eat+drink
eat+drink T H E
S T R A I G H T- U P
G U I D E
T O
WHISKEY 101 BY SUSIE HOPPER
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE HENKE
BRENTWOODTM
Cambrian CollectionTM © Cambria 2015
42 |
C A M B R I A
S T Y L E
WELCOME TO THE WHISKEY RENAISSANCE.
HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY IN KENTUCKY - REQ IMG (OR ALT STOCK HERE)
TASTE LIKE AN EXPERT Tilt the glass and note the thickness. A thicker whiskey has a different texture and is higher in alcohol content.
It’s been the pour of legendary writers, fought over in early times, and fueled Mad Men types for decades. Last year, whiskey passed vodka in U.S. sales, proving without a doubt
% ALCOHOL
that the spirit is now
% ALCO
a movement. Call it the comeback of the cocktail culture. Bars, restaurants, liquor companies, and craft artisans have lured newcomers to these big, complex family of brown spirits. Whether bourbons, ryes, blended and regular Scotches, Irish or Canadian whiskies, drink-ers are developing their noses, talking mouthfeel, and arguing body and finish. We’ve put together the perfect primer to help you know your whiskey, do a tasting, and talk about the spirit like a boss.
We asked HEATHER GREENE, author, whiskey sommelier, and instructor at The Flatiron Room in NYC, (where she has 600 bottles of it on hand), to help % ALCOHOL demystify the world of whiskey. Where should we start with whiskey? Start with an open mind and the confidence to know that there is a whiskey for every palate. American whiskies, for example, tend towards the robust, sweeter and big aromatic notes, while Scotch is a bit dryer. The idea is to understand your own taste everyone's is different - and then find a whiskey to suit your unique palate. Modern, curious whiskey drinkers play with different styles, ages, ice, water, and even cocktails. Even after a decade as an expert and a book (Whisk(e)y Distilled, A Populist Guide To The
GET YOUR POUR ON
Water Of Life) under my belt, I'm still being told how I should drink it, which makes me laugh. Don't pay attention to the whiskey “rules.” Have fun!
% ALCOHOL
A glass with a tapered mouth will help trap the aroma.
Is it better to taste at a bar or at home? % ALCOHOL Start at a bar with a friend, and % ALCOHOL order different whiskies from one of the big whis-key producing regions: America, Ireland, Scotland, or Japan. Tasting an Ameri-can whiskey against a Scotch whisky back-to-back will answer the palate ques-tion almost immediately. For at-home tastings, make a list to try, get your friends Continued on page 44
% ALCOHOL
Add water to unlock the hidden potential flavors and aromas.
% ALCOHOL
Try womenwhowhiskey.org, with chapters in NYC, Washington, the Twin Cities, Boston, and Portland; another is bourbonwomen.org. Google whiskey meet-ups for your city. Many liquor stores, bars, and restaurants host dinners, gatherings, and whiskey flights. Most whiskey brands have events; sign up on their websites.
C A M B R I A U S A . C O M / S T Y L E
| 43
eat+drink
KNOW YOUR WHISKEY CANADIAN
IRISH
BOURBON
SCOTCH
FLAVOR PROFILE
FLAVOR PROFILE
FLAVOR PROFILE
FLAVOR PROFILE
LIGHT
SWEET TOASTY HONEY
WOODINESS WITH VANILLA NOTES
SMOKINESS WITH LAYERS OF FRUITINESS
AGED
AGED
AGED
AGED
4-6 YEARS
3-12 YEARS
2-8 YEARS
2-30 YEARS
Aged at least 4 years in new or used barrels
Aged at least 3 years in wooden bourbon or wine casks
Aged at least 2 years in new charred oak barrels
Distilled 2+ times & aged at least 3 years in oak bourbon or wine casks
G R E AT W I T H
G R E AT W I T H
G R E AT W I T H
G R E AT W I T H
CHOCOLATE
SEAFOOD
SMOKED RIBS
STEAK
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
Seven & Seven Ginger Whiskey
Irish Coffee McGlashan
Mint Julep Old Fashioned
Rob Roy Rusty Nail
BODIED & VERSATILE
SWEET
VARIABLE
BRENTWOODTM
Cambrian CollectionTM Boulder Edge Profile © Cambria 2015
44 |
C A M B R I A
S T Y L E
Continued from page 42
together, and each buy a bottle. Taste with some appetizers. In my book, I give suggestions for which whiskies to buy for any budget, and what food to serve with your home tasting.
Why are women joining the whiskey rush? Actually, women have been there all along. Some of the greatest distillers in the world were women and have been running whiskey companies, too. Female dis-tillers have grown up around whiskey, which makes it very funny to them that the rest of the U.S. is now "discovering" whiskey. Whiskey consumption in general has grown tremendously in over the past decade, so women are swept into that trend.
Is there a difference in the way men and women experience whiskey? You cannot generalize when it comes to either sex, other than women are great "nosers" (smellers of whiskey notes) biologically. The difference I see is that many men come in with a set of "whiskey rules,” which can be hard to change. Not only myself, but even distilleries are trying to change those old myths, like "Don't you dare add ice to my whiskey!" or "Older is always better!”
Are there specific drinks that feature whiskey that you would recommend? There are so many! Mint Juleps (not just for the Kentucky Derby anymore), Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Sazeracs, Whiskey Sours, and Punches of all sorts are my favorites. I have recipes for all of them in my book.
How do you know when your palate is evolving? What are the tastes, smells and routines that determine a mored advanced whiskey drinker? Your palate is already highly evolved, believe it or not! Women have an incredible nosing ability, which goes back to our mateselection process. It's biological: We're great at it. The tricky part is to start paying attention to that, and to add names to what you smell in a whiskey or wine (see our chart on putting words to whiskey). Women can really tap into that strength. I host classes and events around the world and am always stunned when a whiskey newbie says "I smell honey, vanilla, and cinnamon." I think, "yes!"
Learn more at CambriaUSA.com/style and at HeatherGreene.com.
WHISKEY Ho w To: ORDER LIKE A PRO NEAT: SHAKEN: WITH A SPLASH A SHOT: OF WATER: STIRRED: ON THE WITH CONFIDENCE: ROCKS: WITHOUT ICE OR WATER
WHIP IT UP IN A COCKTAIL SHAKER
EXACTLY
JUST DON’T WASTE IT ON A GOOD WHISKEY
BE GENTLE WITH MY COCKTAIL, SWIZZLE IT
WITH ICE
HOW TO
SPEAK WHISKEY
Try to assign 4 or 5 ‘notes’ from the list below to each whiskey you smell and taste. (Lots of pros can’t name more than 3 to 5!) Sweet
Vanilla, coconut, almond, cherry, milk chocolate, white chocolate, maple syrup, caramel, toffee, honey, butterscotch, marshmallow, brown sugar, molasses
Woody
Pine, cedar, oak, sawdust, tannin, black tea, banana peel, citrus rind, dark chocolate, coffee, leather, tobacco
Spice
Cloves, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, pepper
Floral
Lavender, rose, geranium, cut flowers
Fruity
Apple, pear, peach, banana, apricot, fig, raising, lemon, lime, orange
Green
Hay, mowed grass, herbaceous
Smoke
Campfire, wood fire, BBQ
Eggs, Rubber
Sulpher
Peat
Iodine, medicinal, band aids
Nutty
Walnut, hazelnut, pecan
Heat/Sting
Mustard seeds, Wasabi, chile peppers, Higher ABV
Cool/Sting
Menthol, mint, spearmint, peppermint, Higher ABV
This burns
What a long, warm finish
This whiskey is “winey”
This might be a shared whiskey
The flavor didn't last too long
This is an approachable, light whiskey
This filled my entire mouth with flavor
This is a robust, rich whiskey
This whiskey coats my mouth and lingers there
This is an oily whiskey
This whiskey is silky and easy
This is a creamy whiskey
THIRSTY FOR MORE?
HERE'S OUR TOP PICKS FOR THE WHISKEY NOVICE:
Heather Greene’s whiskey blog: eater.com/straight-up Distiller Alison Patel’s blog: thewhiskywoman.wordpress.com Whiskey reviews, blogs, profiles of women in whiskey: thewhiskeywomen.com Fifty Best Whiskey Cocktails: saveur.com/gallery/Whiskey-Cocktails Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey, by Fred Brooms. Intriguing history of women distillers and industry leaders. Tasting Whiskey, by Lew Bryson. The perfect neophyte’s guide. Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker, by Fred Min-nick. Great for novices and geeks.
“(YOUR BRAND FAVORITE) ON THE ROCKS/OR NEAT, PLEASE!"
C A M B R I A U S A . C O M / S T Y L E
| 45
eat+drink TWO GINGERS
Irishman KIERAN FOLLIARD, COO of 2 Gingers whiskey, and chief U.S. brand ambassador for Jim Beam’s Irish whiskey brands, reveals how he developed a ‘genderneutral’ spirit that is the fastest growing Irish whiskey in the U.S.
FILL COLLINS GLASS WITH ICE ADD TWO PARTS 2 GINGERS TOP WITH GINGER ALE (REGULAR OR DIET FOR SKINNY GINGER) WEDGE WITH A LEMON AND A LIME
Discover More at:
2GingersWhiskey.com
O
nce the drink of good old boys in back rooms, and taboo for ‘ladies’, whiskey is now touted by Lada Gaga, Hilary Clinton, and Christina Hendricks. Women make up 37 percent of U.S. whis-key sales. They are the future of whiskey, both as customers and industry leaders, said Fred Dimmick, author of Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch & Irish Whiskey. Clubs and whiskey events are booming. Julia Ritz Toffoli runs Women Who Whiskey, which has seven chapters across the US, Europe, and Africa. The founding chapter in New York has more than 300 members, generally young professionals between the ages of 25 and 40. Members don’t have to love whiskey yet, she said, they just need to be open-minded about try-ing it. Sometimes events will be more focused—maybe a curated tasting or a history of Scotch class—but often it’ll just be a few women unwinding after a hard week with a stiff drink. “We might not even talk about whiskey all night, as long as we’re enjoying it. What ties it togeth-er is the social factor, and women getting comfortable flexing their own passion in an area tradi-tionally dominated by men,” Ritz Toffoli said There are even whiskey brands aimed at women, like 2Gingers, developed by Irishman Kieran Folliard, COO of 2 Gingers whiskey, and chief U.S. brand ambassador for Jim Beam’s Irish whiskey brands. He prefers to call 2Gingers “gender neutral” but acknowledges that its appeal is to a non-traditional whiskey drinker, younger women. He copyrighted a drink, The Big Ginger, that stars the whiskey in a branded glass featuring the likeness of his Aunt Delia and mother Mary, two red-headed Irishwomen who are the namesakes of the whiskey. The brand launched in Minneapolis in 2011 and was an instantaneous success. Bought by Beam in 2012, 2Gingers is the fastest selling Irish whiskey in the U.S., is distributed nationwide, and has proven that women can indeed push a whiskey brand to success.
46 |
C A M B R I A
S T Y L E
BRENTWOODTM
Cambrian CollectionTM © Cambria 2015
S T R A I G H T- U P
G U I D E
T O
WHISKEY 101 BY SUSIE HOPPER
PHOTOGRAPHY STEVE HENKE
BRENTWOODTM
Cambrian CollectionTM © Cambria 2015
42 |
C A M B R I A
S T Y L E
WELCOME TO THE WHISKEY RENAISSANCE.
HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY IN KENTUCKY - REQ IMG (OR ALT STOCK HERE)
TASTE LIKE AN EXPERT Tilt the glass and note the thickness. A thicker whiskey has a different texture and is higher in alcohol content.
It’s been the pour of legendary writers, fought over in early times, and fueled Mad Men types for decades. Last year, whiskey passed vodka in U.S. sales, proving without a doubt
% ALCOHOL
that the spirit is now
% ALCO
a movement. Call it the comeback of the cocktail culture. Bars, restaurants, liquor companies, and craft artisans have lured newcomers to these big, complex family of brown spirits. Whether bourbons, ryes, blended and regular Scotches, Irish or Canadian whiskies, drink-ers are developing their noses, talking mouthfeel, and arguing body and finish. We’ve put together the perfect primer to help you know your whiskey, do a tasting, and talk about the spirit like a boss.
We asked HEATHER GREENE, author, whiskey sommelier, and instructor at The Flatiron Room in NYC, (where she has 600 bottles of it on hand), to help % ALCOHOL demystify the world of whiskey. Where should we start with whiskey? Start with an open mind and the confidence to know that there is a whiskey for every palate. American whiskies, for example, tend towards the robust, sweeter and big aromatic notes, while Scotch is a bit dryer. The idea is to understand your own taste everyone's is different - and then find a whiskey to suit your unique palate. Modern, curious whiskey drinkers play with different styles, ages, ice, water, and even cocktails. Even after a decade as an expert and a book (Whisk(e)y Distilled, A Populist Guide To The
GET YOUR POUR ON
Water Of Life) under my belt, I'm still being told how I should drink it, which makes me laugh. Don't pay attention to the whiskey “rules.” Have fun!
% ALCOHOL
A glass with a tapered mouth will help trap the aroma.
Is it better to taste at a bar or at home? % ALCOHOL Start at a bar with a friend, and % ALCOHOL order different whiskies from one of the big whis-key producing regions: America, Ireland, Scotland, or Japan. Tasting an Ameri-can whiskey against a Scotch whisky back-to-back will answer the palate ques-tion almost immediately. For at-home tastings, make a list to try, get your friends Continued on page 44
% ALCOHOL
Add water to unlock the hidden potential flavors and aromas.
% ALCOHOL
Try womenwhowhiskey.org, with chapters in NYC, Washington, the Twin Cities, Boston, and Portland; another is bourbonwomen.org. Google whiskey meet-ups for your city. Many liquor stores, bars, and restaurants host dinners, gatherings, and whiskey flights. Most whiskey brands have events; sign up on their websites.
C A M B R I A U S A . C O M / S T Y L E
| 43
eat+drink
KNOW YOUR WHISKEY CANADIAN
IRISH
BOURBON
SCOTCH
FLAVOR PROFILE
FLAVOR PROFILE
FLAVOR PROFILE
FLAVOR PROFILE
LIGHT
SWEET TOASTY HONEY
WOODINESS WITH VANILLA NOTES
SMOKINESS WITH LAYERS OF FRUITINESS
AGED
AGED
AGED
AGED
4-6 YEARS
3-12 YEARS
2-8 YEARS
2-30 YEARS
Aged at least 4 years in new or used barrels
Aged at least 3 years in wooden bourbon or wine casks
Aged at least 2 years in new charred oak barrels
Distilled 2+ times & aged at least 3 years in oak bourbon or wine casks
G R E AT W I T H
G R E AT W I T H
G R E AT W I T H
G R E AT W I T H
CHOCOLATE
SEAFOOD
SMOKED RIBS
STEAK
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
S I G N AT U R E D R I N K S
Seven & Seven Ginger Whiskey
Irish Coffee McGlashan
Mint Julep Old Fashioned
Rob Roy Rusty Nail
BODIED & VERSATILE
SWEET
VARIABLE
BRENTWOODTM
Cambrian CollectionTM Boulder Edge Profile © Cambria 2015
44 |
C A M B R I A
S T Y L E
Continued from page 42
together, and each buy a bottle. Taste with some appetizers. In my book, I give suggestions for which whiskies to buy for any budget, and what food to serve with your home tasting.
Why are women joining the whiskey rush? Actually, women have been there all along. Some of the greatest distillers in the world were women and have been running whiskey companies, too. Female dis-tillers have grown up around whiskey, which makes it very funny to them that the rest of the U.S. is now "discovering" whiskey. Whiskey consumption in general has grown tremendously in over the past decade, so women are swept into that trend.
Is there a difference in the way men and women experience whiskey? You cannot generalize when it comes to either sex, other than women are great "nosers" (smellers of whiskey notes) biologically. The difference I see is that many men come in with a set of "whiskey rules,” which can be hard to change. Not only myself, but even distilleries are trying to change those old myths, like "Don't you dare add ice to my whiskey!" or "Older is always better!”
Are there specific drinks that feature whiskey that you would recommend? There are so many! Mint Juleps (not just for the Kentucky Derby anymore), Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Sazeracs, Whiskey Sours, and Punches of all sorts are my favorites. I have recipes for all of them in my book.
How do you know when your palate is evolving? What are the tastes, smells and routines that determine a mored advanced whiskey drinker? Your palate is already highly evolved, believe it or not! Women have an incredible nosing ability, which goes back to our mateselection process. It's biological: We're great at it. The tricky part is to start paying attention to that, and to add names to what you smell in a whiskey or wine (see our chart on putting words to whiskey). Women can really tap into that strength. I host classes and events around the world and am always stunned when a whiskey newbie says "I smell honey, vanilla, and cinnamon." I think, "yes!"
Learn more at CambriaUSA.com/style and at HeatherGreene.com.
WHISKEY Ho w To: ORDER LIKE A PRO NEAT: SHAKEN: WITH A SPLASH A SHOT: OF WATER: STIRRED: ON THE WITH CONFIDENCE: ROCKS: WITHOUT ICE OR WATER
WHIP IT UP IN A COCKTAIL SHAKER
EXACTLY
JUST DON’T WASTE IT ON A GOOD WHISKEY
BE GENTLE WITH MY COCKTAIL, SWIZZLE IT
WITH ICE
HOW TO
SPEAK WHISKEY
Try to assign 4 or 5 ‘notes’ from the list below to each whiskey you smell and taste. (Lots of pros can’t name more than 3 to 5!) Sweet
Vanilla, coconut, almond, cherry, milk chocolate, white chocolate, maple syrup, caramel, toffee, honey, butterscotch, marshmallow, brown sugar, molasses
Woody
Pine, cedar, oak, sawdust, tannin, black tea, banana peel, citrus rind, dark chocolate, coffee, leather, tobacco
Spice
Cloves, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, pepper
Floral
Lavender, rose, geranium, cut flowers
Fruity
Apple, pear, peach, banana, apricot, fig, raising, lemon, lime, orange
Green
Hay, mowed grass, herbaceous
Smoke
Campfire, wood fire, BBQ
Eggs, Rubber
Sulpher
Peat
Iodine, medicinal, band aids
Nutty
Walnut, hazelnut, pecan
Heat/Sting
Mustard seeds, Wasabi, chile peppers, Higher ABV
Cool/Sting
Menthol, mint, spearmint, peppermint, Higher ABV
This burns
What a long, warm finish
This whiskey is “winey”
This might be a shared whiskey
The flavor didn't last too long
This is an approachable, light whiskey
This filled my entire mouth with flavor
This is a robust, rich whiskey
This whiskey coats my mouth and lingers there
This is an oily whiskey
This whiskey is silky and easy
This is a creamy whiskey
THIRSTY FOR MORE?
HERE'S OUR TOP PICKS FOR THE WHISKEY NOVICE:
Heather Greene’s whiskey blog: eater.com/straight-up Distiller Alison Patel’s blog: thewhiskywoman.wordpress.com Whiskey reviews, blogs, profiles of women in whiskey: thewhiskeywomen.com Fifty Best Whiskey Cocktails: saveur.com/gallery/Whiskey-Cocktails Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey, by Fred Brooms. Intriguing history of women distillers and industry leaders. Tasting Whiskey, by Lew Bryson. The perfect neophyte’s guide. Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker, by Fred Min-nick. Great for novices and geeks.
“(YOUR BRAND FAVORITE) ON THE ROCKS/OR NEAT, PLEASE!"
C A M B R I A U S A . C O M / S T Y L E
| 45
eat+drink TWO GINGERS
Irishman KIERAN FOLLIARD, COO of 2 Gingers whiskey, and chief U.S. brand ambassador for Jim Beam’s Irish whiskey brands, reveals how he developed a ‘genderneutral’ spirit that is the fastest growing Irish whiskey in the U.S.
FILL COLLINS GLASS WITH ICE ADD TWO PARTS 2 GINGERS TOP WITH GINGER ALE (REGULAR OR DIET FOR SKINNY GINGER) WEDGE WITH A LEMON AND A LIME
Discover More at:
2GingersWhiskey.com
O
nce the drink of good old boys in back rooms, and taboo for ‘ladies’, whiskey is now touted by Lada Gaga, Hilary Clinton, and Christina Hendricks. Women make up 37 percent of U.S. whis-key sales. They are the future of whiskey, both as customers and industry leaders, said Fred Dimmick, author of Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch & Irish Whiskey. Clubs and whiskey events are booming. Julia Ritz Toffoli runs Women Who Whiskey, which has seven chapters across the US, Europe, and Africa. The founding chapter in New York has more than 300 members, generally young professionals between the ages of 25 and 40. Members don’t have to love whiskey yet, she said, they just need to be open-minded about try-ing it. Sometimes events will be more focused—maybe a curated tasting or a history of Scotch class—but often it’ll just be a few women unwinding after a hard week with a stiff drink. “We might not even talk about whiskey all night, as long as we’re enjoying it. What ties it togeth-er is the social factor, and women getting comfortable flexing their own passion in an area tradi-tionally dominated by men,” Ritz Toffoli said There are even whiskey brands aimed at women, like 2Gingers, developed by Irishman Kieran Folliard, COO of 2 Gingers whiskey, and chief U.S. brand ambassador for Jim Beam’s Irish whiskey brands. He prefers to call 2Gingers “gender neutral” but acknowledges that its appeal is to a non-traditional whiskey drinker, younger women. He copyrighted a drink, The Big Ginger, that stars the whiskey in a branded glass featuring the likeness of his Aunt Delia and mother Mary, two red-headed Irishwomen who are the namesakes of the whiskey. The brand launched in Minneapolis in 2011 and was an instantaneous success. Bought by Beam in 2012, 2Gingers is the fastest selling Irish whiskey in the U.S., is distributed nationwide, and has proven that women can indeed push a whiskey brand to success.
46 |
C A M B R I A
S T Y L E
BRENTWOODTM
Cambrian CollectionTM © Cambria 2015
