spirits review

Drinks Wire

Nick Strangeway on Absolut Craft Herbaceous Lemon
ByJonas Halpren April 30, 2013April 30, 2013

We recently met bartender Nick Strageway at San Francisco’s Tick Dog to learn about his new line of all natural vodkas, Absolut Craft. Created by a master bartender, Absolut Craft was made specifically for bartending pros.

In the video below, Strangeway discusses the process of creating the Herbaceous Lemon, which contains no lemon at all. Rather, the vodka is made using a combination of lemon myrtle, lemon thyme, lemongrass and other other flavors that are … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Highland Park Loki Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review
ByJonas Halpren April 25, 2013April 29, 2013

Loki, is the second bottling in Highland Park’s Valhalla series. This limited edition single malt scotch is named for Loki, the Norse God of mischief or fire or both. He may not even be a full God, his status has been debated for many years. He is also a shape-shifter, for all you True Blood fans. What does this have to do with Whisky?

Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, says,

“While everyone will recognize … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Dancing Pines Bourbon Whiskey Review
ByRachel Halpren September 29, 2012November 21, 2012

This bourbon hails from a small craft distillery in Loveland Colorado – the brainchild of a wife-husband-husband’s father combo! Dancing Pines is one of many new craft distilleries that have been popping up across America that have embraced the modern American whiskey renaissance with it’s bourbon whiskey. Yes, Dancing Pines does produce a bourbon. We like to point that out as many people think that bourbon can only come from Kentucky. Bourbon can come from … Read more

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Drinks Wire

1800 Tequila Review
ByAlexander Hanna July 19, 2012November 21, 2012

Summer is officially here, and one of the first things I reach for behind the bar is tequila. Whether you like to sip a nice aged anejo neat or prefer your tequila crystal clear and frozen in a margarita while at the beach, its definitely the spirit of summer. With so many brands to choose from, every little gimmick counts and so you may have noticed advertisements for 1800 Tequila in the past featuring Soprano’s … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Highland Park Valhalla Collection – Thor – Review
ByRachel Halpren June 14, 2012November 21, 2012

This gem comes from one of our favorite Scotch houses – Highland Park. Not only is Highland Park 18 one of the most perfect spirits that I have been fortunate enough to taste, the Edrington Group, which owns Highland Park is simply amazing. Long a family enterprise, they fought off multiple hostile takeover attempts by Seagrams in the 1950’s, consolidated their holdings into the Edrington Group, which is owned by the Robertson Family Trust (the … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon Review
ByRachel Halpren April 12, 2012November 21, 2012

I didn’t know much about Four Roses Bourbon other than that my friend Ingrid really, really likes it! We recently received a bottle of the Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon with the identification of Warehouse DS and Barrel 3-1I. Apparently, each of the Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon bottles come marked with their barrel identification and warehouse storage location. I thought that was pretty cool as bottles from different barrels can conceivably taste pretty different. … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Tequila Don Julio 1942 Review
ByRachel Halpren December 22, 2011November 21, 2012

Believe it or not, Don Julio is actually a man. A man who is still alive, living in Mexico and making Tequila! While Don Julio has passed on the reins of the distillery to the next generation, he is still an active participant in the business. I think that is pretty cool. I am always impressed when a distiller or a winemaker is actively involved in it’s operations, especially, the person who started them. No … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky Review
ByRachel Halpren December 1, 2011November 21, 2012

The Chivas Brothers started as grocers in Aberdeen Scotland, then became purveyors of fine food stuffs and liquor, including rum, and starting in 1843, were given a Royal Warrant to supply Queen Victoria on her trips to Scotland. In the 1850’s, one of the famed Chivas brothers turned his attention to Scotch and developed a blended Scotch Whisky where softer grain Whiskys were blended with the aromatic but often harsher Single Malt Whiskys. Viola, a … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Effen Vodka Review
ByRachel Halpren November 10, 2011November 21, 2012

There are certain words that are just fun to say and Effen happens to be one of them. Supposedly Effen means smooth in Dutch but its close proximity to another word probably doesn’t hurt its reputation either. But, all kidding aside, the folks at Effen take their Vodka very seriously and the Vodka, itself, shouldn’t be overshadowed by its name.

Effen Vodka is a Dutch wheat Vodka based on a 125 year old recipe and … Read more

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Drinks Wire

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon Review
ByRachel Halpren September 26, 2011November 21, 2012

Another offering from the folks at Wild Turkey, who never cease to surprise us. At this point, Wild Turkey is truly an American icon. And we love the story on how this bourbon got its name—a turkey hunting trip that one of its marketing executives went on and took samples. The next year, the friends asked for some of that “wild turkey.” It’s a great story!

Wild Turkey has a Rare Breed society for bourbon … Read more

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