Fall 2014 Highball

Highball S P I R I T S

E V ER WON DERED

How to Make the Perfect Cocktail?

TH E C LASS ICS:

MADE BETTER

TA S T E T H E F L AV O R S O F

Cooper’s Mark

Bourbon

M A G A Z I N E

•

F A L L

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Highball is a quarterly publication of ABC Fine

Be your own bartender at home with your newfound mixology skills!

Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2014 ABC Liquors, Inc. All rights reserved.

Not all products are

Whether it’s a Rum & Coke or the perfect gin Martini, anyone can make great cocktails so long as they have the right tools.

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

Hannah Grantz Editor hannahg@abcfws.com

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Meghan Guarino

Lorena Streeter Contributing Editor lorenas@abcfws.com In this issue: Articles from three of our in-store specialists, Pete Shipley (Gainesville), Carlton Devot (Delray Beach) and Nathan Dale (Boynton Beach).

Are you an at-home mixologist? Find us on Instagram (abcfinewinespirits) and tag your crafty concoctions using #abcbyob!

Follow us on Twitter @abcwinecountry.

We’re also blogging daily at blog.abcfws.com.

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Hannah spoke to Bruce Alvino to learn more about Cooper’s Mark

Contributing Editor meghang@abcfws.com

A BOURBON LEAVING ITS MARK ON FLORIDIANS…

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IT ONLY TAKES FIVE STEPS TO MAKE THE PERFECT COCKTAIL And Meghan breaks them down so all you have to do is shake!

CLASSIC COCKTAILS ARE CLASSIC FOR A REASON But they can be better. Pete has a liqueur to liven up any libation

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SHOULD YOU BE ADDING BITTERS TO YOUR COCKTAILS? Lorena gives the lowdown on these drink enhancers

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SKIP THE DESSERT Try one of Carlton’s afterdinner drinks instead

CREATE YOUR OWN COCKTAIL USING CINNAMON WHISKY Nathan seems to be a fan of Flame Thrower, are you?

HOW TO DRINK IT

Cooper’s Mark Bourbon— MAKING ITS MARK

HANNAH GRANTZ

Maple 1 oz Cooper’s Mark Maple 1 oz fresh lemon juice Ice Directions: shake all ingredients together. Pour into a rocks glass and enjoy.

President of Distiller Sales Company Bruce Alvino

Where did the idea for Cooper’s Mark come from?

oversees the bottling and production of one of our

Bruce: It was a hot category. Bourbon really

favorite bourbon labels—Cooper’s Mark. ABC has

boomed about two/three years ago—it just started

been stocking Cooper’s Mark Small Batch bourbon

becoming more and more popular. Especially with

for a couple years, and just recently began carrying

women—they’re really in the bourbon drinking

Cooper’s Mark Honey and Maple. What’s particularly

business right now. Bourbon was the king of the

interesting about this spirit is that it was made

hill in the early 70s and, on a consumption basis,

especially for ABC—so we’re pretty excited about that.

we’re back at those levels. So once we had the idea

Tell us a little bit about Cooper’s Mark.

Bruce Alvino, Distiller Sales: It’s really a small batch blend of 4, 5 and 6 year old bourbons. The reason why

Honey 1 ½ oz Cooper’s Mark Honey Splash club soda Directions: fill rocks glass with Cooper’s Mark honey and top with club soda. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

was developed. The Maple and the Honey were just made in the last year.

we blend it is so we can have a consistent taste. As

Cooper’s Mark Small Batch has won the honors of

most people know, bourbon is getting rare and there’s

Silver Medal (89 points) “Highly Recommended”

really not a lot available. To try to say, “Hey, we’re just

and “Best Buy” from the Beverage Testing Institute

going to have a 6 year old bourbon,” it’s harder to keep

(BTI), while Maple has won the Bronze Medal

it in stock that way and you can get a more consistent

(82 points) and is labeled as

flavoring when you can blend ages together.

“Recommended”. Honey is the

What will we find with the Maple and Honey bourbons versus Small Batch?

Bruce: The Cooper’s Mark Maple and Honey flavors are the same base as the Small Batch, with 4, 5 and 6 year old blends. The regular Small Batch bourbon is 91 proof, while Maple and Honey are 70 proof. So with the flavored bourbons you’re obviously tasting the honey and the maple flavors— and everybody tastes different essences. It may taste differently to you than it does to me because we all have different taste buds.

Where is this produced?

Bruce: The blending and bottling are done here in Minnesota. At ABC, a group tasted and approved

Small Batch 2 oz Cooper’s Mark Small Batch 1/2 oz cream Directions: shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

then we came up with the name and design and it

the flavor profile for the Honey and Maple before they were bottled. We did a lot of samples and styles and then ABC picked out what they wanted.

winner of the BTI’s Silver Medal (87 points) and marked as “Highly Recommended”.

SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED Five Steps to the Perfect Shaken Cocktail

M E G H A N G UA R I N O

STEP ONE Choose a two-piece cocktail shaker. Generally one piece is a standard glass while the other piece is a large, metal tumbler. Gather your ingredients.

STEP TWO Measure and pour your ingredients into the glass. Add ice.

STEP THREE Pour everything from the glass into the metal tumbler. Secure the two pieces together by creating one smooth seam on one side. The glass should be at an angle against the metal tumbler. Lightly tap the top to tighten the closure. You can make sure the seal is tight by lifting the shaker by the top glass portion—if the shaker remains intact, you’re good to go!

STEP FOUR Hold the shaker with your palm close to the seal and your index finger on the top, glass portion. Your other hand should be on the bottom half of the shaker. Hold the shaker over your shoulder and shake for 15 seconds.

STEP FIVE With the shaker on a solid surface, break the seal by using the heel of your hand to hit the spot where the pieces overlap, creating a flat space. Strain your cocktail into your glass and garnish.

T he d r i n k c ho o se s th e g lass, H ar r y.

While each cocktail calls for a certain glass, many glasses can be used for several different drinks. That’s why we recommend collecting a set of these three core glasses.

THE MARTINI GLASS Serves Martinis, Cosmos, Manhattans, Sidecars and any other drinks without ice. Why? The stem keeps the heat of your hand away from the cocktail, allowing it to keep its chill longer.

THE HIGHBALL GLASS The highball can serve as a standard cocktail cup for any libation needing to be served in a tall glass. Perfect for Mojitos, Gin and Tonics, Long Island Iced Teas, and Bloody Marys.

THE OLD-FASHIONED GLASS This short glass is used to serve cocktails over ice, usually those with minimal ingredients.

Serves Rum and Cokes, Whiskey Sours, Vodka Tonics and, of course, Old Fashioneds.

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A Twist on the Classics P E T E S H I P L E Y, A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S G A I N E S V I L L E

Over the decades, a number of cocktails have made

LE ROI ROBERT

it to “classic” status, having been tweaked and

2 oz blended or single malt Scotch (I like Balvenie

improved for a hundred years or more before reaching

14 year single malt)

their ultimate form. Martinis, Manhattans and

½ oz St-Germain

Daiquiris come to mind. But a new wave of premium

½ oz sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula

liqueurs has recently graced the bar shelves and

works well)

liquor cabinets of the nation, with the potential to

2 dashes Angostura bitters

bring new and better flavors to some old standards.

Directions: Stir with ice in a mixing glass, strain

ST-GERMAIN In central and eastern France, the elder tree blooms for only a few weeks each spring and summer.

Harvesters cut the flowers by hand, then bicycle them (yes, they use bicycles) to a macerating plant, where the unique flavors of the elderflower are patiently extracted. The production process is time consuming and the supply of elderflowers limited, which is why each fluted bottle (a work of art in itself) is numbered. The end result took the craft cocktail world by storm around 2008. Tales of the Cocktail, an annual mixologists’ convention that takes place in New Orleans, declared St-Germain its “Spirit of the Year.” Sweet, but not overly so, with notes of lychee and citrus, it has proven as versatile as any ingredient in the last 50 years.

With St-Germain, try:

into a martini glass. Garnish with a real Luxardo Maraschino cherry.

LICOR 43 The city of Cartagena, Spain, dates back to Phoenician times, and has in turn been occupied by the Ostrogoths, the Romans (who built an amphitheater that’s still visible today) and the Moors. Today, however, it’s famous for two things: the birthplace of the Spanish Navy’s submarine force (in fact, the local futbol team has a submarine on its coat of arms) and as the home of Licor 43. The Zamora family has produced a mix of, you guessed it, 43 ingredients that combine citrus with vanilla, with hints of cinnamon and stone fruit.

Today Licor 43 is the most popular liqueur in Spain and is enjoyed in some 60 countries around the

1½ oz blanco tequila (we recommend Cuesta Mesa)

probably do better.

Directions: Add ingredients to mixing glass with ice.

Shake vigorously; strain into margarita glass.

And while St-Germain works wonderfully with white spirits, especially gin, it is by no means

In a flute, pour 1 oz Uncle Val’s gin ½ oz Licor 43 ½ oz lemon juice 2 dashes bitters Top with cold cava (Barcino brut would go nicely) As you can see, while many popular drinks have remained “classic” for up to (and over) a hundred years, in some cases there’s always room for improvement – or just a twist.

the rocks as an aperitif, but it really shines when used in a cocktail. Anything triple sec can do, Licor 43 can

½ oz fresh lime juice

SPANISH 75

world. Like St-Germain, Licor 43 can be sipped on

ST. MARGARET ½ oz St-Germain

And for a twist on the brunch classic:

SIDECAR GUS 1½ oz brandy or Cognac (Maison Rouge VSOP is great) ½ oz Licor 43 ½ oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice (juice of onehalf lemon)

restricted to them. In this recipe, St-Germain is used

Directions: Shake briskly with ice in mixing glass,

to brighten the flavors of a Rob Roy, simultaneously

strain into martini glass.

taming and brightening the base spirit, Scotch.

Optional: sugared rim

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It’s OK to be Bitter LORENA STREETER

Bitters have a long history (Angostura alone dates

Becherovka is said to be fantastic with tonic water,

¾ oz lemon juice

to 1824)—nearly as old as alcohol itself. In their

too, or served chilled and neat.

Dash of orange bitters

original form, “bitters” were simply medicinal herbs infused in wine. Ancient Egyptians used them, as

NOW TO THE BITTERS RECIPES:

did medieval apothecaries. Originally used primarily

Classic Martini

as digestives, by 1806 they were used in cocktails

2 ½ oz gin (such as Sunset Hills Small Batch)

defined as spirits, sugar, water and bitters. A far cry

½ oz dry vermouth (Martini will work here)

from today’s concoctions!

Olives or lemon twist

Today, bitters are separated from digestives (or

Orange or regular bitters

digestifs) such as Campari, Aperol, Becherovka and

Directions: Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add gin and

Pimm’s No. 1. These are either imbibed on their own

vermouth and stir. Strain into a martini glass, add

or mixed with an assortment of ingredients, including

a splash of orange or regular bitters, garnish with

simply adding club soda (such as a Campari

either olives or a lemon twist.

and soda).

A Sidecar Named Desire

Bitters, however, aren’t meant to be solo ingredients:

1 ½ oz gold rum (we recommend Cane Royale)

They’re meant to enhance other ingredients by being

¾ oz Cognac (Hardy Red Corner VS)

added, a drop or dash at a time, to drinks or food.

½ oz peach schnapps (such as Charles Regnier)

Orange bitters were an ingredient in the original gin martini.

COCKTAILS USING DIGESTIFS:

Aperol & Prosecco 3 parts prosecco (we like Collalto Extra Dry) 2 parts Aperol Aperitivo Splash of soda Slice of orange Directions: Fill a white wine glass with ice. Add prosecco, Aperol and splash of club soda. Top with a slice of orange for a garnish. (recipe from www.aperol.com)

Existential Hero ¾ oz each: white tequila (try Los Rijos Silver), orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier), white rum (Palms would work nicely), Becherovka and lime juice 1 tsp amaretto (like Jacquin’s) Directions: Mix all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. (recipe from chowhound.com) Highball 6

Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake. Strain into a martini glass.

(Recipe from angostura.com)

Blue Lagoon 1 oz each white and gold rum (Cruzan could work for both) ¾ oz blue curacao (Charles Regnier) 2 ½ oz pineapple juice 2 oz orange juice 2 dashes bitters (no, it doesn’t call for orange bitters, but how good would that be??)

Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass.

AFTER DINNER DRINKS C A R L T O N D E V O T, A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S D E L R AY B E A C H

There’s nothing better to complement a great meal than an after-

The Valckenberg Madonna Auslese, with hints of mandarin orange,

dinner drink. Be it Cognac, brandy, a cocktail or dessert wine, the

passion fruit and a bit of lychee, gives a residual sweetness to a nutty

enjoyment of these spirits enhances the dining experience. An alcohol-

apple streusel.

ic beverage served after a meal is commonly referred to as a “digestif.”

The idea behind digestifs is to aid digestion. For those of you who are new to after-dinner drinks, you should have no fear in ordering one or making your own at home! Here are some guidelines and a few examples to bring a warm and sweet ending to all your meals.

Cultures from all over have their own signature cordial or liqueur.

Italy, for instance, is famous for sambuca and amaretto. Commonly poured into hot coffee and served with biscotti, these liqueurs can also be savored on their own. For those who have a sweet tooth, Irish creams, chocolate and coffee liqueurs are delicious served chilled.

A general rule of thumb for dessert wine is that the sweeter the dessert,

Brown liquors have a very distinct flavor—be it brandy, whiskey,

the sweeter the wine should be. In other words, generally speaking,

Scotch, Cognac or bourbon. Best served on their own or on the

the wine should be sweeter than the dessert—otherwise the wine

rocks, they pair perfectly with a piece of pound cake. Lately, however,

will taste sour or bitter. The most well-known dessert wines are ports

there has been more demand of these drinks in the form of cocktails.

from Portugal, and sherries from Spain. Served on their own, they

This offers you a more flavor-filled experience.

are great. They pair very well with cheese, fruit or chocolate.

German Ausleses accompany the flavors of nutty and fruity desserts.

A classic cocktail, the French Connection, combines equal parts Cognac and amaretto. I find that Hardy V.S. Cognac adds warmth to the chilled drink and mixes nicely with the quality amaretto from Charles Regnier.

For the caffeine enthusiast, you have the Coffee Alexander and Blind Russian cocktails. The Coffee Alexander calls for equal parts coffee liqueur, white crème de cacao and light cream. For this one, try Cayman Reef Kona Coffee liqueur, Charles Regnier White Crème de Cacao, and for the sweet tooth in all of us, Michaels Irish Cream gives the drink a unique twist perfectly complementing the nutmeg garnish. The Blind Russian is a variation on the classic sweet cocktail known as the White Russian. The “blind” comes from the drink being made with all-alcoholic ingredients. For the Blind Russian, mix 1.5 ounces of Greys Peak Small Batch Vodka, .75 ounces of Cayman Reef Kona Coffee liqueur and 1 ounce Michaels Irish Cream. Re-invent a timeless classic for a new generation of after-dinner drinkers!

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Highball

8989 South Orange Ave. Orlando, Florida 32824

S P I R I T

TO

S IP :

Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey

NAT HA N DA L E , A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S B OY N T O N B E AC H

O N

T HE

NO S E :

AROMAS OF TOASTED RAISIN, soda bread and Brazil nuts TA ST E:

A soft, fruity-yet-dry medium body with a sweet honey cream and HOT PEPPER FINISH PR O O F :

80˚

WHO ’S

CO LO R :

golden

TO M

H O R A N ?

A 30+ year representative for Jameson Irish Whiskey and former restaurateur

T RY

IT

WITH:

Ginger ale or ginger beer (in a rocks glass filled with ice) or mix up a Killer Punch 2 parts Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey 1 part apple schnapps 2 parts cranberry juice Directions: shake the ingredients well over ice and serve in a chilled martini glass Garnish: apple slice