Cocktails Distilled

Today is International Women's Day and along with the subscription service, Whiskey Loot, we want to celebrate female distillers. Historically, the spirits' industry has been dominated by men whose contributions are born out by the bottles that bear their names, but slowly more women are standing next to the still. One such woman is Naomi McIntosh, who distils for the Australian whiskey brand, Chief's Son. We talked to Naomi about breaking through the glass distilling ceiling and the whiskey that she makes.

Banned across Europe and the United States in the early 1900s, absinthe is often a spirit that is associated with illicit behaviour. With a reputation for providing psychedelic inspiration to such creative names as Oscar Wilde, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent Van Gogh, absinthe has always built a reputation as an incredibly naughty, but slightly dangerous green fairy of the spirit world.Yet the reality of absinthe is very different. To understand a little bit more about absinthe and its place in the modern bar cart, we talked to Alison Crawbuck and Rhys Everett from the new UK absinthe brand Devil's Botany about botanicals history and why absinthe is making a slow but steady comeback. 

Aside from the world's obsession with sourdough starters, one of the biggest trends to have emerged from last year was bottled cocktails. As an easy way for people to drink well at home, bottled cocktails were able to bring a little of the craft of cocktails from bars, into the homes of everyday people. But the bars and bartenders who are now starting to create bottled cocktails are by no means the first to think of the idea. Back in 2013, world-renowned bartender, Charles Joly, and Chicago bar owner and restaurateur, Matt Lindner, pioneered the practice with Crafthouse Cocktails. We speak to Charles and Matt about flavour, batching and the future. 

Let's take a minute to think about rum. It's highly possible that when you hear the word, a variety of different ideas come into your head. You might think of pirates, you might think of piña coladas, you might think of plantations. But let's put a pause on that because what Marc Farrell from Ten To One Rum wants to point out is that there is a lot more to rum than what marketers have told us. So as to understand what he means, and talk about why you should think about Ten To One for your home bar, I'm pleased to welcome Marc Farrell to the first of our podcasts for the new year. 

Often said to be the best spirit you've probably never tasted, shochu has a long and storied history as Japan's favourite traditional spirit. Usually single distilled and often sitting at an ABV of around 25%, shochu has always been popular in its native land due to its drinkability. Yet, as far as cocktails are concerned, it has often been seen as a spirit that can easily be overwhelmed by other flavours. That is until the advent of iichiko Saiten. Distilled by Sanwa Shurui on Kyushu Island, iichiko Saiten has been bottled at 43% and designed specifically to work in cocktails. To explore exactly what this means we talked to iichiko brand ambassador Tetsuro Miyazaki, brand ambassador Natasha Sofia, and cultural expert Jessica Joly. 

You don't often hear of gins from Texas, but Treaty Oak have been distilling their Waterloo Gin since 2011. With a distinctly Texan flavour and attitude, Waterloo is best known for their Antique Gin, a barrel-aged liquid that many have described as one that will change your mind about gin. To discuss this further, we talk with Jamie Biel, Treaty Oak's director of science and sustainability about aged gin, botanicals, barrels and of course, sustainability. 

For generations, independent bottlers have been part and parcel of the UK whiskey scene, yet they've not been as commonly seen in the whiskey industry in the United States. But this is all about to change with the first release from a new American independent bottler called Lost Lantern. To understand what Lost Lantern is, what they are about to release, and exactly what it means to the U.S. whiskey scene, we talked to the founders, Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski.

While it might seem that tequila is one of the more fashionable spirits on the market right now, it is a liquid steeped in history, tradition and culture. It is made from plants that take decades to mature, and it is processed in ways that have not changed for hundreds of years. A new tequila brand, Mijenta, wants to ensure that the artisanal nature of tequila is not lost. To discuss this, we talk to Mijenta's founder, Juan Corondo, about sustainability, community, and creating a unique artisanal spirit. 

As the interest in low and no alcohol options increases, a lot more established alcohol brands are creating non-alcoholic options. Warner's, who are best known for their all-natural gins, are the latest distillery to tackle this new market.With their 0% botanical gardens spirits, the brand has released two expressions, a Juniper Double Dry and a Pink Berry variant. We talk to the brand's creator, Tom Warner, about natural ingredients, what it takes to get a non-alcoholic spirit right, and, of course, how you can drink their two new expressions.

No matter where in the world you are, Angostura is the bitters on everyone's bar and in everyone's drink. Starting in 1824, the company originally produced their aromatic bitters to alleviate stomach ailments, but soon established their brand as an integral ingredient in the cocktail world.Based on their island home of Trinidad, the brand is not only known for its ability to move with the times, but also for their authenticity and craftsmanship. We talked to Mr Terrence Bharath, chairman of Angostura about sourcing local, the future of bitters, and of course, how their new cocoa bitters can be used in cocktails.