Will Lowe's Blogtails

Cognac: Breaking News!

2012-01-27T02:10:00.000-08:00

There are exciting things afoot in Cognac, and your intrepid reporter has got the scoop!

Last week, a group of four journalist / blogger folk (including GinMonkey and Chocoralie) made the journey over to France to take a closer look.
The good folk at Remy Martin had some news to share with us, but keeping their cards close to their chest, decided to keep the mystery to themselves until the big reveal. I'm not nearly that good with secrets, so I'm just going to come out with it: changes are being made to their VSOP.
This is big news. Remy Martin has been the biggest selling Cognac within that quality category since time began, perhaps even earlier. Tinkering with the formula is a brave move indeed.

If you're not wondering by now what changes have been made, frankly I'm amazed that you're still reading. I'll give you two versions. First, the marketing speak:

"Subtle changes have been made to the ageing process to make the Cognac rounder and fruitier"

Next, geek speak (I love this bit!)

The viticulture, vinification, and distillation methods remain unchanged. Incidentally, this is a great move. They have a superb system in place out there, but I'll most likely save that for another blog. The ageing system (age / blend / age / blend / age / blend / marry / bottle) has even stayed superficially the same, with one important difference.

Up to now, the Remy VSOP you have enjoyed has, immediately prior to bottling, spent 12 months (the 'marriage period') in a 630hl oak vat. That's 630,000 litres - a quarter of an Olympic swimming pool. As such, the volume/surface ratio remains very small. The change being rolled out as we speak sees those final 12 months being spend in 350 litre mature casks - the 'normal' size that we are used to seeing in wineries, distilleries, and in garden centres being turned into water features. Is there a difference? You bet your cask there is.

The increased wood contact has a mellowing influence on the spirit. I don't particularly like the "rounder and fruitier" description, as I find it a bit vague, but I'll concede there is an element of truth in it. The alcohol is better integrated, making for a softer finish, and there is a notable increase in the dried fruit (apricot, peach) characteristic.The orange peel and honeycomb palate makes it a good choice not only as a digestif, but also with a mixer, or alongside a dessert in an after wine context.

I take my hat off to Remy: they've been brave enough to tinker with a winning formula, and have done so with gusto. The result is an altogether more pleasing drink. The new VSOP should be hitting the shelves in Europe around March / April 2012 - I'll let you know more precisely when I find out.

*Footnote: I've got a far geekier version of this post bubbling away in the background. There was an awful lot of technical information to take on board - think of this as the 'reader's digest' version!

WSET Diploma: Day One

2012-01-26T14:04:00.000-08:00

Having just completed two years of studying (PGDip Forensic Psychology, the scope of which is really beyond this blog), I have recently - just yesterday, in fact - embarked upon my latest academic endeavour: the WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Diploma in Wines and Spirits.

This blog entry will serve two purposes: one, a description of what is required for students on each day and; two, my reflection on each day as it passes.

Firstly, what do you need to take with you? I'm writing this because the WSET sent me an almighty (and fear-inspiring) study pack, which weighs an impressive 10.8lb (that's 4.6kg). Regular readers will be in no way surprised that I weighed it as soon as it arrived.

Faced with the prospect of commuting from Cambridge to London Bridge, hauling a learning pack which weighs almost as much as a fully grown border terrier, I started searching the internet to establish which bits were necessary and which I could leave at home, and drew a blank. I opted to bring just the book from 'Unit 2', which it turns out was the right decision (phew!). You will also need six tasting glasses which, mercifully, can be purchased from the WSET when you arrive. A pen and notepad are also advisable.

Now for my reflections on the day:

The group was fairly large: 22 people, with a further two due to join us on day two. By and large they were industry professionals taking the course for career development, with a few very enthusiastic amateurs making up the rest. It was a relief to find that it was a group without egos ('wine folk' can occasionally be a touch over-bearing), and that all were keen to learn.

The first day covered an induction, including what we can expect and, in turn, what is expected of us. I won't write about this here (I don't want to spoil the surprise for any of you, and it is already well covered on the WSET website). We later moved on to tasting technique which is subtly, but importantly, different to that employed in the WSET Advanced (now known as level three) standard approach to tasting. The tasting criteria are both wider and deeper in reach, aspiring to an altogether more detailed evaluation of the wines.

I'll keep you updated with each day as we go, but for now I'm going to get on with studying grape-growing and wine-making procedures. Bye for now!

Training @ Just Add... Bibendum

2012-01-17T04:20:00.000-08:00

As Bibendum's Annual Tasting creeps ever closer (January 25^th,check your diary), the training team are busying themselves with a showcase forthe kind of activities we get up to for the other 365 days of the year (2012 isa leap year, don’t ya know).

Our Training Team comprises five people on a mission: to improve thequality and understanding of wine service throughout the country. With so fewof us, you might think this a thankless task, but we work smart: small team,big impact. Our workshops are cleverly designed to engage with the people whoinfluence the others they work with, enabling the good word to travel far andwide.

So what’s on offer from Bibendum’s Training Team at Just Add…Bibendum?

One of our exhibits this year involves a large, magneticback bar display, upon which you will be invited to apply the design which allowsthe greatest attention to be paid (by your customers) to those items which makeyou the most profit. Simple application of well-known psychology can enable youto increase the profitability of your venue, just by making some basicadjustments to layout, and we’ll show you how.

We will also be taking the time to talk people through thebasics of food and wine pairing. This is another subject where getting a graspof basic principles can unlock enormous potential. Rather than just talkingthrough the details – there are plenty of books and websites you can turn tofor that kind of advice – we will be walking you through the various steps(what you should be considering when pairing wine and food) and putting theminto practice. The training team have selected some of their favourite winesfor you to experiment with, and see for yourself how the theory is put intopractice.

As well as being able to talk with members of the trainingteam, we will be inviting you to embark on a treasure trail of discovery in theform of our treasure hunt. For this activity you will be unleashed to tastewines around the venue, and find out about them by talking with the producers.This represents a unique opportunity for you to speak with the people who notonly sell the wines, but are involved in everything from the planting of thevines right through to bottling.

So, if you would like to take part in any of our activities,or simply come and have a chat about what we can do to help you improve wineservice in your venue, come and find us in the Mezzanine floor of Room 1 at any point during the day. We look forward to seeing you there.

Click here to find out more about what's on offer at Just Add... Bibendum.

History is written by the victors (and Wikipedia)

2011-12-21T01:51:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of research into the history of Gin lately, and found an enormous amount of inconsistencies. Common consensus seems to be that, loosely speaking, Gin was first created by Franciscus Sylvius in 1650 (remember this date). This was thought to have been for purely medicial reasons, with Juniper being noted as an effective diuretic, used to treat liver cirrhosis and kidney failure (although with apparently little attention paid to the counter-productive effects of the alcohol it was steeped in).

Franciscus Sylvius

As Fransicus was a Dutchman, it is perhaps not surprising that the first historical records are entwined with Dutch military history, and we are told that the phrase 'Dutch Courage' comes from our (British) soldiers witnessing the Dutch knocking back this medicinal alcohol before going into battle.
All seems well so far, until we stumble across this little gem: Wikipedia tells us that the British first noted the Dutch soldiers imbibing the precursor to Gin (or Genever, as it was then known) during the Thirty Years War. The trouble here is that the Thirty Years Was was fought (primarily in what is know Germany) from 1618 to 1638. So, unless Franciscus also invented the time-machine, this is clearly impossible.
Another take on Gin history tells us that the first British exposure to the spirit came during the Eighty Years War, otherwise known as The Dutch War of Independence. Sadly, this solves nothing, since the dates of that particular skirmish are given as 1568-1648.
So we are left with a dilemma: it is simply not possible that our first encounter with Gin predates its invention.
The answer, naturally, comes from the inaccuracies which we should expect from a source such as Wikipedia, but for some reason tend to over look. The clever folk over at gintime have put together a far more plausible account of the evolution of the spirit, which, if you are interested, I would suggest you read. But remember, there's a lesson in here: don't believe everything you read on Wikipedia.

The Gin Renaissance

2011-12-20T00:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite subjects, Gin is now enjoying a renaissance. With it comes not only a proliferation of small batch distillers, but also a flurry of media attention.
I was thrilled to hear a programme recently on Radio 4 detailing this revolution, based in the Museum of Gin (the 'Ginstitue' on Portobello Road). This kind of interest in not only the quality of Gin, but also its provenance and production methods is highly encouraging. We are moving away from the 18th Century perceptions of Gin as 'mother's ruin', and to a 21st Century embodiment of an artisanal delicacy.

I'm pleased to note my three favourite distillers all get a mention in the show (Sacred, SipSmith, and Bruichladdich).

I highly recommend taking 25 minutes out of your day to listen to the programme, available on the Radio 4 website here. Dan Saladino presents the show, featuring Nick Strangeway, Jake Burger and Victoria Moore, and manages to really get under the skin on this newly revived delight.
Well done all!

IWSC Associate Judge of the Year 2011

2011-11-26T05:39:00.001-08:00

The International Wine and Spirit Competition is the most prestigious competition of its kind in the world. Established in 1969, the competition sees entries from 82 countries put through a two stage judging process including full blind tasting and chemical analysis. The judging panel reads like a who's who of the wine and spirit world, and is comprised of people who excel in their fields.

Each year, small number of associate judges are selected to sit on the panels - a maximum of one per panel, judging no more than two categories over the six month judging process. As you may have guessed by now, this year, I was one of these associate judges. I wrote about the experience here (and was very pleased to see it re-published on the IWSC website).

To be selected to join one of these panels was an honour indeed - definitely something worth adding to the old CV. Imagine my surprise then, to be informed that I had been short-listed for an award: The IWSC Associate Judge of the Year. Here's what they say about the award:

The award for Best Associate Judge was set up by the IWSC in memory of Peter and Penelope Duff, who dedicated 30 years of service to the Competition.

Associate judges are selected from recent and present WSET Diploma students, with each successful applicant invited to a maximum of two sessions during the six-month judging period.

The winner is selected based on reports submitted by each of the chair judges, who are asked to offer their views on the contribution of the associate allocated to their panel.

So as you can imagine, I was dead chuffed to be in the running. Even more so when I discovered the winner would be announced during a five course black-tie banquet in London's Guild Hall. I won't keep you waiting any longer (I can hardly bear the suspense myself): I won!

The banquet was superb, and before we had even seen our seats we had been treated to a tasting of every one of the Gold and Best in Class Medal winning wines and spirits. Every event I've encountered which has had anything to do with the IWSC has been superb, and the awards evening was certainly no exception. I'm already looking forward to next year.

Burgundy Visit, 2011 - Day Three

2011-11-26T05:20:00.001-08:00

Our third and final day in Burgundy began in quite possibly the most picturesque little town known to mankind: Meursault. As the sun rose on the town hall, this sleepy village yawned into action, the light streaming across the vineyards in on the horizon.

A short, brisk walk through the village took us to the door of Domaine Latour-Giraud, where we were met by Jean-Pierre Latour. He tentatively told us that he speaks a little English. This was the first sign of his tendency to understate: he had a grasp of the language which continues to elude many native speakers. He was similarly humble about his wines, despite being widely considered one of the best wine-makers in the region, and the winery itself was all business.

Now perhaps it was a function of the time of day (a 9am tasting is enough to challenge even us hardened professionals), but the balance of citrus and vanilla oak on Jean-Pierre's wines was quite extraordinary. The first wine I tasted (2009 Meursault Cuvee Charles Maxime) was so reminiscent of honey on toast, I felt like I could've eaten it for breakfast (please note, this is a metaphor, no need for an intervention). Jean-Pierre uses only free run juice, and ferments using only natural, wild yeasts - another great example of the regions tendency to embrace a more natural approach to wine making once again.
Our next and final stop was to Pouilly-Fuisse, in the Mâconnais sub-region of Burgundy, where we paid a visit to Nicholas Robert of the Robert-Denogent winery.

It was apparent from the moment we arrived in Pouilly-Fuisse (which is actually made up of two villages, Pouilly and Fuisse), that the area has far steeper hills then the rest of Burgundy. Closer inspection reveals a different pruning system is in place to allow airflow through these hill-top vines. In the winery, however, all of the previous revelations pale into insignificance.

Having been in the wine and spirits trade for some time now, I'm well aware of the effects of using oak to age a liquid. I'm also aware that different types of oak will work in noticeably different ways, and that even when the same species of oak is used there will be subtle variations in the way the flavour manifests itself. What I was not ready for, however, was quite how marked these variations could be. Two identical wines, made from the same grapes, from the same vineyard, which had been stored in barrels in the same cellar, side by side, made from the same type of oak should, to all intents and purposes, taste very similar. Well, we tasted two such wines, straight from the barrel, and they were completely different! I would happily believe that one had spent two years in American oak, and the other six months in French oak, but it wasn't the case.

Of course, oak is a natural product, and as such will be prone to natural variations, but quite the extent to which two barrels can vary took me completely by surprise.

And so it was that our whistle-stop tour of Burgundy came to an end. From Chablis, through the Côte d'Or to Maconnais, we had visited five different wine-makers, each making very different wines. The lessons we learnt? Well, there was an enormous amount of technical knowledge which simply cannot be gleaned from textbooks, but the most important (in my humble opinion) were as follows:

Terroir is important, and makes a huge difference to the style of wine produced
Oak can vary tremendously in the effect is has on wine
Burgundian wine makers are amongst the best (and, in some cases, maddest) in the world
"I don't like Chardonnay" is an invalid sentence

Burgundy Visit, 2011 - Day Two (part two)

2011-11-25T06:55:00.001-08:00

The third chapter of our trip to Burgundy took us about an hour and a half south on the A6, to the southern part of the Côte-d'Or: the Côte de Beaune.

Land here is knee-tremblingly expensive. I'm told that 1/24th of a hectare (about 400 square metres, or 20mx20m) recently exchanged hands for 900,000 Euros. It seemed almost blasphemous to walk on it.
What makes the land here so special, is that it changes so much in such a small space. Within Beaune there are around 50 different soil types, each bringing different qualities to the wines they ultimately produce. In the picture below you can see two sides of a single-width track: to the left there is chalk, to the right, clay.

If you need the effects of the terroir on the wine explaining to you, you could do an awful lot worse than spending the afternoon with Sebastian Roux, who walked us through the vineyards, bringing the wines to life as he did so.
Back in the tasting room, we were guided through some twenty-something wines: having moved further south from Chablis, there was now Pinot Noir to get to grips with as well. The tasting room was well stocked, and we worked our way through an astonishingly wide variety of wines. If you, or anyone you know, has ever uttered the words "I don't like Chardonnay", then I would argue you (or they) simply haven't found the one you like yet. Never have I seen such an array of texture, acidity, fruit and flavour as I did in that one tasting session, all from just one grape variety (well, two including the Pinot Noir, but you see my point...).

Tasting room at Domaine Roux Pere et Fils

The Pinot Noirs also showed remarkable diversity, with supple, soft tannins and ripe red fruit. Autumn was the perfect time for tasting these gems of the Côte de Beaune, but that certainly shouldn't stop you visiting Sebastian when he comes to London for the Bibendum Annual Tasting in January.

Burgundy Visit, 2011 - Day Two (part one)

2011-11-25T05:58:00.001-08:00

Day two of our vinous adventure began, unsurprisingly, where day one had ended: Chablis. After a quick breakfast, we set about trying to find the inimitable Patrick Piuze (accompanied, incidentally, by a rather lovely sunrise).

I've been aware of Patrick Piuze for a few years now, and imagined that a brief walk through Chablis would take us right past his door - it's not that big a town, after all. The reality was far more difficult, with the lettering on his door being negligibly bigger than the words you are reading now. This, he tells us when we finally arrive, is quite intentional. "Only the post-man knows where we are" he tells us, giggling with obvious amusement.

Panoramic View of Chablis Grand Cru

Patrick is not like the other wine producers in Chablis. He is not alone in wanting to stay off the tourist track, but he is unique in his history. Patrick, you see, isn't even French. He's French-Canadian, and has followed a rather unconventional track to arrive as a highly respected wine-maker in one of the world's most highly revered wine regions. His travels have taken him through Australia and South Africa, and delivered him, thankfully, to Burgundy - and what a wonderful addition to the region he is.
Patrick currently produces 18 wines each year, and invited us to join him in tasting through the 2011 vintage, unfiltered, straight from the tanks.

The wines were, simply put, a revelation. It is always a delight to be able to taste wines in their infancy, and everyone enjoys a sneaky peek 'behind the scenes', but these wines were exciting in their own right. Never mind that they had come straight from the tank, they were absolutely stunning! In all honesty, I would never have been able to tell you these were unfiltered wines if I had tasted them blind-folded, and I can't wait to see them when they're 'finished' (which reminds me, you should come to the Bibendum Annual Tasting on January 25th and see for yourself). Without exception they were exciting, racy wines, with acidity and minerality galore, as Chablis should be.
Patrick, as a late-comer to the region, doesn't own his vines. He does, however, work extremely closely with the people who do, and even does all his own harvesting (helped by friends and family, but never machines). Because of this, he knows every inch of the Chablis region like you know the back of your hand. Or like you would know the back of your hand if you spent every waking minute looking at it. With a microscope.
He delights in showing us precisely which part of which vineyard each of his wines comes from: he know's the soil, the temperature, the rainfall of each vine, and chuckles to himself as he regales us with stories from each one. He's a character, and his wines represent him well.

If you ever thought Chablis was all about stuffy pretentiousness, you have to meet Patrick: he will change your mind conclusively.

Burgundy Visit, 2011 - Day One

2011-11-25T03:23:00.001-08:00

On November 21st, Bibendum’s Training Team packed up and headed to Burgundy for an educational extravaganza.
Why Burgundy? Simple, really: if you can understand Burgundy, then you can understand Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from all over the world. And November is an ideal time to visit, since the sun-seeking tourists are long gone, the harvest is completed, and the wine makers are still around making wine rather than on their annual pilgrimage to various wine shows around the world.
Our first visit was to the village of Prehy in Chablis, where we met with Bernard Legland. This enthusiastic wine maker took us immediately to a beautiful hillside from where we could view his vineyards. The panorama which unfolded was stunning, as you can see below:

He then showed us around the vineyards, and took the time to show us the pruning technique he employs to ensure the right amount of sunlight and air movement is afforded to his grapes. Moving into his tasting room - a wonderful cellar which I am extremely envious of - Monsieur Legland was kind enough to take us through a range of different vintages from the various parts of his 15 hectares.

It was clear, even with my basic grasp of French, that for Monsieur Legland, Chablis is defined in the main by two things: acidity, and minerality. The terroir is so important in Chablis, and the best wine makers allow it to speak as clearly as possibly. I'm aware that I risk sounding like a wine-bore here, but it can be seen obviously when you look at his vines. 10 - 15 years ago, the vineyards here would have looked very different. The vines were the same (literally, the ones pictured above are 30-60 years old), but the spaces in-between have changed vastly, as a result of a change in viticultural practice. Herbicides and pesticides are a thing of the past now, so grass and weeds grow quite freely in and around the vines. The emphasis now is on interfering as little as possible, and simply allowing the ground and the vine to work together to produce great quality fruit (which is, obviously, all Chardonnay grapes since we're in Chablis). I say 'simply' somewhat inaccurately here: though the concept may be simple, in practice it is actually far more difficult! Bernard is an extraordinary chap, making extraordinary wines, and I'm very pleased that I am now familiar with both.

Bernard Legland will be in London displaying his wines at the Bibendum Annual Tasting on January 25th, 2012 - just let me know if you'd like more details.

Whisky for Beginners

2011-09-30T05:03:00.000-07:00

Recently I was asked to write a (frustratingly short) introduction to the world of whisky. Always willing to oblige, I did exactly that.
Whisky is a real favourite of mine - indeed, it was whisky which got me interested in spirits in the first place. Apologies to those of you for whom this is old ground, but as I mentioned, the brief was for it to be a 'beginners guide'. Here it is:

The world of whisky can be a complicated and, at times, intimidating place for the novice, but a little knowledge goes a long way. Here are a few pointers to get you started:
Firstly, when people refer to ‘whisky’, in the UK at least, they are most often referring to Scotch. Scotch whisky comes in many different forms, the most prolific of which are Single Malt and Blended.
For a Single Malt Scotch to be named as such, it must adhere to strict rules and regulations. Most importantly, it must:
• be the product of a single distillery (hence the name)
• be exclusively made from 100% malted barley, no other grains are permitted
• be double distilled in a copper pot still
• be aged in oak casks, in Scotland, for at least three years

Blended Scotch, as the name suggests, is made from the whisky of a variety of different distilleries, which are then blended together. It may also contain grains other than malted barley, which can significantly lower the cost of production (and, therefore, purchasing). Famous examples include Johnnie Walker, Bells, and Famous Grouse.

Where blends are concerned, a general rule of thumb is that the more expensive ones will contain a higher proportion of malted barley, with cheaper ones using more wheat, rye, and corn.
There are different areas in Scotland known for producing particular styles of single malt, of which Speyside and Islay (pronounced ‘eye-lay’) are probably the most famous.
The former is typically a sweeter, lighter style, with notes of honey, apricot and dried fruit. Islay is better known for its medicinal (think TCP) aromas. This comes from the smoke produced by the peat which is used to heat the kilns in which the malted barley is dried before fermentation. The amount of contact this peat smoke has with the drying grain will play a huge part in the profile of the finished product (more smoke = more peaty flavours).
Another main source of difference in character comes from the oak barrels in which the whisky is aged: longer ageing can produce chocolaty, spicy, Christmas cake-like aromas. It will also generally smooth out some of the edges of a whisky, resulting in a more pleasurable drinking experience. The ageing process also sees a vast amount of whisky lost through evaporation (about £1 million of whisky evaporates each year in Scotland), so it is inevitable that older whisky will cost more than younger ones.

When tasting whisky, I advise trying them first at room temperature. Adding water is a case of preference. If you chose to do so, start by mixing one-to-one, so that you can compare different whiskies on a level playing field.
Start with the nose: delicate, honeysuckle and stone fruit character is likely to be indicative of a Speyside, whereas strong, peaty notes are the trademark of an Islay.
In the mouth, take a small sip. Let it sit on your tongue for five to ten seconds before swallowing. This will acclimatise your palate to the alcohol. After a few breaths, take another sip and savour with your whole mouth before swallowing. Don’t worry too much about the various flavour involved – the most important thing is whether you like it! A quick search for ‘whisky flavours’ online will provide a list of likely characteristics to look out for for those who are interested.
Last, but by no means least, the finish. Here, the taste will often evolve and develop, rather than just fading. Whiskies of greater quality can show incredible complexity at this point.
If you are keen on experimenting, I would highly recommend seeking out one of the many great independent retailers out there. The Whisky Exchange, for example, is staffed by highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic whisky fans, who are always happy to share their opinions (and might even let you try a few sips too!).

Dairy Cocktails

2011-09-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

When I was asked to write an article on dairy basedcocktails, my head was immediately filled with the sound of Calvin Harrissinging “it was acceptable in the 80’s”. Fortunately, it’s a short song, so itwasn’t long before I was able to focus on the task at hand.

Fashions in what we drink are just as susceptible to changeas fashions in music and clothing. Back when Michael Jackson was black and neonleg warmers were worn without even a hint of irony, the cocktails we drank were– by today’s standards at least – questionable. The impact of 80’s cocktails inundeniable: the success of the 1988 film ‘Cocktail’ (which has haunted me sincethe beginning of my professional career) showing the extent to which cocktailshad permeated popular culture. Any time you find yourself in a bar ordering a‘Woo Woo’, a ‘Blue Lagoon’ , or even (dare I say it?) a ‘Sex on the Beach’, youare drinking directly from the bar-roladex of 1980’s recipes. And yet, whilethese particularly sweet concoctions are still very much in circulation(despite my best efforts), their dairy based equivalents seem to have slippedgently into retirement. If you fancybringing them back, either at home or in your bar, read on for someinspiration.

Before we start, a few words of advice: one of the reasonsthat diary based cocktails fell out of favour in commercial venues is the messthey create. Milk and cream are not the bartenders friend, and any equipmentyou use in creating a drink with these ingredients will need to be washedthoroughly before it can be used again. Failing to do this could easily resultin curdling, when fruit acids react with dairy: the ‘cement mixer’ (a shot withBaileys and lime cordial which I stronglyadvise against trying) is a rather extreme example of the result this wouldbring. Which brings me to my next point: to help avoid curdling, rather thanusing cream or milk, I suggest usingboth. Mix full fat milk with single cream in equal measures – this is what werefer to as ‘half and half’, for obvious reasons.

Brandy Alexander

One of the earliest dairy based cocktails still with ustoday, the Brandy Alexander is said to have been created in 1922 for thewedding of Princess Mary to Viscount Lascelles in 1922. It utilises what hassince become a classic proportion for dairy drinks:

25ml Brandy

25ml Crème de Cacao (brown)

25ml Half and half

Shake all the ingredients together over ice, and strain intoa frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a touch of grated nutmeg.

Grasshopper

The Grasshopper is one of the most easily recognised dairycocktails, identifiable at twenty paces by its green hue. Although it isreputed to have originiated in the Southern States of the USA around the 1950’sand 60’s, it wasn’t until much later it became popular here as an after-dinnerdrink. Here’s how to make it:

25ml Crème de Menthe (green)

25ml Crème de Cacao (white)

25ml Half and half

Put all the ingredients into a shaker, shake over ice, andstrain into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

White Russian

The White Russian was permanently etched into popularculture with its starring role in the Coehn Brother’s film The Big Lebowski, as the favoured drink of the main character ‘TheDude’. It worked its way into my heart for quite different reasons: it can bebuilt directly into the glass, meaning the rest of my equipment stays clean!The only difference between the White Russian and the Black Russian is theaddition of cream in the former (though some prefer to add cola to the latter),and neither is actually Russian in origin – the name is simply a nod to one ofthe key ingredients: vodka.

To make it, simply fill a tumbler with ice, and slowly pourin:

25ml Vodka

25ml Kahlua (or Tia Maria)

Then gently pour some single cream (or half and half) overthe top, so that it floats on top of the other ingredients. Mix it all togetherwith a straw before drinking if preferred, but a note to bartenders here: thisis for your customers to do at their leisure, not for you to rush at with ashaker in hand.

Mudslide

Variations of this recipe exist in numbers generally reservedfor discussing banker’s bonuses, but the basic format is as follows:

20ml Vodka

20ml Baileys

20ml Kahlua

50ml Half and half

Shake all the ingredients over ice, then pour into a tallglass over fresh, cubed ice. If there aren’t enough calories in there for you,add a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, and blend. This can then be servedin the same glass, but without the need for ice. If you want to serve it up in placeof a dessert (rather than afterwards), add an Oreo cookie into the blender fora decadent milkshake – with a noticeable kick!

So there we have four of the most famous dairy basedcocktails around. Looking through them, it is curious that they should havefallen out of favour whilst the filling-inducingly sweet drinks of the same eramaintained their popularity. Maybe, justmaybe, this is the start of their resurgence? If Vanilla Ice can come back andstill be considered a celebrity, anything is possible.

Vegetarian Wines

2011-08-03T03:59:00.000-07:00

I was asked recently - minutes ago, in fact - if it's true that there are fish guts in wine. Simply put, the answer is no. But it reminded me of an article I wrote recently, which may or may not be of interest to some of you, so I'll post it here:

With around four million vegetarians in the UK, it should come as no surprise that there is in ever increasing number of vegetarian wines and beers available on the market. Unless, of course, you were unaware that there even was such a thing as vegetarian wines, as many people are. If you are one of that number, you will doubtless be wondering what on earth a vegetarian wine could be: what makes one wine vegetarian, when others are not?

Quite simply, a vegetarian wine is denoted by the fact that no animal products are used at any point in the wine’s production. In most wines, the process of filtering out dead yeast is completed with the addition of filtering agents. These filtering agents bind with the unwanted components, then fall to the bottom of the vessel as a sediment, so that the clarified wine can be siphoned off.

Traditionally, the fining agent would be either gelatine, bull’s blood, or isinglass – which is a substance obtained from dried sturgeon bladders (yum!). Before I put the non-vegetarians off wine for life, fear not; none of these fining agents remains in the wine. The whole point of them is that they are heavier than the wine, and sink to the bottom taking any impurities with them.

However, the use of any animal product renders the wine or beer unsuitable for vegetarians, if they are particularly strict in their dietary choices. The good news is that there are alternative fining substances, such as an algae known as Irish Moss, which do the job just as well, and are of course vegetarian friendly.

So are these wines and beers any good? In short, yes. In fact, you would literally never be able to tell the difference. Bold words, you might think, but this is not like saying Quorn nuggets taste just like chicken. Once the sediment is removed, there is no way of telling these products apart from there carnivorous counterparts. And to prove it, I tried a good many vegetarian wines (how I suffer for you!), and had a rather jolly time doing so.

The first wine I tried was the Argento Chardonnay Viognier. Argentina is famous for enormous barbeques, so it is testament to their knowledge of their export market in the UK than they produce a vegetarian wine. This lively, light bodied wine is bursting with crisp, tropical fruit, and a touch of oak. It would make a fantastic aperitif or accompaniment to any salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

Next was the Hawksburn Pinot Noir, from Central Otago in New Zealand. This is a real gem of a wine, providing everything a Pinot Noir should: rich, smoky, spicy notes with loads of jammy dark fruit character. Often recommended with meat dishes, this would work fantastically well with flavoursome vegetarian dishes such as a three bean chilli.

If you’re in the mood for celebrating, then there’s more good news. Almost all of the major Champagne houses use vegetarian (and, often, vegan) production methods. A personal favourite sparkling wine of mine, which also happens to be vegetarian, is the Chapel Down Brut NV. This delicious English sparkler uses precisely the same traditional production method as they do in France, and has become recognised for routinely coming out on top in blind tastings above its French counterparts. Light and elegant with delicate oak character, the crisp citrus works well with simple canapés with fruity acidity, such as bruschetta.

For those of you with a sweeter tooth, there are also vegetarian dessert wines available. An absolute stunner comes in the form of the Muscat de Rivesaltes from Els Pyreneus in the south of France. This sticky wine is a brilliant, bright yellow, and the flavour is equally intense. It is relatively light bodied for a dessert wine, which helps it to retain its refreshing nature, and delivers notes of honey and Turkish delight.

There are a great many more wines we could go through, time permitting, but the important point is that there is a wealth of choice available. Vegetarian products are by no means inferior to their non-vegetarian counterparts, and with a little research you will easily be able to find the right ones for you.

Kick Ass Wine Matching

2011-08-02T03:13:00.000-07:00

Last week I made dinner for the long suffering Mrs Lowe (@Luce700) - something which is not entirely uncommon. What made this particular occasion noteworthy was that the dinner was good. Really good. And the wine we served with it was simply heavenly. The two together made such a great partnership that I was compelled to put it down in writing, in the vague hope that someone else may, some day, stumble across this blog and share in the joy it brought us.

The wine in question was Charles Smith's Kung Fu Girl Riesling (2010). There has been a considerable amount of excitement generated by this wine. Its name certainly attracts attention, but the quality of the liquid is what keeps people talking about it weeks and months later. Charles is a real character, and his wines certainly reflect his personality.
The Kung Fu Girl Riesling is a light bodied wine, with a lively acidity, and is bursting with intense tropical fruit flavours. There's apricot, peach, kiwi, pear, melon, green apple, and honeysuckle to name but a few. This intensity of flavour is what made the food pairing work so well.
Here comes the cooking bit. I simply butterflied two chicken breast (free-range please, we only like happy chickens) and pan fried them with a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of garlic. This was served with a home made salsa, with the following ingredients:

Half a dozen red peppers
Two tomatoes
Four red chillies
Nine cloves of garlic
Three tablespoons oregano
Two tablespoons paprika
One tablespoon sugar
About 120ml extra virgin olive oil
50ml Red wine vinegar

Halve and de-seed the peppers and stick them under the grill for 10 minutes, then leave to cool under some foil (you can cut up and measure out the rest of the ingredients during this time). Peel the peppers when they're cooled, and throw them in the blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend!
These measurements will give you a good amount of salsa, so you can save some (for reference, it will pretty much fill up one of those big Dolmio jars, which makes it easy to store in your fridge.

Boil some rice, and serve with some spring onions, cucumber and cherry tomatoes.
Once you've made a batch of the salsa, it only take five or six minutes to cook off some chicken to go with it, making this a fantastically convenient dish. It's pretty spicy, which is what makes it work so well with the cool, crisp, tropical flavours of the Kung Fu Girl Riesling.
Try it, and let me know how you get on. Enjoy :)

Chateau Lowe (Part Two) and Chapel Down

2011-07-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

Vintage update!
After a stunning start to summer, the grapes have had a significant growth spurt. This picture was taken on July 8th, 2011:

I still haven't got a clue what grapes these will turn out to be: the vine was in the garden when Mrs Lowe and I moved in, and this is our first summer here. If anyone out there thinks they're up to the challenge of identifying them, please get in touch.
For reference, here's a picture I took on the very same day in the Chapel Down Vineyards, Tenterden, Kent.

These are Bacchus grapes, destined for the 2011 vintage Chapel Down Bacchus. If the 2010 is anything to go by, this will be a cracking wine, and I feel very priviledged to have seen it in its infancy. If there are any of you out there who remain to be convinced that England can produce great wines (yes, great, not just good), then I urge you to seek out this wine and prepare to have your mind changed.

This is the vineyard in question, one of 23 (if I recall correctly) within the Chapel Down estate. Maybe one day I'll get a back garden that looks like this. For now, I'll keep tending to my little vine, and be thankful for what I've got.

IWSC Judging: behind the scenes

2011-06-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

June 14th was a date I'd been looking forward to in my diary for quite some time. My debut judging with the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) was doubly exciting for the fact it was for the Tequila category, a long standing favourite of mine.

Upon arrival my first impression was, to be honest, that I must've taken a wrong turn. The venue looked more like the place they shoot Top Gear than somewhere you would expect to taste world-class flights of spirits.*
It turned out I was in exactly the right place, easily identified by the group of people outside the front door excitedly discussing agave spirit (which would have been a heck of a coincidence otherwise).
Tasting at the IWSC is all about business. Now I've been to my fair share of tastings - some would say more than my fair share - and all have had one thing in common: industry gossip. Small-talk and networking often plays as much a part of the day as actual tasting. But not with the IWSC, oh no. Given that the ever present 'no smoking' signs in this office also dictate 'no aftershave' and 'no perfume', this should have come as no surprise. Tasting is not simply an event here, it's a profession.
With a minimum of fuss, some very brief introductions were made, and it was on with the first flight.
I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to tell you about the tasting itself. I do know that all results are held in the strictest of confidence until they are publicly announced, so I shall err on the side of caution and not reveal too much.

I didn't take any pictures, so here's some glasses to look at. Fun, eh?

Some features were definitely notable, and I'm sure (or at least quietly confident) that I won't get in trouble for revealing them. Firstly, the speed of tasting was quite breathtaking. This is fast, accurate tasting at its best. Certainly, there was time for reflection between flights but, with some flights taking in a dozen tequilas at a time,this was a genuine test of my palate.

Secondly, the level of expertise in the room was truly humbling. It's not often I say that kind of thing, and I certainly don't use the phrase lightly. Well over a century of expertise combined to make that panel. With that level of knowledge gathered together, you might well expect a few disagreements to occur. And you'd be right. Which brings me to my next point: the level of respect each judge showed for their contemporaries opinions was impeccable. It's almost disappointing that I found this surprising, but sad to say there are many out there who consider themselves 'expert' who still fail to recognise that taste is above all else a subjective experience.

Last but not least, the integrity of the tasting shone through when, even after the judging was complete, there was not a single mention nor glimpse of any of the brands involved. Even as I write this, I have no idea which brands we assessed. Given the proliferation of social media etc. (case in point: you're reading this), this is clearly a wise move.
Respect is certainly due to the IWSC. A truly professional operation from beginning to end. And I'm very pleased to say I've been invited back for next year. I'm already looking forward to it.

*Apparently, you really should trust your first impressions. I found out as I left that they literally do film Top Gear there!

The Dilemma

2011-06-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

When writing an alcohol-related blog, as I do, there comes a point from time to time when you're not drinking anything particularly new or exciting (sorry to shatter any illusions). This poses a problem. I do not wish to become a 'tasting bore', filling up the internet with entirely uninteresting tasting notes about things I've tried a thousand times before. I firmly believe tasting notes should only ever be posted in such a manner if they are, at the very least, remarkable.
However, I also do not want to be one of those bloggers who posts something once a year, and is then surprised and disappointed in equal measure when no-one reads it. Frequent, quality content is of course the Holy Grail of the blogging community.

So, as you may or may not have noticed, I've waited until something genuinely interesting has come along. Tomorrow, I will be sitting as a judge at the IWSC, working my way through some of the best (and also, I fear, a few of the worst) tequilas Mexico has to offer.

This is particularly exciting for me since a) I love tequila, and b) it will be my first time inside the walls of the IWSC.

Blue Agave at Los Altos. Picture from www.tequilasource.com

I'll spare you my rantings on how under-appreciated Mexico's national spirit is, particularly in the UK (for a depressing illustration of this, try putting the word 'tequila' into google images. It behaves very differently when you type vodka, gin, rum or whisky!). If you are interested, however, you might like to check out some of my previous tequila posts.
I shall endeavour to give you a quick run down of tomorrow's events in the none-too-distant future. But only if it's interesting, of course.

How not to do it...

2011-05-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

I recently came across this video on the web, and thought it so uncannily accurate - not to mention hilarious - that I couldn't resist posting it here.
It was written and produced by Philip Duff for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (MCC) seminar "How To Behave In A Bar". I wasn't at said seminar, but if this is anything to go by, it must have been an awesome event.
Well done Philip, great work!

Chateau Lowe, 2011

2011-05-25T01:03:00.000-07:00

I realise I've become a terrible blogger. With the best intentions in the world, I just never seem to get around to writing any of the things I intend to (that'll be my jet-set lifestyle getting in the way).
So I've decided the best thing to do it adopt a 'little and often' approach. So here's a little for you, to get the ball rolling.
We're just approaching the first summer in our little house in the countryside, and I'm delighted to have discovered a well established vine growing in the garden. The last week or so has seen the emergance of a few tiny grapes (see below).

For any American readers, a 50p is just a little bigger than a quarter. At a rough count, I think I've got about 50 of these little bunches. Nevermind 'single vineyard', this is going to be a single vine wine! It may well be terrible, but I'll have fun finding out, and will keep you informed of the progress.
Bye for now!

Health Benefits of Alcohol? Merry Christmas!

2010-12-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

Christmas. It’s the season to eat, drink and be merry – something most of us will embrace whole-heartedly. Unfortunately, despite all the revelry of the festive season, January will be lurking just around the corner, replete with guilt and remorse following our over indulgences.
Gym memberships will hit their yearly peaks, and cutting back on alcohol will inevitably feature in New Year’s Resolutions lists across the country. But booze hasn’t always been the bad guy.
Alcohol has enjoyed and endured a range of roles during its lifetime. It has been revered as a miracle cure, and reviled as the bane of society. The New and Old testaments make over 190 references to alcohol being used medicinally, but the temperance movement (which led to prohibition in America) considered it the root of all evil.
Today, we are developing a healthy respect for alcohol, but there is still an enormous amount of confusion as to what the health implications of alcohol consumption actually are. Here’s some of what we do know:
Alcohol is highly calorific. At seven calories per gram, it is one of the most calorific substances around (pure fat, by comparison, has only nine calories per gram). By this logic, a pint of beer packs about the same number of calories as a burger, and a glass of wine is equivalent to a slice of cake. Sadly, these are also known as ‘empty calories’, of no nutritional value.
As well as contributing to obesity, and the host of health problems associated with it, high levels of alcohol consumption are also associated with heart disease, liver damage, and cancers, as well as sociological manifestations such as violence and crime.
At this point, as someone who works in the alcohol industry, I’m not far off making myself redundant. Happily, there’s another side to the coin:
Moderate (yes, moderate) consumption of alcohol has been linked through various studies with a host of health benefits: reduced risk of strokes, diabetes, arthritis, and dementia, as well as a longer life expectancy than both heavy drinkers and, surprisingly, abstainers. The lowest mortality rates are found in those who consume one or two alcoholic drinks per day.
There is an interesting phenomenon known as The French Paradox: the observation that the French have a relatively low rate of heart disease, despite their diet typically being high in saturated fat – normally a key risk factor. Most theories suggest that their steady consumption of red wine plays an important role in protecting them from heart disease. When this view was aired publically on American television in 1991, a 44% increase in red wine sales followed!
Red wine in particular seems to be beneficial due to the high level of antioxidants it contains. These antioxidants help to reduce the build up of fatty deposits in the arteries. Other drinks which boast these credentials include dark ales and stouts. The antioxidants in these drinks seem to be particularly effective when combined with a diet which includes fresh fruit and vegetables, and some studies claim that the effects are most marked in older drinkers.
However, whilst experts have not yet reached firm conclusions as to the exact mechanisms at work , there are some points on which they agree: the positive effects of moderate consumption are completely lost, arguably reversed, when over indulging.
Let us not forget though, that alcohol also has some very pleasant short term benefits. It can make you happy, help you relax, and make you (think you are) an awesome dancer. The news that can also be good for you may well be cause to celebrate – moderately, of course.

Armagnac Tour - Samalens

2010-08-13T08:24:00.001-07:00

Our second distillery of the day, Samalens, was an absolute delight. We were greeted by Pierre, the great-grandson of John Samalens, who founded the distillery in 1882.

Located in the heart of Bas Armagnac, the landscape was notably different from Tenareze - not least by the surprising abundance of sunflower fields.

Boasting eight stills, the oldest of which dates back to the 19th century, Samalens is the largest distillery in Armagnac. Equipped with both pot and column stills (another unique feature), the distillery itself is a sight to behold. The column stills you see in the picture below are the earliest examples of column stills I have ever had the pleasure of seeing 'in real life', and certainly not how one would imagine a column these days. In fact, they look more like industrial ovens!

Each is equipped with 12 individual baffling plates, crafted in 1970, which are so complex as to be prohibitively expensive for modern trademen to recreate. They were buuilt to last, too: except for having replaced wood and coal fires for gas to heat the stills, they have remained unchanged for over 100 years.

As distant church bells echoed around the concrete floored distillery, the 'spirit of armagnac' became all consuming. It was definitely time for a trip to the cellars...

I'm willing to bet that the wine enthusiasts reading this blog will shudder at the sight of this cellar. Dust, dirt, and cobwebs are a stark contrast to the clinical cleanliness to be found in most wine cellars these days. With armagnac, however, things aren't quite so fussy. The alcohol level in the spirit is so high whilst in cask, that the contents literally preserve themselves, fending off any bacteria which may get close.

The oak which forms these casks is selected by Pierre himself. Trees of between 100 and 150 years old are felled, and only the lowest five metres of the tree are used. Cut into staves by highly skilled workmen, they are then left outdoors for around two years to dry in the open air.

Moving into the 'Paradis' cellar was my 'kid in a sweet shop' moment of the day. Having stood proudly since 1888, these two small rooms contain within their walls more than 95% of the world's armagnac over 100 years old. Simply incredible. In all honesty, it's a humbling experience to stand there - especially in the company of the founder's great grandson.

Not long after, we were whisked through to another room for a serious bout of armagnac tasting.

Starting out with the Blanche was an excellent choice. This is a realtively new expression for armagnac. Completely unaged, it is surprisingly apporachable, with very well integrated alcohol. I can see this making an impact on cocktail lists around the country even as I write, finding its way into mojito's and caipirinha's before some bright spark comes up with a signature cocktail for it (yes, I'm working on it!).

In the range of 'traditional' armagnacs, we also saw the VSOP (8 years old), the Reserve Imperiale XO (12 years old), the Vieille Relique (15 years old), and the 'Millenium Millesime 1900', which is, as the name suggests over 100 years old!

The real gem for me (bearing in mind my limited budget) was the Vieille Relique. Constituting entirely single distilled grapes, from the Grande Bas Armagnac area, this stunning example had a very well developed maturity: full bodied, earthy, and with true rancio right through to the long finish.

Of course, the 1900 was also a treat. After 60 years on the barrel, the spirit was transferred to glass demi-john back in 1967. Drinking this in the cellars of the same age feels like a very personal kind of time travel. In fact, Marty McFly can keep the Delorean - just leave me here with a glass, and I'm happy to wait as long as necessary to get back to the future.

Armagnac Tour - Larressingle

2010-08-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Our long awaited tour started with a rather medicore breakfast at Gatwick airport. Our stomachs could not possibly have imagined the gastronomic delights which were awaiting us the on the other side of the channel.

Two representatives from Bibendum Spirits, one from Bibendum Wine, and a further four from Hotel du Vin / MalMaison arrived in Gascony, the home of Armagnac, around lunch time, and were ushered to a rather delightful restaurant just by the river Gers.

To get in the spirit (no pun intended) of things, I decided to begin with La Cassolette d'Escargots, follwed by L'Entrecote de Boeuf, and finish things off with La Panna Cotta a la Vanille. A truly wonderful meal.

Fully refreshed from our flight, we made our way the short distance to our first distillery of the day: Larressingle.

It is here that Larressingle Armagnacs are produced, aged and bottled.

Our tour provided me (the self confessed distillation geek of the group) to get to grips with the finer points of Armagnac distiallation. On the assumption that most of you aren't as geeky as me, I will save these for my personal amusement (but feel free to email me with any questions!).

Most impressive though, for me at least, was the efficiency of these anciet stills. The traditional copper Aramgnac still behind me in this picture is capable of turning out a litre per minute, and it's only half the size of the ones they have in operation now.

Walking through the cellars was a stark contrast to the temperatures outside. Having just come indoors from a courtyard filled with white gravel, reflecting the glare of a 30c sun, it almost felt chilly walking amongst the Monlezun casks.

Finally - it was time to taste! They really spoilt us to be honest, bringing out a full range for us to try, including the Blanche, VS, VSOP, XO, Tenareze 21yr and a 1967 vintage.

With so many to get through, I'm afraid my pen simply couldn't keep up with the tasting notes, so you'll have to make do with my extremely edited highlights.

My two favourites (predicatably) were the 21yr and the '67.

The 21 year old Tenareze was a rich, bold armagnac with a robust, full bodied mouthfeel. A smooth, honeyed sweetness greeted the palatte, and faded through to a dark chocolate finish. Superbly integrated alcohol sat in the background without overpowering the fruit, and added an excellent depth to the flavour.

Simply looking at the 1967 vintage was enough to indicate that we had moved up a notch. With super-model legs, and a deep, luxurious colour, it held and instant appeal. For me, this was a high ester style of armagnac, almost reminiscient of Jamaiican pot stilled rum. Almonds and caramalised orange peel were abundant on the palette. No matter how long I do this job, it never ceases to amaze me how something so old can still taste do fresh!

With the tasting done, it was time to hit the road, heading to our next stop: Samalens.

But there was one more little surprise along the way... Did I mention that Larressingle has a castle?!

Plantation Rum @ Trailer Happiness

2010-05-13T04:27:00.000-07:00

Trailer is a legendary bar for a host of reasons. Their fantastic tiki menu, bewildering rum range, and ability to create world famous bartenders being just three of them.
Furthermore, the infamous ‘rum club’, an event which sees innocent rum representatives (such as myself) succumbing to the allure of alcohol in the name of education.
On Monday, May 10th, I had the pleasure of hosting said club, displaying a selection of the Plantation Rum range.
A haul of enthusiastic amateurs and professionals alike accompanied me on a mini Caribbean tour, taking in samples of local rum from Nicaragua, Guyana and Barbados.

Starting with the Nicaragua, 1998 vintage, we were very much at the lighter end of the rum scale. Made entirely in column stills after a brief fermentation produces a delicate, almost ethereal body to this rum. The complex, rich palette truly evolves as you keep the spirit in your mouth, as well as paving the way for a delightful toffee after taste.
We’d started well, and the group were unanimous in their appreciation of the Nicaraguan. Next stop, Guyana.
The 1999 Guyanese is almost the opposite end of the spectrum . Pot stilled instead of column, long fermentation instead of short, this rum is full bodied and heavy with dark fruit and green banana flavours. Towards the end we find almost peaty, vegetal notes (which proved very familiar to the Whisky fans in the room).
It’s fair to say the Guyanese rum was more divisive than the Nicaraguan. Although most could appreciate the heavier style, around 2/3rd of the room preferred the lighter, Nicaraguan example when drinking neat.

Next on the way we found the middle ground: Barbados 2000. Wow! This time, we had a combination of pot and column still production, blended together and aged in Bourbon casks. Rich, full bodied, but remaining elegant and subtle, the vanillins from the Bourbon oak spoke clearly alongside the green, exotic fruity notes. I believe, though I’m open to correction, that this proved to be the most popular of the vintages sampled that night.

But I still had one more trick up my sleeve: The Barbados Grande Reserve. This 5 year (average) blended rum was a very pleasant surprise – not least due to costing almost half the price of the vintages. A soft, sweet rum, as happy neat as in a daiquiri or (my personal favourite), with lashings of ginger beer.

The real advantage of this rum for the professionals out there is that, due to being a blended rum, we can be certain of consistency of both quality and supply. With the vintages, as awesome as they are, when they’re gone, they’re gone – which makes for some interesting reading for the rum collectors out there. The Grande Reserve, however, will keep coming as long as we keep drinking it!
Overall, a great event, and a good time had by all. There’s even talk of a return visit with Los Valientes... Watch this space!

Cigars and Cognac

2010-04-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Another great event – can you believe I get paid to do this?!

On the 20th of April, 2010, a group of Cigar and Cognac aficionados gathered at 10 Manchester Street, a gem of a boutique hotel, to learn about, and enjoy, cognac and cigars.

The speakers for the day, Jimmy McGhee from Hunters & Frankau cigars, and yours truly! For today I would be speaking about a cracking cognac, Pierre Ferrand’s Selection Des Anges.

This cognac is a blend of grand champagne eaux du vies, with an average age of some 30 years. Typically, for Pierre Ferrand, they do not feel the need to slap ‘XO’ all over the label. The delimitation itself only guaranteeing a minimum age of 6 years, it only really serves to impress rappers and fashionistas in New York. The connoisseurs, however, know better what to look for.

This 100% grand champagne cognac is a deep mahogany colour, with a nose of jasmine, honeysuckle and walnut. On the palette it is rich with candied fruit, ginger, honey, and nutmeg. Rancio flavours are abound, which made this cognac ideal for the cigar matching – the purpose of the evening.

I’m pleased to say my choice of cognac went down very well, and the assembled group seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. My thanks to 10 Manchester Street for the invitation to speak on the evening, and I’m pleased to accept their invitation to return.

Fame at last!

2010-04-29T01:31:00.000-07:00

Did I mention I now have a monthly article? No? Well, I have - and very proud of it I am too!
From March 2010 I will be writing a monthly 800 word article for The University Catering Magazine.
If you're remotely interested, you can see my debut intoxicology insight here (it may download as a pdf).

700 Years of Armagnac

2010-04-27T01:11:00.001-07:00

It’s been a while since my last blog, due, in part, to the number of fantastic events I’ve been lucky enough to attend of late.

Not least of which was the 700^th anniversary of Armagnac. Hosted in the luxurious surroundings of the Connaught Hotel, those of us able to evade the army of Mercedes and Bentleys whilst crossing the road were handsomely rewarded on arrival.

The event started with a short lecture from Ian Wisniewski, who never ceases to amaze me (and everyone else present) with his encyclopaedic knowledge of Armagnac (and, ostensibly, any other category he sees fit to discuss).

The inevitable comparisons with Cognac were drawn, but not in the ‘me too’ manner which you might expect. For today was Armagnac’s day to shine in its own right.

I will not be attempting to replicate the information given by Ian in this blog for two reasons:

1 – His fantastically entertaining and informative lecture was obviously the result of many weeks of dedicated research. For me to simply cut and paste it here would be highly dubious.

2 – I couldn’t write quickly enough. The man is a machine!

So, with Ian’s introduction well received, we were set loose on the tasting room.

With some 75 spirits on offer, the obvious threat of inebriation was a real and present danger. As your man in the field, however, I heroically put research before self-preservation and got stuck in,

For the sake of brevity, (and because my tasting notes veered towards the undecipherable), I shall provide you with just my top three highlights, in no particular order.

The Samalens Singles 12 year Grand Bas Armagnac was outstanding. Plenty of roasted, woody flavours brought prunes, fig and almonds to the palette, with a luxurious and light finish.

My biggest surprise of the day was courtesy of Janneau for their 12 year offering. Sweeter than I had anticipated, and delicate to boot. Dare I say, a more feminine take on the Armagnac style? Certainly, something more akin to the Fins Bois cognacs style than the single distillery Armagnac it is.

Moving up a notch in age took me to the Larressingle 21. Being a Tenereze Armagnc, I had expected a heavier, richer spirit. I had not expected, however, such luxurious richness. Certainly, it was a more full bodied spirit, but the power and balance of the developing rancio flavours left it perfectly proportioned. This Armagnac received a very rare 4.5/5 in my tasting booklet, and is something I will definitely be drinking again.

The Future of Tequila? El Tesoro @ Cafe Pacifico

2010-02-05T04:31:00.000-08:00

What happens when you get a load of London bartenders together in a room, then fill it up with Tequila?

Well, probably not quite what you are expecting. This would be due, in part, to the bad reputation which still lingers (undeservedly) around the tequila category. And, to be fair, the reputation which continues to thrive regarding London's bartenders!

February 1st saw the launch of the El Tesoro Tequila competition, in which competitors can win themselves a trip to Mexico to visit the 'La Altena' distillery, home of not only El Tesoro, but also Ocho and Tapatio.

Gathering in Covent Garden's Cafe Pacifico were bartenders and managers from some of the most easily identifiable 'key' Tequila venues in the country: Crazy Homies, Green & Red, Navajo Joe's and, naturally, Cafe Pacifo itself, as well as a host of other influential cocktail bars.

The competition kicked off with a tutored tasting, hosted by Tomas Estes, the European Tequila Ambassador, followed by discussion of what the future holds for Tequila.

Having won the Imbibe Ice Awards taste competition by a Mexican mile, as well as being the proud winner of more awards than any other Tequila on the planet, I need not go into the details which came out of the tasting here (but will do so separately).

Instead, the focus of this blog entry will be the ideas and comments of the group regarding the past decade of trends in the Tequila market, and where they see this leading in the coming decade.

Interestingly, Tom Estes pointed out that the UK (and London in particular) is really not a large market for Tequila, in global terms. It is, however, one of great kudos within the Tequilaros of Mexico, giving great status to those brands successful within the city. This apparent incongruity seems to stem from the high regard in which bartenders from our capitol are held worldwide.

It is fair to say that, in this country at least, Tequila still suffers in the eye of the public from a relatively negative perception (see my previous article from a Tom Estes talk). Slowly but surely, this appears to be changing. 100% agave tequila is now the fastest growing spirit category in the country (although the agave itself isn't growing much quicker).

Evidence of this can be seen quite easily: there are now many venues dedicated to all things Mexican. And not just in a kitsch, 80's kind of way, either. The likes of El Camino, La Perla, Cafe Pacifico, Green and Red, Wahaca, and Cafe Sol are bringing serious quality to the market.

Furthermore, in Westbourne Park Road's Crazy Homies we now find a dedicated tequila bar! That's right, a venue which serves exclusively Tequila, and no other spirits. The public's increasing interest in the Tequila category can be seen here on a daily basis.The team were keen to point out that articles in mainstream publications such as the Guardian and Observer (oddly, willlowe.com seems to have passed them by...) are engaging the middle classes, bringing them through the doors actively seeking to know more about the spirit. And Homies are delivering, in a big way. They bought along for discussion a proof of their new, soon-to-be-launched menu / bible. In this mighty tome, we see a full four pages dedicated solely to Tequila; a full menu including tasting notes for each tequila on their shelf. It is very hard to imagine this happening ten years ago.

And it's not just happening in London. Leeds has a strong following emerging, with the likes of Azucar and Neon Cactus. Further afield, Glen Morgan (of Soho's Lab), recently back from Tokyo commented on the aptly named 'Agave' there, stocking more than 360 Tequilas and Mezcals.

All of this attention, and increased sophistication, is a far cry from the standard serve of a dirty shot glass, salt and lime of years ago.

But how is it happening? The marketing machine behind Patron Tequila has been credited with influencing the market to a large degree, especially when it comes to American customers. Many bartenders are also actively selling tequila, educating their customers, and passing on a passion for this much mis-understood spirit. Order a rum and coke in Crazy Homies, for example, and you'll likely walk away with a Batanga, a little bit more knowledge, and a smile on your face.

And that, we all agreed, is where the future lies.

Tom Estes may be the Tequila Ambassador, but everywhere he goes he seems to create small armies of ambassadors in their own right, each carrying the passion, and passing it on wherever, and whenever, they can.

By the way, if you're interested in joining the competition to win a trip to the distillery, it is running in February, March and April of 2010. You need to be a bar / restaurant / club in the UK, and be prepared to share some Tequila love! Contact wlowe@bibendum-wine.co.uk for more details.

Bartenders vs Sommeliers Superstars Competition

2010-01-22T01:51:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday the 20^th of January, bartenders and sommeliers from across the country converged on London’s Saatchi gallery for the undisputed (by me) industry highlight of the year: The Bartenders vs Sommeliers Superstars Competition. The drinks professionals were there to pit their skills head to head, in order to win not only an all expenses paid distillery tour trip to Cognac, but also to take home the highly coveted ‘Superstar’ title, currently held by the bartenders.

Of course, the 7,000+ bottles of wine which were there for the Bibendum Annual Tasting may also have helped to coax them through the doors, but let’s not get bogged down in minor details.

The concept was simple (though, arguably, not simple enough for some): bartenders and sommeliers prove their expertise in their own realm, before trying to beat each other at their own game.

The competition tested two key areas of both disciplines: pouring accuracy, and tasting ability.

To be fair to both sides, we took two ‘bar’ measures (25ml & 50ml) and two ‘wine’ measures (175ml and 250ml) and asked our hopefuls to freepour the designated amounts after just one practice run (not counting their entire professional career, of course).

In the tasting element, both sides first tackled two wines, followed by two spirits. During this section, their task was simply to identify the variety of wine / spirit in the glass, together with the vintage.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, maybe not. In all fairness, this was one tough test. We threw in some real curveballs with the tastings – to the extent that not ONE competitor correctly identified all four our mystery drinks! James Kowszun, the very first competitor of the day, set the bar incredibly high. So high, infact, that he remained in pole position for almost seven hours!

Below you see the final scoreboard of the day. A quick bit of mathematics will lead you to the conclusion that the sommeliers team has won back the title from the last years winners. Many congratulations to all involved.

This highest score of the day was Valeria Rodriguez, although as a Bibendum employee, she was not eligible for the top prize of the trip to Cognac. Instead, this goes to our highest scoring sommelier: Johnny Walker. Proving his perfect palette and astounding accuracy was enough for Johnny to secure his place in the hall of fame, as well as his seat on the Eurostar. Well done Johnny!

Honourable mention must be made to Dan 'Beluga' Ngyau of Epernay, Leeds, for the most accurate pour test of the day, Mark Pope, of Alimentum, Cambridge, for the highest wine tasting score, and Ben Williams of Bibendum for the best score of the day in the spirit tasting.

I’m also very proud to point out that the Bibendumites scored very highly across the board. Well done all!

And now for the big reveal...

Wine 1: Pinot blanc, 2004
Wine 2: Pinot Noir, 2007
Spirit 1: Armagnac, 1967
Spirit 2: Rum, 1999

Bartenders – it’s time to up your game. Let’s bring the title home in 2011!

Raspberry Daiquiri

2010-01-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

The Daiquiri. One of the most enduring cocktails ever created. Perhaps the secret to its longevity lies in its versitility? A cocktail which can be served straight up, on cubed or crushed ice, or frozen, with almost any fruit you care to mention...

On reflection, maybe it has become such an enduring cocktail simply because there are so many preparations which fit under the umbrella name of 'daiquiri'.

Either way, when properly thought out, the daiquiri can be a delightful drink.

Thinking about the flavours which are already present in your rum will help you to pick out the most suitable fruits to combine with your base (lime, of course, being the traditional choice). These days, you'll find pretty much any fruit in a daiquiri, or even more likely, any type of puree. Personally, I prefer to use real fruit, but each to their own.

In the video below I'll show you the very simple steps involved in making a delicious raspberry daiquiri. Feel free to experiment with different fruits, rum, ice... pretty much the whole recipe!

I look forward to hearing how you get on, so be sure to let me know.

Name That Cocktail!

2010-01-13T09:24:00.000-08:00

Fancy winning yourself a bottle of LP Ultra Brut?
Of course you do! Well frankly, it could be much easier than this.
Take a look at the simple cocktail I've put together in the video below, think up a name for it, and you're in with a chance.
This competition will run for one week from today (Jan 13th), and the winner will be announced on the Bibendum Times website, which is also where you should go to enter.
If you're into competitions generally, you should definately try to get yourself to the Bibendum Times tasting on January 20th (click for more info). On the day I will personally be hosting a competition in which one lucky person will win an all expenses paid trip to Cognac! Full details of the comp can be found here. Good luck!!

Aramis Martini

2010-01-07T04:53:00.000-08:00

Here's an exciting new discovery for you: Citadelle Reserve Gin.

French Law dictates that Cognac may only be distilled between the beginning of November and the end of March. This leads to some perfectly good distilleries, together with their distilling teams, being essentially dormant for 6 months of the year.

A particularly creative solution to this predicament was created by the team at Pierre Ferrand Cognac. Using an incredibly complex 18th century recipe of 19 different botanicals, this gin is finished by ageing for 6 months in Cognac barrels. It's truly a unique approach, and creates a stunning, herbaceous gin, quite unlike any other I've ever tried.

To make the most of this gin, I set about making a martini (the king of white spirit cocktails).

Starting out with a wash of Strega, to accentuate the herbaceous nature of the base spirit, I simply stir 50ml of Citadelle Reserve over ice, and double strain into a martini glass.

The clever bit comes in the garnish - an atomised mist of cognac. Naturally, I opted for Ferrand cognac. In this instance, I seem to have misplaced my atomiser, so a bit of improvisation later, I dismantled a water spray more often used for watering plants, and used this to spray a fine mist of the cocktail. This results in a wonderful aroma (rather than taste, per se) of cognac around the glass.

Finish with a thick twist of orange zest, and we're good to go.

I've even made you a video to show you how it's done.

Enjoy!

Christmas Martini

2009-12-30T12:43:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Day (or at least, it was), which calls for a super special recipe.

Whilst the rest of the world reaches for the Champagne, I reach for the chemistry kit, and set about creating a cocktail fit for a king. Or all three kings, for that matter.

The goal was a fresh, fruity martini, with authentic, natural, and subtle flavouring. To this end, I employed another technique borrowed from the molecular gastronomy cook book: "Sous Vide" cooking. Essentially, this refers to cooking at low temperatures, in a vacuum. For our purposes, this enables infusion of flavours which would normally take weeks (if not months) to be achieved in minutes.

To begin, I finely chopped one gala apple and placed it into a sealable sandwich bag. I then poured in 250ml of Beefeater 24, and worked the bubbles out of the bag before sealing. This was then placed into a second bag to prevent any leakage (in either direction), and immersed in a pan of water which I heated to 60 degrees Celsius, and maintained at that temperature for 20 minutes. The result: a naturally apple flavoured gin, which completely avoids any synthetic flavouring, and takes a fraction of the time you would expect for an effective maceration.

Next, I made an elderflower caviar using calcium lactate, sodium alginate, and a natural elderflower liqueur (from the Chase Distillery). This was done using the typical spherification method, which I covered in a previous video (here).

With both of these steps complete, the preparation was finished.

To make the martini, I started by chilling the glass with ice and soda water (which is standard practice for this type of drink). As I wanted very subtle flavour, I opted to shake the apple infused gin over ice, rather than simply stirring. This would increase the dilution of the gin, taking the edge off the abv (a good idea, since I have removed vermouth from this recipe). With the gin well chilled, I double strained the liquid into the martini glass using a hawthorn and julep strainer, to remove any shards of ice from the cocktail.

The final step was simply to add the elderflower caviar into the glass using a barspoon, and serve.

Served with pan fried scallops lovingly prepared by Mrs Lowe, this cocktail was a real hit. Next time around, I shall infuse an entire bottle of Beefeater 24, and simply re-bottle any left over gin for future use.

I particularly enjoy cocktails where a little preparation ahead of time dramatically cuts the time required to make the drink, and so noticeably improves the final product, and this Christmas Martini is a particularly good example of this.

Canela Cafe

2009-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

Today I'm in Restaurant Alimentum, Cambridge, showing you how to make a lovely winter warmer, the Canela Cafe.

It's essentially a rum based take on the Espresso Martini, which is arguably my favourite digestif. It works all year round, but for that extra festive touch, I've introduced a small pinch of cinnamon, which brings out the delicate spicy touch in the rum.

You'll need:

50ml Los Valientes Rum

10ml Vanilla infused sugar syrup

1 pinch of cinnamon

I espresso shot

Los Valientes Winter Old Fashioned

2009-12-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

It's a recurring theme with Los Valientes. Almost without fail, when a bartender is left to play around with this molasses / sugar cane blended rum, they will end up creating a variation on the classic Old Fashioned recipe.

I believe this is due to the rum already being so well integrated, it simply does not require any masking or over dilution.

To illustrate this point, in one of my previous posts, I have shown an Old Fashioned with a ginger foam. When I visited Mark Pope at Alimentum, on Hills Road in Cambridge, he had another angle on this preparation. Mark opted to stick to the classic Old Fashioned recipe, but infuse the rum 24 hours in advance, bringing yet another dimension into the glass.

Taking 250ml of Los Valientes, he added two tea spoons of raisins, two of sultanas, one star anise, half a broken cinammon stick, a tea spoon of orange zest, and 15ml demerara sugar. Mark left this combination to steep for a full 24 hours, subsequently using this as the base for his Old Fashioned.

The result was a fantastic, festive flavoured Old Fashioned. Perfect as a digestif after a rich dessert, or simply to warm you up on these cold winter evenings.

My thanks to Mark Pope, and Alimentum, for hosting us for the afternoon. If you get the chance to check out their fantastic bar and restaurant, you really should. Their website can be found here.

Los Valientes 20 Year Rum

2009-12-14T01:26:00.001-08:00

I was going to write a review for this, the favourite of my rum shelf, but decided to take the lazy option. Since Nick Wykes of IPBartenders has already done such a fabulous job of writing a beautiful tasting note already, I'm just going to cut and paste it here!
For what it's worth, I agree with him...

Ron Los Valientes 20 year old

Mexico

Sometimes it's just a joy to be sitting here doing this, today is one of those days. I have in my maw a healthy slug of Ron Los Valientes 20 year old, charged as I am with telling you about it.

From within the province of Veracruz in eastern Mexico, the Villaneuva family has been producing fine spirits for three generations. Veracruz, and specifically the town of Cordoba, has been famous for it's sugar cane for 500 years and it's both the juice and molasses from this local cane that goes into the small batch production of the Los Valientes range.

The slow fermented juice from the Veracruz cane is double distilled in pot-stills, with only the corazon taken from the second distillation, this is then blended with column distilled, fast fermented, molasses from the same crop. The 70:30 juice to molasses ratio should tell you something of the delights that await.

The 20 year old, numbered and signed by the cellar master, is a deep copper red number with soft, distinct legs that seem to ooze down the glass where other spirits simply adhere to the laws of gravity.

A nose of sweet, mellow pungency, rich in oily phenols, hints at dried fruits, treacle, chocolate and nutmeg. The extended barrel ageing on the Caribbean coast is reminisced with a strong liquorice backbone and nutty char.

If the nose is a valiant one, a brave fighter of 1910, then the palate is a different animal altogether. The 43% abv is immediately evident as an intensely unctuous and spirited spicy clove and bitter almond flavour dominates a medium sweet body. It's a sharp bite that drives a complex character and the Greek is a big fan of adding a splash of spring water to placate the eugenol driven spice. Uprising quelled there are beautiful dark chocolate and hazelnut notes to savour.

The surprisingly restrained and refined palate is thanks to a counter-intuitive approach to ageing whereby much larger, 180 gallon, white oak barrels are used to avoid exaggerating the ageing influence and afford the finished spirit a more sophisticated, lighter, dare I say ethereal quality than many Caribbean aged counterparts.

There's a strong kick, as you might expect, from Los Valientes, but it's balanced and well structured, perhaps a result of the charcoal, cotton and compacted cellulose filtration and almost certainly courtesy of the exclusive selection of the beating Mexican heart of the cane juice distillate.

With a 10, 15 and 20 year old in the range (a 25 year old has been hinted at) there may be more evolution than revolution going on in Veracruz these days but Los Valientes rums are enough to make you want to fire off a Springfield and grow a moustache. I may be some time....

How to make the perfect... Hot Toddy

2009-12-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

It's December in England. And everywhere else for that matter. But here, especially, this means cold, dark, soggy evenings.

Try this recipe as a winter-warmer, a traditional 'cure-all' for those seasonal sniffles, or as a delicious digestif.

Start with two bar spoons of honey in a traditional whisky glass.

Add in four drops of bitters, then dilute with 75ml of boiled water. Throw in two slices of lemon, and allow to steep as the liquid cools for two to three minutes.

Next, add in 50ml of bourbon (sweeter than scotch - I always use Makers Mark). Inhale deeply as the whiskey hits the hot solution and your olfactory nerve will think it's Christmas.

If necessary, add more honey to sweeten to your taste.

Now put your feet up, and enjoy. After all, you've been ever so good this year...

New / Old Fashioned Video

2009-12-08T04:33:00.000-08:00

Here's a short video of another drink I put together on this blog last month.
The write up of the cocktail is here, and the video follows below.
Enjoy!

Molecular Margarita Video

2009-12-08T00:16:00.000-08:00

Oh dear. They've only gone and let me loose with a video camera...

Due to popular demand (that is, one person asking), I've made a short video showing in a bit more detail how I made the margarita which I featured in this blog last month.

It's been pretty hastily put together, but hopefully it might be of some help to someone out there. If not, please send your details over and I will refund you 3 minutes and 33 seconds of your life back.

Four Roses Bourbon Tasting

2009-11-23T03:26:00.000-08:00

I’m a very lucky man.

Not only do I have the pleasure of tasting three different bourbons from the Four Roses distillery today, but I get to do it in the company of Jim Rutledge, or “Mr Four Roses”, the master distiller there since 1995. That’s a full three years longer than I’ve even been drinking!

Granted, I’m merely one of around 40 other bourbon fans, but in fact that made the experience all the better. Tasting is such a subjective experience by its nature, that having as many other palettes involved as possible always improves the event.

Initially based in Atlanta, Georgia, the Four Roses distillery was set up in the 1860s, and moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 1884. The business was owned by Mr Paul Jones Jr. The name Four Roses was inspired by a marriage proposal made by Jones Jr to the lady he was courting: she subsequently wore a four rose corsage to a ball they were both attending, thereby indicating her acceptance.

Prohibition (1919 – 1933) was of course a difficult time for the distillery, but they weathered the storm by producing small amounts of whiskey for medicinal purposes, with G.Ps actually writing out prescriptions of a pint every 10 days for those deemed ‘unwell’ enough (one imagines that ‘thirst’ was a common and chronic complaint).

Mr Rutledge provided a concise history of the events surrounding prohibition, the evolution and development of the whiskey trade in the USA. Unfortunately, there’s only so much I could note down whilst also trying to taste constructively, so if you wish to find out more about this fascinating subject, I encourage you to take a look at www.fourroses.us

As I mentioned, we had three whiskeys to peruse this afternoon; the Yellow Label, Small Batch, and Single Barrel. I was surprised to discover that each of these if made to a completely different recipe, utilising two different mash bills and five different yeast strains, which therefore provide ten different recipes from which to blend their bourbon together.

They have a ‘target recipe’ for the Yellow Label, which can then be tinkered to perfection and consistency depending on their interaction with the American white oak casks, the weather, temperature, and other influences which can affect the outcome of a quality bourbon.

This approach, aside from fuelling geeks like me with information, enables Jim to be able to turn out fantastic tasting bourbon year after year.

The Yellow Label was served in a branded Four Roses jam jar, for reasons visual rather than olfactory. This light straw coloured liquid has a sweet nose of honeycomb, cloves and honeysuckle.

Apple and pear provide a fresh background to the gentle spiciness of the rye grain, which keeps this bourbon lively on the palette throughout a long, soft finish.

I know the idea of this kind of exercise is to retain a degree of objectivity, but it must be said that enjoying this bourbon, with all its prohibition era history, from a jam jar really does add to the experience. There’s a “hick drink” unpretentiousness, a snubbing of the cognac snifter plea to be taken seriously, and it works.

Our next subject, the Four Roses Small Batch, was presented in the same vessel. Defying gravity as it defies convention, the brick red liquid clings to the jam jar’s sides as though it were its given right to be there. This recipe brings the bourbon in at around 27.5% rye, which is apparent on the nose. I don’t know whether it’s due to Jim’s description of the measures they have taken in the warehouse to reduce the temperature differential between barrels from 36^fto 6^f, or the mustiness of the nose, but the sensation here is almost of being teleported to the Four Roses warehouse (which, incidentally, is located rather unusually 50 miles from the distillery). There’s also an energy here, almost effervescent, perhaps a result of the 45% abv.

Maturity is obvious upon tasting, with dried orange and lemon peel and increased spiciness. Mr Rutledge tells us the small batch target age is 6.5 years, but more often than not it works out a little over 7. You’ll never see an age statement on the bottle though, since the blend is achieved by how it tastes, not what the calendar says.

Following the Small Batch was the Single Barrel, a 100 proof spirit with a red/gold hue, baring more than a passing resemblance to a light rum. Served in a wine glass, the high alcohol content was immediately obvious, followed by a creamy, vanilla style as a result of the eight or more years this spirit spends in American white oak. Surprisingly though, it is the rye, not the alcohol, which tickles the tongue with its spicy character.

For what it’s worth, my palette found the Small Batch to be the superior sipping spirit in the selection. Yellow Label perfectly drinkable, and certainly a good ‘mixing spirit’, and the Single Barrel a powerful, spicy, bourbon – ideal as a digestif after some traditional southern cooking.

Ocho Tequila Tutored Tasting

2009-11-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

The Porterhouse, Covent Garden.

It's a legendary pub, but it's fair to say, not a venue noted for its tequila heritage.

Today's events will probably not change that notion: except in the minds of a select group of bartenders in the inner circle of tequila aficionados.

For today, under the watchful eye of the European Tequila Ambassador (a title annointed upon him not once, but twice, by the Mexican Government) Tomas Estes would invite all present to "change their perception" of this often misunderstood spirit.

That perception, perhaps more obvious to those not present, is that of tequila as some kind of devil spirit. That which leads to bouts of irrational drunkenness, lost memories, and at it's worst long conversations on the porcelain telephone.

Perhaps then, this is why Tomas introduces himself, tongue in cheek, as "the guilty one".

The group present, however, had no such preconceptions - which in itself was an interesting subject for the man at the helm.

"It's tequila's time" he announced with conviction. None present argued. But why? Well, one of the main reasons seems to be the very preconception which so often works against tequila as a category.

People are afraid of tequila. They don't know about it. Unless, of course, you have the inside knowledge. And let's be honest : we all enjoy knowing something our immediate peers don't. Which, of course, is why we're all here.

On his long, and often diverging exploration of the category (but all credit to him, he'd hosted the class awards the previous night and showed no other signs of the hangover which would've reduced any other man to tears) Tomas explains that since 1983, when a 100% agave tequila was released under the name Chinaco, the world of tequila changed.

Suddenly its potential as a serious spirit became obvious. The World's largest brand owners (Pernod Ricard, Diageo, Beam Global etc) became interested. The consumer saw the change, and started to demand the best.

Of course, this is in no small way down to our host: opening his first venue in Amsterdam back in 1976, he literally introduced Europe to the distilled agave himself.

I should mention at this point that it was Tomas, in collaboration with the Camereńa family (of Los Altos distillery) who first gave credit to the notion of terroir within tequila production. For those unfamiliar with this term, it is one (of many) borrowed from the wine world. In short, it refers to the immediate environment of the growing agave: soil type, precipitation, orientation, temperature etc) This led to the conception of Ocho Tequila; a range of geographically defined, vintage dated tequila, which we would have the pleasure of tasting today.

Why "Ocho" (eight)? Well, there are a string of coincidences too significant to ignore: there are 8 brothers and sisters in the Camereña family, which has been producing tequila for eight decades, using eight kg of agave per litre of tequila, which each take an average of eight years to grow, then a further eight days to be turned into tequila when they arrive at the distillery.

So on to the task at hand; a tutored tasting of five tequilas in the more than capable hands of Mr Estes, and his infallibly reliable right hand man, Carlos Londono of Cafe Pacifico.

Our first venture was the 2008 Ocho Blanco, made entirely of agave from Los Pomaz Ranchos (field - a single vinyard tequila, if you will) in the same year, the cystal clear liquid shimmers at us from the glass, almost begging to be freed.

On the nose, light, floral sugars are obvious, together with a gentle minerality, menthol, and a light whisp of smoke.

Upon tasting, the overwhelming comparison is of citrus. Personally, I found a strong lime flavour, followed almost immediately by cracked black pepper. Tomas also pointed out a tangerine note, together with red stone fruit.

This tequila enjoyed a long, sweet finish.

For comparison, we then moved to the Ocho Blanco 2009, hailing from El Cerrito dé San Agustin. Proof, if it were needed, that terroir plays such an important role in the production of the Mexican national spirit was now staring us squarely in the face. A far saltier nose carries through to the palette, with a drying acidity which one can feel constricting the roof of the mouth.

Chamomile tea was spotted by one of the group, and I found the bitterness of dark chocolate to be particularly moreish.

The length of the latter, it must be said, was very different to the former, with the initial sweetness closing off much faster.

Moving into the Reposados, each rested for eight weeks and eight days (naturally) gave us a real treat. Starting with the El Vergel 2008 was a rare opportunity to get involved with a true collectors item. The double edged sword of producing vintage tequila is that they will inevitably run out; which is exactly what has happened here. Rumours abound of bottles of the El Vergel exchanging hands for prices well above their initial value as the supply / demand wheels crank into action.

It's also a very special spirit in it's own right. Grassy, green and herbaceous on the nose, there's a definite whisky smoke in the background, though more Speyside than Islay.

A rasping acidity carries a far longer finish, along with a distinct olive brine characteristic. Pronounced agave nuances abound, mingling with flinty, earthy tones. It's easy to see why these bottles have become so highly coveted.

The current Ocho Reposado vintage is the El Carrizal 2008, which provided our next subject.

Prominent here is a buttery, creamy style. There are hints of toffee, perhaps even butterscotch in the mix, but the true character can only be appreciated on the palette. For me, this tequila almost felt like tasting upside-down. It zipped past the tongue and to the back of the throat effortlessly, at which point it warms, and the evaporating particles making their way up to the olfactory nerve from the back provides a quite bizarre sensation. Perhaps due to the area of the mouth in which this occurs, a very salty, olive briney style is achieved. It's oiliness gives great length, sitting on the palette long enough to be able to really chew all the flavours.

Finishing off the day, we were presented with Ocho's 2008 Anejo, another product for El Vergel, this time aged for 12 months. The use of fatigued oak allows the agave to express itself, rather than just wood, and this is obvious in the burnt butter and nuttiness on the nose. Complex layers on the palette reveal themselves one after the other; caramel, dark chocolate, vanilla, and again the olive style we're used to from the previous expressions.

Wrapping up with a delicious avacado, tequila and chili mouse brought the afternoon to a close all too soon.

I would like to express my deepest thanks for Tomas and his team putting on such a great event, and encourage all of those reading this to put their preconceptions aside and venture into this wonderful world. And if you get the chance to be present when Tomas is talking, make sure you do so. Truly an inspirational figure.

New / Old Fashioned

2009-11-10T13:32:00.001-08:00

I've got a new toy.

It's a 0.5 ltr Mosa Nitrous Oxide Cream Whipper. Sounded very masculine until that last bit...

Anyway, I've decided to put it to the test. And of course, a new toy calls for a new recipe!

Starting out with my all time favourite rum, I made the basic inroads towards a rum old fashioned. A bar spoon of demerara sugar, a dash of orange bitters, a healthy slug of Los Valientes 10 year, and a good deal of patience.

Slowly twisting in cubed ice allows time for gradual dilution, as well as seemlessly combining all the elements in the glass. It also allows time for reflection, so the bartender can mix to taste (for we all know, however good the bartender facing us may be, only you can make one perfect for your own taste). A dash of bitters here, a splash more rum there. Never rushing, simply guiding the drink to where it needs to go, and hoping to be invited along for the journey.

Once I'd taken the old fashioned to just short of complete (not fully diluted, and a pinch away from the sweetness I prefer), the new toy came out to play.

Before starting out, I'd poured out a pint of fiery ginger beer, and stirred it well to remove the bubbles. Mixing it with hy-foamer, this was then decanted into my new cream whipper. Fuelled with an 8mg dose of nitrous oxide, and left in the fridge whilst I went to work on the base drink, it was now ready for action.

After a practice run onto a plate first, the ginger foam was applied directly onto the drink. Here it serves the function of not only flavouring the drink, but also providing a rather attractive garnish.

I finished the drink off with a touch of grated cinammon.

So how was it? I'm pleased to say; delicious! Having long been a fan of ginger with Los Valientes, there were no surprises in the flavour, but the texture was something completely new for me. The effervescent foam is a delight, not in anyway cloying or adhesive, although I will probably add more stabilizing agent next time around to improve the longevity of the foam once served.

There's something incredibly satisfying about a Guinnes-like moustache adorning your top lip as you take a gulp from an old fashioned. It's a sensation I intend to repeat. Often.

Challenge of the week

2009-11-10T02:03:00.000-08:00

Mrs Lowe has set me a challenge!

She likes red wine. She also likes chocolate.

Can I create a concoction which combines the two? I've got until this weekend to come up with a solution to this tricky predicament.

My first thoughts turn to the problem of temperature. Red wine is, almost exclusively, enjoyed at room temperature. Chocolate, however, prefers to be served cold. There in lies the problem.

I'm thinking perhaps a red wine reduced film, wrapped around a chocolate sorbet, with a stabilizing agent to enable it to withstand higher temperatures. Or perhaps a red wine straw filled with a chocolate foam...?

Watch this space...

Los Valientes 10 Year Tasting Note

2009-11-08T10:02:00.000-08:00

"Wow"

"Holy Sh*t"

"I couldn't ask for more than that in a glass"

Those are a selection of the comments I have heard upon introducing people to this rum for the first time, a smug, self satisfied grin on my face knowing the reaction which awaits.

This has got to be a serious candidate for 'best daily drinking' rum (although the clipboard waving politician types may have something to say about such an award).
For those of you who don't know about L.V, it's made from a blend of 70% pot stilled sugar cane juice, and 30% column stilled molasses. This is the same across the range, with age being the only difference. This a a completely unique approach to rum production. Whilst there are other rums which blend pot and column stills, I have yet to discover another which combines both raw materials and distillation methods. But I'm not so interested in recording the history here as the tasting note, so I'll crack on.

A mouth-watering, sweet and enticing nose reveals the fresh tropical fruit scents of the sugar cane juice, whilst the chocolatey sweetness suggests the molasses content.

On the palette, caramel gives way to butterscotch and milk chocolate, then vanilla as the oak expresses itself. Arriving promptly after is the herbaceous freshness of the agricole style cane distillate, with a taste of earthy capsicum.
The aftertaste develops the spicy edge, and a crunchy green freshness you can almost chew.
This spiciness lends itself well to a "Mexican Mojito" - made as you would expect, then topped with a dash of fiery ginger beer. Delicious!

Already gracing some of the most highly respected tables in London, I hope to see this Mexican marvel taking the rest of the country by storm in the not-too-distant future.

Los Valientes 15 year Tasting Note

2009-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

I just love this rum! And I'm not the only one...
When this rum entered the Drinks Business Rum Masters, as an unknown new comer, it made one heck of an entrance. Picking up the only Gold medal in it's class is a pretty strong debut.
Slightly darker than it's 10 year old counterpart but, confusingly, pretty much identical to the 20 year.
The nose offers raisin, vanilla, and dark chocolate.
On the palate, we pick up exactly where the 10 year left us. Starting with the peppery notes we found in the finish of the 10, this develops into a very rounded, almost ginger bread spice. As this fades into subtle wood characteristics, the sugar cane expresses itself again with luscious tropical fruit.
Overall, this older brother of the 10 year is a definite progression, and a very welcome addition to the rums available in the UK. The 70/30 sugar cane / molasses blend works beautifully, with the molasses providing a strong backbone on which to hang the delicate flavours of the cane juice.
The real appeal to this rum comes in the price. Buying a single bottle from an online retailer would set you back less than £30, which for a rum of this calibre is simply brilliant - a definite 5/5 for value for money.
I like to drink this rum either as a Rum Old Fashioned, or with a splash of Jamaican Ginger Beer.
It's available now from www.thedrinkshop.com, www.specialitydrinks.com or for wholesale through Bibendum.

Filthy Martini

2009-11-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

It has long been the case that Mrs Lowe prefers the Dirty Martini to it's sweeter, more citrus counter-part. I confess it's a cocktail I find extremely unpalatable, the olive brine being a cloying, heavy, dominating flavour which simply destroys the delicate subtleties of any half-way decent Gin (in my humble opinion).

However, in the interest of research, I set about trying to create a Dirty Martini which even I, having made no attempt over the years to hide my contempt for such a concoction, could enjoy.

The key, I decided, would be to find a way of delicately combining the olive brine without simply destroying the delicate botanicals in the base gin. Also, logically, I had to ensure that the base gin did indeed have those delicate botanicals to begin with.

The choice of base spirit was relatively simple. I'm trying to put a modern twist on a classic recipe here, so Sip Smith Gin with it's contemporary take on the London Dry Gin style was an obvious candidate.

Starting the tried and tested way was simplicity itself. A quick vermouth wash of the fresh ice, and a large slug of the best thing to come out of Hammersmith for 25 years (since my wife was born there), Sip Smith Gin.

A dozen or so laps around the ice chills the gin sufficiently, and brings us a quick double strain away from service. At least it would do, if we were aiming for a traditional dry martini.

You've probably spotted the lack of olive brine in my recipe so far. Well done you. Have a biscuit and a pat on the back.

The olive brine has been taken out of this recipe, combined with lecithin and whisked into a very light, foamy froth (or 'air'), which is then used to sit afloat the martini, rather like the traditional cloud of smog hanging over the Thames.

The result - a whisp of olive brine with each sip. Rather than sitting heavily at the bottom of glass of otherwise delicious gin, the olive air very delicately flavours each visit to the glass, without ever coating the palatte, leaving the gin botanicals free to express themselves.

Sip Smith's fresh, fruity profile inspired the addition of the final garnish - a raspberry liqueur caviar. As well as finishing the cocktail on a surprisingly fruity note, it also brings a rather pleasing aesthetic into the mix.

I'm very pleased, and equally surprised, to say that I actually found this cocktail rather drinkable. But my tastes haven't changed all that much - I can wait to try out a lemon air. I'll report back once it's done.

Margaritas, with the fresh sea air...

2009-11-08T01:31:00.000-08:00

Salt rim, or no salt rim?

This debate has divided the Lowe household for quite some time.
For years, the most obvious answer has been the classic "half-salt rim" solution. Half salted, half not, and everybody's happy. Except they're not, are they? Everybody's half happy.
A new approach was clearly required. Enter the Cocktail Chemist.
Molecular Gastronomy has been quietly working it's way into the mainstream for some time now, spearheaded by names such as Heston Blumenthal. Molecular Mixology, it's far more excitingly named cousin, has been lagging somewhat behind, but is definitely starting to emerge.
So what's the answer then? Well, it's air. Obviously.

Using a solution of Lecitihin, Salt, and Mineral water, and mixing up a froth with a hand blender, it's possible to make a very stable salt flavoured froth which will maintain it's form for hours, and float rather attractively on the top of your drink (a margarita in this case). Simply skimming the foam with a slotted spoon allows the excess liquid to drain away, allowing the 'air' to be added to the drink (see pic,).
The result is a very light suggestion of salt with every sip - not large lumps which cling to your lips (worst case scenario for me), or eventually run out before your drink does (worst case scenario for Mrs Lowe.)

Of course, there is little or no point in going to this effort unless the margarita itself is top notch.
Using absolutely the best ingredients money can buy is essential. Scrimping and saving on cheap tequila is false economy, and will protest loudly from your glass, no matter how much you try to drown it out with a cacophony of sugar and lime.
For this occasion, I opted for El Tesoro Blanco. It's fragrant, floral, highland 100% agave flavours are perfect for creating the delicate nuances I required in the margarita. There was an article about the fantastic quality of El Tesoro in the Metro just last week (see pic). Having been voted 'Best Tequila In The World' seven years running, it gets a lot of praise from the trade press, but is woefully absent from far too many bars. Not mine, I hasten to add.

The tequila was sweetened using an organic agave syrup (a la Tommy's Margarita), and shaken hard over ice with freshly squeezed lime juice. Delicious.
Almost finished, but something was missing. I wanted a citrus edge to come through right at the end of the drink, so created a citrus caviar which could be sunk to the bottom of the cocktail. This is a basic caviar concoction of soduim alginate, sugar, water, and an orange liqueur. Once formed and strained, they are ready for adding to the freshly double-strained margarita (see pic).
Next, we add the salt air, and we're ready to serve. I was very pleased with the end result of this drink. More importantly, so was my long suffering drinks guinea-pig, Mrs Lowe. The best margarita she's ever had, she proclaimed. Praise if ever I heard it.

My great thanks to Myles Cunliffe for his inspiration on this, and all things molecular.

Cognac Audry Tasting Lunch

2009-11-04T02:13:00.001-08:00

Seeing as I've got 45 minutes to kill on the train this morning, I thought I'd take the opportunity to report on a fantastic event I had the pleasure of attending last week.
In the oppulent surroundings of the Knight's Room of Simpsons in the Strand, Cognac Audry's own Bernard Boisson guided some of London's most respected somelliers through a three course meal, together with five of the worlds most highly acclaimed Cognacs.
With a range comprising the Audry XO, Reserve Speciale, Memorial, Exception and Tres Ancienne, and a delightful menu put together by Simpsons, this was a working lunch we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Hosted by Bernard Boisson, Willie Lebus of Bibendum, and yours-truly, the order of the day was digestif matching: an often overlooked element of the dining experience.
The first brightly shining star of the show was the Reserve Speciale (a blend of equal parts grande and petit champagne eaux de vies, aged between 15 and 30 years) alongside a roast quail with truffled mash, spinach & port sauce. With the specifically selected wine - a 2007 Savennieres - the Reserve Speciale's delicate, floral body went down a treat.
Next course was pan-fried venison with parsnip tart and brazed onions. This time around, the concensus of the somelliers favoured the Exception. A truly ethereal spirit, the 30-90 year aged blend of 80% grande champagne and 20% petite champagne displayed the wonderously ellusive rancio which is so often sought and so rarely achieved. An extremely powerful cognac which more than held it's own against some strong flavours on the plate, all at the table agreed this spirit punched well above it's weight in terms of pricing.
Finishing off with a hot chocolate fondant (pictured) really laid down the gauntlet for the final match.

With such rich, palette coating flavours, we really needed to move up a notch.
We found that the 100% grade champagne Tres Ancienne - a single cask aged for more than 5 decades - with it's 50%abv was the perfect match. The higher proof cut smoothly through the unctuous chocolate, and the ancient, vegetal notes which only a mature spirit such as this can bring to the table were simply devine.
A surprise at this point though, was the XO. Despite being "entry level" for the Audry house, this is no ordinary XO.
The youngest E.d.V in the blend is aged more than twice as long as required by law, and the oldest just a touch older than myself (for the time being) at 30 years.
Overall, all present were very impressed at the outstanding quality of these cognacs, the complexity which can be achieved at such low price points, and the unwavering enthusiam of Bernard Boisson - surely one of the hardest working retired men around!

Bourbon and Bacon?

2009-11-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

I know I'm not the first to try this, and I'm certainly far the the first to blog it, but I've finally succumbed to the temptation to play around with fat washing Bourbon.
Those of you with a disgusted / bewildered look on your faces right now might be finding out about this concept for the first time, so let me help you out.
The theory goes: Bacon = Yum. Bourbon = Yum. Therefore Bacon + Bourbon = YUM!

Specifically, it's hoped that the smokiness of both elements will interact to produce a super smooth, smokey sipping experience - quite possibly served as a 'Breakfast Manhattan'.

The plan is basically this:

pour half a bottle of Bourbon (i'll be using Bulleit) into a jam jar
make some massive bacon sandwiches
collect the bacon fat, and pour into the jar with the whiskey
leave for 2 hours
eat massive bacon sandwiches
freeze jar of whiskey and fat for 12 hours
scoop off the fat later, and enjoy

However, the reality was slightly different. Due to a slight timing error, I ended up leaving the fat in the Bourbon for about 10 hours, rather than 2. Also, due to a purchasing error earlier in the day, I used unsmoked bacon. This did pretty much defeat the point, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway.

So here's the Bourbon & Bacon fat at the beginning of the process. I will be the first to admit that it doesn't look entirely appealing.

So much so, in fact, that I turned my back on the entire jar in much the same way one might to a ginger step-child, and tried my best to forget about this horribly crime against humanity (or whiskey, at any rate).
After leaving this for FAR too long (about 10 hours, instead of the recommended 2), I placed the jar in the freezer over night.

I had hoped for a nice even layer of fat to settle and solidify at the top of the jar, allowing me to poke a hole in the top, and pour the bourbon out. What actually happened, was what you see in the picture on the right.
It was then apparent that some kind of filtration would be necessary.

I tried using the traditional double straining method, familiar to bartenders world wide, with very limited success.
On the second attempt, a funnel with a coffee filter gave the desired result: a beautifully sparkling clear liquor. Feast your eyes on this!

I've tried it, and it's... hmmm. Well, I don't think we've arrived at perfection just yet.
I'll give it a fair go, and shake up a drink or two with it before I speak of it too harshly, but suffice to say I will be having another attempt.
Most importantly (I think), I will be using a smoked bacon, and for much less time on my next venture.
I'll post the drinks I come up with for this one soon enough, and next time I get a hankering for a bacon sandwich, have another go at fat washing.

Christmas is coming...

2009-11-01T10:37:00.001-08:00

Following in the footsteps of our awesome homemade Wedding Limoncello, my super wife and I have been busily preparing for Christmas... by making spiced rum.
I've just had the pleasure of tasting it, and despite being batch numero uno, it's the dogs biscuits.
As such, I'm more than happy to share the recipe (which we kind of made up as we went along) with the world at large.
From memory, it went something like this:

70 cl Havana Club Especial
Peel of one 2 oranges
4 Jalepeno Peppers
4 x Birds Eye Chillis
About a dozen whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
Small handful of All Spice Berries

We then sat and waited for about 35 days. I reckon you could probably do something useful in that time, rather than just sitting and watching a bottle infuse, but that's entirely up to you.
Be warned - it's got quite a kick to it!