Once Open a Time
- Tarin Scarbrough
- Fred Lopez
Every once in a while, I like to simplify my cocktail and enjoy something exclusively on its own. I gravitate toward pours that have so much charm they don’t require other flavors. And there’s really nothing more beautiful than enjoying a spirit purely as God—or the tastemakers—intended. So for this issue, in celebration of our once-in-a-lifetime milestone, I curated a list of beverages that you deserve to imbibe at least once.
Aquavit is a spirit from Scandinavia that deserves to be on the front of every bar nationwide. Like gin or vodka, it’s a neutral grain spirit that is separated by one characteristic—caraway seed. It’s like rye bread in spirit form. Usually adding in dill seed, fennel, coriander, citrus, and anise, it’s an explosion of flavor that will make normal vodka seem bland and mundane. Dill, in particular, gives Aquavit a briny flavor similar to pickle juice, which is an alternative to a dirty martini, one you can drink straight from the bottle. My friend, Brandon, a lover of obscure spirits, introduced me, and anytime I can convince someone to try it, they always come back looking for more.
Likewise is my love for a brand hailing from California called St. George Spirits. If you come across anything from them … just buy it. St. George distills many a spirit—gin, whiskey, even a Green Chile Vodka—but nothing holds a candle to their signature liqueurs. They are so stunning on their own, I could drink every one of them by themselves. This isn’t a sponsorship or anything, I just rarely find standout brands that make such exemplary products in every category they produce.
Just recently I went to a cocktail-paired dinner at Market to Table, and they shocked me when they paired a surprise dessert course with a shot of amaro. It really made the entire evening come together. Some people left the tiniest amount lingering, and in another non-Covid world, I might have been tempted to follow behind and drink the remnants of their glass; that’s how much I appreciate amaro. An Italian after-dinner digestif, its herbal tones and slight bitter palette help clean off any lingering flavors to cleanse the palate and leave a bittersweet finish. Fernet Branca is a favorite. I don’t judge the hipsters who drink it; it’s delicious! However, my wild card choice is Cynar (CHEE-nar), an amaro derived from artichokes that is slightly sweeter than the typical, so it’s more approachable and less aggressive. Bitter is in (think IPAs, black coffee, kale), and amaro is an impressive way to jump on the wagon.
Sure, there are other standout spirits that should be on your must list—absinthe certainly comes to mind—but truth be told, for me, the epitome of that once-in-a-lifetime experience is a fantastic bottle of rosé. You will never regret the time you celebrated a moment by opening that fancy pink bottle of bubbles, I promise you. I just know if I’m having a commemorative moment, I’d like something bubbly in my hand and I’d prefer it to be pink. With that being said, there are three brands that hold true to me—Billecart Salmon, Ruinart, and Taittinger—that will always be worth it. They leave a satiny mousse, almost pastry cream-like note contrasting against the red fruit and dry acidity, that others just can’t emulate. One night, my mom and I popped a Billie Rosé just because it was a hard Tuesday … and I will never forget that night. It will forever be ingrained in my brain.
Sometimes the best in life deserves a cheers that requires only one pour, and for that, there’s always a ridiculously-priced-but-worth-every-penny rosé.
