5 minute read
A TOAST TO THE BERKSHIRES
‘Real Housewives’ star creates her own bourbon inspired by her Berkshire home
BY JENNIFER HUBERDEAU
GREAT BARRINGTON
Dorinda Medley has been very busy.
In August 2020, the Great Barrington native and “The Real Housewives of New York City” cast member was put on “pause” by Bravo. Instead of seeing her hiatus from the show as a negative, she’s been using the time wisely. She’s written a memoir titled “Make It Nice.” She created Dorobics, a high-energy, ’80s-inspired aerobics workout. And she started her own line of bourbon called Bluestone Manor.
The bourbon is named after her luxurious 11,000-square-foot estate in Great Barrington, which became a goto vacation destination for “The Real Housewives” cast members during her time on the show.
Bluestone Manor is also the location for the second season of Peacock’s latest spinoff series, “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip Ex-Wives Club.”
“Bluestone Manor is a very special place. If you enter those doors, something happens,” Medley says in a trailer for the show.
The seven-episode series features Medley and six former Housewives: Jill Zaran (NYC), Taylor Armstrong and Brandi Glanville (Beverly Hills), Eva Marcille and Phaedra Parks (Atlanta), and Tamra Judge and Vicki Gunvalson (Orange County). The first three episodes start streaming on Peacock on June 23.
We recently caught up with Medley, who took a few moments from her tour promoting Bluestone Manor Bourbon, to answer a few of our questions about her newest venture.
QWhat inspired you to start your own bourbon line?
AI was inspired by Bluestone Manor itself. It has a really rich history and was actually a speakeasy during prohibition. When you step inside, you can imagine people sitting in the drawing-room enjoying a glass of bourbon, so I wanted to capture that history and feeling.
I was also drawn to the idea of doing a bourbon by the growing movement of women drinking whiskey. There is something so powerful about it that I love.
In terms of the bottle design, I was inspired by the style and decor of Bluestone Manor. Baccarat crystal is a favorite of mine and I thought it would be beautiful to create a bottle that looked like a crystal decanter and would fit in seamlessly on my bar.
QFans of “The Real Housewives of New York City” are sure to recognize your home, Bluestone Manor, from which your bourbon takes its name. What drew you to this manor? What makes it special for you?
ABluestone Manor definitely has its own persona. To me, it is so much more than a house. It is a living, breathing thing.
As many people know, I grew up in Great Barrington. As I child, I knew of Bluestone Manor because my great-grandfather and grandfather, who were masons who came to this country from Italy, did a lot of the masonry work on it.
On the weekends, my parents would sometimes drive us by it, and we would admire the beautiful home sitting up on the hill. I would say to my parents, “One day, I am going to buy Bluestone Manor so we can all enjoy it.” It had a deeply personal connection for me. Many years later, Richard [her late husband] bought the home for me as a wedding gift.
QHow did you decide to work with the Spirits Lab?
AI work with Jason Pinyan, of Pinyan Branding, and when I set out to create a bourbon brand, it was important to me to work with a majority female-owned company. He had made the introduction and I loved them. They had a lot of experience in craft spirits and were also local, in the Hudson Valley.
QHow did you settle on the flavors and ingredients that went into the bourbon?
AWe did extensive tastings to narrow down the exact flavor profile I loved and thought my fans would love; we ended up choosing a wheated bourbon style that is very smooth and drinkable. It has notes of creme bruleé and vanilla as well as aromas of caramel, butterscotch and oak. It is warm and lingering with a finish that is sweet and buttery, and just a little bit of spice.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY BLUESTONE MANOR BOURBON.
Medley describes Bluestone Manor Bourbon as having “notes of creme bruleé and vanilla as well as aromas of caramel, butterscotch and oak.”
QEach bottle of Bluestone Manor Bourbon comes with an antique key. We’ve heard there are three different keys that come on the bottles. Can you tell us more about that?
AEvery detail of the bottle was carefully selected and has meaning — from the peacock on the label to the antique-style keys that are attached to each bottle. This brand is meant to invite you in to experience a taste of Bluestone Manor, and we felt the keys were a piece of that. There are different styles, so they are collectible as well.
QWhat’s your favorite thing to make with Bluestone Manor Bourbon?
AMy favorite Bluestone Manor Bourbon cocktail was created by Sterling Knight, owner of Mama Roux Restaurant in the Hudson Valley, and is named “After Midnight.” It is the perfect after-dinner cocktail to ease you into a night of storytelling and secrets.
The kitchen at Bluestone Manor is one of my favorite places to spend time and I have also been creating a lot of recipes using my bourbon, from using it on a glazed salmon to some wonderful desserts.
AFTER MIDNIGHT
(Courtesy of Dorinda Medley and Mama Roux restaurant)
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce Bluestone Manor Bourbon 1 ounce co ee liqueur ½ ounce Amaro Montenegro A touch of Pernod Absinthe 2 dashes of Angostura Orange Bitters 2 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
DIRECTIONS
Add together the Bluestone Manor Bourbon, co ee liqueur and Amaro Montenegro. Stir. Add Pernod Absinthe and both bitters. Stir all the ingredients together. Next, take chilled glasses and add orange zest around the rim of the glass. Pour the cocktail into the glass and enjoy. ■
