Classic Cocktails: the East India Cocktail

This drink comes, once again, from Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. There are quite a number of different versions of this drink, but the original appears to have come from Harry Johnson's New and Improved Bartender's Manual, published in 1882. You can find some of the other versions in the Cocktail Database, but I'll be sticking with the VSFC version today.

East India Cocktail
3 oz brandy
0.5 oz raspberry syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 tsp orange liqueur
1 tsp Maraschino liqueur

Combine all ingredients, stir with ice for 15 seconds, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The nose is mostly a sort of vague fruitiness from the raspberry syrup and cognac, with just a hint of spice from the Maraschino and bitters. For all the syrups and liqueurs in this cocktail, the sip is not terribly sweet. It is, however, very, very smooth. Complexity builds up towards the back of the mouth, with the brandy coming in first, followed by the orange liqueur and Maraschino funkiness. The finish is all Maraschino and bitters.

I'll have to admit, this is not quite as good as I hoped it would be. I wonder if it might be better with only 2-2.5 oz of cognac, to let the other ingredients shine just a little bit more. You could also theoretically make it a bit brighter with an unaged brandy like pisco, which would be a little sharper, without the rounded barrel flavors of an aged brandy. However, it does improve a bit as the drink warms up and the aromatics become more volatile.

Win Some, Lose Some: Thoughts on the Shift Towards Higher Proof, Non-Chill Filtered Whiskies

There's a lot of changes going on in the scotch whisky business these days. One of the latest trends is for distiller's to revamp their product lines by releasing higher proof (46-50%), non-chill filtered versions of their standard whiskies that were previously bottled at lower (40-43%) proof with chill filtration. Given that whisky enthusiasts have been griping about the lack of heft in many single malts, this is an answer to a lot of requests of the years. However, as I talked a bit about with Michael over at Diving for Pearls, there is one major downside.

In many cases, this change is being carried out by less well-known distilleries such as Bunnahabhain, Aberlour, Tobermory (and their peated Ledaig expression), and Glen Garioch. This helps them to stand out from the crowd and usually brings a certain amount of critical praise. Which is awesome. Better whisky on the market is almost always a good thing.

But here's the downside: almost all of these distilleries have used the relaunches of their product lines to bump up their prices, often significantly. Take, for instance, Aberlour 12. The 43% version has long been an extremely good deal, regularly available for $40 or less. With the release of the new 46%, un-chill filtered version, prices have jumped up to $55 or even more. At that point it's getting really, really close to Aberlour's cask-strength A'Bunadh whisky, which usually runs for about $65. Right now it's fairly common to see all three on the same shelf. The question is, when a potential customer looks at this lineup, which are they going to choose? If I was going to hazard a guess, they're either going to pick the 43% version because it's relatively cheap or the A'Bunadh, because it literally offers a lot more bang for your buck. While there are some significant differences between the two beyond the bottling strength (A'Bunadh is sherry cask only, the 12 Year is a mix of bourbon and sherry cask), I just don't see the 12 Year as being a good value anymore. Even once stocks of the previous 43% version sell out, is the 46% really going to be an attractive proposition?

The other distilleries I mentioned above have also started to push their base 10-12 year old whiskies into the $50-60 range (though Bunnahabhain was always that expensive). To a degree, this just seems to be where scotch whisky is headed. Demand is up, so prices are rising. But I've got to wonder when we're going to cross the threshold when customers start to balk at the prices. It seems especially difficult to tempt prospective buyers to take a risk on an entry-level single malt, doubly so if it's not from a well-known distillery like Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, or Macallan. Even worse, how many new scotch drinkers are going to be put off and stick with blends or just keep drinking other spirits? Personally, I know I wouldn't have even dipped my toes in if it hadn't been for reasonably priced single malts like the 43% version of Aberlour 12 or Glenmorangie Original. At that point, even $30-40 seemed like a bit of a risk for an entire bottle. If the prices had been 50-100% more, it wouldn't have even been a question.

So here's where I stand: I applaud the decision to increase bottling proofs and get rid of chill filtration. However, the price increases are hard for me to swallow. Getting rid of chill filtration means one less step of processing before the whisky is bottled, which should cut costs. Increasing bottling proof does mean that I'm getting more alcohol, but the price increases are much larger than can be justified on those grounds. So as things stand, many of these whiskies have simply priced themselves beyond what I'm willing to pay. And if I'm not buying their entry level whiskies, the odds are that I'm not going to take an even greater risk on their older expressions. Maybe I'm the exception and this is a great route to extra profit. But I can't imagine that I'm the only person looking at the little tags on the shelves of the liquor store and reaching for something else.

Rum Review: Ron Matusalem 15 vs. 18

Ron Matusalem is a brand that traces its history back to 1872 when the distillery was first established in Santiago de Cuba. Fast forward about fifty years and the company was doing great business as American tourists flocked to Cuba in an effort to escape Prohibition. However, things took a turn for a worse when Fidel Castro seized power on the island, which led to the family fleeing to the Dominican Republic. A new distillery was set up that sought to replicate the rum previously made in Cuba (the labels all declare that it is made with the "original formula of Cuba") and has been operating ever since.

Right now I'm going to review two of their older bottlings, the 15 year old and 18 year old Gran Reservas. One of Matusalem's claims to quality is that these rums are aged using a solera system. That means that a layered system of barrels periodically has aged spirit withdrawn from the bottom layer, then each layer is topped up with slightly younger rum, with new make getting added to the top layer. With a number of levels in action, this means that there is a significant amount of blending going on as the spirit ages and a small portion of the rum in the final level is very, very old. As with all age statements on bottles in America, the number must show the age of the youngest spirit in the blend. How much of a difference this really makes has been hotly debated, but in theory it should help to add complexity to the final spirit.

Ron Matusalem 15

Nose: rich vanilla, marshmallow, light molasses and tropical fruits, nutty (walnuts?), oak, more alcohol than expected

Taste: recapitulates the nose - sugarcane sweetness and vanilla up front, a solid blast of pepper follows quickly, oak and molasses come in near the back

Finish: bittersweet molasses, wood, some chili

Matusalem 15 is a duel between the sweeter flavors of sugarcane and vanilla against the sharper notes of chili pepper and oak, with rich molasses forming a bridge between the two. While I can wish that it had just a bit more oomph from a 43-46% bottling strength, it mostly manages to hold its own at 40%. Sadly it does tend to fall apart with only a little water, so just leave it neat.

Matusalem wanted a fine, relatively smooth sipping rum and between the solera system and the skill of their blenders, we're getting a pretty tasty dram. And for as little as $20, it's a superb value. It also does extremely well in the aged Puerto Rican rum role for tiki drinks, delivering an exceptional smooth and rich experience. To see what I mean, try it with El Dorado 12 and Appleton Estate Extra in a Navy Grog. The results are decadently delicious.

Ron Matusalem 18

Nose: a healthy dose of rummy vanilla, slight undercurrent of oak, bourbon barrel notes

Taste: sweet, but not overly sweet, opening, with sugarcane carrying across the palate, more molasses, a bit of pepper and dark fruits come out at the back

Finish: molasses, pepper

While I only got to try this one at a bar and initially thought I might be missing something, reading over the official tasting notes makes me think that this is exactly what they were shooting for. It's an extremely smooth, sweet vanilla-focused spirit. That they managed this without it becoming over-oaked is quite a feat in a tropical country. However, I'll admit to being a little disappointed as I expected more complexity from a well-aged rum. Some more chili heat would have provided a nice balance, but it was only a hint, rather than a strong element. I have to wonder if a little less dilution might help, but given what it sounds like they were trying to create, more burn could be counterproductive, so we're going to get it at 40%.

Overall I'll have to agree with Cap'n Jimbo: the 18 year is a limp reflection of its younger sibling. Don't pony up the extra cash for the 18 year old, just stick with the more reasonably priced and lively 15.

Classic Cocktails: the Diki-Diki Cocktail

This is another drink from Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. While there isn't a lot of info in this book, Our Libatious Nature suggests that it originated in 1922 at the Embassy Club in London. I also agree with them that though Mr. Haigh suggests that the name is meant to evoke a tropical feel, there's nothing tropical about this drink.

Diki Diki Cocktail
1.5 oz apple brandy
0.75 oz grapefruit juice
0.5 oz Swedish punch
1 tsp honey syrup

Combine all ingredients, shake with ice for 6 seconds, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The nose is redolent of the distinctive notes of Clear Creek's apple brandy, along with the dry fruitiness of grapefruit, and hooks up with the honey to bring out a slight floral aspect. The sip opens with very mild sweetness, as the apple brandy, grapefruit, and honey jostle for space. Then it fades into drier flavors from the grapefruit and Swedish punch, which becomes slightly bitter, astringent, and distinctly dry on the finish.

Overall this is a rather interesting drink. As written in VSFC, it was a little bit too dry for my taste, but the addition of a bit of honey really helped to balance it out and, I think, enhanced the drink significantly. And even with that modification, it's not going to tickle your sweet tooth too much - the other ingredients keep it rather snappy.

New Cocktails: the Hooded Watcher

This is a drink that I tossed together in an effort to finish off my bottle of Clear Creek's apple brandy. It was partially inspired by the Lucien Gaudin Cocktail I wrote a post about a while back, though I aimed for something a little less sweet.

The Hooded Watcher
1.5 oz apple brandy
0.25 oz sweet vermouth
0.25 oz dark falernum
1 dash Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients, stir with ice for 15 seconds, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The nose is dominated by sweet apple notes from the brandy and spices from the falernum and Angostura bitters. A very peculiar fruitiness also emerges from the interaction between the apple brandy and vermouth. The sip is initially fairly mild. The apple brandy provides a smooth canvas for the other flavors, continuing through the experience but not asserting itself too strongly. There is once again a slightly odd interaction between the brandy and wine that dances around for a bit. The falernum and spice elements of the bitters come in strong mid-palate, riding a wave of cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Going into the finish there is a building sweetness underneath the bitterness from the Angostura and vermouth. The finish continues the heavy spices, bringing out an almost chocolate-y flavor.

Whisky Review: Talisker Distiller's Edition 2000

While I've put up a review of Talisker DE before, that was from a dram at a bar, so I didn't get as much time to spend with the whisky as I would have liked. Fortunately I managed to get a bottle of the 2011 release and have finally got around to properly tasting it.

Talisker is the only distillery on the island of Skye. The island lies off the northwest corner of Scotland, between the mainland and the isles of Lewis and Harris. While the temperatures are extremely temperate due to the moderating influence of the ocean, the weather is anything but, regularly lashing the island with wind and rain. The distillery was built nearly two hundred years ago in 1831, having since changed hands a number of times before ending up in the Diageo portfolio. Talisker's whisky is known for having a moderate (~20 ppm) level of peat as well as a heavy dose of pepper and some maritime characteristics.

The 2011 release was originally distilled in 2000, making it roughly an 11 year old whisky. As with all of Diageo's Distiller's Edition whiskies, it was aged in a fortified wine cask for an indeterminate amount of time (more info, please, Diageo) after some period in standard ex-bourbon barrels. In this case, the whisky was finished in Amoroso sherry casks. Amoroso sherry is a mixture of dry Oloroso sherry that has been sweetened, usually with Pedro Ximenez sherry. This is similar to the East India Solera sherry that I reviewed a while back.

Talisker Distiller's Edition 2000


Nose: soft fruit, strong floral notes, malty sweetness, underlying creamy peat reek with well integrated TCP intertwined with wood spices, rubbery sherry, chipotle pepper, a hint of brine, oak, vanilla, a bit of banana, charcoal. After adding water, the malt becomes more prominent, while the peat, sherry and floral notes are somewhat subdued.

Taste: malty, sugary sweetness up front, pepper comes on strong early on the tongue and maintains its heat, peat builds slowly towards the back of the mouth, sherry comes in mid-palate, becomes earthy, trending towards bitter mocha. After a few drops of water, the whisky gets a little bit less sweet up front, but sweeter at the back, and everything but the pepper is slightly toned down.

Finish: classic Talisker pepper, bitter, peat, cacao, oak, and a hint of sherry

This is very different from the barbecue-heavy, peat-forward version that I tried back in December. The nose is very, very floral, with the peat taking on a more vegetal rather than smoky aspect. It makes me think of what Aberlour 12 would taste like if the distillery used peated malt. Also similar to Aberlour, the sherry influence is relatively subdued, providing some underlying fruitiness, but not dominating the other elements of the spirit. I prefer the peat-heavy version, but this is a rather interesting study in how much variety can come from a single distillery, even when they're nominally trying to produce the same whisky each time. It'll also be interesting to compare this to a small bottle I have of Talisker DE that was distilled in 1992, which will be part of a Talisker vertical tasting that I have planned.

Classic Cocktails: The Widow's Kiss

This cocktail comes from Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. It was invented by George Kappeler and first published in his Modern American Drinks in 1895. A drink from another era, it showcases the formidable power of the herbal liqueurs that fell out of favor during Prohibition and the advent of shelf-stable fruit liqueurs.

The Widow's Kiss
1.5 oz apple brandy
0.75 oz Chartreuse
0.75 oz Bénédictine
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients, stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

The nose contains elements from the apple brandy, Chartreuse and Bénédictine twining about each other without crowding for attention. Sweet and fruity but also gently herbal. The sip comes in reverse order from what I expected, with the bitter notes from the herbal liqueurs coming in first, fading into the clove and allspice of the Angostura, which finally leads to the liqueur's strong sweetness. The finish is still sweet, with lingering herbal and spice notes. Through everything, the apple brandy rides in the background, supporting the more potent herbal liqueurs.

As a note, the recipe calls for the more heady 110-proof Green Chartreuse, but you can sub in the more restrained 80-proof Yellow Chartreuse. Under the circumstances, that's not a bad plan. With Yellow Chartreuse, the final drink will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-proof.

This cocktail is aptly named. Strong, sweet and mysterious. You don't want to trifle with this one, as it's all spirits with nothing but ice to moderate its strength. Approach carefully, but don't try too hard to resist its charms.