spirits

WhistlePig 100% Rye Whiskey

Filed under: Spirits

WhistlePig Farm Distillery, a Vermont-based distillery, has launched WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, a new 100 proof whiskey made of rye grain.

The whiskey is hand selected by Dave Pickerell, master distiller at this Vermont distillery. WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey retails at a suggested price of $69.99 for a 750ml bottle. That runs higher than most Rye on the market. Rittenhouse, for example, retails for $19.99 in most outlets. Ri(1) retails for about $48.00.

WhistlePig is already being served at several New York restaurants like Blue Hill, Pastis, Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park and The Standard Hotel.

WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey, aged in new American oak barrels for a minimum of 10 years, is hand bottled in Vermont's Champlain Valley at WhistlePig Farm. The whiskey is available in California, Illinois, New York and other select markets. Unlike many rye whiskies, WhistlePig is 100% rye and is bottled at 100 proof, making this a perfect choice for cocktails.

On the nose, WhistlePig offers nice wood notes from the oak casks, with hints of vanilla and caramel. Notes of dried orange peel, cinnamon, allspice and clove also appear, hinting at the flavors to be found inside.

Tags: alcohol, liquor, Rittenhouse Tye, rye, Rye whiskey, spirits, whiskey, whisky, Whistlepig

Moonshine Tasting at the Standard Hotel

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

This week at The Standard Hotel in NYC's Meatpacking District, Moonshine, an eight-week-old brand of clear corn whiskey from a new company called Stillhouse, hosted a tasting for a select group of spirits journalists, led by CEO and co-founder of Stillhouse Brad Beckerman.

Moonshine is an interesting liquor. It's made in small batches in Virginia in a Prohibition-era copper pot still from 100% corn, the traditional ingredient used by both the Native Americans and by bootleggers during Prohibition, and unlike most whiskeys, it isn't aged. Frankly, to the Moonshine folks, the shorter the time between the still and the shelf, the better.

The flavor is highly unusual. Far from the eye-watering "moonshines" you may have tasted in the past (or that vodka your college friend made in the bathtub), the flavor is smooth and well-rounded, and you can definitely taste the corn. The closest thing I can compare it to is the flavor of fresh rum right out of the still -- perhaps because corn has natural sugar -- but it's far, far more palatable. In fact, for an 80 proof unaged liquor, I would say it's an exceptionally well-developed spirit.

Gallery: Moonshine Tasting at the Standard Hotel, NYC

Tags: absinthe, bootleg, cocktails, moonshine, new spirits, spirits, whiskey

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Giorgio G Ltd. Edition Cognacs from Giorgio Gucci

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Giorgio Gucci, grandson of the man who founded the famed Italian fashion house Gucci in 1905, has launched an exclusive new line of limited edition cognacs for those who appreciate the finer things in life. Giorgio worked in the family business for over five decades building the Gucci brand into a global powerhouse before selling his interest in the company and launching his own fashion label, Giorgio G, now expanded with the line of cognacs. The rare old ultra-premium spirits, sourced from scores of eaux-de-vie from France's famed Grande Champagne region selected for their characters and softness and aged in oak casks, come in three different expressions: Giorgio G XO, Giorgio G Grand Cru (above), and Giorgio G Grande Champagne Premier Cru, set to be distributed by Emperor's Brand.

The XO is over 35 years old, fruity and spicy with a deep mahogany color accented by brilliant glints of red flames. Rich, concentrated and powerful, it has notes of buttery vanilla and chocolate with wood and leather undertones. The Grand Cru is 50 years old, glowing and coppery in color. Its fragrances include notes of grapes, prunes, apricots, smoky oak and vanilla in addition to jasmine and honeysuckle. The taste is powerful and well balanced with a slightly spicy bouquet and peppery overtones. And the Grande Champagne Premier Cru is over 50 years old, shiny gold in hue. Notes of prunes and elderflower complement light vanilla, jasmine and honeysuckle aromas. The taste is soft and full-bodied with a mixture of nutmeg, vanilla and licorice notes.

Tags: cognac, France, Giorgio Gucci, Gucci, Italy, spirits

Remy Martin Unveils VSOP Hot Holiday Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The famed French cognac house of Rémy Martin, founded back in 1724, has been part of countless holiday celebrations over the centuries. This season the venerable fine champagne cognac's VSOP expression, the best-selling VSOP cognac in the United States, is getting a glowing makeover for the holidays. The new limited edition Rémy Martin VSOP Hot Holiday bottle (above) is appropriately dressed in red for the festivities. The colorful cladding also recalls the fact that Rémy Martin VSOP has been a symbol of style and sophistication since its introduction in the exuberant Paris cabaret scene in 1927. The cognac itself is amber in color with rich flavor and a refined aroma. Smooth and easy-to-drink with appealing notes of vanilla, violet, apricot, peach and licorice, it's silky and warm on the palate with a well-balanced taste and long finish. Perfect on its own or over ice, we also enjoy it with soda and lemon or in a Sidecar.

Tags: brandy, cocktails, cognac, France, holiday 2010, holidays, Remy Martin, spirits

The Royalton Launches New Bar & Lounge with The Cocktail Collective

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits

New York's chic Royalton, which started the boutique hotel craze when it first opened back in 1988, has just launched Forty Four (above), a stylish new bar / lounge curated by a team of all-star mixologists known as The Cocktail Collective. Occupying the hotel's former Brasserie 44 space with the addition of a square bar at what used to be the entrance to the restaurant, Forty Four's decor is a mixture of rich dark woods, leather upholstery, metal accents and innovative lighting. Selected from the best cocktail bars in the country, the founding members of The Cocktail Collective have created a menu of classics paying homage to the finest hotel bars for the new space. Meanwhile Royalton's Executive Chef Scott Ekstrom, formerly of Daniel and Oceana, has created a modern menu of small plates to compliment the cocktails including Black Lime Shrimp Cocktail, Parmesan Risotto Poppers, White Miso Tuna and Nueske Bacon Crisps.

The drinks list includes the Maiden's Prayer (gin, calvados, Cocchi Americano, and apricot liqueur served up with a twist); The Pharaoh Cooler (a tequila highball featuring fresh organic watermelon and lime juices, house-made grenadine, a hint of cane syrup and a few dashes of rosewater), and a Champagne Cobbler (champagne poured tall over crushed ice with muddled citrus zest, sugar, Peychaud's bitters and a crown of fresh fruits in season). In addition they've come up with a "punch" menu for large groups designed to replace "passé" bottle service. The founding members of The Cocktail Collective include Richard Boccato from Pain Killer in New York City; John Lermayer from The Florida Room in South Beach and Woodward in Boston; Simon Ford, a global cocktail ambassador based in New York City; Willy Shine from Contemporary Cocktails, Inc. in New York City; Misty Kalkofen from Drink in Boston; and Eric Alperin from The Varnish in Los Angeles.

Gallery: Fourty Four and The Cocktail Collective

Tags: bar, Chef, cocktails, Fourty Four, hotel, Morgans, morgans hotel group, New York, Royalton, spirits

Bacardi Introduces Reserva Limitada Founder's Blend Rum

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Back in the early days of the Bacardi rum distillery, the Maestro de Ron (rum master) created a special blend just for the family of founder Don Facundo Bacardi. It remained exclusive to the family for generations, finally being released to local markets in the Caribbean – Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands and Aruba – to celebrate the opening of the distillery's visitor center back in 2003.

Aged in lightly-charred American white oak barrels for 10-16 years, the Reserva Limitada is now reaching the American market as the company's top-of-the-line "founder's blend". The deep reddish-gold dark rum has a nose of vanilla, oak and dried fruits.

Initial availability will be limited to just 1,000 cases (with six 750ml bottles per case), each bottle selling for a suggested price of $110.

Tags: alcohol, bacardi, bacardi founders blend, bacardi reserva limitada, maestro de ron, puerto rico, ron, rum, spirits

The Glenlivet Celebrates Expansion with new Founders Reserve

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Over the course of the summer, The Glenlivet underwent a £10 million expansion of its highland distillery. The project was overseen by its new Master Distiller Alan Winchester and which promises to help the distillery remain the top-selling single malt in the United States, to say nothing of its market domination overseas.

None less prominent a figure than Charles Prince of Wales was on hand together with the parent company executives to dedicate the new facility. Fortunately the 184-year-old distillery isn't about to keep the celebrations to itself though: to commemorate the expansion, The Glenlivet has released a new bottling called the Founders Reserve.

With a rich citrus nose and palate of clementines, caramel, cinnamon and raisins, the Founders Reserve will be available in strictly limited quantities at $375 per 750ml bottle.

[Source: WDJK]

Source

Tags: alcohol, founders reserve, glenlivet, glenlivet founders reserve, spirits, the glen livet, the glenlivet, whiskey, whisky

Pierre Ferrand Launches 100-Year-Old Cognac

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Pierre Ferrand, one of only a handful of Cognac houses in France specializing in old Cognacs from the coveted Grande Champagne region that are not blended with lesser varieties, has come out with a new 100-year-old bottling.

The limited edition L'Hommage de Pierre Ferrand was born of Cognac distilled prior to World War I stored in the shade of Ferrand's Logis d'Angeac cellar for more than a century.

Bottled in an exquisitely crafted, numbered crystal carafe, only 10 bottles will be available for sale in the U.S. by special order for the suggested retail price of about $3,000 apiece.

The aged spirit has taken on a beautiful dark shimmering bronze color after its long repose in its wooden cask. Exceptionally smooth, it has aromas of prune and candied fruits. Each bottle comes in a wooden case with a certificate of authenticity.

"We wanted to offer something supremely special from our cellars," notes Alexandre Gabriel, president/owner of Cognac Ferrand. "We chose a beautiful bottle to contain this rare Cognac [but] the taste is even more beautiful than the bottle."

Tags: brandy, Cognac, Cognac Ferrand, crystal, France, Pierre Ferrand, spirits, World War I

Delamain Cognac's New Holiday Gift Sets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The House of Delamain, one of France's oldest and last family-owned cognac producers, is coming out with something special for the holidays. The luxurious offerings from the House of Delamain, which has been in existence since 1759, are exclusively grande champagne. The new Delamain Extra de Grande Champagne Gift Set (above), for $199, features a decanter of Extra, a blend of intense and complex 35-40 year old Grande Champagne Cognacs, along with two deluxe tulip shaped Cognac glasses. Delamain is also offering a new Trio Pack of three 200 ml bottles of Grande Champagne cognacs including the Extra, priced at $99, for those wishing to sample a wider range of the House's eaux-de-vie. The additional Trio Pack offerings are their Pale & Dry XO and Vesper; Pale & Dry is a blend of 20-25 year old spirits with a bright amber color, while Vesper runs from 30-35 years and is fuller, rich and mature.

Tags: cognac, decanter, Delamain, Delamain Cognac, France, gifts, Holiday 2010, House of Delemain, spirits

Barbados' Famed Mount Gay Rum Gets a Redesign

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Architecture & Design

One of our very favorite spirits, Barbados' Mount Gay Rum is getting a new look courtesy of a Parisian design firm. QSLD Paris was charged with giving the iconic brand a refresher while keeping it firmly rooted in the traditions of the 300-year-old distillery.

QSLD came up with a new oval-shaped bottle, designed to be uncluttered and very comfortable to handle. The company crest is engraved on the bottle face and the label has been redesigned for a cleaner feel, while the rum's signature red cap remains.

QSLD had already re-designed the brand's Extra Old and 1703 Cask Selection bottlings before turning its attention to the classic, known as Eclipse. Founded by Denis Boudard, QSLD has done design work for several luxury brands including Guerlain, Lacoste, Chopard, Oscar de la Renta, Veuve Clicquot and Hennessy.

The new design also contains cues to the rum's nautical heritage. A legend dating from the 1600s relates that in order to prove passage across the Atlantic from Europe to the "New World," sailors were obliged to bring back a barrel of Barbados rum.

As evidence of its "profound and privileged relationship with the sea, with sailors and with ships", every year Mount Gay Rum proudly sponsors over 120 regattas around the globe.

Tags: Barbados, design, distillery, Mount Gay, Paris, rum, spirits

Knob Creek Warms Up for the Holidays

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Knob Creek, the super premium small batch bourbon that's aged for nine years in charred American white oak barrels and bottled at a robust 100 proof, is gearing up for the cooler weather with some recipes for giving both food and drink a Kentucky-style kick in the pants this holiday season. Knob Creek, with its smooth, sweet and rich flavor and signature maple sugar aroma, makes a great accompaniment to many festivities on its own but also works well as an ingredient in everything from hors d'oeuvres to Thanksgiving turkey. Read on for some key recipes:

Knob Creek Bourbon Egg Nog

½ cup Knob Creek Bourbon
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium saucepan. Slowly beat in 2 cups of milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring
frequently, until thermometer registers 150°F or mixture coats the back of the metal spoon. Remove from heat.
Strain into pitcher. Stir in remaining milk, Knob Creek Bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Knob Creek Holiday Punch

3 parts Knob Creek Bourbon
3 parts cranberry juice
4 parts lemon-lime soda
1 part fresh lemon or lime juice
dash bitters
6 parts champagne
ice block
orange and lemon slices

Pre-chill ingredients. Pour into a punch bowl over a large piece of ice, adding champagne last.
Decorate with slices of lemon and orange. [continued]

Tags: bourbon, cocktail recipes, cocktails, holiday 2010, holidays, Kentucky, Knob Creek, mixology, spirits, Thanksgiving, whiskey, whisky

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Courvoisier Introduces Connoisseur Collection, $3K L'Essence

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Courvoisier has one request for the release, next month, of their age-stamped Connoisseur Collection: please, no cocktails.

Sitting down with Pierre Szersnovicz, the cognac house's director of spirit quality control and global brand ambassador, conversation wandered into a discussion of how, and why, someone would create a spirit simply for blending (nay, disappearing) into a mixed drink. While suitable for others, understandably so given the cocktail's continued reign, Szersnovicz emphasized that the newly created Connoisseur Collection was an appeal to the cognac aficionado and not the mixologist. To wit, Courvoisier will release two age declaring bottles in October, a 12-year and a 21-year (like whiskey, both numbers represent the youngest age in the blends). The 12-year old is a blend of stock from the crus of Borderies, Fins Bois and Grande Champagne, while the 21-year old is comprised entirely of the top-tier Grande Champagne. Double distilled, both bottlings are then put through a two-step aging process, first in young French oak barrels and then in reused casks to extract their tannis. The young barrels, which the house selects from a number of areas including Limousin, are given a medium char for subtle wood and vanilla notes, which avoids an aggressive, over-oaked profile. The results are evident in the 12-year, which shows light wood notes, spice and fruit with a finish of cloves and anise. As for the 21-year, the floral notes recede to highlight dried fruit, cooked honey and sandalwood.

And for those whom the market has come back to (or never went away from), Courvoisier introduces L'Essence. Housed in a Baccarat-designed decanter, which requires 30 craftsmen to produce and features a crystal stopper emblazoned with Napoleon's signet, L'Essence de Courvoisier contains a blend of 100 eaux-de-vies stretching back 60 to 70 years. A reliquary-like display box presents the bottle (which can be engraved) upright and illuminated by several LED lights. Wonderfully mature and complex, only 125 bottles will be available in the US, priced at $3,000. As for mixing this one, well, that's your call.

Tags: baccarat, cocktails, cognac, connoisseur collection, courvoisier, decanter, france, LEssence, spirits

Raise a Glass with Boardwalk Empire

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events

Photo Courtesy of HBO

With the season finale of True Blood last weekend, dismayed HBO fans don't have to wait long for more cutting-edge drama. The much-anticipated 12-episode Boardwalk Empire premieres tonight at 9 PM, from Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter of Sopranos fame. Canadian Club, formerly thought of as your grandpa's whisky, received a new fanbase as the choice drink of Mad Men's Don Draper. Now Canadian Club goes further back in time, partnering with HBO as the unofficial sponsor of prohibition in 1920s Atlantic City.

Canadian Club features prominently in the plot of Boardwalk Empire as battling gangsters fight over wooden cases. During Prohibition, Canadian Club was produced legally right across the Detroit River in Windsor, Canada. It's rumored that it quickly became the favorite of Al Capone, who centered his smuggling business on the fine liquid.

Look out for specially branded CC bottles in stores nationwide, as well as special events as speakeasie-styled bars across Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. And enter to win the Boardwalk Empire Sweepstakes for a chance to win your own suite for a year at Caesar's Atlantic City. To get ready for the show tonight, grab a bottle and mix up a cocktail. Exclusive recipes after. the jump.

Tags: Boardwalk empire, Cocktails, hbo, Martin Scorsese, Spirits, whisky

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Rémy Martin Releases First Clear Spirit, V

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The cognac house of Rémy Martin ventures into new territory this September with V, the brand's first clear spirit.

V (pronounced "vee," a play on the French "vie," meaning "life") is a departure, not only in its composition but also its intent. The spirit is meant to be mixed as a base in cocktails, and Rémy Martin has paired with a NYC mixologist to offer several ways of how to do that. To achieve its clarity, V is produced using fall-harvested grapes from the house's crus in Cognac, which are then distilled in copper pot stills and blended. But instead of going into barrels for aging, this distillate is cold filtered (down to 14F) throughout the winter months and then left to mellow throughout the spring. It is only during the following summer that V goes into bottle and is ready for consumption. The result is a crystal-clear spirit with hints of pear and mint.

We'll avoid any "clearly" puns here and just say that at the moment we're looking forward to seeing how this release will be viewed.

(750ml; $40)

Tags: clear, cocktails, cognac, france, remy martin, spirits

British Polo Players to Take Breathalyzer Tests - Prince Harry, This Means You

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Sports

Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to the aristocratic sport of polo, but if you're playing rather than merely watching it at Britain's most prestigious fields you'll have to do your quaffing after the match. The game's regulatory body in the UK, the Hurlingham Polo Association, is introducing random alcohol testing for players in a bid to promote professionalism. Yes, that includes polo and party-loving royal Prince Harry (above). The limit will be set at half the amount considered unsafe for driving a car. Failing a breathalyzer test will not get a player banned for the season, the Guardian notes, but they will be prevented in playing in the day's match.

Many polo pros have welcomed the move, pointing out that a "good lunch", i.e. one accompanied by plenty of bubbly, never improves performance or safety. "It's always been in our regulations that alcohol and drugs aren't acceptable," notes HPA's chief executive David Woodd, "but now we have the machines which we didn't have before and a doctor or official on hand to use them....At the country club I wouldn't argue that there are players who will have a decent lunch and play afterward. But at the top end of the sport, most of them won't even eat, never mind drink, before they play."

Tags: alcohol, Champagne, country club, drinking, equestrian, horses, polo, Prince Harry, royalty, spirits, sporting, sports, UK

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