Archive for the 'Spirits' Category

There was a time when I despised flavored vodkas, in theory and in practice. In practice, most of the flavors of the ones I tried, whether it was peach, lemon or vanilla, came across as bubblegummy. Fake and awful. I didn’t see the point, since bartenders can work wonders with syrups and nectars. And in theory I hated them because…why? Why clutter the retail shelves with them and shove perfectly good bottlings to oblivion? Then came the rumors of flavored Tequilas—Tequila being a personal favorite—and I really did a Munch scream: why?!

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Scotch is hot this year in New York City. I don’t know why, exactly…..but tongues are wagging about it (and slurring a few words) everywhere I go. You may recall my blog a few months back concerning the absurdly high-priced Scotch created by Macallan’s–a blend of 1945 and 1949 stocks, bottled in a specially designed Lalique bottle, available for only $1500 a pour at Del Frisco’s steakhouse in midtown Manhattan. The most absurd part of all was that I loved these precious drops…..though you won’t catch me pulling that kind of money out of my pocket anytime soon. Now comes another surprise. The very fine Greenwich Village steakhouse, Strip House, is offering an experiment in quaffing Scotch…..with steak!

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I’m practically immune to a PR disease that I’ll call the “high-end spirits promotion.” Look, I’m a simple guy. There I am in this world, bumping along, loving my simple bottle of Tequila, the one that really does taste like blue agave–when suddenly they come roaring at you, making you feel worthless unless you’re into the Extra Reserve Jimador’s Grandmother’s Añejo.” It’s dark-brown, it tastes more like brandy than tequila, and it only costs $190.

I’m sure you’ve seen the phenomenon: advertisements and geeks exhorting you to always “drink up” (2008-style), with bottles of high-end rum, Bourbon, cachaça, rye, etc. Here’s one that especially cracked me up recently, at a very upscale southern restaurant in New Orleans: I was served a “boutique moonshine.” Its pronounced flavor of kaopectate made me long for a night next to a simple backyard still, howling at the moon, avoiding the revenuers as well as any pretension.

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