Blue Ridge Mountains – Reisetbauer Holunder
Actually, I wanted to publish this post in New Year’s Eve. However, I only managed to finish it a day late, but I promise from tomorrow on it will only be Dry January content! Until now, I never had an elderberry eau de vie. Yet, I was too intrigued not to try it. Once again, I consulted my good friend Torben for his advice. In the end, I made a version of his “Am Fuße der Berge” cocktail.
For their elderberry eau de vie, Reisetbauer cleans and then destems the elderberries. Fermentation takes place in a stainless steel tank at 18 °C for 18 days. All in all, it takes 35 kg to distil line litre of eau de vie.
Powerful wild fruit notes
Yes, you get the impression of elderberries with this eau de vie. Yet, there is much more to discover, for instance a typical wild fruit note in combination with some marzipan. I even got the association of cacao. Apart from that, you can also find some hints of apples and a noticeable menthol flavour.
Eau de vie, port, champagne
Maybe you could classify this drink as a Prince of Wales variation. However, as mentioned above the simple combination of eau de vie, port, bitters and champagne is a direct descendant of Torben’s drink. Yet, since I went with a Zero Dosage champagne, I used reserve port instead of a dry, white one.
2 cl Qunita de la Rosa Reserve Port
Top off with Petit Clergeot Blanc de Noirs Chevry Cuvée Fut
Stir – strain – chilled Champagne glass – top off with champagne;
Garnish: No Garnish;
Song: Fleet Foxes – Blue Ridge Mountains;
This is not a champagne drink for beginners. While the port emphasizes the berry notes of the eau de vie, the resulting cocktail is quite dry with noticeable tannins. It really makes a great Aperitif, but you have to be up for that kind of thing.
*The fact that I received a product reviewed in this article for free, did not – in any way – influence the rating of said product. The eau de vie was provided by Reisetbauer.
