Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1013885
august 2018 / the tasting panel / 83 Trinity Bay Artisanal Siberian Vodka, Russia ($15) With packaging that reads "Handcrafted in a Faraway Land," this 1-liter offering is distilled from grain. The soft oat-y nose gives way to vanilla sweetness; prickled with white pepper, the flavors delicately fall in line for a pleasing mouthfeel: brioche, cashew, mango, and oatmeal cookie. 90 Bare Bone Vodka, USA ($18) As it says on the bottle, this 80-proofer is "handbuilt in Texas with Southern grit" and made from wheat and corn. Charcoal-filtered and unctuously textured, the palate is dotted with peppercorn and tobacco. While the mouthfeel is bold and extroverted, the aromas offer a milder tonality with blueberry and lavender. We also love the steerhead-shaped bar code on the back of the modern packaging. 94 BACK YARD SPIRITS COMPANY Calwise Spirits Co. Big Sur Gin, USA ($35) Distilled from grapes and wild native herbs, this California-made, 80-proof spirit leads with an enticing array of oregano, tarragon, sage, and bay leaves. While juniper gently whispers on the nose, it emerges on the palate along with lavender and what could be described as a cactus-like flavor. It ends with a deepening salinity that resonates for a long time on the tongue. 92 Spa Girl Cocktails, USA ($25) A former flight attendant and caterer turned entrepreneur, Karen Haines has hit the proverbial nail on the head with this 33-proof line of ready-to-drink cocktails. Housed in a statuesque, cylindrical frosted bottle, this is about the best-tasting low-cal, gluten-free, low-carb RTD of its kind we've tasted. The flavors are authentic, the mouthfeel is clean, and the mixing potential with its vodka base is vast. "There's even a silver lining for Weight Watchers," says Haines: The drinks count as only one point per serving as opposed to five points for wine. Spa Girl is sweetened naturally with sugarcane. Spa Girl Martini, with a hint of cucumber, tastes as refreshingly cool as spa water (that's the objective!). Floral tones are light and airy with an echo of spearmint. Tip: Add grapefruit juice. 91 Spa Girl Pear Martini endears with a lightly whispering summer-pear nose. Vanilla adds a touch of creaminess and softens the palate's texture as an underscore of tropi- cal notes mingles with the accented pear. For this one, try adding coconut water. 92 Michter's 10 Year Kentucky Straight Rye, USA ($160) Matured and bottled at the peak time, this 10-year-old 92-proofer offers "maximum yum." Flavors and aromas of black tea, cinnamon, orange peel, and a heady caraway twang expertly align. Pipe smoke and coconut, caramel, and cedar tones are extended and luxurious. 99 + ©2018 Produced & Bottled By St. Elder, Ltd., boston, MA. 20% Alc/Vol (40 Proof) PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY. For recipe inspirations visit St-Elder.com | @DrinkStElder Crafted in small batches from an extract of fresh elderflower blossoms, St. Elder brightens up every cocktail with notes of sweet citrus and floral honey. ST. ELDER GREYHOUND 1½ oz Vodka ½ oz St. Elder Natural Elderflower Liqueur 3 oz Grapefruit Juice Lemon wedge Shake ingredients with ice & strain into a rocks filled glass. Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lemon