Review: Milagro Tequila – Silver and Reposado (2008)
I tried two of Milagro’s tequilas today (the silver and the reposado; didn’t have the anejo). Rather disappointing on the whole. Both are 80 proof. Milagro Tequila Silver (2008) – The Silver is a traditional, 100% agave blanco tequila, but it’s awfully harsh, even for a silver. Most super-premium, traditional silvers are surprisingly smooth, but…
Review: Gordon Biersch Pilsner
This golden lager is a crisp and classic brew, but thicker in mouthfeel than most lager-type beers. It’s got some real weight to it, which makes it pair well with food that has a little spice in it. Czech and German in ancestry, I found it fit perfectly with a seasoned pork chop and asparagus,…
Tasting Report: Jameson Irish Whiskey Lineup – 12 Years Old, Gold Reserve, 18 Years Old, and Rarest 2007
Amidst the crushing shelf space given over to Scotch and Bourbon, you (and by you, I mean myself) can be forgiven for not knowing all that much about Irish Whiskey. But did you know that Irish Whiskey was once the most-consumed whiskey in the world. Unfortunately, those days ended with Prohibition, and Irish has never…
Review: Ypioca Empalhada Prata & Ouro Cachaca
After my recent review of Beija cachaça, the good souls at challenger Ypióca (don’t ask me how to pronounce it) sent a volley across my bow, obliquely throwing down a little smack by claiming “every day there seems a new U.S.-made designer brand… wanting to be the next Grey Goose of the category.” Them’s fighting…
Review: Russian Standard Imperia Vodka
If you aren’t familiar with Russian Standard’s Imperia vodka (its highest-end of three bottlings) due to its ubiquitous print advertising, you won’t miss the angular, hexagon-bottomed bottle at the liquor store. It looks like something that ought to have been erected on the outskirts of Moscow during the Yeltsin years, a stark monument to drowned…
Review: 360 Vodka
The world’s first “eco luxury vodka,” 360 Vodka is bottled at 80 proof in 85% recycled glass, labeled with chlorine-free paper, and even uses a twine string to attach a postage-paid envelope to the top of the bottle: You use it to return the metal closure on top of the bottle (like a Grolsch beer…
Review: Gran Gala Orange Liqueur
We did a rare experiment tonight and put Gran Gala to blind test vs. the liqueur it’s designed to imitate: Grand Marnier. This Italian liqueur even has the red ribbon and circular wax seal, just like Grand Marnier, and it promises it’s blended from “triple orange essence from the choicest oranges from Sicily.” So, how’d…
Original Recipe: The Oscar Cosmo
For Hollywood’s most glamorous night, here’s what the Drinkhacker crew is imbibing: The Oscar Cosmo 1 1/2 oz. vodka 1/2 oz. pomegranate liqueur 1/4 oz. orange liqueur 1 oz. cranberry juice Shake first three ingredients with ice in a shaker. Pour into a cocktail glass. Top off with cranberry juice.
