After our sense of taste we often talk of our sense of smell, that is significantly more versatile than the former – the boring explanation is that we can smell many more scents than we can taste, which is true but is only half the story. You see, from our scent-sensors in the nose, the information goes on to what is called the brains’ Limbic System. Smell is the only sense directly connected to this system that deals, among many things and to the best of our knowledge, with emotions, memories and instincts and it has been proven before (in real research with validity and reliability and whatnot) that a wise selection of aromas can give rise to specific emotions and even drive people to act in predetermined ways – to lead through the nose – try not to think of buying fresh bread when next you walk by a bakery for example.

But even our sense of smell and taste combined are still only a small part of what we will have to refer to again as the human Experience, that includes so much more than neural messages concerning molecular ingredients in the air…While I can probably write a thousand word description on the flavors and aromas of this great gin what Im holding, the truth is some of what I can find in my glass is evident because of a pretty, smiling lady sitting next to me. Her smile shapes what I can sense from my gin glass.

Neutral environment? On the contrary. It is in mixed environment that we notice to most details – we know that in scary, threatening situations our senses suddenly grow much sharper than our normal everyday existence. It is in extreme emotional states that we suddenly discover that even black has many shades, and that rosemary has a different smell in each season. I wouldn’t expect anyone in a dangerous situation to stop and pull out a bottle of Sauterne-Barrel-Aged Tequila – but the problem with the neutral environment is that our senses are asleep in neutral environments.

I believe one cannot truly separate his surroundings and what he senses from his glass, because of what is known as “Top Down” perception processes. This effect is the psychological description of when our thoughts and emotions shape what we perceive through our senses – precisely why our mood shapes our perception. When we’re happy, alert and full of vigor we notice minutiae nuances, our sensitivity grows, and when we’re sad or depressed, it wanes and a drink that just yesterday was too sweet can be not-sweet-enough even though it was made by the same recipe. Mind you, its not just mood in here but the multitude of what we refer to as ourselves that could put flavors into our cocktail without adding an ingredient.

Suggestion is a term used for some word, image or sentence designed in a way that it could affect our experience in a pre-conceived manner. A sample would be telling you about wave-surfing in Australia while tasting Carribean rum, allegedly not relevant, but believe me you’ll slowly find more and more exotic flavors in your glass, be they there or not. A background at the color of cherries could help you find cherry-aroma in a glass of wine…sounds made up? Just wait, we haven’t gotten to Priming yet – a process where one can implant a subconscious message that would increase the chances you’d act in a specific way. Priming has to be unnoticeable – if we were aware of the message, there’d be no priming effect, so seeing a commercial for Grape-Based vodka wont be priming but should the shape of the bottle that everyone would recognize be implanted as a hidden background, barely noticeable, then when faced with the question of what vodka would you like, you’d probably choose just that brand. Priming can be more than that, the color of a dress you saw on the way to the bar can shape your decision of what you will drink tonight, not to mention dozens of other details around you that’d help you find flavors and aromas in your glass that a gas-chromatography machine wouldn’t pick up.

Tip of the tongue? We’ve no idea.

So just what is it I’m trying to say?

That you just cant simplify a human instance into words that will do it any justice, “scents of forest berries, tobacco and wood” is quite an unjust label to a drink even though it may be the only way to share the experience with written words. Whatever criticism we read about restaurants, pubs, drinks…they all describe a narrow view of what is otherwise a very broad, complex and detailed experience.

When you sit and plan the experience of your own bar, it is the smallest details – as small as you can handle – that take part in shaping the experience for your guests and maybe a part of being able to give the guest a new and exciting experience is to design those small details – the smells around him, or the shapes and colors passing at his eyes as he sips something you offered.

And lastly, all that we can really do to appreciate an experience is pass it on, just as it is, while trying to be aware of the many details around us, to revel in the moment and enjoy a whole, complete Experience.

La ginebra floral de referencia que siempre utilizamos en nuestras catas es G-Vine Floraison, la cual tiene un inconfundible carácter gracias a la infusión de flores de uva verde en la mezcla de los botánicos. Los mismos creadores de esta refinada ginebra francesa han elaborado un licor floral utilizando flores de uva verde de diferentes variedades.

Claves del Licor June Espirit

- Elaborado con la flor verde de cinco variedades de uva francesa: Ugni blanc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, folle blanche y sauvignon blanc.

- Es fruto del ensamblaje artesanal de los licores de los cinco destilados de flor de uva, las cuales se recogen manualmente y se destilan utilizando alambiques tipo florentino

Nota de Cata del licor June espirit

En nariz nos llenan dulces y semiácidas notas de flores y frutas que se entremezclan al igual que nos pasa en boca: pera, manzana, melocotón, frutos rojos, roiboos, albaricoque, vainilla… En boca es dulce pero muy equilibrado, no llegando a empalagar por exceso de dulzor. El final es largo e invita a tomar otro sorbo.

Recomendación

Un licor de flores muy sutil, goloso sin ser empalagoso y muy delicado lleno de matices de frutas blancas y frutas naranjas confitadas ideal para tomar solo, utilizar en cocteles o en gintonic como complemento.

She joins two other “queens” in the Cunard fleet – the Queen Mary 2 (QM2) and the Queen Victoria.

Lucky passengers, after discovering the 1,046 rooms, the 25 penthouses the 832-seater theatre, the spa, the games deck and the shopping arcade, please relax at the bar and have … a G’Vine cocktail!   Indeed, G’Vine is proud to be part of this elegant enterprise, being listed on the cocktail menu.

Unfortunately, we do not know if Her Majesty took time to taste on board our “so traditionally unconventional” gin …

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June in Oktober
40 ml june
40 ml Earl grey
30 ml lemon juice
20 ml vanilla syrup
Garnish with a branch of thym

Silky June
30 ml rosebud shochu
30 ml June
30 ml lemon juice
8 dashes Giffard violette
40 ml passion fruit nectar

Thank you Arnd for your time and for sharing your recipes!

With a note of 94, Excellia is amongst the highest graded Reposados as only 8 other products received this score.

Here are the tasting notes given by the BTI panel:

Excellia Reposado Tequila $64.99.

Golden yellow color. Complex aromas of cheese rind, dried tropical fruits, chili pepper, honeycomb, and baking spices. Round and vibrant with a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body. Candied citrus zest, fig paste, coconut, herb, and grassy earth notes parade on the long, spicy finish. A wonderfully alive and zesty reposado. International Review of Spirits Award: Gold Medal

Below is the complete Tequila Reposado category results:

http://www.tastings.com/search_spirits.lasso?se=k&kw=2010TequilaReposado&sb=All&sf=ScoreForSort&dt=208

If  you are in New York and/or around 399 Lafayette St (east 4th st) Saturday, September 11th, feel free to stop by the Astor Wines & Spirits store for a free tasting of G’Vine Gin and Esprit de June liqueur.

More information on the website: http://www.astorwines.com/TastingEvents.aspx

June, 23rd, effervescence in Cognac vineyards: the green grape flower is blossoming to life.

For a few days, the EWG team is handpicking, infusing… :  just so carefully devoted to this rare, precious, delicate, fragile, tiny flower.

At the end of April, almost 7000 products from the five continents participated in the 2010 BRUSSELS WORLD COMPETITION.  Among all these candidates, in the spirits category, only two gins were honoured by the jury:

-  G’VINE FLORAISON : GREAT GOLD MEDAL, highest award of this competition.

-  G’VINE NOUAISON:    SILVER MEDAL.

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