What’s up with sipping spirits?
Years ago, when I was at the beginning of my adult life (read: a life with alcohol), I went through a vodka-with-ice phase for a while. It was my drink when I went out and I had convinced myself and others that I genuinely liked it; but really, I just thought it looked cool. Little did I know: perhaps I was at the beginning of a new era, the era of sipping spirits.
Sipping spirits? Let’s break it down:
Sipping
1. to sip: drink (something) by taking small mouthfuls.
Spirits
1. Strong distilled alcoholic drink such as brandy, whisky, gin or rum
2. A volatile liquid, especially a fuel, prepared by distillation
3. A solution of volatile components extracted from something, typically by distillation or by solution in alcohol
‘Back in the day’, everything was different
Sipping a spirit isn’t necessarily something new. A good Scotch single malt whisky and an exclusive cognac are especially perfect for drinking slowly, both neat and on the rocks. Whereas these were generally once enjoyed by older, wealthy white men, they’re now becoming accessible to everyone.
So much choice
If you had walked into an average Dutch bar roughly fifteen years ago, you would have seen one brand of each type of drink: one brand of vodka, one brand of gin and one brand of rum. Everyone knows: things are different now. Partly due to the gin&tonic hype of a few years ago, there has been an explosion of brands, flavours and types of spirits.
For convenience, let me throw in another term: alcohol is undergoing a true premiumization. People want craftsmanship, and where there is demand, there is supply. You can see this not only with spirits, but also with beers (craftbeers are taking over). Little by little, the average drinker is turning into a true enthusiast and connoisseur. We’re choosing quality over quantity and learning to distinguish between flavours.
The ideal sipping spirits
Do you want to try your luck in the world of sipping spirits but aren’t quite sure where to start? Step into a cocktail bar and ask the bartender for information and advice. Or else: here are a few tips from us!
Rum
Rum fits perfectly alongside cognac and whisky. Diplomatico’s dark rum in particular is a pioneer when it comes to sipping spirits. The rule for rum is: the longer it’s aged, the sweeter and more approachable it is. In other words: no more cola or other soft drinks needed!
Which one exactly should you get? Try Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva (available at Gall & Gall). It consists of 80% heavy rums and 20% light rums and has been aged for twelve years in whisky barrels. The result: a wonderfully smooth rum, perfect if you want to start sipping rum.
Tequila
Tequila has anything but a sipping-spirit image. We only have ourselves to blame, because yes, you too have sometimes knocked back one shot of tequila too many, only to wake up with a gigantic hangover and drunkenly insist that you would never drink tequila again. I’m telling you now: give it another try. Good tequila is perfect for enjoying slowly – without shot glasses, salt and lemon. Try Tequila Arette, which is made from 100% agave in the Mexican town of Tequila (how could it be anywhere else?).
Believe us: you learn to appreciate spirits in a different way by drinking them slowly. So run to a cocktail bar nearby and start sipping!
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