Wine & Spirits - Winter 2023 - 94

NEW RELEASE Spirits
| Bombay
$24
Sapphire London Dry Gin ^ This is a classic
London Dry gin with botanicals sourced by
Master of Botanicals, Ivano Tonutti. Tonutti
sources botanicals from around the world,
including licorice from China, coriander
from Morocco, orris root from Italy and
almonds from Spain. Master Distiller Dr.
Anne Brock uses vapor steam to gently infuse
the botanical flavors into the spirit. There is
an herbaceous kick on the palate-full of
juniper, anise, tree bark and black pepper-
before finishing with lemon and almond-skin
flavors. Use it for a classic G & T. § The Bombay
Spirits Co. USA, Coral Gables, FL
02 | Elena
$38
London Dry Gin ^ Lush and silky-smooth,
this gin fills the mouth with an orange-oil
texture along with scents of mint, thyme and
juniper. Its scents and tastes are subtle, coming
on gradually and intermingling well. All
the botanicals are foraged in the Langhe Hills
and the spirit is twice-distilled in wood-fired
copper pot stills from the 18th century. Pure
and fresh, it has a long finish of lemon-lime
that's thirst quenching and brings you back
for another sip. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
01 | Mr. Pickles
$35
Pacific Northwest Gin ^ This gin is approachable
with sweet citrus and candied peach
scents. Master Distiller Ben Green named
it after his pit-bull rescue, Mr. Pickles, and
the gin carries the same playful nature as
the name. Green distills Oregon winter
wheat, then uses a vapor basket to infuse it
with 12 Oregon botanicals, from juniper to
marshmallow root and sencha green tea. It's
viscous, with a sweet, seemingly powdery
texture, and, while the finish isn't overly
complicated, it feels sunny, pleasant and
smooth. § Wolf Spirit Distillery, Eugene, OR
02 | Meili
$25
Vodka ^ Meili Vodka is a collaboration
between entrepreneur Blaine Halvorson and
actor Jason Momoa. While there are many
celebrity spirit brands bombarding the market,
this vodka has a clean texture and taste
to accompany the famous name behind it.
Water for the spirit is sourced from a Montana
aquifer-something the duo claims is
responsible for the spirit's purity-and it's
only distilled once so that flavors from the
Montana-grown grains remain. The vodka
stood out in a blind panel for its pleasant
cereal flavors mixed with white peach and
crisp, stony minerality on a smooth finish. §
Meili Spirits, Bozeman, MT
94
WINE & SPIR IT S
02 | Verità
$25
Vodka Italiana ^ This vodka has a crisp, wetstone
minerality that feels fresh and light
on the palate. Crafted with 100 percent Italian
wheat and spring water from the Alps,
it tastes purely of clean, stony brook water.
Master Distiller Alessandro Maschio completes
three distillations in a column still,
then a fourth in an antique, wood-fired
bain-marie still, creating an extremely clean,
smooth vodka with little burn. It would elevate
a cocktail without overpowering its flavor
components; or use it to make a killer
straight martini. § Dalla Terra, Napa, CA
| Kavo
$30
Greek Island Rum ^ Kavo claims to be producing
the world's first Greek rum. Made
from 100 percent sugarcane and distilled
with local bergamot, Mandarin oranges,
sage, honey and thyme, this rum is botanical
in nature, carrying the feeling of fresh sea
air. The body is pillowy and slightly gritty,
with pronounced almond-skin flavors before
finishing with minty sage. Great for a twist
on a classic Mojito or mixed into an Espresso
Martini. § The Corebev Group, Shelton, CT
| Mayenda
$70
Tequila Blanco ^ Named for Mayahuel,
the Aztec goddess of agave, this has classic
Tequila scents of caramelized agave, prickly
pear, sweet orange and Meyer lemon. The
fruit feels slightly sweet, bringing a weight to
the body, but those flavors are balanced by
its roasted agave tones which come through
clean and pure, and a long, pleasant finish
that lingers. § Campari America, NY
BROWN SPIRITS
| ASM Whiskey
$65
American Single Malt ^ Sweet elderflower,
orange blossom and pear leap from the
glass of this whiskey. It's made with 100 percent
malted barley, which also lends a nutty,
cereal aroma to the fruit and florals. Otium's
Rich Williams loved how the oak spice integrated
effortlessly- " It's like the oak gently
kissed it, " he said. This is a pretty whiskey
mellowed by a secondary finish in Sherry
casks. Mixologist Amanda Greenbaum said,
" It smells like Bourbon, but tastes smooth,
like a Highland Scotch. " A favorite among
our panelists. § ASM Whiskey, Stuart, FL
| Dewar's
$1,799
Double Double 37-Year-Old Scotch ^ This
is a meditative spirit, something to sip and
savor by the fire on a winter night. Not overly
showy with oak spice, it leads with scents of
W INTER 2023
peach cobbler, herbal tea, honey and lemon.
Each single-malt whiskey used in this blend
is aged for 37 years before Master Blender
Stephanie Macleod brings them together
with reserves from Dewar's 36, originally finished
in ex-Madeira casks; this blend is finished
in Oloroso Sherry casks. Comfortable
in its age, this holds a hint of peaty smoke.
But it's the body that's the standout. Voluptuous.
Sexy. It's so rich it feels like honey gliding
slowly over the tongue, coating it so that
its flavors linger for minutes after the last sip. §
John Dewar & Sons, Coral Gables, FL
| Jack Daniel's
$75
Twice Barreled Special Release Heritage
Barrel Rye ^ This rye whiskey carries pretty
florals of lilac and rose under the sweeter caramel
and molasses flavors from the oak-it's
first aged in New American white oak before
finishing in high-toast barrels. It has smoky
candied-bacon tones followed by a pop of
white pepper, ending smooth and well balanced.
Mixologist Amanda Greenbaum said
she would love to use it in a Boulevardier or
in a rye Old Fashioned paired with pancakes. §
Brown-Forman, Louisville, KY
| Angel's Envy
$50
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ^
Named for the angel's share-the spirit
that evaporates from the barrel as it ages-
this six-year-old Bourbon is silky, filled with
scents of chamomile tea, orange marmalade
and a touch of vanilla cream soda. It has a
quiet power, not stealing the spotlight but
rewarding attention. The whiskey is finished
in Port wine barrels for three to six months,
adding a pop of red-berry fruit and a smooth
finish. § Louisville Spirits Group, Louisville, KY
| Barrell Bourbon
$90
Cask Finish Series: Tale of Two Islands ^ In
2018, Barrell produced a Two Islands Rum
that was aged in barrels previously used for a
peated Islay single-malt. Distiller Tripp Stimson
and Blender Nic Christiansen kept those
barrels, using them to age this blend of five-,
six-, and nine-year-old Bourbons from Indiana
and Maryland. The resulting spirit leads
with classic Bourbon scents of sweet caramel,
oak spice and Graham cracker. It carries flavors
of bananas Foster, perhaps heightened
by aging in rum barrels. A bright black-raspberry
fruit pops through all these richer flavors,
balancing out the mid-palate and finish. §
Barrell Craft Spirits, Louisville, KY
| Barrell Bourbon
$90
Batch 035 ^ This high-rye Bourbon is herbaceous
with touches of sage and anise under
its orange peel and dark cherry fruit tones. It
Wine & Spirits - Winter 2023

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