With Christmas round the corner, I’m sure the spirits fans amongst you will be dusting off those obscure bottles in the spirits cupboard and stocking up on the essentials for the annual period of experimental cocktail making.  However if you are drinking out over the next few weeks in London and want to sample some of the best cocktails going, pay a visit to The Savoy’s legendary American Bar, and taste the delights of the equally legendary Erik Lorincz, Savoy Head Bartender and 2010 Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year – two titles that pack a punch within the spirits industry. This guy knows his stuff and is creating some of the finest cocktails in the world.

Erik is a huge fan of the classic cocktails the American Bar is renowned for, but knows that these drinks are only as good as the components with which they are made. Erik favours using the finest small batch, handcrafted spirits and liqueurs to create his drinks. One such ingredient, which is featuring heavily within Erik’s current creations, is the Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao, a classic liqueur made from a heady mix of spice and orange peel produced by Cognac Ferrand.

Based on a 19th century recipe, the Dry Curacao is crafted by Pierre Ferrand’s Alexandre Gabriel and cocktail historian David Wondrich. A traditional French Triple Sec, the Curacao is tripled distilled with its blend of spices, bitters and peels of Curacao oranges, before being blended with brandy and Ferrand Cognac. The result is an extremely rich, complex and aromatic liqueur, and a world away from most orange flavoured liquers.

The quality of the liqueur is evident from its use by top bartenders across the UK. Erik is a big fan, using it to make one of his newest creations, The Pioneer.

Erik’s inspiration for The Pioneer came from Harry Craddock, one of the pioneers of the cocktail or ‘American’ style drinks movement, which began in the late 1800’s through to the 1930’s.  An American bartender, Craddock arrived at The Savoy in 1920, soon after the beginning of Prohibition. Craddock became Head Bartender at The American Bar in 1925, and was very much seen as a pioneer of his time, creating classic drinks which still live on today.

His greatest legacy however was The Savoy Cocktail Book, first published in 1930 and still in print today. Harry compiled almost forty years of cocktails created in the American Bar into the book, and within these recipes, Orange Curacao is a common component, adding character and complexity to his timeless drinks. Erik’s ‘The Pioneer‘ thus honours one of his illustrious predecessors at The American Bar and a man who helped kick start the entire cocktail movement in London.

The Pioneer by Erik Lorincz

50ml light rum
15ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao
15ml Swedish Flagpunch
1 Barspoon caster sugar
30ml Freshly squeezed lime juice
3 Dash of Creole Bitters

Shaken up on ice
Served in a Champagne Coupier with one hand carved rock of ice

Check out the video below of Erik making the The Pioneer at The American Bar, with a few thoughts on the cocktail -

Check out a few more cocktail recipes with the Orange Curacao on Bibendum’s facebook page, from the likes of Dawid Steenkamp at Jamie Oliver’s  Barbecoa, Max Cordell-Smith of The Living Room W1 and Cocktail historian David Wondrich.

Click here to find out more about Bibendum Spirits

I strongly suspect that Alexandre Gabriel, the President of Cognac Ferrand and creative genius behind the portfolio of Plantation rums is something of a magician.  I imagine him weaving spells involving great rum from the Caribbean islands and a variety of interesting casks that have enjoyed a previous existence holding a range of wines and spirits. Drawing on the secret craft and cunning of the cellar master, they age and blend the resulting elixirs, so that they burst forth into the wonderful rums we know and love!

There’s always something going on as well – the creative output never seems to stop!  It wasn’t long ago we were enjoying the arrival of a stable mate to Barbados 5 Year Old in the guise of the Plantation Guatemala.  Now, thanks to the influence of self confessed rum geek, Paul McFadyen (Spirit Brands Manager at Bibendum), the UK has two rather special limited edition rums to enjoy.

TheFloatingRumShack.com joined Paul at Trailer Happiness for a private tasting and to find out a little more.

Barbados 5 Year Old Pineau des Charentes Finish Single Cask Rum

This exciting new take on a favourite of TheFloatingRumShack.com sees the Plantation Grande Reserve 5 Year Old upgraded with a second finish.  For those new to the Grande Reserve, we can give you a brief recap: it’s a bourbon cask aged Bajan rum that has been tropically aged between 5 and 8 years in the Caribbean.  It is then given a further 6 months of ageing in old French oak casks at Cognac Ferrand’s Chateau de Bonbonnet, before final blending and bottling.  This eminently sip-able, premium pouring rum is sweet on the approach, unmistakably Bajan with its coconut flavour notes and very, very quaffable.

This limited edition, single cask bottling builds on the fantastic Grande Reserve rum and enhances it with a further six months of ageing in an ex Pineau Des Charentes cask.

The Pineau des Charentes cask finish lends a fresher, brighter taste – it’s all grape and white raisin!  It’s noticeably (and deliberately) less-sweet than the Grande Reserve in order to not lose the subtle notes of the Pineau des Charentes.  You’re left with no doubt as to the rum base as it comes through immediately, but very soon after that you realise this is a far more complex flavoured rum than you might have first thought.

So then – details!  This is a single cask rum (available only to the UK market), which means that the saleable volume is limited due to the physical size of the cask – a nice touch is the “Cask No: 1/1” detail on the label.  In this case the run is limited to 350 bottles – another nice touch is the bottle numbering – “Bottle No: 142/350” in our case.  The bottle is wrapped in the distinctive protective weave that marks the Plantation range and is available in 70cl volume bottles at 40%ABV.

For the rum geeks who do love their facts, Pineau des Charentes casks are generally not readily available and so Alexandre was forced to pay for a full cask, which he emptied and immediately filled with the double aged rum in order to reduce to an absolute minimum, the negative effects of oxidisation that he believes can seriously impact on the flavour.  Serious attention to detail there folks!

So, with our taste buds still all a quiver from one fantastic rum, it was time to try another…

Trinidad 1999 Banyuls Finish Single Cask Rum

So the story goes that Alexandre Gabriel has a stock of Trinidadian rums dating from 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000 and perhaps even a 2002.  As is Alexandre’s way, samples of each were finished in Banyuls cask as he was looking for a sweet wine finish and from this selection Paul McFadyen chose the 1999 for a special UK limited edition bottling.

Banyuls is a small town on the French side of the France/Spain border in the foothills of the Pyrenees.  They produce a dessert wine there in the same manner as the fortified wine, Port.

The Trinidad 1999 is everything that’s good about Trinidadian rum: chocolate, peppery and chilli type spice.  Combined with the sweet port like finish obtained from the Banyuls cask – this rum is rather special, it’s like dark chocolate in your glass.

The Trinidad rum receives a year to 18 months of cognac cask ageing (all vintages receive a longer time in French oak than the blends do) before receiving approximately six months finishing in the Banyuls cask.

Packaged in the same sexy, black label format as the Pineau des Charentes, the nice details of “Cask No: 1/1” and “Specially selected for the UK by Alexandre Gabriel”.  The Trinidad 1999 is available in a 70cl bottle at 42%ABV.  The single Banyuls cask is large enough to realise 450 bottles, of which ours is “Bottle No: 142/450”.

Click here to see the full Plantation range at Bibendum.

June 14th was a date I’d been looking forward to in my diary for quite some time. My debut judging with the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) was doubly exciting for the fact it was for the Tequila category, a long standing favourite of mine.

Upon arrival my first impression was, to be honest, that I must’ve taken a wrong turn. The venue looked more like the place they shoot Top Gear than somewhere you would expect to taste world-class flights of spirits.*

It turned out I was in exactly the right place, easily identified by the group of people outside the front door excitedly discussing agave spirit (which would have been a heck of a coincidence otherwise).

Tasting at the IWSC is all about business. Now I’ve been to my fair share of tastings – some would say more than my fair share – and all have had one thing in common: industry gossip. Small-talk and networking often plays as much a part of the day as actual tasting. But not with the IWSC, oh no. Given that the ever present ‘no smoking’ signs in this office also dictate ‘no aftershave’ and ‘no perfume’, this should have come as no surprise. Tasting is not simply an event here, it’s a profession.

With a minimum of fuss, some very brief introductions were made, and it was on with the first flight.

I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to tell you about the tasting itself. I do know that all results are held in the strictest of confidence until they are publicly announced, so I shall err on the side of caution and not reveal too much.

I didn’t take any pictures, so here’s some glasses to look at. Fun, eh?

Some features were definitely notable, and I’m sure (or at least quietly confident) that I won’t get in trouble for revealing them. Firstly, the speed of tasting was quite breathtaking. This is fast, accurate tasting at its best. Certainly, there was time for reflection between flights but, with some flights taking in a dozen tequilas at a time, this was a genuine test of my palate.

Secondly, the level of expertise in the room was truly humbling. It’s not often I say that kind of thing, and I certainly don’t use the phrase lightly. Well over a century of expertise combined to make that panel. With that level of knowledge gathered together, you might well expect a few disagreements to occur. And you’d be right. Which brings me to my next point: the level of respect each judge showed for their contemporaries’ opinions was impeccable. It’s almost disappointing that I found this surprising, but sad to say there are many out there who consider themselves ‘expert’ who still fail to recognise that taste is above all else a subjective experience.

Last but not least, the integrity of the tasting shone through when, even after the judging was complete, there was not a single mention or glimpse of any of the brands involved. Even as I write this, I have no idea which brands we assessed. Given the proliferation of social media etc. (case in point: you’re reading this), this is clearly a wise move.
Respect is certainly due to the IWSC. A truly professional operation from beginning to end. And I’m very pleased to say I’ve been invited back for next year. I’m already looking forward to it.

*Apparently, you really should trust your first impressions. I found out as I left that they literally do film Top Gear there!

Read more posts to feature here on B Times by Spirits supremo Will Lowe –

Will Lowe’s Blogtails: Whisky for Beginners

Will Lowe’s Blogtails: Dairy Cocktails

Will Lowe’s Blogtails: Vegetarian Wine

Recently I was asked to write a (frustratingly short) introduction to the world of whisky. Always willing to oblige, I did exactly that. Whisky is a real favourite of mine – indeed, it was whisky which got me interested in spirits in the first place. Apologies to those of you for whom this is old ground, but as I mentioned, the brief was for it to be a ‘beginners guide’. Here it is:

The world of whisky can be a complicated and, at times, intimidating place for the novice, but a little knowledge goes a long way. Here are a few pointers to get you started:

Firstly, when people refer to ‘whisky’, in the UK at least, they are most often referring to Scotch. Scotch whisky comes in many different forms, the most prolific of which are Single Malt and Blended.

Single Malts

For a Single Malt Scotch to be named as such, it must adhere to strict rules and regulations. Most importantly, it must:

• be the product of a single distillery (hence the name)
• be exclusively made from 100% malted barley, no other grains are permitted
• be double distilled in a copper pot still
• be aged in oak casks, in Scotland, for at least three years

Blended Scotch

Blended Scotch, as the name suggests, is made from the whisky of a variety of different distilleries, which are then blended together. It may also contain grains other than malted barley, which can significantly lower the cost of production (and, therefore, purchasing). Famous examples include Johnnie Walker, Bells, and Famous Grouse.

Where blends are concerned, a general rule of thumb is that the more expensive ones will contain a higher proportion of malted barley, with cheaper ones using more wheat, rye, and corn.

Whisky Styles

There are different areas in Scotland known for producing particular styles of single malt, of which Speyside and Islay (pronounced ‘eye-lay’) are probably the most famous.

The former is typically a sweeter, lighter style, with notes of honey, apricot and dried fruit. Islay is better known for its medicinal (think TCP) aromas. This comes from the smoke produced by the peat which is used to heat the kilns in which the malted barley is dried before fermentation. The amount of contact this peat smoke has with the drying grain will play a huge part in the profile of the finished product (more smoke = more peaty flavours).

Another main source of difference in character comes from the oak barrels in which the whisky is aged: longer ageing can produce chocolaty, spicy, Christmas cake-like aromas. It will also generally smooth out some of the edges of a whisky, resulting in a more pleasurable drinking experience. The ageing process also sees a vast amount of whisky lost through evaporation (about £1 million of whisky evaporates each year in Scotland), so it is inevitable that older whisky will cost more than younger ones.

Tasting Whisky

When tasting whisky, I advise trying them first at room temperature. Adding water is a case of preference. If you chose to do so, start by mixing one-to-one, so that you can compare different whiskies on a level playing field.

Start with the nose: delicate, honeysuckle and stone fruit character is likely to be indicative of a Speyside, whereas strong, peaty notes are the trademark of an Islay.

In the mouth, take a small sip. Let it sit on your tongue for five to ten seconds before swallowing. This will acclimatise your palate to the alcohol. After a few breaths, take another sip and savour with your whole mouth before swallowing. Don’t worry too much about the various flavours involved – the most important thing is whether you like it! A quick search for ‘whisky flavours’ online will provide a list of likely characteristics to look out for for those who are interested.

Last, but by no means least, the finish. Here, the taste will often evolve and develop, rather than just fading. Whiskies of greater quality can show incredible complexity at this point.

If you are keen on experimenting, I would highly recommend seeking out one of the many great independent retailers out there. The Whisky Exchange, for example, is staffed by highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic whisky fans, who are always happy to share their opinions (and might even let you try a few sips too!).

Read more from Mr Lowe on his blog Will Lowe’s Blogtails or follow him on Twitter – @will_lowe

When I was asked to write an article on dairy based cocktails, my head was immediately filled with the sound of Calvin Harris singing “it was acceptable in the 80’s”. Fortunately, it’s a short song, so it wasn’t long before I was able to focus on the task at hand.

Fashions in what we drink are just as susceptible to change as fashions in music and clothing. Back when Michael Jackson was black and neon leg warmers were worn without even a hint of irony, the cocktails we drank were – by today’s standards at least – questionable. The impact of 80’s cocktails in undeniable: the success of the 1988 film ‘Cocktail’ (which has haunted me since the beginning of my professional career) showing the extent to which cocktails had permeated popular culture. Any time you find yourself in a bar ordering a ‘Woo Woo’, a ‘Blue Lagoon’ , or even (dare I say it?) a ‘Sex on the Beach’, you are drinking directly from the bar-roladex of 1980’s recipes. And yet, while these particularly sweet concoctions are still very much in circulation (despite my best efforts), their dairy based equivalents seem to have slipped gently into retirement.  If you fancy bringing them back, either at home or in your bar, read on for some inspiration.

Before we start, a few words of advice: one of the reasons that dairy based cocktails fell out of favour in commercial venues is the mess they create. Milk and cream are not the bartenders friend, and any equipment you use in creating a drink with these ingredients will need to be washed thoroughly before it can be used again. Failing to do this could easily result in curdling, when fruit acids react with dairy: the ‘cement mixer’ (a shot with Baileys and lime cordial which I strongly advise against trying) is a rather extreme example of the result this would bring. Which brings me to my next point: to help avoid curdling, rather than using cream or milk, I suggest using both. Mix full fat milk with single cream in equal measures – this is what we refer to as ‘half and half’, for obvious reasons.

Brandy Alexander

One of the earliest dairy based cocktails still with us today, the Brandy Alexander is said to have been created in 1922 for the wedding of Princess Mary to Viscount Lascelles in 1922. It utilises what has since become a classic proportion for dairy drinks:

25ml Brandy
25ml Crème de Cacao (brown)
25ml Half and half

Shake all the ingredients together over ice, and strain into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a touch of grated nutmeg.

Grasshopper

The Grasshopper is one of the most easily recognised dairy cocktails, identifiable at twenty paces by its green hue. Although it is reputed to have originiated in the Southern States of the USA around the 1950’s and 60’s, it wasn’t until much later it became popular here as an after-dinner drink. Here’s how to make it:

25ml Crème de Menthe (green)
25ml Crème de Cacao (white)
25ml Half and half

Put all the ingredients into a shaker, shake over ice, and strain into a frozen cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

White Russian

The White Russian was permanently etched into popular culture with its starring role in the Coehn Brother’s film The Big Lebowski, as the favoured drink of the main character ‘The Dude’. It worked its way into my heart for quite different reasons: it can be built directly into the glass, meaning the rest of my equipment stays clean! The only difference between the White Russian and the Black Russian is the addition of cream in the former (though some prefer to add cola to the latter), and neither is actually Russian in origin – the name is simply a nod to one of the key ingredients: vodka.

To make it, simply fill a tumbler with ice, and slowly pour in:

25ml Vodka
25ml Kahlua (or Tia Maria)

Then gently pour some single cream (or half and half) over the top, so that it floats on top of the other ingredients. Mix it all together with a straw before drinking if preferred, but a note to bartenders here: this is for your customers to do at their leisure, not for you to rush at with a shaker in hand.

Mudslide

Variations of this recipe exist in numbers generally reserved for discussing banker’s bonuses, but the basic format is as follows:

20ml Vodka
20ml Baileys
20ml Kahlua
50ml Half and half

Shake all the ingredients over ice, then pour into a tall glass over fresh, cubed ice. If there aren’t enough calories in there for you, add a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream, and blend. This can then be served in the same glass, but without the need for ice. If you want to serve it up in place of a dessert (rather than afterwards), add an Oreo cookie into the blender for a decadent milkshake – with a noticeable kick!

So there we have four of the most famous dairy based cocktails around. Looking through them, it is curious that they should have fallen out of favour whilst the filling-inducingly sweet drinks of the same era maintained their popularity.  Maybe, just maybe, this is the start of their resurgence? If Vanilla Ice can come back and still be considered a celebrity, anything is possible.

Read more from Mr Lowe on his blog Will Lowe’s Blogtails or follow him on Twitter – @will_lowe

Follow the link below to read more posts which featured here on B Times from Will Lowe’s Blogtails –

Will Lowe’s Blogtails: Vegetarian Wines

With the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel’s Booking Office Bar officially launched earlier this month, the bespoke drinks menu, designed by Bibendum and consultancy firm Strange Hill, is bringing long lost Victorian punch recipes back to London’s bar scene.

The new menu offers customers an interesting look at an era when mixed drinks were beginning to emerge within London’s pubs and bars, an era when the St Pancras Hotel (formerly known as The Midland) was at the height of the Victorian rail travel boom.

During the launch party for the Booking Office Bar, we caught up with one of the list’s creators Henry Bessant of Drinks Consultancy firm, Strange Hill, who talked us through the thoughts and ideas behind the historical concept:

We also chatted to Theo Von Ungern-Sternberg of McQueen in Shoreditch and asked him what he thought of The Booking Office Bar’s approach to cocktails:

The Booking Office Bar is open now at The St Pancras Renaissance Hotel

Since its creation in 17th century Europe, gin has taken an interesting journey through history. From its early days, when it was sold in pharmacies across Europe to treat ailments, before a boom in gin production in 18th century London; following the British government allowing unlicensed production. This leading to London’s ‘Gin Craze’ and the cause of many social and medical problems in the city. However today, its safe to say gin isn’t causing such problems, and its popularity has been rejuvenated, centuries after those dark days.

Today many gin brands hold a premium position in the spirits market, with increased consumer knowledge of botanicals and artisan production, very much fuelling a gin revival. In today’s crowded premium gin market, it is often the size of the marketing budget that creates a point of difference between gins. Citadelle gin however bucks the trend here, offering a point of difference through its unique production method and use of botanicals, not oversized marketing spend.

History -

Citadelle Gin was born in the late 18th century, when Louis XVI authorised two distillers to make gin in the Citadelle of Dunkirk, which then became the French royal distillery for many years. Here the two distillers had 12 traditional copper pot stills made for the distillery, which were the first of their type in France. Producing around 1000 litres a day, the Citadelle distillery was positioned perfectly for access to botanicals such as juniper berries and exotic spices brought by vessels arriving from the Orient. At the time nearly all the production was destined for England, and was imported across the channel by English smugglers.

By the 19th century gin had become an industrial spirit, losing much of its complexity and refinement.  So at this time Alexandre Gabriel of the Pierre Ferrand Cognac distillery, decided to make a handcrafted gin from copper pot stills according to the techniques used in Dunkirk centuries earlier.  Alexandre and his master distiller were successful in creating a gin bottled under the Citadelle name, made within their Cognac distillery through the centuries old method of copper pot distillation with a naked flame. A production method still going strong today.

Distillation -

In the heart of the famed Grande Champagne Cognac region, Charentais pot stills make some of the World’s finest Cognac at Pierre Ferrand.  However, with the strict AOC laws of the Cognac region only allowing distillation of Cognac to occur between November and March, the pot stills were left inactive for much of the year. So with Alexandre Gabriels quest to move the gin production methods of the 17th century to Pierre Ferrand, the Citadelle gin distillation would take place around that of the Cognac.

Citadelle gin is now the world’s only Charentais copper pot distilled gin, with this unique production method imparting great texture, aroma and flavour not found with other distillation methods. This slow distillation process enables the distiller to select the heart of the gin, eliminating the unwanted heads and tails.  While the Charentais pot still’s relatively low swan’s neck shape enables the concentration of essential oils, which contribute to the gin’s refinement and aromatic complexity.

The Botanicals -

As well as having boasting rights as the only copper pot distilled gin, Citadelle is also the only gin to use 19 different botanicals. Citadelle starts life by distilling wheat from France, before adding these 19 botanicals to add aromatic complexity. This long list of exotic ingredients includes: Juniper and violet root from France, coriander from Morocco, almond and lemon rind from Spain, the peel of Mexican oranges, angelica from Northern Germany, cardoman from India, cassia bark from Indochina and cinnamon from Sri Lanka, Liquorice from China, paradise grains from West Africa, cubeb pepper from Java, Dutch cumin, star anise from France, Indian nutmeg, Mediterranean fennel and Italian irish root.

Tasting Notes -

Citadelle, 44% ABV

Citadelle is characterised by a delicate and fragrant nose of jasmine, honeysuckle and cinnamon, plus strong herbaceous aromas of anise and cinnamon. On the palate, juniper is dominant, with an elegant and soft finish. Perfect g&t material!

Citadelle Reserve, 44% ABV

Matured for several months in old Pierre Ferrand Cognac barrels, the Reserve has the freshness of Citadelle, but with the body and depth of old, cask-aged spirits. With its pale gold colour, this is unlike most gins out there. Citadelle Reserve is also produced in very low quantities; in 2010 only 11,250 bottles were produced. Perfect over ice, or added to a Martini.

Citadelle Cocktail Recipes -

Here are two interesting ways to drink Citadelle, one from the team at Citadelle and the other from one of Bibendum’s spirits team -

Exotic Gin & Tonic -

Created by Citadelle’s Spanish team.

1 oz. Citadelle gin
4 oz. Tonic
Orange
Liquorice root

In a wide glass, place to slices of orange. Pour gin then tonic.  Add the liquorice. Garnish with orange peel.

Aramis Martini –

Check out the video of Bibendum’s Will Lowe creating a Martini with a difference.

Aramis Marinti – Will Lowe from Will Lowe on Vimeo.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without indulging in a few seasonal drinks, and in true festive style, drinking things that at any other time of year would seem ridiculous: Snow Ball, Eggnog, Mulled wine……Cream Sherry!

Following a team Christmas party – which kicked off with a cocktail master class from Stuart Hudson at The Alice House, West Hampstead -  I offer you another drink to add to the Christmas list of rubbish drinks!

It’s a Rumderful Life

Ingredients –

50ml Dark Rum
35ml Passion Fruit
15ml Sugar Syrup
Dash of Maple Syrup

Method –

Shake
Strain into glass
Add a dash of Ginger Beer
Top with crushed ice
Position a thick slice of lime and cover with Wray & Nephew Rum (or any other very strong Rum) and set fire for added festive cheer.

Sure to brighten up any Christmas party.

Ageing in oak barrels is a critical part of the production process for many spirits. Once distilled, every spirit is completely clear, and it is only in the barrel that they take on their colour.

Barrels come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but are almost always made from oak, since the grain is tight enough to ensure the barrel remains water tight, but porous enough to allow the liquid to penetrate the wood as it expands and contracts with fluctuations in the temperature. Many other woods have been experimented with, but oak has triumphed over many hundreds of years of trial and error.

Barrels are constructed of lengths of oak, known as staves, which are held together with metal hoops. No nails, screws, or adhesives are used in barrel construction, just precision cutting, alignment and pressure. Most barrels are constructed of either European oak (Quercus Robur and Quercus Sessilis) or American oak (Quercus Alba). The former has a tighter grain, promoting slower ageing and higher tannins, whilst the latter tends to be richer in lactones, which lend vanilla and coconut flavours to a spirit.

Since Bourbon whiskey is legally required to use a brand new barrel for each batch of whiskey, there are many ex-bourbon barrels around the world which have been sold on. These barrels are always made of American oak, and are also ‘toasted’, meaning the inside of the barrel has been scorched. This process caramelises some of the sugars in the wood, increases the vanilla aromas, and provides ‘roasted’ flavours in the liquid stored within.

During the ageing process, an amount of the liquid will evaporate over time – known as the ‘angel’s share’. This evaporation further concentrates the flavours within the remaining liquid, as well as driving up the cost of what is left!

This the last in a series of Spirits post from Will and the Bibendum Spirits team; if you missed the previous posts check them out below –

Cognac – The Basics

Armagnac – The Basics

Calvados – The Basics

Distillation – The Basics

The only ‘hard work’ involved in making sloe gin is foraging those sloes. Most recipes also advise you to painstakingly prick each sloe with a pin to allow the juices to leach out in the bottle. Forget this. I recently ran into Sipsmith’s master distiller, Jared Brown who gave me an absolute blinder of a tip – put the sloes in the freezer before bottling. This way, their structure breaks down through the freezing process, eliminating the need to prick.

Now it is really just a case of chucking everything in a bottle.

Sloe gin (makes a 1 litre bottle) -

Sloes are the fruit of the blackthorn bush and are best picked after the first frost, when they should be ripe.

500g sloes
Gin (I used Beefeater – not too simple or complex in flavour)
100g-150g caster sugar (I used 100g as I don’t like it too sweet but most recipes use 150g)

Once you’ve foraged your sloes, pick over and wash them thoroughly. You can be diligent and remove all little stalky bits if you like but as you can see I didn’t even bother doing that. Once frozen, sling the sloes into a clean 1 litre bottle. Funnel in the sugar and then cover with gin.

Turn the bottle daily for a week or two, then just turn it (upside down and back again) every week or so. You can drink it after about 2 months but 6 would be better (no-one ever waits that long). When ready to drink, strain the gin through muslin and re-bottle.

This post has been reproduced with the kind permission of the author Helen Graves. First posted by Helen on the 29th November.  Helen is a food blogger based in south London, blogging regularly on the culinary delights of the city.  Check out her blog, Food Stories, for more great food and drink posts.  Or follow Helen on twitter, @FoodStories.