The people behind British "Imbibe" magazine launch their first exhibition in London. According to Square Meal Publications 12.500 drinks professionals have pre-registered for Imbibe 2010. 

The new trade show, Imbibe 2010, plans to build on the enormous success of Square Meal Publications' on-trade drinks magazine, Imbibe, which has firmly established itself as the market-leading publication for on-trade drinks professionals since its inception in 2007.

The new drinks exhibition, which will be held in Earls Court Two on 13th & 14th July 2010, has the specific purpose of bringing together premium drinks brands and key on-trade decision-makers.

Imbibe 2010 will host a huge number of tastings across all drinks categories, plus talks from industry experts. With a total of 40 sessions covering all kinds of drinks, no other UK drinks show offers such a breadth and variety of sessions. Feature zones include: Liquid Profits, Sommelier Lounge, Shake It!, Taste Zone, Hop & Apple Garden, Wine Bar, Water Bar & Centre Stage.

Marie Brizard, French liqueur producer with a rich tradition, has expanded its range and introduced Marie Brizard Lemongrass onto the German market.

According to Marie Brizard this lemongrass liqueur is produced with natural lemongrass aromas as well as lemon and orange distillates, which together create the fresh note of lemongrass - a highly popular ingredient in Asian cuisine the world over - in this liqueur.

Ratings

"Citric acid in the nose, a chemical cocktail on the tongue. In my opinion this liqueur does not bear the slightest hint of natural lemongrass aroma."
Ricardo Albrecht (Lebensstern, Berlin)

"It smells faintly like Triple Sec, but on the palate the disappointment becomes more tangible. The aroma is not even remotely similar to fresh lemongrass."
Arnd Henning Heissen (Shochu Bar, Berlin)

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The third video in the "True Originals" series has been published. It features a bartender in the style of an experimental mixologist preparing a Mojito for the mystery customer.

The agency behind the project hinted to us a couple of days ago, that the third video of the "True Originals" series was now available. We had mentioned it shortly after the launch of the series. The previous virals featured the preparation of the Bacardi classics Daiquiri and Pina Colada. The cocktail of choice in the new video is a Mojito with a twist. [more ...]

Excellia tequila is the latest child of French company Eurowingate. The wine specialists teamed up with a prestigious tequila factory to combine agave and wine aromas.

Distiller Sebastien Robicquet and oenologist Bruno de Reilhac of Eurowinegate are the producers of Cîroc Vodka and G'Vine gin. Cîroc vodka shook up the vodka market a couple of years ago, while G'Vine was one of the brands that led to the introduction of "New Western Dry Gin" as an additional category within the gin segment.

In terms of content and packaging, EWG products are clearly positioned in the luxury segment. This includes the new Excellia premium tequila. Excellia is the result of a collaboration with Carlos Camarena, one of Mexico's master distillers. His portfolio also boasts Tapatio and Ocho tequila. (Ocho was the first brand to introduce the "single estate" idea to the tequila category.)

What makes Excellia tequila special, aside from the high grade production methods used (the agave is cooked  in brick ovens, natural fermentation), is the aging in former cognac and Sauternes casks.

The new folks behind Sipsmith Distillery in London have launched their first product. A true London gin that seems to win bartenders' hearts right away.

A copper still from Germany, two enthusiastic young gentlemen with a passion for alcoholic spirits, a garage formerly belonging to deceased whisky expert Michael Jackson, and the first distillery licence to be granted within London city limits in generations: The Sipsmith Distillery is the stuff of legends.

Two years ago, Stamford Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall, the two founders of Sipsmith, packed in their well-paid jobs in the spirits industry to found their own distillery. Faced with the high real estate prices in London, they started searching for a small property that would nonetheless be large enough to accommodate the still - a hand-made piece by Bavarian Christian Carl, given the nickname 'Prudence'.

They eventually found a property in the heart of west London, more precisely, the garage belonging to the house of Michael Jackson, the whisky expert who had recently passed away.

Since June 2009 they have been distilling one vodka and one gin in small batches of 200 to 300 bottles per week - and everything is done meticulously by hand. The vodka is produced using English barley and it also forms the basis of the gin, which is re-distilled with ten different botanicals - Macedonian juniper, Bulgarian coriander seeds and Seville orange peel to name just a few ingredients. Both products are blended to drinking strength using water from Lydwell Spring, one of the sources of the River Thames. This closes the circle on the story that defines Sipsmith Gin as a true London dry gin.

Ratings

"A sweeping flock of aromatic birds soars over a fresh Alpine meadow: Slices of lemon dance pirouettes, enveloped in a sweet fog, a bashful little flower
blossoms, and then the juniper appears in all its majesty. Beautiful."
Oliver Ebert (Beckett‘s Kopf, Berlin)

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John Glaser, the founder of Compass Box Whisky, is considered a brilliant "enfant terrible" in whisky circles. He has gained many loyal fans with his award-winning and revolutionary whisky blends, while he has also created the occasional scandal in Scotland's whisky industry. Spice Tree is his latest product, dating back to 2005.

Glaser intended to give this whisky a finish unlike any that had ever existed before. He replaced some of the staves in the Bourbon casks traditionally used for aging Scotch whisky with heavily toasted French oak staves. In these casks, Spice Tree acquired the intense spicy aroma, which is reflected in its name.

However, the new method of finishing was not well received by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the trade association of the Scottish Whisky industry. Confronted with the threat of legal action, Glaser was forced to cease production of Spice Tree. But he refused to accept defeat and set about researching the statutes, eventually finding a loophole that he proceeded to exploit.

Instead of replacing the staves, he carried out the procedure with the cask head instead. After aging the various malt whiskies (primarily from the Clynelish Distillery) in first fill and refill Bourbon casks, these whiskies are then blended in casks with heads made of heavily-toasted French oak. After a period of two years in these modified casks the whiskies are then bottled. And lo and behold! The SWA let it through.

With his second run of Spice Tree, John Glaser has won yet another battle in his 'holy war'.

The name Bunnahabhain is Gaelic and means 'mouth of the river' referring to River Margadale in the north of the Isle of Islay. This river is the water source that is an essential component in the production of Bunnahabhain whisky. Master distiller Ian McMillan recently presented his new baby: Toiteach.

The distillery was founded in 1881 by James Ford, James Greenlees and William Robertson. After generations of ups and downs, with intermittent closures, the distillery was finally purchased by Burn Stewart Distillers in 2003. Since then it has once again been turning out very successful whiskies, though of a type untypical for the Isle of Islay.

Bunnahabhain does not heavily peat the malted barley for its various whiskies, in contrast to other Islay producers such as Laphroaig, Lagavulin or Ardbeg. The distillery is obviously swimming against the current with its production methods. With Toiteach it wanted to pay tribute to the popularity of heavily peated whiskies.

Toiteach (Gaelic for 'smoky') is a whisky with an average age of ten to eleven years which is bottled unfiltered at a strength of 46% vol. In contrast to all the other Bunnahabhain whiskies, it is heavily peated and thus represents a respectful nod to the unique style of the Islay whiskies. Its intense smoky aroma is certain to find an increasing number of fans.

Ratings

"A very elegant peat aroma whose discreet presence lingers like a silver thread on the horizon. However, whiskies of equal quality in a more friendly price category are no rarity."
Gonçalo de Sousa Monteiro (Admirals Bar, Berlin)

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Lantenhammer distillery, located near the Schliersee lake in upper Bavaria, has been producing diverse types of fine fruit bandies for over a century. Alongside standard filtered fruit brandies and spirits, master distiller Florian Stetter has for the first time brought three unfiltered fine fruit brandies onto the market. These are the aforementioned Williamsbirnenbrand (Williams pear schnapps), a Mirabellenbrand (mirabelle plum brandy) and a Waldhimbeergeist (forest raspberry schnapps).

Since the relatively high altitude of the Schliersee region does not lend itself to the intense cultivation of fruits, most of the fruit, except for certain sorts of apple and damson, is purchased from suppliers. However, the distillery claims that it only buys fruit originating from controlled farms or wild-growing and untreated trees.

The schnapps is distilled exclusively in aroma-preserving copper vats. Lantenhammer distillates are aged in air-porous earthenware containers for an average period of three years at an alcohol content of 70% Vol. Shortly before bottling, the products are reduced to drinking strength by dilution with softened spring water.

Ratings

"A veritable explosion of aromas with full-bodied ripe pears. Fresh 'pear compote' distinguishes the extraordinary aromatic nuances without an unpleasant 'bite'. A very delicate texture, a wonderful finish, but not too full in the mouth - a little too short in my opinion. In comparison with regular Lantenhammer Williams, the unfiltered product exhibits significantly more freshness and depth. A very persuasive bottle design: The frosted glass gives an impressively stylish appearance without being tacky. Considering the quality delivered, the price is justified."
Volker Seibert (Capri Lounge, Cologne)

[more ...]

In December 2009 the Campari Group expanded her growing portfolio with Ron Santa Teresa, a Venezuelan brand with a rich tradition. Since 1896, the market leader in the Venezuelan rum market has been producing high quality molasses rum in the idyllic Aragua Valley in the north of the country.

The distillery produces both pot still rums and continuous still rums which are blended together after aging in Limousin and Bourbon casks for the statutory period of two years.

In addition to Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Añejo, which was tested in this issue, the distillery also offers Santa Teresa Claro, Santa Teresa Selecto, and Santa Teresa 1796 Solera, all of which are now available in Germany. The coffee liqueur 'Araku' and an orange liqueur - both, of course, with a rum base - are destined for other markets.

In contrast to the other rums, the flagship Santa Teresa 1796 is made using the Solera system, which is generally applied in sherry production. In this process, the casks are stored in several stacked rows, and when the content is tapped from casks on the bottom row, they are in turn refilled from the upper rows.

Ratings

"In the nose, slightly sharp with bitter notes, discreet fruits, a hint of vanilla and typical woody aromas. On the palate it has aromatic traces of almonds and caramel. Subtle fruity nuances with hints of vanilla, which are however suppressed by the piquancy of the alcohol. In direct comparison with a Cuban rum I find it lacks freshness: in a natural Daiquiri or in a Mojito it wasn't really convincing. Even though the product is intended for mixing, I felt the packaging was somehow lacking something. Nonetheless, at 16 euros per bottle the decent quality represents good value for money."
Volker Seibert (Capri Lounge, Cologne)

In 2009 Alexander Hauck and Stephan Berg from The Bitter Truth have added a liqueur bitters to their constantly expanding portfolio of spirits. According to its producers, TBT Elixier has its roots in the tradition of alpine digestive bitters, though it also serves as a vermouth substitute in cocktails.

Elixier is produced and bottled by Maison Dolin in Chambery, which some readers will know as one of the few independent producers of vermouth. In making Elixier, it seems apparent that Dolin was inspired by its tradition as a producer of Genepi, a herbal liqueur typical of the region - the aromatic herbal depth and piquant bitter note are evidence of this.

Ratings

"In the glass it gives forth mint, a hint of woodruff, with nuances of rosemary and dried flowers. Elixier feels wonderfully full in the mouth, and it is creamy and extremely soft. Test drinks with a mild tonic water exhibited a pleasantly harmonious taste and it also makes for a fantastic aperitif with Champagne. In a Negroni it proved a true alternative to vermouth, not only for fans of herbal bitters. It is good value for money, and is packaged with a classy label design. Conclusion: a liqueur for connoisseurs."
Volker Seibert (Capri Lounge, Cologne)

"In the long tradition of mixing vermouth and amaro, Elixier exhibits a noticeable sweetness. The contrast with Alpine herbs is lacking the directness which is present in Braulio, for example."
Gonçalo de Sousa Monteiro (Admirals Bar, Berlin)

Origin: Germany
Producer: The Bitter Truth
Distribution: Haromex
Price: approx. 15 Euro (0.5l)
Alcoholic strength: 30% Vol.

The second viral of the "True Originals" series has been published on Youtube. It features a bartender in a club bar preparing a Pina Colada.

Following the success of the first Bacardi viral "The Samurai" among bartending professionals, Bacardi has now released the second part of the series. A bartender called "The Hummingbird" prepares a Pina Colada for the mystery customer, we know from the first video. The movements of the bartender and the method of preparation are pretty spectacular for such a mainstream drink. One would love to see this live at a neighbourhood bar. [more ...]

Italian bitters have become a standard in the world's leading bars. Some of the largest brands in this category have their origin in the region around Milan. It was there that Ausano Ramazzotti introduced in 1815 a gentle blend of roots, herbs and alcohol: the Amaro Ramazzotti. In 1848 Ausano started serving his creation in his own coffee bar near Milan's La Scala and Ramazzotti established itself within a few years as one of the most popular bitters brands in Italy.

The soft taste of Ramazzotti is based on a mixture of a total of 33 secret ingredients. Six of these are traceable even by the less experienced drinkers: orange peel , gentian, cinnamon, oregano, rhubarb and cinchona bark. One of the most successful export markets for the amaro with its distinctive red label is Germany. Reason for Ramazzotti to showcase the trends of a German metropolis to restaurateurs and bar-owners throughout the world.

To conclude our 6-part series on the Bacardi success story, our author showcases the diverse qualities of this historic rum - from Ron Refino Consumo Corriente to Reserva Limitada.

As Don Facundo Bacardi began experimenting with the character of his rum, he couldn't have foreseen that he was laying the foundations for generations of Bacardi rums, each with their own, inimitable character.

In 1862, having purchased the La Tropical distillery in Santiago de Cuba from John Nunes, his former employer, he created a distillate which was to revolutionize the taste of Cuban rum and which laid the groundwork for his later success. Employing a special wood charcoal filtering system which had been developed for the production of vodka by the chemist Johann Tobias Lowitz, Bacardi produced a light, pale, mature rum which was unusually soft and mild. This product, originally known as Ron Refino Consumo Corriente, later became well known as Bacardi Superior.

Bacardi continued working on and refining his vision. In 1873, Bacardi Extra Dry was created in memory of those who died in the Virginius Affair. This rum, used as the basis for classic cocktails such as the Cuba Libre, Daiquirí and Mojito, was to become the best-selling rum in the world. The next breakthrough came in 1889 with the switch from the traditional pot-still distillation method to using multi-column stills. This resulted in improved yields and more smoothness in the final distillate.

During Prohibition, Havana became an Mecca for countless Americans who'd had enough of quenching their thirst on Bathtub gin and illegally-distilled booze. After the end of the alcohol ban, the Bacardi cocktail returned to the United States and with it went the Mai Tai, Hurricane, Piña Colada and other Tiki classics which simply couldn't be made without the smooth, fresh Bacardi rum aroma.

Driven out of their Cuban homeland and burdened with the loss of the entire commercial facilities on the island, the Bacardi company had to adapt quickly in order to maintain its status as an internationally-recognized brand. The president of Bacardi, Pepin Bosch, opted for a strategy of fast expansion into new markets.

The first step into the new epoch was to safeguard the brand copyright in those countries to which Bacardi had been exported until the company's exodus from Cuba. The company instigated lawsuits in all the regions where rum from their Cuban distilleries was sold and thus ensured that only the Bacardi company, as the copyright owner, was permitted to sell rum bearing the Bacardi label. The most significant decision was the verdict in a British court in 1968, which led to the new Cuban state finally dropping its claims on the brand.

In the second step, Pepin Bosch invested in new distilleries and bottling plants. Within just a few years, the company expanded to open facilities in Brazil, the Bahamas, Canada, Martinique, Panama and Spain. "Fidel Castro stole 70 million dollars from us and we don't even feel it", said Bosch confidently in an interview at the time. Parallel to the establishment of the broadly-scattered international facilities, a quality-control centre was built in Nassau in order to ensure that Bacardi rum was produced to the same quality everywhere in the world.

Nice video with TGI Friday's bartenders from Prestwich with crazy and heavily edited flair tricks. Our subscriber Eric Bergmann, a flair bartender himself, commented on Facebook: "Some tricks are obvious fakes, but it's still very entertaining."

Don't do this at home!