Cheers

Cheers June 2016

Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.

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www.cheersonline.com 9 June 2016 • DRINK CULTURE CHATTING WITH CHEECH ABOUT MEZCAL Riviera Imports held a launch party for its Tres Papalote mezcal brand on May 18 at Black Barn in New York. Cheers editor Melissa Dowling caught up with the mezcal's brand ambassador Cheech Marin, the actor/comedian best known as half of the Cheech & Chong comedy duo. So why did Cheech Marin decide to get behind a mezcal brand? He had been approached to do a wine, "but I said, no that market's too crowded," Marin notes. A tequila brand was then proposed, but Marin thought that market had become too crowded as well. He had been drinking a lot of mezcal lately, and thought that the lesser-known agave spirit posed an opportunity to do something different. It took about a year to fi nd the right mezcal, says Marin, who visited the agave growers and distillers in Mexico. He's also been getting advice on the spirits business his long-time friend John Paul DeJoria, who founded Patron tequila. What does Marin like about mezcal? The smokiness, for one thing, plus "it's more fl uid and sweeter than other spirits," Marin says. Also, "it never gives me a hangover," though he admits he doesn't drink too much. Mezcal also works well in cocktails, especially with fruit fl avors and spicy elements, Marin says. Specialty drinks served at the party included the Cheech, with Tres Papalote mezcal, grilled pineapple, ser- rano chili, lime and agave, and the Night Life, with mezcal, Campari infused with coffee, Antica Formula and a fl amed orange twist. The spirit can also be subbed in some of the classic cocktails for unique results. Marin was in Hawaii in early May for a come- dy show with partner Tommy Chong, and he went to Roy's restaurant. Someone handed him a Gimlet, and Marin asked if he could try one made with mezcal instead of gin. The reimagined cocktail was a hit, he notes: "By the end of the night, everyone in Roy's was drinking them—even the staff!" Considering Cheech & Chong are famous for their love of cannabis, does Marin ever mix mezcal with pot? "I have, yes," he says, noting that he has a line of marijuana coming out in a few weeks called "Cheech's Private Stash." In general, Marin added, "I like one for the taste and the other for the feeling." Actor/comedian Cheech Marin, left, brand ambassador for Tres Papalote, celebrates the mezcal's launch with his long-time friend Geraldo Rivera in New York. CHEERS INTERVIEW: CHEECH MARIN THE RICKEY WELCOMES SPRING WITH CHARDONNAY FLIGHT PROGRAM Chardonnay may be the most popular wine in the U.S, but there are many different styles of the varietal. That's way The Rickey cocktail lounge inside the Dream Midtown hotel in New York is offering special chardonnay wine fl ights. The seasonally rotating program, which launched in March, offers chardonnays hand-selected by The Rickey's managing part- ner Matt Strauss. The fi rst part of the series offered two different fl ights of three 2-oz. pours. One fl ight included Lioco, Sonoma County (California) 2014; Hamilton Russell, Walker Bay (South Africa) 2014; and Planeta, Sicily (Italy) 2012, priced at $20. A chardonnay fl ight reserve, priced at $60, includes selections that rotate based on availability and season. The initial offering included Ruinart Blanc de Blanc, nonvintage, Champagne (France); Criots-Batard Montrachet Louis Latour, Côte de Beaune (France) 2006; Kistler "Les Noisetiers," Sonoma (California) 2013. Guests can also opt to sample all six wines for $75. The Rickey aims to help guests discover new wines: Every bottle of wine on the list is offered by the glass. What's more, the bar has several important wines, such as first-growth Bordeaux and California cult favorites, that are available in 3-oz. and 6-oz. pours. The bar has the Coravin system, which uses a needle to puncture the cork and argon gas to replace oxygen in the bottle, and keeps the wine fresh between pours.

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