Review: Woodford Reserve Spiced Cherry Bitters
I’m not sure why it’s taken so long for a whiskey company to get into the bitters business, but Woodford Reserve has finally opened that door, introducing its first bitters, barrel-aged and spiced cherry-flavored. Crafted in conjunction with Bourbon Barrel Foods, the bitters are specifically designed for use in a Manhattan cocktail (and presumably one…
Cocktails from the Sundance Film Festival 2013
Sundance isn’t just about movies. All those stars have to eat and drink, too. And eat and drink well they do. The “Chefdance” dinner series gets underway when Sundance starts on Thursday of this week. Here are some of the cocktails the A-list will be consuming with their wagyu and foie gras. All cocktails courtesy…
Review: Russell Henry Gins
Who the heck is Russell Henry? I’m not sure, but I’m guessing Craft Distillers is referring to this guy, a chemist and expert in digestion from the late 1800s. Not sure he had anything to do with gin, but in a funny coincidence, there is a Henry Russell who wrote about the cotton gin in…
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…
