understanding spirits, with
ever-increasing proficiency
Alcohol provides nourishment,
invites
intoxication, foments inspiration,
and numbs
during times of difficulty.
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Grains (wheat, rye, corn), grass (sugarcane), vegetables (beets, potatoes), fruits (apple, grapes).
Geography: Russia and Poland originally, but today produced worldwide.
Profile: Neutral taste and smell, a clear spirit distilled to a high proof and cut with water. Usual proof: 80. A high quality vodka will offer subtle tastes of grain, citrus, and floral notes. Flavored vodkas are also common via artificial or natural extracts, maceration, or infusion.
Aging: None.
Notes: In the United States, domestic vodkas are treated as neutral spirits, which masks their distinctive character, taste, aroma, and color.
Vodka Cocktails: Vodka Martini, Moscow Mule, Cosmopolitan, Screwdriver, Bloody Mary, Harvey Wallbanger.
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Natural grain spirit, distilled water, and botanicals (juniper, coriander, orange peel, lemon peel, bitter almonds, caraway, and many more)
Geography: Holland originally, but today produced worldwide and majority distilled in the UK
Plymouth Profile: Gentile, citrus-forward, distilled with a lower ABV (41.2%)
London Dry Profile: Bold, high proof, crisp with prominent flavors of juniper and citrus. Examples: Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire
Old Tom Profile: Like London Dry, but richer in body and sweeter in taste
Genever Profile: The grandfather of all gin, Genever was created by the Dutch as a delivery system for Juniper, which was thought to offer protection from the plague. First it is distilled from a malted wine base and then again with botanical
Aging: Usually not aged, but some Genever varieties can be
Notes: Per European regulations, all types of gin must have a dominant flavor of juniper and a minimum ABV of 37.5
Gin Cocktails: Martini Gin Fizz, Negroni Gin and Tonic, Gimlet, Rickey, Eastside, Tom Collins
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Agave, which notably is a succulent, not a cactus. Agave must be cooked and shredded before the juice can be extracted.
Geography: Produced exclusively in Jalisco State, Mexico.
100% Agave Profile: Made entirely from Blue Agave with a sugar allowance of 2%
Mix to Profile: Made from at least 51% agave with up to 49% other sugars. This is considered inferior to 100% agave tequila.
Blanco Aging: no aging
Reposado Aging: Matured in oak from 60 days to 11 months
Añejo Aging: Matured in oak for 1-2 years
Extra Añejo Aging: Matured in oak for 3+ years
Notes: By international treaty, tequila can only be made in Mexico. It takes at least 6 years for an agave plant to fully mature
Tequila Cocktails: Margarita, Paloma, La Rosita
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Wild or cultivated agave
Geography: Traditionally made in 5 south-central states: Oaxaca, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Guerrero, Zacatecas.
Profile: This type of mezcal has to do with the type of agave plant used in production. Some examples include Espadin, Tobala, Barril, and Cupreata.
Blanco Aging: no aging
Reposado Aging: Matured in oak from 60 days to 11 months.
Añejo Aging: Matured in oak for at least 1 year.
Notes: Alcohol content ranges between 40-47.5%. Mezcal is the predecessor to tequila. All tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila.
Mezcal Cocktails: Oaxacan Old Fashioned, Saladito.
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Sugar cane
Geography: Generally from the Caribbean, but quality rums can be found worldwide.
Havana Profile: Lighter in style and distilled from molasses. Examples: Havana Club, Bacardi, Flor de Caña, and Cana Brava.
English Profile: Richer in style and often distilled from demerara sugar.
Jamaican Profile: also known as Navy Rum, it has a unique texture and flavor profile.
French Profile: Distinct, grassy, and earthy in style. Largely produced in the French Caribbean and known as Argicole Rhum.
Aging: Most rums are bottled with no color and are not usually matured. Some aging happens, but this tends to be unique.
Notes: Few rum-producing countries have strict guidelines. Puerto Rico commands that all rum be aged for at least one year. Former French colonies like Martinique and Guadeloupe are attempting to clarify aging regulations based on French brandy production.
Rum: Cocktails Daiquiri, Dark & Stormy, Hemingway Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Mojito
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Grains like corn, rye, and wheat
Geography: Most comes from the South, but can be made anywhere in the US.
Bourbon Profile: Made from at least 51% corn, which gives a rich and sweet taste profile. Example: Maker’s Mark.
Rye Whiskey Profile: Made from at least 51% rye grain, usually giving a crisper, spicier taste that feels lighter than bourbon. Example: Dickel Rye
Tennessee Sour Profile: Made from 51-79% corn and is filtered through maple charcoal before aging. Example: Jack Daniel’s.
Canadian Profile: Normally made from corn and lesser qualities of wheat and rye. Example: Crown Royal.
Aging: Bourbon, rye, and TN whiskey: aged in new charred white oak. Canadian: aged at least 3 years in oak barrels.
Straight Whiskey Notes: 51% approved grain, aged in new charred oak for at least 2 years, distilled no higher than 40% ABV, cut only with distilled water, free of color or flavor enhancers.
Bonded Whiskey Notes: Produced of one distillation season, made by one distiller, aged in a federally-bonded warehouse, aged at least 4 years, 100 proof.
Whiskey Cocktails: Old Fashioned Penicillin, Manhattan Ward 8, Sazerac, Whiskey Sour, Gold Rush.
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Malted barley and sometimes grains like corn and wheat
Geography: Scotland and Ireland, exclusively
Scotland Single Malt Profile: 100% malted barley, pot still, single distillery
Scotland Blended Malt Profile: 100% malted barley, from 2+ distilleries
Scotland Blended Whiskey Profile: combination single malt and grain whiskey
Scotland Single Grain Profile: 100% corn or wheat, column still
Ireland Single Malt Profile: 100% malted barley, pot still (Bushmills)
Ireland Grain Whiskey Profile:Wheat or corn, column still
Ireland Blended Profile: Combination of single malt and grain (Jameson)
Ireland Pure Pot Still Profile: 100% barley, malted and un-malted
Aging: None
Notes: Pot stills for Irish whiskey are larger than those used to make Scotch. The smoky flavor from some scotch comes as a result of a process where barley is dried over burning peat
Whiskey Cocktails: Blood & Sand, Rusty Nail, Rob Roy, Mamie Taylor, Cameron’s Kick
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Grapes/specific varieties depend on spirit
Geography: Generally, France, Italy, and the Americas.
Cognac Profile: Double distilled and aged in limousine oak. Must be made in the Cognac region of France.
Armagnac Profile: Distilled from ugni blanc grapes with little other varietals. Aged in oak and made in the Armagnac region of France. It tends to be spicier and lighter than Cognac.
Pisco Profile: Distilled from wine in Peru and Chile Grappa: Italian spirit distilled from grape skins, seeds, and stems—traditionally those leftover from wine-making.
Marc Profile: Similar to grappa; the French eau de vie de marc is also made from skins, seeds, and stems.
Cognac Aging: VS (2 years in oak), VSOP (4 years in oak), XO (6 years in oak)
Armagnac Aging: VS (2 years in oak), VSOP (5 years in oak), XO (6 years in oak), Hors’ d’ Age (10 years in oak)
Pisco Aging: In Peru, aged at least 3 months in anything but wood. In Chile, aged in wood, but sparingly
Grappa and Marc Aging: Mostly unaged
Brandy Cocktails: Sidecar French 75, Vieux Carre Pisco Sour / Punch, Sazerac, Champs-Elysses
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Apples
Geography: France and North America
Calvados Profile: French apple brandy with production and aging regulation like those in place for Cognac and Armagnac. Crisp apple flavor with an earthiness that is unmistakable.
Straight Profile: American apple brandy. Laird’s straight follows the same standards in place for bonded whiskey, yielding a rich, deep, and spicy spirit.
Applejack Profile: A combination of Laird’s straight and a neutral grain spirit.
Calvados Aging: Fine (at least 2 years in oak), Réserve (at least 3 years in oak), VO/VSOP (at least 4 years in oak), Hors d’Age (at least 6 years in oak)
Bonded Apple Brandy Aging: Same rules as bonded whiskey
Brandy Cocktails: Jack Rose, American Trilogy, Golden Delicious
Spirits in Detail
Raw Materials: Can be made from any fermentable fruit.
Geography: Eastern Europe, and the Pacific Northwest United States
Profile: Pear, Poire, Poire Williams, Cherry, Kirshwasser, Apple, Pomme, Raspberry, Framboise, Plum, Slivovirz
Aging: Unaged
Brandy Cocktails: Eau de vie can add flavor to fresh ingredient cocktails. As the flavors in vie are extremely concentrated, restraint is necessary.
Spirits in Detail
Mineral Water: Contains dissolved, naturally-occurring minerals that is drawn directly from an underground natural source. Rarely used for mixed drinks due to cost.
Tonic Water: Tonic contains carbonated water, quinine for flavor and also sweetener. It is closer to soda than it is to water.
Club Soda & Soda Water: Carbonated water that has added minerals like potassium bicarbonate and potassium citrate to enhance flavor. Club soda can have added sodium, but not all do.
Seltzer Water: Carbonated, seltzer lacks any additives, notably sodium.
Sparkling & Still: Sparkling is an umbrella term for any water that is carbonated. Still is an umbrella term for any water that is un-carbonated.