Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/471637
92 / the tasting panel / march 2015 F a n t a s c F a n t a s c F a F a F t a t a t n t n t n t n t n a F F F F F F F F F F F a F F F a F a F F F a F F F a F F F a F a F F F a F a a a a n a n a n a a a n a a n a n a n a a a a a a a a a a n a n a n a a a n a a a n a n a n a a a n a n a n a n a n a a a n a a a F a F a F a F F a F a F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F n n n n n n n n n n n n n n t n t n n n t n t n t n n n t n a n a n a n n n a n a n n n a n a n n n a n a n n n a n t t t t t t t t t t t t a t t t a t a t t t a t n t n t n t n t t t n t n t t t n t n t t t n t c s a a a a a s a a a s a a a a a a a a a a a t a t a t a a a t a t a a a t a s a a a s a s a a a s a a a s a a a s a a a s a a a s a a a t a t a t a t a t a t a t a a a t a t a t a t a t a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a a s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s s s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c a a a t a t t t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a a a t n a F F F F F a F F F a F F F F F a F F F a F a a a a n a n a n a a a n a a a a a a a n a n a n a a a n a a a n a n a n a a a n a a a n a n a n a n a a a n a n a n F a F F F F a F F F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F F a F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F a a a F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F F a F a F a a a F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F a F F F a F a F a F F F a F n n n n t n t n t n n n t n n n n n n n n n t n t n t n n n t n n n n n n n t n t n t n n n t n n t n t a n a n a n n n a n a n n n a n a n n n a n t t t t a t t t a t t t t t t t a t t t a t t t a t t t a t t t t t a t t t a t a t t t a t n t t t n t n t n t n t t t n t s a a a a a s a a a s a a a a a a a s a a a s a a a s a a a s a a a s a a a s a s a a a s a t a t t t t a t t t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t t a t t t t a t t t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t a t a a a t a t a t t t a t a t a t t t a t s s s s s s s s s s s s s s a s s s a s a s s s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a s a s s s a s a s a a a s a s a s a a a s a c c c c c c c c c c c c c c Pour Pour Pour general style: GO-GO GADGET TASTING NOTES! American Beauty Gin: Rose, Ginger, Cinnamon A whisper of summer rose petals on the nose is welcoming; ginger snaps the spirit into place while the cinnamon notes warm the palate. Clean, dreamy and feminine. 93 —M. M. Nomad Gin: Saffron, Cardamom, Orange Brilliant golden sun–hued with an exotic nose of the Orient, the saffron is mellow and elegantly perfumed. Spicy on first sip with such a regal lilt, the cardamom pops and the orange is passionate. Truly unique. 95 —M. M. Smoke & Mirrors Gin: Applewood Smoke, Peppercorn and Caraway Steely lead pencil lends the smoke a refined mineral tone on the nose; the peppered palate is restrained enough to meander slowly from the front to the back of the mouth, finishing with a rye-bread smooth- ness. 92 —M. M. Empire Spirits Project Every superhero needs an arch nemesis. While Spiderman has the Green Goblin, the beverage industry may have just met its match with newcomer Empire Spirits Project—a brand with its very own "bag of tricks!" Similar to the Goblin himself, Empire Spirits Project (ESP) is entering the spirits realm with its very own unique, innovative style. They may not be dropping bombs atop a fancy, bat-shaped glider but their initial launch, Project: Gin—comprised of three distinct and inventive styles—is soaring high above the competitors. The three expressions—Nomad, American Beauty and Smoke & Mirrors—have already grabbed the atten- tion of John Winterman, Managing Partner of renowned NYC restaurant Bâtard, who says: "I love all three, but American Beauty is my favorite. We can't wait to see what we can do with such a versatile stunner!" Having gone through more than 60 iterations to come to these final three recipes, ESP's gins are distilled in the Finger Lakes Region of New York using handmade stills.