White Apricot

White Apricot Best List

GET SPIRITED...

OUR TOP 10 ORGANIC AND NATURAL SPIRITS,

PLUS GREAT COCKTAIL RECIPES TO SPICE UP ANY PARTY

by Carrie Pollare, Editor

Labor Day is fast approaching and that means the last great parties of the summer...sigh... So, to make sure your celebration is perfect, we've gathered up our favorite organic spirits and some tasty recipes for each one. For some reason, we Americans are very heavy into vodka...martini lovers that we are...and there are four vodkas that made our list, both pure and flavored. But, we've also found gin, a single malt scotch, tequila, rum, some wonderful liqueurs and one of our favorite spirits, based on the açai berry. Most of these spirits are now carried in bars, restaurants and stores around the country, so you can ask for them at your regular haunts. Salud!

SQUARE ONE CUCUMBER VODKA
Yes, you read right. We love Square One original organic vodka, made from 100% organic rye. Now the company has introduced a cucumber version, which adds the essence of organics cucumber. Makes you feel refreshed just thinking about it, doesn't it? Both Square One original and the new cucumber vodkas are available at www.morrellwine.com. For more information on Square One, go to www.squareonevodka.com.

Cucumber Spajito

2 oz. Square One Cucumber

1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 oz. organic agave nectar

6 sprigs of fresh mint

Club soda or sparkling water

Ice

2-3 long, thin strips of cucumber slices

Layer cucumber slices and a couple of mint leaves with ice in a Collins glass. Muddle remaining mint lightly in a mixing glass or cocktail tin. Do not over bruise. Pour other ingredients in and shake briefly with a little ice just to blend. Strain into Collins glass and fill to desired level with soda water and stir briefly. Garnish with the remaining sprig of mint.

VEEV AÇAI BERRY SPIRIT
Not only is Veev all natural, but it's unique as the first spirit based on the super antioxidant açai berry, plus 100% all natural ingredients like prickly pear and acerola cherry. So, if you put that all together, it's good for you, tastes great and feels good. Get Veev at www.melandrose.com.

Veev Açaí-tini

2.0 oz of VeeV

1.5 oz açaí juice

0.5 oz fresh lime juice

2 bar spoons of agave nectar

Combine VeeV, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, açaí juice and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake. Strain and pour into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

For more delicious cocktail recipes, go to www.veevlife.com.

4 COPAS REPOSADO ORGANIC TEQUILA
Voted one of the world's top 5 spirits of 2006 by Wine & Spirits magazine, this is one smooth organic tequila with honey and macadamia characteristics and oak accents. Get it at www.bevmo.com and for more information go to www.4copas.com.

4 Copas Pomegranate Margarita

2 oz. of 4 Copas Reposado Tequila

1/2 oz. fresh organic lime juice
2 oz. fresh pomegranate juice
1/2 oz. of 4 Copas Organic Blue Agave Nectar

Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass and serve. Add a splash of club soda, serves 1.

VODKA 14

Crafted from organic grain and spring water, that is drawn ice cold from a 200-foot deep mountain spring fed by the Snake River aquafier and is then fermented without chemical additives. Get it at www.totalbeverage.net.

Beijing Olympiad 14

3 oz. Vodka 14

3 oz. lychee nectar (available at natural food stores)

Ice

Whole lychee or skewer of raspberries

Wedge of lime

Mix vodka and lychee nectar and pour over ice. Garnish with whole lychee or skewer or raspberries and a wedge of lime and watch the Olympics!

For more delicious cocktail recipes, go to www.vodka14.com.

BENROMACH ORGANIC SINGLE MALT SCOTCH

An organic single malt scotch whisky from a small distiller in Speyside, Scotland...what could be better?! The scotch is aged in virgin American oak casks, which come from trees that lived in environmentally managed forests. Available at www.klwines.com

Benromach Scotch on the Rocks...or not

No recipe here. It just wouldn't be right to mix it with something else. Single Malt Scotch is meant to be enjoyed straight up or on the rocks...okay maybe with a soda chaser...

For more information, go to www.benromach.com.

JUNIPER GREEN ORGANIC GIN
Juniper Green is a 100% certified organic gin, distilled in Thames Distillery in Central London. It is made with demineralised water and organic grain spirits. The botanicals are organic juniper, coriander, angelica and savory. It has the aroma and taste of a classic London Dry Gin. Available at www.klwines.com and for more information go to www.junipergreen.org.

Autumn Leaf

2 parts Juniper Green Gin

1 part apple juice

1 part orange juice

1 part grapefruit juice

Splash of Grenadine

Mix with ice in a tumbler and garnish with a leaf of mint. Or, you could just skip the juices and make a great gin and tonic...

TRU VANILLA ORGANIC VODKA

Made from certified organic American wheat and infused with organic Bourbon vanilla beans, this is the organic answer to Stoli Vanilla. Tru also has Straight and Lemon flavors. Get it at www.wallywines.com.

Peachy

3 oz. TRU Organic Vanilla Vodka

1/4 ripe peach

1 tsp. sugar

Squeeze of fresh lime

Sprig of mint

Muddle all, shake and pour out into rocks glass. Garnish with fresh peach slice (optional – top with soda).

For more delicious cocktail recipes, go to www.truvodka.com.

PAPAGAYO ORGANIC DARK SPICED RUM
Produced in a remote area of Paraguay, this spiced organic rum is almost elusive in the US. It is made with organic sugar cane and distilled in the traditional stills, but under the control of the Swiss Organic Certification Company, IMO Institut fur Marktokologie. It is spiced with natural organic spices from the Tropics...vanilla, ginger and even a hint of chilli. We found it at www.amarcowines.com. You can get more information at www.maisonjomere.com.

Shipwreck

1 1/2 oz. Papagayo Spiced Rum

2 oz. orange juice

2 oz. pineapple juice

Splash of cranberry juice

Mix and serve over ice. Garnish with orange slice.

LOFT ORGANIC LEMONGRASS CELLO
Inspired by Italian drink, Limoncello, this won a medal at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The lemongrass itself comes from a certified organic and certified biodynamic farm in California. It's sweet and lemony, as you would expect. Try their other flavors too (Lavender, Spicy Ginger and Seasonal Fruits)! Available at www.mondoliquor.com

Director’s Cut

1 oz. LOFT Lemongrass Cello

1 1/2 oz. organic vodka

1 oz grapefruit juice

Splash soda

Optional bitters

Lemongrass stalk for garnish

For more delicious recipes, go to www.loftliqueurs.com.