REVUE DE PRESSE
-2012-
Sommaire Pierre Ferrand.....................................Page 5 Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao....Page 70 Citadelle Gin....................................Page 164 Plantation.........................................Page 202
PIERRE FERRAND
Food & Wine December 2012 USA
“Elixir’s Punch is made with [...] Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac.”
The Newest Holiday Punches B Y J U S TI N E S T E R L I N G | P O S T E D D E C E MB E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 2 A T 2 : 0 0 P M E S T
Passed Bright Milk Punch © Nathan Rawlinson.
Long before there were martinis and daiquiris, Manhattans and mai tais, there was punch. Punch dates to the early 17th century, when it was imported to England by officers of the East India Company, according to writer John Ayto, who just published a new edition of The Diner’s Dictionary: Word Origins of Food & Drink. The name purportedly comes from the Hindi word pãnch, meaning “five,” signaling the number of ingredients in a traditional blend. However, Ayto suggests that the current pronunciation of punch implies that it may actually be derived from puncheon, a cask-cum-serving vessel used at the time. Made in batches and perfect for holiday entertaining, punches are especially popular this time of year among bartenders looking to put their own spins on festive cocktails. Brooklyn’s buzzed-about Scandinavian restaurant Aska—from chef Fredrik Berselius (Aquavit, Per Se) and partner Eamon Rockey, formerly of Atera—is now serving three innovative punches.
“Punch is about community and about enjoying something together,” says Rockey. The recipes Rockey created include a Warm Swedish Punsch with the rum-like spirit Batavia Arrack, fresh juniper and sweetfern foraged from the Hudson Valley; and the Passed Bright Milk Punch, inspired by his trip to Sweden before the restaurant opened. “The emphasis on milk, butter and cheese that I saw in Sweden was profoundly important to how I formed the beverage program,” Rockey says. The milk punch features rich Battenkill Valley Creamery milk, dark rum, tequila, fennel seeds, lightly bitter oolong tea and freshly squeezed orange juice. A simple molecular technique clarifies the mixture. “When the acidic orange juice is added to the milk, the proteins coagulate and help to bond and filter out all of the impurities,” says Rockey. Straining the mixture yields a clear punch. Incredibly, the end product maintains the creamy texture of milk. Here, more new punches from across the country. BAR GUIDE Bellocq, New Orleans The newest offering from the team behind Cure, one of America’s best bars, is dedicated to 19th century-style American cocktails like cobblers, while honoring New Orleans’s strong punch culture. The menu features three punches. Inspired by a recipe from 1711, the sweet and tangy Mary Rocket Punch
consists of clarified milk, Cognac, lemon juice and Peychaud’s bitters. The Nuremberg Punch combines red-berry-inflected Pinot Noir, malty Batavia Arrack and orange juice; and the American Orange Punch uses El Dorado 5 Year Old Demerara rum; floral, citrusy Neisson Blanc rhum agricole and fresh orange juice. Time, too, is an essential ingredient: Each batch of Nuremberg Punch rests for a week before serving, which creates a rich and mellow orangey flavor. Punch Bowl Social, Denver This massive new opening encompasses a bowling alley, game room, restaurant and bar, which offers five punches. The Trace of Peach Punch is the most popular. Recalling a boozy take on sweet tea, the recipe includes Buffalo Trace bourbon, a locally produced peach liqueur, lemon juice, Chinese five-spice-spiked simple syrup, black tea and freshly ground nutmeg. It's garnished with fresh sage leaves. Elixir, San Francisco One of the oldest continuously running saloons in San Francisco, Elixir offers a milk punch whose recipe comes directly from Cocktail Boothby’s American Bar-Tender. This book on classic cocktails was written in the late 19th century by a renowned San Francisco bartender, William “Cocktail” Boothby; the latest edition was published in 2009. Elixir’s punch is made with local milk, Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac, sugar and Cruzan rum, which has tropical fruit flavors that play off the milk’s natural sweetness. It is shaken over ice and served garnished with freshly grated nutmeg.
Workshop Kitchen + Bar, Palm Springs, California The sleek, warehouse-meets-farmhouse-style restaurant emphasizes communal dining with long tables, massive 40ounce rib eyes for groups and punch bowls big enough for 12 people to share. A 1694 British government regulation imposed on Bombay’s punch houses inspired the Bombay Government Punch: Pineapple-y Jamaican rum, VSOP Cognac, demerara sugar, fresh lime juice, grapefruit oil, cinnamon and green tea, a combination resulting in a drink with hints of bitterness and vibrant citrus flavors.
Drink Up New York December 2012 USA
“This is a fine "beginner" Cognac or a "cellar defender" as well.”
Cocktail Whisperer's Crusta By Warren Bobrow
1800's New Orleans was a rough and tumble place. Powerful intoxicants led to ruffian behavior. Not much has changed to this date down in Old New Orleans. There is something about the heat and the humidity that makes drinking heavy liquors very challenging. The Brandy Crusta cocktail is one drink that actually is so enticing that you may find yourself slurping down this combination of flavors far too quickly. But isn't that the basic idea? I don't recommend turning into a street ruffian, but if you drink too many Crusta cocktails, anything is possible! The Brandy Crusta cocktail is a combination of flavors inherent to the European continent. It is a permutation of ingredients such as Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and Combier Liqueur d'Orange. I can picture this cocktail in my hand, a refreshing blend of engaging to tart to congenial. The cocktail would be prepared in a method very near and dear to my heart, with exact measurements. The final garnish would be a spiral of grapefruit because I find the traditional method of spiraling a lemon too acidic with the addition of lemon juice in the cocktail. From DrinkUpNY, this is the classic version of the Crusta… Brandy Crusta This cocktail was developed in mid-19th century New Orleans, and has since inspired a wide range of modern creations. It presents a delicious balance of sweet and sour, and the base spirit really shines through. Therefore, we recommend one of our entry-level favorites, Pierre Ferrand Ambre. 1.5 oz. Pierre Ferrand Ambre 10 Year Old Cognac .25 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur .25 oz. Combier Liqueur d'Orange .25 oz. Fresh lemon juice Moisten the rim of a cocktail glass with lemon, and rim with sugar. Build ingredients with ice and shake. Strain in to a cocktail glass and garnish with a spiral of lemon around inside of the glass. I love to shake up this cocktail by doing an Absinthe wash. But what is an Absinthe wash? You literally wash out the inside of the cocktail glass with Absinthe, ice and water before the other ingredients enter the glass. There is something about Absinthe when mixed with the other flavors that makes this drink even more mysterious.
The flavor profiles of each ingredient is as follows: Pierre Ferrand Ambre: Toasty hazelnut fire gives way to caramel and fleur du sel on the front of the tongue, sweet vanilla on the back of the tongue carries through to and notes of white flowers and bittersweet cocoa continue on and on. This is a fine "beginner" Cognac or a "cellar defender" as well. You may want to pour this into your snifter and flame an orange zest over the top into your glass. Just be careful that you don't catch the other spirits on fire! Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur: This is not your red thing in a jar maraschino cherry liqueur. It is the result of careful aging and a secret blend of spices to reveal the hidden aromatics of these tiny Italian fruits. Luxardo is also known for their brandied cherries. This is a similar flavor but with added zip. It makes a marvelous cocktail ingredient in a Gin Fizz or simply in a glass with seltzer water and lime. Combier Liqueur d'Orange: If you are accustomed to drinking plain Triple Sec in your cocktails, why not step up to this very French Liqueur d'Orange? It's also delicious in a glass of Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral water with a muddle of grilled orange. St. George Absinthe: This is unlike any Absinthe I've ever tasted. The aromatics are like wandering barefoot through a Northern California basil farm. You can taste the sweet perfume of the spicy basil as it clings to your pant leg. It is most unique Absinthe - quite powerful and arguably aromatic. My recipe for the Crusta uses instead of a lemon zest, it uses a grapefruit zest. And in addition to the three liqueurs, my recipe uses a wash of the St. George Absinthe Vertealong with the juice of a grilled grapefruit. Here it is for your consideration: The Cocktail Whisperer's Crusta
.5 oz. Pierre Ferrand Ambre 10 Year Old Cognac 1 oz. St. George Absinthe for the wash .25 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur .25 oz. Combier Liqueur d'Orange .25 oz. Grilled Grapefruit juice (sear slices of grapefruit over fire then cool and juice) Simple Syrup to taste (.50 oz recommended) Add all these ingredients to a Boston Shaker filled 他 with ice. Shake until well frosted. Wash your glass with the Absinthe, ice and water. Pour this out into your mouth after the glass is quite chilled or set aside for later. Add one gigantic hand-cut ice cube to your rocks glass at least 3x3. Flame an orange zest into the glass by pinching the zest into a burning match. Double Strain the liqueurs over the ice cube. Serve with a ribbon of grapefruit zest over the rim and inside the glass. DRINK! Then have another! Cheers from DrinkUpNY! Article by Warren Bobrow, a nationally published food and spirits columnist who writes for Williams-Sonoma, Foodista and the Beekman Boys.
Night Club & Bar September 2012 USA
Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula : ‘‘This utterly sophisticated spirit will indeed make any cocktail that much better.’’ Plantation Grande Reserve 5 Years old Rum : “It’s a seductive spirit modestly priced”
Hot New Backbar Prospects September 11, 2012 By: Robert Plotkin
People who appreciate world-class spirits are driven by the sense of discovery. The prospect of tasting something new is compelling and at the very heart of dynamic beverage marketing. Staying ahead of the curve is essential. In the event that you missed the ballyhoo surrounding their introductions, the following is our short list of the dozen best spirits that you’ve likely haven’t heard of…yet. We guarantee that they are nothing less than spectacular and soon everyone will know them by their first names. 123 Organic Añejo Tequila — The entire range of 123 Organic 100% Agave Tequilas is handcrafted in the Lowlands of Jalisco at Tequila Las Americas [NOM 1480] in Amatitán. The tequilas are made from USDA and EU certified organic agaves. The añejo is aged for a minimum of 18 months in American white oak barrels and bottled at 80 proof. The 123 Organic Añejo has an oily textured body and a wafting bouquet of caramel, vanilla, cinnamon and dark chocolate. The tequila bathes the palate with the lingering flavors of cocoa, mint, cinnamon and toffee. Its lingering finish is supremely satisfying. Agwa de Bolivia Coca Leaf Liqueur — This intriguing and unabashedly alluring elixir is crafted from handpicked coca leaves grown in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia. After the leaves are harvested they are shipped under armed guard to a distillery in Amsterdam. The coca distillate is extracted from the leaves using a proprietary steam distillation process and the narcotic compounds are removed. It’s then blended with 36 different herbs indigenous to Bolivia, a secret mix that includes Guarana, Ginseng and Yerba Mate and bottled at 60 proof. There’s nothing remotely like Agwa de Bolivia Coca Leaf Liqueur on your backbar.
Bak’s Bison Grass Żubrówka Vodka — Be fully prepared to swoon. This traditional Polish flavored vodka is delicious, sophisticated and perfectly in-step with contemporary tastes. It is triple-distilled in column stills from potatoes and artesian well water and then infused with bison grass essential oils. As is customary, every bottle contains a long, slender blade of bison grass. The grass is said to give one vitality and strength. Others insist that it possesses aphrodisiac properties. Whatever the motivation for drinking it, this vodka is an experience not to be missed. Bulldog London Dry Gin — The ultra-premium gin from London is handcrafted in small copper pot stills from English grain and a proprietary blend of 12 aromatics. In addition to juniper berries, the invigorating botanical mix includes poppy, lemon zest, cassia bark, almond, orris root, lotus leaves, licorice, lavender, angelica, coriander and longan or dragon eye, a fruit from Southeast Asia related to the lychee and long renown for its aphrodisiac properties. It’s a singular pleasure in every respect. Early Times 354 Bourbon — The brand has returned to its bourbon roots with release of Early Times 354. The whiskey is crafted with a mash bill of corn, rye and barley and limestone-filtered spring water. It is aged entirely in charred American white oak barrels and bottled at 80 proof. This is a tremendously appealing bourbon and an ideal entree to the joys of everyday sippin’ whiskey. Early Times 354 has a generous semisweet bouquet and a palate saturated with spicy, fruity and slightly smoky flavors. Its warm lingering finish is laced with notes of butterscotch, vanilla and pepper. El Buho 100% Agave Mezcal — The El Buho farm/distillery [NOM 0110X] is located in Santiago Matitlan, Oaxaca. Its mezcal is made from 100% Espadin agaves roasted in an underground stone pit with local mesquite wood for 7 days. The agaves are crushed using a burro-driven Tohona wheel before being double-distilled in a copper alembic still that has been in the family for nearly 100 years. El Buho is bottled at 86 proof — fresh from the still without barrel aging or the often-added worm. Trust that neither is needed in the least. The mezcal is a thoroughly delectable spirit, a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Herencia del Mezcalero Añejo Reserva Mezcal — When you hear about a spirit being handmade, this is exactly what you should envision. Herencia del Mezcalero is crafted at Fabrica de Mezcal del Amigo, a small family-owned distillery located in Matatlán, Oaxaca. It is double distilled in a traditional pot still, aged in ex-bourbon oak barrels for a minimum of 2-3 years and drawn from a single barrel. When the mezcal in the barrel has been depleted, that particular slice of 80-proof life is gone. The next barrel may be close in character, but it won’t be the same. The morale of the story is to appreciate each glass of this elegant spirit as a once in a lifetime thing. Luna Nueva Añejo Tequila — This luxurious newcomer is crafted at Premium de Jalisco [NOM 1558] in Mazamitla, Jalisco under the direct supervision of 3rd generation master distiller Wilfrido Ortega Casas. The agaves used in distillation come from both the Lowlands and Highlands. Limited edition Luna Nueva Añejo is aged for 18 months in new American and French oak barrels. It has a dark amber hue, a velvety smooth body and a wafting bouquet of cinnamon, spices, fresh citrus and vanilla. The palate is loaded with spice, butterscotch, cocoa, vanilla and light peppery notes.
Magave Blanco Tequila — Made in Jalisco at Destiladora del Valle de Tequila [NOM 1438], Magave is a rare Highland classic made using both traditional artisanal methods and state of the art equipment. The harvested mature agaves baked in stone ovens and stainless steel autoclaves. The extracted juice is allowed to slowly ferment using airborne yeasts and double distilled in pot stills. The water used in production is subjected to high-tech filtration. The finished blanco has an enticing floral and fruit character. Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula — Released in 2011, the 1840 Original Formula is crafted in the style of Three-Star Cognacs, which were the belle of the golden age of mixology and the foundation of scores of classic cocktails and mixed drinks. In keeping with its more assertive style, the Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula is bottled at an elevated 90 proof, markedly stronger than the other marques in the range. The Cognac has a generous floral and fruit bouquet and the long-lasting flavors of cinnamon, apples, vanilla and toffee. The lingering finish is dry, warm and eminently delicious. This utterly sophisticated spirit will indeed make any cocktail that much better. Plantation Grande Reserve 5 Years Old Rum — This prestigious Bajan spirit is a blend of pot-distilled and column-distilled rums made from local sugar cane molasses and aged in small oak barrels in the warmth and humidity of the Caribbean. After the rum has aged sufficiently, it is shipped to the Cognac Ferrand Estate in the heart of the esteemed Grande Champagne district of France. There it’s transferred to small French oak barrels and further aged in the estate’s cellars. Combined the rum is matured for a minimum of 5 years and bottled at 80 proof. It’s a seductive spirit modestly priced around $20. Vesica Vodka — Made in Poland, Vesica is three-times column distilled entirely from potatoes in a complex continuous still. It is then triple-filtered through activated charcoal and diluted to 80 proof. The result is a luxurious gluten-free spirit brimming with character and distinctively delicious taste. Vesica has a satiny lightweight body and a salty/semisweet bouquet with light herbal and grassy notes. Upon entry the vodka immediately fills the mouth with a delectably spicy, sweet palate before gradually tapering off into a warm lingering finish.
Draft Magazine November 2012 USA
Beauty News NYC October 2012 USA
“Take heart my friends, for this is no zombie potion, but a genius revival of a fresh, floral flavor that is an awesome addition to many classic cocktails we all know and love.”
Wine & Spirits October 2012
What’s Old is News: Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula®, a Classic Comeback By Stef Schwalb “A good cognac is like a woman. Do not assault it. Coddle and warm it in your hands before you sip it.” So said Sir Winston Churchill, an avid fan of this sumptuous spirit. A spirit that has almost literally arisen from the dead in the case of Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula®. Take heart my friends, for this is no zombie potion, but a genius revival of a fresh, floral flavor that is an awesome addition to many classic cocktails we all know and love. And here’s how it came about… “After working a few years along with the best bartenders in America, and the most acute researchers on the subject of cocktail history, we, ignorant cognac makers, discovered that it was a major ingredient for cocktails back in the 19th century,” reveals Guillaume Lamy, vice president – Americas, Cognac Ferrand. “We realized that over one third of all cocktails listed in the Jerry Thomas recipe book (the bible for many bartenders today) were made with cognac as a base or an ingredient. So we decided to do a bit more research about what kind of cognac bartenders were using back then.” This research led to some serious field work that included a lot of tasting and evaluation – a job I am sure many of us wouldn’t mind being asked to do, but one that nonetheless, is no easy task to undertake. “After tasting through 15 bottles from the 19th century, our cellar master Alexandre Gabriel and his good friend David Wondrich (a renowned cocktail historian and author) both agreed that one particular bottle would fit the bill on the taste components which would have made it the typical cognac used in a Mint Julep or a Brandy Crusta,” Guillaume adds. “This cognac is aPinet Castillon, distilled in 1840. Pinet Castillon is a house that does not exist anymore. However, we were able to reproduce the exact same style and taste profile.” The key characteristics of this cognac? “Cognacs from the 19th century had a higher proof, a different taste (because they were blended differently according to techniques that nobody uses today), and were much younger with a fresher base. However, all distillation was on heavy lees, giving them a high grape taste component. The idea of 1840 was to resuscitate such style of
cognac and make it available to all bartenders, so that they could recreate all of the classics out of 19th-century cocktail books.” The result has been resoundingly positive. Awarded Best New Product at Tales of the Cocktail© Spirited Awards 2012, Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula® is quickly becoming an important part of the bartender’s arsenal. Below are two recipes you can try to recreate yourself in the comfort of your home: Original Cognac Cocktail (Adapted by David Wondrich from Jerry Thomas, Bar-Tenders’ Guide, 1862; Photo by Daniel Kreiger) In a mixing glass, stir ½ teaspoon/3 ml of superfine sugar with 1 teaspoon/5 ml water until sugar has dissolved. Add: 2 oz./60 ml Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula® 1 teaspoon/5 ml orange liqueur, such as Mathilde Orange X.O. Liqueur 2-3 dashes aromatic bitters, such as Fee’s Whiskey Barrel Bitters, The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters, or Angostura Bitters Fill glass with cracked ice, stir well, and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist lemon peel over the top. For an Improved Cognac Cocktail, substitute a maraschino liqueur for the orange liqueur and add a dash (3 or 4 drops) of absinthe. Original Cognac Julep (Adapted by David Wondrich, Imbibe, 2007; Photo by Daniel Kreiger) In a highball glass, stir 2 teaspoons/10 ml superfine sugar with ½ oz./15 ml water until dissolved. Add 5 or 6 mint leaves (from the bottom of the sprig) and press very lightly with a muddler. Add 1½ oz./45 ml Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula® and fill with crushed or finely cracked ice. Swirl with a barspoon until the outside of the glass frosts. Add more crushed ice and another 1 oz./30 ml Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula®. Stir again to frost the glass. Garnish with at least 1 sprig of mint, and preferably 3, and add a straw. Optional (but highly recommended): Before inserting the mint and straw float ½ oz./15 ml Plantation Vintage 2000 Jamaican Rum on top by gently pouring it from a jigger over the back of a barspoon. Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula® is available at bars, restaurants, and retailers nationwide. The suggested retail price per bottle is $45.00. For more info, check outhttp://www.pierreferrandcognac.com
Exul News October 2012 France « l’Ancestrale en sa robe acajou de 70 ans d’âge m’offre au nez, puis en bouche, un voyage olfactif à bord d’une Porsche 911 SC Targa ouverte sur l’automne avec ses effluves de fleurs séchées, de tabac blond, de cuir, issues de ses sièges beurre frais où l’on aurait planté un clou de girofle. »
TENDANCE SPIRIT(UEUX)/Reflets d’un songe
Mercredi 3 octobre 2012
ALEXANDRE GABRIEL, ANCESTRALE, MEMORABLE, PART DES ANGES, COGNAC FERRAND
Alexandre Gabriel, maître de la flamme nue et acteur du Nô en chai humide
« Le beau n’est d’ordinaire qu’une sublimation des réalités de la vie », écrit Junichirô Tanizaki en « Eloge de l’ombre », chez Verdier. Les écrits du japonais, son discours, sa philosophie me reviennent en bouche, dégustant les eaux de vie les plus fines, en paradis du chai humide Cognac Ferrand, en commune d’Angeac-Champagne au cœur de la Grande Champagne. Alexandre Gabriel, son propriétaire, est un manitou de la distillation, lui qui a su redéfinir la puissance olfactive du cognac avec son 1840 (Cf. http://www.exulnews.com/1132/spiritueuxsous-le-signe-du-xixe/), devenu arme de construction massive de cocktails des meilleurs bartenders par son propos dixneuviémiste et vivifiant. Ou encore distiller en ces terres le gin à la flamme nue (Citadelle). Alexandre Gabriel, donc, officie au cœur du chai.
Le chai humide est un univers d’ombre. Son maître est un acteur du Nô. Un théâtre condamné à termes par les douanes françaises : la construction d’un chai humide est désormais interdite, ne pouvant contenir le nectar en cas de casse… ce qui tuera un jour une partie du travail d’élevage du cognac (le vieillissement en chai humide donne un cognac plus beurré et gras) et paupérisera donc le produit. La souillure est ici un ingrédient du beau. Le champignon Baudoinia compniacensis qui se nourrit de la part des anges, noircit les murs et la charpente du chai. Et comme la laque, se révèle à la lumière indigente. Ainsi que l’eau de vie qui affiche, comme un songe en ces lieux, une clarté indécise. Elle qui conserve en mémoire, jusqu’en son cœur de chauffe, la lueur de la flamme nue. Dans ce monde de rêve à l’incertaine clarté, le feu de la bouche se révèle déjà par l’appréhension visuelle du nectar. C’est une pâle lueur dorée, réfléchissement de la double distillation, qui s’ébroue de ses profondeurs obscures – 70 ans sous bois – dans le verre. Pas dans celui des bonbonnes de dame-jeanne mais dans le mien ! « Au-delà de 70 ans, un cognac ne vieillit plus », affirme Alexandre Gabriel.
Mémorable est le fruit de l’assemblage de trois des plus anciens Cognacs de la Maison Ferrand dont le mythique millésime 1914. Présenté dans une bouteille authentique soufflée au XVIIIe siècle, seule une bouteille de ce cognac d’exception de Grande Champagne a été éditée. Son prix d'adjudication à La Part des Anges : 3 200 €
Entre le cognac et l’obscurité, et donc les rêves qui la peuplent… est une épaisseur, celle du silence. Dans le temps de la dégustation, passé la flamboyance de la mise en bouche, est un moment suspendu. Une introspection qui fait appel à la mémoire
et brise la courbe inexorable du déclin de la persistance olfactive. Cette interrogation, cette introspection est une ponctuation d’éternité. C’est là toute la magie du cognac qui offre à la réminiscence la forme d’une existence réelle qui, ravivée, se déploie sur la longueur en bouche. Même réminiscence qui permet au cul de l’alambic de savoir « comment traiter les secondes. Là est le secret du distillateur », affirme Alexandre Gabriel (en seconde distillation, dite bonne chauffe, s’opère la coupe où sont séparées les têtes, le cœur qui deviendra cognac, les secondes qui seront recyclées et les queues ).
L'Ancestrale est le fruit de l'assemblage de la plus ancienne réserve de cognacs. Un produit de luxe limité à 300 flacons par an. Prix : 439 €
Chez Ferrand, on n’insistera pas sur l’assemblage, « 10 % du travail du maître de chais », préférant peaufiner ses techniques d’élevage qui offriront au cognac cette pâle lueur dorée de flamme nue et son rancio. Hors chai, l’Ancestrale en sa robe acajou de 70 ans d’âge m’offre au nez, puis en bouche, un voyage olfactif à bord d’une Porsche 911 SC Targa ouverte sur l’automne avec ses effluves de fleurs séchées, de tabac blond, de cuir, issues de ses sièges beurre frais où l’on aurait planté un clou de girofle. Un baiser épicé qui se transforme en caresse en buccale chocolatée avant d’accomplir sa métamorphose sur une extravagante longueur en bouche. Et qui ne se termine pas comme avec Louis XIII sur une note Earl Grey mais sur un propos Madère. Plus profond qu’une ostie et aussi consacré qu’une hostie. C’est simple, quand j’en déguste, je converse avec Jésus. Je prie, ça m’apaise et j’en deviens meilleur. Ne reste plus à l’archange Gabriel que de me citer quelque divins versets pour engager un propos plus messianique sur le cognac.
As Seen In Examiners.com August 2012
A top Boston mixologist applauds a winning cognac
Credit: Savona Communication Tales of the Cocktail, a major five-day annual event in New Orleans drawing 22,000 mixologists, bartenders, brand ambassadors, distillers, and others in the spirits world awarded its Best New Product honors this year to Cognac Ferrand's Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac速, a high-proof spirit that's been putting Cognac back into cocktails for the past year. When first introduced at Tales a year ago, Boston mixologist John Gertsen, manager of Barbara Lynch Gruppo's Drink in the Fort Point Channel, helped develop cocktail recipes for the beverage which was created by Cognac Ferrand owner Alexandre Gabriel with cocktail historian, David Wondrich to recapture the spirit of the quintessential era of the 1800's, reviving a "three star" Cognac, bottled at 90 proof, higher than most Cognacs, and making it an ideal mixer in drinks suich as juleps, crustas and punches.
View slideshow: A top Boston mixologist applauds a winning cognac Accepting the award this year, Gabriel declares: "Cognac deservers to be back behind the bar in a place of honor where it enjoyed decades of prominence as THE spirit for cocktails." Speaking to those behind the bar, he adds: "Our job is to build fine instruments but it's for you to play them. It's for you to make the music." That music, says Boston's Gertsen, who first discovered the company's Cognacs at No. 9 Park, is rich and vibrant. He likes to use the beverage in drinks that traditionally call for whiskey. It works well, he notes, with herbaceous liqueurs such as Benedictine, Curacao, Chartreuse, and with both Angostura and Peychaud bitters. "It has an affinity with herbal flavors." Take, for example, Gertsen's Widow's Kiss Variant in which he stirs 1 l/2 oz. of Pierre Ferrand 1840, 3/4 oz. yellow Chartreuse, 3/4 oz. Benedictine and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters into an iced mixing glass and strains them into a cocktail glass. The Cognac, he observes, "lets you taste the flavor of the grapes from which it is made. Pierre Ferrand actually has its own vineyards. We love and have a great time with this cognac. The Widow's Kiss makes a great early Fall drink - very herbal and strong." At Tales of the Cocktail, Ann Tuennerman, co-founder of the event, observes that Cognac has been well respected but"without a lot of visibility in modern cocktqils." Pierre Ferrand 1840's award, she notes, shows that "Cognac is able to get the respect of bartenders with a product that has the rich and sophisticated flavor for sipping as well as the depth and complexity necessary to let it shine in a cocktail." Joaquin Simo, this year's Spirited Award winner at Tales of the Cocktail for American Bartender of the Year, agrees, noting that Cognac has always been a historically significant cocktail ingredient, and Pierre Ferrand 1840 is one whose "release from imprisonment in a snifter is long overdue." Simo was at New York's Death & Co. earlier and will soon open Pouring Ribbons in Manhattan's East Village.
As Seen In PR NEWSWIRE August 2012
Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac® Wins "Best New Product" at Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards 2012 Pierre Ferrand Cognac is honored to announce that Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac® has won the coveted "Best New Product" Award at this year's Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards. Pierre Ferrand 1840 was launched last year at the same cocktail festival to great fanfare and has since become the darling and go-to Cognac for bartenders across the country and across the world. At a time when exceptional bartenders are creating cocktails in the same manner that master chefs create great dishes, this win for a Cognac heralds the resurgence of Cognac and Cognac cocktails and puts this versatile spirit back where it once was a mainstay – behind the bar! Created by Cognac Ferrand president Alexandre Gabriel with help from cocktail historian David Wondrich to recapture the spirit of the quintessential cocktail days of the 1800s, Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula is a revival of the classic three-star Cognac. Back in the nineteenth century barkeepers knew that nothing made for a better mixed drink than a good "three-star" Cognac. Pierre Ferrand 1840 is bottled at 90 proof, higher than most Cognacs, making it perfectly mixable in cocktails like Crustas, Juleps and Punches. Alexandre Gabriel says, "Winning this recognition from my peers is both hugely gratifying and humbling. We are a small producer in the middle of the Cognac vineyards. At Cognac Ferrand we are a team of passionate characters doing what we love to do – make great spirits. Cognac deserves to be back behind the bar in a place of honor where it enjoyed decades of prominence as THE spirit for cocktails. We created Pierre Ferrand 1840 to be that kind of Cognac and to receive this honor shows that we did the right thing. We are very happy." The Spirited Awards are the highlight of Tales of the Cocktail, the annual 5-day cocktail festival created by Ann and Paul Tuennerman that attracts more than 22,000 people passionate about all things spirits-related to New Orleans each July. This year, 17 illustrious international judges – including world-class bartenders, bar owners, brand ambassadors and spirits/cocktail historians, experts and authors –
voted in the Best New Product category and deemed Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula the winner. It is the first Cognac to win this prestigious award. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac (45% ABV) is available at bars/restaurants and retailers across the country for a suggested retail price of $45.00. ABOUT PIERRE FERRAND COGNAC Pierre Ferrand Cognac is imported to the United States by W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. and is available in fine restaurants, bars, lounges and liquor stores nationwide. www.pierreferrandcognac.com www.facebook.com/PierreFerrandCognac
As Seen In PR WEB August 2012
Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac® Wins “Best New Product” Award At Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards 2012 A panel of illustrious international judges – including world-class bartenders, bar owners, brand ambassadors and spirits/cocktail historians, experts and authors – voted in the Best New Product category and deemed Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula the winner. It is the first Cognac in Spirited Awards history to win this prestigious award. •
Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac Winning this recognition from my peers is both hugely gratifying and humbling Bonbonnet, France (PRWEB) August 01, 2012 Pierre Ferrand Cognac is honored to announce that Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac® has won the coveted “Best New Product” Spirited Award at this year’s famed cocktail festival, Tales of the Cocktail® in New Orleans. Pierre Ferrand 1840 was launched last year at the same festival to great fanfare and has since become the darling and go-to Cognac for bartenders across the country (and the world). At a time when exceptional
bartenders are creating cocktails in the same manner master chefs create great dishes, this win for a Cognac heralds the resurgence of Cognac and Cognac cocktails and puts this versatile spirit back where it once was a mainstay -- behind the bar! Created by Cognac Ferrand president Alexandre Gabriel with help from cocktail historian David Wondrich to recapture the spirit of the quintessential cocktail days of the 1800s, Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840 Original Formula is a revival of the classic three-star Cognac. Back in the nineteenth century, when the art of the cocktail as we know it first came together, barkeepers knew that nothing made for a better mixed drink than a good “three-star” Cognac. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula is bottled at 90 proof, higher than most Cognacs, making it perfectly mixable in cocktails, especially those of the 1800s like Crustas, Juleps and Punches. For more info, cocktail recipes/images, visit http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/7/prweb8635721.htm Alexandre Gabriel says, “Winning this recognition from my peers is both hugely gratifying and humbling. We are a small producer in the middle of the Cognac vineyards. At Cognac Ferrand we are a team of passionate characters doing what we love to do – make great spirits. Cognac deserves to be back behind the bar in a place of honor where it enjoyed decades of prominence as THE spirit for cocktails. We created Pierre Ferrand 1840 to be that kind of Cognac and to receive this honor shows that we did the right thing. We are very happy.” The Spirited Awards are the highlight of Tales of the Cocktail, the annual five-day cocktail festival in New Orleans created by Ann and Paul Tuennerman that this year celebrates its 10th Anniversary. Tales attracted more than 22,000 people who are passionate about all things spirits-related. This year, 17 illustrious international judges – including world-class bartenders, bar owners, brand ambassadors and spirits/cocktail historians, experts and authors – voted in the Best New Product category and deemed Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula the winner. It is the first Cognac to win this prestigious award. For a list of judges, click here. "Cognac has always been a well-respected spirit, but without a lot of visibility in modern cocktails,” says Ann Tuennerman, founder of Tales of the Cocktail. “Pierre Ferrand 1840, by winning Best New Product at this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, has shown that Cognac is also able to get the respect of bartenders, with a product that has the rich and sophisticated flavor for sipping as well as the depth and complexity necessary to let it shine in a cocktail." Upon receiving the award, Gabriel dedicated part of his acceptance speech to the bartenders of the world. “Our job is to build fine instruments but it’s for you to play them,” he said. “It’s for you to make the music.” Joaquin Simo, the 2012 Spirited Award winner for American Bartender of the Year, is one of the 1840 music makers, and says: “Cognac is a historically significant cocktail ingredient whose release from its imprisonment in a snifter is long overdue. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac fills an important niche for cocktail bartenders, providing us with a delicious and high-proof spirit designed for mixing in both classic cocktails and modern interpretations. Fruity and floral notes provide a highly versatile base while the higher alcohol percentage boosts flavors and ensures the traditional character of Cognac remains front and center. Its combination of high quality and mixable price point ensure it will be found on the back bars and speed rails of great bars around the world.”
Mr. Simo was recently a bartender at acclaimed Death & Co. (2010 Spirited Award winner, Best American Bar) and will be owner/operator of Pouring Ribbons, a bar opening soon in NYC’s East Village where Pierre Ferrand 1840 will be available. To celebrate and honor Tales’ 10th Anniversary this year, Pierre Ferrand created a limited edition, commemorative bottling of Pierre Ferrand 1840. Each of the 650 numbered bottles bears the Tales of the Cocktail anniversary logo and an inscription: “Limited edition hand bottled in June 2012 in honor of Ann and Paul Tuennerman for the 10th Anniversary of Tales of the Cocktail.” These commemorative bottles are being sold ONLY in New Orleans and are available now at retailers while supplies last (SRP $45.00). Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac (45% ABV) is available at bars/restaurants and retailers across the country for a suggested retail price of $45.00. ABOUT PIERRE FERRAND COGNAC It is with an unparalleled commitment to quality that Pierre Ferrand offers these fine expressions: Ambre, Reserve, Reserve des Dieux, Selection des Anges, Abel, Ancestrale and Collection Privée Vintages (1914, 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1972). Pierre Ferrand Cognac is imported to the United States by W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. and is available in fine restaurants, bars, lounges and liquor stores nationwide. http://www.pierreferrandcognac.com http://www.facebook.com/PierreFerrandCognac
As Seen In The Walt Street Journal August 2012
Not Your Suburban Orange Julius The shopping mall favorite grows up into a cocktail
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas ADULT SWIM | This icy concoction is a notch above the poolside Pi単a Colada.
WHEN YOU THINK of creamy, refreshing, dessert-like drinks, one immediately jumps to mind: the Piña Colada. There is, however, another option, and it's one that isn't known for being found at swim-up bars across the world. It's not nearly as famous as the Piña Colada. In fact, this is probably the first time you're hearing about it. And unless you're using the recipe below at home, the only place to drink it is at New York cocktail den Death + Company. (It doesn't have a pool.) Invented there by bartender Brad Farran, this refreshing new summer concoction is called the Julius Orange. (More on the name in a bit.) It's a drink with familiar flavors—orange, vanilla, rum, cream—but before you start rhapsodizing about your childhood Creamsicle memories, note that this drink couldn't have been created earlier than 2012. Why? The cocktail uses two full ounces of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, a new triple sec that was modeled after those used in the 1800s. This particular orange Curaçao is drier and a touch more bitter than what you might have been using in your margarita. "The first time I tasted it, I recognized these phenomenal vanilla notes," said Mr. Farran. "Once I zeroed in on that particular flavor, that led to the Cruzan Single Barrel Rum, which is also very vanilla-forward." A decent triple sec will work in this drink, but it won't be as good. (I tried.) A bit of experimentation ultimately led to a cooling, easy-drinking cross between two summertime favorites: the orange Creamsicle, and the beloved orange-flavored drink of anyone who spent their teenage weekends at the mall, the original Orange Julius. Which brings us to how you ask for the updated Julius. "I like my drink names to be a little cheeky," said Mr. Farran. Kevin Sintumuang
Julius Orange 2 ounces Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthod ½ ounce Cruzan Single Barrel Rum ½ ounce lemon juice ½ teaspoon vanilla syrup ½ teaspoon sugar cane syrup 1 dash orange bitters ½ ounce heavy cream Freshly grated nutmeg Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker, adding cream last. Shake hard with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with nutmeg.
• Tips for making a Julius Orange: Crushed Ice: If you're near a Sonic Burger, it's worth procuring a few cups of their pebble-like crushed ice. Home methods include a blender or a vintage ice-grinder. To go fully manual, wrap ice in a clean towel and crush with a wooden mallet. • Vanilla Syrup: You can usually buy this in the coffee aisle, but it's easy to make: Split a quarter of a vanilla bean pod open and let it sit in 6 ounces of simple syrup (two parts sugar to one part warm water; mix until dissolved) for about 20 minutes. Remove vanilla pod. • Cane syrup: Rhum J.M's Sirop de Sucre de Canne is great but you can also make your own: Take two parts cane sugar and one part warm water and mix until dissolved.
As Seen In Inside F&B August 2012
DONÄT MISS – FERRAND 1840 By Seánan Forbes
A product of passion, tradition and collaboration, Pierre FerrandÄs new-old Cognac – the 1840 – is built for industry. More and more, bars and restaurants take pride in serving classic cocktails. That requires pouring the right spirit in the glass. As Ferrand Vice President Guilaume Lamy observes, ÇCognac was the base for mixing in the nineteenth century.É It pays to know your history. These days, customers do – and they expect the highest quality ingredients from the bar as well as the kitchen, with respect for source and tradition. So it was a perfect time for Ferrand to dip into the past and reproduce a period cognac. For Ferrand, Lamy says, Çthis is a historical thing to do: to reconstruct a cognac that was drunk back in 1840.É Alexandre Gabriel, FerrandÄs owner, didnÄt work alone. In a different kind of spirit – one of international creativity – he invited a friend, American author-historian David Wondrich, to join the project. Wondrich remembers the call. Gabriel said, ÇIÄve got this project you might be interested in . . .É Bringing history alive? ThereÄs not a drop of doubt. According to Lamy, WondrichÄs input was vital. ÇAlexandre is very knowledgeable about taste. For history, David is the expert.É Of course, history is an integral component of Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac.(www.pierreferrandcognac.com) The experts worked with rare materials. ÇAlexandre rounded up bottles of drinking-grade Cognac from back in the day – hard to find,É Wondrich remarks, Çbecause people tended not to keep them.É Gabriel sourced a remarkable selection: approximately fifty bottles of nineteenth century cognac. ÇSome were very bad,É Lamy notes, Çoxidized or tasted like cork, and some were wonderful.É ÇThe 1840,É Wondrich says, Çwas fantastic.É In fact, it was everybodyÄs immediate first choice.É That choice was but the beginning. ÇThe big difference between 1840 and 2011,É Lamy says happily, Çis that we have technology.É Chromatography analyzes complex mixtures. ÇWe saw the elements in the spirit that would make that taste – and we reproduced it.É To recreate the spirit, Lamy says, Ferrand Çused old nineteenth century techniques not used today.É The 1840 is Ça three-star, which is a younger version of an amber – an old equivalent of a high-end VS.É It has Çhigher dosageÉ and Ça similar flavor to demi-glace in cooking.É Consider it a gift. ÇThis is a product we made for mixologists.É More precisely, it is a cognac made for pre-Prohibition cocktails. It doesnÄt get more authentic than this. Lamy says, ÇThis is what was used for Sazeracs and juleps,É back in the day. If you have patrons who are keen on tradition, then you have a market for old-school cognac cocktails. With any curious customer, use WondrichÄs knowledge to encourage them to try cognac as a mixer. ÇIn the nineteenth century, cognac would be number one, Dutch gin number two, whisky number three.É ThatÄs generic.
As Seen In BarMag.fr August 2012
Cognac Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula ĂŠlu Meilleur Nouveau Produit lors des Tales Of The Cocktail
Un succÖs dont les frenchies peuvent Ütre fiers, cÑest le prix du Best New Product dácerná à la Maison Pierre Ferrand pour son Cognac 1840 Original Formula lors de la derniÖre ádition du salon Tales of The Cocktail à la Nouvelle-Orláans fin juillet. 17 juges internationaux ont votá. Pour Ann Tuennerman, co-fondatrice du festival, â Le Cognac a toujours átá un spiritueux respectá, mais avec peu de visibilitá dans les cocktails modernes. En átant álu Meilleur Nouveau Produit cette annáe, le Pierre Ferrand 1840 a montrá que le cognac est aussi capable de gagner le respect des barmen. CÑest un produit qui possÖde à la fois les saveurs riches et sophistiquáes indispensables à la dágustation, et la profondeur et la complexitá nácessaires pour lui permettre de briller dans un cocktail. ä Pour Joaqim Simo, Çlu Barman amÇricain de lÉannÇe aux Ñ Spirited Awards 2012 Ö, â Le cognac est un ingrádient de cocktail historiquement important qui aurait dã se libárer de son emprisonnement dans les verres de dágustation il y a bien longtemps. Le Cognac Pierre Ferrand 1840 joue un råle important pour les barmen, nous offrant un spiritueux dálicieux à un taux dÑalcool álevá, álaborá pour Ütre utilisá à la fois dans des cocktails classiques et dans leurs dáclinaisons modernes. Avec ses notes fruitáes et florales, il se prÜte à des usages multiples, tandis que le taux plus álevá dÑalcool amplifie les aråmes, mettant ainsi lÑaccent sur le caractÖre traditionnel du cognac. Avec sa grande qualitá, associáe à un niveau de prix abordable pour un spiritueux à cocktails, on est sãr de le trouver sur les átagÖres des meilleurs bars du monde. ä Cráá il y a un an par Alexandre Gabriel, propriátaire de Cognac Ferrand, avec lÑaide de David Wondrich, historien des cocktails, le 1840 Original Formula renoue avec lÑesprit de lÑçge dÑor des cocktails au 19Öme siÖcle, sÑassemblant dans des cocktails tels que les Crustas, Juleps et Punchs. 45% vol. Distribuá en France par La Maison du Whisky.
Fotos: Istockphoto.com, pR
Facts | DrInks
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DrInks | Facts
CognaC und so Den RetRo-DRinks sei Dank. WeinbasieRte spiRituosen Rücken WieDeR stäRkeR in Den Mittelpunkt Des baRgeschehens. cognac, aRMagnac, bRanDy, WeinbRanD, Metaxa – alles geReifte bRänDe Mit viel geschichte, Denen es Mal MehR, Mal WenigeR gelingt, Das angestaubte iMage abzuschütteln.
Frisch und jung – das ist vermutlich das letzte, was ein Großteil der Verbraucher mit dem deutschen Traditionsprodukt Asbach verbindet. Doch genau an diesem Paradigmenwechsel arbeitet der Weinbrand seit einiger Zeit im Barumfeld. Aktuell etwa im Rahmen der Thomas Henry Klassenfahrt, bei der Asbach als Partner dabei war und gemeinsam mit den angesagten Bar-Fillern im Glas respektive im retro-trendigen Emaillebecher landete. So war einer der beliebtesten Drinks an Bord...
„The Big Buck“ 4 cl Asbach 8 Jahre 2 cl Cointreau 1 cl Zitronensaft Fill up mit Thomas Henry Spicy Ginger Dekoration: Zitronenzeste Parallel dazu schult Asbach fleißig Bartender in Deutschland über das Produkt. Eine klassische TopDown-Strategie, die mit langem Atem geplant ist. Bartender werden das Image zwar nicht alleine entstauben können, aber die Ansätze sind vielversprechend, und so dürfte es nur eine Frage der Zeit sein, wann der Geist des Weines auch wieder der breiten Basis schmackhaft gemacht wird.
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Ein weiterer deutscher Weinbrand, der sich seit einiger Zeit regelmäßig mit Drinkvorschlägen meldet, ist Chantré. Hier wird allerdings der direkte Weg zum Endverbraucher gewählt.
zu kreieren. Und nicht nur das, auch ein Flair-Wettbewerb ist dabei und noch vieles mehr – der Metaxa Young Cup ist geboren und wird in diesem Jahr erstmalig ausgetragen.
Mit solchen Ansätzen geben sich die deutschen Vertreter schon vergleichsweise sehr fortschrittlich. Spanischer Brandy etwa ruht sich nach wie vor auf seinen Lorbeeren und seinem Ruf aus, ähnlich wie Armagnac. Beides hat in Deutschland keinen großen Absatz und genießt weder einen besonders guten noch einen schlechten Ruf. Beide werden von Kennern gerne einmal genutzt, aber das war es dann auch schon.
cognac auf jung
Aus dem krisengeschüttelten Griechenland stammt eine Spirituose, die bereits seit 1888 mit Irrtümern zu kämpfen hat, versuchte man doch von Beginn an, Metaxa in eine der bestehenden Spirituosen-Kategorien zu pressen. Doch Metaxa ist und bleibt Metaxa: eine Spirituose bestehend aus gereiftem Weindestillat, Muskatwein und einer Prise Kräuter-Essenz. Diese Message stand auch im Fokus einer kürzlich absolvierten Tour durch deutsche Bars, bei der unter anderem Metaxa-Master Konstantinos Raptis allerlei über die Geschichte und natürlich das neueste Produkt, den Metaxa 12*, berichtete (siehe dazu auch Kasten, S. 32). Dies war jedoch nur der erste Streich, startete doch bereits ein Wettbewerb, um junge Bartender und Bar-Berufene zu animieren, einen Drink mit diesem griechischen Original
Der wohl bekannteste Vertreter in Sachen Destillat aus Wein ist der Cognac, der mittlerweile ein wirkliches Luxusproblem hat: Asien und der US-Markt sind so stark, dass der Cognac knapp wird. Dabei kaufen Amerikaner die jungen Cognacs und die Asiaten vor allem die reiferen Qualitäten. Der
Platz, um Wein in der vorgeschriebenen Region anzubauen, ist begrenzt, und selbst wenn man die komplette Anbaufläche aktiviert, was schon nahezu geschehen ist, so dauert es doch einige Jahre, bis aus den größeren Mengen Eau-de-vie auch wirklich Cognac wird. „Es wird mindestens 15 Jahre dauern, bis die Mengen, sofern weiter soviel Cognac außerhalb Europas genossen wird, auch wirklich geliefert werden können“, berichtet Marc Boissonnet, Brand Ambassador für Hennessy, Und dabei hat Hennessy schon von den großen Herstellern den größten Anbauanteil. Anzeige
Sasse Weinimport GmbH Rudolf-Diesel-Str. 15 • 86807 Buchloe Tel.: +49 (0) 8241 / 99 88 99 • Fax: +49 (0) 8241 / 99 89 00 E-mail: info@sassewein.de • www.sassewein.de
Importeur namhafter Weine Whisky, Grappa und Cognac Lieferung direkt an den Fachhandel und Gastronomie
Trendige Spezialität
ICE COGNAC by ABK6 wurde vom Kellermeister speziell für den Genuß »on the rocks« entwickelt. Zu Beginn noch sanft und weich, zeigt er Aromen von weißen Pfirsichen und entwickelt sich mit abnehmender Temperatur in frische Limonen- und Minznoten.
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Facts | DrInks
So stark Cognac auch außerhalb Europas gefragt ist – in Europa und auch in Deutschland hat er ein Imageproblem, gilt er, zumindest bei jungen Verbrauchern, doch als verstaubt und veraltet. Um von diesem Image des Altbackenen loszukommen, verfolgen die Hersteller unterschiedliche Strategien. Hine – Cognac mit britischem Charme Das Haus Hine ist der einzige Cognac-Hoflieferant des britischen Königshauses und beruft sich auch gerne darauf. Die Produkte aus diesem Haus gelten als etwas hochpreisiger. In Deutschland im Vertrieb bei Seven Spirits, geht dieser Cognac traditionell nicht den Weg der Märkte, sondern seinen eigenen Weg der Tradition. Im hochpreisigen Segment hat Hine ein neues Produkt mit der Qualität „Triomphe“ (ca. 260 Euro), welches geschmacklich die Lücke zur Qualität „Mariage“ schließen soll. Das war es dann aber auch schon – frische, junge Produkte für junge Leute sucht man hier vergebens. Rémy Martin – frisch mit alten Fässern Das Haus Rémy Martin hat seinem Produkt VSOP ein Facelifting verpasst, ein bereits aus anderen Spirituosen bekanntes „Finishing“ bringt mehr Fruchtnoten und die Flasche wurde überarbeitet. Dabei bekommt das Produkt VSOP ein weiteres Jahr in bereits genutzten, alten Fässern. Die Fässer sind so alt, dass sie keine Holznoten mehr abgeben, aber im Holz warten Fruchtnoten aus vorheriger Lagerung. Dieses „Mature Cask Finish“ führt zu einem frischen, spritzigen und jungen Produkt, das sich in hervorragender Ambivalenz zeigt: pur, auf Eis oder im Cocktail spielt dieser Cognac seine zahlreichen Facetten aus. Seine Mixfähigkeit stellte er zuletzt im Rahmen der „Rémy Martin Classics“ unter Beweis, u.a. beim siegreichen Drink...
„Love for Rémy“ 6 cl Rémy Martin VSOP Mature
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Cask Finish 1 cl Zitronensaft 2 dünne Scheiben Ingwer 2 Stängel Rosmarin 1 cl Ahornsirup ABK – cool auf Eis Dieses kleine Cognac-Haus versucht, mit frischen Ideen und zwei Produkten Anschluss an die junge Generation zu finden. Zunächst die neue VS-Qualität „Pure Single“: ein sehr würziger und fruchtiger Cognac, zum Mixen hervorragend geeignet, aber gerne auch pur genossen. Ein Produkt, das speziell für den Kontakt mit Eis geschaffen wurde und auch nicht in die bisherigen Altersklassifizierungen passt, ist der ABK6 Ice. Auch dieser beweist seine Mixability und seine Vielfalt. Mit sinkender Temperatur verändern sich die Aromen von Vanille über weißen Pfirsich bis hin zu Minze. Ein moderner Ansatz, der neue Wege eröffnen könnte. In Deutschland ist ABK6 im Vertrieb der Sasse Weinimport GmbH.
Hennessy – Mixpartner Tee Der wohl größte Hersteller von Cognac ist das Haus Hennessy – traditionell und bisweilen sehr exklusiv, wie etwa bei der neuesten Qualität, dem „Paradis Imperial“, eine Komposition aus sehr gereiften Destillaten, das älteste sogar 130 Jahre alt. Hier entfaltet der Cognac wieder sein Image als Luxusgut. Parallel dazu beschäftigt sich das Haus aber auch immer wieder mit der Anwendung im Drink, aktuell steht die Paarung mit Tee im Fokus, denn laut Hennessy passen die pflanzlichen Noten des Cognacs zu den pflanzlichen Noten des Tees, während die würzigen Noten des Tees die floralen und fruchtige Aromen des Cognacs verstärken. Beispiel: „The Fine Winter“ 5 cl Hennessy Fine de Cognac 3 cl abgekühlter Earl Grey Tee 2 cl frischer Zitronensaft 1,5 cl Schwarzkirschsirup 1,5 cl Cranberrysaft Dash Angostura Orange Bitters und Angostura Bitters Eiweiß Dash Soda
Ferrand – klassisch modern Cognac Ferrand geht mit dem heutigen Besitzer Alexandre Gabriel ganz neue Wege. „Cognac, wie wir ihn heute kennen, hat sich seit Jahrzehnten kaum bewegt. Aber Cognac war auch einmal anders.“ Es fällt auf, dass Cognac Ferrand schon in den Bezeichnungen von der üblichen VS, VSOP, XO-Kategorisierung abweicht. „Das sind Beschränkungen, denen ich nicht zustimme, denn es geht nicht um das Alter eines Cognacs, sondern am Ende des Tages muss er dem Verbraucher schmecken“, so Gabriel. Bestes Beispiel ist sein aktuellstes Produkt, der Cognac Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula. Um diesen zu kreieren, hat Gabriel alte, „frische“ Cognacs per Auktion erstanden. Diese über 100 Jahre alten Cognacs in VS-Qualität hat er akribisch analysiert und mittels seiner gelagerten Qualitäten nachempfunden – ein sehr gelungenes Produkt, sowohl pur als auch zum Mixen geeignet. Baron Otard – Adel verpflichtet Baron Otard hat erst kürzlich die komplette Range optisch überarbeitet. Im unteren Qualitätssegment hat sich allerdings sonst nichts getan. Lediglich in den hohen Qualitäten gab es neue Produkte, und dort auch den wohl aktuell teuersten Nicht-CuveeCognac „Fortis et Fidelis“ produziert. Der empfohlene Flaschenpreis liegt bei 3.200 Euro in Frankreich und dürfte in Deutschland nicht unter 3.500 Euro zu haben sein. Hier werden die ältesten Destillate genutzt, das jüngste ist 60 Jahre alt. Baron Otard wird in Deutschland durch Bacardi vertrieben.
fazit Es passiert etwas auf dem Weinbrand-Markt, um die jungen Verbraucher und Genießer von morgen anzusprechen. Allerdings geht der Wandel nur langsam voran, denn gleichzeitig sollen Traditionen gewahrt werden. Anhand von Cognac wird deutlich, dass sich so mancher Richtung junges Publikum bewegt. Aber eben nicht alle, vor allem weil der asiatische Markt so lukrativ ist. Drinks lassen sich selbstverständlich mit allen Produkten zubereiten. Die Frage ist nur, wie lange die Preise bei dieser Nachfrage noch stabil genug bleiben, damit sich Cognac auch weiterhin als Mix-Spirituose rechnet.
Jörg KalinKe
A
ZwölF STERnE Anlässlich der Vorstellung des neuen Metaxa 12* in Deutschland gab Metaxa Master Konstantinos Raptis Einblicke in den neuen Stern am MetaxaHimmel. „Die idee zu Metaxa 12* ist vor zwölf Jahren geboren. ich sah bei meinen Proben im keller, wie schön sich unsere Brände entwickeln, je älter sie werden. und ich fand immer, dass sich die Muskatweine, die wir verwenden, vor allem im Alter und das vor allem in der Flasche, immer weiter entwickeln. Dies ist etwas Besonderes. Limitierte editionen älterer Abfüllungen gab es in der Metaxa Reserve Reihe ja bereits, nicht aber innerhalb unserer SterneRange. Darum aber ging es mir: ein neues Spitzenprodukt für eine größere gruppe von Liebhabern zu kreieren, das mit reifen Whiskys gleichen Alters mindestens auf einer Stufe steht. in unserem keller schlummern seit über einem Jahrhundert viele reife Brände, aus diesem großen Reservoir habe ich schöpfen können. Die Vermischung unterschiedlicher Destillate in kombination mit der Verwendung von Muskatweinen, ausschließlich von der insel Samos, machen unseren Metaxa 12* so einzigartig. und natürlich sind die für Metaxa typischen und weltweit einzigartigen Rosenblüten-kräuterextrakte enthalten, in diesem Fall jedoch dezenter, um die reifen Töne nicht zu unterdrücken. ich trinke den Metaxa 12* am liebsten pur. Aber man kann ihn genauso gut mit einem eiswürfel im glas genießen. Oder man kühlt die Flasche leicht. An heißen Tagen gefällt er mir dann am besten.“
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As Seen In SUDOUEST July 2012
Cognac : la part belle aux anges Les maîtres de chais ont présenté, mardi, leurs lots destinés aux enchères de la future part des anges
Les 26 maîtres de chais des maisons de cognac étaient présents pour une photo de « famille » sur le parvis de la mairie. (photo l. s.) Les photos de famille se soignent, surtout quand c'est une première. Les 26 maîtres de chais se sont rassemblés hier pour prendre la pose sur le parvis de l'hôtel de ville de Cognac. Le soleil bien dans les yeux, avec leur « tête de premier de la classe », ils ont tous répondu présent, sauf un, la maison Camus. « Mais 26 sur 27, c'est déjà une belle note », s'amuse Philippe Coste, ancien président par intérim du Bureau national interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC). Eux qui se tirent habituellement dans les pattes ont tâché de faire bonne figure. La cause est noble. Il s'agit de présenter leur lot pour la vente aux enchères de la part des anges 2012 qui se déroulera le 20 septembre au Château Chesnel à Cherves-Richemont. Une somme rondelette Cette manifestation, créée par le BNIC, réunit depuis sept ans les principales maisons qui mettent aux enchères un de leurs flacons d'exception. La somme est ensuite reversée à une association. Cette année, c'est encore l'Ordre de Malte qui doit en bénéficier. Une somme
rondelette, l'estimation actuelle avoisine les 80 000 euros. « Nous n'avons qu'un seul objectif : battre le record 2011, qui a dépassé les 100 000 euros », raconte Philippe Coste. Autant dire que les maîtres de chais ont pris soin de leur flacon comme de la prunelle de leurs yeux. L'un d'entre eux a failli glisser dans les escaliers du parvis, provocant quelques palpitations. Une fois la pose terminée, ils étaient d'ailleurs soigneusement rangés dans leur étui. L'un des plus gros lots est celui d'Hennessy. Un assemblage unique d'eaux-de-vie séculaires, dont une de 1812, réalisé par le maître de chais Yann Fillioux, représentant de la septième génération des maîtres assembleurs. Prix estimé : 8 000 euros. L'union fait la force Et souvent les prix flambent. Olivier Blanc de Léopold Gourmel l'atteste. L'année dernière sa bouteille a été vendue dix fois son prix. « La Part des anges permet de conforter l'assise de l'aristocratie des spiritueux. On n'a pas de confrérie. Le collectif fait aussi la force. » Même si en aparté, un maître de chais reconnaît : « C'est sûr, on est beau avec nos lots, mais entre nous on ne se fait pas de cadeaux ! L'union ne fait la force que face aux autres alcools. » Mais cette photo, c'était aussi l'occasion de rendre hommage aux maîtres de chais : « Il s'agit de rendre à César ce qui appartient à César, de redonner au lot leurs concepteurs. Les maîtres de chais demeurent souvent dans l'ombre », selon Agnès Aubin, directrice de la communication du BNIC. Tous sont très fiers de leur produit, chacun défend sont style. « Voilà quarante-six ans que je travaille à la complémentarité des harmonies de mes eaux-devie. Et le plus beau, c'est que tout ne repose pas sur un seul homme, c'est un travail d'équipe et transgénérationnel », défend Yann Fillioux.
As Seen In Genuss Maenner July 2012
Run um besten Cognac der Welt 28.07.2012 | Brände und Liköre
In London kämpfen die Olympioniken um Ruhm und Ehre für sich und ihr Land. Zehntausende Sportlerinnen und Sportler aus aller Welt wollen nur eines: den Olympiasieg. Ähnlich wie bei den Olympischen Spielen wetteifern in der französischen Cognac-Region die Produzenten um den feinsten Cognac der Welt. Im Herzen des berühmten „Goldenen Dreiecks“ der Grande Champagne um die Stadt Cognac, die 120 Kilometer entfernt von Bordeaux liegt, kommt einer der begehrtesten Cognacs, der Pierre Ferrand Cognac. Erzeuger dieses „Premier Cru de Cognac“ ist Cognac Ferrand, weltweit anerkannter Spezialist der Grande Champagne und eines der wenigen Häuser, das seinen alten Grande Champagne-Cognac nicht mit Cognacs minderwertiger Gebiete verschneidet. Nur das Beste
In vielen Cognac-Häusern ist längst der Alltag der Massenproduktion eingezogen. Nicht so auf der Domaine du Logis d'Angeac von Pierre Ferrand. Bereits in der fünften Generation wird dort nach alter überlieferter Herstellungsweise und traditionellem Rezept der Pierre Ferrand Cognac hergestellt. Die verwendeten Weine stammen allesamt aus dem Anbaugebiet Grande Champagne. Dort werden sie auch nach traditionellen Verfahren destilliert und als erstklassige Eaux-de-Vie anschließend in kleinen Limousin-Eichenholz-Fässern gelagert. Der Grundwein besteht zu 70 % aus der Traube Ugni Blanc und zu 30 % aus der Sorte Colombard. Die Rebstöcke sind durchschnittlich zwischen 15 und 35 Jahre alt, daher sind die Ernten weniger ertragreich, aber die Weine und später die Destillate um so komplexer. Ferrand verwendet grundsätzlich keinen Kunstdünger. „Um unseren exquisiten Cognac zu erzeugen, arbeiten wir bereits in den Weinbergen so wie es ein großer Winzer täte“, sagt Cognac Ferrand-Besitzer Alexandre Gabriel im Gespräch mit „genussmaenner.de. Authentische Qualität lässt sich eben nicht erzwingen. Das Ergebnis: ein international ausgezeichneter Cognac – raffiniert, komplex und subtil zugleich. So entsteht Pierre Ferrand
Alexander Gabriel, Besitzer von Cognac-Ferrand Die ausgesuchten Ugni blanc-Trauben, die den Grundweinen die nötige Frische und Säure verleihen, vereint mit einem kleinen Anteil Colombard, der den Cognac mit Frucht und Fülle abrundet, werden zum optimalen Reifezeitpunkt gelesen, sofort gepresst und die Moste zur Spontanvergärung in die Tanks geleitet. Nach abgeschlossener Gärzeit werden sie nur leicht geschönt und unfiltriert mit den Feinhefen gebrannt. Der Cognac reift ausschließlich in 270Liter-Fässern aus Limousin-Eiche, deren geringes Volumen und poröse Holzstruktur optimale Bedingungen für den harmonischen Austausch von Destillat, Eiche und Luft bieten. Die 1776 erbauten Logis d’Angeac haben sieben konstant kühle Reifekeller mit den traditionellen Böden aus gestampfter Erde, die einen gleichmäßigen Feuchtigkeitsgehalt bewahren. Bis zu sechs Jahre braucht ein Cognac, um die perfekte „Reduktion“ zu erreichen – wenngleich manchen Cognac-Häusern dazu wenige Tage genügen. Um den optimalen Alkoholgehalt zu erzielen, hat Cognac Ferrand die „Technique des Petites Eaux” entwickelt. Dazu werden rund 30 Jahre alte Cognac-Fässer mit destilliertem Wasser befüllt und kühl gelagert. Nach drei bis sechs Monaten besitzt das Wasser, allein durch Absorbieren der Cognac-Rückstände im Holz, einen Gehalt von rund 5 % vol. Alkohol. Mit diesem „Les Petites Eaux” genannten Wasser, wird nun der Alkoholgehalt des Cognacs nach und nach auf 40 % vol. reduziert. Ein Prozess, der drei bis sechs Jahre dauert. Charakter sichern
Nicht allein Reben und Destillation machen Pierre Ferrand Cognac zum Feinsten seiner Klasse. Letztlich sind es Genie, Talent und die langjährige Erfahrung des Kellermeisters, dem der edle Brand seine unvergleichliche Eleganz verdankt. Auf den Logis d'Angeac bringt seit fünf Generationen dieselbe Familie die begnadeten Brennmeister hervor. Kunst und Erfahrung im Destillieren und Verschneiden von Cognac werden vom Vater an den Sohn „weiter vererbt“ – und die sechste Generation gerade ausgebildet. In dieser Tradition der bedingungslosen Qualitätsverpflichtung erzeugt Cognac Ferrand folgende hoch geschätzte Cognac-Qualitäten: Ambre, Réserve, Réserve des Dieux, Séléction des Anges, Abel, Ancestrale and Collection Privée Vintages. Unverbindliche Preisempfehlung ab 45 US-Dollar für Pierre Ferrand Ambre bis 1.500 US-Dollar für Pierre Ferrand 1914 Collection Privée Vintage (je 0,75l-Flasche). Pierre Ferrand Cognac wird über W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. in die USA importiert und ist landesweit in feinen Restaurants, Bars, Lounges und Spirituosengeschäften erhältlich. Das Unternehmen erzeugt aber auch hochwertigen Gin, Rum, Vodka. Die Edelgetränke reifen mindestens zehn Jahre lang in Fässern, bevor sie in über 40 Länder der Welt vermarktet werden. Text und Fotos: BG
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Robb Report May 2012 USA
“They ultimately produced the very floral, 90-proof Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac, which mixologists have used to revive numerous pre-Prohibition cocktails.”
Summer 2012 Host's Guide: Nightcaps May 01, 2012
The King’s Ginger Liqueur Berry Bros. & Rudd first formulated this bright, sweet, and naturally spicy liqueur in 1903 as a pick-me-up for King Edward VII. It must have worked, because that same year, His Majesty bestowed a Royal Warrant upon Great Britain’s oldest wine-and-spirits merchant. Although it never went out of production (it was only sold to the Royal Family and other affluent customers), the King’s Ginger fell into obscurity until 2009, when a Scotsman coincidentally named David King—the new president of Anchor Distilling in San Francisco—discovered and revitalized the liqueur through a Dutch distillery. Slightly reformulated with ground ginger root, lemon peels, neutral grain spirits, and a hint of Glenrothes single malt, the King’s Ginger can add a regal flair to a hip flask. ($40) 1972 Château du Busca Ténarèze Armagnac With its limestone and chalky clay—the same soil composition found in the Cognac region— the Ténarèze wine region of Armanac is suited to producing full-bodied wines that lend themselves to long aging. The 1972 Château du Busca Ténarèze Armagnac, made in the oldest distillery in Gascony, is a classic fine spirit made from such a wine. With citrus at the forefront and a candied, nutlike undertone, it is both ethereal and flavorful. ($395)
Jade C. F. Berger Absinthe Supérieure The favored "creative drink" of Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Edgar Allan Poe, W. Somerset Maugham, and numerous other 19th- and early-20th-century artists and writers, absinthe was one of the first alcoholic beverages targeted by the temperance movement, initially in France and England in the mid-1800s and, later, in the United States. It was banned in this country in 1912, prior to Prohibition. But the ban has been lifted, and absinthe is back. The 130-proof Jade C. F. Berger—a re-creation of the Couvet, Switzerland, original by absinthe expert T.A. "Ted" Breaux—is bold and rich, with intermingled anise and heavy herbal flavors. ($100) Crème Yvette This 1890s-era violet liqueur was off the market for more than half a century before it was brought back and became a versatile base for cocktails. Made from a distillate infused with four different berries macerated with dried violet petals sourced from Provence, Crème Yvette is almost too powerful to drink alone. But it is superb when added to a flute of Perrier-Jouët Cuvee Belle Epoch 2004, or when used, as it was before Prohibition, to make Aviation or Blue Moon cocktails. ($41) Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac During the 19th century and until Prohibition, Cognac usually was made at a higher proof than it is today, and so it was frequently used in alcohol-dominated cocktails. When Cognac Ferrand president Alexandre Gabriel acquired a remarkably preserved bottle of PinetCastillon Cognac from 1840—before phylloxera destroyed France’s vineyards—he and cellar master Christian Guerin set about replicating the spirit. They ultimately produced the very floral, 90-proof Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac, which mixologists have used to revive numerous pre-Prohibition cocktails. ($45) Germain-Robin "Old Havana" Double Distilled Brandy In 1995, California’s Germain-Robin introduced an 11-year-old brandy called For the Lover of Fine Cigars. Like the company’s other double-distilled brandies, this one was distilled by cigar-smoker Hubert Germain-Robin in an alembic pot still that he brought from his native France. Fine Cigars was distilled from the juice of California grape varietals that included Pinot Noir, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Ehrenfelser, and French Colombard. Germain-Robin later renamed the brandy Old Havana and continued to offer it until 2001, when the winery ceased to produce it. However, in 2008, three barrels of the original Old Havana blend were discovered still aging in a corner of the estate’s cellar. The now 25-year-old brandy is darker and richer than previous versions and has the crisp, herbaceous character of Sauvignon Blanc and the flavor of oranges coating its silky texture. This brandy is tailor-made for a Macanudo Vintage 2000 or an Arturo Fuente Hemingway. ($140) Plymouth Sloe Gin Thank the classic cocktail renaissance for the return of Plymouth Sloe Gin, which was first formulated in 1883 in the Black Friar Distillery in Plymouth, England. Sloe berries are related to the plum and are ripe enough for picking only in September and October. After the berries are steeped in high-proof Plymouth Gin, Dartmoor water is added, along with a touch of sugar to extract all of the juices from the fruit. Plymouth Sloe Gin’s sweet cherry-raspberry flavor, with hints of figs, cloves, and stewed fruits, provides an authentic base for the Sloe Gin Fizz, the Sloe Motion, and other cocktails that became popular once Prohibition was abolished. It also can be enjoyed chilled and neat. ($35)
Bushmills Irish Honey As master distiller for the world’s oldest licensed distillery, Colum Egan is not about to change the way Bushmills (founded in 1608) makes any of its triple-distilled Irish whiskeys. Yet Egan recently created a new Bushmills expression, Irish Honey, using the distillery’s Original (White Label) whiskey as a base and combining it with a small amount of natural Irish honey, which arrives from the producer in its pure, unadulterated form. The 70-proof Bushmills Irish Honey is impressively clean and light, with malt and sherry notes from the whiskey intertwined with vanilla, dusty lavender, and a gentle honeyed sweetness. ($30) Original Cognac Cocktail ½ tsp. superfine sugar 1 tsp. water 2 oz. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac 1 tsp orange liqueur, such as Mathilde Orange X.O. Liqueur 2 or 3 dashes aromatic bitters, such as Fee’s Whiskey barrel Bitters, The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters, or Angostura bitters In a mixing glass, stir sugar and water until sugar has dissolved. Add remaining ingredients, fill glass with cracked ice, stir well, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist a lemon peel over the top. For an Improved Cognac Cocktail, substitute maraschino liqueur for the orange liqueur and add a dash (or 3 or 4 drops) of absinthe. —David Wondrich (adapted from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tender’s Guide, 1862) Jackson Punch 2 oz. Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac 1 oz. Plantation Reserve Barbados Rum ¾ oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice ½ oz. simple syrup (made with equal parts sugar and water) ½ oz. raspberry syrup 2 oz. water Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, shake well, and strain into a tall glass full of fresh ice. Ornament with raspberries and half an orange wheel cut into four pieces and artistically arranged. Add a straw and serve. —David Wondrich (adapted from an 1863 recipe by Jerry Thomas)
— Richard Carleton Hacker
Tasting Table May 2012 USA
“Pierre Ferrand introduced its mixing-friendly 1840 cognac last year, then came out with a dry curaçao this year. Bartenders are now armed with the tools necessary to create cognac drinks like the Crusta, and its more popular descendant, the Sidecar.”
Brandy, You're a Fine Girl Cognac makes a triumphant return Cognac, though generally considered a sipping liquor, is moving into the mixing tin. In truth, it's moving back into the mixing tin. Cognac was one of the most frequently encountered spirits during the 18th and early 19th centuries, giving birth to drinks like Sazerac and early juleps. But its stateside popularity was dampened: first by war, then by the grape-attacking Phylloxera blight, then by Prohibition. Now its presence has grown anew. At the just-opened Demi Monde in New York City, the cocktail list leans heavily toward brandy, with drinks like the Second Wind, with cognac, Pineau des Charentes, verjus blanc and bitters. Across the country in Los Angeles, another new bar with French leanings, Pour Vous, mixes cognac with its cousin Calvados, as well as demerara sugar, bitters and orange zest. It’s akin to a newly sophisticated Old-Fashioned. Cognac producers are also making a push toward the coupe: Pierre Ferrand introduced its mixing-friendly 1840 cognac last year, then came out with a dry curaçao this year. Bartenders are now armed with the tools necessary to create cognac drinks like the Crusta, and its more popular descendant, the Sidecar. You can’t keep a good grape down.
As Seen In Imbibe May/June 2012
“Recent cocktail-ready Cognacs include the crisp and bright Pierre Ferrand 1840 - crafted with assistance from Imbibe columnist David Wondrich to resemble the young, higher-proof “three-star” Cognacs from the mid-1800s …”
As Seen In New york Times June 2012
Summer Drinks If you’re hosting a cocktail party, don’t just use whatever spirits you have around the house. Instead, consider picking up a modifier like orange Curaçao, Bénédictine, maraschino or Campari; paired with a base spirit like rye whiskey, along with citrus, vermouth or a dash of bitters, you have a number of classic drinks at hand. To start mixing, select one of those modifiers at left in the cocktail generator below. If you click the randomize button, we’ll mix it for you. Then share your drink using the Twitter and Facebook links. — JIM MEEHAN
The Perfect Spot February 2012 Written by Virginia Miller USA “The curacao is still sweet with vanilla and Mandarin orange,
but balanced by floral notes and spices, from cinnamon to black pepper.” .”
CLASSIC CURACAO: Restoring a 19th Century Recipe Did you know there is an orange called the Curacao? It’s a variety of orange extremely bitter to taste, with weathered skin. Drying them in the sun releases fragrant oils. Homely as the orange may be, its intense flavor was valued in making curacao in ages past. American palates aren’t exactly prone to bitter. We’ve been so weaned on sugar, even the most subtle of bitter can throw us off. I can vouch personally that one can acquire the taste. Keep tasting and the love will come. In fact, these days I crave bitter and sour far more than sweet (once was the opposite). Enter Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode. While Triple Sec, Curacao and orange liqueur brands work in cocktails, this new product is closer to 19th century style orange liqueur. The defining Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide of 1862 calls for curacao in over 35 recipes. Leave it to cocktail historian (and one of the more real – and crazy – guys you’ll meet in this industry), David Wondrich, to be instrumental in its revival. Cognac Ferrand proprietor Alexandre Gabriel consulted Wondrich on this modern take of a classic. The recipe utilizes Curacao sundried orange peels, along with 14 ingredients and spices, including a bit of lemon and sweet orange peel for balance. These botanicals are blended with brandy and Pierre Ferrand Cognac, then aged in oak casks. The curacao is still sweet with vanilla and Mandarin orange, but balanced by floral notes and spices, from cinnamon to black pepper. Released to bartender and press acclaim in Europe this past October, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode will be available across the US in March. $29.99 for 750ml bottle Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Three Star Cognac Alongside the Dry Curacao, Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Three Star Cognac makes lovely classic cocktails. As a 19th century style cognac, it seems “three star” was historically the younger, more affordable, yet robustly flavored cognac compared to expensive, rare cognacs. It is more akin to VS cognac today but higher in proof (90).
Gabriel again worked with Wondrich alongside Ferrand cellar-master Christian Guerin on this cognac blend. They closely modeled it on a preserved 1840 bottle of Pinet-Castillon cognac, from a time when cognac was king before grapes were wiped out by phylloxera. It’s initially sweet and soft (despite the 90 proof) with vanilla crème brûlée notes, but as it unfolds is perfumed, buttery yet mineral. In some ways it reminds me of bright rhum agricole. $44.99
Huffingtonpost.com January 2012 US ‘’They don't make cognac like this anymore -- or at least they didn't until Pierre-Ferrand, working with cocktail historian David Wondrich’’
The Best New Spirits Of 2011 (And They'll Taste Great In 2012, Too)
Posted: 1/4/12 10:08 AM ET
Back in early December, when I first started thinking about writing this yearend wrap-up, I thought that 2011 was a pretty blah year for new spirits, especially compared to 2010, when a month didn't go by without at least one or two spectacular brands debuting in bars and on liquor store shelves. But my attitude quickly changed once I discovered how hard it was to narrow down all the newlyreleased booze I've tried this year to a mere ten brands. And that doesn't even count all the newbies that I somehow missed out on (Angel's Envy bourbon, you WILL be mine in 2012!) In the end, I simply couldn't decide among
PIERRE-FERRAND 1840 ORIGINAL FORMULA COGNAC (France; 45% ABV, age not stated, $45). They don't make cognac like this anymore -- or at least they didn't until Pierre-Ferrand, working with cocktail historian David Wondrich, recreated it. Working from a well-preserved original bottle of the stuff dating back to 1840 (hence the name), this is not your standard 21st century cognac. 170 years ago, you see, cognacs were lighter, fruitier, and generally had more pizazz than their stodgy, wood-heavy modern counterparts. 1840 Original Formula works great in cocktails (try it in a julep instead of bourbon, or a Sazerac in place of rye), or on its own in a snifter. Either way, you'll never think of cognac the same way again.
the dozens of worthy spirits that first met taste buds in 2011, so I included another five "honorable mentions." Every one of them is worth trying, and I'll bet dollars to daiquiris that at least a couple of them will nudge aside your favorite brands in your liquor cabinet. And as always, feel free to weigh in with your own favorite new releases from the last calendar year. 10. BOLS BARREL-AGED GENEVER (Holland; 42% ABV, aged 18 months, $50). I'm not a huge genever fan, but with this barrel-aged gem, Bols has converted me. Genever is the Dutch forefather of the English gins we're familiar with today, but wood aging makes this version a lot closer to whiskey. In fact, my favorite way to use it is as a bourbon substitute in a Manhattan. It's a little sweet, a little malty, ridiculously smooth, and unlike many of the young bourbons which it resembles, doesn't have an alcoholic burn. It's also worth trying in a Martinez, the antecedent of the martini, which originally called for "Holland gin" -- or, in other words, genever. 9. 9. DRAMBUIE 15 LIQUEUR (Scotland; 43% ABV, aged 15 years, $56). I've always been a fan of Drambuie. The venerable brand, a combo of honey, herbs, spices and Scotch whisky, has been around for more than a century, so I know I'm not alone. But whether or not Drambuie is your thing -even if you don't like liqueurs in general -- Drambuie 15 is worth a taste, or several. The difference is
that they've replaced their normal blend of Highland and Speyside whiskies with higher-end 15-yearold Speysides, and they've also toned down the sweetness. So while this is still a Scotch-based liqueur, it's less liqueur and more Scotch. It's rich, smooth, sweet without being cloying, and it's got a ridiculously high alcohol content (86 proof) for a liqueur. As far as liqueurs go, this is the complete package. 8. BRUGAL 1888 RUM (Dominican Republic; aged 5-14 years, 40% ABV, $50). I've enjoyed Brugal for years as a mixing rum, but this new beauty, created to commemorate the year the company was founded, is designed for sipping -- and it's a sip to remember. This big, robust rum isn't for the faint-hearted, the lily-livered, or the weak-kneed. It's dark and very rich, with lots of chocolate, coffee, licorice and dark fruit notes, and a thick, luscious mouth feel. Its power and complexity make this a great rum for whiskey lovers. And of course, if you're a rum lover, it doesn't get much better, especially for the price -- a very reasonable $50 a bottle. 7. GRAND MARNIER QUINTESSENCE LIQUEUR (France; aged up to 60 years, 40% ABV, $800). Even the most ostentatious one-percenter wouldn't dream of using this orange liqueur in a margarita -- at least I hope not. Grand Marnier has always been a cut above triple secs and other orange liqueurs because of its cognac base, which gives it a unique complexity. Quintessence takes Grand Marnier to a whole 'nuther level by using some of its rarest and oldest cognacs going back to 1906, as well as a unique double maceration process to create the orange essence. The result is a deeper orange flavor, a richer, more velvety mouth feel, a more seamless blend of orange and cognac flavors... really, it's about as close to perfect as a liqueur can get. Only 2,000 bottles were produced, and since 1906 cognac is in limited supply, I don't foresee a second run. 6. HIGH WEST DOUBLE RYE! (Utah: 46% ABV, aged 2-16 years, $32). High West, its proprietor, David Perkins, and distiller Brendan Coyle are constantly coming up with new and exciting ways to make whiskey. One of the best they've come up with so far is Double Rye! -- exclamation point included, and rightfully so. It's a combination of a young rye (2 years old) with high rye content and an older one (16 years old) with more corn in the mash. The result is powerful and spicy, thanks to the young rye, but smooth and mellow thanks to the older whiskey. Lots of cinnamon, cocoa, anise and fruit notes combine with rye's familiar peppery spice and a touch of bourbon-y vanilla to create a rye that's unlike any I've ever tried, and better than the vast majority of them. 5. PIERRE-FERRAND 1840 ORIGINAL FORMULA COGNAC (France; 45% ABV, age not stated, $45). They don't make cognac like this anymore -- or at least they didn't until Pierre-Ferrand, working with cocktail historian David Wondrich, recreated it. Working from a well-preserved original bottle of the stuff dating back to 1840 (hence the name), this is not your standard 21st century cognac. 170 years ago, you see, cognacs were lighter, fruitier, and generally had more pizazz than their stodgy, wood-heavy modern counterparts. 1840 Original Formula works great in cocktails (try it in a julep instead of bourbon, or a Sazerac in place of rye), or on its own in a snifter. Either way, you'll never think of cognac the same way again.
INSPIR I T ED T R AV EL
History is drinkable in the barrel-filled caves of France’s Cognac region.
cognac’s sULTRY soUL once The dRink of kings, cognac is a sToRYbook spiRiT ThaT’s ofTen oveRLooked. now iT is expeRiencing a Renaissance in boTh cULTURe and chaRacTeR. by KARA NEWMAN
71
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InsIde the cavernous warehouse of the famed Hennessy Cognac brand, the rows of barrels stretch on endlessly, extending far into the dark depths known as Paradis. Paradise: where only the oldest, most delicate vintages sleep. But as I peer closely at the barrels, it’s evident that the history-laden world of Cognac is evolving. Alongside the flowery writing on each barrel—the work of a full-time calligrapher on staff—is a bar code. Yes, modern technology has arrived in paradise. It seems fitting, this juxtaposition of old and new. Both the region of France known as Cognac and its eponymous grape brandy are steeped in history.
SUMMER 2012 S INSPIR ATO.COM
And while this amber spirit once known as the Drink of Kings has developed a stodgy reputation, a new generation is innovating with Cognac to delightful effect, building new traditions on top of the old ways, from fresh expressions of the spirit to kicky Cognac-based cocktails.
CognaC’s Heritage About five hours southwest of Paris by car or train, the small cobblestoned city of Cognac sits on the banks of the river Charentes. Further south, by about two hours, is the famed wine-producing region of Bordeaux. Cognac owes much to its southwest location since it began life as a thriving river port, trading in local wines and salt from the nearby French Atlantic coast. When 17thcentury Dutch traders arrived, they soon discovered that wine could not survive long sea voyages, and they distilled it into a more concentrated, stable form: brandewijn (burnt wine). Further, delays in sea voyages led to the happy discovery that eau-de-vie improves when it is left in barrels for extended periods of time—mellowing and extracting gorgeous vanilla and caramel flavors from the French Limousin oak. Later, the French would refine the method of double distillation that produces Cognac as we know it today, while AngloSaxon merchants would export it to the rest of the world.
Liquid History Visiting Cognac, it’s clear that the brandy business still drives the town. Everyone I meet is descended from an old Cognac growing or distilling family, or works for one of the 300-plus Cognac brands that surround the town square. These distilleries range from rustic to breathtakingly vast, the product of dynasties handed down from the 18th century. Regardless of size, one
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experience is universal: the wonderful fragrances that beckon from within the dark, quiet warehouses, where the barrels are racked and left to age. The distillers refer to the portion that evaporates from the barrel as the “Angel’s Share.” Just a few steps into Hennessy’s warehouse—the single largest producer of Cognac—and I realize that I’m inhaling that Angel’s Share. It’s like breathing liquid, boozy velvet. There are a staggering array of brandies available throughout the region. It’s a collector’s bonanza: the tasting rooms and gift shops, even the bar at the Musee de Cognac (Cognac Museum) offer ample opportunity for sipping (and purchasing) rare and old bottlings that never make it to the United States. For example, most drinkers are accustomed to savoring snifters of XO (Extra Old) Cognac. But in Cognac, it’s not uncommon to see XXO (Extra Extra Old) Cognacs, a relatively new category considered by many
MEMBERS ONLY Ask your Personal Vacation Advisor to schedule a tour of some of Cognac’s most storied vineyards or distilleries. They’ll make sure you experience the Angel’s Share ...
CognaC 101: a primer c
ognac is a grape brandy produced in the
Cognac region. The rules imposed by the French government for making the spirit are strict: It can be made with only a handful of grape varieties, primarily Ugni Blanc. It must be distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills, and must be aged at least two years in French oak. The boundaries of the Cognac area were set down in 1909 and have been subdivided into seven areas (crus) of varying quality. In order of preference and quality they are: Grande Champagne—where the most prestigious Cognac originates—Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bon Bois, Bois Ordinaires, and Bois a Terroir. a final word: The bubbly we know as Champagne comes from a different area of France altogether, further north, and has nothing to do with Cognac. However, both take their name from the famous champagne soil of chalk and clay in which the grapevines grow.
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to be the ultimate expression of the spirit. After a few hazy days spent sipping Cognac aged 30, 40, even 50 years, frankly, I think I’ve seen it all. “This is what history tastes like,” I muse. But I hadn’t seen anything yet. Back in the Paradis area of the Hennessy warehouse, I spot a dusty glass demijohn set off to one side. The elegant lettering reads simply: 1860. 1860. That means this Cognac was more than 150 years old. “Do you know what America was doing when this was made?” I marvel to a travel buddy. “We were building railroads. We were at the beginning of the industrial
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revolution.” He continues the thread, with the same awed tone. “We were preparing for the Civil War.” Simply amazing, to be in the presence of so much history.
artisan CognaC “Are you afraid of spiders?” Alexandre Gabriel inquires as we enter the Pierre Ferrand warehouse. No—and thank goodness, because the cobwebs run thick between the barrels, while colorful mold carpets the floor. Compared to the warehouses of the larger Cognac houses, this is truly an old-school artisan facility, narrow, dark and humid— an ideal environment for spiders, yes, but also for quietly aging Cognac. Gabriel, president and owner of the Ferrand distillery, produces a tool resembling a giant eyedropper to extract Cognac directly from the barrel, depositing it into a glass. Sipping, it tastes like melted butterscotch. Emerging from the warehouse we blink into the late-afternoon sun. Just 10 kilometers from the center of town, it feels like deep countryside. To my left, Grande Champagne vineyards fade off gracefully into the horizon. To my right is the 18th-century Chateau de Bonbonnet, once owned by the Martell family; about 20 years ago, Gabriel purchased it and turned it into his home as well as Cognac Ferrand’s state-of-theart blending facility.
In addition to the old-school Cognac, Gabriel has a few newer ideas percolating too. For example, a line of rum finished in former Cognac casks. When bottled, each will be laced with complex Cognac flavor, extracted from its time in the previously used barrels. Also, he has rolled out a couple of new (but historically accurate) products with mixologists in mind. Advised by cocktail historian David Wondrich, Gabriel now offers Pierre Ferrand 1840, a highly concentrated (90 proof) VS Cognac intended for cocktail use, closely modeled on an extremely rare and well-preserved bottle of Pinet-Castillon Cognac from 1840. (Gabriel has an extraordinary collection of old Cognac bottles in his madscientist laboratory inside the Chateau de Bonbonnet.) Also in conjunction with Wondrich, Ferrand is launching a Dry Curacao—a drier, bitter version of the orange liqueur made in the 1800s. He provides me with a sample: It’s immediately evident that it’s blended with Cognac as the bitter-orange flavor melds with vanilla. I tucked my Curacao sample away. I couldn’t wait to take it home and mix it into a Sidecar cocktail—perhaps one made with the oldest Cognac I’d scored during my visit. It seemed like the only fitting way to toast to Cognac’s past and future.
‘CognaC iS a CoQUeTTe. SHe HaS no age’ uy a bottle of scotch and there’s no question about the age of the liquid inside. It’s proudly declared on the label: 12 years old, 20 years old, etc. But with Cognac, the lines are blurred. It’s typical for Cognac houses to blend together eau de vie of various vintages. Age ranges can vary widely—a blend of 5-yearold to 50-year-old spirits is a real possibility. The lower end of the age range is indicated in an alphabet stew of classifications. VS (Very Special) means the youngest eau de vie in the blend no less than two years old; VSOP (Very Old Superior Pale) means the youngest is at least four years old. XO (Extra Old) puts the youngest eau de vie at least six years old. Most of the Cognac sold in the United States is either VS or VSOP. a final word: This point about the amorphous age of Cognac was driven home for me by a monologue from a Remy-Martin tour guide. Roughly 60-something, chic, willow-thin, with cropped blonde hair and a long, embroidered jacket, she was the embodiment of The Real Housewives of Cognac. “Cognac is a coquette,” she cooed. “Cognac is feminine in that it doesn’t give its age directly. ‘Hello, I’m VSOP.’” And although no one asked, she continued, “How old am I? Like Cognac, I have no age.”
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savor the Flavor // FIVE RARE COGNACS WORTH SEEKING OUT hIne trIomphe Purported to have been Winston Churchill’s favorite Cognac, this blend of more than 50 old Cognacs includes both fruit and fresh floral notes. Consider trying this served glace, or frozen to a syrupy consistency, as a dessert pairing. $269
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2 pIerre Ferrand selecIon des anges Made with 30-year-old
paul-marIe & FIls tres vIeuX pIneau Traveling around Cognac, you’ll surely see distilleries advertising Pineau des Charentes, a blend of Cognac and unfermented grape must. In the United States, French restaurants such as Daniel, Per Se and Le Bernardin now serve this food-friendly aperitif rarely seen outside Belgium or France. This version is aged 25 years. $90
Cognac, this rich and mellow spirit yields warm flavors reminiscent of dried fruit, toffee, almond and Sauternes with a long, smooth finish. $125
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3 FrapIn chateau de FontpInot Xo One of the smoothest Cognacs around, with a copper-penny color and complex flavors of coffee, hazelnuts, and bittersweet cocoa, tapering off to an elegant caramel note. $110
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remy-martIn coeur de cognac A light and lovely interpretation of Cognac with orange peel and vanilla aromas, crème brulee flavors, a creamy feel and lingering finish. Lovely served over ice with a curl of orange peel. Not available in the United States $55
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SUMMER 2012 S INSPIR ATO.COM
PIERRE FERRAND Dry Curacao
Food Republic December 2012 USA
“Cognac maker Pierre Ferrand decided it would be a good idea to come out with an authentic non-blue version.”
15 Bottles To Buy: Fortified Wines, Amari And Other Bitter Potables Dec 4, 2012 3:01 pm
Gift something stiff this holiday season BY CHANTAL MARTINEAU
+ ENLARGE
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao is made with bitter Lahara orange peels and real Cognac.
Anyone who has every participated in a Secret Santa exchange knows one simple truth about gift giving: you cannot go wrong with booze. So, to ensure that you’re everyone’s favorite person at the holiday party this year, best to stock up on a few choice bottles. Sure, it’s a safe bet. But it’s also pretty darn smooth, if you’re looking
to win points with the recipient. If you’re lucky, you might even get a sip as a thank you. Aperitif wines, amaros (actually, amari) and other not-quite-hard liquors are all the rage these days. Sip them on their own or look up a cocktail recipe that makes use of one.Vergano Chinato ($50) is a quinine-infused red wine-based elixir from Piedmont flavored with a secret blend of herbs and spices. A white version was recently released – Luli ($48) makes use of moscato as its base, like a brighter, more herbaceous Lillet. Lovers of bitter rejoiced this year when Suze Gentian Liqueur ($30), a more than-100-year-old gentian liqueur from France, finally made it to U.S. shores. California-based Tempus Fugit starting bringing in Kina L’Avion D’Or ($35) from Switzerland this year, a quinine-infused aperitif wine. They say fernet is an acquired taste, and most fans of the amaro are die-hard. Swap out the usual for Luxardo Fernet ($25). Campari ($30) is probably the best-known of Italian amari. A festive new bottle sports label art by Ugo Nespolo paying tribute to Leonetto Cappiello’s 1921 “Spiritello” poster. Sherry can be a great value, like Lustau Dry Amontillado Los Arcos ($16), a nutty, tangy fortified wine that pairs beautifully with hard cheese. Valdespino Palo Cortado ($45) is a rare type of sherry that has the dry saltiness of a fino and the rich nuttiness of an oloroso.Equipo Navazos “La Bota de Fino No. 35, Macharnudo Alto” ($55) is funky and full-bodied for a fino. Barbeito VB Reserva Medium Dry Madeira ($40), one of Portugal’s oxidative fortified wines, is aromatic and complex.
Bitters maker The Bitter Truth also has a line of liqueurs. Its Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur($30) is a solid stand-in for Crème de Violette. From the people who brought you Root($37), there’s Rhubarb Tea ($38), an organic liqueur based on an old Philadelphia recipe for rhubarb tea. A number of cocktail recipes call for Curaçao, if only a dash. Cognac maker Pierre Ferrand decided it would be a good idea to come out with an authentic nonblue version. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao ($30) is made with bitter Lahara orange peels and real Cognac. More Gift Guides: 20 Ways To Splurge On Your Favorite Home Cook | American Whiskey and Beyond | Tequila and Mescal | Vodka and Gin| Rum | Cooking Gear And Books | Great Things To Eat and Drink | 15 Ideas For The Craft Beer Obsessed
GQ France december 2012 France
SF Gate – San Francisco Chronicle November 2012 USA
‘‘Faux Salvatore's Legacy’’
The Maestro orchestrates cognac, liqueurs By Gary Regan Updated 7:20 p.m., Friday, November 30, 2012
Faux Salvatore's legacy cocktail Photo: Craig Lee, Special To The Chronicle / SF
Salvatore Calabrese is one of the world's finest bartenders, and I say that from dealing with the man himself - for a couple of decades - and from knowing many bartenders he has trained over the years. The Maestro, as he's known, is larger than life, and he's a consummate showman, but that's not what makes him stand head and shoulders above most others in the bar world. His main attribute in that regard is that he truly cares about others. And it shows. Salvatore has his own bar within London's Playboy Club, and before that he held many prestigious posts at other bars in Britain's capital, notably Salvatore at Fifty, the Lanesborough Hotel and Dukes, the hotel where the Vesper Martini, made famous by Ian Fleming's "Casino Royale," aJames Bond book, was born. One of the many things that Salvatore is known for in the bar world is his love for fine old cognac. And when I say old, I mean very old. He's been collecting vintage bottlings of cognac for many years. One bottling, for instance, a brandy that dated back to the late 1700s, was valued at around $80,000. Too
bad that one of his customers knocked it off his table and the bottle shattered on the floor. Salvatore had planned to use that same cognac to make the world's oldest cocktail, something that would be recorded as such in the Guinness Book of World Records, so he had to rethink his recipe a little. In October, he came up with a drink he calls Salvatore's Legacy. He made it with a Clos de Griffier Vieux Cognac from 1788, Kummel from 1770, an 1860 Dubb Orange Curaçao and a couple of dashes of 100-year-old angostura bitters. It cost a little under $9,000. I wonder how much one is expected to tip on a drink like that? I decided to make the drink with slightly less expensive bottlings of spirits and liqueurs. Result? Salvatore once again proved himself the Maestro. Feel free to substitute whatever brands of cognac and liqueurs you have on hand - it's what I did - although it's best to go with the best bottlings you can afford.
Faux Salvatore's Legacy Makes 1 drink Adapted from a far more intricate recipe by Salvatore Calbrese, London.
1 1/2 ounces Camus VSOP Elegance or other Cognac 3/4 ounce kummel (caraway-seed liqueur) 3/4 ounce Pierre Ferrand dry or other curacao 2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Instructions: Stir all the ingredients over ice; strain into a chilled Champagne coupe. Gary Regan is the author of "The Joy of Mixology" and other books. Email: wine@sfchronicle.com
Serious Eats – Drinks August 2012 USA
“In a great orange liqueur the other flavors should serve to enhance the orange flavor, not mask it, and Pierre Ferrand's version proves the point.”
AUG 16, 2012 7:45 AM5 Comments
The Serious Eats Field Guide to Orange Liqueur
[Photographs, unless otherwise noted: Robyn Lee]
Orange liqueur has earned a bad reputation over the last few decades. Take, for example, curaçao. When many people think of curaçao, they immediately recall bright blue cocktails, sticky sweet and garish—drinks they might have had in college or even as recently as last weekend. But orange liqueur needn't be limited to blue curaçao and other sugary concoctions. Today we'll look at a range of orange liqueurs, from high-priced brandy-laced products to inexpensive triple secs.
A Taxonomy of Orange Liqueurs Before diving into a tasting of various brands, I should start with some terminology. It's difficult to pin down precise definitions of these terms, but I'll try. Orange liqueur is the easiest term to define, so here's where I'll start. Orange liqueur is simply a sweetened alcoholic beverage with orange flavoring. The alcohol itself can be either a column-distilled neutral spirit (similar to vodka) or it may be a pot-distilled spirit, such as grape brandy.
Curaรงao Historically, curaรงao is a product of the island of Curaรงao, made from a pot-stilled brandy and flavored with the dried peels of Curaรงao oranges. These oranges were first brought to Curaรงao as Valencia oranges by Spanish settlers. But the Valencia orange didn't take well to Curaรงao's dry climate, and over time, the oranges became bitter and inedible. The plants began to grow wild, but then someoneโ it's unclear whoโ discovered that the skin of a Curaรงao orange, left to dry in the sun, produced a pleasantly fragrant aroma. By 1896, distillers in Curaรงao were using the peels of the Curaรงao orange to add flavor and aroma to their distilled products. Curaรงao is not a protected appellation. Some products, such as cognac and Champagne, are protected, and must by law be made in their region of origin. Curaรงao doesn't enjoy this level of protection, however, and therefore it may be made anywhere and by any method. Earlier, I said that historically, curaรงao is a product of Curaรงao, made from brandy and dried Curaรงao orange peels. Modern curaรงaos, however, are not necessarily made this way. Some traditional curaรงaos are still available, most notably, a brand called Curaรงao of Curaรงao, produced by the Senior family of Curaรงao. The blue stuff, I probably don't need to add, is not a traditional curaรงao.
Triple Sec Triple sec originated as a French product. It was originally made with less sugar than used in curaรงao, which led to the name sec, which means dry. No one knows with any certainty where the designation "triple" originated. Triple sec is not triple-distilled, as some people claim, and nor is it thrice as dry as curaรงao or other liqueurs. The most reasonable explanation is that "triple" was mere marketing, a way to trump up new products and denigrate the competition.
What's the Deal with Grand Marnier and Cointreau?
Perhaps the two most famous brands of orange liqueur are Grand Marnier and Cointreau, and you might be wondering where they fit in to this taxonomy. Simple. Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur in the curaรงao tradition, and Cointreau is a triple sec. Grand Marnier is a blend of cognac and triple sec, so although it's not a traditional curaรงao, it's a similar product. Cointreau, on the other hand, is straight up a triple sec. In fact, Cointreau initially called itself Cointreau Triple Sec, and you can sometimes find old-school, collectible bottles with this labeling on Internet auction sites. In response to the dreck that other distilleries were putting out and branding as triple sec, Cointreau repositioned itself as a product apart from triple sec, removing those words from its label and marketing.
Major Brands of Orange Liqueur There are numerous orange liqueurs on the market, but here's a basic guide (in alphabetical order) to the differences between prominent brands, and which bottles are worth seeking out.
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaรงao
Style: Dry curaรงao, 80 proof Country of origin: France Color: Golden-brown. (By sight alone, you could almost mistake it for whiskey.) Nose: Bitter orange, spice. Palate: Dry, bitter orange, clove, vanilla, nutmeg, alcohol on finish. Overall impression: I said earlier that in a great orange liqueur the other flavors should serve to enhance the orange flavor, not mask it, and Pierre Ferrand's version proves the point. Ferrand's curaรงao is designed to complement its excellent cognacs and other fine aged spirits in cocktails, but also to be sipped and enjoyed on its own merits. Try mixing it not just with Ferrand's brandies but also rums; Ferrand owns the Plantation Rum brand, and therefore has an interest in producing an orange that plays well with rum. The New York Times has a recent write-up on the product's origins, but it's too long a story for this space. Ferrand's offering is an excellent choice for an after-dinner sip. I might rank Grand Marnier slightly ahead, but that's only because retailers seem to be having trouble at present at keeping Ferrand's curaรงao in stock. When you can find it, it's about $30 for 750 mL.
As Seen In Cool Hunting August 2012
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Triple sec redeemed in a 19th-century recipe
by James Thorne in Food-Drink on 30 July 2012
That electric blue liqueur that vacation-goers slurp from umbrella-topped hurricane glasses may be called curaçao, but the real stuff—the curaçao of the 19th century—is much more cigar parlor than poolside bar. Originally made from Laraha, a citrus derived from Valencia oranges that were brought to the island of Curaçao by the Spanish, the liqueur was a bar staple in the early days of the cocktail. Noted for its dry taste and bitter finish, the curaçao of yesteryear is a far cry from our modern incarnation.
The decline of the drink into a saccharine spirit has not gone unnoticed by bartenders. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao marks an attempt to restore the drink to its spicy and slightly bitter roots—in the process delighting cocktail enthusiasts who have lamented curaçao's unfortunate past. In making their Dry Curaçao, Pierre Ferrand proprietor Alexandre Gabriel consulted spirit historian David Wondrich with the hope of reintroducing this essential ingredient to the cocktail world.
The taste experience of Pierre Ferrand's version is more brandy than triple sec—no surprise, since the bitter orange essence is blended with the distiller's own cognac. After a few avantgarde bars picked up on the spirit as a wonderfully complex cocktail addition, the elixir is now available for purchase. The fact that Pierre Ferrand's initial run sold out almost immediately speaks to the quality behind the intrigue. As if the story and taste weren't enough, the curaçao looks stunning on the shelf, with a floral label emblazoned with banners and cherubim, elegantly set on the bottle's squared edge. Pick up a bottle in the US at Detroit-based Binny's, Grand Wine Cellar or contact Pierre Ferrand for a local distributor.
As Seen In Mountain of crushed ice August 2012
Tales 2012 – Curacao – The ultimate guide to the worldÅs favorite liqueur flavor
Who doesnÄt like curacao? and who doesn`t use it? – but WHO has seen it being distilled live on stage? and been able to try it out after? – wellÇall the attendees of this seminar did.. ÉFrom the Bare Bellybutton Liqueur of 1500s Amsterdam to the very first orange liqueurs on Curacao, and from the Martinez to the Mai Tai to the Cosmopolitan, award-winning writer
and raconteur David Wondrich spars with Amsterdam resident, researcher and presenter Philip Duff and the Cognac-based artisanal distiller Alexandre Gabriel to reveal the real history of every barÑs most important cocktail liqueur flavour – curacao. SWOON! As Philip Duff lets you sample pre-liqueur liqueurs from 1500s Dutch recipes like the Bare Bellybutton, Kandeel and Quarter After Five! GASP! as you taste 80 and 90 year old versions of well-known orange liqueurs that have changed their flavour profiles over time! WEEP! with joy as you get to deconstruct an authentic 1800s curacao made by Professor Wondrich himself, the closest youÑll ever come to making a cocktail like Jerry Thomas did. Well there you have itÇit was a very interesting seminar indeed and the live-distilled curacao tasted very good! During the seminar we got to taste six different and interesting things:
1 – Dutch occasional liqueur – it was drunk at different occasions and it tasted somewhat perfumyÇ 2 – A la minute Curacao – was very strong, almost made my throat crumble. 3 – Vegetal infusion – tasted aromatic 4 – Toasted aged cane sugar – sweet, dark with a THICK mouthfeel, was very sweeet, deep and soothingÇ 5 – Standard Triple Sec – wellÇtasted Triple Sec.. 6 – Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao – Very balanced, not too sweet and full bodied in taste. SOME CITRUS AND CURACAO FACTS
Broken dried Laraha orange. # Citrus medica, reticulata and pomelo are the citrus that once started itÇIn tropical climates citrus fruits doesnÄt change color but stay green, only citrus fruits growing in temperate climates with cold winters change color. # Citrus fruits does have so called umami and they also have medical properties. # The first curacao was made in the Caribbean in 1802 – on the island of Curacoa – now Curacao – and was called Curacoa. # The citrus fruit used was the Laraha orange, which when broken smells quite awesome. it wasnÄt eaten by anyone else but the goats. # Curacao started to be used in cocktails around 1862.
After we tasted these we were also served three cocktails containing FerrandÄs Dry Curacao: BRANDY CRUSTA – Source: Julie Reiner, proprietor and beverage director at Lana Kai and Clover Club, NYC 2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac, 0.5 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, 0.5 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, Dash Angostura bitters Rim a snifter with sugar. Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into the snifter filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a horseÄs neck of orange peel – aka the entire peel of an orange. THE WHITE LADY - Source: Phillp Duff 2 oz Citadelle gin, 1 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, 1 oz fresh lemon juice Shake all ingredients with ice ansd strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel. BRANDY SHRUB – Source: David Wondrich Peels from 2 seville (bitter) oranges and 2 valencia (sweet) oranges, 1 cup (240ml) demerara sugar, 1 cup boiling water, 1 – 750 ml bottle Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac. In a 2 quart bowl, muddle orange peels with the sugar. Let sit for 4-5 hours. Pour boiling water into a bowl and dissolve the sugar. Add the entire bottle of Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac and let sit for 2 hours.
Strain out peels and put the liquid in a bottle. Store upright in a cool place for 2 weeks until the liquid have clarified considerably and can be siphoned off from the (harmless) sediment that will have settled to the bottom of the bottle. Last thing that happened was that curacao was distilled live on stage and after that we got to taste it tooÇand it was goodÇ
Drink Philly July 2012 USA
“The resulting liqueur is nicely balanced, with a little heat from its 80 proof and a long bittersweet finish.”
Spirit Review: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao An orange liqueur with history
by Jacob Grier on Jul 11, 2012 in Liquor Does the world need yet another orange liqueur? With so many of them on the market, this is not a category for which I eagerly awaited expansion. Yet when I received a sample of the new Dry Curaçao from Pierre Ferrand — made in collaboration with cocktail historian David Wondrich — I was intrigued, to say the least. Curaçao and other orange liqueurs are essential in numerous classic cocktail recipes, but despite the commonly used descriptor “triple sec,” there’s nothing dry about many of the versions produced today. Ferrand Dry Curaçao is reportedly based on 18th and 19th century distilling recipes, with the goal of more closely replicating the liqueur as it existed in the early days of American cocktail culture. The primary flavoring in true Curaçao is peel from the Laraha, a citrus fruit that evolved from Spanish Valencia oranges on the Caribbean island of Curaçao. The fruit from this tree is inedibly bitter, but
the peels are packed with aromatics that are captured in alcohol during maceration and distillation. To make their Dry Curaçao, Ferrand macerates Laraha peel along with small amounts of lemon and sweet oranges in unaged brandy. This infusion is then distilled and blended with Ferrand cognac and aged in oak casks along with additional Curaçao orange peel and a small dose of other spices. The resulting liqueur is nicely balanced, with a little heat from its 80 proof and a long bittersweet finish. Curaçao mostly finds use in cocktails, and I tried out a handful with the Ferrand to see how it performs. It makes a crisp Pegu Club — one of my favorite summer drinks — mixed with gin, lime, and bitters. It’s also good in a traditional Brandy Crusta. It’s most surprising use for me was in an El Presidente, which combines Cuban rum with sweet white vermouth from Chambery: El Presidente 1½ oz. white rum 1½ oz. Dolin vermouth blanc 1 bar spoon Ferrand Curaçao ½ bar spoon real pomegranate grenadine Stir with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange peel. I’d made this drink on previous occasions and while it wasn’t bad, it never particularly stood out. However I like it a lot more with the Ferrand Curaçao, which has enough character to prevent the drink from being flabby. (Perhaps the drink would be even better with real Cuban rum, but current law makes that difficult to test.) Ferrand Dry Curaçao is in hot demand with bartenders, so current shipments sell quickly. However it will be showing up on more store shelves as a permanent part of the Ferrand portfolio. At about $30 retail for a bottle, the price is right for mixing and it’s definitely worth picking up. Photos via Cognac Ferrand on Facebook by Daniel Krieger
Herald Tribune June 2012 USA
“The alcohol's flavor is much spicier and more complex than Grand Marnier or Mandarin Napoleon.�
Time travel, powered by curacao By JASON WILSON , Washington Post Published: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.
Lately, I've been spending some quality time in the 19th century. I haven't grown a walrus mustache or Civil War officer's beard or mutton chops. Nor have I taken to wearing bowlers or top hats or an ascot with a stickpin. My time travel has been solely one of taste. A brandy cocktail made with Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, an orange liqueur based on a 19th-century recipe. The alcohol's flavor is much spicier and more complex than Grand Marnier or Mandarin Napoleon. WASHINGTON POST
When it comes to spirits, the 19th century may be the last frontier. It makes sense. At this stage of the spirits market, we've already seen the reintroduction of foreign spirits formerly thought to be lost. Pre-Prohibition bar staples such as genever from the Netherlands, Old Tom gin from England, creme de violette from the Alps, maraschino liqueur from Italy and Croatia and batavia arrack from Indonesia were still being produced in their native countries, and savvy importers simply brought them back to American shelves, after an absence of a half-century or more. Making the rare and obscure available again has driven the past decade's cocktail renaissance. But where do we go from here? Apparently, we burrow deep into dusty old distilling recipes from the mid-19th century, if my recent tastings are any guide. For instance, I recently got my hands on a bottle of kummel, made from a mid-19th-century recipe, distilled from caraway seed, cumin and fennel. All I can say, is: Wow; We are not in a world of Justin Bieber and Walmart and whipped-cream vodka anymore. The pungent, spicysweet aromas and flavors deliver a funky tasting experience that feels pre-modern, elemental.
As Seem On Eat&SipInTheCity.com June 2012
“Forget about the bright blue stuff (…) Cognac Ferrand has launched a new product That is truer to the liquors roots, the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao.”
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Cocktail Recipes Forget about the bright blue stuff you think of when the word curacao is listed in the ingredients list of cocktails on bar menus. Cognac Ferrand has launched a new product that is truer to the liquors roots, the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao. The creators wanted to bring back the authenticity of 19th century cocktails with this exciting product, which is available in retailers around Boston and beyond, including Brix Wine shop in Boston, Kappy’s in Peabody, and Gordon’s in Waltham for around $29.99 for a 750 ml bottle.
It’s said to be a traditional French Orange Curaçao made from the peels of Curaçao oranges, which are sundried, and combined with spices and around 14 other ingredients. It’s also blended with brandy and Pierre Ferrand Cognac for the perfect combination to compliment the flavorful oranges. For more information visit the website and they have also shared some recipes using the curacao, which you can check out below:
MAI TAI by Julie Reiner, proprietor and beverage director of Lani Kai and Clover Club, NY 1 oz Plantation Rum Grande Reserve 5 Year Old (Barbados)
1 oz Plantation Rum Jamaica Vintage 2000 ¾ oz fresh lime juice ½ oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao ¼ oz simple syrup ¼ oz orgeat syrup Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with mint, lime wheel and an orchid (if you have one).
BRANDY CRUSTA Source: Julie Reiner, proprietor and beverage director of Lani Kai and Clover Club, NY 2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac ½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur ½ oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao ½ oz fresh lemon juice Dash of Angostura Bitters Rim a snifter with sugar. Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into a snifter filled with ice cubes. Garnish with a horse’s neck of orange (aka the entire peel of an orange).
PEGU CLUB Source: Cocktails, by Jimmy of Ciro’s, 1930. Adapted by David Wondrich. Shake well with ice: 2 oz (60 ml) Citadelle Gin ½ oz (15 ml) Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao ½ oz (15 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice 1 dash orange bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
CURACAO FRAPPE Source: George J. Kappeler, Modern American Drinks, 1895. Adapted by David Wondrich. With a mallet and ice-bag, crush some ice until it forms a powder. Pack a stemmed cordial glass with this ice powder and fill it with Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao.
Let stand until ice forms on the outside of the glass and serve.
Washingtonian June 2012 USA
“An excellent offering for cocktail nerds who want to experience old drink recipes the way they were intended.’’
5 Father’s Day Bottles for the Dad Who(se Bar) Has Everything Sippable offerings sure to please the picky drinker who raised you.
By Jessica Voelker
5) Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode This collaboration between cocktail historian David Wondrich and Cognac maker Alexandre Gabriel is an excellent offering for cocktail nerds who want to experience old drink recipes the way they were intended—with an orange liqueur that’s less sweet and a lot more herbal than the other options on the market. But your dad need not be an academic sort of drinker to enjoy this lovely liqueur, made from unaged brandy infused with Seville oranges. $28, available Beverages.
at
MacArthur
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao and the Botanist gin make seriously cool gifts for dads who love to play bartender. Photographs courtesy of Pierre Ferrand and Bruichladdich. Published June 12, 2012
Maybe your dad is a hardcore home-bartending enthusiast. Maybe he just likes to drink cool stuff. Either way, offer him any of the below bottles and you're sure to be his favorite this Father’s Day. Caveat: Prices and product availability have been checked with retailers, but are subject to change. Happy shopping. 1) Mezcal Benevá Gran Reserva Local lawyer Bonard Molina has teamed up with his wife and sister to start importing otherwise unavailable agave spirits from Mexico to the Washington market under the name
Mayalen. Tim O’Rourke at Weygandt Wines—the Cleveland Park shop is one of a few spots that stocks Molina’s products—describes this mezcal as “somewhere between a peaty Scotch and a brandy, so long and smooth.” In other words, it makes a great gift for the dad with a healthy collection of Scotches who is always looking to try something new. A note about pricing: For a limited time, you can pick up a bottle for $99 at Weygandt. Once the full shipment comes in, expect this mezcal to retail around $150. Available at Weygandt Wines. 2) The Botanist Islay Dry Gin Islay (say “Eye-luh”), an island off the southern tip of Scotland, is known for distillers of very peaty Scotches, like Ardbeg, Bowmore, and Bruichladdich. The last of these also makes this stunning gin with the wild juniper that grows on that island, plus 21 other native botanicals. If your dad is a G&T or gin martini man, this is what you should buy him. $32, available at Ace Beverage. 3) Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC9 Of course, some dads just want Scotch. This sought-after, limited-edition single malt is complex and creamy with a long finish, and comes especially recommended by Ace Beverage’s in-house spirits guide, Joe Riley, who calls it “very distinctive, with a fair amount of peat.” $113, available at Ace Beverage. 4) Lillet Rose So a pink fortified wine with a fruity nose is maybe not the first thing that comes to mind when you think “Dad,” but what year is it, anyway? Wine loving dads will appreciate this round-bodied libation from the famous French aperitif label Maison Lillet—its first new product in half of a century. As far as gifts go, the class-to-dollar ratio is pretty much off the charts here, and it's very tasty too. $20, available at Cleveland Park Wines. 5) Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode This collaboration between cocktail historian David Wondrich and Cognac maker Alexandre Gabriel is an excellent offering for cocktail nerds who want to experience old drink recipes the way they were intended—with an orange liqueur that’s less sweet and a lot more herbal than the other options on the market. But your dad need not be an academic sort of drinker to enjoy this lovely liqueur, made from unaged brandy infused with Seville oranges. $28, available at MacArthur Beverages.
Robb Report May 2012 USA
“To the delight of mixologists around the world, Cognac Ferrand recently revived this classic spirit.”
FrontRunners: From the Robb Cellar May 01, 2012
That the flagship offering of Moone-Tsai Winery is not a single-estate wine but a blend of different varietals from different vineyards in some of Napa Valley’s most prestigious growing regions is entirely appropriate; this endeavor, after all, is not a solo performance but a carefully conducted quartet. A relative newcomer, Moone-Tsai benefits from the extensive experience of its cofounders: Mike Moone, the former president of Beringer Wine Estates and founder of Luna Vineyards; MaryAnn Tsai, president of Luna Vineyards; and her husband, Larry Tsai, who serves as MooneTsai’s managing partner. The fourth player in this fugue of personalities is Philippe Melka, the distinguished consulting winemaker behind such labels as Dominus and Dana Estates. While the winery produces a four-wine portfolio that includes a superb Chardonnay, the star among its current releases is undoubtedly the Moone-Tsai 2008 Cor Leonis Cabernet Sauvignon. This dark blend offers an overture of blackberry, currant, and licorice aromas, followed by softer scents of violets, smoke, cocoa, and granite. These fortissimo effects give way to subtler strains on the palate, where the wine’s structure is as precise, supple, and vibrant as Bach’s cello suite. ($175) www.moonetsai.com Most of us know curaçao as the neon-blue fluid that tropically clad bartenders dispense into Blue Hawaiians to achieve that drink’s desired hue. Yet 150 years ago, this once prized liqueur was not blue but amber, being distilled from the peel of the laraha orange, which grows only on a few Caribbean islands. To the delight of mixologists around the world, Cognac Ferrand recently revived this classic spirit. To make Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode, distillers infuse clear brandy with oils from the orange’s skin before distilling it a second time. The spirit is then combined with Cognac and aged in oak. The result is a creamy-bodied liqueur with a citrus-jasmine scent and flavors of intense orange, mint, pepper, and tea—the start of a perfect Sidecar. ($30) www.cognacferrand.com
Robb Report May 2012 USA “The new blend is pure and authentic, and is designed to recall an earlier era when Curaçao was a go-to for interesting cocktails with unique and complex flavors”
Pierre Ferrand’s Retro Revival May 16, 2012
Based on a 19th-century recipe, Cognac Ferrand’s new Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode is made with oils from the bitter Curaçao orange skin that is blended with clear brandy then combined with Cognac and aged in oak. A new take on a classic elixir, the spirit was revived by Cognac Ferrand’s spirits mastermind Alexandre Gabriel with help from spirits and cocktails historian David Wondrich. It unveiled in the United States in April ($30). About 150 years ago, Wondrich explained, Curaçao was one of the most popular mixers in cocktails and was a key ingredient in punches, juleps, and more. However, over the past 50 years, artificial flavors and color were added to many Curaçao blends, and this once-coveted spirit lost its appeal. The new blend is pure and authentic, and is designed to recall an earlier era when Curaçao was a go-to for interesting cocktails with unique and complex flavors. (www.cognacferrand.com)
The Washington Post May 2012 USA “the best curacao so 19th-century?”
Is the best curacao so 19th-century? By Jason Wilson, Published: May 22 The Washington Post
Lately, I’ve been spending some quality time in the 19th century. I haven’t grown a walrus mustache or Civil War officer’s beard or mutton chops. Nor have I taken to wearing bowlers or top hats or an ascot with a stickpin. My time travel has been solely one of taste. When it comes to spirits, the 19th century may be the last frontier. It makes sense. At this stage of the spirits market, we’ve already seen the reintroduction of foreign spirits formerly thought to be lost. Pre-Prohibition bar staples such as genever from the Netherlands, Old Tom gin from England, creme de violette from the Alps, maraschino liqueur from Italy and Croatia and batavia arrack from Indonesia were still being produced in their native countries, and savvy importers simply brought them back to American shelves, after an absence of a halfcentury or more. ( (Deb Lindsey/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST)
Making the rare and obscure available again has driven the past decade’s cocktail renaissance. But where do we go from here? Apparently, we burrow deep into dusty old distilling recipes from the mid-19th century, if my recent tastings are any guide. For instance, I recently got my hands on a bottle of kummel, made from a mid-19th-century recipe, distilled from caraway seed, cumin and fennel. All I can say, is: Wow; We are not in a world of Justin Bieber and Walmart and whipped-cream vodka anymore. The pungent, spicysweet aromas and flavors deliver a funky tasting experience that feels pre-modern, elemental. Now, what exactly one does with kummel is still something I’m experimenting with. A quarter-ounce in a Fifty-Fifty martini gives it a delicious herbal kick. This kummel — available at Ace Beverage in Foxhall Square — was distilled by Combier, which makes outstanding liqueurs, including one I’ve raved about before, the original triple sec, made in France’s Loire Valley since 1834.
Orange liqueurs such as Combier triple sec are one of the primary building blocks of a good bar. That has always been the case. The term “curacao” has been a catch-all for orange liqueurs since the early 19th century. “Triple sec” was always a fancy curacao. There is no legal qualification for “triple sec,” but it usually denotes that the orange liqueur is a product of three distillations, including a final one of pure bitter orange peel. Until Combier ($33) came along, followed by Mandarin Napoleon ($42), the only namebrand orange liqueurs most people knew were Cointreau ($43) and Grand Marnier ($44), both also dating to the 19th century. Though these orange liqueurs are pricey, they are worth it, among the most essential spirits in your bar. “They are such a quantum leap forward in quality than basic DeKuyper or Bols or other ‘rail’ or ‘well’ orange liqueurs,” says Joe Riley, Ace Beverage’s fine spirits manager. “Why spend money on, say, top-shelf gin or tequila, only to drag it down with pedestrian orange liqueur?” Which is why I was so excited to see another new old recipe enter the market: Pierre Ferrand’s Dry Curacao Ancienne Method ($31). Many times I have recommended Ferrand cognacs, and I consider Ferrand Ambre to be one of the best-value cognacs on the market. Ferrand already took a stroll back into the 19th century last year when it launched a higherproof cognac (90 instead of the usual 80 proof) called 1840 Original Formula that was closer to the sort of brandy used in cocktails more than 100 years ago. However, when David Wondrich, the famed cocktail historian (who sports a Civil War officer’s beard) was helping to develop 1840, he told Ferrand president Alexandre Gabriel about his search for a true 19th-century-style curacao. “I had made my own home-distilled version for a seminar, following one of the old recipes, and was struck by the slight bitterorange edge it had, and the complexity,” Wondrich said. Gabriel tested more than 40 old recipes before coming up with the final blend. Ferrand Dry Curacao is similar to Grand Marnier or Mandarin Napoleon, with some aged cognac added to the blend. But the 19th-century recipe is much spicier and more complex — and, frankly, more old-fashioned — than the others. Although I still think a clear triple sec such as Combier or Cointreau works best in a margarita, Ferrand’s Dry Curacao is amazing in a classic sidecar (2 ounces cognac, 3 / 4 ounces each of lemon juice and curacao, shaken). And it’s wonderful in a Yellow Daisy, a Hoopla, a Corpse Reviver and the old-timey Brandy Cocktail (see accompanying recipe). “I really thought this was going to be a niche-of-a-niche product for a few geeks and misfits like us,” Gabriel says of his dry curacao. Perhaps. But given the current interest in 19th-century tastes, I wouldn’t be surprised if his dry curacao becomes as courant as the frock coat was in the 1860s. RECIPE: Brandy Cocktail
Cooking District May 2012 USA
“Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode, a subtle, complex, bittersweet spirit that glows a deep orange.”
A French Spirit for Cinco de Mayo. Really. By Lisa McLaughlin on May 1, 2012
We all know what Curaçao is. It's that bottle of Windex blue liqueur on your back bar, and the super — and slightly sickly — sweet element of your college shots or holiday cocktails with witty names like Blue Lagoon, Blue Moon and Blue Hawaiian. But it wasn't always like that. The modern version of Curaçao is nothing like the original. Some 15th century hooch history: When the Caribbean island of Curaçao was under Spanish rule, colonists brought with them the sweet Valencia oranges they grew back home. But the hot dry climate was nothing like the balmy groves back home. The fruit turned out gnarled and bitter and pretty much inedible. The groves were left to grow fragrantly wild. The trees were bred into the contemporary laraha citrus fruit, the flesh of which is still fairly inedible, but the peels are sweetly aromatic. And when dried, and then soaked in a still with alcohol and water they make a mighty tasty liqueur. Curaçao is what lends the bittersweet depth to a finely made Mai Tai or a classic Pegu Club cocktail. The real stuff, not the blue. Somehow over the years the nuanced natural spirit morphed into the synthetic bright blue. While a whole host of current cocktails call for the blue, the cocktail renaissance – especially the tiki revival – has had mixologists yearning for the original. The taste profile is so different that trying to create a drink from a 100 year old recipe is nearly impossible. Until now. A conversation between cocktail historian and author David Wondrich and Alexandre Gabriel, the president of Cognac Pierre Ferrand, led to a long journey trying to create a new spirit that reflected the old one. So they set off to research. “We found many different recipes,” said Gabriel recently in NYC
to share the results. “We have discovered today it’s also delicious in coffee,” he added with a laugh, spiking his cup of Joe with nip a of his Curaçao. A year of experimentation has led to the recently released Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode, a subtle, complex, bittersweet spirit that glows a deep orange. So what does a Caribbean/French liqueur made from inedible oranges have to do with Cinco de Mayo? Well, a key part of a well made margarita is triple sec, which was originally called Curaçao triple sec. The addition of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode will make a margarita to remember.
Tasting Table May 2012 USA
“Pierre Ferrand introduced its mixing-friendly 1840 cognac last year, then came out with a dry curaçao this year. Bartenders are now armed with the tools necessary to create cognac drinks like the Crusta, and its more popular descendant, the Sidecar.”
Brandy, You're a Fine Girl Cognac makes a triumphant return Cognac, though generally considered a sipping liquor, is moving into the mixing tin. In truth, it's moving back into the mixing tin. Cognac was one of the most frequently encountered spirits during the 18th and early 19th centuries, giving birth to drinks like Sazerac and early juleps. But its stateside popularity was dampened: first by war, then by the grape-attacking Phylloxera blight, then by Prohibition. Now its presence has grown anew. At the just-opened Demi Monde in New York City, the cocktail list leans heavily toward brandy, with drinks like the Second Wind, with cognac, Pineau des Charentes, verjus blanc and bitters. Across the country in Los Angeles, another new bar with French leanings, Pour Vous, mixes cognac with its cousin Calvados, as well as demerara sugar, bitters and orange zest. It’s akin to a newly sophisticated Old-Fashioned. Cognac producers are also making a push toward the coupe: Pierre Ferrand introduced its mixing-friendly 1840 cognac last year, then came out with a dry curaçao this year. Bartenders are now armed with the tools necessary to create cognac drinks like the Crusta, and its more popular descendant, the Sidecar. You can’t keep a good grape down.
The Perfect Spot February 2012 Written by Virginia Miller USA “The curacao is still sweet with vanilla and Mandarin orange,
but balanced by floral notes and spices, from cinnamon to black pepper.” .”
CLASSIC CURACAO: Restoring a 19th Century Recipe Did you know there is an orange called the Curacao? It’s a variety of orange extremely bitter to taste, with weathered skin. Drying them in the sun releases fragrant oils. Homely as the orange may be, its intense flavor was valued in making curacao in ages past. American palates aren’t exactly prone to bitter. We’ve been so weaned on sugar, even the most subtle of bitter can throw us off. I can vouch personally that one can acquire the taste. Keep tasting and the love will come. In fact, these days I crave bitter and sour far more than sweet (once was the opposite). Enter Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode. While Triple Sec, Curacao and orange liqueur brands work in cocktails, this new product is closer to 19th century style orange liqueur. The defining Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide of 1862 calls for curacao in over 35 recipes. Leave it to cocktail historian (and one of the more real – and crazy – guys you’ll meet in this industry), David Wondrich, to be instrumental in its revival. Cognac Ferrand proprietor Alexandre Gabriel consulted Wondrich on this modern take of a classic. The recipe utilizes Curacao sundried orange peels, along with 14 ingredients and spices, including a bit of lemon and sweet orange peel for balance. These botanicals are blended with brandy and Pierre Ferrand Cognac, then aged in oak casks. The curacao is still sweet with vanilla and Mandarin orange, but balanced by floral notes and spices, from cinnamon to black pepper. Released to bartender and press acclaim in Europe this past October, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode will be available across the US in March. $29.99 for 750ml bottle Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Three Star Cognac Alongside the Dry Curacao, Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Three Star Cognac makes lovely classic cocktails. As a 19th century style cognac, it seems “three star” was historically the younger, more affordable, yet robustly flavored cognac compared to expensive, rare cognacs. It is more akin to VS cognac today but higher in proof (90).
Gabriel again worked with Wondrich alongside Ferrand cellar-master Christian Guerin on this cognac blend. They closely modeled it on a preserved 1840 bottle of Pinet-Castillon cognac, from a time when cognac was king before grapes were wiped out by phylloxera. It’s initially sweet and soft (despite the 90 proof) with vanilla crème brûlée notes, but as it unfolds is perfumed, buttery yet mineral. In some ways it reminds me of bright rhum agricole. $44.99
Food Republic February 2012 Written by Chantal Martineau USA “The result is a complex, bittersweet elixir
designed to brighten a drink with a single dash”
CURAÇAO IS NOT THAT NASTY BLUE CRAP! Feb 16, 2012 2:01 pm Real Curaçao: complex, slightly bitter, very French By Chantal Martineau
Non-blue Curaçao is a great way to boost your Mai Tai. When I was a bartender many years ago, I didn't work at the sort of establishment that boasted a signature cocktail list. The term "mixologist" hadn't even been born yet. I was slinging drinks in a loud nightclub, where I was expected to show cleavage and, occasionally, mix a drink right in a customer‘s mouth as I stood on the bar like it was a stage. I did, however, have a signature drink: it was a called a Bazooka Joe and it tasted precisely like the bubble gum enclosed with little cartoon wrappers for which it was named. It incorporated Blue Curaçao, banana liqueur and milk. I know, the worst. The result was a creamy neon blue liquid and, in many cases, similarly hued vomit sometime later. Today, you might find Curaçao in a finely made Mai Tai or a sickly-sweet chlorine-colored Windex shooter, depending on what sort of bar you stumble into. The cocktail renaissance – especially the tiki revival – has the liqueur in hot demand. The problem with trying to recreate 50- or 100-year-old recipes that call for Curaçao is that today‘s version of the liqueur is nothing like what was used in those original recipes. Over a conversation with the cocktail historian and author David Wondrich, Alexandre Gabriel, the president of Cognac Pierre Ferrand, got to thinking that maybe he needed to make a new Curaçao — one that's based on old Curaçao. ―Bartenders are always looking for
‗real‘ Curaçao,‖ Wondrich had assured him. Of course, before Curaçao (the liqueur) came Curaçao (the island). A little background is needed. Discovered by Christopher Columbus‘ lieutenant in the 15th century, Curaçao was, until very recently, the largest island in the Dutch Antilles. When it was still under Spanish rule, colonists brought with them the sweet Valencia oranges they grew back home. In the hot, dry climate of the island, however, the fruit turned out bitter and practically inedible. The groves were left to grow wild for decades until someone had the good sense to sun dry the peels and let them soak in some booze. And, thus, the liqueur was born. It wasn‘t until the Dutch company Bols developed its own version of Curaçao and colored it blue that the liqueur became associated with its color. The French got a taste for the bitter orange liqueur sometime in the 19th century. There were dozens of recipes for what came to be known as triple sec, including Combier, Cointreau and Grand Marnier. The latter is a different animal by basing its formula on true Cognac instead of neutral grain alcohol. Cognac Ferrand‘s new Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode was created in this spirit as well. ―We found maybe 50 different recipes,‖ said Gabriel over a nip of his Curaçao recently. ―It‘s delicious in coffee,‖ he added, duly spiking his cup. After about a year of experimentation and research in close collaboration with Wondrich, a recipe was reached. It consists of Ferrand‘s acclaimed Cognac, blended with unaged brandy, lightly toasted cane sugar, and the dried peels of Curaçao bitter oranges, as well as other ingredients, like sweet orange and lemon, grilled almonds and prunes. The result is a complex, bittersweet elixir designed to brighten a drink with a single dash (most classic recipes call for less than an ounce). The biggest surprise for those who are under the impression that Curaçao should be the color of toilet bowl cleaner: Ferrand‘s is glowing amber. As far from Smurftastic as you want it to be.
Find.Eat.Drink February 2012 USA “One
of the more exciting things that I've been playing with is Pierre Ferrand's new dry Curacao.” .”
BARTENDER MIKE RYAN SABLE KITCHEN & BAR - CHICAGO, IL November 10, 201
Sable Kitchen & Bar River North American / Cocktail Lounge 505 North State Street Chicago, IL 60654 T: 312.755.9704 (make a reservation) Website: www.sablechicago.com
Q & A With Mike Ryan Q. You worked as a sous chef at one of the more cutting edge restaurants in the country, Moto. What have you taken from working there that you currently use? A. Honestly, the most important thing I learned at Moto was how to think outside the box when problem solving. We made a lot of our own tools and kitchen implements there, and that mentality has carried over into how we have retrofitted our bar to be more efficient during service. Q. What’s your "desert island drink" - the one drink you never tire of making for yourself? A. I never get tired of a classic Daiquiri. I like it a hair on the sweet side, with a rich, fat rum. Advice / Tips Overlooked Ingredients | Savory Ingredients For Cocktails Persimmon It’s delicious; you can smoke or grill it and press it to make a robust juice. Root Vegetables
I'm also a fan of root vegetables, like beets and celeriac; both make tasty juices and syrups. Vermouth | Tips & Recommendations Treatment Vermouth is wine, albeit aromatized and fortified, so treat it as such. Storage
within a couple of weeks at most.
It needs to be kept in the fridge with the cap on, and should be used
Buying If you can, buy smaller bottles. How To Drink Vermouth - Drink it on its own, over ice, with a twist of lemon. - For a classic Martini, you need a good dry vermouth like Noilly Prat or Dolin. - For a classic Manhattan, you need a good sweet vermouth like Carpano Antica Formula or Cinzano. Recommendations
Find | Ingredients New Ingredients / Spirit | Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode One of the more exciting things that I've been playing with is Pierre Ferrand's new dry Curacao. It should be on shelves very soon. It's based on a classic formulation that David Wondrich helped dig up. It’s amazing in classic structures like Sidecars and Margaritas. Find | Resources Magazine & Blogs I read Imbibe magazine and follow a lot of blogs on Shakestir.com, because the content is genuine and bartender-focused.
Eat | Chicago
Hot Doug’s | Boka | Big Star Photo Credit: Arnold Gatilao [flickr] | Boka | Big Star Where The Local’s Go Hot Doug's, Big Star, Longman & Eagle, and Boka are my top picks in Chicago right now. Iconic chicago | Chicago Dog at Portillo’s Classic Chicago dog, go to almost any hot dog stand in the city to get a good one, although Portillo's is one of my favorites.
Photo Credit: Cris Molina
Drink | Chicago
The Whistler | Bar Deville Photographs courtesy of The Whistler | Bar Deville
Where To Take A Visiting Bartender | The Whistler They make great drinks and are just solid, great folks.
Late Night | O’Callaghan’s Our late-night after-work bar, again because of the people there.
Liquor Selection | Bar Deville Great liquor selection, great drinks, great music.
New | Barrelhouse Flat It just opened and already I think it is going to be one of the great bars in the city. City Guide
Liquor.com January 2012 USA ‘’A 1800s recipe developed with the guidance of award-winning author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich.’’
2012: A DRINKER’S PREVIEW Posted WEDNESDAY JANUARY 04, 2012
Pierre Ferrand is also introducing a classic cognac-based orange liqueur, Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode ($30; pictured above), derived from a 1800s recipe and developed with the guidance of award-winning author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich.
We’re only a few days into 2012, and we’re already excited for the rest of the year. There are a number of excellent bars opening across the country and an array of delicious spirits coming out, plus new mixological books and products. Here are some of our favorites to look for during the next 12 months.
BROOKLYN’S BEST: Last month, talented mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Allen Katz launched the New York Distilling Company and its neighboring watering hole, The Shanty, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You can enjoy its Perry’s Tot and Dorothy Parker gins now, and late this summer you’ll be able to buy its Potter’s Old Tom Gin and Katz’s Rock & Rye.
A BOURBON BASH: This fall, the multi-year renovation of Jim Beam’s visitor center will finally be finished. Upgrades include more displays of family memorabilia, historic documents
and photos. And for the first time, the brand will offer a tour that goes inside its distillery.
DRINK DOWNTOWN: Demi Monde is one of New York’s most anticipated winter restaurant openings. Located in the Financial District, it was created by top bartender Alex Day and David Kaplan, founder of craft-cocktail stalwart Death & Co. The duo is also working on a 100-seat lounge, The Rose, in Jackson Hole, Wyo., that will be finished by this summer.
COCKTAILS IN CHICAGO: The long-awaited Spanish- and Latin American-inspired restaurant Tavernita in Chicago will be ready for business this winter. It has a bar program from the acclaimed Tippling Bros., AKA Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay, which will feature a variety of cocktails, beers, wines and even house-made vermouth, all on tap.
GET INTO THE (NEW) SPIRIT: Keep an eye out for Leblon’s new liqueur, Cedilla ($33), which is created by infusing cachaça with açai berries grown in Brazil’s Amazon region. Pierre Ferrand is also introducing a classic cognac-based orange liqueur, Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode ($30; pictured above), derived from a 1800s recipe and developed with the guidance of award-winning author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich. And Liquor.com editor-in-chief Noah Rothbaum helped select the limited-edition The Glenrothes Editor’s Cask Scotch Whisky ($375), which was produced in 1996, matured in a Spanish oak hogshead and should be on store shelves shortly.
REQUIRED READING: In May, famed writer and Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan is publishing the next installment of his Gaz Regan’s Annual Manual for Bartenders, and in June, his 101 Best New Cocktails: 2012will be available as well. (Check Mixellany Limited this spring for more info about both titles.)
A COCKTAILIAN MILESTONE:
The Tales of the Cocktail convention in New Orleans is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2012. This year’s edition of the mixological festival will take place from July 25 to 29 and, of course, include seminars, bar crawls, tastings and fabulous parties hosted by the world’s top bartenders and spirits experts.
BECOME BITTER: Master bartender and Liquor.com advisor Dale DeGroff has influenced cocktail culture around the world, and his reach will soon be even greater with the release of his line of eponymous pimento bitters. The tincture will be made in France to DeGroff’s specifications by Ted Breaux, who was crucial in bringing absinthe back to the US.
MIX IT UP: Last summer, New York’s Employees Only was named the world’s best cocktail bar at Tales of the Cocktail. Now, the establishment, co-owned by Liquor.com advisor Dushan Zaric, is expanding its line of bottled gourmet drink mixers to include a grapefruit cordial, a Sangrita and a revamped lime cordial. All will be available by June. Categories: Featured Tags: 2012: a drinker's preview
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Lifestyle
Examiner.com April, 2012 USA
‘‘ […]Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode. This is going to change the world of cocktails and will soon be a “must have” in your bar.”
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode is a game changer Hoke Harden Portland Spirits Examiner
You want a game changer? Here’s a real game changer in the world of spirits: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode The idea of a game changer is always charged with irresistible possibility. You need look no further than the introduction of a new liqueur on the spirits market this month than the new bitter orange liqueur, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode. This is going to change the world of cocktails and will soon be a “must have” in your bar. Why all the fuss? Because every bar, and every bartender, has the required bottle of triple sec orange liqueur on the back bar. It’s as close to a necessity as you’re going to find in the lore of mixology. Think about it: how many cocktails depend upon the intrinsic flavor of bittersweet oranges as an essential flavor component? Are you running out of fingers yet? Dry Curaçao goes back to the source, the origin of the entire category, both reviving and re-inventing it. In the 1800s, Spanish Valencia oranges were transported to torrid, windy Caribbean islands and the law of unintended consequences kicked in: the delicate oranges, attempting to adapt and survive in their new arid climate with inhospitable soils, developed impressively thick skins to conserve what little moisture they could create, thereby making ugly little lumps unsuitable for eating (“so bitter even the goats wouldn’t eat them”) but possessed the most delicious and enticing citrus oils on the peels that added tremendous flavors to the grogs and punches of the era. Canny Dutch traders, seizing an opportunity, began to steep the orange peels in distilled alcohol and the instantly fashionable Curaçao Orange Liqueur was born. Trouble is, that curaçao liqueur was also fairly sticky and sweet, so the French, then as ever fashionably acute when it came to matters of flavor, created a dry version dubbed Triple Sec----triple dry---and that version came to dominate the global market. Then that “dry” version became steadily sweeter and sweeter all over again—so now “triple sec” means little or nothing.
Most drink mixers have a triple sec liqueur on hand. The smart ones have a high quality brand--Cointreau, the most popular, or Combier, the up and comer in the smart cocktail set---but most have, alas, a cheaper, stickier, and largely chemical/plastic version produced in mass quantities under an assortment of brands. The original Curaçao Liqueur that spawned all its dry imitators simply fell by the wayside and was nearly forgotten. All that has changed with the introduction of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode. The brilliant, creative Alexandre Gabriel (he’s the dynamic mind behind Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Citadelle Gin, Plantation Rum, and the gorgeous Mathilde Cordials) spent an evening reminiscing with cocktail authority David Wondrich about valuable things lost in our history and bemoaning the absence of an original, rich, pungent old style curaçao in our modern cocktail world. That discussion became the genesis---followed by a long research and development phase---of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao is unlike any other triple sec on the market. It harkens back to the rich, mellow pungency of those ugly little Curaçao island oranges (laraha) and their thick, oily, intensely bittersweet peels in a way that no other triple sec---not even Cointreau and Combier--currently does. It is a magical blend of the laraha orange peels with several spices selected by Gabriel (which remain a part of his secret formula), brandy and cognac. Thankfully, it also avoids the sickening sweetness that plagues the cheaper segment of the category. The rule of thumb amongst less quality-conscious spirit producers has always been to throw more and more sugar into a mix to disguise the chemical shrillness of other ingredients and mask the quality faults. Pierre Ferrand reverses that axiom, making an intensely dry version by refusing the sticky sweetness to reveal the natural robust pungency of the citrus oils in their original glory. And they are glorious indeed, those oils and essences. But here’s what makes Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode an honest-to-goodness game changer: it immediately transforms every cocktail it graces into something wonderfully different. Only a small amount creates tremendous differences in a drink, changing an old standard into something new and deliciously exotic---the aroma, the flavor, and the texture of the familiar cocktail is noticeably and deliciously altered. The original proto-science of alchemy with its operative theory of transformation from one essence into another through an added catalyst---the very definition of game change---is made real by Ferrand’s new liqueur. Gabriel hasn’t created “just another triple sec liqueur” or re-hashed an old formula. Rather, he has used the foundation of history, added his own insight and palate
sensitivities, and transformed the bitter laraha/orange into an entirely new liqueur category. And by doing so, he has changed everything in that category. Late Breaking Addition: You might have to be a little patient, however, to experience the Ferrand Dry Curaรงao. Guillaume Lamy, Vice President U.S.A for Ferrand, has informed Examiner.com that the initial shipment of the liqueur sold out at an unexpected rate and the second shipment is already pre-sold. Due to the unprecedented demand, distribution throughout the country may be slow. It's best to keep your eyes open and snap up a bottle when you see one. This is going to be one very popular liqueur.
Food Republic April 2012 USA
“I really love the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao” Erik Lorincz
He’s The Best Bartender In The World Apr 3, 2012 2:01 pm
Erik Lorincz is the man. It says that on his trophy By Gabi Porter
+ ENLARGE Photo: Gabi Porter "If someone asks for something weird and I can make it, I’ll make it for the first round. But for the second round, I ask if they will let me choose," says Erik Lorincz.
Erik Lorincz is head bartender at the historic American Bar at The Savoy Hotel in London’s West End. At last year’s Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, he took home a Spirited Award—the “Oscar of the bartending world”—for Best Bartender in the World. That’s the actual name of the category he won. I dropped by the legendary bar last fall for a cocktail and to chat with the handsome Slovak. He’s a soft-spoken, reserved gentleman behind the bar—working in a profession that is not always known for the type. From the time I sit down at the bar his hands are constantly in motion mixing drinks, arranging bottles and tidying his mis en place, while never once
dropping a beat in our conversation. As I arrived, he was mixing up batches of rum tiki cocktails, to age in barrels behind the bar. How has the bartending community in London responded to you and the American Bar bringing home two Spirited Awards from New Orleans last summer? It’s a really good culture in London and everyone is very supportive of successes. I spent eight years at The Connaught and they were really happy to see me win. Your success is their success! What do you think are the keys to good bartending? It’s really important for bartenders to know who they are talking to and to try not to look at what customers are drinking. If someone asks for something weird and I can make it, I’ll make it for the first round. But for the second round, I ask if they will let me choose. You are Slovakian. Do you see this kind of elevated cocktail culture moving to Eastern Europe? Yes! To Eastern and Central Europe. I’ve seen more bar shows happen this year since I’ve been in the industry. This year there were bar shows in Prague, Greece, Paris, Moscow, Holland, Poland, Germany... Why do you think this is happening now? Well, it’s the second Golden Age of cocktails. Bartenders are taking themselves seriously, treating it like a career and not a temporary job. Michelin star chefs are recognized all over the world, and now bartenders are getting some kind of recognition. And how does the American Bar at The Savoy fit into this second Golden Age? After all, it was around for the first. The Savoy and The American Bar are such classics, they are places for special occasions. People come here taking pictures, to celebrate. I see proposals all the time. One couple engraved their room number and “The Savoy” on the engagement ring. What do you like to order when you’re on the other side of the bar? A martini. It’s a very simple drink and very difficult to make correctly. When my martini is right, I’m a happy man. What are the top five cocktails you serve at The American Bar? The White Lady, the Hanky Panky, Martinis, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. Do you have any recent favorite unusual cocktail ingredients, liqueurs, or spirits that you’re enjoying playing with? I really love the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao. It’s a component in many classic cocktails, but it was unavailable until recently. David Wondrich has been working with Pierre Ferrand to bring back a lot of spirits and liqueurs that are not made anymore. What’s a cocktail you like to use it in? It’s a new cocktail I created. I call it the Pioneer Cocktail and I’ve dedicated it to two cocktail pioneers across the Atlantic from each other. Henry Craddock and Don Facundo Bacardi. It has Bacardi, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, Carlshamns Flaggpunsch, Creole bitters, Fresh lime and superfine sugar.
The Wall Street Journal April 2012 USA “Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Newly developed from an old recipe with the help of cocktail historian David Wondrich, this orange liqueur has pleasant Cognac-like elements and a nose of orange zest and blossoms.”
Mastering the Margarita It's time to pour the mix down the drain and discover the party cocktail's deeper side. Pick an Orange Liqueur
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal
IN SPANISH, margarita means "daisy." But in North America, I believe the translation is closer to "super fun time." Totally fine to think of the cocktail that way, but let's put down the ready-made, Day-Glo sour mix, step away from the margarita machine and take the drink seriously for just a moment. The margarita may conjure images of spring break in Cancún and fishbowl glasses with cactuses as stems or yardstick-long containers filled with boozy slush. But the cocktail is so much more than that.
An orange liqueur delivers the margarita's rich sweetness. This is what delivers the margarita's rich sweetness. Don't make it an afterthought: Avoid generic-looking triple secs. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Newly developed from an old recipe with the help of cocktail historian David Wondrich, this orange liqueur has pleasant Cognac-like elements and a nose of orange zest and blossoms (40% ABV, $26).
It doesn't take much to elevate the margarita to the top of the drink canon. Despite its unfortunate reputation as the Lindsay Lohan of the drink world, it deserves to rub elbows with the likes of the Manhattan and the martini. A properly made margarita is like Emma Stone— fun-loving but, deep down, classy and smart.
Like any other drink, it is only as good as its worst ingredient. Fortunately, the basic margarita only has three: tequila, triple sec and lime juice. Choose a spirit made of 100% agave, stock your bar with a solid orange-flavored liqueur, squeeze fresh lime juice—think of how strong your forearms will get!—and nail the proportions and you'll have a wonderfully balanced sweet, tangy, slightly earthy (that's the 100% agave) drink to sip this Cinco de Mayo and throughout the summer. "Where's the strawberry?" you might be asking. "Can I get extra salt on my rim?" Purists scoff at alterations to the margarita—yes, the harshest sticklers say no salt—but the add-ons are part of the drink's fun factor. "Margaritas are like burgers," said Bobby Heugel, owner of Anvil Bar & Refuge in Houston, one of Texas's craft cocktail meccas. "There can be good ones on the high, gourmet level, and good ones at the low, fast-food-like level, too." At Anvil there are several versions of the margarita, a basic one (1¾ ounces tequila, ¾ ounce Combier, ¾ ounce lime juice, 1 bar spoon agave) and the special Anvil margarita, which is a blend of different agave-based spirits as well as orange bitters. (Mr. Heugel keeps the exact recipe a secret.) In the margarita experimentation game, as long as you're using quality ingredients, you're winning. That means no margarita mixes. Variations can be as subtle as swapping one citrus out for another, choosing an aged tequila over a blanco or, as in Tommy's margarita from Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco, ditching triple sec in favor of agave syrup. On the more elaborate end of the spectrum, margaritas can be imbued with fruit purées, rimmed with chipotle-spiced salt or incorporate spirits outside of standard margarita territory, such as Campari or green Chartreuse. But the key ingredient, really, is fun. We've gathered some of the best margarita recipes from around the country to help you prepare for the warm months ahead. And if you need an excuse to pull this article out in the fall, Sept. 16 is Mexican Independence Day. So here's to the margarita...and to super-fun times.
The classic Margarita plus five intoxicating electives
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Karen Evans, Styling by Anne Cardenas
1. Siesta 2. Joey's Margarita 3. The Classic Margarita 4. Tommy's Margarita 5. Sangre de Cenobio 6. Breakfast Margarita 1. Siesta
A bright and fresh margarita variation for those who like things a little more tangy. The Campari and grapefruit juice round things out with just the right amount of bitterness. 1½ ounces blanco tequila ¾ ounce fresh lime juice ¾ ounce simple syrup ½ ounce fresh grapefruit juice ¼ ounce Campari Orange twist Shake liquid ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist. From Katie Stipe of Flatiron Lounge, New York
2. Joey's Margarita
It is a little-known fact that green Chartreuse partners well with tequila. The French liqueur adds a beautiful je ne sais quoi to this cocktail while the egg white gives it a sophisticated, airy body. A grown-up's margarita. 2 ounces blanco tequila 1 ounce fresh lime juice ½ ounce green Chartreuse ¼ ounce agave nectar ½ ounce egg white Shake ingredients without ice to emulsify egg white. Add ice, shake again and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Salted rim and lime garnish are optional. From Giuseppe González of Golden Cadillac, New York 3. The Classic Margarita
Ask five bartenders for their classic margarita and you'll get five slightly different recipes. That's OK. The margarita aims to please. Consider this recipe a base line. Too sweet? Use ¼ ounce more lime. Too tart? Add agave, ¼ ounce more orange liqueur or both. Too boozy? Delete a ¼ ounce tequila. (We find serving it on the rocks covers up slight imperfections.) A request: When you make a slam-dunk margarita, try it with no ice and no salt. You'll make the cocktail gods happy. 2 ounces tequila ¾ ounce orange liqueur ¾ ounce fresh lime juice ¼ ounce agave nectar (optional) Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass or over ice into a rocks glass. Salted rim and lime garnish are optional. 4. Tommy's Margarita
Julio Bermejo, the state of Jalisco, Mexico's "Ambassador of tequila to the United States" invented this drink 15, 16 or 17 years ago—"Things get blurry over the years," he said— because he didn't feel like saccharine triple sec was doing tequila justice. Instead, he swapped it for agave nectar to create a classic in its own right. Once you try this seminal margarita variation, you may never pick up another bottle of triple sec again. 2 ounces 100% agave tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice 1 ounce agave nectar syrup (1 part agave nectar to 1 part water) Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. From Julio Bermejo of Tommy's Mexican Restaurant, San Francisco 5. Sangre de Cenobio
This elegant margarita variation uses dessert wine (a Lacrima or Sauternes is recommended) instead of triple sec to give the drink a surprising, complex sweetness. The black lava salt is a nice theatrical touch and a nod to the volcanic soil where agave plants commonly flourish. Black lava salt 2 ounces tequila ¾ ounce dessert wine 1 ounce fresh lime juice ½ ounce agave nectar Lime peel Rim glass with black lava salt. Shake liquid ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lime peel. From Brian Means of Fifth Floor, San Francisco 6. Breakfast Margarita
A 'rita that's fresh and light enough to have instead of a bloody mary or a mimosa with breakfast. 1½ ounces blanco tequila ¾ ounce Cointreau 1 ounce mango nectar 1 ounce fresh tangerine juice ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice ¼ ounce ginger juice Tangerine wedge
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a tangerine wedge. From Nate Wales of La Condesa, Austin, Texas The Margarita Experimentation Guide
It's simple: Use the classic recipe above, follow the tips below and say hello to your perfect margarita. 1. Choose Your Tequila
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal
Look for 100% agave on the tequila label. Key words to look for on the label: 100% agave. Anything else is for the spring break crowd. Blanco This is how the drink is classically made, giving the margarita the bright, green, peppery freshness it's come to be known for. Generally, a highland tequila like Ocho Plata (40% ABV, $50) will give you more spicy, citrusy notes while a lowlands one like Partida Blanco (40% ABV, $50) will be crisper and fruitier. At around $20 a bottle, Espolón (40% ABV) is a steal. Reposado This is a tequila aged for two to 11 months, which accounts for its slightly woody flavors. Siete Leguas (40% ABV, $43) has great balance between sweet agave notes and oak. Añejo Some say using a tequila aged over a year is a waste in a cocktail, but if you like oakiness, go for it. Most can get pricey, but Milagro Añejo is a good option for a margarita (40% ABV, $33).
Mezcal Technically not a tequila, but still made from agave, mezcal is generally smokier and more savory. The fruit-forward, easy-sipping Del Maguey Vida (40% ABV, $34) is an approachable introduction to the spirit. Those seeking more spice and smoke should stock up on Sombra Mezcal (40% ABV, $32). 2. Pick an Orange Liqueur
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal
An orange liqueur delivers the margarita's rich sweetness. This is what delivers the margarita's rich sweetness. Don't make it an afterthought: Avoid generic-looking triple secs. Cointreau Pure and clean, Cointreau is the top-shelf standard when it comes to margaritas (40% ABV, $40). Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaรงao Newly developed from an old recipe with the help of cocktail historian David Wondrich, this orange liqueur has pleasant Cognac-like elements and a nose of orange zest and blossoms (40% ABV, $26). Combier This has become the choice of the craft bartender set as it offers a more subtle orange taste with a hint of bitterness (40% ABV, $40).
3. Stick to Fresh Lime Juice
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal
Squeeze lime halves in a hand juicer. We know, it's so much easier to use mixes. But none of them are going to beat freshly squeezed lime juice. To yield the most liquid, use room-temperature limes, gently roll them on the counter to loosen the pulp (but not too much or they'll turn bitter) and squeeze lime halves in a hand juicer such as this one from Chef'N ($20). Limes vary in tartness. If your margarita is too tart, try adding a bit of agave nectar to even things out. Enlarge Image
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal
Don't use table salt. 4. Season It Right
The only rule: Don't use table salt. It tastes funny and the grains are too small. Other than that, be creative. Kosher salt is the standard and sea salt is a lighter option. Smoked salt works well with a mezcal margarita. Spice fans should add morita chili to their salt (a coffee grinder helps mix them evenly). The citrusy, spicy, salty TajĂn, a Mexican fruit seasoning, works wonders too. Kalustyans.com has a wide selection of salts.
Jason Lee for The Wall Street Journal
How to Salt the Rim of a Glass: Step 1 How to Salt the Rim of a Glass
1. Take a quarter out of an orange so that it resembles Pac-Man. Rub the outside edge of the glass on the orange pulp.
Jason Lee for The Wall Street Journal
Step 2 2. Roll the glass rim in a plate of salt—make sure there's a plentiful amount; it's just salt, after all—and try to keep the coverage even. Consider salting only half the rim. That way you'll have the option of sipping with salt or without. Enlarge Image
Jason Lee for The Wall Street Journal
Step 3
3. If the salt is uneven, use a cocktail napkin to tidy up the rim. Make sure there's no salt on the inside of the glass. Stick the glass in the freezer. This will help the salt crystallize. Enlarge Image
Close
Jason Lee for The Wall Street Journal
Step 4 4. Enjoy your margarita masterpiece. Sombrero optional. An Argument for the Frozen Margarita
You're not going to earn cocktail purist kudos for ordering a frozen margarita, but who cares about drink snobbery when it's 97 degrees outside? As long as you're sticking to fresh juices, fresh fruit and high-quality tequila, there's nothing wrong with busting out the blender.
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Karen Evans, Styling by Anne Cardenas
Pineapple chili margarita
Here's a modern frozen classic that we love, from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. It has just the right amount of sweetness and is served on the rocks—in other words, it looks more like a proper drink and not something that came out of a margarita machine. The Fresno chili is optional, but really makes the drink. This is the cocktail you want to have in your hand when you're backyard barbecuing this summer. Pineapple Chili Margarita 6 ounces tequila 2 cups fresh pineapple juice 1 cup pineapple, coarsely chopped 1 Fresno chili, coarsely chopped (optional) Combine tequila, pineapple juice, pineapple and chili in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve over ice in a rocks glass. More Recipes The Señorita
A variation that maintains the template of the classic margarita recipe but uses Compass Box Orangerie, a Scotch infused with orange peel, for a much more complex orange flavor. The agave nectar is a nod to Tommy's Margarita. 2 ounces reposado tequila ½ ounce Compass Box Orangerie ¾ ounce fresh lime juice ½ ounce agave nectar 1 dash grapefruit bitters Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. From Philip Ward of Mayahuel, New York Western Daisy
The Daisy is a type of sour cocktail that, like the margarita (Spanish for daisy), has three basic elements: a spirit, something sweet and citrus. Think of this as a delicate-tasting proto-'rita. 2 ounces blanco tequila ½ ounce yellow Chartreuse
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice ¼ ounce simple syrup 3 drops rosewater Grapefruit knot Shake first four ingredients with ice and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Add three drops of rosewater and garnish with grapefruit knot. From Alchemy Consulting for Andaz Wall Street, New York Spiced Daisy
The key to this variation is Royal Combier, a Grand Marnier-like liqueur that is a blend of triple sec, Cognac and Elixir de Combier, a 19th-century French liqueur containing cardamom, cinnamon and saffron. The chili and salt mixture is awesome on other margaritas as well. Smoked morita chili and salt mixture (2 parts salt to 1 part chili) 2 ounces blanco tequila ½ ounce Royal Combier ½ ounce agave nectar 1 ounce fresh lime juice Salt half the rim of a cocktail glass with smoked morita chili and salt mixture. Shake remaining ingredients with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with a kaffir lime leaf (optional). From Raul Yrastorza of Las Perlas, Los Angeles Ground to Glass
A delicious, garden-fresh margarita. You'll feel healthy drinking it. The hickory smoked salt is available at kalustyans.com. Hickory smoked salt 3 cucumber slices 2 ounces tequila 1 ounce fresh lime juice ¾ ounce agave syrup (1 part agave nectar to 1 part water)
½ ounce red-pepper purée* 2 dashes orange bitters Rim rocks glass with hickory smoked salt. Muddle cucumber in cocktail shaker. Add the other ingredients, shake with ice and double strain into a rocks glass over ice. *To make red pepper purée take 3 seeded red peppers and blend them in a food processor. From Greg Seider of Summit Bar, New York Daisy's on Fire
A bold blend of mezcal smoke, St-Germain grapefruit-y sweetness and tart blood orange citrus. If the blood oranges are too sweet, add a dash of lime juice. 1 ounce blanco tequila ¾ ounce fresh blood orange juice ¾ ounce St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur ½ ounce mezcal 1 dash grapefruit bitters Blood orange zest Shake liquid ingredients with ice and fine strain into a cocktail glass. Cut a small disc of zest from a blood orange and flame the oils over the top of the drink, discard the disc. From Josh Loving of Fino, Austin, Texas Smoky Margarita
A good introduction to those curious about mezcal. The smoke peaks through just enough to make you want to go back to the glass for more. 1½ ounces blanco tequila ½ ounce Grand Marnier ¼ ounce mezcal 1 ounce fresh lime juice ½ ounce agave nectar Lime wheel
Shake liquid ingredients with ice and pour into a cocktail glass or a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel. From Steve Olson of Viktor & Spoils, New York Corrections & Amplifications Mexican Independence Day is Sept. 16. An earlier version of this article incorrectly said it was Sept. 12. Also, a previous version of this article stated that the Siesta cocktail was created by Julian Cox of Rivera Los Angeles. It was created by Katie Stipe while at New York's Flat Iron Lounge.
TASTING TABLE MARCH 2012 USA
“Now, quality curaçao is staging a triumphant return, with the release of Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao.’’
Orange You Glad Curaçao gets back to quality Bad things sometimes happen to good booze. Such has long been the case with curaçao. This intensely flavored orange liqueur was a staple of the 19th-century cocktail, but lost its path sometime after Prohibition. Now, quality curaçao is staging a triumphant return, with the release of Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao ($27 for 750 ml). Based on brandy and flavored with the dried peel of an unusual type of bitter orange grown on the Caribbean island of the same name, curaçao was the precursor to triple sec. This original orange liqueur lent a subtle richness and a bittersweet tweak to dozens of drinks from the 1800s, such as Regent's Punch and the Brandy Crusta. In the 20th century, curaçao added character to classic cocktails including the Pegu Club and the Mai Tai. Then curaçao took an unfortunate detour through the food chemist's lab, acquiring an unnatural orange or blue hue and a tacky, artificial flavor. Pierre Ferrand's version restores the liqueur to its 19th-century throne. Formulated with a base of cognac and brandy, flavored with the dried peels of curaçao oranges (along with lemon and sweet oranges) and aged in oak casks, it has a natural, nuanced intensity that brings new life to the classic cocktail. Julie Reiner, of Clover Club and Lani Kai in New York, is harnessing its flavorful gravitas in her take on the Brandy Crusta (click here to see the recipe). Chalk one up for the good guys.
The Spirit Journal March 2012 USA
Alcademics February 2012 Written by Camper English USA
NEW BOOZE FOR JANUARY 2012 As you may know, I have been blogging over at ShakeStir.com, an online community for bartenders. I write the New Booze blog posts, which describe new spirits launching as they happen. I wrote about following new products in January:
John B. Stetson Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Concannon Irish Whiskey Redbreast 12 Cask Strength Monkey Shoulder Scotch Absolut Miami Absolut Grapevine EH Taylor, Jr. Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon Mandarine Napoleon XO
Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode
www.barmag.fr February 2012 written by : Cécile Fortis Published by : Charlie Bist FRANCE ‘En dévoilant son Curaçao Ancienne Méthode, la maison Pierre Ferrand répond parfaitement à la tendance vintage qui domine actuellement le monde de la mixologie’
DRY CURAÇAO PIERRE FERRAND : RETOUR AUX SOURCES
PUBLIÉ PAR CHARLIE BIST LE 15 FÉVRIER 2012 SOUS COCKTAILS DE MARQUES, RAYON BOISSONS TAGS: CURAÇAO, DRY, PIERRE FERRAND
Un authentique Dry Curaçao : les bartenders en rêvaient, Pierre Ferrand l’a fait ! Il s’agit d’un traditionnel triple sec inspiré d’une recette datant du XIXe siècle et imaginé avec la complicité de David Wondrich, le célèbre historien du cocktail. Riche, complexe et parfaitement équilibré, le dry Curaçao Pierre Ferrand révèle un magnifique bouquet d’oranges douces et amères, mais également des notes gourmandes d’oranges confites, de noisettes et d’amandes amères. En dévoilant son Curaçao Ancienne Méthode, la maison Pierre Ferrand répond parfaitement à la tendance vintage qui domine actuellement le monde de la mixologie. Le Curaçao entre, en effet, dans la composition de nombreux cocktails “historiques” comme la Margarita, le White Lady ou encore le Mai Tai. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode (70 cl, 40°) : Env. 28 €
Recette cocktail : Pegu Club Il s’agit d’un cocktail imaginé en 1930 par Jimmy Late du Ciro’s, à Londres, et revisité par David Wondrich. 60 ml de gin Citadelle 15 ml de Dry Orange Curaçao Pierre Ferrand 15 ml de jus de citron frais 1 trait de bitters orange 1 trait d’Angostura Shaker avec de la glace, filtrer et servir dans un verre à cocktail rafraîchi. Par Cécile Fortis – Photo : Daniel Krieger
Find.Eat.Drink February 2012 USA
PIERRE FERRAND’S DRY CURAÇAO ANCIENNE METHODE FEBRUARY 23, 2012
WHO Based on a 19th century recipe, it is a traditional French Orange Curaçao made from the peels of Curaçao oranges and spices, blended with brandy and Pierre Ferrand Cognac. WHY Curaçao is one of the oldest and most traditional liqueurs. Pierre Ferrand has created a new take on the classic spirit, replacing the current available crop of sickly sweet renditions. RECOMMENDED BY - Bartender Mike Ryan (Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago, IL)
RECOMMANDATIONS Q & A with Alexandre Gabriel, President of Pierre Ferrand Drink | Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode Bitter Oranges The Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode is made with curacao oranges from the Caribbean, which are bitter oranges. The fruit is totally uninteresting, but the skin isn‟t. The Way It Began David Wondrich, the cocktail historian, came to me at one point and said, „I need something like an orange curacao, because there is no more real curacao. Now it‟s either orange, it‟s blue, it‟s over-sweet, it‟s made with grain basic neutral spirit, NGS and we don‟t have the real thing.‟ In the old days, the orange curacao was bitter orange. This got me thinking that I should use one of the 50 recipes of curacao I have from the 19th century. The Savoy Cocktail Book In the original Savoy cocktail book from the 1930s, one drink out of three calls for curacao. But it‟s not available anymore. If you go to a store and ask for a curacao, you‟ll get the orange sticky stuff. Curaçao can be a cheap, plastic, nasty liqueur or it can be heaven in a bottle. It all depends on the ingredients and the production method. Since there wasn‟t a good one on the market, Dale DeGroff was saying that you blend fifty percent Grand Marnier, fifty percent Cointreau and pray for the best! Just more on the sweeter orange and not the bitter orange. Production
So, we started making it. The production is three different steps: infusion, distillation and reinfusion. The skin is peeled and you sun dry it, add a touch of lemon and sweet oranges, and infuse it into an un-aged brandy. You then distill it and blend it with brandy and cognac. The brandy has also been infused with very small quantities of secret ingredients, vegetable
infusions, including the outside of walnuts. There is a technique as a producer that always says if you want to make a great product that really tastes like that product, you have to use very small quantities of other products that complement it. Aging We put it back into a cask, the same casks that we use for cognac, and we use the orange peels again. We have some practice in cask aging, Cognac has been doing it for 500 years. Cask aging is kind of the trickiest part for spirit making. Distilling is quite straightforward and the aging is more technical. We age the curacao for one year. What Dry Means The “Dry” in the name refers to the use of bitter oranges rather than sweet oranges. You can taste the balance and it registers well. Cocktails It works well with cognac, so it makes an incredible Sidecar cocktail, an authentic Margarita, or anything that you want that has orange, because it cuts through the aromas. It‟s also delicious in coffee. Availability Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode will be available nationwide in March (2012) and retail for approximately $30. RECIPES Of the nearly 240 spirited recipes in the defining cocktail handbook Jerry Thomas’ Bartenders Guide published in 1862, more than 35 cocktail recipes call for Curaçao. Not ‘triple sec‘ or ‘orange liqueur‘ – but Curaçao specifically. As a matter of fact, only Curaçao is ever mentioned when a drink calls for an orange liqueur. We can only imagine and hope that Mr. Thomas would be happy to use our historically accurate Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao in his recipes.
Brandy Crusta Recipe by Julie Reiner, proprietor and beverage director of Lani Kai and Clover Club, NY
Brandy Crusta Cocktail Photo Credit: Daniel Kreiger
Yield 1 drink Ingredients - 2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac - ½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur - ½ oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao - ½ oz fresh lemon juice - Dash of Angostura Bitters Directions 1) Rim a snifter with sugar. 2) Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice. 3) Strain into a snifter filled with ice cubes. 4) Garnish with a horse‟s neck of orange (aka the entire peel of an orange).
CURAÇAO FRAPPE Source: George J. Kappeler, Modern American Drinks, 1895. Adapted by David Wondrich.
Pegu Club Cocktail Photo Credit: Daniel Kreiger
Yield 1 drink Ingredients - Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaรงao Directions 1) With a mallet and ice-bag, crush some ice until it forms a powder. 2) Pack a stemmed cordial glass with this ice powder and fill it with Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaรงao. 3) Let stand until ice forms on the outside of the glass and serve. Mai Tai Recipe by Julie Reiner, proprietor and beverage director of Lani Kai and Clover Club, NY
Mai Tai Cocktail Photo Credit: Daniel Kreiger
Yield 1 drink Ingredients - 1 oz Plantation Rum Grande Reserve 5 Year Old (Barbados) - 1 oz Plantation Rum Jamaica Vintage 2000 - 3/4 oz fresh lime juice - 1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao - 1/4 oz simple syrup
- 1/4 oz orgeat syrup Directions 1) Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. 2) Shake and strain into a double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. 3) Garnish with mint, lime wheel and an orchid (if you have one).
Pegu Club Cocktail Recipe by Jimmy of Ciro„s, 1930. Adapted by David Wondrich.
Pegu Club Cocktail Photo Credit: Daniel Kreiger
Yield 1 drink
Ingredients - 2 oz (60 ml) Citadelle Gin - 1/2 oz (15 ml) Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao - 1/2 oz (15 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice -1 dash orange bitters -1 dash Angostura bitters
Directions
1) Shake well with ice. 2) Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Presidente Recipe by León Pujol and Oscar Muñiz, Manual del Cantinero, Havana, 1924. Adapted by David Wondrich.
Yield 1 drink Ingredients - 1 1/2 oz (45 ml) aged white Cuban rum - 1 1/2 oz (45 ml) Dolin Blanc Vermouth de Chambery - 1 bar spoon Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaçao - 1/2 bar spoon grenadine Directions 1) Stir well with cracked ice. 2) Strain into chilled cocktail glass and twist a swatch of thin-cut orange peel over the top.
Jolly Roger Created at Rogers Corner, 8th Avenue and 50th St, New York, 1942. Adapted by David Wondrich. Yield 1 drink Ingredients - 1 oz (30 ml) Plantation Vintage 2000 Jamaican Rum
- 1 oz (30 ml) Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaรงao - 1/2 oz (15 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice - 1/2 oz (15 ml) fresh-squeezed orange juice Directions 1) Shake well with ice. 2) Strain into chilled cocktail glass and float 3 drops of Angostura bitters on top.
Pepe Le Moko House cocktail at the Casbah, 112 Central Park South, New York, 1943. Adapted by David Wondrich. Yield 1 drink Ingredients - 2 oz (60 ml) Pierre Ferrand 1840 Original Formula Cognac - 1/2 oz (15 ml) Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curaรงao - 1/2 oz (15 ml) fresh-squeezed lime juice - 1 dash absinthe Directions 1) Shake well with ice. 2) Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Good Spirits News February 2012 Written by Blair Frodelicious USA “All of this makes for a very nice addition to your arsenal of
Triple Secs.”
GSN REVIEW: PIERRE FERRAND ANCIENNE METHODE DRY CURAÇAO February 2, 2012 by frodelicious
Developed by Pierre Ferrand owner and President Alexandre Gabriel in collaboration with Professor David Wondrich, this new Curaçao is based on recipes dating back to the 1700′s-1800′s. The liqueur includes primarily bitter Curaçao orange peels, but also vanilla, prunes, lemon peel and sweet oranges along with over a dozen other ingredients. They are all macerated in unaged brandy, which is in turn re-distilled and finally blended together with aged brandy and Cognac in oak casks. To achieve the final touch, the Ferrand company adds some more dried Curaçao peels during the aging process. All of this makes for a very nice addition to your arsenal of Triple Secs. The best part? It retails for under $30 a bottle. Pierre Ferrand Ancienne Methode Dry Curaçao (80 proof) Visual: Golden Honey color. Nose: Fresh and natural orange peel bouquet with slight vanilla overtones. Taste: Bright orange, crisp herb notes with some heat. Less rich than Grand Marnier, but still quite viscous. There’s almost a sense of carbonation on the tongue. Not overly sweet, but tempered by a slight bitterness that comes through midway. Finish: An almost baked fruit flavor gives way to a touch of bitter orange and candy floss. GSN Rating: A
Liquor.com February 2012 Written by Gary Regan USA “I was really impressed by its dryness and
complexity”
MIXING UP THE STARS AND STRIPES Contributed by Gary Regan Posted on Feb 17, 2012
The arrival of Presidents’ Day presents a great excuse to hoist a Betsy Ross cocktail, and if you’ve never tried one, I urge you to mix one up. It’s a darned good quaff and perfect for toasting the guys who’ve led our country since 1789, the year George Washington was elected. Ross, the woman who supposedly sewed the first stars-and-stripes flag, knew Washington quite well, it seems—her pew at church was right next to George and Martha’s. However, the tipple named for her, as far as I can tell, didn’t appear in print until the 1940s—I found the formula in Crosby Gaige’s Cocktail Guide and Ladies’ Companion, published in 1941. Port and brandy form the backbone of the concoction. Thankfully, it’s now fairly easy to find good American brandies, so if you’re going to do a little patriotic drinking, I suggest a California bottling. The same applies to the port, too, but I’m afraid we’re heading to foreign climes for the other two ingredients. Angostura Bitters, made in Trinidad, plays an important role in the drink, and I’m a hog for the stuff—while the recipe calls for only two dashes, I usually double up on the bitters if making one for myself. Try it; you just might like it. The final ingredient is the orange liqueur Curaçao. Be careful when you’re buying the spirit, since many brands tend to be overly sweet. Recently, a new bottle landed on my doorstep— yes, yes, it was a freebie—but I was really impressed by its dryness and complexity. If you can find it, use Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode in your Betsy Ross. You’ll thank me for this. I’ll let you get on with your celebrations, but I have a last word of advice: If you take advantage of one of the car sales that are bound to dominate our television sets this long weekend, do it before you start sipping a Betsy Ross. Otherwise you might never make it to the dealership.
Betsy Ross Contributed by Gary Regan INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz Brandy 1.5 oz Ruby port .5 oz Orange Curaçao 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Glass: Cocktail
PREPARATION: Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Gary Regan is the author of numerous books about spirits and cocktails, including The Joy of Mixology and The Bartender’s Gin Compendium. He is also co-host of ArdentSpirits.com and a Liquor.com advisor.
Liquor.com February 2012 USA “Pierre Ferrand is also introducing a classic cognac-based orange liqueur, Dry
Curaçao Ancienne Méthode ($30; pictured above), derived from a 1800s recipe and developed with the guidance of award-winning author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich”
2012: A DRINKER’S PREVIEW Posted on Jan 04, 2012 We’re only a few days into 2012, and we’re already excited for the rest of the year. There are a number of excellent bars opening across the country and an array of delicious spirits coming out, plus new mixological books and products. Here are some of our favorites to look for during the next 12 months.
BROOKLYN’S BEST: Last month, talented mixologist and Liquor.com advisor Allen Katz launched the New York Distilling Company and its neighboring watering hole, The Shanty, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You can enjoy its Perry’s Tot and Dorothy Parker gins now, and late this summer you’ll be able to buy its Potter’s Old Tom Gin and Katz’s Rock & Rye.
A BOURBON BASH: This fall, the multi-year renovation of Jim Beam’s visitor center will finally be finished. Upgrades include more displays of family memorabilia, historic documents and photos. And for the first time, the brand will offer a tour that goes inside its distillery.
DRINK DOWNTOWN: Demi Monde is one of New York’s most anticipated winter restaurant openings. Located in the Financial District, it was created by top bartender Alex Day and David Kaplan, founder of craft-cocktail stalwart Death & Co. The duo is also working on a 100-seat lounge, The Rose, in Jackson Hole, Wyo., that will be finished by this summer.
COCKTAILS IN CHICAGO: The long-awaited Spanish- and Latin American-inspired restaurant Tavernita in Chicago will be ready for business this winter. It has a bar program from the acclaimed Tippling Bros., AKA Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay, which will feature a variety of cocktails, beers, wines and even house-made vermouth, all on tap.
GET INTO THE (NEW) SPIRIT: Keep an eye out for Leblon’s new liqueur, Cedilla ($33), which is created by infusing cachaça with açai berries grown in Brazil’s Amazon region. Pierre Ferrand is also introducing a classic cognac-based orange liqueur, Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode ($30; pictured above), derived from a 1800s recipe and developed with the guidance of award-winning author and Liquor.com advisor David Wondrich. And Liquor.com editor-in-chief Noah Rothbaum helped select the limited-edition The Glenrothes Editor’s Cask Scotch Whisky ($375), which was produced in 1996, matured in a Spanish oak hogshead and should be on store shelves shortly.
REQUIRED READING: In May, famed writer and Liquor.com advisor Gary Regan is publishing the next installment of his Gaz Regan’s Annual Manual for Bartenders, and in June, his 101 Best New Cocktails: 2012 will be available as well. (Check Mixellany Limited this spring for more info about both titles.)
A COCKTAILIAN MILESTONE: The Tales of the Cocktail convention in New Orleans is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2012. This year’s edition of the mixological festival will take place from July 25 to 29 and, of course, include seminars, bar crawls, tastings and fabulous parties hosted by the world’s top bartenders and spirits experts.
BECOME BITTER: Master bartender and Liquor.com advisor Dale DeGroff has influenced cocktail culture around the world, and his reach will soon be even greater with the release of his line of eponymous pimento bitters. The tincture will be made in France to DeGroff’s specifications by Ted Breaux, who was crucial in bringing absinthe back to the US.
MIX IT UP: Last summer, New York’s Employees Only was named the world’s best cocktail bar at Tales of the Cocktail. Now, the establishment, co-owned by Liquor.com advisor Dushan Zaric, is expanding its line of bottled gourmet drink mixers to include a grapefruit cordial, a Sangrita and a revamped lime cordial. All will be available by June.
offthepresses February 2012 Writtent by Robert Simonson USA “While aging, the elixir is infused with more Curaçao orange peels.”
PIERRE FERRAND GETS INTO THE CURACAO GAME Friday, January 20, 2012
Triple sec is an ingredient that will set bartenders arguing. One of the oldest liqueurs associated with the American cocktail scene, and a critical ingredient in many classic drinks, every barkeep has an opinion which, among the many orange liqueurs available, are the best (Combier, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Curaçao de Curaçao), and which are trash. And there is little agreement. Into this fractious market niche come a new curacao by a Cognac producer, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode. (As terms, Curacao and Triple Sec are often used interchangeably, though the former should indicate that the oranges used are from the island of that name.) As with Ferrand Cognac 1840— the brandy introduced in 2011 that was purportedly patterned after 19th-century styles of Cognac and geared toward the cocktail crowd as a mixing Cognac—the new Curaçao was produced with a consulting assist from historian David Wondrich. Again, the hope is the bottling will become a mainstay in backbars. The new liqueur is "based on a 19th-century recipe," chosen from among 50 that were tested. Some came from cellar master hand notes, some from published books of the time (one provided by Wondrich). The winning recipe is actually "a combination of the best each recipe had to offer." The Ferrand formula takes dried Curaçao orange peels from the actual island, as well as a bit of lemon and sweet oranges, and steeps them in un-aged brandy. It then redistills the brandy, blends the result with brandy and Ferrand Cognac, then aged it in oak casks. That's not the end. While aging, the elixir is infused with more Curaçao orange peels. According to Ferrand, the mix of brandy and Cognac is critical, because the brandy allows what they call the "vegetal infusions"—that is, the brandy is infused with some botanicals to create complexity—that were an important part of 19th century technique.
Shakestir February 2012 Written by Camper English USA “While Curaçao is made predominantly with Curaçao sundried orange peels, Ferrand also uses up to 14 other ingredients to enrich and bring forward the orange flavors.”
.” NEW BOOZE: PIERRE FERRAND DRY CURAÇAO ANCIENNE METHODE By Camper English on 1/24/2012
Based on a 19th century recipe, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Méthode is a traditional French Orange Curaçao made from the peels of Curaçao oranges and spices blended with brandy and Pierre Ferrand Cognac. This new take on a classic taste comes from Cognac Ferrand proprietor and spirits mastermind Alexandre Gabriel in consultation with spirits and cocktail historian David Wondrich. Available nationwide in the US in March 2012, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao is 40% alcohol by volume and will retail for approximately $29.99 for a 750ml bottle. Gabriel and David Wondrich were talking cocktails one day, when Wondrich told him of the bartenders’ craving for an authentic Curaçao. The question got Gabriel’s wheels spinning and he turned to his collection of historical recipes from the 18th and 19th centuries to seek out
the true way to bring back this artisanal product. Gabriel and his team experimented with more than 50 different recipes and took what they thought was best from each of them. Curaçao is born from Curaçao oranges, which are only grown on the Caribbean island of the same name. Oranges aren’t native to Curaçao – Spanish visitors to the island arrived with Valencia orange plants, hoping to grow them. But the arid climate of the island changed the sweet Valencia oranges over time into a fruit so bitter not even the local goats would eat them. The unwanted plants were forgotten, and grew wild. Decades later – the exact date is lost in history – it was discovered that the peels of these extremely bitter oranges, once dried by the sun, contained oils with an extremely pleasing fragrance. The Valencia orange had turned into something completely different and became known as the Laraha orange. Experimental distilling and blending with spices and alcohol in the 19th century resulted in a delicious and unique liqueur that became known as Curaçao. First infused in grain spirit by the Dutch, the French unleashed its potential with brandy and Cognac and Curaçao became all the rage of the late 1800s. While Curaçao is made predominantly with Curaçao sundried orange peels, Ferrand also uses up to 14 other ingredients to enrich and bring forward the orange flavors. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao takes a dominant amount of dried Curaçao orange peels, a touch of lemon and sweet oranges, steeps them in un-aged brandy and redistills the infusion for maximum flavor extraction. This mixture is then blended with brandy and Pierre Ferrand Cognac and then aged in oak casks, allowing the mixture to marry. While aging, the blend is re-infused with a touch of Curaçao oranges peels to add a nice bittersweet note. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao will become a permanent addition to the Cognac Ferrand portfolio of products and will be available in the United States and Europe, primarily France, the U.K., Germany and Spain.
The HuffingtonPost February 2012 Written by Tony Sachs USA “But the botanicals and the Curaçao orange peels themselves give deeper
and more intense orange notes than Grand Marnier, making this liqueur perfect for use in classic cocktails like margaritas and (especially) mai tais.”
CANDY? FLOWERS? FEH! NEW SPIRITS TO .” WOW YOUR SWEETIE THIS VALENTINE'S DAY Posted: 02/10/2012 7:49 pm React I love the excitement that comes with trying a new spirit for the first time. How does this whiskey compare to my old favorites? How is this new liqueur different from all the other ones on the market? What's going to make people drink this new gin? It's a thrill to figure it all out, with my taste buds as my guide. Only problem is, the assortment of spirits that have crossed my desk in the last few months are pretty random -- what's going to make anyone apart from the hardiest spirits geek want to read about two Scotches, a couple of brandies, a bourbon, a vodka, and a pair of liqueurs? Well, I've found from experience that, when in doubt, it never hurts to look to the calendar for some thematic unity. Write about a dozen grappas and who cares? But write about the best grappas to drink for Arbor Day and you've got a hot and timely piece on your hands. Since it's February, I had three possible tie-ins. Black History Month? Figuring out which spirit would have been tastiest on the March to Selma or along the Underground Railroad felt a little... unseemly. Presidents' Day? An interesting idea, but I got bogged down trying to figure out if Patron's XO Cafe Dark Cocoa was the Chester Arthur or the Franklin Pierce of liqueurs. Which left Valentine's Day. Certainly a well-made, well-chosen spirit, in cocktail form or otherwise, can be quite the aphrodisiac. Cocktails, sipping spirits, after-dinner liqueurs, all can set the stage for an evening of amour. And if you're alone and miserable on V-Day, there's nothing like some booze -- high quality or otherwise -- to help you forget your troubles. So forget champagne. Sure it's romantic, but a good Scotch, or a really well-made curaçao, is sexy. This year, on this very special Hallmark holiday, you lovers need to wow your mates with the latest spirits the world of alcohol has to offer. If drink be the food of love, then bottoms up, baby!
Pierre-Ferrand Dry Curacao Ancienne Methode ($30)
What's the difference between triple sec and curaรงao, apart from the squiggly "c"? I'm not sure if anyone really truly knows what distinguishes these orange liqueurs -- although feel free to tell me in the Comments section if you think you do! But I do know that curaรงao, before it was cheapened, bastardized and colored electric blue by some enterprising marketing team that's now rotting in hell, was an essential ingredient for many 19th century cocktails. Pierre-Ferrand, in conjunction with spirits historian/deity David Wondrich, reaches back to those halcyon days with their new Dry Curaรงao, created so that Jerry Thomas and his ilk would recognize it. Like Grand Marnier (and unlike almost every other orange liqueur), it uses brandy as a base rather than neutral spirits, which gives it a much fuller and more complex flavor. But the botanicals and the Curaรงao orange peels themselves give deeper and more intense orange notes than Grand Marnier, making this liqueur perfect for use in classic cocktails like margaritas and (especially) mai tais. And if you think a mai tai is not a romantic drink, then you've clearly never had a well-made one. Just ask my wife, who gets weak in the knees at the
sight
Pierre-Ferrand, 40% ABV
of
my
mixing
them
up.
offthepresses February 2012 Writtent by Robert Simonson USA “While aging, the elixir is infused with more Curaçao orange peels.”
PIERRE FERRAND GETS INTO THE CURACAO GAME Friday, January 20, 2012
Triple sec is an ingredient that will set bartenders arguing. One of the oldest liqueurs associated with the American cocktail scene, and a critical ingredient in many classic drinks, every barkeep has an opinion which, among the many orange liqueurs available, are the best (Combier, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Curaçao de Curaçao), and which are trash. And there is little agreement. Into this fractious market niche come a new curacao by a Cognac producer, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Ancienne Methode. (As terms, Curacao and Triple Sec are often used interchangeably, though the former should indicate that the oranges used are from the island of that name.) As with Ferrand Cognac 1840— the brandy introduced in 2011 that was purportedly patterned after 19th-century styles of Cognac and geared toward the cocktail crowd as a mixing Cognac—the new Curaçao was produced with a consulting assist from historian David Wondrich. Again, the hope is the bottling will become a mainstay in backbars. The new liqueur is "based on a 19th-century recipe," chosen from among 50 that were tested. Some came from cellar master hand notes, some from published books of the time (one provided by Wondrich). The winning recipe is actually "a combination of the best each recipe had to offer." The Ferrand formula takes dried Curaçao orange peels from the actual island, as well as a bit of lemon and sweet oranges, and steeps them in un-aged brandy. It then redistills the brandy, blends the result with brandy and Ferrand Cognac, then aged it in oak casks. That's not the end. While aging, the elixir is infused with more Curaçao orange peels. According to Ferrand, the mix of brandy and Cognac is critical, because the brandy allows what they call the "vegetal infusions"—that is, the brandy is infused with some botanicals to create complexity—that were an important part of 19th century technique.
Citadelle Gin
Lushworthy.com December Black Cove – Rhum2012 épicé SAQ: 11558763 USA– 24.75 $ “The delicious Citadelle Gin Peppermint Fling cocktail has been included in Lush Worthy’s holiday drink recipe post”
Drink Recipes: Deck The Halls With Christmas Cocktails From Camarena Tequila, Citadelle Gin & Flor de Caña Rum Posted on December 16, 2012 by Danielle H.
Believe it or not, but this Tuesday will mark exactly one week until we hit Christmas Day and do you know what that means? One week to crunch in all your holiday shopping? One week before you can indulge in those much needed holiday vacation days? Not quite. Instead I was thinking something more along the lines of us only having one week to get our Christmas cocktails in order. But fear not fellow cocktail connoisseurs because I’ve compiled a list of three spirited cocktails that are sure to inspire a little Christmas cheer in all (if you’re 21 and over that is). We’ve got a holiday margarita recipe courtesy of Camarena tequila, a minty cocktail made using Citadelle Gin and homemade peppermint simple syrup, and lastly Flor de Caña rum’s refreshing “Santa’s Surprise.”
Santa’s Surprise (Pictured Above) INGREDIENTS 1.5 oz Flor de Caña 7 Year Rum 0.5 oz Lemon Juice 0.5 oz Cranberry Juice 0.75 oz Vanilla Syrup 2 Dashes Orange Bitters DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lemon, strawberry, and sprig of mint.
Mistletoe Margarita INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 oz Camarena Silver Tequila 1 oz Lime Juice 1/2 oz Agave Nectar 1/4 oz Gin 8 Cranberries
DIRECTIONS Muddle cranberries in a mixing glass. Add tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, gin and ice. Shake and strain into a bucket glass with ice. Garnish with a skewer of cranberries. Citadelle Gin Peppermint Fling INGREDIENTS 2 oz Citadelle Gin 1 oz Heavy Cream ½ ea. Egg White 2 oz Peppermint Simple Syrup (see below) DIRECTIONS In a martini shaker, build cocktail in order of ingredients listed. Shake vigorously until egg white becomes frothy and heavy cream is incorporated. Pour cocktail into a peppermint rimmed martini glass. Peppermint Simple Syrup ½ cup Granulated Sugar ½ cup Water 10 large Red/White Peppermint Candy Canes For the simple syrup: Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot. Dissolve sugar and candies on medium heat, stirring continuously. After sugar and candy has dissolved, bring to a boil until syrup begins to thicken, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool.
Nosotras.com September 2012 Spain
“ “Para lograr un cóctel más afrutado podemos combinar la ginebra Citadelle con una tónica más neutra y un toque de violeta”. El resultado es espectacular no solo para el gusto, también para la vista, a Nosotras nos encanta.”
Gin Tonic, secretos del cóctel de moda
Amer Gourmet nos desvela los secretos del gin tonic Judit Perez | 2012/09/28 El sabor del gin tonic fue el encargado de amenizar la fiesta de inauguración de Nosotras Club y entre trago y trago descubrimos algunos secretos del combinado de moda. Si hace unos años el Gin tonic era cosa de hombres, a día de hoy, esta bebida reservada al “último trago de la noche” se ha convertido en uno de los cócteles de referencia. Sea por su estética, por su forma de preparación o presentación, el Gin tonic cada vez tiene más adeptas femeninas. Pero ¿Qué papel ha tenido la mujer en el resurgimiento del Gin tonic? Para resolver esta y otra cuestiones relacionadas con el mundo de la ginebra y de la tónica, aprovechamos que Amer Gourmet fue el encargado de deleitar el paladar de las más de 300 personas invitadas a la fiesta de inauguración de Nosotras Club, para descubrir algunos secretos del Gin tonic de la mano de los dos hermanos César y Pablo Villar.
“El papel de la mujer ha sido muy importante. Antes el Gin tonic era una bebida reservada a un público muy limitado, mayoritariamente hombres y era casi la última copa de la noche. El nuevo concepto de Gin tonic, su ritual de preparación… han hecho que se convierta en una bebida que guste más y sobre todo a las mujeres. Su público se ha multiplicado y ahora es más exigente”, explica César Villar. Esta es la razón por la cuál cada vez vemos cartas más amplias de Gin tonic.
Atrás queda la clásica combinación de ginebra y tónica, “nace un nuevo concepto” en el que pueden entrar muchos ingredientes y sabores en juego, pero “siempre con cuidado”. César nos explicó las distintas formas de preparar un Gin tonic, desde la versión más seca y dura pensada para un público determinado a una versión más cítrica y/o floral que atrae más a las mujeres. Una de las combinaciones estrella de Amer Gourmet es la combinación del gin tonic con zumos ¡Es un placer para el paladar! “A nosotros nos gusta el Gin tonic bien hecho y con pocos ingredientes”, explica César. “El tema de los zumos nació no hace mucho al plantearnos el por qué no darle un toque diferente con un zumo, de la misma manera que se pueden usar otros ingredientes. “Con el zumo Cuckoo, 100% fruta, conseguimos suavizar el Gin tonic y darle un sabor más afrutado”, comenta. “Al final es mezclar calidad con calidad”, añade Pablo, y Nosotras damos fe de ello. Aprovechando que la fiesta de inauguración de Nosotras Club fue un evento experiencial y femenino, ¿Como íbamos a perder la oportunidad de conocer una receta de Gin tonic 100% para la mujer? Los hermanos Amer Villar nos desvelaron algunas combinaciones posibles como la mezcla de ginebra Magellan con tónica, rodajas de manzana verde ácida y un toque de zumo de manzana turbio de Cuckoo. “También podemos jugar con los siropes de fruta como los de 1883 para rebajar el sabor fuerte del Gin tonic”, aconsejan. “Para
lograr un cóctel más afrutado podemos combinar la ginebra Citadelle con una tónica más neutra y un toque de violeta”. El resultado es espectacular no solo para el gusto, también para la vista, a Nosotras nos encanta.
El ritual de presentación, el tiempo de preparación, las nuevas combinaciones… han hecho que el Gin tonic ya no sea sólo cosa de hombres, “se ha convertido en una bebida social” afirma Pablo. Un combinado de moda en el que la medición es muy importante. El buen Gin tonic debe ser equilibrado: 5cl de ginebra, 20cl de tónica y una decoración con una piel de fruta o como nos explicó César, un toque de zumo natural o de sirope. “Siempre hay que jugar con calidad”, concluye Pablo. Ahora que ya conocemos más secretos del combinado de moda, desde Nosotras, nos proponemos ponernos manos a la obra y convertirnos no sólo en expertas catadoras sino en profesionales de su preparación.
Falsta Austria July 2012
The Star Phoenix May 2012 Canada
“The weather being warm, we opened a new bottle last weekend, Citadelle gin from France. I positively purred at the contrast with the musty horrors of West Coast ‘artisanal’ product.”
Q Tonic and Citadelle Gin By James Romanow, Bridges May 30, 2012
Photograph by: James Romanow High end ‘artisanal’ and ‘boutique’ gins are all the rage these days among the cognoscenti. I recently drank my way through a Canadian entry to this market. It took a couple of months and I am here to tell you the life of a booze critic is not all sunshine and roses. Sometimes it resembles one of the nastier Grimm fairy tales. The weather being warm, we opened a new bottle last weekend, Citadelle gin from France. I positively purred at the contrast with the musty horrors of West Coast ‘artisanal’ product. French gin (and for the record Tanqueray is another, their bottle modelled after the Parisian fire hydrant) is usually a bit subtler than the London Dry. I’ve never been able to work out if this is peculiar to the French, as 90 per cent of the French gin lovers are vulgar North Americans such as me. If you really want to welcome summer, use a boutique tonic. Best I’ve found is Q. It’s an organic American product using agave syrup as the sweetener and organic Peruvian quinine. Organic credentials aside, this is great stuff. It has a stunning finish and is less sweet — the best tonic I’ve found so far. It also comes in small bottles ideal for making two G&T. Last summer, Dad’s foods in Saskatoon carried it, but you can buy it on line or when down south.
Another alternative is the organic concentrates like Tom’s Tonic (available online). It tastes great but maintains the look of iodine. Let’s face it — part of the appeal of a G&T is crystal clear fluid with a slice of lime floating in it. More unforgettable wines in Monday’s paper, or on Twitter@drbooze. Citadelle Gin, France. $32.15 ***** Q Tonic, USA. *****
TheGinBlog Marzo 2012 España
Gin Tonic Gelatina Citadelle Preparación. Gin Tonic Gelatina Citadelle Hoy buscábamos algo distinto. Si en la anterior entrada hemos creado un Gin Tonic para cuando no buscamos complicaciones, hoy nos apetecía algo más original, diferente y, por qué no, hasta cierto punto sorprendente. Basándonos en la ginebra francesa de los infinitos botánicos Citadelle, hoy vamos a crear un Gin Tonic que no se bebe, se disfruta con cucharilla. Es importante que recordéis que aunque no es un Gin Tonic en sentido estricto, tampoco es un postre al uso. No debéis pensar en él como algo dulce que agradará a cualquier comensal. Más allá del cambio de textura, en su interior esconde todo el potencial del Gin Tonic más clásico. Veamos paso a paso esta elaboración, que, aunque laboriosa, no es para nada complicada. Vamos allá tras el salto. Ingredientes
Ginebra Citadelle Tónica Fever Tree 3 hojas de gelatina de repostería Limón
Menta Además, utilizaremos un cazo para calentar agua y una copa de cristal fino. Es fundamental que la boca de la copa sea lo suficientemente amplia como para introducir, y extraer, cómodamente una cucharilla.
Paso 1. Cortamos la gelatina e hidratamos
Cortamos las hojas de gelatina en tres partes (más o menos simétricas) y, con el fin de hidratarlas, las introducimos en agua fría durante unos minutos.
Paso 2. Calentamos la tónica
Servimos en el cazo la mayor parte de la t贸nica (dos tercios aproximadamente de la misma) y la ponemos a calentar en el fuego de la cocina. Debemos tener cuidado en este punto, buscamos calentar, no hervir. No nos interesa que se nos evapore la t贸nica, esto es algo que con la cantidad servida y un fuego elevado nos puede suceder f谩cilmente.
Paso 3. Servimos la t贸nica caliente en la copa
Cuando la t贸nica est茅 caliente, lo notaremos porque empieza a soltar vapor, la retiramos del fuego y la servimos en la copa con cuidado de no quemarnos.
Paso 4. Mezclamos las hojas de gelatina Extraemos del agua las hojas partidas de gelatina del paso 1 y las introducimos en la copa de t贸nica caliente. Veremos como empiezan a disolverse.
Paso 5. Completamos con ginebra, tónica y limón
Servimos en la copa la tónica que nos sobró del paso 2, una medida de ginebra habitual en un Gin Tonic, podéis contar 1001, 1002 y 1003 mientras la servís, y exprimimos medio limón dentro de la misma.
Paso 6. Removemos Durante unos minutos, removemos constantemente la mezcla, hasta que las hojas de gelatina queden completamente disueltas.
Paso 7. Decoramos
Cortamos una rodaja de lim贸n que utilizaremos a modo decorativo y una piel del mismo a modo condimentaci贸n. Con la menta seguimos el mismo proceso, un par de hojas para condimentar y una ramita como elemento decorador.
Hemos colocado la piel de lim贸n en el interior de la copa junto con una hoja de menta, la rodaja en el borde y la rama de menta saliendo de la copa para darle un efecto oasis cuando solidifique. Paso 8. Enfriamos Introducimos la copa en la nevera (no en el congelador), y la dejamos reposar un par de horas hasta que se endurezca totalmente. Paso 9. Disfrutar
Una vez enfriada, la sacamos de la nevera y, con la ayuda de una cucharilla, ya podemos disfrutar de este curioso Gin Tonic.
Un cóctel diferente, que al menos debéis probar para opinar sobre él. Requiere un poco de elaboración pero el resultado es sorprendente y cuando menos original. Recordad que, a pesar de su apariencia, el sabor es totalmente de Gin Tonic (y su potencia directamente proporcional a la ginebra servida en la elaboración). Disfrútalo con moderación (recuerda, es tu responsabilidad). Nota: Para una correcta presentación es recomendable no realizar la preparación y el servicio final en la misma copa. En este caso, para poder sacar las fotos durante el proceso y no estropear la elaboración hemos recurrido a la misma copa, pero lo ideal sería, antes del paso 7 de decoración, servir la mezcla en una copa limpia, evitaremos así las marcas de la realización en las paredes de la misma.
Sibaritiablog Marzo 2012 España
“Gin Tonic perfecto de Citadelle Gin : Citadelle Gin con la Tónica Schweppes Azahar Lavanda.”
Gin Tonic perfecto de Citadelle Gin v.2
Cócteles, Ginebra, Noticias, Tónicas 2
Gin Tonic Perfecto de Citallelle Gin v.2 La Ginebra Citadelle es peculiar por su forma de realizarse la infusión de los elementos botánicos, pero también lo es por su finura, delicadeza e intensidad, avalada por los 19 elementos botánicos que eran descargados en el cercano puerto de Dunkerque, procedentes de todos los rincones de la tierra. El espíritu de grano de trigo y los elementos botanicos son la mejor carta de presentación. Para realizar nuestro Gin Tonic perfecto de Citedelle Gin, esta v.2 nos decantamos por la exlosión de las notas cítricas, pioel de limón, pioel de naránja y pomelo, que en su conjunto ofrecen notas, citricas, amargas y matizadas por las notas dulzonas del pomelo rojo, auténticas armonizadoras de las notas de esta ginebra. Para completar la composición nos quedamos con la Tónica Schweppes Azahar Lavanda, que las equilibrará y potenciará ¡Un gin tónic fresco y refrescante!
La Copa y servicio
Lo ideal es una copa de balon, de cristal fino de boca amplia pero cerrada, lo que nos ayudará a captar las notas aromáticas y a oxigenar la ginebra. Siempre ayudados de una cucharilla que utilizaremos para facilitar el servicio de la tónica. Para el servicio, introducimos abundante hielo en la copa, al menos 5-6 cubitos y con movimientos giratorios sobre si misma, enfriamos las paredes de la copa. Decantamos el agua que haya podido quedar en la copa.
Elementos botánicos
Nuestro Gin Tonic perfecto de Citadelle Gin, lo contruiremos con lo mejor de los cítricos: limón, naranja y pomelo rojo, que exaltaran las notas especiadas florales y balsamicas de la ginebra. En harmonía con las delicadas notas que nos propone la Tónica Schweppes Azahar Lavanda. Situamos los elementos botánicos en el centro y abajo de la copa, colocando los elementos de tal manera que favorezcamos una última infusión, despues de realizar un twist sobre los hielos y borde de lqa copa para extraer los aceites esenciales. Siempre con mesura de no excedernos en la cantidad ya que corremos el riesgo de ‘tapar’ o matar el resto de notas aromáticas de la ginebra. Es mejor siemple pecar por pocos elementos botánicos que por exceso. Tengamos especial cuidado de no exagerar las notas cítricas.
El Espíritu
Como siempre, desde una cierta altura y en círculos, intentando infusionar la piel de limón, la piel de naranja y el pomelo rojo, contando 1001, 1002, 1003 (y 1004 para los que quieran un gin tonic con más mordiente), de forma tranquila pero sin exceder esa cantidad, ya que corremos el riesgo de sobrecargar el Gin Tonic. Dejándo reposar unos segundos para que se realice una última y breve infusión de notas aromáticas.
¿Y la tónica?
Utilizamos para este perfecto gin tónic la Tónica Schweppes Azahar Lavanda, que nos ofrecerá la amabilidad de sus notas cítricas, balsámicas y dulzonas, sobre todo en franca armonia con las notas que ofrecen de forma generosa el pomelo y sobre todo la naranja, con un carbónico potente, todos elementos que hacen un excelente trabajo con la ginebra Citadelle Gin. En el servicio, debemos tener especial cuidado de no romper la burbuja de la tónica, llenando la copa, con la ayuda de una cucharilla trenzada para dejar que el mixer se deslice hacia el interior de la copa. Ésta operación se puede realizar con resultados similares al dejar resbalar al mixer por el hielo.
Degustación
Tras la infusión de unos 30 segundos y un par de suaves vueltas con la cucharilla trenzada, nuestro gin tonic estará preparado para ser degustado. Todo un cúmulo de notas citricas, suaves notas amargas y dulzonas, principalmente provocadas por la naranja y el pomelo. Todo ello redondeado por las notas especiadas, florales y balsámicas de esta excelente ginebra ¡Un memorable Gin Tonic perfecto de Citadelle Gin!
As Seen In Tasting Panel Magazine January/February 2012
“…smooth, creamy and complex… exudes not only flavor but loads of class”
Today’s Living January 2012 Hong-Kong
Find.Eat.Drink April, 2012 USA
“I like Citadelle gin quite a bit. I like the floral to it and I like the smoothness to it. While it does have tons of juniper in it, it doesn’t have that like junipery bite to it that sometimes it's a little overwhelming to people.”Bartender Todd Thrasher of PX in Washington, DC
COCKTAIL | THE SPANISH GIN & TONIC Aka the gintonic
The Dutch are credited with originating the drink formerly known as genever, and the British can lay claim to shortening the name to “gin.” But it’s the Spanish who currently hold bragging rights for consuming the highest amount per capita in the world. Try making your own Spanish Gin and Tonic with these suggestions from bartenders, gin makers and tonic producers. “In Spain, it is much more civilized. They use a big glass with the right quantity of gin and the right quantity of tonic.” Alexandre Gabriel is the president and creative force behind the cognac company Pierre Ferrand and the maker of Citadelle Gin. “When you finish making the gin and tonic, add a little bit of cardamon, because it one of the “hidden” botanicals in the gin recipe. It will stick its little head out for you and give you a tickle on the top. In the winter, add a cinnamon stick.” Alexandre Gabriel is starting a campaign called Free the Gin and Tonic, “because the way it is now, gin and tonic is totally in a straight jacket, it’s like in little test tubes. The ice cubes are stuck at the bottom, they pour in the gin and then the tonic and you try to stir it, but it doesn’t work. So you taste the tonic first and then the gin afterwards. It’s a very stylish drink that has been held to the ground.”
GLASSWARE
The Riedel Vinum Burgundy | The Riedel Stemless “O” Burgundy “For the ultimate Gin and Tonic, get a big glass.” - Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY “Use a tumbler or a Riedel Burgundy glass.” - Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
ICE
Tovolo King Cube | Large Square Ice Cubes | WIlliams-Sonoma King Cube
“Ice is very important. Use big ice cubes -- Kold-Draft or those square ice molds that are out there.� - Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
Tovolo King Cube Single silicone tray comes in various colors, with six 2-inch square cubes. - Recommended by mixologist Jamie Boudreau of Canon in Seattle, WA
Williams-Sonoma King Cube Set of silicone trays, with four 2-inch square ice cubes. - Recommended by ice carver Shintaro Okamoto of Okamoto Studio Ice Carving in New York, NY
GIN
Gins: Beefeater | Gordon’s | Blue Gin | Plymouth | Citadelle What separates one gin from the next is the choice of botanical, citrus and spices.
London Dry Style | Beefeater and Gordon’s “As far as gins go... I think it is best with a London Dry style.” - Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
Beefeater | Plymouth | Tanqueray “My holy trinity of gin.” - Bartender Jim Meehan of PDT in New York, NY
Citadelle “I like Citadelle gin quite a bit. I like the floral to it and I like the smoothness to it. While it does have tons of juniper in it, it doesn’t have that like junipery bite to it that sometimes it's a little overwhelming to people.” - Bartender Todd Thrasher of PX in Washington, DC
DH Krahn
“It has really nice citrus, ginger notes and not a strong juniper berry flavor which makes it unique.” - Bartender Jill Schulster, co-owner of JoeDoe in New York, NY
Hans Reisetbauer Blue “Bombay Saphire is designed to lure vodka drinkers over to gin. Instead try Blue Gin from cult Austrian eau de vie distiller Hans Reisetbauer. He distills each botanical separately and vats them for his gin. It is a very well put together distillate.” - Bartender Erik Adkins of Slanted Door and Heaven’s Dog in San Francisco, CA
Victoria “I love its bold flavor profile. When I drink a gin, I want it to taste like gin, not vodka.” - Zeb Stewart of Cafe Colette, Hotel Delmano and Union Pool cocktail bars in Williamsburg, New York.
TONIC
Tonic Sodas: Fever Tree & Q Tonic | Tonic Syrups: Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. & Tomr’s Tonic
SODAS Fever Tree “It’s very aromatic and multi-dimensional. It’s not like a sweet, fizzy water. It has a nice bitterness and very exuberant aromas.” - Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin Q Tonic “For a gin and tonic, you need to have a good tonic. Q Tonic is one that I like.” - Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
TONIC SYRUPS Jack Rudy Cocktail Company “It's light, crisp and refreshing, with a soft backbone of quinine that makes it incredibly quaffable. Beyond that, the tonic is in syrup form, so it won't lose its edge and go bad between drinks.” - Creator Brooks Reitz, bartender at FIG in Charleston, SC
Tomr’s Handcrafted Tonic “There are great gins coming out and nothing but mediocre tonic to mix with them. I wanted something better, richer, and more balanced. I searched out recipes, wasn’t happy with any particular one, but I did like qualities of each, so I began combining and this recipe just came together.” - Creator Tom Richter, bartender at The Beagle in New York, NY
Garnish
The obvious and in some minds, traditional, garnish is the slide or wedge of lime or lemon. But follow the spanish and enhance your cocktail with new options beyond the citrus.
Citrus Lemon Twist | Lime Twist A large piece of the lemon or lime skin, for just a little oil from the peel. - Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin Lime Slice - Bartender Brooks Reitz of FIG in Charleston, SC Lemon Slide | Lime Slice - Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
Vegetable Cucumber Slice - Bartender Brooks Reitz of FIG in Charleston, SC
Spice Nutmeg | Star Anise | Cardamom Pod | Cinnamon Use any of the three as a garnish to top off the drink. - Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
Recipe | The Spanish Gin & Tonic Recipe by Alexandre Gabriel of Citadelle Gin
Yield 1 drink
Glass: Burgundy Wine Glass Citrus Garnish: Large Lemon or Lime Twist Spice Garnish: Grated Nutmeg, Cardamom Pod, Star Anise, or Cinnamon Stick Ice: Large Cubes
Ingredients - 1 oz Citadelle gin - 4 oz Fever Tree or Q Tonic - Lime or lemon skin (for just a little oil from the peel; not the full wedge) - Grated nutmeg, cardamom pod, star anise, or cinnamon stick
Directions 1) In a large tumbler, stir together gin, tonic and large ice cubes. 2) Twist citrus peel over the drink and add to the glass. 3) Garnish with spice and drink.
Plantation
Bières et Plaisirs December 2012 Canada "Plantation Barbados 20ème anniversaire : Mon coup de cœur de cette sélection."
La découverte des Rhums Posté par: Philippe Wouters Posté le: décembre 15, 2012 Dans: Alcools | Commentaire : 0
Consommé blanc, ambré ou épicé, le rhum est une eau-de-vie produite à partir de sucre de canne ou, pour certaines distilleries, de sucres moins nobles. Boisson par excellence rappelant les plages sablonneuses des iles ensoleillées de Cuba ou des Antilles, le rhum est une boisson avant tout populaire. Les marins et pirates en consommèrent allègrement, car on le prétendait guérisseur et excellent remède contre les maladies en mer. En fonction des méthodes de production, on parle de Rhum agricole (distillé avec du sucre de canne) ou industriel (mélasse et sucres non raffinés). La fabrique de Rhums distillera plusieurs fois son produit et le laissera reposer dans des fûts en bois. Le résultat de la distillation sera blanc et le vieillissement en fût lui donnera de la couleur. Certaines distilleries influencent grandement la couleur du Rhum en ajoutant des colorants. Vous pouvez trouver sur le marché des Rhums dits « épicés » dans lesquels le distillateur ajoute des épices locales pendant le vieillissement en fût. La dégustation du Rhum est un exercice très prisé chez les amateurs d’alcools aux notes chaleureuses, rondes et vanillées. Les jeunes rhums seront le plus souvent mélangés à divers jus et boissons pour réaliser des cocktails alors que les rhums ayant plusieurs années d’affinage seront consommés comme des eaux-de-vie françaises : lentement, en savourant toutes les nuances des arômes et saveurs se dégageant du verre. Au Québec, une sélection intéressante de Rhums est disponible à la SAQ. Dans le cadre de la dernière Grande Dégustation de Montréal, le Rhum était à l’honneur, je vous en propose quatre, pour tous les budgets.
Black Cove – Rhum épicé SAQ: 11558763 – 24.75 $ Les arômes de vanille, de cannelle et de noix de muscade offrent un nez très caractéristique pour ce rhum épicé et un excellent rapport qualité-prix. En bouche, il est rond et doux. Une aubaine que je vous invite à découvrir. Havana Club 7 Ans – Rhum vieux SAQ:53140 – 32,50 $ Fort probablement la fabrique de Rhum la plus connue dans le monde, Havana Club propose cependant d’excellents produits dans les Rhums vieux. Ce Rhum issu d’assemblages de distillats âgés de 7 ans d’âge au minimum offre des arômes de mélasses et de tabac. En bouche, la rondeur de l’alcool dévoile des notes de vanilles provenant du bois et de tabac. Un rhum à conserver pour se faire plaisir de temps en temps. Brugal 1888 SAQ: 11662691 – 70,00 $ La maison Brugal, de la République dominicaine, est connue pour son Extra Viejo. Je vous invite à découvrir son Brugal 1888, un grand cru sorti des cuves de cette mythique distillerie des Caraïbes et nommé en l’honneur de l’année de création de la distillerie. Le Brugal 1888 est vieilli dans des fûts de Bourbon et de Whisky, assemblé en utilisant des distillats de 5 à 14 ans d’âge et affiné dans des fûts de Sherry. Un grand cru, d’une magnifique couleur ambrée. Ses arômes de vanille et de mélasse sont accompagnés de notes de fruits tropicaux. En finale, des notes de caramel et de fumées s’étalent très longuement. Plantation Barbados Rum SAQ: 11659863 – 84,00 $ Mon coup de cœur de cette sélection et sans aucun doute le Rhum le plus complexe. Le Plantation Barbados Rhum est un assemblage des plus vieilles réserves de Rhum de Barbade, vieilli en fûts de Bourbon et de Sherry. Son affinage final se fait en fûts de Cognac en France. Au nez, des notes de noix de coco grillées provenant de la vanilline du bois taquinée par l’alcool se dégagent. Des arômes de sucre de canne, de vanille et de tabac se profilent également. Son étalement est court, mais riche, rond et velouté. Comme, le disait le représentant de la distillerie, « sa finale est pâtissière ». Quelle belle expression!
Food Republic December 2012 USA
“9 Bottles to buy : Plantation Three Stars”
9 Bottles To Buy: Rum Nov 29, 2012 3:31 pm
It’s about time you gifted something stiff BY CHANTAL MARTINEAU
+ ENLARGE
Rum. They say it’s the party spirit. True, but there's a little more to it.
Anyone who has every participated in a Secret Santa exchange knows one simple truth about gift giving: you cannot go wrong with booze. So, to ensure that you’re everyone’s favorite person at the holiday party this year, best to stock up on a few choice bottles. Sure, it’s a safe bet. But it’s also pretty darn smooth, if you’re looking to win points with the recipient. If you’re lucky, you might even get a sip as a thank you. Rum. They say it’s the party spirit. And given that it’s the base ingredient for so many communal punches and festive umbrella drinks, it’s difficult to deny. Rum is sweet, of course, for the obvious reason: it’s made from sugar cane. But also because it can be clear and bright or dark and brooding and, occasionally, something in between. On the light side, there’s Five Banks ($33), a blend of rums from five different islands – including Java, in Indonesia, which contributes a dose of spicy Batavia Arrack – aged between three and 12 years, then filtered crystal clear for a complex, herbaceous result. Plantation 3 Stars ($25), from Cognac producer Pierre Ferrand, is another one named for the number of islands that have participated in its production. In this case,
it’s aged and unaged cane spirit from Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica, finished in France, in Cognac barrels and refined back to clarity. You might think that the Caribbean is the only place that makes rum, but you’d be wrong.Ragged Mountain Rum ($36) was the first product made by Berkshires Mountain Distillers, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. Aged a little bit longer, there’s Flor de Caña($18), a four-year-old rum from Nicaragua. And even longer than that there’s Angostura 1919, blended from rums aged at least eight years, in Trinidad (yes, where they make thatAngostura.) Mount Gay Extra Old ($46) hails from the oldest operating distillery in the New World, a dark molasses spirit with a nice spice to it. To take the spice to the extreme, opt for Cruzan 9 Spiced ($16), filled with nutmeg and clove. Looking to splurge? Black Tot “Last Consignment” British Royal Naval Rum ($1,000) is a bona fide navy-proof rum from the last of the rations the British army stopped dispensing to its sailors in 1970. Even crazier is the very limitededition Appleton Estate 50 Year Old Jamaica Rum “Jamaica Independence Reserve” ($5,000), deemed the world's oldest.
Vogue December Black Cove – Rhum2012 épicé SAQ: 11558763 – 24.75 $ UK "This double aged rum has an incomparably round and creamy palate"
As Seen In Examiners.com August 2012
National Rum Day Product Announcement: Plantation Rum and The Hemingway Daiquiri
A new rum brand from the spirit masters at Cognac Ferrand, producers of the award-winning Plantation Rum portfolio has surfaced. Its name: Plantation 3 Stars. Blended with the best rums from Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica, Plantation 3 Stars is a unique take on Caribbean rums and a great cocktail spirit. A 1 liter bottle will retail for approximately $24.99 and promises to be a rum that shows character, elegance and complexity using aged and un-aged rums, the first of its kind on the market. To celebrate National Rum Day (August 16, 2012) and Plantation 3 Stars Rum, we toast with the Hemingway Daiquiri and say cheers! Hemingway Daiquiri 1.5 oz. Plantation 3 Stars Rum
.25 oz. maraschino liqueur .5 oz. grapefruit juice .75 oz. simple syrup .75 oz. lime juice Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Enjoy responsibly. For more information on Plantation 3 Rum, visit http://plantationrhum.com. Find your DC Cocktails Examiner at www.theuptowndiva.com and on Twitter @thesocialiteprj
Trends May/June 2012 France ‘‘incroyable passion pour le spiritueux artisanaux.’’