Review: 2009 Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage
We last visited this wine with its 2007 vintage, but first a word on Banyuls. What is Banyuls? This is France’s version of Port, lightly fortified wines with alcohol added to stop fermentation while sugar is still in the system, leaving the wines sweet. Banyuls is less alcoholic than Port (this bottle is at 16%…
Cool Item of the Day: The Bitter Truth Cocktail Bitters Traveler’s Set
The line between a good cocktail and a great one can often be drawn with a sprinkling of bitters, staples of any serious watering hole and surely a part of any high-end home bar, too. Traveling, however, poses a particular challenge. It’s one thing to throw a bottle of rye in the car for the…
Review: Samuel Adams Alpine Spring
Spring is nowhere near in the air just yet, but Samuel Adams gave us a sneak peek at its latest brew, Alpine Spring. Sounds (and kinda looks) more like a shampoo or a body wash, but let’s not judge on name alone. Sam Adams describes this unique brew thusly: “This beer has the balanced maltiness…
Review: Vida Tequila Blanco
Vida is a relatively new brand on the tequila scene, 100% blue agave and available in the usual expressions. We tasted the Blanco expression, which is a pure agave/unaged rendition. This silver tequila is classic in structure. Some time in the glass is helpful at airing things out and letting some of the heavier agave…
Review: Captain Morgan Tattoo Rum
For a good time, do a Google Image Search for “Captain Morgan Tattoo.” You’ll find plenty of pictures not of this spiced rum but of unique and ill-considered body art on all kinds of anatomical bits. I’ve actually had a mini of Tattoo for years. It’s that mysterious. What’s it all about? Tattoo is a…
Three Tequila + Sage Cocktails
Quick, name a green herb popular in cocktails. If you said mint, sorry, you’re wrong. We’re talking about sage! Our friends at Tequila Partida put together these oddball libations all revolving around that staple of turkey stuffing. Partida Sagerac, by Jacques Bezuidenhout, Tequila Partida Bartender Ambassador 1.5 oz Partida Reposado 1.5 oz Partida Anejo 5…
Review: Bombay Sapphire East Gin
Take your Bombay Sapphire and give it an “Eastern” spin and, boom, you’ve got Bombay Sapphire East. From the ingredients list, you might think BSE is a far different beast than its progenitor. Take a look: lemongrass, black peppercorns, lemon peel, liquorice root, almonds, angelica root, coriander, cassia bark, cubeb berries, grains of paradise, juniper…
Review: John B. Stetson Bourbon
Don’t let the New Jersey office location of Vision Wine & Spirits, the owner of this new whiskey, give you a scare. It’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon, through and through. Crafted using both rye and wheat in the mashbill (in addition to corn and barley, of course), the whiskey is double distilled in traditional copper pot…
