A Well Stocked Bar XIII

Top of the morning to you!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day today's post, the latest in the Well Stocked Bar series is dedicated to Irish Whiskey. Unlike the Scottish, Canadian, and Japanese who spell Whisky without the 'e', the Irish just as the Americans use the 'e' as a way to differentiate their product.

Although akin to Scotch Whisky the differences begin very early with the grains utilized in making their whiskey. Scotch Whisky is distilled principally in that it was distilled primarily from barley while traditional Irish whiskey is distilled from a mash of mixed grains including barley.

Today, most Irish whiskey is blended from a mixture of pot-still whiskey and cheaper grain whiskey produced in a column still (it's also more mild in flavor). Bushmills is the exception in that it produces its whiskey purely through a column still rather than a blending with pot-still spirits. Most Irish whiskey is distilled three times, but so is the Scottish single malt Auchentoshan; thus it is a common myth that triple distillation is the main distinction between the two varieties. To my mind and palette the principal difference between the typical spirits of Scotland and Ireland is that peat is almost never used in the malting process in Ireland while it's used in the majority of malts in Scotland imparting the smoky, earthy overtones loved by many, but not all whisk(e)y drinkers. I like to think of Scottish Whisky as the beverage of fall and winter while the lighter whiskies from Ireland are better suited to spring and summer.

Though Ireland produces and exports whiskey on a grand scale it's done through only three distilleries compared to Scotland's more than 80 (though many of these are owned by conglomerates). The Big Three Irish distillers are: New Midleton Distillery (Jamesons, Powers, Paddy, Midleton, Redbreast, and Green Spot), Old Bushmills Distillery (Old Bushmills, Black Bush, 1608, and Bushmills 10, 12, 16, 21 year-old single malts), and Cooley Distillery (Connemara, Knappogue, Michael Collins, and Tyrconnell). Of the three only Cooley's is completely Irish-owned. New Midleton distillery is part of the French beverage giant Pernod-Ricard while Bushmills is owned by rival giant Diageo.

In celebration of all things Irish (in a single pint glass) here's a recipe for an Irish Car Bomb:

3/4 pint of Guiness stout
1/2 shot of Bailey's Irish cream
1/2 shot of Jameson Irish whiskey (substitute as you like)

Add the Bailey's and Jameson to a shot glass, layering the Bailey's on the bottom. Pour the Guinness into a pint glass 3/4 of the way full and let settle. Drop the shot glass into the Guinness and drink immediately with great speed, exercising caution not to damage your teeth with a sliding shot glass; if you choose to sip the mixture it will curdle and lose whatever pleasantness it had during the first moments after its creation. While I've never fell victim to this beverage I have seen many who have, limit yourself to one then return to your whiskey or beer.

A Well Stocked Bar XII

The Angel's Share - The whisky that is lost to evaporation during it's time in the barrel is referred to as the Angel's share.

This post, the latest in a series dedicated to the necesseities and niceties of a Well Stocked Bar. The previous posts on Scotch Whisky have included VI - Blended Scotch Whisky, VII - Speyside Single Malts, VIII - Highland Single Malts, IX - Lowland Malts, X - Islay Malts, and XI - Island Malts. This post is dedicated to Campbeltown, a once great Whisky producing region. Today only two distilleries are in operation, though combined they produce whiskies under the names of four classic distilleries.

Glen Scotia is one of only two distilleries in Campbeltown, with Springbank being the other. This small geographic area was once the home of over thirty distilleries, the majority of which closed between the first and second World Wars. First registered in 1835, it was overhauled in the early 1980's and has passed through the hands of several owners over the years to various degrees of success and failure. Glen Scotia is housed in what appears to be a small townhouse which has the added distintion of being home to a ghost - a previous owner who drowned himself in Campbeltown Loch after being falling victim to a financial scam.

Springbank, in addition to its own label, also produces two additional malts in their original style though their original distilleries closed many decades ago. The "original Longrow" was produced by Longrow Distillery, which was closed in 1896. Today Springbank Distillery produces Longrow single malt whisky in the same distillery equipment as it does its namesake malt. Despite this the malts have very different characters with the Longrow's much more heavily peated and drier character (think Islay malts) than the more floral Springbank. Springbank also began production of Hazelburn in 2005. Hazelburn was once the largest distillery in Campbeltown producing as much as 192,000 gallons per year at its peak, though it shuttered its doors in 1925 due to financial difficulties.

A Little Something Extra - Heering Cherry Liquor

When having friends over for dinner and various amusements we're always looking for a little something extra in the way of food or beverage. Last weekend we hosted a classic fondue night with three courses of steaming goodness.

To start, the classic Gruyere/Emmenthaler cheese fondue with cubes of toasted whole-grain bread, Honeycrisp apple slices, and grilled slices of chicken-apple sausage (a recent addition and by far the favorite dipper). Served with ice cold Prosecco.

For the main course, Coq au Vin style broth made with homemade chicken stock, a generous amount of the house favorite Chateau Neuf du Pape, and a variety of mushrooms served with seasoned cubes of filet of beef and chicken breast. Served with the remaining bottle of Chateau Neuf du Pape with a friend or two you didn't mind the 3-5 minute wait for each tender morsel.

Finally the dessert course which included dark Scharffen Berger chocolate mixed with a bit of heavy cream and our secret weapon: Heering Cherry Liquor. This unexpected addition made the chocolate that much more memorable. Dipping strawberries, frozen bannanas, and pound cake was a decadent treat. Served with the dessert was a drink inspired by a Kir Royal, except with more Prosecco and a generous splash of the Heering Liquor.

Ever since fondue night I've been experimenting with other beverages featuring Heering. Here are a few of my new favorites:

Singapore Sling (the quintisential drink featuring Heering)

1 part gin
2 parts Heering
4 parts pineapple juice
generous splash fresh-squeezed lime juice
splash Cointreau
splash Benedictine (if you don't have this use extra gin and bitters)
dash Grenadine syrup
dash Angostra bitters

Mix all in a shaker and pour in glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and cherry.

Blood and Sand (reminiscent of a Rob Roy, pictured below)

1 1/4 ounce Scotch
1/2 ounce Heering
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice
Flamed orange zest for garnish

Combine all the ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake until cold and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame the orange zest over the top of the glass.

Copenheering (very clean and refreshing, perfect for the warmer months)

1 ounce Heering
1 ounce vodka
Lemon Peel Twist
Crushed Ice

Chill the glass, then fill it with crushed ice. Mix the cherry brandy and the vodka together, and pour into the glass. Garnish with lemon peel.

A Well Stocked Bar XI

"It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

The Islands Scotch Whisky Region encompasses all the island distilleries except those on Islay. Of Scotland's 790 islands only 7 are involved in the production of Scotch Whisky, they include: Mull - Tobermory, Orkney - Highland Park and Scapa, Jura - Isle of Jura (pictured above), Arran and a whisky by the same name, Shetlands - Blackwood (though the distillery has been planned for some time it does not yet exist and spirits labeled Blackwood are actually purchased from a Lowland distillery) and Skye - Talisker.

Whisky from the Islands tends to have similar characteristics of Islay whisky, only a bit more subdued, due in large part to the reduced exposure of the malted barley to peat smoke. These whiskies tend to be lighter in color and a bit smoother than either Islay or Highland whisky and in some ways remind me of Speyside malts with a hint of salt.

I have seen the whiskies of Orkney, Highland Park and Scapa included in the Highland region. Orkney is an archipelago of 70 islands lying to the North of the Scottish Highlands. Scapa is located on what is called the Orkney Mainland - despite being one of the islands, it is named as such as it is the biggest of all. Highland park takes its name not from The Highlands, but from the fact that the distillery was built on a hill in the parklands above the town of Kirkwall. There's also a certain logic to this classification as the taste profile is similar to Highland whiskies.

Talisker is my favorite line of the Island whiskies and has a long and interesting history on the Isle of Skye. Talisker has over the years increased its single malt offerings including the excellent 18 year and the 25 year cask strength bottlings, though the majority of the production goes into the Johnnie Walker blends. I'm not alone in my fondness for Talisker, the Scottish writer Robert Lewis Stevenson referred to Talisker as 'the king of drinks.'

'Slaandjivaa' (to your health)

A Well Stocked Bar X

"How solemn and beautiful is the thought that the earliest pioneer of civilization, the van-leader of civilization, is never the steamboat, never the railroad, never the newspaper, never the missionary - but always whisky!" ~ Mark Twain

To date in the Scotch sub-set of Well Stocked Bar posts we've covered Speyside, the Highlands, and most recently the Lowlands. This post is dedicated to Islay, a small island west of the Scottish mainland that has made a large contribution to the world of Scotch whiskies. These are also some of the most picturesque distilleries in Scotland, most being located on bays overlooking the cold sea.

Islay whisky is generally all the things Scotch can be in abundance: smoke, peat, and salt. The island once had 23 distilleries operating at the same time but the number of active distilleries is now down to eight, the newest of which, Kilchoman, opened in 2005 as the first new distillery on the island in 124 years. 2009 it will release its first whiskey having met the minimum legal ageing of 3 years in oak barrels. Kilchoman is preparing itself to be a definitive Islay whiskey as it's one of only six distilleries to carry out traditional floor maltings with barley grown at the distillery, something other distilleries don't do. Kilchoman single malt will also be bottled on Islay.

The oldest Islay distillery, Lagavulin, can trace its roots back to the 1740s. Lagavulin produces, at least to my palette, the second smokiest single malt available after Ardberg. The smoke comes from the process where the barley is smoked over a peat fire to stop the sprouting process, remove moisture, and impart flavor.


Other famous distilleries on Islay include: Laphroaig, Ardbeg (pictured above), Bowmore (pictured directly above), Caol Ila, Bruichladdich, and Bunnahabhain.

A Well Stocked Bar IX

"No married man is genuinely happy if he has to drink worse whisky than he used to drink when he was single." ~ H. L. Mencken

This post, part of a sub-series dedicated to Scotch Whisky, is dedicated to the distilleries of the Lowlands. This southernmost part of Scotland, along the border with England and as the name implies is relatively flat without the geographic challenges/advantages of other parts of the country. This region also includes Scotland's two largest cities Glasgow and Edinburgh, though neither is home to a whisky distillery. Auchentoshan is a short car ride outside of Glasgow and Glenkinchie is a quick trip outside of Edinburgh.

The character of Lowland Whisky is typically smooth and slightly more alcoholic on the palette as there are fewer tastes of salt, peat and smoke typical whiskies from the other regions. It is for this reason that the whiskies of the region are often referred to as The Lowland Ladies. It is the clean palette that to my mind makes this the Scotch whisky of summer and a fine aperitif year round.

There are only three Lowland distilleries still in production, they are Auchentoshan, Bladnoch, and Glenkinchie. For the connoisseur whiskies can still be found form the following Lowland distilleries even though they're no longer producing scotch whiskey: Ladyburn, Littlemill, Inverleven, and Rosebank.

Because there are only three bear with me as I devote a brief paragraph to each, a luxury not available to the previous regions.

Auchentoshan, established in 1823, is unique in that it is Scotland's only triple distilled single malt as opposed to the double distillation method used by all other distillers. This additional distillation produces a delicate, smooth and light single malt. It wasn't until 1974 with a change of ownership that Auchentoshan was available as a single malt, up until that point 100% of its product had been sold to blenders. Auchentoshan is named after 'corner of the field' in Gaelic.

The picture above shows the three pot stills currently in use at Auchentoshan. The shape of the stills are different from one distillery to another and even among the potstills at a single distillery. The unique shapes of the stills are one of the factors that define the taste of the malts produced. As mentioned Auchentoshan distills their whisky three times, once in each still. To the right of the photo you can see the "spirit safe" which receives the condensed spirit once it's been boiled in the stills. Each drop at Auchentoshan travels through this safe three times (for luck?).

Glenkinchie, nicknamed The Edinburgh Malt is located in the rolling farmland of East Lothian outside of Edinburgh. It takes its name from the glen (valley) of the Kinchie Burn which flows through the town. The Glenkinchie is slightly smokier and spicy than the other two Lowland malts and certainly worth a try.

Bladnoch, Scotland's southernmost distillery is nestled on the banks of the River Bladnoch in the town of Bladnoch, get the picture? It's product nicknamed, Spirit of the Lowlands has been produced, on and off, in this picturesque spot in Galloway since 1817. An interesting fact about this distillery is that the original still were sold to a Swedish company originally to make Whisky in the early 1900s. After ten years the product had failed to build a large enough fan base and was shut down and the three stills were sold. Two of them were purchased by Absolut and are still used to this day to produce some of their vodka. The third still is located in the Wine and Spirit Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

A Well Stocked Bar VIII

"We borrowed golf from Scotland as we borrowed whiskey. Not because it is Scottish, but because it is good." ~ Horace Hutchinson

A picture of the Oban Distillery in the city center of the town of Oban.

If Speyside is the heart of Scotch Whisky then the Highlands are the head with great variety and complexity among the varied malts indicative of the relative vastness of the region. The southern boundary of the Highlands is generally defined as the imaginary line between Edinburgh in the East and Glasgow in the West (though a good portion of Speyside would be included using this broad definition). Highland whisky is generally powerful with a richness of flavor and more than a bit of smoke though generally less than can be found in the Island malts. Not unlike the Speyside malts the word ‘glen’ frequently appears in the names and means ‘valley’. There is really no central character that binds Highland malts except to say that they are generally expressive of their microclimates and the unique and varied heritage of their distilleries. Among them you can find some of the mildest and most powerful of all single malts.

Among the noted malt producers in the Highlands are: Aberfeldy, Ben Nevis, Blair Athol, Clynelish, Dalmore (a personal favorite), Dalwhinne, Edradour, Glen Garioch, Glengoyne, Glencadam, Glenmorangie, Glenturret, Glenugie, Glenury-Royal, Loch Lomond, Lochside, Oban, Pulteney, Royal Lochnagar, Teaninich, and Tullibardine.

It should be noted that Glenmorangie, a long produced highland malt is one of the only single malts not sold to blenders for use in blended malt whisky. This is not because it is not desirable in a blend, but quite the opposite, it is because it is simply too popular among the Scots where it is the top selling single malt. It is available and popular in the United States but has been overshadowed by other single malt distillers offering much larger and diverse product lines.

A Well Stocked Bar VII

"Whisk(e)y is for drinking; water is for fighting over."
Attributed to Mark Twain

Photo of Strathisla Distillery dusted in snow.

Yesterday's post was dedicated to blended scotch whisky. This post begins a discussion on the various scotch producing regions and the varied single malts they produce.

Below is a map showing the commonly accepted scotch producing regions. Each distinct region produces varied malts but like wines each region has its own terroir influenced as much through the ingredients: water, malted barley, peat (burned to dry the barley), as the place where the barley is malted and the whisky ages in the barrel.

I think the logical starting point in the discussion of scotch regions is Speyside as it is the largest producer of single malts with 46 active producers, more than half of those in the whole of Scotland.

The region is defined by the river Spey which cuts through the area. Most distilleries were located to take advantage of a good source of clean water; in the Speyside region many distilleries use water straight from the river Spey and its tributaries. Geographically Speyside is part of the Highlands but for the purpose of classifying whisky is considered a separate region due to its size and the clear differences in the characters of Speyside as opposed to Highland whisky.

Within the Speyside region are five subregions: Elgin, Glenlivet, Upper Spey, Dufftown, and Rothes. Among these Glenlivet home to The Glenlivet is perhaps the most famous as The Glenlivet its most famous distillery produces the most popular single malt sold in the US market.

The defining characteristics of a Speyside malt are a degree of sweetness, a light to medium body, fruity, leafy and honeyed notes. Some whiskys also exhibit aromas of citrus and flowers like roses.

Following is a partial list of the Speyside distilleries, among them some of the most famous and long lived malts: Aberlour, An Cnoc, Ardmore, Aultmore, Balmenach, Balvenie, Benriach, Benromach, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Dailuaine, Dallas Dhu, Dufftown, Glen Elgin, Glendronach, Glendullan, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant, Glen Keith, Glenlivet, Glen Moray, The Glenrothes, Glentauchers, Inchgower, Knockando, Linkwood, The Macallan, Miltonduff, Mortlach, Speyburn, The Speyside, Strathisla, Tamnavulin Glenlivet, Tomintoul, and Tormore.

Among the list is my favorite single malt and distillery Strathisla (pictured above). It is believed to be the oldest distillery in the Highlands built in 1786. First called Milltown then Milton before being renamed Strathisla, the spirit they've produced has long been known as Strathisla. Chivas Brothers bought the distillery in 1950 after the previous owner, a Mr Pomery, was found guilty of tax evasion. The water source at Strathisla, 'Fons Bulliens' has long been highly regarded; Dominican monks used the same source to produce beer in the 12th century. Strathisla is also consistently ranked as the most beautiful distillery in Scotland, and I can personally attest to the quality of the distillery tour having been the first visitor of the seaons some years back and receiving a personal tour from a wonderful gentleman named Leslie who had been working in the whisky business for more than 40 years.

A Well Stocked Bar VI

"Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough."
Mark Twain

As the weather turns cooler many switch from the gin and vodka based drinks of summer to something a bit richer, smokier, warmer. For me it's time to pour a few fingers of Scotch or Bourbon. The last Well Stocked Bar post was dedicated to Bourbon, this is one is dedicated to it's older cousin Scotch, particularly blended Scotch. Future posts will be dedicated to the finer points of single malts.

Scotch has had a long history of regulation (most of it unwanted and imposed unilaterally by the English). Today's Scotch Whisky is regulated by the Scotch Whisky Order of 1990, but is currently under review for further regulation. The Whisky Order is fundamentally a definition of what it takes to be called Scotch whisky:

1. Must be distilled in Scotland from water and malted barley and fermented with yeast
2. Must be distilled to an alcoholic strength of less than 94.8% (189.6 proof)

3. Must be matured in Scotland in oak casks for no less than three years and a day

4. Must not contain any added substance other than water and caramel colouring

5. May not be bottled at less than 40% alcohol by volume

Blended Scotch is a mixture of single malt whisky and grain whisky, usually from multiple distilleries. These are the Scotch whiskies that became popular throughout the world at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, and include such brands as Dewar's White Label (the #1 selling Scotch in America), Cutty Sark, Chivas Regal, Johnny Walker, J&B, and Famous Grouse. One reason for their popularity is their consistent house style. Like a Champagne house, a Scotch Blender's job is to produce a consistent product from year to year. They accomplish this by combining single-malt whisky from multiple distilleries in various proportions to achieve a consistent taste and then add grain alcohol to lend a smoothness.

Blended Scotch whisky is a bar necessity for it can be drunk neat, with rocks, with water, with soda, and in a host of different cocktails. If you drink Scotch you probably started with a blend and have your favorite, if not pay attention to what your friends and family order to select the blend most preferred by your most frequent guests. If your budget and bar can accomodate more than one selection it's not a bad practice to have several different selections on hand.

For my bar the "house" is Dewar's 12, a smoother more elegant version of Dewar's White Label that benefits from a combination of single malts the youngest of which is 12 years old. (The age printed on a bottle of Scotch by law has to be the age of the youngest malt included, though the blend may contain malts much older). I also have bottles of Chivas Regal and Johnny Walker Black Label on hand as I have a number of friends who are fiercely loyal to these blends.

What's your blended scotch?

My favorite scotch cocktail is the Rob Roy, named after Robert Roy MacGregor, a Scottish folk hero also known as 'Red MacGregor'.

3 Parts Blended Scotch Whisky, I prefer Dewar's 12 or White Label

2-3 Parts Dry Vermouth (depending on taste)

2 Dashes Bitters, I use Angostura, but Orange Bitters are also nice

2 Dashes Simple Syrup (made by bringing to a boil than cooling equal parts water and sugar)

1 Cherry

Combine first 4 ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled half with ice. Shake vigorously for a few moments. Serve in a old fashioned or a highball depending on the crowd and garnish with a cherry.

A Well Stocked Bar V

“I was brought up to believe that Scotch whisky would need a tax preference to survive in competition with Kentucky bourbon."
Hugo LaFayette Black, Supreme Court Justice 1937 to 1971

I selected this quote because it made me smile, not because I in any way agree. I feel about Scotch Whisky and Kentucky Bourbon as I imagine parents feel about their children. You love them both in something approximating equal quantities, but in very different ways based on their unique characteristics.

I’d like to focus this post on the selection of the “right” whiskey of the American variety for your bar.

A brief sidebar on whiskey vs whisky. The derivation of the word comes from Scottish Gaelic uisgebeatha and Irish usquebaugh, both meaning “water of life.” The word in its current form comes to America from colonial times; American and Irish whiskey uses this spelling while Scottish and Canadian whiskies retain the older form, "whisky."

The standard, and probably the first whiskey tasted by many of us, is the obligatory Jack Daniels. There is no shame in having a bottle of this on the bar, and in some circles it’s more than merely acceptable, it’s a badge of honor. I’ve toured the distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and can assure you that they take the production of their product very seriously. If you and your guests would never consider imbibing whiskey without Coca Cola stick with good ‘ol Jack.

For those with more discriminating palettes and noses I might make a few suggestions. The first, though odd, has generally held true – purchase whiskeys whose names begin with the letter ‘B’. In order of my personal preference these are: Blantine’s, Booker’s, Basil Hayden, and Bulleit. The second is to avoid animals in the name or on the label (as is generally true for wine as well with a few notable exceptions); I am not generally a fan of: Buffalo Trace, the Wild Turkey line, or Eagle Rare. And finally read the labels, if they’re proud of the spirit they produce, and most are, they’ll tell you why it’s special whether it be single barrel, cask strength, a unique grain content, the barrel aging process, etc.

My personal preference, despite the aforementioned rules is 1792, with Blantine's a very close second by taste, but not by value.

For a bourbon tasting I would suggest ordering a glass neat with a cup of ice on the side at a good watering hole. Put 1-2 good sized cubes of ice in your glass and swirl it under your nose for a solid minute. If you are given a glass of terribly small, aerated ice, proceed to a nicer bar after downing the shot they just delivered. Once you’ve smelled, allowed a bit of the alcohol to evaporate (you broke some of the surface tension by adding the ice and by moving the spirit), and admired the color move on to the tasting. Take enough in your mouth to fully cover the front half of your palette. Let it sit there for a moment before allowing it to pass further back and down your throat. Take in a steady breath through a barely opened mouth and savor the finish. If you can pick out interesting flavors and aromas you have a worthwhile spirit, if not move on.

What are your favorite whisk(e)ys?

Slaandjivaa!

A Well Stocked Bar IV

Money, like vodka, turns a person into an eccentric. ~ Anton Chekhov

It's now time to start discussing spirits. While it's not my favorite distilled spirit it is still the most versatile of all spirits and one which every bar should include - Vodka.

I could simply tell you to buy Grey Goose and leave it at that, as it is, at least to my palette, the most enjoyable of all vodkas. But instead I will tell you that when it comes to selecting spirits it's a rather personal decision. It can come down to taste, or price, or even how the bottle will look on your bar.

Before you select your "house" vodka I would suggest the next time you're out having a few beverages with friends that you order, over the course of the evening, several vodka tonics sans lime (this is a scientific experiment afterall) and determine which is your favorite. I would then suggest with this knowledge in hand that you go to your favorite liquor store and look at the oversized assortment of vodkas and compare the prices to your ratings. Where your palette and wallet overlap is probably the right selection. I have friends with very good palettes that argue that Vox and Absolut are far superior to my beloved Goose, they're wrong of course, but it shows how individual the selection of your preferred spirits can be.

If you and your guests primarily use vodka in very elaborate concoctions I might suggest the ever versatile, drinkable, and affordable Stolichnya. If you and your guests rarely drink vodka I would again go for the Stoli. If instead you favor something without four kinds of fruit juice and Pucker I would again steer you back to Grey Goose.

What's your house vodka?

A Well Stocked Bar III

To date we have determined we need trays and ice buckets with generous scoops as the foundation for our bars. The next essential item is glassware. Rather than showing you pictures of glasses, I will instead implore you to buy good quality and in good quantities. In barware this means weighty and wide bottomed: old fashioneds, tumblers, and footed water/iced tea glasses devoid of color. In stemware it means light weight and well proportioned, again without color, and preferably with ground not rolled rims. If you insist on using your dishwasher for stemware go ahead and used rolled rims as they're more durable, but I assure you it's worth hand washing to drink out of a better glass.

Following are my recommendations for the average household, if you never entertain you can certainly scale back and if you're the consummate host by all means add in quantity of the essentials and then in variety.

Essentials:

12+ footed white wineglasses (for reasons of economy or space a good all around wineglass can work for both red and white, but it certainly increases the enjoyment to have both)

12+ footed red wineglasses

12+ footed water/iced tea glasses (make these dishwasher safe)

12+ tumblers or use your Riedel 'O' and similar glasses for this, but please don't use them for white wine

8+ old fashioneds

6+ champagne flutes, unless you're a bruncher in which case I'd have at least 12 on hand

Optional:

6+ brandy glasses (aka Snifter, the same word is also used for a small quantity of a distilled liquor)

6+ dessert wine glasses

6+ irish coffee glasses, a worthwhile purchase for some, you know who you are

12+ shot glasses, if you do shots, and I don't entirely recommend it, you might as well have a great number of glasses on hand, particularly of the souvenir variety

8+ margaritta glasses

8+ martini glasses, though just because you serve a beverage in this glass, despite the almost universal bastardization of the word, it does not make it a martini. More on this topic in a later post

I do not recommend, except for the most ardent ale connoseurs, investing money or storage space in beer mugs or pilsners as footed waters and good old fashioned pint glasses work for beer and myriad other beverages not the least of which is the bloody mary.

The quantities are merely suggestions, you know what you, your friends, and your family drink. Adjust accordingly. The suggestions of 8 or more are generally for "cocktail party" items while i find the items suggesting 6 are pulled out during the course of a "dinner party."

A Well Stocked Bar II

Yesterday's post was dedicated to the foundation of a bar, the trays on which you place your bottles, glasses, and other beverage related parephanalia. Today I'm going to focus on the one thing that I think most hosts and hostesses mess up in their bars - ice. It seems like such a simple thing but there's never enough of it thanks in part to the invention of the "ice bucket" a diminutive vessel appropriate for 2-4 people, but woefully insufficient for a real gathering, it's always floating in a pool of water, and the tongs, whoever invented ice tongs is a much more patient person than I will ever be.

My solutions: a large metal or glass bucket designed for chilling wine or Champagne, commonly referred to as a wine chiller, and a metal scoop. Here are a few images of items that should do the trick perfectly, and by all means fill the bucket with the arrival of the first guest and check back often.


This cut crystal number from William Sonoma Home is good for smaller gatherings and would certainly look beautiful on a traditional bar.


This double chiller from Simon Pearce is large, heavy, and a very pleasing shape. Simon Pearce hand makes great glass items. Many of their items make wonderful gifts.


this double chiller from William Sonoma in the right environs would look wonderful. There's a matching "ice bucket" but it's far too small for anyone with more than a handfull of friends.

Attractive stainless steel or sterling silver handled (most sterling scoops have stainless silver scoops for durability) scoops can be a bit harder to come by. Beverly Bremer has a huge selection in sterling, and probably has one in your silver pattern.


Whimsical stainless scoop.


One of the many sterling scoops from Beverly Bremer.

A Well Stocked Bar I

I've been taking inventory of my bar and looking to fill in a few holes in the categories of glasses and fine spirits. As I take stock I thought I would share my thoughts on the makings of a well stocked bar.

Before you can pull together a collection of glasses, spirits, ice, garnishes, and the like you must decide on a location for a bar. For some of us our homes are equipped with bars, for others it's a spot in the kitchen, a sideboard in the dining room, or any other flat and generously sized surface.

After the location I believe the next building block for a suitable bar is a good sized tray, or trays. I prefer non-reactive metal as it's bound to catch the occasional drip or spill.

I think any one of these trays could serve this purpose depending on your decor:


From Pottery Barn


From William Sonoma Home


From William Sonoma

Or sterling is wonderful if the budget allows and the staff can keep up with the polishing. Here are some lovely trays from Beverly Bremer in Atlanta, the tray with black handles is a gorgeous George Jensen in the Acorn pattern: