Cocktails

Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire and Centenaire Sidecar

/ / Cocktails, Other Spirits, Review / ,

Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire
40% ABV
$150-$199
Website

What the Blender Says
Introduced in 1927, Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire
commemorates the 100th anniversary of the House of Marnier
Lapostolle. Cuvée du Centenaire is an exceptional blend of refined
XO Cognacs combined with exotic bitter orange liqueur. It is 82% XO Cognac.

It is a superb, fine and complex liqueur, with flavors and aromas
from the old Cognacs, including mild tobacco and balsamic.
Cuvée du Centenaire has earned multiple awards, including
Double Gold at the 2017 San Francisco Spirits Competition, as
well as an “Extraordinary” designation and the Chairman’s Trophy
at the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Beautiful medium amber color.
AROMA: Superb, rich finesse and complexity of candied orange notes, hints of tobacco and balsamic originating from the cognac.
TASTE: Round and velvety notes from the characteristics of older cognac blends with lingering flavors of dried fruit, almonds and honey.
FINISH: Lovely lingering finish with nuances of orange essence, dried fruit with powerful notes of cognac.

It is best served neat or on the rocks or enjoyed in a special
cocktail like the Centenaire Sidecar.

What Gary Says
Nose:  Cognac more dominant compared with the Cordon Rouge, with sweet exotic orange spice, floral notes, hints of tea and sandalwood.
Palate:  Rich, creamy mouthfeel with complex fruit (tangelo, grapes, sultanas), honey, tea, and just a hint of cinnamon.
Finish:  Long, sweet and satisfying.
Comments:  That orange sweetness is still there for sure, but in a more subdued fashion.  Much better balanced with the sophisticated, older cognac – and a lot of flavor for 40% ABV.  If you’re a fan of sipping Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and looking for something fancy, more complex, and nuanced – I would call this a ‘Must Try’.  The higher percentage of cognac (Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is 51% or more cognac) and upgraded quality of cognac definitely stand out, and make for a much more refined sipper.  I did try adding a bit of water to it, and found that it tamped down the cognac’s complexity and subtly far more than the sweetness of the orange liqueur, throwing it out of balance for my liking.  I’d recommend enjoying this neat, and if I wanted it chilled – throw a glass in the freezer.
Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

I followed their recommendation rather than working this into a whiskey-based cocktail.

Grand Sidecar (or Centenaire Sidecar)

1 oz Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire
½ oz VSOP cognac (I used Remy Martin)
½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
Garish with orange twist

Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Shake and strain into a coupe glass.

Note – they recommend the “Centenaire Sidecar” but don’t list that on their site, so making the assumption it is a simple swap within the recipe posted for the Grand Sidecar.

With a fine spirit like the Cuvée du Centenaire, I followed their recipe exactly (other than the glassware). I also didn’t try to contrast it with a typical sidecar, but did make a Grand Sidecar to better understand how it changes the cocktail.

What Gary Thought:  To start, I hadn’t ever had a Sidecar before (or not that I remember), and wasn’t sure what to expect.  Based on the ingredients, I expected it would be sour, and boy was it.  I found both the Grand Sidecar and Centenaire Sidecar to be incredibly sour – so much so that I couldn’t really tell one from the other (which in my opinion was a crying shame, knowing how lovely the Cuvée du Centenaire is on its own!)  It reminds me of a whiskey sour where the “sour” is really the star of the show.

Maybe the lemon I had was a real zinger (I measured pretty precisely to the recipe).  I did check some other Sidecar recipes and found several had the same ratio of lemon juice to the other components (1 in 4 parts wasn’t uncommon, although several were 1 in 5, or 1 in 7).

Since I’d only taken a small sip, I decided to improvise and go back to my mixing glass and add another 1oz Cuvée du Centenaire and ½ oz VSOP cognac – effectively cutting the ratio of lemon juice in half.  Shook that with some ice and added to the original.  Much improved for my liking, although still fairly sour.  The complexity of the Cuvée du Centenaire is there, although it is fighting through the lemon juice.

If you’re a fan of the Sidecar, this might be just absolutely delicious – although I cannot in good faith recommend using this lovely spirit in that cocktail.  To my palate, the difference in using Grand Marnier Cordon Rogue vs this is so incredibly minor, it is borderline criminal.  I’d guess that the vast majority of folks wouldn’t find a difference if given both blind – or if they found a difference, could tell which one was “better”.  Don’t get me wrong – I love a good whiskey sour from time to time, but I don’t use my top shelf bourbon in that for the same reason.  Then again – I also don’t tell people what to do with their whiskey, or spirits.  If you pick up a bottle of the Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire, however you enjoy it is up to you.  Personally, I’d sip and savor every last drop neat, or if I pour a larger pour maybe with an ice cube.

Cheers!
Gary

We would like to thank HL Group for sending us a sample to review and play with!

Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire and Centenaire Sidecar Read More »

Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge & Whiskey Cocktails

/ / Cocktails, Other Spirits, Review /

While here at Whisk(e)y Apostle we’re focused on whiskey/whisky, that isn’t the only thing we drink. Sure, all but 30 of the 650+ reviews on our site are whiskey, or cocktails which include whiskey. But from time to time it serves the palate well to appreciate other well crafted spirits.

Grand Marnier is a liqueur which includes cognac with orange essence, but the label “liqueur” could be misleading.  Most liqueurs are 15-30% ABV, so coming in at 40% ABV already sets Grand Marnier apart from that pack.  They also have quite an upscale line-up in the Grande Cuvée Collection which use some really exceptional cognacs (as well as a higher percentage of cognac; we’ll examine one of these more closely shortly – check back!)

I’ll examine Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge by itself in our traditional review format, and then have a go at some of their recommended cocktail recipes which include whiskey and share my thoughts and recommendations!

Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge

40% ABV
$28-$30
Website
Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge
We would like to thank HL Group for sending us a sample to review and play with!

What the Blender Says

THE BLEND
Created in 1880 by founder Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, Grand Marnier® Cordon Rouge is a premium blend of cognacs with wild tropical oranges from the Caribbean. Louis-Alexandre’s vision of blending the essence of wild tropical oranges with cognac from France was unconventional and truly the earliest form of spirits innovation of its time. Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed on the rocks or neat, yet exceptionally delicious in cocktails.

TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Brilliant topaz tones with amber hues.
AROMA: Pleasant orange notes with hints of candied peel, light aroma of vanilla fragrance from the cognac.
TASTE: Fragrant orange flavors enhanced by the cognac with nuances of orange essence and hazelnuts.
FINISH: Lingering and harmonious finish.

Enjoy neat, on the rocks or in cocktails.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Orange (but not just ‘orange’, a toasted orange zest), honey with a hint of exotic flora.
Palate:  Orange creamsicle with a sharp allspice note on entry before syrupy honey and orange sweetness take over.
Finish:  Moderately long, soft and sweet.
Comments:  Full disclosure, this may have been the first time I sat down and thoughtfully sipped Grand Marnier.  I’ve had it on hand for years for cocktails, but never examined it neat before now.  I enjoyed it more than I would have expected!  If you’re a whiskey fan looking for this to taste like whiskey – it doesn’t.  It is most definitely a sweet liqueur, but if you haven’t tried sipping it like a whiskey – and approach it with an open mind, you may be surprised!

Rating: Stands Out

Now – let’s look at some cocktails!  They list several recipes on their website, so I decided to try two that are whiskey-based classics.

Grand Old Fashioned

½ oz Grand Marnier
1 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon
1 dash aromatic bitters

Combine  the above in a rocks glass, add some ice and stir.  Press an orange peel across the top/edges of the rocks glass, and garnish with an orange peel and a brandied cherry.

I followed their recipe above . . .almost exactly.  I expounded a bit and used Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit (shamefully because I’m fresh out of the standard-bearer Wild Turkey 101!)  I also skipped the garnishes – but did rub an orange peel around the glass rim.

I wanted to contrast this with a “traditional Old Fashioned”.  I know there are different recipes,  so this is what I used:

2 oz Wild Turkey Bourbon (same Kentucky Spirit I used above)
3 dashes of Angostura bitters (same I used above)
1 tsp of simple syrup

Same process – combine in a rocks glass with a few cubes, stir, and rub an orange peel around the rim.

What Gary Thought:

The Grand Old Fashioned clearly had a lot of orange influence, and it was more sweet than the standard Old Fashioned.  If you’re a fan of Grand Marnier more so than whiskey, but wanting to test the waters with a whiskey cocktail, the recipe as written might be right up your alley.  If you’re a whiskey fan looking to change up your Old Fashioned, but not make it too sweet – I’d offer the following tweak to their recipe:
½ oz Grand Marnier
1½ oz Wild Turkey Bourbon (+½ oz from original)
2 dashes aromatic bitters (+1 dash from original)

I tried this variation, and found it a better balance between the bitters, bourbon and Grand Marnier.  For me, this was closer to a typical Old Fashioned with a little more orange complexity.  I liked it quite a bit!

Grand Manhattan

½ oz Grand Marnier
¾ oz Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon
¼ oz Cinzano (a sweet vermouth)
2-3 dashes aromatic bitters

Mix bitters, vermouth, bourbon, and Grand Marnier in a glass.  Add ice, stir, then strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a brandied cherry.

Again – I followed their recipe above . . .almost exactly.  I went back to the Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit and used the sweet vermouth I had on hand (Martini & Rossi).  I used 2 dashes of bitters since the volume (1½ oz) was less than my typical recipe.

To contrast this with a “traditional Manhattan”, I had to make one concession.  I prefer rye whiskey in a Manhattan (and some recipes call for either or, which to many whiskey enthusiasts is a form of blasphemy; you wouldn’t substitute Coke for Root Beer).  But, I wanted to compare with something similar,  so this is what I used:

2 oz Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
1 oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Same process – combine in a mixing glass, add ice, stir and strain.

What Gary Thought:

The Grand Manhattan was much spicier, which didn’t surprise me due to the ratio of bitters to alcohol.  While spicy (which a Manhattan should be, hence my preference for rye whiskey), the Grand Marnier presence isn’t lost.  Again, fans of Grand Marnier more so than whiskey, this could be great – although I would guess it might be a bit too spicy.  If you’re a whiskey fan wanting a new twist on your Manhattan, I’d offer the following tweak to their recipe:
¾ oz Grand Marnier (+¼ oz from original)
1½ oz Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon (+¾ oz from original)
¼ oz Cinzano (a sweet vermouth)
3 dashes aromatic bitters (make it a solid 3)

Not rocket science, but basically doubled the bourbon, increased the Grand Marnier by half, left the vermouth alone, and with the additional volume (moving up from 1½ oz alcohol to 2½ oz; still less than the 3 oz in my standard) settled on 3 dashes.  This was my Goldilocks; not too spicy, not too sweet, juuuuust right.  I don’t consider myself a mixologist in any way/shape/form, but I was pretty impressed with this bit of handiwork.  Solid balance between the spice and bourbon, and keeps the Grand Marnier shining through.

If you have any different takes on these, or other recipes you’ve found with Grand Marnier and whiskey, please share in the comments below!

Cheers!
Gary

Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge & Whiskey Cocktails Read More »

National Whiskey Sour Day

/ / Cocktails

Before the hate mail comes pouring in (“Hey – weren’t you the guy who hated all of these holidays?”), I can admit when I’m wrong. Not saying I was BUT sometimes you just need a good excuse for a drink. If the powers that be give you National Whiskey Sour Day, why fight it?

Full disclosure – I’m don’t spend a lot of time making cocktails. Drinking them is another story, but typically when I’m looking to enjoy my whiskey, I’m just pouring it neat. But when the mood strikes, I do take pride in a well made cocktail. Today, I opted to try a new recipe in celebration of National Whiskey Sour Day:

Gentleman Jack Sour
1 1/2 oz. Gentleman Jack
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Dash of bitters

Their instructions ask to half-fill a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds, and strain into a chilled rocks glass that is half-filled with ice. I deviated slightly by only putting a few cubes in my shaker (more like 1/4 full).  The result?  Refreshing and delicious!  The sweet and smooth character of Gentleman Jack doesn’t try to dominate the sour components like a spicier, higher proof bourbon might (which is NOT to say that would be a bad thing if that’s what you’re looking for; drink what you like the way you like it!)

We would like to thank Flowers Communications Group and Gentleman Jack for sending us materials to review.

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Shaker33 – The Kickstarter Cocktail Shaker

/ / Cocktails

Occasionally we here at Whisk(e)y Apostle are invited to try out new drink related toys as well as new drinks. Recently, we were asked to check out a new cocktail shaker called Shaker33 that will be part of a new Kickstarter campaign for launch funding. So who are we to turn down new drink toys! 🙂

First, let it be said that we received a hand made prototype not the to be released production model. Mostly, this impacts fit and finishing but I did have an odd seem split but nothing crucial to the functioning of the shaker. So what is this new shaker? It’s essentially a plastic made extra large shaker with a snap in strainer and and rubber ring sealed top.

You’re wondering why you would need a “new” shaker aren’t you? Yeah, I kind of wondered the same thing and really only you can make that determination for yourself. However, there are some key enhancements with the Shaker33 that are pretty cool. Let’s take them one at a time.

1) Capacity: A standard cocktail shaker is usually around 24 ounces with only about 2/3 of that being really functional. Any more and you would probably end up shaking your cocktail all over the floor and walls. The Shaker33 holds 28 ounces and nearly all of that is functional capacity due to it’s closure mechanism. [more on that later] Do you need to mix servings for two or three at once? Here you go.
assembled_clear

2) Material: This may be more of a preference thing but the BPA free plastic doesn’t condensate so no cold hands or wet slippage. The down side is that I and a lot of people measure the degree of chill by the feel of the shaker and you can’t really do that with this model.

3) Closure: This is where it gets really kind of cool. The first part is the built in strainer. You can see those little notches on the sides in the photo. strainer_frostedWell that actually snaps the the strainer in place securely. No holding it on or having it slip off. Very secure. Second, the top actually has a white rubber ring that snugs the lid into place. This is a very nice feature to keep the liquid inside and allows for the maximum volume usage from the cylinder. top_clear

So is this tremendously revolutionary? No but we’re talking about cocktails not rocket ships. What it is though is a well made, durable, well thought out cocktail shaker with a few key enhancements that make this something worth considering. I don’t have pricing details yet but the Kickstarter campaign goes live July 7th so watch their website for more details.

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2 Gingers

/ / Cocktails, Irish Whiskey, Review /

2 Gingers Irish Whiskey
40% ABV
$19.99
Website

What the Distiller Says:
2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey – the fastest growing Irish whiskey in the U.S.* from the award-winning Kilbeggan Distilling Co.™ – has grown beyond its Minnesota roots and is now officially available across the United States. The brand has experienced exponential growth, expanding from limited Midwest markets one year ago to all 50 states this month.

2 GINGERS® Founder and CEO Kieran Folliard, former owner of one of the country’s top-selling Irish whiskey pubs, originally created the whiskey and its signature cocktail, the BIG GINGER®, with inspiration from his mother and aunt – the two fiery gingers (red-heads) featured on the bottle. Backed by Folliard’s passion and category expertise, 2 GINGERS® has quickly become the fastest growing Irish whiskey in the U.S.* since its launch in 2011. After experiencing remarkable popularity and success among women and men within limited regional markets in 2013, the premium blended whiskey – aged 4 years and double-distilled – has increased distribution once more, this time expanding nationwide.

“At its heart, 2 GINGERS® is about following up on a hunch and pursuing your dreams,” said Folliard, who is soon hitting the road in a custom 2 GINGERS® trailer that, like any Irish pub, will ring with stories (most of them true) in cities across the country. “We hope to encourage others to pursue their dreams, to demonstrate what we stand for and to pose the question: ‘Why not try something big?’”

Beam Inc. (NYSE:BEAM) acquired 2 GINGERS® in December 2012, and since that time has rapidly expanded distribution. To support the national launch, Folliard will use the customized 2 GINGERS® trailer to meet with bartenders, distributors and consumers looking to discover the BIG GINGER® cocktail in stops from coast to coast, including: Milwaukee, WI, Chicago, IL, Hoboken, NJ, New Orleans, LA, Dallas, TX, Austin, TX, San Diego, CA, Denver, CO, Minneapolis, MN, St. Louis, MO, Indianapolis, IN, and Columbus, OH.

2 GINGERS® is a smooth, malty and slightly sweet premium, blended Irish whiskey. Distilled with mixability in mind, the brand created and trademarked two balanced and simple cocktails, the BIG GINGER® and SKINNY GINGER®. Genderless and appropriate for all seasons, these cocktails combine the refreshing bite of ginger ale with the caramel, vanilla and citrus undertones of 2 GINGERS®, creating the perfect recipe for anyone who may not yet consider themselves whiskey drinkers.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Out of the bottle there is a heavy malty/hoppy note reminiscent of cheaper American lager or IPA. As the nose mellow it’s lighter and more like honeysuckle with a vegetal herb mixture.
Palate: Light with hints of honey and vanilla almond milk fading to a spicy and grassy taste.
Finish: The finish is a little raw and the place where the whiskey shows it’s youth.
Comments: Not a bad whiskey at all. This is clearly Cooley product. It think I could be a better “neat sipper” with some ago on it but they are pushing it as a mixer. With some ginger ale it is quite refreshing.
Rating: Average

We would like to thank Rueben his team at DBC PR for the review sample provided.

Recommended Cocktails:

BIG GINGER®
2 parts 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey
Ginger Ale
Lemon Wedge
Lime Wedge
METHOD: Pour the 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey into a pint glass with ice. Top with ginger ale, followed by a wedge of a lemon and lime.

SKINNY GINGER®
2 parts 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey
Diet Ginger Ale
Lemon Wedge
Lime Wedge
METHOD: Pour the 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey into a pint glass with ice. Top with diet ginger ale, followed by a wedge of a lemon and lime.

2 Gingers Read More »