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Pickle Back Rears its Head Again
A little bit ago we told you about the Jameson's Pickle Back, and expressed our nervousness about the shot. We have been overwhelmed by reader response since the story ran, telling us we need to sack up and give it......
Do you want to learn more about whisky? Of course, we all do. That's why Mark Gillespie's WhiskyCast is great. You can listen to it while you do other things - work, brush your teeth, or drink whisky, for example.......
Chilly Twist Reusable Party Cups
Looking for a replacement for the ubiquitous red plastic keg cup at your next party? Or maybe you're sick of pulling warm beer off a keg that's been sitting in the sun for a bit too long? Possibly you're one......
paQui Tequila Arrives for Review
We always love hearing about brands were weren't otherwise familiar with, and we recently got a package on our stoop that gave us just such a surprise. In the box was a bottle of paQui tequila. According to their website,......
When was the last time you thought about taking a drink? If you're thirsty, you reach out and take the glass, and you put it to your lips. But what if drinking didn't come that easily? What if taking a......
Pickle Back Shot: Jameson's and Pickle Juice
There are some moments in your life that you will always remember. Your first kiss? Hopefully. The birth of your first child? Probably. The first time you drink a shot of whiskey with a chaser of pickle juice? Most definitely.......
Paradiseontherocks
Sometimes we’re looking for a drink that cures all our day’s problems; maybe we just need a break. Now and then, we imbibe to celebrate. I sip because I want to…whether I’m starting dinner or breakfast. Most folks, however, drink because it’s dinner. Today’s cocktail, “The Diplomat” is a shining example...
The history of the Moscow Mule is wholly American. The drink came about to promote the release of Smirnoff Vodka to the ol’ U- S of A. Like most things that catch on, the drink was bastardized by using poor products. Also, peoples palates seemed to change from that which...
While in the Northwest, I realized how far Honolulu has to go to catch up to the mainland cities as far as cocktail culture goes. We’re still muddling fruit and infusing vodka while they are using obscure liquors and modern bartending techniques. It takes a lot more talent to mix...
Small competition coming up. Holla if you’d like in. Only 8 people will be able to compete. $500 prize Seven_Tiki_Rum_Rules_Card Here’s some info on the rum from some PR folks. From the South Pacific comes SEVEN TIKI(R) Spiced Rum, a Fijian rum with spices and other natural flavors. This premium spiced rum is...
Ah, competition, you are the bane of my existence. Well, not really. I figured I should pass on some info to you bar folks out there. In March, there is a teeny, tiny gathering called the Nightclub & Bar Convention in Las Vegas. At this get together there is a...
Here’s a few words in case you had a hard time describing your drunken stupor. basted bladdered bleary-eyed blind blotto boiled boozed bunned canned cockeyed drunk drunk as a lord drunk as a skunk elevated feeling no pain flooey foxed frazzled fried full geezed ginned gone got a bun on half seas over half shot hammered high idioms illuminated in his cups inebriated intoxicated juiced knocked out laid out likkered up lit lit to the guards loaded lubricated lush mashed mellow mullered oiled on a bender on a jag organized orie-eyed ossified pickeled pie-eyed ‘pifflicated pissed plastered potted preserved primed rileyed rummed schicker (Jewish) seeing snakes sewed up shitfaced shot silly sloshed smashed snozzled soaked soapy-eyed soused spifflicated squiffed stewed stinko stuccoed tanked three sheets in the wind tight tipsy trollied tuned up to the...
Jeffrey Morgenthaler
How to Vomit on Your Keyboard Ten Different Ways
This appalling affront to the craft that so many of us have worked hard trying to restore over the past fifteen-plus years has been making the rounds on Twitter, but I thought I’d share it here with all of you. Browse at your own risk, my advice is to...
To get to the town of Cognac, France, you have to fly into the airport at Bordeaux, nearly two hours south. You spend a good hour on the freeway, which looks pretty much like any freeway in the world, until eventually you see an exit marked “Cognac”. You then...
If there’s one thing I hate about living in the Pacific Northwest, it’s the stretch of time from late October until late June, when the sun makes only the most occasional of appearances. I typically pack on an extra 10-15 pounds during those rainy months, party due to over-consumption...
How to Make Your Own Grenadine
While this is a topic that has been covered by pretty much every cocktail blog under the sun, I haven’t yet written about it. Why? Well, for one, I’m lazy and never got around to it. But after having made various versions of grenadine for years at...
For many years before this whole cocktail thing really took off, I worked in dive bars. Really crappy dive bars where people would visit – often nightly – for what appeared to be the sole purpose of getting very, very drunk. These bars were loud, they were obnoxious, and...
Wow, I apparently thought it was still late-October or something, because it came as a complete surprise to me today that my favorite drinking holiday in the whole world is next weekend. I guess that between keeping my nose to the grindstone at work and traveling extensively lately, it...
Dowd on Drinks
30-label free wine tasting at All Star
The majority of free wine tastings seem to be very limited. Four or five wines to sample, if you’re lucky. Craig Allen is promising 30 different wines at the free tasting he has scheduled for 1 to 5 p.m. next Sunday, March 21, at his expanded All Star Wine & Spirits...
Invasive moth just one California problem
Courtesy of the San Francisco Chronicle • From SFgate.com: A huge swath of [California] wine country, including vineyards where some of the world’s best grapes are grown, was quarantined this week after an invasive moth was discovered. The European grapevine moth has already destroyed at least one vineyard’s harvest and damaged other prime...
There is no organic matter that cannot be used to make vodka. Thus, what Harry Gorman, the distiller for Duncan’s Spirits of St. Johnsbury, VT, is producing makes great use of that fact and the fact that its home area has some very distinctive products. Go to Dowd’s Tasting Notes for...
‘World’s oldest’ single malt unveiled
William M. Dowd photo illustration • This is part of “Gotta Have …”, an ongoing series of occasional postings on unusual spirits products. What may well be the world’s oldest single malt whisky was unveiled Thursday in a ceremony at Edinburgh Castle in the Scottish capital city. Gordon and MacPhail’s Mortlach 70-Year-Old Speyside...
New vodka flood contains a shocker
The latest wave in the never-ending flood of vodkas includes one that also wins the Chutzpah/Bad Taste Award. Kabbalah is the newest brand of Russian Vodka, created by a beverage maker known as EZ Protocols. In fact, its entire formal name is “Kabbalah Vodka – With Christian Infants.” Kabbalah is the school...
The King Family Winery of Crozet, VA, didn’t make much of its Meritage 2007, but what it did make is doing just fine, thank you. The blend had already won double gold in the 2009 Monticello Cup. Now, it has pulled down the Governor’s Cup, the top honor, in the recent...
Dr.Whisky
Shhh...Listen.That is the sound of THREE solid weeks of silence on Dr. Whisky, with a whisper of my ass heading to the airport again.And it will continue until I get more than two successive nights in my own bed. Lots of time on the road February through mid-March, but rest...
Penderyn Aur CymruMadeira FinishSingle Malt Welsh Whisky46% abv£35$70 USDWriting very quickly as I am off to New Orleans in an hour. Congratulations, Saints!This bit of Welsh gold was first released in 2004 and comes from Wales' only single malt distillery. Founded in 1998, Penderyn began distilling in 2000 and was...
Hudson Single Malt WhiskeyTuthilltown Distillery46% abv$40 (USD)There is some real, old-fashioned, hand-crafted, family-run whiskey-making going on in the Hudson Valley. If it has taken you until now to realise it then, brother, there is no time to waste. While other American distilleries are working hard to replicate the hand-crafted, small...
Connemara 12yoIrish Single Malt Whiskey 40% abv£55$95 (USD)Another Irish drop, and an unusual one at that as it's only distilled twice (most Irish is triple-distilled). And in pot stills, no less, the way God intended..."The saviour of Irish whisky", the artist formerly known as John Teeling, purchased this County Louth-based...
Connemara Cask Strength Peated Irish Single Malt Whiskey 57.9% abv £44 $65 (USD)$95 (CAD)Don't yet know if this will be a string of all Irish whiskies (couldn't have waited til mid-March, Doc?), but we will just take it one dram at a time.We tasted the 40% abv version of the...
Jameson Irish Whiskey 40% abv£17 $25 (USD) $30 (CAD)Married to a member of the Haig Scotch whisky dynasty, founder John Jameson moved from Scotland to Ireland and began making the water of life in 1780. Originally produced at one of the six Dublin distilleries, Jameson is now distilled way...
Drinks After Dark
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Limited Edition, Kahlua Coffee Cream
Oh my. This is definitely not the Kahlúa you might be used to. This is delightful, eye-rollingly yummy and goes down so very very smoothly. I love my coffee, and will drink it at almost any time during the day. Nothing suits aromatic, freshly brewed coffee like fresh cream. As a...
Nat Decants: Food & Wine Matcher
Natalie MacLean is one of Canada’s most respected wine writers. Her columns are insightful and interesting and she doesn’t get into the kinda of snobby wine critiques that some writers have been known for. Natalie has created a widget for wine aficionados, writers and foodies to include on their website, or...
Wine needs to breathe, it just opens up and tastes better, but if you’re anything like me, I wither don’t think far enough ahead to decant, or I just want wine when I open it. Thankfully, the Vinturi is my new best friend. I’ve got a Vinturi red wine aerator, and...
Show off your spirit of choice!
“What’ll it be?” - the question every bartender the world over asks when patrons saunter up to their bar. Show your drink preference with one of Buji Bijoux’s Gatsby Tag necklaces and never end up with the wrong drink again. “Gatsby Tags,” Buji Bijoux designer May Chen took a quick turn...
Woodford Reserve scoured the country for the single-most well-crafted Manhattan in the nation. Just recently, Woodford Reserve bourbon and Esquire magazine have crowned Jeromy Edwards from Louisville, Kentucky and his “Cider Manhattan” as the “Master of the Manhattan” for 2009. Seems only fitting that Jeromy is from Louisville - home to...
Alcademics.com
The story on cocktail sweeteners I wrote for the April/May issue of Fine Cooking magazine is now online. You can read it here. [Visit Alcademics.com for the full post. On Facebook, click 'View Original Post' below.] ...
Fine Cocktails in Fine Cooking Magazine
I have a story in the new March/April issue of Fine Cooking magazine. It's about the variety of ways to sweeten cocktails with raw sugars, maple syrup, agave, honey, etc. Pick up a copy to find a Mamie Taylor variation... [Visit Alcademics.com for the full post. On Facebook, click 'View Original...
Molecular Mixology and Gastronomy at Absolut Sensory Analysis Workshop
(Solid Bloody Mary with vodka-fused pear cherry tomato, micro celery, dried roasted tomato and lemon rind, and other ingredients.) What a treat! On Sunday, May 7, a group of bartenders and a lucky journalist or two were treated to a... [Visit Alcademics.com for the full post. On Facebook, click 'View Original...
The San Francisco Hailstorm Cocktail
We had a sudden and wild hailstorm in San Francisco Today. We all know that special occasions call for special cocktails, so I made one and served it in a glass full of hail. San Francisco Hailstorm 3 ounces bourbon... [Visit Alcademics.com for the full post. On Facebook, click 'View Original...
Hey, have you heard about the white whiskey? Probably! SF Chronicle: White whiskey drips into the mainstream Washington Post: Of microdistillers and moonshine New York Times: White Dog’s Day Foodista Blog: Knocking Back Moonshine with Max Watman Here are some... [Visit Alcademics.com for the full post. On Facebook, click 'View Original...
Better Cocktails Creep Into the Castro
My first story written for 7x7 Magazine is now online. Castro's Last Stand Long a bastion of bad drinks and a good time, the city’s biggest party neighborhood is slowly but surely learning how to wield a muddler. by Camper... [Visit Alcademics.com for the full post. On Facebook, click 'View Original...
Daily beverage news and comment - from just-drinks.com
US: Anheuser-Busch files Illinois complaint
Anheuser-Busch InBev's US unit is appealing against a ruling in Illinois, claiming that authorities in the state "have erected protectionist and discriminatory barriers to out-of-state beer producers"....
In the Spotlight - Reed's Inc, Jones Soda
The challenging economic environment combined with Jones Soda's current capitalisation has made it extremely difficult for the firm to continue to operate on a standalone basis. Michelle Russell looks at reaction to the group's merger deal with Reed's....
just the round-up - The week in drinks
The top ten stories published on just-drinks this week:...
Focus - Brown-Forman holds back on China
Diageo and Pernod Ricard have spent much of the last year talking up China's thirst for premium spirits, but some of their smaller rivals are happy to leave the 'big two' to fight it out in the country - for now....
UPDATE: Funkin to invest US$500,000 in US expansion
UK cocktail ingredient firm Funkin has said it will invest US$500,000 in its expansion in the US....
US: UBS upbeat on Dr Pepper Snapple Group in 2010
Investment bank UBS has upgraded Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPSG) to buy from neutral, saying that it doesn't believe the market is fully valuing strong fundamentals for the business....
Scotch Chix
A couple of years ago, the CA Scotch Couple were pleased to make the acquaintance of the lovely and intelligent Japanese Peat Chick. They first met this remarkable individual when she was casting around for a school at which to spend her year long sabbatical. Since her work is in...
Nikka Taketsuru 12 Year Pure Malt
Nikka Taketsuru 12 Year Pure MaltThis award winning vatted malt is difficult if not impossible to find in the United States. It is a sweet single malt reminiscent of Highland Park 12 with just a bit more raisin, apricot, and cherry on the palate. Single Malt Whisky: Nikka Taketsuru...
Nikka Single Cask 20This Nikka Single Cask 20 is super smooth with a buttery, creamy palate and just a hint of apple. The only thing CA Scotch Chick would change is the finish. There is just a bit too much of a bite to it.Single Malt Whisky: Nikka Single...
Nikka Single Cask 25This smoky single cask is round and luscious in the mouth. Sweet smoke predominates, appearing in the nose, on the palate and in the finish.Single Malt Whisky: Nikka Single Cask 25 Region: Hokkaido, JapanColorGoldNoseSmoke, sherry, sweetnessBodyRound, lusciousPalateSweet smoke, cherriesFinishShort smoky finish with just a hint of...
Nikka Single Malt Yoichi 12 Woody and Vannilic
Nikka Single Malt Yoichi 12 Woody and VanillicIf the Nikka 12 Pure Malt is reminiscent of Highland Park, Nikka's Single Malt Yoichi 12 WV is Highland Park on steroids. This whisky is packed with vanilla and buttery flavors. Single Malt Whisky: Nikka Single Malt Yoichi 12 Woody and Vanillic...
Nikka Single Malt Whisky Yoichi Sherry and Sweet
Nikka Single Malt Yoichi Sherry and SweetThere is a bit more sherry in this whisky than CA Scotch Chick cares for. Despite this, it is a complex whisky with a hint of smoke and a spicy finish.Single Malt Whisky: Nikka Yoichi Single Malt Sherry and Sweet Region: Hokkaido, JapanColorRedNoseSmokeBodyMediumPalateSherry with...
SpiritsAndCocktails.com
Balvenie 17yr Madeira Cask & Drinking at Home
I’ve decided to take this moment to opine on something that is dear to me: drinking well. Now while this will mean different things to different people at different times, today I want to talk about the selection of our spirits when we imbibe. While we are in a economic...
Combier, Haiti and the Blood and Sand
I have had in my possession for some time a bottling of Royal Combier Grande Liqueur, and while I had wanted to mention it, I wasn’t sure how to present it, as I’ve already discussed Combier’s other bottling and had compared it favorably to Cointreau in its use in cocktails....
Bitter Truth to hit U.S. shores
Big news for all you cocktail nuts out there: Bitter Truth bitters will become more readily available in the U.S. While one can always order them online from Cocktail Kingdom, it appears that one will soon be able to walk into their nearest speciality store and get Bitter Truth bitters...
The folks at magnificentbastard.com have embarked on a quest to invent a new cocktail called the Magnificent Bastard and are asking mixologists and drink enthusiasts for worthy recipes. In exchange, the winning entrant will receive all the glory for inventing a new cocktail plus a $500 shopping spree at kegworks.com. All the info and entry form is...
To continue with the holiday shopping theme of late, here are a couple of suggestions for the cocktailian in your life that has everything. First off, why not get them a bottle of tequila that they’re sure not to open: one of 1800’s beautiful artist designed bottles? I wrote about this...
Recently I’d received a bottle of Xanté from a PR firm, and while it wasn’t in quite the seductive packaging that my fellow writer Jeffrey received his in, I found it worthy of mentioning, which brings me to the keyboard this evening. A luscious copper hue, I opened the bottle expecting...
Chowhound's Latest » Spirits
Egg white in a margarita - that's just wrong.
My description on the cocktail taxonomy was less than perfect. Should've known I'd get called on it. At some point, I was looking at egg white cocktail recipes, and the fizzes seem to be more likely to include them. But the common ingredient is the soda. FWIW,...
Have Great Gin. Is "Premium" Tonic Worth the Price?
I've tried a bunch of premium tonics but still return to Schwepp's. Nice bite, not too sweet. Sorry, but I just don't think Q and Fever Tree are worth the price....
What peach brandy to get and what to do with it when I get it?
I did what EvergreenDan did - I went out and bought a bottle of Mathilde. It's not bad straight and chilled but yes, very one-note. I like the Fish House Punch idea. I saw peach bitters in the store the other day so suppose that is an option ... and...
Romanian plum Tuica is not that far off Slivovitz. The homemade stuff I had over there had more of the fruit in it and was fairly tasty and I don't eat plums....
Yeah - I noticed that the site you mentioned had the whole egg listed up top, but then just the yolk listed below. I made it last night with the yolk only, and it was still a hit. My girlfriend claims it tastes just like Orange Julius. I think she's...
Absinthe / Herbsainte component of a Sazerac
I have tried a number of variations but keep coming back to the smooth, delicious one with 3 oz. Michter's Rye, simple syrup (used very sparingly, like 1 tsp max) and minimal rinse with St. George absinthe (strong stuff, but I love it) or Pacifique absinthe, 2-3 dashes Peychaud's, and...
bevlog | beer, wine, spirits trends | beverage blog
Here is wine made from pineapples, rather than grape wine with pineapple flavor. The above wine is produced and bottled by Florida Orange Groves of St. Petersburg, Florida. A second example is made in Thailand and imported by Radee Wine of Sacramento, California. Related Posts: Beer with Garlic (0) Zubrowka (1) Yerba Mate (2)...
This fine product has eggs on the label, and in the bottle, so it comes equipped with an allergen qualification, on the approval. The above qualification says: The disclosure of allergens used in this product is voluntary, pending final rulemaking (See Notice No. 62, 71 FR 42329). However; any reference made...
Back in the 1970s ATF/TTB worked vigorously to control wine-labeling, where FDA wanted to get involved and insist upon detailed ingredient lists, as is common on most other food labels. The matter got resolved by way of Brown-Forman Distillers Corp. v. Mathews, 435 F. Supp. 5 (W.D. Ky. 1976). But this...
Soviet-Style Flag Over NH Capitol
You can probably find some examples of American flags on TTB labels. But TTB usually does not allow it, and for that reason you won’t find one on this label. Manchester Brewing explains: The feds forced us to remove part of the American flag, and replace the stars with a hammer and...
Most of the world’s rum is produced in the Caribbean. Not a lot has been made in the US. But lately there are signs of incipient production in California. Here are two: Agua Libre and Eurydice. Both are made by St. George Spirits in Alameda, California. A Swedish blog explains: Eurydice starts...
Taurine has been widely used in alcohol beverages for about ten years. One of the early approvals is Hard E Malt Beverage with Taurine, as above. Another early example is Sparks with Caffeine, Taurine, Guarana and Ginseng, from a few months later. Taurine showed up in TTB/ATF products around 2001, a...
The Whisky Grotto
Guestpost – Cragganmore 1993: A Distiller’s Heaven
A couple of posts back I had the honor of presenting a guest post. Now its time to present guest post number 2, this time written by Martin who usually writes on his own blog – the Whisky Critic. Here we go: Greetings to WhiskyGrotto.com readers. As soon as I saw...
Today I posted a blog-post on Ronnestam.com about my experimental book project – Top 10 Blog Posts on Future Branding and Communication From Ronnestam.com. It doesn’t really have that much to do with Whisky specifically. But if you’re into marketing and advertising it will sure inspire you to reach further...
Ballantine’s Rocks The Bar With A New Equalizer
Very smart packaging idea by Ballantine’s. Listen to this post...
Johnnie Walker let John out of the closet
This little beauty is the latest crème de la crème from Johnnie Walker and it’s called…John Walker. You may not have known before but Johnnie’s real name is actually John. The John Walker represents the top notch of the Blue Label bottlings. The John Walker is created from a small number...
BenRiach pulls a strike at the International wine and spirits competition
Sales director Alistair Walker pulls of a big smile as the BenRiach Distillery Company is celebrating their win of ten top awards in the prestigious 2009 International Wine and Spirits Competition this week. In results published today this Thursday, the company entered 10 whiskies from both its BenRiach and GlenDronach brands,...
This is the first ever guest post here at Whiskygrotto.com. Sarah wrote me a while ago and asked if she could contribute with a guestpost. Of course! I said as long as it’s about Scotch Whisky or Whiskey. Here it is: The history of this whiskey-based cocktail is so extensive that...
The Whisky Exchange BLOG
Bourbon Competition: Win £500 credit at TWE!
Yes, it’s competition time again – and this time we’re upping the stakes with a truly fantastic prize: £500 credit at The Whisky Exchange!! Our sister company Speciality Drinks Ltd are going to launch a new premium bourbon soon – and they want YOUR help. They’ve been racking their brains for something...
Ardbeg Rollercoaster & TWE 10th Anniversary
Time for some more tasting notes now, but first a quick check on the predictions… Well, the Ardbeg debate has definitely kicked off on the forums, with the news that the official website have raised their price of Ardbeg 10yo to £36.99 and the other two major online whisky sites selling...
Secrets from Sukhinder’s Stash: Pride of Strathspey 1938
People assume that those of us privileged to work in the drinks trade spend our working hours constantly swigging free cocktails at trendy nitespots, before going home with supermodels, and only emerging from our dens of iniquity at two in the afternoon to sign the delivery forms for the next heaving...
TWE Blog Whisky Predictions for 2010 – Pt. 2
Okay, so it’s been a while getting these down – apologies if anyone was waiting (joke). Right, firstly I need to apologise to Rob and Dave from Whisky Mag for something I said in the last blog. For the record, I am happy to clarify that my speculation about Whisky Mag relying...
TWE Blog Whisky Predictions for 2010 Pt.1
Okay, so the London transport network is f@cked, there’s more snow due this afternoon and I live too far away from work to risk trying to get in and find myself stuck in Park Royal when I try to get home – nearly three hours it took me yesterday. I’ve also...
Octomore 2.2 – Pictures and (Official) Tasting Notes
First things first. Open a new window and listen to this while you’re reading the blog. It’ll put you in a good mood, and this might be the last you see of me before Christmas, so I want you to be happy. Anyway, what recession?!! It’s been so mind-bendingly busy here at...