Spirits of Bar Marilou Flashcards
Banhez Mezcal
In the village of San Miguel Ejutla in the central valley of Oaxaca, the Banhez Cooperative is owned by 36 families and continues to grow. The families of farmers and mezcaleros work as one to make award winning mezcal as their ancestors have for generations.
The Banhez Cooperative is committed to making mezcal sustainably using artisanal techniques. Earthen wood-fire ovens lined with local river stone, tahonas pulled by horses, natural fermentation and small-batch distillation define the life’s work of the mezcaleros.
It begins with only a small seed. The families who plant the agave have known this land for centuries and take great care to ensure the fields are natural and grown organically. This semi-cultivated method encourages wild plants, bats, insects and birds to populate the fields, keeping the crop healthy and leaving a unique flavor impression.
An agave reaches maturity just once in its lifetime. To harvest the plants, first the Mezcaleros cut the Quiote, wait, then trim the outer leaves and unearth the heart of the plant, the piña.
The cut piñas are split and then roasted in earthen pits lined with river stones. After the stones are heated by a wood-fire, the piñas are loaded in, covered with shredded dried agave pulp from previous harvests and roasted any where from three to seven days depending on the temperature and humidity and the desired flavor outcome.
After the roasted piñas have cooled, they are chopped into smaller pieces and placed into the tahona. The giant stone wheel is pulled by horse or donkey, crushing the piñas to prepare them for fermentation.
As the piñas are broken down into a mash, the agave shreds are moved to open air wooden fermentation tanks, where they are covered with water and left to rest for approximately one week. During this time, wild yeasts and microbes from the agave, the wooden vessel, and the surrounding Palenque will turn the natural sugars into alcohol and contribute flavor.
Once the fermentation process is completed, the mash and liquid is moved to the wood-fired copper alembics (stills) to filter and refine the alcohol. After the first distillation, the liquid is drained and the mash removed. All expressions of Banhez are distilled two times. Each small batch is crafted with careful attention to preserve the unique flavors of the region.
Banhez is bottled and labeled by hand in Ejutla. Every hand in the process – from caring for the agave plants to labeling the bottle– is a member of the Banhez Cooperative.
Because of the length of time for most agave to reach maturity (the youngest agave used in Banhez is seven year old Espadín), it is important to sow more agave plants than we harvest and continue the cycle. Growth, harvest, roast, crush, ferment, distill, bottle and drink!
ENSEMBLE/Joven
Comprised of 90% Espadín and 10% Barril agaves, this mezcal is delightfully mild, floral and fruity (pineapple, banana). Banhez Ensemble is perfect for first-time mezcal tasters and wonderful for cocktail innovation.
42% ABV
AGAVE: ANGUSTIFOLIA, KARWINSKII MAESTRO: VARIOS ORIGEN: VARIOS ELEVACIÓN: 4,705 FT / 1379 M - 5708 FT/1740 M FERMENTACIÓN: LEVAD
TOBALÁ
One of the most revered of all agave species due to its scarcity and relatively small physical size, tobalá agave has a growing period of up to 30 years. Banhez Tobalá is known for its intense aromatics and smooth flavor profile with tasting notes consisting of green mango, leather, and fresh green herbs.
47% ABV
AGAVE: POTATORUM MAESTRO: GONZALO HERNANDEZ BIGOTES ORIGEN: LA COMPAÑIA ELEVACIÓN: 4,865 FT/1483 M FERMENTACIÓN: LEVADURA NATURAL, 5-6 DIAS DESTILACIÓN: COBRE
ARROQUEÑO
Banhez Arroqueño is comprised of 100% arroqueño agave, an enormous species taking up to 25 years to reach full maturity and found only in rural regions of Oaxaca. This delightful mezcal is earthy and dark, with subtle smoke and underlying sweetness.
47% ABV
AGAVE: AMERICANA OAXACENSIS MAESTRO: APOLONIO PATRICIO LOPEZ ORIGEN: SAN AUGUSTÍN AMAGENGO ELEVACIÓN: 4480 FT/ 1365 M FERMENTACIÓN: LEVADURA NATURAL, 5-6 DIAS DESTILACIÓN: COBRE
PECHUGA
Banhez Pechuga (“breast”) is comprised of 100% espadín mezcal redistilled with indigenous seasonal fruits and raw turkey breast hung over a copper still, imparting deliciously balanced flavors and complexity in the alcohol’s vapors before condensation takes place. Pechuga has been consumed across Oaxaca on special occasions for centuries. Banhez Pechuga is best enjoyed neat or over ice.
47% ABV
AGAVE: ANGUSTIFOLIA MAESTRO: VARIOS ORIGEN: VARIOS ELEVACIÓN: 4,705 FT / 1379 M - 5708 FT/1740 M FERMENTACIÓN: LEVAD
TEPEZTATE
Comprised of 100% Tepeztate agave (which can take up to 25 years to mature), this rare bottling of this unique agave species yields a flavor rich in smoke and terroir driven earthiness, with a green pepper vegetal nose, soft green apple fruitiness, and notes of citrus zest.
45% ABV
AGAVE: MARMORATA MAESTRO: APOLONIO PATRICIO LOPEZ ORIGEN: SAN AUGUSTÍN AMAGENGO ELEVACIÓN: 4480 FT/ 1365 M FERMENTACIÓN: LEVADURA NATURAL, 5-6 DIAS DESTILACIÓN: COBRE
CUISHE
Produced in limited quantities due to the scarcity of this exceptional species of agave, Banhez 100% wild Cuishe is an incredibly easy sipping mezcal with all the tropical fruitiness, acidic dryness, and herbaceous notes that cuishe is known for.
47% ABV
AGAVE: KARWINSKII MAESTRO: LUIS Y DONACIANO PACHECO ORIGEN: LA NORIA ELEVACIÓN: 4,705 FT / 1379 M FERMENTACIÓN: LEVADURA NATURAL, 5-6 DIAS DESTILACIÓN: COBRE
Gentilly Gin
Ask a New Orleanian to outline Gentilly on a map and you’ll probably get a lot of questions. That’s perfectly understandable, because Gentilly is actually a collection of neighborhoods — a lot like the unique combination of botanicals that come together to infuse our small-batch Gentilly Gin.
Which botanicals, you might ask? Our recipe goes way back to the traiteur — the faith healer of old French Louisiana — with elderflower, persimmon and other remedies from the Cajun medicine bag. The rest of the magic stays between us and the distillery walls, but trust us, when the air hangs so hot and heavy you could cut it with a knife, we suggest employing a delightfully cool Gentilly Gin cocktail, otherwise known as your secret summer breeze in a bottle. Our favorites are a crisp Gin & Tonic and the classic New Orleans Ramos Gin Fizz.
PREMIUM BOTANICAL GIN
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME 43.5% PROOF 87 ORIGIN NEW ORLEANS, LA LOCAL INGREDIENTS PERSIMMON, ELDERFLOWER
by Seven Three Distilling Company
…naming our distillery after the 73 colorful, culturally diverse neighborhoods that comprise our fair city. We hope you enjoy what we make with the same joie de vivre that makes New Orleans like no other place in the world.
Amaro Nonino
PRIMARY PRODUCT: Quintessentia of herbs with a portion of ÙE®, Nonino Grape Distillate, aged in barriques. All natural ingredients and vegan friendly.
ARTISANAL DISTILLATION: ÙE®, Nonino Grape Distillate is craft distilled with Discontinuous distillation process with head and tail cutting, in copper steam stills.
ALCOHOL CONTENT: 35% vol.
BOTTLING: Non manual, old pharmacy bottle in transparent glass 100, 350, 500, 700, 2000 and 6300 ml.
TASTING: It should be served at room temperature.
TASTE SENTATION: Elegant and balanced, with an extraordinary scent of herbs.
“Scent of orange zest, bitter orange marmelade, thyme and menthol, with exhotic notes like mango. Nice mix of sweet and bitter on the palate, perceptible pepper and liquorice; cocoa aftertaste.”
The way Amaro Nonino Quintessentia® was born
1933 Antonio Nonino, a distiller by tradition, makes his passion for the best traditions of Friuli come true, creating through the art of alchemy infusions based on Grappa and herbs from Carnia. Drop by drop, Amaro Carnia is born.
1984 Giannola and Benito Nonino honor Antonio’s precious tradition with a creation unique in the world for its purity. Drop by drop, ÙE®, Grape Distillate is born.
1987 In the cellars of Cristina, Antonella and Elisabetta, in small barriques of different types of wood, the aging of ÙE® Grape Distillate starts.
1992 The excellent result of aged ÙE® is combined with the experience of Antonio Nonino. Drop by drop Amaro Nonino Quintessentia® is born, ennobled by ÙE® aged in barriques and small casks.
Primary product
Quintessentia® of herbs with a portion of ÙE®, Nonino Grape Distillate, aged in barriques.
Alcoholic content
35% vol.
Bottling
Non manual, old pharmacy bottle in transparent glass 100, 350, 500, 700, 2000 and 6300 ml
Packaging
Upon request individually packaged for the 100, 350 and 700 ml capacities Package of 6 for the 100, 350, 500 and 700 ml capacities
Package of 1 or 4 for the 2000 ml capacity
Package of 1 for the 6300 ml capacity
Single wooden cases for all capacities.
Optimum temperature
It should be served at room temperature.
Tasting
Extraordinary scent of herbs, ennobled by ÙE®, Nonino Grape Distillate, aged in barriques.
When and how to drink Amaro Nonino Quintessentia®
To complete a meal, served at room temperature as a digestive. Served warm as the NoninoPunch® or in fabulous cocktails. Taste it also as the Nonino Aperitif with ice and a slice of orange, or in other fabulous cocktails.
THE ART OF DISTILLATION HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE OF THE NONINO FAMILY SINCE 1897.
1897 Orazio Nonino establishes in Ronchi di Percoto the premises of his distillery, which until then has existed only as an itinerant still.
1 DECEMBER 1973 they revolutionize the way of producing and introducing Grappa in Italy and throughout the world. They create the single varietal grappa, Monovitigno® Nonino, distilling the pomace of Picolit grapes separately and turning Grappa from Cinderella into a Queen of distillates!
29 NOVEMBER 1975 they create the Nonino Risit d’Âur Prize (gold vine-shoot) with the aim of saving the ancient autochthonous Friulian vines which are dying out and obtaining the EC authorization to replant Schioppettino, Pignolo and Ribolla Gialla vines in order to preserve the biodiversity of the territory.
30 JUNE 1977 they create the Nonino Literary Prize, which in 1984 will be completed with the International section.
27 NOVEMBER 1984 they create the Grape Distillate: ÙE®. The Ministerial authorization for the production of the Grape Distillate (D.M. 20.10.84) is granted following a specific request by the Noninos.
15 NOVEMBER 1989 The Noninos plant they own experimental vineyard in Friuli, in order to produce ÙE® Grape Distillate of unmatched quality.
3 APRIL 2000 Cristina, Antonella and Elisabetta Nonino, after years of research create GIOIELLO® the distillate of ‘Purity’, the Aquavitae obtained from the distillation of pure honey.
4 DECEMBER 2003 The President of the Italian Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, awards Giannola and Benito Nonino the prestigious Leonardo Prize For Italian Quality for the “absolute Quality, Research and Innovation … The Noninos are considered the true Ambassadors of Italian Grappa throughout the World”.
6 DECEMBER 2003 the New York Times dedicates to the Nonino family the Saturday Profile “A Dynamo and her Daughters turn leftovers to Gold”.
FEBRUARY 2015 Grappa Nonino, the symbol of Italian excellence, is displayed in the London window of Harrods dedicated to the most precious distillates in the world.
JUNE 2016 Grappa Nonino is ready to take off with Alitalia: the world representative of the Italian excellence in the production of Grappa and Distillates and in the Culture of Distillation, the Nonino, together with some of the greatest Italian brands, has been selected to represent the maximum expression of the Made in Italy in the skies of the entire world.
18th MARCH 2017 Nonino is “Spirit Entrepreneur of the Year” Excellence in wine&spirit.
1897-2017
120 Years of the Nonino Distilleries
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia is an digestif amaro made in Fruili, in northern Italy. It is grappa based, and infused with a blend of many herbs, spices and roots, including gentian, saffron, licorice, rhubarb, sweet and bitter orange, tamarind, quassia bark, chinchona bark, and galenga, among other things. It is a light reddish brown color and 70 proof.
Nonino is a bit less sweet, less bitter, and lighter in texture than other amari. It is aged for five years in oak barrels.
BITTERMENS HELLFIRE HABANERO SHRUB BITTERS
BITTERMENS HELLFIRE HABANERO SHRUB BITTERS
Bittermens loves spice, but found that when people try to make spicy cocktails, the flavor falls short. By combining a shrub with a bitter, a few drops produces the desired effect… which, in this case, is a good ol’ bit of savory heat.
All Natural, Alcohol Base - 44% ABV, Made in New Orleans
Ingredients: Water, Alcohol, Red Wine Vinegar, Apple Cider, Chili Peppers, Natural Flavors, Spices, Citric Acid, Vanilla, Salt
We love spicy foods here at Bittermens. In fact, habaneros appear in everything from cream sauces to omelets at home. However, we have found that when people try to make spicy cocktails, much of the time the flavor falls short.
The problem as we see it isn’t the heat – it’s how the heat is incorporated into the cocktail. Infusing jalapeño peppers into tequila is perfect if you want a tequila drink. However, simply putting commercial hot sauces, sambal or sriracha into a cocktail usually throws off the cocktail’s balance.
The way that most hot sauces are made is by blending peppers with vinegar, salt and other spices. Vinegar, eh? That sure sounds like a shrub to us. Shrubs are classically refreshing fruit and vinegar-based syrups that were sweetened and diluted to make a beverage since revolutionary times. Instead of making a berry shrub or an orange shrub, why not make a hot pepper shrub?
We’ve fortified the shrub with alcohol (to better extract the flavors from the spices) and made it much more concentrated, so you only need to use drops instead of ounces to get the desired effect… which, in this case, is a good ol’ bit of heat.
Formulation Date: 2011
Bottles with the OU Kosher seal are Kosher-Pareve, Not for Passover Use.
Bottles with the GMO FREE mark are made with sugar cane alcohol.
Bittermens products do not contain any gluten, but may be manufactured in facilities that handle gluten.
Ingredient Declaration: GMO-Free Citric Acid (E330)
Neisson
France is a little ahead of us when it comes to appreciating an old school spirit called rhum agricole. Step inside any decent cafe in Paris and you’ll find rhum with a “h” displayed prominently on the back bar; it’s been this way for nearly one hundred years.
“Rhum, with its grassy, vegetal, garlic, truffle, and just plain funkiness, maybe isn’t for everyone’s palate,” notes Scott Schuder, who helms the renowned tiki hideout Dirty Dick in Paris’s hip South Pigalle neighborhood. “But here, where we have close roots to the French islands, it’s a tradition,” he says. Rhum agricole is a must for booze-forward staples like the Ti’ Punch and at Dirty Dick, Schuder and his team regularly use it to add more complex flavor to standard tropical recipes. His preferred preparation, though: neat.
Where many mass-produced rums are heavy and a little one-note, rhum agricole is all about freshness and complexity. Many consider it to be the purest expression of rum—the best rhum agricole is at once delicate and dynamic. Strictly controlled by the French government in the West Indies, it’s made from locally grown sugarcane that’s cut, ground, and pressed into fresh juice. Over the course of two to three days, this fluid ferments before being distilled and rested in stainless steel or aged in wooden barrels. The result: an intensely grassy, earthy spirit that’s a world apart from the syrupy characteristics of many big-brand white or dark rums made from molasses, the by-product of sugar production.
Set side by side, rhum stands tall compared to its cousins in the category. It’s generally higher proof, and made with a single ingredient, whereas industrial rum is made with molasses and often additives like caramel. And while cachaça producers in Brazil do use sugarcane, they mix it with roasted cereals before distillation.
“It has a funk that no other rum has,” says Miami rum master Robert Ferrara. The head bartender behind The Rum Line in South Beach fawns over agricole for its aromatic and vegetal side, “It essentially tastes like wet earth.” If you’re wondering whether spirits can reflect terroir, it’s time to get tasting.
You’ll find unaged rhums as well as a range of aged versions as you explore; we recommend starting with one of these four fantastic bottlings.
Reach for this higher-proof rhum when you want to ignite your palate with a fiery experience. The clear unaged spirit harvested from super-rich soil on Martinique’s northwest coast is a potent alternative to mezcal thanks to robust grassy flavors. After a three-day fermentation and three-month resting period, the result is an unadulterated cane rhum with a fresh floral scent and a remarkably clean and dry finish.
How to Drink It: Neisson Blanc’s ideal pairing comes in the form of Martinique’s iconic drink, the Ti’ Punch, or “small punch.” This party powerhouse is made with a mix of rhum and sugarcane syrup with freshly squeezed lime juice. The limes are traditionally cut down the middle: one half is squeezed aggressively until the pulp and aromatic oils are released and the other is rubbed along the rim of the glass. Sounds like a cinch to drink, but a Ti’ Punch takedown is no small feat, especially with a strong rhum like Neisson Blanc as the headliner. Locals go as far as drinking it without ice, but to be frank it needs a little water to offset the burn of the first sip and fully express the floral nuances. Neisson Blanc’s purity, even with ice, can also take light tropical drinks like the mojito and pina colada to a new level of finesse.
Freshly-harvested sugar cane dominates the aroma of Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc and carries through the body highlighted with liberal citrus, fruit and floral notes. The fresh sugar cane taste continues into the rich, clean finish. Distilled from fresh sugar cane juice grown only on the Thieubert-Carbet estate surrounding the distillery, the three-day fermentation results in a superior full-flavored rhum agricole. Though unaged, this clear rhum rests at least three months while the rich flavor blossoms before being bottled at the distillery.
Country: Martinique
Founded year: 1931
Brand Review:
Since its inception in 1931, the distillery Neisson has preserved in the purest tradition of Martinique components of a rum flavored and taste none.
A great tradition …
Since its inception in 1931, the distillery Neisson has preserved in the purest tradition of Martinique components of a rum flavored and taste none. Packaged in a bottle-rounded, reasonable of all: “Zépol Kare” as say the fans, our rums are the result of know-how constantly renewed from the cane fields to the aging cellars.
The distillery produces agricultural rums Neisson receiving the designation of the Controled Martinique Rhum Agricole. An agricultural rum is produced by distilling the juice of sugar cane as opposed to industrial rums coming from the distillation of molasses (residue from the production of cane sugar). Back online automatic
The activity of the distillery is the period of harvest of sugarcane, which generally runs from late February to late June The rest of the time, the production equipment is maintained, repaired, so that it is fully operational during the “harvesting”.
Which has remained family
The distillery is now run by the daughter and grand son of Hildevert-Pamphille Neisson, founder of the online auto distillerie.Retour
This little plant can today boast of having preserved its independence as preserving a fragile treasure, at a time when most distilleries are absorbed by large groups. Thus, the distillery Neisson remains an essential reference in quality, authenticity, and unique place in the heart of its loyal customers: a rum Lontan Antan.
“A desire to want to stay on a human scale, combined with research of excellence, we believe are the only guarantee to offer a rare, and that the family tradition can continue.”
With this requirement, the notoriety of Rum Neisson continues to grow abroad, and the rewards are increasingly numerous.
