Vodka became the dominant spirit of Eastern Europe, usually distilled from grain, potatoes, molasses, beets or even grapes. Rye and wheat were most commonly used. As a generalization, the Russians favored wheat, and the Poles favored rye. The word vodka came from the Polish and Russian word for “water.”

There was a Jewish connection. Despite always being abstemious, a disproportionately high number of Jews worked in the distilling industry in Eastern Europe, and in particular in Poland, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. It was one of the very few trades permitted to Jews at the time.

In Israel, there were numerous distilleries in the 19th century, but these were mainly situated in private homes. This was because the Turks prohibited alcohol to a certain extent and gave out licenses very sparingly. Only after the World War I in the days of the British Mandate did the local spirits industry develop. Many of the wineries produced spirits as a sideline. By the beginning of the 1990s, the main Israeli vodkas were domestic brands: Gold, Keglevich and Vodka Stopka.

However, the effect of globalization and the opening of the Israeli market to imports decimated the locally produced vodka market. Suddenly there were cheap imports available in the supermarkets, and all the international global brands became available, too.

Today, vodka is by far the largest-selling spirit in Israel. The Russian immigration of the early 1990s added a new drinking culture in Israel, hastening the popularity of vodka. Today it is a massive industry here. Israel has one of the largest consumptions of vodka per capita in the Western world.

In the West, symbolized by the US, vodka was drunk with a mixer. The idea was to get an alcohol kick without any unpleasant taste. Vodka there was officially described as having to be “without character, aroma, taste or color.”

The quality of vodka was unimportant, but the cleanest and most tasteless was preferred. The first vodka to corner this market was Smirnoff. It was originally sold under the slogan “Smirnoff White Whiskey – No taste, No smell.” It worked. Smirnoff has become the largest-selling spirit in the world.

The next major push vodka received was from the iconic advertising campaign by Absolut, which started in the 1980s just as white spirits were coming into fashion.

The unique Swedish medicine bottle became associated with quality. It is today the world’s second-largest selling vodka and the fourth-largest selling spirit overall.

However, in Poland and Russia, vodka was given more reverence. Firstly, it was served from the freezer, so it was ice cold. This releases spirit esters and a slight oiliness. Secondly, it would normally be served with food. In Russia, vodka is served in small shot glasses, with zakushka, a kind of Russian mezze. It is the perfect accompaniment to smoked fish, pickles and black bread on one level, and to caviar and blinis on another.

All the famous brand names of international vodkas are here in Israel. These include Wyborowka and Zubrowka from Poland, Stolichanaya from Russia, Nemiroff from Ukraine, Finlandia from Finland, Absolut from Sweden, and Van Gogh and Ketel One from Holland. The largest-selling vodka in Israel is Finlandia, followed by Absolut. The largest-selling Israeli-produced vodka is Gold.

The concept of prestige vodkas became the rage in the 2000s. People were prepared to pay a premium for vodkas with added value of appearance, style and usually a good story. Vodkas like Grey Goose and Ciroc from France, and Belvedere and Chopin from Poland filled this category. The ultimate is perhaps Kauffman from Russia, which is a low-production vintage vodka in an unusual glass bottle. My favorite is Chopin. It is a Polish vodka produced from potatoes. To me it has the right combination of flavor and smoothness.

The current trend is for flavored vodkas. Since the taste of vodka is neutral, it lends itself to added flavors. This is nothing new. In the countries of origin, vodka was often flavored to cover the taste of what was often poorly distilled alcohol. Once there was Finlandia cranberry and Absolut citron. Today every brand has a number of flavored options. There is no lack of choice for the vodka drinker.

¿Imposible? No tanto. Porque la bebida hecha de cebada y agua no tiene alcohol.

Entonces ¡vamos a tomar un whisky! sugieren sus fabricantes Scottish Spirits Ltd de Panamá, quienes fabrican la marca Arkay, que en opinión de Gavin D. Smith y Tom Cannavan de whisky-pages.com, brindan el genuino sabor del escocés auténtico.

“Es perfecto para beberse solo, con refresco, té y otras mezclas, pues es el resultado de diez años de investigación y desarrollo”, dice la publicación especializada.

En fin, una nueva oportunidad de pasar una velada agradable y luego manejar de regreso a casa sin temor al alcoholímetro.

O de convertir la idea en un buen negocio entre las comunidades o agrupaciones que no acostumbran el alcohol, con bares que implementen la ideología de cero alcohol provistos de enormes pantallas de televisión para comentar el juego con los amigos.

También, generar un nuevo concepto de negocio en el que el bar, a prueba de alcoholímetros, ofrezca amenidades como tableros de ajedrez, café, un golfito, alguna mesa de ping pong, un karaoke o algún espacio para atender al perro de la familia y degustar de su bebida favorita.

Conceptos novedosos que conquisten la imaginación de grupos sedientos de un buen momento con los amigos, disfrutando la buena cocina y la buena bebida.

“Este producto es perfecto para los mercados de Oriente Medio o de Asia en países como Pakistán, Indonesia o cualquiera que posea una abundante población musulmana que representa un mercado de alrededor de mil 300 millones de consumidores “,  según Smith y Cannavan.

Un nicho de mercado para quienes huyen de los efectos del alcoholímetro y buscan, por el contrario, diversión sin comprar problemas.

Y si así van las cosas en los países industrializados, ¿porqué no diseñar aquí un pulquito o una cerveza sin alcohol para tomarse con su limoncito con los amigos, o bien fría en plena sala de juntas. O también, ¿por qué no? para obsequiar al bisabuelo de la familia.

Diseñar su propia Cantina Cero Alcohol para compartir con los amigos de alcohólicos anónimos en un ambiente acogedor, siempre y cuando resistan el típico olor a whisky sin recaer en la adicción al alcohol.

Porque la última edición de Alcoholism Clinical & Experminental Research advierte del peligro de las recaídas para quienes no pueden controlar el deseo de ingerir whisky verdadero.

Aunque también hay quienes opinan que estas bebidas son perfectas para la “recuperación en estado de sobriedad” bajo vigilancia médica.

Entonces, dependiendo de cada caso en particular, esta novedosa industria ofrece la posibilidad de adquirir una amplia gama de cervezas sin alcohol, como una lata bien helada de Kirin Free o la esbelta botella de Baltika, a la que se le extrae el alcohol por medio de un proceso de diálisis, dejando en su interior una treintena de sustancias minerales y las vitaminas esenciales.

“Baltika Número Cero es la cerveza sin alcohol más popular de Rusia”, afirma Business Analytica Agency.

El whisky tradicional es fabricado a base de granos de cereal que son molidos y luego añejados en barricas de madera, tradicionalmente de roble blanco. Y es sometido a temperaturas que oscilan, según el gusto de su productor, entre los 35 y los 50 grados centígrados.

En Inglaterra y Canadá se le conoce como whisky, pero en Irlanda y Estados Unidos se le llama whiskey.

Según zonadiet.com, el Whisky escocés es inimitable porque solamente Escocia dispone de aguas de deshielos que provienen de formaciones rocosas de granito colorado.

Shackleton, a British explorer, is perhaps best known for his failed 1914 attempt at a Trans-Antarctic expedition which resulted in his and 27 others being stranded for over a year (and eventually rescued) on isolated Elephant Island. Prior to this journey, however, Shackleton and a smaller crew very nearly became the first men to reach the South Pole. From a small base camp at Cape Royds, he and three others (including fellow adventurer and noted whisky drinker Frank Wild) set out, only to be thwarted by the weather and a lack of supplies two months later, 100 miles from the pole. They returned alive, with scant hours remaining before his ship, the Nimrod, departed for the winter. Anything that didn’t need to be carried out was left in the base camp, a permafrost-protected museum to early exploration.

In 2007, a restoration crew from New Zealand’s Antarctic Heritage Trust Foundation was working on Shackleton’s hut when they stumbled across a stash of three cases of Scotch whisky (along with two cases of brandy) beneath the floorboards. After a careful thawing and curation (featured in National Geographic’s new documentary “Expedition Whisky”), it was decided that the whisky could be sampled (i.e. drunk) and recreated. While most of the original bottles remain untouched in New Zealand’s Canterbury museum, three were pulled to sample and test extensively, with the goal of replicating the recipe.

The 100-year-old paper labels read “Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky, blended and bottled by Chas. Mackinlay & Co.” and “Specially Prepared for the British Antarctic Expedition 1907 Ship ‘Endurance’.” The distillery closed in the 1980s, and the Mackinlay brand eventually acquired by Whyte & Mackay, which produces The Dalmore and Jura whiskies, among others. It turned out billionaire owner Vijay Mallya was happy to participate in reconstructing the historic spirit. The Dalmore’s master blender Richard “the Nose” Paterson was brought on board to create the blend. The final result is a “new” Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky crafted from 25 modern whiskies (including a small sample of the last of the Mackinlay batches from 1980).

“Going into those Antarctica buildings, it feels like everyone just left yesterday,” Paul East, chairman of the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust, told the Explorer’s Club crowd. “And no, we didn’t just take the whisky out and drink it.”

When the decision was made to recreate the whisky, and questions of brand ownership and bringing on the right distiller arose, “I thought it was rather a long straw,” said East. “But it turned out Whyte & Makay were very excited about it. We were very fortunate that Richard was willing to take this on.”

For his part Paterson is still visibly excited by this opportunity, some six years in the making. “Tonight is about a journey, and about two very brave men: Ernest Shackleton and Frank Wild,” Paterson told the crowd. Wild is thought by some to be the man who stashed the whisky, perhaps so it wouldn’t be consumed by the base camp crew while the South Pole party was away. “I’d like to think that, during those hard events in the Antarctic, the whisky lifted their spirits.”

Paterson, who says he was first introduced to the brown spirit at age 8 (whose father and grandfather were in the whisky trade), considers the opportunity of being the first to nose, taste and recreate the 19th-century whisky an honor. Because they’ve been kept on ice for over a century, the bottles are unique in terms of storage and preservation.

“I’m here to tell you that, at 47.3% alcohol, this whisky did not freeze,” insists Paterson. “It’s been under the ice for 103 years, but if you put ice in it tonight, I’ll kill you.”

The new Mackinlay does not, sadly, include any of the original spirit, but Paterson carries a small vial which he shows off. He says the nose and palate are identical, though the color of the new blend is darker, in part due to the use of older whiskies. “I took 25 to 30 whiskies, and put it together. So there are 10-year and 30-year whiskies in there.” In analyzing the whisky, he found elements of both Speyside and Highland styles, a hint of new oak along with used barrels for the aging, and the slightest trace of peat. The bottle design and labeling are accurate historic recreations (minus obligatory 21st-century legalese).

On the nose, the Mackinlay’s Rare Old is aromatic and floral, with notions of the barrel’s brown sugar and vanilla. It is delicate and fruit driven. On the mouth (neat), the feel is brisk, clean and smooth with a mild cigar bite at the end. There are refreshing notes of spice, vanilla and mild bitter orange. Paterson’s opinions about iced Scotch notwithstanding, adding a splash of water doesn’t seem to open this delicate whisky up much more, and it seems best drunk neat.

The timing of the release is significant to the Shackleton story. In addition to the new National Geographic feature, granddaughter Alexandra Shackleton is scheduled to transport Frank Wild’s ashes to South Georgia island (significant to the 1914 rescue) on Nov 17, and inter them alongside Ernest’s remains (he died there during a final mapping expedition in 1921). 

For Paterson, the history and context of the whisky is as important as its taste: “I want you to drink this with thoughts of the wind and the rain and the sound of angry penguins. Slainte!”

Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky is available at DrinkUpNY.com for about $180. The limited edition run (50,000 bottles were produced) is packaged in a miniature recreation of the wood crate and straw packaging used to ship the original bottles to the Antarctic. A wider release is expected this month.

___________________________________________

Thirsty for more? Check out National Spirits Examiner or NY Drinks Examiner.

Do you have a cocktail trend, new product bar or teahouse you’d like me to review? Want to give me a heads-up on your favorite hot spot? Please email me at NYDrinksExaminer AT gmail.com. Or follow me on Twitter @roberthp.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT

The Whiskey Place – a single malt scotch retailer available online at http://www.TheWhiskeyPlace.com – is promoting its selection of Old Pulteney whiskey, which was recently acclaimed by whiskey expert Jim Murray in his 2012 Whiskey Bible. Also known for its discounts on Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Glenrothes whiskeys, among other single malt scotch brands, The Whiskey Place is now offering discounts on Old Pulteney’s 12- and 17-year-old batches.

“When Jim Murray named an Old Pulteney single malt scotch whisky as the World Whisky of the Year, he was bringing attention to one of Scotland’s lesser known distilleries, located in the Scottish town of Wick. This is a great opportunity for a single malt scotch distillery without a lot of marketing capital to gain international acclaim,” said Mr. Zimmerman, CEO of The Whiskey Place.

The affordable 12-year-old Old Pulteney is on sale for $39.99 at The Whiskey Place, with the price per bottle decreasing to $37.99 when shoppers order 12 or more single malt scotches at a time. Aged entirely in American bourbon casks, the 12-year-old is unique for its floral characteristic, backed by notes of ester and citrus. This single malt scotch whisky is deep yellow in color and exhibits a light body; dry, peaty nose; and pleasant, salty finish.

Also popular, the 17-year-old Old Pulteney single malt scotch is on sale for $79.99, or $75.99 for shoppers purchasing in bulk. This firm and textured whiskey features many of the same characteristics as the 12-year-old bottling, with a few subtle variations designed to enhance the flavor. Old Pulteney distilled 10% of the 17-year-old in oloroso sherry casks, resulting in a higher tannin level. The tannins and sweetness interact nicely to create a subtle spiciness that feels more present in the mouth than the 12-year-old. The increased tannin levels also give this single malt whisky a longer, more luxurious finish.

The furthest north distillery of single malt scotches in Scotland, Old Pulteney’s coastal location is evident in its products. The coastal environment offers a subtle brininess to the single malt scotch whisky, while the rural atmosphere supports the distillery’s traditional techniques.

Old Pulteney is known for using an usually squat pot still during production, and the distillery employs worm tubs instead of modern condensers to add an oily and sometimes meaty quality to its single malt scotches. Old Pulteney also boasts a production process devoid of computer automation, ensuring that every bottle of single malt whisky is distilled under expert supervision.

To learn more about Old Pulteney single malt scotch whiskey or The Whiskey Place, visit http://www.TheWhiskeyPlace.com or dial 877-944-6440. The single malt scotch store can also be located on Facebook and Twitter at http://www.facebook.com/TheWhiskeyPlace and http://twitter.com/TheWhiskeyPlace, with a whiskey NYC blog at http://www.ScotchWhiskeyBlog.com.

Shackleton whiskey has undoubtedly became the truth. The story regarding shackleton whiskey has grabbed the attention of the world, along with Whyte & Mackay, (that aren’t specifically timid & retirement inside normal circumstances) happen to be basking in the hot shine involving totally free coverage, to which this specific simple weblog currently adds its tuppenceworth. Luckily, no-one besides the actual Guardian has become rude or obnoxious enough must precisely why Mackinlay’s Unusual Previous Highland Malt had been ended to start with.

Richard Paterson, learn food processor at Whyte along with Mackay, defined the actual locate as “a present in the heavens” with regard to shackleton whiskey fans, and it has analyzed the shackleton whiskey was getting rid of small samples through the wine bottles with a needle. The containers get because been recently went back to New Zealand to become reconditioned for their resting put in place the actual its polar environment beneath shackleton whiskey hut, even though Whyte & Mackay have in a rush out the gratitude bottling involving Mackinlay’s : in a very firmly special edition regarding 50,000 containers.

The act of your candida about the sugar from the wort will certainly create alcohol consumption plus fractional carbon dioxide. This wort will start bubbling, that may occasionally result in strong oscillations with the clean back, even with their spectacular measurement. Regular clean supports are made of Oregon pinewood or maybe scottish larch. Nevertheless, progressively more stainless steel launder back are being used currently, since they are easier to retain.
The end result of the whiskey fermentation is similar in both types of wash shells. On the other hand, numerous distilleries pretend Guy changes wooden is best, and perhaps hi-tech distilleries like Caol Ila don’t believe within metal scrub backs.

As result of whiskey fermentation from the wort, some sort of beer are used by a number of about 8%. Right until now, there are no considerable variations in the process of producing whiskey, and also the building connected with draught beer.

Through the distinction between the method can be clear. Dark beer is going to be perfumed by using jumps, when whiskey will likely be distilled devoid of adjustments.

If Ruler Victoria started enjoyable family and friends from the woman Balmoral Real estate inside Scotland, the actual investigation promptly started off for under the radar as well as reliable company who seem might give you the ideal foodstuff, liqueurs as well as mood. Eventually, with 1843, John Chivas acquired correspondence asserting that will, because of the excellent assistance, chivas regal whiskey has been awarded any Royal Warrant to supply solutions to the Ruler Victoria. It had been the start of a good along with beneficial partnership concerning Chivas Family and also the Royal loved ones as chivas regal whiskey brands.

How to obtain the item: Whiskey, as it turns out, comes in several different varieties. In United States, most of us drink whiskey constructed with maize (yay corn), and we think of it as Bourbon. Makers Mark, Jack Daniels and so forth are generally American whiskeys. Jonny Walker, Glenlivet, etc. are Scottish whiskeys, along with they’re made using barley. Scottish gives them a call whiskey but purchase by the unique name, such as “I’ll use a Glenlivet whiskey” People in the USA are using the word Scotch.

How you can make it by yourself: However Gordon boasts normally, making whiskey is often a many-step, complex method that consists of a new kiln, soaking barley, thrush and also, in some instances, smoking. Gordon journeyed in to far more fine detail, however just bought the fundamentals (it had been tough to figure out that highlight and also produce concurrently! Look at wikipedia to learn more, fresh fruits: marketing moonshine is prohibited, thus continue but be careful! While I was in high school, there is some guy named “Wild Monthly bill.” This individual familiar with take us all moonshine to evaluate. I have much more regard for Outdoors Bill’s whiskey-making capabilities. It’s difficult!

Glenlivet whiskey distillery is really a distillery in close proximity to Ballindalloch in Moray, Scotland that creates single malt scotch whiskey. It will be the most ancient legitimate distillery within the parish of Glenlivet whiskey, and the output host to the Scottish whiskey of the same name. It’s referred to throughout appearance in addition to promoting seeing that “The single malt which began this all”. It was started around 1824 possesses handled virtually continuously considering that. The particular distillery kept wide open throughout the Good Major depression and its merely closure emerged during world war 2. The glenlivet whiskey distillery is continuing to grow from the post-war period of time to get the most significant single malt distilleries so that up with world wide demand; the actual glenlivet whiskey brand name could be the largest promoting malt whiskey in the states and also the second greatest advertising individual malt manufacturer globally.

Right now, the particular distillery is definitely owned by French alcoholic beverage corporation Pernod Ricard and they oversee the particular distillery’s production of your 5,900,000 litres every year. Plenty of 6 trillion containers – comes as being the glenlivet single malt, with the remainder being employed in Pernod Ricard’s blended whiskey brands.

William Grant & Sons received for ages been skilled at the labels it’s Glenfiddich Whiskey items. With 1957 your agency unveiled a new pie jar – wildly eccentric back then – the initial to put its solutions in to pipes as well as present tins. It absolutely was also the first ones to know value of duty-free deal as well as make the most of these types of throughout the world sites.

The particular Distillery whiskey
William Grant (1839-1923) seemed to be the actual son of a custom in Duffton. He supported a good apprenticeship like a cobbler, after that figured out ale distilling in Mortlach Distillery, wherever he did wonders for twenty decades of worked. While he received only £200 each year with patience stored portion of the wage till he’d enough to create his own enterprise. He decided on a site near Dufftown and getting the photos and also seed second-hand by Cardhu Distillery with regard to £120. The first whiskey brands happened to run from the photos connected with Glenfiddich Whiskey with Christmass Morning 1887.

William Grant brought his 8-10 kids to the small business, plus the company is guided along with managed by simply his descendants.

This Distillery Right now
This specific a feeling of loved ones family custom and a continual operates through all of the firm’s businesses: Glenfiddich whiskey is still equipped with a unique cooperage and also coppersmiths, increases a number of its barley and has now its maltings; it maintains open mash tuns and also classic Douglas 1 washbacks, plus it that will fire their stills directly, together with fossil fuel. The distillery is different within bottling, lowering the spirit with the same h2o on the Robbie Dubh as is also utilised in its doing of Glenfiddich Whiskey.