In a post for South African travel site, Travelstart, I wrote about one of my favorite bars in the country: Drink. Drink, which in my estimation is Boston’s finest cocktail bar, is a true bartender’s bar. There’s no menu and…
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The inaugural Ultimate Cocktail Challenge was held at Astor Center in New York City on April 12-14, and it recently announced the winning spirits. Winners were chosen by a panel of experts who assessed how well individual spirits performed in…
Read MoreAfter a call with Maker’s Mark President Bill Samuels in February, and receiving a sample in March, today I spoke with Master Distiller Kevin Smith about the new Maker’s Mark bourbon, called Maker’s 46, that will hit store shelves in…
Read MoreFor millions, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. For others, it’s simply another excuse to drink during the day. Whichever set you belong to, celebrate Cinco de Mayo with…
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Egg whites have been an integral ingredient in cocktail recipes since the early 1800s, but recently, authorities have begun to crack down on the use of raw egg whites in cocktails. In January, New York City’s Pegu Club was cited…
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The Bowmore Distillery is one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, having stood on the shores of Islay since 1779. It is one of the few distilleries that continues to hand turn its own floor malted barley, rather than outsourcing the chore….
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I recently received a bottle of Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila, a spirit that, upon first glance, is a silver tequila. But really it’s a blend of Reposado, Añejo and Extra Añejo tequilas; the clarity is due to its unique filtering…
Read MoreRecently 30 booze experts tasted 1,024 premium spirits for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Entries represented 58 countries and six continents. Some winners are noted below. Premium Awards Distillery of the Year – Glenmorangie Distillery Importer of the Year…
Read MoreOne year after its opening, I finally made it to Anvil Bar and Refuge, a cocktail oasis in Houston, TX. Anvil is co-owned by Robert Heugel and Friends, and it serves what are probably the most interesting cocktails in all…
Read MoreWhile yesterday was a rye day, today was most definitely a gin day. With an assortment of gins at hand (Plymouth, Tanqueray Ten, Sapphire, Aviation and Martin Miller’s) I wanted to drink either something new, or something I hadn’t had…
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Bulldog Gin has partnered with bartenders around the globe to develop some refreshing cocktails as we prepare for warmer months ahead. Adam Dennis, Bartender at Box 109 in Newton, MA debuted his drink, “Henry VIII,” a take on the Corpse Reviver…
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Once per month cocktail fiends band together to create a booze-soaked collection of cocktail recipes for Mixology Monday. This month’s host is Sonja of Thinking of Drinking, who chose absinthe as the theme. From Sonja – The topic for February…
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Classic cocktails continue to resurface in speakeasy-style bars in select cities across the country. One such drink is the tequila cocktail, El Diablo, which appeared in Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink as early as 1946 and has become…
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With just a few days remaining before Valentine’s Day, I suppose it’s time to sort through some of these Valentine’s-themed emails. There are lots of cocktail recipes in the mix, a testament that no matter your date status for the…
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Ah Valentine’s Day, that special holiday when couples spend money and singles spend time alone. Whichever boat you’re in this year, you might as well add a naked lady to the mix. Despite the name, the Naked Lady cocktail is…
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I delete a lot of emails. Mail touting something irrelevant to this blog’s focus, like a book about the evils of drinking, goes straight into the trash. Pitches about obnoxious new products, like yet another flavored vodka (“now infused with…
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Once per month cocktail aficionados band together to create a booze-soaked collection of drink recipes for Mixology Monday. This month’s host is Frederic of Cocktail Virgin Slut, who chose tea as the theme. From Frederic – Tea has played a…
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While doing a bit of light reading on the Aviation cocktail, I came across a drink created by Gary Regan that he dubbed the Moonlight Cocktail. According to Gary, “I merely took the Aviation formula and tweaked it a little….
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Last night I wandered into one of my favorite local cocktail spots and ordered an Aviation, that tasty, well-balanced drink with gin, maraschino and fresh lemon juice. A few minutes later, when a nearly purple cocktail was placed in front…
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I really can’t get enough of bitters, from tried and true stalwarts like Angostura, Peychaud’s and Regan’s Orange to newish offerings from The Bitter Truth. Aside from using bitters to enhance my cocktails, I even consume bitters with a bit…
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