Botanical Bliss: Waterpocket Distillery's Oread

Upon entering Waterpocket Distillery, you can tell something is different here, and upon talking with owners Alan and Julia Scott this only becomes more and more apparent. Though they offer spirits like Robber's Roost light whiskey, and a lovely line of rums made with molasses and turbinado sugar, Waterpocket brings something very special to the table. They specialize in botanical spirits with fresh, genuine ingredients sourced from all the four corners of the globe. It's something they take very seriously, and the results speak for themselves. Offering an assortment of spirits from Amaro, to the rarely seen and only recently resurrected Eau de Melisse, there seems to be no end to the possibilities here. However, for this particular review, we want to focus on the Oread botanical liqueur, recently resurrected from over a century of obscurity in the dusty tomes of Danzig.

Oread, is so named for ancient mountain spirits, and one sip conjures images of the old world and the high, snow covered mountain peaks; transporting you via a plethora of flavors and aromas. The nose is earthy, but bright; with definite notes of anise, flowers and citrus. The aroma is complex and seems to shift after a while in the glass.

The taste this complex spirit brings to the table is the real star though. Notes of star anise, orange, and spice are at the forefront, with more mild notes of chamomile and lemongrass further back. It is a sweeter spirit, though not overly so.  This is a spirit that's right at home as a digestif, or as an adjunct to a wide variety of cocktails. It brings a definite complexity to anything you may add it to, but it really does shine on it's own. Serve neat and sip, you'll be glad you did; the flavor profile evolves in the glass and with shifts in temperature making for a very interesting experience. That said, we took it upon ourselves to experiment with Oread in the depths of the Spirit Guides laboratory for a cocktail that lets Oread shine. 

Spirit Guides Forest Nymph

• 2oz Waterpocket Oread
• 1/2oz fresh lime juice
• Ginger beer (we prefer something fairly strong and spicy)
  

Add Oread and lime juice to a low-ball glass, stir. Add ice to top of glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wheel. Enjoy.

We hope you'll stop into Waterpocket yourselves and begin your journey to herbal enlightenment, you'll be glad you did. 

As always, keep the spirit.

Steve E. 

Spirit Guide & Cocktail Historian

Resident Rum Guy

Keeper of Tiki