S P I R I T S M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 5

Hi ghball

5 Winter Cocktails for any Occasion

executive vice president and 11th generation family member

Celebrate 325 Years of Ketel One Vodka with Carl Nolet, Jr.,

STOCK YOUR BAR

Highball is a quarterly

publication of ABC Fine

Wine & Spirits. Copyright

2015 ABC Liquors, Inc.

All rights reserved.

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Meghan Guarino

Editor

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Allie Smallwood

Contributing Editor

allies@abcfws.com

We Made a Mistake!

In last season’s issue,

we incorrectly quoted

Wild Turkey Master

Distiller Jimmy Russell

as saying the location

of the distillery is in

Lawrenceville, Kentucky.

The correct location of

the Wild Turkey Distillery

is in Lawrenceburg,

Kentucky.

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CELEBRATE 325 YEARS

OF KETEL ONE VODKA!

Celebrate the anniversary of this iconic

distillery with 11th generation family

member Carl Nolet, Jr.

BUNNAHABHAIN

SCOTCH

The three Scotches you need for the

holidays are all from the same little isle

in Scotland.

HOLIDAY COCKTAIL

COUNTDOWN

Five winter cocktails that will

satisfy the palate of any guest,

friend, family member or caroler.

TICK TOCK,

TIME TO STOCK

The countdown to 2016 is on. Give

your bar cart just what it needs to

survive the holidays.

NORTH SEA VODKA

From the cold, windy climate of the

North Sea comes a smooth vodka

perfect for mixing.

VEEV IS FOR VICTORY

Made with açaí sourced directly

from Brazil, this is an all-natural,

powerful spirit.

THE DUKE

Sit down with Patrick Wayne as he

describes his father’s favorite bourbons

and the namesake whiskey made in

John Wayne’s honor.

MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT

Add a dash of liqueur to your cocktail

for bright flavors.

RUM PUM PUM PUNCH

This elegant, easy-to-make rum punch

is the perfect cocktail for your next

holiday gathering.

ERTÉ + COURVOISIER

Two French icons combine for a

collection that is elegant, beautiful

and phenomenally rare.

SPIRIT TO SIP: NOLET’S

SILVER DRY GIN

From famed vodka Ketel One comes

a juniper spirit of depth and quality.

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325 Years of Vodka

“We have a family creed here,” Carl Nolet,

Jr. told me one afternoon over the phone. Trying

to nail down a time to talk vodka proved harder

than one might think. But seeing as the distillery’s

325th anniversary is dancing in the distance, it’s no

wonder that Ketel One staff are actively unavailable

leading up to the celebratory year, let alone Carl

Nolet, Jr., the 11th generation in line, with his

brother Bob, to run the show.

“It’s a very simple sentence,” he said of the creed.

“But it’s a hard one to live by: Try not to

make mistakes.”

The creed is undoubtedly loaded and heavy to

carry around if you’re not used to thinking with

that frame of mind. It says so much in such a short

sentence: work harder, smarter, with more innova-

tion and pride and try not to make mistakes. “You

have to have an uncompromised commitment to

quality and taste,” Nolet explained. There is no

way around it.

And truthfully, “the proof is in the pudding—or

the bottle,” as Nolet said. “When you buy a bottle

of Ketel One, you’re not just purchasing a phenom-

enal, super-premium vodka. What you’re buying

is our family pride and joy.” That pride and joy

is what earned the distillery numerous gold and

silver medals at many San Francisco World Spirits

competitions as well as a well-deserved 90-point

rating from Wine Enthusiast. And with its remarkably

smooth body and pure palate, this Dutch vodka

will no doubt bring in even more accolades during

the company’s next 325 years. “You have to be

proud of what you do,” Nolet said, “I think that’s

what shows in Ketel One.”

The distillery producing this world-renowned

vodka (you can find this spirit in 80 countries

around the world) sits on a river in Schiedam,

Netherlands. “You have to see this beautiful distill-

ery,” Nolet said. “It really perfectly marries the Old

World craft with the modern distilling techniques

and that’s what separates Ketel One. You have the

continuous column distillation process which

yields beautiful, wonderful product, but on top of

that we use those kettles.” The kettles he’s talking

about are the namesake of the brand itself, the

Distilleerketel #1, a coal-fueled copper pot still that

so perfectly and proudly represents the heritage

behind the spirit.

In the time since the company was founded, the

Nolet family perfected the craft of distillation—or

should I say they perfected craft distillation. “In

many ways, we are the original craft distillery; we

started in 1691, way before this beautiful country

was even a country,” Nolet said. “We’ve been doing

this for 325 years, producing the best products we

know how.” But they didn’t do it alone. Nolet cred-

its the success of the distillery to “all the friends

that work—we’re just one big family. And I think

that’s what really sets Ketel One up for success for

so long. We’re not just doing it by ourselves. It’s not

just dad and his two sons. It’s dad, his two sons and

an incredible group of human beings around us

that do it all. That’s what we love to do.”

To honor the distillery’s 325 years of success and

incredible vodka, Ketel One is releasing a com-

memorative bottle of its flagship spirit. Inside

the bottle is Ketel One. “That we cannot improve

upon,” Nolet noted of the liquid within. But the

bottle is something special for the family: With

shiny copper color and patterns reminiscent of the

wrought iron above the entrance to the distillery,

this anniversary bottle is a reminder of the gener-

ations of work behind today’s Ketel One Vodka.

Even more gratifying for Carl Nolet, Jr. and his

brother is the appearance of their signatures on

the back label of this edition. “For the first time,

the 11th generation has their two signatures on

the back of the label,” Nolet said. “It’s an honor

next year we’re going to celebrate our 325th. It’s an

honor that our family business and distillery has

been opening its doors trying to make world-class

spirits for that period of time; it’s an honor that the

three of us, my dad, my brother and myself, are

heading up our family business and celebrating it

all together.”

Try Ketel One in Carl’s drink of choice, the Vesper,

or toast to the distillery’s milestone with a 325th

Anniversary cocktail.

M E G H A N G U A R I N O

THE 325 ANNIVERSARY COCKTAIL 1 ¼ oz Ketel One Vodka 1 ½ oz Coriander, cumin and fennel infused tea ¾ oz Lemon juice ½ oz Simple syrup ½ oz Crème de peche liqueur 1 dash Aromatic bitters Top with Prosecco

Directions for Coriander, Cumin and Fennel Infused Tea Add ½ teaspoon each of coriander seed, cumin and fennel seed to 3 cups boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes and then strain off solids and cool.

Directions for the 325 Anniversary Cocktail Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Whip shake with only 1-2 cubes of ice. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Top with Prosecco. Garnish with lemon zest.

KETEL ONE NOLET’S SILVER VESPER ½ oz Ketel One Vodka ½ oz Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin ¼ oz Lillet blanc

Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

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Carl, Jr. with his father Carl, Sr. and brother Bob at the entrance to the distillery.

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BunnahabhainM E G H A N G U A R I N O

Named for a small village on the north coast of the

isle of Islay, the Bunnahabhain distillery is home to

some of Scotland’s best liquid. The double namesake

pays tribute to the nearby river—in Gaelic, Bunna-

habhain translates to mouth of the river. That river,

of course, is the source of the clear water used to

make the single malt whisky that tickles tongues

across the globe.

Lovers of peat will delight in the offerings of Bunna-

habhain 12 Year. Smoky aromas conjure memories

of your first foray into the spirit, while flavors of

fruit and nut bring you back to the complexity that

is chilling in your glass. Rich and full of body with

a natural amber hue, Bunnahabhain 12 Year is a

Scotch for holiday sipping.

Aged a few years longer than its easy-drinking brother,

Bunnahabhain 18 Year showcases honey aromas

with slight notes of salty sea air. The palate is elegant

with flavors of oak, toffee, leather and sherried nuts,

carrying through to the dry, spiced finish. Smoke

is subtle yet satisfying as this golden Scotch boasts

natural flavors and aromas from start to finish.

The final Scotch in this trio of spirits is Bunna-

habhain 25 Year, a rich, deeply colored sipper with

lingering caramel flavors and sugared nuances. A

blend of nutmeg, spice, chestnuts and roasted malt

on the tongue and in the finish creates an illusion

that this is for winter sipping only. Don’t be fooled.

A palate this spectacularly complex and balanced

deserves attention year round.

Bunnahabhain Scotch is a single malt for the lovers

of fine flavors, regardless of the year on the bottle.

With its amber color, spice flavors and deep aromas,

your loved ones will delight in a pour of this elegant

spirit. Bunnahabhain is available in ABC Fine Wine

& Spirits locations across the state, as well as online

at abcfws.com.

Holiday Cocktail C O U N T D O W N

A L L I E S M A L L W O O D

At any moment, your doorbell will be screaming at you with one of

three groups of people behind the door: family, friends or carolers.

Holiday pop-ins and visits happen without notice and to the best

of people. They might not be so bad if the owner of the home was

prepared with some cocktail ideas for the visitors. Open your doors

and welcome your visitors with five winter-ready cocktails! Sweet,

spiced and sparkling, here’s your beverage line of defense against

all things associated with holiday stress!

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Hot Buttered Bourbon

4 tbsp Butter, softened

1/2 tsp Honey 1/4 tsp Cloves 1/4 tsp Ginger 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 cups Orange juice

1 tbsp Sugar 3/4 cup Cooper’s Mark Maple Bourbon

Heat the orange juice over medium heat

and whisk in the sugar until it dissolves

completely. Let warm on low heat. Meanwhile,

mix the butter, honey, cloves, ginger and

cinnamon until thoroughly combined. When

the orange juice comes to a low simmer,

whisk in the butter until it’s melted into

the orange juice. Whisk in bourbon. Serve

immediately with cinnamon sticks — use

the sticks to mix the drink if the butter

begins to separate from the juice

and bourbon. Adapted from: designsponge.com

Turtle Dove

2 oz Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey

1 oz Grapefruit juice

1 tsp Simple syrup

Dash Vanilla extract

Combine all of the ingredie

nts in

a cocktail shaker, top with ice,

snap on the lid, and

shake well

for 15 seconds. Strain into

a glass

and garnish with a grapefr

uit peel.

Adapted from: mydomaine.com

Snowy Pineapple 1 tbsp Whole allspice berries 1 tbsp Black peppercorns 1 tbsp Whole cloves 2 Cinnamon sticks 4 cups Pineapple juice 6 oz St. Petersburg Distillery Oak & Palm Spiced Rum

2 oz Vendome VSOP Brandy 1 Vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and set asidePlace the first four ingredients in a saucepan at medium heat, stirring until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Pour in pineapple juice, rum, brandy, vanilla bean and seeds. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring heat to lowest setting and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. To serve, place one pineapple skewer in each of 4 mugs. Ladle juice into cups and serve.

Adapted from: kitchenetteblog.com

Frosted Cranberry Margaritas 1 1/4 cups Cranberry juice cocktail, divided 1/2 cup Sugar, divided 6 oz Fresh or frozen cranberries 3/4 cup Fresh lime juice 3/4 cup Los Rijos Silver Tequila 1/2 cup Cointreau 3 cups Crushed icePour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into a shallow bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of sugar onto a plate. Dip the rims of 4-6 margarita glasses into juice, then sugar. Set aside. Reserve 12 cranberries. In a blender, crush the remaining cranberries, cranberry juice, sugar, lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur and ice until slushy. Serve in rimmed glasses and garnish with reserved berries skewered on toothpicks.

Adapted from: myrecipes.com

Partridge in a Pear

Tree

1 1/2 oz Grey Goose La P

oire Vodka

1/2 oz Lemon juice

1/2 oz Simple syrup

Moutard Demi Sec Grande Cuvee

Rosemary, cut into 1 1/2 inch sprigs

Place one rosemary sprig

in each glass.

Combine vodka, lemon juice and sim

ple

syrup in a shaker over ice. Shake well

and strain over rose

mary. Top with

Champagne. Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from: fabhousewife.com

,

M E G H A N G U A R I N O

TICK TOC K , TI M E TO STOC K

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Currently hordes of family, distant or not,

are packing their bags and jumping on flights

to Florida so they can hide away in your guest

room, crash on your couch or sleep on your

dusty old blow-up mattress while the winter

winds whip through their northern homes.

We get it. It’s warm in Florida and the holidays are

nicer when you can enjoy a cocktail on your back

porch without having to wrap a scarf around the

top of your parka.

But what that really means is that it’s time for

a little spring cleaning of your bar cart. We’ll

get you locked, loaded and ready to pour any

cocktail under the Florida sun in just five steps!

Step 1: Out with the Old

Toss any bottles collecting dust. You obviously

don’t use them enough to keep them around.

Take inventory of what you have and note which

spirits you use the most. You may want to pick up

a bigger bottle of those when you start

to stock.

Step 2: In with the New

Here’s a little advice: splurge on the stuff you like.

If you regularly drink vodka on the rocks, get a

good, smooth vodka. If you prefer bourbon neat,

choose one that opens as the aromas develop, not

one that makes you cringe with every waft. Don’t

opt for the bottom shelf when it comes to sipping

straight or mixing classics. Trust us, you and your

stowaway guests will be much more pleased with

the resulting cocktails.

TICK TOC K , TI M E TO STOC K

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Below are the basics you’ll need to create just

about any cocktail you can dream up. The

Cointreau, St-Germain and Chambord are

not must-haves, but they are nice when you

want to liven up an old favorite.

Vodka / Gin / Rum / Tequila / Bourbon /

Vermouth / Bitters / Aperol / Cointreau /

St-Germain / Chambord

Step 3: The Gadgets

Mixology can be tricky, especially if you don’t

have the proper tools. Keep the essential utensils

close by so you’re ready to measure, shake, stir

or muddle when necessary.

Mixer / Strainer / Bottle opener / Jigger /

Stirring spoon / Muddler

Step 4: The Toasters

You’ll need a few glasses to hold your cocktails-to-

be, but you don’t have to break the bank to get

an array of appropriate glassware. Many drinks

are served in either lowball or highball glasses,

though having a supply of wine glasses, Cham-

pagne flutes and snifters is a good idea if you

frequently serve wine and high-end whiskey.

Step 5: Add Your Touch

Stock up on your most-used mixers, especially

simple syrup, soda water and flavored syrups.

You’ll be reaching for them regularly, so keep a

ready supply. If your style is fringe and garnishes,

add drink umbrellas, cocktail picks, party straws

and drink markers to your bar cart. Liven up the

décor with drink trays, a shiny ice chest or even

bottles of sparkling wine, and you’ll be all set to

entertain for the rest of the holiday season.

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VODKA COLLINS A vodka version of the Tom Collins, which is made with gin. The original gin drink has a long history that has been connected with the Irish version, the Michael Collins, and the English adaptation, the John Collins. This version is a little lighter and can be made with sour mix, but I like the freshness of the lemon and orange juices.

2 oz North Sea Vodka ½ Lemon, squeezed ½ Orange, squeezed Carbonated water Ice Sliced lemon and orange for garnish

Pour vodka, citrus juices and ice into a shaker and shake. Strain liquid into a glass with ice then top with carbonated water and garnish. Many recipes use a teaspoon of sugar but I like to use the orange juice as the sweetener instead.

SALTY DOG Originally a gin drink, my version of the Salty Dog brings grapefruit and vodka together with a salty splash. I’ve even made a softer version using Fresca, which brings in some bubbles as well as sweetness.

1 ¼ oz North Sea Vodka Juice of ½ a yellow grapefruit 2 tsp Simple syrup Ice

Spread coarse salt on a small plate and wet the rim of a lowball glass with grapefruit juice. Dip rim into salt then add ice to the glass. Combine vodka, grapefruit juice and simple syrup in a shaker or just stir in another tumbler and then pour into your salted glass.

WHITE CHOCOLATE WINTER Inspired by a Martha Stewart cocktail, my version uses mint chocolate Baileys, rather than pepper-mint schnapps, and heavy cream; both versions are yummy and easy to make requiring no shaker.

1 ½ oz North Sea Vodka 2 oz Baileys Mint Chocolate Liqueur 1 oz Half-and-half, optional Ice Candy canes

Mix vodka, Baileys and half-and-half in a glass then pour over ice in a lowball glass or a martini glass and garnish with a candy cane. You don’t have to use the half-and-half, but I like the creaminess of this drink when I use it. You can make a pitcher of this in advance and pour into a range of decorative glassware, just up the quantities to 1 ½ cups of vodka, 2 cups of Mint Chocolate Baileys and 1 cup of half-and-half. Add more of the half-and-half to get a lighter cocktail, and don’t forget your candy canes!

D A N E D D Y • W i n e & S p i r i t s S u p e r v i s o r • @ a b c w i n e d a n e

FROM HOLLAND, this ultra-pure vodka is light and smooth on the palate, with an elegant mouthfeel and just a little punch

on the finish. It’s from a cool climate, right on the North Sea, created by Melchers Group distillery, a once small family business

that has grown into one of the leading producers of Dutch genevers. This micro-distillery now makes whiskey, vodka, brandy,

rum and liqueurs for many private labels. North Sea Vodka is all grain distilled and filtered numerous times to get that smooth

and silky texture. It is light to medium-bodied, with hints of meringue on the nose and tingling pepper notes on the palate,

coupled with dusty minerals on the finish. It is smooth enough to go up against Grey Goose and has received a silver medal from

the Beverage Testing Institute, which noted this spirit as “Highly Recommended.”

Below are recipes that work with a smoother vodka, letting some of the other flavors shine through. This is the perfect vodka

for a whole array of cocktails.

North Sea Vodka

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M E G H A N G U A R I N O

V E E V is for Victory

This silky, full-bodied liqueur pours perfectly clear, a direct

contrast from the blossoming bouquet of aromas bursting

from the bottle. A waft will inspire scents of cherries, pears

and exotic fruits; a touch of citrus peeks through at the end

as an afterthought. There is nothing fake about these aromas,

and there shouldn’t be. VeeV is an all-natural spirit infused

with açaí direct from Brazil.

As a liqueur, you can’t beat the açaí flavor. And as a sipping

alternative to vodka, you can’t beat the consistent smoothness

in the body or the complexity of its tropical palate.

Handcrafted in Idaho, VeeV is made with local winter wheat

and Rocky Mountain water. The distillery’s commitment

to the environment has led them to create a clean-tasting

product with the planet in mind. Not only does the distillery

donate proceeds from every bottle sold to help protect the

rainforest through 1% for the Planet, but it is the world’s

first and only wind-powered distillery. VeeV is the first

carbon-neutral spirit ever produced.

And while the distillery is super in its own right, the spirit

itself is actually made with the world’s super fruit. Açaí palms

indigenous to South America produce small, deeply purple

berries whose name translates to fruit that expels water.

Heralded for their health benefits, açaí berries have become

increasingly popular in recent years. Research shows they are

high in antioxidants and are known to have anti-inflammatory

properties. Life-long proponents of the fruit credit weight

loss, improved skin, boosted energy levels and even slowed

aging to the berry as well.

Their distinct flavor exhibits blackberry and raspberry fruit

with overtones of dark chocolate for a slightly bitter palate,

though the spirit made with açaí is anything but. VeeV is

a palate stunner, even on its first impression, boasting flavors

of grapefruit, cherry and evident notes of prickly pear.

Naturally, cocoa makes itself known, though not overtly so.

The spirit revels in its sweetness and yields only to the palate

pleasing characteristics of dark chocolate.

Delight in the natural flavors of VeeV with a cocktail made

to complement every element.

THE DUKEM E G H A N G U A R I N O

Ethan Wayne

John and Patrick Wayne

As John Wayne once famously said, “A man’s gotta

do what a man’s gotta do.” The quote, printed on

the inside label of his recently released namesake

bourbon, is a reminder of the man who inspired

the liquid within.

After unearthing an array of John Wayne’s personal

possessions that had been locked away since his

passing in 1979, the legendary actor’s son, Ethan

Wayne, found passion in the Duke’s liquor collection.

He and partners Chris Radomski and Jayson

Woodbridge, highly acclaimed wine professionals

with a concrete foundation in the industry,

discovered a commonality in the stored bottles.

“We looked at some of the old bottles he had in

his archives,” Radomski explained. “We looked at

the blended bottles and we tasted them. And what

came across was that the bourbon was very, very

smooth and balanced, but it came on at the end

with great flavors and finished with solid power

and heavily charred but subtle oak.”

And that’s exactly what this tribute bourbon does.

It comes on at the end with a rich sweetness and

complexity that leaves the sipper totally satisfied in

this Kentucky-sourced bourbon. Patrick Wayne,

son of John and older brother to Ethan, said, “My

father would have enjoyed this. This was something

he would have liked. It’s an amazing flavor. It’s

subtle, it’s got hints of vanilla, definitely an oaky

taste and it just finishes off without burning. It just

leaves a nice taste in your mouth. It’s definitely

a drink that I would have neat. There are a lot of

ways you can put it together, but just drinking it

neat, it really sells itself.”

With John Wayne’s original notes in mind, Chris,

Jayson and Ethan consulted with three master

distillers who rose through ranks of the whiskey

industry after finding their bourbon beginnings in

the 1960s—a decade that saw John Wayne win an

Academy Award for Best Actor in True Grit, 1969.

The team spent years to determine the makeup of

this spirit, blending rare casks of bourbon from

Kentucky and combining them for a whiskey that

John Wayne would undoubtedly be proud of. The

finished product had to be smooth and it had to be

damn good.

And it is.

“As Ethan describes it,” Radomski said, “his dad

would be sitting in Durango [Mexico] on a rock

after being on a movie set all day. And the prop

man would be beside him and a Hollywood starlet

next—they all sat together—and they were drinking

out of tin cups. There was no ice, there was no

vermouth, there was no bitters, there was no ginger

beer, so it had to be something that was very pleasant

to drink.”

The bourbon that was sipped at the end of a long

day of filming is the type of smooth, balanced

whiskey the Duke Bourbon team sought to

emulate. Not only did Duke Bourbon have to taste

good, it had to be well-made too. “I’ve always

hoped that since the passing of my dad, any time

we use his name associated with any product or

anything, I wanted it to be first class in quality. And

that’s the first thing that jumps out at you,” Patrick

Wayne said. “It’s an amazing bourbon.”

And as amazing as the bourbon is, as special as it

may be for some, and as tempted as fans may be to

add it to their John Wayne memorabilia collection,

the Duke Bourbon team encourages fans and bourbon

lovers to actually drink the whiskey. “Some people

will put that bottle on their mantle or give it to

their dad or their brother and just look at it for the

rest of their lives,” Radomski said before Patrick cut

in with a laugh. “Big mistake,” he said. “The one

thing I can tell you is my dad wouldn’t have

done that.”

Duke Bourbon isn’t just another celebrity “endorsed”

product—it’s the real deal with the depth, body,

balance and complexity of a quality, world-class

whiskey. “We’re not going to tarnish anybody’s

reputation,” Radomski said of using John Wayne’s

name on the label. “That was the promise we made

to the Wayne family.” A promise the team kept, as

this bourbon is as robust, raw and bold as the

Duke himself.

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A L L I E S M A L L W O O D

T H E C L A S S I C S

On a shimmering winter night, when you’re huddled around

a fire with goofy friends and comforting family, whatever is

in your cocktail glass can either make or break the situation.

You want something seasonal, something complex and

something unique.

Liqueur is a varied and versatile branch of spirits; it runs the

gamut from Irish cream to triple sec to apéritifs. The word

“liqueur” deviates from the Latin word for the monastic method

of extracting botanical essences. These extractions were then

added to distilled spirits and used in the field of medicine.

Herbs, flowers, nuts, spices, fruit, cream and other natural

flavorings are blended into the liquid of a liqueur based on the

flavor profile one is looking to achieve.

Just in time for the cheery and hopeful season we’re in, it seems

the days of staple liqueurs are gone. Chocolate, elderflower,

coffee… sure they’re the classics and we love them for it, but

when you’re craving a wintry offering, there are more bottles to

be opened. Here are some holiday liqueur essentials that can be

mixed with an array of other spirits, creams and juices. Pinterest

is a magical place to seek the yummiest seasonal sips, so peruse

our Pinterest boards for a creative way to please your party.

ST. GEORGE SPICED PEAR LIQUEUR

Both elegant and earthy, this luscious liqueur has all the complexity

of a perfectly ripe Bartlett pear. Cinnamon and clove add

a warm touch of spice and complexity to refresh a martini.

VINIQ SHIMMERY LIQUEUR RUBY

Premium vodka, Moscato, fruit flavors and shimmer make for

a ripe fusion of red berries and orange citrus. Enjoy with cran-

berry juice or float some bubbles and St-Germain over the top.

PRALINE PECAN LIQUEUR

Homemade pecan pie aroma and flavor with a sweet, medium

body, dark, roasty midpalate and a maple syrup finish. Combine

with RumChata or eggnog for the treat of the season.

BAILEYS SALTED CARAMEL

Baileys Salted Caramel has the rich flavor and creamy texture of

the original Baileys liqueur, but with delicate caramel nuances

and aroma. Touches of flavor-developing sea salt enrobe the

palate, and notes of dulce de leche bring a delectable finish.

This one was made for hot chocolate.

Making Spirits Bright

CHARLES REGNIER CRÈME DE CACAO

Chocolate and vanilla bean come together in

this archetypal liqueur; use in anything from

a chocolate martini to a pound cake soak.

ST-GERMAIN ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR

Vibrant aromas of elderflower and lychee

follow through on a supple entry. A fruity,

moderately sweet, medium body with tangy

tropical fruit sweetness and great depth, this

liqueur finishes with a long, graceful, herb

accented fade. It is divine with Prosecco.

KAHLÚA COFFEE LIQUEUR

Originating in Veracruz, Mexico, in 1936,

Kahlúa has become the number one selling

coffee liqueur in the world. Relying on two of

the region’s finest ingredients, sugarcane and

100% Arabica coffee, the resulting flavor is as

rich and distinct as the vibrant, multicultural

region from which it comes.

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M E G H A N G U A R I N O

The easiest cocktail you can make for holiday

gatherings is a simple, big-batch stunner set in an

ornamental bowl for the occasion. The advantages

of offering a punch bowl cocktail are countless,

but the one that wins over hosts every year is

the time saved not behind the cocktail counter

mixing one-off requests. You are not a short-order

cook. You are the host of your holiday party and

as such, should be mingling with guests the

whole night through.

Let us help you win over the picky palates of your

gathered guests this holiday season with a simple,

yet elegant and delightfully delicious sparkling

rum punch.

2 750-mL bottles Brut Champagne, chilled

1 ½ cups Cayman Reef White Rum

1 ½ cups Simple syrup

1 ¼ cups Pomegranate juice

1 Lemon, thinly sliced

1 Lime, thinly sliced

Pomegranate seeds

Fresh mint leaves

Ice block

Combine Champagne, rum, pomegranate juice,

lemon, lime, pomegranate seeds and fresh mint

in a large punch bowl. Add simple syrup to taste.

Place ice block in the punch bowl to keep the

mixture chilled throughout the evening. Encourage

your guests to ladle into their glasses as needed.

Rum Pum Pum Punch

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Cognac is to wealth as the French are to wine. One almost doesn’t exist

without the other, and when you combine the raw luxury of Cognac with

an iconic Art Deco artist, French magic is distilled.

Courvoisier is counted among the four premier Cognac houses today.

Napoleon, it’s been said, sipped Courvoisier as his chosen Cognac. With

roots latched in the early 1800s, Courvoisier sits at the pinnacle of the luxury

spirits pyramid, with ostentatious bottles such as Courvoisier Napoleon

or Josephine. Yet in 1988, Courvoisier decided the time was ripe to paint

another level of opulence.

By blending two definitive French stars, and by uniting fine art and fine

Cognac, Courvoisier launched the groundbreaking Erté Collection.

The “Art Deco Master” himself, Erté, crafted the teardrop shaped decanter

and teamed up with the master blender to deliver a mixture of Grande

Champagne Cognac; some of the blended Cognacs date to the year of Erté’s

birth in 1892. The artist then drew depictions of the seven steps of making

Cognac, from the grapevines to the effects of the Cognac after it’s been

drunk, each stunningly portrayed with symbols, vivid jewel-tone colors,

and a glimpse into the mind of Courvoisier Cognac House.

In effectively all zones of contemporary cultural and artistic life (including

scenery, staging and costume design for Broadway, Hollywood, Harper’s

Bazaar and others of this caliber), Erté created elegant and theatrical fashion.

His work didn’t exist without a spritz of glamour.

Born Romain de Tirtoff in Russia, Erté didn’t waste any time rushing to the

fashion capital of the world to set his career as a designer on fire. It was there

that he constructed his new name, Erté, taken from his initials RT. Like the

Cognac that he eventually designed the labels for, Erté’s illustrations were

exceptional enough to illicit mass imitation. His work is said to have “the

true magic of art, whereby a unique personality is transmitted through the

alchemy of a perfected technique” (GreatCollectibles.com). Perhaps this is

why he was a natural pairing with Courvoisier.

His divine and channeled talent granted him status as the “Master of Art

Deco;” the only thing to possibly add to this crowning was to release the

world’s first Cognac assemblage for collectors. These bottles, much like Erté’s

art, initiated the idea that Cognac could even be a collectible item. When a

master artist and the finest French Cognac to ever be produced meet each

other halfway and let their craft take over, legendary art streams out of the

effort. Courvoisier granted Erté’s mind full reign over these bottles and their

aesthetic; the same scintillating mind that designed costumes for the classic

movies Ben Hur, The Mystic and Dance Madness. His work has been featured

and is living in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, the Victoria

and Albert Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and

a large collection sits in the elegant Museum 1999, in Tokyo, Japan.

A L L I E S M A L L W O O D

Erté Courvoisier

Vigne Distillation

Vendanges Vieillissement

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Each of the seven bottles in this collection represents a single stage in the life

span of a quality Cognac.

The Vigne (vine) bottle fuses his imaginative genius with his adoration of fine

French Cognac. This first bottle release only yielded one thousand cases, and

every bottle from this collection is independently numbered. The liquid in

these bottles has been aging since 1988, but is a rare blend of the highest

quality Cognacs sourced exclusively from the Grande Champagne region.

The second bottle, Vendanges (harvest) depicts the fertile and abundant atmo-

sphere of the land, the terroir, where the Charente sun saturates the fruit, soil

and air. One can almost feel the ripening of the grapes when gazing upon the

image, as the harvest prepares to take the fruit into its next stage of life.

The third bottle in the Erté Collection is Distillation (distillation) and it

highlights the crucial process that purifies the young liquid. The fire of the

Charentais alembic copper pot stills was the muse for this bottling, the heat

that releases the soul of the Cognac.

Aging, or Vieillissement in French, is the inspiration for the fourth bottling. Erté

brilliantly integrated the process of aging with his idea of growing children

and their mother cultivating them, whereby the flavors meld and grow in sym-

biosis for complexity and layering, ending in a tantalizing sensory experience.

The fifth bottle is a joy for all involved; Dégustation (tasting) led Erté to dive

deep into the elegance of the “swirl;” watching the legs drip down, feeling the

viscosity of the liquid on the tongue, and allowing the aromas to burst into the

nostrils. Not many things in life release the power and craving of the spirit like

tasting does.

The spirit of the Cognac, or l’Esprit du Cognac, gives us the sixth bottle

aesthetic, aiming and succeeding in seizing the depth and the spiritual

nuances of the liquid; the hypnotizing poise of a dancer rises up out of the

shadowy depths. Pulsating colors paint the story of the road to imp eccable

Cognac coherence.

Once the spirit is complete, the story goes that angels sing with joy in

receiving the evaporated Cognac. In bottle seven, La Part des Anges (the

angel’s share) manifests Erté’s artistic understanding of the blissful greeting

of escaped liquid from barrels of aging Cognac.

These bottles capped the career and the lifespan of an inspired soul who made

an undisputed dent in French and American culture, global fashion and

worldly ideals of glamour. They’re not for those seeking a status elevation.

They’re for the artist, the collector, the connoisseur, the lover of imagination.

These bottles are in limited supply and are an exclusive offer; this collection is

not available in stores: Please visit abcfws.com/erte for more information on

how to purchase.

Degustation

l’Esprit du Cognac

La Part des Anges

8989 South Orange Ave.Orlando, Florida 32824

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B O D Y :

Soft, mellow and creamy

F I N I S H :

Dry, yet beckoning

P R O O F :

95.2° S E R V E :

On the rocks, in a martini or in a

Vesper, as recommended by Carl Nolet, Jr., himself. Read the

interview on page 3!

C O L O R :

Clear, but with obvious bodyO N T H E N O S E :

Ripe berries and gentle juniperO N T H E P A L A T E :

Subtle botanicals that complement throughout; rose, peach and raspberry intermingle with the light presence of juniper

S P I R I T T O S I P : Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin

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