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The last two installments of Kiss My Glass focused on bar tools and glassware. Now comes the booze! Taste is subjective, and high price doesn’t guarantee outcome. As with food, there are some benchmarks for quality but no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to your taste buds. Start with an array of spirits and add to your collection as you discover new cocktails or bring back unusual bottles from exotic vacations.
Vodka: Many think "real" vodka is only made from potatoes. Not true! Vodka is derived from any fruit, vegetable or grain, even milk curds. The base ingredient influences the flavor and texture of the final spirit. For example, rye imparts a spicier kick. Wheat lends a creamier texture. Potatoes make it more tangy. Taste different ones, and buy what you like.
Gin: Gins are essentially vodkas macerated with citrus, spices and botanicals, but juniper is the essential ingredient for gin. Some are more juniper-heavy, pleasing traditionalists. Other gins, which I call "stone steppers" into the category, have lovely floral notes, making them more accessible to newbies.
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Rum: These can come from just about anywhere in the world. Most often made from molasses, they can be made from sugarcane as well as with Brazilian cachaça. The Caribbean is known for its funky rhum agricole.
Tequila: Good tequila must be made from 100 percent Blue Weber agave. "Blanco" means it's unaged, or put in barrels up to two months. "Reposado" means the agave distillate has been aged up to a year. "Añejo" tells us it has been aged 1 to 3 years. "Extra añejo" reflects 3 years or more. Avoid bottles with "mixto" or "gold" on the label. Those usually are a mix of spirit and artificial coloring. And try other agave spirits such as mezcal, bacanora and raicilla. Bonus: Agave spirits are made from plants, versus grain, pleasing gluten-free devotees.
Whiskey: Within the whiskey category are bourbon (at least 51 percent corn mash), rye, Scotch (malted barley mash, made in Scotland), Canadian and Irish (typically blended). Your preferred style of whiskey is really just a matter of preference.
Brandy: Brandy is distilled fruit wine. This can be from grapes, as with French cognac and armagnac, and Peruvian or Chilean pisco, as well as domestic brandies. It can also be made from apples or other fruits. There is a lot of variety to play with within this category, which is well worth exploring.
Note: Grappa is made from the "leftover" stems, skins and leaves from the dregs of pressing, whereas most brandies are made from the fermented pressed juice.
Liqueurs: These sweetened and flavored imbibables are nice in cocktails or sipped chilled after dinner. Common ones to keep on hand are orange liqueur (as used in margaritas), cassis (for kir), and Kahlúa for black or white Russians, for example. ¡Salúd!
Santa Fe Reporter