Review: Pierre Ferrand Reserve Double Cask Cognac
The latest from Pierre Ferrand is Reserve Double Cask — not to be confused with Pierre Ferrand Reserve Cognac — which is finished for a year in Banyuls wine casks, the fortified wine that is France’s answer to Port. Some additional detail from the distillery: Long ago, Cognac producers used a variety of casks to…
Bar Review: Teleféric Barcelona Restaurant, Walnut Creek, California
Teleféric has three bars/restaurants in Spain. The one we visited in Walnut Creek, California is their first venture in the United States, having opened in January 2017. Their menu is filled with dishes from Barcelona, created by chefs from Spain. The pricing is a bit high, but worth it for a special luxury meal such…
Review: Spiritopia Apple Liqueur and Ginger Liqueur
Spiritopia is a small, Corvallis, Oregon-based producer of “dry liqueurs,” which are liqueurs designed to be considerably less sweet than traditional liqueurs. The company makes three different liqueurs at present. Two are reviewed here. (We missed out on the pomegranate offering.) Thoughts follow. Spiritopia Apple Liqueur – This is a study of apples in three forms:…
Cocktails for Father’s Day 2017 – Plus Bourbon Balls!
Dads deserve to kick back with an action flick (or whatever their preferred genre) and a cocktail made just for them. Give him a break from the honey-do list this Father’s Day with these ten cocktail choices. And hey, we didn’t forget his sweet tooth either. Let’s say it together: “Bourbon Balls!” Let’s start with…
Review: Rua American Single Malt Whiskey
Great Wagon Road Distilling can be found in Charlotte, North Carolina, where this small operation can be found making vodka, poitin, and malt whiskey under the care of Ollie Mulligan, a native Irishman. Today we look at Rua — Gaelic for “red” — the company’s American single malt made from 100% malted barley. The whiskey…
Bar Review: P.C.H., San Francisco
The Pacific Cocktail Haven, or P.C.H. as the sign reads out front, is a drinking establishment unlike many you’re likely to find in San Francisco. The operation has been serving drinks for nearly a year, operating near Union Square, out of the old Cantina space, but this was my first visit to what’s clearly home…
Making Cocktails with Fizzy Tickle Water
We’ve all heard the jokes about wine being referred to as “Mommy’s juice.” Today, we’re bringing you a way to “adult” Tickle Water with cocktails to give your Mommy’s juice a sparkly spin. Tickle Water is a carbonated beverage which is flavored naturally; it has no sugars or other preservatives. The label shows zero carbohydrates,…
Review: Havana Club Tributo 2017
The second rum in Cuba-based Havana Club‘s Tributo Collection has hit shelves, but not many of them: Just 2500 bottles of this expression will be released globally. We missed out on Tributo 2016 but were excited to land a sample of the new release. The company explains a bit about why it’s so special. Havana…
