Copper & Kings American Brandy. I’ve previously talked about all sorts of different brandies, from dry fruit brandies like Barack Pálinka to brandy liqueurs like Apricot liqueur to American applejack to European region-of-origin controlled Calvados and Cognac. But how about some good ole general “American brandy”? In this whole cocktail/craft beer&spirits…
rum, cherry heering, orange liqueur, falernum, lemon
Chambord. This is actually one of my favorite fruit liqueurs even though I don’t reach for it as often as I’d like. Chambord is a delicious French liqueur made with red and black raspberries, vanilla, citrus, honey, and cognac. It tastes quite jammy (in a good way), with rich vanilla…
whiskey, coffee, sugar, cream
Jameson Irish Whiskey. This is the bottle that needs no introduction – everyone knows Jameson. Maybe you’ve had great experiences with it and maybe you’ve had the worst, but it’s indisputable they’ve built quite the name and following for themselves as one of the largest and most popular whiskey producers…
Batavia arrack, Cynar, apricot, bitters and spices
Smith & Cross Jamaican rum. If you’re only familiar with rum in the context of bottles like Bacardi white, Captain Morgan spiced, Myers dark, etc, or even dabble in ‘higher end’ ones like the golden Zacapa, Diplomatico, or El Dorado lines, I think this is one rum that will *really*…
overproof rum, lime, Angostura, sugar
Recipe 1 cup fruit of choice (I used fresh blueberries) .75 cup sugar 1 cup vinegar (I used about 2/3 white wine vinegar, 1/3 fig-infused white balsamic) Cover the fruit in the sugar for a day or two until fruit has mostly liquified (you may need to gently mash it…
Cynar, rum, lemon, lime, sugar
St. George Dry Rye Gin. Like all things produced by the lovely team at St. George Spirits in Alameda, CA, this gin is another unique high quality creation. Unlike most of the more mainstream gins on the market, this one is made from rye – yep, the same grain that goes…
rye, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, absinthe, Peychaud’s
Ancho Reyes Original. If you’re even mildly a fan of spicy cocktails or the smokiness of dried peppers, this is the perfect liqueur to pick up! I resisted for a while, convincing myself I didn’t need a spicy liqueur in my collection that would be too specialized to get broad usage,…
Rum Fire, lime, orgeat, salt
Pusser’s Gunpowder Strength Navy Rum. For hundreds of years dating back to the British colonization era, sailors in the British Royal Navy were given a daily ration of rum, at one point up to a cup a day! As modern technology advanced with more dangerous and complex weapons, the daily “tot”…
bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup, bitters
Laird’s Applejack. Laird’s is the oldest licensed distillery of applejack, a truly American spirit deeply rooted in the appletree-abundant colonial northeast. During a time when clean water was limited, early colonists turned to hard beverages, which were safer for consumption (well, in some ways).Apples were abundant in the area and thus…
gin, tonic syrup, soda, lime
Old Potrero 18th Century Style Spirit. Whiskey is a spirit that has doubtlessly been a significant symbol in American history, and if you were ever interested in the libations consumed by the American forefathers, pick up a bottle of this offering by Hotaling and Co! This spirit was created as…
rum, coconut, orange, lime
Good ol’ Bulleit Bourbon. If you like bourbon in any form or fashion, chances are you’ve tried Bulleit at some point. It’s truly a classic and standard in mainstream bourbon and for good reason! It’s delicious, affordable, easy to find, and comes in an attractive recognizable oval bottle! It’s my…
rums, coconut, lemon, apricot
Rothman and Winter Orchard Apricot Liqueur. Let’s revisit “Apricot Brandy.” I recently posted about how apricot brandy can be super confusing as it can refer to two VERY different things: one is a dry (non-sweet) full 40% ABV spirit distilled from fresh apricots, and the other is a sweetened liqueur version…
RUM FIRE. Ok, this recent acquisition (which just became available in California!) may be one of my FAVORITE BOTTLES EVER in my whole collection – definitely one of the most unique and intense! This is a Jamaican overproof unaged white rum that is not for the faint of heart; it’s seriously…