Summer Fruit Cup

Cocktails with.. Lebensstern Dry Gin – From Austria

DTS — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:12:52 +0000

Recently, I received a gin care package from Germany; inside was a bottle of The Duke Munich Dry Gin and another of Lebensstern. Both are produced at the Freihof Distillery in Austria, near the border of both Switzerland and Germany, and are made for the Einstein Bar in Berlin. The Lebensstern forms the base for the excellent Lebensstern Pink Gin that we featured a few months back and is bottled at 43 %ABV.

Own
Nose: Lots of rather fruity, jammy notes, with some sweet juniper, pine, apricot and peach.
Taste: Quite smooth, with plenty of juniper and rich, jammy, fruity flavours, including peach, raspberry and apricot. Very good.

Gin & Tonic
Really good: refreshing, succulent and very fruity; no garnish is needed at all. The dominant flavours are: raspberry, peach, plum and apricot. Again, this is quite jammy. The juniper is still there, but it’s in the background, making for a very unusual, but nonetheless fantastic G&T!

Martini
A rather fruity Martini, full of luscious, fresh fruit flavours, reminding me of biting into a ripe peach. This is well-balanced and not sickly; despite the rich flavours, the drink maintains the cocktail’s signature dry finish. Not a conventional Martini by any means, but a very good one nonetheless.

Pink Gin
Unusual and full of jammy berry notes mixed with sweet spice, this reminded me of an English winter tart. Once again, this is a step away from the cocktail’s usual profile, but remains an enjoyable drink.

Milano
Another lovely drink. The tartness from the lemon and the vanilla-sweetness from the Galliano worked well with the fruity gin, creating a well-rounded cocktail.

Gin Buck
The by now familiar jammy, fruity notes of the Lebensstern worked well with the citrus and sweet, spicy ginger. This is a drink that is both refreshing and comforting.

Negroni
This gin really stands up well to the Campari and makes a lovely Negroni: bittersweet, with an extreme, bitter finish that is rounded off by the rich, succulent fruitiness of the gin. With distinctive notes of peach & plum, this is one of my favourite Negronis.

Gin Old Fashioned
The gin came through well, but, with the extra sugar from the cube, I found this a tad too sweet, tasting more like a gin liqueur.

In Conclusion

Overall, I was impressed with Lebensstern Dry Gin. Its rich, fruity and jammy style is distinctive, being almost halfway between dry gin and sloe gin. Not only distinctive, it also gives some fresh and tasty twists on the characteristics of some Classic gin cocktails.

Drink highlights included the Negroni and the Gin & Tonic.

Cocktails with… South Gin from New Zealand!

DTS — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:11:52 +0000

This week, the World of Gin takes a trip to the Southern Hemisphere and to New Zealand to take a look at South Gin. South Gin, in its distinctive, tall bottle is made by the same folks as 42 Below Vodka in Auckland, New Zealand (North Island). “42 Below” is named in reference to the 42 parallel circle of latitude that runs through New Zealand.

Bottled at 48.2% ABV, South Gin contains 9 botanicals:
Juniper
Lemon
Orange
Coriander Seed
Angelica Leaf
Orris Root
Gentian Root
Manuka Berries
Kawakawa Leaves

1) Own
Nose: Juniper, citrus, anise and a slightly fruity, bubblegum quality, as well as a hint of sarsaparilla.
Taste: Very, very smooth and soft, this is one of the smoothest gins that I have tried. There were good notes of juniper, citrus and a sweet earthiness, with more hints of anise and sarsaparilla (the base of root beer). The sweetness reminds me of pastis, such as Ricard or Pernod.

2) Frozen
As expected, this was also very smooth and a little thicker, but something that I hadn’t anticipated was that the sassafras and wintergreen, herbal elements are even stronger. Additionally, it was a touch sweeter.

3) Gin & Tonic
The juniper came through more in this drink, making it very refreshing, despite there being the same earthy sweetness, too; liquorice, anise and sassafras notes were all present. I thought this tasted like a cross between pastis and a G&T; most odd, but rather tasty.

4) Martini
South made a particularly soft and smooth Martini. The crisp dry vermouth went well with the sweet herbal notes of the gin, creating a drink with good balance. Whilst this isn’t a Classic Martini, it’s still very, very smooth and quite accessible.

5) Negroni
Much less bitter than most Negronis, this cocktail had a herbal, cordial-like sweetness to it. It was quite smooth, but perhaps a bit sticky. It reminded me, in part, of the old Campari Liqueur.

6) Collins
This was very good, indeed; the sweet, jammy and earthy notes of the gin came through well and the soda water and lemon juice lifted the character of the gin, making for a very refreshing sipper.

7) Buck
Quite nice; the elements of anise and sarsaparilla worked well alongside the ginger, making for a rather tasty and refreshing drink that wasn’t too sweet and had a pleasant tartness.

8) Pink Gin
Again, the sarsaparilla and anise were prominent and worked very well with the bitters of this drink. This was quite sweet and herbally complex, but may be a touch too sweet for some.

Macallan Amber Whisky Liqueur – WOW24

mrsbentley — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:11:03 +0000

DTS & I first heard about Macallan’s Amber liqueur during one of our much loved trips to Edinburgh; it was recommended to us by a very helpful shop assistant who, at the same time, lamented at its rarity. Indeed, this is one of the many whisky liqueurs that have now been discontinued, but, when we spotted that The Whisky Exchange had managed to get hold of some, we decided to treat ourselves.

In my opinion, the bottle itself is something of a treat; it’s by far the most dramatic and luxurious looking liqueur bottle that I’ve seen, with it’s elegant curves and wooden cap. Gorgeous.

As soon as I poured this, my nose was greeted with a rush of rich maple syrup and pecans. DTS even picked it up from the other side of the room. Upon closer inspection, I also found melted butter, raisins, and a touch of peppery spice. The wood of the whisky crept in at the end, but the maple syrup and pecans really do dominate this nose, stopping just short of being sickly.

This was silky smooth on the tongue and slightly viscous. The initial flavour – like the nose – was powerful: maple syrup, followed by a hit of raisins and pecans. Oaky vanilla comes in afterwards, with hints of rich wood and accompanied by a spicy finish that reminded me of pepper or celery, although DTS said that he associated the finish more with the aftertaste of pecans or brazil nuts. This finish is both rich and persistent – ten minutes later, both DTS & I could still taste that celery-like spice, backed by a syrupy sweetness.

Overall, I think this is absolutely delicious. The flavours are so strong, rich and plentiful, but they still all work together remarkably well. There’s a definite, pudding-like quality to this liqueur, with its maple and pecan notes and general all-round richness, so it’s not for those who dislike genuinely sweet liqueurs, but if you have a sweet tooth, are partial to the occasional pecan danish and get the chance, I’d definitely recommend trying this gem; it won’t be around forever.

- Mrs. B

Macallan Amber Whisky Liqueur (probably the Best Whisky Liqueur) is available for £49.95 for 750ml only from The Whisky Exchange.

Grapefruit Gin – Raiders of the Lost Cocktail Cabinet XVI

DTS — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:11:09 +0000

.Two of the flavoured gins that we first looked at were recreations of the Gordon’s Lemon and Orange Gins from the 1930s. More recently (in the last 30 years), however, Gordon’s (in the US) made a Grapefruit (and a Spearmint) flavoured gin in the late 80 – 90s. This is the same period in which Beefeater was making three citrus-flavoured varieties; orange, lime and lemon.

My gin was made by adding the zest of a grapefruit to 250ml of gin and leaving it for a week (in hindsight this was too long!).

Own
Nose: Dry, with notes of juniper and zesty grapefruit peel.
Taste: Very intense: zesty and tart with a good dose of bitterness, too; not for the faint-hearted.

Gin & Tonic
This was rather good and the best of all of the citrus flavoured gins that I have tried. It was very fresh and refreshing, and there was a real grapefruit twang at the end, too. This would be a good G&T for those who like a little bitterness in their life.

Martini
Very citrus-y, so no twist needed here. It was quite bitter, too, as well as being clean and crisp. This will really appeal to fans of grapefruit and/or cocktails with zing.

Gin Blade
Another simple cocktail: simply a gin shaken with ice.
The shaking lengthens and aerates the gin, curbing the grapefruit’s zestiness slightly and allowing you to enjoy the flavours of the underlying gin a little more. This chilled serve also makes for a more refreshing drink.

Pink Gin
I added an extra dose of bitters and the gin favour is quite strong. The result is a herbal and citrus bitterfest. If you like the like of campari and other bitter herbal liqueurs then you will probabaly like this. It leaves a really zing on your tongue.

Gin Buck
Rather nice; again, no extra citrus was needed, as this was even more zesty than a usual Gin Buck and, as a result, was very refreshing. Would be lovely for summer.

In Conclusion
As I mentioned previously I think I made and overly zesty and intense gin and as such this version worked best with long drinks, so the edge of the citrus bitterness could be curbed. As such my favourite drinks were the Gin & Tonic and Gin Buck.

Cocktails and Canapés – Ron Zacapa Rum Drinks at The Pembury

DTS — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:11:26 +0000

Many readers will be familiar with food & wine pairings, even if it’s nothing beyond James Bond’s “Red wine with fish, that should have told me something!”. The more adventurous of you may have been lucky enough to go to a sherry & tapas or whisky & chocolate event, but what about matching cocktails with food?

I was first introduced to the concept in October, when Mrs. B & I were invited to a Ketel One Dinner at Pollen Street Social. Such was our enjoyment at this last event that we were delighted to attend a similar one based around Ron Zacapa Rum at Roux at the Pembury at Parliament Square.

This is named after Michel Roux Jr’s birthplace; Pembury, Kent. The bar comfortably seats 40 people and is designed for guests to relax for pre-dinner or after dinner drinks. In addition to a variety of bespoke cocktails a variety of light food dishes too.

In the true spirit of teamwork and, to get more than one person’s view, we decided that each of us would take one of the courses. Although they were billed as canapés, each of the courses was more like a mini meal than the usual fayre of vol-au-vents and sausage rolls.

Pre-dinner Cocktail

Zacapa Cerveza (Ron Zacapa, lime, beer and honey syrup, with a malt and nutmeg foam)

The cocktail waiting for us upon our arrival was an intriguing combination of the sweetness of the rum and malt. The foam on the top was substantial and both highlighted the beer in the syrup and added a strong nose of nutmeg. I was just finishing off this cocktail when I received a phone call from DTS, who was, at that very moment, strolling towards Westminster station, but unaware of the bar’s location. My directions aren’t always the best, but – after unsuccessfully trying to isolate landmarks of particular note to both of us – we came to agreement on the best way of describing the location of Roux at the Pembury: just off of the only corner of Parliament Square that didn’t contain either the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Abbey. Fortunately, DTS arrived just in time to enjoy a Zacapa Cerveza of his own before the canapés were unveiled.

Course One
Canapé: Virgin Honey & Beetroot Cured Loch Duart S_____ Salmon
Cocktail: Mayan Martini (Ron Zacapa, Gewürztraiminer Wine & Orange Bitters)

This was just one of the cocktails that used Virgin Honey, which is the juice first pressing of the sugar cane. Many Rums use Molasses as the base of their production but Ron Zacapa uses Virgin Sugar Cane Honey.

The canapé contained a great mix of textures with the soft salmon and the crunchy beetroot. The smoky, slightly salty salmon went well with the acidic twang of the beetroot. As for the cocktail, I thought it was rather like a Manhattan and a very enjoyable way to enjoy the rum without diluting it with a soft drink or fruit juice.

Course Two
Canapé: XO Braised shin of beef with root vegetables roasted with virgin honey
Cocktail: Quetzaltenango Fizz (Ron Zacapa, lemon juice, sugar and Shiraz, topped with soda)

I thought this was an interesting combination. In my opinion, the longer cocktail tasted a little like a bitter fruit cup that was cleansing and more subtle than the other drinks of the evening. A good job, too, because the beef was absolutely delicious: perfectly tender, falling apart at the touch of a fork, and rich, with a sweetness that neatly bridged the rum and the wine. Everybody’s bowls were quickly scraped clean, the beef being washed down with the fizz.

Course Three
Canapé: Rum & Raisin Tiramisu
Cocktail: Altoculis Daiquiri (Ron Zacapa, Yuzo Juice, PX & Honey)

I once heard that your favourite flavour of ice-cream says a lot about your personality. My favourite flavour happens to be Rum & Raisin, so combining this with one of my favourite desserts, Tiramisu, was definitely leading to a win-win situation.

This was accompanied by a twist on the classic rum Daiquiri, where sugar syrup was substituted with Pedro Ximenez sherry and honey. In addition, lime juice was added, which was needed to add some extra zest to combat the sweetness of some of the other ingredients.

The pudding was superb; just what I expected from containing my two favourite desserts, with rich coffee notes from the Tiramisu aspect alongside the cream of rum and raisin ice cream. I hope I get a chance to have something like this again.

.
Course Four
Canapé: Coffee, vanilla and Solera 23 Macaroon
Cocktail: Land of the Trees (Ron Zacapa, Grand Marnier, Noilly Prat and Kaffir Lime Leaves)

Next, we were presented with cute little macaroons that easily melted in your mouth, without being overly sweet. The cocktail accompaniment combined a number of strong flavours very well, resulting in a very fresh and fruity, but nonetheless powerful, drink.

Course Five
Canapé: Cheese and Pickles
Cocktail: Ron Zacapa on The Rocks

Finally the evening was finished of with a generous glass of Ron Zacapa on the rocks and cheese and pickled onions served on cocktails sticks. Not being a big fan of onions, I was delighted when another tray, this time of cheese and pineapple, was passed round. This was a very unusual combination of Traditional British Wedding Buffet fayre and the sophistication of sipping a special rum. As you would expect, the ingredients were of good quality and the strength of the cheese and freshness of the pineapple helped me to enjoy the rum even more.

Tasting notes on Ron Zacapa Solera 23:
Nose: Honey, vanilla as well as some succulent fruit notes, a dark sugar too
Taste: Initially a very smooth texture with a little warmth gradual building. Some sweetness but overall quite a silky spirit, balanced with a well-rounded slightly oaky finish.

In Conclusion

Just like the Ketel One meal, I really enjoyed this event. I also thought that the slightly more informal setting meant that it was easier to talk to a greater variety of people; that said, a good portion of our evening was spent in the fine company of Pete & Pauline of The Floating Rum Shack / Gin Palace, but, even so, we met a lot of new people.

I also really like the idea of pairing food with cocktails and spirits and I think it can be done with great effect. With the rise in gastronomic practices behind the bar, I think this will be a growing trend, with many more similar events appearing, as well as an increase in single cocktail food pairings.

To me, that sounds superb.

Further Details

Roux At The Pembury – Parliament Square, London, SW1P 3AD – Website

Ron Zacapa Centenario Rum Solera 23 - £48.95 for 70cl at The Whisky Exchange

Ron Zacapa Centenario XO Rum (1876-1976) - £155 for 70cl at The Whisky Exchange

Special thanks to Michel Roux Jr., Abdulai Kpekawa as well as Sarah, Kate, Emily and their colleagues at Grayling.

Coole Swan Irish Whiskey Cream Liqueur – WOW23

DTS — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:11:09 +0000

According to the neat, frosted bottle, Coole Swan is a “Superior Dairy Cream Liqueur”. A quick glimpse at the list of ingredients gives some insight to this “superiority”: it is made in Ireland using Irish whiskey, fresh cream, Belgian chocolate, Madagascan vanilla, and cocoa from the Ivory Coast.

The nose reminded me strongly of good quality milk chocolate ice-cream and cocoa paste, with an ever-so-slightly bitter edge that stopped it from being at all sugary. I also caught a scone-like quality that, combined with the creaminess, made me think of a lighter version of DTS’s cream tea cocktail. There wasn’t much in the way of alcohol on the nose; any that was there was at the end and slightly fruity.On the tongue, this liqueur was exceptionally smooth, as well as being relatively weighty. On a scale of heaviness, I would say that it sits pretty neatly between Merlyn (which is very light) and Bailey’s, which I think is quite heavy.To taste, it was initially fresh and almost fruity, before the primary flavour of vanilla and cream, laced with creamy milk chocolate, took over. Having said that, none of the flavours were overpowering or heavy; there was a really nice balance of flavour, which I think shows ingenuity and restraint on behalf of its makers. After a few sips, a comforting, but subtle warmth built up in my stomach, reminding me that this was alcoholic.

Overall, I thought that this was very pleasant indeed. As I’ve stated before, I’m not overly fond of cream liqueurs, but this one – with its delicate chocolate flavours and luscious, but not heavy, creaminess – has disarmed me. It’s subtle, smooth and elegant. If you like cream liqueurs and chocolate, definitely give this one a try.

- Mrs. B

Cocktails with… Belvedere Rye Vodka

DTS — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:14:17 +0000

We write a lot about gin on Summer Fruit Cup (and a fair amount about whisk(e)y, too), but I’ve always had an interest in vodka and I thought it was about time that I start writing on this spirit.

When we write about a gin, we like to see how it works in different cocktails. Given the more subtle taste of vodka, the choice of cocktails needs to be made more carefully, but, hopefully, the reviews will show that not all vodkas are the same and that it isn’t just about the frequency or technique of filtration.

The first vodka we’re looking at is Belvedere, which is a Polish, rye-based vodka. Made with Dankowskie Gold Rye and quadruple-distilled, the spirit is cut down to 40%ABV with water from Belvedere’s own well.

Own:
Initially smooth, with a growing warmth. This had quite an oily texture with some graininess, akin to bread, but, overall, it was very clean and crisp.

Frozen
Lovely; a little thick and more viscous, whilst also being smooth and silky, like liquid honey. There was a pleasant, honey-like sweetness, too. I thought this was superb and definitely a great improvement over drinking it at room temperature.

Martini
This was very smooth and fresh, with an exceptionally light, fruity sweetness. A little lemon twist would add the crispness this Martini slightly lacks. Then you have a smooth and clean, yet flavourful, drink; very good.

Vodka Tonic
This made a strong and rather powerful drink that was, nonetheless, refreshing. I was genuinely surprised at how much of the vodka’s flavour came through that of the tonic.

Over Ice
I think that this works well, although it’s not usually a method that I would consider when drinking vodka. The ice chills the drink and a little bit of ice-melt also helps to round off the few remaining edges of the spirit; it’s a great way to drink it if you want to appreciate the flavours of the vodka.

Kamikaze
Crisp and cutting, like a shard of ice. This was full of clean flavours with a good twang of sour lime and a subtle hint of vanilla, making a smooth and refreshing drink. This is another, slightly different, way to enjoy Belvedere and appreciate its characteristics.

Cocktails with… Richmond London Dry Gin

DTS — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:11:16 +0000

I’ve spent a lot of time writing about gins that I really like and one of the questions that I get asked most frequently is “what is your favourite gin?”, but another question is: which is your least favourite? The answer to the first question is Boodles and the second is Richmond Gin*. Interestingly, these are both made at the same distillery (Greenall’s) in Warrington.

Richmond is a London Dry Gin (all botanicals are distilled with no flavour or colour added after distillation) that is bottled at 37.5% ABV.

Own
Nose: A minimal nose, mostly made up of grain alcohol with the faintest hint of juniper. Very underwhelming. After a while, there’s some soapy coriander, followed by a touch of Pritt Stick.
Taste: Relatively smooth, but the Pritt Stick (glue stick) impression is back, alongside the soapy coriander and a bit of juniper. This tastes artificial and far from fresh.
Although I still don’t like it, upon this second tasting, I concluded that it is not as bad as I had previously remembered.

Gin & Tonic
The flavour was easily lost beneath the tonic in a 2:1 ratio G&T, although a little bit of juniper appeared towards the finish. Other than that, I found it to be rather anonymous.

Martini
Quite sweet, rather like a Vodka Martini, apart from the appearance of a very small amount of coriander. It’s quite nice, but, if you like a good Gin Martini, you’ll probably be disappointed.

In Conclusion
Upon further review, I think this gin was slightly better than I had expected (or remembered), but it is still not something that I would recommend; there are better gins available for the same price. For me, Richmond has an overall artificial impression and its flavour is very easily overwhelmed by others. In short, it doesn’t really have the thing that I think makes gin such a great spirit.

*To give Richmond Gin its due, I tried it in a blind taste test with Ginebra San Miguel and it was much better.

Juniper Society 2012!

DTS — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:44:59 +0000

JUNIPER

SOCIETY

IS

BACK!

The first Juniper Society of 2012 will be held on:

Monday 27th February

19:00 for 19:30

Graphic Bar, 4 Golden Sq. Soho.

WITH SIPSMITH LONDON DRY GIN

Cocktails with… The Duke – Munich Dry Gin

DTS — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:11:32 +0000

I’m always interested in gins from around the world and The Duke was one that I’ve known about for a while, not least because of its use of hops in its botanical mix.

The duke is question is the Duke of Bavaria, who was instrumental in the founding of Munich in 1158. Fittingly, the Duke Munich Dry Gin is distilled in the city itself. It is also bottled at 45%ABV and contains 13 botanicals, which include:

Juniper
Coriander
Angelica Root
Lemon Peel
Lavender
Ginger Root
Orange Blossom
Hops
Malt
Cinnamon Bark
Cubeb Berries
Caraway

+
One Secret Ingredient

Own:
Nose: Fragrant and complex, with notes of cardamon, coriander, pine and berries, this reminded me of a wooded glade filled with fruit trees and bushes.
Taste: Floral and herbal, with a touch of bitterness. There was also some cardamon, pine, wood bark, heavy coriander, violet, chocolate and a hint of coffee.
Overall, this is a very rich and complex gin, and I think it is rather good.

Gin & Tonic
This G&T had a floral nose, the notes of which followed through on in the taste, alongside some herbal savoury notes; as such, it reminded me of the Russian Veresk gin. There was also a good, strong cardamon finish. Lovely stuff!.

Martini
Frankly… superb. So herbal, with strong, green, sappy juniper, rosemary, vanilla, forest, menthol, and hints of anise, lavender and coriander, with a touch of sweetness at the end.
This was a truly exceptional, superb and flavourful Martini.

Negroni
Very pleasant; quite sweet, but with a good dose of fresh, herbal notes along with a bitter finish. A great way to enjoy the gin.

In Conclusion

I think it’s obvious that I’m quite a big fan of this gin. In addition to having a complex and balanced flavour, it also has its own unique character that makes it stand out in a sea of gins.