Review: Sheep Dip and Pig’s Nose
Got samples of my two favorite-named Scotch whiskys, which are now becoming quite widely available in the U.S. market. How do they fare in tastings? Sheep Dip Malt Whiskey – This golden-colored, vatted malt is a blend of 16 single malt whiskys aged between 8 and 21 years, its name arising from British farmers’ slang for…
Review: Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth – New Recipe 2009
People agonize over what brand gin or vodka to use in their martini, but precious little thought tends to go into the selection of vermouth. Today I’ve done something most would deem unthinkable: Drink vermouth straight. Why? Because Noilly Prat, the French maker of one of the world’s best-selling brands of vermouth, is changing its…
Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Bartending
While I was pleasantly surprised to find that the recent Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine Basics was a credible and well-written introductory guide to the world of wine, another book from the Idiot’s series unfortunately bears little similarity. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Bartending, by Amy Zavatto, boasts 1,500 recipes on its cover, but sheer…
When You Write About Drinking…
…this is what you get for Christmas. Not that I’m complaining! Related posts: Book Review: Bar Menu: 100+ Drinking Food Recipes for Cocktail Hours at Home Book Review: Drinking with My Dog: The Canine Lover’s Cocktail Book
Recipe: Hot Buttered Rum
What we’re drinking this evening in the Christmas aftermath, recipe courtesy of Ron Atlantico. (There are of course dozens of variations on Hot Buttered Rum, but Atlantico’s is pretty tasty.) Hot Buttered Rum 1 stick unsalted butter, softened 2 cups light brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg Pinch ground cloves Pinch…
Book Review: The Essential Cocktail
Author and mixologist Dale Degroff was in town recently to promote his new book, The Essential Cocktail, and while I sadly missed the promotional soiree, I did at least get a copy of the book to check out. All in all this is an excellent and accessible introduction to classic cocktails and their newer variants.…
Review: Rowan’s Creek Bourbon
Happened upon this bottle of Rowan’s Creek Bourbon at my local liquor store and was intrigued by the almost scrawled logo on the label and hand-numbered coding. Some thoughts on what’s inside. At 100.1 proof, it’s a hot whiskey and needs a bit of water to bring out anything other than heavy alcoholic characteristics. With…
Give a Pal a Drink… 3000 Miles Away
Anyone ever try this service? I’d love to hear how well it works… Step 1 -Select – Choose a friend. Give a drink credit of $1 to $99, good towards a purchase at any Bar or Restaurant! Step 2 – Style -Style your gift by making a drink suggestion and adding a personal message. Step…
