Review: Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Years Old
This 15-year single malt is matured in the solera style in three different types of wood casks — sherry, bourbon, and new oak. Despite being bottled at 80 proof, it strangely comes off as hot. Even after adding a moderate amount of water, it’s still got some burn to it. There is sherry here and…
Original Recipe: Midnight at the Oasis
This cocktail was born from looking for something to make with St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, a pungent liqueur that immediately overpowers just about anything you add it to. Tread lightly. Midnight at the Oasis 2 oz. brandy 1/4 oz. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram 1/4 oz. Licor 43 1/4 oz. Damiana 2 dashes Fee Brothers Rhubarb…
Review: Johnnie Walker Green Label
For a long time Johnnie Walker Green Label was really hard to find — I ended up buying my bottle via mail order, then drinking very little of it. That all changed relatively recently: Now you can buy Green Label at Safeway. I set out to see what’s up with a good old-fashioned Green Label…
Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters vs. Angostura Bitters
Artisanal bitters are all the rage these days, with no producer more hallowed than Fee Brothers. (I rely on their Orange Bitters religiously, so I’m a devotee.) But I’d never tried Fee’s “Old Fashion Aromatic” Bitters until recently. Angostura’s always worked for me, so why change? Well today I finally put Fee Old Fashion head…
Review: Vicious Vodka
I had no idea how combative the idea of caffeinated spirits would be: Vicious Vodka claims to have originated the idea six years ago, fighting for months for government approval to add caffeine to booze. The company has a patent on its production process and remains a small, deeply devoted player in this market, with…
Review: Sheep Dip and Pig’s Nose
Got samples of my two favorite-named Scotch whiskys, which are now becoming quite widely available in the U.S. market. How do they fare in tastings? Sheep Dip Malt Whiskey – This golden-colored, vatted malt is a blend of 16 single malt whiskys aged between 8 and 21 years, its name arising from British farmers’ slang for…
Review: Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth – New Recipe 2009
People agonize over what brand gin or vodka to use in their martini, but precious little thought tends to go into the selection of vermouth. Today I’ve done something most would deem unthinkable: Drink vermouth straight. Why? Because Noilly Prat, the French maker of one of the world’s best-selling brands of vermouth, is changing its…
Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Bartending
While I was pleasantly surprised to find that the recent Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine Basics was a credible and well-written introductory guide to the world of wine, another book from the Idiot’s series unfortunately bears little similarity. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Bartending, by Amy Zavatto, boasts 1,500 recipes on its cover, but sheer…
