Review: Flor de Cana Rum Centenario Gold 18 Years Old
Like 10 Cane, Flor de Cana is a name you see “called” on many a bar menu. I just got my hands on Flor’s 18-year version (which, apparently, is so new it does not yet appear on the company’s website). Some thoughts. The initial nose is, bluntly, heavy with smoke. Smoke to the point where…
Smart People Drink More
That old genius at the end of the bar? Turns out drinking’s in his genes. The Times Online reports on a study linking intelligence to heavy drinking: Research has now shown a link between high childhood IQ and an adult enthusiasm for alcohol that leads in some cases to problem drinking. … This association is…
Review: Griottines Brandied Cherries
Brandied cherries are essential for a proper Casino, but finding them is surprisingly difficult. The normal variety I use are quite large and though they taste great, they can get mushy, which is hardly the way you want to cap off a quality cocktail. Griottines are smaller, and quite tart. Macerated in Kirsch liqueuer, these…
Review: NV Ayala Champagne Brut Majeur
Expanding recently into more of the U.S. (including San Francisco’s Bubble Lounge), Ayala is a name unfamiliar to most local drinkers. We were lucky enough to land a bottle for review. A familiar, dry sparkler, this Champagne is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier (in that order). Lightly aromatic and featuring a…
Review: Captain Morgan Spiced Rum 100 Proof
I’ll start by saying I’m not entirely clear what the function of a new version of Captain Morgan is. The old version has a pirate on the bottle, comes from Puerto Rico, and comes in at a standard 70 proof. The new one has a pirate on the bottle, comes from Puerto Rico, and hits…
Review: Kirkland Macallan Sherry Cask Finish 18 Years Old
Kirkland? If that name sounds familiar it’s because it’s the house brand of big box megastore Costco. And yes, they bottle their own brand of Macallan Scotch whisky. For newbie whisky drinkers, allow me to explain in brief. In a nutshell, this is how it works: In Scotland they make a lot of whisky. Sometimes…
Review: Canadian Club Sherry Cask
The top of the Canadian Club line, this limited-run Canadian whisky is made in small batches and aged a minimum of eight years in white oak barrels and finished in old Jerez sherry casks. Bottled at 82.6 proof into traditional and elegant bottles (complete with natural cork closure), it’s a long way from the Canadian…
Recipe: Jett Vodka G5
The name of this cocktail — designed for downing on New Years Eve — from the folks at Jett Vodka is downright awful, but it sounds really delicious. I’ll be making one up as soon as I can wrangle a few grapefruit. Jett Vodka G5 1 oz. Jett Vodka 1 oz. Limoncello 1/2 oz. fresh…
