A Muddled Thought

You’re sitting in a bar discussing the beauties and wonders of whisky with your friend, and his reply is that they “all are too smokey”. After you educate him further that only certain whiskies are of that nature, your friend still doesn’t believe you and retorts “I’ll stick with gin, and rum”. “No, no, no you say” as you motion to the barkeep and point to a bottle of Auchentoshan 12 year old . “Just try this” you state as the barkeep pours you both a dram.

Begrudgingly your friend agrees to try Auchentoshan 12 year. As he brings the glass closer to his mouth, he’s hit with light aromas of caramel. Once he begins to take that first sip, he’s greeted with hints of honey so soft and warming that he actually lets his guard down and continues to drink. The spirit washes away all previous hate of whiskies. All of his concerns are drowned away by beautiful warming hints of honey that are followed up flavors of black licorice, soft cocoa, toffee, with layered flavors of allspice and dried figs.

As he ends that first taste, the Auchentoshan 12 says goodbye with a finish illuminated with spice, hints of sweet sherry, and vanilla cream.

Your friend’s final comment, “damn that’s some good stuff”.

With its soft, sweet and seductive notes, Auchentoshan 12 year old is a wonderful introductory whisky to someone looking to take that first step into the world of whiskies.

Final Score 9/10

Combier USA, the company responsible for bringing some of France’s finest liquors into America announced that the company will donate 20% of all earnings from January 20 until March 1, 2010 to Doctors Without Border – Emergency Relief Fund in response to last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti.
Several of Combier’s products source their original orange peels from the nation of Haiti including those used in Combier Liqueur d’Orange and Royal Combier.

So next time you purchase any of Combier’s products you’ll actually be helping out a good cause, while still managing to imbibe in some cocktails.

What better way to toast Combier’s generosity than with some new recipes with two of their products.

First we decided to take a a look at Combier Royale, a combination of their namesake triplesec product, cognac, and a spirit known as elixir(made up aloe, nutmeg, cardamon, cinnamon and saffron).

With a taste on the palate of sweet pristine orange, nuances of cinnamon and cardamon that wraps itself around the taste buds, it makes a great alternative to some of those other cognac and orange liquors that are floating around stores.

The Traveling Circus. A Combination of Boulard Calvados, Batavia Arrack, Combier Royale, and Cinnamon Syrup.

The Traveling Circus
1 ½ oz Boulard Calvados
¾ Batavia Arrack
¾ Combier Royale
¼ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Cinnamon Syrup

The Golden Fleece
¾ oz Royal Combier
1 ½ oz Bols Genever
2 Dashes Mole Bitters
¾ oz Chai Demerara
Bar spoon Carpano Antica

In addition to offering a both Combier and Combier Royale, a third product has recently hit the market dubbed, Roi Rene Rouge. A cherry liqueur created by blending hand picked guignes and morello cherries, the end result is a subtle never overly sweet liqueur that is filled with notes of vanilla, and soft cherries and spices. Just as Combier Royale did, Roi Rene Rouge lends itself nicely to cocktails.

Red Eyed and Smokey
¾ Sombra
3/4 Lime Juice
¾ Rouge
¾ Benedictine
1 Dash Rhubarb Bitters

Red Eyed and Smokey. A combination of Sombra Mezcal, Combier Rouge, Benedectine and Rhubarb Bitters.

Red Coat of Algeron
2 oz Don Q Anejo Rum
1 oz Rouge
2 Dashes Orange Flower Water
¾ Demerara Syrup

Red Coat of Algeron. A combination of Combier Rouge, Don Q Anejo Rum, Orange Flower Water and Demerara.

Fear the Night Creeper
1 ¾ Beefeater
¾ Rouge
¾ Lillet Blanc
2 Dash Rhubarb Bitters
¼ oz Lemon juice
Garnish with Lemon Zest

Fear the Night Creeper. A combination of Combier Rouge, Lillet Blanc, Rhubarb Bitters, and Lemon Juice.

Krypton's Red Sun. A combination of North Shore Aquavit,Cynar, Aperol, Black Pepper Syrup and Grapefruit Bitters.

We recently came across North Distillery’s Aquavit offering and decided to take a look at it along with a few sips. Aquavit generally has originated from Norway, Sweden and Denmark with its origins being traced all the way back the mid 1500’s. During this time it was looked initially as something to be used to cure ailments. Even the name itself, Aquavit originates from the Latin aqua vitae or “water of life”.
Over the next few centuries it transitioned from being used for medicinal purposes to becoming a favorite spirit for food pairings such as smoked fish, and meats and being enjoyed in times of celebration. The Scandinavian tradition of toasting otherwise known as skoal and welcoming guests to dinner has close ties to Aquavit .

One performs the tradition of skoal, with a shot of aquavit by looking the person you’re toasting in the eye and saying the word “skoal”. You then bow your head, and down the shot of aquavit. Before placing the empty glass down on the table, you look the person in the eye one final time. This allows one to pay respect to the person you’re toasting. After a few skoal’s, the night is bound to get interesting.

Aquavit, the spirit itself is made by macerating caraway, cardamom, fennel, dill and other herbs and botanicals in a neutral spirit, usually potato or grain based and then aging the spirit in oak barrels.

Out of Chicago, a distillery by the name of North Shore started bottling and distributing one of the first American examples of Aquavit.

To create their aquavit, North Shore Distillery starts with a neutral grain spirit and macerates it with botanicals such as caraway, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cubeb berry, orris root and anise seed. Once this maceration process has been completed, the spirit is then aged for approximately six months in oak barrels.

North Shore’s Aquavit offering starts off with very straightforward notes of caraway, that slowly lead into the presence of lemon, and complete with a finish brimming with coriander and nuances of black pepper.

After tasting this Aquavit offering I can definitely see the appeal and appreciate using this spirit for a toast.

That being said, it seems like it would work wonders in cocktails.

The Skoal Way of Life
1 ¾ oz North Shore Aquavit
¾ oz Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
¾ oz Cinnamon Syrup
½ Lemon Juice
Top with Ginger Beer

The Skoal Way of Life. North Shore Aquavit, Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Cinnamon Syrup. Topped with Ginger Beer.

Krypton’s Red Sun
1 ¾ oz Aquavit
¾ Cynar
1 oz Aperol
½ oz Lemon
¾ oz Black Pepper Demera Syrup
2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters

If I could use two words to describe Lagavulin 16 it would be nice and peaty. While I appreciate all spirits and are often drawn more to whiskies as a frequent favorite, I’m not always in love with every whisky. I’ve come across some that are too harsh and too peaty, some that lack character and flavor, and then some that are just right. This last statement describes Lagavulin 16 as best as one could hope to.

Originating in the southern area of the Islay region of Scotland it embodies the peat and smoky flavors this area is most well known for, without overdoing it.

As you take that first taste of Lagavulin 16 you hesitate to not smile. You’re first hit with a bit of sweetness, then the spirit truly gets your attention. The peat begins to come out and play with your palate.

Once those initial notes of peat mellow out, you’re introduced to characters of caramel, touches of refreshing mint, the underlying flavors of orange marmalade, and everyone’s favorite white meat, bacon. Yes folks, you heard me right. I did say I picked up bacon while tasting Lagavulin 16. While this is most likely related to the process of using heated peat during the drying process of the barley which imparts the smoky flavor in the Lagavulin. This peaty flavor reminds one of the pleasantness of bacon during Sunday morning breakfast.

At the end of the flavor filled journey that is Lagaluvin, the spirit ends with a finish filled with candied ginger.

Final Score: 9/10

With such an interesting array of flavors making up the body of Lagavulin 16, we decided to see how it would work in some new cocktail recipes.

A Short Commute
1 ¾ Kahlua Coffee Cream
Barspoon Sailor Jerry’s Spiced Rum
¾ oz Lagulivin 16 Scotch
2 dash Peychaud
Serve in Coupe
Spray Coupe with Absinthe
Garnish with Orange Zest

A Short Commute. A combination of Kahlua Coffee Cream, Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum, Lagulivin 16 and Absinthe.

Scottish Mezcal

3/4 oz Lagulvin 16 Whisky
1oz Pom Juice
1 oz Lillet Blanc
2 dash whiskey barrel
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with Ice
Serve Up

Garnish with Lemon Twist

We recently sampled Xante, a spirit that has been making the rounds in Europe for the past ten years and has only been available in the United States since early 2009.

Xante finds its origins in cognac that’s matured in French Limousine Oak Barrels, which is then blended with Belgium pears. This results in a spirit that has subtle notes of vanilla, coupled with sweet hints of pears, and the occasional notes of citrus zest.

We decided to see what new recipes we could come up with utilizing Xante as a component.

The 37th Intersection

3/4 oz Xante
2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
A Bar Spoon Orange Marmalade
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dashes Peychaud Bitters
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest

The 37th Intersection. A combination of Xante, Rittenhouse Rye, Orange Marmalade, Cinnamon Syrup, and Peychaud Bitters.

Viva Va Loca

¾ oz Sombra Mezcal
½ oz Xante
2 oz Blanco Tequila
1 oz Chai Tea Syrup
1/4 Lime Juice

The French Backyard
1 ¾ Bushnel Fine Calvados
½ Xante
½ Batavia Arrack
2 Dash Whiskey Barrel Bitters
1 oz Demerara Syrup

The French Backyard. A combination of Xante, Bushnel Calvados, Batavia Arrack, and Whiskey Barrel Bitters.

Pama Pomegranate Liquor is created by combining natural pomegranate juice, vodka and tequila, with the end result, a product filled with notes of pomegranate, and minor hints of vanilla and citrus.

After tasting Pama Pomegranate, we decided to try our hands at a few new recipes utilizing it as a component.

Buckley and Sunshine

2 oz Bombay
3/4 oz Pama Pomegranate liquor
1oz Vanilla coconut Demerara tea syrup
1 Dash Scrappy’s Lavender bitters
Garnish with burnt orange zest

Buckley and Sunshine. A combination of Pama Pomegranate Liquor, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Vanilla Coconut Demerara Syup,and Scrappy's Lavender Bitters.

A Tini Tipple of Tea
1 oz Lapsang Souchong Infused Pama Pomegranate Liquor
1 ¾ of Beefeater 24 Gin
¾ Vanilla Syrup
½ oz Lime Juice
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Shake with Ice
Garnish with Lemon Peel

A Combination of Lapsang Souchong Infused Pama Pomegranate Liquor, Beefeater 24, Vanilla Syrup, and Angostura BItters.

The Red Smoking Bandit
1 oz Pama Pomegranate Liquor
¾ oz Lagvulin 16 Whiskey
1 1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
2 dashes whiskey barrel
¼ oz Lime juice
¾ oz Simple Syrup

We recently received a sample of Hiram Walker’s Gingerbread Liquor and as winter is the best time to enjoy the sweet yet spicy flavors of ginger bread, we decided to see what new recipes we could come up with.

“The Ginga Man is Callin”

1 ¾ oz Buffalo Trace
½ oz Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liquor
¾ oz Navan Vanilla Liquor
1 Dash Peychaud Bitters
¼ oz of Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
Burnt Orange Zest

“Warm in Oh So Many Ways Cocoa”

For the next recipe with Hiram Walker Ginger Bread Liquor, we decided to try a version of homemade cocoa that utilizes a great deal of booze. That way if the heat doesn’t warm you up, at least the generous amounts of spirits might.

First we started with the cocoa base.

We combined the 2 1/2 cups of Milk and 1/2 cup of Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liquor, 20 black peppercorns, and 1/2 barspoon of chili powder. We heated these ingredients until everything began to boil. We then removed it from the heat, and added a bar and a half of Dagoba Mole Chocolate Bars and stirred until the chocolate was fully melted and combined with the rest of the base.

After this is complete, strain into a large mug that has already been filled with the following:

1 ½ Rhum J.M. Gold
1 Dash Mole Bitters
½ oz Solerno Blood Orange Liquor

For the boozy whipped cream:

Combine-

5 oz of Heavy Cream
2 teaspoons Sugar
2oz of Navan Vanilla Liquor

Shake until it becomes a whipped cream.

Distribute on top of the “Warm in Oh So Many Ways Cocoa”.

Warm in Oh So Many Ways Cocoa- The Navan Whipcream has started to melt slightly in this photo.

The Navan Vanilla Liquor based Whipcream before being used to top the Warm in Oh So Many Ways Cocoa.

In the late eighties, Absolut Vodka brought to life its city campaign, with offerings representing the history and personalities of several major cities. In 2007, they relaunched this series with Absolut New Orleans, and in 2008, Absolut LA.
In 2009 they followed up these first two releases with the limited offering, Absolut Boston.
Combining Absolut Vodka, with black tea and elderflower creates a spirit that starts off with notes of black tea, that is balanced out with the mild sweetness of elderflower and ends with an extremely smooth finish.

Absolut’s Boston offering is a perfect gift for any fan of vodka or any spirits enthusiast that is always looking to try something different.
With winter approaching in a few weeks, here are a few recipes that might work well during these last few weeks of Fall.

The Tea Leaves are Falling
2 oz Absolut Boston
1 oz of Fig Juice
¾ oz Cinnamon Syrup
½ Lime Juice
Serve in Martini Glass
Garnish with Lime Wedge

The Tea Leaves are Falling. A combination of Absolut Boston, Fig juice, Cinnamon Syrup, and Lime Juice.

Apples are Absolut
2oz of Absolut Boston
¾ Apple Cinnamon Syrup
¾ Lairds Apple Jack
2 Dashes Whiskey Barrel Bitters

Apples are Absolut. A combination of Absolut Boston, Apple Cinnamon Syrup, Lairds Applejack, and Whiskey Barrel Bitters.

Fizz and Berrys
2 oz Absolut Boston
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
3/4 Lime Juice
3 Muddled Strawberries

Top with Club Soda
Garnish with Whole Strawberry

Fizz and Berrys. A combination of Absolut Boston, Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, Muddled Strawberries, topped with Club Soda.

Glenlivet, normally known for their subtle but elegant whiskys, decided to create an unfiltered series of bottlings known as the Nadurra Collection.

The Nadurra collection is available in both a 16 year offering as well as a bottling from 1991. We decided to take a look at the 16 year Nadurra.

Glenlivet chose to age the Nadurra line in American Oak barrels as they do with the rest of their offerings, though with the Nadurra line they bottle at natural cask strength.

Nadurra, when translated in Gaelic means “natural”. This process of bottling the Nadurra unfiltered definitely shows itself in the spirit. Nadurra is not your typical example of Glenlivet, with most of my experiences with Glenlivet having been of the softer varieties such as their twelve year bottling, the Nadurra took me by surprise.

As I took my first taste of the Nadurra I was blindsided unexpectedly with minor notes of peat. This was followed up by hints of cocoa, and a slightly sweet orange cream, that played along side the palate with hints of ginger.
Upon adding water, notes of caramel seem to begin to jump out leading to a perfectly balanced finish of light peat and baked apples.

For anyone whose a whisky fan or who holds Glenlivet in a special place in their heart or on their shelf, take a look at the Nadurra offering. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Final Score: 9.0/10

For the past four years, Brown and Forman, the company responsible for Woodford Reserve Bourbon, has released a limited once a year offering known as the Masters Collection. With each offering they change the barrel aging slightly to create a new product. The first three were the Four Grain, Sonom-Cutrer Finish, and a Sweet Mash offering. The fourth, this year’s bottling, is known as the Seasoned Oak Finish.

While most distiller’s season and age their oak up to six months, Woodford aged the barrels used for its Master Collection in the outdoors for up to five years. This has enabled Woodford to create a product rich in flavors that take the palate on an adventure.

Before I even poured a sampling of the Seasoned Oak Bottling, I knew I was in for something different. My “Woodford Experience” began with removing the top of the bottle and being nearly knocked aside by the aromas that were released. Aromas of Christmas spices, caramel, vanilla and maple syrup wafted from the bottle.

As I began to taste this tumultuous spirit, I was presented with flavors of sweet caramel so deeply defined; it feels as if you are being “grabbed you by the throat”. All the while you are slowly introduced to the calmer and subtly flavors of dark cherries, something akin to a milky hazelnut coffee and brief notes of ginger, cinnamon, ending with a sweet honeycomb finish.

As I tasted through the Woodford Seasoned Oak offering, it had me thinking of the infamous scene from the movie, “American Psycho” in which Patrick Bateman is sitting at lunch with his competition comparing the impression that their business cards leave.

If the Masters Collection is Woodford Distiller Chris Morris’s business card, his impression far surpasses any competition.

Simply put, the Woodford Master’s Collection is magnificent.

Final Score: 9.5/10