The holiday season usually calls for champagne, but the owners of Tuthilltown Spirits in Gardiner are making the case for bourbon.

So far Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee have produced two batches of Hudson Baby Bourbon out of a converted gristmill granary. It is the first bourbon ever made in New York state and the first legal pot-distilled whiskey to be made in New York since the start of Prohibition, according to their research.

And spirits afficionados around the region are clamoring to get their hands on a hand-numbered bottle.

“We were hoping that everybody was ready for a local whiskey again and that it would be a good product and everybody would like it,” Erenzo said. “We did not expect this level of enthusiasm.”

Tuthilltown first began selling an artisanal vodka made from Stone Ridge apples in March. It also produces an American corn whiskey and will release a rye whiskey in 2007.

“We are working very hard to educate people about fine spirits,” Erenzo said. (more…)

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It seems the Scotch companies are concerned about all the people that may not be drinking any alcohol at all. So, straight from Ballindalloch, they’ve launched Speyside Glenlivet Mineral Water.

You can get these waters in either a sparkling or still form and it all comes straight from the Braes of Glenlivet just like the Scotch that we all know and love. So, you can drink knowing that you’re in good company.

Fortunately, this water isn’t aged 18 years so I don’t expect it will develop any characteristics as you pop the cap off and I wouldn’t think that it will “open up” as it sits around.

Not to be confused with the famous Glenlivet whiskeys, though they are produced in the same region in Scotland, Speyside Glenlivet Mineral Water is completely alcohol-free.

The water, which is available in still and sparkling versions, has a “unique and natural blend of minerals” that are said to enhance the flavor of (more…)

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Whisky lovers from 142 countries from Belize to Bangladesh and Mongolia to Mariana visited a web site and had the opportunity to vote on their favourite whisky.

Votes for the 2006 “Drammies” were cast on-line by members of the public and the industry alike at The Scotch Blog - the No 1 whisky web site.

Four great distilleries (two of them from Islay) were nominated for Distillery of the Year 2006 which was ultimately won by the privately-owned Bruichladdich Distillery.

The site is dedicated to online news and commentary focused solely on the Scotch whisky industry’s controversial topics under the by-line “Pleasingly Irreverent”.

The awards are hosted by New Yorker Kevin Erskine, author of “The Instant Expert’s Guide to Single Malt Scotch” a book written for the novice.

Erskine is not paid to mention whiskies consequently his refreshingly independent viewpoint on controversial whisky topics and industry gossip is widely respected.

CEO Mark Reynier: “We admire Scotch Blog which dares to raise controversial issues the consumer needs to know about - and the industry prefers to dodge. There are many awards but this is the first where folk from all over the globe have an equal chance to vote. It is all the more satisfying knowing the result is what the public and industry really thinks - rather than influenced by money or advertising.”

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The winners in the inaugural “Drammies Awards” run by the Scotch Blog have just been announced with some not very surprising results.

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The Wine Enthusiast has included a Murray McDavid Rum bottling in the top 50 spirits of 2006 rated: HIGHEST RECCOMENDATION - CLASSIC (96-100)

Uitvlught, originally a Dutch estate (hence the crazy “oot-flit” name) was built in 1732 on the banks of the Demerara River on the Atlantic coast.
It is one of Guyana’s oldest distilleries producing a heavier style spirit using the famous Port Morant still, the last remaining Demerara Vat Still.

Master Distiller Jim McEwan decided this heavier rum style would suit the “ACE” (Additional Cask Evolution) in Syrah casks from the Rhone’s Hermitage appellation.

Sales Director Andrew Gray: “The subtle influence of French Oak and Syrah fruit really worked well with this spirit. We have been experimenting with this type of oak with single malts. We thought it would bring a new dimension to Rum - and it looks like we were right.”

Paul Pacult - Wine Enthusiast: “A sophisticated rum perfume shows clear influences of the syrah. The palate entry is satiny, medium sweet and pear-like. The mid palate displays flavours of baked pear, pineapple and grapes that meld to honey sweet tastes of cane spirit. Concludes medium sweet, very smooth and cake-like.”

Murray McDavid is the independent bottling arm of Bruichladdich Distillery

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