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Twist: Dew it again

by Erin Souza | December 11, 2008

Don’t get us wrong: we enjoy a fruity cocktail with a ridiculous name as much as the next girl. But when old man winter starts rearing his snow-covered head, it’s time to slowly sip a no¬nonsense drink that’ll warm us from the inside out. Which is why the re-emergence of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey’s classic crock is a well-timed and refreshing departure from all of the cucumber-basil-blackberry-bacon-infused liquors we’ve been drinking lately. The special bottle — based on the ceramic crock created 60 years ago — is a nod to the days of traditional whiskey bottling and features a deep green neck and gold lettering that makes it a no-wrapping-paper-required gift for the hardest-drinking folks (or anyone who appreciates a solid, time-tested beverage) on your last-minute list. And fear not, Irish whiskey lovers: the bottle may be different, but the blend is still triple-distilled in Spanish and American oak casks, and the flavor is still smooth with just the right amount of vanilla and wood notes. Save the umbrella-adorned drinks for warmer weather; it’s time to give whiskey its dew. Pick up a specialty crock ($34.99) at Parkingway Wines (600 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.661.8629).

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Twist: 11.18.08

by Erin Souza | November 14, 2008

The rum around

Rum, for better or worse, has a sense of rebellion tied to it: pirates, buccaneers, revolutions, your first mixed drink — y’know, those sorts of things. The sweet and spicy flavors of darker rums often stir up memories of Caribbean vacations (or at least summers spent mixing amateur cocktails in the backyard). But Ron Zacapa 23 — a premium rum smooth enough to sip and strong enough to give you that warm-inside feeling — is proving that the islands aren’t the only place synonymous with great sipping. Zacapa, an interesting spin on high-end liquor, recently made its US debut. The Guatemalan rum is distilled at the ultra-high altitude of 8000 feet above sea level from sugarcane instead of molasses, setting it apart from other, similar spirits. Zacapa’s Lorena Vasquez is one of just three female master distillers in the world and uses the first pressing of sugarcane before sending the rum to casks “above the clouds,” where it ages with rums ranging from six to 23 years old. Join the revolution by picking up a bottle ($42.99) at V. Cirace & Son (173 North Street, Boston, 617.227.3193) or ordering the Between the Sheets cocktail ($12) — a mixture of Zacapa 23, Pierre Ferrand Ambre, Cointreau, and lemon juice — at RumBa (InterContinental Boston, 510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617.217.5150)....

Tru story

by Erin Souza | November 03, 2008

With the onslaught of earth-friendly and health-conscious organic products to the market, it’s becoming easier than ever to respect your mother Earth when shopping for everything from water bottles to faux-leather boots. In fact, green living is no longer a trend but a mainstream lifestyle. And thanks to Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Matthew, the husband-and-wife duo behind Modern Spirits, you can pick up some virtuous vodka for your dirty martinis. Sure, there are plenty of brands that allow you to bring your carbon footprint down to a tiptoe, but TRU Organic Vodka (available in straight, lemon, and vanilla flavors) comes in 100 percent recycled, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging, is USDA-certified organic, and is bottled using 25 percent less glass than most other brands. Need more eco-convincing? The company has partnered with Sustainable Harvest International — a Maine-based nonprofit that’s building a global network of partners to promote smart, sustainable land use — to plant a tree for every bottle of vodka sold. Do your part by picking one up at Kappy’s Fresh Pond ($35.99; 215 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, 617.547.8767) or Federal Wine and Spirits ($36.99; 29 State Street, Boston, 617.367.8605). Drinking, while bad for the liver, can be good for the planet. It’s TRU.

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Champagne Dreams

by Erin Souza | October 17, 2008

If your knowledge of Champagne history only extends as far back as your last cocktail party, we can commiserate. Before getting our hands on Colby College assistant professor Tilar J. Mazzeo’s latest book, The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled it (HarperCollins Publishers, 2008; $25.95), all we really knew about famed Champagne house Veuve Clicquot was that we loved the pricy bubbly it produced. Mazzeo takes an in-depth look at the veuve (French for widow) behind the label — Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin — and tells the story of how Champagne became synonymous with style. Some of it (like the pages about Clicquot Ponsardin’s obstacles during the Napoleonic Wars) reads a bit like a history textbook, but the inspirational rags-to-one-of-the-richest-women-of-her-time story more than makes up for the couple of less-than-juicy chapters. Clicquot Ponsardin smashed through the glass ceiling before the concept was even articulated, carving out a niche for herself as a savvy businesswoman (she kept her company’s groundbreaking process for mass wine production under wraps for years). In 1805, she took the reins of a burgeoning wine business her husband ran before his death and transformed it into a well-recognized brand. (Budding businesswomen, take note.) If you want to enjoy the more intellectual side of bubbly, pick up a copy of this intoxicating read at Borders (511 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.236.1444); it hits shelves on October 28. ...

Think outside the bottle

by Erin Souza | September 22, 2008

Despite — or due to — the fact that we can’t even draw a stick figure, we appreciate truly beautiful art when we see it. Which is exactly the reason we love the new art-in-a-bottle series Essential Artists from 1800 Tequila. In what’s become a kind of palette-meets-palate collaboration, the company rounded up emerging artists whose work they considered modern and innovative and commissioned them to create collectible, limited-edition art for their 1800 Silver tequila bottles. The nine artists hail from six cities in the United States and Mexico, and the varied art they turned out reflects not only their diverse backgrounds and personalities, but also the lack of restrictions placed on them when designing their pieces. The only limitation was the dimensions of the glass bottle; the rest was up to them. The result: nine bottles that are starkly different yet aren’t stark in the least. In addition to being printed on 1800 bottles of 1800 Silver tequila, each work of art will be showcased on outdoor billboards, online, and on customizable sneakers from Gourmet Kickz. Essential Artists bottles ($34.99) are available at Kappy’s Fine Wine & Spirits (10 Revere Beach Parkway, Medford, 781.395.8888). Some people have mantels to showcase their art collections. Now some of us have bars.

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