At the Bar: Canton Cognac

To date, we haven’t been especially impressed with the liquor industry’s manic attempts to revolutionize stale brands by infusing them with a witch’s cauldron of weird flavors. However, Maurice Cooper & Cie has probably got a hit with Canton, a slightly syrupy blend of cognac and ginger.

The first sip had us a little worried. The liquor does suffer from a certain stickiness, which is generally true of all liquors, and the first sip had us remembering certain childhood remedies (Nyquil, anyone?).

But all it took was a second sip to convince and the next few glasses made us believers. The drink gives a slight burn going down each time: nothing as severe as the first swig of brandy, but instead a nice reminder that you’re not drinking beer. And the high notes from the ginger keep the drink from quickly becoming oppressive or numbing the mouth the way some hard liquors can.

Canton is 28% alcohol, which means you soon won’t care what it tastes like.

According to the press materials we received, the 750ml bottles will retail for $29.00. Canton is expected to appear in bars this fall, and in liquor stores across the U.S by 2008.

The drink also has an intriguing lineage. Canton is the flagship drink of Maurice Cooper & Cie, which was founded by John Cooper, 32. His father, N.J. Sky Cooper, launched Chambord back in the 1980s. John Cooper’s grandfather founded Charles Jacquins et Cie, America’s oldest producer of cordials, in 1884. The family sold its Chambord product line to Brown Forman (est. 1870) last year for $255 million, so one assumes they’ve got the cash to properly distribute and market their new offering.

The company suggests a variety of cocktails, which we agree could be nice, though we did not attempt any. Among these: Canton and vodka, Canton and soda, Canton and ice (never would have considered that one).

Definitely worth a try. If we had ratings (stars, numbers…), we’d give this a high one.