Le Tourment Vert, the high flying Absinthe brand has updated their formula to mix even better in cocktails. The color is no longer a Listerine blue, which is comforting. It is now a pale green, as you can see above. The new formula reveals greater hints of anise and they removed the sugar. This was a good call, Le Tourment is now much smoother, highlighting the pleasant characteristics of anise & hints of citrus. The after-taste is clean on the palate without the sugary residue. Overall, the changes make Le Tourment a less harsh, more flavorful version of it’s predecessor.

Although, Le Tourment Vert is meant for cocktails, it is getting closer to being an Absinthe that can be enjoyed the traditional way with sugar and water.

Le Tourment Vert

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Moonshine is pretty trendy right now. I’ve seen a number of spirits producers introduce Southern-themed “moonshines” lately, and it’s making me curious. I know liquor companies aren’t actually making distilled spirits without a license and running them under cover of night, so what do they mean when they say “moonshine?”

Piedmont Distillers in North Carolina, makers of Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine, say this spirit earns the name moonshine because of the corn base, copper-pot stills and small-batch production. The company also makes Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon — which is next on my tasting to-do list.

Information you get from the bottle: It’s 80-proof, it’s flavored … and they’re calling it moonshine. One of these things is not like the other! The branding does not affect the taste, and I will judge the product by its taste. However, someone in the marketing department is confused about what people who buy moonshine are expecting. Hint: A sweet, 80-proof spirit you can use to make a Cosmopolitan isn’t it. I say this because I think they might not be reaching potential fans due to conflicting branding.

Catdaddy has a nutmeg and vanilla nose — very sweet and dessert-like. If you like flavored vodkas, I’d recommend this to you. It has a little more kick in the finish than most vodkas (particularly American vodkas) but is very mixable and uniquely flavored. It starts with a spicy note, followed by intense sweet and ending with a little heat. It’s quite versatile for mixed drinks. I can see it in a mojito or a gimlet.

Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine

Photo by Piedmont Distillers

Like lavender? Like limoncello? Try Loft Lavender Cello, one of the organic liqueurs by Loft. You won’t be disappointed.

Simply put: It smells good. It tastes good.

It has the soft, sweet taste of limoncello with the light floral flavor and scent of lavender. Sweetened with agave nectar, it has a full sweetness that isn’t too sticky tasting and rolls over the tongue pleasantly.

Mixing with lime is a natural for recipes, and it would be a good compliment to the saltiness of a silver tequila. Experiment and let us know what you come up with!

I see this as more of a cocktail ingredient and less of a sipping liqueur. So if you like to be inspired by unique flavors, this is a good start.
Here’s a great recipe from the folks at Loft. Yum!

Lavender Lady

1 1/2 oz. Loft Lavender Cello
1 1/2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz. tonic
1 oz. soda
1/2 oz. pomegranate juice

Pour liqueur, gin, lime juice and pomegranate juice over ice. Top off with tonic and soda. You could use all soda or all tonic. However, tonic is different than soda because it contains quinine. You can read more about that here.

Photo and recipe courtesy of Loft Liqueurs

Old Potrero is a re-creation of an 18th century American whiskey. It’s made with 100% rye mash. Most rye makers mix corn and/or barley in the mash, which would make the spirit sweeter.

It’s copper-pot distilled and aged for two years plus in toasted oak barrels.  The reason they don’t call it a “rye whiskey” on the label despite the fact that it has a much higher rye content than other American whiskeys is that U.S. standards require the oak to be charred in order to give a whiskey that designation.

I’m not as picky as the U.S. government, so I’m calling it rye.

Made by Anchor Distilling in San Francisco (the Anchor Steam beer folks), this rye whiskey is relatively hard to find. According to the bottle, it is only sold in California.

It’s a rough spirit, not as refined tasting as a Kentucky bourbon or the 51% rye mash rye whiskeys we’re accustomed to. However, the heat and kick of this whiskey won’t deter true spirits enthusiasts.

The grassy nose and oily mouthfeel are unique, and followed by overwhelming warmth and a peppery finish.  It has a peaty flavor that is unusual for a traditional rye.

It could easily overwhelm a Manhattan, but could be an intriguing choice for a sazerac.

I’d recommend letting it open up before drinking. If you like the heat, sit back and enjoy. If not, add an ice cube to balance the liquor.

A bottle will run you anywhere from $50-$100 … depends on where you live.

Old Potrero 18th Century Style American Whiskey

Xante is a pear and cognac liqueur. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, it is.

The pear nose on this liqueur goes right to the edge of being too sweet and stops just in time. It’s a pleasant aroma, like a pear stripped of its water leaving only the sugar.

I was afraid it would be sickly sweet tasting. But the initial burst of sweet pear gives way to a richer cognac and vanilla flavor. Then comes a little “oomph” of warmth, followed by a lingering light pear taste.

It’s 76 proof, placing it higher on the alcohol-content scale for a liqueur.
If you are drinking it straight, be sure to chill it and serve with ice. This is one drink that can benefit from a little water from the ice.

In cocktails, I think it would be a good pairing with the spice of ginger or the sourness of lime. One preparation I highly recommend is pouring some over ice, squeezing in some fresh lime and topping it off with some club soda. Yum!

I only had enough to make one cocktail (tiny sample bottle, and all). However, if I got my hands on some more, I would try it with some ginger beer or champagne.

Xante

more Liquor Reviews

Black Maple Hill is a damn fine, 95-proof bourbon at a damn fine price. My friends and I call it “the one that smells like bananas,” but there’s more to it than its tropical nose.

It starts out mellow on the tongue with a bit of a sweet, fruity taste and quickly brings on a little heat to let you know that, yes, this is Kentucky bourbon you’re drinking. The result is a solid, complex bourbon that builds in flavor and intensity without overwhelming or giving too much spice.

At around $32 a bottle, it’s well-priced. Straight or in a cocktail, it delivers.

Contrary to what many blogs and online retailers say, Black Maple Hill is not distilled by Heaven Hill or Buffalo Trace. The bottle says it’s bottled by Black Maple Hill Distilling Co. (which does not appear to have a website) and distributed by CVI Brands in California (which has a bare-bones site with no further information). I’ll let the air of mystery remain … until I take a trip to Kentucky to visit distilleries, in which case this one has to be on the list.

Bourbon cocktail recipes:

Mint Julep
Regal Ransom
Orange Bourbon Press
Sidecar
Black Maple Hill @ K&L Wine Merchants
Photo credit K&L Wine Merchants
CVI Brands

The first thing that grabs your attention about Corzo tequila is the bottle — square, smooth, modern … not unlike a really nice cologne bottle.
But when you get past the attractive packaging, there’s a friendly tequila inside waiting to play.

It has a thin mouthfeel and an approachable taste. Though it is 100% agave it lacks the grassy flavor often found in such tequilas.

This is a clean-tasting tequila for sipping or mixing. I found that adding a tiny splash of Midori to a classic margarita made with Corzo brought out the saltier notes and balanced it quite nicely.

On its own, what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in smoothness.

Here’s a good cocktail to try for summer:

Collinsisimo

2 oz. tequila
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. Grand Marnier
Club soda

Pour the tequila, lime juice and Grand Marnier into a collins glass filled with ice. Top off with club soda and a lime wedge.

Corzo Tequila
Margarita recipes

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