Misty Zest

Origin: Singapore / 35% / Price: ca. 30€ (30ml)

If the Misty Zest bottles had just been another new product from one of the industry's big players at some spirits or bar trade show in Germany, I'll be honest: I probably wouldn't have given them a second thought as I walked by the stand. But when Perola recently asked me if I'd be interested in having them sent to me for a "test", two key facts - without even considering the contents of the bottles - immediately caught my attention. First, the product comes from Singapore, not only one of the postmodern meccas of the bar world, but also a place that's increasingly producing its own exciting products. Second, it's not backed by some big corporation, but by a collective of bartenders, among them Jarek Iwanowski, who, among other things, has already released an exciting rum.

Misty Zest uses gently extracted, highly concentrated citrus oil, which is presumably obtained through cold pressing or CO₂ extraction and then stabilized and preserved with high-proof neutral alcohol. According to the manufacturer, a proprietary process was developed to extract volatile terpenes and aldehydes with maximum purity. So just one or two sprays are enough to flavor the cocktail with the aerosols.

I've had this small selection from Misty Zest for a few days now, and I've been thinking about why I find the concept more appealing than I initially expected. For me, three arguments stand out in particular, one of which I hadn't anticipated.

1) Consistency: This point is, after all, the main reason behind so many processes in bars these days (refilling all cocktail bitters into the same type of bottle, prebatching, working with "acid-adjusted" ingredients, etc.). Even when you have access to all the fruits you need, there are many factors that can cause the intensity of the oils to vary significantly. The fruit's batch, its age, storage conditions, sometimes even the time of day when you're finally using the fresh zest, and the local room temperature all make a big difference.

2) Availability: Except for lemons and limes, even in a metropolis like Cologne - with its many large, generally well-stocked supermarkets - I often can't find most citrus fruits in acceptable condition (or at all) 30-40% of the time. Time and again, I'm surprised by how often I can't even find an organic orange (or at least one with an untreated peel), and when I do, they're often already quite mushy, with not a trace of oil left in the peel. This is even more common with grapefruit. As for yuzu and its availability in Europe, well, let's not even get started on that; the reason for getting that one from Misty Zest is obvious.

3) Intensity: This is the reason I didn't quite foresee. I like the intensity of these products precisely because - surprise - they actually aren't that intense. When I have a zest from fruit that's perfectly ripe (or at least near that) in certain cases, the scent of fresh citrus is already too stark a contrast to the cocktail's flavor itself. I may be in the minority here, but especially with some old-school, heartier Old Fashioneds (e.g., with rye) or Manhattans, I don't want to smell pure, aggressive citrus notes and then suddenly taste harsh, oaky alcohol on the palate. With this product, one spritz is still beautifully elegant like a silk cloak, fresh but not sharp, and the rest of the drink still shines through nicely. Perfect for Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. For a Negroni, I'd go with two sprays, since that drink can handle more freshness, and for even more zesty cocktails, you can even go up to three. This way, you can easily adjust it depending on the drink (and spirit) and work more precisely and quickly.

As always, when I receive a product in the mail and I like it, I enjoy creating a signature cocktail to go with the accompanying article. This is especially true when the ingredient is a bit niche (yuzu) and there aren't any immediate "Moden Classics" that come to mind to use as examples for my product review. So when the Misty Zest Yuzu arrived, I immediately thought of an Asian-inspired White Negroni twist.

White Silk

Stir all ingredients (except the Misty Zest) over ice until sufficiently chilled. Prepare a prechilled rocks glass with 1-2 mists of Misty Zest Yuzu, strain you drink over one large ice cube into the rocks glass. Add another 1-2 mists of Misty Zest Yuzu over the drink. Optional garnish: lemongrass, banana leaf or dried lime wheel.

The Negroni balance naturally leans more toward the base spirit (shōchū) here, spiced up with just a hint of rum, since shōchū has a lower alcohol content and is generally very smooth. The Daiyame really shines through with notes of lychee, melon, and grapes. The gentle fruit notes are complemented by the dry, bitter Luxardo Bianco with its Mediterranean herbs. White vermouth acts as a bridge between the two, combining both the fruity notes and the herbs. The icing on the cake for added complexity is the vetiver liqueur and, of course, the Misty Zest Yuzu, which brings the aromatic citrus fruit into the White Negroni and revitalizes the whole drink.

Here in Germany, you can purchase Misty Zest Yuzu directly from Perola Import.

/rds

The Misty Zest Yuzu was provided free of charge by Perola Import, thank you!

Rosé Vermouth - Gutemann Brände