Templeton Rye

Hey you!  Back for more?  I'm glad, because I've got something this time that should last you a while.  For an in-between seasons spirit that is versatile, tasty, and can be made to fit any taste or event,  I give you Templeton Rye.  The first time I tried rye was at Bangers and Lace in Chicago's Wicker Park.  The rye was mixed with Cherry Heering and bitters.  In the mood for something slightly sweet and substantial, I bought a bottle recently and have been mixing it with all sorts of staples in my liquor cabinet.  Oooh.  I'm getting in the mood for one right now, just typing about it!  


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The story goes that most American whiskeys stopped being made during Prohibition.  But Templeton Rye, made in Iowa, continued to be secretly distilled and was shipped to Al Capone in Chicago, who supplied the town with it illegally.  This bottle is apparently from that prohibition recipe that Al Capone enjoyed so much and goes for about $40.  Mixed, or over ice, it should keep you in fine spirits for a while! 


Nose:  A little leather, a little maple.  Smells like whiskey.


Taste:  Very cool because of the alcohol content.  Not a lot in the initial taste, I'd say.


Finish:  This is where you really experience the rye.  It has a sweetness to it like bourbon and .... I can't get away from this.... it makes me want pancakes.

This isn't really a warming drink like the last I posted.  It is great for party cocktails and would be just perfect for summer dinners on the porch.   I'll follow up with some of the cocktails I've made from it.  For now though, just enjoy it over ice or with pancakes!


Cheers!
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Sake Taste Test

In blogging about the sake I have every Tuesday night, I realized that there is more to tasting sake than just enjoying its warmth and the nice food pairing that usually accompanies a bottle of sake.

Sake, like wine or beer, can be crafted by the brewer to change its essence.  I found a sake tasting guide online and armed with three different bottles of sake, and a nice sake beef stew (you must eat while tasting, otherwise your tasting notes won't make any sense the next morning!) set aside an evening to try my tongue at this subtle spirit.

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Sake #1:  Sato No Homare:  Pride of the Village, a Junmai Ginjo Sake from Ibaraki

FRAGRANCE:  A clear sake with a fruity aroma.  Really ripe bananas.  A bit sour.
PALATE:  Pretty intense impact.  Not immediate though.  Coats the roof of your mouth and throat.  Sweet, soft, full-bodied.  Fresh and tropical.
FINISH:  Pleasant, sweet finish that warms the throat.


Sake #2:  Tantake Kuni:  Hawk in the Heavens, a Junmai Sake from Tochigi

FRAGRANCE:  Clear sake with a floral aroma.  Fresh smelling.
PALATE:  Much drier than the last sake tasted.  Good.  I really like this one (as a drinker of red wines and scotches, this is much more up my alley).   Soft, slow taste that opens up.  Fresh.  Earthy.
FINISH:  Almost nothing - it is gone.  Just a slight sweetness at the end.


Sake #3:  Tozai Nigori: Snow Maiden, a Junmai Sake from Kyoto

FRAGRANCE:   A cloudy sake which has a tart and fruity aroma.
PALATE:  Fruity.  Melon-like.  Sweet, but not as sweet as the first one.  Whoa.  Also mushrooms.  Melon and mushrooms.  How's THAT for a combination?!
FINISH:  Slightly lingering.  A little sweet with an earthiness as well.  I like this one, though on my first tasting, I wasn't thrilled by it.

Wow.  There is quite a bit of subtlety to sake that I wasn't aware of, having always had it hot and cheap.  ;)  The Pride of the Village and Tozai were each around $10 and the Tentaka Kuni was about $14.  For a very drinkable sake that has the dryness that I'm used to in alcohol, I'm going to remember the Tentaka Kuni.  For something much more summery, I like the Tozai.  

Kanpai!

Sake

Oh good!  You're back.  Had enough of the sweet stuff?  Finding that this in-between weather is leaving you in need of a drink?  Well, it is too warm for scotch or port in front of a fireplace, and not warm enough yet for margaritas and mojitos on the porch.  So, I'm recommending sake.  Served in its own little jar with a tiny cup to drink it from, sake is not only about the taste, but about the experience.

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Sake is a Japanese beverage made of primarily water and white rice, brewed much like beer.  It can be flavored and is meant to be consumed warm, at room temperature, or even chilled.  The Japanese also use sake in cooking!

Ozeki sake is an easy-to-find, inexpensive brand that has been brewed in Japan for almost 300 years and also here in the U.S. for about 30 now.  

Nose:  Very little.  Slight sweetness.

Palate:  Not syrupy, as you might expect.  Definite rice.

Finish:  Very nice.  Smooth.  Warming.  Not alcoholic tasting.

If you buy a bottle, sake is meant to be kept cool and dark.  Often, liquor stores that carry it won't take proper care of the sake, and it won't taste as good when you get it home.  Enjoy, of course with rice dishes.  I find it to be a wonderful complement to spicy food as well.