A few months ago, I already wrote about “Burgen Drinks” in the course of my article about the Burgen Gin and the fruity “Smooth & Green” cocktail. It is a German spirits brand founded by the entrepreneur Kai Hofmann, which produces their spirits in the so-called Schlitzer Korn- und Edelobstbrennerei. Today I want to review another bottle from this series. (provided test product)*
And this bottle is the Burgen Korn, which of course arouses some curiosity since we can expect it to be a good Korn, considering that it belongs to the traditional field of specialization of the Schlitzer Korn- und Edelobstbrennerei. I have also presented a brief outline of the genus Korn itself in the past when I wrote about the excitingly innovative Vollkorn by Eugen Schmidt & Söhne. So today, I will go straight in medias res and take a closer look at the bottle.
We already know the design from the Burgen Gin linked above. The Burgen Korn is bottled with an ABV of 38% and shows a gold-yellowish colour in the bottle, which reminds a little of clear apple juice (interestingly enough, the colour in the glass actually looks a lot paler). It is a blend of different wheat-based Korns that were allowed to mature in French Limousin oak barrels and German acacia wood barrels (the latter were used for the finish). The cost of a 0.5l bottle is approximately 35 to 40 euros. But how does the Burgen Korn taste like?
Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Relatively mild with almost milky associations, but generally very discreet and reserved, the Burgen Korn reminds me of vodka in its aroma and intensity (to what extent this is a positive judgement is up to everyone to decide for themselves). Grain notes are present from the very beginning; I can also find some chopped apple wood and a citrus note. However, the aroma of the Burgen Korn is not particularly pronounced or intense at all.
Taste: still mild and pleasantly soft, the Burgen Korn shows an almost creamy mouthfeel. I have to think of bison grass vodka, then very subtle caramel, cereals and again apples with a woody flavor. Also in terms of taste, we are dealing with a more subtle spirit here.
Finish: rather short with citrus freshness and some grass.
Well, usage in cocktails has to be carefully considered. The Burgen Korn is not really a stage hog and will therefore have a hard time in many drinks. To use it similar as you would do with a vodka is an obvious thought you might have, but raises the question, why not choose a genuine vodka instead. What is decisive here is the criterion of leaving enough room for the Burgen Korn’s own flavor. With this thought in mind, I dared to try a highball that is not too sweet, but instead should emphasize the strengths of the Burgen Korn. Clear apple juice and Supasawa as an acid source mainly serve an optical purpose, but also make it a little easier for the Burgen Korn to show its character than a rich, cloudy apple juice or a genuine acid coming from the fruit would allow. I named the drink “Appelkorn Highball” after a famous German folksong.
Recipe “Appelkorn Highball”:
5 cl Burgen Korn
2 cl clear apple juice
1.5 cl Supasawa
0.5 cl sugar syrup
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
soda water
Preparation: The drink is built in the glass. Stir all ingredients except the soda water in your glass filled with ice, then top off with soda water.
Glass: Longdrink / Highball
Garnish: dried apple slice, some mint
Buying sources: At specialized retailers or online, for example at Conalco.
*The bottle for this review was provided to me by the Conalco Spirituosen UG. The fact that this product has been sent to me free of charge for editorial purposes does not – in any way – imply any influence on the content of this article or my rating. On the contrary, it is always an indispensable condition for me to be able to review without any external influence.
