Category Archives: Straight Spirits

Brennivin’s Christmas Spirit Aquavit

Posted on February 15, 2015 by cocktailsandcologne

When I interviewed Joe Spiegel, the U.S. importer of Iceland’s Brennivin aquavit last May, he mentioned that the distillery made a limited edition Christmas aquavit each year, and that he was hoping to bring it into our market. I was … Continue reading →

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Oak Infusing Experiments: Brennivin

Posted on June 21, 2014 by cocktailsandcologne

I’ve tried aging batches of cocktails in small, one-liter oak barrels — an apple brandy Old Fashioned and a Negroni — but it’s expensive. Those little barrels can cost more than $50 and they can only be used for so … Continue reading →

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An Introduction to the New American Brandy

Posted on June 19, 2014 by cocktailsandcologne

Joe and Lesley Heron have a knack for launching the right products at the right time. Their first project was a vitamin soda they ended up selling to Pepsi. Next, they helped revitalize the alcoholic cider category with Crispin, which … Continue reading →

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Brennivin: The First New Scandinavian Aquavit to Hit the U.S. in Years

Posted on May 31, 2014 by cocktailsandcologne

We’re in the beginnings of an American aquavit golden age right now, with three strong domestic regional brands poised for greater distribution: Krogstad in Seattle (now available in NYC); North Shore in Chicago (now selling in California and as far … Continue reading →

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Making Horseradish Vodka

Posted on September 14, 2013 by cocktailsandcologne

Aquavit, the Midtown Manhattan Swedish restaurant that launched chef Marcus Samuelsson’s celebrity status, has long had a great list of spirit infusions. On the menu, they’re called aquavits, but this isn’t technically true by the definition of aquavit most of … Continue reading →

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Talking Japanese Whisky with Neyah White

Posted on September 10, 2013 by cocktailsandcologne

Japanese whisky has come a long way in America since Yamazaki 12 hit our market more than 20 years ago. Suntory, the producer of Yamazaki, has put serious work into the U.S. for the last ten, increasing awareness among bartenders … Continue reading →

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Introducing: Whisk(e)y Price Watch

Posted on June 28, 2013 by cocktailsandcologne

I remember the point in the 1990s when the price of a bottle of Maker’s Mark shot up five bucks at the liquor store across the street from my apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota. I was in my early 20s … Continue reading →

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Suntory Whisky at the Noguchi Museum

Posted on May 15, 2013 by cocktailsandcologne

Last night Suntory, the company that began Japan’s 90-year whisky tradition, held a tasting event at the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens. The Museum’s outdoor gardens, filled with Isamu Noguchi’s carved stone sculptures, was a perfect setting for … Continue reading →

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Bäska Snaps: Internationally Bitter

Posted on April 9, 2013 by cocktailsandcologne

Bäska Snaps med Malört is an accidentally international spirit: it’s a Swedish recipe produced for an American company by a French distiller. And strangely, it makes perfect sense. The American company, Bittermens, is known for its bitters. The Swedish recipe … Continue reading →

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What Happened to O.P. Anderson Aquavit?

Posted on April 2, 2013 by cocktailsandcologne

Before I moved to New York from Minnesota, I could go into almost any Twin Cities liquor store and see at least three aquavit brands: one Danish, one Norwegian, and one Swedish. If it was a well stocked shop, there … Continue reading →

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