NAVAZOS PALAZZI SPANISH CORN WHISKY + RED VERMOUTH
SPAIN
Why Buy: In recent years, Equipo Navazos has done the unthinkable. Not only have these cask hunters par excellence racked up scores never-before-seen from the critics for their superlative rare, hyper-artisanal Sherries, but no less an eminence than Jancis Robinson hailed founders Jesús Barquín and Eduardo Ojeda for "changing the rules" of what a Sherry is and should be. All of which is to say: any bottle that bears the Navazos name automatically gets our attention. And when Navazos partners with Nicolas Palazzi, a fellow cask-hunter extraordinaire and one of the premier importers in America of whisky? That's a joining of forces we simply can't ignore. These two bottlings from Spain – an elegant sipping vermouth and a 15-year Spanish corn whisky – are the epitome of the cask hunter's art, and are as distinctively unique as they are exquisitely delicious, whether you're sipping them solo or (nudge, nudge) combining them to make an out-of-this-world Manhattan.
What They're Saying: The New York Times' esteemed wine critic Eric Asimov called the Vermut Rojo "a mellow, complex vermouth that refreshes as well as intrigues."
The Stories:
*The Bota NO Spanish Corn Whisky is a 15-year old bottling, distilled in Spain from 100% Spanish-grown corn. It was aged at full proof in freshly-emptied Oloroso sherry casks that were labeled "Bota NO." Casks that bear these words are given special consideration in the solera: they are, in the parlance, not to be topped up, in order to preserve the singular profile of the whisky.
* The base of the Vermut Rojo is Oloroso Sherry, which aged for more than five years in oak barrels and blended with concentrated grape must for sweetness before being fortified to 17.5% ABV. Its distinctive character comes from its extraordinary array of botanicals (among them wormwood, savory, coriander, licorice, elderflower, juniper, bitter orange peel, and grapefruit peel), all sourced from the fields and mountains of Andalusia. These were individually macerated to create extracts that were then blended into the vermouth.
Our Tasting Notes:
* The Bota NO Corn Whisky is an absolute unicorn; there is simply nothing else in the marketplace that tastes like this. But there is more than novelty that it has going for it. We loved the sustained intensity of it, which carries you through all the way to the finish. The presence of Oloroso sherry casks here is unmistakable, in the rich roundedness and balance of the expression.
* The Vermut Rojo is an exceptional and highly distinctive sipping vermouth, and one that sings of the hand of the maker at every stage of the drinking experience. The botanicals give it complexity, and – not unlike with a great Bordeaux or Burgundy – send the mind off onto a quest to try to isolate and identify all the many "notes of" in the mix. Superb.
ABV: Bota NO Spanish Corn Whisky, 54% (108 proof), and non-chill filtered, with no coloring or additives; Vermut Rojo, 17.5%.
Fun Fact: The name Equipo Navazos pays homage to navazos, a farming technique common throughout Sanlúcar, in Andalusia, in which topsoil is dug and cleared to enable moisture beneath ground to reach the surface.
Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so rest assured: your spirits will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure your order today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2024. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in CT, KS, MI, NC, NY, TN, VA, & WA. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.
