Liquid Assets

When oscar wilde protested, "I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied by the best," he was expressing the driving sentiment of the Nineties—not the 1890s but the 1990s. For while we may all be forced to do with a bit less of some of the necessities of life in the decade ahead (air and new Rolling Stones albums, for example), we do expect that the luxuries should be of the highest quality. Of course, if an item has the added virtue of being quite rare, its mere possession becomes as much a pleasure as the using of it.

This is especially true with fine spirits. For although overall consumption of hard liquor has been dropping in the United States—23 percent since 1980—the sale of premium spirits is soaring: The more rare bottles of cognacs, well-aged rums and even "single-barrel" bourbons show up in the market, the more we seem willing to pay top dollar for them. Twenty-five-year-old single-malt Scotches? Can't keep 'em in stock. Thirty-dollar-a-bottle tequilas? Walking off the shelves. Rare old Armagnacs? Name your price. When Hine recently exported a mere 60 bottles of its 1914 vintage cognac to the U.S. at about $600 a fifth, retailers and restaurateurs begged to get just one bottle for their customers.

As you might expect, a lot of this lust for what Michael Aaron of New York's Sherry-Lehmann calls superspirits is based on the desire to own what few other people in the world can afford to buy. Which is why you may hear more guys getting very specific about their drink orders in bars. They don't just want a snifter of Russian vodka. It has to be Stolichnaya Cristall—and it has to be served in a chilled glass. This may well derive from the kind of awesome connoisseurship James Bond began when he demanded his martinis "shaken, not stirred" and ordered only Hennessy Three Star Cognac, compounded over the past decade by a sense that the high rollers and powerful in this world are men who get precisely what they want at any cost.

But more and more, the continuing market for really fine spirits, as with fine wines, seems fueled by an enormous pool of far more discriminating, better-traveled men who really know the best from the merely good and who, though drinking less, intend to drink as well as they can whenever they do. Moderation, which is the key to truly living well, seems admirably in the ascendancy in the Nineties. So here's Playboy's guide to drinking very well, indeed.

Scotch

The spirits that seem to have first fueled Americans' thirst for the finest were single-malt Scotches (made entirely from malted barley and not blended with other whiskies)—ironically, at a time when sales of blended Scotches began falling. Today, drinkers are savoring the richer, deeper flavors of a single malt as one would a fine cognac—after dinner rather than before.

At first, people bought established names such as The Glenlivet (now the leading seller), Glenfiddich and Glenmorangie; but before long, they were seeking out hard-to-find single malts and then (continued on page 166)Liquid Assets(continued from page 100) premium blends with exotic, regional names such as Laphroaig, Auchentoshan and Usquaebach.

When customers began ordering such Scotches, upscale bars and restaurants started stocking them as they might rare old Bordeaux and Burgundies. New York's Windows on the World, for example, offers more than 80 Scotches of the approximately 175 sold in the United States.

Many factors go into making one Scotch more prestigious than another, but pedigree and age are the most prominent. Aging in oak barrels imparts various individual flavors to the whisky that enhance the basic taste of the malted barley. The most exotic of these Rip van Winkles is the Dalmore 50-year-old, which was put into casks back in 1926 (while America was still in the grip of Prohibition). Currently, there is only one bottle of it in the United States, at Dugan's Restaurant in Atlanta; if you can get your hands on another bottle, it will set you back about $3500. And those few connoisseurs who have tasted Ballantine's 30-year-old ($275) concur that it is one of the finest spirits in the world.

Somewhat more affordable for the average imbiber is Pinch 15-Year-Old premium blend (about $20), in the distinctive dimpled bottle, and Royal Salute ($75)—a 21-year-old blended whisky first made by Chivas Regal in 1953 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Some Scotches have taken on near cult status because of their rarity and expense. Johnnie Walker, well known for its Red and Black Label brands, makes a mellow, distinctive Scotch named Swing ($28) that is seldom even advertised, yet aficionados seek it out and buy up every bottle they can get their hands on. The Macallan Highland Single Malt 25-year-old retails for $125 and up (double that figure for the crystal-decanter bottling), yet there is never enough to slake the world's thirst for this beautifully balanced, full-flavored whisky.

Last of all, there is a trend to drink "vintage" Scotches—an idea until recently disdained by distillers who prided themselves on the art of blending whiskies from many years' production. But the current desire for more unusual bottling has turned vintage dating into an effective marketing tool, and the more descriptive the label, the more aficionados seem to love it. The labels on Knockando single malts not only tell you the season of the distillation but give you the year of bottling, too. Its Extra Old Reserve 1964 goes for about $100 a bottle. And for the first time in its history, the renowned Highland producer Glenmorangie (whose fine ten-year-old single malt sells for about $23) last year released a 1963 vintage that, unique in all the world, was matured in two different wood casks—first for 22 years in American oak bourbon casks, then for 18 months in casks used to age Spanish oloroso sherry. Its price tag is about $150.

Irish Whiskey

There has been quite a turnaround in interest in Irish whiskey since the days when it was thought best used for Irish coffee. Today, most of the Irish whiskeys once sold in this country have long departed these shores. In their place, expensive premium Irish whiskeys have taken on real clout among connoisseurs, none more so than Jameson 1780 12-year-old ($23), Bushmills ($15) and the gloriously rich and complex Black Bush ($27), which more resembles a fine cognac than it does a traditional Irish whiskey. And Midleton Very Rare sells for about $100. Only 1000 cases are made annually for world-wide consumption and each bottle is dated and numbered and signed by the distiller.

Bourbon

Bourbon sales have been dropping for years, but there is renewed, growing interest in Kentucky corn liquor as producers work to come up with premium bottling of this all-American spirit. The first was a small but historic distillery out of Loretto, Kentucky, named Maker's Mark ($15), which made a smoother, less biting bourbon in small, controlled batches. Its sales have soared, and others have quickly jumped onto the premium band wagon: Jim Beam has brought out a seven-year-old 90-proof bourbon (three years older than its regular bottling) on a limited basis; while Blanton has launched a single-barrel bourbon, meaning it is not blended with any other bourbons and may come from a cask that is ten or 12 years old.

Tennessee and Canadian Whiskies

For years, Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 and George Dickel Old No. 12 pretty much split the small Tennessee whiskey market between them. Then, two years ago, Jack Daniel Distillery shook things up by introducing a new spirit called Gentleman Jack ($23), the only whiskey in the world to be mellowed through charcoal twice (once before and once after the aging process) to achieve a rounder, richer taste, with less hotness on the throat. Gentleman Jack is already so sought after that people drive directly to the distillery in Lynchburg and beg for a bottle.

Canadian whiskies, long regarded as good mixers, are now also coming into their own as spirits to be savored slowly. Canadian Club Classic ($17), a genteel, well-bred spirit with velvety undertones, is best appreciated unsullied by anything but water or ice or served in a snifter. Crown Royal, too, has a loyal following.

Rum

Light rums still sell well in the United States, mainly as ingredients in piña coladas and daiquiris. But what sophisticated Caribbeans have long known, Americans are now waking up to—the very distinct, robust, almost chewy flavors of aged rums. And their variety, from island to island, country to country, is amazing. The rums of Jamaica are as different from the rums of Puerto Rico as the sports cars of Germany are from those of Italy. Star Reserve 15-Year-Old Barbancourt Rhum ($24) is dark, smoky and faintly sweet, bespeaking its Haitian origins. Venezuela's Pampero Ron Anejo Anniversario ($25), which comes wrapped in a leather sack, has a depth of aroma and flavor to rival a vintage Armagnac. Appleton Estate of Jamaica makes two superb, new premium rums—Appleton Estate VX and Appleton Estate Extra. Bacardi's Anejo and Barrilito's Three-Star from Puerto Rico have achieved a status among rum drinkers few others can match. And for the truly esoteric, there's a new Australian white rum named Stubbs that retails for about $15.

Tequila

Tequila has gone way beyond its image as a fast-draw liquor to be knocked back with a lick of salt. These days, people are sniffing out exotic tequilas with individual flavors, refinement and nuance, with none of that grit-your-teeth rawness that characterizes run-of-the-mill bottling. Elegant tequilas such as Jose Cuervo Reposado and Sauza Tres Generaciones (about $20 each) are selling well; while the legendary Chinaco ($30), of which only 2500 cases a year are made, is rarely found north of the border. One place to look is the Cadillac Bar & Restaurant in San Francisco, which stocks 30 tequilas and where at least 70 percent of the customers order theirs by brand.

The best tequilas are made with a high proportion of the blue agave plant, double-distilled to drive out impurities and then aged. This is the process for Herradura Anejo ($20), aged two years in white-oak barrels before bottling, resulting in an enormous depth and breadth of flavors.

Vodka

Vodka, to most people, may be the ultimate and most amenable mixer among spirits, because, by its very definition, American vodka must be a colorless, odorless, tasteless spirit. But the upscale trend is clearly toward more full-bodied, luxurious, boldly flavorful vodkas, especially those from abroad, such as Absolut, Denaka, Tanqueray Sterling, Icy and Finlandia. Indeed, some of the most interesting vodkas are actually flavored with ingredients such as lemon and peppers.

Of course, many connoisseurs consider only Russia and Poland the true repositories of vodka lore and legend, carried on by such vodkas as Luksusowa, Zytnia, Wyborowa and Stolichnaya. Stoli's new Cristall ($21), which is said to be made from only the finest winter wheat and filtered for great purity, already has its devotees. Tarkhuna, a neutral spirit from Russia with a distinctive grass-green color, fine aroma and wonderful herbal taste, is a delicious new entry in the market.

Gin

Gin is basically a flavored alcohol, dependent for its flavor on botanicals that impart delicacy and balance. So the better the quality and mixture of ingredients, the better the gin, exemplified in Bombay Sapphire Gin ($21), which is made with almonds, grains of paradise, lemon peel, licorice, juniper berries, cubeb berries, orris, coriander, angelica and cassia bark.

Cognacs and Armagnacs

Both cognac and Armagnac, though distinctly different brandies, are distilled from wine grapes, and the extraordinary range of styles evident in the hundreds of both made exclusively in France is the result of centuries of tradition and master blending.

Top-of-the-line cognacs, such as Delamain's Tres Venerable ($117), Hennessy's Paradis ($180), Remy Martin XO ($80), Hine Triomphe ($125) and Martell's Cordon Bleu that comes in a Baccarat crystal decanter ($350), are selling extremely well around the world, and the extravagance of special bottling such as Remy's Louis XIII in a Baccarat crystal decanter ($610) seems no extravagance to many people. There are even some vintage cognacs showing up in the market, led by Hine's Triomphe Extra Rare and a bottle of Hine 1914 packaged together for $950. And Chicago's Paterno Imports is offering rare prephylloxera bottles of 130-year-old Hardy's Cognac Perfection, the oldest known unblended Grande Champagne in existence. The price: $3500 a bottle, including an oak case.

Armagnacs, too, have taken on a great deal of chic in the past few years, especially those that are vintage dated. Indeed, the rarer and more expensive the Armagnac, the more people seem to want it. Retailers have no problem unloading De Montal 1962 at $60 a bottle, Sempé 1928 at $575 or even Larressingle 1928 at $375.

Spanish Brandy

Spanish brandies used to be afterthoughts to French cognac, but last year, with the establishment of a formal appellation for Brandy de Jerez, discriminating drinkers are regarding them with a new appreciation. Made according to strict rules and regulations in a limited region where the best grapes are grown, these brandies are of the highest caliber and reflect centuries of tradition. So Americans are now willing to pay $30 and up for a smooth Carlos I Imperial from Pedro Domecq, which is aged a minimum of 25 years, a mellow Cardenal Mendoza Gran Reserva and the beautifully balanced Conde de Osborne, packaged in a bottle designed by Salvador Dali.

Grappa

It's hard even now to imagine that grappa has become the trendiest of all spirits, for this once-white-hot Italian answer to moonshine has taken on a sophisticated allure that seems to go hand in hand with the current infatuation with Italian style in clothing and food.

Some of the best wine producers in Italy have turned their attention to grappa by using premium grape varieties and modern technology to turn out a digestive that has a wide range of flavors, from the voluptuousness of Bruno Giacosa's Mosca-to D'Asti ($42) to the spiciness of Nonino's UE di Traminer ($60). You can even pick up a five-pack of exquisite Jacopo Poli grappas in slender Venetian glass bottles set on a glass tray for about $ 150.

However high your expectations for a bottle of liquor, it seems a good bet that there are ample options to meet, and in most cases exceed, those expectations. The best, it seems, is getting more difficult—and more expensive—to pin down all the time, but it certainly is fun trying.