A Flowery Song

Background: I admit, I know almost nothing about this rum. I purchased it because I was successfully marketed at; I saw it sitting on the shelf and said “That’s a sexy bottle.” It’s Brazilian, made from sugarcane, and spiced.

Nose: Sweet vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Taste: Lightly sweet, very balanced mix of spices. Maybe a hint of black pepper? Vegetal sugar cane influence on the lingering, sugary finish.

Overall: Decent. Slightly harsh for sipping neat; serving it on the rocks smooths it out.

Background: “Flavored Vodka with a Southern Accent,” according to the bottle. Infused with local tea (well, local-ish; production seems to have been moved from Wadmalaw Island, North Carolina, which was very close to the Charleston Tea Plantation, to Frankfort, Kentucky) and sweetened to resemble (what else?) sweet tea.

Nose: Alcohol and tea, with some fruity esters.

Taste: Shockingly, it’s not syrupy sweet, but almost drinkable. Fruity black tea with hints of blueberry and bramble. Light dusty tannins help balance the sugar.

Overall: Nicely done; it’s almost palatable straight, but if their serving suggestion of half Firefly/half water is too wussy for you, you might try mixing it 50/50 with regular vodka instead.

Background: I’m a bit confused about this beer. The front label claims it was matured in sake casks, but the back label says the oak casks were used for “shocyu”, then goes on to say “shocyu is distilled sake”. On balance, I’m going with the assumption that the casks were from komejōchū (rice shōchū), which is a distilled drink with an initial fermentation very similar to sake. Careful on opening the bottle; I was incautious and ended up having to clean some carpet and my photography setup when it immediately foamed up.

Nose: Floral oranges, accompanied by plums, almonds, and water chestnut, with some very Belgian spicy phenols.

Taste: Silky fermented rice and woody oak flavours from the cask aging, sweet caramel malt, some funky leather notes (maybe a hint of Brettanomyces). Dry, slightly tannic finish.

Overall: Very unique, very tasty. Lots of complex flavours in a very drinkable package.

Background: ‘s cognac. Made from grapes, aged at least two years.

Nose: Sharply spiritous, violets, roses, and vanilla.

Taste: Bitter, and not in a good way. Very muddled, impressions of tobacco and vanilla toffee.

Overall: Missable. Neither refined nor easygoing, this sits squarely in the “do not buy” category for me.

Background: Matured entirely in ex-sherry casks, this Speyside whisky is the most widely available of the many, many expressions the distillery produces.

Nose: Lightly smoky, with vanilla, dried citrus peel, and raisins.

Taste: Rich dried fruit, gingery spice, a bit of sweetness, then a middling amount of smoke in the finish. Nice long finish.

Overall: Lots of sherry influence, very smooth and sippable.

Background: No age statement brandy from Korbel in California, aged in American oak barrels that previously held Jack Daniels.

Nose: Very sharp. A bit of vanilla.

Taste: Vanilla, caramel, and a bit of smoke.

Overall: Unobjectionable, but nothing to recommend itself other than price.

Background: “Solera” is a term more commonly encountered in discussions of sherry production, and describes an aging and blending process which uses a series of barrels. Each year a portion of the final barrel is bottled, and that barrel is topped up with sherry from the next one down the line, and so on until the first barrel, which is topped up with the new sherry. Glenfiddich use a modified version for this expression, where the whisky is first aged normally in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and new oak casks then married in their “Solera vat”, which is never emptied more than half way.

Nose: Flowering heather, apple, rose petals.

Taste: Honeyed apple, charred oak, hints of sherry and spice. Medium-length finish is very drying and almost bitter.

Overall: Smoothish, but the new oak influence is heavy (almost to the point of overpowering) and the finish is slightly grating. Still, an interesting little dram.

Background: This debut offering from Cooper Spirits made quite a splash in the spirits and cocktail world, with enterprising bartenders eager to take advantage of its unique flavour profile. Made from fresh, hand-picked elderflowers which are macerated in a proprietary process, the extract of which is then mixed into a base of grape eau de vie and sweetened with cane sugar.

Nose: Pink grapefruit, peach, and floral hints of lilac.

Taste: Sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. Mingled notes of lychee, guava, citrus, stone fruit, and pear.

Overall: Delicate yet complex, and somewhat suitable for sipping solo. Despite not being as sweet as many liqueurs, there’s still a sugary edge so it really comes into its own when mixed, even just with soda water. Plus, check out that cool bottle.

Background: Distilled in Paris based on a traditional recipe, but obviously (and heavily) artificially coloured.

Nose: Sharply spiritous, with a sugary edge and lots of anise.

Taste: Sharp, almost piny resinous edge, a bit woodsy, with an uninteresting anise flavour. Very rough aftertaste.

Overall: Could be worse, but definitely not one I’ll be buying again.

Background: This premium rum is made from first-press sugarcane juice and aged in French oak, making it more akin to rhum agricole or cachaça than to the normal molasses-based rums aged in either ex-bourbon barrels or stainless steel vats.

Nose: Nutmeg and oaky vanilla.

Taste: Vegetal sugar cane and a bit of sweetness. The medium-length finish is oily and has a light oak influence.

Overall: A bit uncomplicated for sipping, but if you’re looking for an alternative to Bacardi Silver for your next mojito you could do worse. Given the nose, this is just crying out to be an ingredient in some rich, creamy eggnog.