Diversity, Data, and Change in Bourbon: An Interview with Old Forester’s Jackie Zykan
Old Forester’s Jackie Zykan is one of Kentucky bourbon’s most recognizable names. During her six-year tenure with the brand, Zykan has been equal parts whiskey maker and whiskey educator, giving numerous interviews and social media looks into her day-to-day as Old Forester’s Master Taster. And she’s notched more than a couple important milestones along the…
Recipe: Boulevardier
If this photo of the Boulevardier looks familiar, that’s because it should: The Boulevardier is in essence a Negroni, with rye whiskey or bourbon instead of gin. The two other ingredients, Campari and sweet vermouth, remain unchanged. Different recipes up the amount of whiskey from the 1-oz-of-everything proportions to 1 1/4 or even 1 1/2…
Review: 2019 Granbazan Etiqueta Ambar Albarino
Bodegas Granbazán is a winery in Rias Baixas, Spain, though the ornate bottle may make you think you’re drinking something from Germany or Croatia. Anyhoo, this 100% estate-grown albarino is a bright and grassy wine, full of lime leaf, lemongrass, and a hint of spice, providing a welcome complexity one doesn’t often find in this…
Review: Bib & Tucker Small Batch Bourbon 6, 10, and 12 Years Old (2021)
It’s round 3 for the Bib & Tucker brand, which continues to evolve yet, somehow, never really change. After being sold to a new owner in 2017 — with a wholly different source for its whiskey — the 6 year old brand is still under the ownership of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits and made…
Review: Ben & Jerry’s Whiskey Biz Ice Cream
What happens when you get Vermont neighbors Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and WhistlePig Whiskey in the same room together? It’s not that hard of a question, really: You get whiskey-flavored ice cream. Ben & Jerry’s latest flavor is a wild one indeed, so hang on: Brown butter bourbon ice cream with blonde brownies and…
Book Review: Schumann’s Whisk(e)y Lexicon
Even the staunchest of whiskey enthusiasts would be hard pressed to deny that the landscape of spirits has changed over the last two decades. The bourbon boom, followed by the insatiable demand for Japanese imports along with the increase in notoriety for high-end single malt Scotch and the recent craft renaissance have all diversified the…
Bar Review: Travel Bar, Brooklyn, New York
In the hospitality world, there’s often tension between being the best and being accessible. (It’s not so different in the spirits world.) A bar can be superlative in one category — renowned for their cocktails, or perhaps a nearly-unparalleled whiskey selection — or it can be beloved by neighborhood locals, offering great pours without the…
Review: Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker
Cocktail shakers aren’t exactly the most interesting products in the world… or so I had thought. Proving me wrong is the Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker, which raised a whopping $2.5 million on IndieGogo from people sick of the problems associated with the typical Cobbler-style shaker. What are the big complaints? I can agree with the…
