When we talk about cocktails, we speak about sour, sweet and bitter, but we don’t often talk about the two other basic tastes – salt and umami (savoury).
Now while we know that a pinch of salt in a cocktail can amplify the other flavours you have in a drink, Umami is that missing element that isn’t often discussed or used.
Sure, we all know that the Bloody Mary would be the ultimate Umami cocktail and that Sake, and some Tequilas and Mezcals have Umami characteristics, but Umami can be a little tricky and is often not to everybody’s taste.
That, of course, hasn’t stopped Sydney Gin distillery Archie Rose from attempting to change that perception by releasing today their ArchieMite Buttered Toast Spirit.
Yes, this expression is exactly what it sounds like, a “hot buttered toast spirit” that channels the flavour of a Vegemite-like spread on toast.
While this might seem a bit of a gimmick or at least an odd choice of flavours to distil, it makes more sense than you’d think. Vegemite is made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract, so it’s a by-product of beer brewing. So it’s easy to imagine that making it into a spirit isn’t that much of a stretch.
Archie Rose is careful to point out that this is not a Gin or Vodka; it is instead a limited edition experiment in distilled spirits. Additionally, the spirit is distilled with 25 kilograms of churned butter from Sydney producer Pepe Saya, and 15 kilograms of sourdough from local bakers Sonoma. Yep, genuine toast ingredients.
“It’s lots of fun,” Archie Rose master distiller Dave Withers said in a press statement. “Trying to describe how it tastes is like trying to describe the colour blue. If you like that savoury flavour of yeast-extract spreads, you’ll really enjoy it.”
Starting today, Archie Rose is releasing just 3,000 bottles of the Vegemite-flavoured liqueur. If you happen to be in the area, you can pick up a bottle at the distillery. Alternatively, ArchieMite will also be available through the brand’s website archierose.com.au (and we believe that international delivery is an option).
And if you’re wondering how to use it, Archie Rose have included a couple of cocktail recipes on their website, two of which, the Mitey Mary and the Archiemite Sour we have included below –
Mitey Mary
Ingredients:
60ml ArchieMite Buttered Toast
8 dashes Worcestershire sauce
6 dashes Tabasco sauce
10ml lemon juice
150ml tomato juice
Pinch salt
Cracked black pepper
Hot sauce (optional)
Method:
Combine all ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Garnish enthusiastically.
Garnish:
As many salad items as you have lying around. Or a pickle.
Archiemite Sour
Ingredients:
60ml ArchieMite Buttered Toast
30ml lemon juice
15ml sugar syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio)
15ml egg white (about half an egg white)
Method:
Combine all the ingredients. Shake like billy-o. Add ice and shake again. Create a frothy dream. It doesn’t need a garnish but if the minimalist dream that is this drink doesn’t do it for you a dusting of nutmeg works wonders.
Garnish:
Nutmeg grated on top (optional).
