Halloween is nearly upon us, which means kids everywhere will be tromping through neighborhoods angling for candy. Some adults choose to dutifully hand out treats or attend parties, while others turn off the lights, turn on the sprinklers and board…
Read MoreI’m back at it after a few weeks of eating and drinking my way across Southeast Asia. I was hoping to sample many curious liquors, but as the temperatures and humidity were oppressive, and ice safety was questionable at best,…
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The Pink Gin, as the name half implies and half does not—is a stout cocktail. Composed of just gin and bitters, it’s not for the faint of heart. Simply uttering the words “gin” and “bitters” tends to send novice drinkers…
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Partida Reposado Tequila is part of the 100% agave Partida lineup that also includes blanco, anejo and extra anejo tequilas. The reposado is aged for six months in used whiskey barrels and, according to some spirits experts, is one of…
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Germain-Robin Brandy is hand-distilled in small batches in California. Germain-Robin was started in the 1980s by Ansley Coale and Hubert Germain-Robin, who comes from a long line of cognac producers. The company released its first brandy in 1987, and recently…
Read MoreOlmeca Altos tequilas have, until recently, only been available outside of the United States. That changed last month when Olmeca Altos announced that its 100 percent agave Plata and Reposado tequilas were coming stateside. The Olmeca Altos distillery uses the…
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Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is back for another year. The 2010 edition, which commemorates the birth of Brown-Forman’s founder, George Brown, is aged 12 years and just may be the best of the bunch. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is quite…
Read MoreOn September 16, Mexico celebrates its Aniversario de la Independencia, which marks 200 years of independence from Spain. Like many conscientious Texans, I’ll be drinking tequila and glancing ominously in the general direction of Spain. Some fine tequilas to enjoy…
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Before there was New York, there was New Amsterdam, and New Amsterdam Gin pays homage to the former Dutch settlement with a namesake gin. Of course, New Amsterdam Gin is actually distilled in Modesto, California. Go figure. New Amsterdam Gin…
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The Lash Spiced Rum is a blend of West Indies rums aged four years in used bourbon barrels. The Lash is infused with spices, bourbon vanilla extract and other flavors. The name “The Lash” presumably stems from the quote—often attributed…
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Canadian Club Sherry Cask is a small batch Canadian whiskey that’s aged for eight years in white oak and then finished in Spanish sherry casks. It sits at the top of the Canadian Club lineup and, unlike the standard six-year…
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Aeroplano Tequila is a 100% agave tequila produced in the central lowlands of Jalisco. Aeroplano is created by first cooking the heads of the agave plants in old masonry ovens, and then twice distilling and filtering the spirit. Aeroplano currently…
Read MorePendleton Whisky (they drop the E) is a 10-year old blended Canadian whiskey. It’s made with water from Mt. Hood in Oregon, and is bottled by Oregon’s Hood River Distillers, but since it’s distilled in Canada, Pendleton keeps its Canadian…
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Mixology Monday is a monthly online cocktail party that bands together booze fiends from barstools around the world to create a collection of cocktail recipes pertaining to a specific theme. This month’s host is the leading lady of booze, Lindsey…
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Tequila Avion is a new brand formed by a group of entrepreneurs, including Ken Austin, a former Seagrams and E&J Gallo executive. Tequila Avion is distilled from Blue Weber Agave found in the highest regions of Jalisco, Mexico, where the…
Read MoreVodka’s an interesting spirit. It’s consumed in higher quantities than any other liquor, yet it’s maligned by a large segment of the mixology community. There was even a panel at last month’s Tales of the Cocktail dedicated to the love/hate relationship between…
Read MoreWith your hangover from National Scotch Day finally winding down, this is no time to rest or recuperate. It’s merely time to switch gears and break out that bottle of rum you’ve been saving for a special occasion, which has…
Read MoreThere are few things more comforting than sipping a dram of Scotch or a stout whiskey cocktail during the cold winter months. But just like red wine, people often shove whiskey to the back of their liquor cabinets during the…
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Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon is part of Four Roses’ core lineup of whiskeys that also includes the Small Batch and Yellow Label bourbons. The “single barrel” designation means that the bourbon is pulled from single casks and bottled, rather…
Read MoreThe Tailspin is a lovely little cocktail I first came across in How to Booze: Exquisite Cocktails and Unsound Advice. Combining gin, sweet vermouth, green chartreuse and a touch of Campari, the Tailspin is a flavor-packed cocktail colored with interesting…
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