Terroir is a winemaking term. And, understandably, some might find the application of the term to whiskey inappropriate and pretentious.  But then, some might find people who pepper their language with accented French terminology to be pretentious regardless of their drinking preference. In any event, terroir is the idea that the local environment affects the flavors of the wine produced. The raw materials and environment impart certain unique flavors, for better or worse, that are specific to the region.  So how does this French winemaking term relate to our beloved water of life? On the surface, the impact of terroir on whiskey appears to be more than a drinker’s whiskey-addled epiphany.  The traditional segregation of Scotch into distinct whiskey-producing regions screams of terroir.  Each region is distinguished from the other by unique flavor profiles, not just geographic location. The Lowlands are famous for their light and floral flavors while Campbeltown [...]

One of my most vivid alcohol-related memories is going to Kyoto in the summer of 2003 and trying my first shochu drink. I was visiting Japan’s former capital with my dad’s new wife, Sachiyo. Sachiyo is but a memory, but the impact she left on me the moment she casually ordered an oolong-hi (shochu iced tea) for me would last forever. Sitting on the tatami mats in an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) overlooking the Kamo River in Kyoto, our feet were finally free from the confines of our shoes and our throats were parched from a long day of sightseeing in the scorching humidity. Seeing that tall glass of shochu with oolong tea, glistening in the glare of the setting sun, touching down on our wooden table was seductive. The first sip shuttled me back to childhood, when I would come home from school and my mom would pour mugi-cha (cold, [...]

“Have you ever considered how often we set stuff on fire?” the bartender asked as he set my Manhattan down. As if to illustrate his point, he deftly flexed an orange peel over the drink, sparking the citrus oils into flame with a match struck on the edge of the bar. It’s true, when you think about it. Everyone has a hazy memory of sucking down flaming shots of one kind or another and feeling a bit dangerous. For me, it was ouzo. Some like to set absinthe on fire as part of the elaborate drinking ritual; this practice was developed in order to make Czech absinthe palatable, but most distillers I’ve met frown on having their product cooked. I once watched author Wayne Curtis use a charcoal starter to ignite overproof rum-soaked gunpowder – WHOOSH! – to demonstrate how alcoholic content was tested prior to the invention of the [...]

Two years ago, Brad Estabrooke lost his job as a Wall Street bond trader. A year later, with the help of a severance check and a decade of deregulation in new York’s distilling industry, he followed his distillation dreams and started Breuckelen Distillery. He sold the first bottle of gin last summer and just added a wheat whiskey to Breuckelen’s repertoire. Across New York, a state known during the twenties for its gin-soaked speakeasies and gangster bootleggers, a new boutique distilling license is making it cheaper and easier for the latest generation of tipplers to make and sell their own liquor. Distillers such as Finger Lakes, Kings County, Tuthilltown Spirits, and Breuckelen are re-engaging in the state’s historical tradition by producing artisanal whiskeys, gins and vodkas that are as bold and flavorful as they are potent. The result is so good you’d think they’d been distilling the stuff for years. [...]

No spirit has been more misunderstood, vilified, or coveted than Absinthe. It reportedly caused Van Gogh to cut off his ear. That rapping, rapping at Edgar Allan Poe’s door? That was no raven: that was the green fairy. Toulouse-Lautrec, Oscar Wilde, and Alastair Crowley were known absinthe fans. Marilyn Manson produces his own absinthe. It has always had a mysterious and often dark air about it, driving sane men mad, and mad men to their graves. Dr. Valentin Magnan conducted a study on the mysterious spirit in the 19th century and found it to cause seizures and hallucinations. It was later proven that high levels of thujone (a byproduct of wormwood), a chemical present in early absinthe recipes, caused the seizures. The alleged hallucinations were just his way of trying to make the imbibers seem unstable, to prove that alcohol was “degenerating” the French. It was said by one temperance [...]

Remember James Bond?  You know that guy called 007 from those books?  They’re those things with pages and words written on them. In 1953, Casino Royale was written by Ian Fleming and the Vesper was born.  It consists of 3 parts Gin, one part Vodka and half Kina Lillet.  Kina Lillet isn’t made anymore (it will be soon!) so you can always substitute Cocchi Americano or even the original Lillet depending on how you’re feeling that day. Originally the drink was shaken, but I like to stir mine to keep that crystal clear, bright and beautiful texture. 3 oz Gin (A British Style to keep up with originality) 1 oz Vodka 1/2 oz Kina Lillet (Cocchi Americano works well) Stir or Shake (cringe!) and strain into a Martini glass or goblet. Garnish with a lemon twist  

Take a look at the bottle of wine/beer/spirits in your hand. How did it get there? Well, after it was produced, the producer sold it to a distributor at less than 50% of its retail price, who then sold it to a store at a large profit, who then sold it to you at a markup 18-25% higher than its intended retail price. There may have been a broker in there as well. Why so many middle men, and why so complicated? Prohibition and the three-tier system. Prior to prohibition, the alcohol industry was very loosely regulated, and dominated by a few very large producers. Anti-competition practices abounded: if a brewery or distillery didn’t have its own bar, it ‘invested’ in bars by giving loans or furniture and, in exchange, demanded that no other brands be sold on the premises. These big, bad breweries also required increasing sales, so the [...]

Join us for the Drink Me’s Grand Tasting Party – filled with spirits, beer, wine and fun hats.  There is NO better party going on next friday. WHERE: 111 Minna // WHEN: Friday, November 4th // HOW: www.DrinkMeGrandTasting.Eventbrite.com