#spirits-education

#spirits-education

The Buffalo Trace Single Oak barrel 80 starts at 125 proof and comes from the bottom half of a tree with 13 rings per inch. It was aged in a concrete storeroom, and the average wood grain staves were seasoned for 12 months.

Named after a community-focused cafe in Dublin, this drink has a flavour profile that brings to mind berry compote and scones. It's delicious as a single serving, or make a big batch and serve as a punch to share with friends.

"Our study confirmed that in an environment of loud noise, our sense of taste is compromised. Interestingly, this was specific to sweet and umami tastes, with sweet taste inhibited and umami taste significantly enhanced," Robin Dando, one of the study's authors, told the Cornell Chronicle after the study came out.

POURS is about meeting our guests wherever they are in the moment. Today's travelers are increasingly seeking experiences that blend indulgence with health-conscious options.

"We're a new distiller - we don't have the luxury of waiting to know if our whisky is going to be great. It has to be great from the outset."

Sukari Spirits positions itself as an originator and innovator of all-natural, ultra-premium spirits, with a focus on clean formulations and elevated drinking rituals.

After getting engaged in 2013, we started kicking around a wild idea: What if we moved back and revived the prohibition-era distillery his family had owned three generations back? The family business had been passed down for decades until it closed in 1919 due to prohibition. In particular, we had on our hearts Andy's dad, who died of cancer in 2010, but had always said, 'Don't move home unless you have a real good reason to.' This felt like it just might be that real good reason.

Along with the challenges of operating any new business, making good bourbon takes time and expert craftsmanship. It's for this reason that many new "distilleries" aren't distilleries at all (non-distilling producers, blenders, rectifiers). Instead, they source bourbon and then sell it as their own. That's not inherently a bad thing, as some expertly blend whiskey or add extra maturation to create a genuinely impressive bourbon, but there is a clear difference.

The U.S. spirits landscape has evolved far beyond the recognition of simply being the birthplace of bourbon. In recent years, we've seen a transformation in both the quality and individuality that the country's craft distilleries have been able to produce. While previous decades were dominated by the big-name distilleries, far more awards are going to craft distillers who have mastered the art of producing high-quality whiskeys, rums, gins, and more.

As a professional bartender with years of behind-the-bar experience, I've tasted, mixed, and served my fair share of spirits - from obscure craft distilleries to globally recognized icons. Over time, I've noticed a recurring pattern: certain brands achieve fame, hype, or luxury pricing that their actual liquid rarely justifies. That's what I mean by "overrated." For the purposes of this article, an overrated brand is one that is sought-after, valued, or frequently discussed, yet, in terms of aroma, flavor, or overall drinking experience, fails to live up to its popularity, demand, or price point.

Throwing has been around for a long time and has become fairly common to see behind bars the past few years. But few people have the style, speed and 'wow' factor of Sr. Monaghan. He's clearly given a lot of thought to his technique: proper posture, the minimum amount of liquid to use, and it shows. He has a lot of different moves, but my favorite is when he spins almost 360 degrees.

Used to strain ice and other ingredients out of shaken cocktails, a Hawthorne strainer is a small, flat, spoon-like gadget with holes plus a coiled spring around the edge. You simply fit it over the rim of a glass or shaker tin before pouring liquids through. It's essential for cleanly separating the cocktail from the ice without spilling or creating a mess during the pour.

There is no environment more hostile to our senses than an airplane. In her book, Naglich explains how the recycled, stale cabin air dries out our noses and mouths, effectively muting our taste receptors. This means nothing tastes the way it should at 35,000 feet, so the cocktail you're making needs to be packed with flavorful components, otherwise it won't taste like much of anything.

Since 2018, Punch has been on a mission to elevate and amplify rising talent through our Best New Bartenders program. Over the years, we've grown a network of nearly 100 alumni who have gone on to open their own bars, advocate for a more inclusive industry and move drink culture forward, all while making some of our favorite cocktails.

While one of the bartenders at the legendary Connaught Bar in London mixes your martini tableside, you're invited to choose your bitters to complete the drink. Lavender, perhaps? Or would tonka, coriander, or cardamom please you? Oh, what about the house-developed Dr. Ago's? Whatever your choice, you feel special for having collaborated on your order. But in truth, the selection process is so carefully planned by the Connaught that they're still behind the wheel. It's customization and control in perfect balance.

"I wouldn't say the bramble is the only way to enjoy contemporary gin, but it's absolutely one of the most flattering cocktails to highlight the category," says Justin Lavenue, co-owner of Austin's famed cocktail bar The Roosevelt Room. "Contemporary gins, which tend to lean away from heavy juniper and more toward citrus, floral, root, and herbaceous notes, shine in cocktails where those subtleties have room to breathe. Unlike many other gin-based classics, the bramble gives them exactly that platform."