From the brainchild of Richard Stabile of Long Island Distillers makers of LiV vodka, Rough Bourbon and Pine Barrens Single Malt comes one of the best Rye’s I’ve tasted all year. What makes this rye so special is its aging and select finishing in wine barrels. The spirit is first aged for a minimum of four years in newly charred American oak casks. After aging it’s then finished in selected merlot and chardonnay casks. The result is a rye with a tremendous depth of flavor and a lingering finish. Speaking of “finish’, I just finished another bottle myself and the results are thus. Enjoy!
APPERANCE: A light copper color with legs that scurry down the glass. Swirling gives a nice feel of the depth of the spirit within.
NOSE: Initial flavors of oak, vanilla and spicy heat emerge. Second nose gives toasted wood, bread and some dried fruits.
TASTE: First sip is buttery with apricot some caramel and “merlot” flavors in its expression. The mouth feel is rich with flavors that demonstrates its balance. Both sides of the cheeks are coated with butter and spice that caress not overpowers the senses. The finish goes on forever with a velvety texture and flavors of caramel, toasted oak, butter and heat all at once. This is one of the most balanced and complex Rye’s I’ve tasted.
CONCLUSION: With Bull Moose Three Barrel Rye Long Island Distillers has produced probably my favorite spirit to date. This Rye delivers a cacophony of flavors on the palate and lingers on and on. This exceeded my expectations of rye and what can be done with it. The finishing in wine casks creates tastes and nuances that makes this a true sipping spirit. I’ve enjoyed most everything Rich Stabile has been putting out as of late but if I had to venture off with the “Rough Riders” and could bring only one spirit, this would be the bottle that I’d saddle up with.
The newest small batch of Long Island Distillers Pine Barrens Single Malt Whisky is back with its 8th rendition of their premium blend. What makes this particular batch even more special is that Richard Stabile is now using his own crafted beer as the base for his Single Malt Whisky. For all the previous batches Blue Point Brewery’s Old Howling Bastard was utilized and the distilling and aging was done at Long Island Distillery. With Long Island Distillers controlling the entire process they can enliven their single malt with the exact flavors they are looking for. The result is quite possibly the finest batch yet. Enjoy!
APPERANCE: A beautiful copper/gold color with delicate legs that took their time running down the glass. The rich hue of this whisky reminded me of an aged French wine with that certain level of sophistication and quality.
NOSE: Initial flavors of cinnamon, spice, medicinal and heat come to the forefront. A second swirl reveals grains and some banana notes.
TASTE: This Single Malts comes at you with cinnamon/spices blending with banana and sharp oak on the tongue then developing into a sweet maltiness. The mouthfeel is lustrous and velvety with a lingering finish of hops, nutmeg, caramel and allspice. The finish literally “pops” and continues to develop on the palate. A complex Single Malt for what is considered a young whisky. A true connoisseur’s spirit.
CONCLUSION: Having visited Long Island Distillers several times I can attest to their quality and attention to detail. Richard Stabile continues to develop high quality spirits and pushes ahead as to what flavors and textures can be achieved in a true small batch environment. I’ve been fortunate enough to sample other batches in the past and feel this one delivers the most unique and pronounced flavors yet. So get on their website, harass your local liquor store and get your hands on Pine Barrens Single Malt #8 before its gone!
If you haven’t been enticed by flavored spirits whether it be you don’t enjoy the overly sweet taste that tends to accompany them or you simply feel they’re not “Manly” enough, this particular spirit and cocktail might change your mind. So man up, and read on…
I’ve been a huge fan of spirits in the 20+ years of my drinking life. My tastes have changed through those years from swigging down Old Crow at adolescent parties to sipping Pappy Van Winkle in my study. During the turbulent times vodka had been that clear spirit you either took shots of or used blindly as a mixer in some concoction your friends would make. I owe many harrowing mornings to that grainy spirit although in reality it was the cheap sugared mixtures that wreaked havoc within me upon my midafternoon awakenings. As a result unfairly I might add, my tastes drifted to the darker spirits and all but shunned the vodkas of my yesteryear. It’s these days that I’ve returned to the product that has more taste and versatility then I had previously experienced.
Enter premium vodka; Long Island Distillers which was made famous for their LiV vodka made from Long Island potatoes and local ingredients caught my eye not long ago. After tasting their vodka which had such depth and body to it I was hooked. Richard Stabile president of Long Island Distillers made me a believer. I now had a new found appreciation for vodka and its craft as a handmade quality product. After touting the virtues to all that would listen and drink I was now a premium vodka advocate. After thinking I had conquered the spirits world completely Richard threw me for a loop with his flavored line of premium vodkas.
Currently Long Island Distillers produces a series of natural ingredient flavored vodkas. I’m not talking about your artificially manufactured “flavorings” in vodka that so many companies pump out ad nausem; I’m talking about natural real ingredients. This is where LiV Sorbetta Strawberry Vodka comes in. Ingredients on bottle; Vodka, Fresh Strawberries, Sugar. Simple. All real, all natural. The result is a refreshing vodka with just the right balance of spirit meets ripe fruits. Here are some of my tastings straight and as a cocktail. Enjoy!
LiV Sorbetta Strawberry Vodka straight:
I always like to taste a spirit I’ve never had straight. No ice, no mixing, just the booze. I need to establish a baseline of its taste without anything to dilute or take away from its natural state. This helps me in developing a “flavor recall” for when it’s mixed or I drink another version of the product.
Nose: Sweet wild berry upfront.
Taste: This vodka starts off with a blast of fresh strawberry sweetness followed by a weighty mouthfeel of the potato vodka itself and vanilla notes. The finish lingers with a hint of wild strawberry flavor. With the second sip the sweetness is less pronounced while still keeping that crisp strawberry taste. Midway it develops into a cool aromatic spirit finishing with those subtly sweet wild strawberries. Unlike artificially flavored spirits that are sugary-sweet and one dimensional throughout, this vodka has complexity. Very pleasant and refreshing.
To keep it manly I decided to make a martini and drink it as a cocktail. My mixology skills are limited in that making a mixed drink to me is usually putting a single ice cube into my bourbon. I can however follow a martini recipe rather well. Here is the recipe I followed for those that would like to try it:
Manly LiV Strawberry Vodka Martini
Ingredients:
Ice
1 ounce simple syrup (2 parts sugar, 1 part water, heated, mixed, then cooled)
2 ounces LiV Sorbetta Strawberry vodka
½ oz. Dry Vermouth (Boissiere Extra Dry, Italy)
Combine ingredients and 4 ice cubes in a shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
Nose: A hint of fresh picked ripe strawberries and slight citrus/ floral notes from the vermouth.
Taste: The first sip brings the vodka upfront with an invigorating strawberry flavor that feels like biting into freshly picked fruit. Dryness of the vermouth comes into play and some floral alcohol moves forward. This martini delivers sweet ripened berries and a crisp angular finish. The chill from the shaken ice really gives a nice aroma to the cocktail. Each sip gave me a perfect balance of alcohol and fruit flavor. Delicious. So man up! Try LiV Sorbetta Strawberry Vodka and while away a sunny afternoon in style gentlemen. Cheers!
It’s well known and through great sacrifice I‘ve spent years testing the theory that spirits and cigars go hand in hand. A fine Scotch or Cognac can bring out the nuances of a cigar just as a premium smoke can enhance the flavors of your drink of choice. Two great pleasures in harmony with each other are what I call relaxation. This weekend I had the opportunity to sit back and do just that with one of my favorite bourbons of late and a Cuban regional cigar from Portugal. My findings were interesting to say the least. Enjoy!
First, the bourbon:
Bourbon: Rough Rider- Long Island Distillers
Being a fan of this bourbon already I knew what to expect. Nose of sweet vanilla, toasted oak and the first sip hits you with some lovely cinnamon spice, and maple wood. The finish coats the palate with a butteriness that lingers on. Further tasting, the Rough Rider develops toasty notes with traces of candied fruits and some nice heat on the way down. The buttery finish along with the toasted wood are the lingering factors with this bourbon that keeps you wanting more. I am really looking forward to their next batch as soon as it hits the shelves. Long Island Distillers focuses on small batch releases so they can spend more time on maintaining quality. I’ve visited the distillery and it is quite a hands on and expertly run facility.
Cigar: Cuban Punch Descobridores Exclusivo Portugal
Blend specifics
4 7/8″ x 50
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
The dry draw on this cigar has hearty flavors of fresh tobacco and an earthy quality. Upon lighting the full draw yields toasty notes with a bit of leather on the finish. The first third gives leather, earth and a bit of spice on the retrohale. Lots of rich tobacco taste which shows me the quality and care in the blend which doesn’t always happen in regional cigars. A lot of ER’s that I’ve smoked can be a bit of a crap shoot in terms of decent blends and properly treated tobacco. This cigar has been a pleasant surprise and of exceptionally quality. Midway the Punch offered more toasty flavors and graham cracker. The last third gave a salty taste with more of that full tobacco engulfing the palate.
The Pairing:
As I drank and puffed the interplay with the spirit and cigar where quite appealing. The toasted oak of the bourbon further enhanced the Punch ER’s lush and toasty tobacco flavor. The spice from the bourbon added a nice kick to the tobacco flavors. The buttery finish of the Rough Rider bourbon balanced the savory leather notes of the cigar exceptionally. As the earthiness of the Punch came through the Rough Rider bourbon came back with that finished oak which took the cigar and spirit to another level of flavor and pushed them both to their peak performance. Both cigar and bourbon left me satiated with a resonance of flavors. A truly perfect pairing.
When I pick a cigar and spirit I try to go by what I know of both in terms of flavor and look for complimentary contrasts or balance. There are times like this when I haven’t had the cigar and like I said with the ER’s you don’t know what you can or will get in terms of flavor and blend. Fortunately I struck gold with these two as they not only had balance but their contrasts raised the bar of both their flavor profiles. If you can grab this ER it’s a worthwhile smoke and you should treat yourself to some Rough Rider bourbon even if you can’t find a Punch Descobridores Exclusivo to pair with it. So, my strenuous efforts continue to support the theory that cigars and spirits work oh so well together. All In the name of science.
Be sure to pick up a bottle of Long Island Spirits’
Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Whisky for this upcoming weekends Kentucky Derby!! While you’re out east, stop by the Tasting Room and sample the Rough Rider, LiV Vodka, and Sorbetta Liqueurs!
2.5 oz. Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Whisky
2 tsp. water
1 tsp. powdered sugar
4 fresh mint sprigs
Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a collins glass. Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Whisky. Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig.
Serve with a straw.
Take a sip and enjoy as you watch the long shot you just bet
This cigar from L’Atelier Imports is collaboration between Pete Johnson, his brother K.C., Sean Casper Johnson, and Dan Welsh of New Havana Cigars. The sizes are an homage to Cuban Cohiba Behikes. The cigar is made by Pepin Garcia in the My Father factory in Nicaragua. The filler blend is of Nicaraguan tobaccos while the wrapper is an Ecuadorian wrapper called “Sancti Spiritus”. This is a hybrid of Criollo and Pelo de Oro. I’ve enjoyed Behikes in every size even the 56 which is not normally my preference so let’s see what this Cuban tribute has to offer:
Blend specifics
Size: 5 5/8″ x 54- Toro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Appearance & Construction
The cigar sports a high glossy band which immediately attracts the eye. The wrapper has a rich brown hue with an oiliness and veins present. There were no soft spots on this cigar and it was rolled extremely well. The triple cap along with the pigtail at the end demonstrates the craftsmenship taken in rolling this smoke.
Taste & Smoking Characteristics
Intial lighting of this cigar gave off tea and sweet fruit notes. Bits of spice where had on the retrohale however the lingering finish was that of sweetness. The body built up to a medium profile at this point and coated the palate with creamy smoke. I initially thought I would get a classic blast of “Pepin spice” however I was pleasantly surprised with the refinement I was treated to. Midway the LAT 54 developed a creaminess and wood profile that finished with that fruit sweetness again. The wood/cedar profile picked up with spice developing in the background. The last third of this cigar gave a more earthy character and chewy texture to it. I was loving the changes in flavor and the tobacco quality was excellent. The finish provided flavors of oolong tea, earth, and cedar. The cigar burned a nice dark gray ash throughout and smoked effortlessly.
Conclusion
Having smoked the entire line of LAT’s I have to say this is my favorite vitola. The flavors presented were refined and harmonious throughout the entire cigar. The LAT 54 smokes medium to full bodied and packs wonderful sweet, wood and earthy flavors. The progression of this cigar left me wanting more and I would love to see where the flavors go with some age. Although a lot of Pepin’s cigars smoke well initially and then tend to fade in flavor, I think this one has potential to develop further if not remain just as good in the future. L’Atelier has shown me something with this Behike tribute. I wouldn’t say it is anything like a Behike nor was it the intention of the maker however for the price and flavors you need to pick a box of these up.
So what cigar do you smoke after a gastronomic journey at the 3 Michelin starred Brooklyn Fare? You need something as balanced and complex as the twenty-three courses Chef Ramirez executes perfectly. Enter:The Cohiba Pirámides Extra. This cigar capped my evening by continuing to leave flavors lingering on my palate akin to the dishes I was served. Here is the skinny on the not so thin Pirámides Extra:
Blend specifics
Size: 6 5/16 x 54 Pirámides Extra
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Appearance & Construction
The cigar is expertly constructed and a fine example of the vitola. The Pirámides Extra sports a beautiful brown wrapper that shines with a velvety smooth texture. The cigar feels nicely packed with tobacco and the smell at the foot is earthy, sweet and cedary. The dry draw yields saltiness along with cedar and wood notes. The saltiness and cedar in this Cohiba is an experience I really enjoy in Cuban cigars.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
Upon lighting the cigar it hits you with saltiness on the draw along with spice and black pepper on the nose. The finish smacked of leather and lingered on the palate. Within the first few puffs I was already pleased with the flavor profile. At this point you could already tell this was quality aged tobacco. Midway the cigar turned from spice to creamy nuttiness with an earthy finish. As the cigar progressed the interplay of leather and earth came through with a nice weight on the tongue. The balance of this cigar was superb. The final third rounded out the cigar with some of the initial spice and pepper returning along with the classic cedar and earth characteristics of the brand.
Conclusion
Overall this is a very complex and balanced medium to full bodied cigar. The spice, leather, earth and long finish demonstrates what Cuba can do when they work their tobacco well. Cohiba is the iconic brand of the country and this cigar shows it. My only issue was some bitterness as I nubbed it but that was my fault due to smoking it too fast. My enjoyment of all the flavors got the best of me which isn’t the worst thing. I’ve had the fortune to smoke Cohiba Gran Reserva’s, 1966’s, Behikes, Milleniums and some truly rare Cohibas; some of these smokes were worthy of the price tag and some were not. The Cohiba Pirámides Extra is one of those cigars that will not disappoint if you make the investment. Enjoy.
For all you Bourbon fans out there Long Island Spirits Distillers has created a Bourbon that gives a nod to the spirit of former President and L.I. resident Theodore Roosevelt and his band of Rough Riders. Rough Rider Straight Bourbon is the latest creation from the company with its release of their Small Batch No.1. Long Island Spirits which is best known for LiV Vodka began their foray into the darker spirits with their award winning Pine Barrens Single Malt Whisky. There is also a Brandy out there that is extremely limited which I’m hoping to provide more info on in the future. All of these are small batch and adhere to the highest quality standards. Here is some info from Long Island Spirits with my review to follow:
Teddy Roosevelt, a native Long Islander, organized the United States First Voluntary Cavalry, commonly known as the Rough Riders, in 1898. Composed of 2,350 men from across the country, including cowboys, Native Americans and other Wild West types, as well as Ivy League athletes and aristocratic sportsmen from the East.
This disparate group shared a common purpose: the pursuit of adventure, independence and excellence. Despite winning the Battle of San Juan hill, the Rough Riders disbanded on Montauk Point after only 137 days of service.
Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Batch #1 is inspired by the uncommon virtues of those men.
Each limited batch of Rough Rider Straight Bourbon is meticulously handcrafted at a distillery just miles from where the Roosevelt’s Rough Riders departed, in Montauk Long Island. The whiskey is a high-rye, straight bourbon that starts out as a highly refined mash bill, consisting of 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley, and is then aged for several years in charred new American white oak barrels.
Rough Rider is then finished in hand selected American oak barrels, which once held some of Long Island’s finest wines. The wine casks that are selected for the second maturation, described by Long Island Spirits owner Richard Stabile as its exclusive method of “Reserve Aged,” are chosen from the finest wineries on Long Island and are an exquisite balanced blend of award winning Merlot and Chardonnay barrels.
These casks undergo a “cask finishing wash”, with a very unique 180-proof brandy distilled from local Long Island Chardonnay, that tempers each wine barrel prior to filling it with the bourbon. Rough Rider mellows while acquiring its distinctive character during this delicate second maturation period, adding a layer of dark red fruit and honey notes to the small batch straight bourbon.
My Review:
Rough RiderStraight Bourbon
Producer– Long Island Spirits
Appearance: Dark amber in appearance this bourbon shows modest thin legs as it slides down the glass when swirled.
Nose: Initial nose of sweet vanilla, caramel and toasted oak.
Taste:This bourbon hits you up front with spice, caramel and maple wood. Midway there’s a butteriness that seems to coat the sides and top of the mouth along with touches of candied spice, oak and vanilla. Lastly you are hit with spice and a lot of “bourbon heat” going down. The finish is long with a lingering buttery texture and residue spice leftover. Also to note on the 2nd nosing I picked up a lot of heavy caramel and maple syrup in the glass. This bourbon took me for a ride from start to finish that left me feeling like I was sipping spirits down Kentucky way.
Conclusion: In speaking with L.I. Spirits founder Richard Stabile I appreciate the fact they finish their bourbon using old Long Island wine barrels for a “Reserve Aging” in their distillery as well as following traditional whisky practice. This keeps the “Spirit” within the Island as well as keeping roots with Kentucky bourbon proper. I love experimentation in spirits from utilizing different malts, wheat, barrels, as it opens up a world of new tastes and textures. I am already looking forward to seeing what their game plan is for Small Batch No.2. So if you like your Bourbon sweet and toasty to start with a lengthy finish that “Makes no apologies” at the end in the heat department, then try and get your hands on this bourbon before it “Rides” out the door.
The other day I decided to pull out of my humidor a classic cigar, an Opus X Reserva D’ Chateau. This is from the iconic Fuente Opus X line that in my opinion changed the level of premium cigar cigars when they were released in the 90’s. I’ve been fortunate enough to smoke Opus since its inception and have always enjoyed the full spice, leather and savory notes these cigars provide. I feel the smaller vitolas such as the #4, #5 and the XXX provide more concentrated flavors indicative of the brand however the Reserva delivers nuances that the aficionado will enjoy. Make no mistake; this is not a lightweight cigar as it yields full flavors.
The Reserva has that lovely reddish brown Dominican wrapper the brand is known for. A few veins run across this smoke but nothing that would appear to hurt its performance. There are no soft spots and the cigar feels appropriately packed with tobacco. The foot has the smell of spice, sweet raisin and tobacco.
Taste & Smoke Characteristics
Upon lighting I was greeted with spice, leather and coffee notes. The leather lingers on the palate while a retro hale gives you a rush of spice through the nose. This cigar always awakens my senses with its startup as these are the flavors I tend to really enjoy. Midway the spice adjusts to reveal those lovely graham cracker and cinnamon notes I usually get from this cigar. The burn was uneven and the cigar required several relights however it did not detract from the flavors. As it progressed the leather was more pronounced while the spice took to the background. This cigar builds in strength at this point. By the last third the leather, earth and sweetness interplayed leaving a balanced and harmonious finish. The smoking time was about 2 hours 10 minutes.
Conclusion
As far as taste goes I’ve always enjoyed the leather, tobacco and spice Opus provides. The downside to these smokes can be the constant relights as well as the uneven burns at times. In the past few years the latest batch of Opus hasn’t given me the balance of flavors as of old, however within the past year I’ve noticed a return of said flavors. I don’t know the specifics of the past years crops although I have some unverified ideas. If you’ve never smoked an Opus X it is certainly a cigar worth your while. The smaller vitolas will really accent flavors although if you have the time smoke the Reserva D’ Chateau and treat yourself to a wonderfully balanced experience. You deserve it.
