Cocktails Distilled

No matter where you are in the world, you can usually tell the quality of the bar you're standing in by whether they have Fords Gin on the back bar, or even in their well. Referred to by those in the know as the bartender's gin, Fords started back in 2014, and it's still going strong. Today we talk to the man himself, Simon Ford, about building a brand, what makes Fords different and why you should probably have a bottle at your home too.

September is National Honey Month, and to celebrate, we are talking to Holly Seidewand, the North American brand ambassador of single-malt for Aberfeldy. To raise awareness between beekeepers and bartenders, the brand is highlighting its 12-year-old expression, which is known for its rich multi honeyed flavour profile, as well as launching their Gardening Give-Back Project. 

When you think of American whiskey, you automatically think of bourbon. And when you think of bourbon, you automatically think of States like Kentucky and Tennessee, but in this age of craft distilling not all the amazing bourbon that is being made in the US is restricted to those two states. A relative newcomer to the bourbon game, Kings County Distillery, based in Brooklyn are showing that the future of American whiskey may be found in the stills of small batch distillers. We talk to co-founder and head distiller, Colin Spellman about pot stills, flavor, and bottled in bond. 

Like a good wine, the story of vermouth is one of place. The botanicals and wines used in its development often describe the terroir through the aspects of flavour. But vermouth is a liquid that also has the ability to recount tales of history, exploration, and the unforeseen. The narrative of the premium Dutch artisanal vermouth brand, Willems Wermoed, encapsulates more than just the fortified wine's bottles. To recount the narrative of the brand, we speak with Paul Selier of Selier spirits about botanicals, ageing and the unexpected. 

With the interest in premium rum on the rise, qualities such as purity and authenticity are becoming more important than ever. And this is where Equiano comes in as this limited release blends flavours and techniques from separate hemispheres. We talk to global rum ambassador, Ian Burrell, one of the founders of the brand about blending, terroir and effect that ageing in different barrels has on a liquid. 

Realistically, it's very hard to stand out in today's oversaturated gin market, but one brand, Iron Balls, has managed to do just that with its unusual flavor and steam punk aesthetic. Operating out of a small distillery in Bangkok, the brand is founded by bar designer, Ashley Sutton, in 2015. As a self-confessed pirate, you will more often than not find Sutton on the high seas rather than on land. While he's away brand, ambassador and bartender, Carson Quinn, rises to the rank of head distiller. So we talked to Quinn about what makes their gin different, how flavor adds to the experience, and of course, what cocktails you can make with it. 

It's not often that a truly unique spirit enters the market with the same impact that has been created by Cocalero. Celebrating the coca leaf that has grown in the Andes mountains in South America, the spirit imparts a sense of terroir of its Homeland. To understand this unusual spirit a little better, we speak to John Ralph, creator of cocalero and CEO of Intrepid Spirits about botanicals, flavour, what it takes to bring the unique spirit to the market and of course, how to use it. 

Considered by many as the Wild West of whiskey, American single malt has always had a reputation for innovation and experimentation. And it is through their collaborations, a lot of the time with breweries, where they're making their point of difference felt. To underline this, Westward have released their Oregon Stout Cask Whiskey, which draws on the region's craft brew history. We talked to Miles Monroe, head distiller at Westwood Whiskey about brewing, flavour, and the difference a good cask finish can make. 

With renewed enthusiasm in Irish whiskey, it is not surprising that interest in Ireland's other national spirit, poitín, has not been far behind. With a history that goes back hundreds of years, this once illegal spirit has always been seen as the drink of the people. To understand the spirit better, its history and future, we talked to Dave Mulligan from Bán Poitín about craft distilling, the potency of poitín, and of course the cocktails you can make with it.

Stephan Berg, Co-founder of The Bitter Truth, discusses the history of bitters in cocktails, the evolution of bitters styles, common mistakes when using bitters, recreating historical bitters, and the versatility of bitter flavors in spirits.