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DUBONNET ROUGE WAS created in 1846 by Frenchman Joseph Dubonnet who intended the sweetened fortified wine to serve as a restorative elixir for French Foreign Legion troops during their missions to Africa and Asia. Now acknowledged as the grand dame of aperitifs, the wine is produced in two versions, both of which are still made according to the same secret recipe devised 150 years ago.
Dubonnet Rouge is produced on a base of premium red wine that is infused with a proprietary blend of herbs, spices, peels and quinine. The wine is fortified with grape spirits to an elevated strength of 19% alcohol by volume. The famed aperitif is light and refreshing, characteristically aromatic with a delicate body and a palate of tangy fruit. The finish is long and subtly effervescent.
The range also includes DUBONNET BLANC, which is crafted on a base of botanical-infused white wine and fortified with grape spirits. The classy aperitif is significantly drier than its red wine counterpart. As fortified wines, both versions of Dubonnet are most often enjoyed before dinner as an appetite stimulant.
For generations, Dubonnet Rouge has been the bestselling aperitif wine of its type in the United States. While still popularly served neat or over ice, master mixologists are increasingly relying on Dubonnet Rouge rather than Italian vermouth in specialty Martinis and Manhattans. It’s a role that Dubonnet is especially adept at playing. Its versatility has made it an integral ingredient in many contemporary cocktails.
WHEN IT COMES to tequila, quality and magnificent taste cannot be rushed. The handful of brands that constitute the upper echelons of the category are produced without shortcuts or compromise. Certainly such is the case with MILAGRO SINGLE BARREL RESERVE AÑEJO 100% AGAVE TEQUILA.
Ultra-premium Milagro is crafted in Jalisco at Tequilera Cielito Lindo. It’s made with estate grown agaves that are slow roasted in brick ovens for 36-hours before being triple-distilled in small batches. The limited edition Milagro Single Barrel Reserve Añejo is then in small French oak casks for a minimum of three years.
Those who genuinely appreciate great tequila refer to the brand’s flagship marque with reverence. The amber-hued añejo has a silky, lightweight body and a wafting bouquet of citrus and spice. The entry is warm and slightly sweet. It’s followed closely by waves of dry herbal and peppery flavors that persist on the palate for an impressively long time. The delectable finish is a fitting end to a remarkable sipping experience.
Prior to bottling, ultra-premium MILAGRO SINGLE BARREL RESERVE SILVER spends a stint in new French oak barrels for smoothness and to elicit its exceptional character. The crystal clear masterpiece has a sleek, slightly oily body and a generous bouquet of herbs, citrus and a touch of vanilla. It glides over the palate without undue heat then slowly ebbs into a spicy, lip-smacking finish.
The highly acclaimed MILAGRO SINGLE BARREL RESERVE REPOSADO is barrel-aged 10-months in new oak. It’s a vivacious, limited release spirit loaded with aromatics and long-lasting flavors. Top-notch. —RP
IF YOU’RE IN the market for a spirit that marches to the beat of a different drummer, look no further than HENDRICKS GIN, a refreshing, marvelously twisted gin with a unique outlook on things. Self-described as the “world’s most peculiar gin,” Hendricks exists confidently in a universe of its own making—and we’re all rather fortunate they did.
The brand is produced in the seaside village of Girvan, Ayrshire in the south of Scotland. Its individualism to a large degree is the result of skilled craftsmanship. The gin is crafted from a blend of small batch spirits produced in two types of stills, each of which produce distinctively different styles of spirits. The distillery’s small pot still produces a full-bodied, full-flavored spirit with an oily texture and a juniper-forward character. In contrast, the Carter-Head stills extract the aromas and flavors in the botanicals using alcohol vapors alone, yielding a distinctively lighter, more delicately flavored spirit. Blending the two results in a finished spirit unlike all other entrants.
Another significant point of distinction is the composition of Hendricks’ botanical mix, a delightfully eccentric blend of juniper, coriander, citrus, witch hazel, cassia bark, Bulgarian rose petals and cucumber essence. After distillation the spirit is diluted to 88-proof with spring water from the Scottish lowlands.
The result is a refreshing break from convention, a gin without a heady blast of juniper on the nose or palate. Hendricks has a lightweight, oily textured body and a prominent cucumber and floral bouquet with light citrus and juniper notes. Despite being relatively high in alcohol, the gin raises little heat on the palate before slowly fading into a slightly spicy, cucumber-laced finish.
Hendricks well deserves its critical acclaim and legions of enthusiastic supporters.
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