Cocktails Distilled – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Like so many of us, Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has a fondness for Tequila, but also, like many of us, he understands the advantages of imbibing less. 

But finding a good non-alc Tequila is not as simple as it sounds. So Hamilton did the next logical thing - he created his own. 

In an endeavour to honour the tradition and craft of real Tequila, he partnered with Casa Lumbre, an innovative Mexican spirit company and its distiller and co-owner Ivan Saldaña. 

The two them crafted Almave, which is marketed as the first non-alcoholic blue agave-based spirit distilled in Jalisco Mexico. 

The liquid has been designed to provide an alcohol-free alternative without compromising traditional tequila's authentic taste and cultural essence.

To find out more, we talk to the distiller and co-owner of Casa Lumbre about Blue Agave and retaining the taste of Blue Agave without fermentation. 

What if you could capture the essence of a rugged Scottish island in a bottle? Join us as we journey to Islay, Scotland, with Adam Hannett, the head distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery, to explore the bold new expression of The Botanist gin—Distiller's Strength.

By increasing the alcohol content to 50%, this limited edition gin accentuates its juniper core while preserving the fine balance of 22 native botanicals. Hannett highlights the importance of exploration and innovation in cocktail creation, inspiring bartenders and gin enthusiasts to push the boundaries of their craft with Islay's finest.

Step into the enchanting world of Islay's botanicals with us as we uncover the nostalgic ties to plants and honor the legacy of master distiller Jim McEwan through the artistry involved in bottling Islay’s unique aromas and flavors.

This episode is not just a celebration of tradition but a testament to the endless possibilities of gin crafting, showcasing The Botanist's commitment to innovation and respect for the timeless beauty of Islay’s landscapes.

Whether you're a gin aficionado or new to the spirit, this conversation with Adam Hannett, Head Distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery, where the Botanist is made, promises a taste of something truly special.

To find out more go to thebotanist.com/

Or buy a bottle with our affiliate link 

New Orleans has a long tradition of being the gateway between US Bourbon and the rest of the world. And Chicken Cock, being one of the oldest Whiskey brands in the US, has had a long association with the city. 

Even before he started Chicken Cock Whiskey, original founder James A. Miller was shipping barrels of his coveted whiskey down to the ‘Big Easy’ in the 1830s. So it's no surprise that Chicken Cock has been shipping a very special expression down south for this year's New Orleans Bourbon Festival. 

A limited-edition, created in collaboration with the festival, the brand's Single Barrel Double Oak Kentucky Whiskey has been aged for nine years—the final two in new American White Oak with a level four char. 

We caught up with Master Distiller Gregg Snyder to discuss the expression and what it's like to create a liquid designed to live up to the legends of the city, the festival, and the brand. 

Bitters are often underrated and undervalued, but they are very much the work horse of any cocktail bar. 

Often paralleled with seasonings such as salt and pepper in cooking, bitters often add that perfect accent to the drinks in which they are included.

Canadian bitters company, The Bittered Sling, have recently released their bitters in a gift pack with 30-mL bottles of each of their six bitters. 

To discuss flavors, terroir, and all things bitters, but of course especially what cocktails they should be used in, we're here with one of The Bittered Sling’s founders and cocktailian extraordinary, Lauren Mote.

Although not as widely popular as her sister spirits, good quality rums are beginning to make an impact in the world of craft distilling. 

Utilising flavour and unique distilling methods, craft rum and cane spirits are re-introducing a new generation of drinkers to the spirit and encouraging them to think (and particularly drink) differently

To discuss craft distilling, the future of rum and the fact that you shouldn’t be afraid of their new Spiced Cane Spirit, we talk to Alexander Bell from Milton Rum Distillery. 

As the world of craft spirits continues to change and evolve, so has the world of craft mixers. 

The leader of the pack, Fever Tree has recently brought out three new flavours that centre on the humble Ginger Root. These new expressions, smoky ginger ale, spiced orange ginger ale and a ‘refreshingly light’ version of their premium ginger ale, open up a whole new subcategory. 

To discuss these developments and what they mean to your home bar, we talk with Fever-Tree USA CEO Charles Gibb. 

You might think there are enough Gins on the market but a new gin, Tod & Vixen's Dry Gin 1651, which has just been released by the Vale Fox Distillery in upstate New York, has done things a little bit differently. They have created a gin that has been specifically designed to be a good base for a cocktail. 

Made in consultation with three top bartenders - gaz regan, Leo Robitschek, and Jeffrey Morgenthaler - the gin is made with botanicals including juniper and angelica root without chill filtration to “retain these robust flavours”.

We talk to founder Eral Gokgol-Kline about working with bartenders, the adventurers of foxes and what makes a good cocktail gin. 

While high-alcohol spirits have stolen the spotlight for the last century, Liqueurs are often  relegated to the dark corners. Yet Liqueurs are a crucial ingredient for bartenders and most well balenced cocktails. 

By using the produce of Australian farmers, Marionette are not only shining a light on the fine tradition of liqueurs but also the farmers that produce the fruits, nut, herbs and spices that go into them. 

The brand has six liqueurs, all designed with the modern bartender in mind. 

We speak to Nick Tesar from Marionette about their range, the farmers that grow their produce and some of the cocktails that work well with these fruity concoctions. 

If you’ve ever heard the expression 'Dutch Courage', it refers to the dutch national spirit Genever, which the English soldiers would swig just before battle when fighting alongside the Dutch in the late 1500s.

Often dismissed as just an old version of Gin, Genever is actually a distilled malted spirit so is actually closer to an unaged Whiskey. 

Genever is one of those spirits that could easily have been lost to history if it wasn’t for brands such as Old Duff that has revived two of the original recipes.  

To understand more about this spirit, we talk to the founder of Old Duff Genever, Philip Duff about the history of the spirit, what cocktails it works well in and why old Duff is worth having on your home bar. 

As you reach for your bottle of craft Gin this evening to make your G&T, it's more likely than ever that you'll also be reaching for a craft tonic water to go with it. With so many craft spirits on the market, craft tonic waters and mixers are now really coming into their own. 

As consumers look to better quality mixers to elevate their favour libation, a recent entry into the mixer category, Artisan Craft Mixers are looking to do things differently and are making quite a splash in the process. 

We talk to Mikey Enright from Artisan about tonic water, cocktails and their Violet Bloom expression.