Pernod Ricard Archives - First Pour Cocktails

Martell VSOP

Posted on July 22, 2022July 19, 2022 by Nick

I may have mentioned in the past that I am not particularly fast at going through the back log of bottles we’ve collect. As a result, there are occasional packaging flow throughs and changes that make identifying what a particular bottle is a challenge. This is part of what happened with this particular bottle of Martell VSOP (Matured In Red Barrels).

Martell VSOP

Martell VSOP (Matured In Red Barrels) was an effort in Martell’s branding to help address the stodgy image of cognac. By emphasizing the “red barrels” the focus would be adjusted to target the fruity flavors within the cognac. The aging process is done in “red barrels” of fine-grained oak that reduce the exchange rate (compared to larger grain). According to their website, it is also aged at least 4 years for VSOP.

Sight: A pretty reddish amber

Smell: There’s a notable heat here coming off the start that gives way to flowers, touches of lychee, and plenty of fresh apricot. Notes of baking spiced laced macerated peaches come in with a top note of subtle caramel. The nose is unmistakably fruity, but carries the oak influence in the background.

Sip: The palate has a middling to heavy weight and a prickly heat to it. It drinks significantly hotter than 40% A.B.V. would imply. Notes of ripe apricot, peach, and nectarine come out and have a hint of caramelized brown sugar and spices.

Savor: The ending carries over the heat but brings in more oak and a hint of bitterness and unripe stone fruit.

Martell VSOP is fruit on the nose and fire on the palate. This is a rare case of dramatic discontinuity between the nose and the palate. Which is particularly confusing given that the proof isn’t particularly high. While the fruit notes are nice, this is hard to sip straight.

In Cocktails

In a Sidecar it brings the fruit in spades. The drink pops with notes of strawberries, apricot, marmalade, and peach. The overall notes of orange and lemon get prolonged appearances as a result of the relatively weak showing of oak and rich preserved fruit flavors. The result is a refreshing and bright sidecar that’s short of depth.

In Review – Martell VSOP

The value of Martell VSOP is in a price tag that sits below the $40 mark. That’s about where the appeal ends. The cognac in the bottle doesn’t match up with the presentation of the label and bottle. The result is something that’s acceptable, but not a recommendation.

Pernod

Posted on August 20, 2021July 29, 2021 by Nick

To understand Pernod, a Pastis, you must understand what happened to Absinthe.

Absinthe was banned after a spike in interest in France, causing a loss of business for French wine farmers (who has previously had to deal with phylloxera – which had killed off a large number of vines). Combined with the rumored hallucinogenic properties and some murders in France at the time, a decree was passed to outlaw all anise spirits. This lined up with similar movements in other countries. Absinthe wasn’t really bad (or worse than any other liquor), but it was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and ended up being a casualty of the temperance movements.

When the ban was loosened in the 1930s, some producers were ready with a wormwood free version. This version, was a pastis, instead of an absinthe. The primary difference is the use of star anise as the principal flavoring, instead of using green anise, wormwood of fennel. The resulting liqueur is different in it’s flavor profile, but similarly enough that it can be used as a substitute to absinthe.

So with all that said, what does Pernod taste like, and is it any good?

Pernod

Sight: A bright translucent green. Turns cloudy with water.

Smell: Strong notes of anise mixed with touches of herbs. It moves toward a fresh fennel note as well.

Sip: The body is thick thanks to the sugar, but feels less so thank to the growing alcohol burn as it sits on the palate. A subtle sweetness holds throughout and build in complexity between anise and fennel. The notes of herbs grow gradually throughout but it never loses the predominately anise note.

Savor: Anise, licorice, and fennel linger predominately and extend for a significant period of time.

When cut, Pernod behaves more like a black jelly bean than a full on anise attack. It gets a lot softer with the addition of water, making it much more pliable. It also opens up some subtle herbal notes that are notice in the full proof version. Correspondingly, the same notes should come forward in cocktails, adding flavor if not complexity.

In Cocktails

There are very few cocktails that rely on absinthe or pastis to serve as the main liquor, so Pernod is most frequently tasked with playing a modifier. Most commonly used as a stand in for absinthe, you can use Pernod in classics such as the Corpse Reviver #2, the Sazerac, and Remember the Maine. One cocktail that prominently features either pastis or absinthe is Death In the Afternoon. Made by combining pastis or absinthe with sparkling wine, Pernod opens up and gives a more herbal, drier rendition of itself. The sweetness is instead replaced by brightness, and the a more licorice and green fennel notes becomes prominent.

In Review – Pernod

Pernod is a widely available and a well rounded pastis that can also substitute for absinthe. This makes it useful for both classic cocktails as well as Tiki drinks. While this isn’t a starter bottle, it’s a great choice once you’ve established your bar. It will also last a long time as most drinks require a rinse to a few drops. For these reasons, we suggest you give Pernod a shot if you can’t find an absinthe.

Chivas Regal 12

Posted on July 16, 2021July 25, 2022 by Nick

Chivas Regal has a long history, dating back to the 1800’s. Operating out of Strathisla in the Highlands (the oldest such in the Highlands), the brand produces a variety of whiskies ranging from the 12 year aged to 25 year and a No Age Statement (NAS) offering that produced of only the best of the best. While you can blend your own (seriously, they apparently offer that), you’re most likely to reach for a bottle of base offering. So how well does Chivas Regal 12 work for cocktails?

Chivas Regal 12

Sight: A deep golden hue with a tint of orange.

Smell: Honey, heather, and apples come to the forefront with touches of rain soaked rocks. The nose leans toward the perfumed side of the spectrum.

Sip: Mild notes of heather and honey lead off, but bring in a hint of salinity and orchard fruit. The flavors progress toward nuttier notes, before ultimately pull in a slight amount of charred wood. The mouthfeel is moderate to full, if a little rough.

Savor: The finish is laced woodsy notes, pome fruits, and floral characteristics with a lightly tannic nature.

Chivas Regal 12 is a light, easy going scotch with a primarily floral and fruit forward character that picks up some mild wood and smoke notes. It’s a perfectly fine dram on it’s own, although it doesn’t particularly stand out in anyway. It’s not overly smooth, but isn’t quite refined either. The characteristics make it a decent choice for mixing, but it could survive on the rocks.

In Cocktails

In a Bobby Burns No. 2, Chivas Regal 12 added a good amount of caramelized nut notes and a little smokiness. The richness of the mouthfeel carries forward and leaves a very full bodied drink experience. That said, the drink becomes a bit less delicate than with a lighter scotch, and feels more direct in it’s character. In a Highball, the woodsy notes and nuttiness dominate, but the honey and heather aren’t far from flitting it. The weight remains very much, firm and almost oily.

Chivas Regal 12 In Review

Chivas Regal 12 is fine, giving a nice robust touch of scotch flavor while not breaking the bank. At issue, is the price point. Marching toward $40, you’re fringing into Glenlivet 12 territory, which feels to give a little more of everything compared to Chivas. Down $10 are Dewar’s White Label and Johnnie Walker Red, which are arguably not quite as refined, but aren’t going for on the rocks / in a Glencairn glass presentation either. The net result is that Chivas works fine, but might not be the best option to add to yourself depending on the price of competition.

First Pour Cocktails’ 2021 Blanco Tequila Rankings for Cinco De Mayo

Posted on April 27, 2021April 27, 2021 by Nick

We haven’t spent as much time with tequila as we should, and it’s time for us to remedy that. So we took all our tequilas and decided to test them side by side for our 2021 Blanco Tequila Rankings for Cinco De Mayo. We put them through their paces, testing them on their own for sipping and in Margaritas. All of our Tequilas are blancos (sometimes refered to as Plata), and their price points range from $25 to $50, and most of these tequilas are widely available (depending on your state’s liquor controls).

The Tequilas

Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila
Casamigo Blanco Tequila
Gran Centenario Plata Tequila
Siete Leguas Blanco Tequila

Before We Start – Don’t Buy The Other Stuff! (Mixto / Non 100% Agave)

Prior to our round up, there was exactly one tequila on our site, a mixto. If you wanted to have a last place finisher on our round up, it’s that one.

Mixto tequilas are made up of a minimum of 51% blue agave by law. That sadly means that up to 49% of the bottle can be something else. Additives, neutral spirits, etc. The resulting products lack the depth, smoothness, and depth of flavor that exists from their 100% agave relatives. While it makes a serviceable cocktail, it’s not going to give you the special depth you’ll find with the rest of our list.

If you buy a bottle of a great tequila, you can still find other uses for your mixto. We’ve been slowly using up ours in margarita cheesecake bites and making peppers and onions for tacos.

2021 Blanco Tequila Rankings for Cinco De Mayo

4. Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila

Coming in at 4th place is Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila. Despite it’s ranking, this is a great tequila for the price and our go to bottle for cocktails. While Olmeca’s isn’t quite nice enough to sip on it’s own, it does great at standing up to citrus and liqueurs. This balance allows it to convey it’s tequila characteristics to a drink without getting lost.

Tasting Notes:

Sight: Clear

Smell: Roasted pepper – with salinity. Hints of hay and lime pith. Heavy on the lime – touches of minerality.

Sip: Smooth body, mildly flavor, agave hangs out as a base. Layers of lime and earthiness come forward.

Savor: The finish is short lived, but gives a smooth agave character with a hint of vanilla and black pepper

Olmeca is smooth if perhaps a little underpowered. In a margarita, Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila gives off its earthiness, agave notes, and green layers evenly against the brightness of the lime and the sweetness of the orange. The result is a balanced and tasty margarita that meets the ideal expectations, but doesn’t highlight the tequila or add anything extraordinary.

Price: $25

Website: https://us.altostequila.com/our-tequilas/

3. Gran Centenario Plata Tequila

Gran Centenario Plata Tequila just edges out Olmecas Platas, but there’s not a lot of daylight between these Tequila. The process is somewhat different than the other tequilas on our list. Blended in oak, there’s a subtle imparting of oak character not typically found in blanco tequilas. The resulting tequila is nicely balanced, a little edgier and certainly tinted with a hint of oak.

Sight: Slightly tinted yellow, but ever so lightly.

Smell: Salinity and fruity caramel play out. Agave hides in the background with spices and lime zest.

Sip: The body is a little coarse feeling, with a bit of edginess. A darker sort of woody character leans into salted agave. There are aggressive notes of minerality, hints of ferrous, and char.

Savor: The ending is a bit more burnt wood and agave.

Although Gran Centenario Plata isn’t the most appealing tequila to sip, it does well in cocktails. Peppery and more floral in character, it brings touches of spice and minerality. There’s a hint of bitterness, and the lime stands out more prominently than orange notes. The overall experience is a little less smooth, but makes up for it by showcasing the tequila in an enjoyable way.

Price: $29

Website: https://grancentenario.com/our-tequilas/

2. Casamigos Blanco Tequila

George Clooney’s Tequila pulls up in the ‘if you’re not first, you’re last’ position on our rankings. Casamigos Blanco Tequila loses out on the top spot not for being short of delicious, but just because of how un-tequila like it is. The heavy notes of non-tropical flavors and vanilla give this tequila a character unlike many others.

Made of blue agave aged 7-9 years, their pinas are roasted for 72 hours before a longer than usual 80 hour ferment. Casamigos also claims propriety yeast blend and rests the tequila for two months.

Sight: Clear.

Smell: Smells like George Clooney’s musk (don’t ask how we know – we know a guy). Just kidding, there’s a little bit of a nuttiness, leaning into walnut /almond. There are touches of vanilla, citrus, and other fruits layered behind a moderate lime and agave note. The nose is layered and shifts slightly.

Sip: The flavor starts off – shallow – then builds into coconut and black forest cherry with agave mixed with lime and a hint of burnt vanilla sugar and cedar. The body is smooth and thinner than might be expected.

Savor: The finish is kirsch cherry and vanilla with hints of agave, citrus, and black pepper.

In a margarita, Casamigos Blanco Tequila is beautifully balanced with a natural salinity. The vanilla and fruit flavors noted in the tasting notes come forward, working harmoniously with the Cointreau’s orange and fresh lime juice. The finish is somehow almost caramel like. As margaritas go, Casamigos produces one that’s head and shoulders about the others on our list – if not the most traditional.

Price: $47

Website: https://www.casamigos.com/en-us/our-tequilas/blanco/

1. Siete Leguas Blanco

It took us seven years to find a bottle of Siete Leguas Blanco. This is ironic given the name of the product translates to seven leagues. This is commonly known as the name of General Villas horse, which according Siete Leguas’ website, would fearlessly traverse the distance. Further compounding the difficulties of locating a bottle of this tequila is the change of importer. While the box claims it’s Sazerac Company, they list no mention of Siete Leguas on their site. There’s also no English version of their site readily available.

Difficulty in finding this tequila aside, the actual tequila itself is wonderful. The nose is perfumed with spices and smooth agave notes. On the palate it dances gracefully, with touches of floral and nutty notes mixed with agave. Sipping it is quite nice, if a little spicy.

Sight: Clear

Smell: Pure vanilla extract and strong soaked cherrywood come to the forefront with hints of spice, honey, and pecan wood.

Sip: The body is moderate. It shifts gradually to a nutty and floral laced body with touches of agave. It runs slightly hot, and brings in a good about of spice and wood.

Savor: The ending lingers on the woody side, bringing in touches of cigar box and vanilla.

In a margarita Siete Leguas worked gorgeously. Cinnamon and spice leap off the page with hints of candied oranges. Touches of herbs and bell peppers gradually emerge. The end result is slightly sweeter than expected, but extraordinarily fragrant and spicy. The end result is an exceptional margarita where Siete Leguas really shines.

Price: $50

Website: https://tequilasieteleguas.com/

The Tequilas Overall and the Margarita

To be clear, even the lowest ranking tequila on our 2021 Blanco Tequila Rankings for Cinco De Mayo is good in our opinion. In fact, we happen to recommend you keep any of them on your shelf as your go to tequila as part of our recommended bottles for beginning a home bar. While there is a definite connection between price and quality here, don’t let that dissuade you from trying Olmecas or Centenario. Both offer a lot of value for the price, and are delicious in cocktails without doubling the price per cocktail.

Final Ranking:

Siete Leguas Blanco Tequila ($50)
Casamigos Blanco Tequila ($47)
Gran Centenario Plata Tequila ($29)
Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila ($25)

Don’t forget to make a margarita – click on the picture for our recipes, and have a great Cinco de Mayo!

The Glenlivet 12

Posted on April 9, 2021April 20, 2021 by Nick

While there are a healthy number of cocktails that call for Scotch, there aren’t quite enough of them to earn Scotch a place in our best bottles for beginning a home bar list. That doesn’t mean that Scotch might not be one of the first bottles you add to that list though. Used in Rob Roys, Blood and Sands, Whisk(e)y Highballs, Pencillins, and the Bobby Burns, Scotch is very much a great next step if you find your self in love with Manhattans, bourbon, or Anejo tequilas or Mezcal. And perhaps few are known better than The Glenlivet 12.

The Glenlivet 12

The Glenlivet distillery has been operating since 1824 (only closing for World War II), and produces almost 6 million annual liters of whiskey. The distillery is owned by Pernod-Ricard. While the majority of the production become The Glenlivet, the distillery also produces the blended Chivas Regal.

Sight: A bright gold with a consistent edge.

Smell: There’s a beautiful start of gentle vanilla that is slowly joined by various fruity elements. The fruits are diverse, with notes of apple, kumquat, pineapple, dried mango, and more. A subtle flaky pastry or cookie like note hangs around as well.

Sip: The body is smooth and rich, and maintains its character without bringing in significant heat. The palate opens up into notes of vanilla, stone fruit, pineapple, with touches of heather, toasted hazelnuts, and toasted oak.

Savor: The ending has just the slightest hint of heat, but brings a nice rich nutty character on the finish with hints of minerality.

The Glenlivet 12 has a nice, rich, round offering that demonstrates the initial complexity single malt scotch can offer without breaking the bank. The blend is by no means the deepest or most pensive, but it is easy going, welcoming, and quite tasty for the price. The flavors of tropical fruits and vanilla are well balanced, and the nuttiness on the end offers a compelling reason to sip it. Overall, there’s nothing wrong with a simple dram of this on it’s own.

In Cocktails

The Glenlivet 12 adds a smooth character and richness to cocktails. In a Bobby Burns, it wonderfully compliments both the Drambuie and sweet vermouth while adding in hints of nuttiness and floral touches. Within a highball, the nuttiness comes through, but the richness cut from the club soda tempers some of the tropical notes, giving way to more touches of oak and heather. The whiskey is the star here, but is remains subtle in its character.

Looking for a cocktail? Try it in a Bobby Burns or Bobby Burns No. 2

Bobby Burns Cocktail - Image — Bobby Burns

The Glenlivet 12 Overall

The Glenlivet 12 is a a nice, easy going, enjoyable single malt scotch that plays nice in cocktails without breaking the banking. To a certain extent, it’s very much a gateway scotch, something to open the door to what scotch can be, but not becoming the star itself. Furthermore, it’s widely known and widely available These characteristics add up to make it a great choice to use in a home bar for a cocktail, and earn it a recommendation from us.

Malibu Coconut Rum

Posted on September 27, 2020 by Nick

What ever possessed me to purchase a bottle of Malibu Coconut Rum is beyond me. Nowhere in the pantheon of prohibition or modern drinks is a sweet, coconut flavored liqueur mentioned as a key ingredient to, well, anything. Yet, somehow, it found it’s way into my home, and ultimately into some of the first cocktails we ever made.

Malibu Coconut Rum is a product of Canada. You know, the warm, tropical, rum producing islands of Canada. Pernod Ricard then imports it into the U.S, where it conjures sunny images of warm palm tree lined Canadian beaches. It should be noted that despite all my snark, it does contain natural coconut flavor as evidenced in their nutrition where coconut is called out as an allergen.

Malibu Coconut Rum

For the purposes of evaluating Malibu Coconut Rum fairly, I’ll evaluate it as a liqueur. To evaluate it as a rum would lead to me treating it like an unholy abomination. This would be unfair to it, and I recommend you think about Malibu accordingly if looking for a rum.

Sight: It’s clear, but definitely somewhat more viscous

Smell: It smells like creamy coconut. Like you might expect from sun tan lotion. There’s a small amount of ether and vanilla notes as well.

Sip: The start is sweet and thick, almost syrup like. The flavors of coconut and light touches of sugary rum ether come through. There’s a creaminess here as well, and a little bit of bite that builds. The sugar is boarding into cloying.

Savor: On the finish it’s smooth, sugary, and more coconut. It has a bit of split between raw shaved coconut, coconut candy flavor, and toasted coconut.

Malibu Coconut Rum accomplishes coconut in spades. It’s basically what I’d imagine coconut flavoring to taste like if lightened with sugar and a relatively neutral cane spirit. Bear in mind, this is labeled as a liqueur, and you should consider it as such. As liqueur, it’s strong in coconut flavoring, if a little seemingly candy like.

In Cocktails

Malibu Coconut Rum is mild enough to be treated as a base if you are so inclined, and want a strong coconut forward element. Due to the strong nature, it can also be successfully used as a modifier, replacing other fruit liqueurs. The versatility is quite good, but mind the sugar when using it as a base. Finally, if you only have a limited amount of space – Malibu is a poor choice due to the few tiki and classic cocktails where it could be effectively used.

Malibu Coconut Rum Overall

Malibu holds a place on our shelf primarily as modifier and for some rare instances where we have existing drink recipes that call for it. It is pretty ubiquitous, being available almost everywhere as a low price. That said, unless you have a use or enjoy super sweet liqueurs with strong, simple coconut flavoring, then Malibu isn’t one of our recommend bottles for your crafting shelf.

If you’re looking for one of our favorite drinks to make with Malibu Coconut Rum check out our original Peach’s Parasol.

Beefeater London Dry Gin

Posted on March 25, 2020June 21, 2020 by Nick

Perhaps there is no Gin that’s bottle and brand so stands out to decidedly stands out to me as both British and cosmopolitan as Beefeater. The Yeoman Warders (or Beefeaters) are of course the ceremonial guards of the Tower of London, and Beefeater Gin prominently features one on the label. The brand has been around since 1876 – and not for nothing. Beefeater London Dry Gin has won multiple awards from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition between 2006 and 2012, as well as high ratings from spirit reviewers.

So with all that said, does Beefeater deserve a place on your bar?

Beefeater London Dry Gin

Sight: Clear.

Smell: Juniper comes to a head from the start – it’s accented by notes of lemon peel, touches of spice, citrus, and angelica.

Sip: The mouthfeel leads with citrus peel, but moves into juniper fairly freely. There are notes of coriander and angelica root that pop out over time. There’s a hint of sweetness as well, but the overall profile is clean and light with just a touch of heat.

Savor: The ending emphasizes juniper, citrus pith, and spicing with a hint of bitterness.

Beefeater London Dry Gin is clean, simple, and straightforward. The complexity is enough to lend itself well to cocktails, but strong enough to emphasize itself in cocktails. It particularly goes well in a martini, where it shows off the ability to smooth, while bringing out the best in the vermouth. For this same reason – we like crafting with Beefeater. It plays well in both classics and tiki cocktails, without getting lost. For this reason, we recommend Beefeater as your entry gin.

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