Power Snifters

Savvy hosts know how to finish dinner with a flourish. After the café, or with it, they present a sensuous spirit in a round-bowled, footed goblet known, of course, as a snifter. What happens next is best described by an observation from France's high-proof 19th Century diplomat, Talleyrand: "We hold the glass in the hollow of the hand, we warm it up, we shake it in a circular movement so that the liquor exhales its perfume. Then we sniff it, we inhale it, and then, dear sir, we leave it on the table and speak about it." The wily Talleyrand and his guests (concluded on page 148)Power Snifters(continued from page 83)Power Snifters undoubtedly discussed weightier matters, too. Even today, important decisions are made and heavy deals cut in the relaxing balm of what corporate cognoscenti call the power snifter. No suggestion of dirty tricks here. It's just that after the brittle tensions of eyeball-to-eyeball negotiations, the civilizing warmth of the snifter suddenly makes savage antagonists aware of each other as fellow humans and the guards come down. Obviously, a power snifter can't be just any old glass. You want it made of leaded crystal and of a sensible size; a 5-oz. to 6-oz. capacity is recommended. It's small enough to nestle comfortably in one's palm, yet large enough to contain the fragrant vapors rising from the glass so they can be enjoyed in a leisurely fashion.

Traditionally, "something in a snifter" has been shorthand for a nip of cognac, such as Hennessy or Courvoisier or, more recently, Armagnac. And while it would be wrong to say that now anything goes, there's a lot more experimentation and exploration of alternative contents for the verre ballon, as this lavish glass is known in France. Calvados comes immediately to mind. Ordinary appellation réglementée calvados may be imbibed over ice in a rocks glass or in a highball, but aged calvados pays d'Auge commands the classic snifter. American straight, bonded (100-proof) applejack is another spirit worthy of this special receptacle, and so are some bourbons. Sam Aaron, co-proprietor of New York's distinguished Sherry-Lehmann wine and spirits shop, tells of attending an international financiers' dinner at the Savoy in London. The assembled luminaries were a bit miffed to note that the after-dinner snifter contained a 20-year-old bourbon rather than cognac. But after sampling the liquor, they actually rose and gave it a standing O. Sadly, such fine old bourbons are not easily found.

Two Irish whiskeys deserving of the snifter treatment are Black Bush and Jameson 1780--also known as Jameson 12. Chances are you haven't tried them yet, as they're new to the States. Bush is a full-bodied, complex round whiskey that goes down easily. Jameson 12 is rich, burnished and packed with flavor.

Tempered, mahogany-hued rums from Haiti, Jamaica and Martinique are also agreeable and attractive possibilities, as are austere, refreshing dry fruit brandies such as eau de vie de poire, malt Scotches, fine, aged grappas and marcs (especially the scented marc de Gewurztraminer), bourbon-, Scotch- and Irish-based liqueurs (Wild Turkey, Jeremiah Weed, Irish Mist and Drambuie), golden tequila añejo and pungent Unicum bitters. Three distinctive though unusual candidates for the ballon are intense Reserve Bual madeira, velvety vintage Porto and the new Grande Chartreuse Liqueur du 9' Centenaire--commemorating 900 years (1084-1984) of the vaunted monastery cordial. Try them on adventurous friends and don't be afraid to flout convention; chuck an ice cube into the glass if that's your preference.

The latest ploy in snifter gamesmanship is the complementary garnish--a whisper of another compatible liquor added to the basic spirit for a lift, complexity, smoothness and a delightful change of taste. It was Max Cointreau himself who persuaded us of the efficacy of blending a liqueur with cognac. He accomplished this one night in Paris by the simple expedient of pouring a soupçon of Cointreau into our brandy glass. Superb! Try it. Drambuie and Scotch are a classic mix, of course, but true Brits splash a creamy, bittersweet ale, such as Newcastle Brown, or perhaps Guinness, into their malt Scotch as the last drink of the evening. In Cognac, pineau des Charentes--a mistelle made of young cognac and grape juice--is often added to the snifter. Similarly, Armagnacais add their mistelle, called floc, to a glass of Armagnac.

Following are 20 affinities you might try in your power snifter. While proportions are given, they're flexible--intended merely as suggestions. Note, too, that ice cubes or stirring with ice are optional. Since you're crossing new frontiers, you can make your own rules--and accommodate your own taste. Vive le ballon!

[recipe_title]Andalusia[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]5 parts rum[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part sherry[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Apple Sting[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]4 parts calvados[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part peppermint schnapps[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Brandy Lift[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts cognac[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part pineau des Charentes[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]C & C[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts cognac[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Chartreuse[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Café Bourbon[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts bourbon[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Kahlúa coffee liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Dash of bitters[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Digestif[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]Cognac[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Bitters, to taste[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Double Bourbon[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts bourbon[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part bourbon liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Dash peach bitters (optional)[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Dry Julep[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]Full-bodied bourbon[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Very light splash of water[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Fresh mint leaf (bruise leaf well before adding)[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Durango[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts golden tequila[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part lime liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]French Mandarin[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]4 parts Armagnac[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Mandarine Napoléon liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Helene[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts eau de vie de poire[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part chocolate liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Irish Smile[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts Irish whiskey[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Irish Mist[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Martinique[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]4 parts dark rum[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Creole-Shrubb liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Midnight Brew[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]Full-bodied Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Splash of creamy bittersweet ale or Guinness Stout[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Minted Pear[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]6 parts eau de vie de poire[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part crème de menthe[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Mousquetaire[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]4 parts Armagnac[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part prunelle or sloe gin[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Raspberry Smack[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]5 parts framboise[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part raspberry liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Rumball[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3 parts dark rum[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part chocolate liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]Scotch Stone[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]4 parts full-bodied Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Stone's ginger wine[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe_title]The Golden Max[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]4 parts cognac[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 part Cointreau[/drinkRecipe]

In view of contemporary tastes and styles, avant hosts are offering snifter combinations as heady, relatively light alternatives to dessert. It's a sensitive denouement to any dinner--and guests are always appreciative.

"The latest ploy in snifter gamesmanship is a whisper of another liquor added to the basic spirit."