Events 2016

2.30pm - 5pm  Wednesday 17th February 2016  The Looking Glass, E2

History & Mystery of Absinthe with T.A. Breaux The History and Mystery of Absinthe with the legendary T.A.Breaux, including a tasting of the Sip Or Mix Absinthe Portfolio, followed by a Q. & A.

A research scientist, Absinthe Historian & Distiller, Ted is also famous the world over for being at the forefront of the recent absinthe renaissance. He will guide us through the complexities and misunderstandings of this much maligned spirit. This is coupled with a tasting provided by  Sip Or Mix  of:

La Maison Fontaine Absinthes and Jade Liqueurs Absinthes.

We will also have Ted Breaux's Jade Perique Tobacco Liqueur and La Maison Fontaine's Chocolat Liqueur on tasting.

Please contact The Looking Glass to Book a place.  


6.30 pm -8.30 pm Friday 19th February 2016
The National Gallery
Absinthe, or 'the green fairy', fuelled 19th-century French artistic creativity. Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec drank this wormwood liquor heavily, while Manet and Degas made it the subject of their paintings. Discover the scandalous history and enduring mystique of absinthe with master distiller Ted Breaux, and explore Manet's Corner of a Café-Concert in a talk by Jo Rhymer.
For those who would like to sample this alcoholic drink, we close with an absinthe tasting of La Maison Fontaine and Jade Absinthes  sponsored by Sip Or Mix       

Raffaelli's - Absinthe Drinkers          (pic)
 

10.30am - 6pm Tuesday 23rd February 2016

Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London.

Enotria and Coe Vintners Showcase Tasting

4.30pm - 7pm  Friday 26th February 2016 
Hedonism Wines, Mayfair, London 

We are very pleased to be back in Hedonism tasting both SW4 London Dry Gin and also St Nicholas Abbey Rum

Full of Eastern Promise...

Valentine's Day is nearly upon us and whether you are arsed or not, it's a good reason to design a new cocktail. 

We were planning to host a retail tasting on Friday 13th, we were asked to show a cocktail using SW4 London Dry Gin and Combier UK Rose Creme Liqueur....

This got me thinking about Turkish Delight, more specifically Fry's Turkish Delight. Which in turn, got me thinking about La Maison Fontaine Chocolat...  

Initially, I tried a layered shot with the Rose and Chocolat and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it worked rather well...  Then to the task of making a proper cocktail... Sour Styley and lo...    

Full of Eastern Promise... 

25ml SW4 London Dry Gin

20ml La Maison Fontaine Chocolat

20ml Combier Creme Rose Liqueur

20ml Lemon Juice

20ml Egg White

3 drops Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters

These measurements are by no means fixed, more Gin, less egg white, more Chocolat etc. are all possible... It's all a matter of tasting and tinkering. These ratios worked for me. Maybe a tad more Gin... :-)

Method: Dry shake (without ice) all the ingredients together bar the Bitters, then add the ice and shake more vigorously. Strain into a chilled coupette. Garnish with quality cocktail cherries and add the 3 x drops of Bitters.
Profile: Good balance between sweet and sour, juicy acidity gets the palate salivating, quickly tempered by soft sweetness. SW4 is a solid Gin with good backbone, can't go wrong there. The rose is delightful and works well with the floral notes of the Grand Wormwood from the Chocolat. All the while, there's the unifying aromatic hint of the Bitters and a silky chocolate backdrop. So, is it "Full of Eastern Promise"? Well, given that's the tagline for Fry's Turkish Delight, I'd say this cocktail gets far closer to delivering...
No, that is not my Fry's Turkish Delight in the photo. Yes, of course you can have it.

Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure

Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure arrives following several years of historical sleuthing, botanical research, and patience.  This mature, handcrafted spirit represents the final release in the Jade Liqueurs® portfolio of historically accurate absinthes.  Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure was created as homage to one of the most interesting absinthes of the fabled Belle Époque.  What set this renowned product apart from its peers is that it was highly publicized as having been subjected to a specialized hot oxygenation process originally believed to render the final spirit hygienic, and therefore free of any potentially deleterious properties.  The original brand was the subject of widespread publicity, sold at a premium, and was exported to various ports around the globe. 

 

 

Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure is artisanally distilled from the same botanicals as the original acclaimed oxygenated absinthe, with the addition of a healthy dose of a particularly interesting species of wormwood harvested from the foothills of the Alps, which contributes to the bold flavor of this handcrafted absinthe.  Always true to the originals, Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure is also subjected to a bespoke hot oxygenation process that closely mirrors the original technique.  And while this twist from the past asserts its own character to the spirit, it’s only with long term maturation that it is ready for bottling.

Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure represents the most powerful expression of the spirit in the Jade portfolio.  Bold yet creamy, it features potent aromatics and a lengthy, stimulating aftertaste that recalls the medicinal origins of the spirit.   Jade Terminus Oxygénée Absinthe Supérieure is carefully distilled by T. A. Breaux, using the original 19th century absinthe alembics in the historical Combier distillery.   

T.A. Breaux loading Artemisia Absinthium , 1100L copper alembic, Combier 2013

The above text is taken straight from the Jade Website and offers us some insight into the unique production techniques used by Jade to ensure an historically accurate and truly authentic Absinthe.  

We at Sip Or Mix have now received our shipment into the UK and have already dispatched orders to Speciality Drinks and Master of Malt, with more to follow. If you would like any info about stocking any Jade products please contact jenny@sipormix.com.

 

Before Louching:

 

The colour is crisp, bright and crystal clear. An interesting 'chartreuse colour' which is a combination of both green and yellow. The nose offers up rich, deep anise, good wormwood and high herbal notes.  

The louche is thick, dense and very oily. Once the liquid is louched it becomes very viscous and creamy.

 

The nose after louching is naturally, softer than straight from the bottle, although it retains the big anise and herbaceous notes. 

The expectation on the palate is instantly fulfilled on tasting. Really big and bold anise and herbal flavours, quite dry to the point of being almost bitter. Incredible, viscous mouthfeel which starts to anesthetise the palate almost instantly. Great integration of flavours and complexity. The finish is long and uplifting with lighter floral notes kicking in.

 

 

In conclusion this is a fantastic addition to the Jade Absinthe collection and compliments the rest of the range perfectly. The Terminus Oxygenee is big and bold with a quite different flavour profile to any other Jade.   We are convinced this will undoubtedly become a new favourite for many veteran absintheurs.   On second tasting, a couple of days later, the Oxygenee has softened and shows even further integration of flavour and balance.

 

    

Sip Or Mix Events Calender

Saturday 28th June 2014, 2-6pm - Hedonism Wines, Mayfair. Customer Absinthe sampling of La Maison Fontaine and Jade Liqueurs - with Master Distiller, Ted Breaux from Jade Liqueurs present.

Tuesday 1st July 2014, 10.30 - 17.30 - Imbibe Live 2014 - Olympia Grand, Stand E120 (Trade Only)

Wednesday 2nd July 2014, 10.30 - 17.30 -Imbibe Live 2014 - Olympia Grand, Stand E120 (Trade Only)

We will have the full Sip Or Mix portfolio available for tasting. With Brand Owners; Martin Price SW4 London Dry Gin, Mark Stringer La Maison Fontaine Absinthe, Franck Choisne Combier and Ted Breaux Jade Absinthes and Jade Perique Tobacco Liqueur all on hand.

Saturday 5th July 2014, 1pm onwards - Tomoka, St Albans. Customer Absinthe sampling with Ted Breaux from Jade Liqueurs.

Monday 7th July - Bartender Absinthe Masterclass with T.A. Breaux at Skylon - invite only.

Tuesday 8th July - Bartender Masterclass with T.A. Breaux at The Zetter Townhouse - invite only.

Wednesday 9th July - 3-5pm - Bartender Masterclass with T.A. Breaux at .The Goat, Fulham.

Wednesday 9th July - 8pm - History and Mystery of Absinthe with T.A. Breaux at The Goat, Fulham. Open to the general public.

Saturday 2nd August - London visit with Dale DeGroff - more details to follow.

Thursday 7th August -  Sunday 10th August - Absinthe Weekender at Public House - more details to follow

Tasting Diary:

 

Throughout the following tastings we will also have Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters available to taste and purchase.

Wednesday 27th November 2013:

The Whisky Exchange - Vinopolis, London Bridge, SE1
1pm onwards - We will be tasting SW4 London Dry Gin 40% and also the Batch 47%.
We might even have some Combier Kummel with us to make some of our favourite cocktail the 'Silver Bullet'. 

Thursday 28th November 2013:

Amathus Soho - Wardour Street, Soho, W1
5pm onwards - We will be tasting both La Maison Fontaine  Absinthes and Chocolat & Jade Liqueurs Absinthes. We will be offering a special deal on La Maison Fontaine - buy any 2 x 70cl and get a La Maison Fontaine Blanche 20cl FREE of charge.

Friday 29th November 2013:

Gerry's - Old Compton Street, Soho, W1
1pm - 5.45pm - we will be tasting tasting both La Maison Fontaine Absinthes and Chocolat & Jade Liqueurs Absinthes.

Friday 29th November 2013:

City Beverage Company - Old Street, Shoreditch, EC1
 6.45pm - 8.30pm - We will be tasting Jade Liqueurs Perique Tobacco Liqueur, Combier Kummel and Combier l'Original Triple Sec.

Wednesday 4th December 2013:

The Whisky Exchange - Vinopolis, London Bridge, SE1
1pm onwards - We will be tasting Jade Liqueurs Perique Tobacco Liqueur, Combier Kummel and Combier l'Original Triple Sec, Elixir, Royal & La Maison Fontaine Chocolat.

Thursday 5th December 2013:

Gerry's - Old Compton Street, Soho, W1
1pm onwards - SW4 London Dry Gin 40% Batch 47% and Combier Kummel  to make some of our favourite cocktal the 'Silver Bullet'. We will have some other Sip Or Mix Liqueurs with us too...

Friday 6th December 2013:

The Whisky Exchange - Vinopolis, London Bridge, SE1
1pm onwards - We will be tasting tasting both La Maison Fontaine Absinthes & Jade Liqueurs Absinthes.

 

Tuesday 10th December 2013:

Hedonism Wines - Davies Street, Mayfair, W1
4pm - 8pm - We will be tasting St Nicholas Abbey Unaged,  White Rum and St Nicholas Abbey 10 Year Old Rum.

 

Tuesday 11th December 2013:

Hedonism Wines - Davies Street, Mayfair, W1
4pm - 8pm - We will be tasting both La Maison Fontaine Absinthes & Jade Liqueurs Absinthes.

Friday 13th December 2013:

City Beverage Company - Old Street, Shoreditch, EC16.45pm onwards - We will be tasting tasting both La Maison Fontaine Blanche Absinthe & Jade Liqueurs Esprit Edouard Absinthe.

Monday 16th December 2013:

The Whisky Exchange - Vinopolis, London Bridge, SE1
1pm onwards - We will be tasting St Nicholas Abbey Unaged, White Rum and St Nicholas Abbey 10 Year Old Rum. We will also have some of the extremely rare St Nicholas Abbey 15 year Old Rum to both sample and purchase.

 

Friday 20th December 2013:

Gerry's - Old Compton Street, Soho, W1
1pm onwards - We will be tasting both La Maison Fontaine Absinthes & Jade Liqueurs Absinthes.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!

 

                        

SIP OR MIX - STAND C106

Register Here

Here is the full portfolio we'll be exhibiting: (the hyperlinks are to reviews)

SW4 London Dry Gin  & SW4 Batch 47 London Dry Gin

St Nicholas Abbey Unaged, White Rum

St Nicholas Abbey 10 Year Old Rum

Combier Kummel (1880's)

Combier l'Original Triple Sec (1834)

Royal Combier (1920s)

Combier Elixir (1852)

Jade Perique Tobacco Liquer

Jade Nouvelle Orleans Absinthe

Jade 1901 Absinthe

Jade V.S. 1898 Absinthe

Jade Edouard Absinthe

La Maison Fontaine Chocolat

La Maison Fontaine Blanche

La Maison Fontaine Verte

Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters
 

We will have many of our Brand Owners on hand throughout the show and several Guest Bar Tenders.

Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters.

 

We would like to think that everyone has heard of Dale DeGroff but from experience, we know this is not necessarily so.

 

Here's Dale's Craft of the Cocktail Book and here is Dale's Website.

 

As Ian Cameron (Class Magazine 13/09/12) points out:

 

"Hey, he practically invented the bar."

 

and

"He's arguably the most famous living bartender in the world....."

 

It was some time back when Dale got frustrated that he could not find that 'particular' Pimento flavour that he was after for his drinks. Fortunately for us, Dale is friends with Ted Breaux Master Distiller Extraordinaire of  Jade Liqueurs and Absinthe fame. So they decided to team up. Dale sought  a very specific Pimento flavour profile while Ted has a geek's attention to detail, making  only authenticly hand crafted, small batch products. A perfect fit! As Francine Cohen quite correctly points out in Review: Inside F. & B. we now get to talk about Dale and Ted's Excellent Adventure!

 

After much research and sample batches going back and forth between Dale and Ted - Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters were born. We've since been lucky enough to try the Bitters in many drinks and think they are an essential ingredient to any bartenders armoury. Dale recommends using his Bitters in these cocktails.

 

Here are just a few of the press reviews Dale DeGroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters have received:

Review: Simon Difford

 

Review: The Examiner

 

Review: Drink Spirits

 

Review: NY Times

 

Review: The Imbiber

 

Review: Food and Wine

A couple of new cocktails using La Maison Fontaine® Chocolat and La Maison Fontaine® Verte.

Miam Flip

Miam is French slang for 'yum', a fitting reference to the reaction of the consumer after their first taste.

Ingredients:

35ml La Maison Fontaine® Chocolat
15ml dark over-proof rum
10ml Combier l'Original Triple Sec
1 dash orange bitters
1 medium egg or 15ml double cream
Pinch of salt

Method: Shake all ingredients & strain into stemmed glass without ice.

Garnish: Grated nutmeg

 

La Maison Fontaine® Verte – Cobbler Verte

A cobbler was originally a wine glass full of fruit, which evolved into the muddling of the fruit into the drink. This cobbler combines pepper notes with old friends strawberry & orange.

Ingredients:

30ml La Maison Fontaine® Verte
10ml SW4 London Dry Gin
25ml strawberry purée
15ml fresh lemon juice
15ml fresh orange juice
10ml sugar syrup (to taste)
5 basil leaves

Method: Add first 6 ingredients into glass & press basil leaves to bruise skin. Squeeze & drop into glass 1 lemon wedge & one orange wedge. Press the wedges with a muddler to release oils. Top with crushed ice & churn. Crown with crushed ice and fruit section.

Garnish: Basil, strawberry & a slice of lemon & orange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Maison Fontaine and Sip Or Mix are very pleased to announce the introduction of two new Finest French Absinthe products.

Following the success of the unique multiple award-winning Fontaine Blanche Absinthe, La Maison Fontaine is continuing to forge a path into the realms of originality with the introduction of the unique:

La Maison Fontaine Chocolat (25% ABV, 70cl) – a chocolate absinthe liqueur. Inspired by a handwritten 1920'sCrème de Cacao recipe found in the recipe books of La Maison Fontaine's Pontarlier distillery, the Fontaine Chocolat has a sweet richness combined with apparent notes of absinthe and chocolate, which creates a unique soft liqueur.

The range is completed with the addition of a more traditionally recognisable green absinthe:

La Maison Fontaine Verte (55% ABV, 70cl) - that provides a classic complex floral Verte with rich herbal and peppery notes. A close relative to the World's most awarded blanche absinthe – Fontaine Blanche – characterised by the world famous Pontarlier–grown Grande Absinthe and the natural herbal coloration.

Mark Stringer a Founding Partner commented:

 

“Our aim has always been to drive a greater understanding of this exceptionally exciting, alluring yet often misunderstood category, but also to create products that offered a volume opportunity for the industry. La Maison Fontaine has established itself a class leader and launching a verte felt like a natural extension but we wanted to go further than that, and push the boundaries with a totally unique offering and opportunity for the industry".

Allan Gage, La Maison Fontaine's tastemaker and owner of Sweet & Chilli bar and Cocktail Consultancy said:

 

“outside of gin, absinthe is probably the most exciting category in the industry, and after playing around with these products it's unbelievable the versatility that both the Chocolat and Verte offer.

Tom Sodden and I have created signature cocktails and pours we expect to see adopted across the world, but Chocolat in particular has enabled us to develop drinks which are some of the most exciting drinks we have created in the last 5 years”.

  

Sip Or Mix Prize Draw

 

 

 

Happy New Year! 

We have yet to meet a bar tender, brand manager, human being etc. who has not shown a desire to own their very own absinthe fountain. We would love to furnish everyone with one but alas....

 

So, we've decided on a prize draw, with an Absinthe fountain and a bottle of  La Maison Fontaine as the prize. This fountain is not for your bar but for you to take home and enjoy!

 

The rules are simple:

 

1. Just show us you have La Maison Fontaine stocked in your bar.

 (All members of staff are welcome to enter)

If you do not have a bar - simply show that you ordered a La Maison Fontaine (LMF cocktails allowed) when out and about....

 

Pictures can be posted to:

 

https://twitter.com/SipOrMix

 

https://www.facebook.com/SipOrMixLtd

 

https://www.facebook.com/SipOrMix

 

 

There will be additional "Sip Or Mix" prizes for the best photos.

 

We will also run a draw for Jade with some 20cls as prizes...

 

Time to get snapping, sipping and mixing....

 

 

Draw closes Friday 15th Febuary 2013

Sip Or Mix to handle Combier UK

Sip Or Mix is an independent Importing, Distribution and Brand Management company based in central London. The company focus is on Small Batch, Hand-Crafted, Artisanal and Authentic Spirits and Liqueurs. The current portfolio consists of; St Nicholas Abbey Rum, SW4 London Dry Gin, La Maison Fontaine Absinthe and Jade Liqueurs.

Sip Or Mix is very pleased to announce they are now adding some key Combier products to their portfolio.

The Combier Distillery in 2012 - designed by Gustave Eiffel

COMBIER is the oldest distillery of the Loire Valley which is still active today and dates back to 1834. Jean Baptiste COMBIER and his wife were confectioners who wanted to add a little something 'extra' to their sweets in the way of a new flavoured liqueur. They consequently developed the worlds first Triple Sec which became so popular they gave up the confectionery side of the business to distill full-time.

“TRIPLE SEC” (an orange liqueur) nowadays named l’Original Combier

Dried bitter orange peels from Haiti and dried sweet orange peels from Valencia are still used today just as they were back in the 1830's. They are soaked in water overnight and are stripped by hand of the very bitter pith. These peels are then macerated in alcohol and run through the 130 year old alembic copper pot stills pictured above. Only the "heart" of the distillation is used which is then run through the alembics a second time. (Originally they would have produced the base spirit at the distillery as well, hence the name "Triple Sec" or "triple distilled") Sugar crystals are added and the distillate is finally reduced to 40% when bottled. In these modern times it's tempting to streamline production, buy cheaper ingredients and seek to cut costs through better technology. While we must admit that this is necessary for some producers in the 21st Century, it's always rewarding to come across a producer who retains an attention to detail and historical accuracy such as at Combier. The very first "Triple Sec" is consequently as close as possible to its' original recipe today, as it was back in the 1830's.

 “ELIXIR COMBIER” (a plants liqueur)

Another Combier product true to its historical roots is the newly re-released Élixir Combier dating from 1852.

"Jean Baptiste Combier’s acclaimed 19th century Élixir Combier is an exotic blend of herbs, plants and other botanicals from France’s Loire Valley, Africa, India and Southeast of Asia. It is unearthed anew from Combier’s 177 year old distillery’s very own private archives after having been discontinued for decades since its creation in 1852."

It's clear from the reproduced label that this indeed was very popular back in its heyday, it's festooned with medals; Angers 1852, Laval 1852 & 1857, Lemans 1857, Bordeaux 1859 & 1863 plus many more. Élixir Combier even seems to have played a role at the famous "Exhibition Philadelphie" of 1876 - the United States first World's Fair celebrating 100 years of Independence.

Élixir Combier is labelled as a "Liqueur Hygienique De Dessert"

Liqueur and Dessert suggest sweetness and after dinner.  'Hygienic' in this sense is simply a generic term for promoting and preserving health. Unlike some other 19th century 'preparations' wild health giving claims Élixir Combier was simply used as a pleasant tasting, after dinner digestif.  

The botanical mix is both exotic and eclectic with things like saffron, fennel and even myrrh - all of which were known for their respective healing properties in the 19th Century.

Royal Combier

"Royal Combier was created in 1910 by James Combier. Much appreciated by connoisseur drinkers in Europe it is blended from Combier’s old Elixir Combier, a type of « cure-all » medicinal plant drink very fashionable in the 19th century, and distilled sweet-orange spirits and Cognac. Its primary elixir base is strictly prepared following Jean-Baptiste Combier’s Elixir Combier recipe, a bitter tasting plant-based recipe typical of 19th century elixirs. Following Jame’s Combier 1910 changes to his father’s original recipe, several spices including Angelica, Saffron, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Cloves are added to the elixir base. In keeping with James Combier’s 1910 indications, a separate distillation of sweet-orange spirits is also combined to soften the original plant-based infusion and create a sweeter, subtler liqueur where final character is bestowed by a touch of Cognac."

Doppelt Combier Kummel Extra

Kummel has been around since the late 1500's and is interchanged with meaning either Caraway or Cumin. Combier first made Kummel back in the 1850's and have again re-released an historically authentic product from their recipe archives of the 19th Century.

Doppelt Combier Kummel Extra is a blend of Caraway, Cumin and Fennel. 'Doppelt' translates as 'double' and simply means double the standard botanical bill is used which adds intensity and concentration of flavour. I would suggest that 'extra' simply means the sugar content and therefore the Kummel qualifies as a liqueur, even if it does weigh in at 38% abv. 

Bastille Day Festival Absinthe Sampling with Sip Or Mix

We are very pleased to be present throughout the whole day during the Bastille Day Festival, at Borough Market on Saturday 14th July, sampling the Sip Or Mix Absinthe Portfolio.

We will first be in the French Street Market in Park Street between 12 noon and 5pm.  After the Park Street Fair we will move into Borough Market for the party where we will continue sampling from 6pm till 12 midnight.

Will will have our white fairy La Maison Fontaine on sampling and available to purchase.

We will also have our green fairy Jade Liqueurs  on sampling and available to purchase throughout the day.

An added treat is we will have Absinthe Historian and Master Distiller T.A. Breaux available to chat to and to sign his reverse engineered Jade Liqueurs Absinthes...

We look forward to seeing you on the day!

Come visit us at Imbibe Live 2012 on Stand G112.

We will have all of the Sip Or Mix portfolio on tasting including the new additions!

St Nicholas Abbey's New Unaged, White Rum.

Also New is Dale DeGroff's Pimento Bitters, made by Ted Breaux of Jade Liqueurs who will also be present throughout the show!

New to us are some liqueurs from the Combier Distillery and we are lucky to have a small sample of Combier's New Elixir from a recipe dating back to 1852.

We will of course have all our favourite Absinthes available; La Maison Fontaine and all four Jades as well as St Nicholas Abbey 10 year old, Ted Breaux's Jade Perique Tobacco Liquer and SW4 London Dry Gin.

Cannot wait to see you there!