3 Spirits That Should Haunt Your Liquor Cabinet

Penn 1681, Bluecoat, and Vieux Carré Absinthe...
Yes, real ABSINTHE is legal again!

Its no secret that the southeast corner of Pennsylvania has a lot to offer those who enjoy fine beverages in moderation.  Great beer from America's oldest brewery, Yuengling in Pottsville, as well as micro-brews from numerous sources, such as Weyerbacher in Easton, Victory in Downingtown, and Tröegs in Harrisburg, vie to satisfy the thirst of a region that already boasts over 50 local wineries.  Now the connoisseur may satisfy his or her jaded palette with a choice of three distilled beverages produced in this same area by Philadelphia Distilling.  

Philadelphia Distilling has been around since 2005, but it was at the Alternative Living Expo that the author first became familiar with their finely crafted wares.  It was there, at an event created for those who embrace the unusual and shun the mainstream, that representatives of the distillery set up a table from which to distribute samples to attendees.

Penn 1681 Vodka

The first sample I tried was Penn 1681, which takes its name from the year in which King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn for the land which was to become Pennsylvania.  Penn 1681 is produced in a four column still, which is an unusual way of making vodka, and makes this vodka unique.  It is a "green" and local themed spirit, using only organic rye from Pennsylvania and decanted into locally produced, partially recycled glass bottles.  In keeping with the local theme and eco-mindedness, the waste grain from the mash is reused to supplement livestock feed at the very farms from which it originally came from.

My sample was served over ice, and I was a bit leery to try it at first.  I normally don't like plain vodka, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  It was exceptionally smooth, with no hint of bitterness or odd flavors, and had an almost creamy feel in the mouth with just a bit of alcohol warmth.  Very smooth.  It would be excellent in delicately flavored cocktails.

Bluecoat American Dry Gin

My next sample was decanted from an attractive cobalt blue bottle into a glass of tonic water.  I occasionally drink Gin & Tonics, and had high expectations for this one.  My expectations were exceeded, and the drink was the most flavorful Gin & Tonic that has ever passed my lips. Bluecoat's predominant flavor comes from the organic juniper berries used in its production, and is followed up with a citrus note that plays well with the quinine in tonic water, and produces a grapefruit-like flavor.

If gins were people, this one would draw attention to itself by wearing bluejeans and a cowboy hat to the other gins' black tie parties.  This American "cowboy" of the gin world is bold and interesting, and in no way looks to blend in with its peers.   

I'm looking forward to trying this gin in "The Bookshop Cocktail" at The Bookshop speakeasy in Bethlehem (watch for a review of that coming soon!).

Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure

Absinthe has been unavailable in the United States for quite some time, owing to regulations banning the use of wormwood in beverage production.  The generations-old ban had effectively been lifted in 2007, however, when the powers that be regulate changed their interpretation of the ban.  Wormwood is now allowed, so long as the final product contains less than 10mg/kg of thujone, the psychoactive wormwood derivitive once thought to turn absinthe drinkers into eccentric artists, philosophers, and libertines.

My sample was prepared in the same manner in which it was done in the late Victorian era. The fresh green liquor was poured into a glass and a slotted spoon, especially made for preparing absinthe, was placed across the glass.  A sugar cube was then placed atop the spoon, and the whole assembly was then positioned under the silver tap of an antique-looking ice water decanter. With the tap turned on to only allow a slow drip, the ice cube slowly disolved through the spoon and into the absinthe, producing a pearlescent swirl.  Ah, the Green Fairy is now swimming in my glass.

Anise and fennel are predominant flavors, but it is in no way a syrupy, licorice flavored alcohol.  Rather, it is fresh and herbal, with a powerful alcohol note.  It isn't like other liquors, and eludes description to some extent.  Suffice it to say that I'm glad that absinthe is available in the United States again, and look forward to my next glass of this unusual Victorian concoction.

All photos in this article used by permission of Philadelphia Distilling.