QUEST FOR SPIRITS
He that eateth well drinketh well,
he that drinketh well sleepeth well,
he that sleepeth well sinneth not,
and he that sinneth not goeth straight
through Purgatory to Paradise.
- William Lithgow
Spirits can be evil, frightening, mettlesome or merry. No, we’re not talking about ghosts, goblins, poltergeists or angels. We’re talking about another inspiring essence: distilled spirits.
Alcohol has been with us for over 12,000 years. Religion, politics, medicine, romance: all have spurred the search for the perfect spirit.
We proposed creating a 7-part series that would uncover and capture the essence of these distilled elixirs through connections with the people, places and history that surround them. We’ll travel to the spirits’ homelands and tour the regions that inspired them. While on our journey, we’ll find out how these elixirs came to be, how they’re made and how they’re enjoyed the world over.
Our intoxicating excursions will uncover the secrets of the spirit world through the eyes of rum-inspired calypso dancers of the Caribbean and sake-sipping celebrants in Japan. We’ll sip mint juleps in the grandstands at the Kentucky Derby and haunt the fog-shrouded Scottish moors in search of the perfect dram of single-malt whisky.
From Moscow’s Red Square to the cafes in Leningrad, we’ll divine the allure of Russia’s gift to the world: vodka. Then, we’ll escape to the inviting Cognac region of France where we’ll unearth the closely guarded secrets of this luxurious French libation.
Are they the “nectar of the gods” or the “devil’s drink”? We’ll let our audience decide as they join us on our quest for the perfect spirits.
The Episodes:
THE SPIRIT OF REVOLUTION – VODKA
During the 13th century, the Russian czar was in turmoil: he needed to unify his people with a national religion. Judaism imposed too many dietary restrictions. Christianity was soured by the presence of the Pope. Islam, while attractive spiritually, would never fly with its prohibition of alcohol. So Orthodoxy, without the Pope or any restrictions on alcohol consumption, was chosen by default.
It is because of the Russian love affair with vodka that the country remains orthodox.
In the birthplace of vodka, we’ll tour the ancient buildings of the Cristall Distillery in Moscow that produces 10 million decalitres of vodka per year. We’ll explore the few remaining majestic wooden buildings that tell the tales of Moscow’s 850-year history and even get in some shopping at the Red Square’s famous GUM department store. We’ll see how vodka has migrated from Moscow to Manhattan and become the spirit of choice for hip martini drinkers. We’ll uncover the best brands and search out the cuisine that perfectly complements Russia’s national libation while indulging in the diverse sights of a country that extends from Eastern Europe to the Arctic and beyond.
From Russia, we’ll travel to the breathtaking Nordic countries of Finland and Sweden to find out how their vodka differs from Dutch, American and Australian (yes, Australian) distillates. We’ll find out why potato vodka is considered inferior to wheat, rye and barley malt, and how the Absolut bottle went from blown glass bottle to cultural icon.
RUM – CARIBBEAN LOVE POTION
“Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.” A pirate’s refreshment of choice has also been the favorite of tropical drink lovers for centuries. The Spanish knew its value right away. Conquistadors returned home with sugar cane and rum produced in the Caribbean and it became more valuable than the gold they originally came to claim.
From St. Croix to Barbados, windmills and ruins of distilleries from times past dot the Caribbean landscape, a reminder of how cane presses were powered in the early days of rum production. We’ll compare these ancient techniques with modern rum production as well as tour the birthplace of rum, Barbados’ Mount Gay distillery. We’ll visit the beautiful plantations once owned by wealthy distillers. We’ll see how rum is prepared at Dominica’s Macoucherie Estate, one of the most renowned rum distilleries in the West Indies. We’ll travel to rum country during the sugar cane harvest and watch rum specialists hard at work, crisscrossing the lush countryside to identify and select the best cane from the fields before it is cut.
At the U.S. Virgin Islands Rum Distillery, we’ll sample world-famous Cruzan rum. The Nelthropp family has distilled it for generations, and production of this connoisseurs’ favorite was only interrupted once: by Prohibition in the States during the 1920s.
We’ll sample the finest rum the Caribbean has to offer, but only after a nap on one of islands’ sun-soaked beaches and a hearty lunch of local cuisine like fish, plantains or paella. After discovering the joys of rum and the Caribbean, we’ll be a few steps closer to Paradise.
WHISKY – WATER OF LIFE
As the Middle Ages came to a close, a group of Irish monks were poised to enlighten the world with their discovery of how to make what they called “visegebaugh” or “water of life.” Returning home after their travels in the Holy Land, these brothers brought back with them a process taken from perfumery: the art of distillation. The Emerald Isle was well suited to making whisky with its abundance of barley, pure water and peaty soil. By 1608, the “Old Bushmills” distillery in County Antrim, Ireland, became the world’s first licensed whisky distillery and remains the oldest operational whisky making facility today.
We’ll travel to this land of fairies and leprechauns to sample the fruits of Irish copper pot stills and learn about whisky making from Master Distiller Dave Quinn. We’ll visit colorful Dublin and lively Cork City, where a glass of whisky is always ready to be poured and a charming Irish reel is always being played. Then we’ll make our way to Scotland to discover the pleasure of Scottish whisky. We’ll begin in Speyside, arguably the most revered whisky-making region in Scotland. This is the home of Macallan, Glenfiddich, and just to the north, Glenmorangie. We’ll tour the Macallan still house (the heart of the distillery) and watch whisky makers and teams of “noses,” the Scottish whisky equivalent of taste testers, who subject every bottling to a rigorous “nosing.” Then we’ll amble off for a round of golf at the Carnoustie Championship course, Scotland’s most ambitious golf links, or at St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the world’s most famous course.
From there, we’ll travel north to the remote Orkney Islands to sample Orkney’s home distillation, a little-known single malt called Scapa. We’ll visit Islay, the southern-most island of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides chain, to explore ancient castle ruins and sample smoky, single-malt whisky. Then we’ll travel to the Isle of Skye, the largest undeveloped area of Scotland. It’s a land where double and triple rainbows occur every day and no part of the island is more than 5 miles from the sea. From the shores of the lochs of Scotland to the banks of Irish streams, we’ll uncover the story of whisky with all the romance, beauty and the enchanting spirit of the British Isles.
BOURBON – AMERICAN WHISKEY
On the first Saturday in May, the place to be is Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. With crowds approaching 140,000 and all the day’s excitement crammed into just over 120 seconds of action, it’s no coincidence that the Derby is widely called the “the greatest two minutes in sports.” The brevity of the event is no excuse to be stodgy. If they’re not in the grandstands, countless Americans gather at parties across the country and raise glasses filled with mint juleps made with 100 proof Kentucky Bourbon. If you bet on the wrong horse, it eases the pain. If you bet on the winner, it enhances the celebration. It’s an event you won’t want to miss.
Even before claiming its place of honor at the Kentucky Derby, bourbon had been a Southern tradition for over a century. In 1797, pioneer Elijah Pepper began making small batches of bourbon from his own recipe behind the Woodford County Courthouse in Versailles, Kentucky. This whiskey making tradition was passed from father to son and to a country thirsty for the smooth Southern libation. Mark Twain, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay all loved their bourbon, and it’s said that Kentucky whiskey kept the wheels of our early government turning.
While exploring this land of hollows, creeks and fine horses, we’ll visit the Labrot & Graham distillery, where Woodford whiskey is made today. Lincoln Henderson, Master Distiller and whiskey expert, will guide us on our journey to discovering the splendor of America’s native liquor.
On our way down through Tennessee, we’ll stop in Nashville, the country music capital. By day, we’ll visit the beautiful Opryland Hotel, tour an antebellum plantation and take a ride on the General Jackson steamboat down the muddy waters of the Cumberland River. By night, we’ll soak up the atmosphere downtown, enjoying the music drifting out of one of Nashville’s famous country, bluegrass and rock clubs, or even taking in a show at the Grand Ole Opry to see how Bourbon Country likes to party.
Of course, no tour of bourbons would be complete without a trip to Lynchburg, Tennessee, and a sip of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey. Led by Master Distiller Jimmy Bedford, Lynchburg’s claim to fame will be revealed, and we’ll find out whether this town of 361 has really been dry since Prohibition. We’ll take a stroll through town, greet the town dog who hangs out on the main road and stop in for a spell at Lynchburg Hardware, where a bottle of Coca-Cola is still only 10 cents. From there, we’ll walk past the town square and stop by Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House for a mid-day dinner. Lynne Tolley, premier Jack Daniel’s whiskey taster and genteel proprietress of Miss Mary Bobo’s, will treat us to a taste-testing and a down home meal of pan-fried porterhouse, mashed potatoes and a slice of Jack Daniel’s chocolate celebration cake. The whiskey world has something for everyone. That’s why some say that nothing is quite so American as bourbon.
TEQUILA – MEXICAN FIREWATER
Bright blue skies touch the tops of ancient Aztec ruins as the sun blazes down on what some call the most important plant in Mexico: blue agave. This desert plant is transformed on a daily basis into tequila. First produced in the late 18th century, this distilled spirit is revered and rigorously regulated by a government control agency. Only if it bears the letters N.O.M. is it bona fide. While popular with the fraternity party set, seasoned tequila connoisseurs have a very different style when it comes to enjoying their favorite drink.
“Mexico’s national drink should be sipped, not slammed.”
As consumers’ taste for Mexican cuisine becomes more refined, so does their appreciation for tequila. People want to be able to discern fine tequilas from one another and from their less elegant counterparts. Tequila sommelier Fernando Guzman of Chicago’s Adobo Grill will guide us through the entire tequila experience: how to enjoy the drink as a cocktail or aperitif and which foods to eat in between, like duck in a rich mole sauce or chiles rellenos filled with savory pork stew. Upon graduating from Guzman’s tutelage, you can become a member of the Adobo Grill’s monthly tequila-tasting club.
Newly enlightened, we’ll travel south of the border and visit Guadalajara, the capital of the tequila-producing region called Jalisco, where historic and graceful plazas still exist alongside modern high-rises. We’ll drink in the nightlife and culture of this bustling yet romantic city that boasts it has more guitars per city block than anywhere else in the world. We’ll explore the Don Eduardo distillery in Guadalajara to discover the secrets of anejo and silver tequilas and why they’re called “los classicos nuevos” or “the new classics” of tequila making. And any tour of Mexico would not be complete without a stop at Jose Cuervo to sample their golden 1800 tequila.
We’ll also meet tequila’s cousin, mezcal, that’s often mistaken for the real thing. While made of the same agave plant, mezcal is not regulated like tequila. We’ll track down the mezcal distilleries and see the clay stills used to make these Mexican spirits. We’ll discover the difference between tequila and mezcal and learn why no one really drinks the worm.
SAKE – SPIRIT OF THE RISING SUN
Early sake is described as “a murky home brew that tasted sour.” Since then, Japan’s famous rice wine has been brewed by priests, used in religious rites and festivals, and has even redirected wars! The history of sake is as steeped in history as Sumo or the Samurai.
Back in the 3rd century, the rice, millets and chestnuts used to make rice wine were chewed up and spit out by each member of a sake-brewing village. Thankfully, today’s sake brewing practices have changed dramatically. The best sakes in Japan are made with large grains of rice containing a rich white kernel. The grains are polished to remove over half of their covering. Then they’re washed, soaked, steamed and cooled. Since water is another important ingredient, sake breweries are located near some of the best spring water in the world.
We’ll discover the best sake breweries in Japan, including the Kirin Beer Factory in Kyoto where we’ll be treated to a tour of this microbrewery and a glass of sake after our hour-long walk. We’ll get some expert advice on the art of sipping sake from the “Kikizakeshi,” the rice wine version of a sommelier. We’ll take a tour of Gekkeikan Okura Memorial Museum, a veritable shrine to all things sake. We’ll make stops at some of the 50 sake pubs in Tokyo, see sake used in a Shinto rite and sample sake with its perfect partner, sushi. After our sake tour, we’ll see the sights of Kyoto, taking time to meditate in a zen garden before an evening on the town filled with food, drink and Japanese nightlife. “Kanpai” is Japanese for “Cheers,” so fill your glass with warm rice wine and give a toast like the locals.
COGNAC AND BRANDY – THE PERFECT FINISH
Seventeenth century wine traders began to bring cheap Portuguese wine to Britain to sell for profit. They didn’t want to ‘waste’ valuable cargo space with it though, so they boiled out all of the water before loading it, and on the other end, simply added water. Someone tasted the distilled liquid and decided it tasted even better than the end-result wine. Thus, brandy was born. Soon, its most famous incarnation, cognac, was being sipped the world over.
Zipping along on the high-speed train, we’ll take a trip to the Cognac region of France, just north of Bordeaux, and see that the birthplace of this “eaux-de-vie” is as lush and alluring as its namesake. We’ll travel along the Charente River that snakes through the region which was the first way to get cognac to other corners of the country during the time of King Francois I. We’ll visit picturesque villages and houses dating back to the 12th century that still stand in this enchanting valley. And of course, we’ll tour distilleries and meet the barrel makers that handcraft oak casks where cognac spends its formative years.
Thirty to fifty years in the making, a superior bottle of cognac is not something to simply be downed and forgotten. Drinking cognac is about the entire experience: choosing just the right tulip-shaped glass, pouring the caramel colored elixir from a decanter made of Baccarat crystal, swirling the liquid around in the glass and finally, tasting the cognac, letting its warmth and complexity wash over you.
Of course, cognac is much more satisfying after a spectacular meal, and we’ll dine at some of France’s finest eateries in search of perfectly aged cognacs to complement hearty feasts of oysters, roast duck and, of course, foie gras. After sampling this spirit, we’ll see why a sip of cognac is like a kiss from an angel.
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