Staying Home: Less News, More Booze

Two weeks of quarantine has simultaneously gone by really fast, yet somehow slowly. The boys started their online learning sessions for school, while the adults in the house still have work to accomplish. When there is downtime, I know it is too easy to scroll through the news feed on my phone and get annoyed or angry or anxious about where things are headed with a pandemic. Instead, why not take the opportunity to take a deeper dive into something you already enjoy? Like booze!

You can nerd out through study and research, read fascinating accounts of wine and history, or learn how to make a cocktail. There is enough out there to keep you engaged for as long as we need to stay holed up at home. Here are some of my favorites that pair perfectly with your favorite beverage of choice.

Note: links to book titles send you to Amazon’s web site as a point of reference, but note that with the pandemic impact you are likely not getting these books in two days through Prime. Consider alternative sources or e-book versions if you can.

Wine & War, Don & Petie Kladstrup: The setting is France during World War II and the Nazis are in full force. Through the turmoil, you get to learn about how German wine merchants conducted business with France, the fate of legendary French vineyards, and how French wine producers coped with being prisoners of war. A wildly entertaining read that offers plenty of perspective.

An outstanding take on the Aviation. You don’t have to buy Creme de Violette AND you get to have Lavender Liqueur on hand for any unaged spirit-based cocktail.

The World Atlas of Wine (8th Edition), Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson: If you want to nerd out with a desk reference of colorful maps that discusses a full range of worldwide wine regions, this is the book for you. There’s even a section that covers all of the basics of wine production, storage, service, and how to taste wine. Give yourself a crash course in wine from the comfort of home.

How To Cocktail, America’s Test Kitchen: Over the years, I have become a fan of America’s Test Kitchen on PBS when it comes to learning more about cooking. The folks there try many ways of preparing a dish, whether changing proportions of ingredients or method of cooking. Well, that experimental mentality was applied to making cocktails, even providing opportunities for you to make your own liqueurs, sugar and salt rims, or snacks to enjoy for a cocktail party (to have inside with family or virtually). I have made the lavender liqueur from the book, and let me tell you…it’s easy to do and makes a great addition to an Aviation.

Booze & Vinyl, Andre Darlington and Tenaya Darlington: If you have some old records laying around, dust them off and have your own listening party, complete with beverage pairings! Booze & Vinyl is a fun book that discusses timeless albums and cocktails to go with the mood. Everything from Johnny Cash to The Clash, Frank Sinatra to Madonna are covered with interesting stories about the artists and the music. The authors also penned TCM Movie Night Menus, another book I recommend if you gravitate more towards being a foodie.

Whiskey Advent Calendar Recap: Picking The Favorite Child

I did it. I made it through the entire Whiskey Advent Calendar that I received as the most unbelievable birthday gift. 24 samples have come and gone, displaying a range of styles from all over the world. There was not a bad one in the bunch, each 30mL sample showing different characteristics. Some were driven by the types of grains used, others by distillation techniques, all with various aging levels. Location of the distillery and warehouse even plays into this, too. I touched on the first four that I opened in the beginning of December before holiday life took over, but now after taking diligent notes and processing everything I can share my thoughts on what I tasted. When I told people about the Advent Calendar, I was often asked, "What has been your favorite?"

Here's how I'll answer that question. Each whiskey brings its own expression to the table: lively or rich, sweet or dry, complex or simple, subtle or forceful. The beauty of all the styles of whiskey out there is that there is a time and a place for all of them and they can all be appreciated when placed in proper context. Some might be better suited for a cocktail rather than enjoying neat with a few drops of water. Others may be comforting and soothing in the winter, while some examples might be lighter and more refreshing in the hot months of summer.

What's my favorite whiskey? It is like trying to pick your favorite child. The Greatest Wife In The World and I have the running joke that our favorite child is the one who sleeps the most at night. My favorite whiskey is the one that is making me happy today. It's all about mood and environment.

So let me share which drams stood out the most. There are several products in the calendar that we have either limited or zero access to in the U.S., and they deserve to be discussed based on their individual merits. However, the whiskies in my top six are all either available in the majority of states or have nationwide distribution. Let's run them down below. Special thanks to the Greatest Wife In The World for going to Master of Malt for an amazing gift.

Honorable Mentions (hard or unable to source in the U.S., but fun to share with you in case you encounter any of these in your travels):

Mackmyra Brukswhisky (approx. $49 via Master of Malt): I wrote of this when I first opened the kit. Even after tasting through the 24 whiskies, the Mackmyra still stands out to me. The combination of delicate floral notes on the nose with red berries and ginger on the palate left a positive mark. We need this here in the states.

Millstone 6 Year Old Dutch Whisky (approx. $62 via Master of Malt): This example from the Zuidam Distillery was a limited release (only 637 bottles were made) and never made it to the U.S. This whisky is malty with banana bread and maple syrup on the palate. On the nose, it's candied walnuts, toffee, and creme brulee. Warm and balanced on the finish. FYI...the Millstone 100 Proof Rye is available in the U.S. if you are looking to try something from this producer.

Puni Nova (approx. $62 via Master of Malt): Puni Distillery is located in the far north of Italy, and the young Nova expression has a mash bill of malted barley, malted rye, and malted wheat. Light in color and body, anise, lemons, and cured meats are subtle on the nose. The palate is lively with green herbs and citrus, along a touch of espresso and dark chocolate. Great potential as a summer whiskey or as a base in a cocktail. Puni has some products distributed in California, but it is not widespread yet.

English Whiskey Company Chapter 13 (approx. $90 via Master of Malt): Malt and leather are countered by orange zest and the smell of an old library (just imagine it...you have encountered it before). Dried oranges, malt, and fresh citrus on the palate, which starts off malty and sweet, but finishes lively, spicy, and dry. Origin is St. George's Distillery in Norfolk, England. This was very cool.

Penderyn Welsh Whisky Portwood Finish (approx. $64 via Master of Malt): The Port barrel is noticeable on this killer Welsh whisky from Penderyn. Peach pie, raspberry jam, caramel, and vanilla on the nose. Sweet red and black berries on a rich and full-bodied palate. If you are a fan of Port-finished whisky, then I hope this makes it to the states.

Now for the top six (in no order, all can be had here in the U.S.):

Kavalan ex-Bourbon Oak Single Malt ($115): This Taiwanese producer is gaining a lot of traction in the U.S., with distribution in many states and only gaining a larger footprint. A fragrant whisky with chile peppers, citrus, and an exotic range of savory spices on the nose. On the palate, the spices are there, but finishes like a Bourbon with a vanilla and long toffee-like sweetness. 

Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey ($40): Many Irish whiskeys feature unmalted barley, leading to a light and clean profile. Teeling uses a high proportion of malted barley (a la Scotch), and the whiskey spends some time maturing in rum casks. This has a soft and sweet nose, with almond, toasted coconut, apples, and vanilla. On the palate, marshmallows, coconut, pie crust, and chocolate with a full and sweet finish.

The Quiet Man 8 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey ($50): The brand's name comes from the distillery owner's father, who was a bartender in Northern Ireland. For being made from all malted barley, the nose is very clean and fragrant, with floral, citrus, and vanilla cream aromas. On the palate, it is light and gentle with a distinct lemon curd flavor and fresh coconut on the finish. This is incredibly easy to enjoy.

Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey ($35): Tuthilltown Spirits in New York's Hudson Valley gives rye whiskey the attention it deserves. Loaded with spicy aromatic intensity, it is like walking into a New York bakery and smelling rye bread. On the palate, it's roasted root vegetables, rosemary, orange peel, nutmeg, and ground black pepper on the finish. At 92 Proof, this is loaded with flavor to make an amazing cocktail. Where's my pastrami sandwich with this?

Whistlepig 10 Year Vermont Rye ($75): Whistlepig continues to gain accolades with newer expressions rye-based whiskies, and deservedly so. This 10 year example takes a stock of Canadian rye that was destined for blending and instead, Whistlepig aged it, finished it in Bourbon barrel, and bottled it at their Vermont property. This is French toast, dates, and fruitcake on the nose, with candied oranges, scones, maple syrup, and baking spices on the palate. Well worth the spend!

Brenne Cuvée Spéciale French Single Malt ($64): When Cognac and Scotch have a baby, you get Cuvée Spéciale from Brenne. The barley is grown in the Cognac region of France, the whisky matures in French oak, then finishes in Cognac casks. The result is a nose of fruitcake, orange peel, and floral notes. The palate has baked pears, green figs, golden raisins, and a warming vanilla finish. Since I happen to be a Cognac fan, this whisky was right in my wheelhouse.

Build Your Bar: A Dozen Essentials Help You To Get Started

As much as I love to dive into wine, distilled spirits has dominated my beverage landscape as of late; it comes with the territory of running classes in this category at the store. As a result, I have managed to build up a bit of inventory in my home bar over the past year, all while understanding some of the differences among the huge range of options available to us all.

For those of you who are attempting to build your own inventory, my guess is there are mixed feelings out there. There is the camp of people who have brands they love and will always go to with ease, while others don't know what to seek out and spend hard-earned money on. It can be difficult for the latter group; you want to have a complete set of bar staples for guests or mixing cocktails, but you may not be sure what to drop $20-$40 on that will deliver for you.

Wine lovers, you may remember when we built a case of wine together that goes easy on the wallet; our task was to keep the case to $120-$150. If you were to buy the spirit essentials you need, you will easily spend more since the average price per bottle of quality spirits are high than it is for wine. Fortunately, you can do this for about $250. That's right...a full bar that gives you versatility, enjoyment, and outstanding value for roughly twice what we paid to get the wine inventory started.

Let's do this thing. I find that as long as you have one of each of the following spirits/mixers, you can make most classic cocktails, plus give yourself some things to sip straight if you like. In no particular order: Blended Scotch Whisky, Bourbon Whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, Tequila, Cognac, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, orange liqueur, bitters, and tonic water. Yes, I know tonic water is non-alcoholic, but there are some great artisanal options for you to choose from these days and can be a major component in cocktails. Pick up some lemons, limes, and a small bottle of hot sauce, and you are in business.

Now for specifics on the Big Twelve bar essentials. You will be able to get away with spending no more than $35 on any of these bottles. These are all solid. Please note that spirits pricing can fluctuate depending on where you live, how much your retailer can buy to keep costs down, or depending on whether a category is generally trending up or down.

For your whisk(e)y:

Famous Grouse or Johnnie Walker Black Label blended Scotch whisky ($35 ea.)

If you are a fan of the Rob Roy or Rusty Nail, then you need some good blended Scotch whisky. Alternatively, each option can be enjoyed as-is. For my fellow Scotch nerds and newbies alike, Famous Grouse is a blend made from the malt whisky of Macallan and Highland Park, two distilleries owned by the same company as Famouse Grouse: The Edrington Group. The red grouse on the label is Scotland's national game bird, and Famous Grouse is the top selling blended Scotch in Scotland. This is gentle and well-balanced.

Johnnie Walker is the top selling blended Scotch in the United States and worldwide, with 40 different whiskies making up the blend. The peated portion of the whisky comes from Caol Ila and Talisker, and all whiskies used in the blend were aged at least 12 years. Johnnie Walker is notably smokier than Famous Grouse. Despite Scotch being incredibly popular with prices on the rise, both Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker Black remain solid values and you can't go wrong with either.

Bulleit or Larceny Bourbon Whiskey ($28 ea.)

I once again present two options. When it comes to Bourbon, there are two fairly distinct groups: low-rye and high-rye. Consider this to be similar in a way to peated or unpeated Scotch. The higher the rye content, the more aromatic and assertive its flavors will be. Less rye means corn's soft texture and sweetness will come out.

Bulleit has a citrusy and spicy character, and bottled at 90 proof, it can withstand the addition of other ingredients that will tamp down some of the rye in your Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Larceny, a new product getting a lot of play out on the market has not only a lower rye profile, but also some wheat, making for a gentler Bourbon. Larceny has more of a honeyed, toffee-like character that is definitely suited for sipping.

For your brandy:

Camus VS Cognac ($30)

Hennessy is very popular, and has the skyrocketing price to match. I know it wasn't that long ago that I wrote about it, but it should be a bar staple.

For your Tequila:

Cazadores Silver ($25)

Am I being lazy? Maybe, but again it will deliver on the price for you as I wrote in my classic cocktails post on Margaritas.

For your rum:

Plantation 3 Stars White Rum ($20)

Created by well-respected Cognac producer Maison Ferrand, Plantation 3 Stars is made up of rums from Trinidad, Barbados, and Jamaica. Some components from Jamaica and Trinidad are aged, while other Jamaican components and Barbados are unaged. Ferrand uses a "proprietary filtration process" to strip out color from barrel aging without stripping away flavor (which can happen in many instances with charcoal filtration). The result is a full-bodied and complex white rum that you can mix or drink straight with a little chill on it. This is one of the best bargains I have seen in any spirit category and is worth the extra $3-$5 over the better-known Bacardi.

For your Vodka:

Tito's Handmade Vodka ($23)

Tito Beveridge (a name that seems destined to be in this industry) created this Texas-based pot-distilled vodka that is now the top-selling spirits brand in the United States. Pot-distilled vodkas have some body to them (a la Ketel One), making this a vodka you could sip neat if well-chilled. I can also testify that this made a killer base for a Bloody Mary during a football tailgate party! Despite the brand's overwhelming success, Tito's is still very reasonably priced.

For your Gin:

Gordon's London Dry Gin ($20)

For the traditional, juniper-forward gin drinkers out there, this should fall right in your strike zone. Tanqueray is another option as well, which is bottled at a higher proof (great for not losing delicate citrus and floral aromas/flavor when mixing cocktails), but you may spend a few more dollars. Gordon's is the top selling gin brand in the world with its mass appeal and easy mixability.

For your vermouth:

Martini & Rossi Sweet ($11) and Dry ($11) Vermouth

There's no need to get too fancy here. If you are on a limited budget, the M&R products are the way to go. They do the job just fine when you are getting started. Sweet vermouth works for your Negroni, Manhattan, and Rob Roy, while the dry vermouth will mix fine with your Martini or act as a flavor-booster in your cooking (a fine addition in Carbonara pasta, for the record).

For your orange liqueur:

Agavero Orange ($23) or Caffo Solara Triple Orange ($25)

This comes down to what you like to do with your cocktails. If you are REALLY into Margaritas, the Agavero is a Tequila-based orange liqueur that meshes nicely with Tequila (thanks, Captain Obvious!), also costing you less than the Patron version. If you seek versatility in cocktails, where many of them call for triple sec/orange liqueur, the Caffo from Italy gives you good, fiery orangey flavor. As a reference point, Cointreau (as much as I adore it) hits the $30 mark in some markets. Again, we are seeking value, so either of these will do a solid job for you.

Additional mixers:

Angostura Bitters ($6)

This is a staple that can't be overlooked. Yes, it is everywhere and readily available, but for good reason. It is solid. As you continue progressing in building your inventory, we can talk about that...and we will (how's that for a tease?)!

Fever Tree Tonic ($6/4-pack)

Here's your "splurge" product. I can't say enough about the clean flavors Fever Tree provides. Aside from the flagship tonic, they have flavored versions such as lemon and elderflower that will add extra depth of flavor to your Gin (or Vodka) & Tonic. Don't believe me? Taste Fever Tree alongside Schweppe's or Canada Dry and you will become a convert!

So there it is! This is an outstanding starting point for building up your personal bar. These twelve items will help you get the ball rolling and serve as your baseline for branching out...and we will cover that sooner than later!

Aquavit: The Drink That Stumped Me

During my WSET studies several years ago, The Greatest Wife In The World would frequently (and happily) help me get in tune with my tasting skills by showing up with random wines and spirits brown bagged to sample blindly. It was really a great way to keep my on my toes while exploring all the alcohol the world had to offer. On a day where I sent my kids back to school to get smarter and off each other's backs, I share with you one heck of an educational brown bag tasting session.

It was the WSET Spirits Unit that I was working on one spring day; while I had a great appreciation for whiskey already, getting to know and love many other spirits was very rewarding. I was doing very well, identifying different types of rum, different styles of vodka, and liqueurs of various quality levels. But there was one spirit that really messed with my head. It was clear as if I was holding a glass of water. When I stuck my nose in the glass, it was aromatically intense. It smelled like something that would come from Northern or Eastern Europe, but the nose was too forward to be vodka. On the other hand, the intensity would be the same strength of gin, but it was missing the distinct Christmas tree scent. It was not tropical and fruity like a high-proof white rum. On the palate, it felt like some sort of grain...like a really strong vodka. This spirit had something distinct about it that I just couldn't put my finger on, but it really felt like I was drinking a glass of liquid rye bread. What the hell is this?? I just blurted out that it was a rye-based vodka like Belvedere when I made my guess.

The item that tripped me up in my spirits studies...which I will never forget again.

It turns out, I was drinking something called aquavit (sometimes written as "akvavit"). This Scandinavian specialty is based on caraway seed, which is redistilled with a neutral grain spirit. Other botanicals, as with gin, can be blended in with the caraway spirit; some of these botanical choices often include coriander, cumin, fennel, and citrus. Aalborg, the producer's aquavit that I sampled that day, uses amber in its botanical recipe. The resulting spirit is a pungent, mouthwatering aperitif that will get your stomach ready for large quantities of food; this is what makes aquavit so popular for Scandinavian feasts. Conversely, I feel like aquavit can be a fantastic digestif after chowing down all day long thanks to the properties of caraway.

Additionally, an aquavit producer can age the spirit in casks. Oftentimes it is done in large neutral oak to mellow out some of the sharp flavors, but aquavit has been shown to age in Sherry cask, Port cask, or Madeira casks, giving more complex spiciness as well as traces of the flavor absorbed from the wine cask.

I will never forget the taste of aquavit ever again. It makes a mark on your senses the same way Gewürztraminer does for the first-time wine drinker as far as the distinct, wild, pungent flavors and aromas go. If you are looking for something different to stock in your bar, aquavit is the way to go. Here are three examples for you to try!

Aalborg Taffel Akvavit, Denmark ($28): The word "Taffel" simply refers to an unaged/clear aquavit. This is the one that tripped me up, and the strength of the caraway is complemented by turmeric and dill. Fresh and lively, it is a great way to prime the pump before chowing down on sausages or roast pork.

Lysholm's Linie Original Aquavit, Norway ($28): Linie might be the most popular aquavit on the market today; you can find this in Disney's Epcot Center World Showcase if you go to Norway. This spirit is based on a potato distillate, leading to a creamy, soft texture. The spirit is then aged in Oloroso Sherry casks, to impart vanilla and brine notes. A fine example of a cask-aged aquavit!

Lyshom's Linie Double Cask Madeira Finish, Norway ($40): Take Linie's Original recipe example from above then, rather than age the spirit in Oloroso Sherry casks, transfer to old Madeira casks for 12 months. This example is rich, savory, and earthy, with bright citrus notes acting as a foil to the weight of the spirit. A real treat to enjoy at the end of a big meal.