Grand Old Fashioned
rum, orgeat liqueur, tiki bitters, lime zest
Hamilton 151 Rum
Hamilton 151 Overproof rum. You haven’t had “151 rum” until you’ve tried 151 rum from Guyana. I think the first time I (and probably many people) ever heard of and experienced “151” was in the context of the recently-discontinued Bacardi 151 (151 is the proof. 75.5% ABV). I literally cried.…
Sunset Bolivar
tequila, dry vermouth, Cynar, grapefruit, Tajin
Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro
Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro. This is a classic California-made amaro that highlights the beauty of this region I now call home. I discovered this at the Craft Spirits Carnival earlier this summer in San Francisco, where I tasted all 3 of the Lofi products – sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, and this…
Spanish Diplomat
rum, sweet vermouth, Zucca, dry curaçao
Kuemmerling
Kuemmerling. It’s good to note that while traditionally Italian-made amaro has been the largest and most well known contributor to this category of bittersweet and herbal spirits, there are many other popular and delicious amaro from other countries across the world. Today we look at Kuemmerling, a German semi-bitter digestif. Kuemmerling…
Ice Berg
tequila, Underberg, orgeat, lemon
Amaro Averna
Amaro Averna. Annnd Amaro Week continues! This week we’re celebratin’ the bittersweet herbal liqueur group known as “amaro,” and I think this bottle was the first one that introduced me to that word. I used to always assume that “Amaro” referred specifically to Averna since I’d always seen this referenced…
Americano
Campari, sweet vermouth, soda
Amaro Meletti
Amaro Meletti. Amaro is a classification of liqueurs (traditionally Italian-made) that are bittersweet, herbal, and complex, with flavors that are difficult to describe. They are traditionally drank after (or before) meals to aid with appetite and digestion. They’ve become an increasingly popular ingredient in craft cocktails in recent years, and you’ve…
Eastern Gimlet
gin, lime, ginger, agave, indian spices
Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur
Barrow’s Intense Ginger liqueur. It seems so many cocktail enthusiasts are REALLY into ginger for some reason, and after all the great things I heard about this one, I couldn’t be more excited to get a taste! Ginger is one of those transformative ingredients that adds a special secret touch…
Faith’s Grog
rums, citrus, passionfruit, allspice
Giffard Pamplemousse Liqueur
Giffard Pamplemousse liqueur. I am a huuuuge grapefruit fan, and as such have been eyeing this liqueur since I first heard about it (Pamplemousse is French for grapefruit). Being the mega fan I am (fav fruit hands down), I’m often disappointed by the grapefruit flavors I find in food/drinks since…
Pre-batched Drinks
Summer parties are the best, and pre-batched drinks are a total game changer. I love making drinks for friends and always have a great time doing so, but it does have the tendency to suck away some of the socialization opportunities. The last party I hosted I whipped up all…
Cuban Rum
Cuban rum. This is a bit of a different type of bottle talk, since I don’t actually have the bottles, but here we have samples of 3 different Cuban rums that my good friend very generously offered to share with me after his recent trip to Cuba. From L ->…
Queen Elizabeth
rum, lime, grenadine
Jasper’s Basic Stock
lime, sugar, Angostura, nutmeg
Molokai Mule
cognac, rums, orange, lime, orgeat
Plantation 5 Year rum
Plantation 5 Year rum. This is one of my favorite budget bottles of rum. You can find this in the $15-20 range and it is absolutely fantastic and such a steal! It’s a great representation of a well crafted rum at a fantastic price point that will make you question…
Fine Young Cannibal
rums, applejack, apricot, lime, pineapple
Batavia Arrack van Oosten
Batavia Arrack van Oosten. Arrack is the historical spirit from southeast Asia (the island of Java in Indonesia) that’s often referred to as the predecessor of rum since it is also (mostly) made from sugarcane. Not to be confused with arak (the Lebanese anise-flavored spirit), Javanese arrack is distilled from…
Moscow Mule
vodka, lime, ginger