Spirits Archives - Page 15 of 16 - First Pour Cocktails

Sauza Silver Tequila

Posted on January 2, 2020 by Nick

Sauza Silver Tequila is not labeled as a 100% Blue Agave tequila. As far as Tequila goes there’s both 100% blue agave and the other stuff, mixto. No tequila company is going go out of the way to tell you they’ve made a mixto, and for good reason. Let’s start with how tequila is made.

Tequila is made in the area surrounding Tequila, Mexico. To make Tequila, blue agave plants are harvested, roasted, broken down, and then pressed. The resulting juice is then fermented and later distilled. For silver tequilas these tequilas are then bottled. Alternatively, they can be aged in wood barrels to mellow the flavors.

By law to be labeled 100% Blue Agave – Tequila must be made from 100% Blue Agave. Mixto by contrast can contain up to 49% other distillate (such as sugar). It can also contain colors and other additives to help make sure it seems closer to real 100% blue agave Tequilas.

So is Sauza Silver Tequila Any Good and How Does It Do In Cocktails?

In a Margarita, the Sauza tends to hide. The nose is slightly floral and has a nice spice to it. The flavor starts out very bright and moves forward into slight sweetness and a touch of orange. The tequila is somewhat peppery and floral in here – and has a hint of spice. A strong lime ending runs through the end and the tequila comes forward slightly and the finish hints at candied orange.

In a side by side it doesn’t compete as directly on the tequila note. Instead the lime and Cointreau stand out over the tequila. In a blind tasting, it was the lightest of the lightly aged tequila, boarding on grain spirit.

If you happen to find tequila’s flavor too strong, you might happen to like Sauza, however, serious tequila fans will find it somewhat boring. In a cocktail it also might hide in the drink, rather than stand up correctly the way you’re looking for it to while making a new cocktail.

Looking for For Info?

Sauza’s Website
Honest Booze Reviews give their opinion – and it’s a treat.

Plymouth Gin

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Nick

Odds are good if you’ve hung out in a cocktail bar, you’ve seen a sea glass green bottle with a rather oblong shape sitting on the shelf. Plymouth Gin is produced by one of the oldest distilleries in the world, Black Friars Distilleries. The name Plymouth is actually a geographical regulation for gin produced in Plymouth, England. It happens to now be the only gin distilled in Plymouth.

So what’s the difference? Plymouth Gin tends to be less dry, and a little lighter on the juniper. In Plymouth Gin’s case this results in a nose that opens with juniper but gives way more easily to citrus and coriander. The floral notes in the nose are robust and play well with some of the herb and spice elements, giving a very perfumed nature. The body is smooth and easy, with plenty of lemon and coriander playing equal fiddle to the juniper. The finish is clean after the gentle richness of the body, and maintains a similar flavor profile.

On it’s own, Plymouth Gin is simply delicious.

Plymouth Gin In Cocktails:

Plymouth’s delightfully softer style makes it at home for more delicate floral drinks. In bolder drinks – Plymouth fights a bit more – but is still capable of showing up. The citrus notes comes forward more and the spice is more subdued. Experimenting with our gold standard of a Martini we found it to be level with the vermouth, and less juniper forward than most gins.

So Is Plymouth Gin Good?

We quite like Plymouth, and are happy to keep a bottle around. While it’s not the most versatile gin in our collection, it’s smooth body and balanced spicing makes us like it. The lower ABV (41.2%) makes it a little less dominant, but keeps it above the 80 proof line. This means the impact in most cocktails should be relatively minimal compared to standards like Beefeater & Bombay Sapphire.

Looking for something more contemporary? Check out our take on Aviation Gin.

Want more information? Check out Plymouth’s website.

Raw Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a solid amount of juniper – but gives way gently to notes of citrus and coriander. There’s a certain floral character to the nose but it mixes well with a more herbaceous note – leaning toward perfume. The body is smooth and the lemon and coriander almost play equal fiddle to the juniper. There’s a richness to the body, and it finishes cleanly – maintaining notes of pine, lemon, and gentle cardamom and root spice.

Plantation XO 20th Anniversary

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Nick

The final of the 3 rums we bought to enjoy on vacation – Plantation XO 20th Anniversary was a rum to indulge in on the trip. To honor their Master Blender, Plantation started this rum in ex-Bourbon barrels for 8 – 15 years, before sailing it across the Atlantic to be aged in french oak casks used for a variety of purposes. After 2-10 years, 20 g/L dosage is added, along with color to even out batches. So does all this work make a great rum?

So is Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Any Good?

Plantation is really quite a nice rum, despite having a nose that’s a little hotter than average. The alcohol parts and allows vanilla, demerara sugar, golden raisins, and honey to come through. On the palate it’s more on the dark size, having molasses, dates, roasted coconut, and brown sugar. The sweeter side hides some of the rum, and it doesn’t quite feel as thick. The finish is on the tropical side.

Overall, we like Plantation XO 20th Anniversary, even though we didn’t have the time to make a lot of drinks with it. The flavor worked well on it’s own, but also in some of the rough shod tiki drinks we created. At $40 it’s fairly priced, expensive enough that you’re going to enjoy it but maybe not cheap enough to justify hunting down to mix.

Raw Tasting Notes

Nick: The nose is a bit on the hot end of the spectrum. Below the alcohol vanilla, golden raisins, and light brown sugar place nicely. A hint of ripe banana also touches the nose. A darker spice comes in at the start of the palate, adding a woody, molasses note. Caramel, roasted coconut, and preserved mango join in. A mild sweetness is present, and the body is somewhat thinner. The finish is like dried tropical fruit with touches of sugar.

Overall, I feel like I want to enjoy Plantation XO more than I do. It’s a nice rum, but at the price I can’t help but feel it isn’t that nice a rum. There’s a certain amount of cigar or sandalwood like character here. Maybe a hint of cognac because of the aging.

Ann Marie: Smell: a bit grain alcohol-like. Also notes of demerara sugar, vanilla, apricot jam, honey, and dates. Taste: dates, dried apricots, honey, brown sugar, caramel, and oak chips. Definitely on the sweeter side rather than spice compared to other rums. The flavor dissipates more quickly but coats your mouth, feeling like you’re eating dried fruit out of trail mix.

Plantation XO 20th Anniversary Rum Website

Tito’s Vodka

Posted on November 3, 2019October 31, 2019 by Nick

Few liquors are as hyped as Tito’s Vodka is. But does it live up to the hype?

So what exactly is Tito’s Vodka?

Tito’s Vodka is a pot still vodka made from 100% American corn. This sentence in and of itself is a bit odd. Most vodka is column distilled – requiring less labor. The corn makes it gluten free – but less traditional than potato, rye, or grain vodkas.

So Is Tito’s Any Good?

Tito’s Vodka is good – but how good might be a bit of personal preference. In our head to heads – it’s a vodka surviving a bit on reputation when tasted straight. Among the positive elements are the slight sweetness, rich and oily touches to the body, and a clean finish. It’s not without flaw though. The straight corn character makes it somewhat one note with touches of powdered sugar and roasted grain. There’s some hints of burning. It leaves some stone like notes on the finish.

Tito’s is by no means bad – and plays exceedingly well in every cocktail we made with it. The value proposition is provides is still very good. Testing it in a vodka martini against a competitor, we found the slightly sweet corn notes came though even against the dry vermouth’s herbal and aromatic notes. On the finish it gave a slight lanolin like texture and finish, and the harder edges found on a solo taste test vanish.

That said – if you need a backbone to build a drink on with some complimentary flavors – there’s nothing wrong with using Tito’s. It’s a solid, if average, vodka – and one that we’ve happily used to build drinks for years.

Tito’s Also Really Likes Dogs

Tito’s has a long history with dogs, including having strays wander up to the distillery when they opened. Their Vodka For Dog People program is focused on creating better lives for pets and their families. Like the best dog families, Tito’s allows workers to bring their dogs to work with them on a regular basis. The Vodka for Dog People charity related arm helps animals in need to have a better life, and proceeds from their dog items go toward supporting animal charities they work with.

Much like Tito’s we love our girl Bella, and appreciate all the hard work Tito’s does to support our four legged friends!

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Nick

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond was one of the first, and most affordable, liquors I was able to purchase after I got seriously into cocktails. This standby staple is a go to in our collection, and from a value for money perspective – it’s not particularly hard to see why. Rittenhouse sparkles with a nutty nose, laced with baked vanilla, warm brown sugar, and hints of esthery banana, baking spices, and cedar box. The palate is a lovely mix of cocoa, black tea, almond extract, pepper, and hints of wood. At 100 proof – it gets a touch hot on the palate, but delivers full flavor in spades.

What Does Bottled-In-Bond mean?

Bottled-In-Bond is connected to the 1897 Bottled-In-Bond Act which was designed to help with the widespread adulteration of liquors. The idea was that the government would be the guarantor of quality – and participants would be a tax advantage. To participate (and be labeled Bonded or Bottled-In-Bond) the following conditions must be met:

Produced in one distilling season (Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec) by one distiller at one distillery.
Aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. Government Supervision for at least 4 years.
Bottled at 100 proof (50% A.B.V.)
The label must contain the distillery and where it was bottled.
Must be produced in the United States.

Do Bonded Whiskies Really Taste Better?

It’s a complicated question, and the answer is it depends. Governments have long sought to ensure quality, and the results are decidedly mixed. If you look at the wine world, you’ll see D.O.C., D.O.C.G., I.G.T., A.O.C., V.Q.A., A.V.A, and the list goes on and on. Does it mean the wine is better? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes a region with no standing produces something amazing. What it does do, is provide customers an assurance that spirits and wines produced in these regions meet certain quality requirements.

So How Does Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond Play In Cocktails?

Going to the base choice of an Old Fashioned, we compared Rittenhouse to a competitor. The spicy notes came to the forefront and mingled well with the warm sugar and woodsy notes. The body holds up well thanks to the higher proof. When compared head to head, we agreed the Rittenhouse has more depth, and was more inviting thanks to the warm spice notes.

Final Thoughts

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond is a sturdy work horse of a rye that delivers a great amount of spice and warmth. At a value proposition typically around $25-30 a bottle, it’s hard to not argue that Rittenhouse deserves a spot in your home bar. This is a must buy.

Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond Raw Tasting Notes:

A nutty nose – with baked vanilla and warm brown sugar – an esthery banana. There’s a spiciness present as well – hints of more baking spice – cedar box / wood. On the palate it gets warm, black tea – bitter almond / extract – pepper – and cedar come to the forefront. The flesh close to the pit of a peach’s nuttiness.

Distillery: Heaven Hill Distilleries – KY

Website: Heaven Hill – Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-In-Bond

El Dorado 12

Posted on August 8, 2019August 7, 2019 by Nick

On El Dorado’s website, they have a reference to their use of wood in the process of aging. It reads, “We are patient. Very patient.”. Sometimes it’s hard to remember when you consume a spirit that it takes a long time to get from agricultural raw material to final production bottle. If you’re wondering just how long 12 years ago was, consider the mortgage bubble was going ‘pop’, we were saying good-bye to Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows, and T-Pain was gonna Buy U a Drank. I can’t say Shawty was sippin on El Dorado 12, but maybe she should be now.

El Dorado 12 sits firmly at the bottom of El Dorado’s Luxury Cask Aged series. Starting at 12 years, these rums are getting firmly in the aged categorization from Smuggler’s Cove* and range up to 21 years. As is the usual, the age statement refers to the minimum aging of a rum used in the bottling.

Bases in rum matter a lot, and El Dorado 12 is no exception. Known as a demerara rum, it’s made from turbinado sugar. This starting point gives it its sugar in the raw characteristic, and less of the grassy notes in a sugarcane based rum. This rum is also from Guyana via Demerara Distillers Limited who are fortunate to have some of the oldest functioning stills on the planet. In operation since the 1800’s, Demerara Distillers Limited operators both Coffey and Pot stills, as well as heritage column stills.

El Dorado 12 – On It’s Own

Once you open El Dorado 12 you get beautiful notes of sweet brown sugar, maple syrup, and molasses laced with baked fruit and spice. On the palate, it’s relatively smooth and easy to sip. Flavors of vanilla, caramel, and spice are complimented by a subtle sweetness. The finish is a nice balance of nuttiness, caramel, and oak.

In Cocktails

As El Dorado 12 was one of the three rums we tried in Florida, we didn’t have extensive time to play with it. The cocktails we did make benefited from the caramel and vanilla sweetness, while also getting a charge of the spice and some of dried fruit notes. In most cocktails, El Dorado 12 is very nice, but benefits from a helping hand from another rum for complexity.

The Final Word: El Dorado 12

El Dorado 12 is pegged as a Luxury Cask Aged series entry point – and in a lot of ways it reminds of me of a luxury entry point. Similar to an entry level luxury car, there’s a classy exterior to the bottle to make your friends curious. The contents inside are equally refined, and a pleasant way to pass the time – but not so much to ruin the experience of any other car (or rum) for you forever. Overall, El Dorado 12 is a delightful sipping rum that you won’t feel terribly about adding to a cocktail.

Other’s Swig A Dram of El Dorado 12:

Raw Tasting Notes

Nick: A moderately spicy nose floats up hints of tobacco and molassess. Caramel and dark brown sugar with a hint of vanilla join. A hint of baked or preserved fruit (like a date) joins in. The start is smooth, with small pricks of heat as it sits. Bright fresh vanilla cream and caramel are the fore palate, melding into dates, raisins, and light brown sugar. The ending contains a hint of oak, a slight caramel like flavor, and a mild nuttiness.

Ann Marie: Nose: Light brown sugar with notes of maple syrup and freshly ground spices. Taste: Vanilla extract with molasses and slight cinnamon spice. Flavors linger on your palate for quite some time gradually getting deeper into an oak barrel/port cask sensation. Easy to sip on its own or can easily blend well with other rums to add some spicy/oak flavors.

* This is an affiliate link – First Pour Cocktails may get a tiny portion of the sale to helps continue bringing you awesome content!

W. L. Weller Special Reserve

Posted on August 2, 2019January 9, 2023 by Nick

Back in 2010 I was fortunate enough to Pappy Van Winkle 23 in a bar in Manhattan. Ironically – and at the risk of being called a heathen – I didn’t think much of it – ranking it a solid 3 points out of 10 below the Sunatory 1984. This probably wasn’t a fair comparison either – but apparently I had perfect timing for avoid the hype train that’s been running all over the bourbon world. Uninsulated from this is trend is Weller Special Reserve.

W. L. Weller Special Reserve

Produced at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky, Weller Special Reserve is bottled at 90 proof. While it is bourbon, the mash bill is not listed on the web site – you can assume it’s using wheat as the secondary grain here. It also briefly got caught up in some hype where it underwent multiple comparisons to rejected Pappy or poor mans Pappy. This was mostly due to sharing a distillery at one point. Similarly, I was once in a bar with Jon Hamm – regrettably this doesn’t mean I act like Jon Hamm. Let’s ignore all the hype here and focus on what matter.

Retailing for only $15 a few years ago, Weller Special Reserve has climbed up to a healthy $22 a bottle. This 50% increase in price doesn’t quite put Weller out of reach, but it continues to stretch the value proposition. Weller is a simple, well crafted, wheated bourbon. It starts with pleasant notes of cereal, vanilla, oak, and brown sugar on the nose. The palate is smooth with a hint of an edge, but relaxes into some vanilla, spice, and baked goods. The finish has bits of spice and caramel. Weller is very pleasant.

If you add some water – it doesn’t fall apart. The vanilla gets stronger and a hint of nuttiness comes out. The vanilla keeps coming through the palate and it’s a little more sugary on the ending.

It’s a thoroughly nice bourbon. Unsurprisingly – I enjoy Maker’s Mark as well as Weller. Those who enjoy a healthy touch of rye may leave disappointed – and might be better served by Elijah Craig Small Batch.

In Cocktails

Obviously, feel free to use this in whatever you like – but I’ve found that Weller Special Reserve works well in Manhattans. The sweeter notes play well with the vermouth, and the bitters help to replace some of the missing rye notes without overpowering the drink.

Perhaps from the dilution – it doesn’t quite hold it’s own as well in an old fashioned as a regular bourbon like Elijah Craig Small Batch.

The Final Word – Weller Special Reserve

Weller Special Reserve is a nice sipper, and something you won’t be loathe to use in a cocktail. Is it the most versatile bourbon in history? No, but it doesn’t have to be. Weller Special Reserve is a solid budget addition to a whiskey collection for sipping. Keep your expectations in check and there’s a lot to like here.

Others Share Their Thoughts on Weller Special Reserve:

Cocktails to feature W.L. Weller Special Reserve

Raw Notes

Nick: A beautiful amber hue. A wonderful cereal note wafts up with a hint of spice and vanilla. Touches of raisin and baked goods join in. There’s a mild burn as it starts – but it relaxes and gives way to vanilla, oak, and spices – like allspice and clove mixed and muddle. The ending has hints of black pepper, caramel, and coffee. Adding water – the nose softens – moving heavily into vanilla syrup and hints of spice. The edges of raisins soften – and have a hint of almond. The body is still warm – but caramel and vanilla dominate with loads of oak and spice. There is more sweetness – and it’s well rounded. On the finish it becomes more nutty – and opens into elements of cookie and sugar.

Ann Marie: The nose is full of sweet, dark brown sugar with hints of cinnamon and oak. A hint of orange and vanilla extract. Undiluted: Oak on the palate with vanilla and baked goods and spice. When the water is added – a vanilla biscuit comes forward and almonds and brown sugar hold strong. The palate has more spice come forward – rich and thick – mouth coating. It lingers with hints of dark molasses

Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur

Posted on July 26, 2019April 28, 2021 by Nick

Every now and then you just have to give into your impulses. On our trip to Florida, we greatly enjoyed indulging in a great variety of cocktails and liquors, including various rums that we can’t get in the Northeast Ohio. Packing up the bottle luggage* for the flight home, we had a little extra room, and stowed away a bottle of Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur.

On Its Own: Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur

A pure impulse buy based on seeking out new flavors, Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur comes in a black bottle, hiding a bright pink liqueur inside. Made in France, Passoa was originated by the Remy-Cointreau group and uses passion fruit as a main ingredient. After getting it home, we generally agreed that the nose certainly implies passion fruit, but that hints of candied watermelon and citrus are present as well. These same flavors carry over on the palate – with a healthy dose of sweetness and just a touch of alcohol on the finish.

In Cocktails

If you’d asked me what cocktails Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur goes in, I’d have looked at you like a deer in the headlights. To be honest, after having the bottle for a couple of months, I’m still rather at a loss. The most famous drink – or so Passoa claims – is the Porn Star Martini. This mix of vanilla vodka and passion fruit is served with a sidecar of champagne – which Absolut was apparently happy to derive an entire marketing document from.

I actually find the entire thing is worth a read, and quite charming. That aside – we’ve yet to find a perfect use for Passoa as of writing this. We certainly believe it has potential, but the market featuring Passoa is still quite small. In the mean time – make yourself a Porn Star Martini as listed on Passoa’s website.

The Porn Star Martini

1.6 oz

Vodka

1.6 oz

Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur

0.4 oz

Vanilla Simple Syrup

0.4 oz

Lime Juice

1.5 oz

Sparkling Wine (Garnish – Optional)

Combine all ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe. Serve with a shot glass of prosecco or champagne on the side.

This drink – in fair warning – is quite sweet. The play between the martini itself and the wine is really good – and you wouldn’t be faulted if you combine them.

The Final Word: Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur

Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur is a cool option to add to a full bar. Do you need it? Probably not. But for someone looking for something different, Passoa is a great choice to mix it up.

Other Takes on Passoa Passion Fruit Liqueur

Normally I’d put an outbound link here. However, I went back 9 pages on google and didn’t find one. You’ll just have to trust us – or send in your own take!

Cocktails Featuring Passoa:

Yeah Baby! - A Porn Star Martini Inspired Cocktail — Yeah Baby!

Raw Tasting Notes:

Nick: A charming watermelon pink hue. The nose is loaded with sweet passion fruit and hints of candy watermelon with hints of citrus. The palate is light and bright, with plenty of passion fruit and sweetness coming through. There are floral hints and other touches of tropical elements / citrus. The finish has a touch of liquor too – simpler to vodka.

Ann Marie: Smells like passion fruit. As though it’s juice – there’s a sweetness coming from the nose. Passion Fruit comes through on the palate but with orange. Slight note of alcohol on the finish.

Lemon Hart & Son 151 Rum

Posted on July 19, 2019 by Nick

Lemon Hart 151 Rum is an iconic rum in the Tiki world. Called out by many great cocktail books (including Trader Vic himself and Death & Co.) I went into this one with high hopes. Coming out of it, I’m not sure I can say Lemon Hart 151 isn’t great, but rather might be a case of never meet your heroes.

On Its Own: Lemon Hart 151

It would be remiss to call this anything other than pungent. The dark caramel color does not suggest a nose that can be detected from several feet away. You may want to approach slowly, as the fumes of alcohol can easily burn out your nose on this one. If you’re careful though, you can find a nose loaded with dark brown sugar, molasses, dark chocolate, and hints of leather, tobacco, cloves, and exotic pepper. The palate is tongue numbing at full strength – but not without flavor. Condensed molasses, carob nibs, and cloves all come through with hints of other spices. The alcohol is so strong it feels as though it evaporates while it’s still on your tongue.

In Cocktails

As we couldn’t find this in the Northeast Ohio area, we picked up this bottle to enjoy with my parents in Florida. We didn’t have a full bar, so we played at tiki inspired drinks and things from the internet. While it might be a bit difficult to draw an accurate conclusion due to our limited time, we did reach a few key take aways:

The spice and sugar flavors are powerful – use it in moderation or as the base to prevent it overwhelming other components (or allowing it to shine).
The flavor profile is darker than some overproof rums – so unlike Plantation O.F.T.D. – don’t expect fruity caramel notes. Dark sugar and burnt caramel are going to be the leads.

The Final Word: Lemon Hart 151

Lemon Hart 151 is aggressive but flavorful. While it’s not my go-to, I can understand the infatuation with this classic overproof dark rum. If you happen to get a chance to try it, or like a more burnt sugar / brown sugar note in your rum – then Lemon Hart 151 is worth a try.

Other Takes on Lemon Hart 151:

Raw Tasting Notes:

Nick: The nose can be alarmingly pungent if you’re not careful. The nose is loaded with dark brown sugar and molasses. Earthy leather and tobacco mix with a hint of butterscotch and herb. The palate is extremely hot, and has a condensed molasses, cocao nib, clove extra, and spice flavor – with a hint of green. It essentially instantly evaporates when it hits your tongue, and burns accordingly.

Ann Marie: Smell – Dark chocolate/carob, molasses, black pepper, and a hint of clove – definitely on the dark side. Taste – Concentrated clove/allspice, carob nibs, dark molasses, and a hint of orange zest. The alcohol content is so high that it evaporates quickly in small doses. Can easily be a bully in a mixed drink and overtake other flavors.

Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum

Posted on June 3, 2019April 28, 2021 by Nick

For Christmas last year, I got Ann Marie a copy of Smuggler’s Cove’s book and our rum collection hasn’t been the same since. The book is a fantastic overview of tiki, talking through the history, providing recipes, and more importantly a list of rums to make the recipes. The list of rums is broken down into categories, typically referring to the base material used (molasses or sugar cane), the form of distillation (column or pot still), and the age (lightly aged, moderately aged, long aged, etc). In addition to these categories, there’s also recommended overproof rums – including Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum

On Its Own

Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum – or Old Fashioned Traditional Dark Rum – is made of a blend of rums from Guyana, Jamaica, and Barbados. The rum is the result of consultation between owner Alexandre Gabriel and a cadre of rum and spirits specialists, including Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Martin Cate (the owner of Smuggler’s Cove and writer of the book), and several others. O.F.T.D. is produced from molasses in both Pot and Column still methods and has sugar added (at 16g/L). There is also added color to ensure consistency. There’s a fairly good list of technical details on Plantation’s site.

Overproof spirits are undoubtedly hot, and Plantation O.F.T.D Rum is no exception. You would be advised to keep this away from your nose and avoid holding it for too long on your tongue on diluted – lest you enjoy the burning sensation. However, if you’re careful you can find a rather beautiful rum hiding behind the heat.

Plantation O.F.T.D. has a wonderful nose of caramel and molasses with notes of jammy orange and a mix of baking spices including cloves, cinnamon, and all-spice. Despite the alcohol, a sip starts relatively smooth. Flavors of raisins, dates, and other preserved fruits mix with molasses, creamy caramel, dark brown sugar. Hints of vanilla, coffee, oak, and orange round it out – and a subtle sweetness go throughout. The ending lingers with a fair amount of heat and subtle sweetness.

As a reminder – this is not a sipping rum without a healthy amount of water added. Use it for mixing.

Plantation O.F.T.D Rum – In Cocktails

The big bold flavors of Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum play well in a variety of tiki drinks we tried from Smuggler’s Cove*. We ended up using it in The Undead Gentleman – a fancier version of a Zombie (another cocktail where this would play well). The Undead Gentleman features absinthe, lime juice, grapefruit juice, cinnamon syrup, Velvet Falernum, black blended overproof rum, blended aged rum, and Angostura bitters. It’s shaken and served up.

The Undead Gentleman

The play of the two rums is strong – and the lime interacts well with the grapefruit and cinnamon. All the elements are very forthright on the nose – and make for an alluring smell. The flavor on the palate is slightly hot – but not excessively so. A gentle sweetness and the funk of both rums combine with the cinnamon and lime, and a hint of falernum to give you a tropical trip that you feel relatively quickly. If you happen to be lacking absinthe (or don’t like it) omitting it won’t be the end of the world – simply enjoy it anyways.

In general, it’s a solid drink.

The Final Word – Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum

Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum

Rating

Coming Soon!

Cocktails Involving O.F.T.D

Other’s Share Their Thoughts On Plantation O.F.T.D Rum

Raw Tasting Notes:

“It like evaporates in your mouth!” – It does. /Ron Howard

Ann Marie:

Nose: Coffee and orange – dark spice blend can’t tell if it’s cinnamon, all-spice, cloves – Not quite molasses but a darkened caramel. A candied pecan nuttiness, but not sweet.
Taste: Orange and allspice, clove and baking spices. Coffee hints as well. The finish is powerful – but there’s a lingering aftertaste of toasted dark brown sugar and orange. Like a hint of orange.

Nick

Nose: Molasses – Caramel – Cloves – Hints of Jammy orange like marmalade. Demerara sugar and brown sugar come to play.
Taste: Obviously warm – but also extremely smooth. Raisins and dates and other preserved fruits play with molasses, creamy caramel, and dark brown sugar. Hints of mellow oak and vanilla come through as well. The ending is full of dark sugar, toasted oak, spice, and caramel.

I would not recommend holding this in your mouth – it burns.

* – This link contains an affiliate link to Amazon from which First Pour Cocktails may receive a commission (which helps us keep the site going!)

Cynar

Posted on May 24, 2019May 24, 2019 by Nick

Many years ago – when I was still wrestling with the basics of cocktails, and craft cocktails were still up and coming, I read Boozehound by Jason Wilson*. The book was mesmerizing to me and opened my mind to a broad range of ideas that included Liquor Store Archeology and that Bitter is Bella.

Now before we jump into the idea that ‘Bitter is Bella’, let’s talk about Liquor Store Archeology. If you happen to be obsessive when it comes to unusual liqueurs and liquors then this is an amusing way to spend time in a liquor store or on a trip to a far off locale. The principle is simple – take a look around an older liquor store and see if there are any dusty, long forgotten, obscure bottles of liquor of a type you might not otherwise pick up. Then – pick them up and buy them.

This game works best, if like Jason, you have a partner to play with and try to one up. It’s simply mad lad genius. It bears noting that this isn’t the only intriguing concept and the book is still worth reading, even some years on.

If, however, you are not the type of individual that simply enjoys picking up old and unusual liquor bottles – the second concept may be more your speed. After all, if you’ve arrived on this site looking for Cynar – you might believe that bitter – is in fact – bella.

So what is an Amaro? Quite literally, amaro means ‘bitter’ in Italian, and amari [the plural of amaro] tend to be bitter. These complex liqueurs are unique concoctions – typically decades, if not centuries, old – that are intended to be consumed after dinner to aid in digestion. They are sometimes known as digestifs. They also include a healthy amount of sugar, leading to a bittersweet character. This complex mix of sugar, herbs, citrus, floral elements, spices, and many unlisted ingredients create complex, intriguing sets of flavors that tantalize the palate and expand the horizons of what can be expressed by a drink. They are in fact – ‘Bella’.

About Cynar – On Its Own

Cynar is a notably bitter Amaro made by the Campari Group. While there are some who believe Cynar tastes like artichokes, this isn’t strictly speaking true. Artichoke is an ingredient, but the flavor is more herbal, vegetal, and earthy – and is also thanks to the other 12 ingredients that are not explicitly listed.

Supertasters – and those that don’t like bitter things – will find this experience similar to placing bitters directly on their tongue. To those that find bitter bella – there’s a sweetness that comes off the nose giving it an herbal – cola like character. There are notes of spice, but the herbal – vegetal – brown sugar sweetness note is most prevalent. The body is moderately thick and has a burnt caramel flavor. The finish is bitter, but with a lingering rich sweetness that carries.

Cynar – In Cocktails

While you could always enjoy Cynar on its own (or with ice), there are other ways to use it in cocktails. Generally speaking – for Amari – there are a few ways to apply them – in order of your ability to tolerate bitterness:

Seasoning – similar to bitters in a small dash or rinse of a glass
Substitute for Vermouth And / Or Bitters
As A Base / Split Base – With an ABV of 30+ Amari can work as an underlying flavor to play with modifiers and other additions.

As Cynar can be perceived as more bitter than other Amari, I find it works better as vermouth compliment or replacement. To sample Cynar, I tried a Cynartown from Death & Co’s book*. The Cynartown contains Beefeater Gin, Sweet Vermouth, and Cynar. It’s garnished with a brandied cherry – I used Luxardo.

The gin is fragrant on the nose, and the juniper gets a supple sweetness from the Cynar and sweet vermouth. On the palate, it’s richer than it seems like it would be, and the similarity to the Manhattan is notable (as the structure of the cocktail mirrors it). The gin powers through, and the Cynar plays a definite back up. That said, if you want a gin Manhattan, this is heading in the right direction. As a recommendation, this may also be a good application of the Aviation Gin to downplay the juniper.

I also used the Cynar as a modifier in a Manhattan. It adds a delightful richness and a different herbal note that plays well with the spice of the rye. I also sampled it in a flip, and enjoy the herbal notes it adds to the foam. In all of these applications, you don’t need a lot. A quarter to a half ounce will easily suffice.

The Final Word: Cynar

Cynar

Rating

Coming Soon!

Other’s Share Their Thoughts On Cynar

Cynar – Tasting Notes:

Ann Marie: Appearance is dark. Nose: Concentrated cardamom – clove. Bitter molasses – slight sweetness on the palate. The finish is just bitter.

Nick: Appearance is dark – mahogany color. There’s a sweetness that comes off the nose giving it an herbal – cola like character. There are notes of spice, but the herbal – green – brown sugar sweetness note is most prevalent. The body is rich and like burnt caramel in flavor. Lacing through the sweetness is an undercurrent of herbs, cola, and sasparilla. The finish is bitter, but with a lingering rich sweetness.

* – please note – this post contains Amazon Affiliate Links

Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon

Posted on May 15, 2019April 19, 2021 by Nick

Perhaps the first reason someone picks up a book on cocktails is to look at the amazing recipes contained within. When I first picked up a copy of Death & Co’s cocktail book, I turned right to the whiskey section. Then immediately realized that I couldn’t make anything in that section, or most of the other ones. It wasn’t for a lack of skill (although that would come), it was more for lack of ingredients.

Fortunately, a fair number of cocktail books contain sections with recommendations for different brands and liquors that they use in their cocktails. These offer a great starting point if you’re unfamiliar, and a great chance to compare if you happen to own multiple books. Over time, and with the purchase of a number of books, I began to realize that some brands are better than others. Among them is Giffard’s.

While we’ve tried a number of spirits, we generally gravitate toward Giffard as we’ve found everything from the Blue Curacao to the Vigne de Peché to be well-balanced, nuanced, and true to their names.

Giffard describes their Abricot du Roussillon as a premium liqueur, made from Rouges du Roussillon apricots macerated in neutral spirits and then sweetened with fresh apricot juice. True to form in the tasting notes, the flavors are balanced and fresh, and there’s a premium feel here we didn’t see in lower end Apricot Liqueur.

On Its Own

Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon has a delightful fresh apricot start to the nose. The smell is nuanced, picking up notes of dried and baked apricots, orange zest, and candied fruit notes. The palate is sweet, although not cloyingly so. The flavor is predominantly fresh apricot, but still picks up some of the dried and baked elements, along with touches of tangerine, allspice, and certain nuttiness. A mild astringency lingers with the sweetness of the finish.

It’s worth noting this flavor is distinctly apricot – you’d be unlikely to open this and think – wow, that’s peaches [or other miscellaneous stone fruit].

Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon – In Cocktails

I would be remiss to tell you that Apricot Liqueur is widely used in cocktails. In our perusal of several cocktail books in our collection, we yielded possibly a dozen recipes out of several hundred. That number trims down even further if you’re trying to find a cocktail that truly showcases apricot liqueur. That’s a shame too; at its best it adds a delightful fruitiness while giving a cocktail characteristics that surprise and often amazing people. Several of our guests after trying it, have been surprised at how much apricot flavor it imparts.

So what can you do with it?

Thanks to its pungent nature, Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon can be employed easily as a modifier. Adding a hint (read barspoon to quarter oz) to a Gin and Tonic, Manhattan, or Daiquiri can add a different dimension to a favorite drink. If you want to be more tailored, The Bitter Truth (who makes a competing product) offers a list of Apricot cocktails.

Their Apricot Lady really helps to show off the depth of flavor Giffard’s Abricot Du Roussillon has. The apricot comes through against the creaminess of the egg, and the orange amplifies with the rum. Simultaneously rich and refreshing, it’s a great choice to show off the liqueur.

Abricot Du Roussillon also plays well in Tiki Cocktails. One of the recipes we found is the Golden Gun from Smuggler’s Cove by Martin Cate [disclosure – this is an Amazon Affiliate link, First Pour Cocktails may receive a portion of any sale]. The play between the rums, apricot, and the citrus creates a beautifully balanced mix of tiki flavors. The apricot really shines through – playing off the brown sugar and molasses notes of the rums. The result is a simply sippable cocktail that’s perfect for spring or early fall.

The Final Word – Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon

There aren’t a ton of apricot liqueurs on the market, so most of the time your options will be limited. If you do have a choice, Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon is among the top we’ve tasted, being well balanced, nuanced, and true to the flavor of apricots.

Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon

Rating

Coming Soon!

Other’s Share Their Thoughts on Giffard Abricot Du Roussillon:

Tasting Notes:

Ann Marie: On the nose fresh apricot with a touch of fresh fruit tarts, hints of baked apricot, and orange. Taste was similar to fresh apricot – with a hint of nuttiness like the pit. A hint of allspice and orange with a pleasant sweetness.

Nick: The smell is of fresh cut apricots with a subtle bitterness and candy like notes. There are touches of dried apricot as well. On the palate there’s a mild astringent characteristic and a pleasant sweetness. Fresh apricot and a mild nuttiness come together with a hint of tangerine on the finish. The dried /cooked apricot characteristics come through well.