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Either I'm running out of ideas, or the weather's finally getting to me. Whatever the reason for this week's exposé, it was fun to put together.
I've heard of it, and I've peered at it from across the bar, but I'd never thought it necessary to try a sip of sloe gin. A deceptively simple liqueur derived from sloe berries (a fruit similar to the plum), sloe gin is traditionally made by infusing gin with the berries, although some manufacturers use neutral spirits for the base and add flavoring — artificial or otherwise. The resulting liqueur weighs in at anywhere
Tanqueray Rangpur
by Jason Lightner March 6th, 2013 | Liquor
It's been a good solid two months since I've looked at a new gin for you guys. So I went ahead and picked up a bottle of Tanqueray Rangpur. In so far as I can tell, the only real difference between this bottle and the original Tanqueray London Dry Gin is Rangpur's inclusion of the Rangpur lime with the already present juniper, coriander, bay leaves, and ginger. For those who prefer a bit more bite to their gin, this one's probably a good bet.
Tanqueray Rangpur is delivered in the company's signature green-tinted glass bottle. After being poured into a
Tanqueray Rangpur is delivered in the company's signature green-tinted glass bottle. After being poured into a
Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old Scotch Whisky
by Jason Lightner February 27th, 2013 | Liquor
The weather's finally breaking here in Philly, and that means it's time for yours truly to venture out into the unknown and switch it up a little! Oh, who am I kidding? It's time for more Scotch! This week's tasting comes courtesy of an actual Scotsman, too!
On a visit with an esteemed friend, I'd brought a bottle of Talisker over as an after-dinner digestif. Little did I know that my friend had the same idea, except with a whisky I'd not yet sampled. Check and mate, my friend.
From his cabinet he produced a bottle of the Dalwhinnie 15
On a visit with an esteemed friend, I'd brought a bottle of Talisker over as an after-dinner digestif. Little did I know that my friend had the same idea, except with a whisky I'd not yet sampled. Check and mate, my friend.
From his cabinet he produced a bottle of the Dalwhinnie 15
White Whiskey Margarita
by Dennis Mayer February 22nd, 2013 | Cocktails, Margaritas
Do a bit of Google-skipping, and you'll learn that a host of marketing interns and VPS-of-communications at ad firms and liquor conglomerates have declared February 22 to be National Margarita Day -- a transparent attempt, of course, to sell more tequila (a warm-weather spirit) during the winter. But the faux holiday is all that the millions of monkeys pounding on keyboards known as the Internet content-generating industry need to start churning out margarita-soaked blog posts.
Now, sadly, I'm one of the keyboard monkeys, not one of the liquor VPs, or I'd tell the liquor companies that the best way to
Now, sadly, I'm one of the keyboard monkeys, not one of the liquor VPs, or I'd tell the liquor companies that the best way to
Absinthe: A Primer
by Dennis Mayer February 21st, 2013 | Bar Essentials
If you're a regular reader here (thanks!), you might have noticed that a lot of the classic cocktails we feature here include a dash (or more) of absinthe to create a unique flavor. If you're at all aware of absinthe's sordid reputation, you might be a bit surprised by this. Let me clear that up.
Absinthe is a strong liquor (not a liqueur, since it's made without any added sugar). Its flavor is derived primarily from anise, with other botanicals and herbs added, including wormwood. That last ingredient is the problem, as it contains thujone, a
Absinthe is a strong liquor (not a liqueur, since it's made without any added sugar). Its flavor is derived primarily from anise, with other botanicals and herbs added, including wormwood. That last ingredient is the problem, as it contains thujone, a