Monthly Archives: April 2011

Review: Winter Palace and Emperor Vodka

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

The tzar of Russia’s vodka… where might it come from? If Emperor’s Brand (which brought us Giorgio G Cognac) is right, it’s… France.

Winter Palace and Emperor may not be the original deal, but at the very least they are inspired by Old World recipes, both distilled (six times) from French wheat and cut with water from the Cognac region of France. Both are bottled at 80 proof.

Did the tzars drink vodka from this exact recipe? It’s tough to say, but they wouldn’t have been living badly if they did.

Winter Palace Premium Tzar Vodka – A smooth, very lightly sweet vodka, silky and lush. Clear vanilla notes, which lead to a cinnamon and light cocoa finish. I’d have suspected doctoring but Winter Palace boldly exclaims it contains no additives. Hell of a job on this one. A / $35

Emperor Vodka – This one has Napoleon on the label. Who knew he’d be a vodka man instead of a Cognac drinker? This one is a tougher, more old school vodka, with a real bite to it and a finish that heads not into sweet territory but bitter. Emperor is Ketel One to Winter Palace’s Grey Goose. Tasted side by side just to make sure my taste buds weren’t playing tricks on me — seriously, two French wheat vodkas, water from Cognac, distilled six times, frosted glass bottles, and they’re supposed to be different? I would swear that they are. B+ / $35

emperorsbrand.biz

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Posted in Rated A, Rated B+, Reviews, Vodka

Review: A. de Fussigny Cognacs

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Christopher Null| Comments Off

Fussigny Cognac has been made since 1814 but it’s been absent from the U.S. for years, lacking an importer. Now Castle Brands has picked it up and is bringing Fussigny back to the states. We tried two of the three main expressions that this independent Cognac house is offering here. (Tragically our XO sample broke during shipping.) Both are 80 proof.

A. de Fussigny Cognac Selection – A blend of grapes from all over the Cognac region; average time spent in barrel is 8 years. This is a surprisingly full-figured brandy, quite woody, with a lot of sweetness throughout the palate. The finish however reveals its youth, with a little young-brandy funk hitting the back of the throat. It’s young and a little brash, but it has grit. True grit. B+ / $40

A. de Fussigny Cognac Superieur – A blend of roughly 50% Petite Champagne and 50% Grande Champagne grapes, roughly 15 years old. This Cognac grew on me. It’s far less sweet than most brandies, with nutty, savory character. Sugar is elusive, and there’s a burn on the finish. But it’s palatable and actually pretty enjoyable — those almond tones alone are enough to make it unique and pleasant. B / $55

adefussigny.com

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Posted in Brandy, Cognac, Rated B, Rated B+, Reviews

Review: NV Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

This sparkling rose from Carneros is a good mix of sweet and savory: A mildly yeasty nose with touches of floral character is followed by a mildly sweet, berry-forward body. Quite a lot of fizz to it, the body is more foamy than creamy. The finish is easy and lasting, fading toward a little bitter at the very end. Excellent fit for an Aperol Spritz.

B+ / $30 / domainecarneros.com

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Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Wine

Review: Ron de Jeremy Rum

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

Perhaps this was inevitable: Infamous porn star Ron Jeremy now has a rum. Makes sense, of course: Ron is Spanish for rum and Jeremy is actually from that noted bastion of rum production: Queens, New York.

Hrmmmm.

Ron de Jeremy is actually an aged, seven-year rum from Panama. If it didn’t have Jeremy’s mug on the front (complete with “Blue Steel” pose) you might easily mistake it for something that’s been around for decades.

But this vanity project is brand new, a bizarre meeting of two industries that’s so crazy it just might work.

The rum itself offers few surprises. There’ quite a bit of heat on it and it’s not exactly complicated. It’s a throat-burner but it’s one that carries a little charm. Secondary notes are fairly traditional: Vanilla, mild spices, and creamy finish. A lot like Ron himself, I imagine.

As for Jeremy, my sole experience with him is that he fell asleep while driving his car during an interview with one of my writers for the movie review website I run. I can’t imagine having your very own rum is going to help much with that.

80 proof.

B / $30 / rondejeremy.com

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Posted in Rated B, Reviews, Rum

Review: 2006 Bodegas RODA Rioja Reserva

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

A rare Rioja: Fruit-forward, lush, and easily drinkable without requiring a big hunk of meat to back it up. Blackberry and fleeting Port-like characters play with hints of tar and tobacco. Moderate body, but smooth, and with a pleasing, rounded finish. Really lovely.

A / $45 / roda.es

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Posted in Rated A, Reviews, Wine

Review: American Spirit Organic Spirit

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

The folks at Sidney Frank — the company that made billions by giving us Grey Goose — is back at it. Its new vodka is a bit of a curiosity: It doesn’t actually say “vodka” on the label, it says “organic spirit.”

What is an “organic spirit?” It’s organic vodka (column distilled from organic winter wheat and cut with water from the Snake River aquifer and bottled in Rigby, Idaho), flavored with “a proprietary blend of organic ingredients.”

Those “organic ingredients” are not disclosed, but it’s pretty clear from sip one of American Spirit that they include sugar and plenty of it. American Spirit is silky and smooth, and that’s because it is incredibly sweet. Sugar up front and lasting — for a long time — on the finish. It’s a really tricky (and pretty intelligent) move, as the sweetness pummels your taste buds and latches on for good. You get some bite in the mid-palate, but it’s fleeting and fades in a flash.

I hate to use the term “panty peeler,” but those not in the know who try American Spirit will be amazed that vodka can be so exceedingly smooth. The rest of you, well, you’ll either appreciate what a little sugar (organic, of course!) can do for vodka… or you’ll lambast the thing as a dirty trick.

80 proof. Available May 2011.

B+ / $24 / americanharvestspirit.com

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Posted in Flavored Vodka, Rated B+, Reviews, Vodka

Review: 2006 Antinori Agricola Bramasole La Braccesca Syrah Cortona

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Syrah is traditionally considered a New World grape, but here Antinori has found a plot of the stuff in Tuscany. Old World Italian Syrah? For real, folks, and it’s a bracing change of pace from traditional Italian reds and, more strikingly, the Syrah and Shiraz to which you’re likely accustomed.

The character is distinctly Italian, with dried herbs, earth tones, and tree bark dominating. This comes atop a moderate core of dark cherry, dark chocolate, and chewy dried fruit. This is a bizarre and quite engaging blend of Italy and Syrah, and it culminates in a sort of enigmatic cherry Jolly Rancher character.

Fun.

A- / $26/ [BUY IT HERE]

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Posted in Rated A-, Reviews, Wine

Review: Wemyss Malts Smooth Gentleman and Peat Chimney Whisky

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Wemyss (pronounced “weems”) is well known for its blended (aka vatted) malts and its aggressive approach to picking a variety of single malt casks to reach various specified outcomes. Wemyss even names its malts — which are not blended Scotch, by the way, since they contain no grain spirit, just malted barley — to give you an advance idea about what you’re drinking. We tried two of the distillery’s newer bottlings.

Both are 80 proof.

Wemyss Malts Smooth Gentleman 8 Years Old Scotch Malt Whisky - Rich, bread-like with big grain flavors. Sweet and savory, it is indeed a smooth gentleman, characteristic of the Speyside malt that makes up the bulk of the blend. Honey, a touch of tropical fruit, and some very light heather notes can be found here, and coupled with the big, cake-like texture Smooth Gentleman is a lot like eating a pineapple upside down cake for dessert. Very up-front about its aspirations, and nothing if not enjoyable. A- / $40

Wemyss Malts Peat Chimney 8 Years Old Scotch Malt Whisky - The name implies you’ll need a stovepipe hat for this whisky, but Peat Chimney, incorporating lots of Islay malt, is as mild as “peaty” whisky gets. Peat Chimney is actually more reminiscent of the sea than of the fireplace, with seaweed, salt, and iodine notes far more evident than peat smoke. Any Laphroaig drinker will wonder what the fuss is about, just a lightly smoky, seafaring Scotch that could have stood to venture a lot further into the mist. B / $40

w-v-m.com

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Posted in Rated A-, Rated B, Reviews, Scotch, Whiskey

Review: 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Kentucky Bourbon

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

1792 (a reference to the year that Kentucky became a state) comes from the Barton Distilling Company, which ages this small batch whiskey for 8 years before releasing it as a 93.7 proof finished product.

That product is ready-made for any sweet tooth: 1792 is one of the most sugary, dessert-friendly bourbons I’ve ever had. If they were sipping whiskey like this in the 1700s, it’s a miracle we ever made it through the Industrial Revolution.

That sweetness overwhelms everything: The nose speaks of honey and molasses, the body is brown sugar all the way, more molasses, nuts, and toasted wood character. To call 1792 simplistic would be incorrect: It knows what it wants to be and goes full-tilt for it, right for the throat. There are other bourbons that are more nuanced, complicated, and interesting, but I’d point to 1792 first for the after-dinner crowd.

B+ / $25 / 1792bourbon.com

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Posted in Bourbon, Rated B+, Reviews, Whiskey

Review: The King’s Ginger Liqueur

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Can you feel the Royal Wedding excitement yet? It’s palpable, I know, as mere days away a new princess will be crowned.

To celebrate the nuptials, Berry Bros. is reminding everyone of The King’s Ginger, a liqueur it created in 1903 for King Edward VII, “to stimulate and revivify His Majesty during morning rides.” It’s made not in the UK but rather in Holland.

Revivify it does. Compared to Domaine de Canton (which I tasted side by side), The King’s Ginger packs much more of a punch: 82 proof in TKG vs. 56 proof in Canton. The flavor war, however, goes to Canton. Canton packs authentic, spicy, racy ginger notes, lots of bite, like gnawing on a real ginger nub. The King’s Ginger is syrupy and sweet, the equivalent of drinking a bottle of Canada Dry vs. Fever Tree.

The King’s Ginger is a perfectly acceptable product, but with Canton on the market, the go-to ginger spirit anyone should use is obvious. Even if you’re a prince.

B / $28 / thekingsginger.com