Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/430172
december 2014 / the tasting panel / 99 Dot It with a Dash The Bitter Truth Bitters Less than a decade ago, and just before the cocktail resurgence, two German mixologists, Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck, conceived the idea of produc- ing and selling a range of cocktail bitters. They stayed true to the original recipes from pre-Prohibition times when ingredients were scarce and bootlegged liquors needed something to lift their illicit—and often poor—flavor profiles. The Bitter Truth is an all-natural line, with no artificial flavors. Its labor-intensive process—a three- to four-month period to produce one batch— includes a two-month maceration and one-month maturation period. Do the math: Recipes call for 2–3 dashes of bitters per cocktail, so each 200-ml. bottle holds enough for 216 to 324 mixed drinks. Our recipe here calls for The Bitter Truth E**X**R, a clean, herbal-sweet liqueur that resembles the fine qualities of an Italian amaro. The fruity and floral Bitter Truth Pink Gin is an 80-proof Navy style gin that offers up notes of candied raspberry, caraway and blue flowers. Our Panelists' Critique: "The E**X**R is a nicely balanced and sweet bitters—it screams to be enjoyed after a steak! The Negroni had a wonderful texture with a deep, burnt flavor." —Raul Yrastorza "The Pink Gin was very playful, while the E**X**R had a complex, profound character. The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters is a great benchmark of the type, with great drying qualities. With a lovely and inviting aroma, the cocktail was dense and satisfying—it perfectly showed off the products." —Tricia Carr One-of-a-Kentucky Spirit Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon "Craft is about process, not size," says seventh- generation Jim Beam Distiller Fred Noe, whose father, Booker Noe II—sixth-generation Master Distiller—coined the term "small batch" in the 1980s while developing the Small Batch Collection. Aged in a nine-story rickhouse, the barrels are hand- selected to fit a robust, mature taste profile for this nine- year-aged, 120-proof power bourbon. Brown sugar and cinnamon, cured meat, orange peel, nutmeg and vanillin are some of the dreamy notes that waft and linger in this Double Gold medal winner from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Pour a finger and sip it neat, open it up with a drop of water or an ice cube—or use it in a recipe like the one we created here. Our Panelists' Critique: "On the nose, there are layers of dried fruit, cinnamon and apricot. Cloves and nutmeg come through on the palate without a spicy finish. The cocktail was a complex drink with a vanilla nose and maple and rosemary notes, ending with a slightly dry finish." —Alberto Battaglini "Layers of orange, caramel and raisin give way to sarsaparilla, ginger and black currant on the tongue. The clean and very bright cocktail had a really nice finish. I want to cozy up to a fireplace with one in hand." —Zahra Bates Dark Negroni ◗ 1 oz. The Bitter Truth E**X**R ◗ 1 oz. The Bitter Truth Pink Gin ◗ 1 oz. Campari ◗ 2 dashes The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters ◗ Orange peel for garnish Bourbon Fall ◗ 2 oz. Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve ◗ Barspoon Pedro Ximénez Sherry ◗ Barspoon Grade A maple syrup ◗ 3 dashes Bar Keep Vanilla Peppercorn Organic Bitters ◗ Stir with ice, strained on a big rock. Garnish with expressed orange peel and slapped rosemary sprig. Jim Robb, Southern California Manager for Great Western Spirits and Zachariah Parks, Bar Manager at Joe's Bar & Restaurant. Dustin Newsome, Head Bartender at Seven Grand Whiskey Bar in Los Angeles.