The Wine and Cheese Place has been promoting great Artisan Spirits for some time now. We want to take it to the next level and let you taste them. We have some great tastings scheduled at The Wine and Cheese Place in September.
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The Wine and Cheese Place
7435 Forsyth Blvd
Clayton, MO 63105
314-727-8788
This Friday, September 17 -- North Shore - Chicago, IL
4-7pm
Sonja Kassebaum, co-founder, of North Shore distillery will be on hand to taste through the following products.
North Shore Products are also available online
She has a great assortment of one of a kind spirits!!! Don't miss this one.
North Shore Distillery from Chicago
"You have arrived at the virtual home for the first boutique distillery in the Chicago area (and in Illinois). Since 2005, we've been producing a range of inspired and unique spirits for your enjoyment. Our award winning, small-batch, handmade products are designed for the true spirit connoisseur, using the finest ingredients and the most advanced distillers' techniques. Thanks for visiting - we hope you come back often." -- North Shore
North Shore Distillery from Chicago
"You have arrived at the virtual home for the first boutique distillery in the Chicago area (and in Illinois). Since 2005, we've been producing a range of inspired and unique spirits for your enjoyment. Our award winning, small-batch, handmade products are designed for the true spirit connoisseur, using the finest ingredients and the most advanced distillers' techniques. Thanks for visiting - we hope you come back often." -- North Shore
North Shore Distiller's Gin No. 11....$29.99 / 750ml
Classic Dry Gin
Our Ode to Traditional London Dry Gin
We love to rave about our Distiller's Gin No. 6, but we didn't stop there. We also created another gin - Distiller's Gin No. 11 - which appeared for the first time in March 2007. This gin is based on the traditional London Dry Gin profile. If you are a fan of abundant juniper flavor, this may be your new favorite gin. We created No. 11 for those looking for a warm round nose, and an unmistakable dry gin flavor.
The botanicals in No. 11 add fullness to the gin without taking away from the leading role of the juniper berries. The balance is remarkable and lends itself well to classic cocktails from when gin was king.
•94 pts Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
Tasting notes: "Clear. Dense, compacted aromas of honeycomb, lime soufflé, peppery juniper, and sweet spices. A soft, silky entry leads to a fruity medium-full of citrus custard pasty, pink peppercorns, fresh herbs, and honeyed juniper berries. Finishes with an long interplay of flavor with a touch of eucalyptus and minerals. A lovely, deeply flavorful, and elegantly styled gin that will be sensational in vintage cocktails."
This makes it the second highest rated American made gin. The only American gin rated higher? Our very own Distiller's Gin No. 6.
Our Ode to Traditional London Dry Gin
We love to rave about our Distiller's Gin No. 6, but we didn't stop there. We also created another gin - Distiller's Gin No. 11 - which appeared for the first time in March 2007. This gin is based on the traditional London Dry Gin profile. If you are a fan of abundant juniper flavor, this may be your new favorite gin. We created No. 11 for those looking for a warm round nose, and an unmistakable dry gin flavor.
The botanicals in No. 11 add fullness to the gin without taking away from the leading role of the juniper berries. The balance is remarkable and lends itself well to classic cocktails from when gin was king.
•94 pts Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
Tasting notes: "Clear. Dense, compacted aromas of honeycomb, lime soufflé, peppery juniper, and sweet spices. A soft, silky entry leads to a fruity medium-full of citrus custard pasty, pink peppercorns, fresh herbs, and honeyed juniper berries. Finishes with an long interplay of flavor with a touch of eucalyptus and minerals. A lovely, deeply flavorful, and elegantly styled gin that will be sensational in vintage cocktails."
This makes it the second highest rated American made gin. The only American gin rated higher? Our very own Distiller's Gin No. 6.
North Shore Gin No.6...$29.99 / 750ml
Modern Dry Gin
"Distiller's Gin No. 6 is extremely smooth, with a complex blance of citrus, spice and floral notes. We create No. 6 (90 proof) by infusing our grain-based spirit with hand-selected botanicals from all over the world, along with fresh lemon zest and lavender blossoms.
If you have never tasted this gin, or you think you don't like gin, we strongly recommend trying No. 6 neat (straight) before mixing it into a cocktail or martini. This will allow you to smell and taste the complex nature of this gin. We know you will be amazed at how much you like this gin.
Distiller's Gin No. 6 is fantastic in a traditional martini - we recommend an 8:1 ratio of gin to vermouth, although this gin works well with more vermouth if you like it that way. It also adds character and intriguing flavor to a range of cocktails, such as those you'll find in our cocktail repository.
This gin has received several awards, including:
95 pts Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
"A superb gin that virtually bristles with fresh, 3-D flavors. Very impressive!"
If you have never tasted this gin, or you think you don't like gin, we strongly recommend trying No. 6 neat (straight) before mixing it into a cocktail or martini. This will allow you to smell and taste the complex nature of this gin. We know you will be amazed at how much you like this gin.
Distiller's Gin No. 6 is fantastic in a traditional martini - we recommend an 8:1 ratio of gin to vermouth, although this gin works well with more vermouth if you like it that way. It also adds character and intriguing flavor to a range of cocktails, such as those you'll find in our cocktail repository.
This gin has received several awards, including:
95 pts Gold Medal/Exceptional Rating - Beverage Testing Institute, 2008
"A superb gin that virtually bristles with fresh, 3-D flavors. Very impressive!"
North Shore Vodka....$28.99 / 750ml 
"Almost every high-end vodka claims to be a "small batch" vodka. How is this possible when you see them on every shelf, in every store in the country and on the shelves of many stores overseas? Small is obviously a relative term. The daily production capacity of most of these "small batch" imports is comparable to our distillery's yearly capacity. Our small batch production is actually that.
But enough about the others. North Shore Vodka is elegant and refined. Made from distilled midwestern grain, our vodka has a smooth, refreshing taste with a pleasant clean finish. Through our proprietary process, and our focus on the quality of each and every batch, our master distiller ensures that our vodka has the individual character and quality required to be enjoyed on its own or in your favorite martini or cocktail.
We proudly share with you this wonderful vodka and truly believe that you will enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoy making it.
"Almost every high-end vodka claims to be a "small batch" vodka. How is this possible when you see them on every shelf, in every store in the country and on the shelves of many stores overseas? Small is obviously a relative term. The daily production capacity of most of these "small batch" imports is comparable to our distillery's yearly capacity. Our small batch production is actually that.
But enough about the others. North Shore Vodka is elegant and refined. Made from distilled midwestern grain, our vodka has a smooth, refreshing taste with a pleasant clean finish. Through our proprietary process, and our focus on the quality of each and every batch, our master distiller ensures that our vodka has the individual character and quality required to be enjoyed on its own or in your favorite martini or cocktail.
We proudly share with you this wonderful vodka and truly believe that you will enjoy drinking it as much as we enjoy making it.
Visit our Cocktail Repository for favorite drink recipes using North Shore Vodka.
A Rare Creation - U.S. Made Aquavit
North Shore Aquavit....$29.99 / 750ml
Most common in Scandinavia, aquavit is a truly enjoyable spirit. In that part of the world, you can find many small and large-batch aquavits with widely varying flavors. In the U.S., the selection is far more limited. In Chicago, we have only found five aquavits (and only 3 are common), all of which are imported. We thought it was high time one was produced on this side of the ocean.
By the U.S. government's definition, aquavit's dominant flavor must be caraway seed (most commonly found in rye bread). Beyond that, the distiller uses his or her own artistic flair to add additional flavors and qualities to the spirit.
Aquavit - Private Reserve has a complex balance of spices and flavors. We begin with hand-selected botanicals from all over the world, including caraway, cumin, and coriander. These botanicals are macerated and distilled with the alcohol, and we age the spirit in new American oak to soften and meld the flavors. Unlike other aquavits, we do not add caramel coloring. All of the flavor and color is natural, and are the direct result of our process.
Enjoying Aquavit - Private Reserve
Aquavit is traditionally enjoyed chilled and straight, but it can also be sipped neat. Being avid mixologists, we have some fun and savory cocktail recipes with it as well. Visit our Cocktail Repository to find some favorite recipes with Aquavit - Private Reserve.
This spirit received 95 points - Exceptional Rating from the Beverage Testing Institute in November 2008 and was the Highest Rated Aquavit
Tasting notes: "Yellow straw color with a chartreuse cast. vibrant and stimulating aromas of pink peppercorns, cardamom, lemongrass, medicinal roots and herbs, and sandalwood follow through on a silky entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with a touch of tilled earth a long, spicy fade. Excellent flavor, purity and depth.
This spirit also received a Gold Medal in the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and in July 2008 the folks at Spirits Review awarded it a 9 out of 10, and described it as "[i]ncredibly smooth and seductively aromatic - especially for an aquavit."
North Shore Absinthe Verte....$59.99 / 750ml
Introducing Sirène Absinthe Verte
Like the sirens of Greek mythology, Sirène will tempt you. With a beautiful, nuanced aroma and flavor, Sirène embodies the rich tradition and history of absinthe.
Absinthe has always been a favorite spirit at North Shore Distillery - first as a curiosity on our world travels, then as a fascination. We have tasted many variations and have been working on our own recipes for years. Now that is possible to actually introduce one to the market, we are excited to share this incredible absinthe with you.
Creating Sirène
We take a traditional approach to creating Sirène. We use the traditional trinity of absinthe ingredients along with a proprietary blend of additional herbs and spices to create Sirène's richness and complexity. The process requires a significant amount of time, preparation and botanicals, but the result is worth the effort.
Enjoying Sirène Absinthe
Absinthe is traditionally enjoyed in a drip. Pour about an ounce of absinthe in to an absinthe glass or a rocks glass. Then place an absinthe spoon on the glass and place a sugar cube (optional) on the spoon. If you do not have an absinthe spoon you can just add simple syrup to your absinthe. Then you drip ice cold water over your sugar cube and in to the absinthe. You can use an absinthe fountain or simply a carafe of ice water. We recommend having your first drip with three parts water and one part absinthe. Then adjust the water next time to your personal taste.
Very rare limited release, looks like we got one of the last cases, we have bottles numbered up to 504 (only 515 made)
North Shore CR2 "Corpse Reviver"....$44.99 / 750ml
Each year we bring together incredible combinations of ingredients to produce special single-batch spirits. This year's is no exception. It is our delight to introduce our Spring 2010 limited release, the Corpse Reviver. Thanks to our beloved federal government, the product is officially named CR2.
This year, we have made just 515 bottles of this limited edition spirit, and as with past limited releases, once it's gone, it's gone.
The Inspiration and a Little History
As you walk through a liquor store today, you will see a number of "pre-mixed cocktails" in a bottle. Artificially flavored and colored, they almost never taste like a real cocktail would. Granted, you may not want to squeeze the lemons or limes and measure out all of the ingredients to make a cocktail, but you should not have to resort to these modern alternatives. So, we decided to show that you can make a cocktail in the bottle and make it well.
For this project, we chose a fantastic old cocktail for inspiration - one that requires ingredients that aren't always on hand, and that when made properly, is a joy to drink. As we were deciding, one of our mixologist friends made a joke about bottling a Corpse Reviver. Little did he know, we were already on that path.
About Corpse Revivers
One of our favorite cocktails is a Corpse Reviver #2. The recipe is straight forward - equal parts gin, orange liqueur (usually Cointreau), Lillet (Blanc, of the modern offerings, but originally Kina Lillet), lemon juice and a dash of pastis or absinthe. This cocktail is a great example of what we like to call "cocktail alchemy." When done properly, all of the flavors blend together perfectly and balance each other out, creating a drink that is better than the sum of its parts. The complexity of ingredients and flavors made this the perfect cocktail inspiration for the challenge.
Cocktails are an American creation, and one category of cocktails from the late 1800's were known as Corpse Revivers. As the term implies, these were meant to be consumed in the morning, typically after a night of drinking.
The first printed appearance of the term "corpse reviver" we found was from 1861. Cocktails with this name were poured at the American Bar at World's Fairs in London and in Paris. There were many variations, and many drinks labeled corpse revivers. However, after Prohibition, most cocktail historians believe that only two recipes for corpse revivers survived; the Corpse Reviver #1 and the Corpse Reviver #2. It is this Corpse Reviver #2 recipe that we decided to use as our guide for this limited release.
Producing The Spirit
In tackling this challenge, we looked for a way, through distillation, to incorporate, not only the flavors of gin, but also orange liqueur, lemon juice, Lillet, and the hint of anise and spice derived from the absinthe. We blended our special distillate with a wonderful white wine from our friend Carl Sutton at Sutton Cellars, and then added a touch of sugar to sweeten it just a tad. We were left with an exciting bottled cocktail.
The final spirit shares many traits with the Corpse Reviver #2. Aroma, flavor, even clarity (or lack thereof), echo the qualities of the cocktail. Admittedly, the one thing missing is the pulp from fresh squeezed lemons, but the taste of fresh citrus is there, coming from the fruits included in our distillation.
Tasting Notes & Recipes
The first thing you will notice is a pleasant fresh citrus aroma. Then the melody of botanicals fill in underneath, providing a full, inviting bouquet. As you drink the spirit, you will taste a delightful combination of citrus and herbal notes with a nice balance of sweetness and tartness. No single flavor dominates. A symphony of flavors, with harmonious complexity.
To enjoy this wonderful spirit, simple shake it with ice, and strain into a cocktail (martini) glass. The traditional garnish is a single cocktail cherry placed in the drink. Find our recipes for homemade cherries here
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