Farewell February Grab Bag

Your blogger does not like winter, and he is happy to see February come to a close. We may not be done with winter, but there's not much left.

Here's what we have in the stores for you!

Events in Lawrenceville

We have our regular wine tasting schedule this weekend, Friday from 4-6pm, and Saturday, from 2-4pm. The tasting menu includes a Wine Spectator Top 100 wine. Click here for the menu.

Coming up next weekend is our Painting Class with The Painter's Loft. Your admission fee includes wine! Click here for more information.

Also, you should check our Events page regularly. You'll be the first to know about our soon-to-be-announced Ladies Night Out, and any other event.

Events in Woodbridge

We also have our regular weekend wine tastings, Friday 46-pm, and Saturday, 1-3pm. Click here for the tasting menu. On Friday, we have our first-ever Jack Daniel's Portfolio Tasting. This event is sold out, but if you want to get on the wait list, please call the store at 732-726-0077.

Beginning this coming Tuesday, March 3, and running until April 28, Joe Canal's presents Brunello Tuesday in Woodbridge. We'll offer tastings of one spectacular wine every week. Click here for more info.

For everyone who appreciates craft beer, look for the Dogfish Head Event on Thursday, March 5. We'll have special growlers and more! Click here for info. And in exactly four weeks, we're having a Tap Takeover, featuring three brewers from Vermont. Click here for details.

Finally, save the date of April 12, for our Second Annual Art Show and Wine Tasting. This will be an after-hours even. Click here for information. And if you're an artist interested in exhibiting, information is also at that link.

New Products

Leone D'Oro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. "This red is meaty and graphite-tinged, offering sweet cherry, licorice and spice flavors. Balanced, with dense tannins and a long, tar- and spice-filled aftertaste." - Wine Spectator, 92 points, #49 of Top 100 for 2012. Only $20.96 in the Bottle Club®, and currently in stock in both stores.

Enanzo Rosado. Another sure sign of spring is the arrival of the new vintage of rose wines. Enanzo Rosado is made from the Garnacha variety by the traditional "free-running" technique. Made from grape must obtained by gravity alone which is then macerated for a few hours in its grape skins. The wine is then fermented without the skins at controlled temperatures in order to retain the fruity aromas of the grape. The result is a raspberry-pink wine with aromas of ripe fruit, and is smooth and tasty. Should arrive in both stores today.

Survey Says...

We sent out a survey to all of our Bottle Club® customers earlier this month. There were a few questions posed in the comments that we can address here.

Q: I want to have a specific brand of non-alcoholic beer at my house. You only sell it cold, and I'm concerned about letting it get warm because I don't have enough fridge space for a full case.
A: This is a frequent question in the beer aisles. Your blogger recently posed the question about temperature change to Chris Walsh, the owner of River Horse Brewing in Ewing, NJ. His answer was that as long as the temperature change isn't extreme (going from the fridge to a long ride in a hot car to an ice tub, for example), there's no issue with letting a cold beer gradually go to room temperature, then chilling it again later. Light is more of an issue for the stability and quality of beer. That's part of why so many craft brewers are adding cans to their product lines, and why so many beers are in dark bottles.

Q: Bottle Club® membership should include coupons.
A: We offer money-saving coupons every week. Every Tuesday, you'll find new coupons posted on our website. From our Home Page, look for the Weekly Coupons tab on the left of the page. You can also link under the Customer Service pull-down. You don't even need to print the coupons. Each one has a code (sku), and as long as the cashier can see the code on your smartphone or tablet, we can offer you that savings. In addition, we send out a beer coupon via Twitter every Thursday, so follow us:
@jcanalslawrence
@jcwoodbridge

Q: I can't find the specific brand of beer/wine/spirits that I'm looking for.
A: This can be a little tricky. Some requested brands, like the Alchemist, just are not available at all in New Jersey. If you want help finding a brand that we don't carry, ask at Customer Service, and we'll try to place a Special Order for you.

Q: I would like to order online and have in-store store pick-up.
A: The logistics of this are challenging, due to the space limitations that we have, especially in Lawrenceville. However, we are actively trying to design a test program, so stay tuned!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

What to Drink for St. Patrick's Day, Part 3: Singles

In this installment, we'll move in to Irish whiskey, but not in a way that you might expect. Over the last few years, Single Malt Scotch whisky has been a category with strong growth. From the lighter, sweeter drams like Glenlivet to the smoky, intense flavors of an Islay malt like Ardbeg, the Single Malt is hot.

But Single Malt (and single grain) whiskey is produced elsewhere. Balcones makes a Single Malt in Texas, for example. But, since this is about St. Patrick's Day, we're turning our attention to the Singles from Ireland.

A Single Malt, by the Scottish definition, is made from malted barley, using a pot still at a single distillery, and aged for at least 3 years in oak barrels. You can take the concept elsewhere and change some elements (the grain or the type of still, for example) and still call it a Single Malt, depending on the rules in that location. And we'll start our tour of Irish whiskey with a variation of the Single Malt.

Greenore Single Grain Irish Whiskey

Inspired by modern distilling techniques and through a desire to produce the smoothest and sweetest Irish Whiskey, Greenore was born. There are three simple reasons for the signature Greenore taste.

Greenore is made primarily from corn, and is distilled in column stills, allowing for a more pure spirit with a smooth taste profile. Greenore is then aged for 8 years in first fill Kentucky Bourbon barrels, adding its familiar vanilla notes.

The flagship bottling of Greenore is aged 8 years to give the perfect balance between the ingredients that produced the whiskey, the way it was produced and the ex-bourbon casks that matured the whiskey. Sweet and smooth, this delicate whiskey is produced in small batches to the highest possible quality for your ultimate enjoyment.

Nose: Clean light grain with honey and oak characters.

Taste: Silky smooth and mellow. A honey start combined with fresh almonds and spices.

Finish: A warm honey taste with a dry finish.

Connemara

This is a traditional Single Malt whiskey. Inspired by Ireland’s ancient distilling traditions, Connemara’s smooth sweet malt taste and complex peat flavors makes it a truly unique Irish whiskey. Connemara is the most decorated Irish whiskey with a huge collection of Gold Medals and has been honored as the “Worlds Best Irish Single Malt”. Connemara allows you to unearth the Peated Pleasures of Ireland.

Mildly peated, Connemara has a nice balance between the malt and the peat. It's smooth and clean, with the palate evenly divided between malty sweetness and smoky peat.

                           The Tyrconnell

The Tyrconnell is a brand steeped in history and heritage, dateing back to the glory days of Irish whiskey. Traditionally, most Irish malt has been used to create blended Irish whiskey, so it is rare to find Irish malt whiskey bottled in its purest form. Distilled in the old Irish tradition, this pure pot still single malt whiskey uses only the most natural Irish ingredients of barley and fresh spring water. The resulting whiskey is then left to peacefully mature in oak casks stored in 200 year old granite warehouses, allowing it to develop its full flavor and character.

Tasting notes:
Color: Golden Yellow
Nose: Full and fruity aroma with a citrus – spiciness taste
Taste: Well structured, with honey notes hanging from the nose. A tang of oranges and lemons, a strong malt presence that balances well with the oily sweetness
Finish: A long finish, with the malt becoming more dominant to the end without the soft fruits and honey, which helped make up the middle.

The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey is an historic Irish whiskey brand from the 1900’s named after a horse that won a legendary race at odds of 100 to 1. Made from 100% malted barley in traditional copper pot stills Tyrconnell has a beautiful fresh, fruity bouquet with a smooth sweet taste and a delicate dry finish.

Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Sherry Cask Finish

Our final Irish Single Malt finished in sherry casks, and has limited availability.

Nose: Strong on sherry, it has a strong Fino feel to it, very grape-like, with notes of juicy raisins, golden berries, just a hint of mint.

Palate: Delectable and utterly decadent! This dessert in a glass with a hugely authentic note of wonderfully thick Fino sherry. Also hints of tarte tatin and custard.

Finish: More of that sherry, with apple tart and cinnamon.

           Yellow Spot

A limited production whiskey, aged in ex-bourbon barrels, plus Sherry and Malaga Butts. Yellow Spot is actually aged in those barrels, not finished there, imparting richer flavors.

Nose: Pepper, spice and cloves with Peaches and honey from the Malaga.
Taste: Super mix of warm, creamy tastes with honey, apple sponge and caramel.
Finish: Lovely long finish with a dry sweetness from the Malaga.

There are significant differences between the whiskeys listed here, as well as even greater differences between these and blended Irish whiskey. Your palate will appreciate the opportunity to explore something that is at once different and familiar. We think an Irish Single would be a great addition to any home bar.

Something New

Sometimes the decision is out of our hands, but our inventory is constantly changing. New vintages replace the old, different size bottles arrive, new wineries arrive in NJ and others leave. We hope that you never get tired of the varied selection at Joe canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge.

Here is a sampling of our just-arrived, or just-about-to-arrive, products. We can't list everything here, so if you're looking for new products in the store, please ask an associate for assistance.

Limerick Lane Russian River Valley Zinfandel, 2012

Limerick Lane is a thirty acre estate located in the north east corner of the Russian River Appellation, just south of the town of Healdsburg. The estate was first planted to grapes in 1910. In recent years, they were selling the grapes as vineyard designates to several well known local wineries, including De Loach, Chateau Souverain, Ravenswood, Davis Bynum and Gary Farrell. The quality of the wines and reputation of the iconic Collins Vineyard quickly established Limerick Lane as a premier site for growing Zinfandel and Rhone varieties in Sonoma County. In 1986, the first estate wines were produced under the Limerick Lane label. The subsequent quality of the wines produced solidified Limerick Lane’s reputation as one of Sonoma County’s premier producers as well.

This 2012 Zin rated 94 points from Wine Spectator. "A knockout Zinfandel, balancing an opulent texture with great focus and depth. Aromas of rose petal and raspberry lead to rich and layered flavors of cherry, herbes de Provence and cracked white pepper. Finishes with a bounce of acidity and ripe, lively tannins. Drink now through 2020."

Only $29.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Rosatello Moscato

This perfectly sweet white wine romances you with irresistible aromas of oranges and a touch of mint. With each taste, you'll revel in flavors of juicy peaches and candied orange. Sweet Italian grapes in a sassy, modern style. Light, fruity, fresh, and perfect for any occasion.

$8.98 in the Bottle Club®. 

                      

                    Stags' Leap Winery The Investor

Captivating for its fresh, lush fruit, elegance and classic balance, the inaugural release of The Investor brims with bright red fruit, blackcurrant, plum and blackberry. A savory, herbal flavor, with hints of spicy vanilla bean, sweet tobacco and sandalwood, add depth and complexity. The tannins are firm, but velvety, and this red blend is impressive for its power, finesse and integrity. 38% Petite Sirah, 38% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Sauvignon.

"Named after the founder of Stags Leap Winery, the outstanding 2012 Proprietary Red The Investor is a blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Petite Sirah and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruit intermixed with notions of chocolate, lavender, unsmoked cigar tobacco and underbrush are present in this meaty, chewy, attractive, velvety textured 2012. Enjoy this well-made red over the next decade." - 90 points, Wine Advocate.

Available in very limited quantities for $46.99.

Cheers!

91 Points + 93 Points = Wine Epiphany

Your blogger is a fan of Rhone wines in general, and especially Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Unfortunately, they are usually special occasion wines. However, when our buyers take advantage of an outstanding opportunity, we grab a bottle for our own collection. Don't worry; there's plenty of the Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011 left for you.

The wine is 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault and other AOC varieties. The bunches are picked and sorted by hand. They are then destemmed, slightly crushed and placed in a fermenting vat. These steps, combined with long vatting, gently extract the maximum amount of phenolic constituents – tannins, anthocyans and resveratrol – which give the wine its structure and colour and also have health-promoting properties. During the 12-15 months the wine spends in barrels and truncated vats, we continue to refine its structure to achieve balance and harmony.

Domaine de Beaurenard  makes highly concentrated wines of great finesse, elegance and minerality. This is the true signature and pedigree of the local soils, which makes Beaurenard wines suited to lengthy aging. They can also be drunk young, to procure an intense, lush pleasure.

91 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "Offers a vivid, racy edge, with lots of red and black licorice notes pumping along, while steeped cherry, currant and raspberry flavors form the core. This presents a mouthwatering anise accent on the finish, revealing a subtle singed wood hint. Best from 2014 through 2024." Also rated 90 points from Wine Advocate and IWC. The release price was $45.00, but it's only $32.99 in the Bottle Club®.

If, like us, you are a fan of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or if you want something even more upscale, we also have an outstanding opportunity on another wine from Domaine de Beaurenard, the Boisrenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011.

This wine rated 93 points from Wine Spectator. "Offers a fleshy, inviting feel, with dark plum, currant paste and steeped blackberry notes, studded with anise, fruitcake and cocoa details. A smoldering charcoal hint lines the finish. Shows solid depth for the vintage. Best from 2014 through 2024."

 Oh, this also rated 93 points from Wine Advocate. "Even better and showing a similar polished, elegant profile, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Boisrenard is a blend of 60% Grenache, and the rest a blend of all permitted grape varieties, that spent 18 months in 1- to 5-year-old barrels. Possessing thrilling notes of black raspberry, vanilla, licorice and crushed flowers on the nose, it flows onto the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, solid overall concentration, good acidity and sweet, silky tannin. Relatively approachable, especially by this cuvee’s standards, it can be consumed now or cellared for a decade. Drink now-2023."

The release price was $75.00, and we have this in the Bottle Club® for only $43.99.

Irish Style

This is the second post in our "What to Drink for St. Patrick's Day" series, with at least two more to come. Beverages with the Irish designation cover several categories, and this will be the first installment in the Beer category. And the headline alludes to the fact that we'll be discussing Irish-style beers that are actually brewed in the US.

We're not big fans of green beer; our favorite beers for St. Patrick's Day will be red, or otherwise be a bit darker and maltier than usual. Here's an alphabetical listing of beers that we carry that fit the profile we've described.

Brooklyn Dry Irish Stout

Brooklyn Dry Irish Stout proudly carries on the tradition of dry stouts brewed in Ireland for centuries. A blend of dark roasted, pale, and flaked malts produce a thick, natural head as well as rich coffee and chocolate flavors that wipe away clean with a stampede of refreshing carbonation. It weighs in at a sessionable 4.7% ABV and is best served with "two fingers" of foam alongside burgers, oysters, corned beef, and friends. Sláinte!

Malts: Two-row English, black malt, black barley, caramel malt and unmalted barley.

Hops: Willamette, Fuggles, Cascade, East Kent Golding.

Great Lakes Brewing Co. Conway's Irish Ale®

We pay homage to Patrick Conway, grandfather of co-owners Patrick and Daniel, and a Cleveland policeman who directed traffic near the Brewery for nearly 25 years. Second only to dry stout as Ireland’s most distinctive brew, red ale was first made popular by the G.H. Lett Brewery of Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland.

Conway's Irish Ale® has a notable toasty flavor, derived from lightly roasted malt. Pair with Corned beef, Shepherd’s pie, and stews.

This was actually the Featured Product in our Bottle Club® email back on February 13.

Samuel Adams Irish Red

As comforting as an evening in an Irish pub, this red ale brings together a roasted malt sweetness with an earthy hoppiness for an incredible balance and full flavor.

Made with East Kent Goldings, English Fuggles, and Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops, plus Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend and Caramel 60 malts. 5.8% ABV. While this is available year-round, it's particularly in demand around St. Patrick's Day.

Schlafly Irish-Style Extra Stout

Our Irish-Style Extra Stout amplifies the traditional drier versions from Ireland for a bolder, black brew.  The addition of both roasted barley and Dark Crystal malted barley give Extra Stout undertones of chocolate, molasses and dried fruit.  The beer is generously hopped with East Kent Goldings to balance the sweetness from the malted barley.

Extra Stout is a descendent of the British and Irish porters of the 18th Century.  These strong porters eventually became known as strong stout, then Foreign Stout or Extra Stout, depending on origin.  Extra Stouts were exported world-wide, gaining popularity in the West Indies, Africa and parts of Asia. 8.0% ABV.

In case you missed it, we reviewed our Irish Cream Liqueurs in part 1 of this series. Click here to read that.

Only 4 Weeks til Spring Grab Bag

We checked the calendar this morning, and it says that we only have four short weeks to go until Spring. So we have that going for us. But, as usual, we'll give you plenty of reasons to stop by our stores, regardless of the temperature.

Events in Lawrenceville

We have our regular wine tastings this weekend. Today, 4-6pm and tomorrow, 2-4pm. Click here for the menu, which is the same for both days. We'll soon announce the date for the next Ladies Night Out, so stay tuned for that.

Events in Woodbridge

This will be a fun weekend in Woodbridge. We have our regular wine tastings, 4-6pm today and 1-3pm on Saturday. Also on Saturday, we have our special Mid-Winter tapping. This will feature hard-to-find kegs of Alpine Beer (Ale and Duet), as well as Green Flash Soul Style. Click here for full details.

We have a pretty full calendar of events in Woodbridge. Click on the name of the event listed below for more information.

Jack Daniel's Portfolio Tasting, Friday, February 27. This is now sold out, but we are maintaining a waiting list.
Dogfish Head Event, Thursday, March 5. We're tapping some vintage kegs for the Growler station, and selling some other allocated brews.
Vermont Breweries Tap Takeover, Friday, March 27. Some of the best craft beer is brewed in Vermont. The tap takeover is by Otter Creek, The Shed, and Wolavers.
Second Annual Art Show & Wine Tasting, Sunday, April 12, after hours.

New Products

New Amsterdam Mango Vodka. From the same award-winning distillers who crafted New Amsterdam Vodka and Gin, New Amsterdam Mango Flavored Vodka is made from the finest grains from America's heartland. As with the regular Vodka, it is five times distilled for unparalleled smoothness. New Amsterdam Mango Flavored Vodka tastes like biting into a fresh, juicy Alphonso Mango. Layered with tropical fruit aromas of papaya and passion fruit, the finish is crisp and refreshing. In stock now, both stores. Only $19.89 in the Bottle Club® for the 1.75L size.

Domaine Yves Boyer Martenot Meursault Les Charmes 2013. From the Côte de Beaune; our vines are located in the south of the 1er Cru region of Meursault and right next to Puligny Montrachet. "Charmes" is a word that comes from "Chaumes" meaning rubble where this area was once used for vegetation. Charmes also translates to "charming" which is exactly what this wine is, showing off a rich character with aromas of vanilla, bread and butter. 

There's a very perfumed floral nose such as hawthorn mixed with aromas of almond paste and a touch of spices.

The palate is big and well rounded with a rich intensity of vanilla and toast flavors. This wine represents a great persistence; it’s rich and expands offering a palate of beautiful complexity and density.

The score range from IWC was 91-94 points. $66.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Akashi White Oak. Founded in 1888 on the site of Eigashima in the city of Akashi, White Oak distillery was the first in Japan to obtain the license of distilled spirits in 1919 and according to the legend would consequently be the first to distill whisky. Production remained traditional and reserved for the Japanese market until 1984 with the construction of a new distillery specially dedicated to the distillation of whisky. Located near the sea, and the city of Kobe, the distillery is enjoying a mild and stable climate.

Soft and round, this is a great blend to begin with Japanese whisky. Limited availability, at $34.99.

Ripped from the Headlines

We're starting to consider What to Drink for St. Patrick's Day. Click here for the first installment.

Don't yet know if we'll see it here in New Jersey, but Green Flash Brewing is introducing Cellar 3, a new series of rare barrel-aged beers. The Cellar 3 series will debut nationally in April with Silva Stout—a barrel-aged ale—as its first offering. Other 2015 offerings under the Cellar 3 umbrella will include sour ale Flanders Drive, Le Freak Barrique (formerly known as Super Freak) and bottle-conditioned Rayon Vert. Also, several fruit re-fermented releases are planned, beginning with Natura Morta Plum, a Belgian-style Saison brewed with spices and aged for six months in red wine barrels with Italian plum puree. Cellar 3 series beers will be packaged in 750-ml. cork-finished bottles. The line is being produced at Green Flash’s newly completed second brewery in San Diego’s Poway neighborhood. (H/T Shanken News Daily).

Have a great weekend!

We're Ready for the Green

With all the recent snow, some green leaves and green grass would be a welcome treat. But today we'll talk about the other important use of green, and that's the celebration of St. Patrick's Day. Whether it's just March 17, or whether you're stretching the celebration to the weekend, St. Patrick's is when most everyone feels a bit Irish.

At Joe Canal's, we sell a range of products that are either made in Ireland, or made in the Irish style. Over the course of several blog posts, we'll take you in-depth to our Irish products, to help you make the best selections for whatever way you want to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

Our tour will start with Irish Cream Liqueurs. At their most basic, they are a blend of Irish whiskey and Irish dairy cream, and we carry a number of selections in that category. Irish Creams can be enjoyed chilled or on the rocks, in coffee, or as an ingredient in a mixed drink. As a general rule, enjoy these within a year or so of purchase, and within 6 months after opening a bottle. We'll explore them in alphabetical order.

Baileys Original Irish Cream

Probably the best known in this category, and we also carry several different expressions/flavors of Baileys. Baileys Original is the perfect marriage of fresh, premium Irish dairy cream, the finest spirits, aged Irish whiskey and a unique chocolate blend.

In addition to the Original, look for Caramel, Chocolate Cherry and Vanilla Cinnamon flavors.

Try a Baileys Irish Coffee. Combine:

2 oz Baileys® Original Irish Cream
6 oz hot coffee
1 oz Bushmills® Irish Whiskey
Top (if desired) with 1 dollop whipped cream

Carolans Irish Cream

Carolans combines Irish spirits and whiskey with fresh cream and derives its superior taste from the subtle blending of flavors, including natural honey.

Honey is particularly appropriate for a drink produced in the Clonmel area in Ireland – the word “Clonmel” derives from the Gaelic “Cluain Meala” which means Vale of Honey. Clonmel, in County Tipperary, is also set in Ireland’s famed “Golden Vale”, recognized as a great natural dairy land.

Only the best cream suppliers are considered, since the cream is such a vital component (making up nearly one third of the product). It is this uncompromising quality and use of the finest cream that gives Carolans such a smooth consistency.

On the nose: Smooth toffee notes married with dairy scent and honey memories. On the palate: Vanilla flavor with a smooth texture. Creamy taste, accented with the burnished gold of aged spirits and wildflowers honey.

Carolans Irish Cream is named after celebrated 17th century harpist, Turlough O’Carolan, a legendary traveling musician of that time.

Emmets Ireland Cream

Creamier, smoother, and not as sweet. It is made with an infusion of vanilla and cocoa beans. Nougat and coconut fudge to the nose, coconut, pecan and dried fruits on the tongue. Smooth and creamy entry and finish, enjoyable on ice, in coffee, or your favorite cocktail. One of the best values in the category.

Irish Manor Legendary Irish Cream Liqueur

Truly a legendary Irish Cream made with only the finest Irish spirits and the richest Irish Cream.

At the end of a cold day, Irish hunters would return from the forest to their favorite manor house. They would sit by a fire and relax with an Irish Cream Liqueur. One recipe was so delicious it was praised as "Legendary". It is this elixir one finds in this bottle.

Made from Irish Manor Whiskey and exceptionally smooth Irish cream resulting in a rich spirit. Whether served chilled, in coffee, or in your favorite baked goods recipe, this creamy liqueur is sure to satisfy.

Maloney’s Irish Country Cream

Maloney’s Irish Country Cream is a smooth blend of rich Irish dairy cream, chocolate and vanilla flavors, wine and Irish spirits and has a low alcohol strength of less than 15% by volume.

Its smooth texture is derived from the quality of the pure and fresh Irish dairy cream, sourced locally from the surrounding dairylands.

Maloney’s is best consumed over ice, chilled or in coffee or mixed with your favorite spirit and as it contains fresh cream, it is not advisable to mix with citric based drinks.

We recommend that once opened, the product should be consumed within 3 months for optimal taste experience and that it should be stored away from temperature extremes and direct sunlight.

Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream

From the fields of Derry, Ireland comes the one true essence of the motherland. Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream is simple by design. All-natural cream. Aged Irish whiskey. It’s all you could want in an authentic Irish Cream Liqueur.

Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream is inspired by the sixth century monk, Saint Brendan the Abbot. Known for his remarkable travels, his adventurous spirit guided our quest for the most authentic, all-natural Irish ingredients to create our premium Irish Cream Liqueur.

Our all-natural cream comes from happy dairy cows dining on the richest green grasses of the Emerald Isle. Made with a richer butterfat content than most Irish Creams, it’s pure decadence. Plain and simple.

Aged, triple-distilled premium Irish whiskey brings warmth and smoothness straight from the barrel to finish this 34-proof premium liqueur the proper Irish way.

Slainte!

Important and Unseen

Unless you drive behind our stores, especially in the early morning, you don't see the delivery process for our products. Nearly every day, we have deliveries being made to our stores, regardless of the weather. In the middle of winter, it's a bit challenging, but our vendor partners and our own receiving team take their jobs seriously. And because they do their jobs so well, you get to enjoy the outstanding products on our shelves.

So what new products made it through this week's weather? Here's a look at a few:

Auchentoshan American Oak

Triple distilled and matured solely in American bourbon casks. The result: a Lowland Single Malt Whisky with the sweet aromas of vanilla and coconut - along with the signature smooth, delicate, Auchentoshan taste.

To The Eye: Bright gold.
To The Nose: Bourbon vanilla and coconut with layers of zesty citrus fruit.
To The Tongue: Refreshingly smooth yet lively with vanilla cream, coconut and white peach.
To The End: Crisp with sugared grapefruit and a hint of spice.

$34.99 in the Bottle Club®. We currently have a money-saving coupon for Auchentoshan American Oak posted on our website, expiring 2/23/15. Click here to view our coupon page.

Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011

70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 10% Cinsault and other AOC varieties. The bunches are picked and sorted by hand. They are then destemmed, slightly crushed and placed in a fermenting vat. These steps, combined with long vatting, gently extract the maximum amount of phenolic constituents – tannins, anthocyans and resveratrol – which give the wine its structure and colour and also have health-promoting properties. During the 12-15 months the wine spends in barrels and truncated vats, we continue to refine its structure to achieve balance and harmony.

We make highly concentrated wines of great finesse, elegance and minerality. This is the true signature and pedigree of the local soils, which makes Beaurenard wines suited to lengthy aging. They can also be drunk young, to procure an intense, lush pleasure.

91 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "Offers a vivid, racy edge, with lots of red and black licorice notes pumping along, while steeped cherry, currant and raspberry flavors form the core. This presents a mouthwatering anise accent on the finish, revealing a subtle singed wood hint. Best from 2014 through 2024." Also rated 90 points from Wine Advocate and IWC. Only $32.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Port Charlotte Scottish Barley

From the modern traditionalists at Bruichladdich. Peated to a heavyweight 40ppm, Port Charlotte Scottish Barley is a cuvee crafted from casks hand-picked by master distiller Jim McEwan. It showcases the supreme elegance of this remarkable single malt - a union of the classic floral elegance of Bruichladdich and heavy peat.

This whisky is testament to our belief that raw ingredients matter. Trickle distilled from 100% Scottish Barley the spirit gently matures in the lochside village of Port Charlotte before being bottled here at the distillery using Islay spring water. The texture is extraordinarily rich with a huge depth of character. The smoldering heat of peat fires pulls you into a whirlpool of Islay flavors and aromas but with such finesse that you welcome the storm.

Waves of the sweetest, smoothest, warmest smokiest spirit that you have ever experienced flood onto the palate like the Atlantic surf on Saligo Bay. It is potent, focused and the flavors explode brilliantly onto the palate. Full of depth and complexity, the smokey sweetness of the barley contrasts beautifully with the marine freshness of the spirit and the richness of toffee and vanilla. The complexity is enhanced further with a citrus twist and then mellow oak tempers the fire. Once the taste buds adjust to what is happening, they rejoice in the company and pleasure of this young Celt.

Very limited availability, at $58.99.

Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Made in the traditional style of Kentucky Rye's, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey delivers bold flavors of pepper and tobacco with a long fruit and sweetly spiced finish. 90.4 proof.

Nose: Spicy with distinct notes of rye, black pepper, cedar and cassia bark sweetened with a dusting of marzipan. Hints of pear, apple and almond dance in its depths.
Taste: Clove, rye, mint, molasses, sorghum and honey mingle together with hints of apple and malt.
Finish: Long and sweetly spiced.

Extremely limited availability, at $41.49. Once this shipment sells out, we won't receive more before May, 2015, at the earliest.

As always, we recommend calling the store to verify product availability, or you can search using our website.

Annabella the Fifth

At Joe Canal's, we already carry four Annabella wines. They are fine wines that will tantalize your palate without taxing your bank account. They're produced by Michael Pozzan, whose own wines are also in-demand at the important intersection of price and value. We're pleased to add Annabella 5 Red Blend.

Named to honor Michael Pozzan’s venerable grandmother, Annabella wines are hand sourced from select vineyards throughout the Sonoma and Napa valleys. Whether Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Chardonnay, these wines are a toast to a spirited woman of remarkable grace. We remember her love of cooking for family and friends and we celebrate it to this day. Annabella wines represent a wonderful combination of quality and value.

Annabella 5 is comprised of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Syrah, 9% Zinfandel, 5% Malbec, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It's aged 14 months in French, and American Oak.

Annabella 5 is a proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc. This wine has wonderful depth, ripe fruit upfront, and a long smooth finish. The aromas are intensely concentrated in its fruit aspects with juicy, over ripe black berry and jammy notes.  Medium tannins allow this wine to drink well now, but will improve with future cellaring.  The wine would pair well with smoked ribs or a juicy blue cheese burger.

Only $14.99 in the Bottle Club®.

President's Day Blog

We've all had a brain freeze from ice cream, but this is getting ridiculous. We'll just tough it out-there can't be that much winter left, can there?

Before we move into today's topic, a quick beer note: We are having a special Mid-Winter Tapping at our Woodbridge store this Saturday, February 21. The graphic should give you a nice hint, but please click here for the details.

In honor of President's Day, we wanted to highlight some of our relevant, patriotic, in-stock items.

Yards Ales of the Revolution are modern recreations of recipes brewed by our forefathers. Included in the series are:

General Washington's Tavern Porter. Detailed in a letter from the General to his officers during the war, Washington’s recipe employed molasses to aid fermentation and give rich caramel notes to this robust, roasty ale. The recipe reflected his admiration for Philadelphia-style porters, especially those brewed by Robert Hare (whose original brewery stood just blocks from where Yards is now). This Tavern Porter, inspired by Washington’s, is dark, smooth, and complex with just a hint of dried fruit in the finish.

The porter’s dark malts and molasses help complement rich and roasty flavors. Try with a burger topped with Gruyere and caramelized onions, a large Sunday pot roast, and make sure to save some for any desserts involving chocolate and vanilla.

Thomas Jefferson's Tavern Ale. This powerful and complex golden ale pays homage to Founding Father and fellow brewer Thomas Jefferson. The Yards Brewmaster, Tom Kehoe, worked closely with Philadelphia’s historic City Tavern to recreate this recipe, employing honey, rye and wheat, just like the beer Jefferson made at Monticello.

Although Jefferson may have preferred to snack on the bounty of vegetables and herbs from his garden in Monticello, you may want to offset this beer’s high potency with something hearty, filling, and dare we say “fatty” like roast duck, pork chops with sage butter, and all types of charcuterie.

Maybe not domestic products, but there's also Presidente beer, from the Dominican Republic. Presidente is a Dominican icon of quality and pride. This leading product of great tradition has maintained a vigorous presence in the local market for almost seventy years and has kept a strong linkage with freshness, entertainment and young adults. Presidente is a Pilsner type beer made from top quality raw materials that definitely makes it the best beer, the real taste.

And we wrap up the international category by noting Presidential Porto, and we carry both the Ruby and Tawny.

Presidential Ruby Porto has a classic deep ruby color. This delicious dessert wine combines youthful fruitiness with a surprisingly soft complex style rarely found in younger Portos.

Presidential Tawny Porto reveals a supple, fruity, style of Tawny. It combines velvety sweet nut and fruit flavors with good balance and a long pleasant finish.

Weather or Not Grab Bag

We'll give you plenty of reasons to visit our stores despite the extreme cold weather this weekend. That's why we always start the Friday blog post with events. One important note first: when we have to adjust store hours due to the weather or road conditions, we announce the changes on Twitter.

Lawrenceville Twitter: @jcanalslawrence
Woodbridge Twitter: @jcwoodbridge

You should follow us on Twitter anyway. It's the first place we make announcements of any kind, especially on our limited sales, and we post a Twitter-exclusive coupon every Thursday. We do follow back.

Events in Lawrenceville

It's a full weekend of events in our Lawrenceville store. Tonight, we have The Macallan bottle engraving, 4-7pm. Click here for details. On Saturday, we have a Valentine's-oriented wine tasting, from 2-4pm. Click here for the menu. And on Sunday, we have a very special Mid-Winter tapping, featuring Growlers from the Alpine Beer Co. and Green Flash brewing. We tap at noon, but there might be queue in advance. Click here for the details.

Events in Woodbridge

We have a wine tasting weekend in Woodbridge, with our standard hours. That means 4-6pm tonight, and 1-3pm tomorrow.

This coming Thursday, 2/19, we're having an in-store tasting of beer from the Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co, from 5-7pm.

On Friday, February 27, we're hosting a Jack Daniel's Portfolio Tasting. This is a "can't miss it" event for any whiskey lover. Space is limited. Click here for more information and to see about getting a ticket for this first-time event.

Details are being finalized at this time, but we will have a special Dogfish Head tapping event on Thursday, March 5, from 5-7pm. We'll tap a vintage and a current 120 Minute IPA, and there is more to come. Keep checking our Events page and our Twitter feed.

New Products

Absolut Pride, 1 liter bottles. Limited availability, at $26.99 (same price as the standard Absolut 1 liter bottle).

Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Ross Station Estate 2012. This earned an impressive 96 points from Wine Advocate. Their review: 
"The 2012 Chardonnay Ross Station Estate (their first vintage of this cuvée) comes from the Mt. Eden clone planted in a cool area of the Green Valley section of Russian River, next to the Reuling Vineyard that Mark Aubert made famous. It offers up notes of lemon blossom, white peach, pineapple, honey and subtle oak. With great acidity, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and stunning length (it has a 40+-second finish), this profound Chardonnay should drink well for 7-10 years."

We're getting just one case per store. $68.99 in the Bottle Club®.

News You Can Use

Click here for our summary of What to Drink for Valentine's Day. We cover beer, dessert wine, sparkling wine and cocktails.

Have a great weekend!

Last Call for Valentine's Day

We've already offered quite a few Valentine's Day suggestions (and we'll link to them again at the end of this post), but we wanted to wrap it up with cocktail recommendations.

The Blushing Geisha

The Blushing Geisha is light on the alcohol but the bouquet is anything but light. In here we have a mix of the complex flavors of soju, luscious pomegranate juice, and rose nectar for a little herbal sweetness.

2 ounces Kuro Uma Shoshu Silver Soju
1 ounce pomegranate juice
2 ounces Sence rose nectar
Lime wedge for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice.
Stir well, then strain into a stemmed glass or over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Amarula & Eve

Fruity and creamy, the Amarula & Eve is a delicious cocktail that can serve as a dessert or an appealing, mood-setting drink for those romantic occasions. The nice part about the Amarula & Eve is that it is not overly creamy and the Amarula itself is nicely balanced against the fruit flavors, especially the lychee. If you cannot find lychee juice, you can substitute Soho Lychee liqueur for it; the drink will be just a touch sweeter.

1 1/2 oz Amarula Cream
1/2 oz Svedka Citron vodka
2 1/2 oz lychee juice
3/4 oz ruby red grapefruit juice
Lychee fruit for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a coup glass. Garnish with lychee fruit on the rim.

Agave Kiss

Tequila isn't mixed into creamy drinks too often, but when it is, it's a dream. This one happens to be ultra-creamy, complete with chocolate and raspberry liqueurs and double cream, shaken to a slurry mix.

The original recipe here calls for silver, or blanco, tequila but you can use an aged one instead. The reposados and anejos add a caramel sweetness that goes perfectly with the creams for the ultimate in sweetheart drinks.

2 ounces Herradura Tequila Silver
1 ounce white creme de cacao
1 ounce double cream (min 48% butterfat; can substitute heavy cream)
1/2 ounce Chambord
White chocolate flakes for rimming
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with white chocolate, add a spear of fresh raspberries, and serve.

Our other Valentine's Day suggestions:

Beer
Dessert Wine
Sparkling Wine

The Mid-Week New

It's time for a look at some of the new products that have just arrived, or are about to arrive, on our shelves. Please note that our Spring Seasonal beers are also starting to arrive.

Patrón XO Cafe Incendio

Patrón XO Cafe Incendio is a bold and fiery chile chocolate liqueur that combines the heat of the Mexican arbol chile, the rich decadence of Criollo chocolate and the crisp smoothness of Patrón Silver tequila. The distinctive sweet and spicy flavor is perfect alone as a shot or over ice, as well as for mixing in cocktails and desserts. 

Color: Deep, dark brown.
Aroma: Sweet chocolate.
Taste: Decadent chocolate with a spicy kick and light tequila.
Finish: Smooth, yet dry.

Look for this in the 750ml and 50ml size. The 750ml size is available for $23.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Jim Beam Kentucky Fire

This is Bourbon. Fired up. Jim Beam, the world's largest producer of Bourbon, adds another hot product to its line. Jim Beam Kentucky Fire is Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey infused with Cinnamon Liqueur.

Given the extreme cold being forecast for our area, this is a great time to try a Fireside Coco. Take 1 part Jim Beam Kentucky Fire and 3 parts hot chocolate, and build in a heatproof mug. Garnish with a few mini marshmallows or whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Available at $18.49.

Christian Brothers Peach Brandy

The acclaimed Christian Brothers Brandy is taking the next step in smoothness with the launch of Christian Brothers Peach. Distilled from premium grape varietals and aged in hand selected oak barrels, this premium brandy is infused with a delicious peach flavor for a taste that is unbelievably smooth and well-balanced. Christian Brothers Peach can be enjoyed on the rocks, neat or in a favorite cocktail.

Currently available in Lawrenceville only, but coming soon to Woodbridge.

Chateau Haut Brisson St. Emilion 2010

90 points from Wine Advocate. Their review: "The 2010 Haut-Brisson displays a sweeter, more forward and evolved personality compared to the Reserve, with less oak but lots of fleshy black currant and kirsch-like fruit intermixed with some lavender, licorice, and a touch of spice box. The wine is medium to full-bodied, round and ideal for drinking over the next decade or more."

This Organic wine is available for $27.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Nearly every week, we bring in more new products than we can possibly discuss here. If you're looking specifically for something new, please ask any store associate for assistance.