There’s more innovation in the Koval Millet whisky the 100% millet brings a subtle, but lighter profile change, it’s not a hugely distinctive experience, but this is another gluten-free grain, and an ancient one at that. Founders Robert and Sonat Birnecker are devoted to a grain-to-bottle process, contracting local farmers, while milling and mashing the grain on-site. This Chicago distillery demands further attention if you love spirits. This makes for a lighter whiskey than other bourbons and would sit nicely in one of Paltrow’s cocktails. Koval distillery, for example, is bringing millet to 49% of the mashbill in its Koval Bourbon.
But these parameters haven’t stood in the way of flavour variety within bourbon, and increasingly the non-corn 49% of that grain is being tinkered with. Beyond corn, the remainder of the mashbill has historically comprised wheat, rye and barley. Part of the American whiskey industry is regulated, and straight bourbon by law must use a minimum of 51% corn in the mashbill of its grain bill - the ingredients that provide the sugars for alcohol.
So, maybe Gwyneth should be lauded for embracing this innovation and I should park my cynicism and get on with recommending some other American whiskey alternatives instead.
QUINOA WHISKEY TENNESSEE GWYNETH PALTROW FULL
The concept is borne out of a wider ambition in American whiskey to explore flavour and is conceived with solid intentions by Corsair, a distillery full of invention, with a gin, vodka and indeed red absinthe on its list. She mixed it in a drink with maple syrup and lemon, which sounds like a tasty beverage. The Corsair expression has a distinct nutty note, and certainly a more satisfying mouth feel to the organic coconut oil Gwyneth apparently swills around her mouth. Corsair’s quinoa variant has come up on my radar before and I can tell you first-hand that it isn’t an entirely daft novelty - I actually found that it imparts a specific flavour. Her brand of choice wasn’t mentioned but Paltrow referenced a Tennessee distillery, which makes it most likely Corsair, a craft operation that has investigated the use of alternative grains in spirits. And all spirits are gluten free, assuming there are no added ingredients after distillation – and you should always check that. Alcohol is alcohol, and any nutritional value that makes quinoa a convenient low-carb alternative to rice won’t be applicable after it’s distilled. Let me stress, regarding the implication that it’s a healthier whiskey choice - it’s really not. I wondered, having admitted to drinking whiskey - surely off-brand for the wellness queen - did she need to tout a quinoa-based edition to remain credible? There’s nothing wrong with quinoa whiskey per se, but it’s arguably behind a host of other American whisky innovations when it comes to intrigue and flavour. As a guest on the Smartless podcast she revealed how, during lockdown, she occasionally jettisoned juice diets for lockdown indulgences, and mixed her discerning drinks using quinoa whiskey.
Gwyneth Paltrow recently earned some column inches for adding quinoa to her menu and, while compared to more surreal suppers this sounds a bit ‘so what’, it emerged the quinoa features not only on the Oscar winner’s plate, but her alcoholic cocktails too.
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