Book Review: M.F.K. Fisher, Musings on Wine and Other Libations
For those not in the know, M.F.K. Fisher is sort of like what Julia Child might have been had she decided to eat out for every meal. A prolific writer who produced dozens of books and countless magazine articles about food from the 1930s to the 1980s, Fisher loved to eat and drink, but more…
Tequila Revolucion Serves Up Drinks with Dinner
The closest I typically get to drinking a tequila cocktail with dinner is the occasional margarita with Mexican food, but the good folks at Tequila Revolucion set out to prove that tequila is more versatile than just that. Revolucion PR rep Tim Yates and brand ambassador Summer-Jane Bell hosted a group of us to a…
Review: Killepitsch Krauterlikor Herbal Liqueur
Dating from 1858, this unique herbal liqueur was developed by the Busch family in Dusseldorf, Germany. Formally launched as a commercial brand in the 1950s, the name was derived during World War II, by “Willi Busch, who, while in an air-raid shelter during the Second World War, promised to toast new beginnings with his friend…
Review: New Amsterdam Vodka (2012)
Our review of New Amsterdam Gin remains one of the most controversial on the site. Now the company is back with its own vodka, of the same brand. Made in Modesto from grain neutral spirits and distilled five times, I doubt this vodka will be as fiercely debated as the gin. Silky smooth and lightly…
Review: Vinturi Spirit Aerator
Recently I wrote in The Daily about how air is the friend of wine, but that aeration can help your spirits, too. I’ve noted in many reviews myself that spirits — especially tequila — can improve if you let them sit in the glass for an hour or two. There are plenty of gadgets out…
Review: Stroh Jagertee Liqueur
The “Jager” might tip you off that this is an herbal liqueur, but don’t let the name fool you: Stroh Jagertee (“hunter’s tea”), hailing from Austria, is a curious blend of Austrian “spiced rum” — see the various comments below for more detail on what that entails — and black tea, bottled at a full…
Review: 2009 Pina Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons
We’re longtime fans of Pina Napa Valley, which makes exclusively Cabernet from a variety of single-vineyard parcels throughout the Valley. The 2009 bottlings are hitting the market now, all showing much riper, more velvety character than when I sampled them from barrel in 2010. Here’s what your investment (not insignificant) will get you. 2009 Pina…
Review: The Arran Malt 10 Years Old and 14 Years Old (2012)
Sometimes notated as “Isle of Arran,” the Arran Malt is based, yes, on its own island, wedged between the peninsula of Campbeltown to the west, the Highlands to the north, and the Lowlands to the east. Established in 1995, Arran is the only active distillery on this island, though it’s nearly the size of Islay.…
