Most of us have the day off tomorrow to honor our first president’s birthday. He was a whiskey distiller as well as a president, so we know he liked a nice drink. We’re garnishing with a cocktail cherry as a nod to the cherry tree he supposedly chopped down and then couldn’t lie about.
Here’s a cocktail to celebrate Presidents Day in style!… Read more
January 31st is National Brandy Alexander Day. This classic cocktail is said to have been created for the 1922 wedding of Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood (the daughter of George V) and Viscount Lascelles. Courtesy of Hiram Walker.… Read more
It’s cold season and this winter has been harsh. Having succumbed to the evil flu earlier this week, I decided to explore the aged old cure all, the hot toddy. I started with a tea-based toddy, but really took to a clove, cinnamon and lemon rind mix. Simmering those spices unleashes all their goodness and lets it get into your bones, really.
Of course, you’ll want to keep doing all the other things you need … Read more
I love a nice Cognac cocktail in the winter! Here’s a classic that you don’t see around much that’s worth a try. The Brandy Crusta is a 19th-century cocktail that was the predecessor to the Sidecar. Like many great cocktails, it originated in New Orleans, so Peychaud’s is the perfect bitters for this concoction. Courtesy of Absolut Vodka.… Read more
Giorgio G is fashion icon Giorgio Gucci’s foray into cognac. The distribution company, Emperor’s Brand, sent a sample of the Premier Cru Special Limited Edition, which is aged over 50 years. This was one of those situations where the small sample bottle left me wanting more.
The name implies it’s luxury liquor, but the taste confirms it. Made from Ugni Blanc grapes from the Grande Champagne area, it has a deep gold color and gentle … Read more
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The brands have been busy creating new cocktails you can share with your sweetie.
Tongue Tied
1 ½ oz X-Rated Fusion Liqueur
1 ½ oz Skyy Infusions Cherry
Splash of grenadine
Shake X-Rated and Skyy Infusions Cherry over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Slowly add a dash of Grenadine so that it sinks to the bottom.
Garnish with a cherry with a knotted stem.
Hopeless RomantiX
1 ½ oz X-Rated Fusion … Read more
Finally! Season 3 of Mad Men premieres August 16. And it’s just not Mad Men without booze.
Who can forget when Sally Draper mixed a Tom Collins for the grownups? Or when Don Draper wooed Rachel Menken with one of the prettiest Mai Tais I’ve ever seen? And of course there was Freddy Rumson’s … incident in the office after one Screwdriver too many.
So what better way to celebrate the start of this new … Read more
At the recent Nightclub & Bar Conference in Las Vegas, I had the pleasure to attend a seminar lead by Georg Riedel. What a treat, not only did I learn firsthand from a master about fine glassware and how it enhances all types of spirits but I learned how the Reidel family figured it all out. Said Greog to my question, “We’ve been doing this a long time.” And they have the family-run Austrian company … Read more
It’s Mixology Monday again and this month were are hosted by Chuck Taggart at The Gumbo Pages. Chuck picked the Amaro as the theme. If you don’t know what Amaro is, it is a variety of Italian herbal liqueur, commonly drunk as an after-dinner digestif. Amarai are typically made with herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and/or citrus peels steeped in alcohol, mixed with sugar and aged. Common brands are Fernet Branca, Cynar, and Luxardo. Even Jägermeister … Read more