Highball: Winter 2016

Highball S P I R I T S

M A G A Z I N E

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W I N T E R

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Bar Cart Buffet The Beauty of Scotch

by Glenmorangie Signet

Coffee Cocktails

for Winter Brunching

Highball is a quarterly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2016 ABC Liquors, Inc. All rights reserved.

RAISE A TOAST TO THE HOLIDAYS WITH SOME LIGHT READING AND A CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL.

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Five tips to making the best DIY

Not all products are

cocktail bar for your mid-sized

available in all stores. If the product you’re looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you!

HOLIDAY HOSTING & TOASTING

celebration.

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CAYMAN MAY I? Throw tradition to the wind and bring this incredibly sumptuous Cayman Reef Chocolate Trifle to your next

Meghan Guarino Editor meghang@abcfws.com

family gathering.

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GLENMORANGIE SIGNET This warming spirit combines notes of cocoa, orange peel, cinnamon and slight fruit for a Scotch made to sip

Allie Smallwood Contributing Editor allies@abcfws.com

all winter long.

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BRINGIN’ BRUNCH BACK Winter brunchin’ is all about the maple syrup, the fluffy waffles and the coffee cocktails.

Kaylee Jenzen Contributing Writer kayleej@abcfws.com

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SPIRIT TO SIP: GRAYS PEAK VODKA A pure, smooth, American-made spirit that reaches the peak of

Jacob Bailes

vodka perfection.

Photography jbailes@abcfws.com

Champagne Cocktail

1 oz Hennessy V.S

2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Sugar Cube

Champagne Cherry Soak one sugar cube in Angostura bitters and place in Champagne flute. Add Hennessy V.S and top with Champagne. Garnish with a cherry and raise a toast. Cheers!

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H O L I DAY H O S T I N G & TOA S T I N G M E G HA N G UA R I N O

The holidays are celebrated with your closest

3. SET OUT THE TOOLS. Offer an array of

friends and family—smaller groups of loved ones

glassware for your guests to choose from, as well

gather together to eat, drink and be merry. And

as the usual mixology utensils: shakers, jiggers,

while you already have family recipes for dishes,

bar spoons, strainers, a muddler and lots and

dinners and desserts, we’re here to help you with

lots of ice. Be sure to place everything in order

your holiday cocktail spread.

so your friends and family are all working in

Big cocktail parties are easy to maneuver. Hire a bartender and stick with a few choices: beer, one or

the same direction.

4. MAXIMIZE YOUR MIXERS. While you should

two wines and a signature cocktail. Small parties

supply the lemon juice, simple syrup and

are simple too. For a handful of friends, you can

grenadine, ask guests to bring their favorite

play bartender and still have a lot of face-time

juice, soda or spritzer to the party! If you’re

with your guests. But mid-sized fêtes? The in-

nervous about everyone bringing the same

betweeners? The parties of 10-15 guests that leave

thing, assign a category on each invitation.

you wondering if you should deem the celebration

Guests will be happy that the hostess gift is

BYOB or serve every attendee? We have a solution

easier than picking out a bottle of wine this year.

for those too: bar cart buffets.

5. SUPPLY THE SPIRITS. A DIY cocktail bar

Create a fun and festive way for guests to get the

should have an array of spirits to cater to the

drinks they want without having to cater to them.

inevitable difference of taste showing up to

Here are five tips for pulling off a bar cart buffet that

your party. For a gathering of 10-15 guests, we

will have them toasting the host all night long.

suggest the following spirits—we’re guessing

1. PROVIDE RECIPE CARDS. Some people

are great at making up their own recipes, while others simply are not born mixologists. Give a little guidance with simple recipe cards for classic cocktails.

2. PREP THE GARNISHES IN ADVANCE.

Cut up lemons, limes and oranges and place them in bowls at the end of the table. Include mint, sugar cubes, cherries, olives and skewers.

you may already have one or two of these in your cabinet. Substitute to preference, of course, and remember that pours are usually heavier when people serve themselves.

• 2 bottles vodka

• 1 bottle Scotch

• 1 bottle gin

• 2 bottles

• 1 bottle tequila

sparkling wine

• 1 bottle light rum

• 1 bottle vermouth

• 1 bottle dark rum

• 1 bottle elderflower

• 1 bottle bourbon

liqueur

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C AY M A N M AY I ?

RECIPE BY LISA BOWES

For the love of pecan, pumpkin and apple pie, it’s time to bring something new to the holiday table.

And while Aunt Barb may raise her eyebrows at the thought of adding coffee liqueur to a trifle, we assure you she’ll be singing a different tune with one bite of this sumptuous, decadent, delicious Cayman Reef Chocolate Trifle. A mixture of chocolate, coffee and whipped mousse, this recipe is the perfect match for after dinner cocktails and cups of espresso.

Cayman Reef Chocolate Trifle • 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix You will also need the ingredients to make the cake (check the directions on the box) • 2 boxes Instant Chocolate Pudding You will also need milk to make the pudding (check directions on the box) • Heath Bar Pieces (found in the baking aisle) • 1 cup Cayman Reef Kona Coffee Liqueur • 1 large container Cool Whip

1. Using a rectangular pan, bake the cake according to the directions on the box.

2. Make chocolate pudding according to the directions on the box.

3. Once cake is cooled completely, poke holes in the top using the end of a wooden spoon.

4. Pour the coffee liqueur over the entire cake, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

5. In a trifle dish, layer crumbled cake, pudding, Whip Cream and candy pieces. Repeat the layer a second time, ending with candy pieces on top.

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GLENMORANGIE S I G N E T A L L I E S M A L LW O O D

Referred to as “the most unusual whisky ever

Signet is a blend of their oldest whiskies distilled

sweet and spicy, an unusually delicious contrast of

produced in Scotland,” Glenmorangie’s Signet is a

over 30 years ago when malting was still done on

rich sweetness and an explosive crackle of sizzling

conclusion of many generations of dreams. With a

site. It’s unquestionably the lushest whisky in the

spices and bitter mocha.

unique and complicated recipe, this whisky has a

Glenmorangie portfolio, making it an absolute

core of high roast chocolate malt, sits at 46% ABV

prime choice for holiday sipping and cigar pairing.

and is non-chill filtered.

Only the distillers know the full recipe and secrets

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky began in the Scottish Highlands where it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in the country. It then goes on to be skillfully matured in the best oak

of its production, but Glenmorangie is happy to

The voluptuous viscosity is perhaps its most charming aspect. Creamy and grippy, it leads into a finish of fresh mint with a bright citrus quality.

share that Signet’s melting sweetness and explosive

It’s the perfect holiday occasion Scotch to be

spiciness is, at least in part, caused by their unique

enjoyed by discerning palates.

roasted chocolate barley malt.

only used twice. Glenmorangie distillery, founded

The nose is almost overwhelmingly aromatic, with

in 1843, is celebrated as an innovator in the craft

intense Aruba espresso fused with a treacly plum

of whisky, which they are proud to say “unites

pudding, rich with sherry and candied orange

tradition with innovation.”

peel. The palate opens up to a combination of

INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION 2015: Gold Outstanding Medal Scotland Highlands Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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Coffee Cocktails A L L I E S M A L LW O O D

The holidays are inextricably linked to feelings of tiredness, slight annoyance and a little weariness.

Sure, the family, the dinners, the presents, they’re all awesome and fun. But at some point we need to just realize that we can’t play super-host and win everyone over with our incredible cooking.

The perfect antidote to all of the above is, of course, coffee. Luckily, when you have a party to throw or a brunch to host, coffee and all its alluring characteristics will invariably be requested. Our suggestion is one of effectiveness and that’s to combine both booze and coffee for a delectable, and possibly unexpected, winning combo.

Here are three eye-openers to get you through the morning hours of opening presents and the wee hours of a smashing holiday celebration.

Joe & Bourbon

1 cup Fresh Coffee

2 tbsp Caramel Sauce

1 tbsp Cream

2 tbsp Zachariah Harris Bourbon

Mix cream and caramel in a mug. Heat for two minutes, stirring every 10 seconds.

Ensure that caramel is well incorporated through cream. In a separate mixing glass, add bourbon to hot coffee. Combine in the serving mug and top with whipped cream if desired.

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Hot Buttered Rumffee

1 oz Appleton Estate Rum

1 cup Fresh Coffee

1 tbsp Hot Buttered Rum Mixture

(recipe below)

Cinnamon and Nutmeg for garnish

Combine rum, coffee and the frozen hot buttered rum mixture in a heat-resistant glass. Stir until well-incorporated. Dust with spices just before serving.

Hot Buttered Rum Mixture

2 cups Brown Sugar

2 sticks Butter, room temperature

2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream, high-quality and melted

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Ground Nutmeg

Place the sugar, butter, ice cream, cinnamon and nutmeg in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Freeze in a container. If using it immediately there is no need to freeze.

Mexican Iced Coffee

1 ½ oz Tequila

1 ½ oz Coffee Liqueur

1 cup Coffee

1 scoop Vanilla Ice Cream

Ground Cinnamon, to dust

Pour tequila and coffee liqueur in a mug.

Sprinkle coffee liqueur/tequila mixture with cinnamon and pour in 1 cup of hot coffee. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, then dust with more cinnamon.

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Highball

8989 South Orange Ave. Orlando, Florida 32824

S PI RIT TO S IP: C OL OR :

THE

NO S E:

FAINT VANILLA SCENT AND A SUBTLE SWEETNESS O N

THE

K AY L E E J E N Z E N

F I N I SH :

Clear and pure O N

Grays Peak Vodka

PA LAT E:

A clean, crisp profile gives way to a nice creaminess B O D Y:

Distilled five times to remove any trace minerals for a smoothness that can be sipped straight or enhance the flavors in any cocktail

Faint gingery twang *

P R O O F :

80°

TASTING TIP:

Distilled with a base of corn grain, which yields a sweeter, softer vodka. It’s filtered using a proprietary reverse osmosis process that removes undesirable trace minerals from the spring water used in distilling. *Organic