If you’ve been experimenting with mixed drinks at your personal bar, it’s worth considering adding a classic frothy whiskey sour to your cocktail list. Dating back to at least 1862, this is one of the earliest cocktail recipes still in circulation. The whiskey sour, with its many variations, offers a fantastic baseline for those wanting to further their bartending skills or impress friends at the next mixer.

You can make whiskey sours by first shaking the required ingredients without ice in a cocktail shaker. Following this, you add ice, shake it again, then strain the mixture into your serving glass. This technique not only merges the ingredients but also builds a foaminess intrinsic to the whiskey sour. The shaking process creates the trademark ultra-smooth texture of this cocktail. Ice is a welcome addition to the shaker for texture but avoid over dilution by stray ice bits in the final cocktail. Drinks like whiskey sours are typically strained twice for this very reason, ensuring fruit pieces or errant ice are excluded.

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Even beginners will find it challenging to mess up a whiskey sour, but mastering the basics will surely delight you and your friends. Try your hand at the fundamental recipe before adventuring into special variations like the orange liqueur-infused fancy sour, or the New York sour crowned with a float of red wine. Some whiskey sour recipes even incorporate egg whites for an added lush consistency. Whatever recipe you opt for, always remember to double-strain your cocktail. Excess ice can gradually alter the taste the longer it sits in a glass. Here’s to enjoying consistent flavor from the first refreshing sip to the finishing swallow.

Keep in mind that the double-straining technique doesn’t apply only to whiskey sour recipes. Pieces of muddled fruit and freshly squeezed citrus are excellent flavor enhancers for many drinks made at home, but added ingredients can result in unwanted floaters that end up in your cocktail glass, a less-than-ideal aesthetic for the smoothest cocktails. Take the extra effort and double-strain your concoctions, and your drink-mixing game will be instantly up-leveled.

Read the original article on Tasting Table

by: Sarah Szilagy

Posted: Mar 29, 2024 / 06:30 AM EDT

Updated: Mar 28, 2024 / 10:03 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A Columbus-area distillery has been accused of diluting Ohio State University’s brand with its Buckeyes-themed vodka.

Ohio State is contesting the trademark application of Noble Cut Distillery for its VOHIO vodka. The university claims the vodka’s use of “VOHIO” and colors associated with Ohio State misleadingly suggest a connection between the vodka and the university. The opposition filed by the university with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, points out the distillery’s social media posts and the vodka label’s colors that “unmistakably point to Ohio State.”

Noble Cut Distillery, established in 2014 in Gahanna, has been selling VOHIO vodka since at least September 2021, according to their trademark application. In response to this application, Ohio State asserted on March 11 that its own “Ohio State” trademark, granted in 1981 and in use since 1878, carries precedence.

The university also maintains the priority of licensed uses of its marks by approved third-party sellers. These marks include “Buckeyes,” “OSU,” “Ohio Stadium,” and expressions popular with fans such as “OH-IO,” “O-HI-O,” and “O-H-I-O.” The university insists that the “V” in VOHIO does not adequately differentiate the vodka from Ohio State.

According to the opposition filing, “The element most likely to be remembered by consumers in such mark is the well-known and identifiable term ‘OHIO.'”

Noble Cut Distillery declined to provide comment.

Given the extensive diversity and categories of products featuring licensed Ohio State trademarks, like beer koozies and shot glasses displaying the Buckeyes logo, the university argues that any logical consumer would assume that VOHIO vodka is likewise affiliated with Ohio State. The university also contends that Noble Cut Distillery’s marketing for the vodka indirectly suggests such an association.

In various Instagram posts, Noble Cut displays VOHIO vodka next to officially licensed Ohio State merchandise, including Ohio State-emblazoned plastic cups and an Ohio State cooler. They also link the vodka to Ohio State football matches. Several captions on the posts make reference to Ohio State game day, encouraging fans to enjoy VOHIO vodka at pre-game tailgates.

In an Instagram post made in September 2023, which was included in Ohio State’s objection filing, Noble Cut exhibits a banner from a football tailgate event. The banner includes an image of its VOHIO vodka placed next to a football and a Buckeyes necklace. It displays the words, “Tailgate Vodka Made in Ohio.”

The design of the VOHIO label is criticized by Ohio State due to its similarities with the Buckeyes football uniform’s signature athletic stripe pattern.

Ohio State spokesperson Chris Booker has stated that each year, the university’s trademark and licensing program generates around $17 million. Hence, protecting the brand and trademarks is critical.

Booker further stated that these assets are of great value and contribute to their fundamental academic mission which includes teaching and research.

Noble Cut has had success in getting similar vodka marks trademarked using the same “V” theme. In November 2023, they received trademarks for “VOPENN” and “VOTENN”, using them to market vodka bottles coloured like Penn State University and the University of Tennessee respectively. There was no opposition to these trademark applications from either university.

Noble Cut originally had until April 20 to respond to Ohio State’s opposition, but on Thursday, it requested a 60-day pause in court proceedings because it has entered into settlement negotiations with the university. Proceedings will resume May 28.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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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 Guatamala City before coming to the United States in 2012, Deleon always heard stories about her great-grandmother in the 1920s. “My tatarabuela used to make cusha, which is a Guatamalan 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 Guatamala, 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.

Driven by this thought, Deleon mobilized a cooperative of Mayan ladies, who manually make each cover for every bottle. “Observing a label that says ‘handmade,’ is one thing but to actually see it being weaved on a foot loom is truly enchanting,” she states. “The first time I saw the process first-hand, I was determined to keep this art form alive through my product.”

Deleon’s connection to one of these women transpired through her father, a resident of Guatemala. “He succeeded in establishing the needed trust for this project to flourish,” she narrates.

Subsequently, Deleon collaborated with a local designer renowned for his work with conventional tejidos or Guatemalan fabric. “We certainly went through numerous iterations prior to achieving the perfect fit for the bottle,” she gives voice to her experience.

Deleon expresses her fondness for enjoying Tenango pure, especially during her post-work relaxation, but also loves it in cocktails. “At a restaurant, I’m particularly excited to taste the various spirit-forward recipes crafted by bartenders,” she shares. “The Carajillo happens to be one of my favorites for dessert as the coffee tones beautifully complement those of the rum.”

Currently being distributed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Tenango, priced at $49.99 per bottle, has future expansion plans as per Deleon. “My intention behind creating Tenango was similar to El Merkury. I wanted a superior representation of Guatemala, an exceptional place with abundant offerings, which is often negatively portrayed in the media,” she conveys.

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.

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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.

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.”