Book Review: Esquire’s Drink Like a Man
If Esquire had come up with something better than its carrot-juice-doctored bottled Manhattan for its first ready-to-drink cocktail, I might be more willing to go along with the subtitle that this is “the only cocktail guide anyone really needs.” But Esquire has always been long on hyperbole, so it’s hard to fault it here. Drink Like a Man,…
Review: Nelson’s Green Brier Belle Meade Bourbon Cognac Cask Finished
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery in Nashville is doubling down on barrel finishing. This rendition of Belle Meade Bourbon (sourced form MGP) starts with a mash that includes 30% rye. The stock used is a blend of whiskeys drawn from barrels aged 6 to 9 years – but we’re not ready for bottling just yet. At…
Review: Tippleman’s Barrel Aged Cola Syrup
The Tippleman’s tribe is back at it with a new mixer for cocktailers looking to take their libations upscale: Barrel Aged Cola Syrup, which is an all natural, handmade creation made by “hand peeling lemons, limes and oranges, and combining the skins with freshly ground spices, natural cane sugar, and vanilla bean.” The finished product…
Review: Blue Nectar Tequila Complete Lineup (2016)
We first encountered Blue Nectar in 2014. The Lowlands tequila producer had an avant garde approach to production, which included a reposado-anejo blend and a flavored reposado in the mix. Since then, the company has done some rebranding (while keeping the perfume bottle profile), shuffled some labels and product names, and added a full anejo…
Review: 2014 Garzon Tannat Uruguay
Uruguay’s Bodega Garzon makes more than white wines. It also produces reds, including this tannat. It’s a fresh and lively wine, full of raspberry and plum fruit without being stereotypically jammy, layering in notes of spice cake, cloves, and a finish that echoes brambly currants and a bit of tea leaf. A clean wine with…
Review: Ballotin Chocolate Whiskeys
If ever there was a time of year for chocolate-flavored whiskeys, well, you’re soaking in it. Former Brown-Forman exec Paul Tuell is the man behind Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey, a set of four flavored whiskeys with chocolate as the connecting thread among them. Each expression starts with aged American whiskey (origin and variety unstated, but these are…
Review: Seagram’s Ruby Red Grapefruit and Golden Apricot Vodka
Seagram’s has just kicked off two new vodka flavors, focused on fruit. Both are based on American grain distilled five times and are naturally flavored. Both are 70 proof. Seagram’s Ruby Red Grapefruit Flavored Vodka – Authentic and sharp on the nose, with bold grapefruit notes. On the palate, there’s candied grapefruit here, with quite…
Review: David Nicholson Reserve Bourbon
Luxco, the makers of Blood Oath, Rebel Yell, and Ezra Brooks, recently repackaged and rebranded its David Nicholson 1843 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a bourbon with which I had been previously unfamiliar. As part of that rebrand, the company is launching a new expression: David Nicholson Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The bourbon is made with a higher-rye…
