Drink Matron

Category: Drink of the Week

  • Why Malternatives?

    Some of you may be asking yourself, why are malternatives the Booze of the Week? Well, the reason is simple – they’re popular. Despite the return of classic cocktails, the surge in craft beer popularity, and the amazing liqueur options available to people, sales of drinks like Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Bacardi Mojito, and Smirnoff Ice are still going strong. And even though drinking one is against my better judgement, they taste pretty good, and are quite refreshing on a hot summer afternoon.

  • The Whisky Regions of Scotland

    Single malt Scotches are made all over Scotland and are grouped together by region.  Traditionally, there were four regions: The Highlands, Lowland, Islay, and Campbeltown.  Speyside is a newly established region, splitting away from The Highlands and sporting over half the distilleries in Scotland.  Campbeltown lost its status as an official Scotch region a few years ago, but has been reinstated recently.

    Each region has it’s own distinct style and flavor, which mainly comes from the ingredients used.  It’s a subtle difference, but that’s why you drink single malt scotch: for the nuanced and subtle flavors.

    Lowland

    Scotches distilled in the Lowland region tend to have a maltier, less peaty flavor which makes for a more subdued whisky.  Traditionally, distillers in the Lowland region also triple distill their whisky, which further mellows the flavor.  As geographically large as the Lowland region is, there are relatively few distilleries here.  Notwithstanding, Lowland Scotches are some of the more demanded and pricier Scotches around the world.

    Speyside

    With the increased number of distilleries in the Speyside sub-region, they were given full region status by the Scotch Whisky Association.  More than likely, the single malt at your neighborhood bar (if they even have one) is from this region. Speyside Scotch is the most famous of the Scotches: Cragganmore, Glenfiddich, The Glenlivet, Glen Moray, The Macallan are all from Speyside.  This whisky tends to be sweeter than the other regions, likely because of the practice of aging the whisky in sherry barrels.  If there is any peaty character to any of these Scotches, it is only a hint.

    Highland

    A significantly large portion of Scotland, the Highland region produces robust, full-bodied Scotch.  They commonly have a floral, spicy flavor that can be attributed to the regional peat soil used in the malting process.

    Campbeltown

    Campbeltown is a tiny peninsula that used to support over 30 distilleries and was lauded as the Whisky Capital of the World.  There are only 3 Campbeltown distilleries left: Glen Scotia, Springbank, and newcomer Glengyle.  Campbeltown whiskys have a mix of sweet and salty flavors, and tend to be smokier than other Scotches.

    Islay

    The most distinct of the single malts, Islay Scotches are each as distinct from each other as the regional Scotches are.  Islay whisky tends to have a strong smoky, peaty flavor with a definite briny undertone.  Some are less peaty, some less smoky, some sweeter, some more savory.  Islay Scotches are in a class of their own.  A little tip from experience: If you pick up a bottle of Islay Scotch that is too smoky for you, hold onto it for a few year (or try buying an older bottle).  The smoky flavor is the first thing to mellow and it mellows significantly over time.

  • Blended Scotch vs Single Malt Scotch

    In the Scotch world, single malt drinkers tend to look down their noses at blended Scotch drinkers.  Is it warranted?

    Production

    All malt whisky is created the same (and grain whisky with a few minor alterations).

    Soak your grains in water until they start to sprout.
    Toast grains over the span of several days to halt the conversion of starch to fermentable sugar. (Not done for grain whisky)
    Grind malt into grist and steep in hot water.  The starches are converted to fermentable sugars in the water.
    Add yeast and allow wort to ferment.
    Separate solids from wash and distill (generally twice).
    Stick it in a cask and let it ferment for at least three years.

    This is the point at which the process changes.

    Single Malt

    At some point in the aging process, a cask of whisky will be deemed acceptable to bottling.  Casks of varying ages will be blended together to create a batch of single malt Scotch.  The single malt refers to the fact that the whisky must be made with 100% malted barley and is only blended with other whisky from the same distillery.  On a caveat, there is such a thing as single cask Scotch (which is incredibly rare, and more than you can afford), which is a bottle of Scotch that came from a single cask and wasn’t blended with anything else.

    Blended

    After a certain amount of time goes by, the distilleries will sell off some of their casks to blended scotch companies.  Each blended Scotch company will purchase enormous amounts of whisky from dozens of different distilleries, but a majority of their purchases will be grain whisky – not malt whisky.  That’s because 80% of blended Scotch is grain whisky, and the 20% that is malt whisky is a blend of up to 20 (but typically less than 15) single malts.

    So What Does That Mean Regarding Flavor?

    I’m glad you asked!  First of all, the grain whiskey that is used in the blending process has a higher alcohol content and is nearly flavorless so this has no effect on the flavor profile of blended whisky.  So the difference in flavor is that each distillery produces their own distinct flavor of Scotch and they put a great deal of effort into producing a quality, unique product that stands apart.  Meanwhile the folks making the blended scotches are spending just as much effort to create a quality product that focuses on consistency and moderate flavor as opposed to uniqueness.

    Talisker
    The Scotch that gets my motor running.

    You can think of it like mom-and-pop restaurants vs. franchises.  Some people would rather go to the franchise that they KNOW is above average no matter where in the world they are, while some people would rather try the mom-and-pop restaurant and run the risk of truly awful food if there’s a chance that it might be AMAZING food.  With blended scotch, you’ll always get a consistent flavor that isn’t too over the top.  With a single malt, it’s hit or miss.  Luckily, if you come across that single malt that makes your mouth salivate just thinking about it, you can always go back for more, no matter where you’re at.

  • Cheap Scotch: A Guide to Scotches on a College Student Budget

    Scotch is like wine.  Everybody gets all up in arms about it, fighting over which is better and what region makes it best and whether this premium brand is better than that premium brand.  But they forget all about what got them into it in the first place: The simple pleasure of enjoying a glass.

    When I was in college, we tended to keep 2 bottles of scotch in the house: a fifth of a single malt (typically old, typically not cheap), and a half gallon bottle of Lauder’s (incredibly cheap and doesn’t suck).  The idea was to drink a finger of the expensive stuff to really enjoy a good scotch and finish the night out with something less expensive because after the first drink, your palette can’t really appreciate the nuance of the single malt anymore anyway.

    I love scotch more than any other liquor in the world.  I appreciate the premium brands and will occasionally indulge and buy myself a bottle of single malt (I’ve had an ongoing 10 year love affair with Talisker) that I will milk for several months.  But what do we scotch lovers do when we can’t justify handing over our hard earned cash for that pricey bottle of booze?  We buy cheap!  Without further ado, here is the the Gallery of Cheap Scotches:

    Lauder’s Scotch

    ($16.99/1.75L)

    Imported from Glasgow, Lauder’s holds a special place in my heart.  This stuff was the table wine at my house in college.  We always had some, and it was the default drink of choice.  It also holds a special place in my heart because it’s so damn cheap!  At $17 for a half gallon, you can’t go wrong!  Granted, you get what you pay for, but I’ve had worse tasting scotches that cost far more than this.

    Famous Grouse

    ($30.99/1.75L)

    Famous Grouse is dangerously toeing the line between cheap and not-so-cheap, but considering it’s the most imbibed scotch in Scotland, I think we can group it into this category.  This stuff is mass produced to be good enough for general consumption without the haughty airs of the single malt world.  It’s Scotch, it tastes like Scotch, and it won’t cost you a paycheck to buy it.

    Vat 69

    ($23.99/1.75L)

    To be honest, I don’t really know anything about Vat 69 except that they have camo in the label.  Awesome?  You bet!  Tasty drink?  I have no idea.  A friend of mine from Spain once reminisced about how he and his friends used to drink this stuff like water and that he couldn’t believe they still made it.

    J & B

    ($29.98/1.75L)

    Short for Justerini and Brooks, J&B Scotch is one of the Diageo brands (these include Guiness, Bailey’s, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, and Jose Cuervo to name a few).  It is the drink of choice of Patrick Bateman and John Wayne Gacy, and Truman Capote used to order it by its full name, refusing to shorten it to simply “J&B.”  It is an average blended whiskey that will cost you a bit more than most cheap scotches, but won’t put you too far out of pocket for the taste.

    Ballantine’s

    ($19.99/1.75L)

    If you can’t get Lauder’s but you need something cheap, Ballantine’s is the way to go.  It’s not tasty and it’s kind of harsh, but for the price it will get you where you’re going.

    Cutty Sark

    ($29.99/1.75L)

    A friend of mine bought me a bottle of this for my birthday one year.  I was put off by the fact that they included 4 tiny little shot glasses, as if I was going to sit down with 3 of my friends and go shot for shot until the bottle was gone.  It’s on the high end of the cheap Scotches, and frankly not worth the cost in my opinion.  I’d pass on this, but you may like it more than me – after all, I do like Lauders!

    Johnnie Walker Red Label

    ($39.99/1.75L)

    Though it isn’t really cheap, I feel that Johnnie Walker Red Label deserves an honorable mention.  It is the most prolific Scotch in the U.S., is good to have around, and is currently the Scotch I like to keep around my house.

    [If you have any suggestions for good cheap Scotches, email cheapscotch@drinkmatron.prjct.info or comment below.]

  • Bacon Infused Scotch

    Scotch week has come at a very inconvenient time for us, since we’re broke and Scotch costs money. This further inconveniences me because I was excited to do some infusing of bacon and Scotch and tell you all about it.

    I got the idea from a spectacular website called baconscotch.info, a site run by some seriously brilliant folks who love bacon and Scotch. They in turn found a recipe for bacon infused Scotch from Girl + Fire = Food, that makes even my less-than-thrilled-about-Scotch tastebuds poke me in anticipation.

    So, even though I won’t be infusing anything this week (eventually I will though, and explain every exciting detail), I thought I’d share the recipe with my (possibly) better funded readers. If you do make it, please send me pics or a review of how it turns out and I’ll post it here!

    via [http://www.baconscotch.info/?tag=bacon-infused-scotch]

    Bacon Infused Scotch

    3-4 strips fatty bacon
    1 tablespoon freshly rendered bacon fat
    1 bottle of scotch

    1. Fry up the bacon. Save a tablespoon of bacon fat. Eat the bacon. (If 3-4 strips doesn’t give you a full tablespoon, fry some more!)

    2. Pour the scotch into a clean, wide-mouth container. You don’t want to put the bacon fat in the alcohol’s original bottle because some might get stuck in there, which leads to floating fat globules and that’s not pretty.

    3. Let the mixture marinate overnight.

    4. The next morning, stash the mixture in the freezer. Scotch doesn’t freeze, but the fat will. After a few hours, the fat will be solid, making it very easy to fish out. Even easier if you used a wide-mouth container.

    5. Strain the alcohol back into its original bottle.

    Drink up my lovelies! (that’s from me, DM)

  • Found on the internet: a guide to Scotch whisky

    The key to drinking Scotch whisky is truly understanding what it is and where it comes from. Being that I am not a Scotch drinker (that’s Adrian’s thing), I have been researching constantly trying to learn as much about this popular booze in order to bring you the absolute best information possible about it. I had an idea in my mind of how to present it to you and everything. And then I came upon an article by those guys over at The Art of Manliness, and after reading it, realized that not only was it the exact article that I planned on writing, but that as experienced Scotch drinkers, they had written it better than I could ever imagine. So gentlemen and ladies, I present to you that article on the basics of Scotch whisky.

    [The Art of Manliness Guide to Scotch Whiskey] via [The Art of Manliness]

  • Scotch – A man’s drink

    While I don’t necessarily believe Scotch to be strictly a man’s drink, this Scotch advert is quite entertaining, and true.

    [vimeo 4138781 w=400 h=225]

    Scotch – A man’s drink from Dylan Couper on Vimeo.

  • What’s So Fancy About Rye Whiskey?

    Each variety of whiskey is special in its own way and has its own distinct flavor.  Where bourbons are typically sweeter, ryes have a spicy flavor.  In the U.S., Rye Whiskey is required by law to contain 51% or more rye in the mash.  The rye lends its flavor heartily to the whiskey, making for a dry, spicy flavor that sets it apart from other whiskeys.

    America had its love affair with rye whiskey prior to Prohibition. It was the most prolific spirit available in the U.S. and was almost the only thing drank in the Northeast.  George Washington even distilled the stuff at his Mt. Vernon home.  Very few rye whiskey distillers survived Prohibition, meaning supply was negligible.  America quickly turned its attention to bourbon and nearly forgot about rye whiskey, leaving it to the purview of hillbillies and others not intimidated by Johnny Law for making their own hooch.

    In recent years, rye whiskey has started to make a comeback.  Major bourbon distillers now offer their own brands of rye and they are starting to be seen more frequently in bars across the country.  If you’re like me and are not a big fan of sugary, sweet drinks – next time you order a cocktail that calls for bourbon, ask the bartender to put rye in its place.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised how much more tolerable the cocktail is.

  • Rye Whiskey Recipes – The Classic Manhattan

    One of the most well known drinks of the modern age, the Manhattan gives its drinker an air of class and good taste. It’s simple to mix, just don’t mess with the recipe.

    It’s hard to say when the Manhattan was first poured, however, the most common story is that it was invented during a 1870’s banquet at the Manhattan Club hosted by Winston Churchill’s mother Jennie Jerome. The party was for democratic candidate Samuel J. Tilden, who didn’t win the election, but whose party drink became favorable with both democrats and republicans. People were soon ordering “the Manhattan cocktail” after the place it originated, giving the drink its name.

    Other stories claim that the drink was originally mixed by a man named Black in a bar on Broadway, that it was invented at a party for Tilden but that Jerome was not involved, and that there really was no origin, that Manhattan was just another name people called a drink that mixed whiskey, bitters and sugar syrup (which was later replaced with vermouth).

    Most commonly using rye whiskey as its main element, the Manhattan can also be made with Canadian and Tennessee whiskey, Scotch or bourbon. How much vermouth is added depends on the bartender, and often, bitters is not included. For many, however, the original recipe cannot and should not be diverted from – the drink is too much of a classic. Purists will often discourage any use of garnish as well, saying that the added flavor takes away from the true essence of the cocktail. However, the drink is traditionally served with a maraschino cherry.

    The Manhattan

    • 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth
    • 2 1/2 oz. rye whiskey
    • 1 dash Angostura bitters
    • Highball glass

    Combine the vermouth, bourbon whiskey, and bitters with 2 – 3 ice cubes in a mixing glass. Stir gently, don’t bruise the spirits and cloud the drink. Strain the whiskey mixture into a highball glass.

    Can also be served on the rocks.

  • The Many Flavors of Captain Morgan

    How many varieties of Captain Morgan are there?  If you said “one” then you’ve been living under a rock!  But seriously, there are nearly a dozen different brands of rum that sail under the flag of that dread pirate.

    Private Stock

    Captain Morgan Private Stock is made from premium reserve rum, mixed with higher grade, mellower spices and then barrel-aged for at least two years.  The high quality of the ingredients coupled with the barrel aging gives this rum a more complex, robust flavor than the original.  It might make your mixed drink taste smoother, but you’ll be losing more of the nuance than it’s worth.

    I’ll be honest, I’m not a big rum fan.  It’s usually to sweet and leaves a filmy feeling in my mouth after drinking it, but I’ve gotta say that I don’t mind Private Stock one bit.  I’ve enjoyed it one the rocks before and didn’t hate the experience.

    100-Proof Spiced Rum

    It’s interesting that Captain Morgan has a 100 proof variety, since rum is really where the proof measurement originates.  Ships used to be mandated to carry barrels of rum with them on voyages and it was required that each barrel be tested to ensure the was enough alcohol in each batch of rum.  This was achieved by lighting the rum on fire, if it could sustain combustion it was said to be “100 degrees proof” spirits and fit for travel on the Seven Seas. (Anybody currently yelling at their computer right now about how wrong I am: Yes I know there is more to it than that, but I’m not expounding on it in this article)

    Lime Bite

    As advertised, Captain Morgan Lime Bite is a white rum with a hint of lime added to give it a more “tropical” flavor, and to be honest what rum drink doesn’t taste better with a little lime juice?

    I guess this is for people who hate cutting limes to garnish their drinks.  It’s exactly what they advertise.  If you were to buy a bottle of Silver Spiced Rum and pour some lime juice into it, you would get Lime Bite.  The problem I have with something like this, is there’s no way to vary the amount of lime (unless you want more lime).

    Original Spiced

    The rum Garth Brooks wrote a song about, the flagship of the line – it’s what everyone wants with their Coke.  This “product of Jamaica” was originally manufactured by the Seagram’s company in Puerto Rico.  I bet they’re kicking themselves for selling the brand so many years ago.

    I’d go so far as to say that this is the iconic rum worldwide.  I can’t think of another rum that I’ve heard someone call for, and every bar may vary what rums they have on hand, but they ALWAYS have that carefree bearded man in red staring down at you from the back bar.

    Long Island Iced Tea

    Of any drink I can think of, the Long Island Iced Tea has the most number of ingredients.  Captain Morgan has conveniently bottled up equal parts of rum, vodka, whiskey, gin and triple-sec to make a pre-mixed Long Island Iced Tea.  Just splash some Coke on top and you can commence to jigglin’.

    I’m citing this product as my argumentem ad populum proof that tequila doesn’t belong in a Long Island Iced Tea (take that Drink Matron!).  I imagine this is something for the folks who don’t like mixing their own drinks.  I’m fine with this as a product for home use, but be forewarned bar owners!  If I see this being used in a bar, I’m boycotting the place!

    Silver Spiced

    Infuse a white rum with the same secret blend of Caribbean spices that are in the original recipe and you get Captain Morgan Silver Spiced Rum.  This rum has that same smooth, sweet, vanilla flavor as the original, just lighter and drier.

    I don’t think I can emphasize enough that I’m not particular to rum because of its inherent sweetness, but I think I would be a fan of Silver Spiced rum.  It’s a bit drier than other rums and might suit my pallet a little better.

    Tattoo

    In a time when Jägermeister was the king of the bar and club circuit, Tattoo was the Captain Morgan response to that craze.  Described as “dark and mysterious,” it still retains its title as a rum, but there’s enough additives to make it taste nothing like a rum (plus they don’t age it).  Ultimately, you end up with a raspberry/herbal liqueur flavor (kind of like if you mixed Chambord with Jägermeister) that will make the juiceheads keep coming back for more.  Yes, I know I’m stereotyping Jägermeister drinkers, but I can’t help but visualize this only being popular in a darkened night club.

    Parrot Bay

    Parrot Bay is the Captain Morgan brand of flavored rums.  Available in coconut, mango, pineapple passion fruit, key lime, strawberry, and orange.  Talk about your sickly-sweet spirits.  Parrot Bay rum is designed to be mixed into a cocktail, usually the big, tropical/tiki drinks.  Though it’s probably a favorite with the people who don’t like the taste of alcohol, much like puckers or schnapps with more alcohol. If you like flavored rums for this reason, I don’t care how old you are, I’m calling you a 13 year old girl.

    Dark

    As with any other spirit, if rum is aged longer in a barrel, the color will get darker.  Captain Morgan Dark Rum is aged for a bit longer than the Original Spiced Rum, letting the characteristics of the oak come through a little stronger.

    Deluxe Dark

    Captain Morgan Deluxe Dark is a mixture of Captain Morgan Dark Rum and a blend of Canadian rums.  This product is only available in Canada.

    White

    I was always taught that when mixing a cocktail you should use white rum over any other variety, unless it is specifically called for.  That way, the flavor of the rum doesn’t overpower the rest of the cocktail and the nuance of flavor of the rum isn’t lost in a sea of other flavors.  Captain Morgan only sells this product outside the U.S.  My theory why they don’t sell this in the U.S. is because Bacardi has made white rum their niche and they’ve filled it so heavily, that it has to be difficult to make a profit on any other premium white rum.

    Gold

    There are three main varieties of rum – white, dark, and gold (or amber).  Gold rum is barrel-aged, but not as long as dark rum.  The only difference between Captain Morgan Gold and Captain Morgan Original is the spices: they aren’t present in this product.  With as many varieties of rum that Captain Morgan makes and distributes, I find it surprising that they don’t distribute a plain gold rum in the U.S.