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Vodka Fest with Gin 2007, San Diego Tasting Notes
BLUE ICE VODKA
21st Century Spirits
Country of Origin: USA
Blue Ice Vodka has undergone recent changes in the way its water is treated and the results are literally adding up. In the Spring of 2006, Blue Ice Vodka received 94 points from the Beverage Testing Institute, up on point from it's previous score in 2004, by changing the way it treats the premium water sourced for every bottle.
America’s finest potato vodka, Blue Ice American Vodka, can only come from one place–Idaho–home to the luscious Russet Burbank Potato. Less than 3% of all vodka produced worldwide is made from potatoes. It takes 9 ½ pounds of potatoes to craft each bottle of Blue Ice American Vodka. It is distilled in a four-column apparatus via fractional distillation. This distillation process gives the Master Distiller control over the removal of impurities, while maintaining the delicate flavor profile of Blue Ice Vodka.
After the careful distillation process, Blue Ice Vodka is filtered five times for extreme clarification. Blue Ice Vodka is produced at Silver Creek Distillery in Rigby, Idaho, the only potato spirits distillery in the United States, under the guidance of Master Distiller Bill Scott. Mr. Scott combines a seasoned palate with cutting edge technology to ensure the quality production of Blue Ice Vodka.
More information can be found in the Blue Vodka Ice Informational Document (121 kb pdf).
G’VINE GIN EuroWineGate
Country of Origin: France
G’Vine ( g-vine.com ) is a unique, ultra-premium French Gin crafted by Jean Sébastien
Robicquet and Bruno de Reilhac, the proprietors, lead oenologists and master distillers of
EuroWineGate in the French region of Cognac. G’Vine is poised to create a new audience of Gin consumers through an elegant recreation of a cocktail favorite that bridges the gap from Gin to flavored vodkas. By marrying age-old distillation and infusion practices with the introduction of the rare green grape flower, G’Vine is establishing a chic new standard in the elegant super premium spirits category.
G'Vine is small batch distilled from neutral grape spirit with fresh whole-fruit botanicals softened by the infusion of vine flower. Coming from all over the world, nine rare and fresh whole-fruit botanicals chosen for their purity and aromatic and healing properties - ginger roots, licorice, green cardamom, cassia bark, coriander, juniper berries, cubeb berries, nutmeg and lime - are infused by family during 2 to 5 days and distilled in the grape neutral spirit in small liqueur-maker stills to get the best quintessence. Infusions of vine flower and fresh botanicals are then blended together and copper-pot distilled a last time to get an ultimate and perfect smoothness and personality.
Liquor Snob says of the taste, “ The mouth feel was nice and round, with a good tingle on the tongue and a nice, clean citrusy back end. We could taste the grape essence floating in the background, and while there was no mistaking it for wine there was some primal connection we could sense there. There was not the sharpness we've experienced in other gins, and even our more flavored vodka-drinking, gin-hating interns were able to wrap their taste buds around it without much trouble. All in all we did find the botanicals combined to make a very complex taste, and there wasn't that overwhelming muddle we were worried about finding.
Jonathan Forester of Slashfood says, “This is one of the most delightful gins I have had in a long time. I tried it first in late December 2006. I had my eye on it for a few weeks but with my holiday focus on other libations it just had to wait. I had been put off gin for a few weeks by a new, small batch product that I tried earlier that month. That poor spirit made me lose faith in gin, but now I am a stronger believer than ever. This is just so amazingly different than any other gin I have experienced. The floral intensity is so smooth, soft, and feminine. So sexy, that my tongue tingles like that first kiss you have when you are falling in lust with someone new and exciting.
Hamptons Spirits Company
Country of Origin: USA
Hamptons Clear Vodka (80 Proof)
2006 Double Gold Medal Winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition , 2003 Gold Medal Winner "Best of the Best", a 1999 American Tasting Award Winner, and 4 Stars from The Spirits Journal. Made from 100% Yellow corn, quadruple filtered, and using double filtered pure spring water. No added sugar, glucose, or preservatives are added to Hamptons Vodka. Rated 92Wine Enthusiast. 100 R ated 92 by Wine Enthusiast
Hamptons Real Banana Vodka (80 Proof)
2004 Gold Medal Winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition . Anthony Dias Blue said in two separate articles in Bon Appétit: "Ripe banana nose; powerful and lush banana flavor with a long, rich finish and lovely, clean flavor." Also: "Sounds weird? It's not. Deep and intense with a long fruit finish. Tropical cocktaillistas, take note."
Hamptons CherryVanilla Vodka (80 Proof)
Made from Real White Bing Cherries and pure Vanilla beans. This product is also 'melded', not infused, with Hamptons Premium vodka, creating a 'multi-layered' tasting experience, not unlike a fine wine. A very 'retro' American flavor, that takes us back to soda fountain days.
Hamptons ChocaRaspberry Vodka (80 Proof)
2005 Silver Medal Winner at the World Spirits Competition . Made from Real Black Raspberries and the best Imported Chocolate. Hamptons ChocaRaspberry product is like no other flavored vodka on the market. The reason: the flavor combinations are 'melded', not infused, with Hamptons Premium vodka, creating a 'multi-layered' tasting experience, not unlike a fine wine.
HAMPTONS GIN (94 Proof)
2006 Bronze Medal Winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition . "The nose is light and fruity, with juniper notes lurking in the back-drop. The body is big, and the palate follows the nose, but here the high alcohol content comes into play, pointing up the juniper notes. The finish is long and very warm." Anthony Dias Blue; Rated 90 byWine Enthusiast
ICEBERG VODKA
Admiral Wine Merchants
Country of Origin: Canada
12,000 years ago the Earth’s snow was truly pure, UNTOUCHED. Pristine in the Canadian arctic this snow froze and compacted within glacial walls, avoiding all impurities from the outside world.
Millenniums later, these icebergs are harvested as pure as the day they were created, then blended with triple distilled rich Canadian grains.
Made with care, nature makes it pure premium. Canadian Iceberg Vodka is the finest vodka available anywhere in the world today.
The bottle is designed and shaped like a piece of chiseled ice with a flat side for easy storage in your freezer. It has been referred to as a work of art and was custom designed for Canadian Iceberg.
Ranked number one in the world by the Greater New York Chapter of Tasters Guild International for the best-imported premium vodka, 2004
ST-GERMAIN ELDERFLOWER LIQUEUR
Osez Vous? International Spirits LLC
Country of Origin: France
The first of its kind, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is the creation of Robert Cooper, third generation distiller and former brand manager and part owner of Chambord liqueur.
The taste of St-Germain…”It has been said that Paris is a melange curieux, a curious mixture of flavors, styles and influences. So it is with St-Germain. Neither peach nor pear, lychee nor citrus, the sublime taste of St-Germain hints at each of these yet none of them exactly. It is a flavor as subtle and delicate as it is captivating. A little like asking a hummingbird to describe the flavor of its favorite nectar
Jonathan Forester of Slashfood says, “ St. Germain is an absolutely delightful liqueur and since it isn't too sweet I find that even people who dislike most sweet liqueurs enjoy it very much. While it is an elegant liqueur for sipping straight or on crushed ice for a post meal libation, it also is fabulous in cocktails .
Bill Dowd of Dowd on Drinks notes, “St. Germain, the shorthand market name for the liqueur, is produced from elderflowers harvested from the foothills of the French Alps by pickers known as Bohemiens who then trundle them by bicycle down to local depots from where they are quickly shipped to the distillery. There, the flowers are put through a maceration process then married with grape spirits, known as eau de vie, plus a bit of citrus and cane sugar to create the pale golden finished product.
St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is available at Morrell and at purveyors of most fine wines & spirits retailers.
SV Supreme Vodka
Country of Origin: Russia
Soyuz-Victan USA
SV Supreme redefines the super-premium vodka category with a natural smoothness previously not available in Russian vodka.
SV Supreme has been artisanally-crafted using hundreds of years of Russian vodka heritage combined with the best of 21st century distilling techniques. It is filtered a total of fourteen times to achieve its extraordinary purity. Filtration through five different types of mountain crystals and minerals…crystal quartz, morion, chalcedony, topaz and opal…is used to polish the spirit to an unparalleled level of natural smoothness previously not available in a Russian vodka.
The spirits in SV Supreme are Luxe grade – the highest possible quality as determined by the Russian Government. Luxe spirits are made exclusively from the finest selections of wheat, rye and barley grown on the rich and fertile Steppes. A carefully controlled multiple-distillation process assures the purest liquid while the grains provide character and soul to the vodka.
The water, much like the Luxe grade spirits, also plays a critical role in the creation of this world-class vodka. Unlike many vodka producers that distill their water, Soyuz-Victan master blenders preserve the character of the source water. They know that distilling water mutes its inherent flavor and mineral qualities. Instead, SV Supreme is crafted with pristine water sourced from 400-feet deep Artesian wells. This water is then filtered through a state-of-the-art, four stage process and then passed through a series of mountain crystals and silver ions which removes any remaining impurities.
While some might scoff at the use of mountain crystals in purifying SV Supreme, there is in fact both a historical and scientific basis for these steps. Russian folklore is rife with references to the healing nature of crystals. And modern distillation science has further documented their effectiveness in purifying vodka. In a final step, the water for SV Supreme is finished by passing it through silver ions, a final purification step which master blenders say “restores its memory”.
Only then is the water married with the spirit, and the blended liquid is then filtered through the natural mountain crystals yet again polishing it to the pinnacle of perfection to be packaged in a bottle that is as dramatic as the vodka itself.
The result? SV Supreme’s singularly silky mouth feel and an exceptional finish so smooth that it has been dubbed: The Silk Vodka. SV Supreme, an entirely new taste experience certain to please aficionados of Russian vodka.
According to vodka spirits expert Robert Plotkin of BarMedia, SV Supreme offers “a featherweight body with the aroma of sweet grain that highlights its generous, pleasant bouquet…it fills the mouth with delectable grain and malty flavors that persist long into the flawless finish.”
2007: Available at over 400 bars, restaurants and retail stores including Gaslight on 14 th Street and 9 th Avenue and Phillippe Wines and Liquors on 23 rd Street between 8 th & 9 th Avenues.2007: Available at over 400 bars, restaurants and retail stores including Gaslight on 14 th Street and 9 th Avenue and Phillippe Wines and Liquors on 23 rd Street between 8 th & 9 th Avenues.
XO VODKA
Daucourt Martin Imports
Country of Origin: France
Introducing Jean-Marc™ XO: the Connoisseur's hand crafted, small batch Vodka.
Hand crafted by Jean-Marc Daucourt in the Cognac region of France, Jean-Marc™ XO Vodka marries cutting edge French spirits and winemaking techniques to create an extraordinary Vodka possessing a floral bouquet, complex & elegant wheat flavors, a silky texture and very long finish. It is distilled nine times in small batches, using traditional copper Alambic stills. The process takes several weeks from start to finish.
Four particular French wheat grains were chosen for their delicate and harmonious flavors. They are called Ysengrain, Orvantis, Azteque, and Chargeur. Each wheat grain is separated from its chaff before distillation in order to eliminate any bitterness. XO uses only pure Gensac spring water from the Cognac area, filtered naturally for centuries through Grande Champagne limestone. It is micro-oxygenated just after distillation. This innovative technique was borrowed from First Growth winemakers in nearby Bordeaux.
Finally, it is charcoal-filtered through Limousin oak, using special Daucourt family techniques learned over generations of spirits-making. Gold Medal winner at the 2005 San Francisco Spirits Competition; Platinum Medal from the International Review of Spirits; Rated 96 “Superlative and Best of 2004” by Tastings.com.
As reported by the Beverage Tasting Institute’s Gerald O’Kennard, “Brilliantly clear. Remarkably complex, sweet and perfumed floral, anise, and pastry dough aromas have a slightly herbal, citrus-like edge and are very forward and attractive. A rich, smooth entry leads to an oily, unctuous medium-full-bodied palate with vanilla frosting, wheat dough, and subtle nutmeg, almond, and anise flavors. Finishes effortlessly with a long, sweet powdered sugar and marzipan fade. A very interesting and intense product that pushes the envelope and definition of the unflavored vodka category, as this almost seems infused or crafted like a very mild, nouveau gin. This is a fantastic vodka and will make an outstanding martini”.
Record Vodka Rating (96 Points) "Brilliantly clear. Remarkably complex, sweet and perfumed floral, anise, and pastry dough aromas have a slightly herbal, citrus-like edge and are very forward and attractive. A rich, smooth entry leads to an oily, unctuous medium-full-bodied palate with vanilla frosting, wheat dough, and subtle nutmeg, almond, and anise flavors. Finishes effortlessly with a long, sweet powdered sugar and marzipan fade. A very interesting and intense product that pushes the envelope and definition of the unflavored vodka category, as this almost seems infused or crafted like a very mild, nouveau gin. This is a fantastic vodka and will make an outstanding martini."
"The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences just doesn't give it's Five Star Rating to any Vodka. In fact they found only one worthy of this honor. Jean-Marc XO Vodka (is) the only premium vodka worldwide to achieve the Highest Level of Quality." -- AAHS Award inscription, 2006. XO was awarded a 96 rating by the Beverage Testing Institute, the highest rating a vodka ever received and they further named it Vodka of the Year. Jean-March XO was awarded the Platinum Medal from the International Review of Spirits.
X-RATED FUSION LIQUEUR
Daucourt Martin Imports
Country of Origin: France
X-Rated Fusion Liqueur is a sensuous fusion of Ultra Premium French Vodka & Provence Blood Orange mingling with Mango and Passion Fruits.
X-RATED VODKA
Daucourt Martin Imports LLC
Country of Origin: France
X-Rated Vodka is distilled seven times from French Wheat and Roseberry Grain--100% organic and GE free. Won the Double Gold at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition
XELLENT VODKA
Spirit of Hartford
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Received a 96-100 rating from Wine Enthusiast Magazine in March 2005. F. Paul Pacult’s Spirits Journal recently awarded Xellent with top honors—5 Stars—Highest Recommendation as well as listing it as one of the Runners-up as Best White Spirit of 2004. “One of only three or four over $30 super premium vodkas that is actually worth the price tag; WOW” Wine Enthusiast Magazine. A triple distilled - to over 96% pure - bread quality rye vodka using Titlis Glacier water to create this award winning vodka which also won Double Gold at the 2005 San Francisco Spirits Competition.
ZUIDAM GIN
Third Coast Importing
Country of Origin: Holland
The word ‘gin’ is an English shortening of Genever, which is the Dutch word for juniper, the plant that produces the berries that are a key ingredient. Gin may have originated in Holland and developed into its most popular style in England, but its most enthusiastic modern-day consumers are in the United States.
THE ZUIDAM FAMIILY Zuidam (pronounced Zoo-dam) is crafted by a father and son distilling team. This artisenal producer is located just 90 minutes from bustling Amsterdam. Fred van Zuidam and his son Patrick use traditional methods and the finest natural ingredients to create this imported ultra-premium quality Dry Gin and Genever Gin exclusively for Third Coast Importing.
Zuidam Dry Gin is produced through small batch distilling. Its smooth, distinctive taste comes from only the finest natural ingredients. Crafted with 9 botanicals (juniper berries and iris root from Italy, coriander from Morocco, angelica root, sweet oranges and whole lemons from Spain, licorice root from India, whole vanilla beans from Madagascar are testament to the finest ingredients obtainable. Each botanical is distilled separately for complex, layered flavors—with a total of 14 distillations.
The nose is clean with fresh citrus and earthly juniper notes and a beguiling hint of spice and vanilla. The balance and harmony of this gin makes for the perfect gin martini.
F. Paul Pacults Spirit Journal named Zuidam Dry Gin the BEST WHITE SPIRIT OF THE YEAR in 2004 and it was ranked #29 in Mr. Pacult’s ‘100 plus 10 best distilled spirits’ currently available in the United States in 2005.
Wine Enthusiast rated Zuidam Dry Gin a CLASSIC (96-100 points) in 2004 with a further ‘Highest Recommendation’ designation.
The Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) awarded Zuidam Dry Gin with 93 points and a Gold Medal.
Zuidam Genever Gin is produced in small batches using the finest natural ingredients. Made in the traditional Holland style, it is three-times distilled using a malt whiskey base. Five botanicals are used including the requisite juniper plus licorice root, vanilla, aniseed and marjoram. This unique gin is aged for 3 months in oak whiskey barrels before bottling. Zuidam Genever is more refined than most genevers. It is elegant and provides a very different and distinctive gin taste that is decidedly sweeter, yet still refreshing, with a malty undertone.