Last year I reviewed four bottled cocktails by Via Carota Craft Cocktail company and they were all winners: Negroni, White Negroni, Old Fashioned and Manhattan. Read that review here, and this is an excerpt:
“From Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Access Live 2024 I had many opportunities to try new spirits…From the namesake restaurant in the East Village in New York we have these Via Carota Craft Cocktails to review…I’ve reviewed four of the six flavors from the show. Of the four, three I have made at home on my own – all but the White Negroni – and was excited to try the fancy New York bottled versions.”
Imagine my thrill when I saw Via Carota bottled cocktails on the top shelf among other spirits at my local Trader Joe’s store. The French 75 was a new one for me to try so I snatched it up to take home for review.
In a Google search I found the ingredients in the typical French 75: Gin, simple syrup and Champagne from Liquor.com and one with an addition of lemon juice from a recipe in Bon Appetit. However, the description of the cocktail on the DrinkViaCarota.com website also noted citrus and elderflower added in as well.
Tasting
From the product details: 11% ABV, so it sounds nice for an aperitif. Serve in a champagne flute or coupe, I chose a coupe.
Aromas included lemon, pear, orange, juniper and elderflower. While on the palate I noted refreshing more flavors that also included lemon-lime soda, sweet, dried ginger, orange twist and a nice effervescence. I thought it might be improved upon with a bit more gin…so I took my Bombay Sapphire London Dry gin from the freezer and added a splash, maybe ½ ounce. It was even better for this gin lover. For me, I need to taste the spirit, but that’s just my preference.
Conclusion: Love Via Carota cocktails very much and so happy to find them here in Las Vegas. This low ABV option was good, but as I mentioned above I like to taste my spirits so I think adding the gin, and boosting the ABV just a little, was worth it. Next time I would also suggest adding a garnish like orange peel to make the cocktail a bit more attractive and possibly more flavorful.
From Website
Sparkling Cocktails
French 75
This world-renowned sparkling cocktail has delectable notes of citrus and elderflower. Crisp, vibrant, and effervescent, this deliciously flavorful French classic is both bright and complex.
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
