January 2024 145
Leveraging genAI: A Wine Company’s Transformation in Customer Service
Senior Reporter,
New York-based Wine Enthusiast offers online customers what it calls everything they need to live the wine lifestyle — from the vino itself to corkscrews, glasses, wine cellars, furniture, and even two magazines on the topic. The company also receives 100,000 customer service inquiries annually.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 45-year old online retailer’s presence boomed. Consumers were staying home, nesting, building out their perfect office space, and drinking more.
For more than a year, Wine Enthusiast had been utilizing a SaaS-based system from the San Francisco-based startup Pathlight for performance management metrics of its customer-facing teams. Subsequently, Pathlight introduced a new generative artificial intelligence (genAI) product titled Conversation Intelligence. This product had the capability to transcribe every customer service conversation, grade customer representatives based on company metrics, and identify potential issues.
The large language model (LLM) that forms the basis of the tool uses Wine Enthusiast’s own data to comprehend company policies and procedures, and to determine if a representative adhered to these procedures, and whether or not a customer was satisfied after a call, stated John Burke, the head of customer service and systems at Wine Enthusiast.
Historically, the company had to manually go through each customer service call to identify customer trends or problems, a task unfeasible to perform on a large scale. As a result, Wine Enthusiast could only perform a superficial analysis of customer service conversations. Furthermore, when complaints arose, they were all anecdotal, making the identification of recurring problems nearly impossible.
Now, genAI tools essentially operate as autonomous analysts, according to Burke. The LLMs utilized by the tools can rapidly scan the majority of customer conversations, analyze the content, and condense the transcripts into reports that highlight consumer trends and product issues.
John Burke is the head of Customer Experience at Wine Enthusiast.
He recently had a conversation with Computerworld discussing the implementation of genAI at Wine Enthusiast. They talked about the project’s history, the challenges faced during its implementation, and the resulting benefits.
When asked about the problem genAI was expected to solve, he said: “Our customer service footprint was relatively small, making it incapable of handling the inflow of customers effectively. Contrary to common understanding, customer service is not just point-of-sales service. It also spans product warranties and support. For instance, our wine cellars are designed with a longevity of 10 to 15 years, which means they will require maintenance and spare parts.”
“Being brought into this role, my responsibility was to spearhead the growth of this business segment to meet customer expectations. This is especially crucial in today’s world where customers are used to the immediacy and technological advancements offered by companies like Amazon. However, we had to find a way to achieve this without expanding our workforce by 60 extra hires.”
What was your strategy for solving the problem? Initially, to improve communication with our customers, we transitioned to using Zendesk as our main tool. One issue we encountered, despite the ease of communication provided by Zendesk, was understanding the reasons customers were reaching out to us.
We started by asking our service team to answer a few questions at the end of each conversation to help us identify the topics they discussed. As expected, we discovered that inquiries made up 90% of the reasons for communication. But what were these inquiries about?
I don’t point fingers at the team. They are continuously switching between calls and don’t want to have to pause to answer multiple questions.
My attention is not solely focused on the number of calls or tickets handled. Instead, it’s about the quality and consistency of the service delivered to our customers. We found Pathlight to be beneficial due to its sophisticated coaching platform. This platform aggregates various essential metrics and presents them in an intuitive ‘Health Score.’ This allows the team to understand their performance better.
“Instead of pointing out, ‘you’re achieving commendable results in first-contact resolution but your chat response time needs work,’ we assert, ‘your cumulative Health Score is at 90 and here are the areas you need to focus on for improvement.’
“About twelve months into our alliance with Pathlight…, they announced their plans for developing a product that wouldn’t just evaluate the [service] representative’s performance, but also dissect every single conversation that occurred. This tool could then provide insights on what is being discussed, gauge the sentiment, assess the resolution method used, and determine whether policy and procedure compliance was intact. This innovative approach catalyzed our exploration with AI.”
Do most of your service representative communications take place through voice calls or messaging apps? “Our communication channels comprise of 70% voice calls and the remaining 30% includes everything else. We were faced with the difficulty of extracting meaningful insights from telephonic conversation that sometimes extend up to 20, 30, or even 40 minutes.
“This was the crux of our problem. With Pathlight, we can now assign digital scores to our representatives. But my leadership team was posed with the dilemma of balancing their own tasks with the need to evaluate the team. They were exclaiming, ‘John, it took me 20 minutes just to analyze one phone conversation. How am I supposed to fulfill my responsibilities and also assess the team?’
“Historically, the only occasion we took a look at a [service] recording came whenever a complaint was registered by the customer. We’d then investigate what went awry. We were consistently focusing on the worst conversations to evaluate our team performance, neglecting the hundreds of perfectly pleasant interactions they have.”
Can you tell us about the amount of work involved in evaluating agents before the genAI rollout? “My leadership team isn’t particularly large. I believe they spent about half of their time conducting evaluations. A considerable chunk of these evaluations centred around damage control. For example, when a customer is angry because their order did not arrive in time. Many team members felt as though they were lawyers putting together a case against a client. Roughly half of the management team’s time was consumed by either identifying top performers or those who required extra guidance and training, or simply ensuring adherence to our processes.
“In our case, we pay close attention to specific business metrics. We strive for customer satisfaction, but we also can’t just hand over the store. The challenge lies in striking a balance – making the customers feel satisfied when things go wrong, without instantly resorting to giving a full refund.”
How did your old method of evaluating customer support not meet your company’s objectives? “We found ourselves in a place where we were only glancing at the absolute worst cases. A major hurdle for me was when I attended our marketing and commerce meetings, the issues raised usually included – what products are enjoying popularity or being disliked, what are the reoccurring issues? I knew it was a problem this regular meeting every week began with me asking my team on Slack, ‘What has been the topic of discussion this week?’
“It was so anecdotal, and I felt quirky to present that to the marketing team. Their subsequent follow-up queries were perpetually, ‘Quantity, which clients? Which product lines? Every time all I could retort is, ‘That’s all the information I have.’”
When was the initiation of your deployment of genAI and when was it finalized? “The inception started in August of the previous year and it took nearly a month of adaption. Then we went live around September. We’ve been operative ever since. I’d express we’re quite finished with tweaking the stimulus. We’ve got it quite in tune based on our identity and what conversations ought to resemble, which has been extremely useful.
“We’ve practically eradicated manual grading. We don’t practice it anymore. We merely let the framework handle it.”
Did you have worry that Pathlight’s LLM based on a cloud would use your proprietary data for self-training, and could possibly disclose your data later on? “I’ve pursued AI studies and I appreciate being at the forefront of technology. So, I’ve kept informed about privacy worries and ethical confines of AI —Governance and similar issues. I didn’t instantly have that worry, partly because we’re not a banking entity. We’re not in insurance or healthcare. If the language model desired to learn against our client base, I was not particularly bothered about that.
“Though there were initial concerns — mainly related to customer credit card details — Pathlight was transparent about their model. It is designed to identify and remove such sensitive data, which alleviated my worries. The only data we don’t own is our customers’ personal info, and ensuring its security gave us the confidence to proceed.”
Did you form a dedicated genAI team to implement the platform, or did you primarily lean on Pathlight for their expertise?
“Being a modestly-sized business, we couldn’t dedicate an entirely new team for this initiative. The implementation was largely handled by me and a few of my managers who started working closely with Pathlight. The first interaction where they assessed our calls and demonstrated their preliminary findings was not even through a finalized product but an early prototype. We got to see how the solution was evolving and feel that we contributed to some facets of product development.”
You’ve labeled your genAI technology as “autonomous analysts.” Why did you choose this name, and how does it operate?
“The presentation of the product by Pathlight was somewhat the inverse of its actual value for us. They thought it would primarily help avoid the manual process of evaluating your team and a secondary benefit would be enhanced understanding of customer interactions.
“For us, the value was precisely the opposite: we were more interested in understanding what our customers were talking about and addressing potential issues preemptively. As a result, our team’s performance naturally improved.”
“So, having this robot in the background listening to calls all day long and surfacing the stuff most important to us both on the agent and customer level was incredibly helpful to us, especially when my team’s biggest complaint before was they were spending half their day or more not even doing the work, just listening and scrubbing through calls and then having to go through the manual process of evaluating. That’s another area we struggled in.
“My leadership team has different backgrounds. They have different management styles. One of my managers who has been in this industry for 40 years is a tough grader. It takes a lot to impress her. So, when I looked at scores when manually graded, the agents she evaluated were generally graded a lot lower than one of our other managers who is a little more forgiving.
“When we switched to AI, that bias was removed. What we were seeing was the actual analysis of the conversation without the human nature of thinking, ‘Well, the agent has had a tough week.’ Or ‘the customer was really laying into them, and I think they really did well enough.’ We removed that element from the equation.”
How do you store your customer service interactions, and how is Pathlight’s LLM able to sift through them? “We currently use a cloud-based telephony system called Aircall. Aircall and Pathlight integrate together through APIs. So, basically the conversations are recorded securely on the Aircall side and we give access to Pathlight to access those recordings for a brief period of time to analyze them and move on.
“That was something important to us; We didn’t have to adjust our modus operandi. We maintained the use of our conventional phone and ticketing systems, only permitting Pathlight secure access to the specific data they required for the evaluation.”
Did you encounter any obstacles? For instance, did you have to label your data for easier detection?
“Truth be told, even now, we are still refining it. Much of the utility hinges on the instructions fed into the AI model upfront. In our case, this involved educating the model about our business. It goes beyond simply stating, ‘We market wine.’ You would invariably encounter references to items like corkscrews, furniture, magazine stories, and refunds.”
“After a few iterations with Pathlight’s assistance, we realized, ‘It’s not quite comprehending our customer yet.’”
“Another aspect that required us to train the model was in relation to our procedures. Initially, the AI couldn’t conclusively inform us if a customer’s issue had been addressed. It could not comprehend the meaning of ‘resolved’ in our business context. Would it mean a return? Or a refund? Or a credit? Over time, through repeated refining of the prompts, we managed to help the system grasp that the customer doesn’t always have to conclude the conversation on a happy note, provided we have achieved particular business safeguarding goals and offered them a satisfactory experience. Despite being slightly irritated, we would have still met our anticipated standard.”
“I think that was a learning process for us. We had an initial prompt we built, but it wasn’t until you started seeing the output that we realized we need to tell is a little more about our business, a little more about our products for it to really understand what we were looking for.”
Madison Beer Shares Her Favorite Glossy Lip Combo
Take notes.
@madisonbeer/Instagram
If you’re anything like us, you have spent hours starring at
Madison Beer’s perfectly curated Instagram, wondering if there’s anything you could get your hands on to make your life all the more aesthetic. What digital camera she snaps her pics with, where she gets her home decor, and what makeup products she uses for her signature sultry look are all top of mind when we scroll—and we just found at least part of the answer.
Though Beer herself has already told us about the moisturizer she reaches for to get dewy skin and the face wash she swears cleared her acne—Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream ($70) and Panoxyl face wash ($10), if you were curious—we’ve always been curious about which makeup she layers on top of it all.
@madisonbeer/Instagram
On January 22, we got the answer we had been hoping for. Well, at least part of it: the lips.
In an Instagram carousel taken on what we assume is the digital camera we need to be purchasing, Beer posed in a baggy gray crop top layered over a white T-shirt and paired with simple gold jewelry. She also showed off her picture-perfect makeup—giving us an up-close view of her lips, which were the perfect moody pink nude shade to compliment her skin tone.
@madisonbeer/Instagram
Once we got past staring, we checked the caption where she gave all the details on the lip combo she used to achieve the beige-pink high-shine finish. An Hourglass Cosmetics partner, she used both a lip gloss and liner from the brand to create the lip—reaching for their ultra-viral Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm ($36) in the shade Trace, and their Shape & Sculpt Lip Liner ($29) in the shade Uncover.
Though she kept the details of the rest of her makeup under wraps, we could still see how good it looked through the pictures. Her skin provided a glowy, radiant base but was still matte from powder under her eyes and on her forehead. Highlight lit up her cheekbones, contour added some definition, and blush provided some flush. The finishing touches were some faux freckles across the bridge of her nose, dark liner shaping her eyes, and some long fluttering lashes. That and an almond-shaped all-white manicure.
Up Next: Pamela Anderson Has Finally Entered the Skincare Game
Read the original article on Byrdie.
Revitalizing the Lemon Drop Cocktail: A Unique Twist with Tequila Instead of Vodka
The lemon drop martini has been a popular cocktail for over half a century. Its refreshingly simple recipe — typically containing just vodka, lemon juice, and triple sec (and occasionally a splash of simple syrup) — has been winning over taste buds at bars and high-end lounges since it first appeared in San Francisco during the 1970s. Furthermore, its consistently clean, unpretentious presentation (commonly a sugared rim and lemon slice or peel garnish) just enough to add a touch of style to any cocktail menu without going overboard.
But what if we suggested that you could give it a bit of a twist, venture off the beaten path, or throw your unique twist on the tantalizingly tart cocktail recipe? Correct, aspiring mixologists — you can totally switch out the vodka for tequila to invent a refreshingly unique lemon drop that you never anticipated (but might grow to prefer).
Read more: The Ultimate Vodka Brands, Ranked
Tequila is a spirit distilled from agave, typically paired with lime, and is a key ingredient in drinks such as the margarita, the paloma, and the visually satisfying tequila sunrise, among others. Vodka, in contrast, is produced with “water and ethanol from the fermentation of cereal grains,” according to Masterclass, and finds itself crucial to not only the martini but also the white russian and the casual screwdriver recipe. However, don’t allow their differences to deter you from trying an adventurous cocktail recipe.
The good news is that you won’t have to memorize any measurement ratios when swapping vodka for tequila. Since both vodka and tequila have the same ABV of 40-50%, they can easily be swapped as a one-to-one substitution in cocktails, but don’t expect the resulting flavor to be the same! The tequila lemon drop will most certainly taste more distinctly bold and lively than its vodka-based predecessor, as the agave-distilling process brings a natural sweetness that distinguishes it from the more subtle taste of vodka, which some have described as tasteless. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons tequila has knocked vodka out of the running to become the best-selling alcohol in the U.S. It’s certainly a reason to give a tequila lemon drop a chance.
Before you put on your mixologist cap, it’s essential to pick the right tequila for your swap. Remember that there are three main types of tequila: Blanco, reposado, and añejo, not to mention tequila’s smokier cousin, mezcal. All have distinctly different flavors and will play different roles in classic cocktails. Simply put, what enhances one drink may not taste the best in another. So you’ll want to understand the difference between tequilas — and what taste you’re looking for — before you make that lemon drop pour.
Tequila blanco, for example, is an unaged agave spirit that works well in margaritas and light, citrusy cocktails. Because of its natural sweetness, it won’t overpower the drink’s lemon flavor and will complement it beautifully. Tequila reposado will have aged for at least two months — but less than a year — and will bring an inherent spiciness and woodiness to the cocktail, which is great for sipping but might not exactly complement a lemon drop’s central citrus flavor. Tequila añejo, which is aged the longest (at least one year in an oak barrel) and offers a sophisticated flavor profile, is likely to create the same incompatible taste as the reposado. So, when you get ready to craft that perfectly unique lemon drop, ensure you know your tequila basics to make the best choice for maximum enjoyment. In other words, drink, but drink smart.
Read the original article on Daily Meal.
Discover Goslings’ Latest Rum: Aged for Three Years in Rye Whiskey Barrels
Goslings Rum is a 200-year-old family-owned brand based in Bermuda that has cornered the market on the Dark ‘n Stormy cocktail—quite literally, as it owns the trademark for this classic rum and ginger beer drink. In addition to its popular core Black Seal expression, Goslings has the higher-end Family Reserve lineup which just got an upgrade with the addition of an excellent rum finished in rye whiskey barrels.
Family Reserve Old Rum Rye Barrel Finish is actually the first addition to the Family Reserve line, an annual release of older rums aged between 16 and 19 years in bourbon barrels that first came out in 2003. This new release differs in that the rum was put into once-used rye whiskey barrels for an additional three years, more of a lengthy secondary maturation than a cask finish. “This will be the first of multiple innovations in the Old Rum line of products,” said eighth-generation rum maker Malcolm Gosling Jr. in a statement. “We took a unique blending approach when introducing our Old Rum to rye barrels, starting independent fills in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Finally, this year, we married the three aged rums for bottling and the end result is a complex rum that can be enjoyed like a bourbon or aged whiskey—either sipped, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail.”
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We got to sample the new Rye Barrel Finish, and it’s a very good rum that far surpasses Black Seal in terms of flavor and complexity. There is a nice dusty spice on the nose which follows through on the palate. The inherent sweetness of the rum is tempered by its lengthier aging, and those three years in rye barrels have added deep notes of leather, black pepper, dried fruit, chili-infused dark chocolate, and spiced apple. This is a rum built for sipping or, as Gosling Jr. suggested, using in a cocktail that needs a counterbalance to sweet flavors like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan.
Last year, Goslings added some new expressions to its portfolio, including Spirited Seas Ocean Aged Bermuda Rum and Dark ‘n Stormy canned cocktails in different flavors, and there will be another Spirited Seas expression in the coming year as well as some other new releases. In the meantime, you can find Family Reserve Old Rum Rye Barrel Finish available to purchase from ReserveBar now.
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Exploring XXXX Beer: Its Unique Flavor Profile and Taste Experience
You may be familiar with Dos Equis, the Mexican beer that once had “The Most Interesting Man in the World” as its hype man, but did you know there’s also a Cuatro Equis? Well, not by that name, as XXXX is brewed in Australia, not Mexico. It’s not all that well known in the U.S., at least by anyone who isn’t a big fan of fantasy author Sir Terry Pratchett (some believe that Fourecks, which is Discworld’s “Last Continent,” takes its name from the beer), but it’s one of the biggest names in brewing in the land Down Under. Known for its bitter but slightly sweet flavor as well as smoothness, XXXX Gold was named the nation’s third-best-selling beer in 2022. But here’s a shocker for us non-Australians: Foster’s didn’t even crack the top 10.
Even though XXXX has a name that may seem somewhat suggestive, it has nothing to do with the adult entertainment industry but is instead an indication of quality or strength. It seems that in the 19th century, beer was rated in X’s, much as we award star ratings to just about anything these days. While Castlemaine Brewery was first able to produce an XXX-rated beer (which sounds even more racy), it gained that additional X in 1893. Much like Pabst Blue Ribbon when it won its eponymous award at the Chicago World’s Fair that same year, the company bigwigs celebrated the occasion by naming (or in the case of Pabst, re-naming) the brew after the honor.
Read more: Popular Vodka Brands Ranked From Worst To Best
Castlemaine Brewery first went into business in Castlemaine, Victoria, but the Queensland branch, which is today home to XXXX, opened its doors in 1878. 15 years later, XXXX itself was born (the beer formerly known — or at least rated — as XXX), but the next milestone in the brewery’s history came in 1924. That year marked not only the addition of XXXX bitter to the lineup but also the introduction of the mascot Mr. Fourex. This dapper gentleman, the Australian analogue of Baltimore’s favorite food mascot Mr. Boh, has been raising his beer bottle in a toast to the good people of Queensland for the past century, and XXXX doesn’t seem to have any plans to pull a Mr. Peanut on him.
In 1928, a merger occurred between two companies to form what is currently known as Castlemaine Perkins. The company continues to operate under this name, despite having changed ownership to Lion in 1990 and subsequently to KIrin in 2011. The Queensland XXXX brewery remains the hallmark of the company with its product closely identified with this state. However, it is noteworthy that some of the XXXX beers are presently brewed in New South Wales and South Australia.
XXXX introduced a household name in Australia, the “stubby”, sometime in the later half of the 20th century. This is a small, robust bottle that contains 375 milliliters, a little above 12 ounces. 1991 marked the inception of XXXX Gold, which has grown to become the brewery’s best-selling beer and also the initiation of its uninterrupted sponsorship of the Queensland Rugby League Maroons.
The process of brewing XXXX beer is comparable to that of other large factory-brewed beers— if you are interested in learning the exact steps, you may book a tour for about A$37 (Australian dollars), approximately $24 in US currency. It is important to note that this amount does not include airfare to Queensland. During your tour, the subject of the company’s sustainability efforts is expected to be highlighted. In 2020, the brewery was recognized as carbon neutral and utilizes solar panels and biogas to meet part of its power needs for its activities.
Lastly, two of XXXX’s beers — the Bitter and Gold varieties — are brewed devoid of any preservatives. Their ingredients consist of hops, malted grains, cane sugar, yeast, and water, which has been so since a 2008 initiative to adopt a more basic, natural approach. A crucial step in maintaining the beer’s freshness and taste involves the addition of carbon dioxide right after all oxygen is vacuumed out just before the cap is placed on the bottle.
Over the years, XXXX has introduced new brews and dropped old ones from the lineup. Among the dearly departed are the original pre-1893 XXX Sparkling Ale, followed by 20th-century additions including XXXX Lite and Castlemaine 2.2 Bitter. Today’s lineup includes the same XXXX Bitter that debuted a century ago as well as the XXXX Gold that came along toward the end of the last millennium. They’ve been joined by XXXX Dry, which first came out in 2020 and has been sold throughout Australia since 2021, as well as a line of lagers called Summer Bright that are available in mango, lime, and raspberry lemonade as well as a standard beer-flavored beer.
XXXX also offers a nonalcoholic beer called XXXX Zero that they’ve touted as being the nation’s first 0% ABV beer to also be entirely carbon-free. As Lion’s chief sustainability officer Justin Merrell explains, the brewery went so far as to contact the can and bottle manufacturers to determine the precise amount of carbon generated in their production so they could factor this into knowing how much of it they’d need to offset.
During WWII, XXXX sent its beers abroad for the very first time, but only for distribution to the Australian armed forces. They did so again during the Vietnam War, at which time the bottles earned the nickname “barbed wire” because the linked X’s bore a similarity to something the soldiers likely saw on a regular basis. Once the war was over, however, XXXX was out of the import business as to this day the brewery maintains that none of its beer will ever be available for overseas purchase.
Well, that isn’t entirely true. You for sure can’t get your hands on the stuff in the U.S., which has sparked a number of Reddit threads, although many of these tend to be overtaken by Aussie beer snobs who enjoy criticizing a beer that seems to hold a similar status to Budweiser in its home country (implying that millions of people must purchase it, but surprisingly few would choose to admit it). Nevertheless, if you cannot afford to travel halfway around the world, a shorter flight would allow you to try the XXXX brewed by Interbrew U.K. in Manchester. It’s plausible that the U.K. version might not taste exactly like Australian XXXX, but unless you try the latter, how will you truly know?
Read the original article on Mashed.
Record-Breaking £2.2m Sale Makes Whiskey Bottle the World’s Most Expensive
A 30-YEAR-old bottle of whiskey is now the world’s most expensive after it sold for £2.2million.
The Emerald Isle triple-distilled single malt is said to be the rarest in existence.
It beat the previous record holder, a Macallan 1926 sold in November, by £79,000.
US collector Mike Daley, who bought it from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, said: “Luxury scotch, to me, is already a crowded type of market.”
“But we’re only just starting to see luxury Irish make a name for itself.
In the years to come, it will get to where scotch is today.”
Emerald Isle’s walnut case includes a single decanter, a Fabergé egg containing an emerald gem, a custom timepiece, and a pair of Cohiba cigars.
Critics say this explains its high value.
But the Craft Irish Whiskey Co said: “This falls flat given The Macallan 1926 was one of only 12 bottles covered with a label designed by Italian painter Valerio Adami, adding considerable value to its price.”
Distillery founder, Jay Bradley, added: “This is a monumental achievement for my business.”
“There’s a lot more to come.”
New Bill Proposed by SLO County Legislator to Manage Wine Disease and Invasive Species
Assembly member Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay, has introduced a bill to help control an agricultural disease affecting the wine industry, she announced in a news release Monday.
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Pierce Disease kills grapevines by clogging their water-conducting vessels. Assembly Bill 1861 aims to strengthen the agricultural department’s Pierce Disease control program.
“The wine industry is integral to the economic success of the Central Coast and all of California,” Addis said in the release. “I’m excited to author AB 1861 that extends a crucial line of defense for our wine industry against invasive disease.”
The bill would expand existing law that aims to research and prevent agricultural disease and invasive pests, such as the glassy-winged sharpshooter.
California Association of Winegrape Growers and the Wine Institute are the sponsors of the bill.
Robert P. Koch, the president and CEO of the Wine Institute, stated in a news release that “AB 1861 will ensure the continuation of crucial research, innovation, and mitigation strategies to protect our crops against this intrusive species.”
The policy committee is currently considering the bill for referral.
Enhance your Vodka Experience: 13 Home Upgrade Ideas
While vodka ranks as one of the most popular spirits, its neutral taste and aroma cause some to consider it a boring choice compared to more complex liquors like whiskey or tequila. Yet vodka’s clean, crisp flavor and natural simplicity make it the ideal blank canvas for creative mixology and endless possibilities.
Although it may seem a straightforward spirit, there’s still much you may not know about the flavor of vodka. All it takes is a taste test between some of the best vodka brands to notice subtle differences in their taste, quality, and source ingredients.
From basic techniques that can improve your vodka experience to DIY-flavored vodkas full of fruity and herby flavors, vodka can quickly become an elevated staple for the home bar. Even if you only have a cheap bottle of vodka, there are many ways to get the most out of it — and enjoy it too. This article guides you through how to upgrade your vodka and gain a newfound appreciation for the classic spirit.
Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have
There’s a reason why vodka is often served cold, and it’s not just to make it refreshing to drink, whether you prefer it neat or as part of your favorite cocktail. In fact, chilled vodka can actually taste better than it does at room temperature.
Although vodka has a neutral taste, which is why it lends itself well as a base for a wide range of beverages, it can also be slightly sharp on the palate. Chilling vodka will help it feel smoother and more mellow, especially lower-quality varieties. Better-quality vodkas may require less chill time, as they’re more likely already smooth and don’t tend to cause such a burning sensation on the way down your throat.
While many find that chilling vodka improves the overall drinking experience, it’s a matter of personal preference. But if you want to try it cold, the best place to store your vodka and keep it chilled is in the fridge, not the freezer. You shouldn’t store vodka in the freezer, particularly quality vodka, because it will mask all its flavors — both the good and the bad.
Upgrade your vodka experience by alternating sips with a chaser. Typically, a chaser is something non-alcoholic. This is particularly useful if drinking your vodka neat or as a shot, when you may feel the vodka burn as it travels down your throat. A chaser masks the burn and also lets you enjoy a refreshing contrast.
The beauty of using a chaser with vodka lies in its simplicity. No need for cocktail concoctions, just select a liquid of your choice. Enjoying vodka while socializing with friends? Everyone can choose their preferred chaser. Additionally, chasers can ensure everyone remains hydrated amidst the vodka sips.
You probably already have a few perfect chaser options at home. Water is the most straightforward option, making it ideal for washing the palate. Tonic or sparkling water are also excellent options, often used alongside vodka in beverages. For a more creative route, use a chaser to excite your taste buds in new ways. Consider pickle brine for a salty kick or lemon juice for a sweet and sour alternative.
Given vodka’s neutral taste, it’s challenging to find a mixer that doesn’t blend well with it. The best vodkas mix well with a variety of drinks, which can be a personal preference and might vary based on the vodka’s quality. Similar to chasers, mixers can mute certain aspects of vodka, like its harshness, or accentuate a specific distillery’s tasting notes.
There’s no need to splurge on expensive, store-bought mixers to enjoy with your vodka since some of the most effective mixers are rather simple. Fruit juices, like orange and cranberry, are among the top options when mixed with vodka. These combinations yield refreshingly sweet and fruity beverages, thereby diminishing the alcohol taste. If this sounds appealing, consider trying pineapple or grapefruit juice as your mixer. Pineapple juice results in a sweeter, tropical beverage, while grapefruit juice brings a more sour note.
The martini is a timeless cocktail that could be your single choice if you could only have one vodka-based drink. As a minimalist drink primarily consisting of vodka and dry vermouth, the martini presents an opportunity for the quality of the vodka to truly stand out. Despite its simplicity, a martini exudes an air of elegance and never seems to lose its appeal.
A martini relies heavily on vodka, therefore it’s critical to select a good quality spirit. Choosing the right vodka for your martini doesn’t have to be an extravagant expenditure. Select a vodka that complements the occasion, whether it’s a notable celebration or just a casual homebound evening. Tito’s or Ketel One are reliable and cost-effective choices. Consider factors like the garnish and the vodka’s base ingredients that can add distinctive flavors to your martini.
Vodka can be elevated not just by mixers or cocktails, but also by food. The food served alongside vodka can steer it in various delightful ways. Although several factors influence the choice of menu to pair with vodka, its neutral characteristic leaves little room for food combinations to go wrong.
First, consider if you want to pair the vodka with fresh and crisp flavors or go for contrasting tastes using vodka as a refreshing palate cleanser. Light salads, oysters, shrimp cocktails, sushi, and caviar are great options for simple and fresh-tasting foods. Alternatively, vodka can balance the heat of Thai dishes, the tang of pickled vegetables, or the punch of robust cheeses. The occasion and whether you’re serving appetizers or a main course also influence your choice. Similarly, the cocktails or mixers you pair with the vodka can shape the taste and direction of the food you decide to serve.
The trick of running vodka through a domestic water filter is a topic of long-standing debate. It is argued that running low-cost vodka through a common water filtration system, like a Brita filter, can enhance the flavor, eliminate impurities, and uplift it a few notches. The argument is conceivable as filtration is a critical process in vodka production. However, not everyone is convinced about the efficiency of this home-based vodka improvement method.
As per America’s Test Kitchen, a budget vodka that was filtered four times through a domestic water filter stood its ground against a high-tier vodka during a blindfolded taste test. Despite this, it is recommended to use this purified vodka in cooking, baking, or cocktail blending rather than for solo consumption. But McGill University suggests that the contrast is minimal and relies on multiple variables from the specific vodka brand to the water filter’s age.
Regardless, if you have a water filter and affordable vodka at your disposal, attempting this upgrade seems worthy.
Although adding vodka to creamy cocktails might not seem like the most straightforward approach to amplifying this spirit, one cannot disregard the classic – the White Russian.
The White Russian is a classic cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream. It’s perfect for those who enjoy creamy, boozy, indulgent libations. Vodka works particularly well in a White Russian because it creates a strong alcoholic base while its neutral profile allows for the flavor of the coffee and cream to stand out. It’s easy to make a classic White Russian cocktail at home, as it takes just three ingredients and a quick shake.
Additionally, creamy vodka cocktails can help to offset spicy meals. Both alcohol and dairy have properties proven to cut the power of capsaicin, the chili pepper extract that causes the intense feeling of heat you experience when you bite into something spicy. Together, the vodka and cream create an extra-powerful antidote to the heat.
Limoncello is an Italian lemon-flavored liqueur typically produced in southern Italy, which boasts an ample supply of fresh, beautiful citrus fruit. It’s made by steeping the zest of lemons in a neutral-tasting, high-proof alcohol. Vodka provides a perfect base for classic limoncello, and you don’t need to live in southern Italy to whip up your own version at home.
Leave lemon peels steeped in vodka for several weeks. After straining out the peels, combine the lemon-flavored vodka with a simple syrup of equal parts water and sugar. Serve your limoncello chilled and enjoy it as the Italians do by slowly sipping it from small glasses as an after-dinner drink. It can also be used in various sweet and savory dishes where you want to add a burst of lemon flavor. If you prefer oranges over lemons, you can just as easily make orangecello liqueur at home employing the same method but with oranges rather than lemons.
Herb-infused vodka combines the pure and sharp taste of vodka with the scented, earthy essence of a variety of fresh herbs. The outcome is both stimulating and adaptable, providing depth and unexpected tastes to your preferred cocktails.
In order to produce herb-infused vodkas, immerse fresh herbs in vodka for a number of weeks. As time goes by, the alcohol will extract the flavor and scent of the herbs. Naturally, the longer you allow the herbs to steep, the more flavor will be drawn out. After a couple of weeks, sample the vodka; if the flavor isn’t strong enough, continue the steeping and tasting process until you reach your desired level. Slightly crushing the herbs before inserting them into the vodka can help to release their natural oils and speed up the flavoring process.
Herbs such as basil, rosemary, sage, mint, and thyme are ideal for infusions. This herb-infused spirit could be used to create drinks like martinis and Bloody Marys. It could also be used in your marinades or dressings.
If you enjoy vodka cranberry or a Cape Cod cocktail, you should try making homemade cranberry-infused vodka. It only requires some chopped fresh cranberries, orange peel, a handful of spices, and a week’s worth of patience for all the ingredients to fully infuse, then you’ll be left with a delicious cranberry vodka.
Relishing this delicious vodka blend either straight from the freezer or incorporated into a cocktail – be it a cosmopolitan, a martini, or a glass of sangria, is a delightful experience. The striking red hue and comforting aroma of the spices introduce a festive mood, perfectly matching the holiday and winter seasons. Whether decorated with a rosemary sprig or pine needle, it makes a delightful presentation. As a gift during the festive season, a jar of cranberry vodka is a thoughtful gesture.
One thing to bear in mind is that fresh cranberries might be a scarce commodity outside the festive season. Hence, preparing a substantial amount in advance could ensure its availability year-round. The good news is that cranberry vodka, once strained, has an indefinite shelf life, making it a versatile inclusion in your liquor collection, suitable for any season.
If you have ever incorporated vanilla extract into your baking recipes, then you have already used an alcohol-infused vanilla. To make your version at home, vodka is an excellent choice due to its clean and neutral flavor profile, which allows the flavor of the steeped vanilla beans to shine through. All that you need to do is split a few vanilla beans, exposing the seeds inside, drop them into a bottle, and let them steep in vodka.
But is this concoction vanilla extract or vanilla vodka? It might come as a surprise, but there’s not much difference between the two. The difference essentially boils down to the concentration: vanilla extract typically uses a larger quantity of vanilla beans steeped for an extended period, creating a stronger flavor distinctive enough to hold its own when incorporated in a food recipe.
Vanilla vodka doesn’t require the same intensity. A few beans and weeks are sufficient to create a unique taste for your drinks. Vanilla vodka is excellent for warming up winter beverages and creating alcoholic coffee drinks.
A jalapeño-infused vodka can put a fiery and inventive spin on your home cocktails, leaving your guests impressed. Begin by slicing fresh jalapeños. You may retain the seeds for extra heat or extract them for a gentler flavor. Position the sliced jalapeños in a sterile container and douse it in vodka. By following this homemade jalapeño vodka recipe, you could add simple syrup to your jalapeno vodka. Alternatively, if you prefer to sweeten your drink and not the mixture, you can exclude it.
After infusing for several days, strain the peppers and begin to use your spicy vodka. The outcome is a fantastic addition to your favorite Bloody Mary recipe, but it would also fit well in a margarita or to balance the sweetness and add some flair to fruit-based cocktails.
If you can’t have enough coffee, consider a homemade coffee liqueur made with vodka? Of course, you can purchase coffee liqueurs like Kahlua, still, some people perceive store-bought options to be overly sweet and synthetic in flavor. You can choose your favorite coffee roast and beans while also managing any additives, just like making a cup of coffee how you prefer it.
A clever way to make coffee liqueur is to cold brew the coffee directly in your vodka. This will produce a stronger and smoother liqueur that isn’t watered down. Consider adding flavorings such as vanilla beans, cinnamon sticks, or crushed cardamom pods. If you crave a bit of sweetness, stir a simple syrup into the mix. Then, use your coffee liqueur to fashion delicious espresso martinis and after-dinner drinks, or maybe even as a component of desserts such as tiramisu.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Unveiling the World’s Best Vodka: Results from The International Wine and Spirits Competition
Prosperous Vodka from Cape Verde, Africa wins big at the 2023 International Wine and Spirits Competition
Each year in London, some of the most seasoned palates in the alcohol industry come together to sample thousands of liquid entries from across the globe. The event is known as the International Wine and Spirits Competition, and when the annual results are published, they have the potential to make or break a brand.
We’ve continually reported on IWSC winners across the various whisky subcategories: scotch, Irish, bourbon, rye. But now it’s time to shift our attention to the vodka category, especially since an unexpected entry has caught the judges’ attention.
The bottle that has received such noteworthy feedback is Prosperous Vodka that is crafted by the Kriol Distillery. So, what makes it so special? The answer is its outstanding score of 99 out of 100. This is enough to identify it as not only the highest rated vodka at the competition, but also as one of the highest-rated spirits in all categories. No entry received a perfect 100, and only 10 expressions in total matched Prosperous Vodka’s score of 99 points.
One striking feature about Prosperous is its place of origin. The company responsible for its creation, Kriol Distillery, is located just outside of Praia, the capital city of Cabo Verde. Those who are geographically savvy would be aware that Cabo Verde is a petite island nation approximately 350 miles away from the coast of West Africa. However, only a handful of individuals would associate this setting with exemplary vodka.
It’s high time this changes. As the IWSC judges have emphasized, there’s a remarkable spirit emerging from this corner of the globe. Here’s the enthusiastic acclaim they showered on Prosperous:
“A lush aroma reminiscent of bread greets the nose. The palette is met with a hint of warmth from the spice, perfectly accompanying a delightful grain foundation. The texture is rich, making it a delight to savor.”
These are certainly comprehensive tasting notes for a type of spirit which often gets discredited as “tasteless.” The winning factor for Prosperous lies in their choice of a special kind of wheat for distillation. This lends a gentle creaminess to the drink, in addition to the earlier mentioned bread-like aroma. Comparably, renowned American vodka brands like Smiroff and Tito’s are all made from corn distillates.
According to the law, vodka can be distilled from practically any raw material. It’s crucial to keep this in mind when browsing your local liquor store’s shelves. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that only cold-climate areas such as Eastern Europe can produce superior varieties.
Indeed, there’s fantastic vodka being bottled all over the world, from Japan to Southern Argentina. And yes, even remote tropical islands like Cabo Verde.
Finding Prosperous in the US is not particularly difficult either. It has a relatively wide distribution here. On the shelves, you’ll recognize it by its blue illustration of its homeland’s mountainous landscape. It retails for around $35, making it the perfect base for a delicious vodka martini.
Keep an eye out for more standout vodkas from IWSC, as they prepare to release their 2024 rankings later this spring.
Ruins of the Cidade Velha, a fortified Portugese citadel on the island of Santiago, where Portugese colonists docked in 1460. The city was called Ribeira Grande (the Big Valley). Former capital and origin of Cape Verdian history, the town lies 12 km from Praia, in an oasis protected by the Saint Filipe fortress.
Exploring the Historical Connection Between Redbreast Whiskey and Jameson
When it comes to Irish whiskey, two names stand out above the rest: Redbreast and Jameson. These brands have a rich history and are beloved not just for their heritage but also for their distinct whiskey offerings. Redbreast is renowned for its 12-year-old single pot still whiskey, known for its intricate and mature taste. This makes it a favorite among deep-pocketed whiskey enthusiasts. On the other hand, Jameson is probably the second most famous alcohol in Ireland, just after Guinness. It’s affordable and goes down smoothly, making it great for newcomers to Irish whiskey. You’ll also be hard-pressed to find a pub without it stocked in the back.
But, here’s something interesting: Redbreast and Jameson actually share a history. To set the scene, let’s start from the beginning, around the 1870s. Before the name “Redbreast” emerged in the early 1900s, this whiskey was simply an Irish liquor produced by a company called W&A Gilbey, which originally imported and distilled wine. Per Caskers, during that era, it was typical for wine sellers — often referred to as “bonders” — to acquire new whiskey from local distilleries. They would then take charge of aging, bottling, and selling it under their own brand. This arrangement was possible because bonders had something distilleries lacked in abundance: empty casks, which are extremely great vessels for aging whiskey. And, guess which distillery W&A Gilbey selected as their supplier? You guessed it: John Jameson & Son!
Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have
W&A Gilbey began aging and repackaging John Jameson & Son’s whiskey in 1887 under the name Castle Grand Whiskey. This whiskey was aged in Gilbey’s used sherry casks and matured for over six years in their warehouses on Harcourt Street in Dublin before being bottled. By the end of the 1800s, the company had amassed a stock of over 700,000 gallons of Jameson’s whiskey in their warehouses in huge barrels, according to the official Redbreast website.
It wasn’t until around 1903 that what would later become known as Redbreast came into existence. Gilbey’s, which had been renamed from W&A Gilbey, introduced a new whiskey labeled John Jameson & Son’s Castle “JJ Liqueur” Whiskey 12 Year Old, according to VinePair. Historians have noted that the bottle’s shape and labeling bore a striking resemblance to Redbreast, so it’s often considered the precursor to the now-famous Redbreast brand. The liquor used in this bottling was sourced from the same place where Jameson whiskey was formerly produced: the famous Bow Street Distillery in Smithfield, Dublin, per Master of Malt.
The first mention of the name “Redbreast” occurred in 1912 when Gilbey’s released the “Redbreast J.J. Liqueur Whiskey 12 Year Old.” The name was inspired by the Robin Redbreast bird and was suggested by Gilbey’s chairman, who happened to be an amateur birdwatcher. This bird has since become the symbol of the brand!
The Redbreast whiskey available today isn’t the same as the one produced a century ago. In 1985, Gilbey’s stopped making Redbreast whiskey, and in 1986, they sold the brand to Irish Distillers, a subsidiary of the French company Pernod Ricard. It wasn’t until 1991 that the brand made a comeback with a single 12-year-old version, which has since become its most famous and popular whiskey. As the brand gained popularity, it expanded its portfolio to include older whiskeys, ranging from 15 to 21 years old. Interestingly, Irish Distillers, the company that owns Redbreast, also owns the Jameson brand. So, when you choose either bottle, you’re buying from the same company!
However, despite this shared ownership, each brand maintains its unique identity and recipe, which you can taste in the distinct flavors. Redbreast is no longer just a re-packaged Jameson’s whiskey — it has become its own drink. The hallmark of Redbreast whiskey is that it’s crafted exclusively from pot-still whiskey. There are only a few single pot-still whiskey brands remaining, which is why Redbreast holds such a high price and prestigious reputation. In contrast, Jameson is a more conventional blend of both pot and column-distilled whiskey.
Despite their distinctly different production methods and flavor profiles, both of these whiskies have risen to prominence, not only within Ireland but also internationally as representatives of Irish whiskeys. Who would have thought that these two whiskies would share such an intriguing past?
Read the original article on Tasting Table.