Book Review: The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book
A few years back, Frank Caiafa was hired for a daunting job: Run the lobby bar at the New York Waldorf Astoria, an icon of cocktailing with over a century of history in its walls and bartops. For the last decade Caiafa has been gentling coaxing the place into the new millennium, reviving classic drinks,…
Review: Grant’s Blended Scotch Ale Cask Finish
Beer and whisky continue to merge from both ends of the spectrum (whether its barrel-aged beers or beer cask-aged spirits like Glenfiddich IPA Cask Finish), and the latest member of the family is this (from the same company that produced the Glenfiddich IPA Cask): Grant’s Ale Cask Finish. Grant’s version is a major value in comparison…
Review and Recipes: Sunup Green Coffee
What’s green coffee? It’s coffee made using green, unroasted coffee beans in the brewing process. Sunup, which makes this beverage, says green coffee is good for your stomach, rich in antioxidants, gluten free, and organic. Sunup (generally consumed cold) comes lightly sweetened with sugar, though it still boasts to be only 80 calories. The natural caffeine…
Review: Robert Mondavi 2014 Pinot Noir, 2013 Merlot, and 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
Today, a trio of new releases from Robert Mondavi’s entry-level “Napa Valley” line. 2014 Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir Napa Valley Carneros – Smells fine — light but heavy with notes of tea leaf and cherries, classic pinot stuff — and then you take a sip. Ugh, here it reveals a funky, bitter, and entirely unpalatable…
Review: Lord Calvert Canadian Whisky
I have to say, I was only interested in Lord Calvert, a budget Canadian whisky imported by Luxco, because it is now available in a limited edition decanter that looks like a dog with a dead duck hanging out of its mouth. 4500 of these, made in partnership with Ducks Unlimited and all filled with…
Recipes to Celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day 2017
National Hot Chocolate Day is celebrated on Tuesday, January 31st. He’s a look at four recipes for your enjoyment — all of which we put to the test ourselves! Milagro Hot Chocolate Created by National Brand Ambassador Jaime Salas 1.5 Parts Milagro Anejo Abuelita chocolate tablets or your favorite hot chocolate powder 3 parts heavy cream…
Book Review: Inside the Bottle
Arthur Shaprio is a legendary wine and spirits industry maven who has seen every trick in the booze industry marketing playbook. He is also the author of Booze Business, an exhaustive blog dissecting both the history and the current trends in the industry, and Inside the Bottle is his book. I should, perhaps, clarify: Inside the Bottle…
Review: Flora Springs 2015 Soliloquy, 2013 Holiday Blend, and 2014 Trilogy
Napa’s Flora Springs has been making wine since 1978. Here are three new releases from the company (all late 2016 launches that you should be able to find on the market today, with the possible exception of the Holiday bottling). Thoughts follow. 2015 Flora Springs Soliloquy Sauvignon Blanc Oakville – Surprisingly honeyed for a sauvignon…
