Oronoco - Premium Brazilian Rum !

These days more and more Brazilian rum's, known in Brazil as Cachaça's are crowding the US market. Most of them are of mediocre quality. Diageo is importing the Oronoco Rum, a Brazilian premium rum. This rum is made from fresh-cut Brazilian mountain cane juice which lends it a nice, natural smoothness. It is that smoothness that makes this rum a favorite in São Paulo's sizzling club scene--a city known for long and exciting nights. The rum starts out as a triple column and copper pot distilled and is then cut with aged South American rums. After that the rum is aged in casks made from Brazilian Amendoim wood. The whole production is batch produced and numbered and comes in a cool, stylish bottle with a leather wrap.

Faretti Biscotti Famosi - Liquid Italian Cookies !

If you like real Italian biscottis--well then you will love this Italian liqueur. Faretti Biscotti Famosi is made in a town in Northern Italy, near Lake Como, where the biscotti cookies are still baked in real fire brick ovens. This delicious biscotti liqueur is sweet and delicate with hints of nuts, citrus and anise. It is lusciously smooth in flavor and is sure to impress you and your friends. Try it with coffee, or, believe it or not, with a glass milk. One thing is for sure; This is a lady pleaser. It actually is a secret weapon. At the end of that meal or date--pull out a bottle of Faretti Biscotti Famosi and just watch what happens! And as always; You heard it here first.

Check It Out - New Bottles For Your Entertainment !

Here are a few new different libations options you may want to know about:

Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur
Bacmar International LLC brings this new liqueur called Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur to the USA. Produced in Holland, it contains a blend of aged Virgin Island rum, fresh Dutch cream, black tea from India, premium spirits from Holland and a distinctive blend of spices from Asia. It's sold in a resealable, 50ml glass bottle, with an alcohol content of 12.5% by volume (25 proof). New and very plesant. It was about time to get your Chai fix with some booze.


Olive's Juice for Dirty Martinis
New from Tiburon, CA-based Olive's Juice produces this olive juice to be used when preparing what is known as a dirty martini. Distributed in the USA in a tall, slim 12.7 fl. oz. (375ml), frosted glass bottle, this product contains olive juice, water, vinegar and salt, while the label features a recipe for a "divine dirty martini." The product is shelf stable, with refrigeration required after opening.


Dom Ruinart 1996 Champagne Brut
French-based Champagne Ruinart just released their Dom Ruinart 1996 Champagne Brut. It's made from a prestigious vintage, since it has been produced only with the Chardonnay varietal, and is dedicated to the benedictine monk Dom Ruinart, who founded the Ruinart company. The Champagne is offered in an overboxed 75cl glass bottle.


80 Strong - Bourbon
Bardstown, KY-based Strong Spirits, Inc. has a new bourbon out called "80 Strong".
Described as a "small-batch, premium authentic" Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, this 80 Strong has sensuous aromas of vanilla and hazelnut, lusty notes of caramel, hints of fruits and almonds, and is delicious on ice or mixed. The 40 percent alcohol by volume (80 proof) "fully matured" whiskey is sold in a 750ml bottle. It has a retro sexy label that is said to revive the classic pin-up girl updated to contemporary standards of style.

Dish D'Lish Cocktailor - Mini Bottles
WA-based Kathy Casey Inc. introduced their Cocktailor Cocktail Mixes in new 50ml "Mini" bottles. Cocktailor Cocktail Mixes are high end mixers that make creating exciting cocktails at home a breeze.The liquid mix comes in Classic Cosmo, Sapphire Mojito, Lemon & Lime Sour and Red Sangria Mix varieties. A Pomegranate Margarita variety is said to be coming soon. A great item to have in the house if you entertain with your bar.

Vincent Van Gogh Vodka - New Flavors
Ontario, FL-based Van Gogh Spirits offers exciting vodkas. They have launched a couple of new flavors - Black Cherry and Double Espresso Double Caffeine. Vincent Van Gogh Flavored Vodka is imported from Holland, and distributed to the USA by Van Gogh Spirits. The Black Cherry and Double Espresso Double Caffeine varieties both have (70 proof), 35% alcohol by volume content. The Double Espresso variety throws in 90mg of caffeine that may keep you awake whilst a little buzzed.

Godiva Liqueur Mini Sampler
Godiva Chocolatier is now offering a Mini-Sampler of their chocolate liqueurs. The new boxed Godiva Liqueur Mini Sampler contains 4, 50ml bottles of Godiva Liqueurs including Original, White Chocolate, Chocolate and Cappuccino flavors. That is a gift that most ladies will get excited about!

Liquid Core
Lake Oswego, OR-based Charge Beverage launched their newest alcoholic energy drink, Liquid Core. They describe it as "Crisp-Clean-Charged-Berry Smooth".Liquid Core is the second beverage offering from the company. Deriving its energy boost from a very common blend of Taurine, Caffeine, Ginseng and Guarana, and it comes with an alcohol content of 6.9%. Available now in various retail stores throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Alaska and Idaho.

Deviation Dessert Wine
Produced by Quady Winery, it's described as an infusion of damiana and scented geranium into their Essensia Orange Muscat dessert wine. Damiana is a plant that has a very pleasant herbal character which is reputed to have aphrodisiac properties, while scented geranium is said to be used in witchcraft where practitioners supposedly employ its hauntingly seductive aroma in "love potions". It has an aroma of the scented geranium melding gracefully with the orange muscat, with a herbal minty taste of damiana.

Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc White Beer
The new Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc is the refreshing, fruity, White Beer imported from France. The 5 percent ABV premium draught and bottled white beer has been created by the master brewers of Brasseries Kronenbourg, inspired by the 13th century Cervoise simple brewing style. Its underlying tones of coriander and cloves with a balance of subtle citrus and soft fruit flavors are intriguingly distinctive. It comes in a 500ml bottle. White beer - thats a real head turner!

Smirnoff Flavored Vodka - Lime
Smirnoff is one of the top vodkas and it now comes in a Lime variety. Available in the USA in 50ml, 200ml, 375ml, 750ml, 1 liter and 1.75 liter glass bottles, the 750ml size. It's made by using the same triple distillation and proprietary filtration process as the original vodka and is also highly mixable.



Bailey's - Caramel & Mint Varieties
Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur is available in the USA in new, "With a Hint of Caramel" and "With a Hint of Mint Chocolate" flavors as a limited editions offering from Diageo North America. Both varieties come in a darker colored 1 liter (750ml) bottle, and are flagged as "17 percent alcohol by volume". These served over ice are another one of the garantued lady pleasers.

Zima XXX - Fruit Punch
A new flavor is available by Zima XXX - Fruit Punch. This makes five flavors in all, joining Black Cherry, Green Apple, Orange, and Lemon Lime. Zima XXX is kinda like a knock-off on the "Mike's Hard Lemonade" line of alcoholic fruit drinks. The new Zima XXX Fruit Punch contains 5.9% alcohol by volume, and will be available in the US and Canada.

Louis XIII Black Pearl – A Gem is Born !

The house of Rémy Martin introduces the ultimate in luxury – Louis XIII Black Pearl. Presented in a Baccarat decanter with metallic sheen, this rare and special edition of Louis XIII comes from a single barrel, specially selected from the family’s personal reserve at the historical estate Le Grollet. Only 786 bottles of Black Pearl will be made, making this luxurious experience possible for just a few select individuals in the world. As a matter of fact, the sale of this product to buyers is by invitation only! Louis XIII is moving away from the traditional and has looked to the future, resulting in a unique decanter of crystal caressing steel that combines classicism and modernity; chosen to symbolise the original Louis XIII carafe found by a peasant in 1850 on the site of the battle of Jarnac. The technology for its creation has never been commercially available before, and the marriage with such a precious liquid is truly a benchmark in the luxury world. Each hand-blown carafe housing eaux-de-vie from the century-old barrel C100-29 will be individually numbered from 001 – 786 with a small allocation of Black Pearl being available to luxury aficionados from early 2007. Nicknamed the King of cognacs, Louis XIII has since its creation been the cognac of Kings and famously enjoyed by the likes of Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill. Louis XIII is made up of some one thousand two hundred eaux-de-vie, originating solely from the grapes in the Grande Champagne region; the finest and most sought after vineyards in all of Cognac. The special edition Black Pearl is the brand’s first launch in 20 years.

Chartreuse - The Silent Green !

I'm into everything that can be consumed and collected with pleasure, and has a vintage extension to it. My biggest passion are the vintage Cognacs. Right behind them comes vintage Chartreuse. I love to find and taste bottles as old as 150 years. Chartreuse is a very unique liqueur with a unique taste and character and also a unique past. In 1605, Francois Hannibal d’Estrees, Marshal of the French King’s artillery, gave the Carthusian fathers at their monastery in Vauvert, near Paris, an already ancient manuscript bearing the title "Elixir of Long Life". This manuscript was sent to La Grande Chartreuse. At La Grande Chartreuse there was an apothecary, Brother Jerome Maubec, who served the medical needs of the monastery and the residents of the local area. Early in the 18th century, Brother Maubec undertook the task of unraveling the manuscript’s complex directions for compounding the "Elixir of Long Life." Brother Maubec died before completing this challenge but, on his deathbed, he passed what he had learned on to his successor, Brother Antoine. Brother Antoine completed the translation of the recipe in 1737 and, although it apparently did not prolong life, with 130 herbs and spices infused into a base of 71 percent wine alcohol, it did have many
curative powers. The monks became distillers of this medicinal elixir. Chartreuse—named for its green hue—has survived revolutions, landslides, and tangles with the French government, which twice attempted to appropriate the recipe. In 1810, Napoléon ordered that all secret medicinal recipes be delivered to the ministry of the interior, but the em­peror returned the Chartreuse recipe to the monks without divulging its contents. In 1903, the monks temporarily fled to Spain with the recipe when the French government nationalized the distilling industry. Russian Tsar Nicolas II insisted that a bottle of Chartreuse always be on his table. Today, the Alpine herb liqueur is still made by Carthusian monks, whose tradition of silence prevents them from speaking of the secret ingredients. Three of the monks, who have been trained by their predecessors in the art of distilling Chartreuse, occasionally leave their cells for a short period of time and make the liqueurs. Each monk only knows a third of the recipe. They then return to the solitude of their cells. It is the labors of these three monks that provide the Carthusians the sustenance to pursue their quiet lives of meditation and prayer.
They just launched a premium retro product, the Chartreuse V.E.P. (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolongé) which is made from those same ingredients as the traditional green liqueur, but extra-long aging makes it heady and herbaceous, with just a touch of sweetness. The bottle is a replica of the packaging that was used in 1840.

Now Thats A Gin - Distillery No. 209 !

San Francisco’s South Beach waterfront district has been a hotbed of activity for the past few years: It is home to the Giants’ AT&T Park, wonderful restaurants, some of the city’s most desirable Bay Bridge–view condominiums, and, now, a gin distillery. Housed in a warehouse on Pier 50, Distillery 209 is owned by Leslie Rudd, proprietor of Rudd Vineyards & Winery in Napa Valley and of the gourmet institution of Dean & DeLuca. That fact really turned on my radar on this Gin. I'm usually not too hot about Gin and have never ordered it from a bar. Distillery 209 has changed my view of Gin. Now I know that I just don't like most Gin but I really like Distillery 209 Gin. This Gin is dynamite and it takes something for me to say that about any Gin. No. 209 Gin is made by Scotsman Colin MacPhail in a classic swan-neck still, has a nose redolent of juniper, a velvety texture, and a palate of spicy-peppery flavors, with distinct notes of orris and angelica. If you have the chance abd you find it at some bar, give the good old GinTonic another try, you may like it!

Raising Blue Cane - Depaz Rhum !

Rhum agricoles - artisanal rums representing only about 3 percent of the worldwide Rhum production - are produced on the French islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Marie Galante, and have their own AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée). They are distilled only from specified varieties of fresh cane. The Depaz Blue Cane Rhum Agricole is made from the very rare blue cane on the isle of Martinique. It shows the finesse of an X.O. Cognac, with silky texture and enormous complexity, but at the same time, it retains the sweet freshness and lift of cane juice. This is a incredible boutique Rhum. You need to try it!

The Lanesborough - London's Best Hotel !

Amongst all the great choices that you have whilst in London, there is no other place for me than the Lanesborough Hotel. There is many, many reasons for that and I eventually will pontificate about them another time. Today I want you to know about the amazing Library Bar at the Lanesborough. The Library Bar features a Liquid History Collection - a assemblage of extremely rare Cognacs, Armagnacs, and Whiskies. The bottles are locked in a glass case built into one of the walls along the short hallway that connects the bar’s two mahogany-paneled rooms. Served in snifters, the collection’s Cognacs span more than two centuries, including rarities like the 1915 Guy Lhéraud and the Bignon bottled in 1800. The bar also features my personal favorite vintage Cognac of all times; the 1820 Hennessy Fin Du Champagne. The Hardy 1790 is the oldest Cognac on the menu; when its curing commenced in France’s Grande Champagne, near Ambleville, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette still were in possession of their respective heads. The Hardy 1790 has a bouquet rich with vanilla and walnut. The smack, the sensation on the tip of the tongue, is persistent but not as strong as those of younger Cognacs. Very complex and mellow, with an amazing marzipan finish. This bottle of Hardy 1790, is the last known bottle of Gognac of that vintage available on this planet and one of the oldest in the UK. If you are new to vintage Cognac, you can get started on two younger spirits, such as an early-20th-century Rouyer or Martell. Then you will sit by the fireplace, snifting your liquid gold and even if entered the Library Bar as a neophyte, you will leave a vintage Cognac drinker. I may also add that the Lanesborough features an incredibly well stocked humidor! Need I say more?

L'Chaim - To The 4 King's Of Italian Red's!

I hope and wish that 2007 will be the Best Year ever for all of us. L'Chaim! As a friend and/or subscriber to this blog you can look forward to about 260 insides into the good life this year. Hopefully you find them helpful and interesting. We shall start the new year with the top of the Italian Red's. I recently had a discussion with a new Gourmet Brother about the top picks amongst the Italian stellar Red's. Without wasting anymore time lets get right too it. Here are my 4 top picks amongst the Italian Red's. You need to try all of these before you can make up your mind about the best Italian Red's:


There is a breed of wines that come out of the Tuscany. They are know as the Super-Tuscans which is a mixed-bag category that includes wines made from nontraditional blends of Sangiovese with added Cabernet or Merlot. Amongst these Super-Tuscans there is one name that stands out - the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia. To me this is the King of all Italian Red's. In the 1985 update of his "Wine Companion", Hugh Johnson wrote that Sassicaia was "an eccentric wine that may prove the most influential of all in the future shape of Tuscan wine growing". Johnson could not have been more correct, for this wine, possibly the prototype of all Super-Tuscans has become one of the benchmarks for measuring the quality of all Italian wines. From the time the wine was first released for sale in 1968 until 1994, Sassicaia, which is made largely from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes (generally in a proportion of 85% and 15% respectively), was forced by outmoded Italian law to label itself as vino da tavola, the lowest of all wine categorization. Due largely to the efforts of the Marchese Niccolo Incisa della Rochetta who produces the wine and his cousins Ludovico and Piero Antinori, the law was changed in 1994 and the wine now has its own appellation. Sassicaias continues show an intensity and concentration with balance that ensures that they will go on for a long time to come. Red currants dominate the fruits and those are set off nicely by spicy oak, vanilla and earthy-herbal aromas and flavors. On the long and intense finish look for generous hints of mint and anise. My favorites years are the 1985 and the 1998. Both vintages are nothing short of sensational!


Often heralded as the twin brother of the Sassicaia, Tignanello is clearly the number two Super-Tuscan and in my books also the number two overall of the Italian Red's. This is the first Super Tuscan single-vineyard 'hybrid' that was introduced by Antinori some 32 years ago. It is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc. The vineyard itself is hundreds of years old and was producing single-vineyard Chianti Classico for decades before the non-traditional varietals were introduced. Medium ruby. Slight clearing towards the rim. Tons of sediment. Warm nose of red and black forest fruit. Mouthfilling and luxurious on the palate. Mature fruity flavors with excellent winyness. The Sangiovese grape is very evident of course but this wine has so much more to it than any Chianti I have ever tasted. Simply delicious! My favorite vintage is the 1990!


Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, Bolgheri Ornellaia is the number three Super-Tuscan and also the number three of the Italian Red's over all. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this full bodied wine is little short of magnificent. Full bodied and loaded with black cherry, chocolate and oak flavors that open, seemingly without end in the mouth. Elegant and sumptuous, these wines will develop nicely in the bottle for many years to come. I have a very special place for this beautiful wine. The Ornellaia is must for anybody out there. My favorite vintage is the 1997!


Robert Parker once said about the Solaia's that "if a first-growth Pauillac were made in Tuscany, this would be it!" I can only second that statement. The Solaia can stand up to any Bordeaux at any time. That is how good this wine is. The Solaia's Marchesi Piero Antinori are generally dark ruby in color, with extremely ripe raisin and spice aromas. Full-bodied and very chewy, with loads of polished tannins and a long, long finish that's big and fruity. The solid, muscular 1997 Solaia is probably the greatest Solaia ever made!

Byblos Des Neiges - Your Ultimate Last Minute Ski Trip!

If you are a regular or even a subscriber of VONCIGARS, this is your last minute destination. Lets say you had a real good year and business went well. Lets say you love traveling to Europe, specifically France. Lets say you want some winter wonderland and you do not mind some winter sport. And last but not least; lets say you love food, wine, spirits and specifically the great smokes of this world - well than this is the trip you need to give to yourself! The original Hotel Byblos in St. Tropez has been one of the destinations on the French Riviera for decades. One of the true original hangouts of the jetset. Superlative hotel and always at least 2 stars Guide Michelin to accommodate the hungry. What fewer people know, is that Antione Chevanne has put up a second Byblos in the French Alps to accommodate your winter holidays in style. The Hotel Byblos Des Neiges in Courchevel. This place will blow your mind. The hotel offers an in-house ski rental service, immediate proximity to two lifts, and access to the seemingly inexhaustible terrain of Les Trois Valles, a region that includes Courchevel and three other major ski areas, all linked by lifts and trails. Off course the hotel features an astounding restaurant, that accommodates your highest expectations and it also features a Spa that will lead your lady to happiness. But what will set this trip apart from any other ski trip is the Cigar Lounge that expects you at the Byblos. Here, Antoine Chevanne invites you to truly explore new flavors and smoking experiences. There are 85 cigars on the lounge's menu. Chevanne chose not only what is considered the best brands, but only the best frontmarks within each brand. And the man has great taste. Not surprisingly, the menu comprises of mostly Cuban masterpieces, including Cohibas in seven sizes. The assortment offers something for everyone: tastes ranging from dainty to forceful, in shapes from petit lonsdales to pyramids to churchills. The lounge even proffers hookahs filled with exotic tobaccos from the Middle East - an option especially popular with female guests, who tend to enjoy the light, cool smoke. Each cigar is prepared by a Byblos staff member, who clips and lights it and then provides a selection of chocolates that Chevanne has chosen to complement it. Chevanne designed the cigar lounge with a decor that blends comfort and elegance with the rustic feel one expects to encounter in a tiny alpine town. For practical purposes, he divided the cigar lounge from the rest of the bar with glass doors, enabling smokers to remain within sight of their companions who prefer less smoky surroundings. A DJ spins cool, contemporary music for both the bar and the lounge. You combine a world class Spa, with a world class cigar lounge and you add a world class restaurant with world class wine and spirits and you put that arrangement into a world class ski resort in the French Alps - well my friends, what can I say - this is our place!

Made In US - And Berry Good!

Joerg Rupf arrived in California in 1982. He comes from a long line of German master distillers. Operating from a former naval aviation hangar near San Francsico, Rupf crafts a stunning line of eaux-de-vies, grappas and liqueurs. His AQUA PERFECTA Framboise is made from Washington State Meeker raspberries. This Framboise is unusual in its production, since Rupf fortifies this liqueur with brandy that is made from the same fruit. This process intensifies the flavors and makes this Framboise explode with the essence of the fruit. It makes for a smashing cocktail when added to champagne. Rupf also produces small batch whiskeys and vodkas. As always - you heard it here frist!

The Worlds Best Fruit Spirits - Hands Down!!!

When it comes down to fruit spirits - specifically aged fruit spirits, there is only one choice: ETTER Spirits of Switzerland. This distiller produces an amazing line of "barrique" (wood barrel) aged fruit spirits. Prune, cherry, apple and pear are available. These spirits are so delicate, that even the ladies fall for them. Also check out ETTER's premium bottled products. You will find some amazing glass work, which makes for some of the most unique gifts. As always: You heard it here first!

If You Need To Ask How Much It Costs – You Can’t Afford It!

Usually I'm into boutique style, small batch produced Cognac's and try to stir clear of the big market brands. I will make an exception right here; The Fillioux family, that runs Hennessy for generations now has decided to blend its seven most exceptional vintage eau-de-vie of all time: 1830, 1848, 1875, 1932, 1947, 1972, and 1995 all together masterfully blend into what Hennessy calls Hennessy Ellipse. They bottle it into a Baccarat decanter designed by Thomas Bastide. At slightly greater-than-usual 43.5 percent alcohol, this Gognac is disarming, elegant and just sensational. Intense layers of flavors, vanilla, spices and dried fruit. The price? Don't ask!

The Ultimate Caviar!

On August 21st I was ranting about Iran'’s insignificance as a peasant State. Bothering the world, with stupid statements about Israel, the Holocaust, financing and arming Hezbollah, per suing nuclear technology and producing a few million barrel of crude oil per day, I thought was pretty much the resume of Iran. Then over the weekend I had a talk with one of my gourmet brothers from the Netherlands, which reminded me of an outing that we had many years ago at the famous Restaurant Kaefer in Munich, where we were served fresh, unpasteurized Iranian Imperial Caviar. And the light bulb went off in my head. Oh my God. The best caviar in the world is harvested and distributed exclusively by Iran's State owned company Shilat. Unfortunately there is nothing that compares to the Iranian Imperial caviar. So I guess whatever happens in and too Iran, we need to pray and hope that the most precious Caspian Sturgeon (specifically the Acipenser Perscius) will survive the horsdeal! The Iranian Imperial Osetra caviar, is the perfect mid-size egg. This roe has a bright golden hue and an incredible delicate nutty flavor, a flavor that has been the choice of presidents and royalty through out the world. Until a few years ago, this caviar was not to be sold and was exclusively distributed by the Iranian top clerics's. The Acipenser Perscius can weigh up to 600 pounds taking at least 12 years to properly mature in the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea. When at Kaefer'’s in Munich we had a whole 2 kilo ( 4,4 pounds worth about $ 10.000) can presented to us, from which we ate until everybody was satisfied. There is only three things you need with this delicacy; a boiled, freshly riced Yukon Gold potato, creme fraiche and a bottle of 1992 Krug Clos du Mesnil!