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…
rums, falernum, apricot, orange, lemon, Angostura
Siembra Azul Blanco tequila. Happy Cinco De Mayo and #DrinkoDeMayo! While you’re enjoying your margaritas and tequila shots, here’s some info to hopefully help you find better and tastier tequila to drink. First, some basics: tequila is the spirit that is distilled from cooked agave plants. Agave nectar is about…
Zwack Pecsetes Barack Pálinka, aka Hungarian Apricot Brandy. This was one of my very first bottles of the non-standard stuff after starting out with my homebar. I saw a lot of recipes calling for “apricot brandy” and picked this up, not knowing much about it. Turns out, there are two…
Del Maguey Vida. Mezcal is tequila’s less well-known, but cooler, more hipster sibling (well technically, mezcal is the term for any agave-based spirit, *including* tequila, but let’s just focus on the more common interpretation of mezcal as a type of smoky agave spirit). Mezcal is also the Mexican liquor that…
rum, Averna, lemon, bitters, ginger
Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony. This is a delicious whisky, and one of very few bottles (of anything!) that we’ve really gone through and repurchased (it’s hard to go thru bottles when you have a pretty sizable collection!). It’s sweet with honey notes and a juicy floralness. Japanese whisky is closest…
Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco. Ah, white rum, the most popular kid in the school of rum after Captain Morgan. Thanks to Bacardi and the incredible job they’ve done at marketing rum to the world, white rum is probably what most people commonly associate with “rum” (at least in…
rum, falernum, bitters
Noah’s Mill Small Batch Bourbon. Before my whole (recent) rum obsession, bourbon was my go-to. It took me a few years into my alcohol journey to really became acquainted with whiskey (once I finally ventured beyond Jack/Jameson/Crown), but then the classic American bourbon stole my heart. The first time I tried…
gin, Chambord, lemon, red wine
Square One Organics Basil Vodka. This is a rye-based vodka infused with 4 different varieties of basil, with some additional herbs to round out the flavor. This was actually one of my very first “craft spirit” purchases years ago. As I’ve mentioned, I have a huge basil obsession, so when…
gin, lime, cucumber, basil
Disaronno Originale. The oh-so-familiar amaretto liqueur in the distinctive bottle. Amaretto is probably one of the most recognizable mainstream liqueurs, and most likely you’ve heard of it in some form or other, whether that be in cocktails like the amaretto sour or the perfect warm apres-ski drink, in coffee, as…
gin, maraschino, lime, Green Chartreuse
St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur – this is truly autumn in a bottle. As if my previous posts haven’t given it away, I’m a huge fan of everything they do and produce at St. George Spirits in Alameda, CA. It was the first distillery I ever visited and my first introduction…
rye, Cynar, black pepper, bitters
Cynar (pronounced chee-nar) – artichoke liqueur, whaaat?! As strange as it sounds, Cynar is a modest 16.5% ABV amaro made with artichoke (aka “cynara scolymus”), along with 12 other herbs/plants. As with all Italian amaro, it’s an intense bittersweet liqueur oozing of herbal flavors that are difficult to describe, great…
gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, orange bitters