A Muddled Thought

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

Pernod Ricard recently released a new label for its namesake product, Pernod Absinthe. While we previously took a look at Pernod Absinthe here Pernod’s herbal flavors such as star anise, hyssop ,mint, fennel, and coriander lend themselves to working very easily in recipes. With that in mind, we decided to see what new recipes we could come up with.

Jacque Mexicano
½ oz Pernod
2 oz Gran Centenario RoseAngel Tequila
1 oz Simple Syrup
2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters
Serve up in Coupe

The Jacque Mexicano. A combination of Pernod, Gran Centenario RoseAngel , Grapefruit Bitters and Simple Syrup.

Journey to the North
1 ¾ North Shore Distillery Aquavit
¼ oz Pernod
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
1oz Simple Syrup
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest
Serve up in Coupe

Journey to the North. A combination of Pernod, North Shore Distillery Aquavit, Regans Orange Bitters and Simple Syrup.

Anise Warm Toddy

¼ oz Pernod
1 ¼ oz Laird’s Bonded Applejack
1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
¾ Apple Cinnamon Syrup
2 Dash Peychaud Bitters
Add to 6 oz of Heated Strong Chai Tea in a Snifter or Toddy Glass
Garnish with Burnt Orange Zest

A-nise Warm Toddy. A Combination of Pernod, Chai Tea, Laird’s Bonded Applejack,Buffalo Trace Bourbon,Apple Cinnamon Syrup, and Peychaud Bitters.

Mad Dog’s Warming Winter Punch
½ oz Pernod
¾ Batavia Arrack
1 Dash Bokers Bitters
2 oz Rhum JM
6 oz Blood Orange Tea
Barspoon Demerara Sugar
Server in Snifter or Toddy Glass
Place one Barspoon of Demerara Sugar in bottom of snifter
Combine all ingredients and Warmed Blood Orange Tea in Snifter and Stir

Noir. The dictionary states the definition of this word is of “suggestive of danger and violence”. Bottled in a golden and black version of the infamous Cointreau bottle. The bottle itself exudes a sense of mystery and intrigue of what exactly hides inside this bottle.

Once you began to pour yourself a taste of this mysterious liquid, you begin to understand what exactly your tasting. Noir, a recipe that’s been passed from Cointreau master distiller to master distiller is an elegant creation that blends the flavors of Cointreau orange liquor and Remy Martin Cognac.

So how does it taste?

Cointreau Noir starts with hints of vanilla and sweetness.
Once you move past these notes of vanilla your hit with heavy notes of orange zest that greet the palate with a slight tinge. As that sip finishes additional hints of sweetness and warmth jump out at you. Cointreau Noir is an impressive new additional to any bar’s liquor selection selection and works great in cocktail recipes.

Here are a few new recipes that showcase the flavors of Cointreau Noir.

That Smokin French Vixen
¾ Cointreau Noir
1 ¾ Partida Reposado
¾ Sombra Mezcal
1 oz Espresso Syrup
1 Dash Mole Bitters

That Smokin French Vixen. A Combination of Cointreau Noir, Partida Reposado, Sombra Mezcal and Espresso Syrup.

Oh Gin I knew thee well….
¾ Cointreau Noir
1 ¾ Beefeater 24 Gin
2 Dashes Fee Brothers Grapefruit Bitters
¾ Simple Syrup
Garnish with Lemon Zest

In a bit of a twist I’m starting this review backwards. Instead of leading with the usual background on how the spirit in question is made, I’m starting with the tasting notes. That’s just how impressive Glenrothes 1985 is.

Glenrothes 1985 starts with a nose that bombards you with aromas of sherry-like sweetness, coupled with just the right amount of smoke.

Once you put this magnificent spirit to your lips and it begins to hit your taste buds you realize that previous aroma was just a tease of what truly hides within your glass.

With a taste that starts out with characters of caramel, each second that the spirit sits in your mouth the more flavors reveal themselves. Once you get past those first notes of caramel your palate is hit with perfectly balanced notes of espresso, orange marmalade and dried figs and vanilla. As you finish that last sip your experience ends with a sweet sherry like finish that shares the spotlight with hints of orange zest, allspice and black pepper.

So what’s the secret to the imbibing experience that Glenrothes 1985 offers?
Is it the combination of using water that’s harvested from the Ardcanny and Brauchhill Natural Springs only a few miles from the Glenrothes distillery?
Is it the process by which Glenrothes ferments its spirits? Using 25,000 liter fermentation vessels, they allow fermentation to run up to fifty-five hours, a substantially longer than normal time in the whisky industry.

Or maybe it’s that Glenrothes houses their own cooperage facility so they have full control over each barrel used in the aging process.

Whatever it is that Glenrothes does to make their offerings such an intense and lively tasting experience, I hope they continue these traditions for the next hundred years.

Final Score: 9/10

Following up our previous look at Rhum J.M.’s Blanc offering is a look at their Gold offering. What if you took Rhum J.M.’s blanc offering and aged it up to five years. You’d yield an elegant example of a gold Rhum.

Rhum J.M. Gold teases you with a nose of caramel, and sugar cane that’s reminiscent of a sweet bourbon. This is no doubt due to the use of American oak barrels to age Rhum J.M. Gold. This magnificent nose is followed up notes of caramel, sweet vanilla, and the occasional hint of cocoa. These flavors of black and white are joined by notes of soft fruit and floral tones that end in a smooth and sweet finish.

Final Score:9/10

Why oh Why?
2 Dash Regans Orange Bitter
1 ¾ oz Rhum JM Gold
1 oz Bols Genever
¼ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Banana Syrup
Burnt Orange Zest
Serve in Coupe Glass

Why Oh Why. A combination of Rhum J.M. Gold, Bols Genever, Banana Syrup and Regans Orange Bitters.

Em’s Summer Fizz
Rhum JM Gold Rum- 2 oz
St. Germain ¾ oz
Simple Syrup- ¾ oz
Lime Juice ¾ oz
Muddle two strawberries with the simple syrup
Shake with Eggwhite
Top with Zipang Sparkling Sake
Garnish with Half Strawberry

Em's Summer Fizz. A combination of Rhum J.M. Gold, St. Germain, Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, topped with Zipang Sparkling Sake.

Using the same process used in their 12 Year old offering(written about previously), Appleton Estate’s Reserve is created using a blend of 20 aged rums hand selected by Appleton’s master distiller.

This unique blending creates a flavor rich offering that starts off with nuances of sweet cane sugar followed up by the presence of baked apples, and spicy cinnamon. Throughout each sip the occasional hint of charcoal and ripe bananas show themselves . All these flavors along with hints of floral create a straight forward and balanced rum, that works both as a spirit that can be sipped as well as a spirit that makes for a great cocktail.

G. & R. Special
Appleton Estate Reserve-1 ¾ oz
G’Vine Floraison 1 oz
1/4 Allspice
¾ Aperol
1 Dash Regan Gary Bitters
1 Dash Fee’s West Indian Orange Bitters
Burnt Orange Zest

A G.& R. Special. A Combination of Appleton Estate Reserve, G'vine Floraison, Allspice Dram, Aperol, and Orange Bitters

One Eyed Willy’s Rootbeer Float. A Combination of Appleton Estate Reserve,Cherry Heering Liquor, Grand Navan Vanilla Liquor, Eggwhite and Mole Bitters.

One Eyed Willy’s Rootbeer Float
Appleton Estate Reserve-1 ¾ oz
¾ Cherry Heering Liquor
½ oz Grand Navan Vanilla Liquor
½ oz Simple Syrup
¼ oz Lime Juice
2 Dashs Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
Shake dry with Eggwhite
Then Shake with Ice

The house of Grand Marnier, known for over two hundred years for their cognac added a new member in 2004, a vanilla liquor. Dubbed Navan due to the use of natural Madagascar vanilla in its formula. Grand Marnier starts off with hand-selected vanilla beans that once picked are flown to France. At this stage the vanilla beans are married with French cognac that’s been aged up to ten years. Once this process is complete, Navan is then aged for another six months to allow the cognac and vanilla to blend and mature together.

This process creates a spirit with flavors of sweet vanilla, intertwined with notes of caramel, mild honey, and orange zest that finishes with hints of dried fruit. A great component or modifier to any cocktail we decided to see how it would work in a few new recipes.

The Mexican Symphony

1 1/2 oz Maestro Dobel
¾ oz Scorpion Mezcal
½ oz Navan Vanilla Liquor
½ oz Batavia Arrack
2 Dash Mole Bitters
Dry Shake with Egg White
Shake with Ice
Serve in Coupe, topped with cinnamon

The Mexican Symphony. Maestro Dobel Tequila, Scorpion Mezcal, Grand Navan, and Batavia Arrack

A Cool Summer Day in Kentucky

2 oz Makers Mark
1 oz Palo Alto Sauvignon Blanc
½ oz Navan Vanilla Liquor
½ oz Yellow Chartreuse

A Cool Summer Day in Kentucky. Using Makers Mark, Palo Alto Wine, Chartreuse, and Grand Navan.

One Eyed Willy’s Rootbeer Float

Appleton Estate Reserve-1 ¾ oz
¾ Cherry Heering Liquor
½ oz Navan Vanilla Liquor
½ oz Simple Syrup
¼ oz Lime Juice
2 Dashs Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
Shake dry with Eggwhite
Then Shake with Ice
Serve in Coupe

One Eyed Willy’s Rootbeer Float. A Combination of Appleton Estate Reserve,Cherry Heering Liquor, Grand Navan Vanilla Liquor, Eggwhite and Mole Bitters.

After taking a look at Don Julio’s Blanco and Reposado offerings several weeks ago, I decided to sample their 1942 offering. One of the two flagship products in the Don Julio line, the 1942 bottling is anejo offering that’s aged up to two years after going through a second distillation in a separate pot still known only as “Still Number 6″.

Don Julio 1942 starts off with a unique nose filled with hints of orange cream and mild agave.

After tasting the Don Julio 1942, the word wow popped into my head. My palate was hit with an impressive array of flavors including cocoa, hazelnut, vanilla cream and espresso. All flavors that you’d expect to find in a high quality anejo. I was then totally caught off guard by some new flavors that I wasn’t expecting to find.

Throughout each sip of the tequila, the beautiful flavor of orange marmalade resonated. It conjured childhood memories, long since passed, spent enjoying this sublime flavor during Sunday breakfasts..

Along side those magnificent notes of orange marmalade were spectacular defined pockets of sweet vanilla that cohabited each sip as if you were tasting pure vanilla beans.

Don Julio’s 1942 Tequila is a magnificent extra anejo offering that should be tried by any tequila aficionado.

Final Rating: 9.5/10

With Halloween coming up in a few weeks we decided to see what new Lucid Absinthe based cocktails we could come come up with.

The Green Crush

1 oz Lucid Absinthe
1 ¼ oz Cruzan Rum
¾ Vanilla Syrup
½ oz Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
2 Dashes Regan Orange Bitters
Shake with Ice
Serve in Highball filled with Crushed Ice
Top with Orange Soda (Either Fanta or Orange Crush)
Garnish with Orange Wedge

The Green Crush. A Combination of Lucid Absinthe, Cruzan Rum, Vanilla Syrup, topped with Orange Soda.

An Absinthe a Day…

¾ oz Lucid Absinthe
1 oz Laird’s Applejack
1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 Dash Peychaud Bitters
½ Calvados

Shake with Ice.
Serve up in Coupe Style Glass.

An Absinthe a Day. A Combination of Lucid Absinthe, Laird's Applejack,Bourbon, Calvados, and Cinnamon Syrup.

After taking a look at El Diamante Del Cielo’s Anejo offering a few weeks ago,I was curious to see how the Blanco and Reposado offerings they produced fared.

Using the same triple distillation system used in the Anejo offering in which the heads and tails of the spirit are discarded and only the heart remains, allows a flavorful offering in both El Diamante’s other two offerings.

How flavorful?

Well, the Blanco hits you with a very clean, nose of pure sweet agave. It then follows this up in the first sip with notes of floral agave, followed up by minor notes of cream.

A simple yet nicely executed Blanco. With its simplistic and not overly complicated flavor profile, this would work great in any cocktail that calls for a Blanco tequila.

Final Score:8/10

The “Jan Brady” of the El Diamante Del Cielo, the Reposado sits firmly between their Blanco and Anejo offerings in its flavor profile.

While not sharing all the same flavors hidden within each sip of the Anejo offering, the Reposado starts off with a nose filled with a sweetness that made me think of a bourbon. This is due in no small part to El Diamante’s use of white oak barrels in the same fashion as bourbon manufacturers use to age their spirits.

From that first taste, I was hit with heavy notes dark chocolate, mild spice, a sweet almost akin to a caramel popcorn flavor, hazelnut and the occasional notes of toffee. You can see how aging the anejo an additional three years and one day(The Reposado is aged for 364 days) allows these flavors to mature further.

Final Score: 8.5/10