S P I R I T S M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 1 6

Hi ghball

COGNAC: A Wine

Among Spirits

Floridian StyleF R O T H B A R :

Demyst i fy ing the Egg

St. August ine Dist i l lery ’s

Highball is a quarterly

publication of ABC Fine

Wine & Spirits. Copyright

2016 ABC Liquors, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Not all products are

available in all stores. If the

product you’re looking for

isn’t available, ask us to

order it for you!

Meghan Guarino

Editor

meghang@abcfws.com

Allie Smallwood

Contributing Editor

allies@abcfws.com

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This year we’re raising a toast 80 years of celebrations!

Join us with our 80th anniversary cocktail created by St. Augustine Distillery!

1 ½ oz St. Augustine Distillery Florida Cane Vodka

¾ oz Key West lime juice

Sparkling grapefruit juice

¼ oz Cherry cocktail syrup

Grapefruit wedge

Ice

Combine vodka and lime juice in a glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling grapefruit

juice and stir to combine. Add cherry cocktail syrup and let settle in the bottom.

Garnish with fresh grapefruit.

ST. AUGUSTINE

DISTILLERY

This Floridian city gives rise

to one of the most down-to-

earth, community-driven

distillery’s the country has

ever seen.

HARDY COGNAC

As the bourbon boom

plateaus, the mixology

world ripens for another

complex cocktail spirit.

Could Cognac be it?

MADE IN FLORIDA

Floridian ingredients.

Floridian flavors. Floridian

spirits. Nothing compares.

FROTH BAR:

DEMYSTIFYING

THE EGG

All eggs puns aside, these

cocktails are excellent.

PUCKETT.

DRINK WHISKEY.

Get the tasting notes for

this South Carolinian

small batch rye whiskey.

A L L I E S M A L L W O O D

Florida’s craft scene is thriving, taking a nod from

cosmopolitan cities like Chicago, Seattle and Man-

hattan. It’s not just craft beer and it’s not just small,

boutique wineries, but craft spirits. St. Augustine,

Florida, of all places, is the city most popping with

craft distilling. Perhaps because Philip McDaniel,

co-founder of St. Augustine Distillery, lives there

and is on a mission to bring the same communal

attitude and focus on local agriculture from the

big-city beverage scenes here to opportune Florida.

Just as the Northwest bar scene focuses on local

agriculture, Philip decided when starting St. Augus-

tine Distillery that it would all begin with hyperlocal

ingredients so that he could keep an eye on the quali-

ty. “As you get older, you realize that you’re not going

to live forever, and whatever you have you can’t take

it with you. But if you can, invest in your community

and you can leave your community better than when

you found it for that next generation. I want to do

something that could leave a legacy project for

St. Augustine and I think now it’s evolving into

something I think the entire state is going to be

proud of,” Philip said.

The distillery, located in an old ice plant (which lends

a very industrial chic vibe to the entire company) has

brought new hope to the city as well. “The area was

very blighted” before Philip and his CFO Michael

Diaz marched in to make a difference, he explained.

“It’s given this city that has been very good to me, and

helped raise my family, a chance to become a magnet

for mixologists and the mixology movement,” Philip

said. St. Augustine Distillery is drawing world-class

bartenders because of its cutting edge trendy cocktail

bar – even inspiring spin-off bars with fresh, local

ingredients. “We think we’ve had a big impact on the

food and beverage scene here in St. Augustine.” The

distillery’s contagious undertaking to satiate people’s

thirst for more sophistication and culture is seeping

outside of the walls of St. Augustine as well.

While they are renewing the city of St. Augustine,

they also plan to focus on preservation of our gor-

geous state. “We want to have this beautiful state of

ours around for a while and you kind of have to walk

the walk and live it,” Philip said. Especially if you’re

going to drop buzzwords like ‘sustainability’ around

your products. Besides an innovative three-phase

water reclamation system, Philip and Michael feel

good about their locally bought grains and corn from

farmers. They also donate the high protein, high fiber

mash back to the farmers. “It’s a common practice in

Kentucky but we were able to adapt that system here

in Florida.”

So their sustainable practices yield some fabulous

vodka, gin, rum and whiskey, but those weren’t the

reason they built the distillery – bourbon was. They

soon realized though, that if they wanted to make

Florida bourbon with the finesse and quality they’d

dreamed of, it would come at a price. But since

they were committed to doing things the right way

(organically and from the ground up) they began

producing the other spirits. Meanwhile, the Florida

bourbon was taking [expensive] time to become a

great liquid. “Letting the influence of Florida create

this first bourbon was top priority,” Philip said. “We

knew we wouldn’t see cash for at least three or four

years and we were okay with that, so we decided to

make products in the meanwhile.”

If you’re not convinced yet, then the last step

before tasting their spirits would be to know that

David Pickerell, former VP of Operations at Maker’s

Mark, did consulting work for them. Philip admits

that David wasn’t interested until Philip mentioned

that it was in Florida. When David approved of St.

Augustine’s easy go-to-market plans, things unfolded

smoothly from there. “That’s why we hired him, so

that he could help us make amazing bourbon.”

Amazing Florida bourbon. Philip says the liquid will

be “sweet, round, rich, just incredibly flavorful.” And

the great news is we shouldn’t have to wait much

longer. Philip explained that the year-round heat

in Florida accelerates aging so much that it cuts off

about five years of aging time.

This St. Augustine bourbon will rival Kentucky’s. It’s

locally and sustainably made. And it could

possibly unite Gators with ‘Noles while bringing

a sense of community statewide. Pour us a glass,

will you, Philip?

RAISING THE BAR:

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St. Augustine Disti l lery

Brendan Wheatley, Director of Production & Head Distiller

EXPLORING THE WINE OF THE SPIRIT WORLD: COGNAC

M E G H A N G U A R I N O

During a rather hectic day at ABC’s main of-

fice in Orlando, Florida, my phone rang its ob-

noxious tone. BRRRNG! BRRRNG! Checking

the caller ID, an unfamiliar area code popped

up and a very familiar name was spelled across

the screen: HARDY.

Quick to snatch up the phone, I introduced

myself and was greeted by a mellow French

accent on the other line. Bénédicte Hardy was

calling for her interview. Not her assistant, not

a secretary, not a sales rep, but the fifth gener-

ation family member currently at the helm of

one of the most prestigious boutique Cognac

houses in France.

You see, we didn’t have an interview set up.

My request to talk to Bénédicte was met with

a quick reply: “She’ll call you.” No specific time

or day was given. But she called because that’s

the way Hardy has done things for generations.

They may be a “small” Cognac house, but

they’re determined, resourceful, open-minded

and make some of the best Cognac you’ll

ever taste.

When Englishman Anthony Hardy discovered

his Francophilia in the 1850s, he was a wine

and spirits merchant “who fell really in love—

totally in love—with the region,” Bénédicte

said. The region, of course, was Cognac.

But let’s talk about the spirit of the area for a

second. It seems Cognac is the last frontier

when it comes to spirit exploration (a remark

I bluntly stated during my conversation with

Bénédicte). It’s not misunderstood, but it’s

certainly not readily understood by those new

to cocktail culture.

Consider bourbon’s recent re-popularization.

This category has seen an incredible resurgence

in demand, particularly for mixology. These

days a bourbon cocktail is as common as a

vodka drink. In an interview with the legend-

ary Wild Turkey master distiller featured in

our fall 2015 issue of Highball, Jimmy Russell

acknowledged the growth, saying, “Used to be

bourbon was the Southern gentleman’s drink,

but bourbon’s become a worldwide drink.”

Darker spirits are becoming more common,

are considered more complex and can be more

coveted in a cocktail. The layers of flavor and

the opportunities for complementary com-

binations are greater in a spirit like bourbon,

Scotch and even Cognac. There is more to

work with in the culinary sense of the product.

This is the future Bénédicte predicts for Hardy

and Cognac as a whole.

“Remember five years ago, no one was talking

about the bourbon craze,” she said. “I think

Cognac is the next step.” In recent years,

Bénédicte has worked with mixologists to

squash the perception that Cognac is not an

interesting ingredient for cocktails. “I think we

have made the mistake of distancing ourselves

from the cocktail crowd and thinking that it

was the last drink of the evening. It’s not true

anymore. I think it’s really nice to be a custom-

er and enjoy a sidecar or a sazerac,” Bénédicte

said, with a caveat: “Of course we don’t mix our

XOs and our special reserves… but to enjoy

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the day-to-day drink, Cognac is so much more

interesting than a vodka. It has so many more

flavors to offer, so much depth, so many layers.

And that’s what I think people are discovering

in bourbons. They’re discovering it in single

malts. And I think Cognac is next. I’m con-

vinced of that.”

But there is a reason Bénédicte suggests

keeping your XOs and special reserve Hardy

Cognacs away from the cocktail shaker. As the

producer of the world’s first luxury Cognac,

Hardy is a symbol for rising above the status

quo. Part of that comes from Hardy’s habit of

using beautifully sculpted bottles. Another part

is marketing. But the most important factor in

Hardy’s symbol as a top tier spirit is the way

the Cognac is made, and this delicate spirit

is coveted worldwide. “Overall, we have been

very fortunate that the Hardy style, which is

really one of the most feminine, I would say,

in the industry of Cognac, has been really

appreciated in different and many countries,”

Bénédicte explained.

Hardy takes pride in their product and with

that pride comes the care and persistence to

create a smooth, balanced spirit every time.

“We age our product significantly more than

most people,” Bénédicte said. And it’s true.

Hardy VS is aged for five years in limousin

oak. The Bureau National Interprofessionnel

du Cognac (basically the governing body of

the spirit) sets the aging requirement for VS

Cognacs at just two years. Two! Hardy’s VSOP

ages for eight years while the BNIC requires

Cognac houses to age their VSOP Cognacs for

a minimum of four. “In aging longer, but being

very careful in the way we use the oak in which

it’s aging, we give the product some refinement

and the bouquet is easy on the nose,” Bénédicte

said. “The alcohol content is easier also, even

though it’s still 40%. But it’s more mellowed.”

This mellowed spirit is ideal for sipping at the

end of the evening, but don’t forget—Béné-

dicte, a true Cognac lover, encourages you to

add some to your favorite cocktail any time.

A well-made Cognac cocktail just may be the

gateway you need to start truly enjoying this

final realm of spirit exploration.

BRANDY CRUSTA

1 ½ oz Hardy VS Cognac

¼ oz Triple sec

¼ oz Maraschino liqueur

¼ oz Fresh lemon juice

½ oz Simple syrup

Ice

Shake with ice. Strain into

a sugar-crusted cocktail

glass and garnish with

a spiral lemon peel.

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M E G H A N G U A R I N O

F R O M F L O R I DA , W I T H L O V E

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Just like ABC Fine Wine & Spirits started in

Florida 80 years ago, many distilleries have

popped up and matured in the Sunshine State,

and for good reason. The warm weather makes

our home state ripe for juicy ingredients, like

oranges, grapefruit and watermelon, and the

heat speeds aging in barrels, giving us caramel

and vanilla flavors in dark spirits faster. Plus, the

people here—whether local or on vacation—are

in the perfect mindset for enjoying a well-crafted

cocktail or a pour over ice. So while hordes of

people make their way to our home for summer

vacation, relax knowing exactly why they flock

to Florida: warm weather, beautiful beaches, tall

palm trees and incredible local flavors. Celebrate

our state with a selection of spirits crafted right

here in Florida! Here are just a few to get

you started.

Dan

M E G H A N G U A R I N O

Because many of these products are small batch, they are often available only in regional stores and online. If you can’t find a product at your preferred ABC location, talk to one of our team members about placing an order for you!

St. Augustine, Florida: St. Augustine Distillery

Try this! NEW WORLD GIN

This handcrafted gin is made with botanicals and herbs that are hand ground in the St. Augustine distillery. With notes of juniper, orange, lemon and clove, this spirit is classic Florida.750mL $33

Winter Park, Florida: Winter Park Distillery

Try this! BEAR GULLY CORN WHISKY

From Central Florida comes Bear Gully Corn Whisky, a smooth-sipping, soft spirit with a nose of vanilla and caramel. Full-bodied and sweet (but not too sweet), this whisky lingers on your palate for a deliciously memorable finish.750mL $22

St. Pete, Florida: St. Pete Distillery

Try this! TIPPLER’S ORANGE LIQUEUR

This liqueur is made with real Florida oranges for an unparalleled palate of citrus and sunshine. Zesty aromas, delicate sweetness, a well-balanced finish and notes of spice round out this easy-to-love liqueur.750mL $20

Tampa, Florida: Florida Cane Vodka

Try this! MIAMI MANGO VODKA

Distilled from Florida sugar cane and blended with ripe mangos from Miami, this small-batch citrus spirit sings of the Sunshine State. Sip this neat or added to your favorite fruit mixer.750mL $26

Cape Coral, Florida: Wicked Dolphin Rum

Try this! FLORIDA SPICED RUM

Wicked Dolphin’s signature rum is distinctive and full of citrus and honey aromas and flavors. Smooth, spicy and creamy, this dark rum is a well-balanced representation of what rum in Florida should taste like.750mL $26

Highball 7

Macaroni and cheese wouldn’t be the delight that it

is without the rich, gooey texture. A foamy, creamy

latte wouldn’t tantalize the senses like it does with-

out the weight from the steamed milk. Similarly,

many cocktails follow suit, and egg white cocktails,

perfectly balanced in velvet and creaminess, pro-

vide an otherwise unattainable elegance. Despite

the desirable texture they add to a pisco sour or

sueño, so many people are afraid to use them. We’re

here to squash the fear and get you sipping

a creamy egg white concoction.

First, let’s talk about your options; classic egg cock-

tails are comprised of nogs, flips, sours and fizzes.

Using both the yolk and white are nogs and flips.

Nogs differ from flips in that they will always

feature cream or milk, and flips sometimes can.

Flips are great because they also employ the help

of beer or juices. But nogs gotta have the liquid

dairy component.

Sours and fizzes are flexible and come with no rigid

rules. They do benefit the most from the addition

of an egg, though. Citrus juice adds a tart element

to sours, and carbonated drinks add a frizzante

element to fizzes. But when you add the velvet

thickness of an egg white to one of these babies,

you’ve got all five senses suddenly engaged. A fizz

will take a white alone (silver fizz), yolk alone

(golden fizz) or the whole egg (royal fizz). Sours

are made with egg whites only!

Egg whites need lots of quality shaking to get the

frothy or silky texture you’re looking for. Dry

shaking is the best way to go when shaking eggs,

because ice will alter the way the proteins unravel

(which affects your sip’s perfect texture). Shake

vigorously for one minute for a creamy froth. To

cool and dilute the drink, drop in some ice. Your

cocktail is now served.

Safety can be a huge concern for aspiring egg-cock-

tailers. Just remember, common sense. Always use

fresh eggs or pasteurized eggs. It is estimated that

only 1 in every 20,000 eggs is affected with Salmo-

nella, so your chances are slim. But if you don’t feel

comfortable, go with pasteurized eggs.

Since we’re knee deep in a Floridian summer, try

this refreshing but satiating recipe for a Ramos

Gin Fizz.

FROTH BAR: Demystifying the Egg

RAMOS GIN FIZZ

2 oz Los Apostoles Gin

1 oz Heavy cream

1/2 oz Lemon juice

1/2 oz Lime juice

1 oz Simple syrup

2-3 dashes Orange blossom water

1 Egg white

Club soda

Ice

Dry shake everything except for soda for

two minutes. Drop a few ice cubes in and

shake for another minute and a half. Strain

into glass and float club soda on top. Enjoy!

Adapted from ohsobeautifulpaper.com

A L L I E S M A L L W O O D

Ramos Gin Fizz

8989 South Orange Ave.Orlando, Florida 32824

Hi g

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SPIRIT TO SIP:Puckett ’s Branch Smal l Batch Rye Bourbon

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B O D Y :

Rich and filling F I N I S H :

Smooth and long

P R O O F :

90°

C O L O R :

Bright amber O N T H E N O S E :

SMOKE AND ALLSPICEO N T H E P A L A T E :

Smoke, spice, pepper and vanilla

80 th A N N I V E R S A R Y