explore GIN, TEQUILA, & VODKA by Racs Salcedo

GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA YOUR CONTEMPORARY GUIDE TO GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

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– 3 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA 12ExploreContentsFeatures Explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka 20 History of Gin 84 History of Tequila 124 History of Vodka 178 History of Baijiu AustralianExplore Gin 38 Archie Rose Gin 40 Botanic Australis Gin 42 Four Pillars 44 Hippocampus Metropolitan Distillery 46 Ink Gin 47 The West Winds Gin InternationalExplore Gin 48 Aviation American Gin 49 Blind Tiger 50 Beefeater Gin 52 Bombay Sapphire 58 Broker’s Gin 61 The Cotswolds Distillery 62 Greenall’s Gin 64 Martin Miller’s Gin 66 No.3 Gin 67 Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin 68 Plymouth Gin 72 Prince Albert’s Gin

- CONTENTS– 4 –74 Sipsmith 76 Tanqueray 82 Vickers Gin Explore Tequila 100 Tequila Avión 104 Clase Azul 106 Coyote Tequila 107 Década 108 Don Julio Tequila 110 El Jimador Tequila 111 Espolòn Tequila 112 Tequila Herradura 116 Jose Cuervo Tequila 120 Olmeca Altos 122 Patrón Tequila Explore Australian 136Vodka 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka 138 Anjea Vodka 140 Archie Rose Vodka 142 Hippocampus Metropolitan Distillery InternationalExplore Vodka 144 Absolut Vodka 152 AnestasiA Vodka 153 Blat Vodka 154 Cîroc Vodka 156 Finlandia Vodka 158 Grey Goose Vodka 164 Karloff Vodka 165 Karlsson’s Vodka 166 Ketel One Vodka 168 Mishka Vodka 170 Stolichnaya Premium Vodka 174 elit by Stolichnaya 176 Wyborowa Wódka Explore Baijiu 186 Moutai Explore Cocktails 192 Explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka Cocktails Explore Venues 212 Explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka Venues

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“Bring a bottle of wine and you will be thanked, bring a bottle of tequila and you will be remembered”J.C.

AssociateEDITORIALEditor | Hannah Sparks Assistant Editor | Lukas Raschilla Online Editor | Rachel Tyler Editorial Assistant | Mary Parbery

explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka is published by Hip Media 169 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point, NSW 2060 Ph: 02 9492 7999 www hipmedia.com.au ABN: 42 126 291 914 The views expressed in explore Gin, Tequila & Vodka are of the respective contributors and are not necessarily those of the magazine or Hip Media. Copyright is held by Hip Media and reproduction in whole or in part, without prior consent, is not Otherpermitted.HipMedia products include: drinks trade magazine drinks yearbook drinks guide Drinks World Asia, Middle East and MasterChefBarflyBYOAustralasia

PublisherCREDITS | Ashley ashley@hipmedia.com.auPini

Live Better Homes and Gardens Live Grand Designs Live Design Build Hip Media was the winner of Small Publisher of the Year at the Publishers Australia Awards of 2010

Associate Publisher | Eoghan Hennessy Production Manager | Sasha Falloon sasha@hipmedia.com.au General Manager | Melinda Virgona

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ROSS BLAINEY Originally from Scotland, growing up in the whisky and hospitality industry, Ross moved to Australia to broaden his horizons. Currently running the sales teams for Handpicked Wines, and within the role, Ross has a unique insight into Baijiu and Chinese culture through distributing Moutai. In this time he has visited the Moutai distillery a number of times to learn the crafts and stories of this historical category and enjoys sharing the unique history and category with spirits enthusiasts around the country.

Contributors

ANNA MAY Born and raised in Sydney, Anna got her start at the Hip Media office. After a few years editing Barfly magazine and Explore Cocktails, she was a senior content specialist and professional eater at The Urban List Sydney. These days, you can find Anna attempting to keep warm in London, while drinking an Old Fashioned and calling it ‘research’.

ASHLEY PINI Asheley Pini jumped into the world of writing from the English classroom and hasn’t looked back since. Writing on all things spirits for over a decade, Ashley now publishes drinks magazines in Dubai, Australia and Asia. explore Gin, Tequila and Vodka is the seventh publication in the series and Ashley has contributed to all of them.

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PHIL BAYLY Sydney-based tequila-preacher Phil Bayly knows just about everything there is to know about agave-based spirits. Today, Bayly is considered to be one of the preeminent tequila pioneers in Australia, although his feet rarely touch down on local soils. Bayly founded the seminal Sydney tequila bar Café Pacifico and was awarded ‘Outstanding Contribution’ by the Australian bar industry in 2009. Whether it’s through trainings or simply educating and converting nontraditional tequila consumers to the wonders of the Mexican spirit, Phil has made it his quest to give artisanal tequilas, mezcals and craft spirits a presence in Australia. Fittingly, Bayly also developed Agave Love Sydney - a networking event that shares his passion and knowledge of the agave spirits of Mexico with growers, producers, bartenders and spirits professionals and enthusiasts. Agave Love Sydney was the biggest event of its kind, attracting visitors from all corners of the globe. Agave Love Asia Tour, the second chapter of this event will take place in Singapore, Macau and Hong Kong.

- INDUSTRY EXPERTS -

Industry Experts

CHRIS MIDDLETON Chris Middleton is a whisky and spirits specialist who works with global and national companies in everything from business & corporate planning, production, category and brand management, product development and consumer trends. He also writes about spirits, its history and its background. Chris was one of the founders and directors of the New World Whisky Distillery, and a previous global brand director of Jack Daniel’s. His knowledge of spirits and the drinks industry is second to none, and we are lucky enough to have Chris impart his knowledge and contribute to the latest Explore white spirits edition. Chris conceived the Explore concept with HIP Media and was the guest editor on Explore Whisky and Explore Rum.

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“Gin is essentially a flavoured vodka, so making your own gin can be as simple as taking vodka and infusing it with juniper berries and other spices and botanicals. Just not in your bathtub please.”

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TALK TO ANY SPIRITS CONNOISSEUR ABOUT GIN, TEQUILA OR VODKA AND THEY’LL BECOME misty eyed with excitement; given the chance, they will go above and beyond to open your eyes, mind and taste buds to the unique characteristics of each tipple. A group unfairly shrouded by myth and questionable reputations, we’re eager to explore and unravel the wonderful world of white spirits with you. The consumption of gin has grown dramatically over the last few years. In seventeenth century Holland, this white spirit was considered a medicinal remedy for those overcome with stomach pains. That of course was followed by a long stint wherein a tipple of gin was favoured amongst our grandparents’ generation. But today the age gap is barely visible. A growing number of craft distillers are joining the more traditional brands, and new flavours are being discovered daily. From the refreshing taste of cucumber to the nutty aroma of wattleseed, gin today enjoys a large following. Check out some of our favourites on page. 38. Tequila is often associated with cheap shots and a hangover you’d rather forget. What many don’t know however, is that there are many premium quality tequilas that testify against this and showcase just how incredible this white spirit can be. In fact, these tequilas are often not told apart from whiskeys when judged side by side at some of the best competitions in the world. Made from the 12 million year old agave plant, which takes at least six years to grow, tequila is a white spirit that should be sipped and savoured to preserve the time-honoured skill that goes into each bottle. Explore this and more with our expert Phil Bayly on page. 84.

Welcome to the World of Gin, Tequila & Vodka

Last but not least, the stalwart vodka. While it’s hard to pinpoint an exact date for the beginning of manufacture, we do know that vodka originated in Eastern Europe somewhere around the eighth century. Made from fermented grains or potatoes, this traditional alcoholic drink has certainly come a long way. Though it wasn’t introduced to the Western Hemisphere until the 1900s, vodka is now the most popular white spirit in Australia. And who could imagine a bar without it? Clear, pure and clean, vodka can be mixed with just about anything, but that is no excuse to hide its lush, velvety taste. We definitely recommend you give this one the time of day – turn to page. 124.

So sit back and relax as we whisk you away on a journey that explores the highs and lows, cultures, histories and flavours of gin, tequila and vodka. ❧

AshleyCheers,Pini

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IF ALL

WORDS CHRIS ExploreMIDDLETON Gin, Tequila & Vodka >> – 13 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

WHETHER THEY ARE CALLED WHITE, light or clear spirits, that’s how all spirits began. When potable or drinkable spirits (not to be confused with white spirits like mineral turpentine or methylated spirits) were first drunk, they were not put into casks to mellow in taste and extract wood colour. They were stored in earthenware containers and consumed quite quickly. That’s one of the benefits of white spirits; they’re immediately ready for drinking and flavouring.Thezero date for the first potable spirit was Salerno in 1150. This distilled spirit was christened aqua vitae, the water of life. Some described this distillate as aqua ardens, strong or burnt water. As distilling spread from Italy, colloquial terms were linguistically adopted to describe this white spirit, whether the liquor was from distilling wine, beer or another fermented beverage. In France, they called it eau de vie, Gallic for water of life. In Ireland and Scotland it was called uisgebaugh or uisge beatha, being the Gaelic for the water of life, in the 18th century it was abbreviated to whisky. Branntwein in Germany or brandywijn in the Netherlands meant burnt wine or ardent spirit. Akavit in Scandinavia is the Nordic for the water of life. Vodka Russia, vod is water and wodka in Poland. Aguardiente on the Iberian Peninsula means firewater. Local agricultural production dictated which raw material was available to make white or clear spirit. In the southern parts of Europe, the climate favoured grapes. Across the Continent, seasonal fruits such as apples, pears, cherries and plums were fermented and distilled. Different cereal crops cultivated in Europe were another plentiful source of fermentable sugars. Alcohol is produced when yeasts convert sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Another source for obtaining sugars is starch or carbohydrates. Using enzymes, they converted starch into sugars, so cereals, tubers and other carbohydrate produce can make spirits, even wood. Wood’s toxic alcohol compounds made it far too dangerous to drinking. The varying European climates, suited cultivation of different cereal crops for making essential foodstuffs for human and livestock nutrition. Wheat for baking, barley for beer and oats were crop staples that soon found their way into the still. In colder climates hardier cereal crops like rye and barley adapted to the harsher cultivating conditions. Nineteenth century advances in converting starches to sugar made sugar beets and potatoes a new major source of raw materials for distilling. In Asia, rice was distilled, as well as palm sap and the coconut in South East Asia. In China, African sorghum and millet thrive. These cereals produce their national spirit, baijiu. Parts of central Asia used milk, the lactose providing the sugars for the yeast to make alcohol. Some vodka brands today still use milk whey. The most extreme spirit was released a few years ago. An Englishman distilled the urine from elderly diabetes patients calling it faux-whisky. Getting pissed took on a whole new meaning. Wherever there is sugar, natural yeasts will immediately start fermenting it. It only requires an intrepid distiller to turn it into a drinkable spirit. In the New World, another two raw materials broadened the spirits pantheon; succulents and cane grass. Tequila and mezcal are made from agave succulents. SPIRITS LEAVE THE STILL CLEAR AS WATER, WHY THEN ARE VODKA, TEQUILA AND GIN CALLED WHITE SPIRITS? THIS ODD DESCRIPTOR REMAINS A MYSTERY.

Cane distilled to 95% ABV purity is classified as a neutral cane spirit. To become white rum, it must been aged in casks, then filtered through charcoal to remove colour and strip out much of the flavour, turning it back into a mellow, restrained white spirit. Since 1907, Australian law requires rum to spend at least two years in wood storage; otherwise it cannot be classified rum. Following the white rum example, there are other odd anomalies distillers and legislators have created. Such as in the US, where white whiskey made back in the 1970s was charcoal filtered after being aged in barrels. Designated white or light whiskey, it was developed by bourbon distillers losing business to white rum and vodka. Needless to say, white whiskey proved an expensive flop. With the exceptions of filtering white rum and the one-off white whiskey experiment, all white spirits are not stored in wood. This will quickly add colour and dramatically enhance the flavour through wood extraction and complex chemical interactions between in cask and air. When white spirits spend time in wood most transmute into another category; eau de vie becomes brandy, grain spirit turns into whisky and cane spirit into rum. In the beginning, white spirits were administered as medicine and poorly made, hence the need to mask the crude>>

OPPOSITE: Copper pot still at Jose Cuervo tequila distillery T

CREDIT:

The Spanish refer to the white spirits as blanco, from which tequilas and mescals are made. Rum is made from sugarcane, or the by-product of making sugar, molasses. Rum’s an excellent place to draw the line between white, brown and coloured spirits. But here’s where it also gets a bit strange; all rum must be aged in wood, otherwise it’s called cane spirit. So what’s white rum?

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The answer is yes, and it’s because they use different raw materials and different strains of yeasts to produce unique flavours during fermentation, plus different types of distilling plant, which results in each product having noticeable flavour variances. Should the distillation be to the highest purity (under 95.6% ABV, beyond this point there is insufficient water for vaporous ethanol to bind with) there are barely any residual flavour compounds remaining in the raw spirit. When all the flavour compounds have been stripped out in the column, it is called a neutral spirit. Some spirit distilleries use traditional pot stills which allow the distillers to capture a soup of flavour compounds in a lower strength distillate, usually around 70 - 80% ABV. This white spirit, called high wines or new make (in whisky), has some of the production flavours still present when it leaves the still. These flavours can be tasted in the modern ‘moonshine-style’ brands. White spirits like vodka and gin seek a more rectified, cleaner spirit, so most brands are made from neutral spirit. Even in vodka, which is meant to be tasteless and odourless, each brand and variant has discernibly different taste characteristics. You’ll gain a better understanding how this happens in the vodka chapter. This is why white spirits can be so interesting, and why gin and tonics are not the same as vodka and tonics, nor tequila and tonics.

WHITE SPIRIT COCKTAILS

WHITE SPIRITS IN AUSTRALIA In Australia today, 25 per cent of all the spirits consumed are white, with the balance being brown, such as whisky, rum and brandy. Vodka leads the white spirit pack, with nearly 70 per cent of the volume, followed by gin at around 16 per cent, with white rum, tequila, ouzo, plus some white liqueurs and schnapps making up the balance. The story of white spirits is tied to the history of Australia’s immigration. Gin being the quintessential English spirit was our first and most popular white spirit following white settlement. Gin’s early fortunes were bound to the working class female population. Over time, gin’s share of spirits rose from 10 per cent in the 1820s to over 25 per cent during the nineteenth century; it had no competition. The only other white spirit was another gin, genever, known as Holland’s gin and also called schnapps back then. Genever was an older style of aromatised malt gin made in the Netherlands. In AngloSaxon Australia, the four spirits we drank were rum, brandy, whisky and >>

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tasting spirit with flavouring additives. These were the days when the barber was the surgeon and doctors used leeches. It was not until the late 18th century when wood maturation and improved distilling technologies began that the world of spirits made significant steps in palatability and spirit quality. The 18th century also witnessed the first appearance of patent medicines. These quack remedies became a massive faux-medicine industry, leading to the infamous snake oil salesmen selling flavoured spirits as elixirs and therapeutic tonics. Pure Food and Drug laws in the early 20th century brought this fraudulent industry to account. Until the early 19th century even cask maturation for most spirits was uncommon. It was a world dominated by white flavoured spirits. Flavoured spirits were well established by the 16th century. Genever and gin added juniper to their raw spirit. Uisgebaugh added honey, heather, other herbs and spices to make its ancestral proto-whisky drinkable. Polish wodka’s celebrated zubrowka, added the herbal bison grass for flavouring, an archaic folk medicine. Until the late 19th century, Russian vodka was famed for its wide variety of aromatised vodkas. Caraway was the additive for akavit. In the Mediterranean, countries flavourings of anise and aniseed proved enduringly popular as their cultural drinks today still remain pastis in France, ouzo in Greece, raki in Turkey and arak in Lebanon. Leaving the subject of where some spirits start to bleed into new categories, let’s look into the question of flavour differences. A good question to ask is ‘are there any noticeable flavours between white spirits?’

While Russian and Chinese banqueting rituals involve numerous shot toasts of vodka and baijiu, we in the West prefer to drink our white spirits mixed with juice, carbonated beverages or in cocktails. In fact, over 90 per cent of all spirits we consume are mixed drinks, cocktails or diluted with water or ice. These more nuanced white spirits benefit from collaboration with other drinks and ingredients. This mixing of complementary flavours, from juices to tonics supplements, enhances and synergises the spirit. Classics are gin and tonic, vodka with orange juice and white rum and cola. These pairings laid the groundwork for the modern cocktail movement and for new adventurous drinkers to enter the white spirits market.

HOLY SPIRITS: Ever wondered who was responsible for changing aqua vitae, to spirits? We know who the chap is; it was Philippus Hermanii of Antwerp in 1552 when he published Een Constelijck Distileerboec. This was the golden period of Dutch distilling. Latin scholars had previously observed the distillation phenomenon of the separation of alcohol and water, making analogies to the resurrections. Inspired by this euphemism, Hermanni described gaseous ethanol bound within the liquid distillate as spirit, noticing it was being forced out by heat. Not so spiritual, just simple physics of chemical bonds being broken by energy.

gin. By the end of the 19th century, our diverse agricultural environments and manufacturing capabilities meant all of these spirits were made in Australia. Queensland was the primary source of rum, Victoria for whisky and South Australian for brandy. Post-World War II, Australia opened its doors to European refugees and Mediterranean immigrants. East Europeans brought vodka; Greeks brought ouzo and the Italians grappa as their preferred white spirits. Local distilleries and importers soon catered to this new demand by making most of these spirits locally. White rum also began to trickle in from the Caribbean during the 1950s. When Bacardi arrived in 1965, white rum positioned itself as the party mixer, surging amongst young urban Australians. A decade later, Bacardi was Australia’s favourite spirit brand, selling 400,000 cases. Tequila made its arrival in the 1970s with the new cocktail, the Margarita and the novelty of the lick-sipsuck shooter. Tequila’s growth has been slow and steady, climbing to around 2 per cent of total spirits consumed.

REINVENTING GIN: In 1848, Udopho Wolfe introduced Wolfe’s Aromatic Schiedam Schnapps to America. Wolfe was a first generation American, who saw the benefits of rebranding his gin as medicinal schnapps. He packaged it in pint bottles for home use and promoted it as a diuretic and carminative tonic. By 1861, he was selling 13 million bottles, entering the Australian market two years earlier. In 1909, Wolfe’s schnapps sold 1,377,852 bottles in Australia. The original formula was developed by a Hamburg distillery using barley malt spirit and Italian juniper. He subcontracted this recipe to a Schiedam distillery, Blankenheym & Nolet to reproduce it. At the time Schiedam was the Dutch gin capital with 392 gin distillers in 1880. Schnapps, which in German meant to gulp down, from snap, as in a shot of spirits. Schnapps was also known as German gin.

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IN THE BEGINNING: Evidence of distillation reaches back millennia. The first potable, or in other words, the earliest record of drinking spirits was by Magister Salernus. Around 1150, at the Benedictine Salernitan medical school near Naples where he distilled wine into ‘beneficial waters’. Salernus was later charged with poisoning Robert Bellisino after he administered a rosewater flavoured potion, a distilled elixir. This was the first recorded death where spirits were alleged to have been responsible. Salernus was charged and died in Palermo prison 1167. Whether this patient’s illness was terminal, or the remedy proved lethal, is not known.

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The first written official record of using juniper in an alcoholic beverage was in Brussels, 1240, when Thomas Bellingen wrote De Natura rerum describing a drink infused with juniper. In Belgium, 26 years later Jacob van Maerlant recommended boiled juniper in wine to relieve stomach aches. Again in Belgium, Phillip Hermanni of Antwerp was the first author to write about juniper spirit, genever aqua vitae. Gin, genever or French genevieve from the Latin juniperus had arrived. By the late fifteenth century, it was discovered the Dutch were using cloth bags hung in stills, holding ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, galangal, grains of paradise, nutmeg, sage and juniper. Exotic and flavoursome botanicals were being used to improve palatability and bolster perceived medicinal potency, leading to recreational consumption.AseriesofSpanish invasions of the Lowland Countries saw the sack of Antwerp in 1576, culminating in the city’s siege during 1584 to 1585. This forced Antwerp distillers to relocate north to the Netherlands and across the channel to London. In London, these refugee genever distillers planted the seed for the English gin industry. Netherlands shipping towns

The first mention of a juniper beverage was in Germany during the fourteenth century. The Germans published 28 tracts on juniper’s pharmacological properties. In the later part of the fourteenth century, German towns became Europe’s distilling centres as liberal City States issued licences to brewers, vignerons and innkeepers to distil aqua vitae for social consumption. Cologne saw the first apothecary in 1255 selling spirits. Juniper was used in both medicinal tonics and to flavour spirits made by commercial distillers for recreational drinking. When these German States descended into political and social unrest, members of their distilling guides in towns like Frankfurt, Nuremburg and Cologne relocated to the Netherlands and Antwerp. At this time, Antwerp was Europe’s leading port and trading centre. Along with their distilling knowledge, they imported their distilling equipment.

JUNIPER HAS A LONG HISTORY AS A PHARMACOLOGICAL AGENT IN MEDITERRANEAN AND EUROPEAN FOLK MEDICINES. IN PARTICULAR, JUNIPER WAS REGARDED AS AN EFFECTIVE ABORTIFACIENT. PASTORALISTS WHO CUT DOWN JUNIPER PLANTS HAD TO ENSURE LIVESTOCK DO NOT FEED ON THE JUNIPER FOLIAGE. PREGNANT CATTLE THAT INGESTED JUNIPER ABORTED THEIR CALVES WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS. HIGH DOSES OF ISOCUPRESSIC ACID PRESENT IN JUNIPER ARE TOXIC, AFFECTING BLOOD FLOW AND ARE A CAUSE OF ABORTION. IN FOLK MEDICINE, LOW DOSES WERE PRESCRIBED FOR BLOOD, LIVER AND DIGESTIVE DISORDERS UNTIL THE ADVENT OF MODERN MEDICINES. SO IT’S NOT THAT SURPRISING THE SPIRIT KNOWN AS ‘MOTHER’S RUIN’ AND ‘LADY’S DELIGHT’, HARBOURED THE NECESSARY STIMULANTS TO INDUCE MISCARRIAGE.

IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, JUNIPER HAS been added to wine and beer since Pharonic times for flavouring and health. Recent archaeological discoveries in Jyllinge, Denmark detected juniper in 200 BCE jars used to store early beer. In Sweden, Gotlandsfrinka is still sold as a spiced beer infused with juniper. Before hops preserved and flavoured ale, juniper, bog myrtle, yarrow and broom were used to ‘fix’ ales and fruits until the sixteenth century.

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HistoryMIDDLETONof Gin

Explore the

WORDS CHRIS

By the mid-nineteenth century the scene was set for modern gins and bottled brands to be stocked on grocery and liquor shelves, not just taverns, gin palaces and public houses.Thestory of gin’s modern history is now best explored through advances in production, formulation of new styles and the progressive role of mixers and cocktails. ❧ Old gin boiler

– 21 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Schiedam and Delft had access to cheap European grain and rapidly grew to become the world centre for genever, or Hollands gin as the British called this export spirit. The Dutch began to master grain wort and fermentation. They improved hygiene practices (likely a German legacy), ensured cleaner vessels, tubs and later stills sanitised with lime water. This ensured a higher quality product by minimising bacterial contamination and flavour spoilage. Using the basic common still, some with reflux, and improving distilling techniques, the Dutch were able to produce a milder tasting spirit. Some Dutch distillers added juniper to the wort and distilled a milder genever. Most distilled the wash, introducing juniper cones and hops to the second distillation, or third if they elected. When local juniper could not be procured, German, Italian and Swedish juniper was imported. Schiedam rose to become the leading town for distilling and malting in the Netherlands. By 1881, it had 392 distilleries employing 3,500 of the population of 5,000. The town’s skyline was a forest of wind mills (grinding grain) and chimneys for malting houses, boilers and stills. The town choked in grey coal smoke. These were small enterprise distilleries with limited capital for expansion, helping explain why the Netherlands was slow to adapt to new technologies, continuing to make genever by their traditional methods. A few years after Belgium separated from the Netherlands in 1830, Belgium had 1,049 steam engines, while the Netherlands only 42. By the early eighteenth century, the epicentre of gin production and consumption moved to London. In England, the first suppliers of ‘spirituous juniper water’ were apothecary shops during the fifteenth century, selling juniper strong water for colic. By 1621, there were 200 apothecaries in London and they lobbied the City and Crown to form a distiller’s guide. The guild was established in 1638, setting the scene for what would become London’s gin craze. Ninety seven years later, there were over 1,500 distillers and rectifiers in London. The term genever was replaced with gin to describe this English juniper spirit. Cost and supply of juniper saw many London distillers substitute oil of turpentine for juniper, oil of vitriol and grain of paradise (pepper) for ethanol. Adulteration remained a major gin problem until the early twentieth century. As a gallon of gin became cheaper than ale, the quality of the spirit also deteriorated. The subjugated new industrial working class sought cheaper alcohol to escape life’s drudgery. Gin stepped in to serve this want. Production soared from 2.6 million litres in 1684, to 5.5 million litres in 1710, 27 million 1738 and to 32 million by 1743. The bulk of the distilleries and consumption was in London. As other cities industrialised gin, consumption and new distilleries rose to meet their needs. By the first half of the nineteenth century, numerous Government regulations had attempted to control production and the consumption of gin. Excessive abuses needed curtailing. New distilling and rectification technologies were also producing a greater range of gin styles. Retailing had moved from taverns and laneway homes to the newly built gin palaces, designed to help gentrify gin. Gin and its places of sale were, in the modern parlance, being premiumised. This is when the popular London dry style found favour. London dry evolved during the latter part of the eighteenth century, due to new botanical recipes and improved distillation technologies. The development of rectifying stills and fractionating columns made a cleaner and lighter spirit. Previously, distillers rectified their spirit through charcoal baskets to remove fusel oils and unwelcome congeners. Heavily spiced gins were also formulated to camouflage poor quality spirits and additives. Many were adulterated with chemicals from sulphuric acid (mimicking ethanol) to turpentine (ersatz juniper). Hence, the eighteenth century practises of adding sugar to improve palatability (Old Tom and cream gins) produced new gin styles. The importation of new lower costing botanicals led to new recipes in lighter spirits, finding favour with new generations of English drinkers.

Universally juniper is called a berry, but it’s actually a cone

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THIS REVIVAL DIDN’T HAPPEN overnight. Bombay Sapphire and Citadelle were two of the first premium gins debuting in the late 1980s. Tanqueray produced its first premium line extension, Malacca in 1997, followed by the game changing Hendrick’s in 2000. These brands laid the groundwork for the revival to burst forth with hundreds of new labels, from dozens of countries. Gin is currently on a premium growth spurt, underpinned by exotic and new flavour combinations, from cucumber to wattle seed. Joining traditional gin distillers and the specialist gins producers are a new generation of small craft distillers. For these new small startups, gin offers next day cash flow, as gin requires no maturation. Fuelling this demand is a younger audience of drinkers discovering gin. This is not the same gin as the era of their grandparents. These are modern gins pushing out with new flavours, stronger proofs, and marketing their unique provenance, flora and limited editions. They are reinvigorating the category with contemporary brand choices, from classical, to functional and artisanal. To be a gin or genever, this neutral spirit must contain juniper for flavouring. While juniper is universally called a berry, it’s actually a cone. In fact, it’s a female cone and she takes about 18 months to mature. The fruit’s exterior is a series of fleshy scales, similar to a Afterpinecone.mandatory juniper is added into the neutral spirit, the world of gin opens up into a near limitless and creative field of flavour. Gin can be made from any spirit base, including grapes, grains, sugar cane, fruit and tubers. These spirits’ bases are flavoured from an inexhaustible range of botanical ingredients and recipe combinations from spices, sugars, herbs, roots, flower, bark, to even insects. This near infinite palate of ingredients, in differing quantities, produces the discernible flavour differences between many gins. Some can be classified into flavour styles, like London Dry or Old Tom; others rift with new ingredients to formulate new flavour expressions. Welcome to the jazzy world of gin. ❧

THE LONG-AWAITED GIN REVIVAL IS FINALLY HAPPENING. GIN HAS RISEN ON THE BACK OF SPIRIT BRAND PREMIUMISATION, THE UNFOLDING COCKTAIL TREND AND THE EMERGENCE OF CRAFT DISTILLERS. WORDS CHRIS MIDDLETON

World of Gin and Genever: Gin Revival

Explore Gin Production

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RAW MATERIALS: Distilled gin is made when a distillery undertakes all the processes at the distillery, from grinding grain, making wort, fermenting the wash, distilling it into spirit, then distilling the botanicals in the final spirit run to produce gin. When gin is made from grape wine or molasses, this means fermenting the raw material, distilling it into a spirit, then finally distilling the spirit with botanicals to produce gin.

DISTILLED GIN: This is the traditional method where a grain mash is distilled multiple times, usually up to three times. The last batch distilled contains the juniper cones and the mix of botanicals that make up the brand’s recipe.

When distillation arrived in the Low Countries, small alembic pot stills distilled wine into eau de vie, to which herbal compounds were added. When famines and poor harvest affected the vineyards, distillers were forced to use grain, or stale ale. Grain had a long record in beer production, but was shunned as the spirit quality was deemed inferior to grapes when distilling was first started. As fermentation and distillation methods improved, grain spirit gained approval. A variety of grains and different mash bills created a multiplicity of grain-based distillates, from barley, rye, wheat, oats and later corn. When sugar houses began refining imported muscovado sugar loafs in the seventeenth century, cheap leftover molasses from the loaves began to enter the repertoire of distiller’s raw materials. The Napoleonic Wars forced the French to find an alternative to sugar cane when they lost control of their

Distilled gin can be broadly defined by two parts; 1] raw materials for distilling and 2] distilling technologies employed to vaporise the alcohol from the beer/wash and extract the flavour compounds from within the botanical mix. Redistilled gin only uses part of the second as the spirit is sourced.

COMPOUNDED GIN: Neutral spirit is blended with liquid flavouring essences. After these basic methods have been completed, some gin can be aged in cask. Over 99.9 per cent of gin is not aged in wood. Only water is added to the stated alcoholic strength, before the gin can be bottled for sale.

SPIRIT: PROCESSESDISTILLATION

THERE ARE THREE FUNDAMENTAL PRODUCTION METHODS THAT ARE ALSO USED AS CLASSIFICATIONS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GIN. Wheat field. A variety of grains can be used to distilled gin, from barley, rye, wheat, oats and corn >>

REDISTILLED GIN: Neutral spirit is sourced (95% ABV) from a spirit supplier, diluted in water, then redistilled with the botanicals to extract the flavour into the spirit.

DISTILLING TECHNOLOGY, THE STILLS: The original stills were small alembics made of glass, ceramics as well as pewter, copper and other metal alloys. Copper soon proved itself to be the ideal material to make spirits. From the late eighteenth and nineteenth century, English gin distilleries began purchasing their malt spirit from specialist malt distillers, including large volumes of cheap Scottish malt spirit, which they redistilled (rectified) with botanicals to produce their gin. When continuous distillation arrived during the 1840s, English gin distilleries were amongst the most enthusiastic users of Coffey stills. This new technology was a significant contributor to the London dry style due to the spirits being much lighter and cleaner in taste.

DISTILLED AND REDISTILLED GIN: Both methods necessitate the botanicals to be distilled inside the still. Distilled gin as we have learnt is when a distillery undertakes the whole manufacturing process, while a redistilled gin producer sources ethanol from another distillery and completes the process by redistilling the ethanol with their botanicals. They dilute 95% ABV neutral alcohol in water prior to distilling. Placing loose botanicals, in cloth bags and metal baskets they extract the botanical flavours through a single distillation. In the nineteenth century, the English gin industry developed the Carterhead, a metal basket suspended in the still neck so vapour extraction released the essential oils and aromatics in the basket. Gin can then be watered down to the label’s stated per cent ABV and bottled, as low as 37% ABV in Australia, or much higher, which incurs the burden of higher excise based on the label proof. The distilling temperature, the length of distillation and the cut point all affect the flavour and shape the style of each gin.

- EXPLORE GIN– 24 –Caribbean colonies. They pioneered the cultivation and processing of sugar beets as an alternative source of sugar and for use in spirit distillation. Potatoes, notably in Germany, were another economic source for distillation that gained popularity in the mid-nineteenth century.

ALEMBIC: This is the traditional pot still used by gin distilleries and is popular with modern craft gin producers. Beer or wash from fermented grain, grape or other raw materials is batch distilled. Some distillers introduce their basket of botanicals in the second, most at the third distillation run. These gins can have more body as the spirit rectification for not being as light as the other still technologies.

FLAVOUR METHODSEXTRACTION There are two basic methods to flavour infuse the spirit with the botanicals to produce gin.

CONTINUOUS STILL: The continuous still became popular by the mid-nineteenth century. Fractionation column strips out alcohols and congeners such as esters, aldehydes, ketones and phenols, producing a spirit of up to 95% ABV purity. This highly rectified spirit is called neutral alcohol. GNS is the industry term, meaning either grain of Grape Neutral Spirit, or CNS, Cane Neutral Spirit. Gin producers can use this ‘vodka-like’ spirit, diluting it with water and then adding botanicals, to manufacture are distilled gin or blend compounded gin.

RECTIFYING COLUMN STILL: This is a hybrid batch still incorporating both pot still and small column still. The column has chambers separated by trays, sieves or plates. This permits fractionated distilling between the chambers, producing a cleaner spirit at a higher proof than the traditional pot, but not as pure as continuous stills. Distilling spirit is the first stage of production; extracting the flavours from the botanical is next.

COMPOUNDED GIN: Compounded spirits is an old British definition for spirits redistilled or that have had any flavour communicated thereto, or ingredient or material mixed therewith. This method extracts the essential oils and aromatic volatiles by mechanical or chemical processes from the botanical. These concentrated essences are blended with ethanol (GNS) to produce gin.

Standard methods of extraction are maceration by soaking in solvent, counter-current extraction, ultrasound, percolation, pressurisation and steam treatment to extraction by supercritical fluids like CO2. Liquid essences are supplied from specialist companies for blending to the gin recipe to the brand’s flavour profile. ❧ Alembic, a traditional pot still

As an example, Beefeater and Plymouth use English wheat (GNS distilled to 95% ABV). Beefeater macerates its botanical formula for 24 hours, whereas Plymouth macerate for 90 minutes then redistil. Hendrick’s uses two distilling methods; the Bennet still has its botanicals soaked for 24 hours and then distilled; the other 50 per cent of their gin has the botanicals distilled in the Carterhead still, then blended, diluted in water and bottled.

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Explore

AROUND TWO DOZEN GENEVER AND GINS HAVE LEGAL PROTECTION. A FEW ARE INFORMALLY RECOGNISED AS HAVING A DISTINCTIVE FLAVOUR PROFILE, SUCH AS THE LONDON DRY AND OLD TOM. OTHER GINS ARE MARKETED BY THEIR PROVENANCE AND MAY INCLUDE A NATIVE BOTANICAL FROM THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN. >>

Being batch processed was the most common method for the distiller to add the juniper to the third redistillation or rectification batch. After continuous distillation had been invented, some Belgium distillers adapted to the times, adding more neutral spirit to the finished genever. Many distillers stayed with the old methods (vieux systeme), hence the distinction developed between the new (jonge, lighter, drier with higher proof) and old methods (oude, malty/ sweet pot still style). After hundreds of years and many Juniper cones (berries) in a gin cocktail Gin Styles and Ingredients

STYLES OF GIN As gin first proliferated on the continent, this is where daughter genever had many fathers, so this is the where our exploration of gin styles begin.

GENEVER: Genever, compared to gin, differs in production primarily due to the addition or use of malt wine. An archaic term, if not misleading, as it is grain-based, not wine. This expression reaches back to when the first grains were distilled, when they used the existing wine language to be described as malt wine. Grain distillers still use the terms low and high wines to describe the two stages in batch distillation.

Malt wine is the spirit after its first distillation, usually around 15 to 25% ABV. Some will be added to the final product. Originally, grain spirit quality was not as good as grape eau de vie, so the addition of juniper became a required flavouring with an added aura of medicinal value. Genever is malty and sweet to taste. Gin has no malt wine added.

LONDON GIN, OR DRY GIN: Recognised as a special alcoholic spirit under the EU Spirit Drink Regulations, from May 2009. London gin is obtained exclusively from ethanol of agricultural origin with a maximum ethanol content of five grams per hectolitre of 100% ABV equivalent. Flavour is introduced through the re-distillation in traditional stills with ethanol in the presence of all the natural plant materials used, the resultant distillate of which is at least 70% ABV. London gin may contain a small amount of sweetening, no colorants, nor any added ingredients, other than water. The term ‘London gin’ may also be supplemented by the term ‘dry gin’. The UK/ EU has set the minimum bottled alcoholic strength for gin, distilled gin, and London gin, as a minimum 37.5% ABV.

Genever can be made in Belgium, the Netherlands, as well as in specific regions in France, Germany, Spain, Lithuania and Slovenia.

PLYMOUTH GIN: Only one distillery in Plymouth, Devon coverts this protected geographical status, the Coates/Black Friars Distillery. This gin is regarded as more fruity and aromatic with earthy roots, and even slightly sweeter, with less juniper flavour compared to London dry.

GIN (BRITISH): When genever came to England, it was abbreviated to gin. English gin also took a different path to genever in how it was made. British gin was made from distilled barley malt; no low wines are added (malt wine). Gin would become a lighter spirit with different botanical recipes. Two hundred years ago English towns with gin distilleries produced regional gins, such as London, Plymouth and the lost Bristol and Portsmouth styles. Most gins today are known by their place of origin, not their style. London or dry style is made all over the world. As craft distillers blossom around the world, the addition of native plant and local production is creating new diversity, such as American, Canadian, French, and Australian gin. This variety is why gin is enjoying a revival; it is both local andStartingglobal.at the home of gin, England has the greatest number of classifications and definitions for its British gin.

Genever/jenever: Belgium, Netherlands, France and Germany; minimum 30% ABV, usually 35 to 38%, blend of malt wine and neutral spirit Grain genever or graanjenever: Belguim, Netherlands, France, using neutral spirit

Old genever or oude jenever: Belgium and Netherlands, traditional malty, slightly sweeter young genever or jonge jenever: Belgium and Netherlands, modern no barrel, drier and lighter style as it uses neutral grain with less than 15 per cent malt wine

Slovenska borovicka Juniperus: Slovenia Spiaska borovicka: Slovenia Inovecka borovicka: Slovenia Liptosvska borovicka: Slovenia Plus two gin with definitions Gin de Mahon: Menorca Spain Vilniv Dzinas gin: Lithuania Gin may have its roots in Britain, but the word gin has travelled worldwide so any distiller, anywhere, making a spirit with juniper flavouring, can use it.

Hasselt genever: Belgium, region that has strong juniper taste with other botanicals Balegemse genever: Belgium, a town of East Flanders geographic origin Peket de Wallanie: Belgium, Wallonia region in the speaking French territory O’de Flander or original east-Flemish grain genever: Belgium, minimum 35% ABV and producing both oude and jonge styles Genievre Flander Artois and Pas de Calais: France, near the Belgium border Ostriesischer Korngenever: Germany, East Friesland Steinhager: Germany Spisska borovicka: Slovenia Slovenska borovicka: Slovenia

DISTILLED GIN: Distilled gin, as previously explained, is produced by redistilling ethanol of agricultural origin at a strength under 95% ABV in stills traditionally used for gin, in the presence of juniper cones, other natural botanicals and artificial flavourings, provided that the juniper taste is predominant. Gin obtained by adding essences or flavourings to ethanol of agricultural origin is not distilled gin, but a compounded gin. Sweetening is permitted, as is approved colouring, with water added to reduce the ethanol to below 37.5% ABV.

JUNIPER-FLAVOURED SPIRIT DRINKS: Produced by pot distillation using a fermented grain mash to moderate distillation strength (for example 68% ABV) and then redistilled with botanicals to extract the aromatic compounds. It must be bottled at a minimum of 30% ABV. Juniper-flavoured spirits can also be made by adding approved natural flavouring substances to a neutral spirit of agricultural origin. The predominant flavour must be juniper.

- EXPLORE GIN– 26 –regional styles, in 2008 the European Union, declared a number of genevers protected under ‘Product of Origin’, or having an appellation of geographic indexation.

REGIONAL GINS: The mushrooming of craft and boutique non-distiller brands has triggered the marketing of numerous provincial gins, from brands claiming Scottish gin credentials (Islay’s Botanist, to Edinburgh gins) to production in small country hamlets. In Scotland, this claim can be somewhat ironic. London may be the home of British gin, but Scotland for decades has produced and bottled at over 70 per cent of the UK gins for brands like Beefeater, Tanqueray and Gordon’s. The latest trend is to market gin made with seasonal botanicals or offer vintages taking provenance to an even sharper point.

OLD TOM GIN: Sweetened with sugar, and often more highly flavoured. This gin style appeared in the late eighteenth century when gin palaces were being erected to attract a better clientele. Two origin stories credit the invention of this gin to either Thomas Chamberlain or Boords. ‘Tom’ Chamberlain was the distiller at Hodges distillery, Lambeth London. This sweetened version was sold by his ex-apprentice, Thomas Norris, who opened a gin palace on Great Russell Street, Covent Garden in the 1780s and naming the product after Chamberlain. The other version was an early black cat and barrel label, ‘Old Tom’ by Boord’s distillery at Clerkenwell London. Black cat signs had once been the clandestine identifier for unlicensed homes selling gin and later used on public houses.

BOTANICALLY DOMINANT GIN: The search for product differentiation has produced gin brands that use a dominating botanical such a cardamom, liquorice or damson. Brands market a distinctive flavour highlight, such as Gordon’s Crisp Cucumber or Elderberry gins. This has followed Gordon’s tradition of flavoured gins, evidenced by Orange gin (1921 – 1988), Lemon gin (1929 – 1988) and their Old Tom gin (1921 – 1987). In the eighteenth century, two other sweeter gin styles were developed in London. Not enjoying geographic protection, craft distillers have started to revive them for use in cocktails.

CREAM GIN: Made with sugar and cream, even milk, then stored in cask for short aging. It was sold at gin palaces from the eighteenth century. By the mid-nineteenth century, it fell out of favour. Recently, this style was resurrected in Britain.

AUSTRALIAN GIN: Australia was the first country to specify product and labelling standards for gin. On October 12th 1906, the first laws defining gin were enacted, ‘Spirits (other than gin, Geneva, Hollands, schnapps and liqueurs) distilled in Australia shall not be delivered from the control of Customs for human consumption unless they have been matured by storage in wood for a period of no less than two years. A further two years later it was revised to, ‘Gin is the spirit distilled from barley malt, grain, or grape wine, which has been redistilled from juniper berries or flavoured with a preparation thereof.’ Licorice root can be a botanical used to flavour gin >>

FRUIT GIN: Infused fruit or fruit based materials, often known as gin cordials or liqueurs. The most popular is sloe gin, using blackthorn drupes with added sugar. Gin liqueurs are sold at minimum 25% ABV.

– 27 – explore Beyond the regulatory definitions, there are other geographic and flavour styles of gins recognised by the trade and used in consumer marketing.

GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

- EXPLORE GIN– 28 –

Cardamom seeds, a botanical that can be used to flavour gin

Gin has three basic ingredients: spirit base, flavourings (botanicals) and water. These combinations of distillates and natural flavourings permit gin to offer near endless flavouring nuances and marketing claims.

Cassia bark: Sweet cinnamon-like spiciness Pepper berry: different peppers bring flavour profiles, for example, grain of paradise are hot, pungent with hint of citrus to green, pink and black peppers

ADDITIVES: Under different national jurisdictions and styles, additives such as sweeteners (sugar and honey) can be added, along with infusing of fruits, other natural flavourings and colourings.

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BOTANICAL FLAVOURING:INGREDIENT

Juniper cones: Essential ingredient giving gin its legal and sensory note of sharp, piney resin Coriander seed: Lemony/orange warm, nutty flavour, fresh note Angelica root/seed: Sweet, then hot, aromatic and bitter, delicate, celery-like Lemon/orange peel: Bitter, zesty citrus note Liquorice root: Sweet anise flavours Orris root: Fragrant, floral violet with raspberry taste Almond nut: Nutty acrid or bitter note

By 1913, the Act further added, ‘Spirit may be coloured by means of caramel, and flavoured by means of such flavouring as are permitted by Customs, and sweetened by means of sugar. The declaration of caramel colouring and of flavouring is not required. The excise law ensured all gins must be a minimum alcoholic strength of 37% ABV’. When protectionist trading barriers rose after the First World War, the leading English gin producers moved their production to Australia. W & A Gilbey’s and the Distillers Company Ltd set up distilleries in Victoria to manufacture their English gin brands. The dismantling of trade barriers after the Second World War eventually made these distilleries unviable and the distilleries closed during the 1980s. Gin manufacturing would not return to Australia until the craft movement started in the 1990s.

Cardamom seed: Pungent aromatic and sweet menthol/citrus flavour, fresh note

INGREDIENTS

Any plant producing a pleasant and safe flavour compound can potentially partner with juniper. Every country, even region adds an indigenous flora to give a local flavour or unique claim to make their gin appealing to the consumer. For example South African gin uses velt herbs, Icelandic gin uses native flora and Australian craft gins choice from dozens of bush foods and plants. There are even experimental gins adding non-plant matter, such as the Cambridge Distillery, that distills with red ants. Anty gin claims to contain 62 ants per bottle. From the hundreds of potential botanicals around the world, over 99 per cent are formulated with less than 20 plant ingredients. The backbone botanicals of English and especially London dry gins have recipes with ten common ingredients. Each brand can tailor its gin flavour profile by how it executes its botanical recipe and which ones they use.

The country origin even affects the aroma compounds and its pungent intensities. Black peppers come in a wide variety of taste profiles with discernible varieties such as Malabar [India], Tellicherry [India], Sarawak [Indonesia], Lamprey [Sumatra], Vietnam, Madagascar, Talamanca del Caribe [West Indies], Kamput [Cambodia], Penja [Cameroon] and Puhnpel [Micronesia]. Beefeater uses 50 tonnes of juniper a year. They obtain juniper berries from five different countries to balance out seasonal and regional variances. Prolonged storage (after six months and humidity/moisture levels) can diminish juniper’s flavour retention.

SPIRIT BASE: Flavour variations in the base spirit are due to the raw materials distilled such as grape, grain, cane, fruit, tuber et cetera., the distillation methods (pot with more congeners to column making near-neutral spirit), the number of distillations and rectifications, to differing bottle proof strengths (37 per cent to 70 per cent ABV) and consumer organoleptic sensibilities. Using the UK as a country case study, six different spirit bases are in use: Chilgrove gin uses a grape base spirit, Waitrose London dry gin molasses spirit, William’s Great British extra dry gin uses a potato spirit, Mason’s Yorkshire gin uses beet spirit and London Cut uses a whey based distillate. Most distillers use a grainbased spirit whether the gin is produced in a pot still, pot column rectifier, or continuous still.

There are different production methods used to liberate the botanical flavours affecting the gin style and flavour intensity.

WOOD MATURATION: Traditional genever was often stored for a short period in oak casks for transport and for dispensing to the drinker. With the desire to promote more premium gins, wood maturation has become a feature of a few modern gins, especially amongst craft gin distillers in the UK, US and Australia. Established, global gin brands have also started offering wood aged gins such as Beefeater’s Burroughs Reserve Cask Finished and Hayman 1850 Reserve, rested in scotch casks. ❧

1600s

1823 TWIST/TODDY

GIN’S SUCH AS G & T AND THE MARTINI. COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS PUNCH gin, water, sugar, spices, even wine FLIP gin, beer, sugar and heated with a hot iron GINGERBREAD gin served with hot gingerbread SANGAREE gin, sugar, port wine SLING gin, sugar, water CRUSTA gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon, bitters JULEP gin, sugar syrup, mint leaves gin, lemon juice GIMLET gin, lime juice (pink with bitters) TOM COLLINS gin, lemon juice, sugar, soda water (originally old tom) gin, soda, lime gin, chartreuse, vermouth, orange bitters gin, vermouth, maraschino, absinthe, bitters gin, raspberry cordial, sugar, lemon MANHATTAN gin, lemon and orange juice, mint leaves MARTINEZ gin, dry vermouth, triple sec MARTINI gin, vermouth, ice SINGAPORE SLING gin, pineapple juice, cheery liqueur, benedictine NEGRONI gin, rosso vermouth, campari EMERSON gin, sweet vermouth, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur

MAIN USE HAS BEEN AS A COCKTAIL INGREDIENT. ITS ABILITY TO REINVENT ITSELF FOR OVER 400 YEARS, HAS MADE IT THE SECOND MOST POPULAR SPIRIT BASE FOR COCKTAILS AFTER RUM. THE SUCCESS OF GIN HAS BEEN ITS ABILITY TO FORM NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CHANGING WHITE SPIRITS FASHIONS, WHILE REMAINING THE PERENNIAL FAVOURITE WITH CLASSIC MIXERS AND COCKTAILS

YEAR

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1882 FIXTUXEDOBIJONRICKY

- EXPLORE GIN– 30 –

1800s

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1919

1731

Explore Gin Cocktails

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COCKTAIL CULTURE RECEIVED A BIG injection of excitement about 150 years ago, when ice and carbonated waters started to became available all year round. Jacob Schweppes created the soda fountain in 1770s; however, it was not until a London soda manufacturer, Erasmus Bond patented the first carbonated tonic water on May 28th 1858, that gin found its favourite mixer. Bitter quinine and juniper, sweetened in tonic water was refreshing and endowed G & T with perceived health attributes. Australia invented mechanical refrigeration in 1873. Ice would soon become accessible all year around, and no longer be shipped in large blocks from Boston on wooden sailing ships. The emergence of new elegant hotels in the Americas during the early nineteenth century saw a wide range of new and innovative cocktails being concocted. Fortified wines and new liqueurs also provided new inflection points for adventurous bar staff to experiment with gin. Exotic fruits and essences became increasingly accessible, adding to the exciting flavour choices and garnishes. The new flavour combinations for gin seemed endless. Gin glassware began to appear, notably the elegant Martini glass, designed with the long stem to keep the drink cold by avoiding the hand’s warmth reaching the liquid contents. The highball glass allowed some gin cocktails to have cut ice added, and the tumbler to retain the effervescence of gin & tonic. Gin proved adaptable, inventive and secured its place in the world of spirits. ❧

1884

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1910c

MAJOR MILESTONES IN AUSTRALIAN GIN DISTILLING 1629: On June 4th the Batavia foundered on the Australian west coast. In its provisions were genever, brandy and wine casks, including gin drinking vessels called Bartmann & Bellarine jugs. Ships of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) were all provisioned with genever since the early seventeenth century 1804: January, London gin and Hollands/ genever were among the inbound cargoes; soon Bengal gin flavoured with turpentine joined this trade 1824: Rowland Loane’s Derwent distillery Hobart TAS begins producing gin, sold in October and Thomas Lowe’s Cascade distillery in Hobart begins making and selling cordial gin 1825: Underwood’s Sydney distillery & Robert Cooper’s Brisbane distillery start making gin 1826: Cooper’s Brisbane distillery NSW export wheat gin to Hobart 1838: Sydney compounders Sussex and Antwerp distilleries both formulate gins 1864: Dunn’s Warrenheip VIC produces 2,000 gallons a week 1868: Wendouree gin VIC is made at Ballarat 1869: Melbourne distillery VIC (distiller Kretz from Holland), produces 200 gallons a week 1878: Ageston gin QLD begins making gin from molasses spirit using locally grown juniper 1879: Milton distillery QLD uses cane spirit to distil gin 1923: Moorook distillery SA uses grape spirit and markets Old Tom gin 1929: Distillers Company begins gin distilling at Corio VIC, making Burnett’, later Vickers gin 1930: W & A Gilbey’s begins distilling in Melbourne VIC 1985: UDL at Corio and Gilbey’s cease producing domestic gins due to low tariffs 1997: Sullivans Cove Hobart produced first modern small batch gin (Wellington) 2016: Over 40 craft producers market over 70 gins from every state in Australia. ❧

Gin in Australia

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BY THE TIME THE FIRST SYDNEY newspapers began publishing in 1804, the Sydney Gazette was reporting 100 gallons of Hollands gin was for sale at 2/6- per gallon from the Boston based Mary. Hollands (Dutch gin) and English gin were a regular part of the cargoes coming to Sydney Cove. By the 1840s, Lowndes Altona Old Tom and Guernsey Cordial gin, as well as hogsheads of genever from Schiedam was being landed. The 1850s saw Tanqueray, Booths and Pidgeon Cream gin imported. Brands continued to be exported from England and the Netherlands until the 1920s, when tariffs made importing too costly. Gin was one of the first spirits legally made in Australia. In the early 1820s, the Sydney Distillery, Lowes Hobart distillery and the Brisbane Distillery in Sydney were the first domestic distillers of gin. By 1830, gin held 10 per cent of spirit consumption, 17 per cent by 1850. Gin was the preferred alcoholic beverage among the women in the Colonies. Gin has always been by far the most popular among female population, until vodka and white rum appeared in theGin1950s.remained at around 15 per cent of all spirit consumed until the Second World War. After the War, gin struggled against the new generations of drinkers and the new flavourless white spirits, vodka and white rum. Mediterranean and European immigrants also brought ouzo, grappa and schnapps to their new country. Over the following decades gin shrunk to about 3.5 per cent share, sustained by gin & tonic and martinis.

AUSTRALIA IS SERVED WITH OVER A HUNDRED GIN BRANDS FROM OVER A DOZEN COUNTRIES, INCLUDING OVER THREE DOZEN AUSTRALIAN CRAFT LABELS.Archie Rose distillery located in Rosebery, NSW

Fever-TreeBEST.

- GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA– 32 –YOU CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE THE INFLUENCE OF A MIXER, PARTICULARLY WHEN USING HIGH QUALITY SPIRITS. FEVER-TREE’S RANGE OF NATURAL PREMIUM MIXERS IS BREATHING SOME MUCH-NEEDED LIFE INTO THE MIXER AND SOFT DRINK CATEGORY BY REBELLING AGAINST THE MAINSTREAM IDEA OF SUBSTITUTING NATURAL INGREDIENTS WITH ARTIFICIAL ALTERNATIVES, AND BY DOING SO, HAS HELPED CHANGE CUSTOMER AND INDUSTRY PERCEPTIONS OF THE CLASSIC LONG DRINK. THE CLASSIC GIN & TONIC IS FIRMLY BACK ON THE COCKTAIL CIRCUIT AND PLENTY MORE ARE ON THE WAY, NOT SURPRISING CONSIDERING FEVER-TREE IS SERVED IN SEVEN OF THE WORLD’S TOP 10 RESTAURANTS. AFTER ALL, IF ¾ OF YOUR DRINK IS A MIXER, MAKE SURE YOU USE THE

When it comes to Tonic water, it’s not just about the basic quality of the mixer. Whether it’s the more robust Indian tonic or the light and floral Mediterranean tonic, you can balance the flavour with your selected spirit. With a range of flavours, such as elderflower and lemon, Fever-Tree products give mixed drinks a new lease of life. ❧

ABOVE: Congo –View from the FeverTree Plantations. OPPOSITE: One of the Founders Tim, removing the bark from the cinchona tree as this produces the quinine. FEVER-TREE SOURCED THE HIGHEST quality quinine, used in the tonic waters, from the original Cinchona trees (colloquially known as fever trees) from the last remaining plantation in wartorn Congo; fresh green ginger from the turbulent Ivory Coast blended with a chocolatey ginger from Cochin in the south of India, and ginger from Nigeria, to make their Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer. Lemon thyme and rosemary from Provence are infused with lemons from Sicily to make their Mediterranean Tonic Water, the ﬁrst tonic water created to complement vodka, and their Premium Cola contains vanilla sourced from Madagascar. Natural sugars such as cane sugar and fruit sugar have replaced sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to create drinks that will complement and enhance premium spirits. By using all natural ingredients and a well-researched method of chilled carbonation, you not only get a decent amount of effervescence but also a completely different style. It’s very similar to the level of carbonation found in Champagne with very small bubbles, which give Fever-Tree mixers a velvety feel and lingering character.

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Fever-Tree used soft spring water to create a premium mixer with just the right amount of carbonation. FeverTree Soda Water’s versatility allows it to mingle with just about anything on your bar. Try with a ﬁne whisky or bourbon or any of your favourite spirits or liqueurs

Our Naturally Light Tonic Water is the world’s ﬁrst all-natural, lower calorie tonic water. With 58% fewer calories, there is no need to compromise on taste as this delicious, crisp tonic water combines fruit sugars and natural quinine with citrus, aromatic botanicals and soft spring water

PREMIUMFEVER-TREECOLA

ELDERFLOWERFEVER-TREETONICWATER

Made by blending essential oils from flowers, fruits and herbs to create a delicate and floral tonic, perfect with a smooth vodka or light gin. Can also be enjoyed as a sophisticated ‘adult’ soft drink

- GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA– 34 –

PREMIUMFEVER-TREEINDIANTONICWATER

A blend of subtle botanical flavours such as hand pressed bitter orange oil from Tanzania mixed with spring water and the highest quality quinine. Try it out in a classic G&T and notice the difference

FEVER-TREEGINGERALE

SODAFEVER-TREEWATER

Developed to enhance the flavour of brown spirits such as Rum and Whisky, it contains roasted barley, herbal extracts, spices and essential oils including lemon, lime and Madagascar vanilla

MEDITERRANEANFEVER-TREETONICWATER

PREMIUMFEVER-TREELEMONTONIC

A blend of real lemons, spring water and ’sfumatrice’ extracts of Sicilian lemons, and contains no artiﬁcial preservatives or sweeteners. Perfect in a refreshing vodka & lemonade

GINGERFEVER-TREEBEER

FEVER-TREEPREMIUMLEMONADE

Offering a light and subtle character, the delicate and sweet flavour of elderflower is perfectly balanced by the soft bitterness of the quinine. Providing a summery twist to the classic gin and tonic, the refreshing floral flavour works equally well as a sophisticated soft drink

Premium Lemon Tonic is our name for Bitter Lemon. One of the most sophisticated mixers invented, this delicious drink has been ignored by many for years until Fever-Tree revitalised it. By blending the highest quality Sicilian lemon oils with our signature quinine from the Congo, we’ve restored the taste and quality of this fantastic mixer

Naturally brewed with authentic ginger and spring water, Fever-Tree Ginger Beer offers a deep, long-lasting ginger character that is not too sweet on the palate. Try in a classic Dark & Stormy, Moscow Mule, non-alcoholic Gunner, or simply on its own

NATURALLYFEVER-TREELIGHTTONICWATER

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Premium Indian Tonic Water and Naturally Light Tonic Water have been carefully balanced to compliment any gin flavour and guarantee perfect pairing with any of the gins in this guide. For something more unique, we have created this pairing guide to showcase our full range of flavoured tonic waters.

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– 37 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA AustralianDistillersGin OVER THE YEARS, AUSTRALIAN GIN DISTILLERS HAVE BEEN TAKING THE WORLD BY STORM, WINNING INTERNATIONAL AWARDS AND BEING ACKNOWLEDGED FOR PRODUCING SOME OF THE BEST GINS IN THE WORLD. DIVE IN TO AUSTRALIAN GIN PRODUCERS ON PAGES 38 TO 47, THEN DISCOVER MORE ABOUT GIN PRODUCERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE FROM PAGE 48.

Archie Rose is proud of its exceptional distilling process and as such welcomes visitors to observe the traditional methods used, whilst enjoying a tipple at its bar. The Archie Rose bar walls are flanked with ageing whisky barrels and showcase the full Archie Rose spirits range, including a number of unreleased products. As well as this, the awardwinning bar offers guided distillery tours, visits and of course tastings of its unique, hand-crafted spirits. ❧

Archie Rose prides itself on its superior production methods including the use of handcrafted copper pot stills and hand-selected botanicals. Fourteen such botanicals are distilled in the Signature Dry Gin, ensuring the highest quality of flavour. This approach, while labour-intensive, allows the distillery to select the infusion point, run the distillation and make the cuts to best suit the individual botanical and yield the optimal pure botanical distillate. After fourteen runs, the individual distillates are meticulously blended together to create the final gin. The distillery’s Signature Dry Gin boasts a strong and unique flavour profile, highlighted by the chosen botanicals and featuring a defined juniper base, resulting in a layered and balanced gin; a fusion of both traditional methods and modern taste. As well as production of fine, handcrafted gin and vodka, Archie Rose is home to many casks of Single Malt and Rye Whisky which the distillery is maturing in a range of Virgin American Oak, Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Port and ExSherry casks. The mastermind behind the distillery’s creations is Master Distiller Joe Dinsmoor. In just his early 20s, Joe aims to break boundaries and as such is regarded as one of the most accomplished, respected and experienced distillers in Australia. Having begun his career at 18, at Lark Distillery, Joe then moved to Archie Rose, where he now boasts the ability to create some of Australia’s best spirits through his extensive knowledge, passion and skill.

AS WITH ANY EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCT, the ingredients that make up Archie Rose spirits are carefully hand-selected - its gin uses a range of botanicals, including juniper berry, fresh apple, ginger root and coriander seed. The distillery also includes native ingredients, such as blood lime, river mint, lemon myrtle and Dorrigo pepper leaf, creating a truly unique and standout Australian spirit.

Archie Rose Gin

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ESTABLISHED BY SYDNEY-SIDER WILL EDWARDS, THE ARCHIE ROSE DISTILLING CO. WAS INSPIRED BY BOTH THE DISTILLING INDUSTRY OF TASMANIA AND THE URBAN DISTILLERIES THAT CALL NEW YORK AND LONDON HOME. THIS INSPIRATION, TEAMED WITH THE DESIRE TO PRODUCE HANDCRAFTED SPIRITS REMINISCENT OF SYDNEY’S SPIRIT-MAKING PAST WERE THE FOUNDATIONS THAT THE DISTILLERY WAS BUILT UPON.

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Flavour: Weighted with a velvety texture, the nose is carried through with summer orchard fruits, freshly mown grass and honey-drizzled ginger cake. Spiced oranges, lemon verbena and spearmint linger on the tongue along with subtle herbal pepper notes

SIGNATURE DRY GIN Appearance: Clear Aroma: Balanced, complex and multifaceted. Initial aromas of pine forest and green peppercorn subside to allow lemon balm, violet and citrus to come to the fore. Earthy tones develop along with the scent of carrot cake and spiced nuts, accents of musk and an assortment of flowers

Tasting notes

The Botanic Australis Gin is a dry styled gin based on an original London recipe but with the original ingredients substituted for Australian native botanicals. The structured blend allows it to stand out from any other gin on the market with its unique herbaceous, floralAccordingtaste.

The Botanic Australis Gin is packaged in a clear 700ml decanter with an appropriation of the Australian crest, featuring national animals such as the Kangaroo and Emu, marked on a black label around the neck. It is best served as a traditional Gin and Tonic, over ice or in a range of invigorating cocktails such as the Gin and Elderflower Fizz –which combines Botanic Australis Gin, Elderflower Cordial and fresh lime to create an uplifting cocktail experience. ❧ IN 2001, MARK WATKINS FOUNDED MT UNCLE DISTILLERY ON HIS FAMILY’S BANANA FARM IN WALKAMIN, AUSTRALIA. AS THE FIRST AND ONLY DISTILLERY IN NORTH QUEENSLAND, MT. UNCLE IS A PREMIER ATTRACTION ON THE ATHERTON TABLELANDS; AND THAT’S NO SURPRISE. NESTLED AT THE FOOTHILL OF MOUNT UNCLE ITSELF, THE DISTILLERY IS SET IN A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPED GARDEN WITH A BANANA PLANTATION AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

Among a range of whiskies, vodkas, rums and liqueurs, Mt Uncle is home to the only Gin in Australia that sources all of its botanicals locally, apart from the juniper component, which is imported from Northern Italy.

Botanic Australis Gin

THE LOCATION OF THE DISTILLERY IN far North Queensland also means that Mark, as the owner and Head Distiller, has access to a wide variety of high quality ingredients and the hot climate ensures that the spirits age faster then they would in the Southern states.

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to Mark, the small production that comes from owning and operating a craft distillery such as Mt Uncle, means that more attention is paid to the fermentation and distillation process, with a better end result. With the amount of awards that the Botanic Australis Gin has won since hitting the shelves in 2012 – including Silver at the 2015 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards – we couldn’t agree with him more.

Tasting notes

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BOTANIC AUSTRALIS GIN Appearance: Clear Aroma: Complex but well balanced blend with notes of anise, lemon, forest floor and Christmas fruit Flavour: A hint of juniper to start off and then the intensity of the other flavours start to come through. Lemon, mint and then a boom of herbaceousness

As for the gin making process, the Four Pillars Distillers use nine different dry botanicals in their Rare Dry Gin, which combines a mix of both the local and the exotic. The local botanicals include Tasmanian pepper berry and lemon myrtle, while the exotics include juniper of course, plus cardamom, star anise, coriander seeds, lavender, angelica root and cinnamon.

AUSTRALIA’S SHRINE TO ALL THINGS gin, the Four Pillars Distillery is located in Healesville – deep in the heart of the Yarra Valley, which is about an hour’s drive from the CBD of Melbourne. Comfortably housed at this site is the trio’s original copper still Wilma (450L) and her two new siblings Jude and Eileen, who were also manufactured in Germany. Jude is a 600L still, while Eileen is a small experimental still, which provides the gin makers with the capabilities to produce batches of all sorts of crazy liquid. But the fun doesn’t stop there. The Four Pillars Distillery also houses a fullyfunctioning tasting room and a long copper bar serving paddles of Gin & Tonic three different ways, build your own Negronis, Scotty’s Ginger Mules – which is a delectable concoction of gin and ginger beer – the World’s Best Practice Red Snappers, really good nuts and olives, marmalade on toast, great coffee and even beer and wine if you ask nicely. There is also a state of the art Hoshizaki ice machine, which carves up many creations, regular tours, masterclasses and all manner of really good times.

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Four Pillars

Four Pillars founders Matt Jones, Cameron Mackenzie and Stu Gregor with stills Jude and Wilma.

FOUR PILLARS STARTED IN DECEMBER 2013, WHEN CAMERON MACKENZIE AND STUART GREGOR – BOTH WINE INDUSTRY VETERANS – GOT TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE. THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO MAKE TONIC, BUT THAT IDEA LASTED ABOUT 72 HOURS – UNTIL THEY SAW A GIANT ALCOHOL MACHINE AND DECIDED, ‘WHO WANTS TO MAKE SOFT DRINKS?!’ THE THIRD FOUNDER AND BRAND GURU, MATT JONES CAME ON BOARD A FEW MONTHS LATER AND WITH THAT THE TRIO WAS COMPLETE.

As for the future of Four Pillars, 2016 is set to be a landmark year – much the same as the brand’s first two years but bigger and hopefully better. With the two new stills (Jude big and Eileen small) the distillers now have greater flexibility than ever. They can make good quantities of the Rare Dry Gin and satisfy increasing demand both at home and abroad, while also making many, smaller and creative batches. The trio will also continue to champion Australian distilling and craft distilling in particular, exploring native botanicals as well as the world for the new and most interesting.

The Tassie pepper is also brilliant on the palate, giving warmth rather than heat and the lemon myrtle is a beautiful, complex and unique alternative to lemon peel. Ultimately, Four Pillars is about trying to deliver a perfect classic gin and something that will fascinate and delight even the most hardened Gin fanatics – which is exactly what they haveOverall,achieved.theFour Pillars trio has made six gins so fartheir core product, which is the Rare Dry Gin, followed by the Barrel Aged Gin, which is the Rare Dry Gin at a slightly higher proof matured in French Oak Chardonnay barrels for about six to eight months. This product is also considered the whisky drinkers’ gin, as it’s a cool sipping spirit made for the thoughtful, the ruminators and those who love an old fashioned. The Navy Strength Gin – which is 58.8 per cent ABV – is for people who, put simply, just like their drinks strong and awesome while the Spiced Negroni Gin, initially made as a collaboration with the Keystone Hospitality Group, makes a mean Negroni (naturally) and a spicy Gin & Tonic. Then there is the Bloody Shiraz Gin (gin steeped in shiraz grapes) and the Modern Australian Gin that was crafted with the Rockpool Mixologists for Qantas. But a lot of this simply needs to be seen and consumed to be believed. So don’t take our word for it – head up the highway from Melbourne and drop in to the Four Pillars Distillery for a drink and be sure to book a room, because you’ll definitely want to stay a Nowwhile.for a little bit on the Four Pillars Master Distiller Cameron Mackenzie, who has also assumed the role of operations guru, educator, locavore and still shiner. Cameron, quite simply, is the heart and soul of Four Pillars. A Healesville local, before throwing his lot into the production of craft spirits, Cam was a 15 year veteran of the wine trade, having made, sold, marketed and judged many of Victoria’s best known wine brands. Cam is also a former Olympian, having run in the 4x400m at the 1996 Olympics, before he started working with Stuart on an Olympic scholarship in 1998. His running career then went rapidly downhill – he missed a spot in the 2000 Olympic team by one place – and Stuart has felt guilty ever since. As a result Cameron’s career in the spirits industry was born and is now a role he says is his dream job, the job he wants to do for the rest of his life; making gin, lots of different gins and telling a lot of people about gin. Cam has been distilling gin (professionally and legally) since 2013 and in that time he has won gold medals in major international competitions for all four of the brands commercially available gins.

Four Pillars will also make Australia a destination for gin lovers across the world and will start hosting some gin-focused events that might just be the envy of the gin world – so get ready to soak up some gin drenched fun! ❧

LEFT: Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin, Navy Strength Gin, Barrel Aged Gin and NegroniSpicedGin.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the distillation process is that they also use whole oranges. While it is quite unusual to use fresh fruit in gin, the Australian citrus is highly aromatic and supports the spicier botanicals of coriander, cardamom and star anise.

He has also won gold medals at the World Spirits Competition for Rare Dry and Barrel Aged Gin and gold’s at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition for the Navy Strength and Spiced Negroni Gin. He’s a very, very good distiller and it appears as though the Olympic Games’ loss was at the advantage of Four Pillars.

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RIGHT: At the Four Pillars Distillery, looking through the glass to Wilma, the original still.

The still’s flexibility came in handy when, following the popularity of Hippocampus hand-crafted vodka (launched in early 2015), Alex began experimenting with botanicals in order to create a traditional dry gin. He had been playing with the recipe in his head for a couple of years, so it didn’t take him long to finesse the spirit into something worth bottling. Before being distilled, the selected botanicals, including citrus peel, coriander and cubeb pepper, are macerated overnight to ensure

SEARCH FOR A STILL

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The first port of call was to commission the perfect still so they could begin production. The search led them to Germany and the family owned company Carl, who have been custom-making artisan distilleries for 140 years. Carl is specialised in creating copper stills, perfect for small-batch distilleries like Hippocampus due to copper’s ability to remove impurities, whilst retaining both character and flavour and creating a super smooth spirit.

MetropolitanHippocampusDistillery

RIGHT: Distiller Alex Poulsen in the distillery.

BELOW RIGHT: Hippocampus Gin is wonderfully refreshing in a G&T.

The ability to taste and tinker with the recipe throughout the distillation process is of high importance to Hippocampus and as such, their brief to Carl was to custom-make a traditional copper pot still which would allow distiller Alex Poulsen to experiment with different ingredients and ultimately a variety of spirit styles. As a result Hippocampus’ 450 litre steam-driven still is fitted with two 10 plate distillation columns which can be reconfigured to provide maximum flexibility.

HIPPOCAMPUS GIN

BELOW LEFT: Selection botanicalsofused in Hippocampus Gin.

AN INDEPENDENT AUSTRALIAN DISTILLERY, HIPPOCAMPUS WAS FOUNDED BY A GROUP OF LIKEMINDED FRIENDS WHO SHARED A PASSION FOR HANDCRAFTED, QUALITY SPIRITS AND A SIMPLE IDEA: TO CRAFT SUPERB AUSTRALIAN SMALL BATCH SPIRITS, THE TRADITIONAL WAY.

ABOVE: Hippocampus Gin left to rest after bottling.

LEFT: Hippocampus Distillery and Cellar Door.

DISTILLER PROFILE As the distiller at Hippocampus, Alex is responsible for the craftsmanship of both the distillery’s award-winning vodka and gin. His career began at university, where he studied Pharmacology and Biochemistry, before he then moved on to become a craft brewer. It was whilst working in this industry that a chance encounter led him overseas to Norway, where he spent time working in a remote brewery and micro-distillery. His experience there sparked his interest in handcrafting spirits and so upon returning to Perth he pursued this passion and joined Hippocampus as its distiller.

Having recently opened their distillery and cellar door in West Perth to the public, the distillery now welcomes visitors from across the world to taste and experience their hand-crafted spirits. The small space which overlooks their beautiful copper still provides information and tastings of Hippocampus vodka and gin as well as serving classic cocktails, local beers and bar snacks. Proving popular with locals and travellers alike, guests can take up the opportunity to be educated on the handcrafted distillation process, and may even be lucky enough to witness distiller Alex in action. ❧

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the gin is infused with plenty of flavour. Then, utilising the one-shot method, the heads and tails are discarded and only the very best of the unfiltered heart spirit is kept. The remaining spirit is then simply blended with purified water, bottled by hand and left to rest for three weeks before release. The result is a well-balanced gin with a smooth mouthfeel, clean finish and superb juniper character complemented with subtle flavours from the citrus botanicals. Hippocampus gin was recently awarded a gold medal in the highly prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. An impressive feat for a spirit that was, at the time, only 3 months old.

DISTILLERY AND CELLAR DOOR

Keep a look out for new and exciting things from Husk Distillers and if you’re interested in a summer time drink, then grab yourself a bottle of Ink Gin - two parts tradition, one part innovationperfect straight on ice, as a dry Martini or mixed in your favourite cocktail. ❧

Ink

According to Paul, Ink Gin has grown faster than expected and as such 2016 is the year for exciting developments with a new distillery and cellar door in the“We’vepipeline.found that Ink is really a mixologist’s gin,” concludes Paul. ”It’s been mixed up, layered and presented in the most beautiful and theatrical ways at some of the best bars in the country.”

WHAT DID PAUL MESSENGER DO WHILE HE WAITED FOR HIS RUM TO MATURE? INVENT A NEW GIN OF COURSE! Gin Paul Messenger in front of his hand beaten copper pot still.

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The natural deep blue to purple floral ‘ink’ of the flower is pH sensitive and changes from blue to blush pink when mixed with anything acidic – such as lemon juice, lime juice or tonic water.

Paul’s dream was to create a spirit that would capture the Northern Rivers terroir with its fertile soil, pure water, pristine rainforests and world-class surf breaks. “To capture that provenance would require us to cultivate our soil, plant select cane varieties, nurture the cane, decide when to cut it, and then crush it on the same day to liberate the freshest cane juice as the base for our unique expression of rum. Of course, using fresh cane juice means that we can only produce our rum between July and November each year during the harvest season.”

Stumbling across a legume known as the butterfly pea, he found the allure of its unusual flower to be irresistible and set about building a recipe around it. His intention was to capture the essence of the flower in a gin and his recipe would blend traditional organic botanicals with locally grown natives.

RETIRED GEOLOGIST AND professional explorer come distiller, Paul Messenger, had a long interest in brewing and distilling before following his dream to “make rum and surf”. That dream led him to establish the Husk Plantation Distillery on the north coast of NSW in 2012.

The butterfly pea flower is found in a wide arc across equatorial Asia to the Torres Strait and has long been used in herbal teas and food colouring in Asia.

The floral ink itself contributes far more than just its stunning visual appeal. Its modest obscuration makes for smooth sipping neat while its subtle astringency leaves the palate crisp and clean allowing the dominant citrus and floral notes to carry through for a satisfying finish.

So, with rum from the 2012 harvest gently maturing in oak, Paul and his team began the search for botanicals to create a gin. Always seeking to challenge convention, this was never going to be an ordinary gin.

The challenge was to create a recipe around the flower with local and regional relevance and global appeal. Because of the pH sensitivity of the floral ink, it was critical that all ingredients be in balance with the flower. It would take more than three years to find the right mix and perfect the recipe. The final recipe is a combination of 13 of these botanicals, with locally grown lemon myrtle and Tasmanian pepper berry together with organic juniper berries at the front of the flavour profile. Organic coriander and freshly sun-dried Australian organic orange peel then pave the way for a suite of minor ingredients that, like a pinch of spice, provide perfume, body and balance.

“Ink Gin is made in what must be the world’s smallest distillery,” says Paul, “a converted farm shed. It’s a labour of love with family forming the basis of the workforce, friends and neighbours often helping out. It doesn’t get more crafty than this – hand bottled, hand labeled, hand peeled oranges, the botanicals are prepared and measured by hand and added to the still individually.”

THE WEST WINDS GIN JOURNEY BEGAN WHEN FOUR INTREPID AND ADVENTUROUS AUSTRALIANS DECIDED TO REALISE A VISION - TO CREATE SOME “DAMN FINE GINS FROM AUSTRALIA”, AND THIS FOUNDING MOTTO HAS STUCK WITH THE BUSINESS EVER SINCE.

WHAT BETTER PLACE THAN THE Margaret River they thought; three of the four were born in WA and all could see the potential that the region’s wild, clean and pure characteristics could lend to their gin. The founding partners of The West Winds have all added their own unique elements to the whole - 2005 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup Champion, Jason ‘Jackie’ Chan has used his extensive knowledge in mixology to develop The West Winds’ style, while engineer and experienced distiller, Paul White, has helped Jason bring his ideas to fruition. Spirits industry identity (and according to the other founders “resident lunatic”) Jeremy ‘Jez’ Spencer, and James ‘Mayo’ Clarke, who had previously worked in Australia’s wine industry, are in control of the Sales, Marketing, Strategic and Promotional reins, helping to drive, steer and deliver The West Winds Gins to the world market.

Jason, Paul, Jeremy and James’ creative nous, technical expertise and business acumen continues to win them fans across the world and there are plans currently underway to extend The West Winds family. The West Winds Margaret River distillery and cellar door (provisionally named The West Winds House of Fun and Distilling) is set to open mid-2016 and there are several new releases planned for the near future. ❧

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Jason wanted to create two gins that would sit at the core of West Winds’ portfolio – The Sabre and The Cutlass. These gins would also establish The West Winds’ unique standpoint; unlike any others on the market, one would have a strong undercurrent of citrus flavours whilst the other more pronounced savoury notes - both incorporating native Australian botanicals such as Australian Wattleseed (The Sabre) and native Australian Bush Tomato (The Cutlass), and each being cut with Margaret River rain water. Within a matter of weeks of the blends being decided, both gins were in bottle and sitting centre stage at the 2011 San Francisco International Spirits Competition. Judges were so impressed with the concept to create contemporary styled, Australianmade gins from native ingredients, that they awarded both medals. The Sabre picked up Gold, while The Cutlass became the first gin made by an Australian producer to have ever received Double Gold – a win that was repeated at the competition in 2013. In 2014, The West Winds brought out its popular Navy Strength style, dubbed The Broadside, which to no surprise went on to receive numerous awards, including Double Gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and Gold at the 2015 New York International Spirits Competition, where The West Winds was also named Gin Distillery of the Year for Australia.

LEFT: The Sabre and The Cutlass...damn fine Gins.

The West Winds Gin

ABOVE: The West Winds Gin Captainaffectionatelystill,namedPugwash.

AmericanAviationCOCKTAILS.Gin

Aviation American Gin pays homage to an expression that was long forgotten in cocktail history. The vintage, art-deco inspired bottle is a nod to an earlier era when American cocktail gins were a mainstay on the cocktail scene, and asserts that a new golden era of cocktails in now upon us.

HOUSE SPIRITS DISTILLERY, THE COMPANY BEHIND AVIATION AMERICAN GIN WAS FOUNDED IN 2004 BY KROGSTAD. AVIATION AMERICAN GIN IS THE COMPANY’S FLAGSHIP PRODUCT, WHICH WAS CREATED IN 2006 AND INSPIRED BY THE GREAT AMERICAN COCKTAIL GINS OF THE PAST - A CATEGORY THAT NOW SITS FRONT AND CENTER IN OUR CURRENT GOLDEN ERA OF

Aviation American Gin is a uniquely concepted product; one born from the first ever flagshipculture,thatDistillerycocktailsandexperienceDistillerydistillingofSpiritsindependentlyKrogstadcollaboration,distiller-and-mixologistbetweendistillerChristianandmixologistRyanMagarian.AsfounderandmasterdistilleroftheownedandoperatedHouseDistillery,ChristianKrogstadisonethevisionariesbehindAmerica’scraftresurgence.KrogstadestablishedHouseSpiritsin2004,bringingtogetherhisasabrewerandwinemakertappinghispassionforoutstandingandfood.UnderKrogstad’sdirection,HouseSpiritshascreatedaportfolioofspiritscelebratecontemporarycocktailbeginningwiththecreationofitsbrand,AviationAmericanGin.

CHRISTIAN

❧

THE PRE-PROHIBITION ERA COCKTAILS that have found their place on today’s cocktail scene were traditionally made with American cocktail gins (think less juniper-forward notes), which disappeared shortly after prohibition in favour of London Dry styles. Aviation American Gin pays homage to that era, and though the spirit in only a decade old, its recipe is steeped in history.

New York has always been famous for its hotel cocktail bars, and one of the best was at the Hotel Wallick on Broadway and 43rd Street. One of the most popular cocktails at the Wallick was the Aviation, thus named because of its pale, sky blue hue. It was inspired by the Wright brothers’ recent flight, and by the excitement that swept the world in the years that followed. The recipe called for El Bart Gin, a brand that disappeared during Prohibition and unfortunately neverWhenreturned.Aviation set about creating Aviation American Gin they asked, “What would El Bart, or other pre-Prohibition American cocktail gins, have tasted like?” They knew they would be more balanced and mixable than classic London Dry gins, because cocktail gins must work well with citrus, spice and herbs, while London Dry was developed with a very strong juniper note to pair with the bitterness of quinine.

Aviation American Gin was crafted with a cocktail experience in mind; as such, the name reflects that thought process, and pays homage to one of most renowned pre-prohibition gin cocktails: The Aviation. Aviation American Gin is a welcome alternative from the traditional London Dry style of gin, offering a balanced expression that brings together exotic spices from around the world including cardamom, coriander, anise seed, dried sweet orange peel, lavender, Indian sarsaparilla and juniper. This masterful blend of citrus, floral and savoury notes makes this small-batch spirit extremely mixable, and outstanding in contemporary culinary cocktails or vintage drinks alike. It is crafted from all-natural ingredients including naturally gluten-free, American grain spirit.

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BLIND TIGER ORGANIC GIN IS DISTILLED in small batches and is a complex, yet elegant and aromatic gin made from the finest certified organic botanicals.

Blind Tiger

Juniper berry is the core botanical of many gins and the same is true of Blind Tiger, where it adds a note of fresh spring forest and a sharp burst of citrus. In addition to this, coriander root was selected to both enhance the existing citrus characters, whilst also adding a subtle, earthy layer to the gin. Finally, angelica root gives a heady note of musk and the summer savoury a subtle yet peppery mint overtone.

Launched in Australia in 2015 Blind Tiger Organic Gin is only available throughout the country, and with a limit on how much organic spirit they can produce, it is likely to stay that way; as a real small batch, hand crafted product. IN THE 1920’S PROHIBITION ERA, A “BLIND TIGER” WAS AN ESTABLISHMENT KNOWN TO ILLEGALLY SELL ALCOHOL, WITH A FOCUS ON CELEBRATING THE EXCITING FLAVOUR AND TASTE OF LIQUOR COCKTAILS, MANY OF WHICH WERE GIN BASED.

Having searched the world for the very best ingredients, Blind Tiger is made up of a complex yet elegant blend of juniper berries, coriander, angelica root and summer savoury, creating an aromatic and elegant gin; the perfect addition to both simpler tipples such as gin and tonics, or as a base for flavoursome gin cocktails.

As with the care taken to choose the botanicals that make up the unique blend that is Blind Tiger, the same level of attention is given to the distillation process. Distilled together in a traditional small gin still, the botanicals combine to create an aromatic infusion which is then carefully blended with an organic wheat spirit to create a fine and elegant London Dry style ofDistillationGin. is an Art that requires both skill and patience and it is this level of attention and care that makes the exceptional and distinct flavour profile found in Blind Tiger. A quality product starts with quality ingredients and Blind Tiger puts faith in the understanding that by using ingredients from only certified organic sources, their gin will contain a purity of flavour. On this note, Blind Tiger ensures their impact on the earth is minimal by employing organic farming processes.

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Blind Tiger Gin and Tonic.

❧

It is Blind Tiger’s belief that gin is truly a product of the earth and it is on this foundation that the brand is built. Blind Tiger is produced using simple ingredients; pure water and grain, to create a neutral spirit infused with handpicked botanicals.

By using no artificial herbicides, pesticides or fertilisers they can rest easy in the knowledge that they have created a product that speaks of the clean, green approach they take in making it.

BEEFEATER–GIN’S

Beefeater was first produced at a distillery on the banks of the River Thames that was founded in 1820. The process begins with the charging of copper pot stills with high quality neutral grain spirit, together with nine carefully selected botanicals. These are left to rest, or “steep”, for a full 24 hours. During this time, the full characteristics of the ingredients are harnessed, making for a more complex gin. After the 24 hour steeping process, the stills are gently heated. The botanical infused spirit changes form – from liquid to vapour and then back into liquid once again. As this seven hour process occurs, different botanicals release their flavours at different times. As distillation occurs, Beefeater’s Master Distiller has to decide when to make the final cut. Only the middle cut, known as the heart, is collected, with the tops and tales being discarded.

The Beefeater Distillery operates Monday to Friday. What this means is that the steeping process for Monday’s gin would have begun on Friday, resulting in a more intense product. By blending the week’s production together a consistent flavour profile is created.

In addition to different botanicals, Beefeater 24 is ‘cut’ earlier during distillation to retain its freshness and vitality. Master distiller Desmond Payne explains: “When we distil, we only collect the heart of the distillation. The first and last elements of distillationthe heads and tails - are discarded. For Beefeater 24, we make the ‘cut’ into the tail of the run much earlier than usual so that we can retain the fresh notes of grapefruit and leaf teas”. ❧ WITH A RICH HISTORY DATING BACK TO THE 1820’S, BEEFEATER GIN IS THE WORLD’S MOST AWARDED GIN. HANDCRAFTED AT THE KENNINGTON DISTILLERY, UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF MASTER DISTILLER DESMOND PAYNE, IT IS STILL PRODUCED USING THE RECIPE THAT WAS CREATED BY FOUNDER, JAMES BURROUGH. TODAY, BEEFEATER IS THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL GIN BRAND STILL PROUDLY DISTILLED IN THE CITY OF LONDON. Gin

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Beefeater

NAME WAS DECIDED upon by Burrough in the late 1800s. Seeking a suitable name that would embody his proud creation, he found inspiration in the nearby Yeoman warders, also called Beefeaters, who guard the Tower of London.

As with Beefeater London Dry Gin, everything is done in the traditional way; with Beefeater 24 no flavours are added post-distillation. The spirit and natural botanicals are left to steep in the still for a full 24 hours. This process, unique to Beefeater, results in an sophisticated, full flavoured gin.

The final stage of production is to reduce the strength of Beefeater Gin to bottling strength. This is done by adding pure, softened water to the spirit, reducing it to a minimum of 40 per cent ABV.

The Beefeater Dry gin recipe has remained virtually unchanged since the time of James Burrough. By hand selecting botanicals from around the world and adding them to pure grain spirit, Beefeater creates a uniquely flavoured gin that uses no artificial flavours or essences. There are nine botanicals including juniper, coriander seed, lemon peel, seville orange peel, almond, angelica root, angelica seed, liquorice and orris root which are essential in creating the crisp, full flavour of Beefeater, each of which are checked for quality by their Master Distiller.

BEEFEATER LONDON DRY Appearance: Clear Aroma: The clean citrus aroma of Seville orange peel develops into more complex notes from the use of juniper and coriander Flavour: On the palate, citrus again leads through to the classic piney flavour of juniper in the middle taste. The finish is a long and gentle journey through spicy coriander and angelica to a sweeter finish from almonds.

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Beautifully balanced and complex throughout BEEFEATER 24 Appearance: Clear Aroma: Subtle notes of green tea hint of more complex aromas to follow. Notes of grapefruit open up to the classic aroma of juniper and spice Flavour: The flavour begins with gentle notes of spicy citrus. The classic juniper taste is supported by the softer tannins from the selected green teas used. The long finish demonstrates the benefit of the unique process of steeping all the botanicals on pure spirit for 24 hours before distillation

Tasting notes

- GIN– 52 –BOMBAY GINS CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE 18TH CENTURY – WHEN GIN FIRST BECAME POPULAR IN ENGLAND. THE HISTORIC BLEND ON WHICH THE THREE BOMBAY GINS ARE BASED IS A 1761 BOTANICAL RECIPE BY INNOVATIVE GIN DISTILLER THOMAS DAKIN. Bombay Sapphire

Sapphire gins are created using the unique Vapour Infusion process, together with the unique combination of the ten botanicals. This process allows Bombay Sapphire to appeal to both gin and non-gin drinkers alike due to it being less “ginny” then other gins; it does not have an intense and overpowering juniper flavour, instead it has a subtle yet complex flavour which is clean, crisp and perfectly balanced.

Bombay Sapphire was first exported to the US in 1987 in a stunning, translucent blue bottle unlike any other gin – because the taste of Bombay Sapphire was unlike any other gin. It is now one of the world’s favourite premium spirits and available in over 120 countries across the globe.

The name Bombay Sapphire was inspired by the Star of Bombay, a 182.5 carat star sapphire, which was found in Sri Lanka. It was given by actor Douglas Fairfank Snr to his wife, silent movie star Mary Pickford. It is currently held in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, USA.

>> ABOVE: The home of Bombay Sapphire in Hampshire, UK –Laverstoke Mill.

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AS WITH ALL GINS, THE HEADLINE flavour is juniper, but unlike many other gins, Bombay gins have a much more complex taste. The smooth taste of Bombay comes from a historical eight botanical recipe – a blend of juniper berries, lemon peel, angelica, orris, coriander, liquorice, cassia bark and almonds sourced from around the world. The addition of cubeb berries and grains of paradise to the original Bombay botanical mix adds subtle lavender notes and a long peppery finish.

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE GIN Bombay Sapphire was launched in the 1980’s as a premium version of Bombay Dry Gin, which was first created in the 1950’s using a long forgotten 1761 recipe discovered in an old established distillery in the north of England. With the creation of Bombay Sapphire, two additional botanicals (grains of paradise and cubeb berries) were added to the original eight found in the recipe, giving it an extra exotic quality and providing the perfectBombaybalance.Sapphire gin offers an uplifting and tantalising taste experience. It stands apart with its distinctive taste, unique production method and elegant design; an exotic name, evoking a time of poise and elegance during the days of the British Raj inBombayIndia.

When the Bombay Distillery at Laverstoke Mill opened its doors to the public in Autumn 2014, it was the culmination of a journey that began back in 1761 with a young man named Thomas Dakin; a classic recipe for gin; and, a revolutionary distillation technique.

Thomas Dakin was a remarkable young man. He was just 24 when he listed his occupation as ‘distiller’ and created the classic gin recipe that remains the basis for Bombay Sapphire gin to this day.

OPPOSITE: Bombay Australia’sSapphire,number one Premium Gin.

Although the gin created here has its roots in a 250-year-old recipe, the ingredients and production process have been refined and finessed over the years to produce something thoroughly unique.

Deep in the heart of the Hampshire countryside in southern England, wrapped around one of the most treasured chalk streams in the world, stands a sustainable and state-of-the-art distillery.

The Distillery at Laverstoke Mill reflects the heritage in the skills used still today on site. The four Bombay stills are contained in two separate still houses –India House and Dakin Still House.

In 1950s England, virtually all gin was made the same way – in a pot still where the botanicals were steeped in a base spirit and then boiled to embed the flavour of the botanicals.

BOMBAY DISTILLERY AND DISTILLATION

All of the stills at Laverstoke Mill use the unique Vapour Infusion distillation process to produce a far more complex gin than alternative methods, where the botanicals are boiled with the spirit. They are a testament to the Dakin family’s innovation, ingenuity and creativity.

The opening of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery marks a new era in this story.

ABOVE: Bombay Sapphire at Project Botanicals in Sydney 2015.

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It is a journey – and a story – full of character; one which traces the history of the spirit that helped to shape the British Empire; fuelled a generation of fun-loving flappers; defined a new cocktail scene; made stars of mixologists; and, remains the spirit which continues to take pride of place at the top table.

There was an exception, however. At a distillery in Warrington in the northwest of

VAPOUR DISTILLATIONINFUSION

Although its history is incredibly important (after all, their home in Laverstoke dates back more than 1,000 years and is recorded in the Domesday Book), this is anything but a museum.

It was efficient – in six hours you could produce 10,000 litres – but with so many gins being crafted in this way, the spirits began to lack individuality and variation.

Over the years, advances in distillation techniques have made the end result even better – the neutral grain spirit used as the base today contains no trace of the impurities that would have been present in the past, making it the perfect blank canvas for capturing the botanicals’ individual flavours and aromas.

The botanicals are placed in the basket in the same order every time and are arranged in such a way to ensure that the powders do not fall through the basket. Like the recipe, this technique and learning has been passed down from distiller to distiller – however, only the Master Distiller and Master of Botanicals know the exact ratio of botanicals, a secret carefully kept.

STAR OF BOMBAY

SINGLE FOLD STANDARDS

All Bombay gins are one shot gins, which means that – in order to retain the quality of the fresh, natural flavours captured by the Vapour Infusion distillation process – the recipe is made up to the exact proportions and purified water is the only other ingredient added to reduce the alcohol content down to bottling strength.

Although there are quicker, easier and less expensive ways to produce gin, Bombay Sapphire Gin prefers to use the time-honoured methods associated with the quality and heritage of the brand.

The painstaking distillation process means that Bombay Sapphire gin takes longer to produce than other gins, but the resulting bright and fresh flavour is well worth the wait.

A BOTANICAL BASKET

In a quest to produce the highest quality gin, the Dakin family in Warrington purchased a revolutionary steam-jacketed still with a Carterhead. Designed by the Carter brothers, the still head was specially designed to remove the previously present impurities from the lower quality neutral grain spirit. A historical 1836 still receipt shows the innovation adaptation that was made to the Dakin family’s brand new Carterhead still – a separated copper basket to hold theThisbotanicals.changemarks the creation of the unique Vapour Infusion distillation process. Today the Vapour Infusion distillation method lives on – and, along with the 1761 recipe on which all Bombay gins are based, it is the brands most powerful link back to the Dakin family to whom they owe the Bombay heritage.

The Star of Bombay is the newest addition to the Bombay family. Made from 12 unique, hand-selected botanicals, the bergamot brings the spicy citrus flavour while the ambrette seeds add a floral muskiness for a bright, smooth, deeply captivating gin. Vaper infused and and distilled at 47.5%, The Star of Bombay is a complex gin, smooth enough to enjoy over ice. ❧

CAREFULLY CRAFTED

The 10 botanicals hand-selected for Bombay Sapphire gin are placed by hand into the perforated copper basket – with the larger botanicals at the base of each section and the powders placed on top.

– 55 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA England, distillers were creating something significantly more refined and complex using a different technique. The process started by heating neutral grain spirit in copper pot stills dating back to 1831 and 1836. This produced vapour, which passed through a perforated copper basket holding the botanical ingredients. There, the vapour became infused with the intricate flavours and aromas of the exotic botanicals, adopting their bright, fresh and engaging qualities. Having passed through the botanicals, the vapour was condensed back to liquid and cut with only purified water to bottling strength. The result? A tantalising, complex and aromatic gin. Today, every bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin continues to be produced using the same Vapour Infusion distillation process.

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE

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Appearance: Clear Aroma: Aromatic and bright, with the spicy green scent of piney juniper. Look out for the leading scents of a slight earthiness with tree bark and woody herbaceousness, followed by fresh, sharp coriander notes and a hint of lemon zest Flavour: A lively, fresh juniper and mellow, lemon tart sweetness lead the taste, followed by warmth from a rounded peppery finish.

Fresh and spicy, with a light, woody dryness. Look out for a refreshing peppery tingle and a long spiciness on the sides and back of the tongue

Tasting notes

THE ULTIMATE GIN & TONIC

Signature serves

Glass: Old Fashioned Ingredients: 30ml Bombay Sapphire Gin 30ml Bitters liqueur 30ml Martini Rosso Good quality cubed ice Freshly cut orange slice Garnish: Orange wedge Method: Add clear cubed ice to the glass Stir the ice well with a bar spoon to chill the glass, then strain off any excess water produced so as not to dilute the drink Pour in Bombay Sapphire Gin, bitters liqueur and Martini Rosso into Old Fashioned glass and gently stir. Garnish with a freshly cut orange slice

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BOMBAYNEGRONISAPPHIRE

TOM COLLINS Glass: Highball Ingredients: 45ml Bombay Sapphire Gin 25ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately the juice of half a medium-sized lemon) 15ml Sugar syrup 45-70ml Chilled soda water Good quality cubed ice Garnish: Lemon wedge Method: Freshly squeeze the lemon juice into a clean Highball glass Add the sugar syrup and Bombay Sapphire gin Stir well with bar spoon to mix Add plenty of cubed ice and stir a gain to chill Top with chilled soda water then stir gently for final time. Garnish with a lemon wedge

Squeeze in a freshly cut lime wedge over the ice and place into the glass Pour in Bombay Sapphire gin then swirl the glass to mix and chill Finally, pour in 90ml of premium tonic water while very gently stirring the mix to retain the fizz. Garnish with a freshly cut lime wedge

Glass: Highball or Balloon Ingredients: 45ml Bombay Sapphire Gin 90ml premium tonic water (chilled from the fridge and freshly opened) Good quality cubed ice Garnish: Lime wedge Method: Add clear cubed ice to the glass until it is three quarters full Stir the ice well with a bar spoon to chill the glass, then strain off any excess water produced so as not to dilute the drink

The Broker’s distillery has a mini-still, which is used for making small batches of gin from different recipes. The recipe for Broker’s Gin is 200 years old and was chosen after taste testing against several newer recipes; often the old ones are the best. The unique flavour of Broker’s Gin is provided by 10 natural botanicals, the primary one of which is juniper berries – as in all gins. The dried botanicals used in Broker’s gin are sourced from all over the world, including orris root from Italy, cv`vassia bark from Indonesia and angelica root from Poland. All are shipped to the distillery in sacks. After the distillation process has been completed, the used botanicals are discarded. Even after distillation, individual botanicals can be identified. The round, purple berries are juniper. The small round, brown seeds are coriander.

The distillery to this day uses only traditional pot stills. Continuous distillation using column stills is more efficient and is used by many major brands, but pot stills are better for extracting maximum flavour from the botanicals in a traditional handcrafted fashion.

The large yellow lumps are lemon and orange peel. The stick-like pieces are cassia bark or cinnamon bark and the other botanicals are powders, which are dispersed throughout the mix, creating the stand-out flavour Broker’s Gin is recognised for worldwide.

Broker’sFLAVOUR.Gin Broker’s Gin, distilled from 100% grain spirit.

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BROKER’S GIN IS A PREMIUM BRAND WITH A UNIQUE DISTILLATION PROCESS WHEREBY IT IS QUADRUPLE-DISTILLED THEN STEEPED WITH 10 BOTANICALS, BEFORE BEING DISTILLED FOR A FIFTH TIME. IN COMMON WITH ALL MAJOR GIN MAKERS, THE BASE SPIRIT IS MADE USING COLUMN DISTILLATION. IN THE CASE OF BROKER’S GIN, THAT BASE SPIRIT IS MADE FROM ENGLISH WHEAT. THE POT STILL IS THEN USED TO CONVERT THE NEUTRAL SPIRIT INTO GIN BEFORE THE BOTANICALS ARE MACERATED (SOAKED) IN THE NEUTRAL SPIRIT FOR 24 HOURS AND THEN BOILED IN THE SPIRIT DURING THIS FIFTH AND FINAL DISTILLATION RUN. IT IS THIS TRADITIONAL POT STILL PROCESS THAT PRODUCES BROKER’S GIN’S EXTRAORDINARY RICHNESS AND DEPTH OF

Broker’s Gin’s string of international competition wins is second to none; Broker’s Gin is the undefeated champion of the ‘Ultimate Spirits Challenge’ in New York, with a score of 97 points, a feat that no other gin has ever achieved. The sister competition, the ‘Ultimate Cocktail Challenge’, has also declared that Broker’s Gin makes the World’s Best Dry Martini and in London, Broker’s Gin has consistently won Masters Awards at the London Gin Masters competition. ❧

THE DISTILLERY WHERE BROKER’S GIN is made is located near Birmingham, England, and is over 200 years old. There had previously been a brewery on the site, but this was converted to a distillery at a time when gin making became more profitable than beer making.

The copper pot still used for producing Broker’s Gin is named “Constance” and was manufactured by John Dore & Co, long recognised as the finest still-maker in the world.

Signature serves

Glass: Coupe Ingredients: 60ml Broker’s Gin 15ml Lemon juice 15ml Maraschino liqueur 1 Tsp. Crème de violette Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Shake with ice and strain into chilled coupe MARTINI Glass: Martini Ingredients: 60ml Broker’s Gin 15ml French vermouth Garnish: Lemon twist or olive Method: Into a cold metal shaker half-filled with ice, pour 1 part of good-quality French vermouth at room temperature to 7 parts of ice-cold Broker’s London Dry Gin. Stir vigorously and pour into chilled, V-shaped martini glasses. Twist lemon peel over the top and add an olive, preferably one previously soaked in gin

AVIATION

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Glass: Tall glass Ingredients: 40ml Broker’s Gin 20ml Fresh lemon juice 10ml Simple syrup 20ml Crème de mure Garnish: Berries Method: Combine all ingredients except crème de mure in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a tall glass. Drizzle crème de mure over the top. Garnish with berries. Mix together and top with whipped cream

BROKER’S BRAMBLE

Bathtub gin was made in the United States during Prohibition; created by mixing cheap grain alcohol with flavourings like juniper berry juice and left to ferment and be distilled right from the tub. Not to be recommended! The result had dangerous - even lethalphysical effects due to the fact that it sometimes contained methanol. Sufferers were blinded or even poisoned.

- GIN -

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The Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky will be the first of its kind to be made in the area; ready in the autumn of 2017, - after the mandatory three-year aging period – with almost 2000 bottles of the 5000 limited release 2013 harvest, Organic Odyssey alreadyAlwayssold.part of the plan and first distilled in October 2014, Dan enlisted the help of a local botanist and with his distillery team created a wonderful London Dry Gin. First making single distillations of over 53 different botanicals then trying different combinations and styles, whittling them down and finally submitting the last 3 recipes to a tasting panel at Campden BRI to make the final choice and the wonderful Gin we knowCotswoldstoday.

Distilled in small batches the distillations are combined and rested for 7 days before dilution to 46% ABV and bottling.

Listed in more than 12 countries, Dan and his team are very excited about the launch of Cotswolds Gin in Australia – so keep an eye out for this complex, rich and wonderful spirit! ❧

The Cotswolds Distillery

Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB established in 1966), the Cotswolds was the perfect place for Dan to establish his distillery –especially given that the region is known for its bountiful growth of barley.

several years ago from London to spend relaxing weekends with his wife Katia and daughter Emily. What started out as a weekend love affair with the area soon turned into a passion, and Dan and his family decided to buy an old converted farmhouse in the North Cotswolds. Dan too was looking for his next challenge after his 30-year career in finance, and wanted to create something worthwhile and make a difference in the community.

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DAN CAME TO THE RURAL COTSWOLDS

Well, for starters it is made in a real full scale Craft Distillery in the Cotswolds, secondly a far greater quantity of botanicals than most other gins are used in the recipe giving it real depth and complexity and resulting in an extremely aromatic and characterful spirit, and finally it is non-chill filtered in the traditions of great whisky making, so it ‘louches’ a little when chilled. It is a classic London Dry Gin with a Cotswolds Twist and is the perfect gin for a characterful and aromatic a Gin & Tonic or a smooth luxurious Martini.

FROM AMAZING GIN, TO DELICIOUS WHISKY DANIEL SZOR IS COMMITTED TO MAKING ‘OUTSTANDING NATURAL SPIRITS’.

A long-time lover and student of whisky, it was one fine day that Dan was looking out of his window at the glorious countryside around him, and after a few aimless seconds, he started to take in the fields of barley before his eyes and the idea of starting a distillery in the Cotswolds was born.

SO WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT COTSWOLDS GIN?

Dry Gin is made by the maceration into pure wheat spirit of Juniper, Coriander and Angelica Root for 12 hours in our bespoke Holstein Copper Pot still to allow their flavour characteristics to fully infuse. The following day a unique botanical mix of Cotswolds grown Lavender, Bay Leaf, freshly hand-peeled Grapefruit and Lime Peel, Black Pepper and Cardamom Seed are added into the still for distillation with naturally refined Cotswolds water.

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GREENALL’S IS THE ORIGINAL LONDON DRY GIN. WITH UNPARALLELED HERITAGE IN THE CRAFT OF GIN, THE RECIPE HAS BEEN HANDED DOWN THROUGH SEVEN MASTER DISTILLERS AND THE SECRET BLEND OF EIGHT BOTANICALS GIVES A CLASSIC, LONDON DRY GIN WITH RICH JUNIPER NOTES. Gin

Greenall’s

Greenall’s is the Original London Dry gin, the first ever London Dry and the gin that started it all. ❧

THE FOREFATHER OF QUALITY BRITISH gin, Thomas Dakin, founded Greenall’s in 1761. Distilling was not a common trade at the time but Dakin had seen an opportunity to create a gin of true quality that stood apart from the conventional rough and impure gins of the day. He thereby catered to a market of wealthy travellers and local residents from the distillery’s Warrington base. In turn, Dakin pioneered the development and refinement of high quality English gin. Given gin’s sordid reputation at the time, this was a highly ambitious move but Dakin had the courage of his convictions to succeed and transform the fortunes of gin from its dark past into a glorious future.

Edward was a founding member of The Amicable Society, established in 1788. That was where the Dakins first met the Greenall family and it was in 1860 that Edward Greenall leased the distillery from the Dakin family, later purchasing it in 1870. He would name the new business after his younger brothers Gilbert and John; thus creating G&J Greenall.

Thomas Dakin’s family members were also pioneers and his son Edward, with his wife Margaret, took over the business.

The Greenall family had established a brewing business in 1762; a year after Dakin distilled his first gin. By the time of the purchase, the Greenall family had built up an impressive distribution network for their beer, which would help Greenall’s gin thrive.

The lemon peel is grown and dried in the southeast of Spain. The region is nestled between the sea and mountains where the perfect growing conditions protect the lemons from harsh, cold winds.

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Greenall’s is a multi-award winning gin, with over 34 awards since 2008. A classic juniper led gin, perfect for a gin and tonic and matched well with lime.

Joanne Moore, the current Master Distiller, is the world’s first female Master Distiller and the proud custodian of Greenall’s and its award-winning recipe.

Juniper, coriander and lemon peel make up just three of the carefully selected botanicals. The wild organic juniper berries are sourced from the hills of Tuscany in Italy where families of pickers have been picking tonnes of berries every season for generations. Coriander seeds, supplied from a family run business in Morocco, provide the citrus notes and warm eastern spice to Greenall’s Gin.

The Greenall’s family remained true to the original recipe, which has been passed down through seven Master Distillers.

Greenall’s Gin is distilled in a traditional copper pot still where the eight botanicals are added by hand to grain spirit and water. There they rest and macerate before distillation begins, allowing time for the flavours and aromas of the botanicals to infuse into the liquid.

Gin was invented, like many spirits, as a medicine. Although it is thought that Monks may have been making a style of gin since the 12th century, nothing was recorded then and it wasn’t until the 17th century that the first recipe for gin was written down. When the Dutch settlers landed in the wwWest Indies in mid 1600s, they started to come down with a tropical fever. The man that tried to cure them was called Dr. Franciscus Sylvius de la boë who was a chemist at the University of Leyden, in Holland. His intention was to invent a medicine using the diuretic qualities of the juniper berry that would clean the INVENTED BY THE DUTCH, REFINED BY THE ENGLISH, GLAMORIZED BY THE NEW WORLD, AND NOW PERFECTED BY MARTIN MILLER’S. STYLISH, WELL PACKAGED AND WELL TRAVELLED – MARTIN MILLER’S GIN IS THE MOST VERSATILE PREMIUM GIN FOR INTERNATIONALLY MINDED INDIVIDUALS.

- GIN– 64 –

MARTIN MILLER’S GIN IS A PREMIUM London dry gin. Its unique combination of quality botanicals, the use of only the heart of the distillation process and pure Icelandic water, creates a clean flavour with rounded edges. Additionally, with an alcohol volume of 40 per cent it is also one of the few gins that can be enjoyed neat. Martin Miller’s Gin also forms the ideal base for cocktails, which can enhance the subtle flavours of its natural botanicals. Martin Miller’s Gin was launched in 2002. It made an immediate impact and was awarded ‘Spirit of the year 2003’ by the Chicago Beverage Testing Institute (BTI), the world’s largest and most powerful drinks testing institute.

Martin Miller’s Gin

In 1688, while the British troops were fighting in Holland during the thirty years war, they discovered ‘genever’ (as it was commonly known then) which was labeled as ‘Dutch courage’ by the British due to the fearlessness of the Dutch going into battle after having a swig of the spirit. The British then abbreviated the word further and the word ‘gin’ stuck.

The water is the key part of this process. Whilst Evian, Volvic and Fiji waters have between 109 and 309 impurities per million parts, the water used in Martin Miller’s Gin has less than 40. These glacial lava filtered waters are the purest in the world. In the small village of Borganes, on Iceland’s remote west coast, real magic is wrought. It is here that the blender takes the concentrated spirit and mixes it with the water and neutral grain spirit to form Martin Miller’s London Dry Gin. The pure glacial water is blended with the spirit to create a marriage of rare softness, clarity of taste and appearance.

AND A LITTLE BIT OF MADNESS! This entire process results in the final product tasting delicate, with oriental overtones and sharp citrus fragrances, taking the taste buds on a surreal journey of utter enlightenment and sheer indulgence. This much love and obsession inevitably requires a little bit of madness! ❧

A HEALTHY OBSESSION…

– 65 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA blood, flush out the kidneys and hopefully cure the Dutch settlers. He produced a medicine, which used neutral grain spirit flavoured with the juniper berry and called it ‘genièvre’, the French for juniper. Whether this potion worked or not, the Dutch took a liking to it and started producing it and drinking it regularly.

Following this loving distillation processes, the obsession continues in order to ensure that Martin Miller’s Gin is even more exceptional.

BORN OF OBSESSIONLOVE,AND

It is no wonder that they call Martin Miller’s Gin the well-travelled gin - before it’s even a year old it has travelled over 3,000 miles, from England to Iceland where it undergoes the final stages of its creation.

The creation of Martin Miller’s Gin is where the magic begins. Unlike all but a handful of gins, Martin Miller’s is batch distilled, like malt whiskey. They only distil in the traditional manner, strictly adhering to the tried and tested techniques that have always produced the finest gin spirit. Skilled distillers, quality materials and great attention to detail are all the unseen factors that contribute to the aroma and taste of Martin Miller’s Gin.

TRUE LOVE Martin Miller’s Gin is distilled with the kind of care and attention that can only be described as love, to ensure that only the purest part of the spirit – or the heart, is used. Martin Miller’s Gin distillers use a much smaller cut than any other gin – the smaller the cut, the smoother the end result.

SOME DEGREE OF MADNESS

The pure grain spirit is combined with unique recipes of quality botanicals in an antique ‘Rolls Royce’ of pot stills (manufactured by John Dore & Co. in 1903). The liquid produced at the beginning and end of the distillation process is discarded, rather than redistilled. This guarantees the soft, clean flavour.

No.3 Gin was developed with two main aims: to make the best gin for a dry martini, and in a market with an ever-growing range of ‘neo-gins’, to get back to classic, London Dry style gin, with juniper at its heart.

BERRY BROS. & RUDD ARE BRITAIN’S OLDEST WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANT, ESTABLISHED IN THE 17TH CENTURY. THEIR FLAGSHIP STORE HAS BEEN LOCATED AT NO. 3 ST JAMES’S STREET, LONDON SINCE 1698 WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED BY THE WIDOW BOURNE. Gin

No.3

The botanical infusion of No.3 is a process of maceration. The chosen botanicals (Juniper, sweet orange peel, grapefruit peel, cardamom pods, coriander seeds and angelica root) are soaked in diluted pure grain alcohol overnight before being redistilled, filtered further and diluted to the bottling strength of 46%WithABV.the range of gin brands exploding at the moment, the emergence of more and more ‘new world’ gins, gins that utilise

Over the course of a year, a team led by Dr David Clutton (the only man in the world with a PhD in gin) and including the likes of Jared Brown; Anastatia Miller; Dave Broom: Geraldine Coates; Patience Gould; Nick Wykes; Marcin Miller: plus 16 leading people from the London bar profession worked on the recipe. The gin was altered 12 times before they were satisfied with the result.

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The key emblazoned on the front of the No.3 bottle is a replica of the key to the parlour at No.3 where the walls are hung with caricatures of notable families who had been buying wine or spirits from them for over 100 years; a symbol of the trust between Berry Bros. & Rudd and their customers.

No.3 is crafted from only six botanicals, expertly balanced and distilled to the recipe in traditional copper-pot stills.

A SUPPLIER TO THE ROYAL FAMILY since the reign of King George III, historic customers have included Lord Byron, William Pitt the Younger and the Aga Khan. Today members of the Berry and Rudd families continue to own and manage the family-run wine and spirits merchant.

less-traditional botanicals such as cucumber, wattle seed and olives, has become clear. There has also been a shift away from a prominent juniper characteristic and towards the inclusion of 10+ botanicals. With one of the aims behind the development of No.3 being to get back to classic London Dry Gin, the simple botanical mix of three fruits (juniper berries, orange peel, grapefruit peel) and three spices (coriander seed, angelica root, cardamom pods) with juniper at the heart is key; the result is a gin that makes the perfect dry martini and is therefore also perfect for the classic gin cocktails. No.3 has been the recipient of more than 35 awards since its release in 2010, as well as being awarded top honours by the International Spirits Challenge with a Trophy in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

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It is no surprise then that Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin recently won a double gold in the world renowned San Francisco Spirit Awards – thereby confirming the liquid’s excellence.

The heritage of Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin is also firmly rooted in the Ancient Spice Route. Traditionally, merchants would travel thousands of miles along the route, trading exotic spices and botanicals from distant lands. In honour of this tradition, Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin is crafted with a selection of exotic handpicked botanicals, carefully chosen by Opihr’s Master Distiller. The three key botanicals used in Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin are Cubeb berries from Indonesia, Black Pepper from India and Coriander from Morocco. The botanicals in Opihr Gin make the journey along the spice route to their final destination, the oldest distillery in England, where quality gin has been traditionally distilled using the same London Dry Gin method since 1761. The Master Distiller infuses the botanicals in high quality spirit in copper pot stills, using more than 250 years of tradition and expertise, to create a unique spiced gin.

INSPIRED BY THE ANCIENT EXPLORERS OF THE ORIENT, JOANNE MOORE, THE MASTER DISTILLER OF THIS BRAND HAS TRAVELLED NEAR AND FAR, SEEKING EXOTIC SPICES AND BOTANICALS TO CREATE A MASTERPIECE, KNOWN TO MANY AS OPIHR ORIENTAL SPICED GIN.

Packaged in the bold colours of gold and red, the bottle has been designed to emulate the precious treasure from distant and far away lands. Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin makes a refreshingly different Gin & Tonic, garnished with orange for a classic drink and for the more adventurous, it tastes amazing when mixed with ginger ale or in a gin-based Bloody Mary. The liquid is unique amongst its competitive set and is a favourite among bartenders due to its flexibility and strength – at 40% ABV, it is a punchy, super premium gin.

OpihrSpicedOrientalGin

OPIHR – PRONOUNCED ‘O-PEER’ – IS A legendary region famed for its wealth and riches, which prospered during the reign of King Solomon. In those days, the King regularly received cargoes of gold, silver and spices from Opihr and whilst its exact location remains a mystery, it is thought to have been in the Orient, along the ancient spice route.

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Well known for its extensive history and discovery path, the spirit has been batch distilled using a single copper pot still at the historic Black Friars Distillery since 1793. The copper pot still used today is the same that was installed at the distillery during the Victorian era inThe1855.Plymouth Gin Distillery is the oldest working gin distillery in England. The medieval building dates back to 1431 and the Distillery’s historic bar, The Refectory, is believed to be the room where the Pilgrim Fathers spent their last night before setting sail for the New World.

Plymouth Gin is a handcrafted, artisanal gin, still made according to the traditional recipe created in 1793.

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Plymouth Gin is handcrafted in small batches, in stills only used for gin, to assure the brand’s super-premium quality. The process follows distillation methods passed down over the generations from one master distiller to the next, and begins when pure grain spirit, water and the botanicals are placed in the pot, before steam heat is gently applied until boiling temperature is reached. The spirit, now in vapour form, rises slowly through the high swan neck of the still where, as the vapour cools in the attached condenser, it becomes a liquid with the subtle flavours of the botanical mix.

BELOVED BY THE BRITISH ROYAL NAVY and famed explorers alike, Plymouth Gin sailed the seven seas and travelled from pole to pole, gaining notoriety at every port. It was supplied to the British Royal Navy at high strength of 57 per cent, which is coincidentally the strength that allowed gun powder to explode should the gin be spilt on it. Today Plymouth is bottled at a strength of 41.2% ABV.

PLYMOUTH GIN IS A LIVING LEGEND IN THE ARCHIVES OF DRINKS HISTORY. THE WORLD’S FIRST SPIRIT TO BE CALLED “DRY GIN”, WHEN IT WAS FIRST DEVELOPED IN 1793, IT WAS THE ONLY ENGLISH GIN TO BE GRANTED A PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION.

Plymouth Gin >>

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There are seven botanicals including juniper, lemon peel, orange peel, orris root, angelica root, cardamom pods and coriander seeds which are essential in creating the smooth, full flavour of Plymouth, each of which are checked for quality by their Master Distiller.

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To ensure the high-quality of Plymouth Gin is delivered, it is the master distiller’s responsibility to monitor the process, and select the middle cut at the perfect moment. Only the middle cut of the distilled spirit is used for Plymouth Gin, as the heads (the first part of the run) contain some botanical oils that are still too volatile and unstable to use. By the time the tails come through, the desired natural flavour of the essential oils has been depleted. It is this middle cut, when the more volatile oils have settled down, where the natural flavours are optimised.

ABOVE: Master Distiller Sean Harrison. BELOW: Inside the distillery.

Just as the Royal Navy played a role in developing Plymouth Gin’s original export business, it is only fitting that this former Lieutenant in the Royal Navy is playing a key role in the brand’s international revitalisation. ❧

Careful mentoring and years of experience have taught current Master Distiller Sean Harrison how to select the harvests of botanicals that are worthy of being used in Plymouth Gin. Selecting the perfect pure grain spirit is another skill that has been passed down from distiller toSeandistiller.Harrison knows how much of each botanical must be married to a quantity of spirit; how much time these elements must steep to blend the flavours, aromas, and textures. But it is knowing when to collect the “heart” of the distillation that is the ultimate distiller’s art.

PLYMOUTH GIN Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: Rich, fresh aroma of juniper followed by notes of coriander and cardamom

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Flavour: Extremely smooth, creamy and full bodied with a slight sweetness and an elegant, long, fresh and aromatic finish

PLYMOUTH SLOE GIN Appearance: Deep red Aroma: Clear character of mellow sloe berries, fruity with notes of sweet cherry and a slight scent of almonds

Flavour: Smooth, fruity and fullbodied with a balanced sweetness and acidity. in a long, fresh and fruity finish

Tasting notes

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• 45ml of Prince Albert’s Gin

The clear neutral spirit used as the base for Prince Albert’s Gin is produced in New Zealand where it is triple distilled to remove impurities and is then charcoal filtered to capture any remaining unwanted aromas or flavours. These processes, while not essential, are employed to ensure the highest levels of quality and purity.

• 30ml of lemon juice

• 15ml of Continental Triple Sec Liqueur

• One large barspoon full of orange marmalade into a large cocktail shaker. Stir the ingredients well, then fill with shaker with ice, seal it and shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with an orange peel twist. Enjoy! ❧

FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS, PRINCE ALBERT’S GIN HAS BEEN A POPULAR CHOICE FOR AUSTRALIA GIN CONSUMERS. RELAUNCHED IN 2015 WITH A NEW SPECIAL BOTANICAL BLEND IN A NEW SLEEK BOTTLE AND MODERN LABEL DESIGN, IT HAS EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS!

GIN STARTED ITS JOURNEY TO become one of today’s most popular spirits more than 600 years ago in Holland where it was called “genever” and used to treat a range of kidney and stomach ailments. Reportedly consumed prior to battle to calm the nerves, genever was named “Dutch courage” by British sailors who returned home and introduced it to their homeland.

PrinceGinAlbert’s

At a time where gin has once again become fashionable and increasingly popular as an essential ingredient for cocktails, why not surprise your friends with a Martini with a difference – add:

containing a proprietary blend of botanicals that also include angelica root, coriander seeds, orange peel and lime to create this crisp, citrus forward and refreshing gin.

While gin is well known to draw its distinct flavour from juniper berries, Prince Albert’s Gin is created with a unique and well-guarded recipe

“If you ever need someone to drink with, I’ll drink with you. If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I’ll drink with you. I guess what I’m trying to say is: I love to drink!” Karen Walker of

sass and has no qualms about drinking cocktails before noon.

We all need a friend like Will & Grace character Karen Walker. She speaks her mind, has a lot

Brown researched through history books from 1700 to the early 1900s in search of the perfect blend of 10 botanicals to begin handcrafting a gin that would honour the way gin was produced by distillers past.

TWO CHILDHOOD

IN THE CITY WHERE GIN FIRST gained its reputation, nowhere could have been more fitting for the duos dream, and so in 2009 in a tiny garage in Hammersmith, the pair began their journey to honour distillers past through production of a traditional gin of uncompromising quality and character.

RENAISSANCE. THE SIPSMITH

As the business grows, as does Sipsmith’s passion and dedication to making gin in the traditional way. In 2014 they purchased two sister stills for Prudence, Constance and Patience, upping their production but never compromising on quality and method. ❧ IS CREDITED WITH LONDON’S GIN-DISTILLING DISTILLERY WAS SET-UP BY FRIENDS, AND WHO SHARED A VISION TO REIGNITE LONDON’S LOVE OF QUALITY GIN AND THINGS WELL

To this day, every bottle of Sipsmith gin is hand crafted in the Sipsmith Distillery, meaning that every single bottle is given the same care and attention necessary to create a traditional and unique gin. Distillers Jared, Ollie and Felix are hands on in every step of production, ensuring every bottle is produced to the highest standard.

Only the heart cut is taken from the distillation run, with the heads and tails being discarded, ensuring a gin full of flavour and roundness. Every bottle of Sipsmith gin is made using the uncompromising One-Shot method, a method whereby the only product that reaches the final bottling stage is the heart cut of the run, diluted simply with water to blend it down to bottle strength, creating a pure, unadulterated, and highly sippable spirit.

With tradition at the forefront of their minds, Fairfax and Sam purchased a beautiful handmade copper still, the first of its kind in London for nearly 200 years. Naming her Prudence, they set out to create both a recipe and process worthy of her craftsmanship.

FAIRFAX

With a commitment to quality at the forefront of the brand, Sipsmith gin is produced in small batches in a custommade copper still. As the copper naturally draws out any impurities, it creates a super smooth spirit leaving it round and silky with a full mouthfeel.

SipsmithMADE.

RIGHT: Master Distiller Jared and Sipsmith founders Sam and Fairfax.

SAM,

His passion and commitment to the art of gin distillation was clear from the outset, and so he immediately joined the boys in their quest to create a quintessential expression of a London Dry gin.

Sipsmith has been voted in the top 5 best trending gins by the World’s Top 50 Bars for the last 4 years in a row, with over 30 international awards under their belt, and distribution in over 28 countries, Sipsmith is fast becoming London’s premium dry gin of choice.

LEFT: Ilustration of Prudence.

SPARKING

AS THE FIRST TRADITIONAL COPPER DISTILLERY TO OPEN IN LONDON SINCE 1820, SIPSMITH

With the wheels set in motion, the boys met Master Distiller, drinks historian and sometime underwear model, Jared Brown.

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SLOE GIN Appearance: Deep burgundy Aroma: Gorgeous redcurrant and ripe winter fruits with stone-fruit almond Flavour: Cassis comes through with soft cherry hints and a rounded fruitiness. A velvety mouthfeel and balanced sweetness are clear in the finish. The result is a truly handmade sloe gin that is subtle, complex and bursting with flavour

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V.J.O.P. Appearance: Clear Aroma: Junipery pine and cedarwood dominate with hints of zesty orange Flavour: Big juniper upfront with rich spice and notes of dark chocolate. Long and dry with a lovely balance as the juniper shines

Tasting notes

LONDON DRY GIN Appearance: Clear Aroma: Floral, summer meadow notes, followed by mellow rounded juniper and zesty, citrus freshness Flavour: Dry juniper leads then reveals notes of lemon tart and orange marmalade before all the flavours harmonise. A dry finish with spicy juniper and a hint of lemon tart emerging The quintessential expression of a classic, traditional London Dry Gin: bold, complex and aromatic – smooth enough for a Martini, but rich and balanced, perfect for a G&T

One of the colonies that Tanqueray had a strong relationship with was the U.S.

ABOVE: Workers packing Tanqueray in boxes.

Charles experimented and obsessed for years in his quest to create the highest quality gin on the market and his effort certainly did not go to waste. In fact, the recipe for Tanqueray gin is so top secret that only a handful of people across the globe have been entrusted with it today, and they are notoriously sought-after party guests for that very reason.

OPPOSITE: DistilleryBloomsbury1899.

OUR STORY BEGINS WITH CHARLES Tanqueray, the son of a clergyman who traded a church for a still. But this wasn’t just any old still, this was the very still that would set in motion the production of a superior gin. And this wasn’t just any man; this was Charles Tanqueray, a man whose name became synonymous with simple perfection, and over 180 years of people enjoying his gin is testament to that.

Unfortunately, Charles passed away in 1865 and the booming business was handed over to his son, Charles Waugh Tanqueray. While Tanqueray was always viewed as a luxury brand, it became increasingly popular across the British Colonies and stocked in the best bars and grocers under Charles Jnr’s careful hand.

In fact, during the years of prohibition, Charles and his team found new ways to ship bottles of gin to the U.S, which involved floating cases to the islands off THE SEARCH FOR QUALITY AND ELEGANCE HAS INCREASED IN RECENT YEARS, WITH CONSUMERS SIMPLY LONGING FOR A TIPPLE THAT WILL ADD A LITTLE LUXURY TO THEIR LIVES. IT’S NO WONDER THEN THAT THE SEARCH FOR PREMIUM SPIRITS IS ON THE RISE, WITH TANQUERAY OFFERING GIN LOVERS EXACTLY WHAT THEY’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR… THAT IS INNOVATION, ELEGANCE AND REPUTATION ALL IN THE ONE RED-STAMPED

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TanquerayBOTTLE.

So what makes a luxury gin so great? Well, Tanqueray’s natural purity comes from its signature blend of botanicals that are matured for 18 months. The perfectionists at the distillery will generally select 10 per cent of the botanicals supplied to ensure that only the finest quality gin is produced. It has been said that the Master Distiller would sooner reject an entire harvest than use botanicals that aren’t up to these exacting standards.

The signature red seal on the bottle is the official stamp of Tanqueray quality, while the crest on the bottle is steeped in history itself. The pineapple >>

– 77 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA the coast where they could be discreetly collected. If the gin was so good that people would go to those great lengths to drink it, it’s no surprise then that Tanqueray was enjoyed by some of history’s greats, including none other than Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. As a luxury spirit it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine, Tanqueray also had its fair share of tough times; but you know what they say, it’s the challenges in life that define us. Whilst the distillery remained in London for a long time, World War II saw it bombed and mostly destroyed, bar the oldest still. ‘Old Tom’ as it was known is still used today at Tanqueray’s new home in Cameron Bridge, Scotland.

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Thestill.production of Tanqueray No. TEN is one of love, labour and history. The botanicals used in every batch begin with a blend of juniper, angelica, coriander and liquorice, and whilst most gins use dried citrus peel in their recipes, Tanqueray No. TEN uses fresh citrus fruit, something that can be easily distinguished on the nose. These fresh citrus fruits are cut and placed into the leaf still with Florida oranges, Mexican limes and white grapefruit. In addition to this, chamomile flowers are added, which provide a distinct aroma to the equation.

In the year 2000, the brand launched Tanqueray No.TEN as an evolution of the original spirit. It was an instant success being inducted into the San Francisco International Spirits Hall of Fame, making it the only white spirit to do so.

Tanqueray No. TEN has also won ‘Best White Spirit’ 3 years in a row.

Tiny Ten is used for the first distillation, the second and final distillation takes place in the larger vintage Old Tom No. 4

is a representation of good hospitality and wealth (you can imagine obtaining a pineapple in the 1800s in London was rather a difficult and expensive endeavour) and the crossed axes are said to represent the family’s participation in the third crusade.

What’s also special about Tanqueray No. TEN Gin is the list of drinks it can be used to create. Read on to discover the cocktail recipes that can easily be made at home. ❧ Tiny Ten Still.

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Tanqueray No. TEN takes its name from the distillery’s number 10 still, known as “Tiny Ten”. Dating back to the 1930s, this small pot was originally used as an experimental or trial-run still. Unlike its bigger brothers, Tiny Ten is heated by a steam jacket as opposed to steam coils.

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Apperance: Clear Aroma: Grapefruit and camomile are evident on the nose but so are complex spice and juniper. These flavours continue through the long, almost creamy, sherbet finish

Flavour: A complex but well balanced taste with a smooth long finish

Tasting notes

Apperance: Clear Aroma: Aromatic, prominent juniper scent, with hints of citrus, herbs and liquorice

LONDONTANQUERAYDRYGIN

NO.TANQUERAYTENGIN

Flavour: The wonderfully rounded palate is incredibly smooth considering its heady alcoholic strength. Juniper is integrated with freshly squeezed lemon, orange and pink grapefruit juice while white pepper and coriander spice add depth. All these flavours continue through the long, almost creamy, sherbet finish

Garnish: Lime wedge Method: Build 30ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin and tonic water over ice and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge TOM COLLINS Glass: Tall glass Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Simple syrup Top with Soda water

TANQUERAY&TONIC

Garnish: Garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange slice Method: Add Tanqueray London Dry Gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and ice to shaker. Shake well. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top with soda water, stir well and garnish

NO.TENTANQUERAY&TONIC

Garnish: Grapefruit slice Method: Build Tanqueray No.TEN gin, tonic water and ice in a highball glass. Stir and garnish

Garnish: Grapefruit twist Method: Squeeze ¼ pink grapefruit into a shaker and add Tanqueray No.TEN gin and 15ml sugar syrup. Shake hard and strain into a frozen martini cocktail glass and garnish

Squeeze ¼ Fresh Grapefruit

FRENCH 75 Glass: Coupe glass Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray No.TEN Gin 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Simple syrup Top with sparkling wine

Garnish: Lemon twish Method: Shake Tanqueray No.TEN gin, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a flute or coupe glass, top with sparkling wine and garnish

Signature serves

Glass: Wine goblet Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin Top with Tonic water

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 30ml Tanqueray No.TEN Gin Top with Tonic water

TINY TEN Glass: Martini glass Ingredients: 50ml Tanqueray No.TEN Gin 15ml Sugar syrup

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THE THYME TRAVELLER GIN AND TONIC

Vickers Gin is made with a proprietary blend of botanicals, which create a subtle, crisp and elegant Gin. Using the classic juniper berry, which opens up a wonderful perfumed fragrance, other botanicals include angelica root for subtle earthy tones, bitter almonds for a silky, smooth palate, caraway oil adding texture, and coriander, providing light citrus notes and hints of gingery spice. The result is a subtle and elegant gin that is exceptionally refined; perfect for mixed drinks. Along with a blend of botanicals, Vickers Gin is uniquely made with water that has been sourced from an underground aquifer that was formed in a glacial period more than 2.5 million years ago. This water is naturally filtered by underground limestone, which ensures a pure and clean base in VickersAustraliaGin.embraced the Vickers Gin brand over 180 years ago and today it continues to prosper with consumers nationwide. With an increasing consumer thirst for premium Australian Gin, Vickers will turn its attention to developing premium, small batch offerings from their distillery in Riverland, South Australia. Master Distiller Graham Buller is excited to be working with the brand in 2016 on new and exciting concepts and flavour profiles using some of the native ingredients available from the region. The abundance of local botanicals, unique grains, fruits and other ingredients will provide Vickers with a unique offering in the premium Gin category while maintaining the quality of the VickersVickersbrand.signature serve ‘The Thyme Traveller Gin’ is a Gin and Tonic with a twist using premium mixers from Bickford & Sons. Inspired by the recipes used in the original Bickford’s factory in the late 1800’s, Bickford and Sons Tonic Water contains Natural Cinchona extract (Extracted from the Bark of the Cinchona Tree originally identified for its medicinal properties particularly in the treatment of malaria) and is exquisitely balanced to create a smooth, fresh flavour without the harsh bitterness of synthetic substitutes. With a fragrant, slightly floral aroma, our Tonic enhances the botanicals in Vickers Gin and with the inspired addition of black pepper and thyme creates a modern taste twist to an enduringly elegant classic.

THEIR DISTILLERY, J & J VICKERS AND Co. was first registered in 1813, with both brothers becoming Master Distillers through time. By 1824 the brothers had set up the company J&J Vickers & Co. and operated from their distillery on the Thames River in Stoney Street, London.

IN REGENCY-ERA LONDON, BROTHERS JOHN AND JOSEPH VICKERS CREATED A DRINK OF EXCEPTIONAL REFINEMENT AND PURITY.

Glass: Classic rocks glass Ingredients: 30ml Vickers Gin Bickford and Sons Tonic Water Garnish: Dehydrated lemon, a sprig of thyme and cracked black pepper. Drop in whole cracked peppercorns Method: Pour Vickers Gin over cubed ice. Top off with Bickford and Sons Tonic Water and stir once. ❧

Vickers Gin

Vickers was first exported from London to Australia in the early 1930’s, and by the early 1940’s it was made under license in Geelong, Victoria, always inspired by the original recipe. From that first day, generations have continued seeking out Vickers Gin for its sophisticated dimension inVickersrefreshment.Gincontinues to be produced in the traditional London Dry style and is made exclusively from agricultural grain, in this case high quality corn. The spirit and botanicals are distilled to 70 per cent ABV through a column still for over 14 hours with consistency and quality maintained under the watchful eye of Master Distiller Graham Buller to ensure quality and flavour in every batch.

LEFT: The Vickers Signature Serve: The Thyme Traveller.

RIGHT: A historic Vicker’s advertisement.Gin

“The British combated the high rates of Malaria in India by adding high levels of quinine to a carbonated soft drink, otherwise known as Indian Tonic Water. The mixer grew in popularity as gin was added to soothe the bitter taste, and over the years the quinine level was reduced.”

explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA Gin & Tonics began in India

TEQUILA IS A STALWART ON THE BACK BAR OF ANY GOOD ESTABLISHMENT AROUND THE WORLD, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S NOT ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE SPIRITS AVAILABLE.

WORDS PHIL BAYLY THE PRODUCTS IN OTHER HERO SPIRITS such as whisky, bourbon, rum, vodka, and gin can easily be grown, harvested, fermented and distilled in under a year, but you can’t rush tequila. It can take anything from six to 14 years to simply grow one small plant and begin the process. Of course, it doesn’t stop there. The plant needs to be cut down, and the process begins again. Intrigued? Of course you are. Let’s delve a little deeper. THE AGAVE The agave plant, the very soul of the tequila that ends up on your shelf, dates back over 12 million years, and has been harvested by man for 9,000 years. Agave Tequilana Weber Azul (or the Blue Agave) can be used in the production of tequila. It is indigenous to the region predominantly around the Tropic of Cancer; near the west coast of Mexico, in the state of Jalisco, and is a member of the Agavaceae Family. Generally speaking, the Blue Agave plant has three ways of reproducing. Firstly, it sends out subterranean shoots called a rhizome, which grow from under the mother plant (called Hijuelos) and forms the new plants as they grow. Secondly, in its final year of growing, a ball of starch forms in the plant’s heart (or centre), and grows a stem called a Quiote, which is around three to four metres tall and will grow flowers. Once the flowers have bloomed, seeds fall and germinate into new plants. Thirdly, on the same Quiote, tiny baby agaves grow, and also fall into the ground to become new plants. As is the circle of life, the ‘mother’ plant will shrivel and die during this process. Not to be forgotten, the rhizome is continuously growing an underground horizontal stem, that intermittently produces shoots from its nodes. Strictly speaking, harvesting can take place all year round, but planting only happens just before the wet season inTequilaJune. is an Appellation of Origin, similar to Cognac and Champagne, so it can only bear the name if it is grown and produced in a specific region. Only Blue Agaves grown within the DOA (denomination of origin) of Tequila maybe used to produce tequila. Makes it all the more special, don’t you think?

TEQUILA VALLEY

Once agave is fully grown and all of its leaves have been removed, it weighs about 35kg. When you drink tequila that contains agave from Tequila Valley, you’ll observe an earthy, vegetal taste, and dry character. Similar to red wine, the warm temperatures of day and night help create a dry characteristic in the tequila.

The Tequila Valley runs east west, and the town of Tequila sits right smack bang in the middle of it, about 60 km north-west of Guadalajara (Mexico’s second largest city). It is bordered by a volcano to the south, as well as the Rio de Santiago. Within the valley, there are four main towns; moving east to west from Arenal, Amatitlan, Tequila and Magdelana. The valley sits between 1200 and 1500 metres above sea level, and is home to a rich, loamy, volcanic soil that is loaded with crucial silica, and has very little water retention. So what is Silica? Technically speaking, it is a hard, colourless compound. In this context, however, it is incredibly beneficial to soil texture, and helpful in disease resistance in plants. Loam, on the other hand, is soil that contains about 40 per cent sand, 40 per cent silt, and about 20 per cent clay; together they form the perfect conditions for growing delicious Blue Agave.

There are five states in Mexico that are in the DOA. The first of these is Jalisco, where 97 per cent of tequila is produced and every municipality of the state is included in the DOA. Also included in this DOA are parts of four other states: Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas. If it’s not made in one of these areas, it’s simply not tequila, end ofWithinstory. the state of Jalisco, there are two predominant locations that produce tequila. Firstly, there is the Tequila Valley, or Vallee de Tequila, and the other Highlands, or Los Altos. What’s the difference? Apart from the terroirs they grow in, tequilas from these regions have differing characteristics, which we will learn about below.

Ever seen these letters on your tequila bottle? NOM stands for Norma Official Mexicanom and the number relates to the company producing the Tequila. CRT stands for the Consejo Regulador del Tequila who are an independent body that test and analyse every tequila produced to certify its quality prior to bottling. See,

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The average annual temperature in Tequila Valley is about 25 degrees Celsius, with balmy days and warm nights. The wet season is from June through to August, and average rainfall is about 940mm, with the majority falling between these drizzly months.

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There are four main towns in Highlands: Arandas, Jesus Maria, Altoltonilco el Alto, Tototlan, Zapotlanejo and Tepatitlan de Morelos. Try saying that sentence five times fast. The highland sits up around 1800 to 2000 metres above sea level, and has very high clay content in its soil profile, giving the soil a beautiful bright terracotta colour from the iron oxide. The soil here has a lower pH than the Valley of Tequila, but that doesn’t affect the quality. The average annual temperature in the highlands is cooler than The Valley, sitting at around 18 degrees Celsius. The region experiences warm days and cool nights, which helps to increase the starch content in the agave, meaning more starch converts to more sugar. The average annual rainfall in the Highlands is around 970mm. When the clay soil is wet, it seals, reducing the amount of moisture entering the soil, which helps to produce a smaller agave, sitting at around 15kg. But size isn’t everything; these agaves have much higher starch content than its Valley of Tequila counterparts. Approximately 70 per cent of agaves used in tequila production come from the Highland region, and the area tends to produce a spirit that is sweet, fruity, and floral in character. The triangular-shaped area between Arandas, Altoltonilco el Alto, and Jesus Maria is affectionately referred to as ‘the golden triangle’. Obviously this can’t be verified unless you drink all of the tequila in the world (personal challenge?), but it has been said that this is the best land for growing agaves in all of tequila.

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you learn something new every day. HIGHLANDS Arandas is the capital of the highlands that lies on top of a plateau, about 140km northwest of Guadalajara.

CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING It’s at this point that we introduce you to the Jornalero, the person who has the very important job of growing the agaves. The agave, as mentioned before, grows out rhizome called Hijuelos, of which the mother plant can produce up to 25 of these during its life. While the plant is growing, the Hujulos are removed to give space and strength to the mother plant. The Hijuelos are removed anywhere between two and five years after they have been planted. In this process, the roots are cut off and the leaves (or pencas) are trimmed. After this, the Hijuelos are placed in the field to stress for a couple ofWhenweeks.they’re ready and sufficiently stressed, the Hijuelos are dug into the dry earth, where roots begin to grow and burst out to go searching for water. When the wet season arrives, they finally get A Jimador using a coa blade to cut back and expose the agave’s pineapple shape. The blade is about 30cm in diameter on a long wooded handle

The traditional method uses clay brick ovens that are loaded and sealed before being pumped with steam for 24 to 48 hours in ovens as big as 50 tonnes. That’s a whole lot of agave. The ovens have drains at the bottom to collect all of that delicious agave juice and collect it in a >> The Jimador carrying the piñas to the truck which will then be transported to the patio

Today, there are two ways to convert the starches in the agave to sugars.

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CREDIT: T photography / Shutterstock.com

COOKING When they arrive at the patio to be cooked, the piñas are usually cut into halves or quarters.

something to drink and are well on their way to becoming the next generation ofWhyagaves.isthis process so unique? It comes down to the fact that there was no sexual reproduction, so the plant has the same DNA being replanted over and over again. In the final year of the agave growing, the plant transforms from being simply leaves, to developing a large ball of starch in its centre. This starchy ball will eventually grow to generate the Quiote, the large stem that flowers and seeds. When the Quiote starts to grow out from the plant, it is cut off to retain the starches and the piña, which will otherwise shrivel and die. Once the plant reaches maturity, it begins to die. You can see this happening as its leaves begin to shrivel and go brown. At this point, the Jimador (the dude that harvests the agave) steps in and gets his hands dirty. Figuratively and metaphorically, this is a very highly respected job in the industry. Using a Coa, a sharp round blade on a stick, he cuts the leaves back to expose the agave’s pineapple shape. It is the Jimador’s job to sculpt or shape the piña by removing the leaves and roots that contain acids that will impart a bitter flavour in the final product. But don’t worry; this won’t affect the end profile of the product. The cut piñas are then loaded on trucks and transported to the patio, the place in the distillery where the agaves are deposited ready for cooking.

holding tank so none goes to waste. Another more modern process uses Autoclaves: big, stainless steel pressure cookers. Agaves are loaded inside, the cooker is sealed and they are cooked under intense pressure, although still using steam. While these two sound relatively similar, the Autoclave method retains the agave juice until the end without draining, while also giving the producer more control over the temperature. It is not necessarily better or worse to do this, it is simply a different way, and the final result rests in the hands of the maker. To the trained palate, the autoclave method produces tequila with a more raw agave flavour, as opposed to a cooked agave using the clay oven. The Autoclave process is a little (or a lot) faster than the clay oven, taking anywhere between four and 24 hours, depending on the producer. It’s similar to cooking meat in a pressure cooker in that the longer it takes, the better the final product will be: juicier and more tender. EXTRACTION This is the process of removing the sugars from the agave fibres. You’ll see there are many ways to extract the juice.

DIFFUSOR: This is another means of extracting the sugars and can be used after the Roller Mill, or on its own. The Diffusor is a large, box-shaped container in which fibres are run on a conveyor belt at a slight gradient from one end to the other very slowly, and both heat and enzymes or acids are used to wash the sugars off the fibres. This is about 97 per cent efficient, and as the term suggests, it diffuses the agave flavours as well as extracting juice. There is some controversy about the use of this process, and some companies no longer use it.

TAHONA: This is a traditional process that is still used by a few producers. It uses the Tahona, a large stone wheel of around 120mm in diameter, that is pulled around a central pole in a circular pit by a donkey or by mechanics (told you it was old). The cooked agaves are placed in the pit, and the stone crushes the piñas. From here, the juices are drained into a holding tank. While it sounds awesomely rustic and traditional, this is a very inefficient process, and only obtains about 66 per cent of the sugars from the fibre. Because it is so inefficient, producers will often ferment with the fibres as well, and once the spirit is fermented they will then do a first distillation with the fibres, which adds additional flavour profiles that exist in the fibres themselves.

ROLLER MILL: The second and most common process uses the Roller Mill, which originated in the sugar industry. Cooked agaves are shredded and run through a series of five rollers that crush the agave fibres. Water is then washed over the mash during the process, and at the end you have the sugarless fibres, called Bagaso, separated from the extracted sugar juices. This process is about 75 per cent efficient, but no doubt better than the donkey as far as efficiency is concerned.

FERMENTATION Fermentation is the blueprint of any spirit. It is a critical part of the process of creating the unique taste profiles within a spirit. Prior to this process, the sugars need to be cut with water to bring the Brix level to a fermentable level that is called Mosto, or ‘Must’ in English. The Mosto is placed in stainless steel or wooden vats which can range from 1000 to 20,000 litres, and are sealed or open depending on the producer’s preference. From here, yeast is added to the sugar and no less than four things happen: firstly, the yeast multiplies as it eats the sugar, which produces heat, carbon dioxide and alcohol. Depending on the time of year and the volume to be fermented, this can take anywhere from a day to a week, and the end result is a fermented product of around four to 6% ABV. That’s obviously not high enough to be bottled, but a good start.

A note on yeast: producers usually cultivate their strains of yeast in laboratories and these are closely monitored and protected. Some producers rely solely on wild airborne yeast that is created within the microclimate of the distillery. Wild yeast spores are floating in the air

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around us all the time. To cultivate these, all that is needed is something for them to land on that provides them with moisture, sugar and an ambient temperature of approximately 24 to 27 degrees Celsius. You can collect wild yeast cultures from fruit, plants, and even mouldy hay, bird droppings, feathers, insects and soil. Slow fermentation will give characteristics such as mellow butter and cooked agave, while fast fermentation imparts characteristics of green, uncooked agave and green pineapple. Some producers will use accelerators to speed the process for more efficiency, however slow fermentation is thought to be better, and will tend to retain more varietal characteristics and delicate flavours.

GIN,

>> Donkeys can play a pivotal role in the production of tequila, from assisting the Jimadors in the fields to working the Tahona

POT STILL: The Alembique (or pot still) was invented around 790AD, although the design is believed to possibly date back to around 450BC in Pakistan. The method begins with fermented juices being placed in a container, made from either copper or stainless steel, usually with copper elements and brushes inside. Copper is essential because it will remove sulphides from the final product, while acting as a catalyst for the breakdown of esters and sulphuric compounds in the steam vapours that have been produced during fermentation. Copper also avoids the production of Ethylcarbamide, which is toxic and therefore obviously undesirable.

Finally, copper helps improve the spirit’s aromas and the quality of the final product.

DISTILLATION As you read earlier, tequila by the definition of the NOM (Norma Official Mexicano) is distilled at least twice. There are two ways this can be done: in a column still, or using a pot still called an Alembique.

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VODKA

As always, however, there’s a downside: Copper naturally wears out, and is a lot more expensive than stainless steel, which will last forever but contributes nothing to the breakdown of esters and sulphuric compounds, which as you know are necessary to making a quality spirit. The more copper used, the more contact with the liquid, and therefore the more likely you’ll produce a more flavoursome, complex final product.

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OPPOSITE: Steamed agave From here, the liquid is heated at a temperature below the boiling point of water, around 78 degrees Celsius, and the alcohol evaporates. The vapours (or esters) combine with the water rising up through the neck of the still, and down into a condensing coil that is submerged in cold water where the vapour turns back into liquid to produce a product known as Ordinario. These vapours are a mixture of alcohol, congeners (the stuff in alcohol that makes you loopy) and other compounds, which all add flavour and aroma. This product has an alcohol content of about 25% ABV. Generally speaking, there are three components of the distillation process. The first part is the heads, which contain highly volatile alcohol vapours. These can often include acetone, methanol and ethanol. Being lighter, the heads come off first (hence the name), are separated and then often re-distilled in the next run. Then comes the heart; that is, the body of the distillation. This is what the whole process is really all about: the heart is a balance of congeners and alcohol. Congeners give a spirit its flavour, aroma, and character and are produced during the fermentation process. Lastly come the tails (again, hence the name), which are low in ethanol and high in congeners. This part is high in fusel oils, which impart an unpleasant, unwanted flavour and are usually discarded. The Ordinario is then distilled again using the same process, and produces a much higher ABV, anything between 40 to 55 per cent. Once the liquid has gone through this process it can finally be calledSometequila!producers say they take it through a third distillation; however this produces a more neutral tequila, and you definitely want your spirit to be anything but neutral.

To be called tequila it must range from 35 to 55% ABV.

COLUMN STILL A Column still, or a Coffrey still, is a continuous still. If you aren’t familiar with these, it’s basically like placing a number of pot stills on top of each other. Originally invented in the nineteenth Century to gain more efficiency, the Column still can produce a very high proof ABV. They can be made from copper, but are usually made from stainless steel, with copper elements inside. The still itself is a tall column with a series of perforated plates that make up a series of chambers. When ready, the fermented liquid is pumped in from the top and constant heat is applied from the bottom. As the liquid sinks, the heat vaporises, the alcohol and volatile molecules head back up to the top of the still. As the vapours come in contact with each plate, they condense and the congeners remain, letting more ethanol pass into the top. Here, they are diverted into a condenser where it liquefies again asThisalcohol.may then be re-distilled again, either in another column still, or a pot still, to achieve the second distillation requirement of the NOM.

The spirit may also be placed in large wooden sealed vats called Pipons, which draw out some of the colour and flavour of the wood and impart them to the liquid. These can be as big as 15 to 20,000 litres, and the tequila will rest in them from a minimum of two months up to 12 months, and then be named Reposado.

American oak barrels are commonly used, in particular ex-bourbon barrels (they can only be used once in ageing bourbon). French oak is also commonly used, especially for aged and extra aged tequilas. It is now becoming common to use wine casks, such as Bordeaux barrels, as well as ex-whisky and Cognac barrels to age tequila.

Some producers will distil to a higher level and then water it down with purified water, while others will distil to proof, which is normally 38 to 40% ABV. In principle, the latter approach gives tequila the fullest agave flavours.

This same process is repeated for Extra Añejo with the minimum age statement of three years. Like we said, you can’t rush good tequila.

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MATURATION Once the distillation process is finished, the tequila is usually left to oxidise briefly in vats of plastic, wood or stainless steel. Analysis of the tequila is performed by the CRT (Consejo Regulador del Tequila), who have the tough job of checking that the spirit meets the requirements of the NOM. From there it may stay in stainless steel a while longer, and is then bottled as Blanco tequila.

The spirit may be rested briefly in sealed wood vats for a week or two to oxidise further and soften, after which it turns the colour of pale straw, and bottled asTheBlanco.spirit may have colours and flavours such as caramel and glycerine, or wood shavings added to impart a gold colour and sweeter flavour. It will then be bottled as Joven or Gold (Oro). The most common type of tequila used for this class is regular tequila, such as Sauza Gold or Cuervo Gold; the majority of gold tequilas are made using this process.

In the case of Añejo, the tequila is placed in oak barrels no larger than 600 litres and sealed, then left to age for a minimum of one year but no more than three. This strict maximum allows the inclusion of Spanish sherry barrels.

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REGULAR TEQUILA Pure and simple, this is the stuff that most people would have grown up knowing to be tequila. Although still the dominating style with regards to sales, ‘regular’ tequilas are today being challenged by 100 per cent agave tequilas, which is where the majority of the growth in the category is coming from. A regular tequila needs to be made from at least 51 per cent blue agave sugars, with the remainder traditionally being made up from non agave sugars (such as corn, cane, or molasses). These sugars are mixed together prior to fermentation. Regular tequila may be shipped in bulk and bottled outside of Mexico.

JOVEN OR ORO: Often known as Gold tequila (unaged regular tequila), which has been adulterated with colouring and flavours including caramel, glycerine or wood chips to give it colour and flavour. Blanco may be blended with aged tequila to create 100 per cent agave Joven or Oro tequila. For example, Casa Dragones Joven tequila blends un-aged

Types of Tequila

100 PER CENT AGAVE TEQUILA Unbeknownst to most, all tequila used to be 100 per cent blue agave tequila. When the official standard was established in 1949 it called for 100 per cent of the alcohol coming from blue agave sugars. Over the next two decades this would change to the current requirement of 51 per cent. For true tequila connoisseurs however, 100 per cent blue agave is where it’s at. If a tequila is labeled 100 per cent agave or 100 per cent agave azul, this serves as a guarantee that the spirit is made entirely from blue agave and that it has been bottled in Mexico.

BLANCO: Blanco tequila is normally an un-aged white tequila that is more or less straight off the still; although some producers do age their blanco tequila for a few weeks. The maximum age for blanco tequila is 60 days.

OPPOSITE: The Day of the Dead is one of the most popular holidays in Mexico. It’s a day where family and friends pray for and remember their friends and family who have passed away, and to support their spiritual journey

CLASSES OF TEQUILA

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BELOW: Maguey being fermented as part of the mezcal process

Mezcal, or should I say artisanal mezcal could be defined as the single malt of agave spirits; complex, rich and full of flavour.

The reason for this is that mezcal has undergone huge changes and popularity in recent years. What we originally understood mezcal to be - as a cheap fiery, spirit - is in most cases no longer relevant.

tequila with a small amount of five year Extra Añejo. If the label reads 100 per cent Agave, the tequila cannot contain any other additives or flavourings.

REPOSADO: Reposado means rested, and refers to tequilas that are aged from two months up to a year in oak casks or barrels with no size limit. Reposado was the first style of aged tequila, and is today the most popular style in Mexico. A Reposado tequila served with sangrita on the side is the authentic way to enjoy quality Reposado tequila. A Reposado tequila is commonly served with a non alcoholic drinks called Sangrita (little blood) that is similar to a Bloody Mary mix.

AÑEJO: While reposado tequila can be stored in casks as large as 20,000 litres, Añejo tequila can be stored in barrels of no more than 600 litres, although the majority would be stored in ex-bourbon barrels of around 200 litres. Añejo tequila must be aged for a minimum of 12 month. Añejo tequila is best enjoyed neat as you would a Cognac, or served over ice.

The category mezcal has been under review of redefiing its original NOM 070 (Mexican Standard) of 2005 for a number of years. In July 2016, it was finally revised for the benefit of the category.

Tequila is moving in to the future in the sense of how it can be refined and aged, whereas mezcal is moving back to its roots of a traditional artisenal spirit. Produced by the village in tiny copper or even claypot (Filipino style) stills in small batch productions, this tradition has been passed down by generation of Mezcaleros (the name given to the producers).

Now that you’re well-versed in tequila, it’s time to hear about its cousin mezcal.

MEZCAL WHAT IS MEZCAL?

The definition of mezcal in its simplest form is; the Mexican standard NOM-070SCFI-1994 regulates the production of

EXTRA AÑEJO: This is a relatively recent addition to the NORMA and was introduced in 2006. The requirements with regards to barrel size remains as per Añejo, however to earn the Extra Añejo classification the tequila must be aged for at least three years. These are highly expensive tequilas with limited availability and should be savoured as you would other fine and expensive spirits such as Cognac or Armagnac.

ABACADO OR JOVEN: Bottled immediately after distillation. Earthy and smoky flavour, clear (white) or silver (plata). May legally have the “addition of one or more flavoring or colouring agents, as permitted by the Secretariat of Health and Assistance and Assistance.”

REPOSADO OR MADURADO: Aged between two and 11 months in a wooden barrel or vat. AÑEJO: Aged in oak barrels for at least 12 months in wooden barrels no larger than 200Thelitres.new changes that have come into effect state that mezcal is defined as “A Mexican alcoholic beverage, 100 per cent maguey, obtained by means of the distillation of juices fermented with Mexican>>

THERE WERE THREE CLASSES OF MEZCAL:

TYPE 1: 100 per cent agave, normally artisanal and produced in small batches.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO TYPES OF MEZCAL:

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mezcal and implies the denomination of origin, which limits the production of agave spirits to be called mezcal to the following Mexican states: Oaxaca, Guerrero, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Guanajuato und Tamaulipas.Allcertified mezcal has a NOM on each label, similar to tequila and is certified by the CRM (Mezcal Regulator Council). Mezcal must be bottled at its place of origin and may not be exported in bulk.

TYPE 2: Made from at least 80 per cent agave sugars.

• Mezcal can only be produced with 100 per cent agave

• The CRM (Consejo Regulador de Mezcal) regulates the production of Mezcal similar to the CRT (Consejo Regulador del Tequila)

One of the factors that make mezcal so interesting is the variety of agaves or magueys that may be used and the different characteristics each one has. Here is a list of the most well known varieties:

MADURADO (Matured): Aged in glass for a minimum of 12 months. The label can state the amount of time it has been aged.

THERE ARE FOUR CLASSES OF MEZCAL BLANCO: The Young, un-aged, formerly known as “Joven.”

TYPES OF AGAVES

>> yeasts, whether spontaneous or cultivated, and juices that have been extracted from the mature cooked heads of magueys, harvested within the territory included in the Denomination of Origin, mezcal”.

• Mezcal is the largest DOA in the world, and any species of agave can be used as long as it is grown in the Denomination of Origin areas.

• Mezcal means, “cooked maguey” and thus, according to its origins, traditions and even the meaning of its name, all maguey used to produce mezcal must be cooked prior to beginning the fermentation process. This means that diffusers, while still technically allowed, must be used only after oven or autoclave use. All species of Maguey can be used to produce mezcal

ARTISANAL MEZCAL: No autoclaves, but shredders are still okay. Also no stainless steel fermentation, but single batch distillation only in clay pots or copper stills. These mezcals are made by roasting the agaves, and most use the fibers in fermentation in small wooden containers while distilling them in small copper pot stills, although some may use clay pot stills with copper condensers.

Other villages and regions also in the central valley of Oaxaca include Teotitlan, San Baltazar Chichicapam, Sola de Vega, San Juan del Rio and San Luis del Rio. Each village has its own unique climate and in some cases style of production. So it would be wise to go and try them all.

AÑEJO: Aged over 12 months, in any size or type of wood vessel. The label can state the amount of time it has been aged.

These changes have now bought the mezcal category in line with the current movement taking place within the industry for the benefit of all involved.

REPOSADO: Aged in barrels between two and 12 months. The wood does not have to be oak. The label can state the amount of time it has been aged.

One of the most well known towns for producing mezcal is Santiago de Matatlan in the central Valley of Oaxaca, where some 100-plus brands are produced in small palenques or distilleries.

In 1994, mezcal achieved its recognition as a Denomination of Origin, it can only be produced in eight states of Mexico. They are Oaxaca, Guerrero, Guanajuato, Durango, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Michoacan and Zacatecas. You know, in case you want to visit.

AGAVE ANGUSTIFOLIA OR ESPADIN: The Agave Espadin is the most common

• Export of mezcal in bulk form is prohibited

SOME FACTS ABOUT MEZCAL

Traditionally, all alcoholic beverages made from Agave were called Vino Mezcal, similar to how all Cognac is Brandy but not all Brandy is necessarily Cognac. Tequila was a mezcal but mezcal was not tequila. Confused yet?

ANCESTRAL MEZCAL: Pit ovens only, no shredders, no stainless steel fermentation, and must use maguey fibers. Additionally, only clay pot distillation is allowed where maguey fibers must be used. These fibers add another layer of taste complexity to the spirit that will not exist when distilled without them.

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THERE ARE THREE CATEGORIES OF MEZCAL: Mezcal allows the use of autoclaves (pressure cookers); shredders, stainless steel fermentation, and column still distillation. This allows industrial production to continue. One key point is that a diffuser can be used in this category (or any other) for mezcal production. These mezcals are made in the same manner tequila is made, by steam roasting in ovens as opposed to underground pits, fermented in large tanks, and then distilled in stainless steel stills.

• Mezcal must be between 36 to 55% ABV

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TEPEXTATE: One of the larger agaves used in mezcal production, this plant can take 35 years to mature. It tends to grow in high altitudes above 2000 metres and has huge, broad and twisted leaves. The mezcal produced from tepextate is intense in flavour and is often heavily perfumed, like the gewürztraminer grape.

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variety of agave used in the production of mezcal in the state of Oaxaca. Espadín is most often farmed rather than wild, and it can take between eight to 10 years to mature. It is the predominant variety of agave used in mezcal production simply because of the time it takes to grow, and the volume of sugars it can produce. It is believed to be the genetic parent of blue agave, which is used for tequila, and makes the most approachable of mezcals. It can vary significantly from one village to another. This is because each village will have its own unique elevation and microclimate or terroir that affects the end result. Some mezcals from higher altitudes may have higher, lighter notes. Lower elevations may have deeper, richer notes. Flavour profiles will depend on the vegetation and surrounds of the Palenque (distillery) where the airborne yeast will inoculate the sugars of the agave in the open fermentation tanks.

MEXICANO: This is a sub-variety of agave rhodacantha that prefers to grow in moist areas and at lower elevations and produces a mezcal that tends to be very complex and both sweet and savoury. The plant can take up to 10 years to mature. It’s worth it.

TOBALÁ: Considered the rarest of the agavaceae family, tobalá is cherished by many mezcaleros. It is very small in comparison to other varieties and yields limited quantities of intensely aromatic mezcal. It tends to choose rocky soils, and grows wild in high altitudes, preferring the shade of trees. Tobalá propagates itself only through pollination, it does not send out rhizomes, unlike other varieties of agaves. It relies on bats and other insects to distribute its seeds and pollinate.

DOBADAÁN: More commonly known by its botanical name, rhodacantha, Dobadaán prefers to grow in pine and oak forests, and can be found from Oaxaca to as far north as Sonora.

ARROQUEÑO: This very large agave may reach maturity in anywhere up to 20 years. The mezcal produced from this agave often has a candied aroma, can tend to be earthy, and often finishes with a bitter chocolate note. ❧

MADRECUIXE: Another member of the Karwinskii family is fast growing and can mature in less than six years, usually found in the dry southern central valleys of Oaxaca. It grows tall and has a thick trunk, similar to a yucca plant; its piña is similar to a huge baseball bat. Madrecuixe mezcal has a green character, often with herbal and vegetal notes and subtle aromas.

TOBAZICHE: It looks like a yucca plant with a thin wooden trunk that can reach two metres high and is a member of the Karwinskii family. It has no piña, as do other varieties of agaves, instead, the trunk is cooked in earth ovens. It produces very little juice but has very intense flavours. An average plants can take anything up to 20 to 25 years to grow.

- TEQUILA– 100 –THE STORY OF TEQUILA AVIÓN IS ONE OF PASSION AND A RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF THE BEST, THROUGH PAINSTAKING ATTENTION TO DETAIL: THE BEST AGAVE, THE BEST DISTILLATION TECHNIQUES AND THE BEST FILTRATION. Tequila Avión

At 7,000 feet above sea level in the highest elevations of Jalisco, Mexico, the nutrient rich soil and large temperature swings create a characteristically crisp and naturally sweet agave. Like nowhere else, these conditions forge the finest start for the finest tequila.

The estate grown agaves exclusively used for Avión each take seven to ten years to reach maturity. Only the ripest agaves are selected and hand-harvested by jimadores in the traditional methods.

Avión’s process is inefficient, but Avión isn’t about efficiencies. It is about creating the best. Above all else, Avión believes the liquid comes first and foremost. As entrepreneurs, they will never sacrifice their commitment to the product – no matter the cost.

THE VISION WAS SIMPLE; CREATE the world’s best tasting tequila. Tequila Avión Founder, Ken Austin, a long time tequila aficionado and entrepreneur wanted to share his passion for tequila with the world. Thus, he set out to create a tequila that would embody the rich flavour of highland roasted agave, a flavour that once you taste it, you will never forget it. Ken believed the world should understand that tequila can truly beThedelicious.journey to create Avión led Ken throughout Mexico and Jalisco to find the most coveted rich highland agave. This is where he came upon the small town of Jesus Maria and the Lopez family, a fifth generation agave grower. They spent years blending old-school tequila making techniques with a philosophy of never cutting corners and pushed the current methodologies to create a tequila that surprises the palate and pays homage to the highlands rich, roasted agave. Avión is the result of this pursuit of perfection and together they collaborated to perfect the recipe and process that ultimately created what was voted the ‘World’s Best Tasting Tequila.’

ABOVE: 100% of Avion’s agave comes from Jesus Maria, grown on lands that are owned or managed by the Lopez family. BELOW: Only the finest agave is handpicked when ripe by the Jimadores in the traditional method. >>

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The picturesque town of Jesus Maria is located at the highest point in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico. It is considered the most desirable region for tequila production due to the climate, rich soil and high elevation and has a long, rich heritage in tequila production.

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RIGHT: Avion founder Ken Austin.

ABOVE: Jesus Maria, located at the highest point of Los Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico and home of Avion tequila. BELOW: Slow roasting – after harvesting Avion agave is slow roasted in brick ovens for 3 days.

After harvesting, the agave is slow roasted in brick lined ovens for three days. The low temperatures perfectly caramelise the agave, intensifying the natural sweetness of the plant. Following fermentation, distillation occurs in traditional copper pot stills. The master distiller carefully removes the ‘heads’ and ‘tails’ of the distillate —or first and last liquids to come off the still— a true art and skill in tequila production. This process is continuously repeated to ensure a smooth and complex finished product. After distillation, the tequila spirit undergoes a proprietary ultra-slow filtration system, taking up to ten times longer than other tequilas. This process involves dripping the tequila through beds of activated carbon, removing all trace particulates and significantly softens the texture and flavour of the tequila. During this process the flavours become firmly set to Tequila Avión specification at an exact moment in time– the “moment of elevation.” The result is in an exceptionally smooth finishedFinally,product.everybottle of Tequila Avión is hand-filled and individually penned with the batch number and unique bottle code. These are the final details in the painstaking process of creating the ‘World’s Best Tasting Tequila’. Tequila Avión is one of the fastest growing premium tequilas. Avión Silver was awarded “Best Un-aged White Spirit” at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, 2012 – beating out all other tequilas, vodkas, gins and white rums. With critical recognition of the liquid and painstakingly traditional methods of production, Avión continues to be one of the best Tequilas that has been created in the last 10 years. ❧

Tasting notes

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AVIÓN SILVER Appearance: Clear Aroma: Fresh roasted agave Flavour: Gently sweet and crisp with hints of grapefruit, pineapple, and black pepper; well balanced and exceptionally smooth

AVIÓN REPOSADO Appearance: Light amber Aroma: Roasted agave with pleasant notes of oak and vanilla Flavour: Floral with hints of cherry, peach and pear

AVIÓN AÑEJO Appearance: Rich amber Aroma: Roasted agave with woody notes and hints of peach and cherry Flavour: Luxuriously soft and rich with hints of vanilla, caramel, coconut and maple

AVIÓN ESPRESSO Appearance: Rich, dark espresso Aroma: Roasted Italian espresso beans with smooth tequila Flavour: A delicious combination of roasted Italian espresso and Avion Silver with a touch of agave sweetness and a clean, dry finish

AVIÓN RESERVA 44 Appearance: Rich, dark amber Aroma: Finely roasted agave with hints of warm vanilla and spice Flavour: Expertly complex infusion of ripe luscious fruits and fragrant American oak. A dark, rich flavour experience

Clase Azul

The alcohol is then distilled twice with careful attention ensuring the highest quality spirit before the ageing process begins. Clase Azul Reposado is aged for eight months in American oak barrels, which have been used once. Clase Azul Ultra on the other hand is aged for five years in Spanish sherry barrels and has a superior taste profile compared to other extra-anejo tequilas given that the industry standard for aging is just three years.

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RIGHT: Indigenous Mazhua artisan hand painting a Clase Azul bottle.

CLASE AZUL SPIRITS IS A MEXICAN COMPANY, WHICH HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY A PASSION TO PRODUCE WORLD-CLASS TEQUILA SINCE 1997 – AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT’S DONE.

LEFT: AzulpolishingMazhuaIndigenousartisanaClasebottle.

Following this, Clase Azul elects to slow cook the heart of agave plant – also known as the ‘piñas’ – in an old-fashioned brick oven. This process takes up to 72 hours and works to bring out the natural moisture and sugars of the plant, which is intentionally evaporated so that the most desirable juices are ready for the next step. The cooked piñas are then crushed for their juices, to which a special brand of yeast is added, and the liquid is left to ferment.

When Arturo Lomeli created Clase Azul Tequila, it immediately gained success worldwide. For those looking to try Clase Azul Tequila, you can expect a unique flavour profile. This is because the ultrapremium product is produced in the town of Jesus Maria, one of the highest points in the Los Altos region.

Clase Azul Tequila may be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a range of premium cocktails such as the El Burro, which features fresh lime juice and ginger beer. ❧

THE ESSENCE OF CLASE AZUL SPIRITS

Once the liquid has been distilled twice and matured to optimum flavour, the tequila is ready for bottling. At Clase Azul, each and every bottle of tequila is created by hand to produce a remarkable work of art. Hand sculpted and individually painted, no one bottle is alike.

is inspired by a mission to reveal and rediscover a deeper appreciation of Mexican traditions. As such, Clase Azul tequila is made from organic agave plants that are hand selected in the highlands of Jalisco. This region is considered the most ideal for the cultivation of agave and, in order to ensure a smooth and sweet flavour, the plants are not harvested until they have reached prime maturation.

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CLASE AZUL PLATA

CLASE AZUL REPOSADO

Appearance: Clear Aroma: Sweet, floral and herbaceous notes

Flavour: A surprising hint of sweetness and completely smooth flavour profile that makes it perfect to drink neat or in premium cocktails

Flavour: Tastes of beeswax, raisin toast, cinnamon and nutmeg with a pepper-like finish

Tasting notes

CLASE AZUL ANEJO Appearance: Gold Aroma: A strong and noticeable nose of vanilla, oak and spice

Flavour: Smooth on the palate with toffee butterscotch, vanilla and oak

CLASE AZUL ULTRA Appearance: Deep amber Aroma: Intense and complex with soft oak notes and dark spice Flavour: A mix of toffee apricot sweetness and spice with a long finish

Appearance: Deep, bright gold Aroma: Pure and perfumed notes of capsicum, pickled onion and grilled pineapple, followed by a more peppery, orange cakes scent

CoyoteTequila

After fermentation, the liquid is distilled to raise the alcohol content and produce what is called “ordinario” – an alcoholic liquid which is not yet officially tequila. A second distillation is needed to produce the traditional, clear “blanco” or “silver” tequila.

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TEQUILA’S HERITAGE DATES BACK TO the Aztecs of central America where they produced a fermented beverage from the agave – a succulent plant with long, spiny leaves. Once harvested, the piña or core of the plant is slowly baked in ovens to break down the complex plant sugars into simple fructose. Once “baked”, juice is extracted from the agave and left to ferment.

While historically known for being enjoyed as a traditional shot with the old ‘lick, sip, suck’ method with salt and lemon, today tequila is driving the “cocktail culture” as a base for dozens of popular cocktails that are re-taking the world by storm! Why not whip up a quick and easy margarita to enjoy while relaxing on a warm summers day.

Coyote Tequila is inspired by the south and central west regions of Mexico where the daring and wild coyote calls home and the agave plant grows best. Produced in the highland areas of Jalisco state, Coyote Tequila is an authentic tequila made from the juice of the Weber Blue agave to a traditional Mexican recipe under the strict controls of the Tequila Regulatory Council of Mexico (the “CRT”) who ensure that it is produced to time honoured methods and standards. To ensure the highest quality, Coyote Tequila is double distilled and uses an activated carbon filtering technique to achieve a smoother taste and mouth finish. Once distilled and filtered, it is imported directly from Mexico to Australia where it is bottled, labeled and distributed across the nation.

Coyote Tequila “Blanco” has a smooth and balanced authentic tequila flavour with the earthy vegetative and slightly peppery taste of the agave with a slightly sweet finish. It’s smooth mouth feel, herbal flavours and a hint of fruitiness is a reflection of the tradition and quality that goes into making this cherished spirit.

AUSTRALIA IS EXPERIENCING A TEQUILA RENAISSANCE AND COYOTE TEQUILA CONTINUES TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS TREND, AS IT HAS BEEN FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. WITH ITS SLEEK NEW BOTTLE, RUGGED LABEL AND AUTHENTIC MEXICAN HERITAGE, IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO HOWL ABOUT.

MARGARITAGlass: Martini glass Ingredients: 45ml Coyote Tequila 30ml Continental Triple Sec Liqueur 15ml Fresh lime juice Method: Simply half-fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add ingredients. Seal the shaker, shake for 10 seconds and strain into a chilled Martini glass. For something a bit different, why not run a wedge of lime around the rim of the glass and dip into some salt –delicious. Enjoy! ❧

– 107 – explore TEQUILA & ZAK KAUFMAN AND ZACK ARENSON ARE THE FOUNDERS OF DÉCADA TEQUILA. THE ADVENTURE STARTED WHEN THE TWO EMBARKED ON A JOURNEY TO JALISCO WITH KAUFMAN’S FIANCÉ WHOSE FAMILY ORIGINATED IN THE SMALL TOWN OF JALOSTOTITLAN. THIS IS A REGION KNOWN WIDELY AS ‘LOS ALTOS’ (THE HIGHLANDS). AT THE TIME, THE TWO MEN HAD AN INTERPRETATION OF TEQUILA THAT RENDERED IT A CHEAP, MASS-PRODUCED AND HEADACHE-INDUCING LIQUID PRESENTED IN SHORT, STUMPY BOTTLES. AFTER ARRIVING IN JALISCO, THE TWO MEN ATTENDED A WEDDING WHERE THE BRIDE’S FAMILY HAD PROVIDED FOR GUESTS AN ARTISANAL, LOCALLY MADE, ‘ONE OFF’ BATCH TEQUILA THAT GAVE THEM A COMPLETELY NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE SPIRIT. THIS SPARKED INTEREST AND IN DIVING DEEPER INTO THE WORLD OF TEQUILA AN OBSESSION WAS BORN FOR THE AGAVE SPIRIT.

VODKA

GIN,

YEARS LATER, THE TWO MEN SET OUT to find a distillery to produce a profile that only lived in their head. This became nearly a two-year challenge of battling between farmers and distillers. Unfortunately, the distilleries were not as eager to change or advance tequila into anything outside of what they currently produced and rebottled for an existing number of well-known brands. Farmers were also use to selling their agave early to eager brokers ready to turn a profit. Having been harvested several years early meant that this, along with everything else, made it impossible to create the focused and uncompromisingly smooth profile that DÉCADA was after.

Experts have labeled DÉCADA as an ‘Avery elegant, flavourful, and a stylish sipping blanco”. With comments like this, its no wonder DÉCADA is an award winning tequila. With a pleather of accolades the brand has received, most recenetly DÉCADA was awarded 96 point/Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation and Great Value Award for Silver Tequila at the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge. So there you have it, the story of DÉCADA tequila – an award winning tequila that comes highly recommend by the experts. ❧

DÉCADA DÉCADA breaking the mold with their bottle design. The design is onunlikecontemporaryfunctional,andisanyotherbottlethemarket.

The journey led to the small town of San Francisco De Asis where they met Alfonso Serrano, a local agave farmer and recent distillery owner looking for a brand to produce something different. This partnership also lead to the naming of the brand as the region is located nearly 10,000 feat above sea level – creating a much higher sugar content and delicate ageing requirement of 10 years on average for the agave plants to reach full maturity. Being a single estate producer, DÉCADA has the power to create the smoothest tequila available with artisanal quality. The bottle was then designed in collaboration between the founders and a design firm in Mexico City in an effort to show and create a functionally more advanced packaging with several key benefits. The bottle also needed to show a side of tequila and Mexico that has not been seen. A current and relevant interpretation to present-day culture instead of the same vintage approach and story all brands currently mimic. This is the key differentiator between DÉCADA’s tequila and what needed to be shown in the packaging design. Visually the entire shape represents the “X” shape, which is the logo of the brand. This shape also offers consumers the ability to get a better grip on the robust and polished bottle by grabbing closer to the center. This also allows for easy handling and fast operation for bartenders.

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LEFT: Founder Don Julio Gonzalez.

While Tres Magueyes was a good “standard tequila”, Don Julio Gonzalez’s passion to create great tequila would not allow him to settle for “good”. For over 40 years he painstakingly developed a process that would eventually produce the world’s first luxury tequila. In 1985, to commemorate his 60th birthday, Don Julio Gonzalez’s sons threw a party featuring a batch of tequila called “La Reserva de Don Julio”, or “The Reserve of Don Julio”. This special tequila was wildly popular with Don Julio Gonzalez’s guests. Following the celebration, demand for his product skyrocketed and as a result, two years later, in honour of his 45 years in the tequila industry, he produced “Don Julio Reposado” and made it available to consumers. The introduction of this product, the world’s first luxury tequila, into the marketplace officially created the luxury tequila segment. To this day the process perfected by Don Julio Gonzalez goes into every bottle that bears his name. Don Julio Gonzalez knew that creating superb tequila required using superior ingredients. For this reason he owned his own agave fields and used only the best blue agaves planted farther apart than other growers. This extra room gave his plants more space to grow and fully mature into larger and sweeter plants. After eight to twelve years the agaves are hand-harvested to remove the bitter leaves and ensure a uniform shape and size. Once the leaves are removed, the heart of the agaves, also called a piña for its similar appearance to a pineapple, are cut into quarters and placed into masonry ovens where they are steam cooked for 72 hours.

Don Julio Tequila

“Tres Magueyes” tequila (Maguey being another word for blue agave), which would quickly become one of the most widely available tequila brands in Mexico.

IN 1942, IN THE HILLS OF JALISCO, SURROUNDING THE VILLAGE OF ATOTONILCO EL ALTO, DON JULIO GONZALEZ FOUNDED HIS DISTILLERY, LA PRIMAVERA; A REGION KNOWN FOR ITS RICH RED SOIL AND IDEAL MICROCLIMATE FOR GROWING AGAVES.

DON JULIO GONZALEZ BEGAN PRODUCING

After cooking, the piñas are carefully milled and a precise amount of water is added to create a cooked agave mixture. This mixture is then placed in pot stills where a patented yeast strain is added for fermentation. This liquid is then double distilled and a rigorous selection process removes the “head” and “tail” of the distillation, leaving only the pure “heart” of the tequila. Don Julio Blanco is bottled immediately following distillation, while the other varieties are aged in charred white oak, bourbon-barrels from between eight months and three years, depending on theStartingvariety.with the careful cultivation and harvesting of the signature blue agave, Master Distiller Enrique de Colsa oversees the entire handcrafted process – uniform cutting, slow cooking, careful milling, fermentation using a unique agave yeast strain, small batch double-distillation, and artful blending – to create a consistent and distinctive rich taste. ❧

Tasting notes

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DON JULIO REPOSADO

DON JULIO AÑEJO Appearance: Rich amber Aroma: This alluringly fragrant aged Tequila has a fresh blend of nuts, vanilla, caramel, with cherry and strawberry notes coming through Flavour: Wonderfully complex and balanced with expressions of cooked agave and honey. Distinctive notes of cherry and strawberry contrast the spiciness of vanilla, cinnamon and black pepper flavours; full-bodied with astonishing depth of character. A bright and lightly spiced finish with the essence of wild honey in the background for a delicious long finale that’s slightly bitter

Appearance: Clear Aroma: Crisp, raw agave aromas blended with notes of fresh citrus–lemon, lime and grapefruit combined with other fruit flavours including hints of guava that enhance its style Flavour: A lightly sweet and incredibly pure raw agave flavour immediately excites the palate and rounds out for a smooth and lush Blanco tequila of unrivalled excellence; it’s the heart of the agave. A clean and soft finish complemented by a touch of black pepper and grassy undertones

DON JULIO BLANCO

Appearance: Golden amber Aroma: An inviting aroma of mellow classic cooked agave and honey with tones of fruits with a slight smokiness Flavour: Incredibly soft and elegant hints of dark chocolate, vanilla and light cinnamon balance with subtle notes of pear and apple for a lightly honeyed and caramelized smooth flavour. A silky, warm finish with an essence of dried fruit and nuts, redolent of a caramel apple. The cooked agave’s intense personality really comes through at the end

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Step five is fermentation, where the juice is placed into large vats and left to sit for 96 hours (four days) until an ABV of around 8 per cent is achieved. We’re almost there, but not quite. From here, it’s on to step six: distillation. The spirit is distilled twice to refine its taste and gain a higher percentage of alcohol (score), then, in step seven, it is diluted with purified water. Which brings us to step eight: maturation, only relevant to our Reposado and Añejo expressions (Blanco is un-aged, delivering fresh pure agave notes). This is when the spirit is placed in wooden barrels and develops its signature colour and taste. Finally, we are at step nine: bottling. Where the tequilera has the tough gig of tasting each barrel to make sure it’s good and ready to be sent off and find its way to you.

See? No nonsense, just pure expertise and craftsmanship by the best in the business.

So, what will you do with your El Jimador Tequila? ❧

LET’S JUMP RIGHT IN: NO BULL HERE. JUST REALLY AWESOME TEQUILA THAT RELIES ON EXPERT CRAFTSMANSHIP. MUCH SO THAT THIS JALISCO-CRAFTED SPIRIT IS NAMED AFTER THE HARDWORKING JIMADORS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE. WITH ALL OF THIS CONSIDERED, IT’S NO WONDER EL JIMADOR IS THE NUMBER-ONE SELLING 100% AGAVE TEQUILA IN MEXICO.

The brand name El Jimador honors the men who harvest the agave with great pride and care.

Look closer, you’ll notice an outline etched into the bottle, above the label. That’s a Jimador working hard to harvest the agave that is the heart and soul of tequila. Not only is the brand named after these hard working individuals, but it has chosen to pay homage to the dedication and craftsmanship displayed by these masters of their craft. Next time you’re enjoying a drink with El Jimador, raise your glass to these guys, the ones that made it happen.

Because it’s all about simplicity and quality at the Casa Herradura distillery, you won’t hear any tall tales about the way it’s made, no over-elaborate spiel about the process. El Jimador is 100 per cent, real tequila, and its quality is assured through a nine-step process that the distillery has been perfecting for over two decades. Step one: cultivation. This is where it all begins; where the 100% blue agave is planted in the Casa Herradura fields and left to grow and mature for a minimum of seven years, but can be left up to 10 for certain types of tequila. It is here that they are nurtured by the Jimadors, who make sure they are growing correctly and decide when it’s time for step two; harvesting. When the agave has matured to the Jimador’s liking, its outer leaves are shorn using a large coa (blade) to reveal the piña, the hardened ‘heart’ of the plant, and harvested to be taken to the distillery. Step three is cooking, where the tough piñas are heated to convert the starch into fermentable sugars. The piña resembles a pineapple, but is about as hard as a mature coconut all the way through. Cooking softens the piña hearts so they’re ready for step four: milling. Once all of the piña are properly cooked, we extract the sugary juice.

El Jimador Tequila

So you can mix up your drink shelf, shake up your tipple and get to know this pure spirit on a deeper level. And have a lot of fun doing it.

GOT A BOTTLE IN YOUR HAND?

LEFT: Master Distiller, Cirilo Oropeza. BELOW: Espolòn’s 100% Agave Blanco (left) and Reposado (right).

To get the richer, more intense flavours Cirilo demands, Espolòn does things differently: The piñas used to make Espolòn cook for 18 to 20 hours and are distilled longer than most. Espolòn’s production process creates a bright, well-rounded tequila. Perfect for mixing or sipping, it offers a bold, round palate; medium to full bodied with rich roasted agave, sweet tropical fruit, vanilla and brown spices; and a long spicy finish. Cirilo’s creative approach led to one of the brand’s most anticipated products: Espolòn Añejo Tequila. Launched in the US in 2014, Espolòn Añejo is a traditional Añejo Tequila with a truly unexpected Espolòn twist. As Cirilo often does, he pioneered a technique— the first of its kind in Mexico—where he takes white oak-aged tequila and finishes it for two to three months in heavily-charred American bourbon barrels. The liquid comes to life as it takes on the complex, rich flavour for which bourbon whiskey is famous. Espolòn Añejo Tequila is great in distinctive cocktails, but a tequila this smooth and rich deserves to be sipped on its own.

Espolòn Tequila

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HAILED AS A SUPERIOR TEQUILA, MADE in the proud tradition of Mexico, but with modernEspolòntechniques.tequila,at its core, is a powerful tribute to Mexican culture. Named for the spur of the iconic rooster, a historic symbol of national pride, the brand is a celebration of Mexico’s cultural heritage. Inspired by the richness of Mexico’s storied history, Espolòn sought to capture the true essence of the people and land itself. To best bring these true stories of Mexico to life, Espolòn looked to the work of José Guadalupe Posada, the pioneering 19th-century Mexican artist and printmaker. With a proud salute to Posada’s most revered works, the calavera (skulls), the resulting artwork became the outward expression of Espolòn’s guiding principle: to perfectly capture the true spirit of Mexico. Espolon’s home at the San Nicolas Distillery is located in Jalisco, among the plantations of the Los Altos (Highlands). Known for its highly desired Blue Weber Agave, the region produces agave larger in size and sweeter in aroma and taste. Recognised by many as the “Best Factory in Mexico’, it was designed to Cirilo’s exacting specifications, and is the perfect environment in which to create the rich, flavorful tequilas proudly called Espolòn.

❧

ESPOLÒN IS THE REALISATION OF A LIFELONG DESIRE OF MASTER DISTILLER CIRILO OROPEZA. HIS DECADES-LONG EXPERIENCE AND TALENT FOR THE SCIENCE OF DISTILLATION WERE MATCHED BY A REAL PASSION FOR THE ART OF TEQUILA MAKING. RELYING ON HIS STRICT ATTENTION TO EVERY DETAIL, AND KNOWN FOR HIS UNCONVENTIONAL METHODS, CIRILO PUT THIS DREAM INTO MOTION. HIS GOAL WAS SIMPLE: TO CREATE A TEQUILA SO GOOD THAT HE WOULD BE PROUD TO SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD.

Herradura tequilas are then aged in toasted and charred American white oak barrels to develop additional depth of character and flavour. Only after approval from their Master DistillerMexico’s first female Tequila Master Distiller Maria Teresa Lara, are Herradura tequilas bottled on the estate maintaining its exceptional quality. Tequila Herradura is a prime example original tequila profile from the land where tequila was born. The Amatitan Land. The story of Herradura is a story of familial legacy passed from one generation to the next. An almost equal number of Matriarchs as Patriarchs have ruled the Casa. In each successive Jimadors harvesting the matured Agave plants in the Casa Herradura HAS HARVESTED ESTATE BOTTLED WITH TO FINEST

AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT

CRAFTING THE WORLD’S

THE LEGEND OF TEQUILA HERRADURA began when its founder, Aurelio Lopez, was out inspecting the agave fields and saw a glint of silver on the dusty ground in the distance. When he picked up the gleaming object, it was a horseshoe which had caught the sunlight at the perfect angle. It may not have been a treasure, but for Mexicans a horseshoe represents a symbol of good fortune and protection, so Aurelio decided to name his tequila ‘Herradura’, Herradura meaning horseshoe in Spanish. It is no coincidence that every bottle of Herradura produced today bears this enduring iconic symbol.

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AND

The hand harvested Piñas, the heart of the agave plant, are cooked for up to 26 hours in traditional clay ovens. High pressure cookers that speed up the process are not used. Only the natural occurring air-borne yeasts from the citrus trees of the Hacienda are used in Herradura’s fermentation process, providing the tequila with a unique flavour profile unlike any other. At Casa Herradura they make their tequila in small pot stills. According to their time honored tradition, they double distill to a low proof. This slow, careful method ensures that they craft a unique character that showcases the subtle flavours of cooked agave.

BEEN HAND

SINCEfields. 1870, TEQUILA HERRADURA

TEQUILA. IT IS CREATED USING A PROPRIETARY, TRADITIONAL PRODUCTION PROCESS THAT RESULTS IN A TEQUILA OF UNSURPASSED QUALITY. Tequila Herradura Originality. Passion. Authenticity.

generation, family members have shown their devotion to the code of family. In the Revolution, as one Patriarch was being hunted by the government, the last thing he did before escaping was turn the running of the Casa over to another family member, determined to make sure Herradura was continuously produced in the same, exceptional way. Later, another Patriarch took a stand and said Herradura must always be made with 100 per cent agave – even as other tequila makers looked to easier, cheaper alternatives. The family has always maintained strong ties to generations of workers at the Casa - always fiercely loyal and protective, and they have been bold innovators in tequila – taking chances on an idea when others would not, with their eyes always on the future.

Herradura has been made by a long line of Dons and Doñas– both men and women, that believed in and followed values of their family. Those same values of determination, independence, vision, and natural authority can be found in every drop of Herradura.

Herradura is made in only one place in the small town, Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico – and they still make it using an unchanged process – time tested since 1870. This authentic method blends hand craftsmanship, traditional methods, creativity and a little bit of chance to make Herradura a one of a kind original. Herradura always uses 100 per cent Blue Weber agave that is grown on the estate. The agave is carefully selected at just the right moment, using methods passed down one generation to the next. Agave is hand cut by the Jimadors, using a technique hundreds of years old, learned through an apprenticeship. Natural fermentation is allowed through the use of air born yeast from the Hacienda’s citrus groves and agave fields, ensuring a unique signature of tequila Herradura. Traditional stone ovens are used to cook the agave plants – these same type of ovens have been found in archeological digs thousands of years old. And finally, Herradura uses a pot still distillation process that helps give their tequila its distinctive taste.

Casa Herradura is a place where mystery and myth collide with reality. A place where ghostly conquistadores march through the agave fields, rumors of a fortune in buried Spanish gold abound, Indian myths are retold, Spirit guides roam free, and el Dragon rushes through miles of hidden tunnels beneath the town of Amatitán. Who knows if these legends are true, but it really doesn’t matter. There is something in the air here – you can’t see it but you can feelIt’sit.undefined, you can’t quite put your finger on it but you sense it permeating Casa Herradura – magical, spiritual and enchanting.

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In 2007, Casa Herradura was sold to Brown-Forman Corporation, a family run company also established in the 1870’s who share the same core values and who promised to uphold the heritage and authenticity of Herradura tequilas.

Herradura has been made at the Casa continuously since 1870. It is the last remaining tequila producing hacienda on earth. The last hold out of original tequila making – part tradition and part magic goes into making their unique, artisanal tasting tequila that is enjoyed the world over. More than 145 years since its inception Herradura continues to be Mexico’s leading ultra premium 100 per cent agave tequila. Acclaimed as innovators in the category for creating the first ever rested (reposado) tequila.

Tequila is the drink of Mexico and it comes with a great deal of national pride. It has been said that Mexico is tequila and tequila is Herradura. Herradura is a unique expression of Mexico’s signature national drink and thus is part of the cultural fabric of Mexico. Casa Herradura is located in, Amatitán, the heartland of tequila’s birthplace – part of the lore of both historic and modern Mexico. ❧ The flavour profiles of each expression are determined by the amount of time the liquid is aged in American white oak barrels. Herradura’s portfolio has earned numerous accolades for taste and quality.

Appearance: Intense amber color with shades of copper Aroma: Intense cooked agave, spices and floral notes

Flavour: Smooth with sweet notes of cooked agave, vanilla, butter and dried fruit

ULTRA

Flavour: Smooth with cooked agave, notes of dried fruit and toasted oak

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Appearance: Platinum Aroma: Subtle notes of cooked agave with hints of caramel, vanilla, wood, honey, dried fruits, and toasted almonds

AÑEJO

Flavour: Sweet, mild cooked agave, with a touch of oak

REPOSADO Appearance: Amber with shades of copper Aroma: Cooked agave with a touch of anise, fruit and spices

SELECCIÓNSUPREMA

Flavour: Created for those who love the energy of tequila but are looking for a sweeter, smoother taste

Appearance: Amber with shades of copper Aroma: Intense aroma of cooked agave and notes of spices, toasted oak with nuts

PLATA Appearance: Pale straw Aroma: Herbal, cooked agave and fruit, with a light presence of vanilla and wood

Tasting notes

Flavour: Complex balance between cooked agave, vanilla, toasted oak and dried fruit

Signature serve TOMMY’S MARGARITA Glass: Ingredients:Rocks 45ml Herradura Plata 30ml Fresh lime juice 15ml Herradura Agave nectar Garnish: Lime wedge Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour all ingredients (including ice) into a large rocks glass rimmed with flaked sea salt. Use pink sea salt for best results

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AFTER STARTING WITH A MODEST 100 agave plants, Jose Cuervo’s land has grown to produce millions over the past 250 years and is currently the largest agave holdings in the world.

To create the premium spirit that ends up in a bottle adorned with the Cuervo name, it all still begins with the agave plant. After maturing on the Tequila Volcano for seven years, the agave plants are harvested, and their cores (or piñas) are sent to the La Rojeña distillery; 400 tonnes a day.

Originally, Jose rallied something of an underground tequila movement with fellow enthusiasts to make his own unique version at La Rojeña distillery, now developed into the number one tequila in the world, steeped in history and still made by Jose Cuervo’s descendants.

Then roasted for 40 hours and cooled for 14 hours in an Adobe oven. The oven imparts a unique flavour to the

ABOVE: Once the Jimadors have used a coa to remove the flowers from the agave, they then cut off all the leaves, leaving only the piñas for production.

OPPOSITE: Every drop of Jose Cuervo Tequila is tested to ensure a superior spirit that the man himself would be proud of.

IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN AFRAID OF TEQUILA YOURSELF, DON’T PANIC, YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE. IN 1795, LONG BEFORE THE SPANISH REVOLUTION, THE RULING SPANISH CONQUISTADORES WERE AFRAID OF THE POWER TEQUILA WOULD HAVE AND SWIFTLY BANNED IT. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE END OF THIS VERSATILE SPIRIT AS WE KNOW IT, BUT ONE TENACIOUS YOUNG MAN REFUSED TO LET THE LIQUID DIE. HIS NAME? JOSE MARIA GUADALUPE DE CUERVO. THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE PERMISSION TO MAKE AND SELL TEQUILA.

Jose Cuervo Tequila

While the agave hearts are certainly put to good use in the form of tequila, what happens to the leaves after they are removed during harvesting? Not to be wasted, the leaves have many uses once discarded. Some are converted into a rich fertiliser and ploughed back into the 12 acres of compost to produce further crops of agave, while some fibres are even used to make agave paper and cookies for local families. piñas and helps convert the starches into fermentable sugar. After the piñas have cooked, they are taken to four mills to be ground and the juice is extracted and separated from the ‘bagasse’. The juice, known as must, is sent to fermentation tanks for roughly 50 to 60 hours, before going through a rigorous process of distillation, condensation and rectification to produce drinkable white tequila. The spirit must then age slowly in toasted wooden barrels to develop a distinct flavour and character. Depending on the flavour profile of the tequila that is being produced, the barrels are toasted to different levels: light, medium, and strong. While sitting in these barrels, the spirit matures and takes in the flavour and aromas of the wood before it is finished and ready to be enjoyed. ❧

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The Three Amigos, an American Western comedy where three film stars identity is mistaken for real heros in a small Mexican village. In this scene the Three Amigos, played by Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase), Lucky Day (Steve Martin) and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short) walk into a bar requesting three beers, but they only serve tequila.

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Created in 2009, Olmeca Altos’ Maestro Tequilero Jesus Hernandez teamed up with two of the world’s most recognised bartenders; Henry Besant and Andres Masso. Searching for a 100 per cent agave tequila for craft cocktails at an affordable price for their bar in London, they collaborated with Jesus to create a high quality, agave-rich tequila good enough to sip or mix in a cocktail.

Olmeca Altos is one of the few tequilas in the world that has its own dedicated team of jimadores who hand harvest the agaves using techniques handed down over generations; the head jimadore has 33 years experience working the fields and with his sons can harvest a fully ripe agave within 10 minutes.

OLMECA ALTOS IS A HIGH QUALITY, SUPER PREMIUM, 100 PER CENT AGAVE TEQUILA. AT ITS HEART IT COMBINES THE BEST OF THE TRADITIONAL AND MODERN METHODS OF MAKING TEQUILA TO PRODUCE A TASTE THAT IS BOTH INCREDIBLY SOFT AND SMOOTH AT THE SAME TIME AS BEING RICH AND COMPLEX.

After roasting and crushing the agaves the fermented ‘mosto’ is then distilled twice in order to concentrate the alcohol and select the heart of the distillate. At this stage the liquid is boiled at different temperatures (60 - 90°c), condensing, separating, and concentrating the alcohol. The spirit comes out of the still at approximately 57% ABV, maintaining a large amount of agave flavours. Even though copper is a soft metal that needs a lot of maintenance, Olmeca uses copper pot stills because copper has the property of attracting sulphur and other free radicals from the fermented ‘mosto’. This has a large impact on the final taste of the Olmecadistillate.usesAmerican white-oak barrels for the aging process. These barrels have been previously used for aging bourbon. New barrels are not used for aging Olmeca because they deliver too much oakiness, masking the delicate fruity and spicy tequila

produced at the ‘Destileria Colonial de Jalisco’ located near Arandas in ‘Los Altos’ (the Highlands) region of Jalisco. The state of the art distillery was opened in 1997 and acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2001. The distillery is equipped to produce high quality, premium tequilas for Olmeca, as well as producing tequila for the local Mexican market.

Olmeca Altos

The genius of Olmeca Altos is that it combines the traditional and modern methods of making tequila. Maestro Jesus was part of the design team for the Distillery and insisted on the installation of a ‘Tahona’ wheel pit for the crushing of the cooked agaves during the production process. This 500-year-old method is only done by a handful of tequila producers today. The traditional Tahona method consists of crushing the cooked agaves with a two tonne volcanic millstone to draw out the sweet juice and syrup from the fibre, giving the tequila a richer, softer, rounder flavour. The prolonged contact between the agave’s juices and fibres during this stage, as well as in fermentation, promotes the soft, vegetal aromas and flavours that are balanced nicely by the vibrancy of the machine wheel crushed agave tequila. The distillates from the two separate processes are combined at the end to produce a perfectly balanced tequila.

Duringflavours.the8to 10 month aging process, for the Olmeca Reposado, subtly sweet, woody flavours are absorbed by the spirit as it interacts with the barrel and the ambient air. ❧

OLMECA ALTOS IS EXCLUSIVELY

The ‘Los Altos’ region is located at 2,100m above sea level and provides the ideal growing conditions for agaves. The slightly cooler temperatures and higher rainfall produce agaves with a higher content of fermentable sugars compared to their lowland counterparts. Combined with the famous ‘tierra roja’ (red earth), a soil high in iron oxide and other minerals, this unique terroir contributes to the cultivation of the highest quality agaves, which are matured for seven to ten years, depending on climatic variables, before they are harvested when fully ripe.

Flavour: Initially sweet in the mouth, leading to full-bodied mouth-feel with citrus notes and cooked agave. The finish is well balanced and long lasting OLMECA ALTOS REPOSADO Appearance: Golden yellow

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Flavour: A sweet sensation in the mouth with soft tannins and subtle citrus notes. The full-bodied mouth-feel is accentuated by balanced flavours of roasted agave, vanilla and soft integrated oak

Tasting notes

OLMECA ALTOS PLATA Appearance: Clear Aroma: Herbal and savoury notes of cooked agave, balanced with slightly sweet and subtle citrus notes

Aroma: Sweet, fruity and fresh citrus notes of orange and grapefruit balanced with cooked agave notes of vanilla and subtle oak

After this, the mostos are distilled separately in hand-made copper pots. The fruiter Tahoma distillate is then blended with the roller distillate to create Patrón Silver Tequila. This combination of distillates gives Patrón a smooth, fresh flavour. Finally, distilled water is used to reduce Patrón silver from 55% to 40% ABV.

For those interested in witnessing the production of Patrón, check out the Art of Patrón Virtual Reality Experience. Leveraging Oculus technology, this 360-degree virtual reality experience captures the actual, every day process of production, aging and bottling and features actual members of the Patrón team. Enabled with sight and sound, it allows participants to witness firsthand, the care and attention that go into every bottle.

FRANCISCO ALCARAZ CREATED THE recipe for Patrón Tequila. Having completed a degree in chemical engineering, Francisco went on to work as an inspector for the Industry and Commerce Department in Mexico. He later became a tequila consultant and subsequently Master Distiller at Patrón.

The production of Patrón Tequila is also unique in that two crushing methods are used, one ancient and one modern. In the first method, the roasted Piñas (the heart of the agave plant) are crushed in roller mills and washed in purified well water, which separates the syrup from the fiber. In the second method, the traditional Tahona mill is used to crush the agave into fibrous pulp. The combination of these two methods adds to the spirit’s unparalleled flavour, aroma and finish. As for the fermentation process, Patrón is one of four distilleries among hundreds to use only wood fermenters. The end product of the crushed agave is called mosto and for each method there is a different fermentation process. The mosto from the Tahona mill is fermented with bagasse, while the mosto from the roller mill is not.

Patrón Tequila

Patrón Tequila is made from 100 per cent blue weber agave from the Los Altos region in Mexico. Once the agave is harvested it is roasted in a small brick oven. This process takes up to 79 hours to complete and differs from many, as most other producers use high-speed steamers instead.

Not only is Patrón the world’s finest tequila, but it’s also an environmentally friendly brand, which has been recognised by the Mexican Government. Taking a leadership role in the industry, Patrón is engaged in a revolutionary new process that turns the leftovers from creating tequila into usable compost, thereby eliminating waste. The compost is then converted into fertiliser and used to grow organic vegetables in an on-site garden.

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IN 1989, JEAN PAUL DEJORIA AND MARTIN CRAWLEY SET OUT TO PRODUCE THE WORLD’S FIRST AND FINEST, ULTRA-PREMIUM TEQUILA – AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID.

While Patrón Silver is bottled without any age, the Reposado tequila matures for at least two months, the Añejo for one year and the Extra Patrón for three. Now it is time to bottle the tequila, which is then inspected by 60 hands before it is ready to be shipped to the factory.

Translating to ‘the good boss’ in Spanish, Patrón is the number one, ultra premium tequila in the world. ❧

PATRON SILVER Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: Fresh agave with fruit and citrus Flavour: Smooth and sweet. Fresh agave with hints of citrus

Appearance: Dark, rich brown Aroma: Fresh coffee balanced with chocolate and vanilla Flavour: The rich taste of fresh-roasted coffee, notes of chocolate, vanilla and light tequila

PATRON REPOSADO Appearance: Clear and bright with a light amber tint Aroma: Oak wood, light, fresh agave and a hint of citrus Flavour: Smooth and sweet. Excellent balance of fresh agave and oak wood, with notes of fruit, citrus and honey

Appearance: Clear, warm amber Aroma: Medium oak wood, vanilla and raisins with a faint hint of citrus Flavour: Smooth and sweet. Distinct oak wood, complemented by vanilla, raisins and honey with a hint of melon

Tasting notes

PATRON AÑEJO

PATRON XO CAFÉ

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THE GREAT ORIGIN DEBATE IS WHETHER POLAND OR RUSSIA FIRST MADE VODKA. AS NEUTRAL SPIRIT HAD BEEN MADE FOR TWO AND A HALF CENTURIES IN EUROPE, THE REAL QUESTION IS WHO HAS NAMING RIGHTS. THAT WAS SOLVED WHEN THE POLISH CALLED THEIRS WÓDKA AND RUSSIANS WENT FOR VODKA. WORDS CHRIS MIDDLETON

History of Vodka Explore the

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THE HISTORY OF VODKA FROM THE 1500S also becomes a central part of the history of Russia. It was not until the first decade of the 16th century, vodka made its debut in Moscow. This is a country that remained both vodka obsessed and feudal until the 1917 Revolution. Of course vodka survived the Tsars and the communists whoThefollowed.Tsars,his retinue of nobles, merchants and administrators controlled just about everything, the land, production, to the sales of goods. From the 17th century, the Tsars monopolised vodka distilling and sales through Stateowned taverns. By this, 1600s vodka had become Russia’s favourite drink of social, ceremonial and recreational life. Tsar Alexis used the excuse of the widespread vodka abuse and drunkenness in 1652 to ban all distilleries and put the production of vodka under the State. This secured him a lucrative source of revenue to featherbed his empire and private indulgences. By the end of the 17th century, the word vodka had become common parlance for Russia’s distilled spirit. By the early 18th century, another Tsar was selling distilling concessions to raise more income. These vodka distilling rights were given to privileged nobles and sold to merchants, known by the whimsical term, tax farming. Vodka was Russia’s universal drink and generated half the State’s revenue from licenses and sales. Vodka funded the lavish lifestyles of the nobility and paid for Russia’s frequent wars. Peasant and Tsar seemed locked into a drunken dance of mutual intoxication. We think of vodka as clear and nearflavourless spirit. This is 20th century vodka. Since the beginning vodka was coloured and flavoured to make it palatable, even a medicinal nostrum. This same flavouring phenomenon was happening to all white spirits, from Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands to England, Scotland and Ireland. It was not until the 19th century, when science and knowledge brought about profound changes to the quality of spirits that significant improvements were made in fermentation, distillation, filtration and cask maturation, shaping standards for the spirits we drink today. If we stepped out of a carriage in Moscow in the 1780s to attend a princely dinner we would discover vodka was double distilled, possibly triple distilled and even quadruple distilled. This high proof vodka was diluted with water for drinking and fashionably flavoured with honey water. Our host would proudly present his estate distillery’s range of aromatised vodkas. Some nobility had hundreds of flavours: caraway, St John’s Wort, honey, wormwood, hops and juniper, acorn, birch bark, cherry, mint, pepper, anise, cloves, willow, blackcurrant, raspberry melon, bitters, lemon, cinnamon, aniseed, cumin, rose etc. These flavourings were used in vodka blending games, where the first initial of the flavoured vodkas formed a word and guests were challenged to play by taste. Our palates today would find most of these vodkas crude to taste, even when masked with sugar and flavourings. One hundred years later, these aromatised vodkas were standardised for mass consumption. The leading flavours were cherry, raspberry and currant, sweetened with sugar. After Prohibition, production standards improved and greater product purity was achieved, unflavoured vodka became the norm.

Western liquor store shelves contain hundreds of flavoured vodkas, ranging from the traditional additives such as raspberry and vanilla, to unusual, such as bacon, smoked salmon, hemp, peanuts to cut grass. ❧

Today, flavoured vodka represents only 5 per cent of global vodka sales. There are probably as many flavours sold today as Tsarist Russians once stocked.

OPPOSITE: View on Nevsky Prospect and Admiralty building in Saint Petersburg, Russia ABOVE: Wódka, the Polish word for vodka

“NOBODY IN THE WORLD KNOWS WHAT VODKA IS MADE OUT OF, AND THE REASON I TELL YOU THIS IS THAT IS THE STORY OF VODKA IS THE STORY OF RUSSIA” - WILL ROGERS, US COLUMNIST, 1924 WORDS CHRIS MIDDLETON World of Vodka IS IT NOT STRANGE THAT VODKA, A traditional spirit, synonymous with Eastern Europe and especially Russia, became the post-modern drink of the West? Since its introduction into the Western Hemisphere in the 1950s, it has become the second largest spirit category in Australia, largest in America and dominates global sales. More intriguing was that non-mainstream communities adopted vodka. In the West, when we looked for ‘reds under the bed’, commos were our greatest fear (other than public speaking) and all things Soviet viewed with deepest suspicion. Who could have predicted vodka became the drink de rigueur amongst youth, emergent gay communities, liberated women’s groups, even macho cohorts, as well as the spirit of choice for suave fictional characters like James Bond. This was quite the achievement to recruit patronage from such disparate and self-aware groups of free-thinking drinkers, all fearful of Soviet world domination. We are also talking about a spirit that is tasteless, odourless, clear and usually 40 per cent ABV. The secret to vodka’s success was in how the major brands created exciting imagery and marketed this products purity. Vodka’s sensory appeal was its clean taste. It went with just about everything and anyone. Its purity connoted health and aspiration. Unscrupulous marketers even claimed purity would not produce headaches (all alcohol will, through excessive dehydration). Naked ethanol climbed to the top of the alcohol market and triumphed. What sweet irony. Winston Churchill called Russia a riddle wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Never more true than vodka. It just keeps offering up new surprises. The modern flavoured vodka trend recycled the original way vodka was first made. Russian aristocrat distillers in the 18th century competed amongst themselves by compounding hundreds of flavoured vodkas to demonstrate their connoisseurship. Smirnoff’s popularity in Tsarist Russia was for his sweetened anise, cherry, cranberry, currants, raspberry vodkas. As they experimented with different flavour combinations, vodka distillers were also seeking greater purity, cleaner taste. They pioneered new filtration and clarification processes. They set the vodka quality standards on filtration, the number of distillations and minimum drinking strength (40 per cent ABV) in the late 19th century. They were indifferent to which raw materials were

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BELOW: Potatoes can be used as the raw material for making vodka

Moonshine distilled liquid. There’s a large illicit industry still making moonshine vodka

– 127 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA used allowing grain, potatoes, sugar beet and other carbohydrates to be the distilled sources of alcohol. July 1914, Russia also became the first country in the world to declare national Prohibition on distillation and sales. Restaurants were initially permitted to serve alcohol, after the 1917 Revolution they too stopped. Prohibition lasted until 1925. Today, modern Russia again dominates vodka production and sales with over 4.4 billion litres. That’s legally distilled vodka; there’s a large illicit industry still making moonshine vodka. With vodka now firmly established in all western countries, should we be surprised regulations, production and quality standards vary around the world. In 2008, the EU required vodka not made from cereals or potatoes must label the carbohydrate used for the base spirit.

The US has set rigid conditions on charcoal filtering, distillation proof and sale at not less than 40 per cent ABV. Australia, in the late 1960s, recognised vodka as a distinct spirit made from any carbohydrate and allowed it to be sold at the lower 37 per cent ABV whereas the EU said 37.5 per cent. Australian vodka can be made from grain, molasses, grape spirit, potatoes even dairy milk. ❧

VODKA IS ABOUT PURITY. PURITY MEANS GETTING AS CLOSE TO CLEAN ETHYL ALCOHOL WHILE STILL LEAVING A PLEASING CHARACTER IN THE VODKA. DON’T BE SURPRISED TO LEARN NO VODKA IS COMPLETELY TASTELESS OR ODOURLESS. THAT’S BECAUSE GOOD BRANDS HAVE BETTER FERMENTATIONS, DIFFERENT CARBOHYDRATES ARE FERMENTED, AND CONDUCT REPEATED DISTILLATIONS, THEN EMPLOY MULTIPLE FILTRATIONS TO REMOVE UNDESIRABLE CONGENERS AND FUSEL OILS. THESE QUALITY BRANDS BOTTLE VODKA THAT IS WHOLESOME AND OF HIGH PURITY. BUT EACH BRAND HAS A TINY BIT OF IT CHARACTER IMPLANTED IN THE VODKA. AT THE DAWN OF RUSSIAN DISTILLING, vodka was very crudely made on primitive earthenware and wooden tub stills, using mainly rye, also oats, barley and buckwheat. These hardy cereals survived the harsh Russian climate and would later form part of the recipes each distillery mashed to make their house style of vodka. By the late 18th century, European copper pot stills were being imported by aristocratic families to distil their estate vodka distilleries, flavourings being essential for palatability. Any surplus production, by law, was sold to the Tsar at fixed prices. The official measurement of vodka was in buckets (around 13 litres) until 1895, after which litres were adopted and bottled vodka did not start until after 1885. What differentiated vodka from other neutral white spirits made in Europe was Russia’s attention to filtration. This rectification process made the spirit cleaner and purer to the taste. Since the 16th century rectification used some crude methods to liberate the alcohol, such as freezing out the alcohol, filtering through woollen blankets, sand, and charcoal, as well as using coagulants like milk and egg white to filter out suspended particles. The big break-through came when Joseph Tobias Lowitz, a German chemist working at the St Petersburg Academy of Sciences undertook a systematic study of charcoal filtration in 1785. He studied the absorbency properties of dozens of woods on different substances, reporting the superior value of birch wood, alder and lime wood charcoal for vodka rectification. This was the turning point that would start to improve Russian vodka through the 19th century. In 1826, Tsar Nicholas abolished the State monopoly (again, until another Tsar nationalised all distilleries 1904). Distilling licences could be purchased by free citizens and even foreigners who were not nobility. By 1860, only one Moscow distiller was Russian, the rest were French and German. It was during this time of imported technological advances in steam and semi-continuous distilling, French, German and English equipment began to arrive in Russia. The French had also made significant inroads into sugar beets and sugar beet distilling when the Napoleonic Wars blocked their West Indies colonies and sugarcane trade. Germany had no sugar cane colonies, encouraging them to pioneer potato distilling. Sugar beets and potato became cheap and reliable raw materials for distilling. These were subterranean vegetables, less prone to surface crop losses from frosts, floods, diseases and wars. The 19th century, saw grain harvests rebounded under improved cultivation practises, the introduction of mechanisation and a long run of good seasons. Russia was producing grain surpluses which they exported to Europe as a needy foreign exchange. Peasants by 1860 represented over 80 per cent of the 60 million Russians. The following year, Tsar Nicholas II emancipated tens of millions of Russian serfs. The demand for vodka began to soar. With grain prices rising due to exports, cheaper production turned to the poor tasting potato and beets to meet the working class demand for cheap and plentiful vodka. Religion may have been the opium of the masses, Tsar needed vodka to keep the masses happy andBysedated.the1880s, new continuous distilling plant was introduced from Europe but proved impractical to meet Russia’s insatiable thirst for cheap vodka. The problem with the new stills was Russian rye; it is a difficult mash to handle due to the grain’s inherent stickiness. So too were beets and potatoes, both thick mashes that clogged the equipment. Russian engineers began designing plant to work specifically with these materials. By the 1890s, new continuous distillation plant and retorts were starting to make inroads into more highly rectified spirits. Further advances in filtration and quality control were also improving standards and product quality. Sensory studies by Dimitri Mendeleyev in 1865, recommended vodka not be sold under 40 per cent ABV, which became law in 1894. New discoveries in filtration started to become regulated; controlling ratios of charcoal powder to pellets, depth of filtration columns, frequency of replacement, to the maximum age of birch wood for charcoal making.

ExploreProductionVodka

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The new USSR appeared in 1922 and three years later the prohibition on sales was abolished. Taking a leaf from the Tsars authoritarian rule, the new Soviet State took full control of Russian liquor production and sales. Distilling started in 1924 and began to incorporate new plant technology and filtration systems. Modern vodka was born, comrade.

Vladimir Smirnoff (he changed the name to be French sounding version in 1923), followed other Russian émigrés to cities of a safe harbour. First, he moved to Istanbul in 1919, then Sophia, Bulgaria, eventually settling in Nice, France. In each city Vladimir licenced local distillers with the Smirnoff name and recipe to market vodka to exiled Russians and locals. In 1933, he met a Russian-American, Rudolph Kunnet whose family originated in Ukraine and had supplied the Smirnov Moscow distillery with grain. He sold the Smirnoff rights in the US to Kunnet. Two months after US prohibition had been repealed in 1933, Kunnet began making Smirnoff vodka in Bethel, Connecticut.

The 1917 Revolution also sent many Russians and distillers into exile. The famous Smirnov family and at the time of Prohibition a leading vodka distillery in Moscow, selling 45 million bottles in 1896, saw some family members escape Russia.

Kunnet’s Smirnoff vodka was serving the Slavic immigrant communities around

Another Russian would invent activated carbon in 1907. When the Prohibition on distilling lifted in 1924, activate carbon filtration joined improvements in continuous distillation. As cheap and plentiful vodka flooded Russian society, the incidences of drunkenness grew alarmingly high. By 1893, over 3.6 billion litres of vodka flooded across the country. The abuse of vodka had become internationally infamous. Australian newspapers reported the extent of Russian drunkenness was unparalleled to any other country. Articles described King Vodka as the new Russian Tyrant where ‘peasants drink vodka until they die’. To kerb consumption and gain control of the rich revenue stream vodka was producing 60 per cent of the State’s income, another Tsar Nicholas II nationalised all distilleries in 1904. The announcement of the First World War was the excuse the Tsar needed to prevent excessive consumption. In July 1914, he declared a national prohibition on distilling, shutting down his private industry. The public sale of any alcohol he restricted to restaurants, where the bourgeoisie and aristocratic elite could afford to inhabit and quaff fine wines and toss down good vodka. The Russian people must have been distraught that they were excluded from their beloved vodka. In the middle of the Great War, the country imploded with the 1917 Russian Revolution. It proved to be two sequential revolutions, the February Revolution (held in March, as Russia was still on the old Julian calendar until 1918) and then the November Bolshevik Revolution. The country fell into turmoil. The Communists did keep prohibition.

SO WHY DO BRANDS OF VODKA TASTE SO DIFFERENT? Raw materials play a big part. Potatoes, now astutely distilled in modern distilleries, offer the drinker a more voluptuous mouth feel. A peppery note is detectable in the rye vodka. Wheat brings out a softer taste. Each raw material leaves small but discernible character on its vodka. Then there are also the grain recipes. Russian rye distillers would add small quantities of flaked oats, buckwheat or cracked wheat, no more than 2 per cent of the mash bill to make their flavour profile. Different yeast strains can leave microscopic flavour traces from the esters and chemical compounds during fermentation. Then different still technologies and distilling techniques impart subtle character on the spirit. Finally, different filtering processes and materials imprint their finishing impression.Whenvodka distillers talk about their secret recipes, it involved a combination of grains, including local varieties such as the Russian rusa rye, together with their house yeast. It could have been slow double or triple distilled in copper or stainless steel stills, or rectified through retorts. Or a highly rectified spirit produced to 95 per cent ABV purity in a continuous column still. Finally, different filtration methods using deep beds of hardwood charcoal, special quartz sand or activated carbon affects organoleptic of the final product. These production variables are as endless as the flavour nuances we can detect between vodkas. So while all vodka should be odourless, clear and tasteless, each brand will show its subtle character to the attentive drinker.

WHITE WHISKEY: Sometimes marketing success happens by accident. Rudolph Kunnet, who began producing Smirnoff in America in 1934, was facing financial difficulties by 1939. He sold the Smirnoff rights and recipe for $14,000, plus 5 per cent royalties for five years to John Martin at Heublein of Hartford, Connecticut. When Heublein started production, they did not have enough Smirnoff caps, so they used some leftover caps identified as whiskey. Ten cases with these caps were shipped to Columbia, South Carolina. No sooner had the order been delivered than the distributor ordered another fifty cases, then five hundred. Intrigued by the leaping sales in Columbia, Martin called on the distributor. He discovered an enterprising salesman was selling Smirnoff as white whiskey – no smell, no taste. The locals were substituting Smirnoff with whiskey, mixing with milk, orange juice, cola and whatever took their fancy. ❧ Wheat fields ready for harvest. When distilled wheat brings out a softer taste in vodka

- EXPLORE VODKA– 130 –the greater New York and tri-State area. By 1939, Smirnoff was selling 5,000 cases a year. After the Second World War, US vodka market had exploded to over 850,000 cases in 1953. Vodka was on a roll and Smirnoff was fast becoming the world’s most popular vodka. The same story gets repeated in the UK, Canada, and Australia. To meet the increasing demand caused by east European immigrants, new large vodka distilleries were commissioned in Anglo markets during the early 1950s. Instead of Russian rye, Canada and the US used mainly corn and wheat, substituting local hardwoods and activated carbon for Russian materials. In Australia, we used a barley/wheat mix with activated carbon to make our vodkas and Smirnoff. Vodka became a truly international spirit, in both consumption and places of production.

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IN RUSSIA, VODKA RITUALS USUALLY MEAN SHOTS. VODKA IS A SOCIAL DRINK, SO THIS INVOLVES FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FOOD. THE VODKA IS SERVED CHILLED, IN SMALL GLASSES. CHILLED VODKA WAS FORMALLY USED TO SUPPRESS UNPLEASANT CONGENERS, OR OFFENSIVE FLAVOURS FROM INFERIOR VODKA WHILE MAKING THE LIQUID FEEL RICHER AND MORE VISCOUS TO THE TASTE. AFTER A CELEBRATORY TOAST THE VODKA IS TOSSED DOWN, FOLLOWED BY FOOD. THIS BEHAVIOUR CAN BE REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE MEAL. THE VODKA ACTS AS A DIGESTIVE TO THE RICH FOODS AND ENSURES GREATER CONVIVIALITY AMONGST THE GUESTS AT THE SHARED TABLE. A traditional ritual in Russia is vodka shots

Explore Vodka Cocktails

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VODKA MADE ITS FIRST APPEARANCES in the US, when the first wave of East European and Russian immigrants arrived at the turn of the 20th century. Discovered by experimental bar staff, often the drinks innovators, they found this neutral spirit needed some spicing up to entice Americans to drink this new liquor. It is fitting the first claimed vodka cocktail, the Russian, was credited to New Orleans, America’s home to cocktails. The focus moved to New York City, the centre for modern vodka cocktail creations. It was also this city where most East Europeans had settled, and vodka brands were becoming more common.

❧ YEAR COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS 1911 RUSSIAN COCKTAIL Vodka & rowanberry 1920s VODKA MARTINI Prohibition, with vermouth VODKA COLLINS Prohibition, lemon juice, sugar & soda 1935 VODKA QUEEN Vodka, Benedictine & bitters 1938 GYPSY QUEEN Vodka, Benedictine, orange & lemon juice 1938 SCREWDRIVER Vodka, orange juice & ice 1941 MOSCOW MULE Vodka, ginger beer, lime juice (LA) 1949 BLACK RUSSIAN Vodka, coffee liqueur & ice 1950s WHITE RUSSIAN Vodka, coffee liqueur, milk/cream & ice 1950s KANGAROO/ VODKA MARTINI Vodka, vermouth, ice, olive garnish 1950s BULLSHEET Vodka, beef broth, pepper, Tabasco/Worcestershire 1964 BLOODY MARY Vodka, tomato juice 1971 HARVEY WALLBANGER Vodka, Galliano & orange juice 1970s SLOW SCREW UP AGAINST THE WALL Vodka, sloe gin, Galliano & orange juice 1972 LONG ISLAND ICED TEA Vodka, triple sec 1987 COSMOPOLITAN Vodka, lime & cranberry juice 1995 VODKA RED BULL Vodka & Red Bull energy drink (UK) The Moscow Mule cocktail, includes vodka, ginger beer, squeeze of fresh lime and garnished with fresh mint. Traditionally served in a copper mug

MOSCOW MULE: John Martin, the owner of Heublein and the Smirnoff brand in America, made frequent trips to Los Angeles when he was courting his wife-to-be, Hollywood actress Jane Weeks. He visited the Sunset Strip bar stocking Smirnoff, called the Cock ‘n Bull. Vodka sales were reputedly slow at this bar back in 1941, so with the owner Jack Morgan and bartender Wes Price they formulated a new cocktail using one part vodka, two parts ginger beer, with a splash of lime juice, ice, and mint to garnish. To give the new cocktail novel presentation, Morgan suggested a copper mug which a local friend manufactured. It looked smart and distinctive while keeping the drink cold. They chose the name Moscow Mule as Russian vodka still had a mistaken reputation as having the kick of a mule.

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Interestingly, the first potatoes were only planted in North America in 1791, when Irish immigrants brought the first tubers to New Hampshire from Ireland.

Vodka in Australia

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AUSTRALIANS 14 MILLION BOTTLES OF VODKA AND 93 MILLION RTD (READY TO DRINK) A YEAR. IT’S OUR SECOND FAVOURITE SPIRIT AFTER WHISKY. BACK IN THE EARLY 1950S, IT WAS UNKNOWN EXCEPT TO SOME EAST EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS LOOKING FOR THE TASTE OF HOME.

Mohawk chief, Bright Canoe gave testimony to this new historical revelation. He stated his grandfather once made a potato spirit, suggesting this was proof enough vodka was made in Canada some 1150 years earlier. The chief confessed, being a Canadian, he only drank Canadian whisky.

‘RUSSIA DID NOT INVENT VODKA’: A most bizarre attempt at misinformation was propagated by one of America’s largest distillers during the Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union. Publicker tried to disenfranchise vodka from Russia and their captive nations, Poland and the Baltic States, by claiming Incas invented vodka. In 1956, they unleashed a PR campaign in support of the launch of their new American vodka, Cavalier. At the Waldorf Astoria, journalists were ‘aghast with surprise’ as VP John Leblon and historian Mrs. Karmatz revealed this extraordinary story. They told how the Incas in Peru, ’brewed up some wild tubers one afternoon to come up with a potent drink’. The Incas also discovered corn and quinoa could make their chatka booze. This was part of the assertion that the Russians even appropriated the word chatka for vodka. The Incas later took their chatka to the far north, to the Iroquois nation of North America who disseminated it to other tribes.

Around 800 ACE, the local Beothuk tribe encountered the seafaring Varangians. These were Vikings who landed in Newfoundland, Canada and commenced distilling the world’s first vodka with corn and presumably potatoes too.

DRINK OVER

CANS

THE FIRST VODKA MOST LIKELY CAME when the first Russians started to immigrate to Australia in the 1890s. One enterprising group of Russian émigrés settled in Brisbane after the 1917 Revolution bringing 919 gallons of vodka with them (4,178 litres). When they discovered Customs would be charging them 42 shillings a gallon excise ($150,000 in today’s value), they refused, so it was poured into Moreton Bay by officials. Until the Russian Revolution in 1917, less than 15,000 Russians had immigrated to Australia. One of these immigrants, Peter Walcaw, claimed to be the nephew of Peter Smirnov and had worked as a chemist at the Moscow distillery before immigrating in 1911. In 1943, he began marketing a liqueur vodka using the Peter Smirnoff formula in Sydney. Duplicating the Russian recipe, he used filtered grain spirit, compounded with sugar and fruits such as cherry and apple. In 1952, he sold his business to the Curtis family who three years earlier emigrated from Hungary. They continued to produce and sell Peter Smirnoff vodka made in Sydney, later becoming Continental Distillers. In Adelaide, a recent arrival from Estonia, Ernst Kirsch also started making vodka in 1952, calling it Etka. Down in Melbourne, W & A Gilbey’s began importing Smirnoff made in the US in 1954. A couple of years later they would be making Smirnoff at their Melbourne gin distillery. As well as locally made vodkas, Polish vodka was also being imported after the Second World War. After a trademark challenge by W & A Gilbey’s against Continental Distillers prompted Continental to build a large distillery in Pagewood, Sydney. There they produced Karloff vodka from 1964, a year later United Distillers in Port Melbourne launched Robka. Vodka was quickly moving from its traditional ethnic base to a new audience of young Australian adult drinkers. Even though dozens of brands were imported from Europe, Australian made vodka led the pack selling 64,000 bottles in 1966, to over 1.5 million in 1985. At this high point, Australian distilleries began closing down production due to the lowering of import tariffs. New overseas competitors arrived including Russian vodkas brands such as Stolichnaya, Absolut from Sweden, Nikoloi from the US and Borzoi from Britain. When Gilbey’s distillery closed in 1985, Smirnoff was imported from NewFastZealand.forward to the present and a handful of craft distilleries around Australia are now producing locally made vodkas from grain to molasses, even potatoes. While Russia remains the largest seller of vodka in Australia, the global competition still comes from all over the world, not only Russia, from Finland, Iceland, France, Denmark, Canada, Netherland and even Africa.

YOU’LL HAVE A DEVIL OF A TIME FINDING A BETTER VODKA. TasmanianPureVodka

666

Pure Tasmanian Vodka is the first Australian spirit to win a Gold medal at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2010). It is also the first Australian premium craft vodka to be sold throughout all major retail outlets and duty free stores around Australia. 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka has spread its wings to New Zealand, USA, Sri Lanka and India. It is an Australian owned and produced vodka of the highest quality, recognised not only in Australia but now also around the world.

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666

666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka is committed to that environment and helping save the Tasmanian Devil; our name sake. 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka has been one of the pioneers in a new stage in the advancement of craft vodka. It reflects the stunning natural environment in which it is produced and the high quality of the raw materials used in its production.

666 St Ali Coffee Vodka is an expression of iconic Melbourne’s obsession with the noble bean. 666 Vodka went to Melbourne’s best coffee experts, St Ali and Australian Barista of the Year Matt Perger to help develop the perfect roast and blend, and combined 666’s passion for vodka with St Ali’s passion for coffee. Matching the purity of 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka with the perfect beans, and their own extremely cold rapid extraction process, results in a rich full flavoured pure coffee vodka perfect in an espresso martini. ❧

Pure Tasmanian Vodka proudly uses Tasmanian barley, which is grown locally, harvested locally, fermented locally and distilled locally. It is then 100 per cent pot distilled using Tasmanian Cape Grim rain water; the purest in the world. This pot distillation process creates a vodka with character that allows the quality of the raw ingredients to shine through, resulting in a vodka so sophisticated that it can be enjoyed as much by sipping it neat or with ice, or as a key ingredient in cocktails. This is the new era of vodka. No longer does vodka need to be thought of as odorless with no distinct taste.

The original, velvety smooth 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka has now been joined by the world’s first natural butter flavoured vodka: 666 Autumn Butter Vodka and the world’s first cold filtered coffee spirit: 666 St Ali Coffee Vodka.

TWENTY YEARS AGO, THE IDEA of making vodka in Tasmania had not been conceived. Yet today, with the perfect combination of a pristine location, high quality local grain, pure air and water, as well as local ingenuity, some of the best vodka in the world has been produced there. This is the story of 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka. Tasmania is a place of wild and beautiful landscapes. It’s also Australia’s smallest state and the most geographically diverse with over 40 per cent of Tasmania reserved as national parks and world heritage wilderness. Renowned for some of the purest air on our planet, and the water from Cape Grim has been certified as the purest rainwater on the globe. Tasmania is also home to some of the highest quality grain produced anywhere. 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka proudly utilises these natural resource’s, producing one of the world’s finest vodkas. 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka is named after the elusive Tasmanian Devil, which is the worlds largest carnivorous marsupial. It exists only on the island of Tasmania where it is wholly protected. The delicious flavour of our vodka is in part a result of the untouched pristine Tasmanian environment.

666 Autumn Butter Vodka is a reflection of North West Tasmania; the local environment and the local industry. It is hand made with a slow fat-wash process using low heat and high quality local butter sourced from the dairy next to the distillery. The butter used is collected in Autumn when the grass is at its lushest, and the milk produced is at its creamiest. The end result is a unique, creamy and complex flavour unlike anything you have tasted. With no artificial colours, preservatives or additives, 666 Autumn Butter Vodka is a truly unique vodka experience.

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666 PUREVODKATASMANIAN Appearance: Clear Aroma: Notes of dark chocolate and rich rye bread mixed with cracked black pepper and lemon and almond notes

Flavour: Layered over the top are hints of vanilla, hazelnut and soft cigar box. A final, tiny accent of river stone and flint create a firm, long finish

Flavour: Very soft alcohol notes create a gentle burn. This vodka is the perfect balance of savoury and soft butter flavours with a long finish and silky creaminess mixed with hints of butter, chocolate and vanilla in the finish

Flavour: Rich, but soft coffee notes are broken up with lots of smooth bitterness resulting in a long, clean finish. Strong flavours of espresso; full in the mouth

666 ST ALI COFFEE VODKA

666 BUTTERAUTUMNVODKA

Tasting notes

Appearnace: Coffee Aroma: Gorgeous coffee and cream aromas mix with soft spice, hints of vanilla, nutmeg and orange peel

Appearance: Straw Aroma: Rich butter on the nose

Devoting more than twenty years of his life to the art of distilling, Mark started small at Mt. Uncle by releasing various fruit liqueurs and then in 2007 he grew the business with the production of whisky and rum. Today, Mt. Uncle’s Distillery is home to one of the highest awarded Australian produced Single Malt Whiskies and a high awarded Australian produced gold rum – quite an accomplishment indeed.

As such, Anjea Vodka is packaged in a clear 700ml bottle with an artistic, Aboriginal label depicting the resting place in the sand wrapped around the neck. It is best served neat, to really capture that velvet mouth feel or in a range of refreshing cocktails such as the Kiwi Caprioska – a zesty combination of Kiwi, Vodka and Lime.

As for the name, Anjea, a fertility spirit engrained in North Queensland Aboriginal mythology, was the inspiration behind the name. It’s said that people’s souls reside within Anjea between their incarnations. She picks them up at their resting places in the sand, which are marked with twigs and takes the spirits away for several years. But eventually, Anjea creates new children from the mud and places them in the wombs of future mothers, thus continuing the cycle of the eternal spirit.

Though new to the market in 2010, Mt. Uncle’s Anjea Vodka has swiftly picked up a number of awards – taking home a Silver most recently at the 2015 Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition.

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As well as branching out nationally in Australia with a new distribution partner, Mt. Uncle Distillery has moved into the United Kingdom and Asia, with shipments also expected to make there way to the United States in 2017. Mt. Uncle Distillery also specializes in the production of clear spirits. Its Anjea Vodka is made using a mash of honey collected from various local tracks around the distillery. It is then triple distilled and chill filtered at minus 6 degrees using water that is also sourced from a local volcanic spring.

For those interested in sampling Anjea Vodka outside of the home, you can visit Mt. Uncle’s Cellardoor for a taste test and tour and also enjoy a meal at Bridges Café. ❧ MT. UNCLE DISTILLERY HAS BUILT AN IMPECCABLE AND UNRIVALLED REPUTATION IN PRODUCING AWARD WINNING PREMIUM LIQUEURS AND SPIRITS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON USING AS MANY LOCAL AUSTRALIAN INGREDIENTS AS POSSIBLE.

Anjea Vodka

MARK STARTED DISTILLING IN HIS cubby house when he was 16 years old. Since those humble beginnings he went on to construct the first Mt. Uncle’s still in 2001. In fact, the 1500L Copper Pot Still remained in action until he bought the Mt Uncle Distillery and installed it a year later. Fondly named Helga, the still remains in commission today. This isn’t quite right - His first still was home made in 2001. His second still was purchased and commission in 2007 (Helga).

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ANJEA VODKA Appearance: Clear Aroma: Clean, neutral and lively with muted notes of honey Flavour: A velvety feel on the palate with a slight sweetness

Tasting notes

Sydney’s Concrete playground also named it Best New Bar locally.

Crafted from Australian wheat, the spirit is added to twice carbon-filtered Sydney water before being gently distilled in the distillery’s handcrafted 300ml copper pot still, created in Tasmania by Australia’s only still maker.

SITUATED JUST 5KM SOUTH OF Sydney’s CBD, the Archie Rose distillery was custom designed and built, with visitors in mind. The distillery opens its doors to visitors wanting to experience a unique, behind the scenes look at the distillery process, from the very first stage to bottling. In addition to immersing themselves in the distillery production process, guests can also visit the Archie Rose Bar. Located just a stone’s throw from the distillery, the bar offers guests a chance to taste the exceptional gin, vodka and whisky being produced at Archie Rose. In addition, a selection of spirit-based cocktails, unreleased produce and a selection of beers, wines and spirits from around the world are an offer to those wanting to enjoy a tipple or two. Recognised for its extensive offering, the Archie Rose Bar has scooped up accolades from around the world - it was awarded Best International Bar at the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards in London as well as winning a ‘Master Medal” in the inaugural Distillery Masters Competition.

HAVING OPENED IN 2015, ARCHIE ROSE DISTILLING CO. WAS THE VERY FIRST MULTI-SPIRIT DISTILLERY IN SYDNEY IN OVER 160 YEARS WITH A MISSION TO HONOUR SYDNEY’S RICH, SPIRITMAKING PAST BY PRODUCING HANDCRAFTED, PREMIUM AND UNIQUE SPIRITS, INCLUDING GIN, VODKA AND WHISKY.

Archie Rose Vodka

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The final spirit is a smooth and unique vodka, which can be enjoyed on the rocks or in a cocktail.

In addition to its superb vodka, the Archie Rose distillery has also launched the world’s first Tailored Spirits range, allowing customers to create their very own gin, vodka or whisky, including their name on the bottle.

With the distillery’s focus being on producing premium, hand-crafted spirits, a huge amount of care and skill is put into production of their vodka.

With all this going on, the future is looking busy for Archie Rose, who are to release a brand new product and a handful of limited collaborative releases this year. With such a buzz around the distillery, it will continue to expand internationally and with a reputation for being ahead of the wave, their skilled bar team are sure to showcase their creative flair with a range of in house vermouths, bitters, shrubs, berries, pickles, leathers and much more! As well as this, the distillery’s boilermaker list is continually expanding and they aim to continue to source incredibly rare whiskies and produce hand-crafted spirits, all in the name of Sydney’s spiritmaking history. ❧

Tasting notes

ORIGINAL VODKA Appearance: Clear Aroma: Vibrant, pure and focused. Initial fruit characteristics of lemon meringue pie and fresh lime juice meld seamlessly with the aroma of whole English mint and orchard leaves. Overlaying subtle notes of slate, soda bread and buttermilk Flavour: An enveloping sweetness on entry harmonises with flavours of Fuji and Granny Smith apples before developing into cream pastry infused with lemon zest. The texture is supple with light oils and a malleable mouthfeel resulting in a finish with flavours that dovetail to black pepper, fruit tingles and sherbet

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ABOVE: Hippocampus copper pot still.

- VODKA– 142 –IN JUNE 2014, HIPPOCAMPUS commissioned its custom-made 450 litre copper pot still from the family-run company Carl who have been crafting artisan distilleries in Germany for over 140 years. The still is steam driven to provide gentle and even heating to allow maximum control over the distilling process and copper was specifically chosen due to its ability to remove impurities whilst preserving the smooth character and delicate flavour found in every bottle of Hippocampus. It took almost nine months of finetuning the ingredients, recipe and distilling process for Hippocampus to settle upon the ideal combination for their organic vodka. By using local organic wheat, fermenting in small batches and then distilling in the custommade still, Hippocampus Distillery began production of a unique Australian vodka crafted from the ground up.

RIGHT: The distillery entrance.

MetropolitanHippocampusDistillery

ABOVE: Distiller, Alex Poulsen. BELOW: Hippocampus Vodka Martini.

The wheat is fermented in small batches with filtered local water to soften and create a “wash” packed with flavour and as pure as possible. The wash is then introduced to the still, and distilled through two 10 plate copper columns, which naturally remove impurities, to create a smooth, clean spirit. After two distillations only the best of the “heart” spirit is kept and the heads and tails of the spirit are discarded. As only the heart, and therefore the very best of the spirit is kept, the vodka does not need to be filtered, ensuring the finest character, texture and flavour of the soft wheat is retained in the final product. Finally, the spirit is blended with purified water before being bottled by hand and then left to rest at the distillery before being released. Although this may seem like a labour-intensive process, the care and attention that goes into every bottle of Hippocampus vodka is evident through its complex, unique and full flavour profile. Hippocampus vodka features a beautiful vanilla aroma from the organic WA wheat, and a clean, rich palate with a distinctly smooth mouthfeel.

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The time and attentiveness that goes into the production of Hippocampus vodka is clear: the spirit received a bronze medal in the highly prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition and shortly after received a silver medal at the 2016 Australian Distilled Spirits Awards. With a track record for making excellent vodka, Hippocampus Metropolitan Distillery began experimenting with other spirits and has recently released a traditional dry gin. Following in their vodka’s footsteps, the flavoursome gin was awarded a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and is a sign of great things to come from this small WestAustralian Distillery.

Blessed with rolling hills, blue skies, nutrient-rich soil and clean, country air, Western Australian farmers grow some of the best grain in the world. It is Hippocampus’ belief that “the better the input, the better the output” so with this ideal in mind, the distillery sources 100 biodynamic soft wheat from local farmers in Dumbleyung, WA. Due to its delicate flavour profile, producing vodka is a precise and technical craft and so after securing the perfect base ingredient for their vodka, Hippocampus then puts in the time and effort needed to ensure the base wash is of the highest quality before beginning to distil their vodka using traditional methods.

❧

THE VODKA WAS PRODUCED USING A revolutionary new continuous distillation method, called “rectification”, a method that is still used today.

L.O. Smith was a prominent figure in the Swedish spirits trade in the late nineteenth century and was renowned for his extremely high standards. His quest for perfection led him to adopt a revolutionary new process called continuous distillation. With this, he was able to achieve his goal of producing what he called an absolutely pure vodka. He introduced his masterpiece in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, in 1879. In the beginning, the vodka was produced in Lars Olsson Smith’s distillery on the island Reimersholmen, just outside the city limits of Stockholm. But today every drop of ABSOLUT Vodka comes from the distilleries near Åhus in southern Sweden. With its 10,000 inhabitants, it may not be big enough to show up on a world atlas, but the vodka distilled there is well known around the globe. Every drop of ABSOLUT VODKA consumed in the world comes from this one source. From the hardy winter wheat that grows in the region, to water from their own deep well, Åhus provides the distillery with the raw material to produce the millions of bottles of ABSOLUT VODKA sold around theProducingworld. its vodka in one location using local ingredients gives ABSOLUT complete control over every stage of production and ensures that every drop meets their high quality standard. Even the famous ABSOLUT VODKA bottle, inspired by an eighteenth-century Swedish medicine bottle, is manufactured near the Åhus distillery and is made with special low-iron sand to ensure crystal clear glass.

Absolut

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THE STORY OF ABSOLUT GOES BACK TO 1879. THAT WAS THE YEAR WHEN THE SWEDISH “KING OF VODKA” LARS OLSSON SMITH STARTED MAKING HIS “ABSOLUT RENT BRÄNNVIN” – ABSOLUTELY PURE VODKA. Vodka

Visitors from around the world come to share the country’s exceptionally accessible nature, including the famous midnight sun and the northern lights (aurora borealis). Swedes themselves appreciate all things natural; no wonder Sweden produces superb and natural vodka. Every day about 600 tons of winter wheat arrives at the Nöbbelöv Distillery.

Farmers in Southern Sweden combine age-old tradition with the latest in agricultural technology to produce some of the finest winter wheat in the world. This winter wheat is what gives ABSOLUT its smooth, mellow character and distinct hint of grain. The wheat is grown in Skåne and comprises about 20% of the total harvest of wheat in this province. Suppliers must follow specific demands for minimising the negative effects of cultivation on the environment.Swedenhas one of the oldest vodka traditions in the world and it is no coincidence its roots are in southern Sweden, where the climate is ideal for growing winter wheat.

ABSOLUT is Sweden’s largest food and beverage export, and to satisfy the world’s demand for ABSOLUT, 125,000 tons of winter wheat is harvested every year.

The several hundred farmers in southern Sweden contracted by ABSOLUT plant their wheat in September and October and it germinates and grows five to ten centimetres during the mild months of fall. When the frost sets in, the wheat stops growing and lies dormant all winter. In the spring, the wheat continues to grow – but now at an accelerated pace. The winter wheat being planted this fall will be harvested in August next year and used to produce next year’s supply of ABSOLUT. The 600 tons of local winter wheat that arrive at the Nöbbelöv distillery every day are cleaned and milled in hammer mills that can process up to 18 tons of wheat perWaterhour.is the other key ingredient: Sweden is famous for its natural pure water sources, and the Åhus region sits on one of the largest underground aquifers

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Sweden, the home of ABSOLUT VODKA, is a sublimely beautiful country. There are no polar bears walking the streets. But they do have elks in the forests and reindeer roaming up north. Forests and mountains cover nearly two thirds of the land and a mere nine million people share thousands of lakes and a seemingly endless coastline. The long and cold winters, along with large distances, a small population, and an expansive wilderness offer challenges. Facing these challenges, Sweden has become one of the worlds most innovative, technologically advanced and environmentally responsible countries.

A few examples of Swedish inventiveness include dynamite, the tetra pak, the ball bearing, the pacemaker, the computer mouse, the Celsius thermometer and the zipper, just to name a few.

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The last remnants of the fusel oil and other impurities disappear at this point, and after distillation the spirit is 96% ABV, now called fine spirit.

The entire process takes a little longer than three days. The fine spirit is stored in tanks for transportation by tanker trucks the short distance to Åhus.

The fermented mash is pumped into the raw spirit distillation process. The alcohol that forms is distilled off and concentrated to 87% ABV – called raw spirit. On average the distillery at Nöbbelöv produces 150,000 litres of raw spirit every day, all year round.Theraw spirit is further distilled in order to achieve the correct purity. Continuous distillation implies that the spirit is distilled more than a hundred times in order to achieve the highest possible quality. This revolutionary method was introduced in Sweden by Lars Olsson Smith in 1879 and has been refined and perfected in the modern distillery at Nöbbelöv.

– 147 –in the whole of Sweden. Water to blend ABSOLUT comes from Absolut’s own well in Åhus. The water from this artesian spring dates back as far as the Stone Age. The clean rains that fell over Åhus long before pollution many thousands of years ago, slowly trickled down through layer after layer of moraines and limestone. It was enriched on its way with healthy minerals and salts and eventually formed this artesian spring of perfectly clear water 200 meters below the ground. This is the only water Absolut ever use to blend to perfection.Thepure water that makes up about 60% of the content in every bottle of ABSOLUT has been filtered through layers and layers of pre-historic sand and ancient seabeds, a natural process that started 40,000 years ago. It is exceptionally pure, low in minerals and has a delicate character. By itself, it has a well-rounded mouth feel that contributes with the elegant taste and texture of ABSOLUT.

explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

The milled wheat is mixed with the pure spring water to form a mash. An enzyme is also added (a biocatalyst), which helps the starch in the wheat to break down into sugar. For three hours the mash is heated to a maximum of 90˚ Celsius (203˚ Fahrenheit). The heat releases the starch from the wheat and speeds up the breakdown of starch into sugar. The heat and the long “cooking time” also helps kill anyBeforebacteria.thefermentation process begins, the mash is chilled and poured into fermenters, which have a capacity of around 600,000 litres. Yeast is added at the same time. The yeast transforms the freed sugar into ethanol (alcohol). The mash ferments for two days; by then the sugar has been used up and the alcoholic content in the mash is 10%.

It has become a globally recognised icon found all over the world and at the heart of some of the most memorable advertising campaigns and artistic collaborations of the last three decades.

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Nothing represents the ABSOLUT VODKA image more than the bottle itself. In the 1970s, when the ABSOLUT VODKA team prepared to introduce the new product on the US market, they wanted an attractive, exclusive and distinctively different bottle to match the premium quality spirit inside. One of the first decisions had been to shorten the brand name Absolut rent Brännvin into ABSOLUT – a name that America and the world would be more likely to remember, relate to and, importantly, order from the bartender. The shorter brand name also enabled a more striking logo and bottle design. Inspired by the shape of an old apothecary bottle in a Stockholm shop window, the team decided that the new ABSOLUT VODKA bottle should be as clear as the spirit itself, reflecting the clarity of the product. To make the bottle more distinctive, and the clear vodka more visible, they decided to skip the conventional paper solution and integrate the label into the glass itself. The designer team went back to the glass works where the original medicine bottle had been made. Together with the glass artisans they figured out how to produce the new ABSOLUT VODKA bottle. One important decision was to use low-iron sand to keep the glass absolutely crystal clear.

When Absolut was launched in 1979, the Absolut bottle quickly gained pop culture status thanks to a striking shape and look that caught everyone’s attention. Inspired by a Swedish apothecary bottle, it was a design innovation. A new premium spirit, sans paper label, its name and logo printed directly on glass. Clear. Minimalistic. Bold. Artistic. Swedish.

Single Source vodka and purity is at the heart of what Absolut do. Every single bottle of ABSOLUT VODKA ever produced is made from premium winter wheat from the same rich fields in southern Sweden. The fresh water used during production always comes from their own spring in Åhus. This is their ONE SOURCE philosophy.ABSOLUT

VODKA, introduced in the US in 1979, is the fourth largest international premium spirit in the world and is the number one premium vodka in the world, available in 126 markets.

The integrated medallion, showing L O Smith, marks the commitment to and unbroken tradition of superior purity and quality. Starting with the campaign ABSOLUT PERFECTION in 1980, the bottle became the focus of more than 2.000 creative executions, each one reinforcing the brand’s position on the leading edge of popular culture. From the very beginning, effective and distinctively different advertising has

Since its launch, ABSOLUT VODKA has achieved significant worldwide sales growth, with some 600,000 bottles of ABSOLUT VODKA produced everyday just to keep up with demand.

Anna has wide knowledge & experience in production, product development and supply chain management. Being Production director means supervising over more than 300 employees, the daily process and the development and production of Absolut Vodka - one of Sweden’s largest commodity exports. ❧

Anna started at The Absolut Company in 2011 as the Head of Product Development and R&D. During her first four years she worked tirelessly with several projects and issues related to sustainability innovation and eco-design. Issues surrounding sustainability are very important to Anna as well as The Absolut Company. Anna brings the passion for these issues with her in to her new role as Production Director in Åhus. She will continue to work hard to further the progress in regards to sustainability and eco-design at The Absolut Company.

– 149 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA been the hallmark of ABSOLUT VODKA. In 1980, their advertising agency “nailed” the idea of the perfect vodka with the very first ad – ABSOLUT PERFECTION. Since then some 2.000 (!) different ads have been produced based on the same core values and the same design approach. The award-winning advertising and marketing campaign of ABSOLUT VODKA continues to break new ground in communicating the brand’s core values of clarity, simplicity and perfection. In 1999, the ABSOLUT VODKA advertising campaign was listed among the ten best advertising campaigns of the past century by Advertising CollaborationsAge.and Limited Editions from ABSOLUT are world renowned and have been in the form of global promotions, alternative bottle designs and city-inspired flavours.Limited Editions enable Absolut to embrace a certain culture or topical behaviour. Popular Limited Edition releases have included Absolut Colours, Absolut Electrik & Absolut Mode. ABSOLUT has also collaborated with several artists over the years such as Andy Warhol, Baz Lurman and Spike Lee to name a few.

ANNA SCHREIL, THE ABSOLUT COMPANY PRODUCTION DIRECTOR AND VP OPERATIONS

Appearance: Clear Aroma: Clean, rich, rounded aniseed mixed with notes of fresh bread, light cereal and mellow spice

Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: Pleasant, subtly sweet aromas with hints of grain

Flavour: A rich flavour, smooth and mellow with a distinct character of grain. Subtle sweetness on the finish with a medium bodied mouthfeel

Flavour: Medium bodied, silky mouthfeel with a wave of aniseed garnished by nuttiness, fresh cereal and mellow spice, with a hint of dryness underlining pure balanced richness. Rounded, with fresh nuttiness and a clean, warm, smooth finish

ABSOLUT ELYX

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Tasting notes

ABSOLUT VODKA

SWEDISH MULE

ELYX STARTINI Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: 45ml Absolut Elyx 15ml Lillet Blanc Star anise Garnish: Star anise Method: Stir Absolut Elyx with Lillet Blanc with ice and garnish with star anise

Glass: Collins Ingredients: 30ml Absolut Vodka Top with Ginger beer Squeeze of Fresh lime

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Absolut Citron 15ml Triple sec 10ml Fresh lime juice 45ml Cranberry juice Squeeze of Fresh lime Garnish: Orange slice Method: Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish: Lime wedge Method: Top Absolut with ginger beer and finish with a squeeze of fresh lime

COSMOPOLITAN

Signature serves

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No one knows purity the way nature does. AnestasiA attribute their spirits’ distinctive smoothness to the uncommon, naturally soft water found in Bend, Oregon, the place where the vodka is created. AnestasiA is purity perfected, a naturally soft water vodka and is an environmentally conscious, state-of-theart product, driven by a disruptive design.

Numbrands, Inc. aspires to promote a culture of creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship and AnestasiA aspires to produce consumables that ultimately support the ecosystems, without increasing the effects of climate change. They aim to be stewards of resources, take responsibility for any impact of their production, and foster sustainability awareness through marketing with the industry’s most unforgettable and accessible packaging. As such, Numbrands, Inc. will be a net zero carbon company by 2018.

RECEIVED AN enthusiastic response from surveyed customers, distillers, bottlers, bars, restaurants, and industry executives –receiving no less than nine gold medals for taste and packaging as well as a 94 points rating from the Beverage Testing Institute in 2013 and 2015, making it the highest rated American vodka on the market.

Numbrands teamed up with Karim Rashid to create a patented and standout package design. The stunningly sculpted crystalline decanter combines an appreciation for the natural processes used in creating this vodka with a sense of timeless class and beauty and the bottle’s design portrays excitement, confidence, and anticipation for the ultrapremium AnestasiA Vodka.

ANESTASIA–HAS

AnestasiA is changing the perception of luxury – aligning this paradigm shift with the environmental movement, which aims to achieve equal and prosperous quality of life for all living things.

AnestasiA truly pride themselves on being a symbol for global climate change and have set many sustainable milestones for their supply chain and will continue improving those as they expand worldwide; it is their belief that businesses are capable of a lot of good – even alcohol companies. INC. IN 2008, IN ORDER TO INTRODUCE NEW PRODUCTS THAT WOULD CHALLENGE THE MODERN CONCEPT OF LUXURY IN THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY. AFTER FIVE YEARS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, NUMBRANDS LAUNCHED ANESTASIA VODKA, AMERICA’S BEST TASTING VODKA.

AnestasiA Vodka

Award AnestasiAwinningVodka the ultra premium vodka with a bottle design that is of timeless class, sophistication and beauty.

AnestasiA Vodka distilled spirit is the essence of two all-natural, all-American ingredients. First is the sweet corn sourced from northwestern farms, and second is the exceptionally pure water of the Cascade Mountains. Once harvested, corn grains are mixed with fermenting sugars and yeast—then distilled five times. AnestasiA then blend their distillate with their uniquely pure water, before filtering another five times through crushed lava rock, neutral charcoal, and Arkansas-derived quartz crystal. This filtration process removes any remaining impurities, often including the congeners that can cause hangovers. The final result is a fresh and easy-to-drink vodka that is both lightweight and very smooth. AnestasiA Vodka is a family-owned and family-operated business. With unwavering commitment to superior taste, domestic production, and modern sustainability, they continue to focus their efforts on the quality of their product.

AnestasiA are also proud members of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of their sales to environmental non-profits.

❧ YULIYA MAMONTOVA INCORPORATED NUMBRANDS,

According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, BLAT is the only vodka that is 100 per cent free from impurities, thereby rendering it the purest vodka in the world. The quality of the product has even been analyzed by an independent laboratory and certified by the USA Government.

BLAT VODKA A Matter of Purity

process, BLAT Vodka is bottled in a vessel that has been designed and developed by the Award Winning Peter Schmidt Group. The brief given to the team of designers was to emphasize BLAT’S guaranteed purity and smoothness and as such the bottle is clear and consistent with pure lines. What results from this overall purity? Better taste, better quality, better drinks, minimal after-alcohol effects and a final product that is gluten free. BLAT Vodka is best served straight or on the rocks but is also enjoyed by many in a variety of cocktails and mixed drinks. It is the perfect party favour at home, behind the bar or at social gatherings with friends.

ARE TWO

ENTHUSIASTIC

Blat Vodka was launched in New York in 2013 to a star-studded party, an “invitation only” event with guests such as Deborah Cox, Keifer Sutherland, Wyclef, Wood Harris, Shakira and the list goesTegustaon.

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BLAT Vodka is made in the Canary Islands, sourcing the finest wheat from France, where the Government does not allow genetically altered wheat. As such, the grains used in BLAT Vodka’s distillate are of the finest quality. The distillate is also diluted by water from unpolluted Atlantic mist, naturally seeped through volcanic rocks, which adds to the products overall purity. This is facilitated by the unique climate and pure Atlantic air in the Canary FollowingIslands.thepropriety

FERNANDO AND ESTEBAN BANUS come from a family that been distilling spirits since 1887. The name of the family business was COGRAMI S.A.E and it was the Spanish partner of Pernod and Bols. In 1993, Fernando and Esteban were put in charge of the family business and they took this opportunity to set up their own company, which they named COGRAMI S.L. Now, Fernando and Esteban manufacture their own brands, distributing them throughout the Canary Islands where they have their distillery, mainland Spain, Europe and the US. Whilst continuing to expand their product range, Fernando and Esteban have also researched and invented their own unique propriety process, which completely eliminates impurities from their spirits. Using this advanced process, they also developed BLAT Vodka.

Spirits is proud to introduce this premium product to Australia. ❧

EVERY GREAT STORY HAS A TENACIOUS, AND HARD-WORKING PROTAGONIST THAT MAKES IT SO. CASE OF BLAT VODKA, THERE MAIN CHARACTERS, STORY EVEN MORE AMAZING.

IN THE

MAKING THE MAGNITUDE OF THE

THE CÎROC VODKA DISTILLATION

process begins with fine French grapes harvested in southern France of which a part undergoes cold maceration and fermentation, to create the wine distillate. The column distillation then produces the grape neutral spirit, of rare quality. It is five times distilled with the final distillation taking place at the historic Distillerie de Chevanceaux in southern France. The French Master Distiller Jean-Sébastien Robiquet, born from generations of distillers and winemakers, brings together fine French grapes and pure waters to create CÎROC, unique to the world of vodkas. The result is exceptional, luxury vodka. Unlike grain, grapes do not need heat to release their fermentable sugars. Instead, CÎROC uses cold maceration, cold fermentation, and cold processes, until now practiced by top fine wine producers, which further preserve its distinctive freshness and extract a more flavourful combination of the fruit

Custom made copper pot stills Robiquet has fondly named, Suzie, Gaby, Emmy and Debbie.

CÎROC IS THE FIRST GLOBAL FRENCH VODKA TO BE MADE FROM GRAPES. UNLIKE MOST VODKAS THAT ARE DISTILLED FROM GRAIN, AT THE HEART OF CÎROC LIES FRESH, SUCCULENT GRAPES. THESE DELIVER AN EXCEPTIONALLY SMOOTH AND DISTINCTIVE CITRUS TASTE.

Thecharacter.CÎROCselected grapes are macerated at low temperatures so that the skin and pulp soften slowly, mixing their flavours together. The resulting juice is cold fermented, which converts the sugar to alcohol and the cold temperature preserves the freshness and flavour of the fruit.

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CÎROC VODKA

Master Distiller JeanSebastien Robiquet

CÎROC is derived from two French words: CIME meaning peak or summit and ROCHE, meaning rock. The Gaillac region where CÎROC is produced is famous for being a source of a beautiful blue colouring agent that was used for painting and clothes dyeing in the 16th century. This iconic blue came from pastel flowers (Isatis Tinctoria), which are indigenous to the region and this blue inspired CÎROC’s prominent blueThestone.rooster and grape motif on each bottle is synonymous with the region; all around Gaillac you find the image of the Rooster – it is the symbol of the area and also a symbol of certain French wines which were historically sold throughout Europe under the name ‘les Vins du Coq’, or ‘wines of the rooster’.

The fifth and final distillation process takes place in custom made copper pot stills - Jean-Sébastien Robiquet call these ‘his girls’ and has given them female names Suzie, Gaby, Emmy and Debbie. The copper pot stills create more complex flavours thanks to the interaction between the grape spirit and the copper, which helps to deliver the smooth and mellow character while retaining the delicious fruity freshness ofTheCÎROC.name

The fermentation produces a wine, which is stored between 0ºc and -3ºc to maximise freshness and purity and the CÎROC distillation is continuously distilled five times.

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CÎROC is an ultra-premium vodka enjoyed by VIPs all over the world –where the jet-set mingle with stylish sophisticates; at the places where nextgeneration luxury comes alive – the CÎROC experience is one of aspiration; enjoying only the best things in life.

CÎROC has partnered with legendary photographer Mario Testino to create a global advertising campaign, launched in Europe this year. Described as “the world’s most prolific magazine and fashion photographer,” Mario Testino has an incredible reputation in the fashion world and has a black book of celebrity contacts, shooting today’s modern elite. As part of this campaign in 2016 we see the world’s most famous photographer partner with the world‘s most famous supermodel, Derek Zoolander, to celebrate the arrival of Zoolander 2. ❧

WHAT BETTER WAY IS THERE TO MAKE VODKA THAN UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN?

Finlandia

As the proud recipient of many awards – including a Gold Medal at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and another Gold Medal at the 2015 SIP Awards – we highly recommend you give this wonderful spirit a whirl, especially its signature serve: THE FIN AND TONIC Glass: Highball Glass Garnish: Grapefruit Wedge Ingredients: 40ml Finlandia Grapefruit Vodka 120ml Tonic Water Method: Build over ice and serve ❧

IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE THE SUN NEVER SETS. A PLACE WHERE SIX-ROW BARLEY GROWS UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN AND THE GLACIAL SPRING WATER RUNS SO CLEAR, YOU CAN DRINK IT STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE. IN FINLAND, YOU DON’T HAVE TO CLOSE YOUR EYES AND DAYDREAM… THIS WONDERFUL FEAT IS BROUGHT TO LIFE BY MOTHER NATURE HERSELF. IT IS ALSO HARNESSED BY SOME OF THE GREATEST MINDS TO CREATE FINLANDIA VODKA. Vodka

FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THE AIM OF Finlandia Vodka was to create a premium spirit with the purest taste. In 1888, Dr Wilhelm Juslin bought a distillery in Rajamaki – a small town next to the glacial spring water source in Finland – where he set the wheels in motion for achieving this task. Today, the six-row barley used to make Finlandia vodka is grown under the midnight sun, which is accompanied by 73 days of endless light. When the barley is gold and ripe, it joins the pure spring water that is naturally filtered through a glacial moraine and after 50 days of distillation –using some most state-of-the art technology – an award winning vodka is born. Interestingly enough, Finlandia was the first Nordic vodka to make its way to the United States, and between 1971 and 1983 it was welcomed with open arms into key international markets. Since then, Finlandia has become the 2nd largest premium spirits brand in Europe and the 5th largest in the world, selling around 3 million cases annually and available in more than 170 countries.

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Finlandia was also the first premium brand to introduce flavoured vodka, starting with the launch of Cranberry in 1994. Following this, Finlandia Vodka broadened its award-winning portfolio to include Lime, Mango, Raspberry, Grapefruit, Tangerine and also Blackcurrant. Given Finlandia’s pure and clean flavour, it is also perfect for any occasion and may be enjoyed straight, over-ice, in a shot or a classic cocktail. In fact, the Master Mixologist at Finlandia Vodka, Pekka Pellinen has come up with more than a few recipes, which can be found at www.finlandia.com.AnotherpartofFinlandia’s story is the iconic bottle, which was originally designed by Sculptor Tapio Wirkkala and inspired by his fascination with ice. More recently, in 2010, Harri Koskinen redesigned the bottle with clean and simple lines and dimples to appear as though it was sculpted from melted ice and pay homage to Finland

“I just started making Bloody Marys. I always thought they looked gross, then I tasted one. There’s an art to it, from the Tabasco to the Worcestershire.” Tara Reid

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In the mid-1990s Sidney Frank recognised an opportunity. The dominant vodka brands of the time were characterised by cold neutrality and did not deliver the sense of quality and craftsmanship, the emotional depth, or the distinctive character that people nowadays demand.

GREY GOOSE WAS THE FIRST VODKA BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP IN ORDER TO EXPRESS THE TRUE ESSENCE OF FLAVOUR AND CHARACTER OF ITS INGREDIENTS, RATHER THAN REMOVE THEM. THIS BREAK FROM CONVENTION IS AT THE HEART OF GREY GOOSE AND STEMS FROM ONE MAN’S PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO MAKING TRULY EXCEPTIONAL VODKA, WITH A QUALITY AND TASTE UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BEFORE.

GreyVodkaGoose

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MAITRE DE CHAI, FRANCOIS THIBAULT

Sidney was convinced that Francois had the ability and, crucially, the vision to create a new and elevated incarnation of vodka, a spirit of a truly exceptional quality.

Francois grew up in the heart of Cognac and was immersed in all aspects of the wine and spirit industry, developing his technical knowledge and passion, through two years of study in Burgundy and a degree in Oenology at the University of Bordeaux.

EXPRESSED IN EVERY BOTTLE IS THE essence of the finest ingredients from France; soft winter wheat from Picardy and surrounding regions, plus pure spring water from Gensac in the Cognac region, nurtured, isolated and captured from field to bottle in an exclusive process designed and controlled by the extraordinary skills and passionate commitment of the brands Maître de Chai.

The expert Sidney Frank chose was Francois Thibault, a Maitre de Chai working in Cognac. Francois was already producing a range of fine cognacs and brandies for Sidney Frank Importing, such as H. Mounier Principe Hubert de Polignac and Jacques Cardin VSOP, using his highly developed local knowledge and traditional skills, but by also indulging his fascination for innovation and experimentation.

Sidney instinctively knew that the time was right to elevate vodka to a new standard. In a break with established wisdom, he didn’t look to the usual Northern or Eastern European sources of vodka production for the home of his new spirit, heading instead to France, a country which, as Sidney liked to say, “Has the best ofToeverything.”realisehis vision he needed a partner, a spirits expert of equal determination and brilliance, someone with all the traditional skills and French cultural expertise, but with a modern perspective on how to create the finest spirits.

OPPOSITE: Grey Goose Original.

Francois’ approach to the distillation process is very different to the majority of vodka producers. He is not simply using his raw material as a source of fermentable

ABOVE: Ble Panifiable Superieur

Sidney Frank’s challenge to Francois was to set a new quality standard for vodka. To do this would require not just a revision of traditional vodka production methods, but also a relentless attention to every aspect of the process, from the growing of the wheat to the final seal of the bottle, in a dedicated pursuit of excellence. It was the start of an incredible journey for Francois and the catalyst for an entirely new level of expression within the vodka category.

For his base ingredient Francois sought to find the best possible wheat grain, a specific type of wheat grown in a very particular region of France to exacting standards and consequently imbued with a remarkable flavour that could not be found anywhere else. In Francois’ opinion it is soft winter wheat that produces the finest, sweetest-tasting spirit. Soft winter wheat is sown in the autumn and harvested nine months later in mid-summer. As a result of its extended growing season it has the ideal balance of starch, gluten and minerals, that when milled produces a superior flour.

Francois’ choice of wheat is grown in and around Picardy, a region known as the ‘Breadbasket of France’.

To ensure that the quality specifications laid down by Francois are consistently met on an ongoing basis, the wheat used to make Grey Goose is supplied exclusively by three local farming co-operatives.

The role of the Maitre de Chai has been developed over the years to include responsibility for almost every aspect of the spirit’s production. In particular, it involves personally tasting and blending the numerous eaux de vie of different origins and ages to create the unique, yet consistent, character, aroma and taste that is expected from each individual cognac house. His rigorous training has enabled Francois to develop this particularly vital ability to an extraordinary degree.

The wheat used to make Grey Goose belongs to the finest category; Ble Panifiable Superieur, the only type that is considered good enough for the traditional bread and patisserie that France is famous for.

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For the creation of Grey Goose, Francois examined in meticulous detail every element of production, from field to bottle, in order to isolate and capture the delicate essence that he recognised in the superior soft winter wheat. The key stages in the process are called: Milling, Saccharification, Fermentation, Distillation and Blending, but it is how he manages each one that makes theGreydifference.GooseVodka is distilled using a five step continuous process in columns made of stainless steel and copper, in which each column performs a distinctive function.

The master at work –Maitre de Chai Francois Thibault inspects the quality of the wheat. sugars to create alcohol that he can distil out to absolute neutrality. Instead he precisely controls the particular combination of the interlinked columns in a process of selective reduction to isolate and capture the essential character that he identified in theThiswheat.requires the careful balancing and constant monitoring of a multitude of different variables, and a finely tuned interaction between state-of-the-art technology and traditional human skills andFrancoisexperience.hasalso been busy producing GREY GOOSE VX: Vodka Exceptionelle. The latest addition to the GREY GOOSE family, VX is made from an infusion of GREY GOOSE Vodka (95%) and a precious hint of Cognac (5%), bringing its essence of white flowers, peach and the mild flavours of wild honey to the remarkable character of GREY GOOSE Original. This new release will be available in leading nightclubs, bars, highend retail and global travel retail. According to Francois, “GREY GOOSE VX naturally compliments GREY GOOSE Original as an ultra-premium and disruptive alternative for the late night, up-tempo occasion.” ❧

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GREY GOOSE VODKA

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Appearance: Clear Aroma: Clean and lively with subtle green apple, white blossom from orchard fruits such as apple and pear, light citrus, dried pear, soft anise and hints of almond cream

Flavour: Sweet, creamy and harmonious, with richness of almond, sweet warm apple, lemon balm, green capsicum and cool anise at the finish

Tasting notes

GREY GOOSE LE GRAND FIZZ Glass: Wine glass Ingredients: 45ml Grey Goose Vodka 30ml 60ml15mlSt-GermainFreshlimeSodawater

Garnish: Three coffee beans Method: Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker Shake hard to create creamy foam layer Double strain into chilled glass Garnish with three coffee beans

GREY GOOSE CLASSIC DRY MARTINI Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml chilled Grey Goose Vodka 10ml chilled Noilly Prat Dry 1 dash orange bitters (optional)

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Grey Goose Vodka 30ml De Kuyper Crème de Café 30ml Fresh espresso coffee

Garnish: Grey Goose skewer and olive Method: Stir slowly and deliberately for 30 seconds.Strain with a julep strainer into a well-chilled martini glass. Cut two long strips of lemon zest; use one to rim the glass and place into the drink, and the second to scent the stem with fresh citrus oil GREY ESPRESSOGOOSEMARTINI

Signature

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Garnish: Lime wedge and Grey Goose stirrer Method: Build ingredients into wine glass with lots of ice. Stir and garnish with fresh lime wedges serves

KARLOFFREFRESHING!VODKA

VODKA IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR and versatile spirits around the entire world. Produced by fermenting any food source containing sugar or carbohydrate, vodka has traditionally been made from whichever material was in easy supply. As fermentation produces a product with a low alcohol content, distillation is a required next step. The alcohol is boiled in a still and, as alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, the evaporated alcohol is separated from water and achieves a 30-40 per centEachABV.distillation removes heavy impurities so to ensure the highest quality, Karloff Vodka is triple distilled to deliver a light and pure product. To further enhance purity, this triple distilled liquid is then charcoal filtered to capture any remaining unwanted aromas or flavours. This attention to detail delivers a vodka of exceptional clarity with a smooth mouthfeel and taste. Karloff Vodka is triple distilled and charcoal filtered in New Zealand before being bottled in Australia and shipped to every corner of the country. The Karloff Vodka label draws from vodka’s strong Russian heritage which records show date as far back as the ninthKarloffcentury.Vodka has a clean, pure aroma and smooth taste. Available in retail stores and on premise venues, it is the perfect accompaniment for social gatherings and good times with friends. For a quick, easy and PURELY REFRESHING cocktail, fill a highball glass with ice. Add 30ml of Karloff Vodka, 15ml of Continental White Crème De Cacao, drop in a wedge of fresh lime and top up withUselemonade.alongspoon to swizzle ingredients together. Garnish with an extra wedge of lime and serve with two straws. ❧

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LAUNCHED IN AUSTRALIA IN THE 1950s, KARLOFF VODKA IS AN ENTRENCHED PLAYER IN THE MARKET AND IS AVAILABLE RIGHT ACROSS THE NATION. A PERFECT POURING VODKA, KARLOFF IS A GREAT BASE FOR A RANGE OF MIXED DRINKS AND COCKTAILS

- PURELY

Vodka is handcrafted from several varieties of Virgin New Potatoes grown in Cape Bjäre, Sweden. Surrounded on three sides by the North Sea, the fertile soil is home to the most exquisite heirloom potatoes, known locally as “Farmer’s Gold.”

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The heirloom varietal potatoes grown in Cape Bjäre are called “virgin new potatoes” because they are picked early in the season, when the skin has just barely begun to form. The developing skin is so delicate that it is stripped away during the process of washing. These young potatoes are extremely flavourful, due to the concentration of flavours from the lack of starch. Additionally, the absence of skin means the absence of impurity, allowing the essence of the potato to shine through the vodka.

Karlsson’s Vodka

Making vodka from potatoes is extremely expensive; it takes ten times the potatoes to produce the equivalent yield of wheat, and the tiny virgin new potatoes of Cape Bjäre are among the most expensive potatoes in the world. The end product justifies the effort, however, creating exceptionally rich and complex vodka that can only be achieved with such a premium base ingredient.

In 2007, Karlsson’s Gold Vodka was released to spectacular media acclaim, signalling the return of Swedish potatoKarlsson’svodka.Gold

Distilled once and unfiltered to preserve the rich taste of the delicate, young potatoes, the vodka’s unique character is the result of the quality and quantity of the ingredients from which it is made. Approximately eighteen pounds of virgin potatoes are needed to make just one bottle of Karlsson’s Gold Vodka.

THE STORY OF KARLSSON’S BEGINS IN THE REGION OF CAPE BJÄRE, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF SWEDEN. LONG RENOWNED FOR ITS POTATO PRODUCTION, THE PICTURESQUE AREA SAW LAND VALUES DRAMATICALLY INCREASE IN THE 1990S DUE TO TOURISM GROWTH. THIS, COMBINED WITH THE CHALLENGES OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT FARMER DEALING WITH A VOLATILE AND UNPREDICTABLE MARKET, MADE THE FUTURE OF POTATO FARMING UNCERTAIN IN CAPE BJÄRE.

ENTER LOCAL BUSINESSMAN PETER Ekelund. Already a vodka legend for having launched the iconic Absolut brand in the United States, Ekelund saw an opportunity to create a new market for local potatoes and reintroduce Swedish potato vodka to the world. So, he rallied Cape Bjäre farmers to start a cooperative in order to share resources and develop a more sophisticated approach to bringing potatoes to market.

As a result Karlsson’s Gold Vodka is a beautifully balanced and smooth spirit, possessing some truly unique qualities — character and natural taste. ❧

To realise his dream, Ekelund teamed up with some of his former associates from Absolut, including legendary master blender Björe Karlsson (after whom the vodka was ultimately named), as well as bottle designer Hans Brindfor and marketer Olof Tranvik, both of whom were instrumental in the success of Absolut.

Ketel One Vodka

The name Ketel One was inspired by the Dutch word for Pot Still No.1, Distilleerketel #1, the nineteenth century alembic copper pot still which is used today in the production of Ketel One vodka at the Nolet distillery. It is from this traditional copper pot still method of distillation that the legacy of the Nolet family originates. Recipes and notes found in the Nolet family’s journals dating back to when the business first opened in 1691 inspired Carolus Senior to create the recipe and production process for Ketel One vodka. These journals were passed down through the generations until today.

The Nolet family’s pride in their production process and reputation is obvious when they talk about their heritage and the combination of traditional and modern methods today. They insist upon using the best raw materials, always ensuring that the focus is on quality rather than quantity. Crisp, ultra wheat spirit is partially re-distilled in small batches in ten copper pot stills, one of which is Pot Still No.1. Each requires the painstaking attention of a master distiller to oversee distillation.

THE NOLET FAMILY WAS ONE OF the first of many distillers to establish themselves in Schiedam, attracted to the area due to its accessibility to shipping and its close proximity to fresh water and grain auctions.

The personality of Ketel One comes from the traditional copper pot stills, which provide a rounded, full-bodied rich mouthfeel, full of craft, authenticity and sophistication. Each final production run of Ketel One vodka is tasted by an expert panel and approved by a member of the Nolet family to ensure quality and flavourInspiredthroughout.bythesuccess of Ketel One vodka, Ketel One Citroen vodka was developed and launched in 2000. Ketel One Citroen vodka is the original Ketel One vodka, infused with natural citrus flavours. The flavours consist of lemons from Sicily, Spain and Guinea, and limes from the Caribbean. With the exception of the infusion of citrus flavours, the production process for Ketel One Citroen flavoured vodka is the same as that for Ketel One vodka. ❧

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Carl, Carolus Sr and Bob Nolet.

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THE NOLET FAMILY HAS BEEN DISTILLING FINE SPIRITS SINCE 1691 WHEN JOANNES NOLET STARTED HIS DISTILLATION BUSINESS IN SCHIEDAM, HOLLAND. BROTHERS BOB AND CARL NOLET WORK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THEIR FATHER CAROLUS SR, WHO REPRESENTS THE 10TH GENERATION OF ONE OF HOLLAND’S OLDEST DISTILLING DYNASTIES.

At its peak, Schiedam was home to nearly 400 distilleries and was a recognised centre of spirit distillation. Today, only a handful of distilleries remain and like the families of great wineries, the Nolets have dedicated themselves to the traditional craft of distilling premium spirits. Also, like many of the great family-owned wines, the creation of Ketel One was inspired from a unique and genuine heritage.

KETELVODKAONE

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KETEL ONE CITROEN VODKA Appearance: Cloudy white Aroma: A refreshing hint of sweet lemon zest with a subtle hint of lime Flavour: A balanced flavour of mixed citrus fruit, with hints of sweet, freshly cut lemons offering a pleasant softness on the palate with a crisp citric tang and rich lemon custard aftertaste

Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: Subtle with hints of fennel (fresh aniseed), citrus, honey and mint Flavour: Crisp, exquisite balance with white pepper and sweet liquorice. A generous silky mouth coating and lively, pleasing finish

Tasting notes

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It’s about looking at things differently and being different; and, most importantly, it’s about being okay with the fact that youThat’sare! why Mishka vodka has a unique, innovative bottle. With one flat edge, it lies perfectly in your freezer, keeping it chilled and ready for you to enjoy. Mishka Vodka, being a smooth neutral spirit is perfect for mixing in your favourite cocktail or mixer. It’s also why Mishka Vodka is the number one choice forMishkaentertaining.encourages the exploration of new cocktails and mixers… so why not try something different and give these signature serves a go: SUMMER BREEZE Glass: Highball glass Ingredients: 45ml Mishka Vodka 10ml Elderflower cordial 45ml Cranberry juice 30ml Cloudy Apple juice Garnish: With a lemon wedge Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice filled highball ❧

Mishka Vodka Mishka Summer Breeze cocktail.

MISHKA IS A PREMIUM, TRIPLE distilled vodka imported from France. A neutral spirit made from the finest quality wheat grains, Mishka has been distilled at 198 proof and uses pure water to bring the fine smooth spirit to 37.5% ABV. Mishka 700ml vodka is unique, smooth and above all edgy – but not edgy for the sake of it. To Mishka, having an edge is about following your dreams and not letting anyone or anything get in the way of them. It’s not about walking the wellworn path; it’s about creating your own.

MISHKA IS A PRODUCT OF VIBRANT PERSONALITY AND SHARP-THINKING ATTITUDE. MISHKA PIONEERS FRESH IDEAS WITH A SMOTHER SPIRIT IN AN INNOVATIVE BOTTLE.

Contemplating life and love after her marriage collapses to a wealthy businessman. Cate Blanchett in the movie Blue Jasmine, proves this is much easier with a vodka martini with a twist of lemon.

PremiumStolichnayaPROCESSES.Vodka

Until 2009 the spirit used to make Stolichnaya was made at four distilleries around the town of Tambov, 400 miles south-east of Moscow in the middle of the Black Earth region. The four distilleries were Novolyadinsky (founded 1802), Volkovsky (1878), Khlystovsky (1890) and Sosnovsky (1900).

Look at any trends or advances in vodka and you will find Stolichnaya at the centre; Stolichnaya was the first vodka to introduce flavours, the first to develop a premium, a super premium and more recently an ultra luxury vodka with elit by Stolichnaya. Stolichnaya was even the first vodka in space!

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In 2009, production at these four distilleries was replaced with the new purpose built state-of-the-art Talvis Distillery, just outside Tambov. This facility not only allows the production of better quality grain neutral spirit (GNS), but technological improvements have enabled the production of four times as much alcohol by one-third of the number of people using one-third as much energy.

The expert distillers and other staff who run the new distillery were drawn from the city’s old distilleries, and they set about using their experience and the new ultra-modern distillery to set new The distillery was completed in 2009 at a cost of USD $100 million.

PRODUCED IN STATE-OF-THE-ART facilities in Riga, the spirit is four times distilled and four times filtered from rich grain under the highest quality standards, preserving a centuries-old production method unique to Stolichnaya. The result is a superior taste unlike any other, unparalleled in smoothness and character. It is this marriage of vision, artistry and craft that makes Stolichnaya the world’s most original vodka, enjoyed by the world’s most original people. As the original state vodka of Russia, Stolichnaya defined the nation’s vodka quality standards in the 20th Century. A true pioneer among premium vodkas, Stoli’s pedigree of innovation has revolutionised spirits and cocktail culture time and time again. With the very first line of premium flavoured vodkas, Stolichnaya changed the face of vodka forever in 1962 with the release of Pepper, and Honey and Herb being the first commercially produced flavoured vodkas in the world. Today, Stolichnaya continues to lead the flavour revolution with a level of innovation, quality and craftsmanship in a class all of its own with the launch of Salted Karamel, Chocolat Kokonut and Chocolat Razberi. Hugely popular overseas, these sought after awardwinning, indulgence flavours have just arrived in Australia, in 2015. Stolichnaya Indulgence flavoured vodkas can be enjoyed ice cold neat, simply with soda water or used to create delicious cocktails.

STOLICHNAYA® PREMIUM VODKA, FONDLY KNOWN AS STOLI, IS RENOWNED AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING VODKA BRANDS, USING THE HIGHEST QUALITY INGREDIENTS AND FINEST DISTILLATION AND FILTRATION

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6. Finally, Stolichnaya vodka is bottled at the Latvijas Balzams in Latvia. Distillation takes place in five column stills, but Stolichnaya is described as being just “three times distilled” due to one of those columns (the 4th column) being solely used to separate valuable chemicals in the heads and tails for sale, while the last (fifth) column only removes methanol. Hence, the 4th and 5th columns are described as being “additional purification columns”, rather than distillation columns.

For the first time since the brand’s inception in 1938, Stolichnaya Premium vodka revealed a completely new primary packaging design in 2015. This exciting new form from Stolichnaya highlights contemporary and premium cues whilst remaining true to the brand’s iconic and longstanding heritage.

Built in 1900 by order of the Tsar, Latvijas Balsams in the Baltic city of Riga, Latvia is a magnificent cathedral to vodka

1. Winter and spring wheat is farmed in Russia’s fertile black soil region.

The goal is to retain a subtle wheat flavour whilst rejecting volatile ‘heads’ and oily ‘tails’ to produce the highest quality Alpha spirit. This is achieved by taking a “narrow cut” from the heart of the run, discarding more (Stolichnaya claim up to four times more than some other vodkas) of the heads and tails.

4. This rectified spirit is sent by tanker train from Tambov to Latvijas Balzams in Latvia where it is blended with specially treated artesian well water.

2. Then, at the ultra-modern Talvis Distillery in Tambov, the grain is brewed to create a beer which distillers call mash.

All spirit that evaporates before 67.2˚C and after 79.0˚C is discarded as heads and tails, producing a base spirit that exceeds standards laid down by the Russian government.

5. The vodka is then filtered four times - through quartz sand, Russian birch wood charcoal and then through fine cloth.

3. Afterwards, the mash is distilled and rectified (purified) into a neutral spirit of 96.3 per cent alc./vol.

standards in vodka production. Known as Alpha spirit, this is now the highest quality spirit recognised by the Russian authorities. As part of this quest to make a purer spirit the grains used to make Alpha spirit were changed to 100 per cent Russian winter wheat. Stolichnaya® vodka production involves six stages:

The new design is an evolution of the original, but with significant upgraded features including a taller and more elegant bottle, an anti-slip embossing on the neck that improves both pouring and control for bartenders, a state of the art capsule with anti-counterfeit and antirefill technology, a revised front and back label, highlighting Stolichnaya’s use of Certified Alpha Grade spirit - the highest quality level a spirit can reach and a new, ‘craft’ label texture, refined medals and a beautiful, bold upgrade of the main STOLICHNAYA logo. ❧

Tasting notes

- VODKA– 172 –

Appearance: Crystal clear in colour Aroma: Delicate, sweet aroma Flavour: Cream corn and butterscotch, not sweet with a clean crisp finish

STOLICHNAYAGINGERBEER

PREMIUMSTOLICHNAYAVODKA

Appearance: Clear gold Aroma: A refreshing hit of ginger Flavour: A bold taste, made with natural ginger extract and pure cane sugar. Expertly blended to complement the smooth and robust flavor of vodka, rum, or other spirit

Appearance: Crystal clear in colour Aroma: Marshmallow, mineral and mild fruit peel aromas Flavour: A soft supply entry leads to a smooth, medium bodied palate with pastry frosting, talc and citrus rind flavours. Finished with a clean lightly sweet, sugar dust, wet straw balanced pepper fade

STOLICHNAYAGLUTENFREE

Appearance: Golden Aroma: English toffee notes, balanced with a light saltiness that draws out the caramel Flavour: A creamy-silky textured mouth-feel, with a finish that is rich and warm with lingering caramelized sugar for a taste that is completely delicious

SALTEDSTOLICHNAYAKARAMEL

Garnish: Olive Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a martini glass and garnish with an olive

THE MOSCOWPERFECTMULE

Glass: Highball glass Ingredients: 60ml Stolichnaya Premium Vodka 120ml Tomato juice

Glass: Martini glass Ingredients: 90ml Stolichnaya Gluten Free Splash of Dry Vermouth

15ml Fresh lemon juice

Garnish: Apple slice Method: Build over ice AGAINST THE MARTINIGRAIN

CLOUDED KARAMEL

Garnish: Fresh lime wedge Method: Build ingredients into a copper cup filled with ice. Stir and garnish with a fresh lime wedge

BLOODY MARY

Glass: Stoli Copper Cup Ingredients: 60ml Stolichnaya Premium Vodka 90ml Stoli Ginger Beer

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Glass: Tall Stolichnaya glass Ingredients: 45ml Stolichnaya Salted Karamel 45ml Apple juice

15ml Freshly grated horseradish Dash Worcestershire sauce Dash Tabasco sauce Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: Olives, celery branch and lemon Method: Add all ingredients into an ice filled highball glass and garnish

Signature serves

TheStolichnayabyHighestRatedWhiteSpiritintheWorld

STOLICHNAYA® VODKA HAS THEIR ORIGINS IN THE TAMBOV REGION OF RUSSIA, WHERE IT’S THE ULTRAMODERN TALVIS DISTILLERY THAT PRODUCES THE HIGHEST QUALITY ALPHA SPIRIT. AT THE MAGNIFICENT LATVIJAS BALZAMS DISTILLERY, THE SPIRIT FOR ELIT™ IS BLENDED WITH ARTESIAN WELL WATER BEFORE BEING FILTERED THROUGH RUSSIAN BIRCH CHARCOAL AND QUARTZ SAND AT A CONSTANT AND PRECISE 15°C, TO CREATE VODKA OF UNSURPASSED SMOOTHNESS. elit

- VODKA– 174 –FOR THE FINAL STAGE IN ITS CRAFTING, elit by Stolichnaya undergoes an utterly unique freeze-out filtration process. Inspired by the old Russian tradition of leaving casks outside in plummeting winter conditions, the liquid is chilled to exactly -18°C, binding final impurities together. At this temperature, the liquid densifies and moves slowly through ion-charged carbon filters, leaving an exquisitely pure liquid, charged withAftercharacter.therigor, comes rest. elit returns to ambient temperature unhurried, and in doing so, acquires the hallmarks of molecular perfection: flawless clarity and density. From its visible luminosity in the glass to its weighty, rolling mouth-feel, elit exerts a presence unlike any other vodka. Consistently commended as the highest rated vodka in the world, elit elevates the vodka experience. For those who know better, elit is vodka pleasure at its most precise. elit, whose creation marked the inception of the world’s ultra-luxury vodka category, is the flagship of Stolichnaya, recognised the world over for outstanding quality vodka and pioneeringStolichnayaheritage.isresponsible for creating and defining the benchmarks for quality, having shaped Super-Premium and Ultra-Luxury references and the Alpha SpiritStolichnayaStandard.produced the first flavoured vodka in 1962, establishing the category, and is at the vanguard of flavour innovationConsistentlytoday.commended as the highest rated vodka in the world by the Beverage Tasting Institute’s International Review of Spirits, elit by Stolichnaya has been the standard bearer in the ultra-premium spirits category since it launched in 2003. From its visible luminosity in the glass to its weighty, rolling mouth-feel, elit exerts a presence unlike any other vodka. It’s best served in a classic Martini or neat on the rocks to truly appreciate its smoothness and velvety texture. ❧

Glass: Martini glass

Aroma: A light, clean, fresh and engaging nose

ELIT BY STOLICHNAYA

Method: Pour a few drops of dry vermouth in a chilled martini glass and swirl to coat the inside of the glass. Dispose of excess vermouth. In a shaker full of ice, gently stir the elit by Stolichnaya and strain into glass.

Garnish: Olives or lemon twist

Ingredients: Splash dry vermouth elit by Stolichnaya Vodka

Appearance: elit by Stolichnaya is crystal-clear, and slightly viscous with good legs

Tasting notes Signature serve

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CLASSIC MARTINI

Flavour: Initially sweet in the mouth, leading to a full bodied mouth-feel with citrus notes and cooked agave. The finish is well balanced and long lasting

THE

This is not that case with Wyborowa. The raw spirit from local agriculture distilleries is then transported to the rectification plant where it is given multi-column rectification – this is a process that purifies the spirit, cleans the impurities and adds the final character (by removing all the things you don’t want in your vodka). If you want to compare this to another type of business, we can say that the local distillery produces a raw diamond and the rectification plant polishes it into a fine piece of jewelry. This rectification process takes place in Pozna, a city famous for its vodka production with roots going back a few hundred years. The spirit is then blended and bottled at a plant in the city of Zielona Góra, before being sent straight to the consumer ready for drinking!

In 2001, Wyborowa became part of the Pernod Ricard family and today it has a trophy tally of more than 20 accolades, in addition to winning a Gold Medal in the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and again for Excellent Product and Superb Standard at the International Spirit Challenge in 2015.

SO WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT?

CAME TO LIFE – THE MOST FAMOUS POLISH WODKA BEING TheWYBOROWAWYBOROWA.WÓDKAPrideofPolandsince1927

- VODKA– 176 –

THE 1920’S SAW INTRODUCTION OF POLAND’S STATE SPIRIT MONOPOLY THAT RAN BRANDS

THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE 20th century the brand continued to find favour with discerning bartenders who acknowledged that Wyborowa represents one of the best quality wódkas coming from the place where wódka was invented!

Well for starters, Wyborowa is genuine Polish Vodka made from pure rye grain and pristine well water. It is smooth and creamy, with grainy, fruity and slightly floral notes. As you may have already guessed, Wyborowa is made in Poland. What you might not yet know is that it is produced in quite a specific, even artisanal way. What makes this style of production unique is the use of and collaboration with local agricultural distilleries. They are independent, run by owners with passion and heart and people who have passed on their knowledge down the generations to make a raw spirit that is full of the character of the rye grain that they farm. It is a unique collaboration between independent, local artisans and commercial vodka production that honors the tradition and classic approach supported by largescale rectification. Nowadays, global vodka producers tend to move way from such an approach – instead opting to control all aspects in one place or buy their spirit on the open market.

Wyborowa Wódka is best enjoyed neat or in the form of a chilled shot, which is also known as the Polish way of drinking! ❧

ORGANIZED AND

ALL VODKA-RELATED BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY. DURING THIS TIME, SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST VODKA

Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: Pure, fresh and rich with subtle grainy, nutty and slight floral notes

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Tasting notes

Flavour: Very smooth and slightly creamy with a grainy and gentle minerally note. Finishes smooth and creamy with a medium bodied mouthfeel

WÓDKA

BAIJIU (PRONOUNCED “BUY JEE-OH”) IS SOMEWHAT OF A MYSTERY TO MOST PEOPLE FROM WESTERN COUNTRIES. MANY ARE NOT EVEN AWARE IT EXISTS, AND EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR LIVES LEARNING ABOUT SPIRITS KNOW LITTLE ABOUT IT, SO IT’S OK IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU ARE HEARING OF IT. BY THE TIME YOU HAVE READ THIS YOU WILL KNOW MORE ABOUT THE CATEGORY OF BAIJIU AND ITS CHINESE CULTURE THAN MANY OF THE WORLD’S SPIRIT EXPERTS. BAIJIU HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF CHINESE CULTURE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND NOW THAT EASTERN AND WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE INTEGRATING MORE AND MORE WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THE MYSTERY OF THIS INCREDIBLE, IN DEPTH SUBJECT UNRAVEL. TO BEGIN WITH, TO SAY BAIJIU IS A CATEGORY WOULD NOT BE QUITE RIGHT. IT IS MORE OF A COLLECTION OF SPIRITS MADE USING TRADITIONAL CHINESE METHODS. WITHIN BAIJIU THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS, TYPES AND FLAVOURS MADE FROM ALL CORNERS OF A NATION OVER 9.5 MILLION SQUARE KILOMETRES IN AREA. WITHIN THIS AREA THERE ARE 56 DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS AND THE HISTORY OF BAIJIU SPANS OVER 2000 YEARS. WITH SUCH A HUGE AND DIVERSE COUNTRY, BAIJIU HAS MANY VARIATIONS. THIS INTRODUCTION WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST BASE POSSIBLE FOR BEGINNING YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD OF BAIJIU. WORDS ROSS BLAINEY

History of Baijiu

- HISTORY OF BAIJIU– 178 –

1912 brought the end of Imperial China >>

RECENT DISCOVERIES HAVE SHOWN the Chinese were using alcohol for consumption as early as 7000 to 5800 BCE. These would have been made from berries, honey and rice and were used in religious ceremonies. These early days would lay the foundation for Baijiu and were so relevant because they set the scene for alcohol being thought of as a gift from the gods and a luxury. For the thousands of years following this, there have been many stories and legends of how alcohol and Baijiu came to be. Emperors were thought to have been blessed by the “God of Liquor” who gave liquor to them as a reward for their great ruling. These emperors in turn would gift it to their great warriors for their bravery. There are stories of flying fairies bringing alcohol to earth from the heavens, and even stories of apes making the first wines by putting fruits in stone pits and returning to find wine. A slightly more scientific story told is that Emperor Du Kang of the Xian dynasty between 2100 to 1600 BCE tried storing his grain in a mulberry tree over winter. When spring and summer came around he found it had fermented into liquor. The stories and legends are an important part of the culture of Baijiu, and throughout history there is a sense of myth and mystery that it carries with it. It seems it has always been thought of so highly that the myths sometimes seem the most appropriate stories. As we move closer to modern times, we come to the first recorded evidence of one of the major unique elements of Chinese liquor production, Jiuqu or Qu (pronounced “Chew”). Qu is an ingredient made from wheat and is processed to hold the local micro-organisms to create what acts as a yeast and known as a “starter” for the fermentation process. This is first sighted within 書經 known as Shujing or the “Book of Documents” during the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BCE to 256 BCE). This was the official documentation by scholars of the Zhou Dynasty and shows that they were already using this technique for early liquor making. Qu continued to be used up to the time of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE). Emperor Han Wu Di of this dynasty was a great supporter of liquor production in China, and perfecting the use of Qu meant the ABV of alcoholic beverages went up significantly. By making use of all the starches, it was more controlled and added many more distinct flavours. Emperor Han considered his liquor a great luxury and was known as huang jiu or “yellow liquor”. Huang jiu became the new drink of choice for emperors, religious ceremonies and gifts throughout the country. Huang jiu grew in popularity until what may be the first recorded use of distillation for alcohol around 960 CE, during the Song Dynasty. This was when the use of techniques brought from the middle east meant they could distil huang jiu for a more potent version – and the birth of the Baijiu we know today. Baijiu production grew and continued to improve techniques through many changes in the eastern world. It was used at great length during the Yuan Dynasty, the first foreign Dynasty to rule China, as Kublai Khan, grandson of Ghengis Khan recorded these techniques being used. Emperors all throughout history would support the production of liquor, as it was still seen as a top luxury. Although popularity of Baijiu grew, huang jiu remained more popular for a few hundred years while distillation techniques were being honed.

THE LAST CENTURY Baijiu techniques spread across the country, adding more diversity in production techniques and in turn flavours throughout the years. With the government beginning to make money through taxes on liquor, it became beneficial for them to spread the industry as far as possible. This brought more support in production across the nation.

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- HISTORY OF BAIJIU– 180 –and with it came a view to a more global industry potential for Baijiu. In 1915, the Chinese government sent a delegation of the top Baijiu producers to the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Here they were up against the great spirits of the world such as whisky, Cognac, gin and vodka. They found it troublesome, with no real marketing to draw attention to them until a delegate from the famous Moutai distillery decided to throw one of his bottles on the floor, smashing it and sending the pungent aroma throughout the hall. This was some smart marketing for the Baijiu category and with its intriguing smell they attracted all the right attention, managing to win the gold medal and Best Spirit in Show along with Scotch Whisky and Cognac. With the town of Moutai winning the gold medal, the three distilleries couldn’t decide who it belonged to. Upon their return to China, the government stepped in to settle the argument. The argument was settled by amalgamating the three distilleries at the top of their game to create what is now the highest valued alcohol brand in the world, Kweichow Moutai (as of February 2016).

This medal put Baijiu up there with the best on an international stage, and with the return of this medal came a realisation that although Baijiu had come out on top, they were quite far behind in modern techniques and marketing. In the decades that followed many western countries had prohibition, but in China they began to fund and grow the liquor industry to improve the quality of their beloved Baijiu. With pride at stake and keeping up appearances on the world stage, modernisation began and quality improved until another major change in 1949 with the beginning of the Communist government inTheChina.new government supported an even larger push to improve quality and to nationalise some of the best distilleries. The creation of Baijiu as China’s national spirit was made official, and first Premier Zhou Enlai chose the award-winning Kweichow Moutai to become the drink of choice with the government and national liquor of China to be used in diplomatic situations around the world. With more economic reform under Deng Xiaoping in the 1970s, Baijiu continued to soar in popularity and production. With many wanting to join in on this massive growth industry, by the 1990s there were around 36,000 distilleries. There are now probably around 14,000 in China and only a small amount of them manage to have an international presence. Many of them are consumed locally in the area where they areOverproduced.thelast 20 years, Baijiu has become a premium product with a bottle ranging anywhere from $50 AUD to $1.86 million AUD as the highest priced bottle ever sold. The scarcity and luxury surrounding some brands means there are people trading in Baijiu just the same as you would trade in other commodities, and books have been written on the techniques that can be used in this trading game. The International Wine and Spirits Group research shows that in 2012 1.25 billion nine litre cases of Baijiu were consumed around the world and the total volume of spirits consumed overall was 1.8 billion nine litre cases. This illustrates what Baijiu has become over the years. The sales volume of Baijiu in the same year was $92.4 billion USD and with production projected at 17 billion litres in 2016 we can see that this is one incredible spirit.Today, Baijiu is held very close to the hearts of the people in the towns and cities around each producer. The local pride is created by a love of their heritage, the jobs it creates and the aid that these large >>

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- HISTORY OF BAIJIU– 182 –companies can give to the people around them. They play a huge part in not only business, culture and dinner tables around the world but also a big part of the daily lives of the real people who dedicate their lives to creating this mysterious liquor.

THE INGREDIENTS To make Baijiu there are three main ingredients: SORGHUM: (Sometimes other grain or rice is used) is a grain that is widely grown across China. It originates as different species across Asia, Africa, Australia and South America in the grass family of plant life. It looks like a small dark red ball with very thick husks and is a very resilient crop, making it easy to grow in vast amounts. Its high tannins and starch make it perfect for making Baijiu.

As we delve into Baijiu and how it is made, it’s important to note that across the range of Baijiu, there’s a vast range of techniques involved. The subject goes deep into not only physical production reasons but also cultural reasons surrounding each different version. For the purpose of getting an overview, we will stick to the basic traditional Chinese methods that are used across most. These techniques are used in some way across all Baijiu. The variations come in the amount of times each process is used, slight variations in ingredients and each producer having their own methods that have been passed down through many generations, honing their craft to perfection by tweaking the details and techniques.

HOW IS IT MADE?

JIUQU OR QU: (Pronounced Chew) is one of the traditional Chinese methods that makes Baijiu so unique. Qu is the fermentation catalyst much like a yeast in other liquor making processes, although Qu is made in a very unique way. Wheat is wetted and moulded into bricks that can weigh up to 4.5kg. These bricks are then stacked in warm, temperature controlled rooms to help cultivate bacteria, yeast, fungi and other enzymes. These microorganisms will be unique to the region in which the Qu is made as they are technically wild yeasts which will in turn lend different flavour characters to each region’s Baijiu. There are some other lesser used versions of Qu which can be made using bran, peas and rice which tend to give less flavour and shorter fermentation times.

WATER: As with any great spirit, water is the lifeblood and the freshest source is always highly sought after. Similar to other distilleries around the world, many are perched among the mountains to make use of the best water possible. These Baijiu producers take great measures to ensure environmentally friendly processes to protect their quality in such a fast growing industrial nation

3. SOLID STATE FERMENTATION (SSF): The main point of interest and yet another completely unique process. Here the moist, softened Sorghum is piled together in the distillery with Qu powder broken up and layered in between. This pile can be made up to three metres high and is left there to go through the full fermentation process in its solid state, no water added. In this process, the starches will be broken into sugars and the sugars turned into alcohol, all within the one process. The SSF can take place over the course of a week or a few weeks and can also take place open to the air or enclosed underground, or in some case both. This process can take several months to complete and as it ferments it develops much of its flavour and complexity.

With the making of Baijiu spanning over 2000 years and spreading over such a huge geographical area, there have been many variations of the spirit. When talking about the flavour of Baijiu it is best to start off by looking at some of the sub categories of Baijiu. There are 12 categories of Baijiu which are named based on their different aromas. In 1959, the Chinese government standardised the main Baijiu into four main categories:

–

2. MATERIAL PREPARATION: At this stage, the Sorghum would be steamed or boiled to clean it and soften the hard outer husk for the following stages

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6. BLENDING: As with many other great spirits, blending is a highly skilled job, and it takes a lifetime to achieve this position. Blends are created in accordance with the flavour of the brand, and as with many spirits can be alternated to suit different bottlings and releases.

1. JIANG XIANG (Jee-ung sheeung) –sauce aroma

5. AGING: Baijiu is mainly aged in clay pots and some stored underground, but the process differs depending on the producer. The amount of time aged varies and some can be aged up to 80 years.

AROMACLASSIFICATION,ANDTASTE

1. QU PRODUCTION: The fermentation “starter” must be made beforehand to be used in step three.

2. NONG XIANG (Nong Sheeung) –strong aroma

The process of making Baijiu really sets it apart from every other spirit in the world. It bares little resemblance to western spirit production, which makes it all the more intriguing to learn. Some of these techniques are not used anywhere else in the world and some are so labour intensive and skilled that they are almost magical to watch in person. These are the six main steps involved:

3. QING XIANG (Ching sheeung) –light aroma >>

4. SOLID STATE DISTILLATION: This process comes straight after SSF. The fermented Sorghum is placed in a large enclosed circular container which in itself is an incredibly laborious task. The Sorghum is then steamed from below, and as the steam pushes its way through it carries with it the alcohol vapours. These are then extracted through a pipe at the top of the container which leads to a second cooled container where the Baijiu is collected. This process can be repeated to get the best flavours and purest distillate.

- HISTORY OF BAIJIU– 184 –

These are the specific categories of aroma but they are maybe not the best description what Baijiu tastes or smells like. Good quality Baijiu given to 10 people will usually get 10 completely different flavours found. The spectrum of flavours is incredibly vast and possibly one of the most diverse I have seen in a spirit. As it would be hard to pinpoint all of the flavours of any spirit category, I have just put a few together here for those who want a bit of an idea. This is by no means anywhere near exhaustive and it may also seem vague in that these flavours do span the whole spectrum, but this is how Baijiu can taste: Banana, pineapple, chocolate, vegemite, soy sauce, plum, smoke, seaweed, white flower, peach, sweet, salty, bitter, oyster juice, sauerkraut, yeasty, meat, fermented vegetables. As most Baijiu will be bottled at 45 to 60% ABV it does pack a bit of a punch so there will always be the warmth of the alcohol to accompany. As with other spirits, the burn that is sometimes associated with Baijiu, sometimes known as “fire water” will depend on the quality of the Baijiu. The higher the quality, the less burn and more flavour. The best way to work out what Baijiu tastes like is really to taste it yourself. An important thing to remember is that trying one Baijiu, not liking it and thinking you don’t like Baijiu is like trying one gin and saying you don’t like all spirits from Europe. The flavours are vast and there is no amount of explanation that can make up for the sensory overload that follows the first sip of Baijiu.

HOW TO DRINK TRADITIONALLY: Baijiu is drank throughout society in China, from the lower ends of the socioeconomic scale all the way to the tables of government banquets; even the Queen has enjoyed Moutai (a top

4. MI XIANG (Me sheeung) – rice aroma

COCKTAILS: We are currently witnessing the very beginning of the Baijiu cocktail scene. As a new spirit with such rich history enters this creative scene, it has begun to take off around the world. As cultures learn from one another and take aspects to mould for their own use, there is a spot for the mysterious Baijiu in the top cocktail bars of the world. As bartenders continue their search for new liquids to impress their guests, Baijiu has found itself being able to offer not only an interesting spirit to taste and a story to tell, but a huge cocktail potential. With its diversity in flavours, a new cocktail creation can head in any direction, from savoury to sweet and everything in between. The aim of a great cocktail is to find balance of flavours while highlighting specific nuances of the main ingredient. This makes it a great way to start off with Baijiu; trying a few cocktails can make some of the bigger flavours a little easier to handle, as well as lowering the overall alcohol content. The cocktail scene for Baijiu is new but growing. With such deep traditional values and long history, it is understandable that some purists are not fully on board with the cocktail approach but this has been seen before with single malt whisky. It gives Baijiu another way to be shared with the world and those people are gradually taking to it more and more.

Someone who is able to drink well and remain coherent and well behaved is very well thought of. This culture does not think badly of drinking large amounts but does maintain respect will be lost for someone who cannot behave well after drinking.

– 185 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA brand of Baijiu) with President Xi Jing Ping! Baijiu is always used for important occasions, whether it is a birthday, wedding, engagement, new year or maybe most importantly on the closing of a good business deal. A sign of the success of a business deal would be celebrated with some good quality Baijiu. In all of these cases, whether it is high grade Baijiu or low grade, it is enjoyed straight up in small cups or glasses that usually only hold about 10ml. Baijiu is a spirit that is usually reserved for the dinner table and enjoyed alongside food, which is probably just as well considering its high alcohol content averages 53% ABV. The Baijiu bottle or jug will be passed around the table, always taking care to pour everyone else’s before your own as far as you can reach. Baijiu has a big element of sharing and hospitality that goes with it. As everyone’s glass is filled, always to the brim, a simple Ganbei (meaning cheers or ”bottoms up”) will be said, sometimes preceded by a few kind words of welcome or thanks. As you touch glasses, everyone will finish the glass of Baijiu and in some cases will hold the glass horizontal towards your fellow drinkers to show that it is all gone. This process can be repeated throughout dinner, and if you’re feeling brave you can do a round of the table to thank your hosts doing an individual Ganbei with each person at the table. This is not recommended for early on in the dinner before food but will earn you a good deal of respect, which is another important aspect of the Chinese drinking culture.

Leading the way in the cocktail category for the Baijiu brands is Kweichow Moutai, who recently launched the world’s first Baijiu cocktail competition “Enter the Dragon”. Held in Sydney in November of 2015, the competition saw some of the world’s best bartenders coming together to learn and create. Around the world, Beijing has seen the arrival of the world’s first Baijiu bar, Capital Spirits which has a focus on teaching the ways of Baijiu and other lesser known spirits. Meanwhile in Greenwich Village, New York the first Baijiu bar outside of China has really taken off. In true speakeasy style, “Lumos” is located under a hat shop in SoHo with entry to the bar marked only with the Chinese characters for “tavern” and is host to some of the most creative cocktails and entertainment of the New York bar scene. These early adopters have taken a view to showing people the culture of Chinese drinking, balanced with just enough western influence to make taking in so much history a little easier. This exciting new scene is just taking hold in Australia and the best way to experience it is to get to the best cocktail bar you know of and ask them to whip you up a Baijiu cocktail! ❧

- BAIJIU– 186 –

OPPOSITE: Chishui River in the town of GuizhouMoutai,province.

Moutai

ABOVE LEFT: Moutai being aged in ceramic pots. THE BRAND OF KWEICHOW MOUTAI WAS named as the ‘National Liquor of China’ in 1949 by Zhou Enlai, the first Premier of the People’s Republic of China. Zhou Enlai is now widely known as the father of Moutai. His great love of the spirit stemmed from his time in The Red Army, where his army marched over the Snowy Mountains, relying on Moutai to give them strength, keep up their spirits and even sterilize their wounds and swords after fighting. It is clear that the significant role Moutai played in ‘The Long March’ forged a special place in the memory of Zhou Enlai. As a great diplomat and a man of the people, Zhou Enlai continued to cherish Moutai, using it to entertain international guests. Looking back at the history of Chinese diplomacy, Moutai has played an unparalleled role. With its high quality and mellow taste, Moutai has left traces at critical moments of Chinese history.

Primarily consumed in China as a celebratory drink, Moutai is rare and sourced from the protected town of Moutai in China’s picturesque Guizhou Province. The production of Moutai has stayed true to its ancient distilling techniques since 135 BC, and has now grown to become a brand of great significance in global markets. Passed on from generation to generation, the art of producing Moutai is meticulous, allowing the complex aromas from a spectrum of flavours found in the spirit to create an explosive sensory experience. The baijiu takes on the characteristics and spirit of the picturesque landscape in which it’s developed, representing the harmony between people and nature. As with most quality distilling, water is the lifeline of the spirit. Moutai baijiu is cultivated over thousands of years, with their ancient brewing process being a key component of the multi-dimensional flavour that is distinct to the spirit.

PRODUCTION It takes a whole year for Moutai to complete its process of production before any aging>>

– 187 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA IN TIME, BAIJIU SPREAD TO ALL CORNERS OF THE EMPIRE WITH EACH REGION OF CHINA CREATING ITS OWN VERSION OF THE SPIRIT. IT WAS DURING THE QING DYNASTY OF 1644 TO 1912 THAT MOUTAI BEGAN TO COME INTO ITS OWN, WITH GROWTH IN PRODUCTION AND THE SKILLS OF THE MAKERS BEING HONED TO PERFECTION. BAIJIU IS THE MOST CONSUMED SPIRITS CATEGORY IN THE WORLD AND PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD RECOGNIZE MOUTAI AS THE VERY BEST BAIJIU – CHINA’S OWN TRADITIONAL SPIRIT.

Producing Moutai involves steaming local grown sorghum nine times, eight fermentation periods, seven filtration sessions and numerous maturation and blending traditions and aging in clay pots.

- BAIJIU– 188 –

takes place. Moutai is made from sorghum, a grain that looks like a small red ball with a tough outer husk, which is brought to the distillery to start the cycle of production. In addition a centuries-old fermentation starter called Qu is added. Moutai has a unique process that is much more refined to create finer flavours and a higher quality spirit.

Interestingly, Moutai production is based on the lunar calendar and begins in autumn when the Chishui River (known as China’s Fine Wine River) runs cleanest and purest. This unique geological position of the town of Moutai creates a special microclimate. Master blenders who have spent their lives

TASTING Explaining the flavours and aromas of Moutai can be difficult and possibly detrimental to your own unique Moutai experience. It has such an incredibly different flavour profile to any western spirit that it is best to make up your own mind of its flavours. It is characterised with its “Jiang” aroma or “sauce” aroma, which can be likened to a soy sauce type of flavour but this is perfectly balanced with a plethora of other flavours that compliment this. To help you identify some of the flavours you may pick up in aroma and taste here are some of the large spectrum of flavours that are commonly enjoyed; Banana, plum, apple yeast, chocolate, coffee bean, smoke, oak, fermented fruits, honey, nuts, mint, coconut, sorghum, bacon, beef, over ripe dark fruits. ❧

The unique quality of Moutai is a perfect combination of its distinctive brewing techniques and the local natural environment. And these techniques and climatic conditions cannot be transferred and / or replicated. Indeed, it is the traditional scientific brewing techniques that the local people have come up with, through the thousands of years, coupled with the special local natural environment that have made Moutai what it is today.

– 189 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

DRINKING Moutai, chosen as the National Liquor of China by the government, is used to celebrate special occasions and even seen as a status symbol in some cases. Traditionally, the spirit is drunk neat in small glasses of 10ml to15ml. With such a complex spectrum of aromas and flavours, it is equally as good neat or in cocktails that highlight its flavours. Generally, Moutai is enjoyed at room temperature. As for when to drink it, the spirit works well as an aperitif and stimulates the appetite, but is predominantly enjoyed with meals. Much like Champagne, Moutai is consumed as a celebratory drink to toast any special occasion and commemorate achievement, or to simply toast to good health and well-being.

OPPOSITE BELOW: Workers packing Qu into bricks at the Moutai distillery. in Moutai and know the flavours perform the blending of Moutai to great detail. Tradition of Moutai dictates that the process is performed manually. The whole process of Moutai production, from aging to the finished liquor, involves at least a period of five years: one year for production, three years for aging and another one year of aging after liquors of different ages have been blended.

Tasting notes

Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: The Moutai famous Jiang fragrance. Surrounded by the most complex and balanced of the rest of the spectrum of Moutai flavours

Flavour: The signature Moutai flavour is at its lightest in this bottling with a manageable length and mellow mouthfeel

Appearance: Crystal clear Aroma: The mellow Jiang fragrance accompanied by the lighter aromas

Flavour: The most famous of the Moutai bottlings, this is the most unique flavour, which consists of a complex layer of many flavours uniquely deciphered by each individual drinker. Slight viscosity is present in the Flying Fairy

Appearance: Crystal clear with a very slight golden hue Aroma: As Moutai ages it moves more towards the mellow notes of honey and nuts

Flavour: Slightly more viscosity to coat the mouth with its unique flavours and slightly more of the nutty, slight tropical fruit and nut flavours

MOUTAI PRINCE

MOUTAI 15 YEAR OLD

- BAIJIU– 190 –

MOUTAI FLYING FAIRY

– 191 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA Ganbei Julep Glass: Highball Ingredients: 30ml Moutai 30ml Coconut and white chocolate tea 10ml Rose syrup 10ml Green mango puree Garnish: Coconut shavings and baby’s breath flowers Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Double strain into the glass over crushed ice

- EXPLORE COCKTAILS– 192 –

VODKA

GIN,

CocktailsExploreRECREATIONAL.

DRINKING HAS BEEN TIED TO MERRYMAKING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. ALTHOUGH WE MAY THINK OF MIXING COCKTAILS AS BEING MODERN, BY DEFINITION, A COCKTAIL IS SIMPLY A BLEND OF TWO OR MORE DIFFERENT DRINKS. THEREFORE IT COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE FOR THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS, GREEKS OR ROMANS TO HAVE CRAFTED BLENDED DRINKS, ALTHOUGH THE PURPOSE OF SUCH DRINKS WAS PROBABLY MORE MEDICINAL THAN

THE FIRST PUBLISHED REFERENCE OF THE TERM AS WE KNOW IT APPEARED IN the May 23, 1806 edition of The Balance and Columbian Repository. A curious reader wrote in and asked, “What is a cocktail?” to which editor Harry Crosswell replied, “a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters… and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, in as much as it renders the heart stout, at the same time it fuddles the head.” Even in the present day, over 200 years later, this definition still rings true. As times change, so do trends. The period after Prohibition saw Hollywood films glamourise the cocktail, the introduction of Donn the Beachcomber’s famous Tiki Bar and the birth of popular cocktails including the Moscow Mule, Zombie and the Martini. Since then, cocktail trends have continued to be dictated by food, current events and the media.

Classic cocktails never go out of fashion, but the progression of consumers, bartenders and venues see modern takes and twists on the classics using varied ingredients and spirits.

White spirits feature as the primary and supplementary ingredient in a vast array of cocktails. Whether you’re kicking back with a margarita, reliving your Sex and the City moment with a cosmopolitan or doing your best James Bond impression with a martini (shaken, not stirred of course), white spirit-based cocktails are versatile - they can be a pre-diner aperitif, a hangover cure, a celebration drink, a holiday tipple while sitting on a beach or poolside, or something stiff to while away a long day. Here are some of the most famous classic and contemporary white spirit-based cocktail recipes. Some you may know well, perhaps too well, others you may not have tried before. Here’s an ode to the white spirit cocktails we think are worth noting! ❧ – 193 – explore TEQUILA &

– 194 –- EXPLORE GIN COCKTAILSTanqueray Vine Street Fizz Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Tanqueray No.TEN 50ml Pink grapefruit juice 10ml Sugar syrup Top with Fever-Tree Tonic Water Garnish: Pink grapefruit wedge Method: Shake all ingredients, strain over cubed ice. Top with tonic water.

Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: 60ml Gin 10ml Dry Vermouth 5-10ml Olive brine Garnish: Two olives on a skewer Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

Bramble Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 50ml Gin 20ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup 15ml Crème de Mure Garnish: Drizzle Crème de Mure and lemon wedge Method: Build over crushed ice, then float Crème de Mure.

– 195 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Singapore Sling Glass: Sling Ingredients: 40ml Gin 20ml Cherry brandy 20ml Cointreau 25ml Fresh lemon juice 50ml Pineapple juice 5ml DashGrenadineofAngostura Bitters

Negroni Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 30ml Gin 20ml Rosso Vermouth 10ml Campari Garnish: Orange wedge or wheel Method: Add ingredients to a rocks glass with cubed or block ice and stir.

Dry Martini Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: 60ml Gin 10ml Dry Vermouth Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish: Pineapple Wedge, half orange wheel, fresh cherry, drizzle Benedictine Method: Shake and strain into an ice filled glass.

Tom Collins Glass: Collins Ingredients: 50ml Gin 20ml Fresh lemon juice 2 x Bsp. Powdered sugar Top with soda water Garnish: Lemon wedge Method: Build ingredients into your glass filled with cubed ice and stir.

Dirty Martini

Gin & It Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Gin 25ml Rosso Vermouth 1 Dash Angostura Bitters

Enzoni Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 30ml Gin 30ml Sloe Gin 10ml Campari 10ml Lemon juice Dash Sugar syrup 3 Grapes

Gin-Gin Mule Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Gin 5ml Lime juice 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

Gin Daisy Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Gin 15ml Sugar syrup 20ml Lemon juice Top with Fever-Tree Soda Water

Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 60ml Gin 5ml Passionfruit syrup 2 Dashes orange bitters

Garnish: Lemon sugar rim Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

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Garnish: Redcurrant string Method: Muddle fruit. Add remaining ingredients then shake and strain.

Garnish: Orange twist Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

Earl Mar-Tea-NiGrey

Re-FashionedGin

Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Add all ingredients except soda water. Shake and strain into chilled glass and top with soda water.

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 40ml Earl Grey Infused Gin 20ml Lemon juice 20ml Sugar syrup 20ml Orange juice

Top with Fever-Tree Ginger Beer

Garnish: 2 x lime wedges Method: Build ingredients into your glass filled with cubed ice and stir.

Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Add ingredients to a rocks glass with cubed ice and stir.

Bijou Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Gin 30ml Rosso Vermouth 30ml Green Chartreuse

Albermarle Fizz

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Gin 20ml Lemon juice 20ml Sugar syrup 20ml Raspberry puree 15ml Egg white Top with Fever-Tree Soda Water

Apple & Dill Martini Glass: Martini Ingredients: 60ml Gin 10ml Lemon juice 10ml Sugar syrup 1/8 SprigAppleofdill

Garnish: Apple fan Method: Muddle fruit and herbs. Add remaining ingredients then shake and strain.

Alexander Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Gin 30ml VOK White Crème de Cacao 30ml Fresh cream

Artisima Fizz Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Gin 20ml Lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup 20ml Egg white 4 Dashes Absinthe Top with Fever-Tree Soda Water

Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Add all ingredients except soda water, shake hard for minimum four minutes to ensure the egg whites emulsify and strain into chilled glass, and top with soda water.

Garnish: Cherry Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish: Nutmeg dust Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

James Bond’s creator, Ian Flemming, sometimes consumed up to a bottle of gin a day… this could provide some reasoning for Bond’s favourite tipple.

– 197 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Garnish: 2 x raspberries Method: Add all ingredients except soda water, shake hard for minimum four minutes to ensure the egg whites emulsify then strain into chilled glass, and top with soda water.

Martinez Glass: Martini Ingredients: 20ml Gin 25ml Dry Vermouth 25ml Rosso Vermouth 5ml Maraschino liqueur

Method: Add all ingredients except soda water to shaker, shake hard for minimum six minutes to ensure the egg whites emulsify and strain into chilled glass and top with soda water.

Garnish: Strawberry fan Method: Muddle fruit, add all ingredients except soda water. Shake and strain into ice filled glass and top with soda water.

Soda Water

Pegu Club no. 2

1 Drop orange bitters

– 198 –

Garnish: Flamed orange twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Peach-Blow Fizz Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Gin 2 Top15ml15ml15mlStrawberriesCreamLemonjuiceSugarsyrupwithFever-Tree

1 Dash of Fever-Tree Soda Water

- EXPLORE GIN COCKTAILS -

Old Flame Glass: Martini Ingredients: 25ml Gin 20ml Cointreau 10ml Campari 10ml Rosso Vermouth 25ml Orange juice

GardensRathbone

Garnish: Lime wedge, peach slice and basil leaf Method: Shake and strain into an ice filled glass.

Garnish: Lime wedge Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Ramos Gin Fizz Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Gin 15ml Lemon juice 20ml Cream 15ml Egg white 20ml Sugar syrup 2ml Orange Blossom Water

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Gin 25ml Cointreau 10ml Lime juice 1 Drop Angostura Bitters

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Navy Strength Gin 20ml Peach Puree 20ml Lime juice 10ml Sugar syrup 4 Basil leaves

Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

GIN & MEDITERRANEANTONIC Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic30mlWaterGin

GIN & LIGHT TONIC Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Naturally Light Tonic Water 30ml Gin Garnish: Slice of Cucumber Description and Pairing: The soft subtle citrus notes are balanced beautifully by the bitterness of quinine in this lower calorie, all-natural tonic water

– 199 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Fever-Tree Gin Mixers

GIN & INDIAN TONIC Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water 30ml Gin Garnish: Lemon Wedge Description and Pairing: The classic flavours of an all-natural Indian Tonic water is the quintessential pairing to a robust, full-flavoured gin. The quinine bitterness is elevated by the effervescence in this uniquely refreshing combination

Garnish: Lemon Wedge & Blueberries Description and Pairing: With soft, subtle flavours derived from floral botanicals, this style of tonic is a perfect match for lighter style gins, but can also bring a surprising lift to a juniper led London Dry

– 200 –- EXPLORE TEQUILA COCKTAILSPassionfruitMargarita Glass: Margarita Ingredients: 30ml Patrón Silver Tequila 15ml Patrón Citronge 25ml Lime juice 1 Passionfruit, pulp removed 10ml Sugar syrup Garnish: Passionfruit float Method: Add passionfruit pulp and all other ingredients to an ice filled shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled margarita glass prepared with a salt rim.

Spiced Margarita Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 20ml Fresh lemon juice 10ml Sugar syrup 10ml Honey syrup 10ml Egg white Garnish: Nutmeg and cinnamon dust and a dash of Angostura Bitters Method: Shake hard for minimum four minutes to ensure the egg whites emulsify. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass Espresso Martini Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 30ml Espresso 20ml Coffee liqueur 5ml Sugar syrup

– 201 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Paloma Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 90ml ‘Ting’ or sparkling grapefruit juice 15ml Fresh lime juice

Garnish: 3 x coffee beans Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass

El Diablo Glass: Highball Ingredients: 40ml Tequila 20ml Fresh lime juice 10ml Ginger syrup 10ml Crème de Cassis

Tequila Sunrise Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Tequila Top with fresh orange juice 2 x dash of Grenadine Garnish: Orange wedge and cherry Method: Add the tequila and then the orange juice to a chilled highball glass. Float the grenadine on top and garnish.

Garnish: Sea salt rim and lime wedge Method: Build ingredients over ice in a glass and stir gently.

2 x Half orange wheel Top with ginger beer Garnish: 1/2 Orange wheel and lime wedge Method: Muddle fruit, add all ingredients except ginger beer. Shake and strain into ice filled glass and top with ginger beer

Garnish: Salted rim and lime wedge Method: Prepare glass with salted rim. Pour the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass.

Margarita Glas: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 35ml Fresh lime juice 20ml Cointreau

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Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 20ml Lemon juice 20ml Watermelon syrup 2 x dashes orange bitters Garnish: Orange twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish: Grapefruit twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

High MargaritaSpice

MargaritaPeasants

Satin Sheet Glass: Coupette Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 20ml Lime juice 15ml Velvet Falernum 5ml Sugar syrup Garnish: Lime wheel Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Silver Smash Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 50ml Silver Tequila 2 Lemon wedges 3 GrapefruitGrapes slice 4 Mint leaves 15ml Sugar syrup Garnish: Mint sprig, lemon wedge and half a grape Method: Muddle fruit and herbs. Add remaining ingredients then shake and strain.

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 15ml Lime juice 15ml Grapefruit juice 10ml Honey syrup 10ml Agave syrup

SoulhappinessSoulcar/

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 20ml Lemon juice 10ml Sugar syrup 10ml Honey syrup 10ml Egg white Garnish: Nutmeg dust, cinnamon dust and Angostura drip Method: Shake hard for minimum four minutes to ensure the egg whites emulsify. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Joe Crow Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 15ml Lime juice 15ml Sugar syrup 10ml Lychee juice 4 Red grapes Garnish: Red grape Method: Muddle fruit. Add remaining ingredients then shake and strain.

Sweet Heat

Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 20ml Vanilla liqueur 20ml Lime juice 10ml Sugar syrup 1/2 De-Seeded jalepeno pepper

Garnish: Chilli and lime wedge Method: Muddle pepper with lime and sugar syrup. Add remaining ingredients then shake and strain.

Velvet Voodoo Glass: Hurricane/highball Ingredients: 40ml Tequila 20ml Orange curacao 20ml Lime juice 10ml Orgeat 50ml Pineapple juice

Garnish: Lime wedge and pineapple leaf Method: Shake and pour into an ice filled glass. White (SombreroMexicanStyle)

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Tequila 30ml Coffee liqueur 30ml Cream (layered) Method: Build tequila and coffee liqueur in a glass, and float/layer cream on top.

– 203 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

If you’re scared of the worm, don’t be! They’re found in mezcal, not tequila.

– 204 –- EXPLORE TEQUILA COCKTAILS -

209 East Cocktail

Garnish: Mint sprig and apple fan Method: Add all ingredients except ginger beer. Shake and strain into ice filled glass and top with ginger beer.

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 40ml Tequila 20ml Lime juice 10ml Ginger syrup 10ml Crème de Cassis 2 Orange wheels Top with Fever-Tree Ginger Beer

Garnish: 1/2 Orange wheel and lime wedge Method: Muddle fruit, add all ingredients except ginger beer. Shake and strain into ice filled glass and top with ginger beer.

Apple Mentha Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 20ml Lemon juice 10ml Agave syrup 40ml Apple juice 4 to 8 Mint leaves 40ml Fever-Tree Ginger Beer

Garnish: Flamed orange twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass. El Diablo no. 2

Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Tequila 15ml Cointreau 15ml Crème de Fraise 20ml Lime juice Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Cats Eye Glass: Martini Ingredients: 40ml Tequila 20ml Sweetened passionfruit puree 25ml Orange juice

Tequila is only tequila if it is made from the blue agave plant primarily found in the Jalisco region of Mexico. Like Champagne or Brie, the real thing must be from this specific area!

TEQUILA LEMON, LIME & BITTERS Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Ginger Beer 30ml Tequila 5-6 dashes Angostura Bitters 15ml Lime Cordial Garnish: Lime Wedge Description and Pairing: Nothing says ‘drinks by the bar-b’ more than a Lemon, Lime & Bitters, so be the toast of your party by adding a quality 100% Agave Tequila. The light, natural lemon flavours combined with the effervescence in this cocktail, deliver a thirst quencher that’ll keep you coming back for more

TEQUILA & GINGER BEER Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Ginger Beer 30ml Tequila

– 205 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Fever-Tree Tequila Mixers

TEQUILA & TONIC Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water 30ml Tequila Garnish: Lime Wheel Description and Pairing: This mixer has all the citrus and spice notes of a classic Indian Tonic and is perfectly paired with a quality 100% Agave Silver Tequila

Garnish: Lemon Wedge & Orange Spiral Description and Pairing: Naturally brewed, the unique blend of three gingers combine to create a spice led, fresh ginger flavour that superbly pairs with all varieties of Tequila. Try this with a squeeze of fresh lime to taste

– 206 –- EXPLORE VODKA COCKTAILSCîroc Madras Glass: Highball Ingredients: 45ml Cîroc Ultra-Premium Vodka 45ml Cranberry juice 45ml Orange juice Garnish: Lime wheel and skewered cherry Method: Build all ingredients in a tall glass over ice and stir.

Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Vodka 10ml Fresh lemon juice 10ml White wine 60ml Tomato juice 8 x Turns of salt 8 x Turns of black pepper

Garnish: 2 x Lime wedges squeezed Method: Build ingredients into a copper tankard filled with cubed ice

Garnish: Grapefruit twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

3 x Dashes tabasco sauce 3 x Dashes of worcestershire sauce

Bloody Mary

Cosmopolitan Glass: Cocktail Ingredients: 40ml Vodka 25ml Cointreau 30ml Cranberry Juice 5ml Fresh Lime Juice

2 x Dashes grapefruit bitters

Moscow Mule Glass: Copper Tankard Ingredients: 50ml Vodka Top with ginger ale

– 207 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Glass: Martini Ingredients 30ml Vodka 15ml Lychee liqueur 15ml Fresh grapefruit juice 15ml Fresh lemon juice 15ml Sugar syrup

Garnish: Cucumber fan and black pepper grate Method: Roll; build ingredients into a glass filled with cubed ice and then pour the contents back and forth between a glass and shaker tin.

Caipiroska Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 50ml Vodka Half of a Fresh lime 1 x Sugar cube 15ml Sugar syrup Method: Muddle fruit and sugar cube. Add remaining ingredients and stir with cracked ice.

Black Russian Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 30ml Vodka 30ml Coffee Liqueur 50ml Cola (optional) Method: Build ingredients over ice in a glass and stir gently.

Garnish: Orange twist Method: Shake and strain into chilled glass.

Lychee Martini

– 208 –

Apple Grass

Garnish: Blackberry Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

“I believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade… And try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka, and have a party”, Ron White

- EXPLORE VODKA COCKTAILS -

Garnish: Two mint sprigs and a cucumber fan Method: Muddle mint and cucumber. Add remaining ingredients except ginger ale, then shake and pour. Top with ginger ale.

Glass: Coupette Ingredients: 40ml Vodka 10ml Vanilla liqueur 10ml Ginger juice 15ml Lemon juice 20ml Apple juice

Fa’afafene Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Passionfruit vodka 15ml Honey syrup 10ml Lime juice 40ml Apple juice 3ml Grenadine 3ml Passionfruit syrup 4 Mint leaves

Garnish: Apple slice Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Bryans CourageDutch Glass: Rocks Ingredients: 50ml Vodka 20ml Maraschino liqueur Four fresh lemon wedges 10ml Honey syrup Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Shake and pour into ice filled glass.

Garnish: Apple Fan Method: Shake and strain into an ice filled glass.

Esquire Cocktail Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Vodka 30ml Raspberry vodka 10ml VOK Parfait Amour Liqueur

Cucumber & Elderflower Buck Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Vodka 20ml Lime juice 15ml Sugar syrup 4 to 8 Mint leaves 2 cm Peeled cucumber 10ml Elderflower cordial Top with Fever-Tree Ginger Ale

Top with Fever-Tree Soda Water

– 209 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

Ivy Fizz Glass: Highball Ingredients: 50ml Vodka 20ml Lime juice 20ml Sugar syrup 4 to 8 Mint leaves

Mitch Martini Glass: Martini Ingredients: 50ml Vodka 10ml VOK Peach Liqueur 5ml Passionfruit syrup 40ml Apple juice Garnish: Lemon twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish: Mint sprig Method: Add all ingredients except soda water. Shake and strain into an ice filled glass and top with soda water.

Long Island Iced Tea Glass: Highball Ingredients: 10ml Vodka 10ml Gin 10ml Light rum 10ml Tequila 10ml Cointreau 20ml Lemon juice 10ml Sugar syrup To Top Cola

Jade Garden Glass: Martini Ingredients: 40ml Vodka 10ml Apple juice 10ml Sugar syrup 1/2 Kiwi fruit 1/2 Apple Garnish: Kiwi slice Method: Muddle fruit. Add remaining ingredients then shake and strain.

Mudslide Glass: Hurricane or highball Ingredients: 30ml Vodka 30ml VOK Coffee liqueur 30ml Cream liqueur 30ml Cream Garnish: Chocolate syrup and a cherry Method: Shake and strain into an ice filled glass.

Garnish: Lemon wedge Method: Add all ingredients except cola. Shake and strain into an ice filled glass and top with cola.

Miss Martini Glass: Martini Ingredients: 40ml Vodka 20ml Chambord 15ml Raspberry puree 10ml Sugar syrup 20ml Cream Garnish: Raspberry float Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

- VODKA COCKTAILS -

EXPLORE

Vodka Dry Martini Glass: Martini Ingredients: 60ml Vodka 10ml Dry vermouth Garnish: Lemon twist or two olives Method: Add ingredients to a mixing glass with cubed ice, stir and strain into a chilled glass.

White Cosmo Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Raspberry vodka 40ml Apple juice 15ml Cointreau 10ml Lime juice Garnish: Flamed orange twist Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

– 210 –

Victoria’s Secret Glass: Martini Ingredients: 30ml Vodka 20ml Pineapple juice 15ml Passionfruit puree 15ml Crème de Fraise 10ml Passionfruit syrup 10ml Lemon juice 2 Strawberries Garnish: Strawberry fan Method: Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

“There are only two absolutes in life: friends and vodka. And the best times usually involve both” Unknown

– 211 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

VODKA & COLA Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Premium Cola 30ml Vodka

Fever-Tree Vodka Mixers

VODKA & TONIC Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water 30ml Vodka

Description and Pairing: The blend of ingredients in Fever-Tree Cola include subtle aromas of citrus and spice notes while the flavour delivers a ginger, cinnamon and vanilla finish that works to enhance the flavour of the spirit VODKA & LEMONADE Ingredients: 200ml Fever-Tree Lemonade 30ml Vodka

Garnish: Lemon Wheel

Description and Pairing: The perfect partner for a crisp clean vodka, the refreshing lemonade made with natural lemon juice acts as a great spritz with the high level of bubbles included in Fever-Tree

Garnish: Lemon Spiral Description and Pairing: A perfect partner to any vodka, with subtle quinine flavours and light floral botanicals, the Mediterranean Tonic creates a delicious and refreshing, classic mixed drink

- GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA BARS– 212 –

Gin, Tequila & Vodka Bars

– 213 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA

SPECIALIST GIN, TEQUILA AND VODKA BARS CAN NOW BE SEEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FROM 18TH CENTURY THEMED GIN BARS TO TEQUILA COCKTAIL BARS, AND EVEN BARS SERVING UP INFUSED VODKA CONCOCTIONS AS THEIR SPECIALTY. THOSE LOOKING TO TRY SOMETHING UNIQUE, BOUTIQUE, OR PERHAPS EVEN BESPOKE NOW HAVE ACCESSIBLE VENUES WHERE THE BARKEEPS ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PASSIONATE, AND MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE A CHAT WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR SPIRIT OF CHOICE. MANY OF THESE VENUES OFFER A VAST RANGE OF SPECIALTY SPIRITS, SOME EVEN BOASTING HUNDREDS OF BOTTLES ON THEIR BACK BAR, MEANING WE’RE DEFINITELY SPOILT FOR CHOICE. TO GET YOU ON YOUR MERRY WAY, BE IT JUNIPER, AGAVE OR GRAIN, WE HAVE PROFILED SOME OF THE FINEST VENUES –SOME OLD, SOME NEW, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

– 214 –- GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA BARS -

Iaia has accumulated 14 years in the hospitality industry, working in various roles in cocktail bars in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, Paris, London and now Brisbane. With an eye for quality atmosphere and what makes a cocktail bar successful, Nico is bringing his outsider point of view to Brisbane’s entertainment district. Well versed in the qualities of many spirits, Nico has fostered a particular love for tequila – a taste that has informed the aesthetic of Alquimia. Alquimia pairs its hefty drinks offering with DJ sets and other events. Think sophistication, cool, elegance and style. Whether you’re a tequila fiend, or new to the spirit, take a trip to Alquimia and experience the magic and wonder as Nico and his team create cocktail dreams. ❧

ALQUIMIA IN BRISBANE’S FORTITUDE VALLEY IS A CLASSY HANGOUT THAT AIMS TO HIGHLIGHT THE FINER SIDE OF TEQUILA THROUGH A BLEND OF premium offerings and tequila-based cocktails. Here, you can sip handpicked brands or fall in love with drinks with names such as Romero y Julia. Over 80 different types of the tequila line the shelves — including 60 from the U.S. alone, with the finest flavours coming from boutique distilleries throughout Mexico - this is the place for serious fans of tequila.

Address: 702 Ann St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 T: 0498 638 W: www.alquimia.bar Opening Hours: Wednesday-Thursday: 6pm-1am Friday: Saturday:4pm-3am6pm-3amSunday:6pm-1am

In addition to the carefully selected tequilas and handcrafted cocktails, of particular note is Alquimia’s cocktail tap, which pours a rotating concoction of pre-mixed Herradura-based cocktails. Should you be in need of something not made from agave, Alquimia boasts a selection of other alcoholic options, including vodka, gin, rum, beer and a curated selection of wine. This cocktail tequila bar is a story of passion and creativeness. Italian-born and worldly-raised Nico Iaia is the leading alchemist and face of Alquimia.

BRISBANE’S FIRST DEDICATED COCKTAIL TEQUILA BAR.

Nico and his partner Julie Thompson and business partner Fabio Morganti are endeavouring to remove the stigma surrounding the spirit, proving that it is one of the best and most versatile clear spirits available.

Alquimia Tequila Bar

Next door to the distillery is a two-story bar, fitted out with booths that look like whisky barrels. Here, customers can sample the distillery’s portfolio of products, which includes gin, vodka and white rye whisky, followed by a collection of aged whiskies and tailored spirits. Be sure to allow the bar staff to guide you through their Spirit Tasting Flights, where you have the opportunity to taste the full house range.

SYDNEY HAS LONG BEEN THE PURVEYOR OF GOOD TIMES AND GREAT DRINKS, WHICH IS WHY IT SURPRISED WILL EDWARDS, A SHARP-MINDED ENTREPRENEUR, THAT THE VIBRANT CITY WENT MORE THAN A CENTURY WITHOUT A LOCAL DISTILLERY. THAT IS UNTIL HE POOLED ALL HIS RESOURCES AND OPENED ONE HIMSELF IN 2015.

THE FULLY FUNCTIONAL DISTILLERY IS HOME TO A RANGE OF CUSTOM-MADE EQUIPMENT, MOST OF WHICH WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY WELL-KNOWN copper still builder Peter Bailly. And, this grassroots culture of ‘doing it yourself’ doesn’t stop there, but rather is seen all the way through to the bottling and labelling process of the spirits.

Archie Rose Bar

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An interesting selection of beers and wines are also on offer, curated by one of Australia’s best young sommeliers, James Audas. Archie Rose is also managed by one of Australia’s top bartenders, Harriet Leigh.

The bartenders share a passion for crafted spirits and are among the best in the business, so come and say hello while they fix you a cocktail and get the lowdown on what goes into your favourite drink. ❧

Address: 85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery NSW 2018 T: (02) 8458 2300 W: archierose.com.au Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday: 12pm-late

The food consists of smaller plates, boards, appetisers and mains with an original menu that boasts a vast range of dishes from house-made duck confit empanadas, to wild boar papardelle, and even beetroot and gin-cured gravlax.

GET YOUR GIN FIX AT THIS BRISBANE COCKTAIL AND TAPAS BAR.

MODELLED AFTER BRITISH COLONIAL OUTPOSTS FROM THE LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY, THE DUTCH COURAGE OFFICERS’ MESS IS AN inspired cocktail and gin bar that deserves your attention should you find yourself in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Upon arrival, one is greeted by plantation-style decor, complete with hessian curtains and broad-blade fans.

A sophisticated yet relaxed vibe sweeps over the room: the patrons are all here to soak in the weekend over a few select cocktails.

Dutch Courage

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Address: 51 Alfred Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4000 T: (07) 3852 4838 W: www.dutchcourage.com.au Opening hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 4pm-12am Friday-Saturday: 4pm-3am Sunday: 4pm-12am

There are 18 in-house cocktails, including the Mediterranean Muse - made with Gin Mare, rosemary, basil, grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime.

At Dutch Courage, the bartenders have a strong pedigree of delivering quality drinks minus the arrogance. Whether it be a dry gin martini, old-fashioned or something custom-made just the way you like it, nothing is too much hassle for the friendly bar team. ❧

Gin is the hero here, with 120 plus gins on the list, which is sure to turn heads and get tongues wagging. Dutch Courage showcases top-of-therange tipples from distillers in Australia, Europe and the U.S. Guests can discover and exciting range of contemporary gins across the flavour spectrum, from Hoxton (grapefruit-coconut,) to Gin Mare (olive, basil, and rosemary) and everything in-between. If that wasn’t enough to entice you, Dutch Courage also offers seven different tonic waters to accompany its gins.

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THE MOODY SPACE IS FILLED WITH TREASURES AND IS REMINISCENT OF A GRANDMOTHER’S BEACH HOUSE, overcome by comfort and warmth with dimly lit tables in nooks and crannies.

HOW COULD YOU NOT LOVE A PLACE CALLED FOOD SOCIETY… A RUSTIC CHIC RESTAURANT WITH A MODERN, EASTERN EUROPEAN MENU AND CREATIVE COCKTAIL LIST. Society

Gather your friends, put on your best frock, and get ready to enjoy some uniquely crafted cocktails, handmade savouries and sweets as well a vodka infused ice tea. ❧

Address: Lower Ground Floor, 91 Riley St. Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 T: (02) 8090 3462 W: www.foodsociety.com.au Opening Hours: Thursday-Saturday: 6pm-late Vodka High Tea Saturday: 12:30pm-4:30pm (bookings essential)

The food offered at Food Society is a modern European sharing menu, with European dumplings its specialty.

Food

The most unique selling point here is the Saturday afternoon Vodka High Tea. With arguably Australia’s largest range of vodka on pour, including many that have been infused in-house, Food Society’s cocktail menu features a selection of 70 different types of vodka, completing fragrance and flavours that are carefully selected to match the seasons and produce.

Frisk Small Bar

LOCATED JUST OFF FRANCIS STREET CLOSE TO RUSSELL SQUARE IN PERTH, FRISK SMALL BAR IS ONE OF THE BEST GIN JOINTS IN ALL OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Since opening in 2011, Frisk has created a welcoming atmosphere that accommodates all punters, with a special offering for those who love gin that will have you coming back time and time again. ❧

Opening Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 3pm-12am Sunday: 2pm-11pm

WALK THROUGH ITS DOORS AND EMBRACE THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF GIN. WHETHER IT’S SHAKEN OR STIRRED, the staff will make a martini suited to your taste. Looking for something else? Frisk also offers a range of cocktails, beer on tap, ciders and an impressive wine list.

Much of the venue’s interior is constructed from recycled materials. The bar itself is made from old doors, the artwork on the walls is by customers and the bathroom hall is adorned with pages from comic books. As it is a small bar, room inside can get tricky, but seating is also available outside, giving the venue enough spaceto host casual drinks after work or your next function.

Address: 103 Francis Street, Northbridge, Perth, WA 6003 W: www.frisksmallbar.com.au

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At Gin Palace, you’ll find friendly staff that know their stuff and love some banter and tongue-in-cheek.

So venture through the heavy doors and you’ll be made to feel welcome, well looked after, and even a little glamourous. ❧

BARS DON’T COME MUCH MORE SWANKY THAN THIS. Gin Palace

Address: 10 Russell Place, Melbourne VIC 3000 T: (03) 9654 0533 W: www.ginpalace.com.au Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday: 4pm-3am

The venue is a prominent drinking spot with everyone from the city’s post-shift bartenders to tie-loosened office workers and huddles of tourists slinking into the couches for a tipple.

The drinks menu features both classics and variations on the classics, and there is a touch of creativity in every glass. The gin list consists of classic London Dry gins, original Dutch genevers and boutique Australian examples made using native botanicals, plus artisanal Americans and fruity sloe gins from the Netherlands. Each listing is accompanied by tasting notes and historical references. In fact, Four Pillars owner Stuart Gregor credits Gin Palace with the birth of their heavy-hitting Navy Strength distillation, when ex-head bartender Shaun Byrne requested something stronger for his patrons.

AN INSTITUTION OF THE MELBOURNE BAR SCENE, THIS BASEMENT-LEVEL COCKTAIL LOUNGE HAS BEEN SERVING UP GREAT DRINKS just shy of 20 years. Capturing the heritage of old Melbourne and the Victorian era, Gin Palace features draping fabrics and art deco furniture.

– 220 –- GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA BARSINDEPENDENT AUSTRALIAN DISTILLERY HIPPOCAMPUS WAS FOUNDED IN 2014 BY A GROUP OF WEST AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT ENTHUSIASTS WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR HANDCRAFTED, QUALITY SPIRITS. CRAFTING SUPERB AUSTRALIAN SPIRITS USING TRADITIONAL METHODS AND QUALITY INGREDIENTS, HIPPOCAMPUS TASTES AND BOTTLES EACH SMALL BATCH BY HAND.

Pop in to gain an insider understanding of the hand-crafted distillation process (you may even see head distiller Alex in action), have a tasting or purchase a bottle direct from the source and learn how Hippocampus creates spirits from the ground up. The Hippocampus distillery bar and cellar door is the perfect place to sip on classic cocktails, craft beers or local wine and enjoy a selection of antipasto. ❧

Address: 19 Gordon Street, West Perth 6005 T: (08) 9212 6209 W: www.hippocampusmd.com.au Opening Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 1pm-9pm Friday-Saturday: 1pm-10pm Private functions: by appointment

Hippocampus Distillery and Cellar Door

CURRENTLY PRODUCING VODKA AND GIN, HIPPOCAMPUS OPENED THE DISTILLERY BAR AND CELLAR DOOR IN MARCH 2016 IN WEST PERTH, swinging open its iron gates to the public. Head in for a tasting, or enjoy the fully stocked bar. And for those who aren’t fans on drinking spirits neat, the bartenders here can mix you up cocktail - martinis and the classic G & T feature prominently at Hippocampus.

Méjico

– 221 – explore GIN, TEQUILA & VODKA AT MÉJICO, THE MUSIC IS UP, THE LIGHTS ARE DOWN AND THE STAFF ARE PROUDLY DELIVERING MEXICAN BEERS AND TEQUILA-BASED DRINKS FROM AN EXPERTLY COLLATED TEQUILA LIST.

IF THE ONLY EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD WITH TEQUILA IS THROUGH A SHOT GLASS, SALT & LEMON, YOU’VE BEEN DOING IT ALL WRONG. TEQUILA CAN HOLD just as much interest and complexity as fine Single Malt Scotch. The Tequila at Mejico is all 100 per cent Blue Weber Agave, with none of the nasty additives that give you a headache, but choosing from over 230 tequila options available is a daunting task. In response, Méjico has introduced an ingenious invention: the Tequila Wheel. This clever wooden apparatus provides customised tequila counsel as you turn the wheel to your preference for price, intensity and flavour and are rewarded with an ideal tequila recommendation. From Mexico City to the Yucatan Peninsula, regional flavours and techniques are united in the dishes at Méjico. What exactly does market-to-table mean? It’s the grounding philosophy of Méjico. The kitchen creates dishes from the inside out by sourcing the freshest ingredients directly from producers. Whether it’s the tableside guacamole, tacos, market fresh ceviches, or mouth-watering margaritas and tequilas, the menu is dependent upon the seasonal availability of produce. The fresh, seasonal ingredients and contemporary yet authentic dishes will test your expectations of Mexican food, and after experiencing tequila like a connoisseur, you might reassess its wicked reputation. ❧

Address: 105 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000 T: (02) 9230 0119 W: www.mejico.com.au Opening Hours: Monday-Friday: 12pm-12am Saturday: 5:30pm-12am

MIDDLEBAR, LOCATED IN THE BUSTLING TAYLOR SQUARE, IS ALL ABOUT STYLE AND IN A RUSTIC SMALL BAR SETTING. WITH A WIDE SELECTION OF MODERN COCKTAILS AND DJS FRIDAY TO SUNDAY MIDDLEBAR IS THE PERFECT VENUE FOR MIDWEEK CATCH-UPS TO WEEKEND SHENANIGANS... AND ANYTHING ELSE IN BETWEEN.

Middlebar

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THE VENUE BOASTS AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF GINS AND COLOURFUL BOTANICALS. SELECT YOUR DESIRED GIN FROM THE VARIED range on offer, complement it with your tonic of choice and top it off with a garnish or two. They also offer a large selection of fine whisky, rum, tequila and craft beer, handpicked by bartenders to satisfy even the most discerning palate. So, stop in for a drink at Middlebar where the cocktails are based around fresh produce, good booze, good banter and a relaxed atmosphere. ❧

Address: 2/383 Bourke St, Darlinghurst, Sydney NSW 2010 T: (02) 9331 3100 W: www.middlebar.sydney Opening Hours: Wednesday-Sunday: 5:00pm-late

SOPHISTICATION

Address: 89 York St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia T: (02) 9299 9699 W: thisisthebarbershop.com Opening Hours: Monday-Wednesday: 4pm-12am Thursday-Friday: 3pm-12am Saturday:Sunday:4pm-12amClosed

SLICK HAIRSTYLES, SHARP BLADES AND HIGH-PROOF ALCOHOL WERE MEANT TO BE TOGETHER.

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE SYDNEY CBD, THE BARBER SHOP’S COCKTAIL BAR OFFERS A SUPERIOR SELECTION OF WINE, Champagnes, cocktails, and beverages in a relaxing and sophisticated setting.

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The Barber Shop is dimly lit, with a parlour entrance for ladies and gentleman to venture past the partition door and discover a hidden treasure – reminiscent of a small, classic European bar that extends a nod to a vintage British history.

The Barber Shop

You’ll be immersed in the nostalgic atmosphere of a bygone era as you sit back, relax and let the subtle rhythmic sounds of cocktail shakers take you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. ❧

Gin is the order of the day at The Barber Shop, with the cocktail bar specialising in the famed juniper spirit, so much so they even have gin on tap! With an ever-expanding and extensive range of new and old gins currently on the back bar, The Barber Shop house 250 plus gins, including some of the rarest gins in the country. Genever, specially crafted cocktails, boutique bottled beers and artisanal spirits are all on offer, as well as a great selection of Australian and European wines. And for those wanting something stronger, The Barber Shop also has a staple selection of whiskey, rum, tequila and Cognac.

SEVENTEENTH

Address: 7 Kellett St, Potts Point, Sydney, NSW 2011 T: (02) 8354 0980 W: www.thepowderkeg.com.au Opening Hours: Wednesday: 5pm-1am Thursday: Friday-Saturday:5pm-1:30am4pm-2:30amSunday:1pm-12am

CENTURY INSPIRED FARE FOR A BESPOKE SMALL BAR & RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE IN THE HEART OF SYDNEY’S POTTS POINT. HERE, THEY KNOW GIN, HOUSING ONE OF THE LARGEST BOUTIQUE GIN COLLECTIONS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

The Powder Keg

THE POWDER KEG SERVES A UNIQUE BLEND OF HANDCRAFTED GIN-BASED COCKTAILS AND

THE NAME DERIVES FROM THE EARLY ORIGINS OF GIN AND IS INSPIRED BY ENGLISHMAN GUY FAWKES. THE POWDER KEG IS also a euphemism for a ‘Potent Mix or Blend’ and the bar provides exactly that: a potent blend of great food, unique cocktails, quality beers and wine offerings in a warm, friendly environment. The Gunpowder Plot, one of the venue’s signature cocktails, pays homage to Fawkes, using smoking gunpowder tea, twigs, citrus, aromatic bitters, spiced syrup and gin to create a cocktail bonfire.

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The kitchen here offers up a menu full of quality offerings, from starters such as oysters with a gin and tonic sorbet to rib-eye steak, and juniper and thyme smoked chicken, as well as sides and a cheese board with accompaniments to share. Food is served in an approachable casual dining setting that caters to a variety of tastes and budgets, and includes a late night menu with service until closing. With quirky cocktails, boutique beers, great wines, and of course, an extensive selection of gin, at The Powder Keg you’ll be treated to one of the best restaurants and bars in all of Sydney. ❧

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