Andalusia Whiskey Co. Releases their First Texas Brandy!

April 25, 2021 by evebushman

BLANCO, TEXAS (PRWEB) – Andalusia Whiskey Co will release their first Texas Brandy on Saturday March 27th. The distillery is not the first but one of the few to release a brandy in Texas.

“I feel most people overlook brandy,” said Co-Founder Ty Phelps. “Which is why we are excited to show what a brandy from Texas can taste like,” he continued.

The Andalusia Whiskey Co. Texas brandy uses 2018 Orange Muscat grapes grown by Lost Draw Cellars and then pressed by William Chris Vineyards. These grapes were too sweet to make wine but great for distilling into brandy. Aged 2.5 years in used American oak charred barrels. “We love how aromatic and flavorful the spirit turned out,” said Ty Phelps. The tasting notes include citrus, vanilla, honey, floral, anise, and cloves.

“People have a desire for local products, so we jumped at the chance to make a local Texas Brandy from regional wineries,” said Co-Founder Tommy Erwin.

Our Texas Brandy will be available in 375 ml bottles for $40. You can purchase them at the distillery or online. Online sales must be picked up at the distillery located at 6462 N US Hwy 281, Blanco, Texas 78606. Whiskey or brandy cannot be shipped. You are allowed to pick up two bottles (750 ml) per person per 30 days.

Follow Andalusia Whiskey Co. on Facebook for updates on tours, tasting room hours, and special releases. You can find Andalusia’s award-winning single malts Stryker, Revenant Oak, and their Triple Distilled whiskey at liquor stores throughout Texas.

About Andalusia Whiskey Co.
Andalusia Whiskey Co. produces hand-crafted, grain to glass malt whiskies deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. The distillery offers tours, tastings, and cocktails in their beautiful tasting room. Visitors to the Texas Hill Country are encouraged to sign up for a distillery tour and come by for a visit. For more information, visit their website http://www.andalusiawhiskey.com. For interviews, contact Jake Clements at media@txwhiskeyfest.com.

BLADNOCH DISTILLERY LAUNCHES BICENTENNIAL RELEASE IN THE US MARKET

April 14, 2021 by evebushman

BLADNOCH, SCOTLAND sing – In celebration of its 200 year anniversary in 2017, one of Scotland’s oldest Whisky distilleries from the Lowlands region bottled 200 limited edition bottles making its way to the US market for the first time this Spring. Crafted from two barrels of 29 year old Bladnoch Single Malt, it is the rarest Whisky ever released by the historic distillery. Distilled in 1988, matured in Oloroso Sherry casks and finished in ex Moscatel casks, the Bicentennial edition imparts notes of sweet vanilla and ginger, with soft sherry flavours, dark chocolate, and balanced with sweet oak and a hint of ground black pepper. Each bottle is personally numbered and presented in gold plated bottles at 41.2% ABV.

Due to the recent change in regulations that allow for 700ml imports into the country, Bladnoch is now able to share the special release with the United States, one of the most important Scotch markets in the world.

On the exclusive release in the US, “We at Bladnoch are delighted to bring our rarest and oldest expression, The Bicentennial, to US shores. This incredibly exclusive Moscatel finished expression from 1988, will finally be available to the many US-based Bladnoch enthusiasts and collectors, in limited quantities this Spring. This has been made possible by the welcome changes to spirit container sizes, allowing the import of 700ml bottles into the US market,” shares owner David Prior, who acquired the distillery in 2015 and has since revived Bladnoch Distillery.

For more information, please visit: https://us.bladnoch.com/products/bladnoch-29-year-old-bicentennial-release

MSRP

$7,550

About Bladnoch Distillery

Bladnoch Distillery was established in 1817, making it the oldest working Scotch Whisky distillery in the Lowlands. As the southernmost distillery in Scotland, it is commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands.’ Hand crafted using only the finest local ingredients such as the pristine water from the River Bladnoch that flows alongside the distillery and Scottish barley to create a rich, flavourful whisky that is best savoured. Bladnoch Single Malts are non-chill filtered to ensure the truest flavours shine through.

This legacy brand has been revived by Master Distiller Dr. Nick Savage, formerly at The Macallan, and owner David Prior, a whisky connoisseur who is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch Whisky distillery. Bladnoch is truly passionate about the preservation of the environment and the local community’s generational involvement in the iconic distillery.

The Busker “Triple Cask Triple Smooth” Beats Established Competitors in Blind Tasting; Rated Best Irish Whiskey Blend

April 10, 2021 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – The Busker, a “new-to-world” Irish Whiskey, is proud to announce that it was named the top Irish Whiskey Blend in a blind, independent tasting of industry experts. The Busker “Triple Cask Triple Smooth” was blind-tasted against four leading Irish whiskeys in similar price points, including Proper Twelve, Jameson, Bushmills and Tullamore D.E.W. The panel consisted of five renowned industry experts, including Andy Seymour, Julie Reiner, Anu Apte, Sean Kenyon and Jackie Summers. The panel judged each spirit on appearance, nose, aroma and finish. Awarded the highest aggregate score, The Busker “Triple Cask Triple Smooth” was recognized as a standout among the judges for its distinctive taste in a world of similar-tasting Irish whiskeys.

“The Busker is unique, unlike any other of the whiskies we tasted,” said Andy Seymour, owner of Liquid Productions and partner in BAR. “All the others were going in the same direction, and this stood out right away. The Busker has a bolder and richer taste that we all immediately picked up on.”

“The Busker is an apple among oranges,” said New York-based Julie Reiner, known for her award-winning beverage programs at Clover Club and Leyenda. “This is a whiskey that bartenders will embrace because it will perform excellently in craft cocktails.” The panel noted that the bold flavors of The Busker make it suitable for sipping as well as for cocktails that might overwhelm less distinctive Irish whiskeys.

The Busker “Triple Cask Triple Smooth” combines the Busker Single Grain with a high percentage of The Busker’s Single Malt and Single Pot whiskeys. Matured and finished in three different casks (Bourbon, Sherry, Marsala), this whiskey brings a new definition of richness and smoothness to the Irish whiskey landscape. The flavor profile of The Busker “Triple Cask Triple Smooth” blend is ideal for multiple consumption occasions, from sipping neat or on the rocks to classic cocktails that don’t typically use Irish whiskey, like Manhattans, Sours, tiki drinks, Old-Fashioneds or even the Vieux-Carre. These are cocktails that craft bartenders embrace and cocktails that are trending at-home with consumers.

“Our team at The Royal Oak Distillery set out to make an Irish whiskey that would appeal not only to Irish whiskey drinkers, but also to bourbon lovers,” said Ignacio Llaneza, Vice President of Brand & Trade Marketing for Disaronno International in the U.S. “We’re able to achieve a fuller, rounder whiskey with a higher malt content in the recipe, and triple cask finishing in Bourbon, Sherry and Marsala casks. Ultimately, we want to provide a journey into Irish whiskey at an affordable price point. Based on the tremendous feedback from our esteemed judging panel, quite frankly we believe The Busker has the potential to become the preferred Irish whiskey in the United States.”

Jackie Summers, creator of Sorel Liqueur and named Drinks International’s “100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures” (2020) and Imbibe 75 (2021), noted that “The Busker was the outlier, and the only bottle I would drink and buy again.” Denver-based Sean Kenyon, the person behind award-winning bars Williams & Graham, Occidental and American Bonded and recognized as Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year (2014), agreed, calling The Busker blend “a real stand out, something interesting in the Irish whiskey world where the others go in the same direction.” Anu Apte, behind a number of award-winning Seattle bars including Rob Roy, No Anchor, Navy Strength, Vinnie’s Wine Shop and The Bar Bazaar enjoyed The Busker’s round, soft and integrated notes. “The Busker brings an exciting and very different new distillate to market,” she said.

The blind tasting recognition follows The Busker “Triple Cask Triple Smooth” receiving a “Best Buy” rating and 94 points in the April 2021 issue of Wine Enthusiast. This impressive ranking outclassed the other major whiskey brands, and was the highest-rated Irish whiskey when measured against similar priced competitors.

About The Busker
The Busker is a “new to world” Irish Whiskey that is born out of a modern Ireland, where the contemporary and bold meet at the crossroads of tradition. The Busker is produced at the Royal Oak Distillery, in County Carlow, Ireland, located on an 18th century estate in Ireland’s Ancient East region. It is the only distillery in Ireland which offers all three classic Irish styles of whiskey – Single Grain, Single Malt, & Single Pot Still, which make The Busker Single Collection. The Busker portfolio also includes The Busker Blend which is a beautiful blend of The Single Collection. The Busker uses different casks during the maturation process of their whiskeys including Bourbon casks, Sherry casks and Marsala casks. Most recently, The Busker took home multiple top accolades at the 2020 LA Spirits Awards: The Busker Single Malt was awarded the 2020 Platinum Medal and Best Irish Whiskey, while the Single Pot Still and Blend were awarded the Gold Medal.

For more information, visit http://www.thebusker.com and join the conversation at @thebusker_official

Starward Australian Whisky, Penfolds and Chocolate! Oh My!

March 5, 2021 by evebushman

Most of you know that Eddie and I are both wine and whisky fans, so we were thrilled to try a little Shiraz wine along with a lot of Australian whisky (all aged in wine casks) in a Zoom meeting via the Southern California Whisky Club:

Starward Tasting Room in Australia.

We are delighted to welcome David Vitale, the founder (and maker) of Starward Australian whisky, for a virtual Masterclass. Founded in 2004, in an airport hangar in Melbourne’s Essendon Fields, the Starward distillery has built a fine reputation over the years. Inspired by Melbourne’s foodie culture, Starward has developed a world-class, premium whisky that challenges people’s perceptions of what whisky can be. The distillery is focused on 3 things: whisky, culture and flavor. Starward has embraced its Melbourne roots, maturing almost all of their whisky in big, Aussie red wine barrels, and even Apera casks (basically sherry, except they can’t call it that). Although they have a foot firmly in the single malt world, they’re also not afraid to draw outside of traditional constraints.

From Vitale and Sean O’Connell, Starward Whisky Brand Ambassador:

Vitale said that “single malt is craft beer grown up” and he began his journey into scotch with Johnny Walker Black and Chivas as his “repertoire of whisky.”
All of their whisky hits their sweet spot at 3 years of age, there are no aging years shown on the bottles.
Water is added before aging, so they are aging the water, but it makes for a better product Vitale said.
Bourbon is the number one brown spirit in Australia.
If you want to know when their whisky is released you can register at their website (below) or check with Wally’s (also below).

The line-up (my tasting notes are in bold)

Penfold’s Bin 2 Shiraz Mataro (2017, South Australia) – The wine, with 14.5% alcohol was spicy and filled with dark tannic fruit, quite quaffable and a great palate cleanser before tasting all the whisky.
Starward Two-Fold (wheat + malted barley / red wine barrels) 40% ABV – No burn on the nose, sweet, kernel, buttercream chocolate, Bourbon like.
Starward Nova (red wine barrels) 41% ABV – Again, no nose burn, pineapple, lemon bar, cream and toast with lots of spice on the palate. This was my favorite, but I really liked all of them.
Starward Solera (fortified wine barrels) 43% ABV – Aged in Apera (like a Sherry) casks, menthol, pine needles, creamed corn, dried fruit with a lot of spice and cream in the long finish.
Starward Wally’s Single Barrel Cask #3330 55.6% ABV – Didn’t need to really add water to the previous tastes, this one I definitely did though. (Water opens up flavors and aromas in whisky, also lessens heat.) This was a barrel chosen and carried by Wally’s. Tobacco, sweet cream, florals, huge flavors. This was Eddie’s favorite.
Starward 10th Anniversary 52% ABV – Lots of cream again, apricot, suede with flavors that included spices, dried fruit and caramel.

+ Violet Crumble bar (Australian honeycomb toffee coated in chocolate) Eddie tried to steal both bars, this stuff was like crack, especially paired with the whisky!

Starward Australian Whisky website [link]

SCWC website

WSKYCVLT
SCWC Facebook

Wally’s Starward Page

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in 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 Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

My Fave Spirits: A Part Two on The Year When Drinking Spirits Became Everyone’s Favorite Pastime

February 19, 2021 by evebushman

The article I did on the wines I had in 2020 was a lot longer read than this will be, but since I do divide my time between reviewing both I wanted to share some of the spirits, and some of the cocktails, I enjoyed last year.

Single Spirits

NEFT Vodka is made from pure Austrian spring water, is a San Francisco World Spirits Competition winner for BEST VODKA, and has been awarded many GOLD and DOUBLE GOLD medals from other competitions! Tasting: Aroma from two inches away and swirling: reminded me of a very fine sake, like a daiginjo where the sake rice has been milled down to 50%. With a gentle sweetness, as well as a creaminess, and some slightly buttery and even nutty notes. Flavor: Smooth, burn on the mid palate only and not immediate. Still reminding me of a fine cold sake but of course, this is definitely a smooth and creamy vodka. The mouthfeel makes me want to sip alone, not masked by ingredients in a cocktail or even with ice. If I hold on the palate, the way whisky master blender Richard Patterson instructs for tasting single malt scotch, the mouthfeel only becomes rounder and more balanced.

Gonzalez Byass Familia de Vino and The Dalmore: In three small wine tasting glasses we sampled the Alfonso, Apostoles and Matusalem sherries. Almost immediately we noted similar aromas and flavors found in The Dalmore definitely came from these three different sherry casks that they had aged in. Quite remarkable. Also of note, even though the three sherries grew sweeter on the nose as we tasted through them, that didn’t transfer to high sugar in the mouth… The Dalmore 12 yo was an entire bowl of fancy roasted and slightly salted nuts, vanilla bean and a hint of banana. The 15 yo, my favorite of the three, had a sweeter nose; rounder, more fruit, creamy, with a little toasted almond and pineapple. And the 18 yo, following a trend, had the sweetest nose, with lots of toasted oak and more spice. Simply outstanding.

Enjoyed a virtual tasting and happy hour via Zoom with the founder of Empress 1908 Gin, Peter Hunt, complete with a bottle of their gin, fancy bar tools, unique recipe cards and a list of ingredients I would need to make “seasonal focused cocktails…” I was already a fan of the gin, now even more so!

House of Suntory and their distilleries, blended and single malts, different oaks for aging, rare and some discontinued = amazing tasting and lesson! It was the Yamazaki 18 that stole Eddie’s heart, and wallet if we could ever find it! While I was completely content with the Hibiki Harmony blend that benefitted from five different types of oak barrels. Lots that we learned thanks to the Suntory Brand Ambassador Jonathan Armstrong and the Southern California Whiskey Club.

El Sativo, the 2020 Tequila of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, launched last summer. 100% Blue Agave – Single Estate – 100% USDA Organic – 100% NON-GMO – Certified OK Kosher… And this is what I thought: Notes of vanilla bean, heavy sweet cream and toasted popcorn kernel – with no burn whatsoever – on the nose. The taste was smooth yet peppery – so interesting – and flavors reminiscent of buttered popcorn, and that same cream, ending with a spicy finish. Really liked having it both smooth and spicy! Then tried it with a little bit of squeezed lemon and it was like a lo-cal Margarita. This is not a tequila to shoot!

Had a great time sampling Country Smooth whiskey with a bunch of Women Who Whiskey LA members as well as Country Smooth founder, Lori Carcich, and two members of her team, Kyle Cammon and Scott Touchton. The approximately $25 whiskey – find at Total Wine all over Cali – was both spicy and sweet and didn’t get washed down in the cocktails we made with it.

Cocktails

Gin Martini: 2-3 ounces of the highly aromatic and flavorful Monkey 47, 1/2 ounce of Lillet Blanc (a white Bordeaux wine with quinine and other botanicals), shaken or stirred, then drained into a chilled Martini glass, with orange peel on rim and as garnish.

Sazerac: Build in a shaker with ice: 2 ounces rye whiskey (husband prefers Bulleit), 3 dashes bitters, 1 teaspoon simple syrup, stir or shake. Grab an iced Coupe glass from your freezer (we keep a couple of Coupe and Martini glasses there), and pour about a tablespoon of Absinthe in to coat the empty glass. We like that flavor so I tend to make sure the entire inside of the Coupe is coated, then discard the Absinthe. Pour your cocktail into the coupe, garnish with one Luxardo cherry.

My Grand Negroni: When there’s only time for one, make it big! With 1.5 to 2 ounces gin (as opposed to only 1 ounce) to 1 ounce sweet vermouth and 1 ounce Campari, shaken over ice, poured into an iced Martini or Coupe glass and garnished with orange peel.

Gin and Tonic: Use Empress 1908 Gin that changes to a lighter purple/pink hue when you add tonic, and constructed the way we had G and Ts all over Spain: In a large round wine glass (aka a Pinot glass) 1/2 filled with ice, add 2 ounces gin, 4-6 ounces of tonic, garnish with lime or orange peel.

The go-to Martini: I’ve been making this one for my husband for years. Build in a martini shaker filled with ice: 2-3 ounces Ketel One Vodka, 1/2 ounce Domaine De Canton Ginger Liqueur (think candied ginger), shake like mad, pour into a chilled Martini or Coupe glass, use lemon peel on rim and garnish.

Whiskey Sour: In a martini shaker without any ice build 2 ounces your choice of whisky – I used Dewars 12 YO scotch whisky as I had taken a class on them years ago and loved all of the single malts that go into the blend. You can use single malt or Bourbon If that’s your preference. Then add 3/4 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice (not from a bottle), 1/2 ounce simple syrup, 3 generous dashes of Angostura bitters and 1 egg white. Shake for 7-10 seconds, then add a few ice cubes just to cool off your drink and shake again for an additional 7-10 seconds. Strain (super important as no one wants a glob of egg white in their glass) into a chilled coupe or serve on the rocks, add a Luxardo cherry for garnish.

My Blue Martini: In a martini shaker over ice build 2 parts Empress 1908 Gin, 1/4 to 1/2 creme de violette, shake like mad, pour into a chilled coupe or martini glass, garnish with orange peel and feel very refreshed!

The Queen Bee: With Empress 1908 Gin, lemon juice, honey syrup, apricot jam and grated cinnamon! I also tried my hand at the Cranberry 75, also with Empress 1908 Gin, lemon juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup and Prosecco on top! (Google Empress for the measurements.)

Amaro Spritz: You only need three ounces of soda, two ounces of Amaro and a little squeeze of lemon or orange! Build in a tall Collins glass, stir, add ice and enjoy as an aperitif before dinner like we did or as a digestif afterwards!

Gin Old Fashioned: Build in a shaker two ounces your choice of gin, 2 dashes bitters (which gives it some color), about 1/2 teaspoon of simple syrup based on your own preference (if you muddle a sugar cube that’s about one teaspoon) and garnish with orange peel. Shake or stir, pour into an iced coupe or rocks glass.

Whiskey Buck: over cracked ice in a copper mug add two ounces rye whisky, juice of 1/2 lemon, and then fill as far as you like with ginger beer and give it a stir. It has a LOT more flavor that the traditional Moscow Mule made with vodka, and that same kick from the ginger and tart from the lemon. Trust me, in times like this when the vodka may be running low, get into your rye whisky for a change!

From Restaurants, on patios and to-go

Margaritas from Dario’s, classic Mai Tai at Eighth and Rail, Martinis from Old Town Junction, Backwoods, The Social and Salt Creek Grille. Loved the new Espresso Martini at Newhall Press Room! At SY Kitchen in Santa Ynez William Perbellini made us his Smoked Old Fashioned and a Barrel Aged Negroni, both outstanding. And last but not least we sadly had our last cocktails from Newhall Refinery.

In Paso: We made a quick stop at Azeo Distillery but made the time to taste and grab some swag from our friend David Vondrasek, the distiller, who is also the winemaker for Artisan Uprising! We sampled through rum, tequila, vodka – all very good, and we also saw his giant still! Definitely visit with them the next time you are in Paso and tell them I sent you, you won’t regret it!

Hollywood: Went to the Japan House LA for a “fun evening of Japanese Craft Spirits”, specifically to learn about and taste distilled spirits Shochu and Awamori alone and in a wide range of amazing cocktails.

How to NOT Gather over Wine and Spirits

January 15, 2021 by evebushman

We wine (and spirit) drinkers are social beasts. We like to drink with friends, discuss a wine or spirit, and maybe settle in for a lengthy multi-bottle tasting over a long luxurious meal. So the question I had was: What have you done, or would like to do, to enjoy liquor without gathering with friends?

For me I’ve had more time to study wine, and am working on some “single bottle posts” where I dedicate an entire blog post to one wine or spirit. What about you? Here are three answers to my query, each expressing a different idea that I’m sharing with my comments:

This was an all-white party celebrating red wine, and orchestrated by my wine friend Doug Gould years ago. Hope we can all gather together safely soon.

Virtual tasting was Mary G’s choice: I am going to virtually taste with my best friend six different sparkling wines six different days! Since we can’t do together right now.

From EB: That’s a lot of sparkling wine, I hope Mary and her pal have splits as those bubbles won’t keep. But yes, ordering the same wine with a pal, and virtually taste together, mimics a real get together. If it were me I would add tasting notes, and see how they compare.

Also, I love that this is just with one good pal, because if they were doing this with a bunch of people over zoom most would have to be muted. And muting isn’t fun at all in my opinion. When I go to a winery tasting room (or a distillery) I get to talk to a representative, owner or winemaker/distiller. Sure, I need to listen, but then I need to ask questions.

Wine Education is something Cathy M is interested in: Interesting…I want to learn more about LA County’s past involvement with wine and spirits. From what I’ve read LA would have resembled wine growing regions like France. Stupid prohibition.

From EB: I think it would be most interesting to hear from LA County winemakers in a class that also includes flights to purchase. Again, as it’s just going to be me and a bottle it’s a bit much to do alone. Oh yea, and I think prohibition was stupid too.

Note: I know some winemakers are offering zoom classes, and I use LearnAboutWine.com and LocalWineEvents.com for finding those. But most Zoom formats are selling something, which is reasonable. Our wineries are in a hard spot right now and we do want to support them, whether you are offered wines by the bottle or flight, do what suits you and your budget.

Innovative distanced gatherings are what Katy M has been doing: Necessity is the mother of invention. We’ve enjoyed themed dinners over Zoom, gathered regularly at a neighborhood park safely distanced and celebrated ‘next’ to each other on our porches. Having to come up with these solutions has made me appreciate the people in my life even more.

From EB: Katy sounds like the perfect party planner that can adapt to any situation. I adore that she is so involved with her neighbors and community. I think she’s really onto something. Motivating me a bit to try to organize a block party, if we are still on lockdown when the weather warms up, where we each gather in front of our homes/driveways to enjoy a meal and drinks NEAR each other.

Back in March of 2020 I tried to organize a block party and a couple of neighbors strolled by, at a distance. We sat on the curb to chat a little and drink wine. It’s time to get back to that. And to being good neighbors.

Conclusion: Did you notice that Zoom meetings are not the only way to enjoy wines with friends? I did. We also had no clue that this situation would last so long. It’s time to get back to checking in with each other, and talking over some ideas to enjoy wine and spirits without gathering. If you have more ideas please share them: Eve@EveWine101.com

Vintage Eve Circa 6/2018: Henry Wine Group’s TASTE THE WORLD 2018

January 5, 2021 by evebushman

A grand tasting showcasing the Wines and Spirits of The Henry Wine Group. Over 300 producers from around the world…the owners…people behind the scenes…

This is not the first time I’ve been to the grand Taste of the World event put on by the Henry Wine Group. I got wind of it a few years ago when my contributing editor and VP Michael Perlis attended. Soon we both were attending, and eventually, as I learned my way around we agreed: I would cover the spirits and Michael would cover the wines. As the wineries have a larger presence you may agree that Michael got the better gig, but as he has to write about it all, I’d say I got the best deal. LOL.

Henry Wine Group now uses the name Winebow.

Fun Factoids: Within 30 minutes of tasting and spitting out…my lips got numb. Kind of a new phenomenon for me. With wine your teeth and tongue get more stained in tasting and spitting than in drinking alone. In both instances you don’t swallow. You usually don’t swirl some spirits (in one class I learned that swirling “makes an angry scotch angrier”) but you do smell, then taste, hold in your mouth to let it do its thing, expectorate it all, pour out any remainder in the tasting glass and then rinse your glass with water if changing spirits. (This is a good time to drink some water too.) Even with all that, I did not make it through all of the spirits in the tasting lineup. I purposely skipped any I had had before as well as many in the last couple of tables as palate fatigue (tongue now numb) had set in. So if you are a rum, tequila or Absinthe lover (I’m an Absinthe lover for anyone making the perfect Sazerac) you can stop reading now, and please accept my apologies!

What I Tasted (if you just want photo coverage go here for three grids)

Osco Oakland Spirits Company, Glasshouse brandy – think Vodka flavored like the botanicals found in Gin, and then some – I enjoyed the Spicy Chinese Mint, Marjoram, Trade Winds (yes, salty air and the sea were an inspiration) and Shiso (as in the savory Umami in Japanese foods).

Rough Rider Double Cask Rye Bourbon, Three Barrel Rye, Cask Strength Straight Bourbon and Cask Strength Rye.

Pine Barrens Barrel Aged Gin (barrels held single malt whisky prior to the gin) and American Single Malt Whiskey.

Del Professore Vermouth Blanco and Vermouth Rosso. Both had amazing flavors and made me think of the past, where people sipped Vermouth on its own, over ice, in a little glass. I think this is a trend we could see again – especially with these Vermouths. The distillery was founded in Italy in the late 1800s.

Sibona Grappa Riserva, Port Wood Finish.

POLI Dal 1898 Grappaioli, Cleopatra and Sarpa – all excellent Grappas.

Bache Gabrielsen VSOP and XO Cognac (The XO was to die for)

Spirit Works Distillery – the entire lineup – Vodka, Gin, Barrel Gin, Straight Wheat Whiskey, Straight Rye Whiskey and a surprise: Sloe Gin made from macerated Sloe berries (think of a small round berry, blackberry in color, and adding both color and sweetness to Gin. Read more here) which was great alone but would also lend itself well in a cocktail.

Tullibardine Single Malt Whisky: both The Murray and the 25 year old. There were three others I tasted that were all less than 10 years old, none with an age on the label, but tasty just the same so keep an eye peeled for those: 225 Sauterne Finish, 228 Burgundy Finish and Sovereign finished in ex-Bourbon barrels.

Meletti Liqueurs I’d had before but the family member that I had met years before had returned, so I dove in to taste a few of their newer liqueurs: 1870 Bitter Aperitivo, Anisette and Dry Anisetta. All excellent!

And that, as they say, is all she wrote.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in 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, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

The New Irish Whiskey Disruptor: Introducing The Busker

November 15, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – The Busker Irish Whiskey is proud to announce the U.S. launch of their innovative line of Irish Whiskeys, an adventurous and modern take on the category. While The Busker honors its Irish heritage, it encourages consumers to go beyond the limitations and lines of history with its four new Irish Whiskeys, including a Single Grain, Single Pot Still, Single Malt and Triple Cask Triple Smooth Blend. The Busker is perfect for urban wanderers, for those who are flavor-curious, eager for inspiration and a quality Irish whiskey like no other. It sides with innovation way beyond its production process; it reimagines a new generation of American whiskey drinkers.

Carefully crafting an independent path to an authentic and high-quality Irish whiskey, The Busker balances tradition with innovative and modern techniques. The Busker uses different casks during the maturation process including bourbon casks, sherry casks, and marsala casks. A major point of differentiation for The Busker takes place during the aging process where the blend, Triple Cask Triple Smooth, and Single Grain expressions mature in rare hand selected Sicilian Marsala wine casks from Cantine Florio (1833), one of the oldest wineries of the south of Italy.

“We take the rich history and heritage of Irish distillation and combine it with innovation and creativity at our state-of-the-art Royal Oak Distillery,” says Woody Kane, Royal Oak Distillery Ambassador. “Not only is The Busker offering a beautiful range of whiskeys with fantastic quality that we stand behind, we are adding a product unlike anything else to the marketplace. The Busker is a great whiskey to drink with friends while we come together and share our stories.”

The Busker includes all four types of Irish whiskeys (Single Grain, Single Pot Still, Single Malt and Blend), all produced under one roof at the world-class Royal Oak Distillery. The Distillery is proudly located on an 18th century estate in the Ancient East region in County Carlow:

The Busker Blend – Triple Cask Triple Smooth combines the Single Grain with a high percentage of the Single Malt and Single Pot whiskeys. Matured and finished in three different casks (Bourbon, Sherry, Marsala), this whiskey brings a new meaning of smoothness to Irish Whiskey. The Busker Single Collection is represented by the three traditional Irish Whiskeys (Single Grain, Single Pot Still and Single Malt). Each whiskey boasts an unmistakable taste profile, with nuances ranging from vanilla and oak, to rich spicy notes.

Looking to challenge the historically traditional muted and dark tones of the Irish Whiskey category, The Busker leverages the power of its bright and bold packaging to inject modernity and disrupt old world expressions. User-friendly and easy to hold, the bottle’s packaging showcases a simple, sleek screen print design. With large fonts and pops of color, the aesthetically ripped label elicits a boldness and ruggedness intriguing to all whiskey drinkers.

To enjoy the full Irish Whiskey experience, The Busker Blend – Triple Cask Triple Smooth’s suggested retail price is $24.99 and the Single Grain, Single Malt and Single Pot Still suggested retail prices are $29.99. The Busker is available nationwide and online. Ask your closest retailer and visit our website http://www.TheBusker.com.

About The Busker

The Busker is a “new to world” Irish Whiskey that is born out of a modern Ireland, where the contemporary and bold meet at the crossroads of tradition. The Busker is produced at the Royal Oak Distillery, in County Carlow, Ireland, located on an 18th century estate in Ireland’s Ancient East region. It is the only distillery in Ireland which offers all three classic Irish styles of whiskey – Single Grain, Single Malt & Single Pot Still, which make The Busker Single Collection. The Busker portfolio also includes The Busker Blend which is a beautiful blend of The Single Collection. The Busker uses different casks during the maturation process of their whiskeys including Bourbon casks, Sherry casks and Marsala casks.

PURITY IS THE HIGHEST RATED ORGANIC DISTILLERY IN THE WORLD BASED ON TASTE

November 5, 2020 by evebushman

Hundreds of judges and industry experts across the globe blind-tasted Purity Vodka, Purity Spritz, and Purity Gin. The results coming out of multiple prestigious competitions were remarkably consistent, GOLD.

Master Blender Mathias Tonnesson and Master Distiller Stefan Magnusson

ULTIMATE SPIRIT CHALLENGE RESULTS

Purity Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka Awarded 96 points – Extraordinary Ultimate Recommendation 2020
Selected as “Top 100 Spirit” – the only organic spirit selected as a Top 100 Spirit 2020

INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE RESULTS

Purity Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka – Double Gold Medal Winner 2020
Purity Navy Strength Organic Gin – Double Gold medal Winner 2020
Purity Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka – Trophy winner 2019 (World´s best organic vodka)
Purity Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka – Gold medalist 2019
Purity Old Tom Organic Gin – Gold Medalist 2016

INTERNATIONAL WINE AND SPIRITS CHALLENGE

Purity Navy Strength Organic Gin Awarded 95 points – Gold Medalist 2020
Purity Mediterranean Citrus Spritz Awarded 95 points – Gold Medalist 2020
Purity Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka – Trophy winner 2017 (Best vodka in the world)
Purity Connoisseur 51 Reserve Organic Vodka – Gold Medalist 2017
Purity Signature 34 Edition Organic Vodka – Gold Medalist 2017

“It is humbling and gratifying to watch so many experts choose Purity completely based on taste,” said Master Blender Mathias Tönnesson. “It takes extra time, care, and attention to source superior ingredients then carefully distill them, it’s reassuring when others recognize the Purity taste shining through.”

Mathias continues,” We distill our spirit very, very slowly, many times, in a specially designed copper still. It can be compared to when you slowly cook your food at a low temperature. It brings the most taste, character, and depth to the spirit and it’s a process that other brands don’t bother with. For Purity, every step matter because the taste matters. Our goal is to make the best tasting spirit in the world and make products we are proud to sell and to serve to our family and friends.

Our main ingredients, Swedish wheat, and malted barley are carefully selected without any chemical cultivation or processing. We believe that by using organic ingredients it creates a much better-tasting spirit, and of course, is better for mother nature. We also value the quality of the water that we use and believe it’s crucial to the taste. Most brands use only distilled water, which removes any of the natural nuances, sediments, and flavors that help bring out the complexity of the vodka. At Purity, we use naturally soft Swedish water, and as a result, it blends with the other ingredients creating a complex, characterful, and truly unique spirit.”

PURITY CONNOISSEUR 51 RESERVE ORGANIC VODKA

For more information please visit www.PurityDistillery.com

WhistlePig Rye Introduces World’s Most Daring Whiskey – The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic

October 28, 2020 by evebushman

SHOREHAM, VT. (PRWEB) – WhistlePig Whiskey announces the arrival of the seventh edition in their boldest and most innovative Rye collection, The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic. Now available for pre-order via Caskers, Magellan’s Atlantic embodies WhistlePig’s continued quest to take American whiskey into uncharted territory. The limited edition features Straight Rye Whiskey aged for 17 years in American Oak, then finished in rare Spanish Oak, followed by a second finish in South American Teakwood casks – a journey truly representing the award-winning brand’s pursuit to deliver unprecedented whiskey to the market.

Inspired by the first recorded circumnavigation of the earth, The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic captures the historic voyage of an intrepid crew who embarked from Spain in 1519 and made landfall in present-day Brazil before navigating the perilous strait that would come to bear their captain’s name. Like Magellan’s daring endeavor, the path for finishing this precious, aged whiskey was anything but certain.

WhistlePig’s Spanish oak casks originate in the mountainous forests of Northern Spain (Cantabria). Unlike American white oak, this Spanish oak is high in tannins, knotty and porous. It is incredibly challenging to make staves from and the final casks are prone to leakage and excess evaporation. While difficult to source and dangerous to use, the wood delivers intense flavors, with heightened interaction between spirit and oak, creating unparalleled complexity in the whiskey.

While previous editions of The Boss Hog were finished in one outstanding cask, WhistlePig’s young and imaginative whiskey team sensed there was another step in the journey to fully unlock the potential of The Boss Hog VII. For its final finish, South American Teakwood casks are sustainably sourced from Brazil. The new Teakwood adds rich notes of baking spices and a sweet, toasted character, complementing the intense spiciness of the Spanish oak.

“We have experimented South American Teakwood on just a handful of barrels in the past, and both this and the New Spanish Oak are uncommon in the whiskey world,” says Meghan Ireland, Maturation Chemist, WhistlePig. “It’s been the least predictable and most intensive edition of The Boss Hog to date, but well worth the trials and effort.”

“The Spanish oak casks deliver a unique and unparalleled flavor and South American Teakwood was among the most coveted Bespoke Barrels in our exclusive Single Barrel program. We anticipated that the combination would make for an unprecedented taste and we couldn’t be happier with the result,” says Jeff Kozak, CEO, WhistlePig.

“Our 17-year-old straight rye whiskey spends three weeks resting in Spanish oak before finishing in South American Teakwood for just three days. The whiskey world has never before seen this truly one of a kind combination of casks, nor has it tasted anything quite like the resulting product and liquid it has produced,” says Pete Lynch, Master Blender, WhistlePig. “A one-hour proprietary toast with the Spanish oak creates a small char layer that removes some tannins but preserves the good ones. A medium level toast grants incredibly aromatic cinnamon, allspice, and roasted nut flavors, while softening the overall intensity of the greener wood notes in the finishing cask.”

On the nose, Magellan’s Atlantic is intensely aromatic, with cinnamon sugar, allspice, and maple. With time, toasted wood notes arise alongside creamy vanilla, roasted almonds, and a touch of ground espresso. Spicy cloves and sweet brandied cherries abound, with baking spices rampant. A closer look reveals subtle hints of charred oak, sage, and dark chocolate. Finishing with everlasting gobs of cinnamon, oak spice, and a gentle warmth demand another sip.

The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic is presented in a gift box documenting the quest and crowned with a collectible pewter topper depicting Magellan as a pig in traditional Spanish dress, bravely taking up his sail and an explorer’s staff at the outset of his journey.

Magellan’s Atlantic is just the beginning of WhistlePig’s journey around the globe. Collectors are invited to join the expedition by registering their bottle at TheBossHogVII.com. Using the unique code found on the bottle’s neck label collectors are able to access exclusive content and, in time, discover what lies ahead on the Pacific horizon.

The Boss Hog VII: Magellan’s Atlantic is available in a 750ml, bottled at Proof 105.1-107.8 (52.6-53.9% ABV) with a suggested retail price of $499.99. Like the other editions of The Boss Hog before it, Magellan’s Atlantic will be sold at a variety of premium liquor stores, bars and restaurants across the United States, entering select international markets in the coming weeks, and is now available for pre-sale via Caskers.com.

ABOUT WHISTLEPIG RYE WHISKEY
Founded in 2008, WhistlePig Rye Whiskey is the premier aged Rye whiskey, featuring the bold and often untapped flavor of Rye. WhistlePig Whiskey is leading a surge of innovation in the emerging field of North American whiskey. As the most decorated Rye whiskey – having received the coveted ‘Best in Show Whiskey’ title from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, WhistlePig is widely viewed as the world’s finest Rye. With the opening of its distillery on its 500-acre Vermont farm in the fall of 2015, WhistlePig has also become one of the leading farm-to-bottle Rye whiskeys in the world. For additional information please visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. Please enjoy WhistlePig Rye Whiskey Responsibly.