Recipe: Ritten Word
I recently encountered a cocktail called Ritten Word (you’ll get the name in a minute) at Zero Zero in San Francisco. It was an outstanding drink, with a recipe listed merely as follows (in all lowercase): rittenhouse, canton, cynar. Interesting combo. Doesn’t immediately sound like it would work. But I ordered one and was blown…
Review: Tullamore D.E.W. Cider Cask Finish Irish Whiskey
Here’s an interesting variant from Tullamore D.E.W.: Cider Cask Finish, now available in the U.S. on a seasonal basis (in and around the fall — sorry, we’re a bit late with the writeup). Previously available in Ireland and Travel Retail, the D.E.W. folks say this is “the first whiskey to be finished in hard apple…
Review: 2014 Herzog Variations Four Cabernet Sauvignon California
The “variations” in this California cab are regional: The wine is sourced from Paso Robles, Napa Valley, Alexander Valley and Santa Ynez. The wine itself isn’t entirely remarkable, a rather closed-off tannin bomb with dusty notes of earth and mushroom, its plump currants really just an afterthought amidst the intensity of wet slate and lingering green vegetation.…
Review: Bedtime Bourbon 8 Years Old
What if I told you a company was making an eight year old Bourbon that was sourced from Tennessee, and that it was on sale exclusively in Kentucky? I’m not crazy, I’m just sampling Bedtime Bourbon, which is being produced by the Louisville Bourbon Transit Company, a tiny outlet that recently opened up shop here. Here’s…
Cocktail Recipes for New Year’s Eve 2017
Whether you’re celebrating that 2017 is finally over or just looking forward to a brighter 2018 (or both), it’s tradition to celebrate with booze. We want to share a few cocktail recipes with you; some are perfect for a quiet evening with your significant other, some are built as party punches. A few are simple;…
Review: Bardstown Bourbon and Copper & Kings Collabor&tion Rare Release Bourbons
I like to think I have an open mind when it comes to the booze world, and in general I love the idea (and execution) of bourbon that is finished in other types of casks. So then, what’s not to like about this oddball collaboration between the Bardstown Bourbon Company and the brandy-makers at Copper &…
Review: 2015 Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec
Argentina malbec can be so hit or miss. Here’s one that knocks it out of the park for less than a 20-spot. A spicy nose of black pepper gives way to a lush, gorgeous core of blackberries and baking spice, dark chocolate and vanilla. The lengthy palate is strong on cinnamon, with hints of elderflower…
Review: Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Straight Rye Whiskey
The number of craft whiskey distilleries in America continues to rise, but only a fraction of them can bottle their own distillate as a “straight whiskey,” meaning it’s at least two years old. Even fewer can claim to be bottling at 5-plus years, which is comparable in age to the core products from industry big…
