Archive: August, 2014
The Perfect Whiskey Glass
Its been called a tulip, its been called a snifter, its been called a glencairn.... but no matter the name, what is it that makes this glass the PERFECT WHISKEY GLASS?The glencairn glass was originally developed by Glencairn Crystal (go figure) in an attempt to make a glass that could mimic the glasses that are used in whiskey labs and distilleries around the world in order for whiskey producers to get the most effective taste and create the best product. The glencairn glass is one of a few types of glasses that have been designed specifically with whiskey in mind, but it is the only glass that has been endorsed by the Scotch Whisky Association.It is little wonder, given this history, that we at Santa Fe Spirits have chosen the glencairn glass as the ideal way to serve our mesquite smoked single malt whiskey, Colkegan. Although Colkegan is not technically a Scotch because it is made in the United States, it is made using the same malting and distillation process as a traditional Scotch (if you replace peat with mesquite), and we don't want to be left out of this great glass phenomenon.
SFS Downtown Tasting Room Celebrates its One Year Anniversary!
Last Friday, the SFS team celebrated its first year in its downtown location at 308 Read Street. This anniversary celebration was accompanied by the grand opening of our brand new outdoor patio! This location has been an incredible way for Santa Fe Spirits to greatly increase its interaction with the Santa Fe Community as well as visitors to our great city. Over the past year, we are proud that our tasting room has become a favorite spot for many locals who are able to come by for a chance to sample all five of our artisanal spirits as well as order from our ever growing menu of hand-crafted cocktails.
But Vodka is just Vodka right?
When I tell people that our Santa Fe Spirits Expedition Vodka is a corn based vodka, they generally look at me and either ask "what is vodka usually made from?" or "Oh, so its gluten free?"Well, each question has an interesting, so lets look at both. What is vodka usually made from? Vodka can be made from any starch or sugar rich plant, generally wheat, rye, corn, or potato (although there can be many others). Where vodka first came from is a much disputed question, but we know that the first vodka was made in Eastern Europe, and it was originally used, like Gin, as a medicine. While it is generally believed that Polish, Russian, or other European vodkas were potato based, the spirit was actually made most commonly from Rye, though the ingredients could vary far and wide dependent on the most available, and the most affordable, ingredients.