Review: Gran Centenario Plata Tequila (2008)
The first thing you’ll notice about this blanco tequila is the distinct yellow tone it has. That’s not a tint on the Deco-styled bottle, that’s the spirit. But aren’t blanco tequilas supposed to be totally clear? Surprise: Gran Centenario lets its blanco/plata mellow for 28 days in oak barrels before going into bottle. It’s not…
Review: Obsello Absinthe
I love getting a sneak peek at stuff before it hits the market, but it’s even better when the stuff is good. Obsello, come tomorrow, will be the first Spanish absinthe for sale in the U.S., and even then only in San Francisco. (New York is coming soon.) Obsello’s Joanne Haruta (pictured) is in town…
Review: Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila
Got a chance to try Sammy Hagar’s Mexican brainchild: Cabo Wabo, at least its reposado version, thanks to a bottle courtesy of the company. Reposado is historically my least favorite of the three tequila varieties, so I went in automatically disappointed, but came away reasonably impressed. Cabo Wabo’s Reposado (aged from 3 to 12 months…
Review: Mata Hari Absinthe Bohemian
Mata Hari absinthe is an Austrian spirit, distilled (per the bottle) from the original Belle Epoque recipe from 1881. Of course, the actual Mata Hari would have been just 5 years old at the time the recipe was created, so we’ll assume the recipe came first, the name came later. Made with Grand Wormwood and…
Review: Sierra Nevada Summerfest Lager
Summer’s almost over (my kids go back to school in three weeks, thank God), but that doesn’t mean you won’t still find dozens of summer-themed brews on the shelves. Drink it up. It’s still plenty hot. Sierra Nevada’s Summerfest is by and large what we expect from a summer-themed beer. Not too complicated. Crisp. A…
Instant Bloody Mary? Three Olives Tomato Vodka vs. Absolut Peppar Vodka
Building a Bloody Mary from scratch is a complicated and time consuming process. After all, who wants to grate fresh horseradish first thing in the morning? While some Bloody Mary mixes offer an acceptable shortcut, one doesn’t always have a bottle on hand. Is there an even quicker shortcut to a good Bloody? Enter two…
Original Recipe: Lemblu Cocktail
For lack of a better name… The Lemblu 8 blueberries 1 oz. vodka 1 oz. Passion Fruit vodka 1/2 oz. Maraschino liqueur 1/2 oz. Chambord 1/4 oz. Damiana lemonade Muddle blueberries in a tall glass. Add next five ingredients and stir. Add ice, then top up with lemonade and stir again. Very refreshing little drink,…
