spirits

Arroyo Vodka, A New Taste In Arizona

Filed under: Spirits

A pair of enterprising sisters in Arizona have created a new vodka brand in Arizona. Arroyo Vodka is part of Forward Brands LLC a brand founded by Lauren Klemp and her sister Morgan. The Arizona Republic reports that the two sisters watched the growth of microbreweries and decided there was room for a new vodka brand. They found that buying the still and other equipment was easier than dealing with the paperwork. There are future plans for other flavors and a tasting room in Glendale.

Arizona only has a handful of microdistilleries including Arizona High Spirits Distillery which produces a unique prickly pear vodka. They may not have a lot of competition in Arizona but microdistilled vodka brands have popped up all around the country. Vodka remains a popular spirit for fledgling brands because of its popularity, versatility and the ability to customize flavors that might appeal to the public.

The first brand from Forward Brands, Arroyo, is named for the street the sisters grew up on. It launched with only 886 bottles selling at under $20. The vodka is corn based and distilled only once.

Tags: arroyo vodka, distillery, microdistillery, spirits, vodka

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve - Smaller than Small Batch

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Love bourbon? Why not try tasting it like the master blenders do: one barrel at a time. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is a new product from all-American favorite Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon, coming to a shop near you in February.

Master Distiller Fred Noe (seventh generation distiller and great grandson of Jim Beam) ensures that the best barrels in the Claremont, Kentucky distillery don't get lost in a blend; instead, superior barrels are hand-selected to be bottled at nine years for this Single Barrel Reserve, with the criterion that each barrel contain "a unique expression of Knob Creek's rich, mature flavor." The result is a super-premium, natural spirit with strong vanilla notes and a deep, smoky finish. It's easy to sip and holds its own in a cocktail -- and packs an unexpected punch at 120 proof.

While there are no plans to release a tasting gift box like the below this year, make sure you get yourself two glasses for sampling this spirit you can buy again and again to improve your bourbon acumen. Try it neat first, but in the second glass, add a little water to the dark amber spirit to tease out its particular distinctive flavors. Vanilla is the most obvious at first, but taste carefully for caramel, nuttiness and other subtleties developed over its nine years in American oak.

Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve is surprisingly affordable at a suggested retail price of just $40 per bottle.

Gallery: Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Tasting Set

Tags: bourbon, Knob Creek, product reviews, spirits

The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, The Classicist

As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Gallery: The World of Martin Miller

Tags: antiques, England, entrepreneur, gin, hotel, Iceland, London, luxury hotels, Martin Miller, Martin Millers Gin, spirits, UK

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Hot Holiday Cocktails from Hornitos Tequila

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Video

You may not think of tequila as a traditional holiday tipple, but in fact more of it is consumed over the holidays than at any other time of the year. It certainly fits the bill when you're looking for a party crowd-pleaser, for one thing. Hornitos Premium Tequila, the 100% puro agave tequila from Beam Global Spirits & Wine, named after the small agave ovens which played a central part in the great Don Francisco Javier Sauza's revolution of the tequila industry 50 years ago, has created some unexpected holiday drinks designed to "instigate a night of endless celebratory possibilities" using their acclaimed Plata, Reposado and Anejo expressions. They've also come up with an extra-special concoction for New Year's Eve which will be served at the Official Times Square New Year's Eve Party at the Hard Rock Cafe, while debuting a cool new commercial (above) set to run from December 27th – January 2 tied to the occasion. Read on for recipes and bottoms up.

Hornitos Holiday Smash

1 ½ parts Hornitos™ Añejo Tequila
2 slices fresh pear
1 wedge of fresh lemon
1 half moon slice of orange
½ part simple syrup
3 whole cloves

In a sturdy double Old Fashioned glass muddle the cloves. Add to the glass the orange, lemon, and pear and muddle with simple syrup. Fill glass with ice, add Hornitos and stir. Serves One. [cont'd]

Tags: cocktail, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Holiday 2010, holidays, Hornitos, New Years Eve, Sauza, spirits, tequila

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Johnnie Walker Gold Label Ice Pillar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Johnnie Walker has unveiled a stylish new gift set for its Gold Label Scotch whisky designed to serve the exclusive spirit ice cold, stemming from the connoisseurs' practice of freezing their Gold Label to release its true character as the whisky warms in the mouth. Inspired by frosted gold leaves, the outer case of the Ice Pillar opens to reveal a stunning display piece that works as both a chiller and an ice bucket, conceived by top design firm QSLD Paris. Gold Label, the famed brand's Centenary Blend, is crafted from blend of 15 different whiskies, each aged at least 18 years. It's rich and mellow with a creamy, honeyed body and a slight caramel and vanilla nose. The gift set is available at select retailers nationwide at a suggested retail price of $97.

Tags: gift set, gifts, gold, Johnnie Walker, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Scotch, Scotland, spirits, whiskey, whisky

The Classicist: Celebrating the Season in Style with Range Rover at Wheatleigh

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wine, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

Click above for high-res image gallery. Photos exclusive to Luxist.

Winter can be a long, cold interlude verging on a test of endurance in the Northeast, and it's all too easy to get bogged down by the doldrums. Plenty of people either hibernate by their hearths or hit the beach until the mercury makes its ascent, but there are myriad ways to keep warm with style, verve and panache. We recently gathered some of our favorite accessories of the season at Wheatleigh, the majestic mansion-turned-luxury hotel in the heart of the Berkshires' winter wonderland. Getting us there in style and comfort through anything the weather cared to concoct was the 2011 Range Rover Sport, a luxurious way to see the landscape safe in the knowledge that the elements have met their match. The pedigreed SUV's smooth, refined, performance and rugged good looks mark it as a thoroughbred in all respects, a suitably stylish conveyance for arriving at a desirable destination like Wheatleigh. And we had the great new Olympus PEN E-PL1 compact, versatile digital camera on hand to record it all for your vicarious enjoyment.

Wheatleigh, located in Lenox, Mass. next door to Edith Wharton's famed country manor The Mount, is a grand estate based on a 16th century Florentine palazzo built in 1893 by New York financier Henry H. Cook for his daughter who married a Spanish count. Many of the materials and over 150 artisans were brought from Italy to produce intricate carvings and design flourishes for the grand interiors and facades. Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect who designed Central Park in New York, was responsible for creating "Wheatleigh Park" on the land surrounding the palazzo. Following a four year multimillion dollar renovation it was transformed into one of the most unique luxurious small hotels in the world. The nineteen suites, guest rooms and baths artfully combine antiques and custom furnishings with original museum quality contemporary art. The baths are finished with English limestone, marble and hand-blown glass fixtures, and most rooms feature fireplaces and Bang & Olufsen TVs. Check out the gallery to see the perfect accoutrements for a stylish seasonal sojourn – from books to watches, champagne to cashmere sweaters, and boots to bags – no matter where your journey takes you.

Gallery: Range Rover at Wheatleigh Dec. 2010

Graf & Lantz wool felt Boat Bag, personalized Tumi Alpha wheeled case.

Tumi Alpha case; Dom Perignon Tribute to Andy Warhol edition; Private Stock jeans; Graf & Lantz Quiver wine carrier w/ Robert Mo

Tags: Bang Olufsen, Berkshires, Brooks Brothers, Central Park, champagne, Dom Perignon, Edith Wharton, estates, Frederick Law Olmsted, gardens, Holiday 2010, L.L. Bean, Lenox, luggage, luxury hote, mansion, Massachusetts, mens style, New England, Olympus, Olympus PEN E-PL1, palazzo, Persol, Ralph Lauren, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, spirits, stolichnaya, sunglasses, SUV, teNeues, The Mount, Tumi, vodka, Wheatleigh, winter

Tips for Throwing a Perfect Holiday Cocktail Party

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Tips for throwing a perfect cocktail party.

Kara Newman, author of Spice & Ice: 60 tongue-tingling cocktails (Chronicle Books, 2009) and Spirits Reviewer for Wine Enthusiast Magazine has offered us some of her best tips for throwing the perfect holiday cocktail party.

First and foremost, it is important to prepare in advance, says Newman, whose articles have also appeared in The New York Times, Imbibe, The San Francisco Chronicle, Gourmet, and Saveur, and many other publications.

Here's what Kara suggests:

The pros pull together their mise-en-place before an event, and so should you. Before guests arrive, make sure you have everything you need to make drinks close at hand. That means glassware, spirits, garnishes, etc. Cut fruit into wedges; wash and dry herbs; squeeze fresh juice and decant into squeeze bottles.
If space permits, put glasses in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before guests arrive. Pull them out as you're making drinks, and they'll be perfectly chilled and have a professional-looking frosty sheen.
Alternatively, set out a "do it yourself" station with a theme, such as a Bloody Mary station with various spirits, mixers, and garnishes. Print up a basic recipe or two, and stand it in a picture frame. Guests can use the recipe as a guideline, or create their own drink riffs.
If you're serving alcohol, always be sure that you're serving food, too.
Good rule of thumb: You can never have too much ice!
If you don't want to tend bar, consider making a party punch and serving in a show stopping, decorative bowl.

Check out our related story on holiday-themed cocktails along with recipes including one created by Kara, herself.

Tags: awards-main, cocktail recipes, cocktails, food-pedia, Kara Newman, luxist-awards, main-pedia, recipes, spirits

Holiday Gift Guide: Wine And Spirits Gift Packs

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Wings

Let's face it, the hour is nigh. Time is running out, and most likely patience and gifting creativity are following close behind. Don't fret, as these holiday gift packs have both brilliant packaging and a coveted payload contained within. Grab one and declare Holiday Shopping 2010 over.

Dom Pérignon Side By Side ($600)

Two bottles, two vintages. A Vintage 1996 and a Oenothèque 1996, both contained in one handsome case. Two birds, one stone. Next.

Tags: Ardbeg, dom perignon, gift packs, holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2010, macallan, Rare Wine Co., spirits, wine

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Holiday Shopping Guide: Small-Batch Whiskeys

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

There really isn't any way you can go wrong with gifting whiskey. There are, however, several ways to elevate the act from the merely perfunctory to the thoroughly distinguished. One of our favorites is by going with a small-batch whiskey, those limited stocks that are the result of special releases, forgotten styles or craft producers. These are our selections, sure to win you "most favored" status.

Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Manhattan Rye

Gardiner, NY's Tuthilltown Spirits has a lot going for it: the first whiskey distillery to open in New York State since Prohibition, Tuthilltown has become a critical darling due to their local, hand-crafted appeal and "little distillery that could" backstory. Also, the whiskey is fantastic. Their Hudson Manhattan Rye ($40) celebrates the state's longstanding relationship with this spirit, the foundation of a Manhattan cocktail, with a whole grain rye bite that's rounded off with sweet fruit and floral notes. Each bottle is hand-numbered and dated, which adds just the extra bit of artisan allure.

Tags: holiday gift guide, scotch, spirits, whiskey, whisky

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Ltd. Edition Glenfiddich Decanter by Steuben

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Spirits

In search of the ideal present for the Scotch lover on your list? Famed single malt distillery Glenfiddich has partnered with renowned luxury glassmaker Steuben to create an exclusive hand crafted whisky decanter (above) in a limited edition. Priced at $690 and available exclusively at the Steuben flagship store in New York, the bespoke decanter is a collaboration between Steuben's master craftsmen and Glenfiddich master distiller Brian Kinsman, representing more than a century's worth of artisanship, tradition and expertise. The Steuben hallmarks of flawless design and attention to detail are combined with filigreed decorative elements inspired by some of the rarest and most precious Glenfiddich expressions.

The elegant piece also features subtle design cues that reflect the storied history of the Glenfiddich distillery, est. 1876, including the famous stag head design and the signature of its founder William Grant. "Both Glenfiddich and Steuben share a dedication to craftsmanship that stretches back more than a hundred years," notes David Bitran, Glenfiddich Senior Brand Manager. "In that time, while the successes of both our companies have grown, the dedication to craftsmanship and quality has endured." "Much like Glenfiddich, this beautiful decanter is the result of hard work, the best materials and the finest craftsmanship," adds Robert Nachman, Vice President of Design and Marketing for Steuben.

Tags: bar, barware, decanter, distillery, gifts, glass, Glenfiddich, Holiday 2010, Scotch, Scotland, spirits, Steuben, whisky

Whiksypedia Boasts Listings of the World's Best Vintages

by McLean Robbins (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Want to impress your friends with your sophisticated knowledge of "cask strength" or the difference between "wood finished" and "sherry finished?" Are you already a lover of fine whisky looking for a handbook to guide you to your next favorite bottle? Then your new best friend should be Charles MacLean. The perfect stocking stuffer is his eighth work, a bar-sized new book, Whiskypedia.

MacLean isn't just a connoisseur - he's practically an industry legend, awarded the was elected a Keeper of Quaich, the industry's highest accolade as well as a guest lecturer at the Smithsonian Institution.

Whiskypedia, explores the flavor and character of every malt whisky distilled in Scotland. Although legend once had it that the unique characteristics of individual types of whisky were derived from mystical sources, MacLean goes into in-depth detail of the specific customs and equipment used in each distillery.

Tags: charles maclean, spirits, whisky, whiskypedia

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Charbay Launches Brandy No. 83

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Charbay, a family run artisan winery and distillery in Northern California, has launched its Premiere brandy program with their 27-year-old Brandy N0.83. The new brandy is part of Charbay's small-batch luxury Medallion Collection of artisan spirits. The No. 83 has been aged in French oak since 1983. For 27 years, Charbay's owner and Master Distiller, Milorad (Miles) Karakasevic, guarded over them and said: "We'll release when I say they're ready. Soon, but not yet."

In those 27 years Charbay has created a variety of other spirits including artisan vodkas with flavors such as blood orange and green tea as well as Tahitian vanilla bean rum, black walnut liqueur and pomegranate desert wine and Karakasevic's son, then 10, is now a master distiller. N0.83 is available at the Still House in St. Helena where they distill the brandies for their ports, dessert wines and aperitifs. It comes in two bottle sizes: 750 ML/$350 and 375 ML/$185 a bottle.

Tags: Artisan Spirits, brandy, charbay, domaine charbay, spirits

Casa Noble Single Barrel Extra Anejo Tequila

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

In time for the holidays the Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York has acquired one of only three existing barrels of seven-year-old tequila from Casa Noble CEO Jose "Pepe" Hermosillo. These precious casks are known as his "friends & family" barrels which have never been commercially available before.

Only 300 bottles of the rare spirit, which sells for $100, have been produced exclusively for the store. The Casa Noble Single Barrel Extra Anejo Tequila is aged in a single certified French white oak barrel, individually numbered and registered, made from 100% Blue agave, triple distilled, and USDA organic.

The intense heat of the Jalisco region of Mexico where the tequila is made accelerates the aging process. The blue agave plants that become Casa Noble Single Barrel Extra Anejo Tequila - plants grown in the mountains of Jalisco by Casa Noble itself - take 12 years to fully mature, so it has taken 19 years in all to produce the precious elixir.

Tags: Casa Noble, Mexico, New York, Park Avenue Liquor Shop, spirits, tequila

Belvedere 80 Vodka Review

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

It's not easy to craft a new vodka that isn't more hype than hooch. But Belvedere gets credit for creating a discernible, interesting new expression.

Belvedere 80 Unfiltered Vodka is distilled four times from Dankowskie Diamond Rye, which is a rare and super premium baker's grade grain that gives the vodka an elegant full bodied taste that has hints of baked breads, sea salt and white pepper. Price $31.00.

The unfiltered vodka is unique for Belvedere, which follows a filtration and distillation processes with its other expressions.

The last Belvedere expression we tried was Belvedere Intense, a 100-proof vodka.

Tags: alcohol, Belvedere 80, Belvedere vodka, liquor, spirits, vodka

Fortune Brands Breakup Would Put Premium Spirits Brands In Play

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Activist investor Bill Ackman has been given a four-week deadline to propose changes to the board of Fortune Brands, the company that is parent to Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Laphroaig and Courvosier, as well as Pinnacle and Scotty Cameron golf equipment, which could lead to the break-up of the conglomerate.

Since disclosing his holding last month, Mr Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, has kept quiet about his plans. However, his record suggests he wants Fortune's board to explore breaking up its stable of consumer brands starting with its spirits business, which includes Jim Beam whiskey and that distillery's small-batch Bourbon brands, and Courvoisier cognac.

Ackman holds an 11% stake in the company, which has always been viewed as an odd throw-back type conglomerate of disassociated businesses. Besides the spirits brands, and golf equipment, Fortune also operates home and home-security businesses and brands such as Moen, Masterlock, as well as kitchen cabinet brands.

In the past month, Ackman has held talks with Fortune's management about its corporate structure, shareholder value, etc. Ackman has four weeks to file a slate of his own candidates for the company's board to be voted on at the general meeting in April.

The most obvious buyers of FB's liquor businesses are drinks giants Diageo and Pernod Ricard of France. Gruppo Campari, which owns Wild Turkey and other brands, also could be interested in acquiring some of the brands. Bacardi would also be a factor in bidding. It is possible that Fortune Brands spirits brands would go to different companies, each looking for its own strategic additions.

Fortune's other brands include Cruzan Rum, Canadian Club, Effen Vodka, Ardmore single-malt, Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry, Teacher's Scotch Whiskey and DeKuyper spirits.

Fortune Brands shares are trading around $60.00, up more than 10% since October 7, and up from its 52-week low of $37.05

Tags: alcohol, Bill Ackman, bourbon, Courvosier, Fortune Brands, Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Laphroaig, Makers Mark, Masterlock, Moen, Pinnacle, scotty cameron, spirits, whiskey, whisky