Tag Archives: amaro

Bottles’ Favorite Things: A Spirited Gift Guide

In addition to his other important responsibilities here at Bottles, Liam spends a good bit of the year compiling a list of well-crafted, tasty bottles for you to give to the spirits enthusiast on your holiday gift list. Some of the labels that made this year’s cut are new to Rhode Island and others are favorites that have stood the test of time.

Herewith, the 2016 list of Bottles’ Favorite Things:
Borsci San Marzano
An after-dinner concoction that’s completely unique. In fact, we’ve never had anything quite like it. The best way we can think to describe it is to imagine if an amaro, a coffee liquor, a cream liquor, and Fernet all got together and had a baby. This is that baby. $24.99 (750ml)

stgeorge

St. George Triple Gin Sampler
One of our favorite things to give or receive, each of these bottles houses a uniquely crafted, artisanal gin. ‘Terroir’ is made with all California botanicals (bay leaves, orange, spruce tips), while ‘Botanivore’ has a much more traditional juniper and citrus flavor. The Dry Rye gin is a spicy flavor bomb perfectly suited to an ice-cold martini. The whole kit ‘n kaboodle is an ideal sampler pack for gin-lovers. $24.99 (3 bottles, 200ml each)

bruto

St. George Bruto Americano
Move over, Campari! This home-grown (Cali) bitter has all the hallmarks of Campari and Aperol, but with a unique American spin. Bitter and herbal, with a finish of pine and bay leaf, it makes a killer Negroni – the “it” drink of the moment. And the packaging can’t be beat. $29.99 (750ml)

vecchio

Caffo Vecchio Amaro del Capo
A must-have for serious amari fans, the del Capo is a beguiling marriage of fruity, herbal, bitter, sweet and savory flavors. Our new favorite post-meal treat is best served ice cold, right out of the freezer. $24.99 (750ml)

limon

Caffo Limoncello dell’Isola
We’ve finally found it. A limoncello that’s not overly saccharine. This beauty is made with family-grown Calabrian lemons, and no added flavorings, color, or other nonsense. Bright, pleasantly sweet, and, of course, full of the sunshine-y taste of lemons! $19.99 (750ml)
Glenrothes Triple Pack
One of the best values we’ve ever come across. Three extraordinary single malt whiskies in bottles that just make you want to hold on. A terrific gift for the burgeoning whiskey lover in your life. $34.99 (3 bottles, 100ml each)

hine

Hine Rare VSOP Cognac
Are all Cognacs created the same? No, and Hine is a venerable and often overlooked house that deserves your attention. Their VSOP is comprised of over 25 Cognacs, with about half coming from the Grande Champagne region and the remainder from the Petite Champagne. Treat the brandy-lover on your list to this something special. $49.99 (750 ml)

barr

Barr Hill Gin
A delicate gin for all cocktail enthusiasts. It’s distilled with hand-picked juniper berries, and bottled with the addition of 5% raw honey. It’s not sweet, but does impart the heady aromas of fresh wildflower honey. And it makes the best ‘Bees Knees’ cocktail you’ve ever had. $39.99 (750ml)

caledonia

Barr Hill Gin & Honey Gift Pack
The beekeepers at Barr Hill had the great idea of letting us all in on the magic of their spirits with this gift pack. In it they include a versatile bottle of their traditional gin, a bottle of Barr Hill’s magical “Tom Cat” barrel aged gin (perfect for sipping on the rocks), and a jar of their fabulous raw Vermont honey, which is used to create the gin. $49.99 (2 bottles, 375ml each, and an 8oz jar of raw Vermont honey)

koval

Koval Organic Spirits Triple Pack
Straight from the heart of Chicago to your home. Koval’s distinctive whiskies are kosher, organic, and sure to please! This sampler has bottles of Koval’s bourbon, millet whiskey and four grain whiskey. Of course it’s ideal for the Cubs fan on your list this year, though we know any whiskey lover will love and appreciate it, too. $39.99 (3 bottles, 200ml each)

Happy Gifting!

###

The Irish Mountain Marma

We loved the Irish Whiskey-based cocktail that Lily created for us last week so much so we asked her to do another.

To complement the whiskey, Lily used a pantry staple – marmalade. The drink is sweet & tart, with wonderful aromatics from rosemary and a slightly bitter finish thanks to the addition of Montenegro amaro. It’s delightful anytime of the year, not just on St. Patty’s Day.

powers_lemon
The Irish Mountain Marma
makes 1 cocktail

2 oz Powers whiskey
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Montenegro
1 tbsp marmalade*
1 small, 1″ sprig of rosemary
1 larger sprig (for garnish)

*For this recipe, orange marmalade was used but lemon grapefruit marmalade is also quite nice.

Place small sprig in shaker, add Montenegro and gently muddle once with a muddler or wooden spoon to release the rosemary flavor.
Add whiskey, lemon, and marmalade.
Fill shaker with ice and shake until frost forms on the outside of the tin.
Double-strain into a tumbler, garnish with remaining sprig of rosemary and ice.

Enjoy!

###

Don’t Let Your After-Dinner Drinks Be An Afterthought

An easy and impressive way to elevate any meal – especially Thanksgiving Dinner – is to offer your guests an after-dinner drink, served alongside – or in lieu of – dessert. And all that’s required for this elegant and delicious end-to-a-meal is a thoughtful bottle choice (we can help with that), and clean glassware. Baking not required.

shelf_3

 
Though there are many mixed drinks that are popular after dinner (ie. Irish Coffee), we’re focusing on one-bottle postprandial sippers: those that you merely need open and pour to enjoy. Here are the 4 styles we like to serve during Thanksgiving season.

1. Sweet Dessert Wine ranging from fruit-sweet (Sauternes, Moscato D’Asti) to sugar and nut-sweet (Madeira, Port). One small glass does a body good either by itself or paired with pungent cheese.

2. Amari bitter (and sometimes sweet) liqueurs originally produced to calm upset bellies. despite — or perhaps in light of — their at-times super-bracing bitterness, an increasing number of folks are enjoying Amari after dinner – stomachache or not.

3. Liqueurs / Cordials traditional european liqueurs made with flavors of almonds, coffee and mint (just to name a few) are now being produced in small batches by American artisans. these new bottles are an outstanding treat.

4. Bubbles popping a bottle of sweet (sec) or semi-sweet (demi-sec) sparkling wine is an elegant and festive way to put a celebratory cap on a merry holiday meal.

Call or visit the store for help in finding the perfect bottle to end your feast.

Cheers!

 

 

3 Delicious Amari for Thanksgiving

 

Since Thanksgiving is a day that our stomachs get a full workout, I wanted to share some of my favorite Amari from our selection here at Bottles. Amaro is a digestif; an herbal liqueur invented by doctors, chemists, pharmacists, laymen hundreds of years ago to serve one purpose – settle the stomach.

These pragmatic folks chose to preserve medicinal herbs in a tincture of alcohol because, after all, a spoon full of sugar does help the medicine go down. And since a bit of sugar is usually added to balanced the bitter herb flavors, Amari can be enjoyed on the rocks after a meal, or used in place of sweet vermouth in Manhattans. Here are a few of my favorite Amari to sample after a feast: Amaro Montenegro, Cardamaro, and Bigallet China-China.

You may notice that I left Fernet Branca, a popular amaro off this list. Fernet is a wonderfully bitter and bracing amari but after all that pumpkin pie, I prefer a more mellow spirit to enjoy next to the fire before I fall into a glorious food coma nap.

Amaro Montenegro 

Oranges and coriander meld together in a wonderfully warm way that intersects perfectly with a bitter, vegetal undertone. Rosewater and cherry are also present in this delightfully smooth and complex Amari.

Cardamaro 

Cardamaro is an Amari that is breaking all the rules. Instead of a spirit base, winemaker Gionvanni Bosca infuses Moscato wine with blessed thistle and ages the wine in oak for six months. This Amari is a great introduction because it has more of a sweet note rather than a bitter, herbal tone. Don’t be mislead, though, this is not a super sweet spirit. Ginger and artichoke are kicking around in this bottle to help right your senses.

Bigallet China-China 

What can I say? A perfect balance of sweet and sour, this Amari uses both sweet and bitter orange peels to form a holy union of citrus in your glass. Dark and rich with the addition of caramel, the warmth radiating from this Amari is life changing. My new favorite winter accessory! Move over electric blanket, you’ve been replaced.

Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!

– Joanna
Bottles Fine Wine
www.bottlesfinewine.com