WELCOME TO THE
SPIRITUAL GUIDE A guide for spiritual enlightenment by the pious team at Glengarry. Join us monthly as we explore everything spirit related.
Welcome to the second edition of our journey into the spiritual world. This issue we count down the days until we can celebrate World Whisky Day on the 19th May, delve into the much-debated origin of the Martini and explore difference between Cognac and Armagnac. We also warm up with some New Zealand gins, search for the best wood finish whisky and interview the winner of the Auckland Gin Jubilee, Arun Rogers, and discover what made his winning cocktail so special. Our congregation meets monthly as we heighten our senses and understanding of the spirits surrounding us, we hope you’ll continue to join.
WHAT'S HAPPENING | WORLD WHISKY DAY
Every year, the world gathers on the third Saturday of May in praise of what is arguably is its most precise and complex alcoholic beverage. The 19th of May is World Whisky Day, a global celebration of the water of life, or Uisge Beatha, in the old tongue. With events taking place all around the globe, from Tokyo to Reykjavik, celebrations of whisky will be in full swing. At Glengarry, we’ve called in all our favours, harangued and twisted arms to ensure we can have a veritable army of whisky producers in residence at our Victoria Park store for this auspicious event. Over 80 malts will be available to taste, from: Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, Japan and New Zealand. With so many recent new and exciting arrivals, the timing couldn’t be better. Join us for what will be a fantastic day.
-TJ
COCKTAILS | HISTORY OF THE MARTINI
Following on from the last issue’s controversial history of the “Sazerac”, this time we delve into the much-debated origin of the Martini. A simple drink consisting of gin, vermouth, and a garnish. It can be shaken or stirred, but what were the elements that led to this classic’s invention?
The first tale goes like this: In the mid 1800s, in Martinez California, a gold miner wanted to celebrate his bounty by ordering a bottle of champagne in a nearby tavern. When they didn’t have any, an ingenious barman whipped up a concoction from the ingredients he had available including the MVP’s of the Martini gin and vermouth, together with cherry liqueur, bitters and garnished with a slice of lemon. It was named “The Martinez Special.” The miner loved it and, as the story goes, wanted to order it again in a bar in San Francisco whereupon it had to be made to the miner’s instruction and thus it came the first Martini. Needless to say, the inhabitants of Martinez California are very fond of this theory.
However, a contrary theory tells that the miner was in fact on his way through San Francisco, on his way to Martinez, when he first ordered the drink. Yet another story posits that the drink’s name comes from the use of “Martini and Rossi” vermouth, a brand which has been around since the mid 1800s. Whether this classic cocktail was named after the hometown of the panicked bartender, or an established vermouth brand, it’s clear that the Martini’s popularity has stayed strong due to its clean, sophisticated and classy style. It can be made sweet, dry, with gin or vodka, or get just about as adventurous as anything you can put the suffix “tini” after. Long live the Martinez Special. - CM
COGNAC vs ARMAGNAC | WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
Have you always wondered what the difference
Pyrenees. Cognac is the most famous type of
is between these two great spirits? Well
brandy in the world, and the better ones must
wonder no longer, as they have much more in
be made from at least 90% the Ugni Blanche,
common than you probably think. It’s best we
Folle Blanche and Colombard grape varieties.
start with how they are similar. Cognac and
Armagnac is the oldest brandy distilled in
Armagnac are both brandies; spirits made from
France and is generally made from the same
distilling an (undrinkable) base wine produced
varieties as Cognac, with the addition of Baco
from white grapes, which is then matured in
22a.
oak barrels. The term brandy comes from brandy wine, which was derived from the Dutch
It is then time for both to age in French oak
word brandewijn, itself derived from gebrande
barrels to soften the flavours, often for decades
wijn, which literally means "burned wine".
or longer. This also imparts the brown colour to the spirit, and sees the alcohol levels drop over time due to evaporation (The Angels Share). As they age it is typical in Cognac to blend various eau de vie of different ages, from different growers and from different areas, to obtain complexity and maintain a consistent taste (a little like the blending process with NV Champagne). In Armagnac they also blend to create age statements, but it is quite common to see both single vintage, and single vineyard spirits.
So, both are types of brandy, both from western France. The Cognac appellation is situated immediately north of Bordeaux, Armagnac further to the south, close to the
Although both regions are similar in size, Cognac is dominated by the large producers. More than 90% comes from Hennessy, Remy Martin, Martell and Courvoisier. In the Armagnac region you will find smaller family owned houses, who both grow the grapes and produce the spirit themselves. Unlike some of the massive operations of their northern neighbours, many don’t have production facilities and you can see mobile distillers driving from grower to grower, literally distilling on site in the vineyard.
But in the end it all comes down to taste. If you prefer a more mellow, rich and heavy flavour, then Cognac is where you should look. If you prefer a bit more character and life in your spirit, then Armagnac will be more your style. Both are two of the finest spirit styles in the world, and the perfect end to an evening by the fireplace. - RM
WHAT I'M DRINKING | GIN
As the summer sun was setting, there was nothing better than enjoying a refreshing gin and tonic. And why not, when we’ve had such a stellar summer. However, gin can be enjoyed all year around and going into the colder months I recommend moving on to Negroni’s (equal parts gin, vermouth and campari), which will warm you up.
first edition of the Spiritual Guide), with their impressive branding and marketing, is one I find myself reaching for over and over; in particular their Goldi Locks, which is a higher strength version of the Scapegrace coming in at 57%. They used 12 botanicals and added tangerine peels to the mix. Let’s just say it’s very easy to drink.
Lately I’ve been favouring New Zealand gins because it’s a market that has been rapidly growing over the past few years and it’s always good to support home grown products. The newly branded Scapegrace Gin, formerly Rogue Society (read all about that in our
It can be a little overwhelming nowadays to find the perfect tonic to accompany your gin of choices as we are spoilt for choice. But you can’t go past East Imperial Tonic. They have collaborated with bar staff to understand what people actually want out of their tonics and created an impressive range of tonic and soda waters. They include: Old World Tonic, Grapefruit Tonic and Yuzu (Japanese Grapefruit) which allow for a full, flavourful cocktail.
The other recent release I have been reaching for is the Blush Gin. Using rhubarb in the distillation process is something different, but in today’s ever-growing gin industry you need something to stand out amongst the sea of gins that take up space on the shelves. Now, spirits are a rather personal choice, so it’s often difficult to persuade someone to try a new gin. When the likes of Bombay and Gordon’s have been around for donkey’s years, and are an easy option, those “Gin Gurus” amongst us will always need to step up to the challenge of convincing those who are reluctant to try something new. - SW
MALT | WOOD FINISHES
Much of a whiskies personality and temperament, like that of our own, is shaped by the environment in which it develops. A choice oak cask is not only a storage vessel, but the nurturing hand by which the whisky is led down the path of maturation.
search for alternatives. With the Bourbon industry of America forced to use a barrel only once and once only, the leading form of maturation swung from sherry casks to exbourbon casks imparting coconut, vanilla and caramel. In our April Malt Club, we delved into the influence cask selection has on a whisky, with a focus on the act of ‘finishing’ a whisky in a Traditionally, many whiskies had the sherry casks of Spain as the main role model during their journey to adulthood (maturity), delivering spice, dried fruits and nutty characters to the malt. A downturn in the global consumption of sherry has made these casks rarer and therefore more expensive, leading to the
cask different from that it first started its maturation process in, using the latest range of limited releases from the BenRiach and Glenglassaugh stables.
GLENGLASSAUGH Hamstrung by the periods of closure at the Glenglassaugh distillery, the malts are either in excess of 30 years old or under 10 years of age. The newest releases are of youthful expressions, featuring two malts aged in exbourbon casks and finished in port wood, one from peated malt, the other non-peated malt. These are joined by a third malt, aged in exbourbon casks before being rounded out in a
BENRIACH
Pedro Ximenez sherry cask. BenRiach has long been a spiritual home for the weird and wonderful, with Warehouse 13 hosting malts maturing in an obscure selection of casks. The most recent releases are all aged 22 years, featuring two malts finished in dark rum casks and, like Glenglassaugh, one from peated malt, the other from non-peated malt. This release also features a whisky finished in a Pedro Ximenez sherry cask. Whilst ‘finishing’ is often done for a short period of time, ranging from the last 3-12 months of the whiskies maturation, in BenRiach’s world this process is extended over many years, with the finishing casks having a profound influence on the style and character of the malt once it has reached maturity. -TJ
INTERVIEW | ARUN ROGERS
“Mixology” is an interesting word. It takes the idea of mixing drinks and approaches it as an art. A Science. Arun Rogers, of Auckland bar 1885, recently won the East Imperial Gin Jubilee cocktail competition, so we’ve asked him all about his experience, his approach to mixing and what made his winning cocktail so special.
Gin Jubilee Auckland Winner Arun Rogers from 1885
1. Where did the name “Message in a Bottle” come from? I themed the cocktail around the Gin and Tonic’s origin in British colonialism, and this idea of explorers and adventurers discovering the world and all the flavours and ingredients bartenders get to play with. And once you’ve found something awesome you want to play with, you want to bring it home with you, and use it to add something new to what you’ve
been creating. Message in a Bottle is just that thing you send home from far off lands, that little something new you’ve discovered that can change the whole way you do things. I think it fits with East Imperial’s philosophy, a brand that scoured the world for the best ingredients so they could help consumers reimagine the way they think about mixers. Plus, big Police fan.
4. What is your favourite cocktail to make, 2. What’s your super hero origin story of
and what is your favourite cocktail to drink?
becoming a master cocktail maker? I love making Tiki drinks, because I can go I worked at T2 for a couple of years, and got
nuts with garnishes and then just set the whole
really into blending and experimenting with tea
thing on fire, so Zombies and Scorpions.
based creations. I left to work at 1885 as a
Basically anything with lots of booze that I can
glassy about a year ago, worked my way up to
set on fire I’m going to enjoy. You can’t go
bartender. Mostly I just drink a lot.
wrong with a good Caipirinha, lots of lime, not too much sugar.
3. How did the recipe for Message in a Bottle come together?
5. What do you love about Gin? What does it lend to cocktails that other spirits don’t?
I knew I wanted to use Beefeater 24, which made Burma Tonic the natural choice. I was
I think the huge range of flavours that are
leaning on the origin of the GnT in British
possible with gin is what makes it so cool. You
colonialism, so I went with the classic 19th
can go from citrus to floral, dry to sweet, spicy
Century Pink Gin and Tonic style, which means
to soft and basically anything else, and there
adding something bitter. Aperol gave me an
are new products coming into the market all
awesome colour and the orange pushed the
the time. It means a constant source of
citrus in Beefeater even further. Tea is another
inspiration for what new flavours and
ingredient that worked with my theme (and I
techniques to add to your cocktails, and a huge
love tea) so a tea syrup seemed the way to go.
amount of information to study in learning
A blend of black teas that added depth and
about what flavours work together.
astringency was a bit more interesting than just sugar.
6. Do you have anything else that you’d like to say? Can’t keep saying this often enough but big thanks to my 1885 family for supporting me during Gin Jubilee, and to everyone who voted, encouraged, tried my drink and was just generally great. Thanks to East Imperial too for running such an awesome competition, and to Glengarry for having me in Spiritual Guide! -CM
EVENTS AND TASTINGS
WORLD WHISKY DAY VICTORIA PARK It's World Whisky Day, what else shall we do?? With so many recent new and exciting arrivals from around the world the timing just couldn’t be better! Single Malt, Bourbon, Irish, Kiwi, Japanese, Wood finishes, Old Malts and young, join us for what will be a fantastic day! Last year there were over 80 Single Malts to try, expect it to be bigger and better this time round.
WHEN: Saturday 19th May WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park, 118 Wellesley St West, Auckland TIME: 2:00pm
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MALT CLUB - 3 COURSES OF JAPAN | VICTORIA PARK Sake, the national beverage of Japan. Sake is an embodiment of the history and traditional values of the Japanese people, from how it is made and how you drink it, and is often served with special ceremony. Sake is made by fermenting rice. It is often referred to as a wine but is brewed quite differently. Join us on the WHEN: Thursday 14th June WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park, 118 Wellesley St West, Auckland TIME: 7:00pm
14th for our June Malt Club. Our palates will be cleansed with 4 Sakes from across Japan, looking at how different flavours are really accentuated from different parts of the country, almost like a terroir. Who likes it warm and who likes it cold? Moving next into a very complex main course of Mars Whisky, think sherry and
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vanilla. Finally indulging in some marzipan goodness, Umeshu, Yuzushu and perhaps a tipple of Shochu. An evening that will bring out the inner Samurai in all of us!
RUM RUNNERS | VICTORIA PARK For our second Malt Club this month, we'll take a slightly different turn, to a warmer climate and to where the heart of the spirit is held, the Caribbean Islands. That's right, we're doing a rum tasting. You don't necessarily need to be a regular rum drinker to enjoy this evening. The rums we'll be tasting are more akin to premium spirits. Let Jak and his nephew Tonci show you the world of rum, using a snifter glass to travel South America and the Caribbean Islands in search of their favourite 'kill-devil'. From Guyana to Barbados and Cuba to Venezuela; they have the key producers covered. Seats are expected to go fast, so be in quick!
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WHEN: Thursday 21st June WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park, 118 Wellesley St West, Auckland TIME: 7:00pm
MALT CLUB - ARRAN | VICTORIA PARK "Great malt whisky is a distillation of the place it’s made". On the Isle of Arran, there is only one distillery operating; it's named after what it was created from, Arran. Arran single malt whiskies are a fine example of the true art of whisky distilling, and master distiller James MacTaggart, with over 40 years’ experience, WHEN: Thursday 19th July WHERE: Glengarry Victoria Park, 118 Wellesley St West, Auckland TIME: 7:00pm
ensures that every drop produced is given the best opportunity to fully mature in hand selected oak barrels. Arran single malt whisky is pure, deep and voluptuous, full of complex aroma and flavour. This young distillery has truly come of age. Join us on the 19th of July, for an unmissable taste exploration where we
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will try 6 different Arran single malts and discover one of Scotland’s best kept secrets.
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That's it for this month's Spiritual Guide. Issue Three will be coming your way next month with more guidance through the spiritual world. Cheers,