Wednesday Grab-Bag

Topics have been piling up like the snow has this winter, so I think we need a grab-bag to clear off my car, I mean, my desk.

Scotch Dinner on April 9

This dinner will feature an exceptional meal paired with The Macallan Single Malt (12 year, 15 year and 18 year) and the Famous Grouse. Dinner will be held at Centro Grille in Robbinsville. Space is limited, so call Centro at 609-208-9300 to RSVP. Questions? Ask at Customer Service in Lawrenceville, 609-520-0008.

The Macallan’s curiously small spirit stills are the smallest on Speyside. Their unique size and shape give the spirit maximum contact with the copper, helping to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirit and provide the viscosity and rich, fruity, full-bodied flavors so characteristic of The Macallan. There are fourteen of these curiously small stills, crafted from copper, each holding an initial ‘charge’ of 3,900 liters. These stills are so famous that they have appeared on the back of a Bank of Scotland £10 banknote!

New Products

While we're on the subject of Scotch whisky, we've added the BenRiach 15 year Madeira Finish to our shelves. Matured in the traditional style in American bourbon barrels, this whisky is then finished in Madeira barrels, sourced from the semi-tropical Portuguese island of Madeira, hundreds of miles off the coast of north-west Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean. During this second period of maturation the whisky derives many interesting characteristics specific to the Madeira barrel. The nose offers vanilla and spices with watermelon and peaches, with a rich backdrop of Madeira and oak wood. An avalanche of butterscotch, hazelnuts, peaches and spices, with a rich Madeira finish envelop the palate.

Flavored vodkas are still going strong. In stock now in Lawrenceville, and coming soon to Woodbridge, is the Smirnoff Sorbet® Light Pineapple Coconut. This is a full-flavored, sorbet-inspired vodka with natural fruit flavor, containing juicy, ripe pineapple and creamy toasted coconut notes.  It offers sophisticated fun with only 78 calories per 1.5 fl. oz.

Try this cocktail recipe: Weekend in the Tropics

1.5 oz Smirnoff Sorbet Light® Pineapple Coconut
1.5 oz pineapple juice
1.5 oz mango juice

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the above ingredients. Stir, then garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Tastings and Other Stuff

We understand that warmer weather will get here eventually. When that happens, you'll enjoy a clean, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, either with a light meal or on its own. Our distributor is discontinuing Omaka Springs Sauvignon Blanc, and we just made a big buy on this wine. At only $10.98 in the Bottle Club®, Omaka Springs will please your wallet and palate. Omaka Springs Estate Sauvignon Blanc shows the best that Marlborough has to offer.  This wine displays a burst of tropical fruits - guava, passion fruit, and a hint of ripe melon, complimented by a vibrant acidity, herbaceous tomato stalk notes and nuances of green capsicum.  The careful addition of a small amount of Semillon lends good structure and adds to the texture and length.

Both stores will have a tasting of Shiner Ruby Redbird & Shiner White Wing. The tasting will first land in Lawrenceville on Thursday, March 27, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. Next will be Woodbridge, on Thursday, April 3, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The tastings will be at the Growler station.

Ruby Redbird is their summer seasonal, brewed with tart Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit and a "kick" of Ginger. White Wing is a year-round Belgian white, brewed with authentic Belgian yeast, along with hints of coriander and orange peel.

Our final tasting note is a Woodbridge-only event. On Saturday, April 5, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm, we'll pour samples of Miller Fortune.

You first notice Miller Fortune's distinctive malty aromas, backed with subtle citrus notes. The taste is nicely balanced, with hoppy tones and a restrained sweetness that matches its light body. The crisp, clean finish is in keeping with the 6.9% ABV.

We hope you'll join us for these tastings, as well as our regular weekend wine tastings.