I don’t know about you but Old Man Winter has definitely found me in my corner of the world. It’s been crazy cold most of this month and all I want to do is flop in front of a fire with a stiff drink. So, for the rest of this month - and maybe some of next - let’s talk about cold weather drinks.
First on my list is brandy. Nothing makes me feel more protected from the ice and snow than warming a few ounces of silky brandy in my hand. As the stuff warms, it releases great aromas that remind me of late summer gardens and autumn leaves.
Now, I’m agnostic on the issue of cognac v. brandy. I’ve never found cognac to be remarkably better than brandy; it just seems like one is paying more for a booze because it comes from a particular region and therefore has the stamp of rarity. Not that I deliberately avoid cognac, I just would rather spend my money on quality instead of, well, I suppose one could call it a brand.
My favorite mid-range priced brandy is Asbach Uralt from Germany. It is a great, aromatic drink with lots of depth of flavor. There’s hardly a better way to pass a winter evening than slowly sipping a glass of this rich, tasty drink.
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Got a spare $30K lying around? You might want to head to Christie’s in New York this weekend for some pretty interesting old and rare bottles of booze are going on the block.
Among the amazing array of ancient alcohol are madeira from the 1700 and 1800s, 132 year old cognac, and the highlight of the event, a 1926 bottle of single malt which is expected to go for as much as $30,000.* In all there are over 1000 such lots at this particular auction.
I’m always amazed at things like this. Obviously the buyers are interested in more than whatever it is these bottles contain. If the stuff is really worth thousands or even tens of thousands why is it still around? Let’s assume that you could afford such a thing; upon obtaining it wouldn’t your first impulse be to see what a $5000 bottle of booze tastes like? I know it would be for me. So why haven’t one of the owners of these bottles through the years tasted it? I know the answer: They’re collectors.
Brewers, distillers and vintners do what they do so people will drink and enjoy what they make. If they wanted to produce museum pieces they would have spent their youth studying painting or sculpting. Instead they learned about the best soil for growing grapes, which trees produce the best wood for aging whiskey or where to find the best water for brewing. They make a consumable product and I’ve never met one of these men or women whose greatest joy wasn’t to see others enjoying it.
This isn’t to say that I don’t have a few bottles of this and that stashed away waiting for a special occasion. But when that occasion arrives I won’t hesitate to open them. This stuff is just water, fruit and grain. Enjoy it don’t collect it!
*That Scotch wound up selling for $54,000 - BE 12/10/07
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