Spirit Reviews, Tasting Events and Consulting
Searching for the world's best drinks and what makes them extraordinary. EZdrinking is a drinks blog by Eric Zandona that focuses on distilled spirits, wine, craft beer and specialty coffee. Here you can find reviews of drinks, drink books, articles about current & historical trends, as well as how to make liqueurs, bitters, and other spirit based drinks at home.
I have spent a considerable amount of time researching the historical development and differentiation between the two spellings of Whisk(e)y. I was asked to write a summary article for Distiller Magazine, which, I am happy to say, was just published. Also, if you are interested in more detailed examination of my findings I have a number of articles posted on this site.
I had two new spirit book reviews published in the Winter issue of Distiller Magazine.
Darek Bell, front man for Corsair distillery has pulled together a significant amount of research on how to smoke grains for whiskey and affects of different types of smoke sources on the aroma, flavor and finish of a whiskey. My full review of Fire Water: Experimental Smoked Malts and Whiskeys can be read in the online version of Distiller Magazine.
The book can be purchased online through amazon.
Adam Rogers wrote a entertaining and thorough look at the science of booze. From fermentation to the science of a hangover, Proof: The Science of Booze is a fascinating look at our current understanding of the affects of alcohol on our environment, our cultures and our bodies. My full review can be read in the online version of Distiller Magazine.
The book can be purchased online through amazon.
Free sample bottle received as a gift from 3rd party.
Barrel Gin, distilled by Spirit Works Distillery and bottled at 45% ABV.
Price Range: $50-$60
Spirit Works Distillery is owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team, Timo and Ashby Marshall. Ashby is their head distiller and Timo works as tour guide, operations manage, brand ambassador and a number of other roles.
Spirit Works Distillery is located in downtown Sebastopol, in a newly developed business district called The Barlow. In addition to Spirit Works The Barlow brings together a number of local art, food and beverage producers including a winery, a brewpub and coffee roaster. I highly recommend taking their tour and visiting some of the other cool shops.
Timo told me that at first they hadn't planned to make an aged gin but I am glad they did. Barrel Gin starts off as their regular gin which is distilled with juniper, orris root, angelica, cardamom, coriander, hibiscus and hand-zested orange and lemon peel. Some of the botanicals are macerated in the still and some are place in a gin basket. After the gin has been distilled, some of it ages in new American White Oak barrels for several months.
Nose: Barrel Gin smelled of dried orange peal, baking spices, and a faint, underlying sweetness like maraschino cherries.
Palate: Barrel Gin tasted of bright citrus, with a smooth sweet flavor of fresh table grapes.
Finish: After swallowing the flavors lingered for a little while and my mouth had a pleasant warm sensation without any burn.
Conclusion: For those who like aged gins, Barrel Gin is a great addition to any liquor cabinet. I particularly like how the nose has begun to develop some of the rich spicy notes that come from barrel aging while maintaining some of the fresh flavors of their regular gin. Very well executed and Barrel Gin makes me even more excited for their upcoming whiskeys.
I had two new spirit book reviews published in the 2013 Fall/Winter issue of Distiller Magazine.
Brett Vanderkamp is the president and co-founder of New Holland Brewing & Artisan Spirits. Vanderkamp and Greg Smith have written an engaging and thought provoking essays on importance and artistry of beer and spirits. My full review can be read in the online version of Distiller Magazine.
The book can be purchased online through amazon.
Bernie Lubbers is currently a brand ambassador for Jim Beam's Knob Creek. His book Bourbon Whiskey is part memoir and part bourbon folk history. Despite some of its flaws the book is interesting and easy to read. My full review can be read in the online version of Distiller Magazine.
The book can be purchased online through amazon.
Two months ago I wrote about beginning the process of making homemade nocino, an Italian walnut liqueur. Well the day has arrived to decant the two jugs of nocino into smaller jars. Over the past two months these walnut, sugar,and alcohol mixtures have transitioned from greenish brown to an almost black liquid. As an aside, the pigment from walnut skins has been used for centuries as an ink and dye and, as I found out, if you spill some on your kitchen counter without wiping it up right away, it will stain that too.
Vanilla pods, Vietnamese Cinnamon, Star Anise, and Whole Cloves
One of the primary distinguishing factors of one nocino to another are the spices used to flavor the liqueur. I looked at a number of recipes and the four most common spices were cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and lemon peel. The nocino that Bill Owens gave me was flavored with cinnamon and star anise, which from my research is an unusual combination but it tastes really good so I decided to add it to my list of spices. One important decision at this point was to determine which of the three common varieties of cinnamon to use. When I created my spirit aroma kit I included two different types of cinnamon so I turned to it for help. The Vietnamese cinnamon has a pleasant yet spicy note like cinnamon and maple syrup over oatmeal, while the Ceylon cinnamon was hot and sweet like a fireball candy. For the nocino, the Vietnamese cinnamon seemed most appropriate. Another part of my experiment was to make half the nocino with lemon peel and half with out. In the pictures above, the jar with the white lid also included lemon peel. When I tasted them, both were still pretty bitter but the nocino with lemon had a much dryer finish.
Finally, before I began the process of decanting each jug into smaller jars I decided on a couple of spice combinations to see what I like best.
1. Cinnamon & Clove 2. Cinnamon & Star Anise 3. Cinnamon, Clove, Star Anise, Vanilla 4. Vanilla & Star Anise 5. Lemon, Cinnamon & Clove 6. Lemon, Cinnamon & Star Anise 7. Lemon, Cinnamon, Clove, Star Anise, Vanilla 8. Lemon, Vanilla & Star Anise.
After I filled the jars with the right spices labeled and labeled them I strained the contents of the first nocino jug into a large glass dispenser with a nozzle that made filling each jar really easy (this was my wife's idea). I'd like to say this went smoothly but I made a bit of a mess with nocino spilling and splashing on the counter top and floor. But, once the first jug was decanted I filled and topped the first four spice experiments. With a little left over, I decided to fill a half pint jar without any spices to see how the nocino ages just on its own. Decanting the second jug of nocino went a little smother than the first time but there was still some spillage from one jug to the other. Despite looking fuller, the second jug, which had the lemon peel, contained a little less fluid and I was only able to fill 3 and 3/4 pint jars (pictured in the gallery below).
Now the jars of nocino with their labels fix and lids securely screwed on were placed in a cool dark corner of our apartment to age for another eight months. Once the eight months has elapsed I will taste them again and hopefully settle on a single recipe that I like the most. If the bitterness has smoothed out enough I will think about proofing them down a bit, bottling and giving them away as gifts.
In the mean time I will continue to enjoy the nocino I have in my cabinet and dream of next year's harvest.
Cheers!
