FOOD REVIEW - ROOT Liqueur

A little while ago I stumbled across Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction’s new (old?) spirit, ROOT. This video sums up exactly what ROOT is –

The Story of Art In The Age ROOT from Art In The Age on Vimeo.

I had to get some. Usually I’m a bourbon drinker, but something about how ROOT was described, along with its compelling back-story, drew me in. And the fact that it was developed by Steven Grasse, the maker of Hendrick’s Gin, couldn’t hurt. However, the $40 per 750mL bottle price tag kept me from getting ROOT (damn tuition…) – but luckily I got some for Christmas. And now that I have a bottle, I love it.

Art in the Age claims ‘it is not a sickeningly sweet liqueur,’ and they are right. It is a dark, almost bitter spirit that would not appeal to people who prefer to mask the alcohol in their drinks. It smells like a spiked root beer, but the complexity of the 13 separate flavors creates a drastically different taste. The flavors are up-front and vocal. A straight shot brings out mainly the anise (licorice), wintergreen and spearmint, with a strong finish of birch bark and sassafras (root beer). It also bites a lot more than you would expect from an 80-proof liqueur, all of which I enjoyed.

On the ROOT website they have a large number of cocktails and drink recipes already up, partly due to the proliferation of the spirit through Philadelphia bars. Since I’m savoring this, my only bottle, I’ve only tried two of these mixed concoctions.

First I had the New Hampshire Maple Toddy;
1 tbls. Grade A amber maple syrup, 2oz. ROOT [place these in the bottom of a mug], and 6 oz. hot but not boiling water [poured on top, then stirred to dissolve syrup and ROOT]. This was a basically sweetened and diluted flavor of the straight ROOT shot. Still very strong, the hot water caused a release of some of the aromatics and alcohol, resulting in an even more intense initial anise taste, and finishing a bit smoother due to the syrup. Recommended for people who like strong toddies.

Next I had the ROOTnog;
Simply 6 oz. eggnog (I used 4 oz. eggnog and 2 oz. whole milk – straight eggnog is a bit thick for my liking) and 2 oz. ROOT mixed together. This is AMAZING. It brings out a lot more of the sassafras, nutmeg, and birch, and effectively mellows the anise and overall strength. I felt like I preferred it over a traditional rum-based eggnog, so I performed a head-to-head test. The ROOTnog complements the flavors in the eggnog much better than the rum drink, and provides a more satisfying holiday feel. And it just tastes better.

In the few weeks I’ve had it, ROOT has become one of my favorite spirits, and I plan to keep a bottle of it on hand whenever possible. Hopefully this inaugural year brings them enough success that they might be able to expand production and bring ROOT to stores outside of Pennsylvania – specifically, to stores near me.