Review: Boca Loca Cachaca
Boca Loca is another good cachaca to recently hit the market — and with its lipstick-scrawled-on-glass packaging it immediately presents itself as an uncomplicated product designed for the masses. I expect any drinker would have an easy time approaching this cachaca, which tastes and smells not of the spirit’s typical gasoline but rather of charred…
Review: Indio Vodkas
As promised yesterday, today we’re plowing through the five vodkas (one straight, four flavored) from Portland’s Indio Spirits. All five are 80-proof and distilled from rye, then filtered through charcoal-activated coconut husks. (All the vodkas are uncolored, too, and feature very approachable prices.) Indio Silver Edition Vodka – This is the straight, unflavored vodka, and…
Review: Snake River Stampede Canadian Whisky
Designed in all ways — from the name to the bottle to what’s inside — Snake River Stampede Canadian Whisky is a frontier-styled cowboy whiskey through and through. Aged eight years, though, this ain’t saloon rotgut but rather a surprisingly erudite whiskey that would be at home in a high-class bar as it would on…
Original “Recipe”: The Chick-fil-A Cocktail
Yes, I’ve been known to make a cocktail on a dare. This one was from a late-night challenge to come up with a cocktail inspired by one of the most hallowed of fast food items in the Drinkhacker household: The Chick-fil-A chicken nugget. It’s unlikely to make anyone’s regular cocktail hour rotation, but it’s certainly…
Review: Hint Flavored Water
Another solid contender in the lightly flavored water category: Hint is mild — but distinctly — flavored, all natural and with no sweeteners added. I tried two varieties: Strawberry-Kiwi and Cucumber. 13 flavors are currently available in total. I found both versions very good, though obviously different as night and day. The cucumber version is…
Book Review: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Wine Basics (Second Edition)
I never would have thought I’d be recommending a book about wine with the phrase “complete idiot” in the title, but for outright rank beginners, this tome by Tara Q. Thomas is an accessible way to get a bearing on a complicated subject. Primarily broken down by grape varietal (with a few chapters devoted to…
Original Recipe: The Dow Jones Industrial Average Cocktail
Coming to my holiday party tonight? Here’s the original cocktail crafted just for the event that you’ll be drinking tonight. Give your liver a pep talk. The inspiration is obvious: Economic collapse. The DJIA Cocktail (or the Dow Cocktail, if you prefer) is meant to be bittersweet to remind us of the hard times we’ve…
Review: Michael Collins Blended Irish Whiskey (2008)
Michael Collins, epic hero of modern Ireland, naturally deserves a whiskey bottled in his honor. Here’s a look at Michael Collins “A Blend” (there’s also a Single Malt version available). To consider the rich amber color of the whiskey you’d think you’re in for something hefty (check the photo below — the bottle itself is…
