Julep Recipe Roundup
Today is the annual running of the Kentucky Derby, and that means julep cocktail recipes flooding in from all corners. Here’s a look at some of the more interesting spins on the classic mint julep which I’ve seen in recent weeks. Rose Julep Courtesy Four Roses 1 1/2 oz. Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon 2…
Review: Hiram Walker Triple Sec
Can an $8 bottle of Hiram Walker Triple Sec really go toe to toe with the gold standard of curacao, Cointreau? Hiram thinks it can, and sent a bottle of its budget orange liqueur to taste side by side with Cointreau, which at $35 is more than four times the price. In a nutshell: Yeah,…
Review: 2008 Paul Jaboulet Parallele 45 Rose
Summer is nigh, which means pink wine time is upon us. Frederick Wildman submits for our approval this rose from Paul Jaboulet Aine, the pink version of the producer’s popular Cotes du Rhone Parallele 45, the red version of which is a staple at every wine shop on the planet. This rose — 50% grenache,…
Tasting Report: 2007 Vintage Port
For the first time since 2003, Portugal has declared a vintage Port year: 2007, which was characterized by relatively cool weather, followed by some heat near harvest time, just enough (they say) to ripen the grapes. I had the chance to sample the 2007 vintage from 12 different producers this week (total production of all…
Review: Aberlour 100
Available only in duty-free shops (if that any more), this, like the aforereviewed Glenfarclas 105 is “100” only in the old 175-proof-is-max scale: By modern standards it’s 114.2 proof, so take appropriate precautions should you find yourself face to face with a bottle. It’s certainly worth the hunt. This surprisingly dark whisky packs lots of…
Review: NV pro-mis-Q-ous Pinot Grigio and Red Wine
This new value label is hitting the market, hoping to entice consumers with good wine at very affordable prices. We tried two of the three bottles being sold. Here’s how they stack up. All three are non-vintage bottlings and source fruit from all over California. Expect to pay $11 to $13 for a bottle. NV…
This Can Only End Badly…
Virgin America will be offering Le Tourment Vert absinthe for sale and consumption at 30,000 feet, starting in May. Via Boing Boing: Incidentally, Virgin America (which today started service to/from Orange County) is also expanding the number of craft in its fleet that offer in-flight WiFi. Absinthe + internet + idle time? Can’t wait to…
Review: Blue Angel Vodka
This new California vodka is distilled from (unspecified) American grains and distilled four times, and distiller (and inventor — he also created a battery-powered sticky note dispenser) Maurice Kanbar says he goes to great lengths to filter out hangover-causing congeners. Blue Angel, he says, contains less than 0.01 grams of congeners or fusel oils per…
