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

I had my first taste of Fernet Branca several months ago, when I noticed a bottle at the liquor store, and the name rang a bell. Only when I got home did I discover what I was remembering was the Hanky Panky, a drink that required a mere two dashes of the stuff.

Fernet Branca

I opened the bottle, took a whiff, … Continue Reading

I’ve had my eye on Magellan Gin for a while. Something about that ethereal blue tinge in the nicely decorated bottle. When I saw my local store had a gift pack with an attractive, hand-painted glass, I decided to finally give it a try.

Magellan is made in France from wheat. It is triple distilled with juniper, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, grains of paradise, licorice, cinnamon, coriander, orange peel, cassia, and iris. According to Magellan’s web site, there is then a “fourth distillation,” which sounds more like an infusion, when additional iris root and iris flower are added to give Magellan … Continue Reading

When Kevin Kelpe at Save the Drinkers announced that August’s Mixology Monday would be about local flavor, I knew I’d have to come to terms with the blackberry, my great summertime foe.

In the Seattle area, we are overrun by the Himalayan wild blackberry, considered an invasive weed. When I ride in the summer, I wear chaps to protect my legs from the thorny vines I swear I can see growing, … Continue Reading

It’s time for Bourbon this Mixology Monday, thanks to the fellers at Scofflaw’s Den. This was one MxMo that Bryan, my chief taste-tester, was very eagerly awaiting.

As always, I used MxMo as a justification to buy a nice bottle. This time it was Ridgemont Reserve 1792. This is a very smooth bourbon, a definite rival to Woodford Reserve, which is currently my favorite mixing Bourbon. Named after the year of Kentucky statehood, this is an 8 year Bourbon that comes in … Continue Reading