Other Spirits

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 »

Traverse City American Cherry

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Traverse City American Cherry Edition
35% ABV
$35
Website

What the Distiller Says
MASH: CORN, RYE, MALTED BARLEY

When you live in the “Cherry Capital of the World” and come from a multi-generational cherry farming family, a cherry whiskey is a bit of a must. Our American Cherry Edition is different than most cherry whiskies on the market today and is steeped with Montmorency cherries grown on our family’s farm. We like to say that its flavor profile resembles “whiskey with a hint of cherry, not the other way around.”

What Gary Says
Nose: Cherry cough medicine.
Palate: Less heavy cherry than the nose, but still a LOT of cherry; barely “whiskey” essence.
Finish: Short and sweet.
Comments: I’m not a huge fan of flavored whiskey, but this one to me is less a flavored whiskey, then a cherry liqueur with a hint of whiskey. The cherry is really overpowering. If you like cherry, this might be a great thing. If you’re looking for whiskey with some cherry – I’d recommend checking elsewhere.
Rating: Probably Pass

What Richard Says
Nose: A mix of Luden’s cough drops and cherry flavor Popsicles.
Palate: All cherry. Cherry Fanta maybe.
Finish: Basically not even there.
Comments: I agree with Gary. This really seems like more of a liqueur instead of flavored whiskey. I don’t think I would drink this straight but maybe as a substitute for cherry herring or Luxardo liqueur in your favorite cocktail.
Rating: Probably Pass

We would like to thank Traverse City Whiskey Co. for sending us a bottle for review.

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Stolen Smoked Rum

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Stolen Smoked Rum
42% ABV
$20
Website
stolen-rum
What the Bottler Says:
STOLEN is proud to introduce the World’s First Smoked Rum… the result of an artisanal approach fueled by the desire to reinvent the rum category.

We start with a column-distilled rum from Trinidad, made from locally sourced sugar cane and molasses. The rum is then aged for up to 2 years in used American oak whiskey barrels. Capturing the essence of a fresh brewed cup of joe, we infuse the rum using re-fractionated Colombian Arabica coffee, wholly distilled from same-day roasted beans. The warm, roasted flavor is complemented by the creamy sweetness and velvety texture of premium Madagascan vanilla beans and Moroccan fenugreek. The rum is rounded off with notes of American hardwood, acquired through a smoking process called pyrolysis—the burning of hardwood in the absence of oxygen.

The finished product is a smooth, medium body rum with a generous bouquet. On the palate, the deep profile of coffee, vanilla, warm caramel and dark chocolate mix with lingering notes of charred oak for a long, smooth, smoky finish.

What Gary Says
Nose: Burnt molasses, barbecue sauce and smoke.
Palate: Barbecue liquor, liquid smoke with some sweetness.
Finish: Mercifully short.
Comments: On the nose, this is what I imagine a barbecue infused liquor would smell like. In full disclosure, I’m not a rum connoisseur by any stretch. I really didn’t care for this. If you’re into different kinds of rum, maybe this is an interesting outlier (I remind myself that folks who like bourbon and first try Laphroaig might have a similar “What the @#$% did you put in this glass?” reaction). But this definitely wasn’t in my wheelhouse. The liquid smoke overpowers everything, and while I appreciate a smokey whisky – this didn’t have anything else going for it.
Rating: Pass

What Richard Says:
Nose: Rich sweet notes of coffee, vanilla extract, milk chocolate, and a hint of campfire smoke.
Palate: Rum or coffee liqueur? This is pretty damn similar to Kahlua mixed with Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Finish: The finish is a little hot and presents lots of espresso powder, cocoa powder, and charcoal grill smoke.
Comments: This is one of the more interesting things to come across the Whisk(e)y Apostle desk in recent months. However, there has been so much done to this spirit through the “pyrolysis” and “re-fractionated” infusion process that this seems like rum in name only. This would be better served as a Kahlua substitute given the highly pronounced coffee notes.
Rating: Probably Pass

We would like to thank Stolen Spirits for sending us samples to review.

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Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia

/ / Other Spirits, Review /

Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia Tequila
40% ABV
$130
Website
caskers_jose_cuervo_reserva_de_la_familia_bottle_-_copy
What the Distillery Says:
Reserva de la Familia® is the world’s first extra-añejo tequila. It is hand selected from the Cuervo® family’s private collection. Each bottle is made using only blue agave harvested at its peak maturity after seven to twelve years of growing in the field, and aged in French and American oak barrels for a minimum of three years. Reserva de la Familia® is best served in a snifter, allowing for full appreciation of its flavors, aroma, and velvety finish.

What Richard Says:
Nose: There is a backbone of subtle agave that you can smell but it is layered under ripe citrus and stone fruit notes.
Palate: A rich delicate sweetness rolls over the tongue reminding me of (duh) agave nectar, orange zest, and pumpkin pie spice.
Finish: The finish is very clean and refreshing with an almost minty woody undertone.
Comments: I don’t like tequila. I’m a master of all I survey when it comes to drinking whiskey but tequila has whipped my ass on too many occasions. I don’t know that I’ve ever really “sipped” tequila. The remaining occasional imbibing I still do is usually a margarita in summer. So when Cuervo offered to send over samples of this I didn’t exactly say no but I wasn’t particularly encouraging them either. After spending some time with the Reserva De La Familia I’m left wowed. This is fantastic. There is the slightest note of agave to hint at this being tequila but it is a lovely drink and nothing like tequilas I’ve had before. Again, I’m not a tequila expert so there may be better out there but this is best I’ve had. Whiskey and brandy drinkers should give this a try. Tequila drinkers should run out and buy a bottle right now.
Rating: Must Buy

We would like to that Jose Cuervo for sending us samples to review.

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