Sip Or Mix is very pleased to announce they are now adding some key Combier products to their portfolio.

Dried bitter orange peels from Haiti and dried sweet orange
peels from Valencia are still used today just as they were back in the 1830′s. They are soaked in water overnight and are stripped by hand of the very bitter pith. These peels are then macerated in alcohol and run through the 130 year old alembic copper pot stills pictured above. Only the “heart” of the distillation is used which is then run through the alembics a second time. (Originally they would have produced the base spirit at the distillery as well, hence the name “Triple Sec” or “triple distilled”) Sugar crystals are added and the distillate is finally reduced to 40% when bottled. In these modern times it’s tempting to streamline production, buy cheaper ingredients and seek to cut costs through better technology. While we must admit that this is necessary for some producers in the 21st Century, it’s
always rewarding to come across a producer who retains an attention to detail and historical accuracy such as at Combier. The very first “Triple Sec” is consequently as close as possible to its’ original recipe today, as it was back in the 1830′s.

“Royal Combier was created in 1910 by James
Combier. Much appreciated by connoisseur drinkers in Europe it is blended from
Combier’s old Elixir Combier, a type of « cure-all » medicinal plant drink very
fashionable in the 19th century, and distilled sweet-orange spirits and Cognac.
Its primary elixir base is strictly prepared following Jean-Baptiste Combier’s
Elixir Combier recipe, a bitter tasting plant-based recipe typical of 19th
century elixirs. Following Jame’s Combier 1910 changes to his father’s original recipe, several spices including Angelica, Saffron, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Cloves
are added to the elixir base. In keeping with James Combier’s 1910 indications,
a separate distillation of sweet-orange spirits is also combined to soften the
original plant-based infusion and create a sweeter, subtler liqueur where final
character is bestowed by a touch of Cognac.”

After our very successful series of Sip Or Mix Masterclasses in March with Master Distiller Ted Breaux we are pleased to announce a few additional dates in April and May. Ted will take us through the History and Mystery of Absinthe while we taste all four Jade Absinthes and La Maison Fontaine. We will then taste the very unique Jade Perique Tobacco Liqueur also made by Ted Breaux. This will all be finished off with a tasting of the brand new pimento bitters made by Ted Breaux for Dale DeGroff. If you would like to attend any of the events below please email jenny@sipormix.com or contact the venue directly.

24th April – 3.30pm-5.30pm Bartender Masterclass, Paramount

25th April – 3.30p,-5.30pm Bartender Masterclass, Karpo

26th April – Afternoon – in-store tasting, The Whisky Exchange

30th April – 3-5pm – Bartender Masterclass, Nightjar
                     – 7pm onwards – Members Monday, this event is for discerning drinkers who are members of the public and are interested in learning more about their libations. If you would like to sign up for this event please email info@barnightjar.com  

1st May – 3pm, Bartender Masterlcass, Wax Jambu

2nd May – Afternoon – Bartender Masterclass, Brighton
                  – Evening – Consumer Masterclass, Brighton
Both of these events are hosted by Mixology Group If you would like to attend please email myles@mixologygroup.co.uk
 
3rd May – Afternoon – in-store tasting – Gerry’s

We are very fortunate to still have a few Absinthe Masterclasses with Ted lined up in March. For the full list of dates please check here:

http://sipormix.blogspot.com/2012/02/absinthe-masterclass-roadshow-with-ted.html

SW4 London Dry Gin
In December we had the first ever batch of SW4 London Dry Gin 47% available. Martin Price the Brand Owner came to The Whisky Exchange in London to talk to customers and sign bottles for the lucky few who laid their hands on a bottle. We are pleased to announce Martin will be putting the 47% into production, probably late Spring, in 2012. We are also looking forward to more regional availability of the 40% and some very exciting new listings for this “Uncommonly Clapham” Gin! For further info please visit: http://www.sw4gin.com/

La Maison Fontaine Absinthe
During 2011 the Absinthe category went from strength to strength and we don’t see that changing anytime soon. If anything, we predict 2012 to be even more important for the category with Absinthe becoming far more mainstream and less misunderstood.  The people behind La Maison Fontaine are an incredibly creative lot, for example just take a look at the ” Art of Imagination” on the website: http://www.fontaineabsinthe.com
They have some very exciting plans and although we can’t reveal too much we are confident La Maison Fontaine will be a positive force for change and a leading light in the Absinthe world in 2012.

St Nicholas Abbey Rum
It was lovely to have the Warrens over from Barbados in October for RumFest and of course we will all be back again for RumFest 2012. However, we have something else to look forward to before October and that is the launch of the estate produced, unaged, white Rum! We have some available for tasting and so far everyone who has tried it has loved it and we can tell you it makes an absolutely awesome Daiquiri! We will keep you posted on the New Rum developments, meanwhile you can always have a browse of the St Nicholas Abbey website: http://www.stnicholasabbey.com/

Jade Liqueurs
We are very excited by the prospect of a couple of new products due to come from the Jade stables in 2012. Naturally we cannot tell you too much… other than there will be a new Liqueur and a new, reverse engineered, Absinthe…. exciting indeed! The other good news to come from the Jade stable is we have Ted Breaux himself coming to visit us in the UK this Spring. We will be organising some meet and greet seminars for both the trade and consumers alike and appreciate that having such a formidable Absintheur in our midst can only be good for the category. http://www.bestabsinthe.com/

Friday 28th we will be in http://www.buenavistacafe.co.uk
Pre-Castro Cuba had a considerable history of Absinthe production and it was from Cuba that Hemmingway famously quoted “Got tight last night on absinthe and did knife tricks. Great success shooting the knife underhand into the piano.” We’ll need the piano at Buena Vista Cafe on Friday for the live music, so forget the knife tricks but you could pop in to have a taste of some really great Absinthe!

Saturday 29th Daytime we will be in Gerry’s in Old Compton Street with a special offer on La Maison Fontaine 20cl’s and for the first time in Gerry’s we will have Jade on tasting with the 20cl’s available to buy! The 20cl size is a great way to extend your Absinthe collection at home while you decide which 70cl you just can’t do without!

Saturday 29th Evening – after the great success and fun we had at Oxjam in the Crooked Well, Camberwell we are going back for more…. http://thecrookedwell.com/