Alcademics

Tag: definition

  • What is a Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey?

    Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon WhiskeyI was about to casually add a product to the New Booze page when I realized I didn't know what it was: Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 

    I thought that "blended" and "straight" whiskey were at odds with each other, as blended whiskeys must contain at least 20% straight whiskeys in their blend.  

    The press release doesn't address what is a blended straight bourbon is in the description: 

    With four times more malted barley than conventional recipes and a slow cut proofing process which allows more time for flavors to marry between proofing stages, the Old Elk Bourbon recipe transcends tradition to craft a rich, smooth bourbon. 

    “We use traditional ingredients – malted barley, corn and rye – in an innovative, yet steadfast recipe to create a bourbon with smooth, rich flavors that act in harmony with caramel cues brought out by the charred barrels and spicy rye notes,” said Greg Metze, Master Distiller at Old Elk Distillery. “After testing a variety of proofing periods, we found that these flavors come together in a smoother bourbon when the proofing stages are longer. Instead of taking the usual 24 to 48 hours for proofing, we use a slow cut proofing process during which full-barrel proof bourbon is cut and left to rest – and we repeat this patient technique until the ideal character is achieved. It takes significantly longer than most common recipes, but taking the time to proof slowly makes all the difference.” 

     (SRP $49.99), now available in Colorado and California

    So I looked it up. 

    According to the US Government: 

    (5)(i) ‘‘A blend of straight whiskies’’
    (blended straight whiskies) is a mixture
    of straight whiskies which does
    not conform to the standard of identify
    for ‘‘straight whisky.’’ Products so designated
    may contain harmless coloring,
    flavoring, or blending materials as
    set forth in 27 CFR 5.23(a).
    (ii) ‘‘A blend of straight whiskies’’
    (blended straight whiskies) consisting
    entirely of one of the types of straight
    whisky, and not conforming to the
    standard for straight whisky, shall be
    further designated by that specific type
    of straight whisky; for example, ‘‘a
    blend of straight rye whiskies’’ (blended
    straight rye whiskies). ‘‘A blend of
    straight whiskies’’ consisting entirely
    of one of the types of straight whisky
    shall include straight whisky of the
    same type which was produced in the
    same State or by the same proprietor
    within the same State, provided that
    such whisky contains harmless coloring,
    flavoring, or blending materials as
    stated in 27 CFR 5.23(a).

    So a blended straight bourbon whiskey like this is a blend of straight bourbons that may contain coloring, flavoring, or blending materials. 

     

     Update: A PR representative for the brand clarified that although Old Elk could legally use additives in its formulation according to the whiskey category it is in, they do not. They wrote:

    Long story short:

    • Old Elk Bourbon conforms to Section 2 Grain Spirits (1)(i) Bourbon Whisky
    • Old Elk Bourbon also conforms to Section 2 Grain Spirits (1)(iii) as a “Straight Bourbon Whisky” except that it is a blend of straight bourbon whiskies from other states, not the same state.
    • Therefore, Old Elk Bourbon is relegated to Section 5 (ii) “A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies” which allows the use of coloring, flavoring or blending materials but does not mandate it.

    Old Elk Bourbon does not use additives, but still falls under the “Straight Bourbon Whiskey” designation since the bourbon whiskies used in the blend were produced in three different states (Colorado, New York and Indiana). They do plan to change that, as they’re expanding their distillery in Colorado.

     

  • What is Fernet?

    By far the most famous type of fernet is Fernet-Branca, but there are other fernets on the market. So what is fernet, generally speaking? 

    (Thanks to commenter Scott who wrote in on the "Shhh It's a Secret" seminar at Tales of the Cocktail write-up for asking the question that I never thought to ask.) 

    I asked John Troia, co-founder of Tempus Fugit Spirits. They have a fernet coming out, Angelico Fernet. Here's what he says.

    I’m sure there may be varying degrees of opinion, but we feel that the following is reasonably consistent with our research and that of others:

    Although categorized under Italian Amari (Bitters), Fernet is its own bitter category and is most often listed underElixir/Elisir in Italian liquor manuals, when not simply called ‘Fernet’.The extremely bitter (amarissimo is an apt description) concoction has its origins most often attributed to Bernadino Branca, who commercialized it in 1845, but conflicting data conjectures its creator(s)as : a mythical doctor/collaborator of Branca from Sweden named Fernet (possibly as an off-shoot of the older and better tasting ‘Swedish Bitters’); Maria Scalia, the wife of Bernadino Branca who was a master herbalist and self-taught doctor; a monk named Frate Angelico Fernet  who may have been responsible as the origin of many herbaltonics and elixirs (Fernet being a historical French Burgundy  surname – pronounced Fair-Nay- and which underwent many spelling transformations); and a modern Italian liquorist text-book reference to it having originated somewhere in Hungary. 

    Fernet was most likely created to counteract the effects of Cholera and Malaria, but went on to be used for everything from a laxative to hangover cure. Today, as in the past, there are many Fernet producers (with the largest making so much of the world’s production that some actually believe Fernet is a brand-name), but mostly made in tiny quantities for local rural Italian consumption. The various known recipes most typically share ingredients such as Aloe, Saffron, Quinquina, Gentian, Anise, Angelica, Mint and the odd Larch/White Agaric, a type of tree-bark loving mushroom (once also known as Spunk) rarely used or even found commercially outside of Italy. This latter ingredient (along with Saffron) seems to define and create the backbone of the best Fernets; Agarico mondo has an odd, bitter taste that becomes lightly mentholated on the mid-palate and was used to treat night-sweats.

    According to Abruzzo’s local doctor, pharmacist, wine-maker, distiller and bitter-maker Marchese Dottore Egidio Niccolo Antonio d'Alesasndro di Trasmondi, the best Fernets have little or no sugar in them as it impairs digestion.

    Thanks John – any questions?