Bitters - Black Walnut
Fee Brothers
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Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
Fee Brothers, Rochester, New York
PROOF: None (Water Base)
TYPE: Bitters
AGE: NA
PRICE: $6.00 4 oz (118 ml)
Notes: Fee Brothers has been in business since April 1,1864 in Rochester, New York (home of Spiritsreview.com!). Along with being one of the few remaining manufacturers of bitters, they also are one of the largest bar mixes and supply firms in the U.S. and produce flavorings and syrups for coffee shops, restaurants, etc. This is their newest release being officially released at Tales of The Cocktail 2011 in New Orleans.
First Impression: Smells like a cross between rhubarb and those sour gummi lifesavers candies. Almost a more sour cherry candy smell than rhubarb. Scents of bitter zest of bark also in the background.
Appearance: Clear, Brown/Black just like a black walnut turns when they ripen, quite viscous.
Taste:
Pretty dead-on black walnut taste with a strong, astringent bitter component at first then a slightly sweet finish. Other very nut-like notes, such as hazelnut and also a fair amount of unsweetened chocolate or cocoa.
Drinks: We were fresh out of ideas for this one. Much like the Lemon Bitters, this bitter has no historical genealogy and is a new bitter. Therefore no one has really developed any drinks for it yet. More of a conceptual curiosity which is looking for a cocktail.
Bottle: Simple paper wrapped clear glass bottle, with a screwcap closure. It is distinguished from the other bottles by the relatively plain graphics and the brown color of the printing and black colored shrinkwrap around the top and neck.
Other: Other varieties of bitters include: Aztec Chocolate, Cherry, Celery, Cranberry, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mint, Old Fashioned Aromatic (Angostura), (West Indian) Orange, Peach, Plum, Rhubarb, and the Whisky Barrel series : Whiskey Barrel Aged 1 (2007) , Whiskey Barrel Aged 2 (2008), Whiskey Barrel Aged 3 (2009), Whiskey Barrel Aged 4, (2010), and Whiskey Barrel Aged 5 (2011)
Final Thoughts:.One of the best bitters they have come out with in awhile, very intresting, complicated and full of promise. I really look forward to playing with this in a number of drinks to see how it plays out. Really outstanding value for the money - a nicely made product at a very cheap price - refreshing !
This product is the *only* black walnut bitters commercially available in U.S.
Website: http://www.feebrothers.com
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