By
George Brozowski
The
little box arrived unexpected so I didn't know what I might
find inside. Within the bubble wrap were two little brown
bottles stating quite plainly, and with no fan fare, what
was inside each of them. But the thing that really got me
thinking were the words Berry Bros. & Rudd above the contents.
Let me tell you when and where I first heard that name.
In
the summer of 1997 I moved into downtown San Francisco and
rented an apartment on the highest hill in that very hilly
city. Actually it was more of a mountain called Twin Peaks
and was just off the southern edge of the city. My apartment
building was literally strapped to the side of a precipitous
cliff. From my living room I could look down upon the city
in all its glory. I was at a level just slightly above the
tops of the skyscrapers downtown and could see the entire
city below; the bay, the Bay Bridge and across the Bay to
Oakland on the other side. Believe me when I tell you I paid
dearly for that view but it was worth every penny.
One
sunny Saturday afternoon I climbed down from my perch and
was rummaging around Russian Hill when I spied a tall lanky
woman in a red and yellow summer dress wearing the biggest
straw hat I had ever seen. She looked just like a wild sunflower
that had fallen off of a Van Gogh canvas. I was drawn to her
like a honey bee that had discovered a ripe flower and had
to fly over and take in its nectar and cross pollinate it.
That was the beginning of an intense but brief fling. She
was a flight attendant and a CPA which led her to flights
of meticulously controlled fantasy. She flew international
routes and during a layover in London popped over to Berry
Bros. & Rudd and bought an exquisite bottle of
cognac and presented it to me upon her return. Along with
that cognac she handed me a small catalog from Berry
Bros. & Rudd. The next day, after thanking her
profusely and repeatedly all night, I took the remains of
the bottle and the catalog back up the hill to my home.
Berry
Bros. & Rudd is not your ordinary run of the
mill corner liquor store. In the first place they have been
around for over 300 years having been established in 1698.
They began serving the Royal Family in the 1700's during the
reign of King George the 3rd and continue to do so even today.
They created Cutty Sark Scots Whiskey in 1923 and
have been at it ever since crafting spirits of all sorts.
Their selection is second to none and it's the type of shop
where you can drop $20.00 or $20,000.00 or more, much more.
So
as you can see, after all that, I was very curious to see
what the Berry boys had sent me to try.
Berry
Bros. & Rudd King's Ginger Liqueur 750ml, 41%
ABV about $40.00
Here
is their description of the King's Ginger: "The
King's Ginger is the emphatically ginger liqueur that was
specifically formulated by Berry Bros. in 1903 for King Edward
VII. Rich and zesty, it was created to stimulate and revivify
His Majesty and has been appreciated by bon viveurs ever since.
The King's Ginger is created by the careful maceration of
ginger root enlivened by the judicious addition of citrus
in the form of lemon peel. Although warming and heartening
on a cold day as originally intended, it is a splendidly uplifting
tonic to be enjoyed on its own all year round as well as in
any number of cocktails and long drinks."
Here's
my take on it: After swirling it around I notice that it is
viscous in nature and clings nicely to the sides of the glass.
It is an inviting pale golden color and provides a subtle
gingery nose with background highlights of citrus. As I sip
it, it imparts an overall ginger flavor to my entire mouth
that I found quite pleasing and then reinforces that initial
take with a touch of citrusy spice that is "orangey"
in flavor. It is tangy on the tongue with a bright spicy finish.
I could certainly imagine myself sipping this straight up
while sitting in front of a roaring fire after a day's skiing.
I tried it on the rocks with Vernor's ginger ale and they
complimented each other beautifully. This could certainly
become my new winter drink of choice.
Berry
Bros. & Rudd No. 3 London Dry Gin 46% ABV about $55.00
Again,
here is their description: "No.3 is
the London Dry Gin distilled to a proprietary recipe
of Berry Bros. & Rudd, London's oldest
wine and spirit merchant. The name No.3 refers to the address
in St James's Street, London: our home since 1698. No.3
was created to be the last word in gin for a Dry Martini.
'A Taste of Tradition'."
And
here's my take on it: In the glass it is deceptively translucent
and bears the appearance of water. It possesses an inveterate
nose of bright junipers and muted floral notes. It's not overpowering
while not being underwhelming, conservative yet solid. Citrus
notes follow juniper around my tongue in an interesting dance.
It is warm on the tongue and gives a slight nip as it eases
down the throat. It makes a very nice traditional martini
using just a drop of Vermouth and garnished with three olives
and it also made an excellent dirty martini as well.
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