Seattle Rumdrops: Playing Roulette at Canon

For this week's mouth watering adventure, we visit Canon. Although Seattle's days have appeared bright in the past week drying up all the rain, (yes folks, Seattle does receive sunlight) you may not have noticed the Sun in the midst of all the limelight coming from media reports about our beloved Canon. A dedicated and rather decorated staff reminds both their regulars and one-time visitors that Art of the Bar is not just to be viewed on a coffee table, but can be sipped and savored, one cocktail at a time. You need only step inside. Upon entering, you will find a cocktail menu, not littered with drinks, but simple and with purpose. Sure, they have only a handful of rum-based cocktails as a "whiskey and bitters emporium", but what is not there in quantity, they make up for in quality. No, I must elaborate or take back that descriptor entirely. For "quality" is quite vague, overused, and too, well, how should I put it, boring. The showmanship in each offering is elevating, in mood and in spirit. Moreover, the effect Canon has on its patrons, has been called or may be known to some as raising the bar! Some say, ordering this or that classic drink, is a good test of a bartender's skills. I agree and although knowing the way around classic cocktails is important, I would up the ante if placing a bet on Canon. Here, the tender-hearted gents behind the bar know their way, not only through their impressive selection of spirits, but around each customer's tastes and mood as they present. Don't believe me? Go there for a drink. To put my money where my mouth so wanted to be, I did exactly this. I noticed a cocktail on the menu titled, shrouded roulette. The description below it reads,"tell us your base spirit and we'll create the mystery". If you have ever played Roulette at a casino, then you know the deal; you can't win if you don't play. So, I ordered it, calling out Ron Diplomatico as my base spirit. Ask and you shall receive! (see photo). When I asked the bartender, Jared, what was in the drink, he replied that he built an Old Cuban with Diplomatico Añejo. The Añejo works well and does justice to this fabulous libation created by cocktail diva Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club. So, go down and grab a seat where every table is hot, opening at $10 a hand. Winning!!

Cheers!

PS - You may also notice that Canon's cocktails, instead of casting a shadow as expected, illuminate the bar counter in more than one way (see photo)

The Rum Collective's 9th Meeting: Rhum Dzama at Liberty

I heard someone say, "There is rum in Madagascar? Yes, and more specifically, rhum, the French spelling, denoting the primary language spoken there. Exotic in origin and delightful to the senses, this African Rhum made its Washington debut in our meeting at Liberty. Not unfamiliar to The Rum Collective, this Capital Hill favorite is often admired for its amiable private room, devotion to quality cocktails and spirit enthusiast hosts with the most, Andrew Friedman and Keith Waldbauer.



Dzama Rhum Punch
Prepared by Keith Waldbauer

Keith, co-owner of Liberty, is notorious for his impromptu-style cocktail recipes. He adds a little of this, a little of that, tastes and repeats and voilà! A friendly greeting cocktail of rhum punch featuring one of Rhum Dzama's "evolving" expressions is ready in minutes. Yum!! In Dzama's Vanilla Rhum, a whole vanilla bean pod from Madagascar is added in during bottling, imparting its character and changing the rhum's flavor profile over time in the bottle. This concept, although not new, is uncommon in the world of rum today, offering an all-natural advantage over many flavored or synthetic products on the market and slowly maturing with time. Not to mention, it looks cool! (see photo)

Dzama Rhum Punch

Dzama Vanilla Rhum Ambre

Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

St. Germain Liqueur

Muddled orange

360 Vodka Citrus

Domaine Bernier Unoaked Chardonnay

House Cardamom Tincture



Nosy-Be

The rhum punch aroused the taste buds and soon after, the formal tasting ensued. The small size of the group at this meeting allowed for more intimate discussion and an interactive tasting experience. Five different Dzama Rhums were tasted from light to dark in the following order; Cuvee Blanche Prestige, Blanc Nosy-Be 42% (whites), Cuvee Noire Prestige, Ambre Nosy-Be 52% (aged) and the Vanilla Rhum Ambre. Dzama Rhum originates from Nosy-Be, the island just northwest of Madagascar in the Mozambique Channel. Ironically, Nosy-Be means big island in Malagasy language, despite being fairly small in size compared to Madagascar. More significant than the island's size is the terrior in which the sugar cane is grown. It is grown on volcanic soil and surrounded by areas full of highly aromatic plants, such as Ylang-ylang vines, cloves, vanilla and pepper plants. These plants proximity to the sugar cane and their influence on the ground water is an important distinction. Ylang-ylang vines are famous for their essential oils, used in many famous perfumes such as Chanel No. 5. It is reported that these oils give this rhum its beautiful bouquet of aromas. Not surprisingly, Nosy-Be was given the nickname "scented island" centuries ago. Many present at the meeting found the fragrant nature of the white rhums brilliantly floral and lovely; enough to dab a bit on the wrists as perfume. These rhums are unique and prompted the interest of many present. Questions surrounding the readily apparent differences between the Cuvee Prestige and Nosy-Be in both the white and aged rhums provoked some in-depth technical conversation and more rum drinking of course. The differences between the Cuvee Prestige and Nosy-Be aromas, flavor profiles and finishes seemed to be unexplained, even considering the differences in ABV. Note, these rhums are molasses-based and the aged products have seen the insides of French Limousin Oak and Johnny Walker Scotch barrels or some variation of that for between three and six months. At The Rum Collective meetings, we encourage questions involving rhum. We also encourage finding the answers. Nothing like the satisfaction of getting to the bottom of it, literally. Let the research continue!

The final cocktail was served in style...Liberty style. Orange peals were individually hand-carved into octopi garnishes. Yes and if you have been to Liberty, you will understand. Keith left this piece of art untitled.

Any suggestions?



Untitled
Prepared by Keith Waldbauer

Untitled 

 1oz Dzama Rhum Cuvee Blanche

0.5oz Lemon juice (fresh pressed)

0.5oz Grapefruit juice (fresh pressed)

0.5oz B. G. Reynolds Falernum Syrup

1 dash Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit Bitters

shake, strain and layer top with...

0.5oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum

Garnish - Orange peal Octopus

Cheers to Keith and the staff at Liberty for their hospitality and some delicious cocktails!

A big thank you to Rhum Dzama for their support!

Addendum: Questions from members at the meeting were relayed to Rhum Dzama for clarification. Once we know the answers, we will share them here. Until then...stay calm and drink rhum.

Seattle Rumdrops: Naga's Vigoureux

Vigoureux at Naga Lounge
by Jason Saura

Junuary may be defined as that wet and 60's, gray cloud-covered weather that has persisted here in Seattle for the past six months. Ready for a change yet? Well, we're back this week to kick off the dry season with a rhum cocktail sure to instill some liquid sunshine into your day, just in case you missed the rare event happening outside. As you know, happiness in this season need not be dry!

Built with awesome, this cocktail features two base liquors. The contrasting flavor profiles of Rhum J.M. VSOP and Hennessy V.S. Cognac fill the mouth like two melodies striking a perfect Bach-like counterpoint balance. The aromas of bitters and citrus unveil a rich cognac coating the mouth. Then, the delicate floral bouquet of an aged Rhum Agricole arises shaping the experience with latent accents. This libation satisfies expectations of a long and dreamy extended finish often found in sipping aged rhum agricoles or cognacs neat. First, the cocktail glass is blessed with drops of a French Absinthe, followed by a simple measure of Rhum J.M. Sirop de Canne à Sucre and the oils of a lemon at the end. The indication of thoughtful, quality craftsmanship is apparent. Jason Saura, bar manager at Chantanee's Naga Lounge informs us he originally created it using Rhum Clément V.S.O.P. (in place of Rhum J.M.) and wanted to create a cocktail using all French ingredients for Rhum Clément's 125th Anniversary Cocktail Challenge. It will be featured on the upcoming menu but don't hesitate to go ask Jason for a round and all the yummy details today!

Cheers!!

Washington State Liquor Sales: A Perspective on Privatization

Liquor for thought: Wasn't it all about removing state control?

No, not in this case. Knowing what the market looks like at this point in time; who did this legislation really benefit? Customers? At present, there is less selection and a horizon of relatively higher prices for the forseeable future. Retailers? A business opportunity for sure, but with the 10% distributor fee and 17% retailer fee in addition to state taxes, who profits? Liquor Corporations? Yeah...probably not. So, if "we" aren't to benefit significantly from Initiative 1183, then who?

Consider this scenario: Washington State wanted more money from a liquor business without the responsibility of maintaining their current operating expenses, employee-driven health care costs and the growing headache of dealing with customer complaints. Washington State's population wanted what only a private liquor market could offer; "real" accountability, competition, quality service and more options at their time, their price and suited to their needs. It just so happened that a private business named Costco wanted the opportunity to sell liquor with pockets deep enough to afford it. Here, is the opportunity. The state, seeing a similar end to their control in mind, fosters this business's plans in pursuit of their own agenda. By passively supporting this plan, the state sheds the responsibility of its expenses without expense. It also implements a new group of taxes, called "fees" to fit a newly created private market like a glove. If the existing state liquor store's net profits weren't enough, then step it up by substituting private stores and add a little growth factor. In effect, allowing private businesses to retail liquor cures their headache while giving rise to the opportunity for the number of store's selling liquor to increase by 100 fold. More importantly, the potential for each new retailer's sales to yield big returns imposed by the new taxes, I mean "fees" should increase as well. Cha-ching! The state satisfies the need for privatization of their voting population and, at the same time, passively absolve themselves from their current role in the relationship, selling liquor to the consumer. To achieve this, the state, without too much arm tugging, allows its public advocate for the plan, Costco, to be the face that sells the idea to the consumer via an initiative. Sold! I-1183 passed and privatization is here. So, who did this legislation really benefit? If this scenario is true, Washington State is pretty damn clever if you ask me.

Washington State Liquor Sales: A Field Guide to Privatization

The unanimous vote approving Initiative 1183 is in full effect. Private liquor sales commenced at midnight back on June 1st, 2012 and after being controlled for decades by Washington State, are now being cared for by private businesses. Even if you haven't followed the transition closely, by now, you probably have noticed the signs or shelving displays at your local grocery store or pharmacy showing off their new liquid merchandise. Perhaps you have already taken advantage of this new spirited convenience with a bottle or two. Or, maybe you haven't due to media reports about taxes and high prices. For those who have a few unanswered questions like: Who, exactly, is selling spirits now? Are the prices and selection that different between stores? What's up with the taxes? Why are the prices so high? then read on. To understand this brave new world of privatized liquor sales (at least the first two weeks of it), Seattle area grocery stores, department stores, pharmacies, wholesalers and small retailers were visited to get the details. The goal of sharing these notes from the field, is, at least, to confirm what you may already know, and, at most, assist you in making your next purchase of rum or otherwise an informed one. Knowing a little about the new landscape may get you to the first sip of your favorite bottle with minimal casualties. Aye Mate!

So, who's selling liquor now? You will find liquor for sale at all the likely suspects with sizable locations; that is, those 10,000 square feet or above. Well, how big is 10,000 sq. ft.? Think about a square box 100 feet wide x 100 feet long. Got it? Good. The majority of the liquor sellers now are chain grocery stores (Albertsons, Metropolitan Market, QFC, Safeway) and pharmacies (Bartell Drugs, Rite Aid, Walgreens) followed by department stores (Walmart, Fred Meyer, Kmart) and private club wholesalers (Costco, Sams Club). You may also find smaller businesses like wine merchants (Esquin, Wine World) have started selling liquor. What about the previous WSLCB state store locations you say? The majority were taken over by private owners via the state's auctions and many have yet to reopen their doors. A few WSLCB contract stores closed and are no longer. Its early yet, but expect to see more and more of the previous state stores open with new owners in the next few months.

What are they selling? Don't expect to find the same selection that existed in the state stores. In fact don't expect to find more than 60% of what was available at most state stores. The liquor selection (brands and sizes) is going to be very similar at grocery stores like Safeway and QFC. I am told most stores within each chain carry similar inventory with few exceptions. For example, in select locations where the demand is greater, high end products are available in closed cabinets. Standard categories (rum, whiskey, tequila etc.) featuring the most popular brands is more or less what you should expect to find. The variety of choices decrease when going to smaller sized chain pharmacies like Rite Aid, Bartell Drugs and is even thinner (less than 20 options) at Walgreens. Not the news you were expecting? Well, thankfully there are businesses who buck this unfortunate trend. A few retailers offer wider selections including, many Northwest products, a more robust scotch and liqueur display as well as a few premium options. Noteworthy for their selections are the QFC Liquor Store (U-Village), Metropolitan Market (Queen Anne) and Esquin (SODO). The majority of liquor sellers carry both 750ml and 1.75L bottles size options, however other smaller sizes like 375ml and 50ml (minis) are not easily found. Unlike the access to smaller bottle sizes found in previous state stores, today's retailers carry the smaller bottles locked in cabinets and behind the registers. Size is another point to consider if buying liquor from Costco. Like most stores, Costco carries a typical selection of popular brands but only by the handle (1.75L) in most cases. So if you looking for a fifth of this and a fifth of that, Costco may not be your best choice. What if you can't find what you are looking for? Speak up! Certain grocery stores are taking recommendations and requests for items, however, no special order forms or catalogues exist yet.

What's up with the price tags? Taxes haven't changed. In fact, Washington State's Spirits Sales & Liter Taxes haven't changed in the past few years. Sales and Liter Tax for liquor remains at 20.5% plus $3.77/liter respectively. What has changed is private retailers' price tags. In the previous state-controlled system, these taxes were included in the list price below the bottle. Today, you see the list price and then at the register you see the final price when taxes are added, just as sales tax is added for other items. Got a calculator on that smart phone? You may want to become familiar it. Bartell Drugs, however, is one exception where you will see they list both the price before and after taxes on their tag below the bottle. Nice! Why did price tags change? One reason is that the state mandated that retailer's price tags have the taxes be listed near the bottle price to inform consumers. Another potentially confusing point to clarify is many grocery stores have a regular price with a "club" price below it. Readers note, the price differences between them can be significant so if you are buying liquor at a Safeway, make sure you are part of their "club" when you get to the cash register.

We voted for a private marketplace and the liquor prices are higher? Yes, yes we did. If the taxes didn't change and the competitive forces in this private system should lower prices, then why are the prices higher. There are two reasons that explain this. First, is the two new state "fees" included in the price; a 10% distributor fee and a 17% retailer fee. A dynamic duo; both payable to the state. This 27% burden to the bottle's pre-tax price is the major culprit. These new fees will be passed on to the consumer by most retailers until legislation is created to reduce or remove them. Hint, hint...The other explanation is that we are only in the second week or privatization and competitive forces, let alone awareness of competitor's prices, has yet to begin impacting the pricing. Let's help start that now, shall we?

Here is a snapshot of a few rum prices from the first week of privatization:

Liquor	Safeway	QFC	Metropolitan Market	Bartell Drugs	Wal-Mart	Costco	Esquin
Bacardi Superior	x/20.99	9.59/17.59	9.99/17.99	11.99/21.99	11.97/19.97	x/17.99	12.99/23.99
Meyers	16.99/33.99	19.99/x	15.99/x	17.99/x	17.88/x	x/26.99	19.99/x
Sailor Jerry	21.99/36.99	24.99/31.99	19.29/x	21.99/x	18.64/x	x/x	23.99/41.99
Ron Zacapa	51.99	x	54.99	x	x	x	55.95

x = not available; sizes = 750ml / 1.75L

Prices do not include State Sales Tax 20.5% or State Liter Tax $3.77/L (or $2.83 for 750ml, etc.)

Price Example: So, if you purchased a bottle of Ron Zacapa from Safeway and added your Sales and Liter Taxes, your total price would be calculated as follows: $51.99 + ($51.99 x .205) + $2.83 = $65.48

To put this in perspective, here is the price of what our neighbors to the north pay: 

Ron Zacapa ~ $79.99 - Vancouver, BC (BC Liquor Stores)

Also, please note that the above prices may not reflect the prices this week or next as many grocery stores' liquor prices change regularly. Sale items and specials occur weekly to bi-weekly unlike the once monthly Temporary Price Reductions offered previously by state run stores. Check your weekly newspaper fliers and online promotions for the latest sales!

This private market of liquor sales is still in its infancy and the past two weeks may not look like those ahead, so...

Stay calm and drink rum!

Cheers!

Seattle Rumdrops: Drink Locally at Liberty

Drink Locally
Prepared by Keith Waldbauer

April showers brings..? Well, in Seattle, that answer is often, May showers. This Spring, as our ubiquitous rain clouds slowly shrink for the Sun's short debut, I will assure you there is nothing "dry" about Seattle in our view. For this post, we return to our good friends at Liberty, who just released their new cocktail menu. Fittingly, its looking in full bloom. Page after page of new cocktails are there for your drinking enjoyment, but let's go directly to what matters - the one titled, Rum! Lined with plenty of options; Drink Locally catches my eye. Keith Waldbauer, co-owner of Liberty, nods to signal I have made the right choice. First, fresh blueberries and quartered lime wedges are pressed in a Mason jar before me. Then, Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça and a few dashes Scrappy's Aromatic Bitters are added to this rather crafty vessel. So, what about this cocktail's name? Locally owned by Draxos Axinte, Novo Fogo Cachaças need little introduction in these parts. Remember The Rum Collective meeting featuring Novo Fogo last year? If not, take a look at the review! His impressive sugar cane-based line of cachaças demand respect and do wonders when mixed properly. The fabulous array of Scrappy's Bitters are also conveniently crafted here in Seattle. There you have it, an honest name for an honest drink.

The jar is sealed, served and I am told you can shake it up how you like it. Fun!

Lid off, its refreshing, balanced and a perfect drink to start off springtime.

Drink Locally
Prepared by Keith Waldbauer

Cheers! 

The Rum Collective's 8th Meeting: Deco Rums at Local 360

Deco Coffee, Silver and Ginger Rums at Local 360

Local 360 is a restaurant that prides itself by living up to its name. They serve local food and drink sourced within a 360 mile radius of Seattle. Simple, sustainable and green are admirable goals. Sounds challenging right? Let's consider rum, a spirit historically produced in tropical climates like the Caribbean. A little too far away. What about local rum? Washington State laws have made it nearly impossible to produce rum here due to raw ingredient requirements. This makes serving rum at Local 360 more difficult still. However, and luckily for us, our more craft distillery-friendly neighbor, Oregon, makes rum and pretty good rum at that! Eastside Distilling, a new small batch distillery located in Portland's historic district (175 miles away) is producing an eye-catching line of rums under the name Deco, which are already winning awards.




Local 360 Tasting Room

In the back of their restaurant and bar area, a private space decorated with local art and filled with candles awaits us. The swashbuckling rum drinkers who fill the room on this weeknight set a fine example of what is important. That being Rum. Priorities right? Healthy sized tasting samples are poured and several different plates of chef's appetizers are brought out. Time to support local!






Honey Bee Cocktail with Deco Ginger Rum
Prepared by Paul Ritums

Greeting cocktails are served. The Honey Bee is refreshing and spirit forward. Deco Ginger Rum's natural ginger flavor holds up well and pairs nicely with honey and soda. Paul Ritums, the bar manager at Local 360, constructed two cocktails exclusively for this event. Let's take a look at the first...

Honey Bee

1.5oz Deco Ginger Rum

0.5oz Spiced Honey Syrup

0.5oz Lemon juice (fresh squeezed)

Honey Cream Soda (top off)

Garnish: Lemon twist

by Paul Ritums

The chef's appetizers didn't last long. It is no secret fresh ingredients taste better and Local 360 isn't shy about it. Combine these morsels with some hand crafted cocktails and it's only a matter of time. In minutes, plate after plate were left empty. I pause and recall the proverbial mention of some people after drinking; that they need some food to soak up all the alcohol. Those who broke bread in The Rum Collective have a different saying; needing some rum to soak up all of this food!!

 



The Rum Collective Tasting

The tasting commenced with Deco Silver Rum moving on to their Ginger Rum and ending with their Coffee Rum. The Silver Rum is made from fermented molasses and is the base spirit for their each of their expressions. I am told their Ginger Rum is made from infusing ginger root for a certain time period. Its taste is not of the overly hot or sweet kind, but captures a rich essence of natural ginger with a spicy finish. Their Coffee Rum received a Silver Medal at the 2011 San Francisco Spirits Competition and is made by combining a local coffee blend from Arabica beans (a secret recipe from one of Portland's Coffee Roasters) giving it a robust, natural coffee flavored spirit, with caffeine. Seattle's espresso loving palates have no problem appreciating this. To complete the tasting, a bottle of Deco's newly released Gold Rum was opened and enjoyed.

The closing cocktail of the meeting featured Deco Coffee Rum. All who fancy flavors of coffee, rum, or port and the smooth caressing texture of egg white drinks, were in for a treat. Yum!

Portside Cocktail

1.5oz Deco Coffee Rum

0.25oz Port

0.5oz Orange Simple Syrup

1 Egg white

Garnish: 3 espresso beans

Finish: Flaming oils of orange peal over surface

by Paul Ritums

Portside Cocktail with Deco Coffee Rum
Prepared by Paul Ritums

One More Please!

Portside Cocktail with Deco Coffee Rum
Prepared by Paul Ritums

Cheers to Paul Ritums & Local 360 for their hospitality and dedication to locally sourced, quality food and great cocktails!