Recently, I attended a Camus Cognac Luncheon in New York City that opened my eyes and palate to a whole new way of thinking when it comes to drinking Cognac. Most people think of Cognac as an after-dinner drink. And what might come to mind is an image of an older gentleman sitting in a leather chair by the fireside, cigar in one hand and a snifter of Cognac in the other. Well, move over, sir! “The times they are a changing”. Cognac sales are on the rise and it isn’t just the old timers that are buying. In addition to women, the millennials and gen xers are indulging themselves in Cognac. Not only are they drinking Cognac in traditional brandy snifters, but this versatile spirit is also being enjoyed in a tumbler glass with a cube or two of ice, in cocktails and with an assortment of food! In fact, I had the opportunity to taste an amazing Cognac cocktail at the luncheon. The Paper Plane cocktail, normally made with bourbon, was replaced with Camus VSOP Borderies. It was rich and elegant. And, it has inspired me to create and serve Cognac cocktails at my next gathering. The guest of honor at our luncheon was Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve, Single-Estate. Frédéric Dezauzier, Camus Global Ambassador who is also an International Spirits Expert and Master Blender, led us through the tasting and imparted fascinating information about Camus and Cognac. The Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve, Single-Estate is created exclusively using 100% organic grapes grown from one single Camus privately owned Borderies vineyard. Frédéric said, “The natural acidity preserves the wine and the fate of Cognac depends on the wine”. The Cognac is handcrafted from start to finish, including the bottling. The wines are distilled on the lees to extract the best flavor. Camus is the only Cognac house to work with small copper pot stills throughout the distillation process that helps to produce very aromatic Cognac. Frédéric poured the Cognac into special glasses that were carefully measured out for a total of three pours. The objective was to demonstrate the subtleties of aromas while increasing the levels in the glass. We were allowed to taste the Cognac on the third pour. The first pour showed aromas of spice, oak, cardamom and hints of orange. The second pour increased the level of cognac in the glass and added sweeter aromas and soft fruit. The third pour reached the shoulder of the glass (the widest part). Aromas intensified and we were finally allowed to taste the Cognac. My final assessment is that this Cognac is intensely aromatic with a range of spice, oak and fruit that segues onto the palate with a smooth and balanced blend of dried fruit, vanilla and floral notes. Truly magnificent! This is an artistically blended Cognac that is rich and decadent! The Cognac paired well with a variety of food that was served at the luncheon such as roasted beet salad, grilled oysters, duck confit, sautéed mushrooms and a lemon and almond tart. The packaging for Camus XO Borderies Family Reserve is beautiful. The bottle is reminiscent of a perfume bottle with a 100% copper label that pays tribute to the copper stills. The wood in the stopper pays tribute to the oak casks that the eaux-de-vie matures in. SRP: $199 If you didn’t have a chance to read my story on Camus Cognac written a few months ago, here is a quick catch-up. Jean-Baptiste Camus founded Camus in 1863 and it is the largest Cognac house that is still entirely family-owned. Today, Cyril Camus, fifth generation, heads the company. The family home is situated in the heart of Borderies cru which is the smallest of the AOC growth areas and is also the most coveted. Camus Cognac is the largest landowner in the Cognac Borderies cru. The Borderies cru is comprised of 4,000 hectares located on a plateau north of the Charente River. It is exposed to a maritime climate with a terroir of chalky soil containing clay and flint stones. The Cognacs produced from Borderies have distinct characteristics of a violet bouquet and a hint of nuts on the palate. If you would like to learn more about the Cognac region, its classification system and more reviews of Camus Cognac, please click on the link below to read my story. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2018/07/day-657-camus-cognac.html It’s time to start thinking outside the box when it comes to Cognac. Be adventurous and explore the flavorful options that Cognac can provide on your next pour! Happy autumn! Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com A few days ago I was invited to attend a Holiday Booze Bazaar featuring a collection of classic and vintage artisanal spirits presented by Domaine Select Wine & Spirits. As bartenders poured exotic cocktails, I walked around the room tasting some noteworthy “booze”. One of the eye openers for me was Mizu Shochu, handcrafted and single distilled by the Munemasa Shuzo Co. of Arita, Japan. I tasted both the traditional Japanese shochu made from two-rowed barley and black koji rice and the shochu made from rice and lemongrass. They are both single distilled and 70 proof. Although one might think they are tasting a form of sake when drinking shochu, there are significant differences between the two. Shochu is distilled whereas sake is fermented. Sake is made exclusively from rice and shochu can be made with barley, sweet potato, rice and many other ingredients. It is also interesting to note that shochu is the national spirit of Japan and outsells sake! The traditional Mizu Shochu is made with 67% barley and 33% black koji rice. Aromas of sweet cut grass, floral and melon segue onto the palate with a smooth texture of grains, vanilla and a hint of pepper. Lemongrass Shochu is made with 95% rice and white koji and 5% fresh organic lemongrass. The nose offers hints of lemon and floral. The taste is silky with citrus, herbs and a hint of vanilla. SRP $35-$40 Shochu is a great alternative to vodka and just as versatile. Drink it with one ice cube as recommended or be creative and mix it in a cocktail. I’m definitely adding Mizu Shochu to my bar inventory! Another great discovery was Don Papa Rum. Oh my! This is a premium-aged rum from Negros, Philippines. The best quality sugarcane is used, called noble cane. The juices are extracted in the old Negros sugar mills and then concentrated into molasses. The molasses is distilled and then the distillate is aged for a minimum of seven years. After that, the master blender creates his magic. This rum is very smooth and rich, with a soft amber color. Heady aromas of oranges, apricots and vanilla give way to coconut, marmalade, vanilla and caramel on the palate. This rum should be enjoyed “neat” and not wasted in a mixed drink. 80 proof Alcohol: 40% SRP: $38 I have included a close-up photo of the label. It is quite whimsical. Can you find all the hidden animals? It was a fun and educational event for me. I always love tasting new wines and spirits! Here is a slideshow of a few more noteworthy discoveries. Until next time!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com I recently received a gift from friends that visited Mexico. Knowing how much I like to sample wines and spirits, they brought back a bottle of Balurate Tequila Reposado Reserva Especial for me to try. “Baluarte means fortress. A baluarte is a stronghold that protects all that is valuable. It protects treasures.” Guillermon - Co founder And this is a treasure! Balurate tequila is made with 100% Tequilana Weber Azul. These blue agaves are grown at Los Altos de Jalisco. Only organic fertilizer is used along with environmentally friendly farming techniques. Once harvested, the agaves are baked in brick ovens for 24 hours. During the sugar extraction in the milling area, only treated water is used. Reposado means “rested” and this tequila is aged in American Oak for a minimum of two months, but usually up to nine months. The tequila is produced in very small batches and then personally numbered and hand tagged. The Baluarte Reposado Reserva Especial has a very pale yellow color with fruit, spice and vanilla aromas. This tequila is quite different from any other that I have yet to taste. The palate explodes with layers of tropical fruit, pepper and spice. It is beautifully balanced with a long finish that ends with more pepper and hints of herbs and caramel. I can’t imagine drinking this tequila any other way than “neat”. The flavors are so unique, it would be a shame to use it in a mixed drink. Proof: 80 Alcohol: 40% More wine reviews coming up this week! Have a peaceful Sunday! Cheers! Penina It’s Saint Patrick’s Day and what better way to celebrate than with a shot of Irish Whisky! Irish whiskey is made in Ireland. The word “whiskey” is Gaelic/Irish and means “water of life”. It is one of the earliest distilled spirits in Europe and probably the world, dating all the way back to the 12th century. Irish whiskey is noted for being smooth and sweet. Most Irish whiskey is distilled three times and rarely dried over burning peat, unlike most Scotch which is distilled twice and the malt is usually peated. Due to its smoothness, Irish whiskey is perfect for shots. It also lends great flavor to mixed cocktails and dessert drinks such as Irish coffee. If you’d like to read some interesting facts about St. Patrick’s Day, please check out my post from last year at: Day 439 - The WineKnitter http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/03/day-439.html May the luck of the Irish be with you! Cheers! Penina While cleaning kitchen cabinets the other day, I uncovered a bottle of Teton Glacier Potato Vodka that had been shoved all the way to the back of the cabinet and out of sight. I couldn’t determine how old it was, but the bottle was a beautiful decanter style with an impressive glass stopper that gave it a vintage look. Teton Glacier Potato Vodka is made in Rigby, Idaho, the heart of potato country. All ingredients are sourced from Idaho; the wellspring of high-mountain glacial water is blended with spirits distilled from volcanic soil-grown potatoes. As the label indicates, the vodka is “Crystal and Charcoal Filtered”. The bottle was sealed tight, but had been opened at some point in time. Not knowing the age of the bottle made it all the more difficult to determine if evaporation had taken place or if it was just that the vodka had been consumed. Eighty proof spirits contain a high alcohol content that helps to prevent the spirit from “turning” over time. Vodka is one of the more stable spirits that can be stored for a long time. However, once opened it will begin to very slowly evaporate and possibly start to lose flavor. Since this bottle was stored in a cool and dark place, light exposure was not a contributor to altering the flavor of the vodka. We had difficulty removing the cork from the bottle because it was jammed in tight. It took patience and a strong hand, but we were rewarded for our efforts. In keeping with the vintage theme, I poured the vodka into antique cut crystal glasses. We drank it straight and at room temperature. It had a clean scent with sweet overtones and a hint of yeast. The palate offered a subtle sweetness and nutty bite to it with a combination of bitter and sweet on the finish. There was no “burn” to this vodka; on the contrary… it was rather smooth. Finding this vodka was a treat and I will have a decanter to use when the vodka is gone!
80 proof Alcohol: 40% http://tgvodka.com Have a great weekend! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com A few days ago I went to a holiday luncheon. In addition to enjoying some good food and conversation, we played a game of “Dirty Santa” while sipping Cappuccinos and nibbling on dessert. I had my eye on a bottle of Tito’s Vodka and thanks to a few “steals”, I snagged it and brought the vodka home. It’s no secret that I love vodka and I’m very picky when it comes to choosing what brand to drink. Since I usually drink vodka straight up, there are a few criteria the vodka must pass before I imbibe. The vodka has to be clear, smooth and well balanced with hints of sweetness and grain. An oily texture is a bonus as well as a “neutral or very subtle” aroma. Overbearing and abrasive alcohol that causes a fire in one’s throat or nostrils is a no-no! Tito’s Handmade Vodka passed the test with flying colors! Tito’s is corn-based vodka that is distilled six times in old-fashioned pot stills at Texas’ first legal distillery, Fifth Generation distillery in Austin, Texas. They’ve been distilling vodka since 1997. Tito Beveridge is the founder and owner of Tito’s Handmade Vodka. He has a great story on his website that is worth reading. http://www.titosvodka.com Tito’s vodka has just a trace of sweetness on the nose. The palate offers a clean and silky mouth-feel with hints of toast and vanilla followed by just the right amount of oomph at the end. The bottle is a straightforward design and not as fancy as the etched vodka bottles one tends to find on the shelves, but don’t let that fool you. Tito’s vodka can certainly give the fancy bottles a run for their money! And, I love the holiday bag that Tito’s vodka comes in! Tito’s is great vodka to drink straight or in mixed cocktails. Tito’s Handmade Vodka definitely has Penina’s stamp of approval! Alcohol: 40% 80 Proof Price: $18-20 Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com
With Labor Day Weekend fast approaching, everyone is scrambling to lap up the last days of summer. Whether it is traveling by car, plane or the rails, we’re all trying to savor and hold on to summer just a little bit longer. I recently purchased a bottle of tequila to make margaritas for an “end of the summer” party. Prior to the festivities, I opened the bottle to have a little taste. My friend and I agreed that the tequila was so flavorful, that it might be a shame to mix it with anything else. Cabo Wabo Tequila Blanco uses 100% pure Weber Blue Agave to make their tequila. The agave is grown in the lowlands of Jalisco. They take the best of the piñas and chop them into very thick quarters which are then cooked in stainless steel autoclaves. A thicker cut of the distillate is taken giving the tequila a more intense agave flavor. Hence, the name “Cabo Wabo Thick Cut Tequila”. The tequila is double distilled and then immediately bottled in beautiful hand blown artisan bottles. The aromas of sweet fruit and flowers segued onto the palate mingled with an “earthiness”. Traces of vanilla and spice were present on the finish. We found the tequila to be quite smooth with a hint of oiliness. I have yet to try the tequila in a mixed drink, but I’ll be sure to let you know! Alcohol: 40% 80 proof Price: about $35 to $40 Mexican born Sammy Hager, legendary musician of Van Halen, founded Cabo in 1996. The company has since been sold, but Sammy’s name lingers on in association with Cabo. I will definitely have to try Cabo Wabo’s Reposado and Añejo tequila. http://www.cabowabo.com Have a great Sunday!
Cheers! Penina While perusing the shelves of a wine & spirit shop the other day, I stumbled across a bottle of vodka that intrigued me and I just had to buy it! I have tasted and reviewed many wines from New Zealand, but never their vodka. What drew my attention to this vodka is that it’s made with whey, which is rare. VDKA 6100 is made in Reporoa, located on the North Island of New Zealand. Fresh seasonal whey, sourced from grass-fed cow’s milk, is used and fermented with a rare strain of yeast imported from Ireland and now farmed in Reporoa. Due to the purity of the ingredients being whey and natural spring water, the vodka is only distilled three times. VDKA 6100 is backed by Robert De Niro and James Packer. The product was launched in early 2014. And according to VDKA 6100’s website, the name was chosen to reflect the distance between the birthplace of the brand in the USA and the source of the vodka in New Zealand, 6100 miles.
On the nose, the vodka is sweet with a hint of lemon and vanilla. The palate offers a very creamy mouth-feel with more vanilla, lemon and a touch of pepper. The creaminess fades on the finish with some spice and heat taking its place. This vodka is good served neat or in a cocktail. 80 proof Price: about $35.00 http://www.vdka6100.com Check out more vodka reviews on my website. Have a great Monday! Cheers! Penina In case you didn’t read my last post, it was about El Ron Prohibido Habanero rum from Mexico. In the post I explained the aging process using the traditional 12-year solera system. You might want to scroll down to the previous post and read about it prior to reading my tasting notes. We finally opened the bottle last night, which is reminiscent of a pirate’s jug of rum, except this bottle is all glass. The bottle has a very “old world” look to it that makes it very inviting. The best way to drink this rum is “straight”, otherwise the subtle flavors will be lost. The color is dark amber with a sweet aroma that reminded me of sherry and port. Dry fruits, prunes and vanilla were present on the nose followed by hints of raisin. The palate offered honey, plum, oak and raisins. The rum had a bittersweet finish of vanilla and espresso beans that lingered on the palate. Overall, I found the process of making the rum and its packaging more intriguing than the rum itself. Alcohol: 40% I have a busy week ahead, with my main goal of staying cool and hydrated! Have a great Monday! Cheers! Penina With the temps in the 90s this weekend, it has been less than conducive to imbibe anything but water to stay hydrated. Even the chilled Rosés, Chardonnays and Prosecco in my refrigerator are being ignored. My reviews will have to wait another day or so. A friend, who recently visited Mexico, brought back a gift for me to try. It is a bottle of El Ron Prohibido Habanero, (the forbidden rum). It is a blend of aged rums using the traditional 12-year solera system. Fermentation takes place in used raisin wine barrels prior to the “mosto” being distilled in column stills. The solera system is an aging process using new batches of rum mixed with older ones in a tiered or pyramid structure. The bottom tier is the solera, the eldest rum, which doesn’t leave the system. The rows above are the younger rums (criadera). It is an interesting process in which about only half of the rum is taken out of the bottom row at the end of a cycle and then the next row up is transferred down to the solera, creating a blend of characteristics that rapidly transfer to the younger rum. This process continues all the way to the top of the pyramid, where new product is added. I’m looking forward to tasting this rum very soon. And hopefully the next photo won’t be of an empty glass! Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina |
Categories
All
|