Cocktail Hacker

It seems the time is coming for premium vodka to step aside as the hip alcohol of choice. I’ve received a few top shelf tequilas in the preceding months and they’ve been good, really good. Tequila Avión, the newest sample to cross my doorstep, is no different. Avión is a highland tequila from the high mountains of Jalisco. After a long slow roasting process the agave is distilled in a hybrid stainless steel and copper pot still. The distillate is then passed through a filtration process that the makers have deemed “ultra slow filtration”. After the filtration process, which is said to take 10 times as long as traditional filtration, the result is Avión Silver Tequila.

But enough with the marketing spiel; how about we discuss what the tequila’s really like. In a word, it’s great. The aroma is of crisp agave. The flavor follows suit with agave, subtle vegetal notes and a light sweetness. Finally, in the finish you get more of that nice agave. Overall the tequila is tremendously smooth but maintains its agave character throughout. Very much looking forward to sampling this one in a Margarita. If you’re looking for a super premium tequila this holiday season you definitely won’t go wrong with a bottle of Avión.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

I’ve got a new spiced rum on my sampling docket today, The Lash. At present, the distribution in the US isn’t all that broad, but I’m certain it will grow as this rum is really quite good. Deeper in color than most spiced rums I’ve seen, this one starts life as a Trinidad rum aged four years in bourbon barrels. From there it heads to the Netherlands where it is introduced to real spices and vanilla extract. The final product is not chill filtered so you may notice a bit of sedimentation but I think that’s a good thing. It shows that real spices were used in the production and not purely extracts and oils.

In the aroma I found strong notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla backed by a mixture of warm spices. In the flavor I’m getting the strong notes of cinnamon and vanilla again with noticeable hints of nutmeg and cardamom. The overall flavor reminds me very much of a well made fruitcake (No, that’s not a bad thing). There is a sweet element and a bold mix of spices all combined quite harmoniously. There is no burn to this rum which isn’t all that surprising since it clocks in at a relatively low 35% ABV. Although this is low for most distilled spirits I think it could be a very good thing for those interested in taking the leap from mixed drinks to sipping alcohols.

The advertising material for The Lash seems to follow that same plan by offering two simple serving suggestions. Serve it neat or on the rocks. If you must, they advise you can mix it with some cold Coke. And therein lies the small leap. For many who enjoy a rum and Coke the leap from that to a glass of The Lash on its own won’t be a monumental one. So, if you’re looking to expand your horizons with a new spiced rum or, for that matter, looking to take the leap to a sipping alcohol then The Lash might be a great place for you to start. I know I’ll be enjoying it neat from time to time.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

If you look at my collection of liquor you’re going to notice that the number of rums I have on hand is second only to my selection of gins. This is no odd coincidence; I’m a huge rum fan. One class of rum that I’ve always been a bit intrigued by, though, is spiced rum. I love the spices they use (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc). Problem I’ve always had though is what do I do with spiced rum. In some cases it’s flavor can work fantastically with the other ingredients in a drink, though I don’t seem to reach for it often enough. Having reintroduced myself to the category with a bottle of Cruzan’s new offering, simply titled 9, I will definitely be changing that habit going forward.

In the nose of Cruzan 9 you’re going to get notes of vanilla, nice caramel sweetness and warm spices. The flavor follows the aroma in this one with a great mix of spices, vanilla and a very subtle bit of sweetness. The blend of spices used in this rum are allspice, vanilla, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, clove, mace and juniper berries. As I’m typing this up, reading the spices off the bottle, I’m surprised to note the inclusion of pepper and juniper. Definitely not what I would expect, but they work really well in the overall spice flavor. Speaking of that flavor the spices all form a very harmonious spice layer in the flavor profile that I find really pleasant.

I can’t say anything bad about this spiced rum at all. It’s a great blend of spice flavors that is very well executed without losing the character of the rum itself. I’m very much looking forward to sampling this rum in some winteresque cocktails. I think it’s mellow spice notes will blend very well with a number of cocktail ingredients.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

Let’s get something out in the open. I am, by no means, a tequila expert. I enjoy the spirit, but haven’t had a ton of experience with it. That said, I’ve been really disappointed by the number of tequila cocktails I’ve featured on Cocktail Hacker over the last couple years. Truth be told, there aren’t a ton of them out there to work with. Obstacles aside I promised myself to keep looking. So, when I was contacted about receiving some samples of a new tequila being launched in the US, Olmeca Altos, I jumped at the opportunity. Seemed perfect impetus for me to find a great tequila cocktail to mix them with. And, indeed, I’ve been using them for my Tequila Sunrises to great success.

Olmeca Altos is one line in the Olmeca family of tequilas that includes Olmeca, Olmeca Altos and Tezon. Olmeca Altos differentiates itself from the others in that all of the blue agave used in its production is grown in the Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico. The clay-like properties of the soil in this area make it particularly good for growing agave and the mineral content gives the plants from that region their own special character. All of the Olmeca Altos tequilas are 100% blue agave and they’re all 40% ABV. Pretty much par for the course for the premium tequila market.

Olmeca Altos Plata – 40% ABV

This tequila has a very clean, crisp aroma dominated by the nice smell of agave. Which, while dominant, is by no means overpowering. The flavor follows suit. It’s an extremely clean flavor. Agave is again the main player with the flavor lingering for quite some time on the palate. There is a very subtle sweetness present in the tequila as well that I found quite pleasant. Finally there is no “burn” per se, but rather a light warmth. Overall a very nice tequila and definitely my choice for mixing cocktails. The agave flavor is prominent enough to where it isn’t lost to other flavors but still very smooth.

Olmeca Altos Reposado – 40% ABV

The reposado version of Olmeca Altos presents a very warm golden color. The agave in the nose is less prominent than I found in the plata, but still present. This was paralleled by the flavor with a gentler agave taste and more flavors of the wood coming through. The pleasant sweetness that I enjoyed in the plata is still present here as well. This representation is very well balanced. The tequila maintains the agave core flavor, but mellows and increases in complexity during the barrel aging process. I could definitely see myself enjoying this as a sipping tequila. Finally, while this tequila also makes a great cocktail it’s much more subdued than the plata. For me I enjoy the agave flavor coming through in my cocktails so I’ll stick to the plata for cocktails and the reposado for sipping.

If you’re interested in learning more about Olmeca Altos and the tequila process as a whole you should check out the Olmeca Altos page on YouTube. They’ve released the first two of five short films and I really enjoyed them both. You get an up close and personal view of the land, the process and the people.

One last note. For those of you across the pond, Olmeca Altos is nothing new to you. And, that said, the stuff we’re just now getting in the US is the same that you’ve enjoyed for some time. I’m a bit envious.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.

When you hear the words “cinnamon schnapps” I’m guessing your brain goes the same place mine does. Namely, a viscous, fire engine red, sweet liqueur that packs a serious cinnamon punch and burns more than a bit. I would also venture to guess that you’d never combine the words complex and cinnamon schnapps. No, the cinnamon schnapps I’m used to is fiery and single noted. Well, the cinnamon schnapps I was used to, I should say. You see, on Tuesday I received a bottle of Hiram Walker’s Original Cinn and that whole mental image changed very much for the better.

As I poured my first glass I noticed that the telltale fire engine red color has been replaced with a warm brown. Next as I took a few tentative sniffs I found the aroma of cinnamon in the nose is subtle and it’s accompanied by warm butterscotch and vanilla notes as well. Interesting, very interesting.

My first comment on sipping Original Cinn was simply “Wow!”. This is a far more complex cinnamon schnapps than I’ve ever experienced before. The cinnamon is definitely present, but not overbearing at all, and the butterscotch and vanilla that we found in the aroma come through in the taste as well. In addition, there is much less burn than what you’d expect from it’s 90 proof. Also greatly pleasant was the lack of a chemically aftertaste that I’ve come to expect from some schnapps. Original Cinn truly is a departure from my previous mental image of schnapps and I’m very happy for that.

I think the best testament I can give you for Original Cinn is simply my first sips. You see, I poured myself a couple ounces to taste. Immediately on seeing that I’d poured that much I thought, “Crap, I poured too much. Well, I’ll sample it and pour the rest out.” But I didn’t. I sampled it. I took my tasting notes. Then I went and sat on my couch and slowly sipped the rest, enjoying it greatly. I didn’t add anything, no ice, no other spirits, just the liqueur and it was wonderful.

I can definitely see myself repeating that experience as-is many times in the future. Perhaps sitting in front of the fire, watching it snow and reading a good book. Or, despite my dislike of hot drinks, I could even see this going in to a mug of dark chocolate hot cocoa for a nice Mexican chocolate flavor. So, if you have a cinnamon lover in your life or just want something a little different for an after dinner aperitif, keep an eye out for Original Cinn.

† The product reviewed here was provided to me as a free sample. If you’re wondering what that means check out my sample policy.