Editorial

Back to Top

The Cocktailian

Getting the Jump on Japanese Whiskey

In which gaz regan goes to Japan and Harlem to deliver a Mule with harmony and balance—plus a little kick. Read it here.

• Here's what's happening this week at Simon Difford's

Dear Discerning Drinker,

Here's what you'll find in this week's digital CLASS magazine:

• Tony Conigliaro: the second part of our monster interview: is he a bartender or a scientist?
• New Bars in London: Hunter S. - a spirit lover's pub in trendy Dalston
• New Bars in New York: including Sasha Petraske's Silver Lining
• Breakfast cereal cocktails: Froot Loops make it into the CLASS Signature Cocktail, from Joseph Biolatto of Le Forum in Paris; while Hawksmoor's Cornflake Hardshake shows up in our Daily Cocktail selection
• Spirited Reviews: we kick off with Portobello Road No. 171 gin, from the team behind the Portobello Star
• Classic Cocktail: a new series focusing on the Piña Colada
• A tribute to Great Drinker W. C. Fields - and his unique way of drinking a Martini
• ... and more.

To read this week's issue click here.

Back to Top

Drink du Jour

Our Drink du Jour column is sponsored by the good folk at Liquor.com, and we think that you're going to enjoy what they're bringing to the party.

Silver Screen Cocktails

From acting and directing to lighting and sound effects, there’s an Oscar for just about everything movie-related—except, that is, for best cinematic cocktail.

We’ve decided to give up waiting for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to rectify this situation and created our own list of award-winning drinks featured on-screen.

We’d be remiss not to recognize the importance of the Thin Man series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, whose thirsty characters gave their names to the delicious Nick & Nora Dry Martini.

And while we’re on the subject of Martinis, Sean Connery’s portrayal of suave super-spy James Bond inspired many a drinker—to the despair of their bartenders—to repeat the famous line “shaken, not stirred.” (But die-hard fans of 007 know that his original signature order was actually another concoction, the Vesper, which combines gin and vodka with Lillet.)

Talking about classics, there are lots of iconic Marilyn Monroe movie scenes, but one of our favorite moments is when she fixes impromptu Manhattans in a hot water bottle for Jack Lemmon and a crowd of bandmates in Billy Wilder’s madcap caper Some Like it Hot.

But it’s not only old flicks where tipples show up. The White Russian plays a large enough role in the Coen brothers’ hit The Big Lebowski that it should have gotten a supporting actor nomination.

So get out the shaker, make a huge bowl of popcorn and let the red-carpet coverage begin.

One for the Road: Vancouver

Contributed by Simon Ford

Vancouver has always been a drinkers’ town. Even before the craft-cocktail movement kicked into high gear, you could easily find a decent tipple. Now, of course, the city boasts many fine bars and has its own satellite Tales of the Cocktail conference, which took place last week. I was at the event and got to check out the local mixological scene again. Here are the establishments I recommend visiting. Cheers!

The Diamond, 6 Powell Street:
The Diamond is the bartender’s bar. (It helps that it has a variety of classes for pros as well as home mixologists.) Its sharp cocktail list groups drinks under the headings “proper,” “delicate” and “notorious,” plus punches.
What to Drink: Diamond Cup (Cinzano Orancio Vermouth, Amaro Montenegro, lemon, ginger ale, fruit)

Fairmont Pacific Rim Lobby Lounge, 1038 Canada Place, 604 695 5300:
The Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel was the host of Tales of the Cocktail on Tour, and its Lobby Lounge (pictured above) definitely upped its game for the occasion. The extra-special treats, including barrel-aged creations and Perlini-carbonated concoctions, are still available.
What to Drink: Sniper (Mount Gay Rum, apricot, Yellow Chartreuse, house-made pimento dram)

West, 2881 Granville Street, 604 738 8938:
It is impossible to talk about the city’s watering holes and not highlight the destination restaurant West and its pioneering, award-winning barman David Wolowidnyk. He produces an incredible range of ingredients—everything from pickled onions and stuffed olives to falernum and even a chocolate bourbon.
What to Drink: Vancouver (Plymouth Gin, Punt e Mes, Bénédictine, Angostura Orange Bitters, lemon zest)

Check out Simon Ford’s complete guide for more great Vancouver establishments.

Simon Ford is an award-winning bartender and director of trade outreach and brand education for Pernod Ricard USA. He is also a Liquor.com advisor.

A Spirited Leap Year

While it may not inspire the same kind of awe as, say, a lunar eclipse or a comet, we’re pretty excited that it’s Leap Year. But having a 29th day in February has left us with somewhat of a conundrum: What does one drink to mark the occasion?

We suggest you put today to good use and start some mixological projects that you might not otherwise have time for, like making your own spiced rum. Try acclaimed author Wayne Curtis’ easy recipe to give a bottle of your favorite brand a little more flavor and complexity. The infused spirit will be ready in about 48 hours, so you can enjoy it all weekend long.

Another great thing to work on is homemade grenadine. Why bother? While you can now find some artisanal products, most stores still stock only cheap, bright-red, sticky-sweet concoctions. The real stuff is quite different and calls for deliciously tart pomegranate juice. It’s also very simple to create. Our formula comes from star Portland, Ore., mixologist Jeffrey Morgenthaler. Taste the result in his tropical and refreshing Batida Rosa.

While you’re building your bartending pantry, you might as well whip up some tasty orgeat syrup. In recent years, the nut-based ingredient has staged a big comeback and is necessary for fixing many tiki cocktails, including the Mai Tai. No matter if you use almonds, pecans or peanuts, the preparation is the same and a batch should last you awhile. Happy Leap Day!

Back to Top

Craddock's Corner

Here's where we bring you links to boozey stories from all over the place (and where we've placed a picture of Harry Craddock, author of one of the world's most important tomes, The Savoy Cocktail Book)

• Cocktail bar Happiness Forgets leads new breed of British bars

• The cocktail glass: Why bother?

• Former S.F. Bartender Tries to Introduce Poitin, Irish White Whiskey, to America

• Negronis exult in the beauty of the bitter

• Rum: it’s not just for pirates anymore!

• New tequila book delivers more than promised

• Classic cocktails make a comeback in Toronto

•  Mr. Boston bartending guide gets an update

• Cocktail of the week: Millionaire

• Mix a Cocktail and Win a Trip to Italy

• The Serious Eats Guide to Blended Scotch Whisky

• From Behind the Bar: On Craft Distilleries

Back to Top

Potent Quotables

The Oldest, Most Historic Drinking Establishment in the State

 Back to Top

Whiskey Watch

Here's the reason that the good folk at Glenmorangie took us to Italy last week! 

Glenmorangie unveils Artein

a monumental whisky born of stone

Glenmorangie is proud to announce the release of Glenmorangie Artein, the third release in its award winning Private Edition range.  Scots Gaelic for stone ‘Artein’ is an intriguing 15 Years Old Glenmorangie, extra matured in ‘Super Tuscan’ wine casks.

Stone has always been at the heart of the making of Glenmorangie single malt Scotch whisky.  Glenmorangie has its own unique hard water source - the Tarlogie Spring - which slowly filters through layers of limestone, adding rich minerals that eventually give Glenmorangie its complex fruity aromas.  The Company has had a close affinity with stone since an ancient stone of symbolic significance was uncovered near the Glenmorangie Distillery in the Scottish Highlands - the Hilton of Cadboll Stone. Glenmorangie proudly adopted the intricate Pictish motif from this iconic monument as its brand emblem.

Widely regarded as a pioneer in extra maturation and with a true passion for innovation, it is no surprise that Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation for Glenmorangie felt strong affinity with a highly talented group of ‘Super Tuscan’ producers, celebrated for breaking with Italian tradition.  The rugged Tuscan coastal hills, built on stony foundations, are a seemingly improbable area for vineyards.  However, the stony terroir plays an important role in the development of these fine wines.  The vines are forced to delve deep into the soil seeking nourishment; as a result the grapes claim intense flavour from this unique environment.   

Dr Lumsden comments “Wine is one of my huge passions and I was fascinated by the role stony ground played in cultivating the vines - therefore influencing the flavour profile of the famed ‘Super-Tuscan’ wines. I was inspired to experiment with extra maturing Glenmorangie in these wine casks and was thrilled with the result – a rich, outstandingly fragrant whisky – born of stone.”

On nosing, Glenmorangie Artein recalls a sweet and heady bouquet of ripe red berries, honeysuckle and fresh mint.  On the palate, sun soaked baked fruits such as ripe apricots, peaches and plums harmonise gracefully with hints of spearmint and cherries in milk chocolate.  A whisky of great length, Glenmorangie Artein finishes with top notes of zesty, lemon sherbet and a flourish of creamy cappuccino. 

Bottled at a strength of 46%, Glenmorangie Artein is available globally from January 2011.  

Glenmorangie Artein is an exciting new addition which joins the ongoing Private Edition range, comprising so far of the highly esteemed Sonnalta PX and Finealta.

The Private Edition range consists of rare and interesting limited edition whiskies carefully selected from the ‘cabinet of curiosities’ of Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation and are fast becoming collector’s items.

Back to Top

Hot Links

• Alcedemics  Camper English is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and consultant who specializes in cocktails and spirits, with a touch of travel thrown in.

• Arthur Shapiro's Booze Business Blog
  Our old friend Arthur Shapiro spills some fabulous booze-related tales on his blog, Booze Business.  Go pay him a visit.

• Art of Drink  Art of Drink was spontaneously created in October 2005 as a way to document information on all things drink related.  Currently Art of Drink is ranked among the top, if not the top, cocktail blogs on the Internet.

• thebarkeeper.com
  Don't forget to pay Uncle Brian a visit at the barkeeper. This guy has stuff on his blog that you'll never find anywhere else in the world. Don't say we didn't tell you.

• Bay Area Spirits is the David-vs-Goliath blog that focuses on craft distillers and artisanal, handcrafted and hard-to-find spirits and cocktails.

• Booze for Thought is a blog by Charles Hardwick that's based on the belief that the best garnish for a great cocktail is a good story.  And Charles tells a good story.

• The Cocktail Chronicles The Cocktail Chronicles is updated somewhat regularly by Paul Clarke, a Seattle-based cocktail enthusiast . . . I’ve taken the “roll your own” ethic of David Embury to heart, spending countless hours reading about, mixing and studying an array of cocktails, with a special emphasis on early- and mid-20th century classics.

• The Cocktail Guru
  Wanna See What Jonathan Pogash is Up To This Week?  Go worship The Cocktail Guru.

• Drinks Ink Blog
  Wherein a sharp-tongued boozehound (Jack Robertiello) shares what he thinks about what he drinks, among other things.

• "Fork & Shaker is a metaphor for two of my great passions in life –food & drink. Maybe this site will make you thirsty. Maybe it will make you hungry. Maybe it will show you that the world of cocktails and other fine libations can be found all over the world. But if it does nothing more than help you appreciate all that is beautiful and unique when the crossroads of food and drink meet, then that will make me very happy," Naren Young.

• Good Spirits News reports on the latest trends in mixology from around the world. reviewing spirits, liqueurs, and bitters, the best new spirited publications, bartender competitions, and cocktail events.  The site also includes interviews with the likes of gaz regan, Paul Pacult, and Dave Wondrich. to name but a few.

• Jeffrey Morgenthaler writes about bartending and mixology from Portland, Oregon.

• The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas' cocktails from Jerry Thomas' Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form.

• The Liquid Muse was launched in 2006 by Natalie Bovis, a cocktail book author, freelance writer, and mixologist.  With 20 years experience in front-of-the-house hospitality, Natalie now shares her favorite cocktail bars, spirits, and wines from around the world via her website, radio, video, and television.

• Professor Cocktail is the not-so-secret identity of David J. Montgomery, professional book critic by day and amateur cocktailian by night.

• Spirits and Cocktails by Jamie Boudreau.  Jamie’s thirst for cocktail minutia is infamous, and if conversation turns to a subject that he is unsure of, you can be assured that he will research it as soon as possible. He has a love for the classics, but at the same time is always looking for new, exciting ingredients with which to try out new recipes.
  

• Spirits Review   Reviews of booze, books, and barware. Also 4,500+ links, 400+ RSS feeds and extensive "Adventure" section chronicling adventures in alcohol in various forms. "We aim to be the google of booze"

Small Screen Network

• The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess

• Inspired Sips with The Liquid Muse

• Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen

• Raising the Bar with Jamie Boudreau

• Inside the Kitchen Door with Chef Andrew Lanier

Back to Top