Two At The Most

I usually want a gin that plays well with others, one I can use in all sorts of different drinks.

Elderflower Royale

Some gins are more particular though, getting along famously with some and acting aloof and standoffish with others.

Port of Barcelona gin is one of those gins. It is produced in the Kingdom of Spain by Esmeralda Distillery, the same people who bring us the delightful Obsello Absinthe.  The botanicals … Continue Reading

A lot of high end liquors try to sell you with a story. Martin Miller’s Gin has quite a doozy – after distillation, the raw spirit is shipped from England to Iceland to be combined with water to bring it to proof.

Fin de Siècle

I can tell you after receiving a sample bottle, and having enjoyed it in many fine establishments, that gimmick or not, Martin Miller has put his name on a fine gin.

As the story goes, in … Continue Reading

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we seem to have transitioned from winter directly to summer. For me that means it’s time to rediscover cachaça, especially as International Cachaça Day approaches us on June 12. Tonight I’m enjoying a bottle of Boca Loca that was sent to me for review.

Pearl Button with Boca Loca Cachaça

Boca Loca (“Crazy Lips” in Portuguese) comes to us from the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. On the … Continue Reading

I’m ready to become a locavore — at least when it comes to gin. That’s because I am lucky enough to live less than a 10 mile drive from Pacific Distillery, producers of the delightful Voyager Gin.

Gin-Gin Mule

Voyager is a single-batch gin that is distilled from 100% neutral grain spirits using a 500 liter copper alembic still. In addition to juniper, Voyager’s botanicals are coriander, licorice root, cardamom, aniseed, lemon, orange, orris, angelica, and cassia. After the … Continue Reading

Beefeater London dry gin has long been a go-to gin in my collection. Now Desmond Payne, the Master Distiller, is bringing us a premium take on the standard recipe, Beefeater 24. I had already heard great things when I received not one, but two full bottles for review in preparation for this week’s Beefeater 24 sponsored Thursday Drink Night.

This Thursday, April 9, Thursday Drink Night will be sponsored by Mount Gay Extra Old Rum, and I received a sample bottle to prepare for the event.

Milanese Sailor

Mount Gay Distilleries holds the distinction of being the oldest rum in the world, with documentation of rum production at the Mount Gay estate dating to February 20, 1703.

The Extra Old is perhaps the most distinguished product of Mount Gay Rums. The rum is blended from the … Continue Reading

When I was 10, I won a trip to Greece.1 My dad and I went on a two week tour of the country, and I learned I did not like ouzo.2

The Author, age 10

I also learned that … Continue Reading

Bulleit Bourbon is a modern take on an old recipe. The modern product started in 1987, when Tom Bulleit attempted to recreate his great-great-grandfather’s bourbon recipe. By all accounts, the result is a great tasting bourbon. It’s long been a favorite of mine. When I received a box with a full bottle and two logo glasses, I felt compelled to post to Twitter a thank you for the care package.

Lately I have received an embarrassment of riches in terms of sample bottles of absinthe. One of those I was most excited to receive was Obsello, a Spanish verte.

Obsello Absinthe Verte

Obsello is an absenta, which is the Spanish word for absinthe. Absentas are known to be slightly sweeter than the traditional French style. They also tend to have a distinctive citrus note to their flavor profile and are flavored with melissa (lemon … Continue Reading

The makers of Tequlia Ocho are convinced the concept of terroir can apply to agave as much as grapes. So they are making three single estate tequilas, a silver, resposado, and añejo, to prove their point. I was lucky enough to receive a sample bottle of their 2008 Plata to give a try.

Naturally, as I have no other vintage to compare it to, I cannot speak to the importance of the labeled year. What I can say is this is an excellent silver tequila. Made from 100 percent agave, all the … Continue Reading