Chilled Magazine - Volume 11 Issue 6

CHILLED RAISE YOUR SPIRITS

+ LUXURY

SPIRITS A LOOK AT WHAT’S SHAKIN’ ABROAD

THE FRENCH ISSUE FOOD PAIRING WITH

SPIRITS BEYOND JUST BRAGGING RIGHTS

BARTENDER COMPETITIONS

BonJovi and sonJesse

launch

HAMPTON WATER

THE PERFECT GIFT TO TURN MOMENTS I N T O C E L E B R AT I O N S

SIP RESPONSIBLY. ©2018. GREY GOOSE, THE GEESE DEVICE AND ITS TRADE DRESS ARE TRADEMARKS. IMPORTED BY GREY GOOSE IMPORTING COMPANY, CORAL GABLES, FL. VODKA – 40% ALC. BY VOL. DISTILLED FROM FRENCH WHEAT.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 - ISSUE 6

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72

with Jon Bon Jovi and Son Jesse Bongiovi

Chartreuse

Dive into Hampton Water

70

A Long History of French Know-How with Marie Brizard

features

The Elixir of Long Life

74

How Competitions Advance Bartending Careers

CHILLED MAGAZINE

A Glance into the Solera System with The House of Lustau

82

Recipes

The Aviary

78

86

Van Gogh Vodka

Sofitel New York

Art of the Cocktail

2

80

Hotspot Spotlight

Please drink responsibly.

ONE RYE. TWO ESTATES.

SMOGÓRY

FOREST SMOGÓRY FOREST is bold and savory, made from Dankowskie Diamond rye born in the lush forests of Western Poland.

BELVEDERE IS A QUALITY CHOICE. DRINKING RESPONSIBLY IS TOO. BELVEDERE VODKA, 40% ALC./VOL. 100% NEUTRAL SPIRITS DISTILLED FROM RYE GRAIN ©2018 IMPORTED BY MOËT HENNESSY USA, INC., NEW YORK, NY

TWO DISTINCT TASTING VODKAS.

LAKE BARTĘŻEK LAKE BARTĘŻEK is delicate and crisp, made from Dankowskie Diamond rye that comes from the glacial lakes of Northern Poland.

Taste the influence of terroir. #TasteTheRye Learn more at BelvedereVodka.com

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11 - ISSUE 6

departments

14

Editor’s Note

10 A Message from François Morisson

Bottoms Up!

12 Cool Products - Stuff You Need to Know About 14 Cool Bottles - Beautiful Bottles of Cognac 16 How to Use Bacon in Cocktails

The Locals

20 Bartender Submission - Austin Millspaugh, The Standard Pour 22 Bartender Submission - Megan Radke, Canon 24 Chef Profile - Matt Schindler, The Knickerbocker Hotel, NYC 26 Portfolio Profile - Getting to Know French Spirits 28 Winery Profile - American-Made Vermouth 30 Distillery Profile - Copper & Kings

Special Section

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37 In the Age of Cognac 40 Brand Spotlight - Hennessy X.O 42 Spirit Makers Profile - Family Camus 44 Cognac Cocktails

Advanced Mixology

48 Drink In History - The Stinger 50 Food Know How - Food Pairing with Vodka 52 Buzz Worthy - Food Pairing with Sake 54 Drink Well - Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s Tasting Menu, Grey Goose 56 Drink Well - The Espresso Martini 58 In The Know - The Martini 60 Bartender’s Choice - Happy 200th Birthday Cherry Heering 62 Brand Spotlight - NOLET’S Reserve Gin

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Mix It Up

18 Behind the Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bar 32 Tricks of the Trade - Ask a Scotch Master 34 Celebrity Sips - The French Connection 64 Shaking & Stirring - Launches 88 Last Call - Chillin’ With Arturo Del Puerto

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CHILLED VOLUME 11 ISSUE 6 DEC/JAN 2019 IS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY CHILLED MEDIA: 321 STEEPLE WAY, ROTTERDAM, NY 12306. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE PRICES IS PENDING AT ALBANY, NY AND OTHER ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. USPS MAILING PERMIT NUMBER 580.

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VOLUME 11 - ISSUE 6 PUBLISHER Jeff Greif ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, EDITOR AT LARGE Thom Meintel EDITOR IN CHIEF Gina Farrell SENIOR EDITOR Lesley Jacobs Solmonson EXECUTIVE EDITORS Vicki Cruz, Anita Smith ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER, CHILLED 100 NATIONAL DIRECTOR Max Ferro DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER Amanda Gabriele MARKETING ASSISTANTS Joy Sinacore ART DEPARTMENT Daniel Batlle, Rick Jensen, Jessica Bartlett, Danny West, Angie Packer, Alyssa Walker, Jackson Ryan PROMOTION ART ASSISTANT Michael Scarso EDITORIAL STAFF Nicole DiGiose, Monique Farah, Bryen Dunn, Mike Gerard, Ariana Fekett, Judi Laing, Frankie Corrado, Michael Tulipan, Francine Cohen, Cydnee Murray, Ruth Tobias, Mathew Powers, Lanee Lee, David Perry, Bob Curley, Colleen Thompson, Richard Thomas CONTRIBUTORS Francois Morisson, Peter Sherman, Ashlie Stevens, Nicholas Mancall-Bitel, Richard Fri, travelsquire.com PHOTOGRAPHY Cover Photo by Doron Gild Images: Shutterstock.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscribe to our FREE print edition at chilledmagazine.com.

Digital edition is available for all desktop and mobile devices.

Visit chilledmagazine.com/digital-issue to see our complete library.

HOW TO REACH US info@chilledmagazine.com ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Free Agent Media 212-213-1155 CHILLED MEDIA PRESIDENT Anthony Graziano LEGAL REPRESENTATION Ferro, Kuba, Mangano, Sklyar, P.C. CHILLED MAGAZINE Volume 11 - Issue 6 ©2019 Chilled Media. Chilled® magazine and the Chilled® magazine logo are registered trademarks owned by Chilled Media. All rights reserved.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

VOLUME 11 - ISSUE 6

GUEST EDITOR FRANÇOIS MORISSON

Over the years, I’ve witnessed the slow evolution of cocktail menus in the many French restaurants where I’ve worked. From a French twist on a classic to a signature cocktail from a Truffaut film, French spirits have become influential. We’re all familiar with Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Absinthe, and other herbal liqueurs or crèmes that are staples at any good cocktail bar. These are the liquids that gave birth to classics like the Sazerac, the French 75, and the Sidecar.

In the last few years, a lot of the old mistelles (fortified wines) and amers (amari) were brought back from my grandfather’s “time attic” and took a front seat on backbars. You know the ones—Salers, Cap Corse, Génépi, Bonal, Byrrh, vermouths like Routin and La Quintinye Royal. They remind me of my early days in Parisian cafés, where the locals would drink them neat or on the rocks.

Being a rhum drinker for a long time (too long, some would say, ha!), I’m particularly excited about the rebirth of the category and the emergence of rhum agricole, the only rhum that follows strict laws from the growth of the cane to bottling. The terroir, blending of specific varietals, and colonne créole (or the oak used for aging) offer an impressive range of natural expressions, complexity, and clarity of cane sugar, whether it’s a blanc at 50% or aged.

This year, new and iconic rhums from the island of Martinique joined the ranks of a handful of brands in the U.S. market. With more to come, we can expect great momentum. Whether it’s from Martinique’s AOC or Guadeloupe’s IGP, rhum agricole is the French spirit that can become another staple between your mezcal and your bourbon, right next to your Cognac. Try it for a new take on your favorite cocktails, like a Daiquiri with a blanc at 50%. Or go one step further and mix up a Mint Julep with an Ambré, or an Old Fashioned or Sazerac with a VSOP or an XO! Discover the French joie de vivre by trying new and old cocktails alike with your favorite French spirit. C’est une histoire d’amour avant tout!

(It’s a love story, after all.)

isson François Mor

Ironically, Parisian-born François Morisson’s first experience behind the bar occurred in Tokyo, where his bartending career began. He has called New York home since 2002 and worked at several renowned restaurants in the Keith McNally Group, such as Balthazar, Pastis, and Minetta Tavern. Morisson is currently managing the spirits and cocktail program and training staff for McNally’s Augustine.

Morisson is also the national brand ambassador for BCI Brands, importers of Trois-Rivières Rhum Agricole, New Grove Rum, Bache-Gabrielsen Cognac, Coquerel Calvados, Gabriel Boudier Gin, and Boomsma Genever.

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THREE FLAVORFUL AND DISTINCTIVE

PALMBAY.COM ©2019 Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL

SCOTCH BLENDED MALTS

THE

HIVE

SPICE

KING

PEAT

CHIMNEY

Each crafted by the family-run blenders and bottlers.

wemyssmalts.com

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY.

BOTTOMS UP!

COOL PRODUCTS

STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LEVITATING X

With the Levitating X Collection, you can have your drink and float it, too.

Cutting-edge levitation technology allows glassware, plates, and even pillows to float. Modern design of both the vessel and levitation stand ensure an elegant presentation that blends in with any décor. levitatingx.com

DRINKMATE SPRITZER

Want to carbonate beverages on the go? The Drinkmate Spritzer is handheld and can add bubbles to anything from water to tea, wine, and cocktails. The Spritzer is eco-friendly, too—no electricity or batteries needed, and it comes with a refillable CO2 canister. idrinkproducts.com

CORK POPS WINE GLASS WRITER

Instead of the usual wine charms to help keep track of everyone’s wine glasses, try Cork Pops Wine Glass Writers. The pens use a nontoxic ink that can write on glass, plastic, lead crystal, and glazed ceramics. The designs will stay put until they’re wiped off with a sponge or put in the dishwasher corkpops.com

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Inspired by Spain’s daily ritual of La Hora Del Vermut, La Pivón embodies a flavor and a lifestyle you’ll find strikingly attractive.

94

pts.

Tasting Panel

94

pts.

Tasting Panel

BOTTOMS UP!

COOL BOTTLES

BEAUTIFUL BOTTLES OF COGNAC CAMUS EXTRA DARK & INTENSE

Like the liquid inside, CAMUS’ contemporary decanter is dark and intense and wrapped in mystery. The blacklacquered monolith bottle is crowned with a gold-colored neck and cap, representing the flames used in the heating process, which gives the spirit its life. Starting with carefully selected aging eaux de vie, the casks are reopened and gently heated over naked flames (no smoke) to rewarm the oak and bring the “devil’s share” back to the surface of the wood.

HENNESSY V.S. LIMITED EDITION BY VHILS

Urban artist Alexandre Farto, aka “Vhils,” has designed the newest Hennessy V.S. bottle. These limited edition bottles feature collaborations with internationally known artists such as Shepard Fairey, Ryan McGinness, and JonOne. Vhils’ design finds inspiration from his youth in postrevolutionary Portugal, leading to his setting a new standard in urban expressionist art.

RÉMY MARTIN VSOP LIMITED EDITION

BY MATT W. MOORE

Using bold, colorful, geometric patterns, Matt W. Moore explores art as action. Moore calls his style of digital art “Vectorfunk,” and employs this aesthetic in conceptualizing the Rémy bottle. Using the iconic centaur logo and the grapes, vines, leaves, and sunburst that are associated with the Rémy brand, Moore creates kinetic imagery for both the bottle and gift box. In conjunction with the bottle release, the artist and Rémy Martin have released an interactive app called ARt to enhance how we see the world through our phones.

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BOTTOMS UP!

HOW TO

HOW TO USE BACON IN COCKTAILS

By Lesley Jacobs Solmonson | Photos Courtesy of BarBacon

The smoky, salty goodness of bacon makes it a natural complement to cocktails, tempering any sweetness and softening strong spirits. At BarBacon in New York City, chef and owner Peter Sherman makes it his mission to find creative, new ways to play with bacon, even in the gastropub’s bar. “Alcohol has a great ability to pull flavor from fat better than just about anything,” he proclaims, “and with the thousands of pounds of bacon we cook each week, there is no better way to use it than with infusions for our drinks menu.” Sherman says it’s easy to “baconify” whatever liquor you choose with just a few simple steps.

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

CHOOSE A SPIRIT. BarBacon currently infuses bacon with rum, vodka, and bourbon in three of its most popular cocktail recipes. “Infusing bacon into liquor is quite easy,” says Sherman, “The liquor will taste intensely like bacon, no joke.”

INFUSE. Essentially, the fatty grease produced from panfrying bacon is used to flavor the spirit. Be sure to whisk the bacon fat into the spirit of your choice. Technically, this is bacon washing rather than infusing, but it’s a great way to repurpose bacon byproduct. Let the mixture settle overnight in the refrigerator.

CHOOSE INGREDIENTS. The next day, simply remove the thin layer of bacon fat that has formed on top and use as a base spirit. When creating a baconinfused cocktail, pair the infusion with savory flavors, never fruity.

“From a culinary perspective,” explains Sherman, “it just makes more sense.”

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PETER SHERMAN Over the past decade, Peter Sherman, chef and owner of BarBacon, worked for some of the best chefs in the world, including Joel Robuchon at L’Atelier, David Bouley at Danube, and April Bloomfield at Breslin. Born and raised in New York City, Sherman prides himself on his knowledge of the city, especially its ever-changing food scene. BarBacon celebrates both the fat and salt that make bacon so decadent and elevates the beloved staple to the centerpiece of the meal. Sherman sources his pork belly mostly from small U.S. farms, each with a rich history of producing flavorful bacon of superior quality.

BARBACON OLD FASHION INGREDIENTS

2 oz. bacon-infused bourbon 1 ⁄2 oz. maple syrup 4 dashes aromatic bitters 4 dashes orange bitters Bacon (for garnish) Rosemary (for garnish) Orange (for garnish)

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass with ice; stir. Garnish with a slice of bacon, sprig of rosemary, and orange slice.

GO PRO

Fat-soluble compounds not only alter the flavor of a spirit, but also the mouthfeel. It’s a great way to create savory and silky spirits.

TIP Once you remove the thin layer of bacon fat from the spirit, be sure to strain the infused liquid through cheesecloth until it has no bacon fat in it.

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MIX IT UP

BEHIND THE BAR

BEHIND THE

Whiskey Ba r re l-Aged BAR CHIVAS REGAL MIZUNARA SCOTCH WHISKY

Offering the familiar smooth, mellow Chivas style, the Regal Mizunara is the first Scotch whisky partially finished in Japanese whisky casks. The Mizunara barrels bring a distinctive, but gentle hint of spiciness to this Chivas expression.

COOPER & THIEF CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cooper & Thief ages this cabernet—which is 80% cabernet sauvignon, 14% merlot, 4% cabernet Franc, and 2% petit verdot–in rye whiskey barrels sourced from High West Whiskey. The rye barrels contribute smoothness, as well as the familiar spice notes of rye whiskey.

SEBAGO LAKE BARREL-RESTED PORTLAND RUM

Hailing from Maine, Sebago Lake Distillery debuts its newest expression, Barrel Rested Portland Rum. Aged in former rye barrels, the rum contains the familiar spice notes of the whiskey, as well as a caramel-y richness from the 100% pot still process.

SUERTE “LUCKY LIPS” TEQUILA

Suerte’s limited-edition extra añejo tequila is aged in American white oak whiskey barrels for eight years. Lucky Lips presents hints of vanilla, cinnamon, honey, and date, imparted by the charred oak.

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NON-CHILL FILTERED COPPER POT-DISTILLED AMERICAN BRANDY MATURED IN KENTUCKY BOURBON BARRELS.

COPPERANDKINGS.COM

ADVANCED THE LOCALSMIXOLOGY BARTENDER DRINK SUBMISSION IN HISTORY

Austin Millspaugh The Standard Pour Dallas, Texas Photos by Marc Graf Throughout every step in his bartending career, Austin Millspaugh has heard the voice of his earliest mentor, Vincent Paul Martinez: “If you want to learn more and get better, you have to study.” This simple mantra has guided Millspaugh as he worked his way up to the position of lead bartender at The Standard Pour.

Millspaugh’s first job at Blackfriar Pub introduced him to the complex world of beer.

Under the tutelage of Martinez, Millspaugh cracked the pages of his first industry-focused book, Ultimate Beer by Michael Jackson. From beer, the aspiring bartender transitions to the world of cocktails. His second mentor, Omar Yeefoon, would eagerly try each new drink Millspaugh created and then offer his opinion, as well as suggestions.

“It was these critiques that really helped me grow, teaching me to analyze my drink from a different point of view,” says Millspaugh. “After that job, he moved on to The Standard Pour, where he’s still pouring today. “With our team always trying something new,” he says, “and the continued education by acquiring the next new book (or what was new to us at the time) to the late night discussions on dilution and technique, we have all grown together, all seeing this as a career through an academic lens.”

While The Standard Pour is primarily a bourbon bar (named in the Top 50 in America for the past five years by Bourbon Review), Millspaugh notes that the focus also falls on making a “proper cocktail.” Whether they’re classic or experimental drinks, the cocktail creations at The Standard Pour have given him “the opportunity to find my voice as a bartender.”

For aspiring bartenders, Millspaugh reminds them that nothing happens overnight. His most salient advice: “Never stop learning. We will never know everything, [but] as long as we keep trying to move forward, we will get there.

Think of your education as building a wall; if the foundation has holes in it, then the wall will fall over.”

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FLEUR DE FEU (“FIRE FLOWER”) INGREDIENTS

2 oz. St-Germain Liqueur ¾ oz. Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Poblano Liqueur 2 drops 20% saline solution Angostura bitters (for garnish) Heavy cream (for garnish) PREPARATION

Place first three ingredients in a mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a coupe-style glass.

Cover the surface of the cocktail with Angostura bitters.

Layer heavy cream on top of the bitters. Brûlée until a light char from the fats in the cream appears.

h t u o m r e Vorth asking w ame. for by n

ADVANCED THE LOCALSMIXOLOGY BARTENDER DRINK SUBMISSION IN HISTORY

Megan Radke

Canon Seattle Seattle, Washington What started as a side job to pay the bills turned into a new career for Megan Radke. When she turned 18, she embarked on what she thought would be a lifelong career doing hair. A second job at a coffee shop by day/bar by night convinced her that bartending was the path she wanted to take.

When Radke left hairdressing, she promised herself that she would push herself to work at the best bar in the world. For her, that bar is Canon Seattle, where she has been behind the stick for four years with no plans of leaving anytime soon: “I will be in love with this bar until the day I die.”

But Radke’s romance with her job isn’t because of Canon’s world-renowned spirits selection or the precision of its cocktail menus.

“What stood out to me about this bar was the intentionality behind everything,” she confesses. “Everything within this bar is how it is for five different reasons. They are all to set the bartender up for success, and provide guests with an ambiance they will only experience within our walls.”

Radke has gained inspiration from several people in the Seattle bar scene whom she refers to as “this beautiful family of bartenders.” Josiah McLain gave Radke her first bar-backing job. He taught her “the importance of taking time to understand the spirits you work with every day, with tasting and reading everything.” Nik Virrey and Brandon Paul Weaver were there to critique her work and encourage her to enter competitions.

Radke’s love of Canon, and bartending in general, encompasses the entire bartending community. It’s the quirky unity of people in the profession that lets her see an exciting future. “We’re all a group of weirdos,” she jokes, “who didn’t want to conform to a nine-to-five job and wanted the ability to find creativity, fun, and freedom within our careers.”

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Photo by Allison Webber

“It didn’t take long to recognize that I felt at home behind a bar,” says Radke. “I was working with people who were closer than family to me, and I still had the ability to be creative when I made coffee and a cocktail every now and again. Being in that environment quickly had me falling in love with the backbar. I loved how every bottle and classic cocktail had a unique story of its own ... and knew I had to dive in head-first to this crazy world of the beverage industry. I couldn’t have made a better decision.”

VELVET GLOVE INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz. cognac ¾ oz. Pineau des Charentes ¼ oz. Vermouth del Professore ¼ oz. apricot liquor ¼ oz. pisco Boker’s bitters Grapefruit twist (for garnish) PREPARATION

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass.

Add 2-3 dashes of bitters. Stir until properly diluted and garnish with grapefruit twist.

Nothing but Vodka.

94 POINTS

“Superb! A great achievement”

Published 2/1/2018

ravovodka.com ©2019 Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL

@ravovodka

#ravovodka

#nothingbutvodka

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Please drink responsibly.

Matt Schindler

The Successful State of Mind of

THE LOCALS

E

CHEF PROFILE

By Bryan Dunn Photo by Maggie Marguerite

Executive chef Matt Schindler of Charlie Palmer at The Knick and the St. Cloud rooftop bar at The Knickerbocker Hotel in NYC is as unique as he is talented. He began his hospitality career in the kitchen at age 15, after which he enrolled in a culinary apprenticeship with the American Culinary Federation.

Fine dining, startup delivery companies, casual grills, and upscale casual dining have all contributed to Schindler’s style and development as a culinarian. “I worked coast-to-coast as well as internationally, spending the next 20 years cooking in several capacities from small venues to resorts and large hotels,” he acknowledged.

“Our menu features fresh, local ingredients that are perfect for the warm weather and the whimsical feeling you have when sitting in St. Cloud,” he continued. “The inspiration is a balance between sourcing and utilizing the local, freshest ingredients that are in season, and cross-utilizing ingredients with our cocktail menu-inspired by incorporating herbs and spices that complement the food.”

The ceviche sampler is one of St. Cloud’s top inspirations, while their small plates menu features items like yucca fries, charcuterie, braised short rib sliders, and buffalo mozzarella with salsa verde—

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all prepared with bright, bold flavors featuring seasonal foods paired with the perfect spices.

Schindler added, “A few items I like to have in the pantry at all times are candied spiced pecans, candied lemon zest, saltcured lemon, Espelette chili, Szechuan chili, and brioche crumble. All of these can quickly elevate an item with subtle flavor as a finishing garnish, or be utilized as a feature flavor complementing a dish. For example, a beautiful summer corn flan could be elevated with a candied lemon brioche crumble dusted over the top, to give it a depth of flavor as well as texture and complexity.”

Schindler had some words of advice for aspiring chefs: “I feel that it’s imperative to cook before ever being a chef. If you want to become a chef, you should first cook for many years until food and the physical movements of culinary production become ingrained in your everyday actions and your everyday thought process. Then you can look at the next step as a chef. As I was taught at the beginning of my career, cooking is a state of mind.

When you’re in the moment, it’s the only thing you should be thinking about. Your focus will lead you to success.”

Š 2017 123 Spirits, L LLC. LC. Ph hoto Š Michae Michaell Elins Elins

The Man Behind the Brands

123spirits.com

EU Organic

THE LOCALS

PORTFOLIO PROFILE

French Spirits Getting To Know

By Michael Tulipan

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I

f you’re seeing more French brands on the backbar, you’re not alone. While the United States has long been France’s best market for wine, other French spirits have been less known. Leading the charge has been the explosive growth of Cognac, but other spirits are picking up the pace. Indeed, the category is booming, and U.S. sales of French wine and spirits was up 9.5% from 2016 to 2017.

Palm Bay International, a Taub family company, has built a portfolio of interesting, small producers of authentic artisanal brands that always display a sense of place. The company’s French portfolio offers everything from whisky to liqueurs to calvados, all handcrafted and showcasing the quality that Palm Bay has built its reputation on.

Referencing France’s Independence Day, Bastille 1789 is indeed a revolutionary brand. Hailing from Cognac, Bastille 1789 whisky is made of barley and wheat grown in northeast France and aged in French limousin casks. The resulting whisky is very smooth with notes of vanilla and toffee. Try it in a French Manhattan—it’s not as sweet as one made with bourbon, and a bit less spice-forward than the rye version.

Bauchant Orange Liqueur is a unique blend of Cognac and orange. The liqueur starts with a base of V.S. and

V.S.O.P. Cognacs, and then three different orange varieties—Andalusian, Mandarin, and Tangerine—are added. The result is an orange-forward liqueur that can be used to freshen up a wide range of cocktail recipes.

Boulard Calvados’ history dates back to 1825, when Pierre-Auguste Boulard founded the Pays d’Auge Distillery. While the exact recipe is a secret, Boulard VSOP uses about 120 apple varieties across the flavor spectrum: bitter (for structure, balance, and harmony), sweet, bittersweet (which is rich in tannins), and slightly acidic (for freshness). The apple cider then undergoes double distillation before resting in French oak for a minimum of four years.

In addition to the VSOP, Boulard also produces three higher-end offerings. The X.O. is aged for a minimum of six years, while the Auguste is blended from eauxde-vie from the Boulard family’s personal reserve. The pinnacle of the Boulard line is the Extra, a luxurious calvados made from a selection of very old barrels.

With French spirits continuing to gain in popularity in the States, Palm Bay’s curated collection of French distillers and producers makes it a company to watch.

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THE LOCALS

WINERY PROFILE

Andrew Quady

By Colleen Thompson

Reviving

American-Made Vermouth 28

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When Andrew and Laurel Quady moved to the small town of Madera in the San Joaquin Valley of California in search of a rural lifestyle, they discovered a rare and unused patch of Orange Muscat grapes. Those grapes, known in Italy as Moscato Fior d’Arancio, inspired Andrew to turn the unusual grape varietal into a sweet, fragrant, and rich wine called Essensia.

The first of its kind in the United States, Essensia celebrated the powerful flavors and aromas in orange muscat grapes. That was back in 1981, and it marked the birth of Quady Winery.

Shortly after launching Essensia, the Quadys acquired a load of Black Muscat grapes and produced Elysium, a ruby red dessert wine bursting with rose and ripe red berries. As production and sales of the two wines grew, Quady Winery began producing vermouth in 2000.

“When I was at UC Davis working on my master’s in food science with an enology specialty, Maynard Amerine, who was head of the department at that time (1972), gave a lecture covering organoleptic analysis and the production of vermouth,” said Andrew. “He had spent some time in Italy visiting the producers and noticing—as my wife and I had observed in Southern France in the 1970s—that lots of people were drinking vermouth straight and nobody ever mixed it with spirits, like we do.

“A good friend, who owned restaurants in San Francisco in the 1990s, was wondering why consumers were always asking for less vermouth in their Martinis.

He realized that the dry vermouth behind his bar really tasted bad, and this was why no one wanted it mixed into their gin or vodka. This was well before our cocktail boom, so with my friend’s encouragement, and believing there would be a market for better vermouth and that some people might drink it straight if it tasted good, I started coming up with a vermouth that wine aficionados might enjoy.”

The result was Vya Vermouth, the first for a U.S. winery. Vya Extra Dry and Vya Whisper Dry are made using the same base wine: a refreshing dry white with some added Essensia. “The botanicals in Whisper impart aroma but not much flavor, so it’s great on the rocks as a standalone aperitif, or with one of the many craft vodkas in a Martini,” noted Andrew. “The Extra Dry has extra botanicals, which impart quite a bit of spicy ginger flavor and therefore is delicious with modern gins.”

Vya Sweet Vermouth is made using Starboard Batch 88, a port-style wine Quady produces, and Orange Muscat grapes, with notes of cinnamon and cloves. “It took me around two years to develop the formula and process for making Vya Vermouth,” said Andrew. “I relied on the notes from Amerine’s lecture, especially for the sweet vermouth. Our sweet vermouth has a great bittersweet sequence in the mouth. At first, it’s sweet, but after a few seconds, the bitterness appears and slowly intensifies, creating a desire to take another sip, which brings back the sweetness. The aromatics are unique in their expression of baking spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger, and the combination with the vanilla notes from American whiskey makes really great Manhattans.”

Quady Winery has almost single-handedly put American-made vermouth on the map. The cocktail culture of late has certainly helped, as vintage cocktails are surging in popularity and more people are seeking lower-alcohol libations. With its small batches, high-quality wines, and unique botanical combinations, Quady is reviving this herbaceous aperitif.

As for how the Quadys enjoy their vermouth, their routine is simple: A 50/50 mix of Vya Extra Dry with and Vya Sweet, over the rocks, with a twist of orange strip. It’s delicious!

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THE LOCALS

DISTILLERY PROFILE

S ’ A C I R E M A T S O M E V I T A N I G IMA Y R E L L I T S I D

By Ashlie Stevens In the recently published book The Seven Moods of Craft Spirits: 350 Great Craft Spirits From Around the World, author Dominic Roskrow headlined the Copper & Kings entry, “Creative Brilliance,” with the first sentence, “Is this the world’s coolest distillery?”

It just might be. Music is the pulse of Copper & Kings in Louisville, Kentucky (literally and figuratively).

It permeates the distillery’s identity in almost every way—from the show poster-inspired bottle labels to its copper pot stills, each named for a woman in a Bob Dylan song.

When visitors walk into the distillery basement cellar, a daily playlist blasts from a row of subwoofers, pulsing the distillery’s aging

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brandy against the barrel’s interior, increasing its contact with the oak.

Copper & Kings Founder Joe Heron calls this method “sonic-aging.”

In a way, that process is a good analogy for the brand itself: unorthodox, innovative, underpinned by method, and very loud. You need those traits if you’re going to succeed as a brandy distillery located in Kentucky’s Bourbon Country.

According to Heron, when most people think of brandy, two main categories come to mind: the Californian “cheap and sweet,” and the traditional European brandies.

He didn’t want to be encumbered by either preconception, especially as he felt innovation in the American brandy segment was at a standstill.

“We make American Brandy with a capital A and a capital B, and four years ago, there was no such thing as American Brandy. No definable personality, no innovation, and no momentum,” says Heron. “We wanted to juxtapose ourselves versus very traditional Cognac by using the heart of American distilling as our geographic anchor. That gave us the ability to be ourselves, to be anything that we wanted to be, and to paint with a very extensive creative palette. This is America—we are not limited to a small, provincial geographic dogma. We have the whole continent to work with, any grape varietals or fruit that we find interesting, and barrel finishes to push the boundaries of unexpected flavor profiles.”

IT’S NOT INNOVATION, IT’S INVENTION.

Innovation and invention sits at the heart of Copper & Kings. “In many ways, it’s as much a personality disorder as a business strategy,” jokes Heron. “It’s our personal oxygen, our corporate voice, and a substantive reason why American Brandy is cool and exciting right now. American Brandy boogies.

“We’re like a band. Our band puts out a lot of records. We don’t expect you to like every song, but we’d really like you to love the music, and to hopefully appreciate most of the songs on every album.

“We execute conceptual innovation.

We are less interested in literal product descriptions than in adventurous, creative journeys for drinkers to explore and stories to enjoy in their glass.”

It’s also enabled the distillery to explore innovative collaborations that reach consumers who may not

traditionally consider themselves brandy drinkers. Most recently, Copper & Kings partnered with famous Chicago distillery FEW Spirits to release Copper & Kings via chicago American Brandy— pure copper pot-distilled American brandy matured in FEW’s rye whiskey barrels.

Or GEOGRA&PHY, which Copper & Kings describes as “adventures and explorations of pot-distilled brandy from around the world.”

The bicontinental brandy is an equal blend of American and South African pot-distilled brandies.

There’s also CR&FTWERK, the distillery’s ongoing collaboration project with renowned craft beer breweries across the United States. “I have a lot of respect and affection for their ‘balls-to-the-wall’ invention and creative expression, because really what you see in a Copper & Kings bottle is creative expression distilled,” Heron says.

“And partnering with breweries like 3 Floyds, Against The Grain, Sierra Nevada, Sun King, and The Bruery, to

name a few, is just a thrill. I’m a little starstruck, in truth.” The resulting collaborations culminated with a series of small-batch American Brandy, aged for 12 months in oak barrels previously used to age eclectic American craft beer.

Jagger and Richards, Lennon and McCartney, Heron and O’Daniel (as in Brandon O’Daniel, Copper & Kings’ master distiller) … these are just a few of the world’s most rockin’ collaborators. “Although the reality is that I’m pretty much just Brandon’s roadie,” laughs Heron.

The brand, Heron says, will keep creating, innovating, and exploring new concepts. But at the end of the day, Copper & Kings still has a tremendous amount of focus on its first national hit (no pun intended): its original brandy, which smacks of blackberry, bourbon, and jawdropping Americana. It’s highproof, but surprisingly sippable—like stone fruit that’s been amplified via surround sound.

As Heron says, “This is not ordinary, everyday brandy. This is a bad-ass brandy. It goes to 11.”

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TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Things to Learn from a

SCOTCH MASTER Cody Fredrickson

, scotch master at Scotch 80 Prime, moved from Portland to Las Vegas to pursue a career in the beverage industry. As lead mixologist for Bound by Salvatore at The Cromwell, lead bartender for Sparrow + Wolf, and secretary for the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) Las Vegas Chapter, Cody studied wine and beer, but found his passion was whiskey.

Cody eventually joined Scotch 80 Prime as scotch master, and with the bar’s extensive collection of scotch (one of the largest in the country) and high-level focus on rare and vintage marks from top producers in Scotland, his job to educate and guide guests in their selections was like a calling. We picked Cody’s brain to find out what every bartender should know about serving scotch.

You’re stranded on a desert island. Which scotch would you hope is with you?

I am a huge fan of the Highland Park lineupHighland Park 18 Year Old is definitely my “desert island” whisky, because of the lighter, more heather-driven peat influence and amazing balance that each marque brings. I’m really a fan of the under-the-radar whiskies.

Share some tips all bartenders should know about serving scotch.

The first tip is to not get hung up on the “perfect way” to serve scotch. I suggest drinking scotch at the intended bottled proof, adding a few drops of filtered water, and then adding a few ice cubes or a large cube if you’d like. This way, you can really understand what temperature and dilution does to a whisky, good and bad.

The other piece of advice I have is that there is a scotch for everyone. I promise. You will hear, “I don’t like scotch; it’s too smoky” time and again, but try introducing the guest to a rich Speyside malt or a lighter-style lowlands whisky and go from there.

What are some of the best scotch brands for the value?

I’d say Jura and Glen Moray. The independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail also offers some amazing whiskies at a great value.

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What are some of the top scotch trends in the industry today?

I’m seeing a lot of unique barrel finishes, from red wine cask to deeply charred barrels. There are a lot of lightly peated Highland and Speyside scotches hitting the market as well. It’s a great way to introduce your guests to the style without overpowering them with peat and smoke flavors.

The Best Way to Enjoy Chocolate

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MIX IT UP

CELEBRITY SIPS

THE FRENCH ARE KNOWN FOR CREATING EXQUISITE FOOD, HAVING IMPECCABLE TASTE IN FASHION, AND PRODUCING SOME OF THE WORLD’S TASTIEST WINES. SOME OF THE FRENCH APPEAL IS THE COUNTRY’S BEAUTIFUL ACTRESSES AND ACTORS THAT GRACE OUR MOVIE AND TELEVISION SCREENS. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITES AND WHAT THEY LIKE TO DRINK.

GILLES MARINI Marini is a French model and actor born in Alpes-Maritimes.

Marini first appeared in a Budweiser ad, and his television credits include starring as Luc Laurent on the ABC show Brothers & Sisters.

Marini is a beer lover.

VINCENT CASSEL Cassel’s 1995 cult-classic film Le Haine first won him international acclaim. Since then, he’s appeared in several popular American films, including The Reckoning and Black Swan, and done character voiceovers in animated films such as Ice Age and Shrek. The actor, who was born in Paris, seems to age like a fine wine, perhaps because of his healthy lifestyle: “I don’t drink or smoke that much.”

MARION COTILLARD AND GUILLAUME CANET Born in Paris, Cotillard grew up around Orléans and has appeared in movies such as Inception and La Vie en Rose. She’s married to Guillaume Canet, who was born in Boulogne-Billancourt and has starred in films such as The Beach, Narco, and Love Me If You Dare (which co-starred Cotillard). The couple enjoys French wine.

AUDREY TAUTOU Born in Beaumont, Puy-de-Dôme, Tautou has starred in films such as Amelie and The Da Vinci Code.

She’s a huge coffee and tea fan, and prefers cocktails made with these ingredients.

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EVA GREEN Green’s breakthrough role came in the form of Bond girl Vesper Lynd in the 2006 James Bond flick Casino Royale.

Just like her infamous character’s moniker, Green enjoys the Vesper Martini— shaken, not stirred, of course.

*Cigar & Spirits Magazine February 2018 Issue

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SPECIAL SECTION

COGNAC

In the

Age of Cognac

By Michael Tulipan

The pinnacle of the art of making Cognac is exemplified by a producer’s “XO” designation. The XO stands for “extra old” and was first introduced by Maison Hennessy in 1870. Since then, all major producers of the spirit have introduced premium XO labels that showcase the Cognac’s quality and age ability.

who make XO today age their youngest eau-de-vie for more than 10 years,” explains Patrick Raguenaud, president of the BNIC. “This change will more so reflect the reality of what’s already in the bottle. There is also a willingness from Cognac producers to better guarantee the quality of XO Cognac.”

The proper age designation for XO has been under discussion for some time, and plans were originally introduced to change the minimum aging of the eauxde-vie used from 6 to 10 years in 2016. Since stocks were found to be insufficient to allow the change then, it was not implemented until April 2018. According to the National Interprofessional Cognac Bureau (BNIC), the goal of changing the minimum age was to align the regulation with market reality. “Many producers

Maison Hennessy is still the benchmark for XO Cognac today. Master Blender Maurice Hennessy originally created an extra-aged Cognac to be shared with family and friends, but it quickly became apparent there was a market for a higher-end Cognac. While the age classification may have been raised to a minimum of 10 years, Hennessy generally uses Cognacs far older than that, with its blend of 100 eaux-de-vie aged as much as 30 years.

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Since Hennessy introduced XO to the market, all the major houses have started producing their own.

CAMUS Cognac has been made by five generations of the Camus

The company also has released a limited edition Borderies XO produced from its most prized site, a long-aged Cognac with enormous complexity.

“This change will more so reflect the reality of what’s already in the bottle. There is also a willingness from Cognac producers to better guarantee the quality of XO Cognac.”

— PATRICK RAGUENAUD, BNIC PRESIDENT

family since 1863, when JeanBaptiste Camus brought together a group of producers to sell the product under the label La Grande Marque. The company produces XO Elegance from a selection of eauxde-vie from all six of the Cognac crus: Borderies, Petite Champagne, Grande Champagne, Bons Bois, Fins Bois, and Bois Ordinaires. The addition of eaux-de-vie from the Borderies site brings a rounder flavor and greater aromatic length.

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The highly regarded Courvoisier XO is a selection of eaux-de-vie aged from 11 to 25 years, meant to highlight the complexity and richness of Cognac’s aromas.

Martell’s XO, meanwhile, is immediately distinctive with its arched bottle. The company chooses the best eaux-de-vie from the Borderies and Grande Champagne crus for their rich intensity and notes of spice. Another major Cognac house, Rémy Martin,

produces an XO with up to 400 different eaux-de-vie exclusively from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne sites. The XO’s opulence is enhanced by its iconic oval-shaped bottle. The XO from Prince Hubert de Polignac, a brand that won best VSOP and best VS at the 2018 World Cognac Awards, is a more recent creation, first released in 2011.

Smaller houses are also producing high-quality XOs and other rare aged Cognacs. A.E. DOR bears the name of Amédée-Edouard Dor, a Cognac aficionado who started the company in 1858. DOR’s XO is a blend of eaux-de-vie from Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. But the company may be best known for its very old Cognacs, the Hors d’âge range, which are stored in wax-sealed demijohns until bottled for sale.

These Cognacs have been aged for

decades and are well worth seeking out. Cognac Deau’s XO is mainly a blend of Cognacs from the Petite Champagne and Fins Bois crus that have been aged in small Limousin oak wood barrels for 10 to 15 years.

Delamain is made exclusively from Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, with a minimum age in its blends of 20 years. True to its name, Pale & Dry XO is much lighter in color than other aged eaux-de-vies. Here, the base Cognacs are aged 20–25 years before being blended and matured together for two additional years.

The finishing touch is the addition of older, lower-proof Cognac prior to bottling to bring down the alcohol content to the ideal level to enjoy this one-of-a-kind spirit.

Cognac Park is run by Jérôme and Lilian Tessendier, the company’s fourth-generation cellar masters.

The company offers three different

XOs: Park XO, Park XO Extra, and Park XO Cigar Blend. Each XO is chosen from a stock of no less than 15,000 oak barrels, and the XO Extra is aged for several decades.

Thomas Hine & Co. has an origin story fit for a film, with its namesake English founder arriving in France just before the French Revolution, imprisoned as a result, and then later married the daughter of his prisoners. He founded a Cognac house bearing his name, and six generations later, it’s still producing excellent spirits. The company’s Homage is an XO fashioned from more than 20 eaux-de-vie made from Grande Champagne grapes, while the Antique XO is created from a blend of around 40 eauxde-vie made from the same grapes. The company also has an exceptional range of vintage bottlings and blends, with Cognacs dating back to the 19th century.

Merlet & Fils dates back to 1850 and is still going strong today, with fifth generation family members running the business. The company’s XO is produced with old Cognacs from the Merlet cellar, a selection of all the different crus of the appellation.

Though the production of Cognac is steeped in tradition, the category as a whole is seeing more modernity.

Trends to watch for in the coming year include more single-estate Cognacs, like the CAMUS Borderies, and even organic Cognacs. Some companies are experimenting with other types of casks, like Sauternes (Bourgoin Cognac) and Banyuls casks (Pierre Ferrand). And then there’s the much-anticipated launch of superstar 50 Cent’s Cognac, produced in partnership with Branson Cognac. The partnership is still cloaked in mystery, so stay tuned for details.

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Dedicated to Excellence Hennessy X.O Few spirits categories are more closely tied to one brand than Cognac is to Hennessy.

The company’s dedication to excellence and preserving tradition has made it synonymous with the category itself.

And perhaps no greater sign of this centurieslong commitment to quality is Hennessy’s X.O, which revolutionized the world of Cognac when it was created in 1870.

By Michael Tulipan

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Founded in 1765, Hennessy continues to be the best-selling Cognac brand in the world. The company has stood the test of time in large part because of the unique partnership of its founding family and the Fillioux family. In 1806, Richard Hennessy named Jean Fillioux as the company’s first master blender, and eight generations later, a Fillioux family member continues to oversee the aging and blending of the Cognac.

X.O has become a standard bearer for the company, inventing its own designation when it was first created by Master Blender Maurice Hennessy. An aged “extra-old” Cognac that was originally meant to be shared among family and friends has evolved into a calling card for Hennessy around the world.

The base for the X.O is Hennessy’s extensive collection of eaux-de-

X.O is just one example of Hennessy’s drive to create the world’s finest Cognacs and exemplifies its drive to “Never Stop. Never Settle.”

vie, which the Tasting Committee samples daily under the watchful eye of Master Blender Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, who took over for his uncle, Yann Fillioux, in 2017. While it may sound like a dream job, producing Cognac is enormously complex. Uni Blanc grapes are used to create the wine, which is then distilled twice by a variety of distillers. The eaux-devie is then aged in chais, special cellars that are carefully monitored for light and temperature. With more than 380,000 barrels in reserve and around 10,000 eaux-de-vie a year tasted by the Committee, the task of making a Hennessy Cognac is truly one for a master blender. Renaud’s job is to take all these disparate parts and construct a true work of art that maintains Hennessy’s reputation for consistency and excellence.

Hennessy’s artistry is on full display with the X.O, a seamless blend of eaux-de-vie aged as much as 30 years. While the company subscribes to the rule that there’s just one way to drink Cognac (any way you want), X.O delivers splendidly when served neat or on ice. When ice greets Hennessy X.O, it sets in motion a sensory odyssey; fingers feel the warm glass cool, ears hear a gentle clinking, eyes witness the amber-colored cognac lighten, palettes discover an everevolving tastescape. Ice makes the greatness of Hennessy X.O a never-ending discovery. The flavor is complex with notes of spice, a hint of sweetness, and length that goes on for hours.

X.O is just one example of Hennessy’s drive to create the world’s finest Cognacs and exemplifies its drive to “Never Stop. Never Settle.”

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FAMILY CAMUS A Blend of Tradition and Innovation

By Mathew Powers Photos Courtesy of CAMUS Although the land on which the Camus family ancestral home resides can boast of magnificent terroir, it takes an entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to a craft perfected over generations to transform the fruits of the earth into award-winning Cognac.

Although established in 1863, Maison CAMUS sees itself as the “new kid on the block”— the smallest of the “big guys” despite being more than 150 years old. Today, CAMUS is the fifth largest producer of Cognac and the largest family-owned Cognac maison among more than 300 houses.

“It’s a lot easier to lead the company when you are the challenger than when you are at the top of the category,” said Cyril Camus, CEO and fifth generation. “Entrepreneurship is probably more in our blood than Cognac itself, although Cognac is the way we choose to express our entrepreneurial spirit.”

Cyril and Jean-Paul Camus

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This entrepreneurial spirit has endured from one generation to the next, flowing first from founder Jean-Baptiste Camus, who organized a group of producers to sell Cognac under the brand name La Grande Marque in 1863. While the idea of a brand is common today, it was a new concept back then. His idea to position the Cognac as a high-end product, combined with careful expansion into selected foreign markets, laid the groundwork for the path the Camus family would follow.

“One thing that is really clear when you look at the history of the company is the need for every generation to go beyond what the previous [generation] had done,” said Cyril. “We had the will to build on the past and create a larger future for the company.”

Cyril’s philosophy echoes the sentiment of his father, Jean-Paul, who once said, “Making a great Cognac is easy. All you need is a great-grandfather, a grandfather, and a father who have done it before you.”

“The realization that four generations before you have dedicated their lives to the House spurs you on,” Cyril added. “It drives you to make your own contributions to the history. To know that you bear the responsibility for writing the next chapter and are also taking on the role of the guardian of the past is incredibly empowering.”

The family’s fervor for developing exemplary products combined with an entrepreneurial spirit manifested itself in 2017, when CAMUS was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label, which acknowledges French companies for their craftsmanship and excellence.

“With cognac, you are never working for yourself; [it’s] always the next generation,” noted Cyril. “We are steadfast in our desire to remain a family business, and independence is at the heart of everything we do.”

EACH GENERATION OF CAMUS MEN HAS HAD THEIR OWN SPECIAL IMPACT: JEAN-BAPTISTE CAMUS (1835-1901) created the brand and positioned his Cognacs as La Grande Marque to appeal to luxury consumers in France and neighboring countries.

EDMOND CAMUS (1859-1933) and GASTON CAMUS (18651945) began building the brand, sold the Cognac in bottles as opposed to barrels, and expanded sales throughout Europe.

Under their watch, CAMUS was appointed the official Cognac of the court of Czar Nicholas II in Russia.

MICHEL CAMUS (1911–1985) was an incessant traveler and brought CAMUS to new markets beyond Europe, creating local expressions to cut through global competition. At the same time, he saw the potential in the Duty-Free Market, and CAMUS rapidly became the indispensable Cognac of airport lounge shops.

JEAN-PAUL CAMUS (1945-) first identified the taste potential of the region’s different terroirs at a very early stage. Guided more by his own intuition than passing trends, Jean-Paul chose to develop the generally overlooked Cognac cru of Borderies and allow its flavors to shine across the world. He also secured the CAMUS supplies by expanding the estates, building distilleries and aging cellars. He established the brand as a leader in Japan and Korea.

CYRIL CAMUS (1971-) became CEO of CAMUS in 2003, has focused on building a global distribution network, and opened the lucrative Chinese market, where CAMUS has thrived. His strategy of “adapt to demand, be pioneering, be different” has produced unprecedented products such as Camus Extra Elegance (internationally acclaimed for its design), the Masterpiece Collection Cuvée 5.150, the Rarissimes vintages, and the Ile de Ré range, an original creation enhancing the Bois à Terroirs cru. In 2000, he premiered the first-ever 100% Borderies XO Cognac, which set the tone for the CAMUS House style of light, mineral, and gourmet Cognacs. This was followed most recently by the 2018 release of a single estate, single cru XO Cognac, CAMUS XO Borderies Family Reserve.

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The classic sipper is also one of the hottest cocktail ingredients right now. Check out these creative concoctions made with cognac being served everywhere from Portland to NYC.

COGNAC HIGH ROAD

By Allen Katz Cognac educator of the New York Distilling Company, N.Y. INGREDIENTS 1 1⁄2 oz. VSOP cognac 1 ⁄3 oz. XO cognac 1 ⁄3 oz. grenadine 1 ⁄2 oz. fresh lime juice Thin lime wheel (for garnish) PREPARATION Shake ingredients vigorously over ice and strain into an Old Fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a thin lime wheel in the glass.

HOLIDAY IN THE TROPICS PUNCH

By Allen Katz

INGREDIENTS 2 oz. VSOP cognac 3 ⁄4 oz. cinnamon bark syrup 3 ⁄4 oz. fresh pineapple juice 3 ⁄4 oz. fresh orange juice 1 ⁄2 oz. pink grapefruit juice 1 ⁄2 oz. fresh lime juice 1 ⁄4 oz. fresh lemon juice 2 dashes DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters 1 oz. champagne PREPARATION Shake ingredients (except champagne) over ice; add champagne. Fine strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice.

Garnish with a pineapple wedge and one brandied cherry on a cocktail pick with 2 ripe pineapple leaves.

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COGNAC

BREAKFAST IN BED

By Jesse Cyr, The Fog Room, Seattle INGREDIENTS 2 oz. XO cognac 3 â „4 oz. sweet vermouth 1 bar spoon grade A maple syrup 1 bar spoon banana liqueur 1 dash Angostura bitters PREPARATION Build over ice in mixing glass; stir and strain into coupe.

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ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

DRINK IN HISTORY

STINGER How mint liqueur and cognac survived the test of time

By Lanee Lee

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WITH ITS DISCO-DANCING, SUPERVILLAIN-SOUNDING NAME AND CRÈME DE MENTHE AS ITS MAIN INGREDIENT, YOU MIGHT THINK THE STINGER BELONGS TO THAT DARK ‘70S AND ‘80S DRINK ERA THAT WE’D RATHER FORGET.

H

owever, the Stinger was probably invented in the heyday of every bartender’s favorite cocktail era: the late 19th century, roughly 1890. It’s a duo cocktail with only two ingredients: equal parts brandy and crème de menthe.

Traditionally, it was served chilled in a coupe glass as a digestif or after-dinner drink.

THE STINGER’S ORIGINS Despite the odd spirit and liqueur pairing, the Stinger was one of the most popular pre-Prohibition drinks, according to Jerry Sullivan in his 1930 volume The Drinks of Yesteryear: A Mixology. If you’re wondering who invented it, don’t even ask. There’s no trace of any lore or legend to even ponder. Most likely, it was simply a riff on a similar fashionable cocktail of the day, such as The Judge. Making its first appearance in print in William Schmidt’s 1891 cocktail book The Flowing Bowl, The Judge is made with two parts brandy, one part crème de menthe, and simple syrup.

STINGERS IN STYLE One millionaire influencer does deserve the credit for immortalizing the Stinger during the Roaring Twenties. Reginald Vanderbilt (Gloria Vanderbilt’s father) described the drink in 1923 as “a short drink with a long reach, a subtle blend of ardent nectars, a boon to friendship, a dispeller of care.” He also was known to break the mold and serve it to his jetsetter guests from his home bar before dinner.

MODERN-ERA STINGERS Today, if you see a Stinger on a craft cocktail bar menu, it’s most likely made with a fine cognac instead of brandy, and an artisanal mint liqueur, like Giffard Menthe-Pastille. And sometimes, it’s even served frosty cold over one diamond-cut rock in a coupe with a twist of lemon essence, as James Beard awardwinning barkeep William Elliott of Brooklyn’s Maison Premier does.

Whether you prefer to keep it simple, like the original recipe below, or experiment, the Stinger certainly leaves a lasting impression ... just as its name implies.

And for the love of all that’s holy and right in the world of cocktails, whatever you do, avoid making it with the green-colored mint stuff (stick with clear)!

THE

STINGER INGREDIENTS

1 ½ oz. Cardenal Mendoza Brandy ½ oz. crème de menthe PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled; strain into a chilled cockail glass.

Perhaps that’s why it appears in so many of Hollywood’s Golden Era films as a cocktail, rather than a post-dinner tipple. For example, in the 1956 film High Society, Bing Crosby explains to Grace Kelly why it’s called the Stinger: “It removes the sting.” In the 1957 comedy Kiss Them for Me, Cary Grant orders the bartender to keep the Stingers coming in order to deal with Jayne Mansfield’s chatty character. More recently, the minty-fresh drink was featured in a Mad Men episode, though it was made with rum instead of brandy.

STINGER SWITCH-UPS Speaking of variations, here are just a few to try: The Irish Stinger: Equal parts Irish cream liqueur and crème de menthe.

The Amaretto Stinger: A three-to-one ratio of amaretto to crème de menthe.

The Mexican Stinger: Swap out the brandy for tequila.

The Vodka Stinger or White Spider: Swap out the brandy for vodka.

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FOOD KNOW HOW

Food Pairing with Vodka Cocktails Belvedere Single Estate Rye series

By Mathew Powers THE BELVEDERE SINGLE ESTATE RYE SERIES CELEBRATES POLAND’S TERROIR WITH TWO DISTINCT VODKAS THAT SHOWCASE CHARACTERISTICS DERIVED FROM DIVERSE SOURCE REGIONS. THESE EXCEPTIONAL FLAVORS DEMONSTRATE WHY THE WORLD IS INCREASINGLY FORGOING TRADITIONAL WINE PAIRINGS IN FAVOR OF SPIRIT PAIRINGS—THE SINGLE ESTATE RYE SERIES VODKAS ENHANCE ANY MEAL, EITHER BY PLAYING THE LEAD ROLE OR AS A COMPLEMENT TO A DISH. Today’s social media-connected world has allowed for a confluence of diverse cocktail cultures and innovations that have not only changed the drinks we enjoy, but how we enjoy them. As such, the traditional

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demarcation line that once stood between the bar and the dinner table has been blurred, and experimentation and ingenuity have upended the food pairing traditions of the past.

Belvedere Single Estate Rye Series celebrates “terroir,” which puts to rest any notions that vodka should be odorless or flavorless. Indeed, the series celebrates the spirit’s versatility, allowing it to serve as an excellent pairing to a variety of meals.

Smogóry Forest

“We’ve always championed that vodka has taste, character, and complexity, and this series is further evidence of the approach to vodka that defines Belvedere,” explains Matt Pomeroy, Global Education and Advocacy Director for Belvedere Vodka.

Northern Lake Bartężek

The estate-sourced series starts with a rare, baker’s grade of grain known as Dankowskie Diamond Rye. Of the eight farms in Poland where one can find this special rye, two are showcased in the Single Estate series: Smogóry Forest region and Northern Lake Bartężek in the Mazury lake district.

Smogóry Forest derives its qualities from the lush forests of western Poland. The long warm season and mild winters allow the rye to grow in fertile soils, which results in naturally sweet and generous vodka with a great range.

The bold, savory spirit offers notes of salted caramel, a touch of honey, and white pepper, and finishes sweet and salty. This unique vodka is an excellent accompaniment to a cheese and charcuterie platter.

Meanwhile, the rye used in Lake Bartężek comes from northern Poland’s Mazury lake district, which is known for its clear, glacial lakes. The region’s long winters and cold Baltic winds stress the rye as it spends an average of 80 days in the snow.

The climate, along with the region’s phosphorus-laden soils, allow distillers to produce an elegant and delicate vodka. Lake Bartężek presents drinkers with flavors comprised of floral notes,

“We’ve always championed that vodka has taste, character, and complexity, and this series is further evidence of the approach to vodka that defines Belvedere.” grassy characteristics, and hints of black pepper, spearmint, toasted nuts, and cream. The flavors meld together in a way that’s perfect for pairing with dishes such as shrimp toast, roasted cauliflower, arugula salad with goat cheese.

Vodka-loving countries such as Poland and Russia are known for pairing their beloved spirit with food. Now, with Belvedere’s Single Estate Rye vodkas, it’s apparent that people in America and beyond can share in that tradition.

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sake

ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

BUZZ WORTHY

FOOD PAIRING WITH

By Colleen Thompson

Sake is an astonishingly complex and versatile spirit that complements food in much the same way wine does. No longer bound

by geography or culinary traditions, sake pairs well with both food and cocktails.

Just like wine, there’s a diverse range of sakes—from acidic, creamy kimoto and yamahai styles to delicately fragrant namazake to smoky, aged koshu styles.

Now more than ever, sake has the potential to pair with a variety of cuisines.

To help us get more insight into pairing food with sake, we enlisted a pro: Miho Komatsu-Welpe, sake sommelier and Akashi-Tai sake global brand ambassador.

“If there’s rice on the plate, then there should be rice in the glass,” advises Komatsu-Welpe. As with wine, the elements of flavor, acidity, and even texture come into play when tasting and pairing food with sake.

“Texture is a major differentiating factor in sake, and there can be many reasons why it varies, from the style of sake to the rice variety used,” says KomatsuWelpe. “Akashi-Tai’s Gohyakumangoku rice (smooth, clean, and slightly fragrant) offers a lighter style than the Yamada

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Nishki rice (the so-called ‘king of sake’ rice), and therefore it works with different types of food. Tasting sake involves a slight palate recalibration.”

With wine, yeast converts sugar into alcohol and fermentation ends when all the sugar has been converted to alcohol. With sake, it’s the starch in the rice that is converted into alcohol, and the fermentation ends when the master brewer decides it should end. There’s a tendency to have more of a medium-dry to medium finish, and sake overall has a lower acidity compared to wine, with no tannins.

When it comes to mixing sake with cocktails, sake opens up a multitude of flavors. For bartenders who have never worked with sake before, Komatsu-Welpe suggests using it instead of vermouth or for creating low-ABV cocktails. “Sake is gentle and mild and easy to introduce,” she says. “The umeshu (plum wine) works very well as a Highball. A Japanese Manhattan works well, too, using sake instead of vermouth and a Japaneseblended whisky.”

Food that is too spicy will overpower sake, but for the most part, sake works well with many foods.

Food that is too spicy will overpower sake, but for the most part, sake works well with many foods. “Nasi goreng is a firm favorite, but even more Western dishes—like beef stroganoff with rice—can work a treat with a creamy, rich, umami-laden junmai (a type of sake made from only rice, water, yeast, and koji),” says Komatsu-Welpe. It is that elusive fifth flavor—umami—that puts sake in a category all its own. Take it away and sake becomes lifeless; add too much of it and sake becomes honeyed.

“Umami is more evident in the junmai than in any of the other sake styles, although it is clearly present in the honjozo (sake that has a small amount of distilled alcohol added) sake as well,” notes KomatsuWelpe. “This is to be expected, as the rice is not milled as heavily; therefore, there are more components in the mix that might lead to umami character (protein and fat give it more umami). That’s why I referenced beef stroganoff above—with mushrooms and sour cream, it’s one of those surprisingly successful matches.”

Akashi Tai received a 93pt score from The Ultimate Wine Challenge for its Junmai Daiginjo Genshu.

Photo by Jenny Manger

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ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

DRINK WELL

CHEF LUDO LEFEBVRE’S TASTING MENU FEATURING GREY GOOSE VODKA

By Colleen Thompson

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“WHEN I’M CREATING A NEW DISH, I ALWAYS GO BACK TO MY ROOTS AND THEN TRY TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO MAKE THE FOOD MORE INNOVATIVE OR EXCITING. SOME OF THE BEST COCKTAILS I’VE HAD HAVE BEEN REFRESHING TWISTS ON A CLASSIC.” Lauded French chef Ludo Lefebvre recently opened the doors to his fourth restaurant, located in Sherman Oaks, California. Petit Trois Le Valley is a classically styled, cozy French bistro with checkered black-andwhite tiled floors, a marble bar, and mirrored walls. It’s exactly the kind of place Lefebvre envisioned, where friends and family could gather for good food and conversation.

“I couldn’t be happier with the response to it. It’s my largest restaurant yet, but it still has the feel of a cozy Parisian bistro. We offer an authentic French breakfast menu here, which is something exclusive to the Valley location,” says Lefebvre. “I love the relaxed nature of the restaurant because I wanted this to be a place where families can come and eat together. I live in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood myself, so when I come to Petit Trois Le Valley, it’s almost like I’m cooking at home.”

Known for his inventive, refined cooking, Lefebvre will be launching a tasting menu at Petit Trois in 2019 that incorporates the new Grey Goose La Vanille flavored vodka.

“Vanilla flavoring has made a huge resurgence in both food and cocktails as of late, and I can’t wait to experiment with it in the kitchen,” says Lefebvre. “I think people are starting to realize that it’s so much more than just a sweet dessert flavor and that it can also be used for more savory dishes and cocktails.

The tasting menu will reflect this and bring about a new appreciation for how vanilla can be used. I chose

Grey Goose La Vanille, in particular, because it’s made from the same vodka as Grey Goose original and has a bold vanilla flavor with no added sugar.”

Looking for flavors, textures, and aromas that enhanced and complemented his tasting menu, Lefebvre began experimenting with pairing cocktails with the food. “It’s different than wine pairings,” he admits. “I love pairing cocktails with food because you have more flexibility. With wine, you can’t change the flavors of what you’re drinking, but with cocktails, you have endless amounts of possibilities. I’ve been playing around with this for the tasting menu with Grey Goose La Vanille because I think it will really expand the vanilla flavor profile.”

Much like the food he creates, Lefebvre believes it’s critical to start off with the best possible ingredients, from the base of a cocktail to the finishing touches.

“I like working with Grey Goose not just because I’m French and it’s a French vodka, but because it’s made from just two simple ingredients: soft winter wheat from Picardy and fresh spring water from a well in Gensac-la-Pallue, located in the Cognac region,” he says. “When I’m creating a new dish, I always go back to my roots and then try to come up with a way to make the food more innovative or exciting. Some of the best cocktails I’ve had have been refreshing twists on a classic. Break the rules a little. People are drawn to out-of-the-box thinking, and cocktails can lend themselves to some dramatic flair. If it’s fun to create it, then people will usually have fun drinking it.”

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ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

DRINK WELL

THE ESPRESSO MARTINI London bartender Dick Bradsell created the Espresso Martini back in the early ‘80s as an answer to a request from a famous model. Bradsell was working at the Soho Brasserie when he created the original cocktail, consisted of Wyborowa Vodka, illy espresso, sugar syrup, Kahlúa, and Tia Maria. He shook it over ice, strained into a Martini glass, and garnished the drink with three espresso beans in a petal formation. Voilá! Bradsell went to the grave without ever revealing the model’s identity, but the drink became a classic across the globe for party animals. Chef Ludo Lefebvre recreates this classic cocktail using Grey Goose La Vanille Vodka, premium single origin espresso, coffee liqueur, and a pinch of salt.

GREY GOOSE LA VANILLE ESPRESSO MARTINI INGREDIENTS

1 ½ parts Grey Goose La Vanille Vodka 1 part single origin espresso ¾ parts premium coffee liqueur 1 pinch of salt Salted dark chocolate powder (for garnish) PREPARATION

Add all ingredients together to a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a Martini glass.

Garnish with salted dark chocolate powder.

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MARGARITA ROSALITA

THE CLASSIC TEQUILA COCKTAIL AND A FEISTY NEW SISTER

Destillaré artisanal potations add balance, flavor intensity and natural complexity to inventive cocktails. Destillaré Curaçao and Intense Pomegranate make magical refreshment in a perfect Margarita or Rosalita.

Copper Pot Distilled American Brandy Liqueurs.

Non-Chill Filtered. Honey Infused.

No Artificial Flavors or colors. No added sugar.

90 proof ~ 45% ABV

FOR THIRSTY IMAGINATIONS FIND THESE RECIPES AND MORE AT:

COPPERANDKINGS.COM/MIXOLOGY

ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

IN THE KNOW

MARTINI THE

CHARLIE PALMER, master chef and hospitality entrepreneur, has received critical acclaim throughout his celebrated career for his signature progressive American cuisine, bold and dynamic flavors, and unexpected combinations built on the foundation of classical French technique.

A frequent guest on NBC’s TodayShow, Palmer has authored six cookbooks and runs the open-action kitchen at Charlie Palmer at the Knick at The Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City.

A mainstay cocktail found on Palmer’s drinks menu is the time-honored Martini cocktail, served with an interesting story to tell. It seems that Martini di Arma di Taggia, John D. Rockefeller’s favorite bartender, invented the infamous tipple while working at The Knickerbocker Hotel bar in 1912.

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THE

KNICKERBOCKER MARTINI INGREDIENTS

2 oz. Tanqueray No. Ten Gin ¾ oz. Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth ¼ oz. Noilly Prat Sweet Vermouth 2 dashes citrus bitters 2 dashes orange bitters PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in a mixing tin with ice. Shake and strain into a Martini glass.

ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

BARTENDER’S CHOICE

Happy Birthday with a Cherry on Top

CELEBRATING 200 YEARS OF CHERRY HEERING Photos by Margaret Pattillo

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2018 marked an important occasion for legendary Danish liqueur brand Cherry Heering, as the venerable brand celebrated its 200th birthday.

Known for its deep cherry flavor and use of only natural ingredients, Cherry Heering has become an essential part of any bartender’s repertoire. Classics like the Blood and Sand and Singapore Sling would not exist without this liqueur. But Cherry Heering can also add a fruity note to standbys like the Old Fashioned or Manhattan, or balance out any new creation whipped up at today’s hottest bars.

Cherry Heering’s history is inextricably tied to the seafaring tradition of Scandinavia. In 1818, Peter F. Heering started producing a cherry cordial from a recipe that his boss’ wife had given him. He then opened his own shop in Copenhagen, selling the liqueur along with colonial goods. Ship captains took a shine to the cordial and brought it to the far corners of the globe. It also became a favorite of royal courts in Denmark and the United Kingdom, and to this day, the bottle bears the royal seal of Denmark.

Over the years, the secret recipe has never changed, always relying on all-natural ingredients starting with the prized Danish stevns cherry. Grown on the island of Zealand, the dark red stevns cherry is sweet, yet sour. These cherries are harvested in August and crushed along with the pits, which give the liqueur a hint of nuttiness. A base spirit, herbs, and spices are added to the

cherries, and then the liqueur is aged in oak barrels for three years.

In 2013, the annual Peter F. Heering Sling Awards were created to highlight recipes from bartenders around the world. Today, the event—now called the Peter F. Heering Classics—has evolved into a prestigious, worldwide competition showcasing creative uses of Cherry Heering. “The Peter F. Heering Classics have provided momentum for great new and classic Cherry Heering cocktails to be served around the world more than ever before,” says Mark de Witte, CEO of De Kuyper Royal Distillers, which purchased Cherry Heering in 2017.

This year, the first three stages of the competition pared the field down from hundreds of entrants to 10 finalists and 1 wild card winner, each of whom received personal coaching from a panel of industry judges before the grand finale in London. Each finalist presented his or her take on a “200 Years Celebration Cocktail” at the final during London Cocktail Week.

A jury led by legendary bartender Dale DeGroff and Simon Difford of the Difford’s Guide crowned this year’s winner Odd Strandbakken, from HIMKOK bar in Oslo, Norway. Strandbakken’s winning drink, the Pavoni, showcased Cherry Heering and fino sherry in equal parts, along with maraschino liqueur, Angostura di Amaro, and Angostura Orange Bitters.

PAVONI Winning cocktail of Cherry Heering competition INGREDIENTS

1 oz. Cherry Heering 1 oz. Fino Sherry ¼ oz. Marachino liqueur ¼ oz. Angostura di Amaro 4 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass.

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ADVANCED MIXOLOGY

BRAND SPOTLIGHT

CELEBRATING MOMENTS with NOLET’S Reserve Gin

By Michael Tulipan

Established in 1691, the Nolet Family Distillery is one of the oldest Dutch distilleries still in the hands of its founding family.

More than 325 years later, the tenth and eleventh generations are shepherding the company through the current Golden Age of Cocktails with two unique gins including the exquisite NOLET’S Reserve.

Nolet has a storied history that blends tradition, care, and innovation. Joannes Nolet founded the distillery in Schiedam, Holland, where it has persevered through many generations and two world wars. The Nolet Family Distillery continues to thrive today, while other distilleries in the surrounding area have closed.

In 1902, the eighth generation Joannes Nolet established a distillery in Baltimore, which operated with great success until Prohibition forced its closure. In 1983, the family finally returned to the United States when tenth generation owner Carolus Nolet, Sr. created Ketel One Vodka especially for the American market.

NOLET’S Finest Gins has two excellent variants: NOLET’S Silver and NOLET’S Reserve. Both gins start with 100% wheat neutral grain spirit, which undergoes a four-column distillation process.

Each botanical used is individually

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macerated and then distilled using a specially commissioned copper pot still. Only the heart of the distillate is kept. NOLET’S Silver features real botanicals of rose, peach, and raspberry.

NOLET’S Reserve is the personal creation of Carolus Sr., an innovative addition to the gin category thanks to the inclusion of saffron and verbena botanicals.

The resulting limited production gin is complex and unlike any other on the market.

Carolus Sr. calls NOLET’S Reserve, “a gin of unprecedented excellence that builds on our family’s rich history.” To maintain the highest standards, he personally tastes and approves every batch. The gin is highly allocated and only a limited amount is released each year, with every bottle individually hand-numbered and packaged in a gift box.

Bottled at 52.3% ABV, NOLET’S Reserve is meant to be sipped on its own and savored. Carolus Sr. says, “The Reserve is a gin for celebrating moments, whether that entails reflecting on one’s day, relaxing by the fire, or simply taking a well-deserved break.”

Discover more at NOLETSGIN.COM

Switch to the Witch IMPORTED BY SHAW-ROSS INTERNATIONAL IMPORTERS, MIRAMAR, FLORIDA. WWW.SHAW-ROSS.COM. DRINK RESPONSIBLY

SHAKING AND STIRRING

LAUNCHES

PATRÓN ESTATE RELEASE This limited edition of Patrón employs 100% Weber Blue agave, harvested and cultivated on the grounds of Hacienda Patrón, rather than the various farms throughout the Jalisco Highlands. Herbal and citrus notes play well together in this 84 proof, blanco tequila, which is well-suited to a variety of cocktails.

AULTMORE 21 YEAR OLD WHISKY Originally sold in travel retail, the Aultmore 21 Year Old is now available to the public at large.

Matured in refill Hogshead, Aultmore 21 Year Old is unpeated with a smooth, fruity taste from the heather and gorse-filtered waters of the Foggie Moss. Flavors include honey, almonds, and sweet fruit.

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE The second edition in a series of special releases, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare Port Ellen is blended with “ghost whiskies” from defunct Scotch whisky distilleries, as well as five, extremely rare malts.

The focus is on the whisky from the lauded, but long-since closed, island distillery of Port Ellen.

SUNSET CAIPIRINHA

NEAT OR ON THE ROCKS

NEAT OR ON THE ROCKS

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. Patrón Estate Release ¾ oz. Patrón Citrónge Pineapple ½ oz. grapefruit shrub (such as Liber & Co Texas Grapefruit Shrub) ¼ oz. simple syrup Key lime, quartered PREPARATION

In the bottom of a mixing tin, muddle lime wedges with simple syrup. Add spirits and shrub, then shake with ice to chill and combine. Pour contents into a rocks glass and serve.

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2 oz. Aultmore 21 Year Old Ice (optional)

2 oz. Johnnie Walker Blue Ice (optional)

PREPARATION

PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass.

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass.

MEZCALES DE LEYENDA LIMITED EDITION CUIXE, OAXACAN MEZCAL This limited edition of Mezcales de Leyenda showcases the terroir of Oaxaca. USDA organic and Fair Trade Certified, Leyenda’s newest expression focuses on a subvariety of the Karwinskii agave plant called cuixe. Distinct among agave plants, cuixe produces a smooth, smoky mezcal with notes of honey, apple, pine, and clove.

RED SPOT SINGLE POT STILL IRISH WHISKEY Arriving in the United States in March 2019, Red Spot emphasizes spice.

This whiskey is crafted using an old recipe from the Mitchell & Son family of wine merchants, who created the original “Spot” family of whiskeys in the early 1900s. This new Red Spot is triple distilled, then matured for a minimum of 15 years in preseasoned bourbon, Oloroso sherry, and Marsala casks.

SILENT POOL GIN This new London Dry-style gin hails from the English countryside. With 24 botanicals, Silent Pool Gin is complex and balanced. Floral and citrus notes call to mind the rural beauty and scents of the landscape from where the gin hails. Notes of Cassia bark and cubeb pepper ground the spirit, and local honey contributes smoothness.

NEAT OR ON THE ROCKS

NEAT OR ON THE ROCKS

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. Mezcales de Leyenda Ice (optional) PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass.

2 oz. Red Spot Pot Still Irish Whiskey Ice (optional) PREPARATION

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass.

SILENT POOL GIN & TONIC 2 oz. Silent Pool Gin Splash tonic water Orange peel (for garnish) PREPARATION

Combine gin and tonic in an ice-filled copa de balon or highball glass. Stir.

Express the oils from the orange peel and drop in glass.

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Jointly organized with

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Our first issue of the New Year is always a time to reflect on what’s happened in the industry over the past year and to predict what will be leading the charge as we start a new one.

In 2018, we’ve seen restaurants and bars step up their experience factor, launching new concepts in the culinary and drinking world—doing whatever it takes to enhance a guest’s night out. From mindful mixing and creative cocktailing to behind-the-bar sustainability, from supporting good causes to embracing global cocktail culture, the hospitality industry shapes what we find entertaining.

In this issue we check out these concepts, including the fun of pairing various foods with cocktails, French trends, and the latest happenings in cocktail culture—plus we profile some of our favorite brands we’ve reported on throughout the year. In addition, special coverage asks bartenders about their competition experiences and how they have enhanced their careers.

Our cover story spotlights one of last year’s hottest industry trends—rosé wine—with a taste of Jesse Bongiovi and Jon Bon Jovi’s Hampton Water, and since “we’ve gotta hold on to what we’ve got,” it’s the perfect way to transition from last year into the next.

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Perfect for any occasion, Hampton Water Wine is the result of a collaboration between rock legend Jon Bon Jovi, his son, Jesse Bongiovi, and renowned French winemaker GĂŠrard Bertrand.

Dive into

Hampton Water

By Mathew Powers | Photos by Doron Gild

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Jesse, a former Notre Dame football player, explained the whimsical inspiration for the name: “We have always called rosé the water of the Hamptons.”

More importantly, though, he added, “The Hamptons has always been a special place for us—it’s where we go as a family to slow down from our busy lives and just spend time together. We call it ‘the exhale.’”

He added, “Essentially, we wanted to bottle up that feeling of enjoying life and making memories with the people you love most. We hope people share that same sentiment when they sip a nice glass of Hampton Water.”

Although the father and son team explored rosés from all over the world, they kept coming back to their favorite: the French rosé. And so, they turned to an acclaimed winemaker from the South of France.

“We were introduced to Gérard Bertrand, and we quickly bonded over our shared vision.” Jesse explained.

Bertrand is known for creating wine that exudes the terroir of the South of France. The Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grapes used in Hampton Water are all grown in the French Mediterranean region.

Aging occurs for 30 to 45 days, and then 20% of the product spends 20 to 30 days resting in French oak, which is unique for a rosé.

It was equally important to Jesse and his father that the quality of the bottle design match the product.

“The punt was made to look like a strawberry, which is one of the strongest tasting notes you get,” says Jesse.

And, in keeping in line with the easy-going nature of

Hampton Water, Jesse noted, “The glass stopper was also important to us because it doesn’t require a wine key, so you can take it to enjoy at the beach or the pool.”

The label also includes an invitation that Jesse wrote that simply states, “Dearest friend.” He explained, “It’s something I wrote to welcome people to the bottle and to share in the experience that is Hampton Water.”

“It has been amazing getting the chance to work alongside my dad for the first time. It’s truly been a master class in starting and operating a business.

Without him, we certainly wouldn’t have had the chance to experience the success we’ve had so far.”

— JESSE BONGIOVI

Given the wine’s strong sales and critical praise, it’s clear many have happily accepted the invitation.

While wine fans can create memories with family and friends over a glass of Hampton Water, Jon and Jesse are fortunate enough to share in the enjoyment of working together.

“It has been amazing getting the chance to work alongside my dad for the first time,” said Jesse. “It’s truly been a master class in starting and operating a business. Without him, we certainly wouldn’t have had the chance to experience the success we’ve had so far.”

To which Bon Jovi added, “When you’re in a band, you always say it’s like a family. But when you’re really working with your family, it’s totally different. We walk into meetings together, and I go, ‘Wow, it’s Mini-Me.’ He’s thinking the way I’m thinking. It’s been a dream.”

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A Long History of

FRENCH KNOW-HOW AND INNOVATION

By Michael Tulipan | Photos courtesy of Marie Brizard

These days, it’s easy to forget that liqueurs and cordials were originally created for medicinal reasons.

The first liqueurs created back in the Middle Age, when Arnaud de Villeneuve, dean of University of Medicine in Montpellier, composed few herbal and medicinal wines. He also popularized alcohol distillation, thanks to the still, allowing him to create real liqueurs. As such, the liqueurs we are familiar with today were born and France became home to some of the world’s bestknown brands.

Born in Bordeaux in 1714, Marie Brizard was a pioneering female distiller who partnered with Jean-Baptiste Roger to create the company in 1755. Their signature offering was an Anisette from a recipe that she worked on for almost ten years. Ships returning from the New World were arriving in Bordeaux harbor, and she took inspiration from the exotic new ingredients they carried.

Green anise, the base of the recipe, was complemented with ten other herbs, spices, roots, and citrus fruits, giving the complexity and richness of this unique liqueur.

Centuries of French know-how goes into each liqueur from Marie Brizard, a brand whose heritage is built on refined liqueurs that were developed by its founder almost three centuries ago.

Marie Brizard created the first two orange-based liqueurs in the world. First, Finesse Orange, a blend of quality ingredients including sweet oranges from Spain and bitter oranges from Haiti, combined with

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Centuries of French know-how goes into each liqueur from Marie Brizard, a brand whose heritage is built on refined liqueurs that were developed by its founder almost three centuries ago. the elegance of Gautier Cognac (awarded world’s best Cognac) and the power of French rum. Second, Parfait Amour, a subtle blend of sweet orange spirits from Spain enhanced by gourmet notes brought by an infusion of vanilla from Madagascar. A fresh and delicate finish sublimated by a touch of neroli.

Some of the recipes used today are Marie Brizard’s originals. Marie Brizard’s recipe has been handed down over the centuries, and today the House’s master liquerist is the protector of her secrets. The core of the house portfolio is the heroes’ range of Anisette, Apry, Chocolat Royal, Finesse Orange, Jolie Cherry, and Parfait Amour. These products comprise the oldest and most complete recipes combining infusions and noble alcohols like Cognac Gautier and French rum. The house also produces a wide range of other products, including Triple Sec, Cassis, Blue Curaçao, syrups, and essences to enhance any bartenders’ cocktail program.

Although Marie Brizard has a long tradition dating back to the 18th century, its products make for an ideal component in today’s cocktails. One example is the use of Marie Brizard Orange Curaçao in the Brandy Crusta, originally the signature cocktail of New Orleans, predating the Sazerac. This emblematic recipe is the forerunner of the modern Sidecar, the Margarita, and the Cosmopolitan.

Marie Brizard continues to enjoy the support of bartenders around the globe and has built a presence in many of the World’s best bars. The company continues to win awards at the San Francisco Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition, showcasing its dedication to highquality ingredients and long heritage of innovation.

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CHARTREUSE THE ELIXIR OF LONG LIFE

By Colleen Thompson It might possibly be the most fascinating liqueur in the world. It’s shrouded in mystery and made according to an ancient, highly secretive recipe by white-cloaked Carthusian monks living behind the walls of a 900-yearold monastery, high up in the French Alps.

We’re talking, of course, about Chartreuse.

Powerful and unique, the bright-green Chartreuse liqueur was the tipple of choice for Hunter S. Thompson and Charles de Gaulle. It’s been featured in Evelyn Waugh’s novel Brideshead Revisited and the Quentin Tarantino movie Death Proof, and extolled

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in songs by Tom Waits and ZZ Top. It’s the star ingredient in the classic, pre-Prohibition cocktail The Last Word, and Queen Elizabeth is known to love champagne and Chartreuse cocktails.

The liqueur is a complex blend of 130 herbs and plants blended together by the only two monks who know the exact identity of the concoction. They are also the only ones who know which plants to macerate to produce the natural green and yellow colors (the only two varieties produced), and they alone supervise the

slow aging in oak casks. Both varieties obtain their signature color naturally through their ingredients. Unlike other green and yellow liqueurs, no artificial ingredients or colors are added; only a small amount of sugar for sweetness.

Chartreuse is an exceptionally complex drink: slightly sweet, extremely wellbalanced, herbaceous, spicy, and fiery, and unlike most liqueurs, it changes and improves in the bottle.

The original recipe for Chartreuse was given to the Carthusian monks in 1605

by François Annibal d’Estrées, an army officer of Henry IV. It was supposedly an “elixir of long life” that was taken as a tonic. The ownership structure of the Chartreuse distillery is one of a kind. It’s the result of the monastery’s turbulent 20th-century history, when an anticlerical government expelled the monks in 1903. The government attempted to make the liqueur, but eventually went bankrupt and passed it on to a group of wealthy Catholic families in the Grenoble area. During World War II, the Vichy government allowed the monks to return, and the families gave them back the distillery, but retained legal ownership. Since then, the families have never taken a dividend, handing over all the profits to the monks.

The 460 members of the Carthusian order are the strictest contemplative Roman Catholic order and live in 24 monasteries around the world. They depend almost entirely on the revenue that the monks of Grande Chartreuse receive from sale of their bright-green liqueur. Grande Chartreuse is the head monastery located in the Chartreuse Mountains north of Grenoble, in the commune of Saint-Pierre-deChartreuse, France. The life of a monk has always been contradictory to the rest of the world, as monks spend their days mostly in silence and solitude, engaged in prayer and exploration of their inner lives. They gather daily and communally for prayer and the necessary chores that keep the monastery operational, and one of those chores just happens to be producing one of the most famous spirits in the world.

MUST-MIX THE LIQUEUR IS A COMPLEX BLEND OF 130 HERBS AND PLANTS BLENDED TOGETHER

BY THE ONLY TWO MONKS WHO KNOW THE EXACT IDENTITY OF THE CONCOCTION.

The Last Word is originally a preProhibition cocktail, apparently created at the Detroit Athletic Club, and is seeing a total revival in bars around the globe.

With a balance of just four ingredients in equal parts—gin, Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice—it’s no wonder that this elegant, old-fashioned cocktail is back on menus.

THE LAST WORD COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS

1 oz. gin 1 oz. Green Chartreuse 1 oz. maraschino liqueur 1 oz. fresh lime juice Lime twist (for garnish) PREPARATION

Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lime twist.

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Eric Van Beek, head bartender of Amsterdam’s Bar TwentySeven and winner of the Bacardí Legacy Global Cocktail Competition 2018

Devin Kennedy, Lustau Solera Standout Competition Winner

How Competitions Advance Bartending Careers

By Nicholas Mancall-Bitel

Bartenders shouldn’t go into a bartending competition expecting to do their best work.

A competition stage without the usual mise en place, glassware, crowd, or conditions is no place to create a masterpiece cocktail.

Things get messy, glasses break, ingredients go missing, and drinks fall flat. Somewhere in all of that chaos, hyperbole, and exhibitionism is a genuine career opportunity.

Sure, there’s a chance to win a bit of money and claim bragging rights, but competitions offer bartenders much more in terms of career advancement, from job offers and connections to education.

“Everyone who has an inkling of competing should do so,” says Jeff Bell, general manager of PDT in New York, who placed second

at the global Diageo World Class competition in 2013.

Global competitions like World Class and the Bacardí Legacy Global Cocktail Competition provide obvious opportunities for fame and recognition from industry peers, but they also supply an invaluable chance to establish personal connections with fellow bartenders. Bell says, “One of the most fun things about competitions especially World Class, because it’s so vast, [is that] you have the opportunity to build a network. You can build connections in 50 other countries.”

While worldwide competitions create a loose global network, smaller contests provide tighter, more immediate connections. The Balcones Bartender Challenge, from the Waco, Texas-based distillery, only accepts entries from Texasbased bartenders, acquainting competitors with contacts and resources nearby and introducing employers to qualified candidates close to home. George Kaiho, bar manager at Jettison in Dallas and runner-up at the 2018 Balcones Challenge, suggests that socializing is a sort of prize in itself. “Even if you don’t win a competition, meeting new people through competition is a great reward,” he says. “Brands are taking pride in their products and hosting the event and bartenders from different cities with great personality, skills, and passion.”

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Celeste Dittamo, bartender and owner of beverage catering service Whistle And Tins Haley Traub, bartender at Dutch Kills and Miss Speed Rack 2018

That network is especially strong at Speed Rack. According to cofounders Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero, “Speed Rack is about so much more than just the contest—it brings women together from all over the country and gives a platform for

cutthroat and no one will talk to each other and everyone will be giving the side eye,” Traub says, “but you show up and everyone’s so excited to help each other and lift each other up. Even though it’s this intense national competition, the

“ Even if you don’t win a competition, meeting new people through competition is a great reward.”

— GEORGE KAIHO, BAR MANAGER, JETTISON, DALLAS

up-and-coming female bartenders … Ultimately, we hope that each of our Speed Rack competitors leaves not only feeling proud of their accomplishments, but also with a whole new support network of fellow female leaders in the spirits industry.” That community orientation isn’t all talk. Miss Speed Rack 2018, Haley Traub of Dutch Kills Bar in Queens, New York, says she was totally unprepared for the outstanding support she received.

“You expect it’s going to be so

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women you’re competing against are so supportive.”

Madison Paras, bartender at Hancock Hotel in Ohio and winner of the 2018 Trumer Pils California Fresh Cocktail Competition, goes even further. “Failure is the only way you’ll win,” she insists.

Paras explains that competitions have revealed her weaknesses in addition to her strengths. While that sounds like a curse, it’s actually a blessing for aspiring bartenders

worried about their qualifications to compete. Paras adds, “Don’t hold back based on prior expectations of what ‘good’ is. Experience is irrelevant if you’re passionate.”

Eric Van Beek, head bartender of Amsterdam’s Bar TwentySeven and winner of the 2018 Bacardí Legacy Cocktail competition, noticed a clear difference in his performance at the contest over two years competing. “The first go-around, I learned how to present better,” he says. “My presentation was good, but it was a little too much; it wasn’t as poised and polished.”

After establishing their credentials with recipe submissions, Legacy competitors must create a promotional marketing campaign around their bid for world champion. On his second pass,

Lustau Solera Standout Competition Finalists

Van Beek says, he developed his skills as a salesman and an industry networker. He says, “The second time, it taught me the marketing side; how to strategize, approach companies, collaborate, reach out to other bars to help them help me, do guest shifts, get my drink listed, and help others.”

To really succeed in your first competition, that education has to begin before you enter.

Experienced competitors have one common piece of advice: Do your research. Van Beek puts it simply: “If you join a competition, focus on one and prepare for one. If you join several competitions and try to focus a little on each one, you’re not going to do as well in all of them.

Pick a competition that speaks the most to you.”

Lustau Solera Standout Competition Judges

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Art of The

Cocktail with

VAN GOGH VODKA

By Mathew Powers | Photos by Jeff Gentner/Getty Images, for Van Gogh Vodka

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Pablo Sanchez served up the winning cocktail, Almond Blossom, at the 2018 International Artist Day “The Art of The Cocktail” Competition with Van Gogh Vodka, presented by Chilled Magazine.

“I’m honored. I considered it a long shot. To have won is exhilarating,” comments Sanchez.

Along with the $2,500 grand prize, Sanchez becomes the brand’s “BARtist in Residence,” and his recipe will be featured in the annual Van Gogh Vodka recipe book. In addition, Van Gogh Vodka will be donating $1,000 to the Marion Cultural Alliance (Applaud the Arts) in Pablo’s name.

Sanchez, a bartender at La Cuisine in Ocala, Florida, drew inspiration for the drink from Vincent Van Gogh’s 1890 Almond Blossom painting.

“To understand my cocktail, it is important to understand Van Gogh’s inspiration for his painting,” he explains. It started with a trip to the South of France in March of 1888, when the fruit trees were about to bloom. “Van Gogh was so taken by their beauty that he completed 14 paintings of blossoming fruit trees within a month. The blossoming trees represented awakening, hope, and rebirth.”

Van Gogh also collected Japanese woodblock prints, notably from the genre ukiyo-e (which means “floating world”) and, to Van Gogh, represented the search for serenity.

Finally, in 1890, Van Gogh received word that his brother recently had a son, which served as the final inspiration for the painting.

The winning cocktail consisted of rich almond nuttiness paired with the bright, vegetal aromatics of a flower blossom. “It was integral that I pay tribute to the Japanese inspiration for Van Gogh’s style,” Sanchez says. “I wanted to keep it bright, light, and cheerful.”

Sly Cosmopoulos, National Distributing

“It was integral that I pay tribute to the Japanese inspiration for Van Gogh’s style. I wanted to keep it bright, light, and cheerful.”

corporate mixologist and competition judge, says about the winning drink: “Pablo’s Almond Blossom cocktail was perfectly balanced and left your palate wanting more. No one flavor dominated the other.”

In addition to enjoying the Almond Blossom and cocktails from the other competition finalists, guests gazed upon the artwork of fifthgeneration Charleston artist Stephen Elliott Webb. Inspired by the expressions offered by the Van Gogh Vodka brand, Webb created Abstract Expressions, a freestanding piece composed of alcohol inks, acrylic inks, and latex

paint on Plexiglass. “With sixteen different approaches to the creation of flavor and sensations, I had no shortage of input through colors and tastes to bring out the best in me while creating this work of art,” explains Webb. “I thrive off of the strong visuals that Van Gogh Vodka has put forth. It is an endless supply of stimulation.”

Jason Schladenhauffen, president and CEO of 375 Park Avenue Spirits (the importer of Van Gogh Vodka), states, “This competition allowed us to honor our namesake, Vincent Van Gogh, while paying homage to both the art community as well as these ‘new-age’ BARtists.”

ALMOND BLOSSOM INGREDIENTS

2 oz. Van Gogh Vodka ½ oz. matcha tea ½ oz. lemon juice ½ oz. orgeat syrup 2 dashes black walnut bitters 3 drops orange blossom water Edible blossom (for garnish) PREPARATION

Mix ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.

Shake and strain into stemmed glass over crushed ice. Garnish with edible flower.

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A Glance into the

SOLERA SYSTEM

By Michael Tulipan

IN

Jerez, the Solera system is king, and category leader Lustau adheres closely to this system, using it to produce a consistently excellent line of sherries. But what exactly is the Solera system, and how does it help you wind up with such delicious sherry?

When you stand in front of a stack of sherry casks (known in Spain as “botas”), you are looking at one of the most unique ways in the world to blend wine. The goal for any bodega is to maintain quality and continuity as the blend is built, the barrels are refilled, and the cycle repeats itself again and again over the years. This means that while the sherry has a consistent style, it’s impossible to know its exact age since it’s blend of many different harvests.

The process starts with the bottom layer, known as the Solera, which translates to “on the ground” in Spanish. This layer contains the oldest sherry, which is a blend of all the barrels above it. After the wine is extracted for bottling, this line of botas is refilled from the cask in the row on top of it, known as the first criadera. That cask is refilled with wine from the row above it, known as the second criadera. This continues until the top cask, which is refilled

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with the youngest wine. The young wine provides nutrients that help sustain the flor and is introduced beneath this layer of yeast so as not to disturb it. At each interval, the cellar team never extracts more than one-third of a bota’s contents (and often much less).

The botas use only old wood, because new wood contributes excessive tannins and aromas.

Lustau Cellar Master Sergio Martínez says, “Ideally, seasoned casks are used, as these give many different nuances depending on the wine inside the wood.” Lustau generally uses oak and occasionally chestnut for the barrels, which usually hold between 500 to 600 liters, about double the size of a standard wine barrel. Larger barrels mean the liquid has less contact with the wood and also allows for more oxidation.

Lustau also uses the Solera system for its brandies. Martínez says, “It is the commonality for both the fortified wine and the distilled spirits, sherry and brandy—they share an aging method so distinct and renowned to the Jerez region in Spain.” And the company’s sherries are also the base for its recently launched line of Vermuts, showing that the Solera system can also yield innovative new products.

LUSTAU SOLERA STAND OUT COMPETITION The house of Lustau recently announced its winner of the Lustau Solera Standout 2018 Cocktail Competition.

Congratulations to Devin Kennedy with his The Rule of Three cocktail!

We asked Devin how competitions have helped shape his experience as a professional bartender. Here’s what he had to say:: “Competitions have advanced my career by expanding my network with talented bartenders across the world. You can start to learn techniques and different things bartenders are doing outside of your region. That’s truly the best part. My advice for bartenders wanting to enter a competition would be that the presentation is a big part of competing. And how do you get ready for a big speech, pitch, or recital? You rehearse. I find it helps shake the nerves off when you get in front of random judges and crowds.”

WINNING COCKTAIL

THE RULE OF THREE INGREDIENTS

1 oz. Mahรณn Gin 1 oz. Lustau Palo Cortado Peninsula Sherry 1 oz. Lustau Blanco Vermut 3 drops pink peppercorn tincture* Grapefruit twist (for garnish) PREPARATION

Express a grapefruit twist into a mixing glass and throw it in the glass. Combine all ingredients and stir until proper dilution for an up drink; strain into coupe. *Pink peppercorn tincture: Steep 10 grams of pink peppercorns in 16 oz. high-proof neutral spirit (such as Everclear) for a day. Strain out peppercorns into a dropper bottle.

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RECIPES MICHELIN STAR CHEF GRANT ACHATZ AND NICK KOKONAS, CO-CREATORS AND MASTERMINDS BEHIND CHICAGO’S ALINEA (WHICH TRIPADVISOR NAMED THE NUMBER ONE FINE DINING RESTAURANT IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2016), HAVE TEAMED UP WITH CALIFORNIA-BASED ARTIST DUO ALLEN AND SARAH HEMBERGER TO PUBLISH AN EXTRAORDINARY COCKTAIL BOOK CALLED THE AVIARY. VISIT THEAVIARYBOOK.COM FOR COMPLETE RECIPES Photos courtesy of The Alinea Group

SUPPORT SQUAD INGREDIENTS 1 1⁄2 oz. Casa Magdalena Rum 1 ⁄2 oz. Carpano Bianco 1 ⁄2 oz. fennel-honey syrup* 1 ⁄2 oz. Krogstad Festlig Aquavit 1 ⁄2 oz. Alvear Pale Cream Sherry 3 ⁄4 oz. clarified lime juice 1 ⁄4 oz. simple syrup 2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters

PREPARATION Place two Concord grape and bergamot ice cubes into stemless wine glass. Separately, combine batch, simple syrup, and clarified lime juice with ice in cocktail shaker.

Throw cocktail until aerated, chilled, and diluted, then double-strain into glass over ice.

Concord grape and bergamot ice cubes: Combine 440g Concord grape juice, 3g citric acid, 20g sugar, 140g Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, and 75g verjus rouge in medium bowl, whisking to dissolve sugar and acid. Strain through chinois.

Fill 1.25-inch square ice mold with mixture. Freeze until completely solid. Reserve.

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GREEN THUMB INGREDIENTS 3 ⁄4 oz Brugal Rum 3 ⁄4 oz St. George Botanivore Gin 1 ⁄2 oz Green Chartreuse 1 ⁄4 oz Amontillado Sherry 3 ⁄4 oz sugar snap pea syrup* 1 ⁄2 oz lime juice Pea shoots Olive oil PREPARATION *Sugar snap pea syrup: Strain sugar snap pea juice through chinois.

Combine sugar and sugar snap pea juice in blender. Blend on high speed until sugar is completely dissolved. Transfer to squeeze bottle and reserve in refrigerator. Barbecue Aroma: Grill 200g hot dogs on a barbecue until blackened. Combine hot dogs and 400g neutral grain spirit in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Place mixture into vacuum bag and seal at highest setting. Cook en sous vide at 80°C (175°F) for 1 hour. Transfer bag to large bowl of ice water to cool completely. Strain mixture through chinois, then through a coffee filter. Fill atomizer with mixture. Reserve. Combine all ingredients in spice grinder and grind to fine powder. Reserve in airtight container.

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ON A WIRE INGREDIENTS 2 oz. spiced cider* 1 1⁄2 oz. Jean-Luc Pasquet Coeur de Grande Champagne Cognac 3 ⁄4 oz. graham cracker syrup** 1 ⁄2 oz. Bonal Gentiane-Quina Apéritif 1 ⁄4 oz. Bénédictine 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters PREPARATION Combine all ingredients in medium bowl, stirring to combine. Transfer to small carafe. Reserve in refrigerator to chill thoroughly. *Spiced cider: In medium saucepan, toast 12.5g cinnamon sticks, 2.5g star anise, 2g nutmeg, 3 whole allspice (coarsely crushed) and 1 whole clove (coarsely crushed) over medium heat until very fragrant. Add 716g apple cider and 1/2 vanilla bean (split and scraped), increase heat, and bring to boil.

Remove from heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain through chinois.

Transfer to glass bottle and reserve.

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ELVIS PARSLEY INGREDIENTS 1 1⁄4 oz. Compass Box Orangerie 1 1⁄4 oz. Lustau Península Palo Cortado Sherry 1 ⁄2 oz. Lustau San Emilio Pedro Ximénez Sherry 1 ⁄2 oz. Bigallet China-China Amer Liqueur 1 ⁄2 oz. Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth 5 drops coriander tincture* 2 drops parsley tincture** 2 drops smoked salt solution***

PREPARATION Combine all ingredients in cocktail mixing glass, stirring to mix thoroughly. Transfer mixture to small flask. Reserve at room temperature. Place inside of a hollowed-out cocktail book and hide in the bar. Pour 1/2 oz. parsley tincture into medium rocks glass with one ice cube, swirling to coat interior of glass and chill slightly; discard.

Place large ice cube into glass. Invite guest to add cocktail portion from flask, and swirl ice to chill.

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HOTSPOT

SPOTLIGHT

Sofitel New York

By Bryen Dunn

FASHIONABLE FRENCH FLAIR

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C

onveniently located near Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Broadway Theater District, and other world-famous attractions, the Sofitel New York offers a piece of modern sophisticated elegance smack dab in the middle of midtown Manhattan for both travelers and locals.

Patrons to the hotel’s Gaby Bar can enter via a separate entrance on West 45th Street through large, 1920s-style bronze doors. The centerpiece of the space is a beautiful, mahogany bar topped with dark-green marble, watched over by a portrait of Gaby herself, a Parisian model who found her milieu in 1920s New York. The 40-seat lounge offers classic and creative cocktails such as Bourbon Smash and Candy Rush; fine wines available by the bottle, glass, or flights of three; champagnes, and world-class cognacs. A casual menu of pub favorites, sandwiches and small plates includes items such as tuna and quinoa niçoise, chicken club, pan-fried chorizo, truffle fries, flatbreads, hummus, fried oysters, charcuterie, and a selection of cheeses.

Further in, guests can enjoy a unique dining experience with a French flair at Gaby Brasserie Française. The walls are accented with theatrical posters from silent movies, and the room’s black marble flooring, warm colors, and stylish décor set the tone for a sophisticated experience.

Among the special menus are half-hour business lunches served in Bento Boxes for executives on the go and pretheater menus for patrons catching a Broadway show nearby.

Using locally sourced, fresh, and seasonal ingredients, Executive Chef Robert Hohmann creates menus inspired by both French and American cuisine. Main dishes include Colorado lamb chops, striped bass with Manila clams and chorizo, day boat scallops, and a vegetable tasting. Among the appetizers are burrata with serrano ham, grilled octopus salad, and foie gras au torchon.

Scrumptious sandwiches include the Gaby Burger (ground waygu beef with Camembert cheese), lobster roll, and croque monsieur. Daily specials range from whole roasted snapper to Colorado lamb shank. A selection of desserts and local artisanal cheeses are also available.

The hotel has a partnership with Broadway.com that allows guests to purchase tickets directly from the hotel website. Gaby welcomes its Broadway neighbors daily and is the perfect place for theatergoers to curb excitement before a big show, unwind while recapping favorite scenes and story lines, or plan their next Broadway adventure. Add a room with a view of the city skyline and pre- or post-theater dinner at Gaby Brasserie Française, and you’ve got a one-stop night in NYC that any Broadway fan would give a standing ovation!

Overnight guests can choose from one of nearly 400 stylish rooms and suites, which are a combination of 1930s French Art Deco and contemporary American spirit. Gaby Brasserie Française is open for breakfast through dinner daily.

Who is Gaby?

The story behind Gaby is what brings the space to life. In 1922, an 18-yearold Parisienne arrived in Manhattan and took the city by storm. Known only as Gaby in French fashion circles, she parlayed her position in Europe as the favorite model of famed couturier Paul Poiret, designer of the iconic flapper dress, into work as a lingerie model for New York’s Henri Bendel. Her success on the fashion pages soon led to Broadway roles in productions like Ziegfeld’s Ripples as well as several silent movies. Gaby’s love affair with New York continued for nearly a decade until she married and returned to France.

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LAST CALL

CHILLIN’ WITH

ARTURO DEL PUERTO ARTURO DEL PUERTO CAN BE SEEN STARRING ALONGSIDE JENNIFER GARNER AND JULIETTE LEWIS IN HBO’S COMEDY SERIES CAMPING, EXECUTIVELY PRODUCED BY LENA DUNHAM. Photo by The Riker Brothers Grooming by Thea Istenes

DRINKs.

Normally wine or beer, but if I’m going with liquor, nothing beats a good Gin & Tonic or a nice Scotch. Tequila is great, too, but dangerous. My favorite drinks are a nice glass of Rioja or a perfectly balanced Martini.

HOME BAR.

I don’t, but I’m thinking about it. If I did, it would be stocked with tequila, scotch, vodka, gin, and Aperol—I do love a good Aperol Spritz for Sunday brunch.

DOWNTIME.

Golf, golf, golf! I also love reading, writing, and hiking with my dog, Frankie.

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COOKING.

I love cooking. It gives me a chance to zen out.

I love making paella and Spanish omelets. I really enjoy cooking for other people—it makes me happy to see people enjoying good food.

E AC H D R O P O F H E N N E S SY X .O I S A N O DY S S E Y

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. Imported Cognac Hennessy ®, 40% Alc./Vol. (80˚). ©2018 Imported by Moët Hennessy USA, Inc., New York, NY. HENNESSY is a registered trademark.