Sip Impressions

Benjamin Franklin once said: “In wine there’s wisdom, in beer there’s freedom, in water there is bacteria.” Just like your personal style and overall panache, your cocktail of choice says volumes about your personality. Let’s say you order a Sazerac or Last Word — these drinks have history, you obviously know your cocktails and you’ve developed a sophisticated palate. On the other hand, something like vodka on the rocks can be a bit trickier to decipher. You either want to get the job done quickly, are watching your calories or both! If you order Pink Wine or a Vodka Red Bull…’nuff said.
Many of us cringe at the thought of some of our first “go-to” cocktails. In fact, most of us probably didn’t have much choice in the matter. You drank it because it was there and you could afford it. The good news is your drink of choice can change from one phase of your life to the other. In your 20s, you can drink cheap beer and sweet wine because it’s all you can afford, but as your income and social life evolves, you may acquire a taste for more refined libations.
What’s more, like fashion, what we drink is also influenced by trends. Gin Martinis, Mint Juleps, Manhattans, Old-Fashioneds, Sidecars — these classic cocktail favorites are making a comeback in a big way. The resurgence of these time-tested sips can be paralleled to some of the culinary movements we find today like using fresh ingredients and going back to basics.
This revival has also marked the return of the sophisticated professional mixologist. Bartenders are making their own ingredients again, opting for fresh-squeezed juices instead of sour mix and sugar-packed imitations. Many emphasize using ingredients that support and enhance what the liquor brings to the table.
Moreover, effective advertising also shapes our perspective on certain brands. We live in an era of consumer luxury and people are willing to spending more than they have to in order to get the best. If branding elements of “super premium” spirits are credible and they reinforce an aura of quality, people will drink them. For the most part, most career barmen and women will agree that patrons who are not in-the-know will ask for brands they’ve seen advertised recently…they just ask for a brand they’re familiar with or have heard others ordering.
Fashionable trends in the cocktail world can go from in vogue to outdated almost overnight. Our relationship with spirits is a complex one and one that grows with time. It’s curious how taste is experienced by different people and by all people at different times in their lives, but that’s how the world goes — from one round to the next.