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!

The House Of Tippler by Sip Or Mix

The House of Tippler

Having worked in London for some time now it's always a real pleasure to meet up with good colleagues in old stomping grounds, particularly if it's in a new venue and especially if it is their own!

Welcome to Tim Oakley's House of Tippler in East Dulwich.

We first went out a while back on a Monday (H. o T. is closed) to take The Tippler Team through the Sip Or Mix portfolio and talk specifically about Absinthe :-)

Like all good neighbourhood bars The Tippler is good to its' neighbours and had invited the Adventure Bar from across the road, formally known as Inside 72. They were particularly taken with SW4 London Dry Gin. 

This Thursday's visit was to run through some cocktails with Tim and the very competent Max Whitney. First up we conducted some due diligence and Max made a Daiquiri with the new Unaged, White Rum from St Nicholas Abbey - nothing to worry about there then :-)

Next up was Tim's drink:

Smoking H. o T.

by

Tim Oakley

50ml Tequila Blanco

15ml Jade Perique Tobacco Liqueur

10ml Cane Syrup

25ml Lime

2 drops Abbots Bitters

2 drops Jade VS 1898 Verte Absinthe

Shake all ingredients in a Boston and strain into a coupette.

The nose of this Margarita style drink is surprisingly, really smoky (think Islay or Mezcal), the palate is clean and fresh with very distinct Perique notes throughout. The Bitters and Absinthe add more complexity and hold the whole thing together for great balance. All in all a fine drink and will be making it onto the new cocktail menu so you can try it for yourself. 

Probably a Swizzle

by

Max Whitney

25ml London Dry Gin

25ml La Maison Fontaine

10ml Creme de Mure

10ml Creme de Cassis

15ml Lemon Juice

50ml Apple Juice

Pile all the ingredients into a glass. The garnish is an ice cube float with raspberries and a lemon twist resting in. This will be a summer hit - if we ever get one of course... It's very easy drinking, fruity with a rich, creamy mouthfeel.  This is designed to make people re-think about Absinthe in cocktails, the flavours  and complexity of La Maison Fontaine come through nicely but in no way is the drink dominated by anise and fennel flavours. Nice one Max! Now you may have noticed the rather hefty amount of  alcohol in Max's recipe and perhaps the odd name? Quite simply this cocktail doesn't have a name yet and it will probably be pared-down to a Swizzle....

The design of House of Tippler is very cool, well thought out and draws on influences from the 1920's through to the 1960's. It also makes very good use of the space, with different parts of the bar offering a different ambiance.

The space is growing too with the newly opened garden at the back with a herb garden in progress to boot! The front of the bar opens out onto the street and offers an inclusive feel to smokers and the outside, which must be great in the sunshine....

 

The attention to detail at House of Tippler is very impressive throughout. It obviously going to be a big hit! So the next time you're at a loose end why not hop on the 176 bus and visit

The Horniman Museum (just an idea) and on the way back drop off at The House of Tippler on Lordship Lane, East Dulwich. You will not be disappointed, unless you go on a Monday of course, because House of Tippler is closed on Mondays.