We toast the debut of two new craft spirit
brands, Twenty Third Street Distillery (Australia) and Darroze Armagnac
(France) into the local bar scene, thanks to alcoholic beverage importer &
distributor Cave & Cellar Sdn Bhd. Ms Candy Mah, Executive Director of Cave
& Cellar Sdn. Bhd said “With the changing market demands and upcoming trend
on alcoholic beverages in recent years, we are venturing into more artisanal
alcoholic beverages by importing limited, rare and premium brands.”
Launched at Paus TTDI, our interest was piqued
by Twenty Third Street’s eclectic range: Signature Gin, Not your Nanna’s
Brandy, Hybrid Whisk(e)y & Riverland Rose Vodka. The beautifully designed
bottle labels are miniature art pieces; a visual precursor to the craft spirits
within.
First built in 1914, Twenty Third Street
Distillery was reincarnated from a century-old landmark at Twenty Third Street
in Riverland (3 hours away from Adelaide), Australia. Established to process
the Riverland harvests, production ceased in 2002 after several mergers and
takeovers. Steeped in history, a new team then forged the site and business
revival in 2016.
Contemporary inventiveness and passion blended
with old-school craftsmanship helped to chart new life for Twenty Third Street.
Contradictory yet cohesive, the spirits artfully meld savoury & sweet,
bright & smooth on the palate.
Global Brand Ambassador for Twenty Third
Street Distillery, Shaun Pattinson guided us through the different tipples.
“We're entering a booming but highly competitive
artisan/craft spirit production market. Our modern, innovative products
integrates a compelling, credible story; offering unique experiences that
resonate well with today’s discerning millennial audience.”
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| Canapes to complement our sampling session at PAUS |
Shaun’s first visit to Malaysia was aimed at
sharing his knowledge with local mixologists and trade players on the
characteristics of Twenty Third Street gin, brandy and whisky. “Gin is gaining
popularity in Australia and generating great interest thanks to its
versatility. We’d have to overcome people’s resistance on trying brandy and
whisky, and get them to focus on the taste and flavour first.”
The Riverland Rose Vodka with its merest hint of
pink blush culled from organic hibiscus petal and seductively delicate rosy
scent is the day’s showstopper. Crafted using two types of carefully selected
dewy-fresh rose petals macerated in cane-based vodka and distilled in small
copper pots, the Riverland Rose Vodka can be enjoyed neat or chilled, or with a
splash of water or tonic. We were instantly besotted by the floral scented
vodka’s faintly sweet vanillin taste and warm, lingering finish reminiscent of
Turkish delight.
For Twenty Third Street Signature Gin, the
Distiller has infused ten botanicals including juniper and coriander in
addition to local citrus into the gin. Dry and neat, it can be mixed with tonic
or soda, or as a base to create distinctive cocktails. We found the Signature
Gin flaunted a spicy mélange of juniper, mandarin and coriander aroma while the
zing of juniper, soft citrusy notes and hints of spices left our tastebuds
tingling.
Marketed as an entry level brandy for the young
generation, the deep amber Not Your Nanna’s Brandy should go down well with
modern hipsters. Fabulous when paired with rich eats like foie gras, the toasty
golden liquid suffused our tongues with its tannic oaky spiciness and lush
honey sweetness rounded off by a sweet peachy aroma on the nose.
When Scotch whisky meets American bourbon,
Hybrid Whisk(e)y happens. This handiwork of Master Distiller Graham Buller
consisted of whisky and bourbon that had undergone an average of five years
barrel maturation before the final blend is kept in bourbon barrels for a
smooth finish. The result yielded a distinctive blend ripe with sherry-sweet,
malty flavours tinged with toasty oak and fruity accents.
Armagnac is the oldest spirit in France.
Produced from a single distillation of white grapes (it takes 6 litres of wine
to product 1 litre of spirit), Armagnac comes from the French southwest region
of Gascony — the area famed for The Musketeers, good food like foie gras and
wine.
The Darroze bas-Armagnac story started with Jean
Darroze and his restaurant in Villeneuve-de-Marsan. A highly respected chef
enamoured with the southwest’s centuries old traditions and local Landes
cuisine, Darroze introduced his son Francis to the culinary arts, the great
wines and the fine Gascon eaux-de-vie. Translated as ‘water of life’, it
basically refers to fruit brandies except those made from grapes.
By cultivating a taste for tradition and
authenticity, Francis Darroze mastered the art of discovering small, low-key
and unknown estates on his bas-Armagnac explorations with his knowledgeable and
demanding wine-loving father. Their early discoveries date back to the 50s and
60s, and strengthened in the 1970s, with the construction of a cellar dedicated
to ageing.
Today, Marc Darroze — a trained oenologist and
the third-generation owner of Darroze Armagnac — continues to roam the lands of
Armagnac, in search of this golden liquid. Around forty estates contribute to
the Darroze collection; the spirits ageing completed and perfected in the
Roquefort cellars inside rare and ancient barrels. Several decades of careful
ageing in oak barrels are required for the fine spirits to concentrate their
expressions of the quality of the place and the vintage.
The Darroze collection offers a true voyage of
taste over the infinite variations of terroir, variety and ‘savoir-faire’.
Their “Les Grand Assemblage” range of 8, 12 & 20 years; followed by their
iconic range “The Unique Collection” of 2004 Domaine de Couzard-Lassalle Ã
Mauléon d’Armagnac, 1999 Domaine de Rieston à Perquie & 1988 Domaine de
Lagoue à Hontanx are representative of the name of its original estate, vintage
and the bottling date.
Darroze Grand Assemblage 8 Years: Fruity on the
nose with hints of candied orange zest and prunes. Smooth and not too oaky,
drink it as a fresh and light aperitif neat or on the rocks. Popular in the USA
as a base for cocktails.
Darroze Grand Assemblage 12 Years: Aged for 10
years in oak, this Armagnac is subtly spicy on the palate. Allow it to breathe
in the glass to release its beguiling, soft aroma of cinnamon and liquorice.
Darroze Grand Assemblage 20 Years: Full of
lively character, it flaunts deeply flavourful, rounded tannins and a long
finish. Warm on the tastebuds with distinct, mellow ‘bite’ of spice tapering
off to subtle chocolate and raisin notes.
Domaine Couzard Lassalle 2004: This golden
tipple proffers complex tea and fruit scents mixed with toasty spice note. We
also detected notable accents of leather, spice and citrus.
Domaine De Rieston 1999: Deep orange-gold liquid
with silky tannins and a long, lingering finish. Delightful Christmassy accents
of oranges, gingerbread and toast comes to mind when it hits the tongue.
Domaine De Lagoue 1988: Golden brown tipple
redolent with the scent of orange peel, vanilla and cinnamon.
Well-balanced with peppery note on the palate and a smooth, long finish.
For more information, please contact Cave &
Cellar's Marketing Department, Ashlyn: +6 012-2900 777 or Cynthia, +6 016-7176
379.
