From The Barrel Cocktail

From the Barrel Cocktail, how the wooden barrel has impacted the taste profile of Sparkling Wines, Wines and Spirits for centuries, donating characters such as wood, oak, vanilla, sweet woody spices and even coconut, along with notes of coffee beans and chocolate, all these terrific flavours can be found in the glass of some of the finest Barrel Aged Alcoholic drinks.

We’ve sourced an Oaky & Toasty Sparkling Wine from New Zealand and a Barrel Aged Gin from England to craft this original Glass of Bubbly Cocktail, celebrating the wooden barrel, and it’s contribution to the drinking world.

The Sparkling Wine – No.1 Family Estate

No.1 Family Estate was born in 1977 by Adele & Daniel, they chose the name No.1 Family Estate in recognition of the many ‘firsts’ in New Zealand wine they had achieved over the years while working on their first venture, Cellier Le Brun.

They released their very first Cuvée No.1 on Bastille Day in 1999 and in 2012 their No.1 Assemblé was the first wine in New Zealand to be labelled ‘Méthode Marlborough’ in place of Méthode Traditionelle.

Check out the time when I had to deliver one of their Sparkling Wines to Middle Earth: Lord of the Rings – One Sparkling Wine To Rule Them All

No.1 Family Estate – Cuvée No.1 – New Zealand – Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Oaky, woody, smoky oak, wood chips, with green fruits, soft green citrus, lightly toasted cold toast with a drop or two of green citrus on the aroma.”

Flavour – “Refreshing, mouth-watering with lightly toasted bread, crisper green fruits with softer oaky and woody characters, finishing with some subtle lime citrus on the palate.”

Silver Medal in the Oaky & Toasty Category at the Glass of Bubbly Awards 2022

The Gin – Bone Idyll

“Never Stand Still”

One of the finest artistic and eye-catching label designs that I’ve seen, each one of their spirits has its own character representing the spirit inside, although their name, Bone Idyll, otherwise means extremely lazy, their motto is Never Stand Still, and they’ve certainly taken that to heart, they have 6 spirits on offer with Gins, Rums and a Vodka.

Starting out as an experiment, they were impressed by the results and brought it to market, their Barrel-Aged Gin has spent 3 months at the bottom of a Scotch Whisky Barrel, emerging harder, woodier and smokier than ever before, making it a perfect spirit to join forces with our Silver Medal Oaky & Toasty Sparkling Wine.

Bone Idyll – Barrel-Aged Gin – Tasting Notes – “Woody, oaky, smoky, with sweet vanilla and subtle sweet spices, along with distant notes of juniper and the peels of an orange and lemon.”

The Cocktail – From The Barrel

Ingredients

• Oaky & Toasty Sparkling Wine
• Barrel-Aged Gin
• Lime
• Ice

How To Make The From The Barrel Cocktail

• Drop in a handful of Ice Cubes
• Pour in 15mls of your Gin
• Top up with your Oaky and Toasty Sparkling Wine
• Garnish with a Twist of Lime

From The Barrel Cocktail Tasting Notes

Aroma – “Sweet zesty lime with vanilla and delicate sweet spices with subtle, again sweet, woody and oaky aromas.”

Flavour – “Rich with woody and oaky notes, a background sweetness of vanilla, a subtle zestiness along with some juniper and crisp green fruits on the palate.”