pockets holiday 2009 issue
DESCRIPTION
The Holiday 2009 issue of PocketsTRANSCRIPT
PO
CK
ET
S
HO
LID
AY
20
09
Gift G
uide MA
LDIV
ES ES
CA
PE Erm
enegildo Zegna TES
LA R
OA
DSTER
Skiing B
.C. S
AZER
AC R
YE
Escape tothe Maldives
Electric Glide:Tesla’s Roadster
The Joy ofMade-to-Measure
Buffalo Trace’sSazerac Rye
Skiing Largeat Revelstoke
WHAT MEN WANT:THE POCKETSGIFT GUIDE
POCKETSH O L I D A Y 2 0 0 9
The Look of Luxury
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888.880.3462 | zegna.com
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19
{ contents }
57
departments
Invitation to Style35 years of style—and counting 6
The Pockets GuideThe best of buttons … modern Mexican cuisine
… the perfect shirt for you … and more! 9
The Pockets ProfileA must-read book by a Dallas
philanthropist 14
Finishing TouchSuper sales associate Laura McElyea’s expert advice for Pockets customers 48
features20
30
Gift Guide 2009The best of the season, hand-selected by our team of experts ~-~ 16 ~-~
The Pockets Interview: Made to MeasureErmenegildo Zegna, CEO of the company that bears his name, explains the virtues of “MTM.” ~-~ 20 ~-~
Electric GlideIf your experience of electric vehicles is limited to golf carts, the acceleration of the Tesla Roadster just might blow your mind. ~-~ 22 ~-~
Mixed SetsSmart combinations of patterns make for a confi dent, modern look. ~-~ 26 ~-~
Escape to the MaldivesTropical glamour and barefoot elegance—these are the two visions of beachside paradise offered by Reethi Rah and Cocoa Island. ~-~ 30 ~-~
columns
The Sporting LifeRevelstoke and Kicking Horse, two of the newer alpine resorts in British Columbia, represent North America’s frontier of lift-served skiing. 37MaltA classic American spirit, straight rye is all the rage. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac is a stellar new example. 40GrapeRich and inky, Clos Trigue-dina, Prince Probus and the New Black Wine are gorgeous Malbecs from Cahors. 44
44
26
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{ invitation to style }
6 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
3 5 Y E A R S O F S T Y L E — A N D C O U N T I N G
In 1974, I felt the strong pull of
the entrepreneurial urge. I’d been
working for the Clyde Campbell
clothing chain for about five years
and had moved to Dallas to man-
age one of the local stores.
As luck would have it, I heard
about a local barbershop whose
next-door neighbor, a menswear
store, had recently closed. I went
to check it out. The store, about
500 square feet, shared the same
entryway as the barbershop. I made a
deal with the owners of the barbershop to sublease the place to my wife and
me. We cleared out the space—our only tools were a kitchen knife, a saw and
a hammer-—installing everything ourselves except the carpet and mirrors.
I worked the store by myself for about a year and a half, selling patch-
work jeans and nylon shirts. My wife was then pregnant with our second
child. One day she called me to tell me she was in labor, and I had to close
the store and rush to the hospital. Those were interesting and fun days
and I am glad to be on the other side now.
This year we celebrate the 35th anniversary of our store. The slick
1970s shirts are gone, but we carry a hand-selected collection of predomi-
nantly Italian clothing and international sportswear and we feel our final
destination is here at Highland Park Village. We are grateful for the support
of so many wonderful friends, customers and vendors. Our fantastic staff
makes it all work and without them, there would be nothing to talk about.
From the beginning, our establishment has been a labor of love. We
have always wanted our customers to dress better than they have to, and
we make every effort to carry that out with attention to each client’s inter-
ests and needs. We come to work with a daily passion to improve every
area of our buying, selling and marketing. And we genuinely enjoy working
with you, our loyal customers.
We hope to please you, too, with this issue of POCKETS magazine,
featuring articles about the quietest, coolest new automobile, most exotic
luxury destinations, and best gifts—all in the style to which we know you
are accustomed.
At this holiday time, please accept our thanks for being part of the
history of Pockets Menswear—and part of our future. You have our best
wishes for a healthy and peaceful season with your loved ones. We look
forward to seeing you in our store soon.
DAVID SMITH
S n e a k P E E K S
In the money
see page 16
Dressed to thrill
see page 12
48 HIGHLAND PARK VILLAGE, DALLAS, TX 75205214.368.1167 www.pocketsmenswear.com
S t o r e H o u r s MONDAY to SATURDAY: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Editorial Director DAVID SMITH
Editor & Publisher MARK DOWDEN
Creative Director AMY A . DOWDEN
Art Director STEPHEN M. V ITARBO
Contributing Editors JENNIFER CENICOLA,
JUL IA C . IRELAND, T IMOTHY KELLEY, IAN
KEOWN, MARIA L ISSANDRELLO,
FRANCESCA MOIS IN , EVERETT POTTER
Contributing Photographers FULTON DAVENPORT, DANIEL SPRINGSTON
Art Associate LAURA CARAMAGNA
Art Assistant PATRICE HORVATH Corporate Editorial Director
RITA GUARNA
National Advertising Manager SHAE MARCUS
Advertising Account Executive
STEPHANIE STAIANO
Advertising Sales Assistant
SABA KAHN
Production Manager CHRIST INE HAMEL
Advertising Services Manager
THOMAS RAGUSA
Senior Art Director, Agency Services KIJOO K IM Marketing Manager SEAN GALLAGHER
Marketing Coordinator ELIZABETH MEE
Accounting AGNES ALVES,
MAGDALENA SZARGUT
Published by
Chairman CARROLL V. DOWDEN
President MARK DOWDEN
Executive Vice President JOEL EHRLICH
Vice Presidents AMY A . DOWDEN,
N IGEL EDELSHAIN, R ITA GUARNA,
SHANNON STEITZ , SUZANNE TRON
Regional Sales Director DOUGLAS C . BARKER
Circulation Director LAUREN MENA
P O C K E T S Magazine is published twice a year by Wainscot Media, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645, in association with Pockets. Copyright © 2009 by Wainscot Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Edi tor ia l Contr ibut ions : Write to Editor, Pockets, 110 Summit Avenue, Mont-vale, NJ 07645; telephone 201.782.5730; email [email protected]. The magazine is not responsible for the return or loss of unsolicited submissions.
Subscr ip t ion Serv ices :
To change an address or request a subscription, write to Subscriptions, POCKETS, Circulation Department, PO Box 1788, Land O Lakes, FL 34639; telephone 813.996.6579;email [email protected].
Adver t is ing Inqui r ies : Contact Shae Marcus at 856.797.2227 or [email protected].
POCKETS
The way we wore: scenes from a 1978
Pockets Menswear mailer
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{ the pockets guide }
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 8 /
Achieving closure: the low-down on buttonsA perfectly good suit or sportcoat can be spoiled by
the use of plastic buttons. The garments we sell at
Pockets have natural buttons made of horn or corozo.
They look right and they resist breakage.
Everyone knows where horn buttons come from,
but what about corozo? It’s the white nut of a 20-foot
palm tree, Phitelephas macrocarpas, that grows in
the forests of northwest South America. Also known
as “vegetable ivory” because of its resemblance to
ivory, corozo was first used by Italian tailors to make
buttons in the late 19th century. Corozo has the virtue
of being heat-resistant as well as breakage-resistant,
and it can be dyed any color.
For shirts, of course, the material of choice
is mother of pearl. This, too, is an all-natural sub-
stance—the iridescent lining of the shells of pearl
oysters, abalone and certain other mollusks. Most so-
called mother-of-pearl buttons are made of plastic and
therefore prone to breakage. The Truzzi shirt pictured
here, on the other had, has real Australian mother-of-
pearl buttons, cut extra-thick for durability and hand-
sewn to the shirt in Italy.
Pick a Pocket SquareThis small accessory is back
in fashion. It also packs a
lot of style, expressing your
personal taste and chang-
ing the whole look of an
outfit. A variety is available
at Pockets in your choice
of silk, cotton or linen, from
$50 to $85.
The LURE of LEATHERAmong Pockets
Menswear’s
most popular outer-
wear brands is the
Italian maker known
as Gimo’s. Renzo Girardin
founded Gimo’s in 1968
as an atelier specializing in
leather garments of the high-
est quality. Based north of Ven-
ice in San Martino di Lupari,
Gimo’s has remained faithful
to traditional Italian methods of
producing leather goods. But
from the very start, the label
also has been propelled by
fashion. Each season, Gimo’s
designers produce dynamic
new collections. A Gimo’s
leather jacket is sophisticated,
sexy and contemporary—
like the man who wears it.
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 9
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{ the pockets guide }
THE PERFECT SHIRT for youLittle details are important to you—no use denying it—so you’ll
be glad to know that Pockets Menswear offers custom shirts for
men. A custom shirt is all about the details. Consider the matter
of fi t. Ready-made shirts are sized by collar (to the half inch) and
sleeve length. Our custom shirts are sized by chest, waist, hips,
yoke, tail length, waist length, right sleeve length, left sleeve
length, right cuff size, left cuff size, exact collar size, back collar
height and front collar height.
These individualized measurements are meticulously trans-
lated for us by Hamilton Custom Shirtmakers, a family-owned busi-
ness since 1883. Each collar, cuff and shirt body is cut individually
from a pattern made for the client; the pieces are then assembled
by Hamilton’s experienced single-needle sewing staff.
You’ll instantly appreciate the difference in appearance and
comfort when you try on your fi rst custom shirt. Has your shirt
ever risen from your trouser waistband, coming untucked or bal-
looning around your waist? If you’re not wearing custom, then you
don’t even need to respond, because we know the answer is yes!
And we can guarantee that will never happen again.
Besides a superior fi t, you’ll enjoy shirts that are bespoke
in every way. You’ll choose color, pattern and fabric from literally
hundreds of options. You’ll choose collar style, size and height;
cuff style, size and button options; pocket style (one, two or no
pockets) and shape; monogram style, color and placement. And
your shirt will be made with utterly fastidious attention to quality,
which means it will last, which makes it a good value.
Give Pockets custom a try and you’ll never look back.
Dallas denizens
love their chi-
michangas and
their queso. Chef
Gabriel DeLeon
knows this. But
so convinced was
he that area foodies
would be receptive to a
more authentic, sophisticated
Mexican cuisine that created Mazaryrk Modern
Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Lounge, recently
opened in Addison Circle. “Modern Mexican cuisine
is more global—we consider the whole world our pantry,”
DeLeon says. “I use all kinds of ingredients, like lemongrass,
pestos, chanterelle mushrooms and beurre blanc.” So far,
so good: Mazaryk’s signature duck carnitas and sea bass
tacos have gained quite a following, and the Tequila
Lounge’s Mil Besos Margarita recently won a Best
of Dallas Award. And no wonder: it’s made of
fresh lime juice, agave nectar, Grand Marnier,
and your choice of the lounge’s 45 100
percent blue agave tequilas (that’s
the best kind, naturally). Visit
www.modmexkitchen.com or
call 972-701-8500.
LA COCINA like you’ve never seen
Compliments to our customers’ good tasteYou know shopping at Pockets
Menswear is a special experi-
ence. Isn’t it nice to know that
national arbiters feel the same
way? MR, a national publica-
tion covering the men’s retail
industry, recently bestowed
its Uptown/Downtown Award
on Pockets, citing our creativ-
ity and retail excellence. And
Esquire, the go-to magazine
for well-dressed men for 75
years, placed Pockets on its
2009 Gold Standard list. The
recognition honors stores that
“continuously raise the bar
of what it means to be the
best in the business.” Actu-
ally, Pockets has been on this list—one of only three in stores in Texas so
named—as long as the list has been around. Stop by soon for an award-
winning shopping experience!
1 0 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
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In an era of brand diversifi cation, it’s refreshing that Hiltl,
maker of some of the world’s best trousers since 1955,
has steadfastly resisted the urge to make anything but
trousers. “We never wanted to be the biggest, just
the very best,” said founder Fritz Hiltl, and the
company has stayed true to his vision.
Being the best means dedication to craftsmanship,
using the best materials and achieving a perfect fi t.
The goal is to ensure that every pair of Hiltls is of
made-to-measure quality, and in pursuit of that goal, “we are
quality freaks,” says managing director Franz Josef Wolf.
Here are a few of the ways his tailors pursue perfection:
by using custom-made, nickel-free metal zippers that stand
up to abusive dry-cleaning; by affi xing only genuine horn
buttons with heavy-duty stitching; by reinforcing pocket
inlets with crescent-shaped welting; by using extra-long
viscose frontal lining to ensure full coverage of the knees
and prevent bulging; by creating extremely narrow-stitched
seams that won’t “press through” during ironing—an advan-
tage with today’s lightweight, high-performance fabrics.
In short, German engineering stands for something in
the world of trousers, no less than in the world of automo-
biles. Pants made by Hiltl look right, feel right and last a long
time, which is why Pockets is pleased to carry them.
German engineering for your trousers
{ the pockets guide }
THE A-to-Z LISTPockets Menswear features more than 40 designer brands under one roof. See if you don’t fi nd your favorites among the list below. Then stop by the store for a shopping experience you’ll love.
AG Jeans
Arnold Zimberg
Canali
Carrot & Gibbs
Clint Orms Engravers
CP Company
Dolcepunta
Ermenegildo Zegna
Eyebobs
Gimo’s
Gran Sasso
Gravati
Hiltl
Incotex
Inhabit
Jake Agave
John Varvatos
La Matta
Lorenzini
Luciano Barbera
Martin Dingman
Masons
Massimo Bizzocchi
Michael Toschi
Moore & Giles
Mulholland
Nicky
Niformas
Pantherella
Robert Talbott
Saltaire
Scrooples
St. Croix
7 For All Mankind
Tasca
To Boot
Transit
Trussini
W. Kleinberg
Zanella
Scrooples
Zegna
Quite simply, this Colorado company makes
the fi nest bowties you can buy. Crafted from
specially selected and imported 100 percent silk
fabrics, each tie is individually cut, sewn and
pressed by hand. While other designers secure
metal clasps on the backs of their pieces, Carrot
& Gibbs’ feature only mother-of-pearl buttons
that can be used for adjustment and attach-
ment. Colors and patterns run the gamut from
elegant paisleys to whimsical polka dots.
carrot & gibbs
Canali
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{ the pockets profi le }
1 4 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
I recently visited with Dallas philanthropist Shan-
non Skokos regarding her new book, Ask God’s
Creatures: And They Will Teach You. More than
three years in the making, it was inspired by what
she calls “a life-changing excursion” through
South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
“I truly feel privileged to have been able to
witness the strength and beauty of the wildlife
and the surrounding ecosystems,” she says. The
book is beautifully bound, and the photos of ani-
mals—taken by Shannon herself—are amazing. But
the soul of the book is found in Shannon’s insights
into animals, mankind and the Bible. She pairs her
photos with scriptural “lessons,” divided into three
sections: Strength, Respect and Wisdom.
When I asked Shannon whether every animal
she saw in South Africa inspired her in some way,
she said, “There is something to be learned from
every person you meet. The same is true for the
animals. Job 12:7 teaches us to ‘Ask the animals
and they will teach you; or the birds of the air, and
they will tell you.’”
In addition to her work as author and photo-
grapher, Shannon, a former Miss Arkansas and
motivational speaker, is an attorney. With her
husband, she founded the Ted and Shannon Skokos
Foundation, which awards grants to public charities
that make a positive impact on society by, among
other things, advancing education, the arts, science
More than a COFFEE TABLE BOOK
By David Smith, owner, Pockets Menswear
Skokos, top, subtitled
her book “A Photo-
graphic Depiction of
Lessons Learned on a
South African Safari.”
Above, a leopard
reposes in a tree;
right, hippos cool off.
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and religion. She sits on the boards of the Baylor
Health Care System Foundation, AT&T Performing
Arts Center, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Opera,
Brinker International Forum, Texas Women for the
Arts Cultural Trust, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
and North Texas Super Bowl XLV SLANT 45.
Reading her book, you will be struck by
Shannon’s strong belief that God created
everything. Those of us who agree will enjoy
sharing her perspective on God’s presence in
His creation.
You can order this limited-edition book
through www.askgodscreatures.com. All profits
will go to charity.
Skokos photographed
these natives of South
Africa’s Kruger National
Park. Clockwise from
top: lilac-breasted roller,
elephant, impala
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1 6 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
{ gift guide } Cuff him in one of
our stylish pairs,
available in a
variety of materials
and designs, from
$155 to $450.
Gift guide 2009
The best of the season, hand-selected by a team of experts (that’s us!)
He’s in the money with
these practical and good-
looking alligator-and-rhodium
money clips, which can be
engraved. See a range of styles
from $135 to $325 at our store.
He’ll be comfortable from
the inside out in these
Royal Highnies boxers of
the finest pure white pima
cotton; $75 a pair.
A gift is never
“just a tie” when
it’s an eye-catch-
ing, 100 percent
silk design from
Ermenegildo
Zegna; $170.
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Solid-wood hangers from Kirby
Allison’s The Hanger Project
prevent collapsed shoulders
and creases in fine suits;
three for $75.
Expandable chocolate
Benedict weekend bag in
nubuck bison is a comfort-
able carry-on for flights.
By Moore & Giles; $635
Dare to be
different with
reading glasses
from Eyebobs;
from $65.
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 1 7
Well worn:
antique-wash
jeans from
Agave; $195
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{ gift guide }
1 8 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
Give credit
where due—to
these eye-catch-
ing Italian card
case wallets
from Lava; $195.He’ll look snappy in these matte-finish
alligator shoes, $1,195; belt, $595; and
buckle, $395, from Martin Dingman.
A cashmere scarf:
accessory—or
necessity? We vote
for the latter. From
$195 to $565
Stylish looks from Shirt by Shirt, Mason’s and
Arnold Zimberg. Priced from $125
Modern takes on classic itemsSTAFF FAVORITES
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H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 1 9
To Boot driver in
espresso brown; $315
Gravati’s finest peccary
dress shoe in brown
and black; $750 Gravati hand-sewn
comfort walker;
$595
Heart and sole He deserves beautifully crafted shoes that feel terrifi c, too
To Boot double-buckle
classic in burnished an-
tique brown; $450
Brown calf loafer by
Ermenegildo Zegna; $495
Michael Toschi oil-
tanned weekend fash-
ion shoe in black and
tan; $495
Hush Puppies brown
suede boot; $145
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{ the pockets interview }
2 0 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
a lotus fl ower leaf, repelling all liquid. Stains accidentally caused
by, for example, red wine, coffee or tomato sauce can easily be
removed just using water. The Micronsphere has been created
for the man who values his time and maintains his sophistication
and impeccable style by wearing a suit so reliable that nothing in
his travels will tarnish his look.
What is the secret to the consistency of fi t
in Zegna’s Made to Measure program?
We have over 30 years of experience in MTM, so we have had
time to perfect the process. We also have a very strong training
program in our MTM factories, where an extremely capable
team delivers a perfect fi t for our customers.
Ermenegildo Zegna fabrics for Made to Measure seem
to have many blends, such as wool and silk. Is the use of
these fi bers a response to global warming?
Blended fabrics and natural fi bers have been always been an
important component of our MTM offerings, and adding silk to our
fabrications creates a lightness and beautiful hand. The world is
becoming much more of a global marketplace. As avid travelers,
our customers need a wardrobe that travels easily and adapts to
multiple climates, ensuring that they are always looking their best.
A better blue: The
material in this blazer
from Zegna’s Cool Effect
collection is engineered
to refl ect, not absorb,
the sun’s heat.
With the vast selection of Ermenegildo Zegna styles available, why
are your customers responding so well to Made to Measure?
We do have a great selection of ready-to-wear products, but we have more
and more customers who want to personalize their wardrobes. They love
the fact that they can select from hundreds of fabrics and models to
create the ideal wardrobe for their lifestyle.
What are the most successful fabrics in Made
to Measure?
Our customers are usually drawn fi rst to our most innovative
fabrics. For example, Micronsphere is stain- and wrinkle-
resistant and Cool Effect offers protection against the heat
produced from natural sunlight by refl ecting 80 percent of
the sun’s rays. Additionally, the Trofeo Silk fabric combines our
hallmark 16-micron wool fi ber with fi ne silk to create a fabric
both timeless and seasonless. The weight, body, hand and
performance make this fabric combination ideal.
Does Micronsphere really work—and how?
Absolutely. The Micronsphere’s stain- and wrinkle-resistance comes
from using nanotechnologies to enable the fabric to imitate the surface of
Ermenegildo Zegna, CEO of the company that bears his name, explains the virtues of ‘MTM’MADE
TO MEASURE
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D A L L A S
PALOMARK i m p t o n H o t e l s & R e s t a u r a n t s M o d e r n H o t e l . M o d e r n A r t .
Art isn’t alwn a frame. Sometim
ff
’s in a
Art isn’t always in a frame.
Sometimes, it’s in a bowl.
At Hotel Palomar, art comes in many shapes and
sizes, including a complimentary goldfish to keep
you company overnight on your Dallas vacation.
And with a 32" flat screen TV and L’Occitane
bath products in every room, you’ll see what else
makes our boutique hotel so chic. Take a look for
yourself at hotelpalomar-dallas.com.
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22 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
ElectricGlide
What do you get when you take the body of a LOTUS ELISE and give it a green heart? The TESLA ROADSTER— a PLUG-IN THRILL RIDE that says the future really can BE ELECTRIC!
IT’S NOT JUST GASOLINE and nasty exhaust emissions the
new Tesla Roadster spares the world. As the first high-
performance EV (electric vehicle), it also cuts down on noise
pollution. That’s because the roar characteristic of sports
cars with an internal combustion engine has been tamed
to a barely audible purr by the Silicon Valley upstart. For
some enthusiasts, the quiet can be disconcerting—a turnoff
even—but for the eco-conscious lover of exotic cars, thinking
of this debut model from Tesla Motors as the silent, stealthy
type can be an automotive aphrodisiac. C O N T I N U E D . . .
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Unlike other high-performance cars,
the electric Tesla Roadster is perfectly
at ease cruising low and slow (and
silently) down the boulevard. But press
the accelerator, and you’re rewarded
with an instant surge of power.
| BY MARIA LISSANDRELLO
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MAR IA L I SSANDRELLO writes frequently about automobiles and food.
She is also the librettist for opera composer Christof Bergman.
2 4 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
If your experience of electric vehicles
is limited to golf carts, the Tesla
Roadster just might blow your mind.
The car will take you smoothly from
0 to 60 mph—or 60 to 120, for that
matter—in less than 4 seconds.
Modeled after the Lotus Elise, the carbon-fiber car weighs
in at 2,700 pounds, 36 percent of it claimed by the battery, or rather
batteries—6,831 of them to be precise. That may be 781 pounds
more than the Elise, but don’t worry—the extra weight doesn’t slow
it down. Quite the contrary. Electric vehicles produce maximum
torque at 0 rpm, so a press of the Tesla Roadster’s accelerator
launches you like a torpedo, pinning your back to the seat. No surprise
the small, sleek car does 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. And the relentless
torque means a single-speed transmission is all that’s needed to
get you where you’re going at a rate that outpaces the Lotus. For
sure, with its slot-car handling and Yokohama tires that grip the
road like Velcro, the Tesla Roadster is a blast to drive.
On the flip side, when you take your foot off the accelerator,
the regenerative braking system (which recycles the energy usually
lost through braking) kicks in at once, causing the car to slow before
you’ve even tapped the Brembo brakes. It’s a function that takes
some getting used to and may have you stopping short of stop signs
and red lights.
Of course, before you can put the pedal to the metal, you have
to get into the car—a feat for any driver who’s not lean and lithe.
Like the Lotus, the Tesla sits ultra-low to the ground. Once you man-
age to sling your legs over the door sill and lower yourself into the
narrow bucket seat, you’ll notice it’s none too roomy. The Spartan
cockpit (which is, of course, what the automotive purist wants in a
sports car) pretty much rules out the revolutionary electric vehicle
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as an option for those seeking long-haul comfort.
Then again, the longest distance the Tesla Roadster will take you
on a single charge is 244 miles. What then? It’ll take about three-
and-a-half hours to charge up—at a cost of just $4 to $7, depending
on your local electricity rates. And never having to spend a drop on
gas or oil isn’t the only savings: The car is virtually maintenance-free.
Just think—no oil changes, no mufflers, no timing belts. About the
only thing that can wear out over time is the battery, which means no
worries about mechanical breakdowns.
And here’s another perk: You’ll enjoy a $7,500 Federal tax
credit, not to mention incredible savings on gas. All told, choos-
ing the Tesla could bring savings of $25,000 over an equivalent gas
guzzler—and get you noticed as a sports car enthusiast with a soft
spot for planet Earth.
THE TESLA ROADSTER AT A GLANCE
BASE PRICE: $109,000
STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS:
| MICROPROCESSOR-CONTROLLED LITHIUM-ION BATTERY PACK WITH OVER
100,000-MILE LIFECYCLE | 248 HP @ 7,800 RPM | 200 LB/FT @ 0–6000 RPM | SINGLE-SPEED GEARBOX | 4-WHEEL BREMBO VENTILATED DISC BRAKES WITH ABS | HAND-CRAFTED CARBON FIBER BODY
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS:
| 0–60 MPH IN 3.9 SECONDS | 244 MILES EPA COMBINED CITY/HIGHWAY | TOP SPEED: 125 MPH | CHARGING: AS LITTLE AS 3.5 HOURS FOR A COMPLETE CYCLE
STANDARD INTERIOR FEATURES:
| HEATED SPORT SEATS WITH INFLATABLE LUMBAR SUPPORT
| TOUCH-SCREEN VEHICLE INFORMATION DISPLAY
| ELECTRIC AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 2 5
Test-driving the TeslaWHEN THE GOOD FOLKS AT VULCAN MOTOR CLUB let me play with their
Tesla Roadster for a day, I learned that the most fun thing about this
vehicle, hands down, is the stunning acceleration. Turn the key in the
“ignition,” or whatever you call it in an electric car, and a “beep” tells
you the motor is on. There’s no engine sound, no vibration. Tap the
accelerator ever so gently, and the car eases into motion like a golf
cart. You could glide quietly down a parade route at 1 mph. But press
down on the pedal, and now you’re Han Solo making the jump to hyper-
space. What’s more, the smooth, silent, instantaneous surge of power
is available at any speed. Going from 60 to 120 is the same as going
from 0 to 60—a thrill that lasts a little less than 4 seconds. Whether
on back roads or the highway, I found myself looking for any opportunity
to unleash a sudden, massive burst of speed.
My Tesla ride was not entirely silent. Besides the hum of the tires
and the whistling wind, I heard a creaking spring that begged for adjust-
ment. But I could forgive imperfections in fit and finish. This was, after
all, the first generation of a brand new automotive marque.
Thanks to its Lotus body, the Tesla Roadster scored big points for
looks. Some guy passed me on the highway, honking, smiling and giving
a thumbs up. I waved back and then smoked him, unable to resist the
pleasure of punching it one more time. —Mark Dowden
To find a Tesla store, visit www.TeslaMotors.com/TeslaStore.
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Outside the lines: A checked
tie and brilliant pocket square
accent this navy railroad-track
striped two-button suit and
pleated pant.
Smart combinations of patterns make for a confi dent, modern look
MIXEDSETS
2 6 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
POC.fashion.indd 26POC.fashion.indd 26 11/25/09 2:51:55 PM11/25/09 2:51:55 PM
Vive variety: A Canali
multi-check cashmere
sportcoat is dressed up
with a striped shirt and
paisley tie.
POC.fashion.indd 27POC.fashion.indd 27 11/25/09 2:52:50 PM11/25/09 2:52:50 PM
Pulled together: Windowpane
sportcoat, olive fl annel trouser,
orange paisley tie and paisley
pocket square.
POC.fashion.indd 28POC.fashion.indd 28 11/25/09 2:53:24 PM11/25/09 2:53:24 PM
Check mates: Ermenegildo
Zegna blue/tan windowpane two-
button sportcoat, multi-stripe
cotton sport shirt, brown twill
fl at-front pants. Pocket square
and slacks also from Zegna.
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 2 9
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ESCAPEMALDIVESTO
THE
REETHI RAH and COCOA ISLAND offer two visions of BEACHSIDE PARADISE
THINK DESERT-ISLAND PARADISE, and a variety of tropical images inevitably come to
mind: sandy beaches that are ultra-white and silky under foot, a crystal sea studded
with colorful coral reefs, azure skies, perfect palm trees and, of course, quiet seclusion.
If one destination matches this mental checklist, it’s the Maldives, an island
republic sprawled across 56,000 square miles of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives has
the distinction of being the world’s lowest-lying country; its sandy hillocks rarely reach
more than a few meters above sea level. That’s because the entire country is a constel-
lation of coral reef atolls. Twenty-six atolls comprise 1,192 small islands, only 202
of which are inhabited. Of these, about 90 are resort islands, and of the 90, perhaps
18 are truly special, the location of some of the most rarefi ed resorts anywhere.
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H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 3 1
IMA
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| BY E V E R E T T P O T T E R
The over-water villas
at Reethi Rah offer
thatched-roof elegance
and endless views of
the Indian Ocean.
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3 2 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
Perched over water, the villas at Cocoa Island emphasize barefoot luxury. The resort setting is
more reef than island, as seen in the photo below; snorkeling and diving are prime activities here.
At Reethi Rah (opposite), high ceilings, natural materials and minimalist style distinguish the large
villas. Beachside dining—al fresco, of course—is one of several mealtime options.
While the Maldives have had occasional visitors for millennia—they were a stop on
ancient Persian and Chinese trade routes—it was only in the mid-1990’s that tourism took
off, meaning virtually all of the resorts in the Maldives are quite new. The best of these re-
sorts have a lot in common: Each has luxury villas of unique design. Each has extraordinary
coral reefs lying just offshore, a world of rays, triggerfi sh, clownfi sh and hawksbill turtles.
Each has stellar service and a great spa—because the whole point of a Maldives vacation
is to send you home relaxed, recharged and refreshed. It’s why Donna Karan, Sienna Miller,
Beyoncé Knowles and Sir Paul McCartney are major fans.
But the approach to relaxation varies by resort. Here we present two resorts consis-
tently rated among the best of the best, representing two ends of the relaxation spectrum:
One&Only Reethi Rah makes you comfortable with electronic amenities and glamorous
surroundings, while Cocoa Island epitomizes the concept of “barefoot luxury.”
REETHI RAH
One&Only resorts are the top-tier properties of Butch Kerzner, who developed Atlantis in
the Bahamas and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. There are just six One&Only resorts world-
wide (the best-known to Americans being Palmilla at the tip of the Baja Peninsula), and
what they share are sophistication without stuffi ness and service that approaches six stars.
Reethi Rah, located on North Malé atoll, is no different. The experience begins at the
airport, where one of the hotel’s high-speed custom yachts (which doubles as a registration
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desk) whisks you to the property, one of the few islands in the
Maldives that has been expanded, in this case to six times its
original size. There are 130 large villas, some set on stilts over
the water. The beach villas have outdoor king-sized sun beds
set on private infi nity pools next to the beach.
In a country renowned for its spas, Reethi Rah sets the
bar high. An ESPA spa offers 10 treatment rooms and many ay-
urvedic therapies, not to mention signature treatments like the
ESPA Energy Equalizer with Volcanic Hot Stones. There’s a yoga
pavilion, women-only areas and multi-day Wellness Journeys,
such as the seven-day Holistic Fitness journey.
The choice of restaurants at Reethi Rah is superb. Fanditha
serves Lebanese cuisine on tables placed on the sand as well
as in Arabian-style tents; Tapasake offers Japanese fusion;
Reethi Restaurant has an international menu. And the remote
location is no barrier to gastronomic excellence. Sushi-grade
fi sh is fl own in from Tokyo, free-range lamb from Australia,
strawberries from Belgium. Reethi Rah ranks number 17 for
food—in the world, mind you—on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold
List 2009 of the Best Hotels in the World.
COCOA ISLAND
Cocoa Island has a deceptive simplicity, not unlike that of its
sister Como resort, Parrot Cay, half a world away in the Turks &
Caicos. It’s as if the humble but well-located beach shack has
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34 / FA L L • W I N T E R 2 0 0 8
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H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 3 5
been made over with cool urban chic.
Cocoa lies in South Malé atoll, a 35-minute speedboat transfer
from the international airport. Hotelier Christina Ong’s philosophy pre-
vails here, so the property remains a simple islet covered with palms,
wild sea grapes and hibiscus, encircled by a reef with proverbial gin-clear waters.
The resort is small, just 33 rooms, and its architecture unusual. Serpentine
wooden walkways lead out to each accommodation, which are set on stilts, with
baby sharks and reef fi sh circling below. There are rooms, suites, loft suites and
loft villas, the latter with kitchen and private butler. The Dhoni suites are built to
resemble local fi shing boats. Surrounded by water, they actually look like fl oating
boats, but they are fi rmly secured on stilts. Each has a full-length glass wall, giving
you a view a sweeping view of the Indian Ocean from your bed.
Inside they are airy indeed, with high cathedral ceilings. Bathrooms are huge,
with separate shower and tub. But it’s the natural materials that are standouts.
There are lots of white fabrics, including Frette sheets. The furnishings are wood
and understated, fl oors are teak, and the overall mood rather Zen-like.
Maybe the single biggest reason to choose Cocoa Island is the Shambhala
Retreat, widely considered among the best spas in the Maldives. If you’re pining
for an Abhyanga Ayurvedic massage or a two-hour Como Shambhala Ritual mas-
sage, go for it. After a morning of yoga on the beach, of course. This place has
a massive reputation among devotees of yoga, and some of the world’s leading
instructors hang out here.
Cuisine is a major part of your stay at any Como property, and at the Ufaa
restaurant, which is thatched with alang alang grass, you sit on large sofas and
cushions. You can expect Indian, Sri Lankan and Thai style cuisine, or you can elect
low-fat, organic Como Shambhala cuisine.
At Cocoa Island, you can literally snorkel from your room to reef. And if you’ve
ever contemplated leaning to dive, these calm waters would be the place to learn.
There’s even deep sea fi shing and windsurfi ng available as well.
But to capture the true spirit of Cocoa Island, take a private boat to a deserted
beach, with champagne, picnic and partner in hand. After all, you don’t want to
overdo it in paradise.
EVERETT POTTER writes frequently about travel to Asia.
PLANNING YOUR TRIP
The best time to visit the Maldives is December through March, the driest months.
Temperature remains steady year-round, averaging 88° F by day and 73° F at night.
ONE & ONLY MALDIVES AT REETHI RAH
Doubles from $860 including breakfast | www.oneandonlyresorts.com
COCOA ISLAND
Doubles from $680, including breakfast | www.cocoaisland.como.bz
Soaring spaces and opulent design mark the spa at Reethi Rah (left). The
resort has no shortage of options for soaking, from swimming pools—seen
above is just one of the 40—to spa treatments (right). Known for gourmet
fare, both Cocoa Island and Reethi Rah fl y in fresh food from the world over.
Below, seared tuna from Cocoa’s Asian-infl uenced menu.
POC.travel.indd 35POC.travel.indd 35 11/24/09 6:13:40 PM11/24/09 6:13:40 PM
{ the sporting life } BY E V E R E T T P O T T E R
IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN STUCK in ski traffi c on I-70 in Colorado and longed
for a more remote mountain experience, consider heading north to Brit-
ish Columbia—not to the coastal mega-resort of Whistler Blackcomb,
where you risk being bummed out by rain at the base, but to the interior
of B.C., where you’re guaranteed light powder, freedom from crowds,
gorgeous vistas and improved bragging rights when you return home.
The two up-and-coming B.C. resorts generating big buzz are Kicking
Horse and Revelstoke, and they have a lot in common. Both are hard to
get to: Prepare for a long fl ight and a lengthy (but traffi c-free!) mountain
drive. And both are big, demanding mountains, like Jackson Hole or
Snowbird—family destinations, sure, but also places where hard-core
skiers and boarders can really put testosterone levels to the test.
This is skiing’s new frontier, remote mountains that were colonized
by heli-skiing operations and a handful of über-fi t backcountry powder
hounds. Now that they’ve opened as resorts, savvy skiers have discov-
ered that the reward for a long road trip is a heli-skiing experience with-
out the peril or expense of a helicopter, amidst jaw-dropping scenery.
Start with Kicking Horse, which opened in late 2000. You get there
by fl ying to Calgary and then driving two-and-a-half hours along the Trans-
Canada Highway to the mining and timber town of Golden, B.C. Kicking
Horse had humble beginnings as a locals-only area called Whitetooth,
accessed via a gravel road and a single-lane bridge, with a log cabin as a
day lodge. The lone chairlift carried a few hundred skiers a day.
Where is everyone? With endless mountain views, ample powder and freedom
from crowds, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort offers that top-of-the-world feeling.
SKIING 1 MILLION
ACRES, B.C.Revelstoke and Kicking Horse are North America’s new frontier of lift-served skiing
C O N T I N U E D . . .
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 3 7
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But then Vancouver architect Oberto Oberti and partner Ballast
Nedam Canada Ltd. arrived and spent $150 million U.S., with another
$100 million scheduled to be spent here by 2010.
What really kick-started Kicking Horse was the installation of the
Golden Eagle Express gondola. Overnight, a 12,000-foot peak in the
Dogtooth Range of the Purcells, the exclusive domain of heli-skiing opera-
tions, became accessible by mere mortals. The gondola gave the resort a
4,133-foot vertical drop, second in Canada only to Whistler Blackcomb.
Take the gondola to the top of CPR Ridge, and you encounter a
near-vertigo-inducing panorama of the jagged Canadian Rockies and
Selkirk Mountains. Kicking Horse’s four dozen marked runs are mere sug-
gestions. Basically, if you can see it, you can ski it. From CPR Ridge and
Redemption Ridge, you can drop in from any of 70 inbound chutes, some
of which are breathtakingly close to vertical. The steep head walls drop
into broad bowls, which funnel down to gladed runs and mogul fi elds.
Exhaustion and exhilaration are partners here. And if you have novices in
your family, note that there is a beginner’s way down from the summit.
The town of Golden will never rival Aspen for amenities, but there
are still some niceties for visitors. Foremost are the Eagle Eye Suites, a
pair of luxury accommodations on the second fl oor of the summit lodge,
which houses the gondola terminal and Eagle Eye Restaurant. The suites
come with butler service, breakfast and dinner for two, lift tickets, a
private guide and fi rst tracks in the morning, all for $950 a night.
Then there’s Revelstoke, which takes “extreme” to greater heights.
The new kid on the block, it opened in late 2007 with a sizeable boast:
Revelstoke claimed that in a few years it would be bigger than Whistler
Blackcomb, currently the largest resort in North America and the setting
for the alpine events of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Now, Revelstoke is a working rail town with a population of about
8,500 people, hardly a world-class resort. But what gave the brash
boast some heft were the surroundings. Revelstoke is smack dab in the
Monashee Mountains, one of the most legendary heli-skiing grounds. The
Monashees average 500 inches of powder a year—that’s more than 40
feet of snow—and a heli-ski trip here has long been the stuff of dreams.
Suddenly, for the price of a lift ticket, anyone could access these
legendary powder fi elds with a trip up 8,029-foot Mt. Mackenzie. That’s
the resort mountain, heavily treed below, with alpine bowls above. It
amasses an impressive 480 annual inches of light, dry snow yearly, just
shy of the 500-inch mark.
At the beginning of its second season, 2008–09, Revelstoke surpassed
both Whistler and Vail for vertical, boasting 5,620 feet, with 32 trails, four
alpine bowls, four lifts, two gondolas and two quads, all high-speed. The
3 8 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
POC.sporting.indd 38POC.sporting.indd 38 11/24/09 6:05:08 PM11/24/09 6:05:08 PM
EVERETT POTTER , a contributing editor to Ski magazine,
has skied on four continents.
skiable acreage is now 3,031. In short, it’s enormous and getting more so.
What vaults Revelstoke into the potentially great resort category is that
it offers lift-served skiing, snow-cat skiing and heli-skiing, all from the moun-
tain base. Just carry your skis, buy the appropriate pass, and go. No other
mountain in North America can deliver that. The numbers that go along with
it tell the tale: The snow cat gets you to an additional 5,000 acres, while the
heli-skiing option opens up an astonishing 500,000 acres of wilderness.
If Revelstoke has an issue at this point, it’s that it’s too tough for any
but solid intermediate skiers and above. You won’t be pleased if you’re
a novice—not when more than half of the mountain is rated “advanced”
and there are only two green runs. Good skiers test their mettle on that
nearly 5,700-foot vertical, and multi-mile runs like Snow Rodeo and Devil’s
Club can be an endurance challenge. It also helps to be comfortable in
powder, since Revelstoke gets plenty of it.
The other challenge? Getting here. Revelstoke is located six hours from
both Vancouver and Calgary. As for the town, you won’t fi nd the comforts
of Jackson Hole. But the architecture, a mix of Victorian, Queen Anne and
Dutch Revival, is authentically charming, and the backdrop of the Monashee
and Selkirk Mountains is pretty inspiring. Right now, the coolest place to
sleep is the newly opened Nelsen Lodge, a luxury boutique hotel at the base.
The future? The owners claim the skiing could be developed to the
point where Revelstoke would have 6,000 vertical feet and 10,000 skiable
acres, which would make it by far the biggest resort in North America.
The plan is for a four-season resort that in 15 years will have 130 trails,
5,000 lodging units and an 18-hole golf course.
But for now, go and ski this uncrowded hill while it’s still in its infancy.
And if your friends give you a blank stare when you tell them where
you’ve been, that will be a good thing. The secret isn’t out yet.
Heli-cious descent: For skiers who want entire peaks
to themselves, Revelstoke provides helicopter access
to a half-million acres in the Monashee Mountains
(opposite top). And for those who prefer to fi nd
creature comforts at the summit, the lodge atop
Revelstoke’s Mt. Mackenzie fi lls the bill. The gondola
seen at lower left is one of two at the rapidly expand-
ing resort. This page: High above a cloud bank, a
skier raises a cloud of powder at Kicking Horse.
H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9 / 3 9
KICKING HORSE MOUNTAIN RESORT, B.C.
GETTING THERE: Fly to Calgary, rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and then drive two-
and-a-half hours to Golden, B.C.
www.kickinghorseresort.com/winter
REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT, B.C.
GETTING THERE: Fly to Vancouver or Calgary, and then rent a four-wheel-drive vehicle
for the six-hour drive. Alternatively, take a flight into regional Kelowna Airport, followed by a
two-and-a-half-hour drive.
www.revelstokemountainresort.com/revelstokemtn
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{ malt } RYE REDUX
| BY M A R K D O W D E N
THOMAS H. HANDY SAZERAC RYE, a special bottling from Buffalo Trace Distillery, is one of the LEADING LIGHTS of a WHISKEY RENAISSANCE
PEOPLE THINK OF BOURBON as the classic American
spirit, but for most of our country’s history, the
more popular native whiskey was straight rye. To-
day rye is resurgent, with good reason: The best
rye, spicy and dry, is more intricate and more inter-
esting than bourbon.
Let’s defi ne our terms: At some point in
the 20th century, “rye” became synony-
mous with blended Canadian whiskey,
even though many Canadian whiskies
contain little or no rye grain. In the U.S.,
by contrast, “straight rye whiskey” must
be distilled from at least 51 percent rye,
just as “straight bourbon whiskey” must
contain at least 51 percent corn in the
mash bill. When whiskey geeks speak
of rye, they mean straight rye—true rye.
Eighteenth-century Americans drank spirits in great
quantity, often beginning at breakfast. After the Revolu-
tion, the preferred dram shifted from rum and fruit brandy
to whiskey, especially in the Mid-Atlantic and the South.
Scots-Irish immigrants fueled the trend. They arrived with
a taste for whiskey and the know-how to make it from
whatever grain was on hand, which more often than not
was rye. George Washington operated a sizeable rye dis-
tillery at Mount Vernon. And when, as President, he rode
out with 13,000 troops to quell the Whiskey Rebellion in
western Pennsylvania, the whiskey in question was rye.
For most of the 19th century, Maryland and Pennsyl-
vania produced a lot more rye per year than Kentucky did
bourbon. When the classic whiskey cocktails, the Sazerac
and the Manhattan, were popularized, they called not for
4 0 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye is just
one great whiskey from Buffalo Trace.
Dating to 1787, the distillery sits by
the Kentucky River in Frankfort, just
over the hill in this 1871 map.
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5004 East Addison Circle | Addison, TX 75001 | 972.701.8500
www.modmexkitchen.comHOURS: Mon – Thurs: 11 am to 10 pm | Fri : 11 am to 11 pm | Sat :12 pm to 11 pm | Closed Sundays
Masaryk
masaryk right.indd 145masaryk right.indd 145 11/24/09 6:33:23 PM11/24/09 6:33:23 PM
bourbon but for rye. To drink a Manhattan made with rye, by the way, can
be a revelation. I’ve never cared for a bourbon Manhattan—too sweet—
but the drink made with three parts rye, one part sweet vermouth and a
dash of Angostura bitters, the original 1874 recipe, is terrifi c.
So what killed real rye? In a word, Prohibition. When the act was
repealed in 1933, distillers had to crank up production from scratch.
They gravitated to bourbon, probably because corn was the cheaper
grain. While the new bourbon was aging, Canadian whiskey continued
to fl ood the U.S. market, just as it had on a bootleg basis since 1919.
Sweet and generic, this “rye” became the norm, while only a few die-
hard distilleries in the U.S. resumed the production of straight rye.
Now, after a 70-year hiatus, straight rye is enjoying a major come-
back. Call this Phase III of the Great Whiskey Awakening. In Phase I,
single malt Scotch became the subject of connoisseurship. In Phase II,
enthusiasm turned to bourbon, leading distillers to feats of small-batch
and single-barrel greatness. In Phase III, the focus is straight rye, and
distillers are scrambling to keep up with demand.
While bourbon peters out with too much aging, rye whiskey, like
Scotch, becomes more rounded and complex with additional years in
the barrel. Older ryes are in short supply, and prices have shot up. The
brands to look for are Black Maple Hill, Hirsch Selection, Sazerac and
High West Rendezvous—the latter a highly successful blend of six-
year-old and 16-year-old ryes.
Most rye on the current market comes from bourbon distilleries in
Kentucky. This includes Sazerac, a new brand with an old name from the
Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Ky., which is producing some of the
best whiskies in America. The Sazerac ryes include a bold six-year-old
(known to devotees as “baby Saz”), a stunning 18-year-old and a special
bottling called Thomas H. Handy Sazerac rye. The Handy is named for
the New Orleans barkeep who updated the Sazerac cocktail in the late
1800s by substituting rye for the cognac of the original recipe.
Buffalo Trace issues a new, barrel-strength bottling of its Thomas H.
Handy Sazerac rye each fall. Recently I tasted the third release, for which
Buffalo Trace supplied some enticing statistics: Distilled in spring 2002 from
Minnesota rye complemented by Kentucky corn and North Dakota malted
barley, the whiskey aged for six years, fi ve months on the fi fth fl oor of Ware-
house M. Twenty-two barrels were hand-picked for bottling under the Thom-
as H. Handy Sazerac label. It’s interesting to note that 30 percent of the whis-
key was lost to evaporation! That’s the effect of hot Kentucky summers.
Uncut and unfi ltered, the rye was bottled at a mouth-searing 127.5 proof.
If the baby Saz is the perfect cocktail rye—spicy, grassy and a
little sour—the Handy is best enjoyed on the rocks (with a splash of
branch water to cut the strength). Thick and lush, it mingles sweet
bourbon tastes with a sourdough tang and lingering fl oral notes. Frank-
ly, it tastes like a great bourbon, a fi ne Scotch and an elegant old rye all
in one. This is a big, powerful, complex whiskey that seems to evolve
with each delicious sip—proof positive that American straight rye is a
once and future king.
MARK DOWDEN , a native of Kentucky who was educated at the
University of St. Andrews, considers himself whiskey agnostic.
TASTING NOTES
THOMAS H. HANDY SAZERAC RYE
COLOR | Bright, reddish brown
NOSE | Caramel, molasses, new-mown grass, pepper, saddle leather.
PALATE | Christmas fruit cake, toffee, mint, cinnamon, clove.
FINISH | Sourdough bread, long floral notes, coconut, nutmeg.
PRICE | $100
Scenes from Buffalo Trace (clockwise): Whiskey ages
in Warehouse C, which dates to 1885. Obie Kemper
pulls a sample for tasting while Elmer T. Lee, master
distiller emeritus, tries to be patient. When the whiskey
is deemed ready for bottling, it gets “dumped” from the
barrel over charcoal bits. Here, Sazerac rye, the six-
year-old known as “baby Saz,” goes into the bottle.
4 2 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
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{ grape }
| BY C Y N T H I A H U R L E Y
IT’S FALL. You can feel it and smell it in the breeze. Ever since
I stepped outside, I’ve been thinking about my earthenware pot
of cassoulet doing a slow bubble on the stove. Is there any meal
better for a day with a little nip in the air? And, being a wine
importer, I’m also thinking about what to uncork with it, but this
is not a real head-scratcher. Cahors, that powerhouse red from
the southwest of France, is far and away my first choice. Great
Cahors is one of the richest and inkiest wines you’ll ever put in
your mouth. And the history of Cahors is as rich as the taste. I’ll
give you just a sip of that.
Cahors is a very old wine town, planted by the Romans, to
the east of Bordeaux. The people of Cahors were making wine
when the Bordelais were still drinking beer. Their wines would
float west along the Lot River to Bordeaux, where the Borde-
lais would extract heavy taxes and sell the wines to markets in
northern Europe.
In his book Wines of South-West France, Paul Strang tells us
that in the 14th century, most of the wine being shipped out of Bor-
deaux was from Quercy, the region of which Cahors is capital. Some
of these very profits allowed the Bordelais to clear their marshy
Medoc vineyards and develop their own winemaking business. The
Bordelais often mixed in the superior Cahors grape juice to add sub-
stance to their then rather amateurish, insipid wines.
One of the most appealing estates you can visit in the Cahors
region is Clos Triguedina. The name comes from the medieval lan-
guage Occitan. “Me trigo de dina” means “I’m longing to dine,”
which is probably what travelers said as they passed through Cahors
on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
Custodian of a family tradition dating back to the time of Louis-Philippe,
vintner Jean-Luc Baldès (above, left) puts grapes in a prune oven. Grown in a
sun-kissed Cahors vineyard (top right), grapes are harvested lovingly by hand.
Clos Triguedina: GORGEOUS MALBEC FROM CAHORS
C O N T I N U E D . . .
4 4 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
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Clos Triguedina makes a wine called Prince Probus
to commemorate the action by the Roman Emperor
Probus in 280, which put the winemakers of Cahors
officially back in business after a previous edict had
outlawed winemaking outside Italy. Apparently, grow-
ing wheat was not nearly as interesting as making wine
and that part of their agricultural obligation was being
neglected. The plucky folks from Cahors had largely
ignored the ban, but it was good to be out in the
open again. The wine called Probus is powerful, racy,
silky, harmonious, first-class, and you should probably
drop whatever you are doing and go and buy a bottle or
three. Sorry. It’s easy to get carried away with the taste
of this wine. It is splendid.
Etienne Baldès planted Clos Triguedina in 1830. To-
day, Jean-Luc Baldès is the eighth generation to be in
charge of the winery. The domain makes three red wines I
particularly love: Clos Triguedina, which is a blend of 80%
Malbec (known locally and historically as Auxerrois), 15%
Merlot and 5% Tannat; Prince Probus, which is 100% Mal-
bec; and The New Black Wine (also 100% Malbec), which
is made in the style approximating the way Cahors used
to taste in the pre-phylloxera days. Phylloxera vastatrix is
that very nasty sap-sucking insect that nearly wiped out
all the vineyards of France in the latter 19th century.
In the past, Black Wine was made by baking the grapes
in the oven, pouring them into a saucepan and then boiling
them to remove most of the water. Today’s Black Wine is
made by putting the grapes in a wooden box with grills on
the bottom and blowing in warm air to shrivel them. The
grapes are then pressed, fermented, and aged in new oak
barrels for 18 months. The wine is dark (although not really
black), smoky and delicious. Uncork some Cahors tonight;
it’s the fi nest expression of Malbec in the world.
A Scotsman in Côtes du Rhône: McKinlay sold his information
technology business to retire on a vineyard. But the extraordinary
land on the slopes of Mont Ventoux drew him deeper into the new
venture.
CYNTH IA HURLEY is an importer of French wines and
a frequent writer on the subject.
CLOS TRIGUEDINA
TASTE | RICH, DARK, BERRY FLAVORS, SMOKY, SPICY, LONG-LIVED
BEST DRUNK WITH | CASSOULET, RICH STEWS
BEST YEARS | 2005, 2006
PRICE | CLOS TRIGUEDINA: $25, PRINCE PROBUS: $50,
THE NEW BLACK WINE: $60
WHERE TO FIND IT | WINE VENTURES IN TENAFLY (201-568-4341);
CENTRAL LIQUORS IN FLEMINGTON (908-782-2518)
(Clockwise from left):
Malbec grapes grow in
clusters on the vine,
barrels fi ll a commodious
cellar and vineyard rows
promise tomorrow’s sipping
indulgence under the
supervision of Monsieur et
Madame Baldès.
4 6 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
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What are your favorite men’s clothing brands?
Zegna’s amazing fabrics and clean lines can make any man
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What kind of men’s shoes do you like?
I prefer a clean brown loafer or a classic lace shoe, and always
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best selection of leather and skins available in men’s shoes.
What items should every man have in his wardrobe this winter?
Defi nitely a soft constructed sportcoat and a nice pair of dark blue
jeans. This is my favorite look because it’s so comfortable,
yet the tailored jacket keeps it refi ned. For colder weather,
wear the sportcoat over a great cashmere sweater
and Zegna sport shirt.
What’s your best grooming advice for men?
Pay attention to the details! Give your face
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Complete this sentence: “All women notice a man’s …”
All women notice a man’s style—or lack thereof!
{ fi nishing touch }
YOUR STYLE, SIMPLIFIED
4 8 / H O L I D AY 2 0 0 9
Super sales associate Laura McElyea’s expert advice for Pockets customers
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