Black Juniper Amaro, The Glenlivet Capsules, Paragon Cordials

Black Juniper Amaro, Paragon Cordials, The Glenlivet Capsules, Research into Barley Varietals, Smarten Up Simple Syrup, Smirnoff Infusions, Fortunate Son Bar, Secret Speyside, Strykk Asterisk, Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin and more in this week’s bar/spirited news & recommended reads.

Black Juniper Amaro – Photo Supplied

Smarten Up Your Simple Syrup

Flavoured syrups aren’t new but bartenders are turning to other liquids aside from water to create syrups. Think brewed tea or coffee, juice, wine, even flat cola. Whether it’s blending honey with yuzu juice to amplify intensity of flavours, or mixing a blend of green and black tea with honey and a pinch of salt, the technique enables a wide range of combinations to add greater complexity, colour and texture. (source)

Black Juniper Amaro

Earlier in the year, we featured Never Never Distilling Co. in our Meet the Distiller series. The Australian distillery has now collaborated with Melbourne institution Black Pearl in Fitzroy to create the world’s first roasted juniper Amaro. Black Juniper Amaro (29%) is made from roasted juniper berries that develop a dark, earthy profile when gently toasted. Three juniper components (roasted juniper, spent basket juniper from the Never Never gin production run, and fresh juniper) are steeped in neutral spirit and then hand-pressed using a hydro press to extract maximum flavour. Bittering agents such as wormwood, gentian and quinine along with one or two other non-disclosed ingredients are added to give it an all-round bitter note.

Black Juniper Amaro is described as sweet, waxy with juniper extending into wooded alpine bitterness along with coffee, menthol and black cardamom. This is truly a unique Amaro and a fine example of innovation by Australian distillers.

Research into Barley Varietals for Whiskey

In our interview with Matt Hofmann, Westland Distillery co-founder and master distiller, he spoke about how barley is key to Westland Whiskey’s DNA. Westland has now created a new fellowship to fund a PhD student to research barley varietals for the whiskey industry. (source)

This Must be The Place is Coming to an End

Sydney bar This Must be The Place has announced it will be closing its doors this month. “It’s the end of our lease this month and we have elected not to renew,” they started on social media. The bar was originally started by Luke Ashton and Charlie Ainsbury, both winners of World Class Australia and has been highly awarded during its four year tenure. TMBTP will always be remembered for educating Sydney on spritzes such as the Belafonte. Their last day of trade will be Sunday 20th October 2019 so make sure you get down there for one last hurrah.

Strykk Asterisk for Non-Alcoholic Cocktails

As we recently reported, House of Pocket venues are offering a core list of cocktails with over 60% available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. A symbol next to a cocktail name indicates that the drink can be made non alcoholic using Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits.

Non-alcoholic ‘spirit’ Stryyk is offering the UK on-trade the chance to add a ‘Stryyk asterisk’ to cocktail menus using an online tool to indicate the drink that can be made without alcohol in an effort to eliminate the need for a mocktail section. (source)

Fortunate Son Bar

Industry legend Jason Crawley whom we interviewed on Cocktails & Bars is opening his own bar along with his business partner Dylan Howarth. Fortunate Son Bar is slated to be a neighbourhood bar with a strong music theme (hence the name). The venue will open soon opposite the Enmore Theatre in Sydney. (source)

Paragon Cordials

Bartender Alex Kratena and Monin syrups have launched Paragon, a new range of single botanical cordials in the UK. Three expressions flavoured with different strains of pepper were released. Each cordial in the Paragon range is made with the same base of water, sugar and acids, which is mixed with natural botanical extracts, Timur Berry from Nepal, White Penja Pepper from Cameroon and Rue Berry from Ethiopia. (source)

Secret Speyside

Chivas Bros has released the Secret Speyside Collection into the global travel retail market with fifteen aged Single Malt Scotch whiskies from four seldom-seen and sought-after Speyside distilleries. The fifteen-bottle collection consists of three rare Single Malts, aged from 18 to 30 years old, from each of Glen Keith, Longmorn and Braes of Glenlivet, together with three peated and three unpeated expressions from Caperdonich, which distilled its final Single Malt in 2002, before closing its doors in 2011. (more info here)

The Glenlivet Capsules

A whisky brand has gone beyond the glass to deliver cocktails in a casing produced from seaweed-extract. The Glenlivet Capsules contain 23 ml of booze which is enjoyed by putting it in the mouth and biting it to release a burst of flavour. The capsules come in three flavours, Citrus, Wood, and Spice and were created in partnership with London bar Tayēr + Elementary by Alex Kratena and Monica Berg. The Glenlivet Capsules launched as part of London Cocktail Week. (source)

Smirnoff Infusions

With day drinking in mind, Smirnoff has launched Smirnoff Infusions. The 20% ABV spirit is infused with natural botanicals and is designed for mixing with soda water (30ml Smirnoff Infusions, 90ml soda water). With less than 40 calories per serve and 60 per cent less calories than a standard glass of white wine, Smirnoff Infusions is aimed at drinking during the warmer months and is available in two flavours, Cucumber Lime & Mint and Passionfruit & Lime. (more info here)

Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin

Continuing the theme of infusions and summertime drinking, Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin has been released into the Australian market. The limited release gin is infused with undisclosed “natural floral essences” which give the spirit a highly floral bouquet and is well suited in a spritz with sparkling wine and tonic water. (source)