Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/35876
ROUGE VODKA: Passion at the Pool With its fiery red bottle, there’s little about Rouge that doesn’t scream “passion.” It is with this energy in mind that the brand’s creators, on a quest for perfection, developed Rouge, distilled from the finest American wheat and purest water from Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Rouge, ever the seductress, is also uniquely filtered through a bed of white rose petals, and if that doesn’t scream sex appeal, we don’t know what does. Poolside Appeal: Passionate THE WHITE ROSE 2 oz. Rouge Vodka ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ½ oz. St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur ¾ oz. grapefruit juice ¾ oz. lime juice ¾ oz. simple syrup 2 basil leaves ½ slice jalapeño freshly-grated ginger 1 egg white Garnish with white rose petals. [Krˉ a-zˉ e] owners Kevin Klang (left) and Carl Brown were impressed with Niki Kotantoulas’ Hello Moon cocktail. [KRˉ A-zˉ E]: Where the Sun Meets the Moon Blending is the key to [Krˉa-zˉe]’s success, with the brand’s lineup offering two flavored liqueur/vodka blends (Lemon- Lime and Three Berry)that are sweet yet smooth and crisp, and incredibly mixable at a reasonable “sitting in the sun all day long” 50-proof. The brand’s premium vodka rounds out the pack with a little more kick at 80 proof, but mixologists have been finding plenty to play with thanks to [Krˉa-zˉe]’s, well, crazy versatility. Poolside Appeal: With [Krˉa-zˉe]’s signature moon embla- zoned on the bottle, Mixologist Niki Kotantoulas from Scottsdale’s Mabel’s on Main was able to find inspiration from both ends of the celestial spectrum. “It’s a refreshing cocktail that’s almost too easy to drink in the sun,” laughs Kotantoulas, “and the name is also a play on the classic children’s book, Goodnight Moon.” We’ll Good Morning and Goodnight to that. Our Panel’s Palate: “[Krˉa-zˉe] is already a stand-alone product, but as a mixer, adds a crazy kick to a drink. Case in point: the refreshing use of cucumber with the berry liqueur.” —Todd Grobstein “The spirit is pleasant on its own and Niki’s cocktail was well-made: the fresh peach was a perfect touch.” —Mike Muncal HELLO MOON ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ half a fresh peach, muddled 3 slices of cucumber, muddled 12 sage leaves 2 oz. [Krˉa-zˉe] Triple Berry Liqueur Shake, mist glass with gin and serve over ice. Stacy Whiteside of The Arrogant Butcher in Phoenix, AZ. july 201 1 / the tasting panel / 91 people spending their days poolside will doubtlessly find refuge with Rouge, as did Mixologist Stacy Whiteside of Scottsdale’s The Arrogant Butcher, who chose to let this American vodka shine by surrounding it with simple, clean ingredients. “When you’ve got a great base, you can go for light, fresh ingredients,” says Whiteside. Our Panel’s Palate: “The floral and ginger notes are intriguing; the ginger actually bites back more than the jalapeño! An artistic achievement.” —Meridith May “A visually beautiful cocktail with lots of activity mid-pal- ate: original!!” —Ray Klemp