Category Archives: Whiskey

Ardbeg, Dexter Gordon, Duke Ellington, Jazz, John Coltrane, Legends, The Balvenie, Uigeadail, Yamazaki

Drinking in My Dreams

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ONE OF THE THINGS that makes us uniquely human is our ability to use our minds to imagine scenarios that we would not otherwise experience.  Our brains are extraordinarily complex, and our dreams can often times seem real. It gives us the ability to answer one of the most often asked questions posed by friends.  If you could have dinner with someone famous, who would it be? We all ponder it whether asked or not.  As a jazz fan, I think dinner with some of the luminaries of the past would be kind of boring.  However, drinking a glass of Scotch with some of them would probably be more in line with the vibe that I get when listening to my favorite artists recordings.

Ardbeg Uigeadail is one of my favorite Scotches.  It’s rich and weighty with intoxicating and smoky aromatics. The initial aroma is a mix of walnut oil and violets with fresh ocean spice, pine needles and cedar. It’s reminiscent of a smoldering coal fire that brings warmth on a cold winters’ night. It’s full-flavored with a rich, deep, tongue-coating texture that is an intricate balance of sweet, spicy, and deep smoke.

When I think of jazz and smoke, I immediately recall a photograph of Dexter Gordon, one of the legends of the tenor saxophone. In the photograph, he’s wearing one of his trademark hats and smoking a cigarette.  He started his career while still a teenager, touring with the great Lionel Hampton. He eventually moved to New York City to pursue his dream of being a professional jazz musician.  He spent the majority of his career in Europe in what can only be described as exile, living in Denmark, and traveling to France and Germany to perform and record music.  Among his many accomplishments, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in the movie ‘Round Midnight. I imagine it would be fun to speak with Dexter Gordon at a café in Paris.  We’d probably just talk about life.  His experiences as a musician during the 1950s and 1960s could not have been ideal, but to persevere as he did would no doubt lead to some interesting conversations about the things he learned along the way, both the good and the bad.

If you’re a jazz fan like me, the only name that comes to mind when you think of smooth and elegant is Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington.  His stage presence made him seem almost regal. Duke Ellington was a famous and successful musician and band leader when it wasn’t in the best interest of an American of African descent to be either.  He rose above the prejudice of his time and became not only an ambassador for the music, but an ambassador for his race.  Every interview I’ve ever read or television program where I saw him interviewed, he was always gracious, honest, and thoughtful.  A person who had every right to be bitter about the way he and others like him were treated and I don’t ever recall him lashing out.  I’d love to hear his views on the state of today’s music.  I doubt that he’d be critical of it, but it would be great to hear the opinion of someone who was there when Jazz was in its infancy to talk about its evolution and where it’s headed in the twenty-first century.  As a non-musician, I would find it fascinating to hear his views. I would love to enjoy a glass of Yamazaki 18 with him while discussing what influenced him when he wrote his famous suites.

Yamazaki whisky is not Scotch, but it’s made with the tradition of the whiskies of Scotland at its core.  Spiritual and deep, the soul place of Japanese whiskey is one of the ways that it’s been described.  Yamazaki 18-year-old whisky is elegant with a deep amber color.  It has aromas of apricot, raisin, truffles, marmalade, Oloroso Sherry, and Japanese oak. The palate is rich and bittersweet with heather roots, cigar leaves, honey, toffee, apples, plum wine, and black pepper.  The finish is long, spicy, fruity, and smooth. It’s such an elegant expression of the Scotch tradition that it was voted best whisky in the world in 2014, besting ALL whiskeys, whiskys, and bourbons around the globe.

Another outstanding whisky is The Balvenie Caribbean Cask 14-year-old Scotch–a traditional single malt from Speyside, a subdivision of the Highlands.  In order to be considered Speyside Scotch, the whisky must be made near the river Spey. Balvenie 14 is initially aged in a traditional oak cask before it is finished in a cask which previously held Caribbean rum. This imparts an extra sweetness and warmth to the whisky. What makes this whisky even more fascinating is that the malt master at Balvenie created his own blend of West Indian rums, filled it into the rum casks, and then eventually replaced his rum with Balvenie 14 whisky. This particular Balvenie has rich aromas that include tropical fruits and toffee.  The palate has a creamy vanilla feel with notes of apples and mangoes with a hint of orange. Its finish lingers with a more focused vanilla character. 

The level of complexity with the added layers of ingenuity used to create this whisky reminds me of one person—John Coltrane. John Coltrane passed away in 1967 and since that time, musicians and scholars are still trying to understand the music that he created.  There isn’t a saxophone player alive who isn’t influenced by his playing.  He studied eastern religions and incorporated those ideas into his music.  Not only that, but he was also a big fan of Albert Einstein.  He studied Einstein’s theories and had a deep understanding of the underlying physics and mathematics.  In the book The Jazz of Physics by Stephon Alexander, the author talks about how Einstein inspired Coltrane to put physics and geometry at the core of his music.  Music that has secrets yet to be unraveled by today’s musicians.  John Coltrane was incredibly soft spoken and very reserved.  His thoughts always seemed to come across as deep and introspective in his interviews.  His interests in mathematics, physics, and eastern cultures would lead to some interesting conversations.  It would be really interesting to listen to him expound upon ideas that none of my friends would find interesting.  Topics such as the belief that the catalyst for the Big Bang was literally a sound or a tone. A tone whose remnants still exist somewhere in our vast Universe. You’d need a complex Scotch to get into the details beneath the surface of this complexed topic. Possibly more than one bottle. It would be a sacrifice worth making.

As I said at the beginning, the brain is an incredible tool.  Even when our technology advances to the point where we can virtually enjoy our dreams, it will still allow us to dream big.  I hope humanity never loses that ability.

Alcohol, Bourbon, Cocktail, Liquor, Whiskey

Drink Dissection: The Manhattan

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manhattan

OVER THE YEARS, I’ve had several conversations that revolved around a cocktail known as the Manhattan.  Most of those conversations began with the same question:  Why can’t I find someone who makes a good Manhattan?  The simplest answer is that most of today’s bartenders don’t know or understand what it takes to make a good Manhattan.  I know of two places where I can go to get a good one, but if I go anywhere else I don’t order them.  The bartenders at those two places have a healthy respect for all things related to cocktails.  Since a Manhattan is considered a classic, you’d think that bartenders would take the time to find out what a Manhattan is and learn how to make one, but that rarely occurs.  The impetus behind these posts has always been for me to find the facts for myself and then pass them on to those who are interested.

So, what is a Manhattan?  It’s a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.  The most common whiskeys used are blended whiskey, bourbon, Canadian whiskey, rye, and Tennessee whiskey.  The proportions of whiskey to vermouth vary from 1:1 for a very sweet Manhattan to 4:1 for a very dry one.  It is most common to stir the ingredients with ice and then strain them into a martini glass.  The most common garnish is a Maraschino cherry.  It is not uncommon to serve a Manhattan on the rocks or to garnish it with a twist of lemon.  The Manhattan was the first of many cocktails that blended vermouth with a spirit and is the precursor to the king of all cocktails — the Martini.

The origins of the Manhattan aren’t clear.  One story is that it originated at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1870’s.  The claim is that Dr. Iain Marshall invented it for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome to celebrate the election of Samuel J. Tilden as governor.  Sadly, this story holds very little weight because during the time of this supposed banquet, Jenny Jerome was in France and was pregnant.  She later gave birth to one of history’s most celebrated figures — Winston Churchill.  Another story suggests that a bartender named William Black created the drink at a saloon on Bowery in the Manhattan area.  Although Black did exist and evidence of the saloon also exists, there is no evidence that the cocktail was invented there.

What is clear is that in 1873, the Galveston Daily News reported that the New York Club had a peculiar cocktail made with brandy and several different kinds of bitters.  It was shaken rather than stirred.  It also reported that Amaranth Club had a cocktail made with seltzer and the Manhattan club had invented another.  This is by no means proof that the Manhattan Club invention is the Manhattan, but there is no proof that it isn’t.  What’s odd is that if this is the Manhattan, then this is almost 10 years before cocktails made with vermouth were generally accepted.  It wasn’t until 1884 that the Manhattan even appeared in bartenders guides.

Let’s look at a couple of recipes.  In 1884, the following recipe appeared in How to Mix Drinks–Bar Keeper’s Handbook.  It’s the same recipe used at the Manhattan Club and was by far the most popular during the first twenty years of the cocktails existence.

Manhattan (circa 1884)

Two or three dashes of Peruvian bitters, 1/2 teaspoon of gum syrup, 1 1/2 ounces of whiskey, 1 1/2 ounces of vermouth.

Fill the glass three-quarters full of fine shaved ice, mix well with a spoon, strain in fancy cocktail glass and serve.

It should be noted that Peruvian bitters was an advertiser in the bar manual where this recipe appears.  Other bitters such as Angostura and Peychaud’s also advertised in bar manuals.  This suggests that you may choose your favorite brand.  Since gum syrup is difficult to obtain these days, it can be left out without affecting the quality of the finished product.  You may also notice that there is no mention of a garnish for this recipe.

Manhattan (today)

3/4 ounce of sweet vermouth, 2 1/2 ounces of blended whiskey, dash of Angostura bitters, 1 Maraschino cherry, 1 twist of orange peel.

Combine vermouth, whiskey, bitter and ice in a mixing glass.  Stir gently, Place the cherry in a chilled cocktail glass and strain the whiskey over the cherry.  Rub the cut edge of the orange peel over the rim of the glass and twist it over the drink to release the oils, but don’t drop it into the drink.

This modern version of the Manhattan is the most commonly accepted version today.  Like all cocktails, the quality of the ingredients ensures the quality of the finished product.  Italian vermouth is always a good choice although Vya is an excellent alternative.  Woodford Reserve is an excellent whiskey and a great way to enhance this recipe.  I am a fan of orange bitters. I’ve actually made my own, which I proudly use when I make a Manhattan at home.  The introduction of this flavor to the mix turns an ordinary Manhattan into a delicious drink worth savoring.  Another way to make your Manhattan stand out is to use brandy-infused cherries.  Trust me, there is no better way to finish a Manhattan than by biting into one these tasty treats.

For those who enjoy something slightly sweeter, try the following recipe:

French Manhattan

2 ounces of Woodford Reserve, one ounce of Chambord, dash of bitters.

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a cherry.

The obvious twist is that Chambord is substituted for vermouth.  It’s a neat alternative to the original and a refreshing way to end a long day.

So, there you have it, the Manhattan demystified.  Once you’ve discovered where drinks come from and understand their place in history, it’s much easier to make them and enjoy them.  I know quite a few bartenders who still don’t know how to make this time honored and delicious cocktail.  They don’t take the time to find the recipes and try them out.  Experimentation is the best way to perfect your craft.  Tasting your experiments helps give you an appreciation for the cocktail’s place in history.  It also gives you a reference when someone asks for a specific variation on the Manhattan theme.  As always, when enjoying pre-Prohibition, modern or French Manhattans, please drink responsibly.