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Getting in the Holiday Spirits

While the majority of my imbibing will always be northwest wines, this past year has seen a dramatic upturn in my spirits intake.

And why not? The craft distilling movement in Portland is impressively pouring out lots of new and highly flavorous libations, and the trend is increasingly spilling into Washington and British Columbia. Plus, a coterie of skilled cocktailians throughout the region are concocting all manner of creative cocktails with these spirits, from pre-prohibition classics to new wave constructions, all offering a dizzying selection of flavors. 

A hedonist like myself would be foolish to ignore what is happening in the Northwest spirits scene!

Lots of wine folks turn up their noses at spirits . . . how could one sink so low as to drink a cocktail? Too alcoholic . . . uncouth . . . unsophisticated, they say. Too bad for them, I say. They probably think of cocktails as something you knock back to build a buzz. That's simplistic and old-school thinking. Today's spirits and hip bartenders are using craft-made spirits to create a new wave of culinary-focused cocktails. 

When it comes to my libations, it's all about flavor, and I’ll not let a foolish fetish with stupid status get in the way of enjoying my imbibing—especially when the spirits and cocktails are so damn good!

I experienced so many top drawer Northwest spirits and spirit haunts (otherwise known as bars . . . still a word too loaded with unfortunate cultural connotations for me to use without some explanation) this past year that I wanted to share them with you. If you are among those who think spirits are crude and rude, you should try some of these . . .

Here’s my top 5 Northwest spirits of the year.

1) Apia Artisan Vodka

I am not much of a vodka drinker. Any product that is officially defined as a colorless, odorless, tasteless spirit is generally of no interest to me. But the Apia Artisan Vodka is an entirely different beast. Made by a team of young gents at Artisan Spirits Distillery in Portland, this vodka is distilled from mead. Yes, honey wine. The honey comes from Buzzing Canyon Apiary in Estacada, Oregon, the recipe comes from a family tradition going back to the Volga Basin in Russia, and the vodka . . . is sublime. 

Apia Vodka possesses an unusual weight on the tongue, with a silky density that is quite sensual. There are subtle flavors of, well, it has to be said, honey, but also an ethereal, nasal-cavity-echoing quality that hints at summer flower blossoms. This is a vodka to sip and savor—truly a special vodka! They also make a superb grape-based (most unusual) vodka that is well worth trying.

2) Marteau Absinthe

There is probably no more au courant spirit than Absinthe. Thanks to its long illegality,  its nearly mystical reputation as a muse to 19th Century artists and writers, and its undeserved renown as a source for insanity, every distiller around seems to be scrambling to make this legendary spirit, now that it is legal to do so.

The first North American version that I know of came out of California from St. George Spirits, and is a powerful and excellent anise-and-herbs formula. The second one I know about was produced in British Columbia by Okanagan Spirits, called Taboo (you can read about my problems getting a bottle across the border here), and is a very well made, herbal-accented style of the anise-driven absinthe. The third absinthe I am aware of came from Portland’s Integrity Spirits. Called Trillium, it has an overtly anise/licorice flavor, with little herbal depth and lots of sweetness.

And then comes Marteau. Formulated by Gwydion Stome, Seattle-based founder of The Wormwood Society, and distilled by House Spirits in Portland, this is unquestionably the best absinthe I have yet tasted. Complex, layered flavors of anise—certainly—but also many herbs that deliver many intriguing nuances, including mint, bay laurel, and other flavors I can’t begin to put a name to. 

I heartily recommend this absinthe . . . but I also suggest that you do a little research on the various ways of drinking absinthe before you open this bottle. When I took my first sip, it was straight—not the way to consume this spirit! The alcohol level was so high and the potency of the flavors so powerful, that I immediately went to the nearest kitchen sink to spit out my first sip! Not because it was bad, but because it was so overpowering. You need to drink this diluted. Here’s a good place to learn more about absinthe.

3) Sub Rosa Tarragon Flavored Vodka

Made by Mike Sherwood under his Sub Rosa spirits brand, this culinary-inspired vodka is wonderful to sip on its own, but is also excellent for adding an intriguingly herbal punch to mixed drinks. With so many aren’t-we-done-with-this-trend-yet, fruit-infusions of vodka out there, it is great to have a hand-crafted and distinctly un-fruity spirit to expand our taste horizons. Mike also makes a saffron flavored vodka that is quite good.

4) Oregon Ouzo

House Spirits distillery in Portland has become one of the nation’s leaders of the artisan distilling movement. Their newest enterprise is their Apothecary Line of small batch spirits. Their first release is an outstanding ouzo. Now, despite the inclusion of absinthe and ouzo on my list, licorice-flavored spirits are not at all my favorite kind. It is a flavor that I don’t actually dislike, but one I can only take in small doses. Even so, I cannot deny the excellence of these particular products. This ouzo has a great balance, with the licorice-anise notes being round and subtly sweet. There are other Apothecary Line spirits coming down the pike (all in a cool 375ml bottle and priced around $20) so I expect one of these future releases might make its way in to my 2009 list.

5) Victoria Gin

This fine sipping gin is made on Vancouver Island, British Columbia . . . and yes, I know, it is not available in the U.S. Never mind, it is a Northwest product and for American visitors to Vancouver or Victoria it is a treat that should be sought out (the U.S. dollar is back to making Canada a bargain again for U.S. visitors, by the way). 

Originated by Ken Winchester, Victoria Gin was introduced to the market at a gala event at the famed Empress Hotel’s Bengal Lounge in the spring of 2008. Since then Winchester has left the enterprise, and new distillers Bryan Murray and Peter Hunt are making the gin to the original formulation. Let’s hope they keep up the same level of quality! Victoria Gin is exceptionally smooth, with balanced flavors of juniper, coriander, citrus, anise, and other herbs . . . plus the requisite “secret ingredient” that the makers like to tout as so special. Whatever. It is still a great gin despite the “secret sauce” ballyhoo!

Runner Ups

There are so many other good products out there that I just wanted to give a shout out to a few more of my favorites:

>Clear Creek Douglas Fir. Everything Steve McCarthy makes is superb, and I love this eccentric eau de vie. It is not a new product, but it is a perennial favorite for me, especially around the holidays.

>Dry Fly Small Batch Gin out of Washington. An excellent product from Washington's first modern distillery. They also make a good vodka and a whiskey that I am eager to try.

>Taboo Absinthe from Okanagan Spirits. A very fine absinthe that stresses the herbal qualities in balance with the anise . . . something that can be difficult to find and that, to me, is a hallmark of a fine absinthe.

>House Spirits Rum. Okay, it isn't released yet, but watch out for it . . . I've been lucky enough to sample a variety of batches, and while I wasn't fond of their earliest attempts, these more recent rounds are superb.

Like many of the best Northwest culinary products, these spirits are made in small quantities and can be difficult-to-impossible to find outside of the Northwest. But if you are serious about sipping only the best, you should contact these producers and see what you can do to get yourself some. You'll be glad you did. And just in case the skeptical out there are wondering: I have no connection, financial or otherwise, with any of these producers. 

My Best Northwest Wines of 2008

It’s now officially the holidays, which always puts me into a contemplative state of mind. This year will be a bit different for me, since I need to devote every free minute (or perhaps every waking moment) to the manuscript of my book, which is due to the publisher in an uncomfortably short period of time.

Even so, the cold weather, warm hearth, smell of spruce, and romance of multi-colored strings of lights tends to mellow me into a slower gear where I savor 


everything a bit more intensely—including what I imbibe.

And I do seem to imbibe a bit more over the holidays, though I try to stick to my motto of “don’t drink less, just drink better.”

In that spirit, I wanted to pass along some of my personal picks for the “best of” 2008 Northwest wines that I’ve tasted in the past year (many of these were published in the 2008 Palate Picks roundup that appears in the November/December issue of Northwest Palate magazine). In my next post, I’ll point out the best spirits, as well.

Best Northwest Wines I Tasted This Year

Here's my list by varietal:

Pinot Gris: Anne Amie 2006 (Oregon, $19)

Pinot Blanc: Lake Breeze 2006 VQA (Okanagan Valley, BC, $16CDN)

Chardonnay: Columbia Crest 2005 Reserve (Horse Heaven Hills, $25)

Riesling: Anam Cara 2007 Nicholas Estate (Chehalem Mountains, $22)

Sauvignon Blanc: Mission Hill 2006 Reserve VQA (Okanagan Valley, $20CDN)

Viognier: Dobbes Family Estate 2005 (Rogue Valley, $20)

Rose: Le Vieux Pin 2007 Vaila Pinot Noir Rose, Stag Vineyard (Okanagan Valley, BC, $25CDN)

Pinot Noir: Scott Paul 2006 Audrey (Dundee Hills, $55)

Merlot: Woodward Canyon 2005 (Columbia Valley, $39)

Cabernet Sauvignon: Betz Family Winery 2005 Pere de Famille (Columbia Valley, $55)

Blend: Saint Laurent 2005 La Boheme (Wahluke Slope, $42)

Syrah: Gramercy Cellars, 2006 (Walla Walla Valley, $40)

Sweet: Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen, 2005 Riesling, Single Berry Select (Columbia Valley, $250 375ml)

So there they are: my personal picks of the best of 2008. Love 'em or ignore 'em, it's up to you!

And by the way ('cause I can see it coming): if any of you out there want to complain that you can't get the BC wines so why do I bother mentioning them . . . I say "get over it!" This is a Pacific Northwest imbibing blog and therefore a Pacific Northwest list . . . and just as the Internet knows no boundaries, so does the region called the Northwest. Hop in your car (or catch a flight) and get across the border to taste these great wines (that are as good as anything made in the U.S.). You will be amazed at the quality of wines you can get, as well as the quality of wine touring experience. 

Next up will be my list of the best Northwest-produced spirits.

2 Recipes for Holiday Goodness

This is a short post to direct your attention to two outstanding recipes for traditional holiday spirits-based drinks from two expert Northwest bartenders and engaging Northwest drinks bloggers. The first is to a killer egg nog recipe by Eugene, Oregon, master cocktailian Jeffrey Morgenthaler from his blog, and the second is to a delicious hot buttered rum recipe from Portland bartending whiz Lance Mayhew, from his blog My Life on the Rocks.

Most of us pick up a carton of egg nog from the grocery at some time during the holidays. The more creative of us go so far as to add some rum to a mug full of the stuff, and if we really have flair, we grind some nutmeg on top of it before drinking. Heaven forbid we should actually make it up ourselves!

But we should. And Mr. Morgenthaler’s recipe tells us exactly how to do it. All I can say is: follow his directions! It will be the best egg nog you’ve ever had, and will cure you evermore from buying the packaged stuff.

So it also is with that other traditional holiday drink, hot buttered rum. As soon as Christmas tree lots start sprouting, so the ubiquitous end caps of buttered rum batter begin blossoming in the grocery stores. Avoid the temptation of store-bought batter. Instead, use Mr. Mayhew’s magical recipe (the secret ingredient is Agave nectar . . . easily available at New Seasons stores in the Portland area, or similar better grocery markets in your local area) to elevate this too-frequently drab drink to one that has depth, complexity, and all the sweet spice we love at this time of year.

Here's a toast to enjoying the holidays better with better drinks!