Enough Already: Whisk(e)y Does Not Get Better In The Bottle

Collecting whiskey can be a fun pastime. Snapping up limited edition and rare bottlings is part of the American way when it comes to how we do high-end booze in this country. No matter your motivation for establishing a collection, whether to enjoy later to nerd out, save it for a special occasion, or even turn it around for profit, it’s all good. Do what you like…it’s your whiskey.

However, there is something that continues to drive me crazy when it comes to whiskey. Over this past weekend I was doing some research on new whiskeys that were arriving in the U.S. market, seeking out some commentary and determining if they could be fits in upcoming programs I am leading (shameless plug: March 14th Irish Whiskey class!). During my personal recon mission, I came across this review of a whiskey that read like fingernails sound on a blackboard:

Aside from providing good beverage recommendations and getting you plugged into various aspects of the industry, I find the most important service I can provide is steering you clear of bad information and outright nonsense. If you ever see a review of a product that says, “I will give this a few more years to age and try it again…” or anything else of that ilk, you should immediately ignore the review of the product. The fact is, whiskey (and other spirits) do not improve in the bottle.

Say it with me again, whiskey (and other spirits) do not improve in the bottle.

Adding a whiskey to your collection should NEVER be done with the thought that the 1964 Macallan Special Selection Bottled in 1981 is going to suddenly turn into some otherworldly unicorn blood that will drink better than it did 38 years ago. No matter when you open the bottle, whether it is the day you purchase it or at any point in the future, it is still a 17 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Unlike the long-lived wines of the world, spirits are missing important components that lead to ageability. With time, natural tannins from red wine grapes integrate with intense fruit concentration, alcohol, acids, and where applicable residual sugar to have molecular reactions leading to a softer texture and more fulfilling experience than you would have if those bitter, mouth-drying elements were younger. In the case of ageworthy white wines, acid, alcohol, fruit concentration, and residual sugar all work in tandem to preserve the wines and add a honey-like texture and flavor with time in the bottle.

Above: It doesn’t matter if you spend your money on an everyday workhorse for $19 or a custom-made luxury bottle for $170,000, both are ready to drink now…and neither is improving with further aging.

All of whiskey’s flavors are developed during fermentation, distillation, and barrel aging. Whiskey has plenty of alcohol to keep itself stable in the bottle, but nothing else mentioned above to help it evolve into something different the way wine does. The same goes for brandy, rum, and Tequila. As a matter of fact, the only thing time does to your spirits is add a threat of deterioration. You have to keep your spirits stored in a cool, dark place. Heat and light can make flavors and natural colors fade and prolonged exposure to either can lead to more rancid flavors in whiskey, too much earthiness in gin (all citrus and floral aromas dissipate completely), soapy flavor in Cognac, or a vinegar and shoe polish-like compound in rum. All bad.

Remember that all spirits are bottled ready-to-drink the day you buy them. If you open another bottle of the same whiskey you didn’t like a few years ago, the only reason you would like it today is because your palate evolved, not because the spirit did. If you are considering starting a collection, do it for any reason other than hoping the contents of the bottles are going to improve with time, because it is just not going to happen.

Fresh or Frozen: How Do You Like Your Margarita?

Last year, I gave you a combination of a Tequila mini-guide along with a full-on discussion of the classic cocktail, the Margarita. Today, I am running it back in a different way, because damn...it's hot outside in the northeast.

A "fresh" margarita on the rocks or shaken and strained is just so good; it's a favorite around these parts at any time of the year, but feels great in beating the heat. The salt-rimmed glass helps you get that valuable sodium chloride back into your system after sweating at the beach or doing yardwork all day. Fresh lime juice makes your feel like you reawakened your system. And of course, the distinctly-flavored agave-based spirit of Tequila pulls everything together.

But when the summer sun is scorching us and the humidity is downright oppressive, we need to take things to another level and embrace the frozen margarita. It's easy enough; you are just throwing all ingredients in a blender and turning it on. You also don't have to worry about going top-shelf for your Tequila (though I won't tell you NOT to) as the potential complexity of it is going to fall by the wayside with whatever fruit you are tossing into the blender likely overriding it. You simply want a tasty ice-cold beverage.

With a salt and green sugar-rimmed glass, you can't beat this on a hot August afternoon.

Additionally, the frozen margarita is no time for the aged Tequilas. Anything labeled "Reposado" or "Anejo" can make a fine fresh margarita and those layered flavors derived from barrel aging will show themselves better when only having to compete with lime juice and Cointreau/triple sec. You will lose a significant portion of those underneath the ice and fruit.

The Greatest Wife In The World and I have long enjoyed Milagro Blanco Tequila's versatility for both styles of margarita. It already has a salty/limey flavor profile that works so well in a margarita. But of course, use whatever your favorite brand is.

If you want a template for an outstanding frozen margarita, look no further than Martha Stewart, whose frozen peach margarita is top-notch. We made a little switch, though; we had no frozen peaches on-hand and substituted mangoes. Also, without a classic triple sec available in the bar and Cointreau running low (and not cheap, either), I offer up a use for Agavero Orange, which I mentioned when we built your bar essentials.

So where's your allegiance at this time of year...fresh or frozen? Feel free to comment below on your favorite margaritas, whether you make them, head to a to a bar, or whatever. No matter what, I hope you are enjoying these dog days of summer with a fine cold drink in-hand.

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!

Drinking Through Disney: Disney Springs Edition

Well, it's Friday and it means you might be looking for some ways to enjoy a few cocktails/brews/grape juice/whatever for a summer weekend. This also means it is time for Drinking Through Disney, as I have more fun adventures to share from the epic family vacation. In today's installment, I take a dive into the Artist Formerly Known As Downtown Disney: Disney Springs.

When you need a break from the parks, this is where you go to shop, eat, drink, and catch shows. Cirque du Soleil, AMC movie theaters, bowling, and several bars are scattered about the area; the later it gets in the day, the more this place becomes the playground for adults. That being said, there is enough to do with the kids. The Lego store goes over very well here for the boys (maybe a little TOO well), as does the music playing. Additionally, when you aren't looking for booze, getting a shake at the Ghirardelli Chocolate & Ice Cream Shop is tremendous.

Loch Ness Monster made of many choking hazards for little ones, Disney Springs.

With all that being said, the only thing we followed in that last paragraph was a stop at the Lego store. We also visited Disney Springs the day we landed in Orlando on Father's Day. The reason? We were excited to go eat dinner at Rick Bayless' Frontera Cocina...and grab Tequila-based beverages. The Greatest Wife In The World and I absolutely love Rick Bayless' recipes. We have his cookbooks. His classic Margarita recipe is our standard house Margarita. We expected great things here, and it delivered on (even exceeded) our expectations.

It all starts with the drink menu. Among all the other places we dined, this was the most difficult place to make decisions. Just look for yourself...Frontera's killer salsas with chips would be fine with just about any of these. I mean, there is even Mexican wine on the menu! Details on Bodegas Monte Xanic are here, and it was very tempting. In the end, how could I refuse the Premium Tequila Flight? When our server brought the flight out, she asked if I knew how to drink the Tequila. You mean just drinking these with my mouth is not an option?

Premium Tequila Flight (L-R): Avión Reserva 44 Extra Añejo, Clase Azul Reposado, Casa Dragones Blanco. Tomato juice, lime, and salt included.

For The Greatest Wife In The World, she was all about the La Cava Avocado Margarita, and my goodness...look at this thing! It tasted even better than its appearance. We'll be trying to replicate this one for years.

The bulk of a La Cava Avocado Margarita and what remains of the hibiscus salt rim.

Clase Azul Tequila Reposado ($80). You are not just paying for the spirit inside, but also for this beautiful ceramic bottle.

Oaxacan red chile chicken for me, Carnitas for her, and who cares what the kids ate (although the toddler cleaned up all the salsa). Seriously, though, it was difficult to make a choice. I found the food here to all be very reasonably priced for a Disney property restaurant with a well-known chef's name attached to it. I was happy with my Tequila flight...it was outstanding. The Casa Dragones has citrus and apple flavors, but surprisingly had enough body and texture to it along with a peppery kick on the finish; it is one of the few white Tequilas I could drink on its own. The Clase Azul, aged eight months in barrel, showed pronounced agave character but was complemented by vanilla and toffee, along with a saltiness on the finish. Those flavors developed from the barrel didn't take over the Tequila, which is exactly what I look for with aged Tequila. The Avión 44 was a real treat, as I don't get my hands on much Tequila with extended aging; this example went nearly 44 months in barrel. This tasted like toasted walnuts, ripe mango, coconut, vanilla, and the entire range of baking spices (cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc). There was still just enough agave character to know that this was Tequila, though it was bordering on whiskey-like. No matter...it was still awesome.

If you plan to recreate this flight at home and buy your own bottles, be prepared to spend for it. The three bottles together run you approximately $300 ($70, $80, and $150 respectively, but if you have some money burning a hole in your pocket and you are a Tequila fan, these are all worth picking up. Besides, it is still cheaper than jetting to Orlando and staying at Disney World to make this happen. Heading to Disney Springs and Frontera was not just a great start to the trip, but a wonderful Father's Day with the family that day.

Good Karma: Recapping Tequila Class

Last night, I put a bow on the Spirits 101 classroom series for the season at Divine Wine. It is certainly great to teach these courses, but now we start moving into more casual tastings out on the deck or more informal crash courses on a subject.

I was happy to close things out with Tequila 101. Nothing else on Earth smells or tastes like good quality Tequila. As you know, it is the base ingredient in the Margarita, which I have sung the praises of in the past. We had all styles on display. My favorite part of running this tasting is that we get to taste the standard range of products from one producer all together: Silver, Reposado, and Añejo Tequilas. Additionally, I like to feature a Resposado from two other regions of Tequila's permitted production zones. It gives the taster an idea of how the agave presents itself in different growing regions with a touch of aging to add extra layers of flavor.

Production zones of Mexican spirits. Image credit: Culinary Historians of New York

This year's Tequila 101 class also featured Mezcal, the spirit that can be made from various species of agave (as opposed to Tequila featuring the blue Weber agave). It seems like with each passing month, our distributors are adding more Mezcal to their portfolios. Mezcal's smokier, higher-proof aggressiveness is something that parallels young, peated whiskey as far as its intensity of flavors and aromas.

One really fun thing about these classes is removing any preconceived notions a student might have. For instance, some in the classroom (along with some of you, I imagine) may have had a rough experience with Tequila. Since Jose Cuervo was about the only Tequila available to many of us, if your experience was bad with it, you may believe that's what all Tequila will taste like (or do to you the next morning).

Karma Tequila was our brand chosen to represent our horizontal range of Silver, Reposado, and Añejo. Karma has its headquarters in California, but all of their production facilities (agave fields, distillation, aging warehouses, etc) are all located in the Jalisco Highlands of Mexico. Since all aspects of making Tequila take place here, it can legally be called Tequila. Karma simply took its name from the "cause and effect relationship between our choices and their consequences. Karma Tequila is about cultivating good karma: it is a commitment to live with energy, happiness, and kindness."

The result is a modern, full-bodied Tequila, where there is plenty of agave character in the spirit without being too pungent and overwhelming. The whole range tastes great, versatile enough to either mix with cocktails or drink neat. Karma, along with the others listed below made for a very entertaining class, capped off by a classic Margarita to thank my students for listening to me bloviate about Tequila for a couple of hours!

Here's what we tasted. All are absolutely worth seeking out.

Karma Silver Tequila ($42): Intense, but not pungent agave on the nose, with orange and lemon citrus, as well as a sea salt finish. This might taste good when chilled if you want to drink it straight, but a salt-rimmed classic Margarita is the way to go with this one.

Karma Resposado Tequila ($51): The agave is still noticeable after 364 days of resting in large wooden vats. Accompanying the citrus notes in the silver are toffee, baking spices, and black pepper. You can easily enjoy this on its own or use it in a more complex Margarita, such as one with blood oranges and cinnamon.

Karma Añejo Tequila ($63): Aged nearly three years in old Bourbon barrels, the agave character is understated, while caramel, vanilla, and woody notes come into play. If you are a whiskey lover, this is one for you to try!

Herradura Reposado Tequila ($45): Our Lowland example for the evening, Herradura's nose is not super-intense, but on the palate it's all agave, green bell pepper, black pepper, and a touch of cayenne. Very earthy and savory on the finish.

Chinaco Reposado Tequila ($50): Chinaco is situated in the outlier region of Tamaulipas near the Texas border. There is a distinct candied lime flavor that plays with the agave very well. This is one that I really enjoy drinking neat with a slight chill on it, maybe even with a squeeze of lime.

Yuu Baal Mezcal Espadin Blanco ($39): Espadin is an agave species that makes up about 90% of all Mezcal production, and it is very closely related to the blue agave used for Tequila. The Espadin is very smoky and fiery on the nose. On the palate, it's like drinking a peppery wood fire, something that the Islay Scotch drinkers out there who also like agave spirit will absolutely enjoy.

Classic Cocktails: The Margarita

This Friday is Cinco de Mayo, the holiday celebrating the Mexican army's defeat of the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. A somewhat minor occasion in Mexico, it has become a big deal here in the United States, especially in Mexican-American communities across the country. If you are going to be out at your local drinking establishments, be ready for the onslaught of cerveza and Tequila, (along with dudes in big hats and fake mustaches). If you are into mixed drinks, the one you are most likely to encounter will be the most popular cocktail in the country: The Margarita.

There is a lot of uncertainty as to where the classic Margarita (Tequila, orange liqueur, and lime) originated. There are multiple stories out there, and here are a few of them: 

A Tijuana restaurant owner claimed to make it for someone who was allergic to all spirits except tequila.

A Dallas socialite named Margarita made it for a group of friends while vacationing in Acapulco.

A bartender in Ensenada, Mexico served up an experimental cocktail to a German ambassador's daughter (named Margarita).

Some dude invented the drink as a wedding gift for his sister-in-law at a hotel where Rita Hayworth performed.

It's a variation of the Prohibition-era cocktail known as the Daisy.

You can get all the gory details on each of these claims right here. I tend to side with the last item on the list, but honestly who knows? No one does for certain. Additionally, who cares? What is most important is that the Margarita tastes great and it comes in many forms. You have the classic version mentioned above, but you can add other fruits, fruit liqueurs, flavored tequilas, and you do frozen versions, too.

You can even buy these cocktails premixed with alcohol, or alcohol-free (allowing for easy virgin versions or the ability to add your own Tequila). Honestly, I think taking the time to squeeze your own limes and keeping Cointreau on-hand is a marked improvement over the ready-to-drink stuff.

Let's talk about your choice of Tequila for a moment. While you need good quality ingredients across the board to make a good cocktail I find the choice of alcoholic base material to be really important here. Tequila, a term for a group of demarcated zones in Mexico permitted to produce a spirit made from the blue agave plant, has distinct flavors and aromas. Your selection of Tequila makes a difference in your Margarita; it's not just the brand name's house style, but also the amount of age on the Tequila.

When Tequila is double-distilled from oven-baked, crushed, and fermented agave plants, the result is a delicate white spirit that heads to holding tanks or white oak barrels to mature. If this juice was distilled a third time, none of the pungent agave character would show (and you would be left with something more vodka-like). Age the spirit too long, and the agave flavor is overwhelmed by oaky, caramelized flavors.

Side note: check out how agave plants are harvested before they are baked and crushed to release their fermentable sugars. It is always done manually and is labor intensive. This is what it takes just to get one plant done.

As you go Tequila shopping, you will see some label terms that will guide you as to what to expect (Nothing you purchase should have a "worm" in it, which is a larvae that actually compromises the health of agave plants out in the fields. It's a cheap marketing gimmick...don't fall for it!).

Silver/Blanco/Plata: all terms refer to white Tequila, unaged or briefly rested in a vat before being filtered to remove any color.

Gold: A Silver Tequila that has been caramel-colored

Reposado: literally "rested", spirit ages two to twelve months, usually in very large barrels.

Anejo: spirit ages at least one year in barrels no larger than 600 liters. "Extra" or "Muy" Anejo requires three years minimum aging.

So what to do? Well, a Silver makes a great choice since the flavors are clean and fresh and when you add the Cointreau and lime juice you end up with a zesty, refreshing cocktail. A Reposado will give you an interesting depth of flavor with vanilla and spice. It also tempers aggressively earthy aromatic Tequila that comes from the Lowlands like Herradura. The Anejo category is better for sipping neat, maybe with a splash of water or lime as they can overwhelm the classic version of the cocktail. Conversely, the nuanced flavors of the Anejos can be lost in the shuffle. As for the golds, I notice them to have burnt and "off" flavors that come from the (oftentimes) high-speed, large-scale sugar extraction that takes place during the cooking process.

To make the classic Margarita, shake up 1.5 oz of Tequila, 0.75 oz of Cointreau, and 0.75 oz fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a salt-rimmed Margarita glass. You can find all kinds of flavored variants out there, but you know us here...we are traditionalists when it comes to our mixed drinks.

Need a recommendation for base material? I have a few below for you:

Milagro Silver Tequila ($32): If you like your Margarita with a salt rim, this is the way to go. On its own it is fiery, but its clean agave flavor, citrusy character and salty kick on the finish makes this the perfect choice for our classic cocktail.

Cazadores Silver Tequila ($25): If you are not into the salt rim, go with Cazadores. It has a softer texture as the fermented agave juice rests on the spent yeast cells (the lees) post-fermentation and pre-distillation. It's creaminess and stone fruit flavor would also make this a good choice for a frozen peach Margarita.

Herradura Resposado ($40): This is pungent and aggressive as the agave shows a different character when grown in the Lowlands of the Tequila regions. Bell pepper and ground black pepper spice on the nose with a leafy, vanilla finish. This is great for the IPA beer drinker who likes those strong but refreshing flavors.