American Whiskey, Tiki Bob, Infinite Banana, new master distiller for Dingle Distillery, good non-alcoholic drinks & more in this week’s bar/spirited news & recommended reads.
US-1 Cocktail by Jack Stacey – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
There’s no doubt that American whiskey is gaining popularity beyond its borders with spirits from distilleries such as Westland Distllery, Westward Whiskey, San Diego Distillery and Michter’s now available in Australia.
American Whiskey at Grain Bar
Vanguard Luxury Brands along with Michter’s Whiskey have brought together four of the country’s finest whiskey bartenders to present, “Behind the Bar – American Whiskey, A Bartender’s Perspective”, a masterclass of its kind. Held at Grain Bar in Sydney, they offered their perspective on the American Whiskey trend, and the specialties of their venues.
Andy Tsai (Webster’s Bar, Newtown) spoke on opening doors for newcomers to American Whiskey, as well as creating Boilermaker dinners and special events. Yao Wong (The Elysian, Melbourne) spoke about Braving the Mix – breaking down barriers in the way whiskey is consumed in mixed drinks and classic cocktails. Cedric Mendoza (Grain Bar and ex-Manhattan Bar in Singapore) shared his experiences on barrel-aged cocktails and how to work with barrels. Jack Stacey (The Gresham, Brisbane) shared the behind the scenes operations of a heritage building whiskey bar and building a whiskey list.
In the evening, Grain bar hosted a bar takeover where each of the four bartenders presented two cocktails with Michter’s. Shown above in the photo is the The US-1 by Jack Stacey, US1 Michter’s American Whiskey, Tempus Fugit Banana, burnt toffee syrup and bitters. Click here for the cocktails that were served on the night.
Westward Whiskey Oregon Pinot Noir Cask
Westward Whiskey has launched a collaboration with The Whisky Club with a limited release expression. Westward American Single Malt Whiskey Oregon Pinot Noir Cask is aged to taste in lightly toasted new American Oak barrels in Portland, Oregon then finished for 8 months in Oregon Pinot Noir casks from Remy Wines before it’s bottled at 45% ABV. The latest Westward Whiskey expression has rich and fruity aromas with notes of dried fruit, figs, plums and toffee which linger long on the palate.
New Master Distiller for Dingle Distillery
Dingle Distillery in Ireland has appointed Glen Moray’s Graham Coull as its new master distiller. His role will include overseeing the production of Dingle’s small batch whiskey releases, as well as manage the production of its Dingle Gin and Dingle Vodka. (source)
Infinite Banana
With some innovative bars putting the focus on a solitary ingredient or flavour, the team at Lyaness, the new London cocktail by Ryan Chetiyawardana have created the Infinite Banana, a cordial made by blending together batches of cured, fresh-cut, perfectly ripe and slow-roasted banana. (source)
Recommended Reads
- What to know more about American single malt whiskey? (source)
- Bring Back the ‘Et Moi Je Te Dis Maud’ cocktail, an armagnac and Chartreuse cocktail (source)
- How do you make a good non-alcoholic drink? Here are some tips. (source)
- Do you know Tiki Bob? “It’s almost the stuffed animal of tiki mugs.” (source)
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