Posts from the Spirits Category at Luxist

Zyr Vodka Dinner at Wild Thyme

Posted May 3rd 2008 12:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Dining, Spirits, Events

I've been to plenty of wine pairing dinners but what about a dinner based around vodka. The Zyr Vodka Maker dinner at WIld Thyme in Southampton, NY on May 16 offers an entire meal that uses the vodka infused with a variety of flavors. It starts with hors d'oeuvres paired with a classic martini; followed by a martini of scallop ceviche paired with cilantro and jalapeno infused Zyr; curry seared Ahi tuna with a cucumber peanut relish with is paired with a peanut infused Zyr; American red snapper with white asparagus spears, brown butter and pistachio paired with Zyr infused with lemon zest; seared duck breast and foie gras with peppered melon and black olive vanilla sauce paired with an aged infusion of cantaloupe and pepper Zyr martini; a sorbet of wildflower blossoms; and finishes with a caramelized banana and chocolate spring roll with roasted almond ice cream paired with something they call a banana transfusion, a puree of banana blended Zyr digestif. This unique meal costs $85 and the phone number for Wild Thyme is 631-204-0007.

Highland Park Launches 40-Year-Old Single Malt

Posted May 2nd 2008 12:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Spirits

Scotch whisky is getting more and more popular.The Scotch Whisky Association has reported that the value of exports reached a new high of £2.8b billion last year. With the rise in exports comes the demand for more and more premium bottles inspiring whisky distillers to create more and more expensive bottles. Case in point, the latest from Highland Park, a 40-year-old single malt whisky which is the oldest in their portfolio. The whisky is described as a "a balance of toffee, dark chocolate, orange zest and heather peat smokiness" and comes in an oak stained wood box with a leather booklet explaining the history of the brand. The whisky will sell for £899 per bottle. Hopefully this whisky won't get lost in transit like some of their 32-year-old single malt recently did.

Stirrings of Spring

Posted May 2nd 2008 9:02AM by Jared Paul Stern
Filed under: Dining, Spirits

When the weather finally warms up in these parts all we want to do is sit out in the garden with the sun, the birds, a good book and a tall cool drink. But this spring we're going on a quest for better cocktails - not crazy new recipes or exotic infusions, just better quality quaffing. We tend to consume a lot of tonic water for one thing, mixed with gin, of course (but also vodka and rum; if you've never had a Mt. Gay and tonic with lime, you don't know what you're missing). The well-known tonics that are readily available however not only have a medicinal, metallic taste, but we hate to abuse good gin by insinuating it into the same glass. Ditto the other muck cluttering up the drinks section in our local supermarket.

So this season we're banishing the big-name brands and stocking up on all-natural ingredients from Stirrings, the Massachusetts-based company dedicated to improving America's drinking habits. They cost a little more, but like the best things fitting that description, they're well worth it, and made entirely without the aid of artificial colors and flavors, corn syrup, and preservatives. Stirrings' tonic is made with triple-filtered water, Cinchona bark extract (a source of quinine), and a little cane sugar; infused with "champagne-like" carbonation, it's crisper, cleaner and lighter than the stuff we've been poisoning ourselves with these long years.

We're also going to lay in some of their all-natural club soda, made with triple-filtered water and a pinch of hand-gathered fleur de sel from France, and their other excellent sodas. And if we get really adventurous, we might try their mixers, garnishes, essences and syrups, including authentic grenadine made with real pomegranate. We'd tell you more, but we've suddenly been struck with a powerful thirst.

Gallery: Stirrings Cocktail Classics

Saaga 1763 Estonian Vodka

Posted Apr 30th 2008 12:02PM by Laura Malesich
Filed under: Spirits

A new clear liquor is in town and it has come all the way from Estonia! Unfiltered vodka made from a slow-distillation method using 90% winter rye and 10% wheat, Saaga 1763 Vodka is here. It is said that Saaga has neutral aromas with hints of buttered rye toast, vanilla and talc with a smooth, light entry leading to clean whipped cream and mossy herbs. And if you can picture this the vodka finishes with sweet cream, pasty dough, mineral and white pepper qualities. Who knew vodka could be so complex! If one vodka can pack all that luminous flavor in one clear liquor I'd say Saaga 1763 sounds like one to try.

Dirty Sue, Making Dirty Martinis a Little Easier

Posted Apr 26th 2008 4:02PM by Laura Malesich
Filed under: Spirits

No, it is not the hot bartender behind the counter -- Dirty Sue is a fantastic double-filtered olive brine that lends itself easily to Dirty Martinis and other fantastic beverages. Who likes getting their olive juice from inside the Sam's Club sized jar of olives behind the bar? Messy, plus the potential for a lot of different hands inside the jar, Dirty Sue makes your favorite dirty drink at home or at the bar perfectly. Buy it large or small, to suit your needs, and never be unprepared for a guest again. Of course, keep the olives -- they're a nice garnish (or snack for those of us who need food with our drinks).

Boston Bans Bottle Service

Posted Apr 24th 2008 6:02PM by Laura Malesich
Filed under: Spirits

Most people see bottle service with VIP treatment at a hot club in a big city a special treat and a perk of being able to afford spendy bottles of booze. But one Boston official disagrees and is cracking down on the clubs that offer bottle service to their clients. His argument? That the price of the bottle causes patrons to feel they have to down the whole thing before the night is over which, consequently, steps on the toes of the "happy hour" law of a two-drink max per patron. Club owners and VIP's agree that it is an important part of high-end establishments. Personally, I've only seen people partake in bottle service -- and typically there are more than enough people at the table to help decrease individuals portions.

Skyview Bar at the Burj Al Arab Debuts Pricey New Cocktail

Posted Apr 23rd 2008 7:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Journeys, Spirits

The battle for the world's most expensive cocktail remains a fierce one with many bars and restaurants promoting a cocktail that is made pricey by the addition of a piece of jewelry plunked inside. But one of the world's most expensive hotels sounds like the perfect place to enjoy the new contender in the ultra costly cocktail sweepstakes. The chief mixologist at Skyview Bar in the Burj Al Arab in Dubai has created the "27.321," named for the cost in UAE dirham (27,321 AED which is about $7,450) the floor where the Skyview Bar is located (27th) and the height of the Burj Al Arab (321 meters). The cocktail is made from Macallan 55 year old single malt natural color whisky, exclusively produced 'dried fruit bitters' that carry and support the whisky's flavor, and homemade passion fruit sugar. The resulting cocktail is then served over ice cubes made of water from the Macallan distillery in Scotland, along with an oak stirrer made from a Macallan Cask. The cocktail is presented in a Baccarat 18-karat gold glass, which the buyer gets to take home.

Dita Von Teese Gets "Cointreau-versial"

Posted Apr 22nd 2008 8:01PM by Jared Paul Stern
Filed under: Spirits, Events

On Monday night, top-drawer French liqueur Cointreau celebrated their partnership with new brand ambassador Dita Von Teese at an elaborate event in NYC. The shindig at the Angel Orensanz Center saw the U.S. debut of "Be Contreauversial," the haute-burlesque dancer's new performance, involving a giant martini glass, of course. Cointreau has committed to a two-year collaboration with Von Teese, who was briefly (and disastrously) married to Marilyn Manson.

The event also served as the debut of the Cointreau Teese, a new cocktail created in Dita's honor using violet syrup. Here's the recipe (see the Gallery for a photo):

1 ½ oz. Cointreau
¾ oz. apple juice
½ oz. Monin violet syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice

Shake and strain into a martini glass with a ginger-frosted rim; garnish with a violet. Bottoms up.

Gallery: Dita & Cointreau

The Rise of Molecular Mixology

Posted Apr 21st 2008 6:02PM by Laura Malesich
Filed under: Spirits

If you thought chemistry was limited to just science class, think again. Bartenders are becoming masters of molecular mixology as new ways to transcend liquid beverages through texture, density and viscosity become all the rage. Whether liquors are frothed, foamed, gelled or frozen they add something unique and special to the typical cocktail. Edible pearls made from vodka and cranberry juice make the Caviar Eben Freeman's Cape Codder created for New York's wd-50 just one of the many exciting concoctions. Delish!

Snoop Dogg's a Cognac Man

Posted Apr 19th 2008 12:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Spirits, Celebrity Shopping

Landy Cognac calls itself the new generation Cognac and so they have found a spokesperson to attract the younger crowd. Snoop Dogg becomes the latest rapper to have a liquor endorsement deal joining Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and P.Diddy among others. Landy Cognac comes from some of the Cognac area's most famous vineyards. It is aged in oak barrels for many years. Sounds like a traditional cognac but it does come in some untraditional packages: the Desire is shaped like a woman's torso and comes draped in a little fabric strapless dress and the expensive Landy Great Ship comes with a blown glass ship inside the bottle. Prices start at around $20 and head up to over $300 for the more limited versions.

Gallery: Landy Cognac

Gallery: Celebrity Liquor

Highland Park Whisky Goes Missing in Flight

Posted Apr 19th 2008 9:02AM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Spirits

We've all become accustomed to the possibility that an airline might lose our luggage but the Beverly Hills-based spirits company Saybrex International is missing 186 bottles of a rare cask of 32-year-old Highland Park whisky that it claimed had been delivered to the U.S. by Delta Airlines. The Moodie Report says that 31 cartons are worth around $240,000 and went missing on the route between Scotland and Los Angeles. It got to the Glasgow Airport but never arrived. Various government agencies are trying to track down the missing hooch.

The Drink Station

Posted Apr 17th 2008 7:03PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Gadgets, Spirits

These mobile bar systems are always interesting to me because everything is so condensed and cute, and I think if I had one I'd be having outdoor parties every weekend just so I'd have an excuse to wheel it out. This Drink Station by Opulent Items is imported from Germany and has features including a refrigerator, ice machine, flute holders, bottle bins, and wooden serving shelf. It comes pre-assembled (except for some of the minor side attachments) but heads up, the ice machine reservoir doesn't fill itself (you can't hook it up to a water source to fill automatically) and although you can wheel it around wherever you want, you'll have to stay close to a power outlet if you want the fridge to stay cold. It sells for $10,000.

Via Martini Groove

The Veuve Clicquot Globalight

Posted Apr 17th 2008 3:02PM by Rigel Gregg
Filed under: Spirits

Karim Rashid must really love sweeping pink lines and feminine appeal -- his Veuve Clicquot Loveseat featured the theme and now so does this Veuve Clicquot Globalight limited edition champagne cooler that he designed. Intended to "encapsulate the bottle with warmth" and surround it with light, Rashid drew his inspiration from a random brainstorming scribble and the idea of a purse or handbag. It serves 3 functions by cooling the champagne, lighting the champagne, and serving as a way to carry the champagne. $4000

Gallery: The Veuve Clicquot Globalight

Cow's Milk Vodka?!

Posted Apr 12th 2008 3:02PM by Laura Malesich
Filed under: Spirits

Here's a new one for you ... ever wondered what else could possibly be used to distill into the clear liquor we call Vodka? Two new possibilities include maple sugar and cow's milk. You heard me correctly. Milk makes vodka. We've recently learned that even apples make a decent spirit called Core...but milk?! Vermont Spirits crafts this unique distilled beverage called White Vodka which was inspired by Tuvan Milk Vodka. It is distilled from pure milk sugar and Vermont spring water and bottled in small batches. Their website even kick-starts your enjoyment with a couple of serving suggestions in case the only thing you could think of to make was White Russians. Their other unique product is a Gold Vodka which is made from sweet maple sap and Vermont spring water. Now that sounds tasty!

[via PSFK]

Glen Breton Whisky Needs a Name Change

Posted Apr 9th 2008 4:02PM by Deidre Woollard
Filed under: Spirits

A Canadian whisky has to surrender its name as part of the ongoing battle to protect the name of Scotch whisky. A court has decided that Glen Breton, the only single malt whisky produced in Canada, has to drop the "glen" part of the name because it might fool people into thinking the brand is Scotch whisky. Scottish brands often have names such as with a "glen" in the title such as Glenfiddich, Glenlivet or Glenmorangie.

As you might imagine, the Scotch Whisky Association is thrilled with the ruling of the Canadian Federal Court which refused to register the "Glen Breton" trademark. They produced evidence in the form of instances of Glen Breton being described as Scotch whisky in retail outlets, menus, newspaper articles and websites. The distillers on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia will be appealing the decision. You can't really accuse the company of being deceptive, it's says Canadian right on the bottle and the large maple leaf on the label should be a clue as to origin.

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#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Deidre Woollard	162	0
2	Jared Paul Stern	57	0
3	Rigel Gregg	52	1
4	Star Sutherland	51	0
5	Laura Malesich	26	0
6	Lisa Palladino	15	0

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Zyr Vodka Dinner at Wild Thyme

Highland Park Launches 40-Year-Old Single Malt

Stirrings of Spring

Saaga 1763 Estonian Vodka

Dirty Sue, Making Dirty Martinis a Little Easier

Boston Bans Bottle Service

Skyview Bar at the Burj Al Arab Debuts Pricey New Cocktail

Dita Von Teese Gets "Cointreau-versial"

The Rise of Molecular Mixology

Snoop Dogg's a Cognac Man

Highland Park Whisky Goes Missing in Flight

The Drink Station

The Veuve Clicquot Globalight

Cow's Milk Vodka?!

Glen Breton Whisky Needs a Name Change

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