Monthly Archives: August 2009

Review: THC The Hangover Cure

Posted on August 13, 2009 by Christopher Null| 2 Comments

THC and Water Review: THC The Hangover CureTHC The Hangover Cure — yes, the name is completely coincidental — comes in powder form, contained in a long tube. You mix it with water — 12 to 16 oz. — and guzzle it down after “a night of debauchery” and before bed.

What’s inside? A whole bunch of stuff: Supersized doses of vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, B12, panothenic acid, calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, chromium, sodium, potassium, l-cysteine, l-glutamine, and that age-old additive, milk thistle extract.

Sounds good, but consuming THC is tricky at the end of a night. A pint of chalky, vaguely Hawaiian Punch-flavored water is a lot to ask of someone with four or five drinks in him, and getting this whole dose down before bed wasn’t the easiest accomplishment of my night.

As for the effectiveness? It didn’t feel like THC did much for me after a long night at the Rickhouse — I experienced difficult sleep and had a nagging headache the next day. But maybe it would have been even worse had I not had the THC? Oh man, God help me.

B- / $20 for 6 doses / drinkthc.com

thc the hangover cure Review: THC The Hangover Cure

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Posted in Hangover, Rated B-, Reviews

Tasting Appleton Rums with Master Blender Joy Spence

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

I had the immense pleasure to host Joy Spence, master blender at Appleton Rum and a 28-year veteran of the company, at Drinkhacker HQ today, where we tasted two of the company’s upscale bottlings. These estate rums, both from Appleton’s Jamaica sugar cane plantations, are impressive and perfect for sipping or — as Spence notes — as an ingredient in a “premium cocktail.” But for both of us, drinking neat is really the way to go.

Appleton’s standard bottling is easy to find, but these higher-end bottles are a little trickier to locate. They’re worth it, though — and both shockingly good bargains.

Appleton Reserve Rum is a blend of a whopping 20 rums, the oldest of which is 12 years old (though the overall bottle has no age statement). A straightforward, high-end, aged rum, this 80-proof blend offers a lovely citrus and vanilla nose. These carry on to the body, where the finish offers light sweetness and a bit of almond. Spence calls it “playful but serious,” and I have to agree. So easy-drinking, quite feminine. A / $24

Appleton Extra 12 Year Old is a bigger, fuller-bodied rum, blended from rums with a minimum age of 12 years old. (According to Spence, many other rum-producing countries allow a label to carry an age statement based on the oldest rum in the blend, not the youngest, as is the law in Jamaica.) This rum has some of the citrus and vanilla character of the Reserve, but it’s much richer and darker too. There’s wood and a touch of smoke in this one, and chocolate comes out throughout the body. At 86 proof, it’s just a touch hotter, but overall it’s just as enjoyable as the Reserve, a masculine rum to the Reserve’s feminine one. A / $33

The Appleton folks left an orange and a fresh vanilla bean (for comparing to the rum) when they departed. I couldn’t let them go to waste so I created this in order to put them to use. Tasty!

The Spence
2 orange segments, cut in half
1/2 oz. piece of vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 1/4 oz. Appleton Reserve rum
3/4 oz. Licor 43
lemonade

In a tall highball glass, muddle the oranges and vanilla. Fill with ice, then add rum and Licor 43. Top with a big splash of lemonade and stir briefly.

appletonrum.com

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Posted in Rated A, Recipes, Reviews, Rum

Classic Recipe: The Pink Squirrel Martini

Posted on August 10, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

madmen standard 300x225 Classic Recipe: The Pink Squirrel MartiniA good friend sent me a link to this recipe on the Mad Men “1960s cocktails” page today (where you can make your own Mad Men avatar like the one to the right here) and almost dared me to make one. It’s odd, because almost all the other recipes on the page you still see around, at least from time to time. The Pink Squirrel? Not so much.

Odd little cocktail. I told her I’d give it a spin tonight — frankly I’m not sure I’ve ever had one before. And so I broke out my bottles of white creme de cacao and creme de noyaux (almond flavored) — both of which were at least five years old and neither of which had ever been opened once — and mixed up a batch. Not bad at all. Creamy almond flavor with a hint of chocolate, a lot like a biscotti, and quite refreshing as a dessert drink. I used milk in the recipe and didn’t have any Stoli, by the way, but I think it turned out just fine.

Oh, and of course, it is pink, so if you’re looking for something manly to drink, well…

The Pink Squirrel Martini

¾ oz. crème de noyaux
¾ oz. (white) crème de cacao
½ oz. Stoli vodka
1 oz. fresh cream

Pour all over ice in mixing glass. Stir and serve in martini glass.

pink squirrel martini Classic Recipe: The Pink Squirrel Martini

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Posted in Liqueurs, Recipes, Vodka

Review: Cocaine Energy Drink

Posted on August 9, 2009 by Christopher Null| 3 Comments

You don’t name your beverage “Cocaine” because it’s subtle. Banned in numerous jurisdictions (despite the warning on the label that the product does not in fact include cocaine nor is it intended to be used a substitute for any street drug (“and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot”)), Cocaine is intended to raise eyebrows and encourage the interest of thrill-seekers.

But really, what energy drink isn’t?

Sold in the usual 250ml cans, Cocaine comes in two main varieties (plus a sugar-free version, which I didn’t try). The blue Cocaine Mild is a pink, easy-drinking concoction, fragrant with sweet strawberry character but quite a bit chalky. It’s saltier than I’d expected but not oppressively so — a bit like Gatorade, if it has been blended with some jam. B

The red-can version, Cocaine Spicy Hot, is the slightest bit more red in color and, indeed, is spicy hot as the name suggests. There’s basic fruit and berry flavor, but a jalepeno-like heat overwhelms the drink. Some may find this exhilarating, but it really makes the drink hard to down casually. Perhaps that’s the point — to limit intake — but I figure it actually helps make Spicy Hot a better mixer than a straight-outta-the-can experience. B-

For both versions, additives include taurine, inositol, vitamins B6, B12, and C, L-Camitine, and D-Ribose. A whopping 280mg of caffeine rounds out each can.

about $2 per 8.4-oz. can / drinkcocaine.com

cocaine energy drink Review: Cocaine Energy Drink

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Posted in Mixers, Rated B, Rated B-, Reviews

Malibu’s Limited Edition Bottles Aim to Aid Environment

Posted on August 8, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

malibu reef check special edition bottle Malibus Limited Edition Bottles Aim to Aid EnvironmentThe iconic white Malibu bottle is going to look a little different for the rest of the month: It’s being skinned with a colorful shell designed to promote its Reef Check charity initiative.

I”ll let Malibu sell it to you in its own words:

A survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America indicated that more than 55 million Americans have participated in a volunteer vacation, and about 100 million more are considering taking one. Malibu is giving 10 budding environmentalists a chance to do just that through the first-ever Malibu Beach Internship. Beginning today, eligible individuals who are of legal drinking age (21 and over) and passionate about ecosystem preservation may apply.Summer is the time to ‘Get Your Island On’ – whether it’s cocktails at the local beach or a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to an exotic tropical destination. Today, Malibu(R) announces a partnership with Reef Check that offers both enticing options to consumers nationwide. To help raise awareness of Reef Check’s mission to monitor, protect and rehabilitate reefs worldwide, Malibu kicks off the ultimate beach internship to enlist 10 interns to monitor coral reef health in Thailand, the Maldives or the Philippines. For those who can’t intern, Malibu brings the party home by introducing a limited-edition Reef Check-inspired bottle with a charitable contribution made to Reef Check on behalf of the brand.

 

Applications will be accepted from July 1, 2009, through August 31, 2009, and are available online at www.malibu-rum.com/reefcheck. The applicants who convey the most creativity, enthusiasm and character will be selected as finalists, and will be sent on a 10-day assignment to a Malibu-sponsored eco-adventure with Reef Check to an exotic location, such as Thailand, the Philippines or the Maldives.

Inside the bottle, it’s the same-old, good-old Malibu.

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Posted in Flavored Rum, Rum

Drinking and Dining with Tandem Wines’ Greg La Follette

Posted on August 8, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Greg La Follette has a long history in winemaking (De Loach and Flowers are two labels you might recognize that he’s worked on) — on a global scale — and a passion for both his family (six kids, “Brady Bunch” style, as he puts it) and his leather pants. But get La Follette talking about his wines and you can forget about all other topics. The man is a fountain of information ranging from biochemical analysis to the virtues of sampling the lees while your wine is fermenting.

I had the chance to join a dozen other journalists at a private dinner with La Follette, where we tasted eight wines, ate six courses, and spent four hours poring (and pouring) over the intricacies of La Follette’s lineup at his own winery, Tandem.

In sampling four chardonnays and four pinot noirs, I was impressed by virtually the entire lineup. If I had to pick a favorite, it’d be his 2006 Auction Block Pinot Noir, a blended pinot that is so massive it stretches the bounds of what I’d though pinot could taste like. Decanted, though, it becomes supple and silky, a rich wine that pairs perfectly with a big dinner.

Some rough notes on the lineup follow. Thanks to La Follette (who I somehow managed to miss taking a photo of) and our host James Stolich, who prepared an outstanding meal for the group.

Tandem Wines Tasting Report

2007 Tandem Manchester Ridge Chardonnay / A- / buttery and nutty

2007 Tandem Sangiacomo Chardonnay / A- / bright with flowery acidity

2006 Tandem Kent Richie Chardonnay / A- / best of both worlds? But with a bit of bitterness in the finish

2006 Tandem Lorenzo Chardonnay / B+ / more like Sangiacomo, but lighter in style

2006 Tandem Sangiacomo Pinot Noir / A- / bright and light, with perfume and tart cherries

2006 Tandem Auction Block Pinot Noir / A- / leathery, tobacco, massive

2007 Tandem Hawk’s Roost Pinot Noir / B / huge berry bomb with some bite to it

2007 Tandem Manchester Ridge Pinot Noir / A- / earthy and rich, mysterious with odd perfume notes — controversial at the table and not yet released

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Posted in Rated A-, Rated B, Rated B+, Reviews, Wine

World’s [not quite] Most Expensive Whisky Sells for $19,741

Posted on August 6, 2009 by Christopher Null| 5 Comments

That’s what a bottle of 50-year-old Macallan Anniversary Edition cost one buyer today, after successfully winning a Glasgow auction for the ultra-rare bottle. Macallan Anniversary was bottled in 1978 and is a blend of three casks distilled in the late 1920s. Sounds delish!

As one commenter notes below, this is hardly the most expensive whiskey ever sold, but it’s still, shall we say, expensive…

More from The Sun.

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Posted in Scotch, Whiskey

Review: Zaya Gran Reserva Rum

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Christopher Null| 4 Comments

For a rum that bills itself as “the world’s finest sipping rum,” Zaya is awfully easy to come by. They even sell it at my local Safeway, for a little over $20, which is less than most widely-available aged rums.

Yet, with 12 years of age, Zaya’s one of the oldest and darkest aged rums on the mass market, a deep ochre color that outdoes most bourbons with its chocolaty hue.

Hailing from Trinidad, this rum is a blend of up to five rums, each aged for a minimum of 12 years in oak barrels. Distilled five times and bottled at 80 proof, the resulting spirit is intense and intriguing.

It’s something that took some time to grow on me, offering a nose of brown sugar but also the unexpected: green tea, powerful vanilla extract, and coffee notes. That all carries over into the body — but it’s the tea that really gave me pause. It’s not unpleasant, it’s just so unusual that I have found it difficult to draw direct comparisons.

Many observers put it up against Ron Zacapa 23, which was formerly produced by the same company. (Zaya was once made in Guatemala, but the brand and production has changed hands (and nationalities) in the last couple of years. How it still manages to be a 12-year estate rum is beyond my understanding, but anyway…) I have to confess to liking Zacapa more — it’s sweeter and has a wonderful finish of sherry notes, fresh cane, and flowers. Zaya is more of the earth and the exotic. Not bad at all — but a different animal.

B+ / $26 / infiniumspirits.com

zaya rum Review: Zaya Gran Reserva Rum

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Posted in Rated B+, Reviews, Rum

Is It OK To Keep Champagne in the Refrigerator?

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Christopher Null| Leave a comment

Recently a reader left a comment regarding something I said in my review of Nicolas Feuillatte’s Palmes d’Or Champagne that gave me pause. I said I’d left the bottle in the fridge for some months, and the commenter claimed that the “vibrations of a commercial fridge” would essentially kill the bottle.

That was news to me, so I asked the experts, putting the question to Nicolas Feuillatte itself: Should Champagne be stored in the fridge long-term? The answer? No, not really, but not because of anything having to do with vibration.

Here’s their full response from Feuillatte’s press relations representative, unedited.

I checked with a few Champagne pals, and evidently it’s good to keep in the fridge for a few weeks, but you probably shouldn’t keep it much longer than that. As you know, when Champagne is released from the producer’s cellar, it’s at optimum drinking age. Of course, many can be aged to beautiful drinking at much older ages, but that requires that they be kept cool (but not freezing cold) and in average humidity. While it’s possible to regulate humidity in a fridge, it’s less easy to keep a bottle just cool.

You’re safe up to a few weeks, maybe slightly longer, but it’s really not recommended.

As for the vibration, we’ve never heard that before. All the Champagne houses I know ship their wines overseas on a boat; I would imagine the few weeks that takes would do more damage than a fridge would over the course of a few days. That’s maybe not that scientific, but our general consensus.

So there you have it. A few weeks in the fridge is OK. A few months, maybe not. Keep it cool, but not cold. And don’t worry about the vibrations… except the good ones you get when you drink it.

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Posted in Drinking Science, Wine

Tasting Report: Patz & Hall Wines

Posted on August 3, 2009 by Christopher Null| 1 Comment

A few miles south of Napa, located in a nondescript corporate office park, you’ll find Patz & Hall‘s tasting salon. And yes, it’s open to the public and no, you don’t need an appointment. (Though, if you have one, you’ll get even more personalized service.)

We had a fun 45 minutes (at least) talking wine with Toby Hovanski as he led us through the different vineyards P&H uses to obtain fruit, the winery’s approach to creating its various bottlings, and of course many glasses of vino. Nothing bad in the bunch, I have to say I had a sweet spot for the winery’s Chenoweth Ranch Pinot Noir, a classic yet vibrantly fruity expression of the pinot noir grape for which Patz has developed a richly-deserved cult following.

Head by — directions are here — and tell ‘em Drinkhacker sent you!

Patz & Hall Tasting Report

2007 Patz & Hall Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay / $55.00 / A
2006 Patz & Hall Alder Springs Chardonnay / $60.00 / B+
2007 Patz & Hall Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay / $60.00 / A-
2006 Patz & Hall Chenoweth Ranch Pinot Noir / $55.00 / A
2006 Patz & Hall Alder Springs Pinot Noir / $60.00 / B-
2006 Patz & Hall Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir / $80.00 / A
2007 Patz & Hall Jenkins Ranch Pinot Noir / $55.00 / B
2007 Patz & Hall Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir / $70.00 / A-

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Posted in Rated A, Rated A-, Rated B, Rated B+, Rated B-, Reviews, Wine