Exploring the spirits world
Venue: London's International Wine Trade Fair. My mission (which I chose to accept): to find weird and exciting spirits. You would think this wouldn't be too difficult a task given that the Spirits Pavilion had grown in size. However, most of the space was occupied by endless variants of Irish cream liqueurs.
Lurking next to one of them was The Absinth Minded Co stall. You can take the rash of absinth in the nation's bars in two ways: either it indicates a growing cult, or there's a lot of people bringingout products with dubious heritage (created by aone-toothed witch who went insane and died after drinking just two shots) in the hope of jumping on a bandwagon.
Whatever the case, the Absinth Minded people (01392 677519) were showing two absinths, one - the King of Spirits - caught my eye because of the strange gunk in the bottom of the bottle. This, apparently, is the botanical mix which is used to make it and, if my nose is to be believed, includes not just wormwood but a fistful of tarragon.
It was a spicy number with a kick like a mule (70% abv) and a very bitter finish. I cannot help but wonder if leaving the leaves in the bottle only increase the bitterness. But when I suggested this, I was met with a look of complete bewilderment. Clearly, you're not meant to pass comment on absinth, just pass out.
The other absinth, Staroplzenecky, was lurid green, smelled of mint and tasted like an alcoholic mouthwash.
Better was a range of 100% agave tequilas from Herencia de Plata (Ebeal 013265 20660), the best being a fruity, vanilla-accented reposado aged in Madeira barrels, and a rich, weighty anejo.
RenVic Wines (01763 852470) was showing its new English Harbour rums from Antigua - a beautifully smooth white, succulent mellow three-year-old and a firm, spicy Extra Old. It was high-quality stuff.
The taste of the bizarre was proving elusive,however, until I reached the Eaux de Vie (020 7724 5009) stand, a company which has prised a huge range of oddities out of the USA.
Old Fitzgerald 1849 is a glorious bourbon that's rich yet soft as a result of using wheat instead of rye. There again, if it's the feisty attack of rye you are after, go for Pikesville Supreme. It's the only 100% rye readily available in the UK and is a stunning mix of subtle fruits and a tart acidic zap on the finish that whipcracks your palate into life.
After this came a bottle sporting a label looking like a bad mescalin trip. N.O.Rum is the brainchild of a New Orleans artist/restaurateur who has built a $2m (£1.3m) distillery, makes his rum from Louisiana cane molasses and ages it in ex-Jack Daniel's barrels.
Rum purists baulk at its mix of sooty smoke, raisin and high-toned aromatics, but I reckon that if you use it instead of bourbon in a Manhattan, you'll come up with a pretty startling drink. Mission accomplished. n
by Dave Broom
