Tempus Fugit Kina L'Aero d'Or
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The late 19th to early 20th century was the "Golden Age" of French aperitif wines known as "quinquinas" or "kinas." Kinas were originally created to make quinine more palatable when administered to soldiers in the disease-plagued "colonies." They took on a life of their own as producers found combinations of ingredients that delighted the public and they took on their own styles following the tastes of the regions in which they were produced.
Kina L'Aero d'Or reflects an Alps-Provence style with white wine made from the Piedmont-grown cortese grape infused with cinchona bark, orange peel, wormwood and other exotic spices. It has a beautiful deep golden hue with an aroma of quince and fine marmalade, and a complex, mildly bitter taste that teases the tongue as its well-balanced sweetness prolongs the finish.
Kina Aero d'Or is absolutely spectacular in classic cocktails such as the 20th Century, Vesper or Corpse Reviver #2 and will easily find its way into many more cocktails of your own. L'Aero d'Or (The Golden Aeroplane) is a tribute to the first flight across the English Channel, made in 1909 by Frenchman Louis Bleriot in his creation, the monoplane.
Proof: 36
Tempus Fugit's goal is to source and recreate rare spirits and liqueurs from the pages of history to satisfy the demands of the most discerning connoisseur.
Along with the world's finest absinthes, Tempus Fugit Spirits was determined to seek out fine rare liquors that were once staples in classic pre-prohibition cocktails, but have been lost in time. In most cases, we re-create these liquors ourselves, using historic 19th century protocols, many cross-referenced in several languages, to arrive as close in taste to these forgotten spirits as is possible, or surpass them - rare fruit, flower and plant liqueurs, bitters, amari, vermouths and chinati - we pride ourselves in finding out what's missing from the back-bar that our cocktailian friends are searching for.
Their focus is on what is often called a cocktail 'modifier'; those spirit-based ingredients used to transform whisky, gin, rum, etc. into a cocktail. We find today this category abused by industrial methods of production, artificial flavors and colors. We know these liqueurs were created in the past to be drunk alone, as aperitifs or digestifs, and were made with great pride and care by the best distilleries and liquorists.
First prepared by 13th century Italian monks as herbal medicines and elixirs, Liqueurs are distilled spirits that have been combined with flavoring agents. A range of herbs, spices, nuts, fruits and flowers can be used, and a sweetener such as sugar or corn syrup is often added. While typically rather sweet, some examples are herbaceous or tart and pair exceptionally well with desserts or act as a delightful addition to cocktails.