Review: Absolut Vodka
Once in a while we like to head into the archives and take a fresh look at a classic — particularly when we need a palate cleanser. Today we turn to that icon of the vodka biz, Absolut, a brand which was in many respects the first premium vodka to be sold. Absolut has always…
Review: 360 Buttered Popcorn Vodka
I’ve been resisting even opening this bottle for several months, for reasons which must be obvious. Liquid popcorn? I’ve been scared. 360 Buttered Popcorn, in reality, is more harmless than you might expect. The nose is sickly sweet — more like a glazed doughnut (a vodka flavor which 360 also makes) or cotton candy than…
Review: Ventura Limoncello and Orangecello
Based in Ventura County, California, Ventura makes limoncello year-round from SoCal lemons and produces orangecello from local blood oranges on a seasonal basis. (A limoncello crema is also made.) We sampled the two main products. Thoughts follow. Both are 58 proof. No artificial colors or flavors added. Ventura Limoncello Originale – Cloudy yet pale yellow,…
Review: Bulleit 10 Bourbon 10 Years Old
One of the biggest success stories in recent years in the Bourbon world has been Bulleit, a brand that came from nowhere and has since become ubiquitous on back bars throughout the country. Bulleit is affordable, good, and easy to drink straight or as a mixer. It doesn’t hurt that Tom Bulleit is one of…
Review: Mackmyra Swedish Whisky “The First Edition”
I’m married to a Swede, but this is — amazingly — my first Swedish whisky. Sweden has a fairly young history as a whisky producer — only nine distilleries are operating in the country now, all but one (Mackmyra, reviewed here) having been founded in the 2000s. Mackmyra is the country’s most notable producer to…
Review: 2008 Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Grgich Hills is an iconic winery of Napa Valley, but the wines tend to be all over the map, an inevitability, perhaps, of increasing production to the point where the wines are omnipresent — albeit expensive — in the supermarkets of America now. This Cabernet is perhaps the winery’s flagship bottling, widely available yet pedigreed,…
Recipe: St. Germain Seasonal Variations
The other day during our daily news briefing, we made mention of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur and the customized, high-end bicycle now being sold on its web site. Along the way, we also noticed updated cocktail recipes, and tried a few out last night over a marathon Magnum P.I. session, courtesy of Netflix Instant. Winter…
Review: Soiree Bottle-top Wine Decanter & Aerator
We’ve covered wine aerators in the past and are generally bullish on their utility. The problem, of course, is bulk. Where do you keep this thing? And what do you do about all the wine dripping off of it when it’s not hovering over a glass. Enter Soiree: A wine aerator that attaches to the…
