GSN Backbar Review: July 28-August 1, 2014

Heaven Hill Distilleries will release a third bottling of Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old Barrel Proof Bourbon this year and three more bottlings next year. Debuting last year as a limited release version of Elijah Craig Small Batch 12-Year-Old, the series is drawn from the company’s inventory of aging barrels and each release reflects the proof of the batch, made of 100 or fewer barrels. A batch of 134.2 proof was released in March 2014 and a 137-proof was released in May, with the third 133.2-proof batch expected in September. In January next year, Heaven Hill will debut the first edition of the 2015 installment of the series. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is available nationwide in 750-ml. bottles retailing at $44.99.

Anchor Distilling Company has been named the importer for Tempus Fugit Spirits’ portfolio of small-batch absinthes, vintage-style liqueurs and bitters. Tempus Fugit was founded in 2006 and specializes in historic spirits and liqueurs popular in pre-Prohibition cocktails. The range includes a 28%-abv Gran Classico Bitter (retailing at $32.99), 44%-abv Fernet del Frate Angelico ($59.99), 24%-abv Crème de Cacao ($32.99), 18%-abv Kina L’Aéro d’Or ($27.99), 22%-abv Liqueur de Violettes ($29.99) and 65%-abv Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe Français Supérieure ($64.99), among others.

West Park, New York-based Coppersea Distilling has partnered with New York State’s U.S. Barrel Company to create what the company calls the first 100% New York-made Bourbon and rye whiskey made since Prohibition. Both whiskies, which are produced with Hudson Valley-sourced grains and traditional distilling methods, will be aged in New York State-grown white oak from U.S. Barrel Co. The two inaugural barrels of Coppersea’s New York Bourbon and rye have been filled, with the pair expected to hit the market by late 2015.

Diageo is extending Smirnoff Sorbet Light with two new offerings, Summer Strawberry and White Peach. Both have 78 calories per 1.5-ounce serving, which Diageo asserts is 25% less than leading dessert-flavored vodkas. Other flavors in the Smirnoff Sorbet Light line, which retails at $16 a 750-ml., include Pineapple Coconut, Raspberry Pomegranate, Lemon and Mango Passion Fruit.

All information courtesy of Shanken News Daily

 

GSN Review: Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur

What do Lady Godiva and the Campbell Soup Company have in common?  Probably not chocolate.  And yet, the Godiva Chocolatier company which was founded in 1926 and named after the naked Anglo-Saxon equestrian was owned by the “Soup is good food” company for almost 40 years.  A strange history for a company which originally only created edible chocolates and now include quaffable chocolates amongst their many enterprises.  This latest in a line of chocolate liqueurs which already includes white and milk chocolate, contains no dairy and has only half of the calories of the other two.

Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur (30 proof)
Visual: Dark clear brown.
Nose: Slightly sweet chocolate.
Taste: Less intense than what I was expecting.  Not to say that it is weak, but the overall character seems somewhat watered down.  It does taste like chocolate though, and not a whole lot like a sugary liqueur.  Think, a dry creme de cacao.
Finish: Simple and slightly bittersweet.
Overall: An interesting liqueur for use in cocktails.  Much less sweet and cloying than a typical creme de cacao, but also much richer in real chocolate flavor.  Try this in your next Commodore or Brandy Alexander and see what you think.
GSN Rating: B

For more information go to: Godiva Spirits

Imbibing Mr. Boston: Bourbon à la Crème Cocktail

In spite of being rather heavy and almost syrupy; this has a really nice balance of flavors.  I’d easily order one of these instead of cake or pie.  To be honest, I didn’t have vanilla liqueur on hand, so I substituted a high quality vanilla vodka.  I think it helped by cutting the sweetness a bit and lightening the overall mouthfeel slightly.  The original recipe apparently called for a vanilla bean to be used as a flavoring garnish instead of the liqueur.

This seems like the kind of drink that would be brought out after a hearty old Kentucky home formal dinner, so I also took the liberty to serve it in a more genteel choice of glassware.

Bourbon à la Crème
2oz bourbon whiskey
1oz dark creme de cacao
0.5oz vanilla liqueur

Stir ingredients with ice.  Strain into chilled old-fashioned glass.