Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/723381
56 / the tasting panel / september 2016 COVER STORY through three generations. After all, if the spirit at its most naked, unadulterated moment isn't great, no amount of hocus-pocus, smart packaging or barrel voodoo can change or hide that fact. "With Popcorn, it's amazing how versatile the spirit is. It's a high-quality product," says Lunn. "There can't be gimmicks if you're in it for the long haul." That rings true in places like Bar Sovereign in the popu- lar SoBro neighborhood of Nashville, TN. Here, bartender and owner Gabe Fuenmayor loves the way the pure spirit works in classic drinks like Juleps, Old Fashioneds and Flips. With a keen eye, he has also noted the neck-and- neck growth of both Nashville itself and the city's demand for Popcorn Sutton. That kind of acceptance in Popcorn Sutton's home state speaks volumes to the spirit's future beyond its own borders. At Federal, the Houston, TX, bar where 296 of the 415 whiskies on the formidable list are American, Bar Manager Peter Nolan knows that if he anchors a spirit to his menu, there's got to be a very good reason. "Popcorn Sutton is really great. Of all the new spirits on our list, only about three or four are white; we don't collect a lot of unaged spirits," Nolan says. "There was a perception that you're buying the paint and the easel and not having an artist making the art, like it's a raw thing with no magic, but that's not at all the case." Indeed, if a spirit is delicious in its purist form, it reveals nothing less than the artistry of balance—all part and parcel of each decision a distiller makes, from the mash composition to the final cuts chosen during distillation. "Lately, there's a huge uptick in people into the chemistry of distilling. They want to know about the different mash bills, they're searching out what goes into them and who makes it. There's a growing palate for white whiskies and spirits like them," Nolan says. "What I love about Popcorn Sutton is it's so mellow and chill—I've been putting it in flights as well as cocktails." He can barely keep up with the demand for the barrel- aged riff on a Manhattan he uses it for, dubbed Suttonly Famous. "I fill a ten-liter barrel full of Popcorn Sutton, Carpano Antica, house-infused bitters and Texas honey with the honeycomb. I put it on the roof in the 104-degree heat for about six weeks." Nolan is also a big fan of the just-launched Avery's Trail Gin. Dubbed the gin for today's trailblazers, Avery's Trail is aptly named for the first road out of North Carolina into Tennessee that pioneering settlers used to travel upon. And, indeed, the gentle juniper notes and crisp citrusy hints of this New West–style gin reveal a modern take on the category. A barrel-aged version is in the works, too. "American-style gins are my personal favorites—they have so much more going on in my opinion. Being in a whiskey bar with over 400 whiskies and only 14 to 16 gins at any time, we only keep them if our customers love them," says Nolan. "The Avery's Trail has a hint of juniper, plus all these other subtle notes, like cardamom, lemony citrus, peppercorn and peppermint leaves. You can drink it all on its own with just one big cube. I can hunt down a new flavor in it almost every time I take a sip." "For me, gin is something I like to drink. Whiskey is a big favorite, too, of course, but once I looked into the flexibility you have with the gin—it's unlimited in what can put into it. You can use as many or few ingredients as you like, as long as there's a little juniper," says Lunn. Henley agrees. "It's that ability to be creative that's appeal- ing to me," offers Henley. "As distillers, you love to play around with different things and see how they taste. With the Avery's Trail Gin, John was able to do that." It's impossible to know what clever thing Popcorn himself might say about all this, but it's very likely he'd approve of Lunn and Henley and the spirit with which they are bringing his legend into the future. "We're building the brand from the ground up. For me, when you get into distilling and blending, there are all these ideas in our minds," says Lunn, "and since starting this brand, that's been very appealing and fun—to be able to do that and watch something grow, like a child into an adult. We put all that love and passion behind this." PHOTO: VAN GALLIK