Enough Already: Whisk(e)y Does Not Get Better In The Bottle

Collecting whiskey can be a fun pastime. Snapping up limited edition and rare bottlings is part of the American way when it comes to how we do high-end booze in this country. No matter your motivation for establishing a collection, whether to enjoy later to nerd out, save it for a special occasion, or even turn it around for profit, it’s all good. Do what you like…it’s your whiskey.

However, there is something that continues to drive me crazy when it comes to whiskey. Over this past weekend I was doing some research on new whiskeys that were arriving in the U.S. market, seeking out some commentary and determining if they could be fits in upcoming programs I am leading (shameless plug: March 14th Irish Whiskey class!). During my personal recon mission, I came across this review of a whiskey that read like fingernails sound on a blackboard:

Aside from providing good beverage recommendations and getting you plugged into various aspects of the industry, I find the most important service I can provide is steering you clear of bad information and outright nonsense. If you ever see a review of a product that says, “I will give this a few more years to age and try it again…” or anything else of that ilk, you should immediately ignore the review of the product. The fact is, whiskey (and other spirits) do not improve in the bottle.

Say it with me again, whiskey (and other spirits) do not improve in the bottle.

Adding a whiskey to your collection should NEVER be done with the thought that the 1964 Macallan Special Selection Bottled in 1981 is going to suddenly turn into some otherworldly unicorn blood that will drink better than it did 38 years ago. No matter when you open the bottle, whether it is the day you purchase it or at any point in the future, it is still a 17 year old single malt Scotch whisky.

Unlike the long-lived wines of the world, spirits are missing important components that lead to ageability. With time, natural tannins from red wine grapes integrate with intense fruit concentration, alcohol, acids, and where applicable residual sugar to have molecular reactions leading to a softer texture and more fulfilling experience than you would have if those bitter, mouth-drying elements were younger. In the case of ageworthy white wines, acid, alcohol, fruit concentration, and residual sugar all work in tandem to preserve the wines and add a honey-like texture and flavor with time in the bottle.

Above: It doesn’t matter if you spend your money on an everyday workhorse for $19 or a custom-made luxury bottle for $170,000, both are ready to drink now…and neither is improving with further aging.

All of whiskey’s flavors are developed during fermentation, distillation, and barrel aging. Whiskey has plenty of alcohol to keep itself stable in the bottle, but nothing else mentioned above to help it evolve into something different the way wine does. The same goes for brandy, rum, and Tequila. As a matter of fact, the only thing time does to your spirits is add a threat of deterioration. You have to keep your spirits stored in a cool, dark place. Heat and light can make flavors and natural colors fade and prolonged exposure to either can lead to more rancid flavors in whiskey, too much earthiness in gin (all citrus and floral aromas dissipate completely), soapy flavor in Cognac, or a vinegar and shoe polish-like compound in rum. All bad.

Remember that all spirits are bottled ready-to-drink the day you buy them. If you open another bottle of the same whiskey you didn’t like a few years ago, the only reason you would like it today is because your palate evolved, not because the spirit did. If you are considering starting a collection, do it for any reason other than hoping the contents of the bottles are going to improve with time, because it is just not going to happen.

The Obligatory Wine With Halloween Candy Post

It's that time of year! Get ready for (if you haven't seen them yet) the blitz of articles about pairing wine and other booze with Halloween candy.

Before I get into the meat of this topic, let me start with this: Halloween is quite the production in my neighborhood. Everyone around here understands we have a window of time to celebrate and generally just have a good time. When it's done, it's done; people have jobs to get to and life to deal with the next day. During that time, however, the neighborhood has fire pits and music. Some houses have some tasty beverages for the adults to sample while kids get the traditional range of "fun size" candies, along with a sprinkling of full-size confections from the really awesome houses.

So whether you end up enjoying Halloween with the neighborhood for a few hours, or end up coming back from trick-or-treating with the kids to knock down a beverage or two, there's always one thing to remember if you are going to pair your booze of choice with candy:

Make sure your drink is (or seems) sweeter than the candy you are eating.

I can't stress that point enough. Dry wines and light beers are going to taste very thin and harsh with just about any type of candy, whether it is fruit flavored, chocolatey, peanut buttery, or anything else. Sorry, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and many Italian white wines...you are out. IPAs and (Insert macrobrew here) Lite? So are you. High-tannin or light-bodied red wines? Brutal. Your beer and wine will just taste astringent and tart. These are all mighty fine adult beverages and I love them all...just not today.

However, there are some ways to get around this rule of thumb when it comes to drinking with candy, especially if you just don't like sweet wine or other alcoholic beverages. Sometimes playing around with flavor composition, illusions of sweetness, and texture can help make a pairing work.

Less than an hour away from home, Two Roads has always delivered on just about any beer I have had from them. The Oktoberfest is no different.

Let's start with the beer-drinkers. While most beers aren't necessarily sweet, there is a component of a brew that can give you the impression of sweetness on your palate: malt. That's right...most malty beers feel full-bodied and creamy with a caramel/chocolate/toffee flavor profile. These are all the aspects of a malty beer that can play nicely with your Twix, Kit-Kats, and Butterfingers. Newcastle Brown Ale and other English Brown Ales work nicely with these candies. Additionally, go for what is readily available at this time of year: Oktoberfest/Märzen style beers. These are a little lighter and not quite as malty as a Brown Ale, but has some of the sweet fall baking spice notes. Whether you go with the ubiquitous-but-steady Sam Adams or a local craft brewery, you can't go wrong (assuming you like the style, of course). If you prefer to steal the fruity candies like Starbursts and Skittles from your kids, try a Fruit Lambic; Lindemans tends to be the most readily available of this style and finishes sweeter than other producers.

Now, what do we do about wine? If you are not a sweet wine lover, then we need to find wines that are full-bodied, fruity, and assertive. Oaked Chardonnay does the trick with the bold, tropical fruit flavor, butterscotch and cream (the byproduct of malolactic fermentation), and sweet spices. Look no further than the outwardly named "Butter" by JaM Cellars. It's going to have all of that for about $15. Great for popping the candy corns or even milk chocolate.

Fruit-forward, full-bodied reds can work wonders with candy.

For a "dry" red, Australian Shiraz and California Zinfandel can be so ripe, full-bodied, and jammy, the wines will leave you with a sweet sensation on the finish. Yalumba Y Series Shiraz ($15) or Bogle's Old Vine Zinfandel ($10) keeps things simple and straightforward. The red fruit bomb that is the Zinfandel and the raisiny/figgy/peppery character of the Shiraz will each give you what you need for dark chocolate candy.

A little off the beaten path, but worth trying if you find it. Alvear offers terrific value with all of their products.

For the sweet wines, Port and dark chocolate has long been an essential pairing; the complexity of each feeds off of one another. You can also consider the syrupy, chocolatey, and mouthcoating Pedro Ximinez ("PX") Sherries; PX can be poured over ice cream for some serious indulgence if rummaging through Halloween candy isn't good enough. It will just overwhelm any confection you throw at it, though it will play well with a Snickers or Reese's since Sherry generally has a nutty character to it. Bodegas Alvear's Solera Cream ($18) is made with 100% PX grapes in the region of Montilla-Moriles, a production area more inland with a hotter climate than the traditional Sherry regions. As a result, the wines are less expensive.

We haven't touched on enough wine to drink with your fruity candies. Go big or go home, I say, with the Hungarian sweet wine known as Tokaji [toe-KYE]. Royal Tokaji Wine Company Red Label Tokaji is peachy, citrusy, and full of honey. There is always Ice Wine from Canada, the Finger Lakes, and Austria that are delicate, fruity, and sweet, but with plenty of acid to prevent the wine from feeling sticky sweet on your palate. Inniskillin is a well-known Canadian producer as is Nigl of Austria. If you are willing to spend $40 for a 500mL bottle, dive in (then save whatever is left in the bottle to enjoy with fruit tarts and cakes on a later date).

A mere ounce of this stuff instantly boosts the flavor of any beverage. Feel free to go inexpensive on the vodka. I won't tell.

Now, what if you are into spirits? Well, one of the easiest things you can do is hook yourself up with a flavored vodka of choice, mix with lemonade, and be on your way to gorging on Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers, and Gummi Bears/Worms/Other Creatures. One concoction we enjoy in the summer is blueberry vodka with lemonade, and honestly you can get away with that year round. Or, grab the magic Cognac and raspberry liqueur known as Chambord ($35-ish) and add that to your flavored vodka. No Twizzler stands a chance.

Here are some others you can work with as well in the spirits department: Bailey's Irish Cream and a Milky Way, El Dorado 12 Year Rum with any caramel candy (or even those banana Laffy Taffy things), and Champagne and pretzels (there will be pretzels in the candy bag, I promise you...and that's a good reason to drink Champagne).

Hey, have fun with this. I have seen some posts out there on the topic that give zero explanation as to why any of the pairings work. Hopefully, I make some sense with my line of thinking, but I would also love to hear what you enjoy with the Halloween haul. Just remember this: alcohol and sugar dehydrate you. Consume both for long periods of time without some water or other food in-between shoveling in the sweets can lead to some wretched hangovers. Enjoy the evening in moderation and, of course, be safe!

Build Your Bar: A Dozen Essentials Help You To Get Started

As much as I love to dive into wine, distilled spirits has dominated my beverage landscape as of late; it comes with the territory of running classes in this category at the store. As a result, I have managed to build up a bit of inventory in my home bar over the past year, all while understanding some of the differences among the huge range of options available to us all.

For those of you who are attempting to build your own inventory, my guess is there are mixed feelings out there. There is the camp of people who have brands they love and will always go to with ease, while others don't know what to seek out and spend hard-earned money on. It can be difficult for the latter group; you want to have a complete set of bar staples for guests or mixing cocktails, but you may not be sure what to drop $20-$40 on that will deliver for you.

Wine lovers, you may remember when we built a case of wine together that goes easy on the wallet; our task was to keep the case to $120-$150. If you were to buy the spirit essentials you need, you will easily spend more since the average price per bottle of quality spirits are high than it is for wine. Fortunately, you can do this for about $250. That's right...a full bar that gives you versatility, enjoyment, and outstanding value for roughly twice what we paid to get the wine inventory started.

Let's do this thing. I find that as long as you have one of each of the following spirits/mixers, you can make most classic cocktails, plus give yourself some things to sip straight if you like. In no particular order: Blended Scotch Whisky, Bourbon Whiskey, gin, rum, vodka, Tequila, Cognac, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, orange liqueur, bitters, and tonic water. Yes, I know tonic water is non-alcoholic, but there are some great artisanal options for you to choose from these days and can be a major component in cocktails. Pick up some lemons, limes, and a small bottle of hot sauce, and you are in business.

Now for specifics on the Big Twelve bar essentials. You will be able to get away with spending no more than $35 on any of these bottles. These are all solid. Please note that spirits pricing can fluctuate depending on where you live, how much your retailer can buy to keep costs down, or depending on whether a category is generally trending up or down.

For your whisk(e)y:

Famous Grouse or Johnnie Walker Black Label blended Scotch whisky ($35 ea.)

If you are a fan of the Rob Roy or Rusty Nail, then you need some good blended Scotch whisky. Alternatively, each option can be enjoyed as-is. For my fellow Scotch nerds and newbies alike, Famous Grouse is a blend made from the malt whisky of Macallan and Highland Park, two distilleries owned by the same company as Famouse Grouse: The Edrington Group. The red grouse on the label is Scotland's national game bird, and Famous Grouse is the top selling blended Scotch in Scotland. This is gentle and well-balanced.

Johnnie Walker is the top selling blended Scotch in the United States and worldwide, with 40 different whiskies making up the blend. The peated portion of the whisky comes from Caol Ila and Talisker, and all whiskies used in the blend were aged at least 12 years. Johnnie Walker is notably smokier than Famous Grouse. Despite Scotch being incredibly popular with prices on the rise, both Famous Grouse and Johnnie Walker Black remain solid values and you can't go wrong with either.

Bulleit or Larceny Bourbon Whiskey ($28 ea.)

I once again present two options. When it comes to Bourbon, there are two fairly distinct groups: low-rye and high-rye. Consider this to be similar in a way to peated or unpeated Scotch. The higher the rye content, the more aromatic and assertive its flavors will be. Less rye means corn's soft texture and sweetness will come out.

Bulleit has a citrusy and spicy character, and bottled at 90 proof, it can withstand the addition of other ingredients that will tamp down some of the rye in your Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Larceny, a new product getting a lot of play out on the market has not only a lower rye profile, but also some wheat, making for a gentler Bourbon. Larceny has more of a honeyed, toffee-like character that is definitely suited for sipping.

For your brandy:

Camus VS Cognac ($30)

Hennessy is very popular, and has the skyrocketing price to match. I know it wasn't that long ago that I wrote about it, but it should be a bar staple.

For your Tequila:

Cazadores Silver ($25)

Am I being lazy? Maybe, but again it will deliver on the price for you as I wrote in my classic cocktails post on Margaritas.

For your rum:

Plantation 3 Stars White Rum ($20)

Created by well-respected Cognac producer Maison Ferrand, Plantation 3 Stars is made up of rums from Trinidad, Barbados, and Jamaica. Some components from Jamaica and Trinidad are aged, while other Jamaican components and Barbados are unaged. Ferrand uses a "proprietary filtration process" to strip out color from barrel aging without stripping away flavor (which can happen in many instances with charcoal filtration). The result is a full-bodied and complex white rum that you can mix or drink straight with a little chill on it. This is one of the best bargains I have seen in any spirit category and is worth the extra $3-$5 over the better-known Bacardi.

For your Vodka:

Tito's Handmade Vodka ($23)

Tito Beveridge (a name that seems destined to be in this industry) created this Texas-based pot-distilled vodka that is now the top-selling spirits brand in the United States. Pot-distilled vodkas have some body to them (a la Ketel One), making this a vodka you could sip neat if well-chilled. I can also testify that this made a killer base for a Bloody Mary during a football tailgate party! Despite the brand's overwhelming success, Tito's is still very reasonably priced.

For your Gin:

Gordon's London Dry Gin ($20)

For the traditional, juniper-forward gin drinkers out there, this should fall right in your strike zone. Tanqueray is another option as well, which is bottled at a higher proof (great for not losing delicate citrus and floral aromas/flavor when mixing cocktails), but you may spend a few more dollars. Gordon's is the top selling gin brand in the world with its mass appeal and easy mixability.

For your vermouth:

Martini & Rossi Sweet ($11) and Dry ($11) Vermouth

There's no need to get too fancy here. If you are on a limited budget, the M&R products are the way to go. They do the job just fine when you are getting started. Sweet vermouth works for your Negroni, Manhattan, and Rob Roy, while the dry vermouth will mix fine with your Martini or act as a flavor-booster in your cooking (a fine addition in Carbonara pasta, for the record).

For your orange liqueur:

Agavero Orange ($23) or Caffo Solara Triple Orange ($25)

This comes down to what you like to do with your cocktails. If you are REALLY into Margaritas, the Agavero is a Tequila-based orange liqueur that meshes nicely with Tequila (thanks, Captain Obvious!), also costing you less than the Patron version. If you seek versatility in cocktails, where many of them call for triple sec/orange liqueur, the Caffo from Italy gives you good, fiery orangey flavor. As a reference point, Cointreau (as much as I adore it) hits the $30 mark in some markets. Again, we are seeking value, so either of these will do a solid job for you.

Additional mixers:

Angostura Bitters ($6)

This is a staple that can't be overlooked. Yes, it is everywhere and readily available, but for good reason. It is solid. As you continue progressing in building your inventory, we can talk about that...and we will (how's that for a tease?)!

Fever Tree Tonic ($6/4-pack)

Here's your "splurge" product. I can't say enough about the clean flavors Fever Tree provides. Aside from the flagship tonic, they have flavored versions such as lemon and elderflower that will add extra depth of flavor to your Gin (or Vodka) & Tonic. Don't believe me? Taste Fever Tree alongside Schweppe's or Canada Dry and you will become a convert!

So there it is! This is an outstanding starting point for building up your personal bar. These twelve items will help you get the ball rolling and serve as your baseline for branching out...and we will cover that sooner than later!

Cognac Is My Pumpkin Spice

Up here in New England, if you can believe it, leaves have already started to fall. A couple of storms ripped through town and took the muggy heat with them as they left. Even though it is not officially autumn, it sure feels like it now.

Just...no. The craze has gone too far.

And as the fall season takes effect, oftentimes well before it does, the pumpkin spice folks start getting very excited for said flavors to infiltrate every food and drink imaginable. Pumpkin spice is an option in every coffee drink available. And syrup. And Peanut butter. And waffles. How about yogurt pretzels, tea, and chocolate. Pumpkin spice is in your beer and Jell-O pudding. Hell, it's even in the things you don't eat: candles, soaps, perfumes, and so on.

Here's a hot take for you: I'm not into ANY of the above, especially in my coffee. This is also not a criticism of you if you are a pumpkin spice lover; eat and drink what tastes good to you, I am all for that. However, you know what my job is for my profession and here at Flight School. I am here to show you a beverage that you may not have given consideration to or perhaps forgot about. So for all you pumpkin spice champions out there, I have something for you that I absolutely love at this time of year: Cognac

Yes...Cognac! This is MY pumpkin spice. While it is something I like to use in cocktails such as a Sidecar year-round, in the fall I am all about sipping this spirit of power and delicacy. It's not an easy spirit to generalize, but fine aged examples of Cognac give me dried orange, apricot, apple, and figs fruit flavors. With increased age, Cognac becomes more savory and earthy, all while preserving delicate floral notes that give Cognac its finesse and elegance. Accompanying flavors and aromas give you the range of baking spices you love in that pumpkin spice latte: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and anise. Throw in a little pipe tobacco and dead leaves, and you have all the smells of fall in one glass!

The regions of Cognac. Image credit: Cognac Expert Blog

Additionally, if you are a wine-lover and you have never tried Cognac before, give it a shot; this type of brandy is actually a distilled white wine! The region of Cognac is located north of Bordeaux, whose vineyards almost form concentric circles as it spreads from the central heartland and top area of production. Each region and choice of grape variety brings something different to the final spirit. For example, Grande and Petit Champagne (not to be confused with the sparkling wine region of Champagne) give Cognac the combination of floral notes and ageability. Fins Bois is fruity, with faster maturing spirits. Borderies is rich, earthy and full-bodied. When it comes to grapes, Ugni Blanc (also known as Trebbiano in Italy) is a popular choice as it provides high acid necessary for quality distillate, as well as floral, spicy, and fresh-baked pastry aromas. Two other grapes, Folle Blanche and Colombard, provide body and depth of flavor, along with additional acidity and intense aromatics.

As for barrel aging, which is required to produce Cognac, here are some helpful labeling terms and their definitions.

• VS or ***: Minimum of 2 years

• VSOP: Minimum of 4 years

• Napoleon: Minimum of 6 ½ years

• XO: Starting with 2016 vintage, Mininum of 10 years (previously 7 years minimum)

• Hors d’Age: For very old Cognacs, usually an age statement (as in Scotch whisky)

Now let's get down to business. Let's hook you up with a flight of the three most popular styles of Cognac: VS, VSOP, and XO. It often pays to try these three styles from one producer to see the effect of age, but I will share three different producers for you to seek out that offer outstanding quality. When you are done with this flight, you will be saying it with me: Cognac is my pumpkin spice.

Camus VS Cognac ($30): Fruity and floral. Lively, but mellow on the palate. This is a great way to get introduced to Cognac. Use this as part of a cocktail, or if it is still warm in your location, this will be great on the rocks.

Thomas Hine Fine Champagne Cognac VSOP ($55): "Fine Champagne Cognac" means all the Cognac comes from the Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne regions, with Grande Champagne making up over 50% of the blend. Rich with a creamy texture, it is fruity with cloves, nutmeg, and ginger spices.  

Delamain XO Pale & Dry ($100): Powerful and deep, with dried figs, vanilla, smoke, and the entire range of baking spices, but still retains an orange blossom character and fragrance that is hard to achieve from a Cognac subjected to extended aging. A special bottle!

Classic Cocktails: No Alterations Necessary

Let me share something with you. You know me to be a wine guy, or someone who likes to drink whiskey neat. I really enjoy those things, but we have a tradition that was built over the last few years at Castello d'Ambrosini: the Sunday four o'clock cocktail. After a beatdown of a workweek, baseball games and afterschool activities, we reward ourselves with a good pre-dinner drink and snacks. Get some music on and we are off and running. 

If you are a cocktail-lover and want to know about the classics, you better tell me why you don't have this book on your shelf.

The Best Wife In The World and I keep an eye out for interesting mixed drinks, check our favorite references, and solicit some ideas from friends. But you know what? We have a staple that we can always fall back on when we have too many options to choose from, or if we are not finding anything that jumps out at us.

"Hey, how about a Sidecar?"

According to Vintage Cocktails: Authentic Recipes and Illustrations from 1920-1960 (authored by Susan Waggoner and Robert Markel), the Sidecar came to be when a World War I officer was dropped off at his favorite drinking establishment in Paris after riding in the sidecar of a motorcycle. Feeling cold, he asked the bartender for something to warm him up, and just like that the Sidecar was born.

This is not the time to splurge for the rare Cognac. Keep it simple...and flavorful. Image credit: Liquor.com

All you need are three ingredients: your favorite brandy, Cointreau, and lemon juice. These are three items that should always be in your home bar; they are always in stock here. We use a VS-level Cognac most times; Remy Martin VSOP adds a little depth and richness. That being said, rather than use this drink to warm us up, we like it all year round. It's a lively and mouthwatering drink; right after the first sip, we are immediately looking to eat something.

If you have triple sec on hand, that's fine, but Cointreau has the magic combo of bitterness, sweetness, and smooth orangey flavor that adds a great dimension to many cocktails, including a Sidecar.

What's beautiful about the Sidecar is its straightforward simplicity. Yet there are recipes out there claiming to be Sidecars that use lime juice or sour mix in place of the lemon juice. Rum is sometimes added to the equation. Proportions are messed with that take the drink out of balance (too much lemon juice makes it overly tart, too much booze makes it overly, uh...boozy). If you want make a variant, be my guest. If you want the authentic recipe, just shake up the following ingredients into a cocktail shaker full of ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. As with all cocktails, use the best ingredients you can, but no alterations are necessary.

1.5 oz Cognac (Remy Martin or Hennessy VS work very well)

0.75 oz Cointreau

0.75 oz fresh lemon juice