Charbay Aperitifs Tasting Notes & Cocktails

Thanks for the lovely write-up Forrest (A Drink with Forrest)!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Charbay Aperitifs

CHARBAY Green Tea Aperitif leads with aromas of lychee nut, gun-powder green tea and citrus flowers that build to a tantalizing allure to drink. The palate entry is debonair and beguiling; silky and redolent, there are soft fruits (red pear, lychee, papaya) and green tea herbaceous earth tones carried with a vibrant tinge of Viognier or Verduzzo wine that amplify the lingering, luscious tastiness of this excellent aperitif.

The Charbay Green Tea Aperitif starts with High Quality Green Tea infused into an excellent dry white wine, until the tea nuances are perfectly extracted, then fresh papaya, and lemon juices are added to balance all of the flavors-sugars-acidity into harmony, and finally Charbay fortifies there aperitif with some of their gorgeous eau de vie bringing up to a healthy 21% alcohol. This wonderful by itself, in a Collins glass with ice with a mint sprig for a garnish; shaken and serve up in a cocktail glass with a lemon twist or lychee nut; in a pint glass half filled with lemonade... easy and versatile. Also this works exceptionally well in a cocktail, here are a couple:

2+1+1
2 oz Charbay Green Tea Aperitif
1 oz Charbay Vodka (a wonder in it's own right!)
1 oz Charbay Meyer Lemon Vodka
Stir until chilled, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a thin cucumber slice.

Porte-Cochère
2 Part Old Forester Bourbon
1 Part Charbay Green Tea Aperitif
Dash of Regan's Orange Bitters (optional)
Stir until chilled, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a Lychee Nut, or a Pear Slice

CHARBAY Pomegranate Aperitif is made by infusing organic Pomegranates into dry white wine until all the delicious fruit flavor is extracted and finally Charbay fortifies there aperitif with some of their gorgeous eau de vie to bring it up to a healthy 21% alcohol. The soft and fruity floral tone do not even begin to reveal the big berry flavors you are about to drink, but the do entice you, and invite you to drink; Then stunning, bright and full fruit flavors burst on you palate with a tart textural complexity that is saporous, and lip smacking good! With Raspberry, currant and black Cherry shades that Pomegranate encapsulates the flavors linger, fading with toothsome fruitiness and a clean tart finish. This one is as good simply by itself on the rocks; shaken and served in a cocktail glass with a twist; mixed with lemonade, or soda water-- super easy, but in Cocktails it rocks, here are a couple:

Portière
2 Part Old Forester Bourbon
1 Part Charbay Pomegranate Aperitif
Dash of Peychauds Bitters (optional)
Stir until chilled, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a Blackberry.

Cockaigne
1 Part Charbay Tahitian Vanilla Rum
1 Part Charbay Pomegranate Aperitif
Dash of Regan's Orange Bitters (optional)
Stir until chilled, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon wedge with juice squeeze in, and a brandied cherry.

Pomegranate Bubbles
1 Part Charbay Pomegranate Aperitif
1 Part Sparkling Wine
Pour, cold, into a flute-- awesome!
Garnish with whatever berries you have.( a great trick is adding frozen berries-- it will keep the drink nice and cold..)

For more info, and cocktails check out the Charbay website.