Book Review: The Big Book of Martinis for Moms
The premise of The Big Book of Martinis for Moms is straightforward enough and to its credit, is never deviated from through 250 pages and 175-plus recipes. What one sees is exactly what one gets. Authors Rose Maura Lorre and Mavis Lamb (both professional bloggers and highly accomplished cocktail journalists) have painstakingly developed and curated recipes for every demonstrable…
Review: 2010 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley “Ellie’s”
We’ve written about Hall from time to time, but it’s a winery that has largely worked in the shadows of more famous operations for years… at least until Wine Spectator named one of the company’s wines the #2 wine of the year in 2011. Pow, to the moon! Now in its fourth vintage, Hall’s “Ellie’s”…
Review: Cruz Tequila – Silver and Reposado
This new tequila brand hails from Los Altos, in the Jalisco Highlands. Packaged in squat, antique glass bottles, it’s as eye-catching as it is easy to drink. Thoughts on the two expressions — an unaged blanco and a reposado — follow. Both are 80 proof. Cruz Silver Tequila – I hate it when spirits are…
Review: Bushmills Single Malt Irish Whiskey 16 Years Old
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you all! If you’re drinking Irish today (and you probably are), consider upgrading your dram with something a little more sophisticated. Bushmills 16 Year Old is a single malt (rare enough for Irish) that is matured in ex-Bourbon barrels or Oloroso sherry barrels — a portion of the production in…
Review: Band of Brewers Third Shift Amber Lager (2013)
MillerCoors is getting the creative juices flowing with a new brand straight out of the company think tank. The Band of Brewers, a collaborative group of brewers spanning across the MillerCoors network, have joined together to release to release Third Shift, an amber lager within the Märzen style. While February marks the first month that…
Review: Craft Distillers Low Gap White Rye and 2 Year Old Wheat Whiskey
We reviewed Craft Distillers’ Low Gap White Wheat Whiskey two years ago. Who knew that the company would radically broaden its horizons to launch plans for four different Low Gap whiskeys, a Wheat (previously reviewed), a Rye (reviewed below), a Bourbon (coming soon), and a mystery blend (coming after that)? Will a mere four white…
Review: 2011 Amapola Creek Chardonnay Russian River Valley Jos. Belli Vineyards
This high-end, unfined Chardonnay from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley is surprisingly mild. The nose offers gentle caramel notes, light wood character, and a touch of apple fruit. On the body, clear lemon character, with an earthy finish that offers hints of honeycomb, chewy nougat, and hints of fresh pear at the very end. Unusually restrained…
Recipe: 2013 St. Patrick’s Day Cocktail Ideas
Once again it is that festive time of year where folks, regardless of their ethnicity and cultural upbringing, can agree upon one thing: They’re Irish to the core, and always have been! Yes St. Patrick’s Day arrives on Sunday, a day for folks to wear all green clothing, consume mysterious looking green beer, and relish…
