El Dorado 15. This post is loooong overdue. When I began my rum journey last year, it pretty much kickstarted with my first rum love – El Dorado 12, which was also my first *ever* rum bottle talk. 50+ bottles of rum later, and I’ll admit, El Dorado is still…
mezcal, applejack, agave, orange bitters
Nonino Grappa. While some may be familiar with the Nonino Amaro Quintessentia, it’s a bit less noted that it’s an amaro (Italian bittersweet liqueur) made from a base of grappa. And that the Nonino company has been a family business specializing in grappa since the late 1800s. While grappa is…
wine, brandy, orange, fruits
Grander 8 Year Rum. This is a Spanish-style rum from the Central America country of Panama. Grander rum comes from the Ingenio San Carlos distillery (same place that produces Panama-Pacific rum) and is aged for 8 years before being bottled. Grander proudly promotes the lack of any added sugar or…
agricole rum, lime, Angostura
CH Distillery Rubin Bitter Grapefruit Aperitif. OMG I have found my bitter soulmate. So, this is a very bitter, very unique grapefruit liqueur/amaro made at a craft distillery in Chicago. I discovered this at a bar last month, and it absolutely blew my mind. I’ll say, this strong flavor is…
bourbon, Cynar, Aperol, Angostura
Diplomatico Planas. Diplomatico is most well known for their Reserva Exclusiva rum, which is often regarded as a higher end “sipping rum.” While that one does have its fan base, I really think the true treasures in their line actually lie in their other two rums, the Planas and the…
rum, grapefruit, lime, maraschino liqueur
vodka, strawberry Campari, orgeat, lemon, olive oil
Mezcal Vago Elote. If you’re familiar with Mexican street food, you probably know that elote means corn (drool worthy Mexican street corn, omg). So, this here is a mezcal with the flavors of sweet toasted corn. Adding unique subtle flavors into mezcal during distillation is a practice traditionally reserved for…
Green Chartreuse, pineapple, coconut, lime
Two James Johnny Smoking Gun Whiskey. So, Two James from Detroit produces one of my absolute FAVORITE desert-island-worthy rums (Doctor Bird), so I was super excited to pick up another one of their products. This is essentially a flavored whiskey, created as a fun and casual table whiskey specifically to…
mezcal, Jamaican rum, falernum
Fidencio Clasico. I adore this mezcal so much. I got this bottle to replace my beloved Del Maguey Vida (which was my first mezcal), and it’s slowly stolen my heart as my go-to “cocktail mezcal.” Don’t get me wrong, Vida is great for cocktails as well, but Fidencio Clasico just…
cachaça, lime, sugar
Rhum JM XO. This here is a fantastic 6+ year aged agricole rhum, produced by the oldest active distillery on the island of Martinique (since 1790!). If you’re completely new to agricole rhums, you might want to first check out this post for more info. In short, “rhum” is just…
sweet vermouth, oloroso sherry, tonic water, orange bitters
peach-infused bourbon, Amaro Meletti, Yellow Chartreuse
I’m fascinated by spirits and cocktails with a story to tell. Though I’ve heard of mezcal described as “rustic and traditional,” until recently I never really understood what that meant. Mezcal is a spirit born from the rural villages in Mexico. It’s a deeply rooted part of local culture there,…
applejack, lemon, Amaro Montenegro, jam, bitters
Candy Cap Mushroom bitters. Wow, have I been on the lookout for some candy cap bitters for a while! Luckily, I finally found some from Alley 6 Distillery. I feel like the usage of candy cap has been trending at some craft cocktail bars, and for a while I had…
rye, Campari, dry vermouth