Review: Firefly Skinny Tea Flavored Vodka
How do you cut the calorie level from a flavored vodka? Throttle down the alcohol level and cut out the sugar. The first idea is probably not a bad thing. The second one is what kills the deal. Firefly Skinny Tea opts for artificial sweetener instead of sugar, and to say that mars the “sweet…
Review: Tamas Estates Wines, 2011 Releases
This series of very inexpensive wines sound like they’re from Spain but they’re really from California. In fact, they’re part of the Wente Vineyards portfolio, a renowned California wine empire that stakes its claim as the country’s oldest continuously-operated family winery. Here’s how its new Tamás label wines — which are rapidly becoming unavoidable in…
Book Review: Old Man Drinks: Recipes, Advice, and Barstool Wisdom
This slim little novelty book from Robert Schnakenberg is as harmless as it is cute: A collection of “Old Man Drink” cocktail recipes, paired with photos of old codgers sitting on barstools and quotes condensing their wisdom into various aphorisms. Many of the drinks are indeed nothing that anyone under the age of 55 would…
Book Review: How to Booze: Exquisite Cocktails and Unsound Advice
This mixology manual from veteran writer Jordan Kaye and co-author Marshall Altier tries to spin the usual, tired, organized-by-spirit cocktail manual by taking its several dozen drinks – mostly classics, with just a handful of originals thrown in – and offering “The Right Drink for Every Situation.” Neat idea, and in Kaye and Altier’s world,…
Review: Broker’s London Dry Gin
You’ll see the hat first: Broker’s Gin has a fun little bit of surprise & delight: A bowler hat affixed to the lid of the bottle, a hat which will certainly someday end up on the head of my daughter’s Ken doll. It is too manly for Barbie. But Broker’s is hardly a gimmick in…
Book Review: Let Me Tell You About Wine
The venerable – unavoidable, even – Oz Clarke continues to grind out book after book, and this almost-coffee-table-sized tome is designed to make wine accessible to even the most rank novice. If you know nothing, you’ll probably get sucked in by the pictures of strawberries and chocolate, part of Clarke’s goal to get you thinking…
Review: Brugal Ron Anejo Rum (2011)
We’ve covered the Dominican Republic’s Brugal Rum before and declared its Extra Viejo (old, but no age statement) an awesome rum at an unbelievable value. Brugal Anejo is aged three to five years in American white oak casks and, like it’s kissing cousin, represents an incredible value. What does 20 bucks get you? Good, old…
Tasting Report: Riesling World Tour 2011
Riesling will never get much respect, but it remains an underrated and really enjoyable grape. The Germany Rieslings being poured at this event hailed from the 2009 and 2010 vintages (the latter being just bottled by many producers) and represented a wide range of styles from bone dry to so sweet you had to wash…
