Name your poison! Named after a beautiful but deadly plant, this drink has a dark color that hints at something sinister. But don’t worry, instead of using poisonous flowers or berries, we used black currant juice and black currant liqueur (also known as crème de cassis).… Read more
The word “punch” is derived from the Hindu word “panch or paunch” meaning “5”. Thus, there are typically five main components to a punch- Spirits, spice, citrus, water (or other dillutant, eg. Tea) and a sweetener. This is a modern interpretation of this classic 17th/18th century “punch service” style of imbibing. Courtesy of Domaine de Canton.… Read more
Whiskyfest San Francisco was Friday. There were a lot of men in kilts but they were outnumbered by bottles of whiskey. 200 different kinds available for tasting. We got a shot at tasting some that weren’t available to the general public. Throughout the next week, we’ll be sharing detailed reviews of our favorites. To whet your appetite, here are some of our picks from this year’s festivities:
Ardmore 30 — A truly layered and unique
Jack Daniel’s is now serving up some meat to go with that shot of whiskey.
Ready-made meals like baby back ribs, barbecue pulled pork and pork loin featuring Jack Daniel’s No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey are making their way to a grocery store near you.
The company has been making marinades, sauces and mustards for a while, so prepared food was the next move.
Sounds good. Ribs, anyone?
Via Louisville Business Journal … Read more
In celebration of another season of Mad Men, I have been making a whole bunch of Old Fashioned Cocktails. Some with bourbon, some Irish Whiskey, some scotch. This week’s drink is a Old Fashioned made with Canadian Whisky (yes, no ‘e’). I am drinking one now, although I substituted Angostura Orange Bitters for original Angostura Bitters. this recipe call for a simple lemon peel. Is desired, you can make this Old fashioned the ‘new’ way … Read more
Old Potrero is a recreation of an 18th century American whiskey. It’s made with 100% rye mash. Most rye makers mix corn and/or barley in the mash, which would make the spirit sweeter.
It’s copper-pot distilled and aged for two years plus in toasted oak barrels. The reason they don’t call it a “rye whiskey” on the label despite the fact that it has a much higher rye content than other American whiskeys is that … Read more
The sazerac is one of my favorite cocktails. So I was hesitant to mess with it.
But I had some raspberries in the fridge and a funny name in my head — Razerac … sounds like Scooby Doo saying “Sazerac.”
Thus the Razarac was born. And it is awesome.
It’s still quite a stiff cocktail. Just like a sazerac, it’s just rye, simple syrup and bitters. However, it has a little sweet twist.
Accounting for … 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
Black Maple Hill is a damn fine, 95-proof bourbon at a damn fine price. My friends and I call it “the one that smells like bananas,” but there’s more to it than its tropical nose.
It starts out mellow on the tongue with a bit of a sweet, fruity taste and quickly brings on a little heat to let you know that, yes, this is Kentucky bourbon you’re drinking. The result is a solid, complex … Read more
Looking for a Father’s Day gift that is both thoughtful and quick?
These picks are unique liquors that stand out among other spirits of the same type. What better way to show Dad that you think he’s one of a kind.
I’ve included multiple price ranges, but these were chosen for their taste and not their price tag.
Here are a few liquor picks for the discerning Dad on your gift-shopping list:
Single-Malt Scotch: