2017 holiday gift guide
How to feel posh and loved as the year draws to a close
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3/12
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4/12
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5/12
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6/12
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7/12
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8/12
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9/12
Finishing School
With whiskies—as in business—it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Three decades ago, Scottish distilleries began experimenting with maturing whisky in a second cask that once held wine or port or sherry. The result was a richer, more complex spirit with new flavours that complemented the whisky that had already been ageing in its original cask. Today the practice is common with Irish, American and even Taiwanese whiskies. And given that there are always new casks to experiment with, there’s seemingly no end to all these finishes. Here’s how to get started...
(From Left to right)
Port Finish
(Sweet, dried fruit)
Kavalan Concertmaster ($99)
Sauternes Finish
(Sweet, light fruit)
(Sweet, light fruit)
Glenmorangie Nectar d’Or ($69)
Sherry Finish
(Dried, spiced fruit)
The Macallan Rare Cask ($300)
Rum Finish
(Sweet molasses or vanilla)
(Sweet molasses or vanilla)
The Balvenie Caribbean Cask ($69)
Beer Finish
(Sweet, creamy malt)
(Sweet, creamy malt)
Jameson Caskmates ($30)
Madeira Finish
(Sweet fruits, spices)
(Sweet fruits, spices)
The Tyrconnell Ten-Year-Old Madeira Cask ($75)
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10/12
The XO Factor
For a complex French spirit, cognac comes in grades with simple English names. Moving up the ladder, there’s VS (or Very Special, with eaux-de-vie aged for a minimum of two years), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale, aged for at least four years) and then there’s XO, which stands for Extra Old. Traditionally, the youngest brandy in an XO had to be at least six years old, but starting in April 2018, the minimum will be ten years. Think of it as Extra Extra Old.
For a complex French spirit, cognac comes in grades with simple English names. Moving up the ladder, there’s VS (or Very Special, with eaux-de-vie aged for a minimum of two years), VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale, aged for at least four years) and then there’s XO, which stands for Extra Old. Traditionally, the youngest brandy in an XO had to be at least six years old, but starting in April 2018, the minimum will be ten years. Think of it as Extra Extra Old.
Left to right: Hennessy XO Limited Edition by Marc Newson ($200); Rémy Martin XO ($150); D’USSÉ XO ($230); Courvoisier XO ($150); Martell XO ($180)
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11/12
The Rise of Ryes
Bourbon may get all the glory, but its cocktail cousin rye has also been enjoying quite a boom. Sales of rye whiskey in the United States have increased 900 percent in the past eight years—or $160 million. Credit George Washington himself for the American renaissance—the founding father (and the cause of the Whiskey Rebellion) made his own rye at Mount Vernon, and his original distillery reopened there in 2007. As for the taste, rye is bolder and spicier than bourbon—which is made from at least 51 percent corn, hence the sweetness. So if you like a cocktail dry, go with rye.
Bourbon may get all the glory, but its cocktail cousin rye has also been enjoying quite a boom. Sales of rye whiskey in the United States have increased 900 percent in the past eight years—or $160 million. Credit George Washington himself for the American renaissance—the founding father (and the cause of the Whiskey Rebellion) made his own rye at Mount Vernon, and his original distillery reopened there in 2007. As for the taste, rye is bolder and spicier than bourbon—which is made from at least 51 percent corn, hence the sweetness. So if you like a cocktail dry, go with rye.
Front row: Hochstadter’s Family Reserve ($200); Redemption 18-Year-Old Rye, the Ancients Collection ($450); Lock Stock & Barrel 18-Year Straight Rye ($230); Ragtime Rye ($44). Back row: Whistle Pig The Boss Hog, The Black Prince IVth edition ($499); Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye ($75); Old Potrero Single Malt Straight Rye Whiskey ($70)
Image by : David Arky
12/12
Flower Power
Floral fragrances are in full bloom this fall with some bold new perfumes. Among the high notes are tuberose, Arabian jasmine and orange blossom in scents that are meant for day but, like a hothouse, sultry enough for night.
Floral fragrances are in full bloom this fall with some bold new perfumes. Among the high notes are tuberose, Arabian jasmine and orange blossom in scents that are meant for day but, like a hothouse, sultry enough for night.
One thing is certain: These are not for wallflowers.
Left to right: Wildly Attractive Eau de Parfum by Diana Vreeland Parfums, ($250); Jason Wu Eau de Parfum ($145); Twilly d’Hermès Eau de Parfum by Hermès ($130); Gabrielle Eau de Parfum by Chanel ($135); Woman by Ralph Lauren Eau de Parfum ($110); Gucci Bloom Eau de Parfum ($124); Aerin Tuberose Le Jour Parfum by AERIN ($215)
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