by Jay Erisman, EQ Wine and Spirits Manager

The Party Source is not only one of America’s biggest and best liquor stores. We’re also one of the most patient. French Alpine elder trees only make so many flowers, and collecting the little buggers by bicycle is understandably time-consuming. So to those hordes of Greater Cincinnatians who requested St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur over the past 14 months, we shall attest your serenity in the face of a distinct lack of elderflower flavor. Now, the wait is over, and this shockingly good liqueur is available for your cocktails, your parties, your peace of mind. Someday, we will all remember where we were when we first tasted St-Germain.

From the heavy, cut glass Art Deco-inspired bottle to the carefully balanced drink within, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur is a future classic among the world’s liqueurs. The elderflower notes are fresh as a bouquet on your wedding day, the aroma lifting effortlessly from the glass. In the mouth the liqueur is light yet intensely flavored; the sweetness is never cloying. And what St-Germain does in cocktails is unbelievable. It makes a superb match with everything from rye whiskey to Tequila to smoky Scotch. Gin and sparkling wine is a natural with St-Germain; our bartender here in the EQ jay Dickerson likes it with cachaça . It’s hard to make a bad cocktail with this stuff.

St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur  $35.99

by Jay Erisman, EQ Wine and Spirits Manager

The reintroduction of absinthe to American markets last year was unprecedented. Probably not since the end of Prohibition had we seen a whole category of banned spirit suddenly become legit once again. Certainly we at The Party Source–which debuted absinthe for the Greater Cincinnati market on Thursday, May 15–had never seen such a rapturous, ravenous reception for a new product. Everyone was crazy for absinthe! Since then , various voices in the liquor industry have predicted the demise of this noble spirit. It’s true that some people have hopped off the absinthe bandwagon, remembered they don’t really like licorice, or did not achieve the presumed trippy experience; and surely the present economy does not help a $60 bottle of booze. However, what’s left is a dedicated and sizeable band of true absinthe lovers. Absinthe is not going anywhere. For these people, we are pleased to announce yet another artisanal absinthe in our collection. Hailing from the City of Brotherly Love, here is Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure.

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by Jay Erisman, EQ Wine and Spirits Manager

In this new year, we find ourselves very. Very. Thirsty. So thirsty, in fact, that 750 milliliters of Party Source Private Barrel Bourbon is simply not enough. Introducing the biggest Private Barrel ever, a full 59.192 ounces of new-charred-barrel aged mountain dew from the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

We’ve enjoyed Charter 101 since its release last year as a good value, high proof Bourbon. Selecting it in a single barrel makes it even better. There’s a subtle black fruit component, as well as good rye spice and an off-dry, though not outright sweet, overall character. The 50.5% abv will come thundering through any cocktail. And the price! At $35.99 per 1.75 liter bottle, it works out to $15.44 per fifth, and a 5% case discount takes that to just $14.66. That is a killer deal on a 101 proof whiskey, and a single barrel at that. It’s just the thing for these tough times.

By Jay Erisman, EQ Wine and Spirits Manager

The newest single malt Scotch on the shelf is an interesting dram, both in flavor and for what it says about the Scotch industry. For some years now, we have offered superb bottlings of Ardmore from several independent bottlers such as Gordon & MacPhail, Duncan Taylor and Whisky Galore, and Signatory. Ardmore has never been available in America in an “official�? distillery edition; as with many rare malt distilleries, the only way to get any was the independent bottlers. But for the 110^th anniversary of the distillery, there is an official debut in America, called Ardmore Traditional Cask with a 46% abv, non-chill filtered version that happily promotes its “unique, Highland peat-smoke.�? Well, puff away…

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