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Expert Guide: When Should You Put Vodka in the Freezer?
You may have heard that you should never store vodka in the freezer because its low freezing point will impact the taste and viscosity of the drink. However, one expert’s advice may make you revise that rule to read “almost never” instead, as they presented one important exception.
Molly Horn is the manager of cocktail strategy at Total Wine & More, so it’s fair to say they know their tipple. Mashed asked Horn if vodka should ever be stored in the freezer, and they said, “If you love martinis, I think storing a bottle of vodka in the freezer […] is an excellent choice.”
Freezing vodka, in general, makes it thicker (because water and ethanol have different freezing points) and can negate the more subtle aspects of its flavor. This isn’t ideal if you’re drinking it neat, but it can actually help with getting the perfect texture for a martini. What is viscous to neat vodka is silky to a martini. Horn recommends using “winter wheat vodka, which has that beautiful silky-smooth texture especially right out of the freezer.” Masking the vodka’s taste can actually help if you want to draw attention to other ingredients, such as vermouth in a classic vodka martini or any other extras you’re using in your martini recipe.
Read more: Popular Vodka Brands Ranked From Worst To Best
While chilling vodka in the freezer is great for martinis, Molly Horn doesn’t recommend it for everything. “If you’re into more refreshing, citrusy cocktails — or simple highballs, like vodka sodas and tonics, I would say keep that bottle on your backbar until you’re ready to pour,” they told Mashed. If you’re making a refreshing Cosmopolitan, for example, be sure to keep your vodka firmly out of the freezer. The cranberry juice and Cointreau liqueur will provide the necessary silkiness, and since a Cosmo is technically a sour you won’t want to mask the vodka’s natural burn.
If you want to take it further and really focus on how the subtle taste of vodka combines with other elements of a cocktail, note that some mixologists have taken to preparing cocktails entirely off the backbar. Scaffas, or room temperature cocktails, are served sans ice, minimizing dilution. Because the primary focus of scaffas is on getting the best taste out of your alcohol, it’s best to apply this rule to cocktails that combine different spirits. This works best with whiskey-based cocktails as the best way to sample whiskey is at room temperature. However, there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting with a vodka-based Black Russian or Appletini.
Read the original article on Mashed.
From Moonshining Grandmother to Rum Entrepreneur: A Unique Business Origin Story
Sofia Deleon has launched her own rum, Tenango, after being inspired by her great-grandmother.
A Philadelphia entrepreneur has taken her great-grandmother’s legacy of making moonshine and created her own rum company.
Sofia Deleon, of El Merkury restaurants, just launched Tenango Rum earlier this year. Born and raised in Guatemala City before coming to the United States in 2012, Deleon always heard stories about her great-grandmother in the 1920s. “My great-grandmother used to make cusha, which is a Guatemalan version of moonshine that’s made with corn and sugarcane,” Deleon says. “I thought it was very inspiring, and it led me to follow in her footsteps.”
So Deleon says she decided that for her next entrepreneurial venture, she decided to investigate rum. “Growing up in Guatemala, I saw a disconnect between how Americans see rum and how the rest of the world sees rum,” Deleon says. “Most Americans associate with super sweet, hangover-prone tiki drinks that come with an umbrella that they’re most likely drinking on vacation.”
But rum, she says, can be so much, much more. “I want to reshape that perception of rum,” Deleon says.
Tenango is a 100 percent, single source rum, and it is crafted at a Guatamalan distillery. Made with grade A molasses on a column still using a traditional, Spanish method, it is aged in American white oak barrels.
The depth of the flavor, she says, distinguishes it from other rums, but its packaging is also distinctive.
“When I went back home and embarked on this rum journey, I wanted my product to extend beyond a great liquid,” Deleon says. “My larger goal was to give back and represent Guatemala in the best way.”
“To me, nothing says Guatemala more than the colorful weavings found all over the country so I thought ‘How can I best incorporate them in my bottle?’” she adds.
This question led Deleon to create a co-op of Mayan women, who handcraft each cover of every bottle. “It’s one thing to see a tag saying ‘made by hand,’ but to see it woven in a foot loom is something really magical,” she says. “The first time I witnessed the process in-person, I decided I wanted to do everything possible to keep this art alive through my product.”
Deleon was connected to one of the women through her father, who lives in Guatemala. “He managed to build the trust that was needed to allow this project to succeed,” she says.
Deleon then worked with a local designer known for working with traditional tejidos or Guatemalan fabric. “We must have gone through dozens of iterations until we got it to finally fit the bottle,” she says.
Deleon expresses her fondness for savoring Tenango neat, particularly after a hard day at work. However, she also appreciates it in cocktail concoctions. She says, “At the dining establishments, it captivates my curiosity to explore the various mixologist innovations around spirit-forward recipes. Interestingly, one dessert drink that stays close to my heart is Carajillo, as the coffee elements dovetail beautifully with the rum’s attributes.”
Currently, Tenango is available for purchase in Pennsylvania and New Jersey at an offering price of $49.99 per bottle. For its future trajectory, Deleon is optimistic about broadening the reach. She adds, “Akin to El Merkury, Tenango is a byproduct of my aspiration to portray Guatemala in a better light, which despite being a spectacular nation with rich offerings, is frequently misrepresented negatively in the press.”
Experts’ Guide to Chicago’s Top Wine Destinations: From Wine Bars to Fine Dining
During his free time, the former Michelin-starred Elizabeth’s wine director and sommelier based in Chicago, Derrick Westbrook, would likely be expected to unwind in similar high-end locations.
Westbrook confesses that after several years of service in restaurants, he relishes the unique perspective of being a fine dining guest. Nonetheless, Westbrook does not usually patronize venues boasting extensive assortments of classified Bordeaux or high-end steakhouses with a specialty in cult Napa cabs, when he’s off-duty.
“I’m probably most apt to be having wine or beer at the Bronzeville Winery,” declares Westbrook. “My judgment may be slightly skewed because I developed the wine list there.” Westbrook, however, finds Bronzeville to be an inviting and jovial location where he loves to bring friends, who may or may not know anything about wine.
Westbrook states as a principle, “I have a preference for places that are subtly intelligent. Places that prioritize excellent food and beverages.” He finds himself attracted to bars and restaurants with wine lists that “are well-considered and selected by someone who genuinely understands and is passionate about wine.” He prefers places that don’t require discussions about appellations or classifications, he adds.
Bronzeville showcases a unique and intelligent collection of wines. You might not find Champagne, but you could discover Thierry Tissot’s 2018 extra-dry rosé, a méthode traditionelle sparkling mix of gamay and mondeuse from Bugey in eastern France. Instead of usual Cabernet Sauvignon from California or France, there’s a vintage 1995 Quinta do Poço do Lobo from Bairrada, Portugal. There are numerous wines, “that wouldn’t typically be poured elsewhere,” states the sommelier. These are unique or aged wines that need attentive staff to showcase them consistently. Many of the wines are offered by the glass or in affordably priced flights. It’s a location that invites exploration of new and distinctive wines without much investment.
The chance to uncover small, family-run producers who are not part of mainstream or industrial beverage production attracts industry experts. This is conveyed by Dila Lee, a sake and spirits manager in Chicago for Komé Collective, which imports premium Japanese beverages.
Lee, with years of restaurant management experience in Chicago and San Francisco, now spends most of her time traveling across the country visiting restaurant accounts. In her spare time, she’s attracted to places where the beverages “narrate the tale of their origin and the people who create them,” and where “the staff are truly enthused about them.”
For more than twenty years, Webster’s Wine Bar has been a reliable spot for Chicago’s wine and beverage industry, according to Lee. The cozy Logan Square venue, which moved from its original Lincoln Park location in 2014, “is an industry playground,” adds Westbrook. Webster’s Wine Bar is where sommeliers go to immerse themselves in their craft. However, it’s not famous for grand-cru Burgundy or grande-marque Champagne, instead, it’s known for wines like Louis-Antoine Luyt’s El Mismo from Chile’s Maule Valley, and J.B. Becker’s Wallufer Walkenberg Spätlese Riesling from the Rheingau, a graceful wine produced by one of Germany’s most elusive winemakers.
BYOB nights are a common occurrence when beverage professionals gather, as shared by Eduard Seitan, a renowned sommelier and associate of One Off Hospitality. One Off Hospitality runs nine prestigious eateries in Chicago such as avec and Publican Quality Meats.
Seitan has been hosting routine BYOB dinners at Four Seasons Dumplings located in Bridgeport for some time now. This venue is his favorite spot for entertaining visitors or hanging out with buddies. Despite the lack of an enchanting ambiance, the place offers delectable, authentic Chinese cuisine. He mentions that it’s an exceptional chance to share exquisite bottles with individuals who are knowledgeable and also love good quality wines. The cost usually doesn’t exceed $25, which includes a hefty tip. His only demand is that each guest must bring a bottle of natural wine.
Natural wines are unquestionably loved by beverage professionals in Chicago. Seitan mentions that many of them have championed this for two decades. The natural wine trend that originally emerged in cities like New York, Paris, and San Francisco finally made its way to Chicago. Seitan adores the exciting and delicate umami flavors he finds in natural wines. Additionally, the growing fondness for these wines coincides with the beverage industry’s increasing endorsement of regenerative farming practices and least interventionist production techniques.
For those who think the above is too overbearing, Westbrook suggests trying Easy Does It located in Logan Square. It’s a natural wine bar and lounge that puts great emphasis on fun. They hold an open-jam session every Monday, have a DJ booth, and a raw-bar pop-up on the patio on Sundays. “If you’re in search of something funky, they truly embrace that style” he quotes. “For me, it’s always a pleasure to sample an array of these wines and exercise my brain.”
Easy Does It also serves an excellent selection of beer, cider, kombucha and cocktails. “Chicago’s dining scene has grown so much in the past decade,” says Lee. “It’s not just about really cool wine lists, but craft cocktails and beer, spirits and sake, too, but all done really well,” she says.
As a sake specialist, Lee favors Jinsei Motto, the sushi bar and izakaya housed in the CH Distillery (home to the Chicago icon, Jeppson’s Malört). Located in the West Loop, “it’s the largest by-the-glass sake program in Chicago by far,” says Lee, but more importantly, it’s a place where the list is “dynamic and constantly evolving,” a rare chance in America to catch up on the latest sake trends from Japan.
Bronzeville Winery (Bronzeville)
4420 S. Cottage Grove Ave., 872-244-7065, bronzevillewinery.com
Easy Does It (Logan Square)
2354 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-420-9463, easydoes.it
Four Seasons Dumplings (Bridgeport)
3205 S. Halsted St., 312-265-0568, 4seasonsdumpling.com
Jinsei Motto (West Loop)
564 W. Randolph St., 312-884-9602, jinseimotto.com
Webster’s Wine Bar (Logan Square)
2601 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-292-9463, websterwinebar.com
Apolonia (South Loop)
Apolonia is South Loop’s popular Mediterranean restaurant. Lee describes wine director Jelena Prodan’s wine list as “an open box” of these “extraordinary, hidden gems in the wine world.” There’s a vast selection of wines by the glass, “both classic and nouveau regions, in all kinds of styles and different producers” so “there’s something for everyone, wine nerds, the natty orange-wine crowd or even the fine-wine snobs,” Lee says.
2201 S. Michigan Ave., 312 363 2431, apoloniachicago.com
avec (River North)
Seitan, a father to a 2-year-old and a volunteer pilot for the charitable animal rescue organization Pilots N Paws, finds his evenings quieter than before. He spends his weekends indulging in brunch at his own dining place, avec River North, with his family and friends. He boasts of it as the city’s top brunch spot. Mimosas and bloody marys are a brunch favourite, yet Seitan also recommends avec’s unique and affordable wines; like the Portuguese red field blend, Casa de Mouraz’s Chibu, made with almost 20 different kinds of red and white grapes, or Tchotiashvilli Kisi, a Georgian orange wine which is fermented in qvevri, old amphorae.
141 W. Erie St., 312-736-1778, avecrestaurant.com
Miru (Lakeshore East)
Miru is a Japanese restaurant located on the 11th floor of the St. Regis Chicago, opened last spring. It boasts a 12-seat marble sushi bar. Kat Hawkins, its wine director, is lauded for her meticulous pairing of wine with Japanese dishes. Lee shares that ensuring the wine acts as the best supporting actor to these dishes and flavors is a challenge considering the subtlety of fresh ingredients and deeply flavored umami components inherent to Japanese cuisine.
401 E. Wacker Drive, 312-725-7811, mirurestaurant.com
Nine Bar (Chinatown)
Seitan loves this craft cocktail bar hidden behind the Chinatown mainstay Moon Palace Express. Lily Wang and her partner, Joe Briglio, run the second-generation enterprise, which her parents ran for over 30 years. It’s the kind of place where “everything about their cocktails just feels perfect, where sweetness and acidity, everything is just in balance,” Seitan says.
216 W. Cermak Rd., 312-225-4081, ninebarchicago.com
Printers Row Wine Shop (South Loop)
A neighborhood wine shop since 2004, Printers Row is also a beer and wine bar specializing in low-intervention wines, unique spirits and local craft beer. “It’s one of the places I recommend the most,” says Westbrook. “The wine list is really cool, it’s unpretentious and homey, but you’re going to find really dope stuff,” including some “unique wines from Central and Eastern Europe that I love.”
719 S. Dearborn St., 312-663-9314, printersrowwine.com
Proxi (West Loop)
Proxi is a culinary tribute by Chef Andrew Zimmerman to the street foods he has encountered on his journey. The focus is particularly on Wine Director Alex Ring’s beverage menu characterized as “diverse yet tightly curated” which includes wine, craft cocktails, beer, and sake. This borderless cuisine provides an extraordinary chance to pair and experience a versatile range of unexpected flavor combinations.
565 W Randolph St., 312-466-1950, proxichicago.com
Soif (Logan Square)
The “speakeasy-like wine bar” Soif, is hidden in a basement that can be accessed via an unmarked staircase in its sister restaurant, the Roman cucina Testaccio, as per Seitan. The wine list predominantly features French wines and is surprisingly affordable, emphasizing small producers and natural wines.
2456 N. California Ave., 773-895-6558, soifchicago.com
Anna Lee Iijima is a freelance writer.
Unveiling the Production Process of Non-Alcoholic Beer
The progress in the production of non-alcoholic beer over recent years is truly remarkable. There was a time when your choices were limited to brands like O’Doul’s. However, now, there’s a wide variety of non-alcoholic beer options, including pilsners, IPAs, porters, and stouts. But what is non-alcoholic beer, and how is it produced?
Interestingly, there isn’t a single answer to that. Non-alcoholic beer, legally containing up to 0.5% ABV and thus distinct from alcohol-free beer, which contains 0.0% ABV, can be produced in two ways. It can be made either without any alcohol or with the alcohol subsequently removed. Both methods have their pros and cons. Quite amusingly, it’s mostly the beers produced without alcohol that end up containing 0.5% ABV. In contrast, beers that have their alcohol removed are more likely to be genuinely alcohol-free.
Discover more: 10 Of The Healthiest Beers You Can Drink
To comprehend this, it’s helpful to understand the beer-making process. Initially, the grains used for the beer, like barley, wheat, or rice, are ground and combined with hot water. The mix is left to steep until it forms a dense sludge called mash. The remaining liquid is then strained out and boiled, with different varieties of hops added to achieve the desired flavor. The liquid is later cooled and placed in a fermentation chamber, where yeast is introduced. The yeast is crucial as it converts the sugars in the mixture into alcohol. The beer is then aged— the duration varies on the beer type. The key point here is the yeast phase, as that’s when the beer gets its alcohol content.
One method involves brewing beer without alcohol from the start. This is a cost-effective approach as it doesn’t necessitate expensive apparatus. It does, however, require time and meticulous attention during mashing to ensure the resulting sugars don’t contain maltose – the primary sugar that changes into alcohol during fermentation. However, the process still creates other sugars which do convert into alcohol, albeit in minuscule quantities. This is how you acquire non-alcoholic beer that still contains trace amounts of alcohol.
On the other hand, de-alcoholization is more likely to yield completely alcohol-free beer. There are two core methods here; they require specific equipment which is by no means inexpensive. The more traditional method is vacuum distillation, where the beer is heated in a vacuum causing the ethanol to evaporate, much like the process used in distilling spirits such as vodka.
The second method is reverse osmosis. This somewhat more complex approach employs pressure to force the beer through a fine membrane, isolating water and alcohol from the beer and retaining only the beer flavor. This results in non-alcoholic beers that taste more beer-like. Water is reintroduced to the mixture later, making this the most effective technique for producing alcohol-free beer. However, the downside is the requisite high-cost apparatus.
All these methods successfully produce non-alcoholic beer. The choice of method hinges on the preference of the brewer and the taste appreciated by the consumer.
Read the original article on Daily Meal.
Jim Morrison’s Preferred Choice of Whiskey: The Classic American Favorite, Jack Daniel’s
Every magnificent poet has a preferred elixir that invigorates their thoughts and contributes to their creation of beautiful lines that we enjoy singing or reciting. Jim Morrison, the lead vocalist of The Doors, was truly a poet, and his chosen muse was whiskey. However, his brand of preference was not the kind appreciated by soft sour aficionados, nor was it a boutique craft brand. Intriguingly, it is a brand that Frank Sinatra also enjoyed. Morrison was an admirer of Jack Daniel’s whiskey.
The vocalist’s fondness for this spirit is echoed in The Doors’ “Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” where the initial verse commences with, “Well, show me the way to the next whiskey bar, Oh don’t ask why.” While it is known that he also partook in Irish whiskey, as shown when he shot the cover for his final album, “L.A. Woman,” and even savored some Chivas, the allure of Jack Daniel’s remained unabated. The question is, what made this brand so irresistible to a soulful crooner like Sinatra and Morrison, the frontman of a psychedelic rock band?
Read more: The 27 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked
The history of Jack Daniel’s whiskey is intertwined with the world of music. It began when the original creator of the spirit established his White Rabbit and Red Dog saloons in 1892 in Lynchburg, Tennessee and formed the Silver Cornet Band to unite people through music and drink. It became fashionable and bewitched artists from each consecutive generation. Among the other greats who shared Morrison’s affection for JD are Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, and Tom Petty. Kesha even references brushing her teeth with this spirit in her song “Tik Tok.”
What makes JD a whiskey of choice? It is often considered a good introduction for those who want to explore drinking this booze. Its price point makes it affordable and its overarching notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak keep those who enjoy this spirit coming back for more. Not to mention, per Drinks International, Jack Daniel’s ranked sixth in their 2023 annual list of bestselling American whiskey brands and has been a staple on this list in previous years as well. This classic Tennessee whiskey can be consumed straight, but it is perfect for a Jack and Coke, as well as a classic Lynchburg lemonade.
Read the original article on Tasting Table.
The Ultimate Ranking of Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter Vodka Soda Flavors
Bubbly poolside sip acquired.
Kylie Jenner is adding vodka soda to her list of growing businesses. The 26-year-old has already established herself in the celebrity beauty sphere with Kylie Cosmetics, and launched her viral clothing line, Khy, in 2023. Now, the youngest KarJenner is joining the alcoholic beverages industry with her top-tier vodka soda line, Sprinter.
The ready-to-consume cocktails are currently available in four fruity flavors perfect for spring break and summer: black cherry, peach, grapefruit, and lime. Despite the RTD canned drink market being crowded with popular choices like White Claw, LaCroix, and Truly, the Sprinter founder asserts that her product is “the best tasting vodka soda” — and she insists, “I’ve sampled a lot.”
Although some might draw parallels between her leap into the liquor business to Kendall Jenner’s, with her 818 Tequila brand, Kylie isn’t in competition with the supermodel. Rather, “Sprinter is 818’s bubbly little sister” that you bring along for picnics, backyard gatherings, and beach visits.
The canned beverages are designed for enjoyment during fun times with friends. As per the words of Chandra Richter, a beverage development expert, “Sprinter is a vodka soda in a can that turns every situation into a celebration.”
Indeed, the cans have a unique Y2K aesthetic, making them a perfect fit for any cooler. However, before you include Sprinter in your upcoming friends’ gathering, you might want to find out which flavors taste the best and if these vodka sodas live up to the hype surrounding them.
In the following, staffers from Elite Daily and Bustle take and rate every single flavor from Kylie Jenner’s Sprinter series. They range from just okay to absolutely delicious. Yes, there’s a clear victor. –Rachel Chapman, Staff Writer, Elite Daily
Generally, when vodka soda comes to mind, lime is the first flavor one might think of. Surprisingly, this was the particular flavor that most the Elite Daily staff couldn’t quite appreciate, likening it to a subpar substitute of a traditional soda.
“This seltzer tastes like someone tried to draw Sprite from memory,” says Kelsey Stiegman, Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, Elite Daily’s sister site. Instead of being a vodka soda with a hint of lime, this is all lime.
It also leans heavily on the soda side — but that doesn’t need to be a bad thing. Despite most testers putting this one at the bottom of their list, Elite Daily’s Senior Editor of Entertainment and Dating, Sarah Ellis, enjoyed the Sprinter lime flavor, saying, “When the vibe is right for soda, this is the move.”
Most staffers said they weren’t usually fans of grapefruit, but Kylie’s version was an exception. “It was tasty, bubbly, and subtle enough to remind me of the pamplemousse-flavored LaCroix,” says Elite Daily writer Hannah Kerns.
BDG Editorial Associate Jillian Giandurco, echoed Kerns’ sentiments, adding that it’s a refreshing choice for poolside sips.
However, if you’re a real-life fan of grapefruit, this drink might not appeal to you as much. Ellis, a self-proclaimed grapefruit enthusiast, states, “This one wasn’t totally my jam.” She’d consume it if available at a party, but it wouldn’t be her top pick.
Conversely, Kylie’s Sprinter incorporates actual fruit juice, making it light and invigorating, but it’s the intense black cherry fragrance that steals the limelight. Elite Daily’s Deputy Editor of Experiences and Style, Kaitlin Cubria, remarks, “The first thing that struck me was the aroma. It had a strong black cherry scent.”
Whilst Cubria wasn’t overly taken with it, Abby Lebet, Manager of Editorial Operations at Elite Daily’s parent organization, BDG, was captivated by the “sweet (but not overly so)” black cherry aroma.
Notwithstanding the fragrance, the majority of staff concurred that the black cherry flavor is delightful, with Stiegman observing that it’s “sweeter, but equally as refreshing” as White Claw’s black cherry flavor. Even Ellis singled it out as her most liked, stating “It’s sweet and uncomplicated without any artificial taste (which is an issue I have with some other seltzers on the market).”
Kylie’s beau, Timothée Chalamet, may be most famously known for his relationship with peaches in Call Me by Your Name, but the Sprinter peach flavor is almost as iconic.
This was hands down the fave of the Sprinter vodka sodas, winning over most staffers with its scent and real peach flavor. “I’m usually wary of peach seltzers because it can taste really artificial,” Lebet shares, “but this was light and refreshing.”
Cubria felt it was like a “peach creamsicle,” while Ellis said it reminded her of “a perfect summer day.” This is the one you’ll want to bring to every party — if you’re willing to share.
Taste-testers:
Rachel Chapman, Staff Writer
Kaitlin Cubria, Deputy Editor, Experiences & Style
Sarah Ellis, Senior Editor, Entertainment & Dating
Hannah Kerns, Staff Writer
Jillian Giandurco, Editorial Associate, BDG
Abby Lebet, Manager, Editorial Operations, BDG
Kelsey Stiegman, Senior Fashion Editor, Bustle
Be the first to know what’s trending, straight from Elite Daily
Tuesday Tails: An Introduction to Rum Raisin from SPCA East Texas
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TYLER, Texas — For today’s edition of Tuesday Tails, meet Rum Raisin from the SPCA of East Texas.
Rum Raisin is a female 12-week-old chocolate Labrador Retriever mix. Her mom weighs about 60 pounds.
The SPCA of East Texas is also in need of volunteers to bottle feed, and also foster families to place cats and dogs.
The SPCA of East Texas is located at 3393 W. Grande Blvd. in Tyler.
Adoption office hours are Tuesday through Saturday, by appointment only.
ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS
APPLY TO ADOPT
The mission of the SPCA of East Texas is to improve the lives of animals, alleviate their suffering, and elevate their status in society.
If you can’t adopt, fosters are always needed. Click here to learn more about the SPCA of East Texas’ foster program.
For more information on adopting and the SPCA of East Texas, click here.
Exploring Favorite Whiskey through the Lens of Machine-Generated Art
Scottish distillery Port Ellen is making it easier for whiskey lovers to understand the chemical composition of their favorite drink.
As visitors to a legendary distillery in Scotland savor whiskey samples at the end of their tour, they’ll not only taste and whiff the spirits. They’ll see what’s inside of them, thanks to a wall-size projection of machine-generated digital art based on the drinks’ complex chemical signatures.
The art, called “Out of the Ether,” looks like a hypnotic puff of gold, white and gray smoke and clouds swirling and bubbling inside a giant glass marble. In fact, it’s a visualization of two rare whiskies based on their flavor and aroma profiles.
This spirited creation celebrates whiskey’s chemical complexity.
Whiskey producers often resort to scientific techniques such as gas chromatography and high-speed liquid chromatography to analyze their products. These processes separate and analyze various compounds present in the whiskey. However, the data representation in the form of peaks and dips on a graph is not exactly decipherable for the average whiskey drinker.
This is where “Out of the Ether” comes into play.
“Our goal was to simplify what was previously understood only by an organic chemist or a whiskey enthusiast,” explains Ewan Morgan, national luxury ambassador and head of whiskey outreach at Diageo. “With just a look, you can understand the unique character of the distillery and the whiskey.”
The distillery in question is Port Ellen, situated on the rugged isle of Islay off the West Coast of Scotland. Islay, famous as “Whisky Island,” has the highest number of distilleries per head in the UK. It is renowned for its whiskeys laced with a smoky flavor that stems from peat.
Diageo’s machine-generated visualization is based on data points on the chemical profiles of two Port Ellen whiskeys.
Port Ellen Distillery opened in 1825 and exported whiskey to North America as early as 1848. It closed down 40 years ago, one of a slew of Scottish “ghost” distilleries forced to shutter in the late 1970s and early 1980s as production of single malt Scotch whiskey outstripped demand.
Port Ellen reopened last week, remodeled and now owned by Diageo, the company behind brands including Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff and Tanqueray that has invested $236 million to invigorate Scotch whiskey distilleries and tourism. Aimée Robinson, Port Ellen’s master blender, says the kinetic “Out of the Ether” art is part of the distillery’s long-term mission to chart the “atlas of smoke” in hopes of better understanding its nuances and mysteries.
To mark Port Ellen’s rebirth, the distillery is releasing two limited-edition whiskies, Port Ellen Gemini Original and Port Ellen Gemini Remnant, both of which come from 1978 European oak casks. One is a “remnant cask” that was saved by a Port Ellen employee when the distillery closed in 1983. He stored it at the Lagavulin Distillery where he went on to work.
The type of wood from which a cask is crafted, its seasoning process, and even its size and shape can significantly influence the flavor of whiskey. A leftover cask might still contain the remnants of some of the most historic whiskies from Port Ellen.
Over the last couple of years, Diageo has been employing a bespoke algorithm called SmokeDNAi. This innovative piece of tech has been used to supervise the concurrent maturation journeys of the Gemini whiskeys. It helps to demystify the intricate chemical evolution of spirits that originated similarly but matured in varying casks.
Morgan notes that both whiskies are Port Ellen, yet they resemble two significantly different whiskies.
The algorithm handled thousands of data points from both spirits. It compiled and structured information on their primary 10 compounds. Some of these include vanillin, which imparts a vanilla aroma, phenol, which gives a medicinal scent, tannins that induce astringency and bitterness, and translactone, known for releasing a creamy coconut flavor. Following this, the data was used to produce a visualization based on parameters provided by human input.
A graphic overlaying the art shows the percentile breakdown of the whiskeys’ primary compounds, and details how each one influences their character.
Aimée Robinson, Port Ellen’s master blender, looks at data on the whiskeys’ chemical makeup alongside an artistic interpretation of it.
The SmokeDNAi algorithm, developed in collaboration with data and design studio Bose Collins, could help Port Ellen predict the outcome of blending whiskies and the best release dates for them. It could also produce more visual representations for liquor lovers from novices to connoisseurs—comparing and contrasting the smokiness of whiskies from different-aged barrels, such as an 8-year-old cask versus a 16-year-old one, for example.
“That will make it much easier for people to learn about these whiskeys,” Morgan said from Scotland, where he was visiting the newly opened Port Ellen Distillery. “They will know what they’re looking for and have a much better understanding and hopefully enjoy them a little bit more.”
Morgan, a third-generation whiskey maker, has enjoyed many a fine whiskey in his day. He said he appreciates too many things about the drink to enumerate, but among them are the way it brings people together.
“It’s a very social drink. It creates these wonderful life moments,” he said. Plus, “it’s evocative. It creates memories. It also brings you back to memories.”
The Port Ellen Distillery on the Scottish island of Islay has reopened 40 years after it closed.
Compromise Proposal to Allow Mixed Spirits Sales Alongside Beer and Wine Returns
In a new bill, ready-to-drink pre-packaged cocktails could not exceed 8% ABV to be sold alongside beer and wine in the state of Alabama. (Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com)
MONTGOMERY — Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, reintroduced a bill recently that would permit the sale of ready-to-drink mixed spirits wherever beer and wine are sold, though this time, with a compromise.
Senate Bill 259 would allow for RTD spirits with an alcohol by volume of up to 8% to be sold in grocery stores, convenience stores, or wherever else beer and wine are sold. The bill would expand the availability of such drinks from less than 1,000 locations to more than 4,600 statewide.
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Proposal for Mixed Spirits Sale Alongside Wine and Beer Returns with Compromise
In a new bill, ready-to-drink pre-packaged cocktails could not exceed 8% ABV to be sold alongside beer and wine in the state of Alabama. (Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com)
MONTGOMERY — Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, reintroduced a bill recently that would permit the sale of ready-to-drink mixed spirits wherever beer and wine are sold, though this time, with a compromise.
Senate Bill 259 would allow for RTD spirits with an alcohol by volume of up to 8% to be sold in grocery stores, convenience stores, or wherever else beer and wine are sold. The bill would expand the availability of such drinks from less than 1,000 locations to more than 4,600 statewide.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.