Pandemic Trends Promote Small Producers of Premium Spirits

July 13, 2021 by evebushman

MIAMI/PRNewswire/ — Small spirits producers, such as independent bottler The Perfect Fifth, are set to benefit by taking their produce to the key Californian cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, as pandemic-driven trends indicate consumers are reaching for the top shelf when selecting lockdown indulgences.

With the pandemic forcing the closure of bars and restaurants across the globe, consumer behaviour has adjusted accordingly in the last year, and this trend looks set to continue. According to research group IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, “premium-and-above spirits are forecasted to increase their global volume market share to 13% by 2024 as consumers continue to favor quality over quantity.” As locked-down consumers seek out more premium products, this may have an unexpected positive impact on smaller producers, who had previously competed with major brands for space on the bar.

One such example is family-run bottler of premium single malt and single grain Scotch whisky The Perfect Fifth, who are taking advantage of the trend to target discerning drinkers in key international markets, including select US cities. In contrast with the larger producers who dominated liquor sales pre-pandemic, releasing their spirits in batches of thousands of bottles, The Perfect Fifth is an independent bottler of single casks of well-matured Scotch whisky. A single cask of whisky typically holds no more than a few hundred bottles, depending on the size of the cask, making every release from this new company an extremely small batch. The company has so far released four limited edition, single cask expressions of premium whisky (price range $850 – $3,000) from top distilleries across Scotland.

“Given the limited nature of our releases, we are releasing our next batch of spirits to select markets, to ensure we can meet anticipated demand,” said COO and Founder Karl Schoen. “San Francisco is widely regarded as a real paradise for lovers of good food and wine, with a plethora of diverse, Michelin-starred restaurants, and Napa Valley and Sonoma County on the doorstep. San Diego is a little-known secret among those who know where to look, as the city harbours some hidden gems of bars and retailers, and we’re thrilled to have our Scotches sitting on their shelves.”

The bottles from The Perfect Fifth’s first release of premium Scotch whiskies are currently stocked in retailers across California: In Los Angeles, stocks include Wally’s, K&L Wines, Cypress Craft Beer & Liquor, Wine Expo Santa Monica, Old Oaks Thousand Oaks, BL#2 Palmdale, Remedy Glendale, Hawaii Supermarket San Gabriel, Wing Hop Phung Arcadia/Monterey Park; stocks in San Francisco include Cask on 3^rd, Ledgers Liquors, The SF Wine Co, The Whisky Shop; stock lists in San Diego include The Bottle House, Keg N Bottle, Sin Lee Food Whole Sale.

theperfectfifth.com
@perfectfifthspirits

Texas Whiskey Festival Crowns Best Texas Whiskeys

May 13, 2021 by evebushman

AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) – The Texas Whiskey Festival announces the winners of the annual competition of the best Texas Whiskeys.

Each year the Texas Whiskey Festival hosts a competition to determine who has the best Texas Bourbon, Rye, and Malt Whiskey. With a panel of judges, we conduct the competition with a method known as blind judging. The brands and specific whiskeys they are tasting are unknown to the judges. “Our panel of judges smell and taste their way through each whiskey, rating the aroma, taste complexity, and finish,” says Co-Founder Jake Clements.

Bourbon: Grain to Glass

Gold – Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Texas Straight Bourbon
Silver – Silver Star Spirits 1849 Straight Bourbon
Bronze – Balcones Distilling Texas Pot Still Bourbon

Bourbon: Aged and Bottled in Texas

Gold – Rebecca Creek 10 year Straight Bourbon
Silver – Milam and Greene Triple Cask Straight Bourbon
Bronze – Iron Wolf Ranch and Distillery Select Bourbon

Rye Whiskey: Grain to Glass

Gold – Balcones Distilling Texas Rye 100
Silver – Gulf Coast Distilling Giant Rye 100
Bronze – Ranger Creek Distilling .44 Texas Rye

Rye Whiskey: Aged and Bottled in Texas

Gold – Treaty Oak Distilling Schenley Reserve Rye
Silver – Yellow Rose Distilling Rye
Bronze – Oak & Eden Rye & Spire

Malt Whiskey: Grain to Glass

Gold – Ranger Creek Distilling Rimfire Mesquite Smoked Single Malt
Silver – Andalusia Whiskey Co. Stryker Smoked Single Malt
Bronze – Balcones Distilling Lineage Single Malt

Other Whiskeys: includes whiskeys aged in used barrels, blended whiskey, and light whiskey.

Gold – Austin 101 Light Whiskey (made grain to glass in Texas)
Silver – Remington Family Distillers Remington Revival
Bronze – Rebecca Creek Small Batch

“These are their winners, but remember the best whiskey is the one you like,” says Co-Founder Jake Clements. Festival attendees will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite distillery to decide on the people’s choice.

Thank you to the Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co for hosting us. A big thank you to our talented judges.

Marianne Eaves, KY’s First Female Master Distiller, Founder of Eaves, LLC Whisk(e)y and Spirits Consulting and Curator of Eaves Blind.
Gabrielle Pharms, Veteran journalist with bylines in/on Bourbon Plus, Whisky Advocate, Imbibe Magazine, UPROXX, and more.
Tom Koerner the former Spirit Guide and General Manager of Seven Grand Whiskey Bar and Las Perlas Mezcaleria, Current Brand Ambassador for Mezcal Unión

About the Texas Whiskey Festival
The festival’s mission is simple: To help promote and enhance the brands of the many great distilleries throughout Texas. We want to promote and educate whiskey lovers about the whiskeys produced in our great state. We’re doing it all while having fun, drinking great whiskey, and building memorable experiences. As an organization, we know that Texas has some of the best distilleries and whiskeys globally. The Texas Whiskey Festival is an opportunity to showcase that. For more information, please visit https://txwhiskeyfest.com.

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.

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.

Whiskey Club Awarded with Top 5-Star Rating from Top Consumer Reviews

January 20, 2021 by evebushman

OVERLAND PARK, KAN. (PRWEB) – TopConsumerReviews.com recently gave its best-in-class 5-star rating to Pour More, an award-winning source of online Whiskey Club subscriptions.

From beginners to connoisseurs alike, whiskey is soaring in popularity. People enjoy it in many ways, from single malts made by the biggest names in the industry to blended varieties offered by small craft distillers — whether spelled the Irish way with an “e” or the Scottish way without! But, with so many pubs and bars closed down this year, more whiskey-lovers are having to find ways to partake their favorite drink at home. That’s where Whiskey Clubs come in: delivering new kinds to sample every month, especially from independent bottlers that probably aren’t available nationwide. These subscription-based clubs are an excellent gift-giving option as well, letting lucky recipients have a surprise every month — for up to a year at a time!

“If you’re looking for a truly customizable Whiskey Club, look no further than Pour More,” according to Brian Dolezal of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. “This fantastic subscription program lets whiskey enthusiasts be extremely specific about what they’d like to try, whether that’s scotch or bourbon, budget-friendly bottles or rare varieties, and so forth. Recipients get one 750 mL bottle each month, as well as a fun and informative newsletter describing the heritage and production technique behind the beverage. What an amazing gift that keeps on giving, especially for true lovers of whiskey! Pour More earns our highest recommendation among providers of Whiskey Clubs in 2020.”

To find out more about Pour More and other Whiskey Club memberships, including reviews and comparison rankings, please visit the Whiskey Clubs category of TopConsumerReviews.com at https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/best-whiskey-clubs/.

About Pour More
Pour More was created as a way to help people explore beyond their everyday staples. To expand preferences, to share stories and history, and to help create experiences that club members can share with others. In a world so increasingly focused on “posting this” and “liking that”, Pour More hopes to create an experience that is best enjoyed amongst people sitting together. And if they happen to be sitting together in front of a campfire with cigars…well then all the better.

About TopConsumerReviews.com
TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of reviews and rankings for thousands of consumer products and services. From Whiskey Clubs to Beer Clubs and Wine Stores, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier.

Dalmore and Gonzales Byass Sherry With Women Who Whiskey LA!

November 13, 2020 by evebushman

“The Sherries of Gonzalez Byass: DNA of The Dalmore” was the name of the Zoom presentation organized by Women Who Whiskey LA I attended recently. This is an excerpt from the invitation:

We are beyond excited to welcome back Craig Bridger, Head of Education for The Dalmore Single Malt Scotch, who will co-host this intimate virtual class with Claire Henderson, Senior Brand Manager for Gonzales Byass Sherry…Women Who Whiskey Los Angeles is honored to host this exclusive event: an in-depth exploration of two historic liquids and a century-long partnership. Craig and Claire will discuss the unique relationship between these two noble houses — a relationship critical to the sumptuous character so beloved in The Dalmore whose signature chocolate and orange character is imbued with rich and nutty flavors from the sherry…

We will start with a boozy Dalmore cocktail then explore the interactive flavor influences of these powerhouse spirit brands with a dram each of The Dalmore 12 yo, The Dalmore 15 yo and The Dalmore 18 yo as well as a dram each of three Gonzales Byass Sherries.

We Learned While We Tasted

We did indeed start with Bridger showing us how a Royal Sour, aka Whiskey Sour, is made (recipe at the end of this article). I found this helpful as I had never made this cocktail with an egg white. Bridger knows his way not only around The Dalmore and has exceptional bartending skills as well. Then, onto the tasting and lesson!

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.

“What makes us definitive (is our use of) exclusive casks and…the one of a kind sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass,” Bridger began. Henderson, from Scotland, added in arich Scottish tone, “This presentation is (to show) why the sherry cask is so important.” She also noted that Scots drank fortified wine as regular wine would spoil. The fortified wine, of course, was Sherry. The Highlands were littered with sherry casks that were then used for storage, transportation and of course, whisky. The Dalmore was one of the first to do it. (The photo shows a 23 yo in a sherry cask.)

Henderson went on to explain that Gonzalez Byass was established in 1936 in Jerez, Spain. The area is dependent on rainfall as you’re not allowed to irrigate Sherry vines. That lack of rainfall means the roots have to dig deep for water, and accounts for more salinity. Finally, Sherry is aged in American oak casks.

Alfonso had notes of almond, caramel, dried apply and vanilla. The Apostoles reminded me of a Port with some candied apple and that same almond. Finally the Matusalem, my favorite, had aromas and full flavors that included coffee, toast, cream, oak, milk chocolate, hazelnut and prunes.

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.

My conclusion was exactly what Bridger and Henderson were going for: One could easily see the corresponding notes between the Sherries and the whisky.

The Royal Sour (Recipe)

2 oz – Scotch (ideally, The Dalmore 12 or Port Wood)

3/4 oz – Fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz – Demerara Simple Syrup

1 small egg (or 3/4 oz aquafaba/liquid from canned chickpeas for vegan options)

Black walnut bitters (or Angostura)

Ice

A cocktail shaker (a mason jar will work)

Vintage Eve Circa Dec 2018: Scotland Part Two – Grantown-on-Spey

October 20, 2020 by evebushman

Being honest, I had never heard of the town of Grantown-on-Spey in Cairngorms National Park, known as the “gateway to the whisky trail”, until the tour company, Rabbie’s, planned for us to spend two nights there. But by the time we checked out…we had also checked out the local real estate office…there was something magical about this quaint Scottish town.

One of the many photos I shot…I’ll never forget this view.

The comfy and inviting B and B we stayed in was the Garden Park Guest House that I’ve learned was built in 1863. We had a lovely room for two upstairs, a welcoming host, a menu with traditional UK foods for our breakfasts, and it was a short walking distance past small homes to restaurants, shops, a market and ATM.

When we took our evening walks we also noticed a very grand hotel with a stone front and an expansive dining room that looked even older than our B and B. This may be one to check out in the future: The Grant Arms Hotel.

Even though it was very chilly and windy we walked alongside with many locals not concerned with the weather at all, and we found ourselves quite comfortable. The two dinners we had there were the best I had in Scotland, even after a couple of great dinners in Edinburgh, the food and the charm of Grantown-on-Spey ruled out all others.

When we entered The Wee Puffin, a wee small restaurant by most standards, we didn’t have any high hopes. It wasn’t very busy, we thought, until we noticed that almost every table had a “Reserved” sign. A large party of local ladies, in to celebrate a retirement, took over the entire back section. I thought we better order before they did and I quickly asked for Bangers and Mash. (This is something I’ve enjoyed locally at Rose and Crown.)

However, the owner wouldn’t let me get off so easily. He chatted with us for a bit, wanted to know where we were from, wanted to talk me into trying haggis (no) and then order a split bottle of single malt whisky (never bought a half bottle at a restaurant before, so that was a definite yes) and then we waited…for about two minutes. He came back with the chilled whisky, a new brand, the local Spey Tenne Single Malt that had been finished in tawny port casks. It was delightful. (We later took the near-empty bottle home to our room to enjoy one last dram before bed.)

When my food came I made swift work of it; lots of yummy flavors in both the potatoes and the sausages. While enjoying my dinner with the whisky, people that were in our tour had come in and chatted with us for a bit, while even more others had to be satisfied with just a look from the outside. It just left me with a very satisfied feeling. When I got back home and went online to “like” their Facebook page I learned that they recently added The Wee Birdie as a business inside the restaurant, for whisky purchases. More reasons to return.

The other people in our tour, and our guide Al, went on and on about some old place in town and their “Pies and Chips” only menu: The Craig Bar. Finally, when one rated their pies a 9.5 put of 10 we thought we’d give it a try. (I was afraid of “pies” as I had one in England decades ago and I was sick immediately afterwards.)

The Craig Bar looked like a hangout for old airplane fighter pilots with lots of military memorabilia, though the non-descript look of the building on the outside gave no hint to the warm and antique-y interior. The owner, I presumed this as she sat on a couch near a fireplace on one side of the two-roomed restaurant, took me behind the bar to select that night’s dram. I was smitten with her attentiveness and ease. The menu, all of about eight choices, and I still had difficulty. I chose a vegetarian option with local cheese and vegetables, and it was the most delicious savory pie I had ever had. We lingered, talking to locals, listening to locals, learning from locals…why this was also a place to linger and to want to return to.

Stay tuned for Part 3, the WHISKY, next week right here. Here’s your teaser:

From Rabbie’s

Speyside Whisky Trail – 3 day tour

Highlights:

~ Dunkeld and the Hermitage

~ Cairngorms National Park

~ The River Spey

~ Elgin

~ Speyside Cooperage

(Wednesday tour only)

~ 4 whisky distilleries

~ Royal Deeside

A warm welcome awaits you in Speyside, home to around half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries. Your three day adventure allows you to sit back and

let us do the driving whilst you visit some of the finest whisky distilleries in Scotland and enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Cairngorms, Speyside and

Royal Deeside.

Stay 2 nights in Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms National Park.

The Busker, a Contemporary, Adventurous and Bold Irish Whiskey Launches in the U.S. Market

September 3, 2020 by evebushman

NEW YORK (PRWEB) – The Busker is proud to announce the launch of their “new to world” innovative Irish Whiskey in the U.S. market. The Busker is born out of a modern Ireland, where the contemporary and bold meet at the crossroads of tradition. Disrupting the Irish Whiskey landscape, The Busker is a revamped and adventurous look into the category.

Photo from westmeathwhiskeyworld website.

The Busker includes all four types of Irish whiskeys (Single Grain, Single Pot Still, Single Malt and Blend). 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 in the Irish Whiskey. The Busker Single Collection, represented by the three traditional Irish Whiskeys (Single Grain, Single Pot Still and Single Malt), is 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 at County Carlow. Each whiskey boasts an unmistakable taste profile, with nuances ranging from vanilla and oak, to rich spicy notes.

User-friendly and easy to hold, the bottles packaging showcases a simple, sleek screen print design. The aesthetically ripped label elicits a boldness and ruggedness intriguing to all whiskey drinkers.

“We aim to disrupt the Irish Whiskey category by attracting new and authenticity-seeking consumers to the brand”, says Ray Stoughton, Executive Vice President of Disaronno International LLC, The Busker’s parent company. “While we honor the rich Irish heritage and whiskey-making traditions to produce superb liquid, we go beyond the limitations and lines of history to create our own story. The American consumers are thirsty for something that’s exciting and innovative, and The Busker delivers just that.”

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 authentic, Cantine Florio (1833) Sicilian Marsala wine casks.

The Busker sides with innovation way beyond its production process; it reimagines a new generation of American whiskey drinkers. The Busker blend suggested retail price is $24.99 and for Single Grain, Single Malt and Single Pot Still is $29.99 to enjoy the full Irish Whiskey experience. The Busker will be available nationwide.

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 collection includes all four types of Irish whiskeys (Single Grain, Single Pot Still, Single Malt and Blend). 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. The Royal Oak Distillery is the only distillery in Ireland which offers to a unique Brand all three classic Irish styles of whiskey – Single Grain, Single Malt & Single Pot Still. The Busker uses different casks during the maturation process of their whiskeys including Bourbon casks, Sherry casks, and Marsala casks.

Vintage Eve Circa Nov 2017: Tasting the Double Gold San Francisco Competitions at République

September 1, 2020 by evebushman

At the end of October I had a chance to taste a selection of Double Gold winners from the 2016 and 2017 San Francisco International Wine Competition and the 2016 and 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

The San Francisco Competitions 2017 Double Gold Tour gives wine and spirits professionals a unique opportunity to taste the Competitions’ top winners and to discover the next trending tastes, styles, and varietals we’ll be seeing in 2018.

At the LA stop on this year’s multi-city tour, the San Francisco Competitions are proud to also offer a seated seminar showcasing Double Gold winning wines and spirits. Join Executive Director Anthony Dias Blue as he gives you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes of the SF Competitions and walks you through the complexities of tasting wines and spirits like a competition judge.

Wine and Spirits…That I Took the Time to Taste and Loved (I did skip those I’ve already tasted too.)

Cakebread Cellars 2014 Chardonnay, Reserve Family Vineyards, Carneros, Napa Valley; Goodmills Family Winery 2013 Teroldego, Lodi; 1849 Wine Company 2014 Declaration Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley; DeLille Cellars 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, Four Flags Red Mountain; J. Lohr Vineyards 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Signature and Premium Bordeaux Blend Cuvee St. E, both Paso Robles; Ordaz Family Wines 2014 Zinfandel, Montecillo Vineyard, Sonoma Valley; IPPIN Junmai Sake, Tamasakee, Shiga Japan and Junmai Daiginjo Sake, Yamada Nishiki, both from Hyogo, Japan.

Mission Vodka, Arizona; Frey Ranch Gin, Nevada; Belle of Dayton Gin, Dayton Ohio; New Holland Brewing Knickerbocker Gin, Michigan; Vanagandr London Dry Gin, A Coruna-Galicia, Spain; Conniption Navy Strength Gin, North Carolina; Stonecutter Spirits Single Barrel Gin, Vermont; Tattersall Distilling Barreled Gin, Minnesota; Springfield Manor Lavender Gin, Maryland; Mad March Hare Small Batch Poitin, Ireland; Hyde 10 Year Old Pure Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Ireland; Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey, Oregon; Whiskey Del Bar Classic Cask Strength Single Malt, Arizona; from Paul John: Bold Indian Single Malt, Edited Indian Single Malt and the Peated Select Cask Indian Single Malt all from Goa, India; Starward Single Malt Wine Cask Whisky, Melbourne, Australia; Kings County Distillery Peated Bourbon, New York; J Henry and Sons 5 Year old Bellefontaine and Cask Strength Patton Road, both reserve straight bourbons from Wisconsin; One Eight Distilling United Whiskey No. 6, Washington D.C.; two Whistle Pig: the Old World Cask Finish Rye Whiskey and the 15 Year Old Rye Whiskey, both from Vermont; Sagamore Spirit Cask Strength Rye Whiskey, Baltimore.

Behind the Scenes with Anthony Dias Blue

Granted, I have judged a couple of times, as I’m sure some of the students in Blue’s class have done, but it’s good to be reminded just how serious the judging is.

When the competition began they had a scant 300 entries, now they are up to 2,400.

There are 60 judges in the process, and they are made up of experts (reviewers, writers, restauranteurs, somms, etc.) allowing each group to have a good representation in which to judge merits.

There are 28 countries from the current competitions.

While they usually receive more wine to review, there are still 80 – 100 spirits.

Judging is done blind, the bottles are not seen, and they don’t know the price or the area they came from – only the varietal is known.

As price is sometime a factor to the general public, and more expensive is perceived as more valuable, the price points of the wine and spirits are not revealed.

After the Double Gold winners are awarded, then all of the judges get to taste all of the Double Golds to determine the sweepstake’s winner.

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.

Vintage Eve Circa Oct 2017: That Boutique-Y Whisky Company, Via Whisky Live

June 23, 2020 by evebushman

I met whisky aficionado Monique Huston at the Universal Whisky Experience, aka the Nth show, in Las Vegas earlier this year. I assumed I’d be lucky if our paths ever crossed again as she lives in Illinois, so I kind of scored in not only seeing her, but getting to learn from her too when I realized she was leading a course at the recent Whisky Live LA.

The class was listed in the program with this tantalizing title, “U.S. Launch! That Boutique-Y Whisky Company – Single Casks Done Our Way.”

Be one of the first in the US to taste through the massively awarded range of single cask Single Malt and Single Grain Scotches from experts at That Boutique-y Whisky Company. You’ve seen them written up, scored and bragged about in the UK – now taste them for yourselves! Warning: These cask-strength darlings are not for the faint of heart, come armed with your water dropper! Hosted by Monique Huston, National Director of Spirits Winebow.

Tasting

Aromas and flavors separated by ;

Invergordon 42 year old

Orange peel, leather, cream and cinnamon stick on the nose; followed by toasted oak, orange again, with both a nice sweetness and heat. Distilled from corn, neutral barrel finish. This was my favorite of the tasting line-up.

Speyside 15 year old

Dark chocolate, vanilla, a bit of peat; very balanced flavors of chocolate, cream and honey. Was finished in a first fill bourbon barrel.

Glentauchers 17 year old

Meyer lemon, green grass, vanilla bean; then bark, that same vanilla and some nice heat. They had made a 38 year old that sold out, their production is rare, and this one was probably finished in a second fill bourbon cask.

Benrinnes 18 year old

Sweet pear, whipped cream, orange hard candy; smooth and velvety, heat, cream and spice. “Ben” is one of the hills of Pennines. This was from #19 of only 24 barrels. Finished in a third fill sherry cask barrel. My second favorite.

Bruichladdich 12 year old

Toffee candy, tobacco, bark; smooth and spicy with a big finish. This was finished at one of only eight distilleries in Islay. Another top fave for me.

Islay 16 year old

Wet wood, suede, sweat caramel, yogurt; peat, smoke and s’mores. Liked this one for the peat.

Some of What We Learned

Ninety percent of whisky produced in Scotland goes into blends, single malts only get the remaining ten percent. So need a lot of whisky to make all of the single malts we enjoy.

The three peat-heavy distillers, Lagavulin, Laphroaig and Ardbeg, have a convenient walking path connecting them in Islay. (Time to plan a visit!)

That Boutique-Y Whisky Company use a 375ml half bottle format, making them more accessible and affordable. No extra finish is added, the company selects, buys and then bottles. These whiskies were a “preview” and not yet available to the mass market. When they do hit U.S. most likely will be at K and L.

From That Boutique-Y Whisky Company Website

That Boutique-y Whisky Company is an independent bottler which offers stunning whiskies from world-renowned brands and distilleries. Each bottle has a fun and informative graphic-novel-style label containing humorous references, in-jokes and shocking puns.

http://www.thatboutiqueywhiskycompany.com/

https://www.facebook.com/boutiqueywhisky/

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.

Why I Go Both Ways: Enjoying Wine and Spirits

June 19, 2020 by evebushman

When I first started drinking wine and decided to spend the time and money for further education and certification, I didn’t think about studying spirits as well. However, the course I wanted offered by WSET at the time, included both. (WSET stand for Wine and Spirits Education Trust. In the last few years they have split the two certifications, though they still go by the WSET name.)

L to R: Claudia Sheridan, Denise Lowe and Eve Bushman shortly after receiving out WSET pins in 2010.

It was in those classes that I got to spend time learning about a wide array of wines as well as spirits. It might have been where the bug for spirits bit me. If you were to talk to my husband he would say that his interest in single malt scotch was what swayed me. (He may be right as we cover more than one whisky event a year. That category alone includes his beloved single malt scotch as well as rye, bourbon and blended scotch whisky.)

Fast forward a few years and I found myself offered not only wine tasting opportunities but spirit tasting as well. There is one event that offers both wine and spirits, and in those my Contributing Editor Michael Perlis usually covers the wine while I do the spirits. It’s a bit different than wine tasting – the offered taste is smaller, you still sniff and taste, but spit all out as the alcohol levels are so much higher. With that said, I usually only make it halfway through a spirit tasting until my lips grow numb and I have to take a break.

From spirit tastings I moved into a little bit of mixology classes and started experimenting with making cocktails at home. We hit on a few favorites and have stuck with them over the years.

My husband, also a lover of both wine and spirits, started buying me gifts that the home bartender would need, and I returned the favor and found him some unique items as well. We now have travel kits, three or four shakers, different measures of “shot” glasses, bar spoons, single “rock” makers, simple syrup, brown sugar, sweet and dry vermouth, Amaro, Compari and other mixers, as well as a nice array of bitters, cherries, oranges, limes and lemons at any given time.

One friend, a fellow wine writer, asked me how I could like both wine and spirits. I found the question in and of itself to be peculiar, but answered anyway, I felt – and still do feel – that there are just as many discoveries in aromas and flavors in both. If you can detect things like fruit, nuts, botanicals, earth and wood in your wine you will be pleased to learn that some of the same aromas and flavors are in your spirits.

On hot days we often enjoy chilled Viognier, Chardonnay, Picpoul de Pinet, Sauvignon Blanc, sparkling…basically any white wine that we own. But, on some hot days we also have been known to enjoy a gin Martini, Moscow Mule, Aperol Spritz, Sazerac, Negroni, Margarita, Rob Roy, Old Fashioned or a Manhattan. Usually how it works is that we have a cocktail before (aperitif) or after (digestif) dinner, and a nice bottle of white wine with warm weather dishes such as salads, seafood, chicken and cheese plates. During the cooler days of fall and winter we often enjoy Rhônes and Bordeaux varietals with dinner, but still enjoy a cocktail before or after.

After our best meals, which usually means a beautiful sous vide filet and a red wine from our cellar, we often finish our evening not with a cocktail but with a nosing glass (aka a Glencairn) of one of our favorite single malt scotch whiskies. Then we linger over those flavors as well.

Now, how do you imbibe? Maybe it’s time to widen your taste profile a bit.