Up-And-Coming Spirits

September 27, 2003 4:57 PM

The Spirits Of The Times: Whatever's Next? In an unstable marketplace, good old spirits have been undergoing an extraordinary renaissance since 1988, with 2003 the best year yet. And growing. With summer over and thoughts turning to the more warming libations, I wonder what the next big drinking craze will be. My bets are on the wonderful, underrated fruit brandies, distilled directly from fruit juices with nothing else added: kirsch, framboise, mirabelle. Mmmm... The best eaux-de-vie, in my experience, are those from G. E. Massenez and above all (though they're quite expensive and alcoholic) from the Swiss Paul Morand distillery. (Flash req.) An ice-cold Williamine, served in a shot glass surrounded by an old-fashioned tumbler full of shaved ice: oh what bliss on an autumn night, after a late dinner with old friends!
posted by MiguelCardoso (12 comments total)

Damn, I meant Louis Morand, the great Swiss distiller, not Paul Morand, the mediocre Swiss writer. I always get them mixed up.
posted by MiguelCardoso at 5:00 PM on September 27, 2003

just give it a chance.
posted by clavdivs at 5:26 PM on September 27, 2003

on topic: i like apple cider.
posted by clavdivs at 5:27 PM on September 27, 2003

I dunno, Miguel...I still vote for curling up with a good bottle of wine.
posted by madamjujujive at 5:42 PM on September 27, 2003

Kirsch, by the by, is a fine libation teamed with a Swiss fondue. Do yourself a favor, though. Steer away from French Kirsch and towrds Swiss or German Kirsch. All of it is very strong, but the French varieties tend to taste like lighter fluid, whereas the Swiss and German varieties taste more like the fruit.

Now, if you want French brandies, go for Calvados or Pear William.
posted by plinth at 5:43 PM on September 27, 2003

Sight one will probably never see:

Miguel Cardoso having a glass of water.
posted by konolia at 6:49 PM on September 27, 2003

Hey! I drink a lot of water, konolia. The only difference is that it melts first. :)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 6:54 PM on September 27, 2003

Can I give tribute to fruit brady's bastard cousin, the Belgian fruit lambic?

Proving, once again, that sometimes good things happen when you leave something lying out.
posted by eriko at 7:38 PM on September 27, 2003

After a few beers, settling in with blackberry brandy, in a whiskey glass, at a Beat Farmers show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. Very good memories. If I could ever find blackberry brandy again, the memories would surely come back, if not the hair on top of my head.
posted by planetkyoto at 10:47 PM on September 27, 2003

It's been awhile since my eaux-de-vie phase, but I do like kirsch and framboise: and let's not forget slivovic/slivovica/slivovitz. When it comes to grape-based brandies, I don't see why some of the Spanish varieties shouldn't become more popular, when more people discover how good they can be.
posted by misteraitch at 3:07 AM on September 28, 2003

My favorite cold-weather libation is still what I call a Canadian coffee: a shot (or more, to taste...) of whiskey, equal part of maple syrup, fill mug with hot coffee, stir, then top with whipped cream.
posted by Oriole Adams at 7:55 AM on September 28, 2003

Oregon's Clear Creek Pear Brandy. Essence of yum.
posted by wiinga at 12:51 PM on September 28, 2003