Month: October 2017

Cherry Popper

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 31, 2017

“I’ve found that the deep cherry notes of both Luxardo and Heering are a great complement and substitute for almond, allspice and passion fruit syrups.” Warren Bobrow, author of books such as Apothecary Cocktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today, also points to the sweet nature of tiki cocktails as working in cherry liqueur’s favour. “I’m from the mindset of dry, and sometimes over proof rum over sweet, caramel coloured and heavily sugared rum in a tiki drink,” he says. “It’s the sweet stuff that is so memorable the next morning.” So he layers cherry flavours at the bottom of the glass and serves it with a straw for guests to “pull the sweet liqueur up from the bottom through the drier elements of the rum”.

44.DRINKS.NEED-TO-KNOW.HL_

Tags apothecary cocktails, Cherry Popper, Cocktail Whisperer, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow

Interviews

Corgi Spirits: A Burst of London Dry Gin, from NJ

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 30, 2017

Warren Bobrow (Leica M8)

A most venerable beast, the favorite dog of the Queen of England, the Corgi Dog– agile, able, agreeable and friendly. To understand the breed, one must have an open mind because the Corgi Dog is a fast learner- but extremely independence minded. The same holds true for the pragmatic, friendly and highly ambitious owner of the new Corgi distillery located in an ‘up and coming’ section of Jersey City. If you’re coming from out of town, you’ll have to go way off the beaten path. Once there, you’ll find what appears to be a movie studio from the 1920′s. Painted an extremely dark color- the warehouse/distillery calls out to the adventurous, thirsty drinker in the midst of utter urban decay. The new Light Rail line, located beside the distillery is slowly bringing the thirsty and the curious out to the far reaches of the known universe. You might find it may be easier to take a car service out here. The turf is still highly industrialized and there aren’t a whole lot of sidewalks or casual walkers around these parts.

Sherryfest!

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 27, 2017

Sherryfest is returning to New York!

Oct 28th 11:00am – 4:00pm Astor Center 399 Lafayette St – New York, NY
Get Directions

I will be at tomorrw’s Sherryfest for Osborne; The range of Sherryfest events will provide a wealth of opportunity to taste, learn and enjoy sherry with friends and visiting producers, including Osborne, Gonzalez Byass, Barbadillo, Bodegas Tradicion, Delgado Zuleta, Bodegas 501, Rodriguez La-Cave, Valdespino, La Guita, Real Tesoro, Williams & Humbert, Hidalgo – La Gitana, Fernando de Castilla, Lustau, Emilio Hidalgo, Gutiérrez Colosía, , Alexander Jules, Viñas la Callejuela, and more!

https://www.sherryfest.com/events/nyc-grand-tasting-2017

Tags Astor Canter, Cocktail Whisperer, NYC, Osborne Sherry, SherryFest, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow, Whiskey Cocktails

Uncategorized

Virtual Cruise of Scotland Single Malt Tasting

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 22, 2017

Some notes from this weekend’s ‘Virtual Cruise of Scotland
Single Malt Tasting’

Whisky or Whiskey?

It’s called Scotch Whisky. Whiskey (with an e) is bourbon from the United States and Irish Whiskey- the process of making Irish Whiskey is awfully similar to making bourbon whiskey. I’m not sure why Ireland uses the e, but no matter, they don’t use it in Scotland and that is what you are here to taste!
Whisky can be from Japan, France, America, India, Germany, Russia (it’s pretty darned good- I tried rye named Polgar) really all over the globe. The Japanese whiskies are beating the Scots at their own game to some palates. I find them too light and aromatic for this tasting (put that out of your head!) They don’t have any peat either in Japan. But that’s another story.

What is Single Malt Scotch?

A single malt is one that is entirely produced from malt in one distillery
Single Cask means the bottling comes from one, single cask
Labels may read the region of distillation and is helpful to the consumer!
Labels are permitted to show the various kinds of casks (also helpful)
This is sometimes shown as wood finished or sherry/port finished, ex-bourbon aged, American Oak aged,… etc. etc.
Age Statements on the label is the age of the YOUNGEST whisky in the batch (if blended)
Distillation only takes place in pot stills, no column stills are permitted in Scotch Whisky (this is not vodka!) although some whisky distilleries do use column stills…
Independent bottlers are not necessarily better- but it wouldn’t hurt to drink more spirits from independent (non-William-Grant, Diageo… etc.) companies.

McClelland’s Lowland Single Malt Scotch.

Made by Bowmore-a distiller of fine measure-although this whisky is more of a private lable without a distillery of their own
A good entry level dram- about $30 dollars
Hardly a sophisticated dram- but a good intro to Single Malt Scotch

Hazelburn 9 year (Barolo Cask)

Finished in a Cask that formerly held Barolo wine
Spent the first six years in a used bourbon cask
Spent three years in a used Barolo cask that previously held Springbank Whisky
Malt is 100% barley done by the distillers themselves!
Unpeated!
Non-chill filtered nor caramel colored
$ 64

Talisker 10 year Single Malt

.Massive slurp of peat and iodine
Made by the sea and you can taste every drop of the ocean in each sip
Peated? Absolutely!
Aged ten years in the Isle of Skye
45.8% ABV
Ex-Bourbon casks make up the aging process in Hogsheads- (large casks)
$75

Bruichladdich Classic Laddie Unpeated

No peat to get in the way of the nose and your enjoyment
Islay beauty!
100% Scottish Barley
Produced by Jim McEwan and aged in American Oak (bourbon) Casks
Bottled at 50% ABV
Non-chill filtered, nor caramel colored!

Caol Ila 12 year Single Malt

Brine Bomb!
Islay (the other island in Scotland)
Pronounced Cull- EELA.
Peat Monster.. Earth. Smoke
Salt.. Brine. Seaweed..
46%
IS Chill-Filtered
Possibly caramel colored
$ 64

Tags Bruichladdich Classic Laddie Unpeated, Hazelburn 9 year (Barolo Cask), McClelland’s Lowland Single Malt Scotch, Talisker 10 year Single Malt

Events

Stonington Harbor Yacht Club

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 22, 2017

Lovely evening at the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club!

Tags Cocktail Whisperer, scotch, Stonington Harbor Yacht Club, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow, whiskey, Whiskey Cocktails

Articles

THE CANNABIS-INFUSED TREND IS COMING TO YOUR COCKTAILS

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 20, 2017

GOOD FOOD JACKIE BRYANT, OCTOBER 19, 2017

With cannabis popping up in water, coffee, and food, it was only a matter of time before it found its way onto your happy hour menu. In states where recreational marijuana is legal—here’s looking at you, California, Colorado, Oregon, and more—bartenders are shaking and stirring two cannabis compounds into their specialty cocktails: cannabidiol (CBD), which is not psychoactive, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is. (Both have been linked to healing benefits including the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia—but Mary Jane martinis are hardly doctor-prescribed.)

7 Easy Ways To Make Any Cocktail You Make Taste Better Well, almost.

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 18, 2017

I’m a firm proponent of craft cocktails. But with that said, not just any cocktail is worthy of the label, “craft.” Just like not every spirit is really craft when it says so on the label. For all intents and purposes this should be your rule of thumb. According to the American Distilling Institute, which is the go/to for all thing that are craft in the United States, a spirit may qualify as a craft spirit if and only if they produce fewer than 52,000 cases of that spirit per year in their own distillery. So not to confuse you, this means 52,000 cases of a spirit distilled under their own roof qualifies.

Stonington Harbor Yacht Club Event

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 17, 2017

Stonington Harbor Yacht Club Event

Single Malt Scotch Tasting

Saturday October 21, 2017 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

A Virtual Cruise to the Isle and Highlands of Scotland- A Single Malt, Scotch Whisky Tasting

Back by popular demand, Warren Bobrow, noted international judge, journalist and food writer, the “Cocktail Whisperer” will share his knowledge of Single Malt, Scotch Whisky. From the Isle to the Highlands, you will taste 12 different Scotch whiskies, from the bland to the beautiful. From the bottles that you can buy anywhere to something special from his own stock. Warren will have us tasting the difference between the stuff your father drank and the fine bottles we should be drinking!

The cost per person will be $35.00 for tasters. Accompanying tea-totalers and designated drivers will be admitted free. This tasting is limited to the first 30 members and their guests to register.

This is sure to be an educational and memorable event.

The tasting will be followed by a Scotch themed dinner at the club. Have your kilts pressed and dust off your bag- pipes for a wonderful evening.

CHECK OUT THE DINNER MENU!!

Tags scotch, Single Malt Scotch Tasting, Stonington Harbor Yacht Club, warren bobrow, warrenbobrow, whiskey, Whiskey Cocktails, Whisky

Articles

EX-BANKER TURNED CANNABIS COCKTAIL KING

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 14, 2017

Photo Credit: Warren Bobrow

You’d be hard pressed to find an authority figure when it comes to cannabis cocktails. But Warren Bobrow, the author of Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics, doesn’t think that’s because the combination is a bad idea. He should know — he literally wrote the book on the subject. He’s a strong believer in a good cannabis cocktail. It’s just that everyone else (other than a few brave bar owners) is too scared to tackle the subject.

Musings on Whiskey

Post author By Warren_Bobrow
Post date October 13, 2017

Posted on September 25, 2014 in Whiskey

My influence for writing Whiskey Cocktails is one of a most circuitous nature. Whiskey has rough and tumble roots for me. Initially I looked at whiskey as something that was rough and harsh across my palate. I wasn’t a whiskey fan until a couple of years ago. Rum was more my forte, I was a rum judge for the Ministry of Rum in 2010. I also wrote about food, and, of course wine. It’s very tough to make a living being just one more voice in the room of food writing or even wine writing.