It is one of our favorite times of the year, at
Hi-Time, Cinco de Mayo. We hope that you have an amazing holiday, and here
are some wonderful tequilas to help with your festivities.
EL
DON PLATA $36.99 [#166621]
El Don is a gem to behold- a relatively new offering we are glad to
introduce. The nose is fruit filled, containing lemon zest and greengage
plum hinting also at honeysuckle-- all seemingly dipped into agave nectar.
Initially, the taste is overshadowed by an amazingly viscous mouth-feel. The
flavors do come, and they are rich with coconut oil and Macadamia nuts
twisting into fruit and light spice. This lengthy finish is replete with
splendid agave subtlety, and mild capulin that is quite delicious.
HACIENDA DEL CRISTERO [#163122] Our Price:$39.99, ORIGINAL PRICE
$46.99
Hacienda del Cristero is dreamy and complex at first smell-- green reed,
fresh ground dry herbs (Elettaria, coriander), also with some white quartz
and clean minerals, held together in aromas of slow baked agave. The creamy
texture is luxurious allowing the citrus notes to shine. On the palate the
cooked agave is more intricately married to the spices; their movement is
briskly exhilarating with saporous delicacy. All of these nuances evolve to
a finish that is novel, green, clean and delicious; all that remains is the
desire for another.
EL
TEQUILENO ESPECIAL GRAN RESERVA REPOSADO $35.99 [#166780]
El Tequileno has been around for a long time and has finally made it to the
US. The Gran Reserva is an 11-month reposado. Here creamy and inviting
aromas filled with soft baked agave and rich oak sweetness, including subtle
hints of spice-cake, invite us to partake. The palate weight is light,
displaying recherche agave and oak in intricate balance. The flavors range
from honey and vanilla to dried oregano, or sage. At the finish, the tones
converge abruptly in a burst of round bitterness that quickly dissipates
leaving only silky vanilla. This is fabulous.
DOS
LUNAS REPOSADO $44.99 [#166984]
Released in California just in March, all of the Dos Lunas tequilas are
great. This reposado is aged for 9 months in used and new oak.You easily
pick up the oak at first nosing, with savory dried fruits, and minimal
spice. This tequila is surprisingly oily for such a light body, which is
very nice. The flavors simmer to unfold gracefully; there is vanilla and
numerous floral tones, with green-peppercorn, fresh cut cedar, newly tanned
leather, and salt bush. It ends with a continuing sweet peppery creaminess,
coconut oil, and dry earth.
ABANDONADO SILVER $32.99 [#166288]
This gorgeous hand-made bottle does not even begin to prepare us for the
prize inside. On the nose we find oleander, cardamom, Salvia elegans and
lemon or orange blossom water. Opulent and supple on the palate, Abandonado
is filled with rich flavors of agave, vanilla bean, Anjou pear pulp and
white tea; also hinting at white cake batter or light meringue. These tastes
are very clean with amazing balance. The finish layers softly displaying
rice milk, slow baked agave, and harmonious spice- it is rarefied elegance.
EL CHARRO SILVER [#162544] Our Price: $14.99, ORIGINAL PRICE $37.99
The aromas are complex, floral, and fruity, packed with grapefruit zest,
chrysanthemums- and even green olives. El Charro has a medium body that is
crisp and tangy. The brightly herbaceous and fresh citrus pith flavors merge
to resolve with softly turned earth notes. The tastes of spice, flowers, and
hard tropical fruit do not last long. The finish is lemony, clean, bright
and warm. This tequila is excellent to sip, for a shot, or in a margarita.
Here is another terrific deal from us, your friends at Hi Time!
EL
LLANO REPOSADO $43.99 [#165797]
Pale spun white gold, Hacienda Mexicano El Llano, is clear and visually
brilliant. With aromas of baked Agave, citrus and flowers, it reminds of
lemon cake sprinkled with fresh ground cardamom and poppy seeds. The palate
is light and warm. It shows bright spice, mellow agave, lingering minerals,
and bold citrus zest. To finish, it gathers all of its fruit and spice to
flare-up into a sapid display that spreads with intricate finesse. Here is
an inviting, and invigorating tequila.
QUERIDO VIEJO BLANCO $59.99 [#166835]
Each bottle of Querido Viejo is hand-numbered, and comes in a rustic wooden
box ready to display. This blanco starts with intense, agave driven, floral
aromas that are fruity, herbal and spicy, and include a touch of fresh
soil.On the palate is a medium bodied mouth-feel that is invigoratingly
succulent. The saporous taste balances complex flavors such as coriander,
roasted sweet pepper, and earthy agave with dominant floral tones. It
finishes slow, showing lush minerals and corroborant spice.
Thanks to all who joined us for the April Tequila tasting. It is because of
you that it was a fantastic success!!
April Spirits
by Forrest Cokely
April is Earth Month and here
at Hi-Time we thought, "What could be better than environmentally friendly
adult beverages to celebrate taking care of our planet." So this month we
are going to show off some Eco-Conscious goodness.
TRU
LEMON ORGANIC VODKA $29.99 [#166889] (Regularly $34.99)
Responsibly, TRU limits their ecological impact. They buy organic spirits
from the U.S. to reduce transportation pollution. They use: 25% less glass
in bottles, labels from corn paper and soy inks, recyclable shrink tops and
corks and boxes made with 35% post-consumer recycled materials. TRU Lemon is
a magnificent organic wheat vodka infused with the zest of organic
California lemons and is stunning. The scent abounds with fresh lemon. The
sapidity is awash with clean, sassy lemon. Finish, you guessed it—
astounding lemon relish! On top of all that they plant a tree for every
bottle sold. During the month of April, they will plant two trees for every
bottle sold at Hi-Time. We suggest you buy all three flavors (Straight,
Lemon, Vanilla - on sale at $29.99 each, regularly $34.99!) to both
titillate your palate and increase the forests.
LIQUID ICE VODKA $30.99 [#163653]
Liquid Ice is distilled four times from five grains (Wheat, Corn, Barley,
Rye & Oat), all certified to be organic. The water is from one of the
cleanest and healthiest natural aquifers in the world. The nose is
surpassingly fresh-- marble with unclouded clean grain. The palate registers
clear minerals and a touch of bittersweet at mid-palate where the terrific
weight and nice viscousness reveal insignificant traces of sage. The finish
is crisp yet tarrying with bright minerals. Liquid Ice is well- structured,
astonishingly pure and completely unique.
OCEAN VODKA $33.99 [#166346]
Ocean Vodka is made in small batches by combining MaHalo Hawaii Deep Sea
water and spirits made from organic American Corn and Rye. Cereal grass
hides deeply in the back of the nose along with an even subtler nettle. The
mouth-feel is invigoratingly delicate—diffuse soft minerals and creaminess.
Ocean's finish is elusive with refined nettle, freeze dried basil and sea
salt. A portion of the profits from the sale of Ocean Vodka is donated to
organizations working to conserve the world’s ocean resources. So have a
vodka and save the ocean
RAIN ORGANIC VODKA $12.99 [#121220]
Rain is distilled from organic white corn in small batches. The vodka
undergoes an extensive 20-day production technique that includes cold-water
sweet mash fermentation and seven distinct distillations. Smells of easy,
fair grass deepen to appealing wet soil—full of luxurious minerals. Flavor
entry is sweet reed grass with fruit, mineral and earthly flavors; the
mid-palate shows a firm sleek taste of sweet grain that is only enhanced by
Rain's great mouth-feel. The aftertaste is crisp ending with notes of
candied grain— pleasant, finespun and inviting.
SQUARE ONE ORGANIC VODKA $33.99 [#166197]
Distilled from organic American Rye that was fermented with a certified
organic process developed especially for Square One. This is a terrific
spirit—from the soft grains in the nose and the fugacious clarity on the
palate to the slight vegetal limpidity in the lingering finish. This company
sets a great example: bamboo and soy ink label, they’ve implemented
wind-power initiatives, carbon-offset programs and even the rye left over
from making vodka is sold as feed to an organic dairy farm. Great ideas that
show off a great vodka.
BLUECOAT AMERICAN GIN $21.99 [#166455]
Bluecoat American Dry Gin is flavored with a combination of organic juniper
berries and other handpicked organic botanicals that are distilled in a true
batch process which produces a spirit of superior quality and taste. The
aromatic quality of the juniper is amazing, bound up with lingering citrus
and hinting at very soft coriander. On the palate, fresh pine needles and
spruce appear, settling to lemon— maintaining the roundness of clean juniper
throughout. The finish shines crisp grain, bright spices with citrus
animating pellucidity—a gem of a gin.
BENROMACH ORGANIC SCOTCH $76.99 [#166819]
Handmade by two men at Speyside’s smallest working distillery, Benromach
Organic is the first Single Malt to be fully endorsed – raw ingredients,
distillation, maturation and bottling – and certified organic to the
rigorous standards set by the Soil Association. This is a fresh, vivacious
whisky. The nose reveals sweet oak scents and rich soft fruit (plantain,
sultana, and pome). The palate exposes nougat and toffee flavors and earthy
crisped hazelnuts. The finish broadens to indistinct spices, more structured
fruit and resinous oak complexity. This is a luscious young malt with
serious oak influence.
4
COPAS REPOSADO TEQUILA $59.99 [#166348]
4 Copas makes the only certified organic Tequila in the world and each
expression is delectable. I’m going to focus on the Reposado. The nose leads
with full agave honey, Valencia oranges and Macadamia with toasted oak
accents. The flavors start with sweet citrus—bright and mild, that melds
into agave. It has a medium body that shows spice and wood at mid-palate. A
soft floral redolence (hints of cinnamon, clove and light white pepper)
smoothly lingers to a lovely finish. Holding creamy agave from end-to-end,
this is an exceptional Tequila.
March
Madness by Forrest Cokely
Well St. Patrick’s Day is coming up. From us
here at Hi-Time a review of some lovely Irish Spirits to aid your
celebrations:
BUSHMILLS
1608 400TH ANNIVERSARY $85.99 [#166802]
To lionize the 400th anniversary of being ‘licensed to distill’ by King
James I, Bushmills has released the fine, and eminently drinkable, 1608.
This whiskey is a delight-- approachable, remarkably soft, yet still
possessing depth and character. The ample nose is delicate, filled with
sherry tones, crisped almond slivers drizzled with honey, fresh turned soil,
sun dried raspberry, and currants with toasted grains in an old wood cookie
jar. This is a luscious mouthful, starting soft, big, and juicy- toffee
notes and neat grains with crisp fruit until the finish when it dries up to
clean malted cereal.
KILBEGGAN $14.99 [#116260]
Kilbeggan is a delectably suave, and delightfully inviting whiskey. This is
what most people think of when they think of Irish Whiskey: Light body, with
some spiciness, some sweetness, and a clean finish. If we search a bit from
the nose, we find traces of sweet malt, just hinting at sherry, covering
fresh grains. Delving past the scents to taste, we find that the tempting
aromas have evolved into teeming malt, flexing itself briskly (with glory)
all over the palate, gaining in sweetness as it progresses. The finish dries
up with light oak vanilla creaminess, that seems to invite us to have
another. Quite nice.
REDBREAST $38.99 [#162655]
We don’ know what you will be doing this St. Patrick’s day, but we here at
Hi-Time will be sipping on a fine Irish whiskey like Red Breast. This
triple-distilled Irish Whiskey is done in pot stills and is aged a minimum
of 12 years in oak casks. We absolutely adore this whiskey and believe it is
of the utmost quality. The nose has scents of gingersnaps and pear. Some of
the flavors that come through are maple, tobacco and dried fruit. The finish
just lasts for what seems
forever and shows anise and fudges and fades to green fruit. This is
amazingly complex Irish whiskey in a sea of bland counterparts.
IRISH MIST LIQUEUR $23.99 [#114310]
Based on an ancient recipe dating back more than 1000 years, Irish Mist
blends aged Irish whiskey with honey, herbs and other spirits to achieve a
refined, aromatic, and warming flavor. The redolent nose is elusive-- of
course there is malt and honey, but there is also a vegetal nuance that I
could detect but couldn’t pin down (like alfalfa). The taste is elegant,
robust and plenteous with more malt, honey and vegetal nuance (though now it
seems like Irish Moss). The finish is meditative and ends with a simple
sugar aftertaste. Serve chilled as an aperitif, paired with fruits, as an
excellent mixer for cocktails or in warm drinks.
MICHAEL COLLINS SINGLE MALT $42.99 [#165752]
Michael Collins Single Malt is different than most Irish Whiskey; it is
double distilled (most Irish is triple) in pot stills from 100% malted
barley (most Irish Whiskeys are blends), some of which is dried over peat
fires (MOST Irish Whiskeys are COMPLETELY Un-Peated). This is a very
different Irish Whiskey. At first sniff you are greeted with aromas of dark
chocolate, fresh cut lumber- sandalwood, and hibiscus. To taste it is
intricate maltiness - light, even, and fresh- very friendly. The finish is
where it shines: hints of chocolate are back and a light smokiness with
clean malt flavors that linger showing light spiciness, and oak notes that
gracefully fade.
POWERS IRISH WHISKEY $16.99 [#165781]
Powers Gold Label is made with a high percentage of Irish pure pot still
whiskey from the Midleton distillery (about 80%); Plentiful, multifaceted
and full of flavor, it is also considered to be Ireland’s favorite whiskey--
which is saying something! To smell Powers you find a few canned apricots or
peaches in the back buried under large malty barley with lite caramel,
followed by soft spices and a hint of dry pepper. Sharp flavors lead, fully
seasoned with pure pot still spices, with some damp wood, and more black
pepper. It seems light on the malted grains (from the nosing), and shows
more of the un-malted grains. The finish is long, round, and sour with
lingering warmth. Perfect on ice.
Back by popular demand!
Tequila Tasting at Taleo Grill!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
More details will be announced in our April
newsletter as well as on our website.
ASOMBROSO
VINTAGE ANEJO TEQUILA $989.99 [#166708] Aged 11 years in French Oak casks, this is
the oldest rested Tequila in the world.
It is, simply, exquisite. We invite
you to read the story about this
incredible Tequila. Ricardo, from AsomBroso:
"The history of this outstanding tequila
is that years ago, Enrique Fonseca Sr.,
a renown agave grower and tequila maker,
sealed a cache of his freshly distilled
tequila into a few small French Oak casks
as an experiment in making a longer-aged
Anejo, mainly for his own enjoyment. Now,
eleven years later, I have convinced his
son and my partner, Enrique Fonseca Jr.,
to let me bottle and distribute some of
this unique family legacy."
While there is no vintage nomenclature for
tequila as regulated by the Mexican CRT,
for all intents and purposes, this Classic
Vintage tequila would be worthy of an
"outstanding" or "great" rating if this
were a wine. This eleven-year-old tequila
is certified by the CRT and its offering
will be the first of its kind outside of a
select "inner circle" in Mexico.
Incredible
Tequila!
Asom Broso, "The World's Most Exclusive Tequila."
Tequila aficionados, bottle collectors, appreciators of fine spirits
everywhere, take note: this is the real deal. Currently
available in 50ml and 750ml bottles, with or without humidor.
Click on Asom Broso (above) to see the full lineup of
these extraordinary Tequilas!