Tag: Campari

June 24, 2020 4:30 pm

Spritzes are two-a-penny these days, if you really want to be ahead of the cocktail peloton, then get yourself a Bicicletta. The Bicicletta is the ultimate DIY cocktail. Fancy ingredients,…

Spritzes are two-a-penny these days, if you really want to be ahead of the cocktail peloton, then get yourself a Bicicletta.

The Bicicletta is the ultimate DIY cocktail. Fancy ingredients, you won’t need them. Exact measurements, throw that jigger away and just pour. It’s a mixture of white wine, amaro and fizzy water. Apparently the name comes from how old Italian men would wobble home on their bicycles after a few. It’s essentially a slightly less spritzy Spritz as it’s made with still wine instead of Prosecco.

The big question is, ‘which bitter thing to use?’ Now, most people will be reaching for the Aperol, and if that’s what you like then ignore the Aperol critics (honestly why do people get so upset about Aperol? That’s a subject for another blog post). Or for those who like it a bit bitterer, then Campari is the obvious choice. I actually like a mixture of half Aperol and half Campari.

There’s a whole world of amari to try but seeing as Spritzes, Biciclettas and aperitivos in general are typically Venetian, we’re going with Venice’s own Select Aperitivo. It celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The drink was created in 1920 in the Castello district of the city at the Pilla distillery. Today, it’s made with over 30 botanicals including rhubarb and juniper berries. The flavour profile is fruitier than Campari with less bitterness but without being quite as sweet and orangey as Aperol. It’s custom made to do with all those little snacks that the Venetians do so well: green olives, cured anchovies, bruschetta, that sort of thing.

Could this be any more Venetian?

Then you have to decide what wine to use. Decisions, decisions! Well, anything goes really but you shouldn’t use something too expensive or too rich; you don’t want a great big oaky chardonnay in the middle of this. But at the same time, Select isn’t going to cover up that bottle of wine that’s been sitting on the counter for a week. A Bicicletta calls for a fairly neutral (but not completely bland) white wine of the kind that Italy does so well like Pinot Grigio, a dry Orvieto, Grillo from Sicily etc. Rosé also works a treat, either pale pink Provence or something darker and fruitier from Spain. The final thing you could do is use a light red, Spanish Garnacha or Italian Barbera to create something like an instant Sangria. Sounds a bit mad, tastes absolutely delicious.

It’s the perfect hot weather lazy day in the garden sort of drink. Just keep topping it up with soda water, Select, wine and ice, and it’ll last all day. Just be careful on your bike on the way home.

Right, here’s the recipe, if you need one:

50ml Select Aperitivo
50ml white wine like this Pinot Grigio
30ml sparkling water

Fill a tumbler or wine with ice. Add the first two ingredients, give it a good stir, top up with soda, stir again and garnish with an orange wheel and a green olive if you have any.

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The Nightcap: 12 June

June 12, 2020 4:00 pm

On The Nightcap this week we’ve got news of gin’s big 2019, why 2,000 weddings will be getting free Aperol Spritzes and Campari’s virtual reopening of three of the world’s…

On The Nightcap this week we’ve got news of gin’s big 2019, why 2,000 weddings will be getting free Aperol Spritzes and Campari’s virtual reopening of three of the world’s best bars.

It’s World Gin Day tomorrow, folks. We’ll be seeing in the global celebration of all things gin by making a host of cocktails like The Hanky Panky, The Clover Club and The Gimlet. Or we may end up just making some G&Ts, though, because it has just come to our attention that tomorrow is also International Axe Throwing Day and we’ll need to dedicate some time to this historical pasttime (how could that go wrong?). Then Sunday is somehow both Juggling Day (luckily not on the same day as International Axe Throwing Day, that could have got messy) and Cupcake Day. That’s a lot of daily celebrations to keep up with. We don’t know how we’re going to juggle them all. Might be an idea just to do a little light reading and catch up on what’s going in the world of booze. Yes, it’s time for. . . The Nightcap!

On the MoM blog this week we reminded you that Deals of the Day are back for the weekend before Kristy introduced Bathtub Gin 2020, a Master of Malt exclusive that we’ll donate £20.20 for every bottle sold to help those affected by Covid-19. For Annie, this week meant reporting on modern gin according to ye olde recipes and then provided handy instructions for how to add some sweetness to your serves, while Henry spoke to Logan Plant from Beavertown about beer, and yes, his famous dad, before asking a selection of people from Master of Malt and the wider Atom family what they will be buying their fathers for Father’s Day 2020. Adam then broke the news that Midleton Distillery had announced a new master distiller, Kevin O’Gorman, tried some particularly delicious Panamanian rum and a Cosmopolitan, which was our Cocktail of the Week. Just a reminder that you can still win a VIP trip to Tobermory Distillery.

We’d also love to give Susan Callander a virtual high-five because she’s the winner of last week’s virtual pub quiz! Once again thank you to all who entered. You can check out the answers to last Friday’s quiz below and this week’s edition of MoM pub quiz will be on our blog from 5pm as always. Get those drams poured and those thinking caps on!

Record gin sales in 2019? Cheers to that!

UK toasts record gin sales in 2019

If you’re looking to raise a glass to World Gin Day tomorrow, the chances are you’ve already got a bottle of delicious juniper-based goodness to hand, at least according to the WSTA’s latest insights (if you haven’t, go and treat yourself here). The organisation has reported that Brits bought a record-breaking 83 million bottles of gin last year worth over £2.6 billion, almost doubling in value in just two years from 42m bottles in 2016. The WSTA report details that gin sales have been rising since 2013 and that the biggest change in a single year was 2017 to 2018, as we went from buying 51m bottles to 73m, a 42% increase in volume. This trend, unsurprisingly, has led to a huge increase in distillers, from 152 in 2013 to 441 by 2019. The WSTA points to this increased interest in gin as being key in helping cocktail culture grow which in turn helps other branches of the great British distilling family like English and Welsh whisky. Perhaps most impressive of all is that the latest HMRC figures indicate that we exported £672 million worth British gin in 2019, taking total gin sales, at home and abroad, to over £3.2 billion. “Gin sales continued to grow throughout 2019 despite a number of predictions that the bubble will have to burst soon,” said Nightcap legend Miles Beale. “We knew that growth in the gin category would slow eventually, it was always inevitable given the incredible numbers we were seeing from 2016 onwards. We remain optimistic that British gin will continue to create a stir at home and abroad as our innovative distillers continue to produce new colours, creations and botanical masterpieces”. While we don’t know yet how Coronavirus pandemic will affect this, we do know even in lockdown, we still can’t get enough gin. It’s become Britain’s best-selling spirit across online platforms since March. Beale added that, provided spirit makers can survive the ongoing economic uncertainty, “it’s clear that gin’s success can be maintained at home and replicated abroad as our distillers look to export”. If you’d like to buy gin from an online retailer, might we be so bold to recommend… ourselves?

You’ll be able to take a seat at Rome’s fabulous Drink Kong

Campari reopens the World’s Best Bars online

Campari must have read our minds because the drinks giant has spent this week bringing back boozers. And not just any boozers. Three of the world’s best bars, all virtually reopened – and you are invited. On the list is Rome’s fabulous Drink Kong, Edinburgh’s sublime Panda & Sons and Dante in New York, which you might have heard of. Y’know, given it was the number one bar in the world in 2019. Each session let’s you take a virtual seat at the bar and spend time with the likes of Linden Pride (Dante), Patrick Pistolesi (Drink Kong) and Iain McPherson (Panda & Sons), who will show you how to mix classic cocktails such as the Negroni and Sbagliato, as well as some signature creations. Two pre-made Campari cocktails from the bars’ menus will even be delivered to guests’ homes ahead of the night, along with the ingredients to mix another cocktail alongside the bartender. A different bar will open each weekend, beginning with Dante (12-13 June), Drink Kong (18-20 June) then Panda & Sons (25-27 June) and guests will be able to choose from one of three slots – 6pm, 7.30pm or 9pm – each lasting an hour. There’s just an intimate eight places per slot and the experiences, including drinks, are priced at £20 per person. “The closure of bars across the UK has had a profound effect on the industry and the livelihoods of those working in it,” says Nick Williamson, marketing director at Campari UK, said: “There are also many of us who are missing the experience of going to our favourite venues to enjoy a drink with friends. Although we can’t, yet, open the doors in real life, this is the next best thing to being there”. If you want to secure your slot, click here.

Seriously fancy

The Kyoto Distillery opens luxurious brand home

This week the Kyoto Distillery, Japanese gin pioneers, opened its brand home called ‘The House of KI NO BI’. No this isn’t on Zoom, Instagram or Facebook, this is an actual real-life place that you can visit now, assuming you can get to Japan. It’s located, as you might have guessed, in the ancient city of Kyoto in a traditional machiya townhouse. Though much of the classic look has been preserved, as you can see from the photo, no expense has been spared in its refurbishment with interior design by Douglas Kakuda Croll (us neither, but apparently he’s really prestigious) using classic Japanese woodwork and fabrics. The house is divided into a series of rooms or ‘ma’. These include a bar offering cocktails, local beers and wines, a shop, an exhibition space, a gin museum and a tasting room, as well as a member’s only bar overlooking a Japanese garden. For the moment, the bar will have limited opening times. For more information visit the website. We reckon no trip to Japan will be complete without a visit to ‘The House of KI NO BI.’

The distillery’s celebrating its 20th anniversary and recently added Siddiqui Rum to its award-winning portfolio

Penderyn lands former Diageo man Simon Roffe

The Welsh Whisky Company, also known as Penderyn Distillery, has landed quite the coup this week by appointing Simon Roffe as its new director of business development. Roffe brings almost 35 years of commercial and general management in the drinks industry to the table, having worked for Guinness, Diageo, the Fairtrade Foundation and Remy Cointreau. Most recently, Roffe played a key role in launching the travel retail business at Halewood Wines & Spirits, and in the spectacular rise of Whitley Neill Gin. “We are excited to work with someone as experienced and as specialised as Simon. We are all naturally looking forward to seeing where we can take Penderyn with his drive and experience in the months and years to come,” says Stephen Davies, chief executive for Penderyn Distillery. “It has been a whirlwind year for our distillery, and with whisky fans far and wide sampling our latest tastes and bottles, there really is no limit to our global progression. Simon has the insight and the passion to really push Penderyn to the next stage of our export plan. Our recent awards successes show that people all over the world are still thirsty for authentic Welsh whisky”. Roffe added that he was thrilled to be joining the Penderyn Distillery brand and that it is “already making huge leaps and bounds on the global spirits markets. They are a brand driven by enormous ambition. It’s exciting to be working with such an innovative team delivering success after success.”

And you get a spritz, and you get a spritz… Everybody gets an Aperol spritz!

And finally… Aperol’s Aperitivo upgrade to 2,000 weddings

If your wedding has been postponed because of the dreaded C-word, you can rest easy knowing that a certain Italian aperitivo has got your back! Aperol is doing what it knows best and giving 2,000 weddings that were postponed at the fate of COVID-19 a free Aperol Spritz for each guest. This is the result of a competition that was initially launched back on Valentine’s Day (when you could go out for dinner and drinks, remember that?) for 500 couples, but then the year’s events unfolded and Aperol decided to grant the wishes of all 2,000 people who entered! Whether your special day is postponed to later in 2020 or in 2021, you can be sure that you’ll have a spritz in your hand and all of this will (hopefully) feel like a distant bad dream. Though if everyone is guaranteed a free spritz, perhaps you’d better bump up that guest list…

Pub Quiz Answers

1) In ‘Pulp Fiction’, when Vincent Vega asks “You don’t put bourbon in or nothin’?” about Mia Wallace’s order, what drink is he talking about?

Answer: Milkshake

2) Which of these grape varieties is not allowed in Châteauneuf–du–Pape?

Answer: Grenache

3) What was Robert Louis Steveson’s favourite whisky?

Answer: Talisker.

4) In which country does Château Musar make wine?

Answer: Lebanon

5) Angostura bitters was invented in which modern-day country?

Answer: Venezuela

6) What was Al Capone’s favourite cocktail?

Answer: Southside

7) What is ordered “on the rocks with a twist” in the 1993 film ‘Groundhog Day’?

Answer: Sweet Vermouth

8) In ‘Ghostbusters II’ which wine do Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver drink when they have dinner in a fancy restaurant?

Answer: Château Haut-Brion

9) Which fictional whisky does Gotham City’s Commissioner Loeb keep in his desk in ‘The Dark Knight’?

Answer: Clyburn

10) Traditionally, how many ‘Men of Tain’ made Glenmorangie whisky?

Answer: 16

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Features

The four pillars of mezcal

October 24, 2019 3:30 pm

With the news that Campari has just bought a controlling stake in Montelobos, it’s time to take a closer look at the brand and who better to talk to than…

With the news that Campari has just bought a controlling stake in Montelobos, it’s time to take a closer look at the brand and who better to talk to than the master of mezcal himself, Dr Iván Saldaña.

There can be no doubting Dr Saldaña’s commitment to agave. While doing his PhD in plant biology at the University of Sussex, he imported two tonnes of the stuff to study; “it made me think that perhaps Sussex wasn’t the best place to study agave”, he joked. The agave plant is genetically very similar to the lily and asparagus. One thing, it’s not related to is the cactus. Saldaña said that though they both have spikes and live in the desert: “the difference between cactus and agave is like the difference between a bird and a butterfly.”

In 2011, Saldaña founded Montelobos (meaning mountain of the wolves) to explore mezcal’s possibilities. What excites Saldaña about agave is its complexity of taste. These flavourful compounds are produced by the plant to protect itself from predators. Saldaña described agave as like a giant herb, “making mezcal is like making gin in a single step, you are trapping essential oils. Grains are very boring, you have to flavour the spirit, either like gin or through wood. Agave is more complex even than grape spirit.” That’s fighting talk, doc!

They call him el maestro

To make his case, Saldaña outlined what he called the four pillars of mezcal flavour:

1: Green agave: These are herbal flavours that comes from the plant itself, like basil, mint and orange peel. These function like the botanical flavours in gin. There are at least 30 different types of agave used to make mezcal all with distinct flavours like grape cultivars.

2: Sugar: A piña (the core of the agave plant) is around 38% sugar. “It’s basically a big ball of sugar and water sitting in the desert so everyone wants to eat you,” said Saldaña. To protect it, the plant has spikes and stores its sugar in an indigestible way. During the cooking process the sugars will be caramelised producing flavours of honey, toffee, and dried fruit. The slower the cooking, the more flavour.

3: Smoke: Also produced during the cooking process. You have to be careful as the sticky oily wood will ruin the flavour. The right wood gives you chocolate, chilli and black pepper which can give the mezcal an aged flavour if it is is a joven

4: Yeast: “The funky side comes from fermentation,” said Saldaña. Mezcal is made with wild rather than cultured yeasts. He explained that this is one of the things that most spirits have lost as production has been industrialised. “More yeasts equal more complexity but also more risk,” said Saldaña. There are also bacteria which produce different acids, such as lactic, acetic and malic as well as esters. Earthy, fruity (think high ester rum) and funky flavours come from fermentation.

The Montelobos range

We then tried three types of mezcal that show products from the range:

Black Label 43.2% ABV

Made from 100% espadin agave, apparently a particularly sweet one.
Nose: intensely aromatic nose with mint, basil and saline notes with smoky bacon fat.
Palate: sweet, pepper and lemon with a taste of cold ashes.
Finish: chilli pepper.

Ensamble 45.3% ABV

Use three types of agave: 55% artichoke, 35%, and 15% tobala.
Nose: much funkier than the Black Label, there’s a cereal note with liquorice.
Palate: thick texture, intense with green minty notes
Finish: savoury and briney, like a dirty Martini.

Tobala 47% ABV

Made from tobala, a particularly small type of agave.
Nose: cheesy nose, fatty, touch of wrong about this, like a particularly funky rum. Very little smoke.
Palate: aromatic, clean and fresh on the palate with earthy notes.
Finish: nutty and earthy.

That’s just what the doctor ordered

Montelobos also makes a pechuga. This is a traditional Mexican spirit where the spirit is flavoured with various fruits and types of meat for the Day of the Dead. Montelobos uses almonds, macadamia, orange peel, hibiscus, anise and cacao, and turkey. Not suitable for vegetarians. Though it is, oddly, fine for observant Jews. Two of Saldaña’s business partners are Jewish so this pechuga is certified kosher. Finding a rabbi in rural Mexico to supervise production was apparently not easy. The resulting is incredibly intense. Saldaña described it as “tasting of Christmas.”

Production at Montelobos is traditional. The team crush the agave with a tahona wheel (big stone thing) pulled by a mule. Fermentation is with wild yeasts and then distillation takes place in a small copper still which is direct fired. They put agave fibres in with fermented agave in the traditional manner. Mezcal is produced in eight tonne batches each producing around 1,000 litres of spirit. The agave comes only from cultivated fields, much better for the environment than using wild plants, according to Saldaña. They let some plants flower to aid biodiversity.

I asked the doctor whether he thinks mezcal might be finally taking off outside Mexico. He was honest: “we are over-represented in the press compared with sales”. But he has had a great response from bartenders in the UK. He sees the growth of tequila as a good thing, as some customers will move from one to the other. “Tequila is like blended whisky and you progress to single malt, ie mezcal”, he said.

A couple of weeks after I met with him, the news came through that Campari had bought a 51% stake in the company. His views on expansion were interesting: “We want to be a medium brand. We can use artisanal process but we can expand. We want to make more product but keep it honest and authentic”. With the might of Campari behind them, we’re likely to see a lot more of Montelobos.

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Cocktail of the Week: The Americano

October 16, 2019 4:00 pm

This week’s cocktail unites two of Italy’s great aperitifs, Campari and Martini Rosso, in one glass. It’s the Americano! The Americano used to be called the Milano-Torino because it contained…

This week’s cocktail unites two of Italy’s great aperitifs, Campari and Martini Rosso, in one glass. It’s the Americano!

The Americano used to be called the Milano-Torino because it contained Campari from Milan and Martini Rosso vermouth from Turin. It was originally served at the Milan bar belonging to the creator of Campari, Gaspare Campari. The name changed when American tourists arrived in Italy in the 1920s. They were escaping Prohibition and with the strong dollar, continental Europe was their playground. It’s the decadent generation immortalised in the novels of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

And what did these louche Americans drink when they were in Italy splashing their cash around and upsetting the locals with their loose morals, hot jazz and enormous baggy trousers? Why, Campari and Martini, of course, with a splash of soda. Due to its ubiquity amongst expat Americans, the drink became known as an Americano. A similar thing happened with coffee. Espresso was a little too strong for the tourists so they asked for it diluted with hot water, the Americano coffee was born.

Americans were still causing trouble in the 1950s. There’s a song about their influence on Italian youth by Neapolitan musician Renato Carosone called Tu ‘Vuò Fà L’Americano’. You might recall it from the 1999 adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel, The Talented Mr Ripley (the film has its moments but the book is brilliant. If you haven’t read it, you’re in for a treat). Carosone’s song is about an Italian boy trying to ape American fashions: smoking Camel cigarettes, dancing to rock n’ roll and playing baseball (though he drinks Whisky and Sodas, not Americanos). Despite his modish veneer, this wannabe Italian is still living off his parents.

But it’s not just Americans and Italians who fell for the charms of the Americano. It crops up in Ian Fleming’s short story ‘From a View to a Kill’ where Bond recommends drinking it in hot weather where one of his more usual drinks like a vodka Martini would be too strong. It’s a great drink for when you really want a Negroni but plan to get some work done/ bump off a Smersh agent in the afternoon.

It’s one of those cocktails that requires very little thought. You could experiment with other amari but I’m keeping it traditional with Campari. Then for the vermouth, well, it really has to be Martini. I’m using Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino which is made with red wines from Piedmont, the flavour is more floral and complex than the classic Martini Rosso.

Right, that’s enough preamble, it’s time to put on some appropriate music and let’s make an Americano!

35ml Campari
35ml Martini Rubino Riserva Speciale Rosso vermouth
Soda water

Fill a highball or tumbler with ice, add the Campari and Martini and give it a good stir. Top up with soda, stir gently and garnish with an orange slice.

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The Nightcap: 6 September

September 6, 2019 4:00 pm

Super cereal, whisky drawn from sparkling wine casks, and… Brussels sprout gin?! All this and more, this week on The Nightcap! When September rolls around, there’s something in the back…

Super cereal, whisky drawn from sparkling wine casks, and… Brussels sprout gin?! All this and more, this week on The Nightcap!

When September rolls around, there’s something in the back of our heads that says we should be stockpiling things. Maybe it’s a leftover from when humans used to be squirrels (pretty sure that’s how evolution works), but the urge to stockpile summery gubbins is in the air – otherwise we won’t get to enjoy them until June next year! You should see the stack of flip-flops, salad that inexplicably contains more grapes than leaves, and those tiny paper cocktail umbrellas we have amassed at MoM Towers. What we’re not stockpiling is booze news – we share all the stories from the world of drink with you in The Nightcap each week! Let’s get to it!

On the blog this week we launched a new competition with Mackmyra that gives you chance to win your own maturing cask of soon-to-be-whisky! We then gave you an exclusive video tour around Glenfiddich Distillery, including the Robbie Dhu Spring water source, the still house, the bottling process, as well as the maltings and the role of copper at The Balvenie Distillery. Elsewhere, Kristy regaled us with tales from Kyrö Distillery, Ian Buxton put on his sceptic’s hat and pondered the future of Chinese single malt and Annie returned to give us five essential tips to make the most of our distillery tours. Henry, meanwhile, chose the intriguing Hayman’s Small Gin to be our New Arrival of the Week before doing his best Fancy Dan impression by making The Made in Chelsea Coupe our Cocktail of the Week. For Dram Club members, we also revealed what to expect from September 2019.

But there’s still more boozy news to cover, and there’s no time to lose! It’s The Nightcap…

Dr Peter Morris and Dr Ross Alexander working on the potential miracle barley

Gene for drought-resistant cereal discovered in Scotland

Scientists at Heriot-Watt University have uncovered a gene that helps drought resistance in crops which could be of huge benefit to the Scotch whisky industry. According to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) which funded the research, 90% of the barley used in Scotch whisky comes from Scotland. The results which were published in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry showed that a particular gene, HvMYB1, controls stress tolerance in barley. Dr Peter Morris from Heriot-Watt University said: “This is a significant finding that will allow more drought resistance crops to be bred in the future. Drought is already impacting yields with the European cereals harvest hit particularly hard in 2018. A prolonged, dry and hot summer significantly impacted yields and quality. As climate change gathers pace and we experience more extreme seasons, it is essential that we can maintain continuity of supply. This is significant for key industries like Scotch whisky, one of the UK’s leading export items.” It was the result of over five years work, because, Morris went on to say, “barley has over 39,000 genes, almost double the number for humans, so characterising one particular gene which promotes drought resistance has been a considerable challenge.” Dagmar Droogsma, director of industry at the Scotch Whisky Association, commented: “The SWA works closely with specialists at Heriot-Watt University, and others in the sector, to ensure that the industry is equipped to adapt to any changes that may arise from a changing climate. We, therefore, welcome this research which helps to provide resilience against the effects of climate change and to sustain the diversity of barley varieties used for Scotch whisky.” So as the planet warms up, at least there will still be Scotch whisky, which is a comfort.

Glenfiddich Grand Cru will be arriving at MoM Towers very soon!

Glenfiddich’s new premium malt has a sparkling heritage

Some companies launch a new whisky. Not Glenfiddich, its latest release “redefines celebrations.” How does it do that, you might ask? Well, it’s got pedigree, that’s for sure. Called Grand Cru, it is 23 years old, matured in European and American oak, and then finished in “rare French cuvée oak casks”. These casks “contained the liquid that goes on to become some of the world’s most extraordinary sparkling wines.” We think they mean Champagne. Only very few houses, including Bollinger, Roederer and Krug, still use oak so these casks are likely to have held some exceptional liquid. Why is Glenfidicch being so coy then? Well, the wine in the barrels was still and therefore not legally allowed to be called Champagne. Glenfiddich malt master, Brian Kinsman, commented: “Breaking category conventions once more, this unusual collaboration presented an exciting opportunity to create a spirit that further elevated our unique Glenfiddich style. We experimented with the maturation time and hand-selected the right balance of 23-year-old Glenfiddich casks out of our unique collection of old age malts. The further influence from the oak of the French cuvée casks added an extra layer of complexity thanks to the liquid they once held”. So this is a premium malt meets Grand Cru Champagne which, if not exactly “redefining celebrations”, certainly sounds swanky. RRP is £220; stock should be landing at your favourite online retailer 20 September.

This geographical protection is huge for Irish whiskey and brands like Tullamore D.E.W.

Irish whiskey secures geographical protection for the Indian market.

Good news for Irish whiskey as it has secured geographical protection for the Indian market. This is the world’s largest whisky market with over 2.3 billion bottles sold last year (though much of what is called whisky would be labelled rum in Britain as it’s distilled from molasses). Thanks to this agreement, now only whiskeys from Ireland can bear the legend “Irish Whiskey” on the label. This is great news for the Indian whiskey drinker and, of course, for the rapidly-expanding Irish whiskey industry. Carleen Madigan, legal advisor to the Irish Whiskey Association said: “Securing the geographical indication for Irish Whiskey in India is another landmark for the Irish Whiskey category. Like similar registrations achieved earlier in the year in Australia and South Africa, this is another major success in our efforts to protect the integrity of Irish Whiskey on a worldwide basis. We will now be able to take much tougher enforcement action against fake Irish whiskey products on sale in India. This protection will also enable us to maximise opportunities to increase sales in this crucial whiskey market as it is an important selling point for the Indian consumer knowing they can enjoy Irish Whiskey confident in the quality and authenticity of the product”. India is still a relatively untapped market for Irish whiskey, only 34,000 cases were sold in India, double the previous year but a long way behind Scotland at nearly 10 million cases sold. This geographical protection should see sales take off.

Larissa Marrichi, Finbarr Curran and the two new experimental whiskeys

This year’s Method and Madness whiskeys from Irish Distillers are the maddest yet

The Method and Madness series of releases from Irish Distillers is a chance for the team at Midleton to let their hair down and go a bit mad in the on-site microdistillery. This year’s two releases are particularly envelope-pushing, game-changing and mind-blowing as they are part-aged in wood that isn’t oak. Utter madness! Both are single pot still whiskeys, one finished in cherry wood and one in acacia. Cherry wood, sourced from France, is particularly porous resulting in some big bold flavours. Kevin O’Gorman, master of maturation at Midleton Distillery, commented: “The rare, porous wood is different to anything that we have handled before, so it has been a real achievement to create the perfect balance of flavour – the result is a world-first in Irish whiskey, with a nose of coconut fibre and ginger, a palate of fresh green herbs, black tea and unmistakable pot still spices and a long, fresh finish with prickly spice and hazelnut.” Acacia is quite the opposite, having a tight grain. Finbarr Curran, from the maturation research team explained: “The density of the acacia wood presented a challenge in contrast to the wild cherry wood as the maturation process was much slower and required a close eye and nose to achieve the perfect balance. But it was well worth the wait. This stunning single pot still Irish whiskey has a nose of sugared almonds and wood spice, a palate of coffee beans, dark chocolate and chilli and a finish with fading spice, charred wood and barley husk.”The releases will be on sale for RRP of €92. We’ll let you know when they come in.

Trois Rivières and La Mauny are produced on the island paradise of Martinique

Campari purchases Trois Rivières and La Mauny

The Campari Group has signed an agreement with Chevrillon Group to buy French firm Rhumantilles for a cool $66 million USD. Rhumantilles owns 96.5% of Martinique-based Bellonnie & Bourdillon Successeurs (BBS) Group, which produces the Trois Rivières and Maison La Mauny brands, as well as Duquesne rum, which is made for the local market. The deal not only includes those brands, but also the landholdings, the distilleries, the visitor centres and the inventory of high-quality aged rum, adding to the Italian spirits giant’s already considerable rum portfolio which includes the fantastic Appleton Distillery in Jamaica. The company, who said the deal was expected to close during the fourth quarter of this year in a statement released this week, clearly believe in the future of rhum agricole, which already boasts a strong reputation among spirits fans, but still occupies a tiny share of global rum production. The injection of Campari’s financial and marketing could prove a huge boost for the category. Campari said the move would “add prestigious agricole rum brands to its offering and enhance its exposure to rum, a premiumizing category currently at the heart of the mixology trend and growing cocktail culture.”

We sail, for rum and ~~country~~ more rum!

Captain Morgan brings the highs seas to Birmingham

Ahoy there rum lovers! We bring you news of a rather exciting nautical adventure. Over in Birmingham, Bompas & Parr has joined forces with Captain Morgan to curate the Lost Lagoon, an immersive and boozy treasure hunt inspired by none other than the buccaneer Captain Henry Morgan himself. Those who choose to explore this mysterious land (or sea) can expect cocktails while they sail through an indoor ocean past a series of islands. In true naval style, at each island they’ll be given rum rations and instructions on how to make a swashbuckling punch. The ultimate goal? To use your wits to eventually find Captain Morgan’s hidden bounty, which (spoiler) is a tiki bar full of delicious rum and nibbles. The aquatic adventure is based at Bullring & Grand Central, running from 26 September to 22 December. “Expect a mix between your best desert island fantasy with punch quests and neo-tiki party vibes,” says Bompas & Parr’s Harry Parr. We hope your nautical navigation skills are up to scratch.

Littlemill 29 Year Old

Littlemill and Glencairn join forces for latest Private Cellar Collection bottling

Littlemill’s Private Cellar collection has produced some stellar expressions and this latest bottling should prove no exception. Littlemill 29 Year Old, the third release from the series, was crafted by master blender Michael Henry from liquid selected from some of the last remaining casks to be laid down at the Littlemill Distillery, which was recently recognised as the oldest licensed distillery in Scotland. The distillery fell silent in 1994 and was destroyed by fire in 2004, making this liquid rare and highly collectable. Only 600 bottles will be released across the world. The bottling, which is said to possess the traditional Lowland floral profile, is also notable for its presentation, a limited edition bespoke Glencairn decanter. Glencairn worked closely with Littlemill on every detail, which includes an etched illustration of the River Clyde and a silver star signifying the Littlemill distillery’s location. Each decanter is one of a kind and is individually-numbered. The presentation box also includes a 5cl miniature of the liquid, a piece of an original Littlemill cask, and a booklet sharing the history of the Littlemill distillery with tasting notes from Henry, who commented on the release: “The latest expression in the Private Cellar collection helps to tell another piece of the Littlemill story. Littlemill has always represented the traditional Lowland ‘floral’ style, and over the years the distillation and maturation processes evolved to maintain this flavour profile”. He added: “Littlemill 29 year old, our 2019 release, focuses on the influence of wood. The original liquid was laid down in refill bourbon casks in 1990. Seven of these were selected and combined, then finished in first-fill oloroso sherry and Limousin oak casks. The oloroso sherry adds further floral notes, similar to the traditional sherry casks used at the Littlemill distillery, while the Limousin oak provides the European oak influence. The result is unmistakably Littlemill, with delicious caramel sweetness layered with spice.”

The Coral Room is celebrating Sete de Setembro in style!

The Coral Room celebrates Brazilian Independence Day with Capucana Cachaça

Brazilian Independence Day has made its way over to London, more specifically, The Coral Room! The Brazilian national holiday, commonly referred to as Sete de Setembro (for those of you who aren’t so familiar with Portuguese, also known as Seventh of September) commemorates Brazil’s independence, won in 1815 after three years of war against Portugal. Hence why, on 7 September, the bar has teamed up with Capucana Cachaça to put on a lavish celebration of cocktails, DJs and sambaing (yes, it’s a word). The selection of drinks takes its inspiration from the vibrant colours of the Brazilian flag, so expect a thoroughly colourful and delicious evening. It’s not all just fun and games, as The Coral Room will also be donating £1 from every Brazilian Independence Day cocktail to Rainforest Alliance. Good times and good causes. Make sure you don’t miss out on the after party at The Bloomsbury Club either. Dia Da Independence is sure to be a night to remember!

Jagermeister Cold Brew Coffee is the first new permanent addition to the brand in 80 years

Introducing Jagermeister Cold Brew Coffee

Jägermeister just can’t seem to keep itself away from caffeinated drinks! The latest release from the German brand is perhaps somewhat more refined than the iconic Jägerbomb, but also (hopefully) won’t be replacing your morning brew. Enter Jägermeister Cold Brew Coffee. The first new permanent addition to the brand in 80 years, the new liqueur sees the original secret Jägermeister recipe paired with cold-brewed Arabica coffee and a dash of cacao. In classic Jägermeister style, the recommended serve is straight from the freezer at a frosty -18°C. “Coffee has become such a huge part of everyday consumer culture,” says UK innovation controller (someone’s got to control the innovation, don’t want it getting out of hand), Tim Hawley. “Jägermeister Cold Brew Coffee is perfect for moments of celebration in or out of the home, offering an intricate coffee flavour profile complemented by the classic Jägermeister taste – served perfectly as an ice-cold shot.” Did you know the translation of the Italian word ‘barista’ is ‘barman’? Seems pretty fitting!

There is no caption that can do this picture justice. I retire.

And finally. . . . Brussels sprout-flavoured gin? Don’t all rush at once

We’ve seen some strange spirits here at MoM, like whiskey flavoured with beaver glands or vodka distilled from milk, but the latest release from Pickering’s Gin might be the strangest yet. Looking to cash in on the Christmas market the distillery has launched six festive gins including one flavoured with Brussels sprouts. Yes really, everyone’s least favourite part of Christmas (apart from the now traditional Brexit discussion) is one of the botanicals. Over 10,000 of the little blighters have been used to create this batch limited edition. Matt Gammell, head distiller and co-founder said: “It was an interesting challenge trying to balance the unmistakable flavour of Brussels sprouts to get the taste just right – and the distillery had a very distinct aroma while the gin was being distilled!” Apparently the resulting gin has a uniquely “sprouty” flavour. Gammel added: “We love the end result and it is the ideal tipple for friends and family to share together this Christmas”. Well perhaps, if you don’t want them to visit next year.

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Cocktail of the Week: The Montenegroni

August 14, 2019 3:38 pm

As any fule kno, Negroni = Campari + sweet vermouth + gin. But not always, this week we’re mixing things up a little by chucking the Campari and using Amaro…

As any fule kno, Negroni = Campari + sweet vermouth + gin. But not always, this week we’re mixing things up a little by chucking the Campari and using Amaro Montenegro instead.

The constant factor in most Negronis is Campari, so much so that Campari has owned the 100 years of the Negroni celebrations that took place this year. Italy, however, is full of amari (bittersweet liqueurs) which you can use in place. One such is Amaro Montenegro from Bologna, named after Princess Elena of Montenegro who became Queen of Italy in 1900. It has an elaborate production process involving over 40 botanicals including vanilla, eucalyptus, orange and cinnamon. Some are macerated, other boiled or distilled to a recipe perfected in 1885 by Stanislao Cobianchi. Today master herbalist Dr. Matteo Bonoli is in charge with keeping things consistent.

The flavours are sweet, rich and round with a distinct chocolatey note. Back in Bologna, it’s usually drunk as a digestif alongside a cup of espresso but for a while now, it has been a liqueur revered by the drinks cognoscenti. Last year it won a gold medal at the IWSC.

The Montenegroni: can people this photogenic be wrong?

As part of the plan to raise its profile, Amaro Montenegro is backing the Vero Bartender competition, where bartenders from around the country will compete to create a cocktail with a maximum of five ingredients (based on Amaro Montenegro, naturally). There will be northern and southern heats in September, with the UK final at the Punch Room at the London Edition Hotel on 20 October. But that’s not the end of it, because 12 finalists from around the world will then compete in the global final in Italy on 19 November! So if you fancy yourself behind the stick (to coin a phrase) then you should enter.

To kick things off in style, this special Negroni has been created by Rudi Carraro, UK brand ambassador for Amaro Montenegro. In a bold move, Carraro has not only chucked the Campari, but he’s not using vermouth either. He plays by his own rules. Instead he’s using Select Aperitivo, a low-ish alcohol amaro (17.5% ABV) from Venice, not dissimilar to Aperol. It’s what many Venetians prefer to use in a spritz in place of the mighty orange beverage. He didn’t specify the gin, so we’re using delicious, lemony Brooklyn Gin for no particular reason except we like it. The result is something mellower and more complex, but less boozy than the classic Negroni. It would be equally at home after dinner as before.

Carraro originally designed this recipe as a punch as a nod to the bar at the London edition, but we’ve domesticated it into a single-serve version. Right, let’s get stirring.

40ml Amaro Montenegro
25ml Brooklyn Gin
20ml Select Aperitivo

Add ingredients to an ice-filled tumbler, stir and garnish with a slice of orange.

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The Nightcap: 26 July

July 26, 2019 4:00 pm

You know what Friday means by now, it can only be the Nightcap! This week we’ve got all the digs on The Macallan’s newest release, Coupette’s mouthwatering Summer menu, the…

You know what Friday means by now, it can only be the Nightcap! This week we’ve got all the digs on The Macallan’s newest release, Coupette’s mouthwatering Summer menu, the rise of the Tequila cocktail and even a Jack Daniel’s shoe.

Happy Friday, folks! But before we get into the thick of all the wonderful booze news of the week that was, we thought we’d have a quick chat about the weather. Because, we don’t know about you, but nobody has mentioned the weather this week. At all. Was it warm? Was there sun? We tried to enjoy a refreshing Spritz here at MoM Towers, but apparently the whole of the UK had run out of ice. All we know is that it’s now raining again and the quintessential British summer is back on. Thank goodness for that. It was a steamy few days. Step away from the SPF 50 and settle down with a drink, the Nightcap is here!

On the blog this week, we kicked off Monday with a recap of all the Fèis Ìle 2019 fun, while Kristy chose a sherry-tastic single malt for our New Arrival of the Week, took a peek at the mysterious 2019 Diageo Special Releases, and reported back on a magic trip to Tel Aviv’s Milk & Honey Distillery! Meanwhile, Henry mixed up a Tequila Sunrise for his Cocktail of the Week, chatted rum with Alexandre Gabriel from Plantation, and found out what on earth Uncle’s Day is with Uncle Nearest’s Fawn Weaver. Last but not least, Annie gave the 411 on where to grab a drink in Amsterdam, Nate Brown scooted over to Dublin’s Roe & Co, and our Jess carried on the Tequila and mezcal fun with a round up of agave spirits. Phew. But that’s not all – on with the news!

Behold, The Fred B. Noe Distillery!

Beam Suntory breaks ground James B. Beam distillery

In big American whiskey news, Beam Suntory announced this week that it’s investing a whopping $60 million to build a new craft distillery and bring back The James B. Beam Distilling Co. name to Clermont! The James B. Beam Distilling Co. was the company’s name immediately after Prohibition, and will now serve as the name of Beam Suntory’s Clermont operations, as well as encompassing the production operations for the Jim Beam brand and small-batch brands such as Booker’s and Knob Creek. This investment will also build the Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery on the Clermont site, named after seventh generation master distiller Fred Noe, which will house the exploration of exciting new fermentation and distillation techniques. “Beam Suntory is excited to honour our roots by investing in the James B. Beam Distilling Co., and setting ourselves up for a bright future in Kentucky and around the world,” commented Albert Baladi, President and CEO for Beam Suntory. “With nearly 225 years behind us, we are proud of our history of entrepreneurialism, craftsmanship and innovation. As the world leader in bourbon, we are thrilled to be laying the foundation for the next 225 years.” Goodbye Beam Suntory, hello The James B. Beam Distilling Co.!

Campari takes on rum/rhum

Campari Group eyes up Rhum Agricole brands

Got a taste for the vegetal pronouncedness of Rhum Agricole? You are not alone. Campari Group, one of the world’s biggest drinks players, wants in, too. This week it was announced that the owner of the likes of Campari (obvs), Aperol, Wild Turkey and Bulldog Gin entered into “exclusive negotiations” with the parent company of Trois Rivières and Maison La Mauny (and Duquesne rum, too) to acquire the Martinique-based brands. While no price was revealed, the deal would include the brands themselves, the land they sit on, the distilleries and visitor centres, plus the aged rhum stocks. Yes please. In the press release, Campari Group said that if the deal goes through, it will “enhance its exposure to rum, a premiumising category currently at the heart of the mixology trend and growing cocktail culture”. It already owns Appleton Estate and Wray & Nephew, so it would make Campari a significant force for all things rum (and rhum). Ready the Ti Punches, folks!

Cheers to a bumper year for Diageo!

Tanqueray and Don Julio drive Diageo sales

It’s that time of year again – financial results are in! And for Diageo, they make for pretty buoyant reading. Sales for the full year to 30 June hit £12.9 billion, up 5.8%, with profits hitting £4bn, (+9.5%). Why such strong results? Two words: gin and Tequila. Gin as a whole grew by 23% in value, with Tequila soaring by a whopping 37%. Brand-wise, Don Julio was a total stand-out, with sales climbing by an incredible 30%, while Tanqueray posted 21% gains. Which brands didn’t do quite so well? The biggest name to see a drop was Cîroc Vodka (-5%), although vodka as a whole actually saw 4% growth, a big deal seeing as the category has fared pretty poorly in recent times. And Scotch? All-in-all, things are going well! The category grew by 6%, with Johnnie Walker seeing values climb 7% on the previous year, and the Scotch malts collectively making 12% gains. Winning!

The Macallan Estate, delicious and super popular

The Macallan unleashes home-grown Estate to the world

We had a thoroughly lovely Wednesday this week. Not only did The Macallan get its new Estate edition ready to ship, the brand also treated us to an utterly delightful lunch! We gathered at the incredible Hide in Piccadilly with Sarah Burgess, The Macallan’s whisky maker, and David Sinclair, brand ambassador to learn about (and of course, taste) the new expression. Burgess told us all about the production process – one week a year, mashing, fermentation and distillation is given over to barley grown exclusively on The Macallan estate. And the sensibly-named The Macallan Estate is the result! It’s an addition to the core range, and more bottles will be released each year (although Burgess stressed to us that she’s working to keep the flavour profile consistent over time). So, what’s it like? Tremendously autumnal, filled to the brim with appley, orchard fruit notes, plus lashings of marmalade on burnt toast, and a wash of sweet spices. Tasty.

Coupette’s mesmerising Shimmer cocktail

Coupette launches new menu ‘Summer’

Ah, Coupette. Something of a hole in the wall, to the uninitiated the award-winning bar may seem rather unsuspecting from the outside. We excitedly made our way down as just this week, founder Chris Moore launched the new menu in collaboration with local sign writer, Ged Palmer, titled ‘Summer’! One such epitome of the season was Strawberries & Cream, taking inspiration from Wimbledon and seasonal picnics. With strawberry eau de vie, rosé vermouth, wine and a vanilla-scented, clarified milk punch finish, served with a brush of white chocolate around the rim of the glass, it’s totally delicious without being overly sweet. This serve was just flying out from behind the bar, and no wonder in 34-degree heat! There’s a story behind each serve, and an intriguing one was Shimmer, marrying 30&40 Eau de Vie, green apple and sage, wine, genepi and sage soda, served in a mesmerising blue ceramic vessel on a blue geode coaster. Designed to be reminiscent of holidays and blue oceans it certainly accomplishes that, in flavour and aesthetic. Other delicious serves included the Bloody Martini with vodka, vin jaune, a clear tomato consommé and chive oil, part of a series of cocktails which mashes together two iconic drinks. There’s also a take on a Kir Royale, which sees a fabulous serving of blackcurrant sorbet in the cocktail glass. Slightly heavier serves include Obsidian, channelling a Rum Old Fashioned with the addition of cocoa and tangy passion fruit. We’ll certainly be back to try out the rest. Leave any expectations at the door, and prepare to be absolutely blown away with this stunningly complex and yet unpretentious menu. Bravo, Coupette.

Dalloway Terrace has cocktails on tap… from a flower wall!

Dalloway Terrace unveils new look for summer ’19

On Wednesday, we got to visit what is described by Vogue as “one of London’s most Instagrammable restaurants”. The Dalloway Terrace is now offering a taste of summer with the launch of its Summer Estate, in partnership with Ramsbury Distillery. Master florist, Nikki Tibbles, recreated the English countryside, transforming the Terrace with wild meadow flowers, blending silk daisies, cosmos, larkspur, delphiniums and foliage with embellishments of coral quince blossom. Flower walls are massive right now, and she created possibly the best one ever for the occasion: a flower wall complete with botanical cocktails on tap. There’s also a bar for G&T drinkers where they can garnish drinks themselves with produce fresh from Ramsbury Estate. The seasonal cocktail menu will offer a selection of summer serves priced at £13. No reservations allowed at the Terrace, so be sure to get in quick – it’s open from 08:00am to11:00pm every day until mid-September.

Delicious and sustainable Slane Whiskey

Slane Irish Whiskey announces trio of winners in sustainable cocktail comp

Earlier this summer, Slane Distillery’s UK brand ambassador, Michael Brown, set a challenge to bartenders to create the most ‘suSLANEable’ cocktails. And this week, not one, not two but THREE winners were selected! Slane is located in the heart of Boyne Valley in Ireland and, inspired by Earth Day, had tasked bartenders across the UK to follow in its green footsteps. And they are big shoes to fill: the distillery has already installed a “catchment system” to collect rainwater off the roofs of the distillery buildings to reduce the volume of water needed for production drawn from the Boyne River. Cool stuff! Joint winner Jack Riley from Present Company, Liverpool, says, “We should all be taking small steps to help the impact on the environment.” He worked with local coffee shops to create his nameless ‘suSLANEable’ cocktail: 45ml Slane Irish Whiskey, 20ml Spent Coffee-infused Martini Bitter, 15ml Tropical Cordial and 2 dash Bitter. Fellow champ Tom Sutton from H.M.S.S challenged himself to find and use leftover produce to create his “Castaway”, from just 40ml Slane Irish Whiskey, 30ml reclaimed cordial and stir into a frozen embassy. Simples. Finally, we have Leon Back and his recipe for “Little Winner”; 50ml Slane Irish Whiskey, 40ml ghetto cold brew (spent coffee grinds), coconut syrup, 10ml Martini ambrato, 10ml P.X. Sherry and 2 dashes Angostura bitter with some tonic water over ice. Delicious. Evolving and improving every year, Slane is working to become one of the most environmentally-friendly whiskey distilleries in Europe… Check out this video for more inspo to make eco-friendly drinks.

Goodbye Tequila shots, hello Paloma!

Shots are out: Brits now prefer Tequila cocktails, according to Patrón

Step away from the salt and lime: Tequila is now officially preferred in cocktail form, rather than as a shot, in new research from Patrón. In a study that suggests Tequila has finally shaken off its hard-partying image, more than 65% of drinkers said they enjoy Tequila cocktails on a night out, over slammers. It makes sense: Tequila is the fastest growing spirit in the UK, according to Euromonitor. Despite the upgraded drinking habits, Tequila knowledge is at a bit of a low. Only 23% of those questioned knew Tequila was made from agave, while just 10% showed knowledge of aged Tequilas. One response? To get tasting! You can find an array of Tequila drams for that purpose right here. What’s your Tequila of choice? Let us know in the comments below!

Nelson’s carbon neutral distillery from the skies

Nelson’s Distillery bags eco award

More green news! Word reached us this week that Nelson’s Distillery & School in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, won a Green Impact Award for its eye-popping efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. The award itself is the Signal 1 Radio Green Award, given out to recognise and celebrate local businesses making great strides in sustainability. Striving to be totally “off-grid” since 2016, Nelson’s is based at a flashy, futuristic and carbon neutral site with numerous green energy sources, including a wind turbine and super-snazzy anaerobic digester power plants. The site sells energy back to the grid, the team live in the local village to reduce traffic and pollution, they have their own natural water source, and use the reed beds to filter the water used in gin and rum. If this doesn’t sound amazeballs enough, then what about the 10% customer discount you get if you returning or repurposing the bottles?! More distilleries take note.

No lunch, but lots of Flor de Caña!

Boisdale celebrates Nicaraguan rum

Last Friday, we were invited by Ranald MacDonald from Boisdale for an intimate lunch at his Belgravia restaurant with her excellency Guisell Morales-Echaverry, Nicaraguan Ambassador to the United Kingdom, in honour of Ron Flor de Caña. How could we refuse? When we arrived, the intimate lunch was a room heaving with dignitaries including the Bulgarian ambassador. So many ambassadors. It was like a Ferraro Roche advert. Only with less to eat. Of lunch there was no sign. We were whisked upstairs by Matro Ortiz Lima, the Chilean brand ambassador with a strong Scottish accent, to sample three rums, a 12 year old, 18 year old and a 25 year old. According to Lima, Flor de Caña these are minimum ages, as with Scotch whisky and indeed Jamaican rum. Apparently, the company has unparalleled stocks of mature spirit because during the revolutionary period from 1970 to 1990, the family who own the brand hid rum all over the country. We finished with the coffee and tobacco-scented 25 year old, which went beautifully with a big cigar. Something else this country does superbly. But of the promised lunch, there was no sign.

Jack Daniel’s takes on footwear

And finally… Jack Daniel’s-inspired… shoes?

Jack Daniel’s has made its first foray into the world of footwear! The whiskey giant has teamed up with the awesomely-named Shoe Surgeon, aka Dominic Chambrone, and together they’ve created seven Jack Daniel’s-inspired trainers (or rather, ‘sneakers’, as they’re calling them across the pond). “Craftsmanship is the ultimate common detonator between what I do and those who make Jack Daniel’s,” Chambrone commented. Each of the seven shoe designs was inspired by an iconic element of the Jack Daniel’s brand. These are grain, Cave Springs, the distillery, charcoal, the barrel, honey, and the Jack Daniel’s bottle. If you want in, then you’ll have to vote online in August, with only 10 lucky voters in to win a pair. We don’t like those odds… Our only question is, can you drink out of them?

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Cocktail of the Week: The Iceberg Slim

April 24, 2019 3:51 pm

Gareth ‘G’ Franklin is on a mission to bring liqueurs out from the back of the drinks cupboard and put them centre stage. His creation, the Iceberg Slim, shines a…

Gareth ‘G’ Franklin is on a mission to bring liqueurs out from the back of the drinks cupboard and put them centre stage. His creation, the Iceberg Slim, shines a spotlight on Luxardo Bitter Bianco.

The first rule of cocktails is that they are built around spirits. First pick your spirit – gin, vodka, rum or whiskey – and then make a Sour, Martini or whatever you fancy. Liqueurs, vermouths, bitters etc. are there to provide seasoning. Luxardo, however, has other ideas. The Italian drinks firm has just launched an initiative to make liqueurs the star.

The company is probably best known for its Maraschino liqueur, a great friend behind the bar, but today’s cocktail, the Iceberg Slim, is based around Luxardo Bitter Bianco. Launched in 2016, Bitter Bianco has a flavour profile similar to Campari (try it in a White Negroni along with Dolin Dry vermouth and gin) but it’s less sweet with a higher ABV at 30%. I loved its clean, bright flavours of bitter orange, rosemary and peach blossom with a nice bite from bitter botanicals including wormwood.

Brand ambassador Gareth ‘G’ Franklin never leaves home without a bottle of Luxardo Maraschino liqueur

Brand ambassador Gareth ‘G’ Franklin told us a bit about the production process: Bitter Bianco is made by macerating all the botanicals separately, blending and then redistilling the resulting spirit. But, according to Franklin, “some things like wormwood when you distill them, they lose their bitterness so we do a separate maceration, and we add that to it.” Which is why Bitter Bianco isn’t actually white, it’s more of a pale yellow colour. Bitter Giallo Pallido doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.

Franklin was born and brought up near Cambridge, and, after a stint in Australia, is now working back in the city. He’s been with Luxardo for nearly six years now but his interest in liqueurs goes way back: “When I was growing up, my father and I used to go hiking”, he said, “I guess nowadays you’d call it ‘foraging’ but back then we used to just pick stuff. And we’d make liqueurs from it: all sorts of things, like rosehip liqueur, blackberries, greengages, stuff like that”.

He thinks that in Britain we have a prejudice against liqueurs. I certainly associate the word with sticky bottles at the back of my parents’ drinks cupboard. Franklin blames it on what he calls the ‘the Midori effect’. He elaborates: “don’t get me wrong, I’m not slating Midori. But in the late ‘70s everyone who was making liqueurs at that time just went ‘hey, we need to do this too!’ So what they did was they started synthesising flavours and then using big artificial colours. And I think that has just tarnished the category for most people”.

Behold, the Iceberg Slim!

To challenge these preconceptions, Luxardo and Franklin are doing a cocktail roadshow called ‘Modify This’ to show how versatile liqueurs can be. Franklin will be travelling around the country conducting liqueur masterclasses to bartenders. One of the cocktails he will be showing is the Iceberg Slim. Franklin explained how he invented it: “Luxardo Bianco is like a gin liqueur that contains no juniper”, he said, “And, for me, especially when it comes down to consumers that’s the easiest way for them to understand it because in England we don’t have this cultural association to the bitter palate, like Campari. So what do we understand? We do understand gin. So, essentially we’re just simply mixing it with the tonic and then we’re thinking about the different flavours which are quite reminiscent of an aquavit. So I’ve added dill to accentuate those notes and lemon is always going to work with those sorts of fresh flavours. “

Franklin told he that it’s all about “synergy”, when the different flavours “marry together and kind of assimilate into one flavour.” And what about the name? He was surprised that his cocktail shares a name with a notorious American pimp turned author. According to Franklin, the name comes from the cocktail’s freshness and colour, or rather lack of it; “I did not realise it was the name of a famous pimp!”, he said.

Enough talking, let’s make this thing!

50ml Luxardo Bitter Bianco
200ml 1724 tonic water
Lemon twist
A sprig of fresh dill

Muddle fresh dill in the bottom of a collins glass or tumbler, fill with ice, add the Luxardo Bitter Bianco, top up with tonic water and stir. Express a piece of lemon peel over the glass, twist and drop in.

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The Nightcap: 12 April

April 12, 2019 4:00 pm