Cheers

Taking a Shine to White Whiskey Once known as moonshine, white dog or white whiskey has acquired new caché. The unaged, clear whiskey is a way for small producers to get a fast ROI; established brands are releasing white whiskey so that fans can compare it to their mature products. In addition to craft brands such as Buffalo Trace and Death's Door, Jack Daniel's unveiled an unaged rye whiskey this year, and Maker's Mark began selling Maker's White at its distillery. Jim Beam recently released Jacob's Ghost White Whiskey, an 80-proof whiskey that has been rested at least a year in charred, white oak barrels. Reactions to unaged whiskeys are mixed, however. "Whiskey should have oak on it," declares Allegra Angelo, the beverage director for Miami-based 50eggs Restaurant Group. "That's what makes whiskey great, the interaction with the wood." But she does carry one or two that fit the concepts, such as Troy & Sons Moonshine. "I personally like white whiskeys, and think they are underutilized," counters Chris Fields, front-ofhouse manager at Winghart's Burger & Whiskey Bar in Pittsburgh. Winghart's carries White Dog from House Spirits and Hudson New York Corn Whiskey and Fields has created a few cocktails using the clear spirit. "I don't think white whiskeys are getting enough attention," he says. —THS Chicago. The Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants upscale-casual concept boasts about 250 whiskeys; about a quarter of them are American. But Ryan points out that "we do more volume with American whiskey than we do with Scotch." He sees a younger demographic getting interested in whiskey, because the brown spirit is hip, and not what their parents drank. But it is, in many cases, what their grandparents drank, and that's part of the appeal. The interest in retro fashions and cocktails fueled in large part by the popularity of the AMC series Mad Men continues to give old-school brown spirits a boost. "There's been a return to the classics, a getting back to something uniquely American like Bourbon," says Allegra Angelo, beverage director for 50eggs Restaurant Group. The Miami-based company operates three concepts: casual Southern cuisine restaurants Swine and Yardbird, and Khong River House, which features Southeast Asian food and gin-based drinks. Yardbird is Kentucky Bourbon-centric, with over 60 on the list, ranging in price from $9 to $27, with a score of ryes and a dozen "experimental" whiskeys, notably items from Balcones 26 | SEPTEMBER 2013 in Texas and High West in Utah. Swine has a slightly smaller collection as well as fine rum. "There's a new whiskey on the market every week," notes Angelo. "Buying whiskey has become an exciting chase." There are plenty more whiskeys to chase after. Distillers have been busy experimenting with different mash bills, barrel finishes and other variations. Just last year, 46 new Bourbons debuted, according to DISCUS. The rye whiskey subsegment jumped 50%-plus in volume last year, with 22 new ryes on the market. It's not just the intriguing labels that attract consumers; price is a big factor. Dollar for dollar, American whiskey is a much better bargain compared with other top-shelf spirits. "Customers can drink several American whiskeys for the price of a single single-malt Scotch," points out Ryan. At Sable Kitchen, Bourbons run $7 up to the mid-$20s; Scotch can run into the triple digits a glass. "It's not a question of quality by any means," he notes. Scotland is farther for shipping, the grain is more expensive, and the aging process is costly. "Bottom line: American whiskey is cheaper," Ryan says. "Our whiskey prices range from $5.50 all the way up to $50," says Chris Fields, front-of-house manager at Winghart's Burger & Whiskey Bar, with two locations in Pittsburgh. Even that top end sells, he notes. "We get a lot of out-of-town businesspeople who like to try new spirits." Winghart's main location carries more than 80 whiskeys; of that 50% is Bourbon, about 15% is Tennessee and Canadian whiskey; single malts from Scotland and Japan make up the rest of the list. "We carry a few whiskeys you can't find around here," Fields says, citing Willet Single Barrel Bourbon as an example. COCKTAILS IN THE MIX "Bourbon is perceived by consumers as being more mixable than Scotch," says Ryan. It's the base in many classic cocktails— Whiskey Sours, Old Fashioneds and Manhattans. All cocktails at Sable Kitchen are priced at $13. Most of the whiskey volume is in mixed drinks with just a few brands: Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark and Jack Daniel's. "Buffalo Trace is eminently mixable, it's a bartender favorite, considered hip right now and is at a good price point," says Ryan. The main Daniel's Broiler sells an average 4,000 Manhattans a year, priced at $10 each. "Since we sell so many Manhattans, I didn't want to use run-of-the-mill Bourbon," Miller explains. "I wanted a flavor profile that would stand out in the cocktail. We picked a little woodier, spicier Bourbon out of the samples for our barrel." Winghart's also sells quite a few Manhattans as well as Old Fashioneds. Fields has also created a few signatures, such as the Ball Grabbing Ginger, made with Drambuie, Bulleit rye and Snap ginger liqueur. All cocktails are $10. 50eggs' cocktails tend toward the experimental, like the South by South Sidecar, which mixes Atlantico rum with Wild Turkey Rye ($13), and an Old Fashioned that includes baconwashed Bourbon and maple syrup ($15). www.cheersonline.com

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