Imbibe Mondays: How to Make an Inverted Martini and A Review of Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth

A Northwest Twist on a Classic Cocktail:

Occidental Hotel from Montgomery Street, San Francisco 1866

“There is nothing revolutionary about cocktails, only evolutionary” - Chris McMillian

Dubbed by H.L. Mencken to be “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet,” the martini cocktail has its origins from the middle of the 19^th century with a drink called the Martinez. Served at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, the Martinez evolved over time from a sweetened version of gin, called Old Tom, and sweet vermouth to a version of dry vermouth and gin we know today.

Though commonly associated with our favorite “Double O” agent, the classic martini used gin rather than vodka. On this Monday afternoon I will be making a Northwest variation of this martini called the Inverted Martini which uses two parts vermouth to one part gin. But before I get into the actual recipe I want to quickly review my secret ingredient of the day.

Imbue Bittersweet Vermouth Review: 

I recently purchased a fairly new locally produced Portland vermouth (the company just celebrated its first year), called Imbue. Not only is this vermouth made with Oregon Pinot gris, the white grape varietal of which the Willamette Valley is mast famous for, but it is unique in that, it has created an entirely new category of vermouth, “bittersweet.” Imbue plays a beautiful balancing act between the sweetness of the classic “blancs” with a wonderfully strong character of bitterness.

Notably Imbue Vermouth is not to be associated with your granny’s preferred post-supper snifter. Created in collaboration between longtime friends and winemakers Derek Einberger and Jennifer Kilfoil, Imbue is aged in American and French oak barrels, macerated with botanicals and then infused with an artisan Oregon brandy from Clear Creek Distillery (known most famously for their single malt whiskey).

Price: $22.99 for a 750ml bottle. Sold at various Portland locations or request your local wine merchant to special-order it through imbuecellars.com.

Alcohol Content: 16.5% alcohol by volume.

Color: Somewhere between a chenin blanc and chardonnay, Umbue is imparted with faint aurelian tint and accents of light honey.

Nose:  An unassuming and delightful fresh bitter sweetness. An inviting crisp and easy citrus with freshly cut oak (though not overly woody) and cream fragrances.

Tasting Notes: The front has a robust and articulate tart arrival which lands on the mid and stern of the palate and develops into comprehensive and lovely pear, lemon and pineapple essences. Melding these flavors together is an overriding creaminess which coats the entire palate. Attempting to arise out of this herbaceous bittersweet treat is a spiciness which never fully emerges, though this is not a negative thing, I feel it simply adds to the complexity and pleasure of the drink.

Conclusion: I was pleasantly surprised by the composite and full bodied flavor of this beverage. This is a gin I would actually enjoy drinking on the rocks.  

Inverted Martini Recipe (1 Serving):

2 oz Imbue Vermouth
1 oz Gin
Ice and Orange Zest

Step 1: Fill martini glass with ice or place in the freezer to cool while you prepare the beverage.

Step 2: Fill ice up to the top of a mixing glass and add the 1 oz of gin. If I wanted to give this cocktail the ultimate Northwest experience I would have used House Spirits Aviation Gin but I still have some Tanqueray left in my bar so the Aviation will have to wait.

Step 3: Add 2 oz of Imbue vermouth. Just as I said with the bitters in the Old Fashioned post, you neither need to be afraid of Vermouth, especially in a Martini. Gin is an aromatically and botanically based spirit. It has herbs and spices which are soaked or infused in it during the distillation process to give it flavor. Vermouth is an aromatically and botanically infused wine. The herbalism of the vermouth and the herbalism of the gin are complementary to each other which allow the magic to happen. On top of this Imbue vermouth phenomenal standalone.

Step 4: With one hand holding the mixing glass, stir ingredients until it is as arcticly cold as possible without being over diluted. And I know what you’re thinking. While James Bond’s iconic cocktail, the vodka martini, can be shaken, which allows the beverage to become as extremely cold, it's simply a preference issue because doesn't have any vermouth within it. A gin martini, however, should be stirred, not shaken. As with all cocktails, part of the enjoyment of the beverage is the ascetic nature embedded within each drink. And only a few cocktails can achieve the translucent crystalline clarity such as the martini. A gin martini should be silky and smooth. When you shake the drink you deposit air bubbles in the drink, making it frothy. This is where you hear people say the gin is “bruised.”Stirring takes more time, but it is worth it.

Step 5: Take your chilled martini glass and strain in the makings. Take a lemon zest (leaving off the white pith) and spray lemon oil over the beverage by twisting the zest. Brush the edge of the glass with the twist and let it go for a swim.

Step 6: Enjoy! And Have a good Fourth of July!

Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey Review:

My "Go-To Bourbon":

"I was brought up to believe that Scotch whisky 

would need a tax preference to survive in competition 

with Kentucky bourbon." - Hugo Black

Pronounced bullet, as in the thing you shoot out of a gun, Bulleit Bourbon, as I stated in my last post, is my “go-to bourbon.” Bulleit, just by looking at the product, is heavily branded. From the unique packaging to the legend which upholds the brand, a lot of thought and ingenuity has obviously gone into building the name. 

The legend of Bulleit, it is said, begins with Augustus Bulleit of Louisville, Kentucky. In the 1830s Augustus was on a mission to create bourbon which was unique, unlike anything produced at the time. Succeeding, after countless small-batch trial and errors, Augustus was able to build his business until the 1860s when tragedy struck. While transporting this unique whiskey from Kentucky to New Orleans, Mr. Bulleit vanished without a trace. And it wasn’t until the late 1980s that his legacy would be revived with the help of Tom Bulleit, great-great-grandson of Augustus, and its distributor, Diageo, the largest producer of alcoholic beverages in the world. Labeled as Frontier Whiskey, Bulleit supposedly utilizes the 150 year old recipe which Augustus himself created. But anyone with a little bit of knowledge about distilling practices back in the days of the Wild West will tell you that unlike to modern day whiskey production, bourbon, like most whiskeys, was much less refined, consistent, and, if aged at all, was very young. If anything distinguishes it from its modern post-prohibition brothers and sisters it is the high rye mash bill of 30% which does harken back to the day when rye, over bourbon, was king. If Bulleit is anything like its predecessor, it is much more like a distant cousin second removed, rather than a next of kin. All of which we can be glad about.

Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey Review:

Price: $22.99 for a 750ml bottle

Packaging/Label: Fantastic. Marketing whiskey is always a fickle thing and marketing an American Bourbon, no less comes with a great amount of difficulty. In attempting to create the allure of the old west, while keeping the bottle assessable for consumers who want a drinkable bourbon without feeling the urge to wear chaps and spurs, Bulleit has created a bottle which looks great due to its simplicity. Unlike the mess of a bottle which is Basil Hayden (great bourbon though), the raised lettering against the simple label slapped across the bottle does the job perfectly.

Alcohol Content: 45% alcohol by volume, 90 proof

Color: Orange and rusty straw.

Nose: Sweet corn and maple syrup with dark forest honey. The aroma of apples and watermelon with light caramel and chocolate. Metallic and mineral notes, but not tasting smoky or charcoal filtered. Light and fresh mint, cinnamon and red cola. Reminds me of Petersons Irish Oak. After tasting, the Carmel becomes more distinct.

Taste: A spicy, earthy rye settles over the elastic and silky corn strain. There is sweetness which comes through in the watermelon. Grainy and spicy in the heart. The progression of honey taste dry and earthy, but again this is not ashy or charcoal filtered. Sea salt. Botanicals: lavender and violet.

On Adding Water: The spice is toned down. Apricots and cream fruit notes develop and focus while the sweetness transforms into a bitterer maple syrup. Dry earthy and slight smoke. At the end there is a strong floral presence left in the long lingering palette.

Conclusion: This is a great “go-to bourbon” because it has enough kick and forward tannins to be used in a great cocktail (see last post), while it is still intricate and composite enough to drink neat. Highly recommended.

Imbibe Mondays: How to Make a Classic Old-Fashioned Cocktail:

Redeeming a Classic:

"When properly made, this cocktail [the Old Fashioned] can represent the 

pinnacle of the bartenders trade. When done improperly, which is 

more often the case, it can be a disaster of mediocrity."

- Robert Hess, co-founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail

The original definition of a cocktail was any sugar, spirit, and bitters. Conforming to that definition, the two drinks in today’s cocktail lexicon, are the Sazerac and the Old-Fashioned. For this post I will be walking you through (one of) the correct ways to make an Old-Fashioned in the classic sense.

Holding the current title of invention, the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky is reputed to have invented the Old-Fashioned in the 1880s. Though it is much more likely the name resulted from someone asking the bartender to fix a cocktail “the old fashioned way.”

The Old-Fashioned is one of the most personal of all drink one can have, yet in recent years this drink has somewhat “lost its way.” Whether it be made with club soda, orange syrup, or muddled fruit at the bottom of the drink – all of which I don’t think have proper places in the drink – one or all of these ingredients can produce a negative experience. This "Old-Fashioned" pictured above is the bastard product of years walking down that wrong path. And no, I will not tell you where I bought this ugly thing. Hopefully though, this post can lead us back to the right path.

Old-Fashioned Recipe (1 Serving):

1 sugar cube
1 splash of water (approx. 1oz.)
1 small piece of orange zest
2-4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2 oz (quality) bourbon whiskey

Step 1: Place the sugar cube in an Old-Fashioned (lowball) glass. Soak it down with 2-4 dashes of Angostura bitters and a short splash of water. Don’t be afraid of bitters. Bitters is a term which came out of the 18^th century and today would much better be described as cocktail spice or seasoning. Binding and blending all the flavors together, you don’t notice when it’s present in the drink, but if it’s not there you really notice something is missing. I tend to really like bitters so don’t be squeamish about being generous.

Step 2: Crush the sugar with a muddler, chopstick, strong spoon or anything you have on hand. I generally cut out my orange peel while I wait for the sugar to soak up all the water and bitters, making it easier to crush. Just make sure to avoid the “ice-tea effect” by grinding the sugar into a completely clear solution. You can use simple syrup if you prefer, but sugar cubes are preferable because it allows you to adjust the level of sweetness without further diluting the cocktail (ex: 2 sugar cubes w/ same splash 1 oz. water).

Step 3: As said before, I don’t think orange syrup or muddled fruit have a place in the drink but you do want to add the layer of flavor which comes from the citrus, so adding a small piece of orange zest is a necessary. Using the zest (making sure you have only the zest and not the bitter white part of the orange) you need to press the orange peel with a muddler into the bitters and sugar. What you are doing is releasing and expressing the oils, so make sure not to tear apart the zest. At this point you should have a wonderfully fragrant foundation.

Step 4: Next I add the bourbon, or rye if you like. I generally prefer the spiciness which comes along with a nice rye whiskey but some great substitutes for a rye would be bourbon with a high rye mash bill such as Basil Hayden or Bulleit Bourbon (my “go-to bourbon”). Both provide the spiciness you get from rye but still maintaining some of those nice vanilla undertones of a quality bourbon.
*You can switch up step 4 and 5 if you like. This is just my personal way of doing things.

Step 5: Add a large ice cube. Stir and combine – till it’s nice and cold. I understand that many won’t have large ice cube trays, so regular freezer ice is fine. The reason why large ice is preferable is because the dilution rate will be much slower, thus allowing for a more pleasant experience. For those who object to using freezer ice – I’m not going to detail that out – that’s a bit demanding for a homemade cocktail.

Step 6 (Optional): Add 1-2 maraschino cherries. Now this is also important: make sure you buy quality maraschino cherries. The worst thing you can do is build a quality drink and then destroy it with maraschino cherries dipped in High Fructose Corn Syrup. And believe me, there is a difference in taste.

Step 7: Enjoy!

For Portlanders: Those of you looking for a bar/restaurant in Portland, OR who are weary of ordering an Old Fashioned, or any cocktail for that matter, due to bad experiences, try Clyde Common or Beaker and Flask. You won't be disappointed.

McMenamins' Edgefield Hogshead Whiskey Review:

Complexity in Subtlety: 

"Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake." - W. C. Fields

Finally I get the chance to open up the Edgefield Distillery Hogshead. Rated best in class at the 2011 American Distilling Institute Conference, surprisingly I’ve had trouble finding many reviews of this whiskey, much less very positive reviews.  Obviously, just because some organization says that a whiskey is good doesn’t mean it is, but it should lead someone to raise an eyebrow when all the reviews being read are rating the whiskey as moderate or lacking complexity. Not to mention that the ADI is geared toward promoting craft distilling. They know their stuff and they are not the big wigs from one of the multi-nationals so I would say you can generally trust their opinion.

However, many of the reviews are expected with this sort of whiskey. In the same way Irish whiskey is overlooked by Scottish whiskey, I have been seeing the same trend with the Hogshead reviews. We should always be careful to distinguish between light/heavy and simple/complex. They are two different things and being light or heavy generally has nothing to do with the complexity or lack thereof. Light whiskeys, just like Irish whiskeys, should not be distinguished as lesser than heavy or Scottish whiskeys, they are simply different. Though comparing unlike whiskeys is great practice and should be encouraged, you always need to remember that they are different and should be allowed to stand on their own in their various fields.

Not to mention the same thing could be argued for when it comes to unaged verses aged whiskey and how they are of different categories – though it is interesting to make comparisons to understand the change in the barrel, as I will talk about below.

Edgefield Hogshead Review:

Price: $32.50 for 750ml bottle. Sold exclusively at McMenamins locations.

Packaging/Label: Similar to the White Dog – same positive comments and complaints as before. But I personally think the Hogshead design is more preferable.

Alcohol Content: 46% alcohol by volume, 92 proof

Color: Copper like. Honeyed amber shade.

Nose: The first scent I picked up was a beautiful floral aroma. Green gauges. Kiwi fruit, and light strawberry and banana. Sour green apple which is much more toned down and refined compared to the white dog.

Taste: Arrives with that delightful floral note next to a unassuming peppermint strain which then develops into a lovely pepper note. Smoky vanilla and light black licorice. On the finish caramel and chocolate produces a light fudge flavor. Nice dry finish.

Re-Tasting of the White Dog: The nose of the White Dog changes entirely with my new Hogshead vantage point. On the nose a jammy fruit appears more pronounced. I think of melon, and again jack fruit. The sugary sweetness is more pronounced and on tasting the pepper note once again it is more articulated. The sour green apple which I love in the hogshead comes through more fully. I was reminded of a house margarita and tequila until it hit me - I went to my kitchen cabinet and pulled out Blue Agave (used as a sugar, simple syrup and/or pancake/waffle syrup substitute) and nosed it. Exactly what I was looking for! I tasted a few small drops which perfectly matched the sugary sweetness I was tasting in the White Dog.

Conclusion: Arriving full-circle back at the Hogshead from my re-tasting of the White Dog I could taste chocolate which transformed into to malt, as in malt balls or a malt milk shake. This whiskey arrives like an Irish whiskey but some of the spicy overtones develop like a high rye bourbon, but never over-demanding. Because of this unassuming mild natured whiskey it is easy to assume there is little going on, but this is exactly why I would say this is a very good 100% malted barley whiskey. You have to search in its subtlety.

Edgefield White Dog Whiskey Review:

What's the Deal with White Dog?

"Well, between Scotch and nothin', I suppose I'd take Scotch. It's the nearest thing to good moonshine I can find." -William Faulkner

One of the trendiest spirits on the market right now is unaged whiskey, that is moonshine (or white lightning, white dog, mountain dew, etc). It seems that almost every micro-distillery, and large corporate distillery following in their footsteps, are jumping on the moonshine wagon. Now to clarify, moonshine is technically the name given to illegally produced liquor which, as I have been reading from Max Watman’s book lately, is generally distilled from sugar (more on that another time). But benefiting on the nostalgic aestheticism of a backwoods hooch producers many distilleries are naming their unaged whiskey moonshine, currently the label dominating the US market is being White Dog.

So what is unaged whiskey? Basically it’s the crystal-clear newborn distillate which after coming right of the still, rather than being but into a barrel for aging, is packaged and shipped as is – lacking color and all of the flavor gained from the barrel, the distillate keeps the “base of the spirit” which provides the participant with the distinct flavor of the mash. Where one hears of Vodka being distilled one hundred times so as to have purest and most tasteless spirit possible, the distillers of unaged whiskey are attempting to maintain the distinct flavor and aroma of the spirit, unassociated from the caramel, cinnamon, vanilla flavors, etc., typically found in aged spirits.

Some believe the recent popularity of unaged whiskey will not became a dominant category, but I on the other hand feel that to say it won’t is to overlook the reason its popularity has grown in the first place. There are various reason the trend of new-make (Scottish term) has risen over the last few years but the greatest factor for increase follows hand-in-hand with the Micro-distilling boom which is occurring in the US and abroad. Mainly as an outgrowth of economic pressures white dog has become the first choice spirit to produce for any start-up micro-distillery. Setting up a distillery is a large investment coupled with the long term investment of having to wait for whiskey to develop into maturity. Producing an unaged spirit allows a distiller to have immediate cash flow. If the distillery boom keeps up pace, we are simply going to see more white dog on the market and more competition and experimentation along with it. And Moonshine has always had a large market, as was shown in Max Watman’s book, but the difference today is there is a legal market for it – one which desires to produce quality products to a thirsty population of old and new whiskey drinkers who are wanting something new, as well as wanting a way to connect with the past legacy of American moonshiners.
 
On reading a New York Times article on moonshine, there was an interview of an unnamed moonshine hobbyist of 30 years. He states that he has been “telling people for years that they have to taste [unaged whiskey], so that when they taste [aged] whiskey, they can find their way around the inside of their mouth.” Unaged whiskey can provide something the general public has had little access to: a whiskey that can be a teacher and a transition spirit into other aged whiskeys. One which can actually allow them to taste and follow the change which is made through the barrel. This first tasting I am providing is one such example. With the Edgefield distillers presenting this fairly new White Dog Whiskey to the public, one can taste a unique whiskey in its own right while also having a great comparison for their Hogshead Whiskey, since the White Dog is simply the unaged version of it.

Edgefield White Dog Review:

Price: $17.50 for a 375ml bottle. Sold exclusively at McMenamins locations.

Packaging/Label: Straight of the shelf, there is no box or excess packaging. The label is simple, yet holding the McMenamins artistic flair as always. On a small note the material of label feels a bit cheap to the touch, but overall not a big issue. There is a plastic wrap on the top cap which seems unnecessary since they have a sticker/seal strip over the bartop cork. Synthetic cork (the more I read on these the less I am convinced they are a better alternative to corks in terms of their environmental impact) however I don’t feel they take away from the aesthetic appeal.

Alcohol Content: 46% alcohol by volume, 92 proof

Color: Clear and oily.

Nose: Upon the first nosing I was very surprised by how strongly the barley stood out while the alcohol note was subtle to the point that I could breathe deeply without being hit in the face. A sourdough flavor rises quickly but settles down into something more yeasty. Hints of banana and citrus. Green gauges, unripe apple, bitter grapes, and bitter rice wine and some floral notes. Dark chocolate - very dark. I was still quite baffled by the nose until jackfruit came to mind. Most likely, if you have never been to India or some other southeast Asian country, you have never tasted jackfruit. It's similar to a tart banana  and smells... well, it’s very unique. Think Juicy Fruit.

Taste: What a transition from the nose to the first taste – it is only upon tasting it does the real whiskey overtones come out. Unripened, fresh Brazilian nut and possibly a hint of pistachio. I think of fresh green bark or the inside of a fresh twig when split in half. Cereal grains. Raisin Brand, yet unripe raisins. Mild hints of banana and citrus nuances which were found in the nose. The texture comes off oily yet ends grainy and dry. The light burn settles on the tongue and not in the back of the throat which warms ever so slightly as you swallow.

Conclusion: Honestly, I am still quite undecided about it. I defiantly enjoyed the tasting compared to the nose, which confuses me more than anything. I don’t think I would designate this a place on my “relaxing time” shelf. I still feel that I need to give it another go. I haven’t yet tried adding water, nor have I let it sit very long to open up which could be a significant factor in allowing some of the harshness to die down. I am very interested in trying this in a cocktail since it has such a great texture and because there are so many great unaged spirit cocktail recipes floating around these days. Another update will be needed.