Demerara Dry Float

A week after stocking up on various rums from Beverage Warehouse in Marina Del Rey (or is it Culver City), I settled on trying a recipe comparison for a Demerara Dry float. Demerara (Guyana) rums are noted for their dark smoky burnt sugar aromas. I have previously had bottles of Lemon Hart 80 proof rum, but this was a first time for buying the 151 proof version (the impetus was to make a Jet Pilot).

In Kaiser Penguin "recipe comparison" fashion, I've selected two famous recipes to make, compare, rank and tweak.

For passion fruit syrup, I'm using the Trader Vic's brand (pre-artificial ingredients version - a collector's item now). For maraschino liqueur, I'm using Luxardo. Juices are fresh squeezed. Demerara rum is Lemon Hart (both proofs). For Trader Vic recipe, 1 dash = 1/4 oz. (which is per Vic Bergeron's "measures") 10 cubes of ice were used and drinks were shaken for 20 seconds before being double strained into a double old fashioned glass.

Recipe#1: Beachbum Berry - Created by Don the Beachcomber
1 ounce Demerara rum
1/4 ounce 151 Demerara rum
2 1/2 ounces Fresh Lime Juice
1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 ounces passion fruit syrup
1/4 ounce sugar syrup
1/4 ounce Maraschino
Shake everything except the 151 rum with ice, strain into double old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice, and carefully float the 151. Do not stir.

Recipe #2 Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 oz. passion fruit nectar
1 dash sugar syrup
1 dash lemon juice
1 dash maraschino liqueur
1 oz. Demerara rum (86 proof)
1/4 oz. Demerara rum (151 proof)
Shake all ingredients except 151-proof rum well with ice cubes. Strain into a footed iced-tea or 10-ounce glass. Float the 151-proof Demerara.

Tasting notes:

Recipe #1: This is definitely the larger of the two drinks with 5.75+ oz. and wow, is it citrusy! This is a Guyanese margarita. I'm finding that the constituents are really getting lost amongst the heavy use of lime juice here. Very tangy and refreshing, but just a bit too one-dimensional.

Recipe #2: About 3 oz. total in this drink. I like the balance of this one - I feel that the ingredients are playing well together, but I'm getting a little too much of the maraschino (which I'm not a huge fan of on its own - at least yet). Overall, I feel that this is a better drink, but next time I will cut the maraschino to 1/8 oz (less than a teaspoon).

Final Notes: Trader Vic's recipe is definitely closer to what I would want out of this drink, although I think it does warrant some minor tweaking. It should be noted that the alcohol is more conspicuous in the Trader Vic's version as there is far less juice and syrup, but this was not an issue for me. The only issue is that being such a small drink, it goes down quickly. This drink does a nice job of demonstrating the mixability of the Lemon Hart Demerara rums and really showcases the rich, caramelly Demerara character. Subsequent to the tasting above, I've tried upping the passion fruit syrup, lowering the maraschino, and have generally settled (for now, at least) on my final recommendation being Trader Vic's recipe, but modified with half the maraschino and a slightly thicker float.

Demerara Dry Float (Adjusted Recipe)
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 oz. passion fruit nectar (Trader Vic's old formula or homemade)
1/4 oz. 1:1 sugar syrup
1/4 oz. lemon juice
(<)1/6 oz. (scant tsp) maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
1 oz. Demerara rum (80 proof)
1/3 oz. Demerara rum (151 proof)
Shake all ingredients except 151-proof rum well with ice cubes. Strain into a double old fashioned glass (double strain for an ice-free surface). Float the 151-proof Demerara.

2004 Brunello di Montalcinos are on the way

This weekend I placed my presale order for some 2004 Brunello di Montalcino. Brunello di Montalcino, made from 100% Sangiovese hails from Italy's famed vineyards in the surrounds of the beautiful town of Montalcino in Tuscany. I have an attachment to these wines, not only due to the intense and complex flavors that are found in no other wine, but for sentimental reasons as well.

When Julie (pregnant with Sarah at the time) and I visted Tuscany in 2006 we took the opportunity to take the 1.5 hour picturesque drive from the villa at which we were staying down to Montalcino along with Big D, Jeremy and Jill. It was a fantastic day with some very memorable experiences - most notably the grounds and expansive views from Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona (image above), the amazing hospitality of Ettore Spina, owner of Sesta di Sopra, and tasting through several years of Brunello in barrels with Andrea Cortonesi, owner of Uccelliera.

At Uccelliera, we were treated to a taste of the 2004 which was still in the barrel at the time (a gigantic Slovenian oak cask) - it was an amazing wine which certainly piqued my interest in 2004, a vintage for whose release I would have to wait another 3 years. By law, Brunello cannot be released until 5 years after the harvest year, so the 2004's are just now becoming available for pre-sale purchase.

After browsing through several websites, the wines that I finally settled on purchasing (from K&L wines in Hollywood) were:

Argiano - I was originally introduced to this winery by my parents and Uncle who visited it on a trip to Italy a while back. They brought me back a bottle of the 1998. I've tried the 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001 thanks to my parents and my Uncle Larry. I like the style of this house - it is fairly easy to like with lots of the classic Brunello cherry/berry and cola character. The tasting at Argiano is rather sterile, with a fairly uninterested staff, but the wines are of excellent quality and the grounds are beautiful. The 2004 received a 94 in the Wine Spectator. 10,300 cases made.

Sesta di Sopra - We didn't originally intend to visit this particular winery, but we were in the area and the 2001 was highly regarded so we decided to stop by. There was no one around so we knocked on a door and were greeted by a kind gentleman who invited us in. We sat down around a large family table (this was in his house) and he got us some plates and poured some of the winery's olive oil and provided some bread for dipping. He asked if we'd like to try some wine (of course!) and poured the 2004 Rosso di Montalcino, which was very good (excellent for a Rosso) and the 2001 Brunello di Montalcino which was excellent. He drank all of the wines with us and insisted on new glasses for each wine which he rinsed meticulously with a small amount of sacrificial wine. He showed us his cellar and the grounds and told us "next time" we should call him in advance and he would make lunch for us. We were the only customers that visited during that time and he gave us the remainder of the bottle of Brunello to take with us (this bottle was around Euro 35). The 2004 received a 94 in the Wine Spectator. A mere 330 cases made.

Uccelliera - This was our last winery of the day and we were treated to a tour of the grounds and the facility by Andrea Cortonesi, the owner, who spoke very little English, but had a helper who could help with some of the translations (although she knew nothing of wine, so it was somewhat difficult for her to translate). I can't remember all of the vintages we tasted, but I'm thinking it must have been the 2002, 2003 and 2004. He only let us taste out of the barrels and did not open any bottles of the current vintage. It was very interesting to taste the wine through the various stages of the aging process even though those particular vintages were of variable quality. The only Brunello available for purchase at the time was the 2001 which turned out, on later tasting, to be a savage wine, very powerful and earthy with grilled meat types of flavors. I remember the power of the 2004 in barrel and made a mental note to be on the lookout for this wine in the future. The 2004 received a 97 in the Wine Spectator and is the highest rated Brunello of all the wines tasted so far in this vintage. 1,890 cases made.

I'm really looking forward to receiving these wines (hopefully in the next few months) and giving them a try. I am hopeful that they will be outstanding in their own right, but also help me relive some fond memories until I get the chance to travel back to Montalcino.

Top Ten Wines

My friend Rob and I took a moment to reflect on some of the best wines we've had, many together, over the years since we really started getting in to wine in college. We picked our top ten faves and added some notes about what we remember being so amazing about the wines and whether there were any memorable circumstances related to tasting them. So, without further ado, here they are:

Matt's Top Ten (mine are in no particular order - it was too hard...)

1. 1977 Taylor Vintage Port (Purchased from Levi at Liquor Castle, Beverly Hills, now closed. I don't know how many college kids were drinking aged vintage port, but Levi and his charitable wife made us a deal too good to pass up. Youthful and powerful for such an aged wine, but with the balance and complexity I have come to love in Taylor's port.)
2. 1995 Montelena Estate Cabernet (tasted as part of "Rob & Matt's wealthy industrialist" trip to Napa Valley - classic CA cabernet dark fruit with lots of tannin and a potential for a long life)
3. 1989 Cordeillan Bages Pauillac (Rob brought this to a dinner at our house a couple of years ago, classic Bordeaux with archetypal lead pencil and eucalyptus notes accompanying black berry flavors.)
4. 1994 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (when tasted young upon release at the winery, incredible structure, dark fruits and complexity. When I was a Mondavi stockholder, we could roll in to the To-Kalon reserve tasting room and be set up with a 4+ wine vertical flight of the expensive reserve cabernets. Holy mackerel, those were some good times. Most recently, we opened a bottle of this last year - it was still good to excellent, but I feel that it was in its prime during its youth.)
5. 1982 Montelena Cabernet (or was it 1980, tasted at our neighbor's 4th of July party, in around 2006. Amazing youth and complexity for such an aged CA cabernet.)
6. 1996 St. Jean Cinq Cepages (Purchased by Rob in the right place at the right time as a pallet was being unloaded at LA Wine Co. Have had this on several occasions over the years - this wine aged well with black berry fruit flavors and tar notes.)
7. 2003 Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay (A fruity, buttery, oaky, bomb of chardonnay flavors with an excellent overall balance. A prototypical CA chardonnay.)
8. 1995 Opus One (tasted at the winery with a sizable pour. Dark fruits, amazing length and complexity. Another of the benefits of Mondavi stock ownership.)
9. 1996 Beringer Chardonnay Reserve (had at a dinner at Rob's. Amazing fruit, but still refined and balanced. My favorite of the Beringer reserve chardonnays, a perennial favorite)
10. 1992 Taylor Vintage Port (Tasted in half bottle purchased in Buffalo, NY during an extended work stay and served with a Cuban cigar freshly purchased on a trip to Toronto. Fruity and complex, I have always favored the flavor profiles and complexity of Taylor ports)

Rob's Top Ten (in order of preference)

1. 1995 Sanford Barrel Select Chardonnay (Tasted at the winery and subsequent bottles that were purchased at Sanford. The 1996 is also excellent, but I give a slight edge to the 1995. This wine represents my Platonic ideal of chardonnay: beautiful nose, tropical fruits and pear on the palate, with a buttery vanilla finish - full-bodied, but impeccably balanced. The wine may also get bonus points because it was tasted at the charming, rustic original Sanford tasting room, poured by Chris Boroughs, long before the "Sideways" inspired boom hit the Santa Maria Valley wine country).
2. 1977 Fonseca Vintage Port (I have been fortunate enough to taste this wine a couple of times, starting in college, one of the times being the result of Sunil having to purchase a bottle for claiming that he failed a final and instead receiving an "A" or something like that. Incredibly complex and powerful port that still tastes young and as if it can last for decades to come. An absolute bench mark. I tend to prefer Fonseca's port style a bit over other houses, like the also excellent Taylor Fladgate.)
3. 1994 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet (Tasted upon release at the winery at which time the wine was absolutely fantastic! Incredibly well structured with a beautiful balance of currant, plum, cedar, tar and well-integrated tannins. Tasted about a decade later at which time the wine had unfortunately lost some of its luster.)
4. 1986 Pichon Baron Pauillac (Matt and I purchased a half a case of this benchmark bordeaux in college - yes, weird - and I have been tasting it periodically since. Very complex Bordeaux with distinctive raspberry, currant and pencil lead components. Has aged very well throughout the years.)
5. 1994 Byron Estate Chardonnay (Tasted at the winery and throughout the years from purchased bottles, including a close to ten year-old bottle. This is chardonnay was absolutely enormous with distinctive Santa Maria Valley pineapple-and-cream flavors - a hedonistic fruit-, cream- and vanilla bomb.)
6. 1995 Opus One (Tasted at the winery upon release during the "Matt-and-Rob-Wealthy-Industrialists" trip to Napa Valley. Even the equine sight of the Baronesse Philippine de Rothschild could not obscure the beauty of this wine. Very full-bodied and complex, with a distinctive and desirable tar component.)
7. 2003 Talley Rincon Vineyard Pinot Noir (Tasted at the winery upon release. Fantastic pinot, by far my favorite of Talley's releases as it hits a Goldilocks-type balance between pure pinot fruit and full-bodied-ness. Very complex. I still have one bottle - will be interesting to see how this has aged.)
8. 1997 Andrew Murray Esperance (Tasted at the winery, where it was a little young and extremely tannic, and then about 3 years later where the bottle was at its absolute peak! Very inky dark color, complex fruit and a fantastic finish.)
9. 1994 Dow Vintage Port (Tasted with Matt in combination with a great Cuban cigar. Huge black-strap port with great tannic structure, but still very enjoyable in its youth. This should have a very long life ahead of it.)
10. 1996 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay (Initially tasted at the winery, and several times subsequently. Very big, oaky chardonnay that is well-balance and extremely complex. I have liked subsequent vintages as well, but the 1996 is my favorite)

Falernum etc.

Falernum seems to be today's "it" ingredient among Tikiphiles. A lot of debates are being waged about the quality of commercially available Falernums and how to properly use them. Looking through a number of my favorite cocktail blogs, it would seem that anybody worth their salt as a mixologist is making their own Falernum (and not necessarily just one version, either).

Ok, so what is this stuff?, you ask. Predominantly flavored with lime juice/zest, clove, ginger and almond, Falernum is used in a broad number of Tropical drinks and provides a citrus tang along with sweetness and spices. It is available as both a liqueur as well as a syrup. There is a prevailing wisdom that the liqueur version is better in simpler cocktails in which the Falernum features prominently; and that the syrup, is better for Tiki drinks, where it plays more of a supporting role, accenting the flavor of the rums and other ingredients.

Today, for the first time, I bought a bottle of each of the two most widely available versions: Fee Brother's Falernum syrup (non-alcoholic) as well as the John D. Talyor's Velvet Falernum (11% vol.). I sampled each and made a couple of the more famous of the Falernum-based cocktails.

As for the flavors of the basic products, both have similar impressions upon first nosing - primarily clove with some lime and other spices in the background. On the palate, the Taylor's is smoother and better balanced. The Fee Brothers' is significantly more tangy and citrusy and also very sweet, with a slightly processed character. I like the tanginess of the Fees', but overall there is more going on with the Taylor's.

First up in cocktails is the Corn n' Oil, a simple drink made only from rum, Falernum and a dash or two of Angostura bitters. Some will add a lime squeeze. Forget the recipe on the back of the Taylor's bottle - that is way too self-serving an amount of Falernum. Better is one of the links on the Wikipedia site (the drinkdogma site - and don't fail to follow all the embedded links). Cruzan Black Strap rum with its strong molasses flavors is getting rave reviews by many and is where I have decided to start this journey.

Corn n' Oil
2 oz. Cruzan Black Strap or Lemon Hart 80 proof Demerara rum
1/2-1 oz. Taylor's Velvet Falernum
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Pour into a cocktail shaker half filled with cracked ice. Shake and pour, unstrained, into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Ok, I have absolutely no idea why this is called corn n' oil. Clearly there is no corn in it, nor oil and I don't really think that it tastes of either. But what I will tell you is this. Corn n' Oil = pretty damn good. With the Cruzan Black Strap rum, there is a STRONG molasses flavor to this. The falernum is in the background, even with 1 oz., but definitely provides some sweetness and an extra flavor dimension to the drink. A very interesting tipple - one worth exploring in the future, maybe with a lighter rum.

- So just after typing this, I've decided to move on to another one made with Lemon Hart Demerara 80 proof, a great mixing rum. It's definitely showing more falernum character (again using 1 oz. of Taylor's) along with the classic Lemon Hart burnt demerara sugar flavors, and now even the Angostura bitters are showing through. Clearly different beasts, both versions are eminently enjoyable, but I'd say the Lemon Hart version creates the better overall drink with each of the ingredients playing a noticable supporting role, resulting in a better overall balance. The back of the bottle recommends Doorly's rum - a Barbados brand possibly worth trying in the future.

Next up is the Jet Pilot. The inspiration for making this cocktail came from the Kaiser Penguin blog, where he lists this as one of his favorite Tiki drinks (How could he neglect the Mai Tai? - well, I left my comment...). Yes, it involves a dizzying array of ingredients, including a few which he painfully makes himself, including the Falernum (KP loves Thomas Kelleresque recipes - see his pearl diver's punch cocktail - yikes). I forewent the home-made Falernum, but I did make the cinnamon syrup per his recipe using cinnamon from Penzey's and plain white cane sugar. The Jet Pilot recipe on KP is the same as on Wikipedia and originally comes from Jeff "Beachbum" Berry's Sippin' Safari Tiki tome.

Jet Pilot
1/2 oz lime juice (used fresh squeezed)
1/2 oz grapefruit juice (used fresh squeezed)
1/2 oz cinnamon syrup (I made KP recipe, link above)
1/2 oz falernum (Taylor's Velvet or Fee Brothers)
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 oz dark Jamaican rum (I used Coruba)
3/4 oz gold Puerto Rican rum (I used Bacardi)
3/4 oz 151-Proof Lemon Hart Demerara Rum (I used LH 151)
6 drops Pernod (I used Herbsaint)
4 oz crushed ice
Put everything into a blender, adding crushed ice last, and blend at high speed for five seconds. Pour into an old-fashioned glass and add cracked ice to your preference.

Wow - now this is a tropical drink that I can't believe I've been missing all these years. A bevy of flavors going on in this - quite a different brew than my typical tropical drink with the cinnamon syrup and falernum, but awesome balance of sweet and tart with some nice spices going on. I love grapefruit, and it fits in to this drink nicely.

I made two versions, one with the Taylor's falernum and one with the Fee Brothers' falernum. My first impression was that both of these made a fine drink. The drink with Fees' was slightly brighter with more tangy citrus notes (like the individual product) . Julie preferred the Fees' favoring its citrusy, fruity profile over the slightly more bitter Taylor's. I felt that the drink with Taylor's Velvet Falernum was more even-keel with better overall balance and complexity. Edge to Taylor's Velvet Falernum for me.

Final Notes - Falernum is an interesting and different mixer. Anyone with an interest in tiki cocktailology(?) owes it to themselves to try this and make a few cocktails with it. This was my first time having both the Corn n' Oil and the Jet Pilot. The Jet Pilot epitomizes all that is great about tropical drinks - depth of flavors and complexity, along with refreshing and fruity qualities. It deserves its place among the top tier of tropical drinks. The Corn n' Oil is really a showcase of rum and falernum. While I don't necessarily think that this will become my favorite drink, it is an interesting beverage which certainly merits an occasional visit.

Campari Comparo

During some research on my previous post on Campari, I (re)discovered that Campari's signature deep red hue comes from Cochineal carmine, a purified dye made from insects. I also discovered that Campari has recently changed their formulation, at least in the United States (not sure at this time if the carmine colored product is available in Italy) such that it is artificially colored. After reading a number of troubling reports -

On chowhound
On eGullet

- on the distinct differences in flavor profiles between the two versions, I decided to conduct my own tasting and report my results. I found a mini bottle of the carmine colored version at my local Bevmo and picked up a fresh bottle of the new artificially colored recipe from Trader Joe's. Below are my tasting notes. The Camparis were tasted blind, at room temperature, in Riedel Vinum port glasses.

Campari #1 (artificially colored)
Nose - bitter notes of orange, cherry fruit. After nosing #2, some off, chemical aromas appear.
Flavors - light, much less mouth filling than #2
Finish - shorter than #2
Score - 85

Campari #2 (natural carmine colored)
Nose - same subtext as #1 but no chemical aromas and distinctly more herbal and vermouth-like
Flavors - unctuous, mouth filling flavors of bitter orange and herbs. Very smooth with flavors well integrated and complex.
Finish - Long and complex
Score - 93

Final Notes and observations - Honestly folks, I was hoping that all of the hype about how bad the artificially colored version was would be unfounded and that the sanctity of Campari was preserved in the reformulation. Unfortunately, it was not. This is disturbing how much of the body and flavor has been lost in this reformulation. I keep going to the glasses sitting before me and keep getting consistent notes. With this big of a difference, I strongly suspect that a lot more has changed beyond just the coloring.

I think someone at Campari has made a bad decision and has ultimately sacrificed the quality of a classic product. I tried leaving a comment on their website here but I'm not sure if the message made it through as it appeared something wasn't working properly.

The Sazerac Cocktail

The Sazerac Cocktail is reputedly America's first real cocktail. Originally made with Cognac, it was an elixir which made fairly heavy use of Peychaud's bitters, which were marketed as a tonic for the stomach.

For those new to Peychaud's bitters, it is a bright red herbal bitters with more sharp flavors than Angostura (which tends to be more rooty) with a distinctive clove character.

A great history of the Sazerac Cocktail is provided here.

I find the standard 1 tsp. sugar recipe a tad too sweet. Also, I find Old Overholt a bit lacking in character, resulting in the same overall impression in a Sazerac cocktail. Based on the results of the rye tasting, my brand of choice for this cocktail is Wild Turkey Rye (101 proof). If you want something around 90 proof, I think that Sazerac Rye edges out Russell's Reserve Rye for use in this drink (although Russell's edged out Sazerac on a stand alone basis).

Although absinthe is recommended, so little is used that I find it hard to get too caught up with this aspect of the cocktail. Herbsaint is traditional as it locally produced in New Orleans. I typically use Granier pastis, our "house brand" (Julie is a big fan of pastis). Finally, I like to discard the lemon peel. While it may feel a tad undergarnished, I enjoy the purity of the resulting cocktail, with the aroma and essential oils of the lemon coating the rim and surface of the liquid.

The Setup (not shown - Hawthorne strainer)

Sazerac Cocktail
2 oz. rye whiskey (Wild Turkey or Sazerac 6y)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 Tbsp branch water (southern for bottled water)
4-5 dashes Peychaud's bitters
lemon peel
Absinthe, Herbsaint or Pastis

Fill one old-fashioned glass with ice. In a second glass, place sugar and bottled (or otherwise neutral) water and swirl until dissolved. Fill with ice and add rye. Dump ice from the first glass and pour a tiny amount of absinthe (or substitute) and swirl to coat the glass. Discard excess. Stir the rye and ice mixture and strain into the absinthe-coated glass. Twist lemon peel over the drink's surface and rim the glass. Discard peel.

The Rise of the Ryes

Rye whiskey has certainly risen in popularity over the past several years. A number of specialty high-end ryes are popping up all over the place, including some aged a quarter century or so and costing upwards of $150.

The subject of this post is more accessible ryes in the $25 or less range. While I like the spicy, aggressive aspects of rye whiskey, if I'm going to spend $150 on anything to sit back and contemplate, it's more than likely going to be scotch.

I collected a handful of mid-low price range ryes for a comparative tasting and an assessment of how each of the ryes fared on their own, and as a potential mixer in such classic rye cocktails as the Manhattan and Sazerac cocktail. There are a number of interesting articles/posts out on the web. A few that I came across are worth checking out, both in terms of history/information on rye whiskey as well as others' tasting experiences:

eGullet rye writeup here
Cocktail Chronicles tasting here
Gary Regan article here

As for the ryes in the tasting, I selected the following based on some past history and based on some research into recommended brands in this range:

1. Wild Turkey Rye, 101 proof, $17
2. Wild Turkey Russel's Reserve Rye, 90 proof, $25
3. Sazerac 6 year old, 90 proof, $22, single barrel #109 ("hand selected by the staff of Hi-Time Cellars")
4. Old Overholt, 80 proof, $13
5. Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond, 100 proof, $17
6. Jim Beam Straight Rye, 80 proof, $17

Following are the tasting notes and ratings. Whiskies were tasted with Rob and were tasted blind.

1. Wild Turkey Rye
Matt's Notes
Nose - Nutmeg spiciness
Taste - Lots of flavor development. Incredible overall balance. Best in class.
Finish - Nice spicy finish
Rating - 90

Rob's Notes
Vanilla and wood on the nose, Very full bodied. Higher proof (?).
Rating - 92

2. Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve Rye
Matt's Notes
Nose - Light aromas, sweet toffee
Taste - Not a lot of flavors developing, but a decent overall balance
Finish - slightly short and hot
Rating - 88

Rob's Notes
Sweet maple on the nose. Spice and pepper on the finish. A bit harsh.
Rating - 87

3. Sazerac 6y old
Matt's Notes
Nose - Some good buttery oak and grainy notes
Taste - Smooth, nice balance, but a bit lacking in complexity.
Finish - Nice long finish
Rating - 87

Rob's Notes
Sweet grain and caramel flavors. Full-bodied with a nice finish.
Rating - 90

4. Old Overholt
Matt's Notes
Nose - Banana chips, some oaky rye notes.
Taste - Smooth. Non-complex, but more so than the Jim Beam.
Finish - Decent spicy finish
Rating - 86

Rob's Notes
Banana chips on the nose as well as oak. Thin mid-palate and rather short finish.
Rating - 85

5. Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond
Matt's Notes
Nose - Something in the nose I don't care for - not sure if it's toasty oak or the grain
Flavor - Good flavors, but more of the nose character
Finish - Fairly harsh
Rating - 85

Rob's Notes
Subdued, but pleasant nose. Full-bodied, bourbon-like. A bit of hotness in the finish.
Rating - 89

6. Jim Beam
Matt's Notes
Nose - Banana chips again (more than Old Overholt)
Flavor - Not a lot of flavor development. Sweet middle-palate
Finish - short
Rating - 84

Rob's Notes
Turpentine on the nose. Woodsy and harsh on the finish.
Rating - 81

Overall Ratings:

*** First Place ***

Wild Turkey Rye (92/90)

Unanimously voted the best of the bunch. Great rye character, good complexity and wears its high proof well.

** The Rest **

Matt

#2 Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve (88)

#3 Sazerac 6y old (87)

#4 Old Overholt (86)

#5 Rittenhouse bottled in bond (85)

#6 JimBeam (84)

Rob

#2 Sazerac 6y old (90)

#3 Rittenhouse bottled in bond (89)

#4 Wild Turkey Russell's Reserve (87)

#5 Old Overholt (85)

#6 Jim Beam (81)

Final Notes - Maybe a bit of a surprise that the Wild Turkey 101 proof Rye carried the day, but it was the clear winner with a solid combination of complexity and rye spiciness. All of this despite (or because?) of its high proof. The largest scoring disparity was the Rittenhouse bottled in bond, which had something on the nose, and to a lesser extend the palate, that I was not enamored with. Jim Beam was the clear loser of the bunch. We found it to be simple and lacking in character, which was a bit disappointing based on its high marks in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.

Sweet Vermouth

As part of the Rye Whiskey tasting, Rob and I decided that we needed to do a head-to-head vermouth challenge. This tasting focused on the merits of the vermouths as stand-alone beverages. More to come in the future with ratings in mixed drinks.

An interesting, if controversial vermouth tasting on Cocktailnerd's blog here. Controversial because of Martini & Rossi's poor showing. I maintain that he got hold of a bad bottle. All of the vermouths in this tasting were fresh with the exception of the Punt e Mes, which was probably at least a year old (but has been stored in the refrigerator).

The contenders:

1. Martini & Rossi
2. Noilly Prat
3. Cinzano
4. Carpano Antica Formula
5. Carpano Punt e Mes

Tasting Notes:

1. Martini & Rossi
Matt's Notes
Sweet with some complex spices and nice bitterness. A nice balance.
Rating - 90

Rob's Notes
Thyme and dark fruits on the nose. Cola and cherry on the palate. Short finish
Rating - 85

2. Noilly Prat
Matt's Notes
Sweet plum fruit. Cloying sweetness - too flowery and lacking in depth.
Rating - 86

Rob's Notes
Ralph (barf) on the nose. Clean on the palate with a slightly bitter finish.
Rating - 81

3. Cinzano
Matt's Notes
Aromas and flavors of pizza sauce. Cloyingly sweet and spicy.
Rating - 84

Rob's Notes
Grassy and herbaceous on the nose. Funky mid-palate.
Rating - 83

4. Carpano Antica Formula
Matt's Notes
Heavy licorice elements on the nose. Some mulling spices (clove) on the nose and palate. Very complex on the palate with a nice balance and clean finish
Rating - 93

Rob's Notes
Underberg (Swiss bitters brand) aromas with clove and allspice on the nose. Nutmeg and cinnamon on the palate. Cloves on the finish.
Rating - 90

5. Carpano Punt e Mes
Matt's Notes
Murky with scents of molasses on the nose. Nice sweetness and bitterness on the finish.
Rating - 90

Rob's Notes
Soy on the nose. Darker on the palate with a sweet tang.
Rating - 85

Overall Ratings:
*** First Place ***
Carpano Antica Formula (93/90)

Unanimously voted the best of the bunch. Great complexity. Not too sweet with lots of spice, great balance and a clean finish. The only one of the bunch we would consider sipping on its own.

** Second Place (tie)**

Carpano Punt e Mes (90/85)

Martini & Rossi (90/85)

Both Rob and I had these tied for second place. The Martini & Rossi was the clear leader of the "standard" sweet vermouths for use, while the Punt e Mes offered a slightly richer and more bitter character.

* The Rest *

Matt

#3 Noilly Prat (86)

#4 Cinzano (84)

Rob

#3 Cinzano (83)

#4 Noilly Prat (81)

Final Notes - I had a slightly higher slant toward my scoring of these vermouths. This was both of our first times trying Carpano Antica Formula which was an excellent vermouth. This tasting confirmed Martini & Rossi as our favorite "standard" red vermouth (which I was concerned about after reading Cocktailnerd's review). Carpano Punt e Mes offers a richer, more bitter character for those inclinded toward such a thing. Noilly Prat and Cinzano were average performers and based on my infrequent use of sweet vermouth, are unlikely future purchases.

Final Final Note - I'd like to leave you with the quote from the bottle neck tag on the Carpano Antica Formula: ...Its special taste will conquer you for its refinement and rare bitter-sweet persistence. Consider me conquered.

Ginger Beer

Rob and I conducted a tasting of ginger beers, the classic ingredient to such cocktails as the Dark n' Stormy and Moscow Mule and generally very interesting to drink on their own. As per the usual process, the sodas were tasted blind and there was some discussion during the tasting to compare tasting notes, without giving away our scoring.

The contenders:

1. DG Old Jamaican Ginger Beer
2. Capt'n Eli's Ginger Beer
3. Maine Root Ginger Beer
4. Sprecher's Ginger Ale
5. Reeds Extra Ginger Brew
6. AJ Stephan's Jamaican Style Ginger Beer
7. Boom Chugga Lugga Cherry Ginger Beer
8. Buderim Ginger Beer
9. Blenheim "Not so Hot" Ginger Ale

Attached are our tasting notes and rankings:

1. DG Old Jamaican Ginger Beer
Matt's Notes
Cloudy white. Nice ginger nose with some good ginger spice. Some typical ginger soapiness/floweriness. Very sweet compared to the competition.
Rating - 90

Rob's Notes
Super sweet. Spicy ginger finish which stays with you. Woodsy nose (cedar)
Rating - 91

2. Capt'n Eli's Ginger Beer
Matt's Notes
Medium dark gold, clear. This one really made me sneeze the most during nosing. A lot of cologne/perfume elements. Rob mentioned lemon cleaning products (bingo!). Nice spice, but a bit chemically overall.
Rating - 84

Rob's Notes
Lemon cleaning products (in a good way). Fairly dry with some astrigency on the finish
Rating - 87

3. Maine Root Ginger Beer
Matt's Notes
Cloudy yellow. Spicy, vegetal (sushi seaweed). Nice flavors and overall balance.
Rating - 88

Rob's Notes
Nice lemon-ginger nose. Funky mid-palate building to a spicy finish.
Rating - 89

4. Sprecher's Ginger Ale
Matt's Notes
Cloudy white. Chalky with some ginger soapiness. Very dry compared to the rest. Slightly bitterish. I think this one suffers (maybe unfairly) for its dryness compared to the rest.
Rating - 83

Rob's Notes
Very dry compared to others. Builds to a pleasant soapy gingery finish with some spice
Rating - 87

5. Reeds Extra Ginger Brew
Matt's Notes
Honey, honey and more honey. Sweet and honeyish, with the honey dominating the character as compared to the playing field.
Rating - 80 (rated as a ginger brew, not in terms of general enjoyment as a soda)

Rob's Notes
Smells like mead. Honey continues on the palate, leading to a mildly spicy finish. Not gingery enough.
Rating - 86

6. AJ Stephan's Jamaican Style Ginger Beer
Matt's Notes
Nice ginger nose. Pretty spicy. Nice balance of tartness, sweetness and ginger. A lot going on, with a very spicy finish.
Rating - 91

Rob's Notes
Soapy (in a good way) lemon-ginger nose. Gingery flavors. Very spicy finish (maybe a little too much). Sneezy.
Rating - 90

7. Boom Chugga Lugga Cherry Ginger Beer
Matt's Notes
A conspicuous rosy hue. Cherries on the nose. Nice tartness and fairly sweet with a lot of cherry flavor.
Rating - 88 (for rating purposes only, this was not ranked as a ginger beer due to its uniqueness)

Rob's Notes
Cherry on the nose and plate. No real ginger flavors but very pleasant.
Rating - Not Rated

8. Buderim Ginger Beer

Matt's Notes

Some bitterness. A fair amount of ginger flavors. Something earthy-woodsy. Very pleasant with a decent balance of flavors.

Rating - 87

Rob's Notes

Not much on the nose. Sandy, sandalwood on the palate. Finishes with a mild to mid-spicy ginger flavor.

Rating - 88

9. Blenheim "Not so Hot" Ginger Ale

Matt's Notes

Not a lot going on on the nose. Sweet but very light with a nice ginger finish

Rating - 86

Rob's Notes

Not much on the nose. Dry with little flavor. May be suffering from comparison to sweeter brews.

Rating - 84

Overall Rankings

Matt

#1 AJ Stephans (91)

#2 (tie) Maine Root and DG (88)

#4 Buderim (87)

#5 Blenheim (86)

#6 Capt'n Eli (84)

#7 Sprecher (83)

#8 Reed's (80)

Rob

#1 DG (91)

#2 AJ Stephans (90)

#3 Maine Root (89)

#4 Buderim (88)

#5 (tie) Capt'n Elis and Sprecher (87)

#7 Reeds (86)

#8 Blenheim (84)

Final Notes - Rob and I had the same top 4 which is not unusual for us. There were a couple of ginger brews that had some issues relative to their peers in this format of a tasting: Sprechers was notably dry with a lot less sugar than the others which led it to somewhat of a disadvantage in this setting. (Thanks to Rob's girlfriend Ali for getting us the Sprechers and Boom Chugga Lugga to try) Reed's, which I enjoy frequently really stood out as being honey dominated next to the competition. And Blenheim, was just too light to stand up to these ginger beers, although it is a bit richer and spicier than typical ginger ales.