Gordon & MacPhail tasting at Park Ave Liquors with Chris Riesbeck

One of the nice things about working on Murray Hill in Midtown Manhattan is Park Avenue Liquors (located anti-eponymously on Madison Ave between 42-43rd ). Park Avenue Liquors (PAL) is a relatively small store, but inside is a mad jumble where the greatest spirit treasures can be found - usually jammed amongst a fantastic variety of everything else. For example, what's that just left of the Glendronach 15? It's every release of Octomore - including the first. Just to the right is the OB 9th release of Port Ellen. Behind the counter are most Scotches and Bourbons available anywhere in the City. On the back wall are heaped the world of grape spirits including monstrously priced crystal trophy Cognac bottles and century old Armagnac rarities. One of the things I love most about PAL is that spirits come first. They do sell wine - but it's clearly number two.

Another great thing about PAL is that they regularly offer free spirit tastings usually after 3 on Thursdays or Fridays. The best place to find out about these events is NYCWhisky.com

These events are held at the end of the sales counter - jammed in tight among the narrow aisles and heaped shelves of bottles. It's a totally NY scene.

Chris Riesbeck

Pouring today was Chris Riesbeck, US brand ambassador for Gordon & MacPhail. He's a jovial and spirited whisky geek of high order, full of the loving specifics of G&M's excellent barrel management, the expressions, spirit markets, and lore. He was pouring G&M bottlings of Glenrothes 8, Glenturret 11, Bunnahabhain 8, and the OB 10 expression of the G&M owned Benromach. The common thread here was a period of time in Sherry hogsheads. The Glenrothes had a stunning richly floral vanilla herbal nose and an exuberant, fruity flavor - a winner at the reasonable $37 price. The Glenturret was drier, silky and rich with wooded and brooding aspect. The Bunnahabhain was subtle with dry malt and a kiss of iodine, but seemed a little thin (as Bunnahabhains often do, to me). The Benromach was, as Chris explained, a classic old style Spey in that it was fruity, lightly sherried (kissed with a stint in olorosso hogsheads) and is lightly peated. Benromach 10 comes on sweet and fruity, turns august and vinous at midpalate and the smoky whiff of peat emerges at the end as a drying and sophisticated turn at the finish. The Benromach flavor profile is extraordinary - with its far ranging tour of disparate flavor elements as each sip progresses through the palate. I wanted a bit more depth, so I'll be especially anxious to try the more mature expressions.

What a lovely way to spend 15 minutes in the crushed and frenzied Manhattan hubbub!

Visiting Le Du's in the Village

I haven't ever blogged about liquor stores, but clearly I'm going to have to start.  I had been looking for a place in NYC where I could find Balcones Brimstone and Corsair Triple Smoke.  After reading an awesome article about NYC liquor stores on The Whisky Woman blog I couldn't resist a trip down to Le Du's Wines at 600 Washington St. in NYC (a couple of blocks up from Houston just east of the Hudson river).  I had an unexpected treat when I saw the exquisite jewel-like wall of spirits.  Jewel-like a couple of senses: the wall is actually gleaming and beautiful and awesomely lit so the hooch look like cut gemstones; and also the selection is exquisite.  The selection isn't big, but it's obvious that someone who really thinks about spirits is carefully selecting every item; cherry picking only the most interesting and the best at each price point to shine in the limited space.  

The part about price point is important to me - there are inexpensive selections - just the best bang for the buck at those price points (e.g. Rittenhouse Rye 100, plus the rare 25 year old expression; Old Forrester Birthday, and Weller Antique).  There is a clear focus on small craft distilleries.  Rare and hard to find mid-priced American spirit selections include Tuthill Farms, King's County, Smooth Ambler, High West, Balcones, Corsair, Wasmund's, Willets, Breckenridge and Whistlepig.   There's an excellent focused collection of Scotch too - with best bang at each price point.  This includes some Classic Malts selections but also distilleries like Bruichladdich, and plenty of selections from private labels such as Signatory and Gordon & MacPhail (careful selections here), and Compass Box blends too.  At the high end there are  rare single single cask offerings from unusual and rare distilleries such as Ben Nevis and Port Ellen.  The signature of a clear aesthetic is plainly visible.  Wild Turkey 101 didn't rate a spot on the wall, but the Wild Turkey "Tradition" Master Distiller 14 year old tribute expression did.  This isn't a conventional liquor store. 

JT Robertson w/Brimstone & Triple Smoke

I had another treat when I ran into JT Robertson - the man behind the jeweler's precision of bottle selection on the wall.   He is incredibly knowledgeable, articulate, and opinionated about the world of spirits, the industry, and the flavors.   As the conversation progressed he genially poured a wee dram of extraordinary Rittenhouse Rye 25, which I hadn't previously tried.  We discussed flavors and I was impressed by his articulate exposition of the flavor profile, "deep plum", "not cherries, more like Kirsch", "the only weakness is the wood becomes a bit astringent at the finish".  He nailed it.  We had a great moment together.  JT talked me into wanting Breckenridge Bourbon but I couldn't swing it at the time - so I'll have to go back.

If you are in the Village and want to score some top notch and hard to find hooch I'd heartily recommend a look at the informed selections on the spirit wall at Le Du's.