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.

All rights reserved.

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Hannah Grantz

Editor

hannahg@abcfws.com

Meghan Guarino

Contributing Editor

meghang@abcfws.com

Lorena Streeter

Contributing Editor

lorenas@abcfws.com

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.

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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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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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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

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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