The 3rd Annual Mutineer Magazine Red Carpet Party presented by Chinaco Tequila and Luxardo on November 6 will play host to The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition. Sponsored by The King’s Ginger, the competition will feature eight Napa Valley bartenders who must create an original cocktail highlighting the emphatically ginger liqueur. Today we will highlight the King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition cocktail submission of bartender Steve Middler of Morimoto in Napa.

Orenge Yaki (Burnt Orange)
by Steve Middler, Morimoto

Cut orange in half, place in saute pan and burn. Cool and juice the orange. Strain through cheesecloth. Combine burnt orange juice, The King’s Ginger Liqueur, and Chateau Montifaud Cognac; shake and pour into a martini glass. Add Godiva Chocolate Liqueur gently down side of martini glass so it layers. Whip egg whites, peppercorns and sugar into a foam. Add foam to the top of the drink.

Stay tuned as we post the remaining cocktail submissions over the next three days.

The 3rd Annual Mutineer Magazine Red Carpet Party presented by Chinaco Tequila and Luxardo on November 6 will play host to The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition. Sponsored by The King’s Ginger, the competition will feature eight Napa Valley bartenders who must create an original cocktail highlighting the emphatically ginger liqueur. Today we will highlight the King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition cocktail submission of bartender Christopher Kennedy of Bouchon in Yountville.

Mr. Bailey’s Bender
by Christopher Kennedy, Bouchon

Shake and strain over ice into a highball glass. Top with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water. Garnish with fresh mint, sage, or rosemary spring.

Stay tuned as we post the remaining cocktail submissions over the next five days.

The 3rd Annual Mutineer Magazine Red Carpet Party presented by Chinaco Tequila and Luxardo on November 6 will play host to The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition. Sponsored by The King’s Ginger, the competition will feature eight Napa Valley bartenders who must create an original cocktail highlighting the emphatically ginger liqueur. Today we will highlight the King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition cocktail submission of bartender Cory Hancock of Bottega Ristorante in Yountville.

The King’s Speech
by Cory Hancock, Bottega Ristorante

Dry shake all ingredients. Add ice and serve.

*Combine 1 c. brown sugar, 1/2 c. sugar, 2 TBS. molasses, 1/2 c. cider, 1 c. water, 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamond, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp. ground clove, 1 tsp. ground ginger, small pinch salt. Bring to a boil, drop heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool and strain.

Stay tuned as we post the remaining cocktail submissions over the next six days.

Beverage influencers from across the country will come together to celebrate drink culture and the exciting cocktail renaissance in Napa Valley on November 6, 2011 at the 3rd Annual Mutineer Magazine Red Carpet Party at the historic Napa Valley Opera House. After two years in Hollywood, this renowned beverage event moves to the epicurean Napa Valley, whose glamorous food and wine culture needs no introduction.

Mutineer is thrilled to be partnering with two of Anchor Distilling’s iconic spirits brands on the event: Luxardo, the legendary Italian distillery now in its sixth generation of production, and Chinaco Tequila, which introduced the United States to ultra-premium Tequila in 1983.

“Luxardo is an iconic brand that has long been embraced by bartenders around the world, and Chinaco Tequila is on the verge of a massive resurgence as Tequila drinkers become aware of its pivotal role in the introduction of ultra-premium Tequila in the United States,” says Mutineer Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf. “These are two very special brands to Mutineer and we couldn’t be more excited to be featuring them at this year’s Red Carpet Party.”

In addition to the hand-crafted premium spirits brands, the Mutineer Red Carpet Party will feature Chinaco Tequila and Luxardo-infused canapés led by Millennial Napa Private Chef, Gary Penir of Cuisine GP. Chef Penir will focus on savory bites alongside rising star Pastry Chef Sara Wurst, who will create sweet and unforgettable cocktail inspired morsels.

For non-alcoholic beverages, Seattle-based DRY Soda will be pouring its line up of fruit, flower and herbal sodas, and Blk. Water will be pouring its unique black water infused with fulvic acid.

Local bartenders will be on hand to showcase their skills in “The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition.” The King’s Ginger is an emphatically ginger liqueur originally created for King Edward VII of England (aka “Edward the Caresser”) in 1903. The eight battling bartenders will include:

Matt Jerome – Angèle, Napa
Cory Hancock – Bottega, Yountville
Christopher Kennedy – Bouchon, Yountville
Noel Lopreore – Farmstead, St. Helena
Steve Middler – Morimoto, Napa
Melanie Smith – Press, St. Helena
Jason Withrow – Redd, Yountville
Michael Jack Pazdon – SolBar at the Solage Resort, Calistoga

An impressive panel of bartenders, media and cocktail influencers has been assembled to judge the competition, including:

David King – Anchor Distilling Company
Sara Schneider – Sunset Magazine
Kevin Diedrich – US Bartenders’ Guild SF President + Bar Manager at San Francisco’s Jasper’s
Judd Finkelstein – Founder of F.O.A.M. (Friends of Ardent Mixology) + Winemaker at Judd’s Hill
Bradley Bolt – General Manager & Mixologist at Bar Deville in Chicago

Video footage from the cocktail contest and the event at large will stream live from MutineerMagazine.com and from ToutSuite Social Club, a virtual space where real life intersects with technology.

“We are excited to partner with Mutineer on this unique approach to a cocktail competition. King’s Ginger is fast becoming a staple behind some of the best bars in the U.S. and abroad. We want to highlight the riches of the liqueur with the talent of Napa Valley’s finest gems,” said Rusti Porter, Director of Marketing, Anchor Distilling.

The event is by invitation only; however, Mutineer readers will have the chance to win a limited number of tickets through social media contests in the weeks leading up to the festivities on November 6th.

Red Carpet Event Details:
WHAT: Third Annual Mutineer Magazine Red Carpet Party // The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition
WHERE: Napa Valley Opera House – 1030 Main St. Napa, California
WHEN: November 6 // 7:30 – 10:30 p.m.

With President Obama announcing today that all US Forces would be pulled out of Iraq by the end of the year, this post is all the more fitting.

Glenmorangie has recently donated $10,000 to the PGA TOUR’s charity Birdies for the Brave which was presented at their TPC Sawgrass Golf Invitational, the last in a series of four outings that collectively made up the 2011 Glenmorangie Invitational.

Birdies for the Brave is a military outreach initiative originally created by TOUR player Phil Mickelson and his wife to support brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces injured during combat and their families. Donations to Birdies for the Brave support military home front groups that provide critical programs and services to meet the specialized needs of wounded warriors and military families.

At each TPC course – TPC Boston, TPC Las Colinas, TPC Scottsdale and TPC Sawgrass – every time a participant hit the ball onto the green at a designated hole, one-hundred dollars was donated to the charity. The chance to help a commendable cause was more exciting to attendees than the prizes for achievements like longest drive and closest to the pin.

“Glenmorangie is proud to support a worthy cause like Birdies for the Brave and it is our honor to present them with this $10,000 donation,” said Brian Cox, Vice President of Glenmorangie during the awards ceremony at TPC Sawgrass. The donation was accepted by John Flaschner, Director of Public Relations and Community Outreach for the PGA TOUR’s TPC Network.

To learn more about the organization, visit Birdies for the Brave.

The makers of Johnnie Walker announce the launch of Johnnie Walker Double Black, a new limited edition Scotch whisky debuting in the United States this month. Imagine your favorite song; now turn up the volume. Double Black amplifies the signature style of Black Label, including its hallmark smokey flavor, to produce a bold blend of extraordinary depth, richness and character.

Johnnie Walker Black Label has withstood the test of time. Over the past 100 years, this iconic brand has grown from a grocer’s blend to a whisky enjoyed around the world. Year after year, the liquid inside a bottle of Black Label honors the legacy of its creators. The heart of the whisky is the pioneering spirit of innovation passed down by John Walker and his sons, and Double Black is the product of this legacy.

“Johnnie Walker Double Black begins with Johnnie Walker Black Label as its starting point. From here we explored the characteristics that define this beloved blend and thought how can we offer a new perspective on it,” said Johnnie Walker Master Blender Jim Beveridge. “With access to the world’s most diverse stocks of aged whiskies in the world, I was able to create something entirely new inspired by the cornerstone of this whisky house, and arguably the most beloved Scotch whisky in the world, Johnnie Walker Black Label. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to share it with the US.”

By reaching deep into some of the House of Walker’s most distinctive – and unparalleled – single malts reserves, Master Blender Jim Beveridge has created a powerful whisky that stands tall when placed shoulder to shoulder against its brethren blends and stands apart from all other whiskies on the market. Rich peaty single malts are combined with whiskies matured in deeply charred oak barrels. The result is a powerful intensity of flavor that is undeniably Johnnie Walker, and undoubtedly drawn from the signature style of Black Label.

“Since debuting in Duty Free shops globally, there has been great excitement around Johnnie Walker Double Black. We’ve received countless inquiries on our Facebook page and at House of Walker tastings asking when it will be available in the United States,” said Adam Rosen, Diageo Brand Director, Scotch Whisky Portfolio. “People want to try it. They are attracted to what the blend offers by being Black Label, amplified. As with all of our Johnnie Walker blends, we ask that adults enjoy responsibly.”

Johnnie Walker Double Black went on sale October 1, 2011 with a suggested retail price of $40. The limited supply is expected to last just until the holiday season.

Infographic by gustavkatz.com

We found this infographic over on tastingtable.com and it was too cool not to share. It shows the lifespan of many bourbon barrels, starting with being filled with bourbon and wherever they may head to next. By law, bourbon barrels can only be used once, which creates an incredible supply of them. A lot of them head to Mexico for tequila to age in, as well as Scotland for scotch to be aged in. Until recently, there wasn’t a huge demand for them, and then they started being sent to breweries for beer to be aged in, imparting the delicious flavors of the former tenant to the new beer. From there, everything from bitters to coffee beans to tobacco have been stored in used barrels, even maple syrup and sherry vinegar. The maple syrup, might I add, is incredible.

One addition, that I’m surprised to not see on the infographic, is Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS), a massive imperial stout brewed with chocolate and coffee beans that is aged in a barrel that originally held bourbon and then held maple syrup. This beer was released earlier this month and 12,000 bottles didn’t leave much to go around.

Click on the image to see a bigger version of the infographic.

This week’s installment of The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess brought to you by the Small Screen Network brings you the Metropole Cocktail. According to Robert Hess, “The Metropole Cocktail was the house cocktail at the Metropole Hotel, opened in New York just before the beginning of the 20th century. Some say it is a stronger and spicier version of the Manhattan.”

The Metropole Cocktail

• 1 1/2 oz brandy or cognac
• 3/4 oz dry vermouth
• dash Bitter Truth Orange Bitters
• 2 dashes Bitter Truth Creole Bitters
• 1/8 oz simple syrup

Instructions

• stir with ice
• strain into a cocktail glass