Category: trips

  • All About Orris: Harvest in Tuscany

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    In Tuscany on a botanical trip with Bombay Sapphire, we learned how the orris root is grown and processed to use in the gin.  Orris root is the rhizome of the Iris flower. Here in Tuscany they are grown on sloping hills between rows of olive trees. Nice space. These iris flowers are not grown…

  • Picking Juniper Berries in Tuscany: A Photo Album

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    In May I visited Italy to learn more about the botanicals used in Bombay Sapphire. From Tuscany they get both the juniper berries and orris used in the gin.  In the rolling hills of Tuscany at high elevations where there are few trees and many wildflowers are found the juniper bushes.  They're kind of ugly,…

  • Casa Noble Distillery Visit

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    Way back in February I took a quick trip to Mexico to visit the distillery La Cofradia, where they make Casa Noble tequila. They make other brands there too, but I was there as the guest of their flagship brand Casa Noble. A Beautiful Distillery La Cofradia is located about a mile outside of the…

  • Angostura Rums Distillery Visit

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    In my last post I talked about the history and production of Angostura Bitters. In this one I'll talk about the history and production of Angostura Rums. I visited the distillery on Trinidad in March 2011. History of Angostura Rums The House of Angostura was in the bitters business since 1824, but didn't enter the…

  • The History and Production of Angostura Bitters

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    In March I visited the Angostura distillery in Port of Spain, Trinidad. They make not only Angostura Bitters here but also the line of Angostura rums and rums for several other brands. In this post, I'll focus on the bitters.  The History of Angostura Bitters Angostura Bitters were created in 1824 by Dr. Johann Siegert. They…

  • Jameson Irish Whiskey Distillery Visit

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    In early February I visited the Jameson Irish Whiskey distillery – actually two of them. The original Jameson distillery is in Dublin, but it is no longer made there. In 1971 it moved to the Midleton distillery in Cork. The reason is because in the late 1960's Irish Distillers was formed, a merger of Jameson,…

  • Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana

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    In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, which is located in Sanlucar de Barrameda.  (La Gitana is their most famous brand. It's a manzanilla; similar to fino but aged in Sanlucar.) (The bodegas were wonderfully old, moldy, and dusty.) (One of the…

  • Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Lustau

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    In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Lustao.    (Barrels in the Lustau bodega.) (The vinegar aging room smelled heavenly. I'd love to go back and just study vinegar.) (These new casks are being prepared for Jameson Irish whisky that is aged in ex-sherry casks.…

  • Tequila Distillery Visit: Patron

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    In November I visited seven tequila distilleries in Mexico. Here are some pictures and notes from my visit to the Patron distillery in the town of Atotonilco. (The distillery is on a huge plot of land. It's a huge distillery. This is the front gate.) (This is the hacienda, which is the center of the…

  • Sherry Bodega Visit: Bodegas Gonzalez Byass

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    In September 2010 I visited several sherry bodegas. Here are pictures and a few notes from Bodegas Gonzalez Byass.  (The grounds of the bodega have grape vines covering the streets to provide shade.) (A train takes people on a tour around the bodega.) (One of the rooms for special events.) (A barrel signed by Picasso.)…