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Hot off a critically-acclaimed new album, Hackney Diamonds, the Rolling Stones are back with a new release in the alcohol space, debuting a new rum brand dubbed “Crossfire Hurricane.”

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Inspired by the opening lyrics from their hit 1968 song “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” the spirit is a premium blend of rums from Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic, aged for five years in charred oak barrels. Expect notes of caramelized bananas, tropical fruit and wood, with a sweet but subtle finish. The golden hue, meantime, harks back to the golden sunshine of the Caribbean coast.

BUY: CROSSFIRE HURRICANE RUM $37

While the Stones have endorsed other products before, this is the first time they’ve introduced their own spirits brand. The band members explain that initiating with rum was an unmistakable decision, as they recorded their album, Goats Head Soup, in Kingston, Jamaica in 1972. Some of the songs for Hackney Diamonds were also recorded in the Bahamas, and both Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have homes in the Caribbean.

In a press statement for the rum, the band mentioned “The Caribbean’s exuberant energy and music greatly influenced the group over the years,” and that Jagger and Richards “often find themselves on the islands when the band is not touring.”

The Crossfire Hurricane Rum is a licensed collaborative project between the Rolling Stones, Universal Music Group and Socio Ventures. It is now available on ReserveBar.com and bottled at 40% ABV, the Rolling Stones’ rum sells for $37.

“We’re incredibly thrilled to collaborate with Universal Music Group and Socio Ventures to establish our first-ever premium spirits brand and eagerly await for it to reach the world,” the Stones mention in a release.

“Owning a business with The Rolling Stones is absolutely electrifying,” adds John Fincher, Socio Ventures Partner and Crossfire Hurricane Co-founder. “It is an absolute privilege to create this product alongside some of the greatest artists of our time. The band’s vision and enthusiasm for Crossfire Hurricane set us apart and position us to redefine the rum category. And you’re all invited to the show.”

A great gift for both music fans and cocktail enthusiasts alike, Crossfire Hurricane is available now on ReserveBar.com.

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Since its debut more than a century ago in the 1800s, the Whiskey Sour has undergone numerous changes and possibly given rise to dozens of variations. However, one thing has remained constant through the years: A shaker of Whiskey Sour is only as good as the whiskey you mix it with. Though you can make a Whiskey Sour with both Bourbon and rye whiskey, don’t mistake it as a one-to-one substitution. Your choice of whiskey actually plays a crucial role in the flavor of the final drink.

This difference in taste is due to the distinct mash bills, which are the combinations of grains that are eventually fermented into alcohol, used in these two types of whiskey. Rye whiskey, as the name suggests, is made from a mash bill that has at least 51% rye, which gives the whiskey a very heady, intense flavor packed with spice. This is perfect if you enjoy your Whiskey Sour cocktail hard and dry.

On the other hand, if you prefer a smoother and more mellow taste, then Bourbon is the way to go. Bourbon’s mash bill consists of at least 51% corn, which gives it a totally different flavor profile. The corn contributes to a sweeter and fuller-bodied flavor in the final drink. Depending on the brand, you may even detect common tasting notes of vanilla, caramel, honey, nuts, and oak from the cask — all of which you’d be able to savor more easily with less spice in the liquor.

Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have

If you’re aiming to make your Whiskey Sour sweeter and more light on the taste-buds, consider a few tips beyond the usual usage of bourbon. A primary suggestion is manipulating the sweetening elements in the mix. For instance, a standard Whiskey Sour uses simple syrup for sweetening. Enhancing the sweetness is easily done by adding more syrup than the usual ½ ounce prescribed in many recipes. Be cautious to not exceed though, as excess syrup can unfortunately make the cocktail overly sweet.

For those who don’t mind deviating a bit from the original concoction, some mixologists suggest the addition of orange juice, lending the cocktail a sweet yet somewhat tangy twist. This tricks serves especially well if bourbon is unavailable and rye whiskey is being used instead, as it helps mellow down the rye’s spiciness with a citrusy balance.

Finally, when concocting the frothy Whiskey Sour with egg white, think about using the “reverse dry shake” approach. Initiate by shaking all the ingredients with ice to ensure they’re thoroughly chilled. After this, strain the cocktail, take out the ice from the shaker, re-pour the cocktail in, and give it a second brisk shake sans the ice for about 15 to 20 seconds. This additional shake will give the egg white a superior froth, rendering a silkier texture that tastes lighter and smoother on your palate.

Proceed to read the original article on Tasting Table.

Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorson are the co-founders of Meili Vodka.

Well-known for his role as the DC superhero in the Aquaman films, Jason Momoa is generating buzz with his entrepreneurial ventures beyond screen acting, particularly his new, award-winning Meili Vodka company.

In a collaborative effort with his best friend, Blaine Halvorson, the duo traveled the globe, from Antarctica to the Northwest Passage, in a quest to find the purest water sources for crafting the finest vodka. Interestingly, their best discovery was quite close to home, found near Halvorson’s father’s residence in Montana.

Momoa shared, “The water source we found comes off a limestone shelf, which is like a 300 million-year-old aquifer. It looked like Avatar – such an incredible amount of life at a water source amidst snow. The lack of sodium in the water truly brings out the flavor from our grains, while the high calcium and sulfur content give it a distinctive taste.”

Co-founders of Meili Vodka, Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorson.

Momoa narrated how he first encountered Halvorson due to a pair of shoes crafted by him. Following their introductions, Momoa recruited Halvorson’s help for his roles in Frontier and Aquaman, alongside various other endeavors. Momoa appreciated Halvorson’s creativity and assistance in bringing his visions to life. Their unique friendship, he said, flourished from this collaboration.

After numerous successful collaborations, Halvorson suggested they come up with a vodka brand of their own. Recounting the conversation, Halvorson said, “Jason questioned the need for our own vodka brand. I emphasized that’s the exact reason we should! We love the storytelling aspect of moonshine and wanted to bring something similar to vodka.” They aimed to revolutionize the perception of vodka not merely as an ingredient but as a spirit, focusing in particular on sourcing high-quality water to match with their grains.

Momoa further mentioned a unique way of enjoying Meili Vodka: warm and straight. This method emphasizes its taste, a product of pure Montana water. He takes immense pride in the sustainable and recyclable nature of their glass bottle production process, highlighting their environmental responsibility.

Momoa expressed, “I engage in a myriad of activities and I harbor intense passion for our planet. One of my top priorities is to create something that is purely crafted from post-consumer glass. Blaine identified a splendid glassmaker in Mexico. The highlight of this initiative is that we plan on executing it in Pennsylvania by Spring 2024, ensuring 100% of the production is conducted in the U.S. The prospect of fabricating the glass domestically for the first time is truly exhilarating. Paying meticulous attention to every minor detail to craft such beautiful eco-friendly bottles proved to be quite a remarkable experience. Regard it as our precious creation.”

Halvorson articulated, “Both Jason and I are incredibly interested in the journey of a product’s life – from creation to the final product, the individuals involved, and the aesthetic aspect of the process. I consider the process to be a significant and appealing part of it. To take redundant glass, place it in a furnace, and see it melt away – the end result is a unique bottle each time. It evokes a sense of artisanal craftsmanship, which is indeed enchanting. The quantity of glass that we dispose of can easily be repurposed.”

Jason Momoa and Blaine Halvorson are the founders of Meili Vodka.

Upon their entry into the thriving and competitive spirits industry in January with the introduction of Meili Vodka, it intrigued me what Halvorson and Momoa have to say about what sets their innovative brew apart in today’s marketplace.

Halvorson said, “In a liquor industry that is really heavily built today on marketing and marketing gimmicks, I think us as an open book and storytelling of how this process is done and how it can be done, I think, makes us unique – taking a very different approach to vodka and creating vodka as an actual spirit. Something you can sip and enjoy.”

Momoa added, “We’re in the footprints of like so many celebrity brands. I think if you get to know me, I’m not like that at all, and if anything, most of the companies I’ve ever started, they have all started from the ground up – with the water company [Mananalu], with the [So iLL] climbing [company] – with all the things that I love. It’s not somebody coming to me, paying me a certain fee and then I have to do these appearances and show up. This is two best friends, going on eight years of doing this, a passion that we want to keep this. It’s just a different feel than being like something celebrity, because we really did it on our own. We did it just the two of us for a very long time.”

With its retail price ranging from $19.99 and $29.99, Meili (pronounced MAY-lee) is a term that represents the adventurer’s heart, the purity of discovery and the spirit of exploration. All throughout this past October, Momoa and Halvorson decided to travel around the country to meet with fans and sign their Meili Vodka bottles, fond experiences that both gentlemen are interested in doing more of in the near future.

Meili Vodka co-founders Blaine Halvorson and Jason Momoa taking photos with fans during their U.S. tour in October 2023.

Halvorson stated, “Our major revelation from this journey was the series of extraordinary portraits we collected as we interacted with numerous supporters. The profound basis of Meili is rooted in the idea that Jason and I conceptualized. We envisioned creating a space for sharing stories over a cozy campfire or a communal dinner table. Our aspiration is for Meili to expand and encourage people to share their narratives with us, thereby promoting a sense of community. Despite the pervasive influence of social media and virtual interactions in contemporary times, we believe in revitalizing the essence of physical human interaction and communication. The participation of a remarkably diverse range of individuals was truly a sight to behold.”

In the closing of the discussion, Momoa articulated, “It was of immense importance to me that everyone felt recognized and appreciated in a way that reflects the collective heart and soul we’ve poured into this effort. Now, it belongs to everyone. This enterprise is our best offering, a token of our love. We take great pride in having a brand that truly represents us. We are in our pioneering year, and our primary objective is to spread excitement about our venture. Once you experience the taste, you’ll be hooked.”

Since its debut more than a century ago in the 1800s, the Whiskey Sour has undergone numerous changes and possibly given rise to dozens of variations. However, one thing has remained constant through the years: A shaker of Whiskey Sour is only as good as the whiskey you mix it with. Though you can make a Whiskey Sour with both Bourbon and rye whiskey, don’t mistake it as a one-to-one substitution. Your choice of whiskey actually plays a crucial role in the flavor of the final drink.

This difference in taste is due to the distinct mash bills, which are the combinations of grains that are eventually fermented into alcohol, used in these two types of whiskey. Rye whiskey, as the name suggests, is made from a mash bill that has at least 51% rye, which gives the whiskey a very heady, intense flavor packed with spice. This is perfect if you enjoy your Whiskey Sour cocktail hard and dry.

On the other hand, if you prefer a smoother and more mellow taste, then Bourbon is the way to go. Bourbon’s mash bill consists of at least 51% corn, which gives it a totally different flavor profile. The corn contributes to a sweeter and fuller-bodied flavor in the final drink. Depending on the brand, you may even detect common tasting notes of vanilla, caramel, honey, nuts, and oak from the cask — all of which you’d be able to savor more easily with less spice in the liquor.

Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have

If you’re looking to make your Whiskey Sour sweeter and lighter in flavor, there are a few tricks to consider beyond just using bourbon. The first one is to adjust the sweeteners in the recipe. Normally, a classic Whiskey Sour is sweetened with simple syrup. You can amp up the sweetness by adding a bit more syrup than the standard ½ ounce found in most recipes. Try not to overdo it, though, as too much syrup can make the cocktail cloyingly sweet.

If you don’t mind straying from the original recipe, some bartenders have added orange juice to give the cocktail a sweeter and slightly tangy twist. This is particularly handy if you don’t have bourbon on hand and are using rye whiskey instead, as it helps balance out the rye’s spiciness with citrusy notes.

Lastly, if you’re making the frothy Whiskey Sour with egg white, consider the “reverse dry shake” technique. Start by shaking the ingredients with ice to chill them thoroughly. Then, strain the cocktail, remove the ice from the shaker, pour the cocktail back in, and shake it again without ice for 15 to 20 seconds. This extra shake will create a better frothiness in the egg white, resulting in a creamier texture that feels lighter and softer in your mouth.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

Rum, with its storied history and a flavor profile that’s just as rich, is a staple in many classic cocktails like the tropical Mai Tai and Tasting Table’s own Cable Car cocktail. However, its bold character can be a bit overwhelming, especially for those new to rum. This can be a bit tricky if you have to make drinks for a crowd. Luckily, Tasting Table recipe developer Michelle McGlinn has a simple trick to make strong rum cocktails a bit easier on the palate: just add more sweeteners!

Whether it’s simple syrup, honey, agave nectar, or fruit juices, most cocktails have a sweet component to balance out the bite of the liquor and other flavor components. It’s an easy fix to add more of the sweetener to the drink than the recipe asks for if it’s a bit too strong otherwise. In McGlinn’s case, she likes to add an additional ½ ounce of simple syrup to dull the edge of the rum a little bit in her Cable Car or other strong rum drinks.

Read more: 13 Liquors Your Home Bar Should Have

While you can replicate the sweetener trick with virtually every rum cocktail and its primary sweetener, the key is getting the proportion just right. If you add too much simple syrup, fruit juice, or agave nectar to your drink, the sugar can overpower the cocktail’s delicate flavors. So, a bit of clever experimentation is needed — do some trial runs, gradually adding small increments (about ¼ ounce at a time) of extra sweetener until you hit the literal sweet spot.

If adding additional sweetener isn’t your preferred trick, there are other ways to make your drink easier to swallow. The type of rum you choose can significantly impact your cocktail’s taste and strength. For first-timers, dark and spiced rum might not be the best choice because they have very strong flavors. In contrast, white or light rum (which is the star of cocktails like daiquiris or mojitos) is lightly aged or not aged at all, giving it an exceptionally smooth profile. This makes it a particularly great choice if you’re serving first-time drinkers.

Switching and mixing the ingredients isn’t just the only way to get a mellower drink. When you’ve combined everything in a shaker, you can add a bit more ice than what the recipe calls for. Ice chills the cocktail and dilutes it slightly, making it more approachable for the uninitiated.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.

CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 10: Grey Goose Cellar Master Francois Thibault (L) and Jessica Chastain at the ‘355’ cocktail party, with DIRECTV and The Hollywood Reporter on the Grey Goose Terrace on May 10, 2018 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter)

According to DISCUS, sales of super premium vodka account for over $1.1 billion in annual revenue. But 25 years ago, nobody was paying $30 for a bottle of clear, odorless spirit. The liquid was coveted for its value, not its quality. So, when Grey Goose launched in 1997, it was nothing short of revolutionary. Cellar master Francois Thibault was plucked from the world of cognac, by booze impresario Sidney Frank, and tasked with creating a vodka that was well-textured and expressive of its ingredients. The rest is history.

Today, bottles of super premium vodka crowd backbars and bottle shops. And Grey Goose continues to exert its dominance in the space. It not just one of the first examples to exist; it remains one of the best.

The most recent validation of this come’s by way of Taster’s Club—an online subscription service, curating boxers for spirits enthusiasts. Earlier this year, the company ranked its vodkas out of hundreds of selections available on the site. Grey Goose came out on top.

What’s astounding about the brand is how little has modified since its initial debut. Thibault continues to use the same formula of winter wheat, procured from Picardy, France, and spring water drawn from Gensac-La-Pallue. This meticulous concoction undergoes a five-column distillation process resulting in a smooth and rounded spirit, hinting at understated notes of fruit from the orchard and anise. It’s pure with an unwavering capability to stand strongly as the core of a vodka martini.

Talking of vodka martinis, Grey Goose has freshly launched a series of ready-to-drink options in a bottle. How does the brand ensure quality and uniformity in this format? And why is this specific spirit ideally matched for this exclusive preparation? We invited Thibault to enlighten us.

Any material can be used to distill vodka. How did you choose French wheat for Grey Goose?

Francois Thibault: “When Sidney [Frank] approached me to create a vodka, he requested me to conduct intense research in the category. What I discovered is that wheat was the primary ingredient to manufacture vodka in Eastern European nations, not potatoes. My next thought was we would not import these ingredients from outside France as we have this remarkable bread basket in our own homeland. I identified farmers in Picardy who had been practicing it for generations. However, they didn’t grow it for vodka. They cultivated it for bread and pastries.”

Could the identical constituent that results in superior quality baked goods like croissants and baguettes also confer a superior vodka?

FT: “Precisely.”

What prompted the decision to venture into the RTD sector?

FT: “We carried out a market survey in the United States and observed that consumers typically opt for a complex drink when out and about, but prefer something of high-quality yet simple when at home. Therefore, our idea was to design an effortless method to enjoy a martini, whilst also empowering the consumers to personalize it to their liking – be it by shaking, stirring, or adding their preferred garnish. The bottle contents are at 35% ABV, so dilution is slightly required. My recommendation is to stir it over ice. Alternatively, you can chill it in the freezer, and then pour directly into the glass.”

How did you land on the exact proportions for the drink?

FT: “We performed rigorous consumer market research, keeping in mind the fact that the preference for martinis is as varied as the people. While some may prefer it dry, the French usually don’t. Approximately 20% of the bottle constitutes vermouth.”

Considering that vermouth is a product which can degrade over time, how do you ensure its shelf stability?

FT: “Yes, vermouth can change over time. Its color might vary which is a natural process and doesn’t necessarily affect its quality. However, once it’s in the bottle with vodka, the Grey Goose maintains its preservation.”

And what makes Grey Goose in particular, so well suited to the martini format?

FT: “It’s like when you’re cooking in the kitchen. You need a symbiosis between the ingredients. And that’s one of the great abilities of Grey Goose is to make the vermouth and the garnish shine. There’s an alchemy of flavors. When you have good ingredients together, 1+1 can equal three.”

Mumbai, INDIA: Grey Goose Maitre De Chai (Cellar Master) Francois Thibault raises his glass at the launch of Grey Goose Vodka in Mumbai,19 January 2006. Thibault demonstrated the art of tasting Grey Goose vodka and mixing cocktails.The vodka is made from 100 percent fine French wheat from the Beauce of France,with a five-step distillation process,and has a largest market in the United States. (Photo credit should read SEBASTIAN D’SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)