S P I R I T S M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 4
Hi ghballHow to Make
the Perfect Cocktail?
MADE BETTER
EVER WONDERED
T A S T E T H E F L A V O R S O F
THE CLASSICS:
Cooper’s Mark Bourbon
Highball is a quarterly
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2014 ABC Liquors, Inc.
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Hannah Grantz
Editor
Meghan Guarino
Contributing Editor
Lorena Streeter
Contributing Editor
In this issue: Articles
from three of our in-store
specialists, Pete Shipley
(Gainesville), Carlton
Devot (Delray Beach)
and Nathan Dale
(Boynton Beach).
Are you an at-home
mixologist? Find
us on Instagram
(abcfinewinespirits)
and tag your crafty
concoctions using
#abcbyob!
Follow us on Twitter
@abcwinecountry.
We’re also blogging
daily at
blog.abcfws.com.
Highball 2
Be your own bartender at home with your newfound mixology skills!
Whether it’s a Rum & Coke or the
perfect gin Martini, anyone can
make great cocktails so long as
they have the right tools.
A BOURBON LEAVING ITS MARK ON FLORIDIANS…
Hannah spoke to Bruce Alvino to learn more about Cooper’s Mark
IT ONLY TAKES FIVE STEPS TO MAKE THE PERFECT COCKTAIL
And Meghan breaks them down so all you have to do is shake!
CLASSIC COCKTAILS ARE CLASSIC FOR A REASON
But they can be better. Pete has a liqueur to liven up any libation
SHOULD YOU BE ADDING BITTERS TO YOUR COCKTAILS?
Lorena gives the lowdown on these drink enhancers
SKIP THE DESSERT
Try one of Carlton’s after- dinner drinks instead
CREATE YOUR OWN COCKTAIL USING CINNAMON WHISKY Nathan seems to be a fan of Flame Thrower, are you?
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HOW TO DRINK IT
Maple 1 oz Cooper’s Mark Maple 1 oz fresh lemon juiceIce Directions: shake all ingredients together. Pour into a rocks glass and enjoy.
Honey 1 ½ oz Cooper’s Mark Honey Splash club sodaDirections: fill rocks glass with Cooper’s Mark honey and top with club soda. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Small Batch 2 oz Cooper’s Mark Small Batch 1/2 oz creamDirections: shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.
President of Distiller Sales Company Bruce Alvino
oversees the bottling and production of one of our
favorite bourbon labels—Cooper’s Mark. ABC has
been stocking Cooper’s Mark Small Batch bourbon
for a couple years, and just recently began carrying
Cooper’s Mark Honey and Maple. What’s particularly
interesting about this spirit is that it was made
especially for ABC—so we’re pretty excited about that.
Tell us a little bit about Cooper’s Mark.
Bruce Alvino, Distiller Sales: It’s really a small batch
blend of 4, 5 and 6 year old bourbons. The reason why
we blend it is so we can have a consistent taste. As
most people know, bourbon is getting rare and there’s
really not a lot available. To try to say, “Hey, we’re just
going to have a 6 year old bourbon,” it’s harder to keep
it in stock that way and you can get a more consistent
flavoring when you can blend ages together.
What will we find with the Maple and Honey bourbons versus Small Batch?
Bruce: The Cooper’s Mark Maple and Honey
flavors are the same base as the Small Batch, with
4, 5 and 6 year old blends. The regular Small Batch
bourbon is 91 proof, while Maple and Honey are
70 proof. So with the flavored bourbons you’re
obviously tasting the honey and the maple flavors—
and everybody tastes different essences. It may taste
differently to you than it does to me because we all
have different taste buds.
Where is this produced?
Bruce: The blending and bottling are done here in
Minnesota. At ABC, a group tasted and approved
the flavor profile for the Honey and Maple before
they were bottled. We did a lot of samples and styles
and then ABC picked out what they wanted.
Where did the idea for Cooper’s Mark come from?
Bruce: It was a hot category. Bourbon really
boomed about two/three years ago—it just started
becoming more and more popular. Especially with
women—they’re really in the bourbon drinking
business right now. Bourbon was the king of the
hill in the early 70s and, on a consumption basis,
we’re back at those levels. So once we had the idea
then we came up with the name and design and it
was developed. The Maple and the Honey were just
made in the last year.
Cooper’s Mark Small Batch has won the honors of
Silver Medal (89 points) “Highly Recommended”
and “Best Buy” from the Beverage Testing Institute
(BTI), while Maple has won the Bronze Medal
(82 points) and is labeled as
“Recommended”. Honey is the
winner of the BTI’s Silver Medal
(87 points) and marked as
“Highly Recommended”.
H A N N A H G R A N T Z
MAKING ITS MARK
Cooper’s Mark Bourbon—
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STEP ONE
Choose a two-piece cocktail shaker. Generally one piece is a standard glass while the other piece is a large,
metal tumbler. Gather your ingredients.
STEP TWO
Measure and pour your ingredients into the glass. Add ice.
STEP THREE
Pour everything from the glass into the metal tumbler. Secure the two pieces together by creating one
smooth seam on one side. The glass should be at an angle against the metal tumbler. Lightly tap the top to
tighten the closure. You can make sure the seal is tight by lifting the shaker by the top glass portion—if the
shaker remains intact, you’re good to go!
STEP FOUR
Hold the shaker with your palm close to the seal and your index finger on the top, glass portion. Your other
hand should be on the bottom half of the shaker. Hold the shaker over your shoulder and shake for 15 seconds.
STEP FIVE
With the shaker on a solid surface, break the seal by using the heel of your hand to hit the spot where the
pieces overlap, creating a flat space. Strain your cocktail into your glass and garnish.
Five Steps to the Perfect Shaken CocktailSHAKEN, NOT STIRRED
M E G H A N G U A R I N O
The drink chooses the glass, Harry.
While each cocktail calls for a certain glass, many glasses can be used for several different
drinks. That’s why we recommend collecting a set of these three core glasses.
THE MARTINI GLASS
Serves Martinis, Cosmos, Manhattans, Sidecars and any other drinks without ice. Why? The
stem keeps the heat of your hand away from the cocktail, allowing it to keep its chill longer.
THE HIGHBALL GLASS
The highball can serve as a standard cocktail cup for any libation needing to be served in
a tall glass. Perfect for Mojitos, Gin and Tonics, Long Island Iced Teas, and Bloody Marys.
THE OLD-FASHIONED GLASS
This short glass is used to serve cocktails over ice, usually those with minimal ingredients.
Serves Rum and Cokes, Whiskey Sours, Vodka Tonics and, of course, Old Fashioneds.
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Highball 5
Over the decades, a number of cocktails have made
it to “classic” status, having been tweaked and
improved for a hundred years or more before reaching
their ultimate form. Martinis, Manhattans and
Daiquiris come to mind. But a new wave of premium
liqueurs has recently graced the bar shelves and
liquor cabinets of the nation, with the potential to
bring new and better flavors to some old standards.
ST-GERMAIN
In central and eastern France, the elder tree blooms
for only a few weeks each spring and summer.
Harvesters cut the flowers by hand, then bicycle
them (yes, they use bicycles) to a macerating plant,
where the unique flavors of the elderflower are
patiently extracted. The production process is time
consuming and the supply of elderflowers limited,
which is why each fluted bottle (a work of art in
itself) is numbered. The end result took the craft
cocktail world by storm around 2008. Tales of the
Cocktail, an annual mixologists’ convention that
takes place in New Orleans, declared St-Germain
its “Spirit of the Year.” Sweet, but not overly so, with
notes of lychee and citrus, it has proven as versatile
as any ingredient in the last 50 years.
With St-Germain, try:
ST. MARGARET
1½ oz blanco tequila (we recommend Cuesta Mesa)
½ oz St-Germain
½ oz fresh lime juice
Directions: Add ingredients to mixing glass with ice.
Shake vigorously; strain into margarita glass.
And while St-Germain works wonderfully with
white spirits, especially gin, it is by no means
restricted to them. In this recipe, St-Germain is used
to brighten the flavors of a Rob Roy, simultaneously
taming and brightening the base spirit, Scotch.
LE ROI ROBERT
2 oz blended or single malt Scotch (I like Balvenie
14 year single malt)
½ oz St-Germain
½ oz sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula
works well)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions: Stir with ice in a mixing glass, strain
into a martini glass. Garnish with a real Luxardo
Maraschino cherry.
LICOR 43
The city of Cartagena, Spain, dates back to Phoenician
times, and has in turn been occupied by the Ostrogoths,
the Romans (who built an amphitheater that’s still
visible today) and the Moors. Today, however, it’s
famous for two things: the birthplace of the Spanish
Navy’s submarine force (in fact, the local futbol team
has a submarine on its coat of arms) and as the home
of Licor 43. The Zamora family has produced a mix
of, you guessed it, 43 ingredients that combine citrus
with vanilla, with hints of cinnamon and stone fruit.
Today Licor 43 is the most popular liqueur in Spain
and is enjoyed in some 60 countries around the
world. Like St-Germain, Licor 43 can be sipped on
the rocks as an aperitif, but it really shines when used
in a cocktail. Anything triple sec can do, Licor 43 can
probably do better.
SIDECAR GUS
1½ oz brandy or Cognac (Maison Rouge VSOP
is great)
½ oz Licor 43
½ oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice (juice of one-
half lemon)
Directions: Shake briskly with ice in mixing glass,
strain into martini glass.
Optional: sugared rim
And for a twist on the brunch classic:
SPANISH 75
In a flute, pour
1 oz Uncle Val’s gin
½ oz Licor 43
½ oz lemon juice
2 dashes bitters
Top with cold cava (Barcino brut would go nicely)
As you can see, while many popular drinks have
remained “classic” for up to (and over) a hundred
years, in some cases there’s always room for
improvement – or just a twist.
A Twist on the ClassicsP E T E S H I P L E Y, A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S G A I N E S V I L L E
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Highball 6
Bitters have a long history (Angostura alone dates
to 1824)—nearly as old as alcohol itself. In their
original form, “bitters” were simply medicinal herbs
infused in wine. Ancient Egyptians used them, as
did medieval apothecaries. Originally used primarily
as digestives, by 1806 they were used in cocktails
defined as spirits, sugar, water and bitters. A far cry
from today’s concoctions!
Today, bitters are separated from digestives (or
digestifs) such as Campari, Aperol, Becherovka and
Pimm’s No. 1. These are either imbibed on their own
or mixed with an assortment of ingredients, including
simply adding club soda (such as a Campari
and soda).
Bitters, however, aren’t meant to be solo ingredients:
They’re meant to enhance other ingredients by being
added, a drop or dash at a time, to drinks or food.
Orange bitters were an ingredient in the original
gin martini.
COCKTAILS USING DIGESTIFS:
Aperol & Prosecco
3 parts prosecco (we like Collalto Extra Dry)
2 parts Aperol Aperitivo
Splash of soda
Slice of orange
Directions: Fill a white wine glass with ice. Add
prosecco, Aperol and splash of club soda. Top with
a slice of orange for a garnish.
(recipe from www.aperol.com)
Existential Hero
¾ oz each: white tequila (try Los Rijos Silver),
orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier), white rum
(Palms would work nicely), Becherovka and lime juice
1 tsp amaretto (like Jacquin’s)
Directions: Mix all ingredients in a mixing glass
filled with ice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass
over fresh ice.
(recipe from chowhound.com)
Becherovka is said to be fantastic with tonic water,
too, or served chilled and neat.
NOW TO THE BITTERS RECIPES:
Classic Martini
2 ½ oz gin (such as Sunset Hills Small Batch)
½ oz dry vermouth (Martini will work here)
Olives or lemon twist
Orange or regular bitters
Directions: Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add gin and
vermouth and stir. Strain into a martini glass, add
a splash of orange or regular bitters, garnish with
either olives or a lemon twist.
A Sidecar Named Desire
1 ½ oz gold rum (we recommend Cane Royale)
¾ oz Cognac (Hardy Red Corner VS)
½ oz peach schnapps (such as Charles Regnier)
¾ oz lemon juice
Dash of orange bitters
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker glass
filled with ice. Shake. Strain into a martini glass.
(Recipe from angostura.com)
Blue Lagoon
1 oz each white and gold rum (Cruzan could work
for both)
¾ oz blue curacao (Charles Regnier)
2 ½ oz pineapple juice
2 oz orange juice
2 dashes bitters (no, it doesn’t call for orange bitters,
but how good would that be??)
Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker glass filled
with ice. Shake. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass.
It’s OK to be BitterL O R E N A S T R E E T E R
There’s nothing better to complement a great meal than an after-
dinner drink. Be it Cognac, brandy, a cocktail or dessert wine, the
enjoyment of these spirits enhances the dining experience. An alcohol-
ic beverage served after a meal is commonly referred to as a “digestif.”
The idea behind digestifs is to aid digestion. For those of you who are
new to after-dinner drinks, you should have no fear in ordering one
or making your own at home! Here are some guidelines and a few
examples to bring a warm and sweet ending to all your meals.
A general rule of thumb for dessert wine is that the sweeter the dessert,
the sweeter the wine should be. In other words, generally speaking,
the wine should be sweeter than the dessert—otherwise the wine
will taste sour or bitter. The most well-known dessert wines are ports
from Portugal, and sherries from Spain. Served on their own, they
are great. They pair very well with cheese, fruit or chocolate.
German Ausleses accompany the flavors of nutty and fruity desserts.
The Valckenberg Madonna Auslese, with hints of mandarin orange,
passion fruit and a bit of lychee, gives a residual sweetness to a nutty
apple streusel.
Cultures from all over have their own signature cordial or liqueur.
Italy, for instance, is famous for sambuca and amaretto. Commonly
poured into hot coffee and served with biscotti, these liqueurs can
also be savored on their own. For those who have a sweet tooth, Irish
creams, chocolate and coffee liqueurs are delicious served chilled.
Brown liquors have a very distinct flavor—be it brandy, whiskey,
Scotch, Cognac or bourbon. Best served on their own or on the
rocks, they pair perfectly with a piece of pound cake. Lately, however,
there has been more demand of these drinks in the form of cocktails.
This offers you a more flavor-filled experience.
A classic cocktail, the French Connection, combines equal parts
Cognac and amaretto. I find that Hardy V.S. Cognac adds
warmth to the chilled drink and mixes nicely with the quality
amaretto from Charles Regnier.
For the caffeine enthusiast, you have the Coffee Alexander and Blind
Russian cocktails. The Coffee Alexander calls for equal parts coffee
liqueur, white crème de cacao and light cream. For this one, try
Cayman Reef Kona Coffee liqueur, Charles Regnier White Crème
de Cacao, and for the sweet tooth in all of us, Michaels Irish Cream
gives the drink a unique twist perfectly complementing the nutmeg
garnish. The Blind Russian is a variation on the classic sweet cocktail
known as the White Russian. The “blind” comes from the drink being
made with all-alcoholic ingredients. For the Blind Russian, mix 1.5
ounces of Greys Peak Small Batch Vodka, .75 ounces of Cayman
Reef Kona Coffee liqueur and 1 ounce Michaels Irish Cream. Re-in-
vent a timeless classic for a new generation of after-dinner drinkers!
AFTER DINNER DRINKS
C A R L T O N D E V O T, A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S D E L R A Y B E A C H
Highball 7
8989 South Orange Ave.Orlando, Florida 32824
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N A T H A N D A L E , A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S B O Y N T O N B E A C H
S P I R I T T O S I P : Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey
T R Y I T W I T H :
Ginger ale or ginger beer (in a rocks glass filled with ice)
or mix up a Killer Punch
2 parts Old Tom Horan Irish Whiskey
1 part apple schnapps2 parts cranberry juice
Directions: shake the ingredients well
over ice and serve in a chilled martini glass
Garnish: apple slice
O N T H E N O S E :
AROMAS OF TOASTED RAISIN, soda bread and Brazil nutsT A S T E :
A soft, fruity-yet-dry medium body with a sweet honey cream and HOT PEPPER FINISHP R O O F :
80̊W H O ’ S T O M H O R A N ?
A 30+ year representative for Jameson Irish Whiskey and former restaurateur
C O L O R :
golden