Twelve Promising New Spirits Of 2006

On the off chance that you might have missed the initial fanfare surrounding their introduction, here are some of the most promising new spirits and liqueurs introduced last year. Guaranteed they'll look great on your back bar.

            • 10 Cane Rum -- This handcrafted spirit successfully combines French distilling traditions with high-grade sugar cane cultivated on the island of Trinidad. Super-premium 10 Cane Rum is distilled from the first pressing of the sugar cane. After fermentation, it is double-distilled in copper alembic stills and aged in French oak barrels for 6 months. The small batch production yields a full-bodied, character-laden spirit. 10 Cane is what happens when cognac maker Moët Hennessy sets out to make a world-class rum. They succeed elegantly.

            • Domaine Charbay Pomegranate Vodka -- Domaine Charbay is a small distillery on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley. There Miles Karakasevic and his family produce a number of superior, hand-distilled spirits, including Domaine Charbay Pomegranate Vodka. The expertly crafted vodka has a red coral color and a true-to-fruit character. It's a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

            • Gran Patrón Platinum 100% Agave Tequila -- The ultra-premium silver tequila is richly textured and imminently satisfying. The release of Gran Patrón Platinum will only serve to solidify the brand's preeminence. In order to achieve a lighter bodied, more brilliant spirit the tequila is triple-distilled. It carries a retail price of $160 per 750ml.

            • Heavy Water Vodka -- Swedish Heavy Water is an ultra-premium vodka distilled from winter wheat and spring water drawn from an underground aquifer. Don't be fooled by its name, the vodka is lightweight, flawlessly textured and surgically clean. The vodka lilts over the palate like a cool mist and is the textbook definition of neutral. Heavy Water is a top-shelf keeper.

            • Michael Collins Irish Single Malt -- Made at the renowned Cooley Distillery, the whiskey is double-distilled in small batches from 100% peated barley malt and water drawn from the Cooley Mountains. The whiskey is aged in bourbon seasoned barrels between 8 to 12 years. The malt finishes long and relaxed. From stem to stern this is a thoroughly engaging whiskey.

            • Partida Añejo 100% Agave Tequila -- Highly esteemed Partida Añejo is too magnificent to share with friends. It's matured for 18 months in oak barrels previously used to age Jack Daniel's. During aging the tequila acquires an alluring copper hue and generous aromas of ripe red fruit, honey and cocoa. It has a lushly textured, satiny smooth body and waves of pastry like flavors. The finish is top notch.

            • Rhum Clément V.S.O.P. Rum -- Estate produced Rhum Clément V.S.O.P. is one of Martinique's preeminent agricole rhums, a traditional style in which fresh cane juice is distilled, rather than molasses. The blend is matured for three years in re-charred bourbon barrels and then transferred to seasoned cognac barrels for further aging. Its breadth of flavors is sensational, a savory array of chocolate, figs, ripe plums and red wine that slowly fade into a memorable finish.

            • Rittenhouse 21 Year Old Very Rare Rye Whiskey -- In a culture where bold flavors are at the height of fashion, welcome one of the most vivacious and spectacularly flavorful whiskeys. This full-bodied spirit is aged for a minimum of 21 years by Heaven Hill. The whiskey is highly aromatic and brimming with exquisite spicy, honeyed notes. This expression of famed Rittenhouse is museum caliber.

            • Skyy 90 Vodka -- Skyy 90 is a wheat vodka made in a technologically advanced, 5-column still and bottled at a lip tingling 90 proof. It has a round, featherweight body that lilts over the palate with nary a trace of harshness. Its finish is as clean and refreshing as an afternoon rain. Clearly the vodka was created with a chilled cocktail in mind.

            • SV Silk Vodka -- Made in Moscow, SV Silk Vodka is Luxe grade, the highest possible quality as determined by the Russian Government. The vodka is made exclusively from the premium wheat, rye and barley, and water sourced from 400-feet deep Artesian wells. SV Supreme is spectacular with a generous bouquet and a palate of grain and malty flavors that persist long into the finish. Now here's a vodka worthy of hoarding.

            • Xellent Vodka -- Made in Switzerland, this small batch vodka is made from high-altitude rye, which is first distilled in traditional copper alembic still, then further refined in 45-plate column stills. Its water source is the Titlis glacier in the heart of the country. The vodka is imbued with the semisweet flavors of dried fruit and spices. It deserves to be savored served with nothing but a slight chill.

            • Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt --This highly sophisticated dram of whisky is best described as noble. After spending nearly two decades in wood, the single malt gains a lustrous tawny hue and full, velvety smooth body. It heartily exhibits the aromas of honey, vanilla and malt. Suntory has created a top-shelf tour de force. Watch out, though, you'll become a lifelong devotee after the first sip.