LCBO Food and Drink Autumn 2016

GRAPPA FRIULIANA NONINO LCBO 947069, 700 mL, $39.35 Based in Italy’s Friuli region, Nonino specializes in grappa, proud of the fact that it distills pomace from the wine press when it’s still soft and fresh, and proud that it was the first company to create single-varietal grappa, back in the day. This particular spirit comes from a blend of grapes, however, which helps account for its complexity—aromas of bread, blos- soms and anise, flavours of chamomile and dried flowers, a lingering aftertaste of raisins and grape skins. It has a light and lively texture and is best served chilled as a palate-cleansing finale to dinner, though I’ve also enjoyed it as an aperitif, served with plenty of tonic, ice and a twist of lime.

Bénédictine & Brandy Liqueur LCBO 359828, $39.95 MY FATHER HAD a friend who gave him a bottle of Bénédictine every Christmas. My Dad would mix it 50 to 50 with brandy to dry out the rather syrupy liqueur—I don’t know if he knew that the manufacturers of Bénédictine already did the same, and that B&B was a big hit for the company. The original Bénédictine was the creation, in 1863, of a French wine merchant (and marketing ge- nius) called Alexandre Le Grand who claimed to have discovered the recipe in a grimoire from the Benedictine abbey of Fécamp. It was a superstar product from the beginning, sweet and rich, tasting of fennel, gentian and mountain herbs with an unapolo- getic caramel finish. Serve it on the rocks for maximum enjoyment.