reddish-amber" tint. Or perhaps it should be called the final nectar: the aroma is described a combination of passion fruit, papaya, and vanilla. Add that to Bowmore's trademark smoky peat undertones, and you could have something special in your hands.

There will be 701 bottles of the gold version, the smallest number among the three. What will not be smallest is the price: $6,250 for a hand-numbered bottle in a Burr Elm box. Although that price might seem untoward, you can look at it as an asset -- an unopened set of Bowmore's first trilogy, released in the early nineties, sold for $17,530 at auction in 2007. Even if you do spend six large on a bottle of Gold Bowmore and then thought better of it, we don't think you'll be sorry -- buyer's remorse has probably never tasted so good.

[Source: Bowmore]

Last week, Domaine Select Wine Estates hosted a party at New York's Classic Car Club as part of the launch of its Classic & Vintage Artisanal Spirits line. The line includes small-batch spirits, both imported and domestic, among them Armagnac Castarede from France, and one brand that I was particularly excited to sample, Tuthilltown's Hudson Valley, New York bourbon, whiskeys and apple vodka.

For the event, brand ambassadors The Tippling Brothers created cocktails that were inspired by a hot car. The tables were set up near their four-wheeled inspiration, a Bentley GTC, a 1965 Shelby Cobra replica, 1957 Porsche and a 2006 Lamborhgini Gallardo, among other cars -- each carefully watched by an attendant who almost never stopped rubbing the exterior with a chamois. (Here, one attendant take a very short break in a 1966 Ford Mustang Fastback.)

I just received the recipes for the cocktails, all of which were quite tasty, but my two favorites were both inspired by a Ferrari F430 -- which, sadly, didn't make an appearance at the event. Try these at home, but nowhere near whatever car is in your garage, please! And check out the photo gallery for more recipes.

Eve's Cup

1 oz G'Vine Floraison (A wonderfully floral French gin, must try straight up first.)
1 oz Averna
4 leaves of mint
Half a sprig of rosemary
tonic
1 barspoon chopped apples
Rosemary and apple garnish

Guerillas in Manhattan

2 oz Tuthilltown 4 Grain Bourbon
.75 oz sweet vermouth
.5 oz Orgeat
.25 oz fresh tangerine
2 slices fresh banana
2 dashes angostura
Garnish with brandied cherry

Normally one doesn't care to see wine or beer or spirits of any kind on their wall, but would you believe that the art above is a magnified image of English oatmeal stout? It's beautiful!

BevShots takes microscopic photos of your favorite vice, be it wine, tequila, or even just cola, blows them up and colors them to make gorgeous modern art, suitable for any home. BevShots just launched in August. Their ready-to-hang pieces range from $199 -$549 (not including shipping and handling) depending on sizing and framing options -- you can get simple prints rolled in a tube for as low as $49.99.

You can shop by color or even by beverage. Visit the website for more info, and check out some fabulous finds in the gallery below!

Winemakers often bring their bottles to wine tasting events introducing people to their brands but for craft distillers the opportunities to dazzle are fewer. But distillers are in the spotlight at the Distillers Festival to be held October 24 and 25 in Portland, Oregon. The festival brings together over 70 artisan distillers from across the country for tastings of the best vodkas, rums, whiskies, brandies and more esoteric spirits. The event takes place at the Bossanova Ballroom and will include cocktail and food pairings, educational seminars and a mixology contest. A $10 one-day pass gets you three taster tickets.

As I learned on my last two trips to the United Kingdom, there aren't many places where you can light up a cigar. Had I known about The Montague on the Gardens, I probably would have altered my travel plans a bit. The hotel bar has a dedicated outdoor cigar terrace, which for puffers, amounts to a bit of tranquility in an otherwise hostile world.

Toward the back of the hotel, like-minded guests can gather in the bar for a drink before stepping outside to a blissful smoking location with a great view of the Bedford Estate's private gardens. I tend to bring my own cigars when I travel, but sometimes like to sample the locally available fare and The Montague on the Gardens offers plenty of incentive. The bar has more than 20 brands on hand, including the coveted Cohiba Siglo VI. Smoke it gently while sipping a glass of Remy Martin Louis XIII, and you'll struggle to find a more enjoyable situation.

The hotel itself is designed to impress. It's a Georgian townhouse hotel with 101 rooms and suites – not to mention a two-bedroom apartment. This four-star establishment is within walking distance of the West End and The British Museum, and the "Type A" crowd will be happy to know it isn't far from London's Financial District.

Whatever the day's distraction is, though, return to The Montague on the Gardens and settle down for the evening with the cigar of your choice. Savor each draw, and punctuate it with your preferred spirit. Perfect.

Last summer North Shore Distillery in Illinois tempted our taste buds with a limited edition mango gin, this year's offering is even more daring. Their Spring 2009 limited release is a Mole Poblano spirit. To create the spirit version of this chocolate-and-chili Mexican sauce they used seven types of chili peppers, cacao beans, herb and spices. The company has made just 500 bottles of their limited edition spirit. It's only available in Illinois but worth getting your hands on if you can.

[via Alcademics]

Not a flavored vodka and not a gin, there is no ready description for Square One Botanical, the new organic rye spirit, from Square One Spirits. Like a gin, the new spirit gets a kick from botanicals. It is infused with eight organic botanicals - pear, rose, chamomile, lemon verbena, lavender, rosemary, coriander and citrus peel for an experience that is softer than gin. Square One Botanical sells for around $40 and the website includes a variety of recipes for using it. The floral notes make it a good match for fresh fruit and juices to make refreshing summer cocktails.

Four Roses Bourbon is releasing its latest limited edition single barrel collection. The Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition 2009 Release will be uncut and not chill filtered and should hit stores next month. The distillery plans to produce up to 1,800 bottles from the selected barrels. The 11-year-old whisky offers notes of honeysuckle, roasted nuts, toffee and dark chocolate with a mellow finish of sweet fruit and honey.

Chuck Cowdery received a preview of the limited edition last month and reports that the bourbon has an unusual bite that persists in the aftertaste" with tastes of citrus, licorice, honey, and wheatgrass. Four Roses generally sells for around $40, the cost for the limited edition is usually a bit higher.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Count Branca, the chairman of Fernet Branca, who stopped in New York City to talk to Bartenders' Guild members and members of the press. We gathered just outside the United Nations at the World Bar in The Trump World Tower.

Count Branca discussed his most famous family legacy, Fernet Branca, as well as Antica Formula, the company's high-class sweet Italian vermouth. Fernet Branca has been made in the same facility in Milan for over a hundred years, with special attention always paid to the integrity of the product. If you've tried the spirit, you probably know it has a strong character and a strong personality. Few are bold enough to drink it neat or with ice; in Argentina it's traditional to drink it with Coca Cola, and in San Francisco, they like it with ginger ale.

I asked the Count why he thinks Fernet Branca is so popular in San Francisco, and he says he thinks they are drawn to the natural ingredients and healing properties. That makes sense to me. Fernet Branca was originally sold in America as a medicine. The secret? Count Branca says it's "a little magic." The list of ingredients sounds like a witch's brew -- it's a pure grain spirit which gets its character from various herbs. The herbs are treated separately and differently, to as to extract the desired properties and benefits, and then the mixture is aged for a year or more in oak.

The new vermouth, Antica Formula, is certainly the highest standard of vermouth we've seen. It's an affordable luxury, at about $30 per bottle -- whereas you might pay a third of that for Martini & Rossi. What makes it special? Like the Fernet, Antica is all-natural; none of those harsh chemicals or dyes that will give you a headache. We tried it -- it's deliciously high-end and bold, with vanilla, orange peel, and dried fruit aromas and flavors.

Count Branca, who hasn't been to New York in four or five years was delighted to visit. His favorite thing to do? He likes the MoMa.

Tres Generaciones tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave in Jalisco, Mexico. It's been around for awhile but it's now proud to have a new bottle design, with inspirations that cover everything from three medallions that represent the three family generations to the artisans rendition of beaten metal on the top of the bottle that represents traditional Mexican art and craftsmanship. The tequila itself is triple distilled and based on three generations of wisdom grown from running a family business, and it's said to be smooth and clean with a slightly spicy finish. The new bottle design is also clean and classic, and seems to perfectly showcase the three available flavors of Anejo, Plata, and Reposado.

Via acquire